Runabout (G1)

Runabout is a Decepticon Battlecharger from the Generation 1 continuity family.

You treat your stepmother with respect, Pantera!

Runabout (aka Over-Run^[1]) is not the brains of the Battlechargers (they're both pretty much dim-bulbs), but he is much calmer and certainly more articulate^[2] than Runamuck, and his presence helps keep the latter's cross-wired mind on task. That said, Runabout usually joins in with whatever mad ideas Runamuck comes up with, just to keep from being bored. Runabout is very susceptible to boredom.

Besides, Runabout loves a good wreck just as well as his crazy comrade, but it's not because he craves to create wreckage—he simply wishes to destroy, and enjoys the spectacle of chaos and big fiery explosions. To help create these he has a particle beam rifle that shoots a stream of heavy and energetic neutrons. Unfortunately, he craves destruction so much that it continually distracts him from his assigned duties.

Runabout is a little faster than Runamuck, with a 185 MPH top speed, but can only go about 550 miles. He is equally able to transform quickly, taking about .4 seconds to do so. Also like his partner, he is not averse to breaking windows or draping cylinder-wiping paper over the enemy base, or other puerile acts of vandalism. But he uses bigger words when doing so.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

"Heh heh heh."
"Huh huh huh."

The Battlechargers were summoned to Earth from Cybertron by Megatron, who wanted a dramatic way to announce his challenge to Optimus Prime for a fight to the death. The two reckless Decepticons left and promptly ignored their orders, and instead began to raise a bit of random highway havoc. Encountering Prowl, the two dropped firetraps and wrecked piles of cars behind them. Unable to stop them quietly on his own terms, Prowl grew angry and... was halted by Optimus Prime, who was dismayed with his recklessness.^[3] ...Perchance to Dream During a break in the mayhem, they rested in a parking lot and saw a defiant youngster expressing his disgust of family vacations through graffiti. His dad angrily escorted him back to the station wagon, and their holiday trip resumed. The Battlechargers, impressed by the boy's disregard for authority, began following the family on a road trip through the U.S., defacing any monuments they happened upon (such as Mount Rushmore, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and the Washington Monument). They wrote insults and jokes in a Cybertronian language, thus attracting the attention of RAAT, which had already captured thirteen Autobots.

RAAT caught up with them in Philadelphia, where Circuit Breaker engaged them in a battle that nearly killed the graffiti-inclined boy. They escaped, and took a break to learn English (not well, mind you) for their next stop, the Statue of Liberty. There they engaged Circuit Breaker once again, only this time, having been stripped of her command for her actions in their last encounter, she faced them in a giant machine jury-rigged from the Autobots RAAT had captured previously. The two hooligans met quick defeat at the hands of her makeshift gestalt, their charred bodies sent plunging into the harbor. Decepticon Graffiti! Optimus, worried, watched multiple screens showing the latest attacks by Decepticon arrivals from Cybertron, and saw that Runamuck and Runabout were only the most recent to endanger human life. Prey!

Well, I guess it's kind of sad that they're dead and all. But it's not like they had bright futures ahead of them.

When Shockwave wanted to wrest control of the Earth-based Decepticons from Scorponok, the Battlechargers joined his motley band of rebels. Surrender! They attacked Scorponok's New Jersey base, collapsing it onto itself. Starscream then urged his comrades to help him dig out whatever survivors there might be to offer them a choice; join them or be destroyed. Unfortunately, the first to be excavated was Scorponok. Runabout, Mindwipe, Runamuck, and Triggerhappy tried to gun him down together, but their laser fire proved ineffective against Scorponok's ultra-dense armor. The enemy leader easily tackled all four of them at once, taking them out of the ensuing battle. ...All This and Civil War 2 Just as said battle ended, the combatants were transported to Cybertron by Primus, who was gathering his Transformer children to stand against the demigod Unicron. The pair were in attendance as Primus spoke to the assembled Transformers through the body of Emirate Xaaron, though Runamuck was more concerned about some Autobots they'd recently angered as Runabout screwed his kibble back on. The Void! Runamuck was killed during the planet-rending battle, but Runabout survived and was strolling with Battletrap the next day when he was attacked and devoured by a Cybertronian Demon. On the Edge of Extinction!

