Cloudburst (Transformers)

Cloudburst

Cloudburst/Phoenix toy
Autobot
Information
Sub-group	Pretender
Function	Space Defense
Motto	"You can't tell a bot by his cover."
Alternate modes	Cybertronian Jet
Series	Transformers: Generation 1

Cloudburst is a fictional character from the Transformers series. He turns into a jet and has a shell that looked like an armored human. He shouldn't be confused with Phoenix, a Japanese Transformer who shares the same toy.

Cloudburst is one of the original six Autobot Pretenders. His inner robot transforms into a spaceship. Unlike the other Autobot Pretenders, Cloudburst carries a whip instead of a sword.

Cloudburst is extremely cautious and wary. He prefers his outer shell, and very rarely exposes his inner robot, when not in space flight.

Although the US Transformers animated series stopped making original episode before Cloudburst was brought out, his Japanese counterpart Phoenix appeared in the Masterforce anime series.

Cloudburst's appeared in animation in commercials for the Pretender toys.

Animation from the commercial was used in the opening credits for season 5 of the Transformers, which retold episodes of earlier seasons. Cloudburst appeared in them.

In a story called "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!" from Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #12 by German comic publisher Condor Verlag Optimus Prime instructs Backstreet, Bumblebee and Ruckus on how to identify Autobots from Decepticons in battle using the Ark's computer. Cloudburst is one of those he displays to the Autobots.

Cloudburst, Groundbreaker, Landmine and Waverider appear in Spotlight: Hardhead investigating the Benzuli Expanse and reporting to Jetfire.

Although not seen or mentioned directly, Cloudburst was among the Autobots who joined Fortress Maximus in leaving Cybertron for the planet Nebulos (Transformers: Headmasters #1). Unfortunately, they were followed to Nebulos by the Decepticons under Scorponok, leading war to break out once more. Fortress Maximus's band left Nebulos for the planet Earth, with the Decepticons in close pursuit. (Transformers: Headmasters #4).