Earthforce

As the Decepticon Civil War took a different path, Runabout and Runamuck were still working on the side of Shockwave and Starscream. In a fight with the Dinobots, Runabout got his hand stamped on by Grimlock while reaching for his weapon—very painful. He stayed behind after the battle in order to get revenge, and pulled a neutron cannon on Grimlock at close range. Grimlock seemed suitably impressed by the weapon, and suggested the Battlecharger take a step or two back for his own safety because of the recoil. Seemed like a sound suggestion to Runabout so he backed himself up... right over a cliff. Dumb 'Con. Two Steps Back!

The conflict between Megatron's and Shockwave's forces reached a height neither faction leader was comfortable with, so the two Decepticon leader called for an Enclave to negotiate an alliance. Runabout attended the festivities, only for some Autobot saboteurs to fake an assassination attempt on Megatron. A giant brawl ensued, and Runabout got the stuffing beat out of him. The Bad Guy's Ball!

When Megatron lost a global warming satellite to the Autobots, along with its poison gas canisters, Shockwave sent the Battlechargers out to retrieve it for his own purposes. They ran into Dead End and Drag Strip at the crash site, and got into a fight over who would take possession of the rocket and its contents. Little did they know the Autobot Prowl had already removed and neutralized the rocket's contents, making their tussle utterly pointless. Life in the Slow Lane Later, after the Decepticon factions unified, Runabout and Runamuck were seen attacking the Autobot Earthbase with the full Decepticon force, but they ultimately failed to gain any ground and retreated. Divide and Conquer!

Rhythms of Darkness!

In an alternate future in 2009, Runabout was among the warriors defending the Decepticon Powerbase against a desperate assault launched by the last seven remaining Autobots. Rhythms of Darkness!

Regeneration One

Hot Rod and the Dinobots discovered Runabout's remains in the Primus chamber deep beneath the surface of Cybertron. Destiny, Part Three Later in Zero Space, the Dark Matrix entity revealed to Rodimus Prime that it had sent the Demon to abduct Runabout so that it could feast upon his spark energy. The War to End All Wars, Part 5

Transformers '84

Early in the war on Cybertron, Runabout was part of a Decepticon assault alongside Chop Shop, Barrage, Ransack, Blitzwing, Octane, Runamuck, Venom, and the Autobot double agent Counterpunch. Secrets & Lies #1

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Roger Behr (English), Yoku Shioya (Japanese), Hans-Rainer Müller (German), Willy Schäfer (German, Generation 2 Dub)

GAH! Sparkles everywhere! Must shoot!

In 2006, Runabout was guarding Trypticon's city mode on Chaar with Runamuck. They were attacked by Scourge and the ghost of Starscream, who wanted to steal one of Trypticon's eyes for Unicron. Starscream possessed Runabout, shot Runamuck, then ran into a wall, knocking Runabout unconscious. Runamuck, however, was able to sound an alarm, and Dirge, Thrust, and Astrotrain arrived to help. Scourge got Trypticon's eye, and Starscream possessed Astrotrain and escaped. Later, under Unicron's orders, Starscream returned to Chaar and took control of Trypticon, not knowing that Dirge, Thrust, and the Battlechargers were inside. Starscream used Trypticon to bring Unicron's head down Cybertron's surface, but Thrust sabotaged Trypticon from within before Starscream could connect Unicron to the planet. Starscream came out of Trypticon and demanded that Unicron give him a corporeal form so he could complete the connections. Just as Unicron did so, Autobot-planted explosives detonated and sent Unicron's head back into orbit. Starscream was also flung into outer space, where Galvatron began pursuing him. Trypticon (and the Decepticons inside him) were probably thrown into space as well. Although the Battlechargers never appeared again, Trypticon and the others did, so they most likely did survive. Ghost in the Machine

Legends comic

Runabout and Runamuck were among the Decepticons who attacked the Autobot base in the 1980s to steal the Transform Super Cog. Using their car modes, the duo barreled through the Autobot defenders, entered the base and seized the cog only to be defeated by Topspin and Twin Twist. Slugslinger's Ambition

Wings Universe

Runabout and Runamuck were present during the battle that led to the destruction of Menasor and Defensor. Generation 2: Redux At some other time, the pair were hanging out with the equally-delinquent pair of Jetstorm and Deluge when a giant Autobot and his Quintesson cohort wandered into their territory. While Jetstorm and Deluge jumped the Autobot, Runabout and Runamuck tortured the Quintesson. The Decepticons misjudged the strength of their victims, and a short moment later all four Decepticons were defeated, left brutally embarrassed. The Coming Storm: Part 1

At some point between various upgrades, both Battlechargers were offered a flight mode but turned it down. Runamuck often forgot this detail, and Runabout had to constantly remind him that he couldn't take to the air. Runamuck's profile in Club magazine #43

After having been absent from Cybertron for a very long time, Jhiaxus made a secret return. He enlisted Runabout and Runamuck in filling him in on what he had missed, and the pair gave him a very amusing, yet sufficiently informative, recollection of the events of the Battle of Autobot City and The Rebirth. The information convinced Jhiaxus that this would be the perfect time to rebuild his Cybertronian Empire. A Flash Forward

The two Battlechargers were dispatched to find some personality components, and in the process discovered a stasis hibernation pod which opened to reveal Side Burn. A Flash Forward, Part 2 They took the amnesiac Side Burn him back to Jhiaxus, after which they all headed to Nebulos, where Jhiaxus had Runabout and Runamuck kidnap Hi-Q. A Flash Forward, Part 3 After they arrived on Qre, the pair engaged in some racing with Side Burn. A Flash Forward, Part 4 When Side Burn's advances were rebuffed by Nightracer, Runabout told him to go after her, and the Battlechargers followed. A Flash Forward, Part 5 Following Jhiaxus's defeat, Side Burn promised the pair leniency, and indeed after the pair returned to Earth with the Autobots, Hi-Q said he wouldn't press charges. A Flash Forward, Part 6

Battle Beneath the Ice

>>TO BE CONTINUED

During a mission to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Battlechargers were faced with the Autobots Hot Rod, Slingshot, and Skydive. While Runamuck, who was terrified of heights, stopped at the start of the bridge, Runabout chased after Hot Rod while shooting wildly. Unfortunately, the Autobot outmanoeuvred him, and Runabout was sent careening off the bridge and into the San Francisco Bay. The battle was televised on the news and recorded by the human Jeff Grey, who later ran into Hot Rod and discussed it with him. Battle Beneath the Ice

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

"So, uh, since you're the president and in charge of the army and stuff, does that mean you can invade a country and, like, set it on fire?"

In the early days of the war, while Optimus Prime and Megatron had their first confrontation, the Runabout and Runamuck duo joined Motormaster and Swindle in forcibly extracting data from Laserbeak, and helped Starscream assume control over Megatron's plans. The War Within #4 About a million years later, Megatron was lost in a space bridge accident, and the Decepticons split into several splinter factions. The Battlechargers joined Starscream's faction of Predacons during this time, but were defeated at Tyger Pax by the united Autobot, Decepticon and Ultracon forces. The Age of Wrath

In modern times, the Battlechargers were working for Shockwave as assassins. In the Old Slave Trails, Runabout caught the double agent Sandstorm leading Optimus Prime to safety with the Autobot revolutionaries, and blasted a hole through the Triple Changer's chest. Moving in to eliminate Prime as well, Runabout was caught off-guard by Gnaw and was... gnawed on for a while. Cold War

Somehow he pulled himself back together, and hooked up with Runamuck again after Shockwave's fall. Dodging Autobot patrols while looking for a working CR chamber to fully repair themselves, the Battlechargers found one of Shockwave's abandoned laboratories, and accidentally unleashed the electrum-enhanced clone warrior, Sunstorm. The clone's ambient radiation considerably weakened Runabout. Then he incinerated Runabout's head. That didn't help either. Night of the Combaticons

Runabout was later found, offline but alive, by the Protectobots. First Aid started repairing him and Runamuck as they were taken into custody. Black Sunshine

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance: Infiltration #0

Runabout was one of many bots to come from distant regions of Cybertron to attend Megatron's speeches and demonstrations of power as the Decepticon faction begun to take shape. Megatron Origin #3 In the early days of the war, Runabout, Runamuck, and Reflector tried and failed to stop some captured Autobots from escaping the Citadel. Rise They were later present in Kaon when Scorponok announced he was the new leader of the Decepticons. Wreckage

"Hey, babeh. Come to Runabout."

Four million years later, Runabout was part of a Decepticon insurgent cell that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, working to destabilise Earth's governing organisations and create global anarchy. He, Runamuck, and Thundercracker were assigned by Starscream to intercept the human Stoker and retrieve his SM-40 palmtop PC, containing data on their Nebraska operation. Infiltration #0 The team caught up with and killed Stoker outside Phoenix, AZ, by which time Verity Carlo had already stolen the SM-40. The Battlechargers' attempts to retrieve it from Verity and Ratchet blew their cover: they appeared in full public view both in primary mode and in a secondary alternate mode, where the panels of their sports-car disguises split apart to reveal weapons and ram-plates. While pursuing Ratchet, both Battlechargers were run off the road by a semi-trailer. Infiltration #1 Infiltration #2 Infiltration #3

Runabout bore witness to Megatron disciplining Starscream. He chose not to rebel against his leader further, under the threat of death. Infiltration #6 Despite his part in Starscream's mutiny, Runabout was quickly forgiven and returned to active duty. Escalation #1 Escalation #2

Runabout moved to Latveria with the rest of the Decepticons to spark a war between the nations of Latveria and Symkaria using the Psycho-Prism. When the Avengers infiltrated their base, Runabout abducted one of their number, Spider-Man. Man and Machine, Part One Runabout and his teammates, turbocharged by Spider-Man's radioactive blood, attacked the allied Autobots and Avengers in mirror response mode. Man and Machine, Part Two Runabout was subsequently blasted by the newly arrived Iron Man and sliced up by Wolverine. Man and Machine, Part Three The badly-damaged Runabout subsequently fled via an emergency warp-out. Man and Machine, Part Four

My life is, like, flashing in front of me...

Whoa. My life was cool.

Runabout was cowering in a nearby room while Megatron and Sixshot were arguing in the Decepticon's base on Earth. Devastation #1 Unfortunately, Runabout was brutally off-lined when the Reapers attacked the Decepticon command bunker in Oregon. He was electrocuted until he exploded, upsetting Runamuck, who was soon decapitated and then had his errant head crushed by a large boulder. Their fellow Decepticons cared little for the Battlechargers' demise; Astrotrain wrote them off as "acceptable losses." Devastation #5 Devastation #6

In 2017 when Joe Colton and Scarlett discussed the Cybertronian influence on Earth, they reviewed Ratchet's initial fight with the Battlechargers. Secret Raiders

Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

Runabout followed Megatron to Earth in his quest for the AllSpark. There, he encountered Omega Supreme. Not much of a match against the Autobot titan, Runabout crawled away from the battle as Omega occupied himself with Dirge. The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #19

When Soundwave increased recruitment in the Ascenticon Guard, Runabout was among the new members. All Fall Down Runabout as part of a coordinated terrorist attack on the Senate itself and easily overpowered Senate Guard members Pipes and Chainclaw. After the Senate Guardsmen were taken care of by Clench's infiltration troopers, Strika ordered Runabout and Runamuck to watch over them. We Have Deceived You

Runabout and Runamuck went to Iacon came across Wheeljack and question his allegiance when he admitted he doesn't know about the Decepticon faction. The duo attacked him before Streetwise and Slapdash arrived and force them to retreat. Prime Runabout was part of a crowd of Decepticons who watched Termagax denounce them (and Megatron in particular) for twisting her ideals. Awakenings

Runabout and Runamuck joined a cadre of Decepticons in assuming control of the Iacon energy stores. Hunt Next, they assisted Strika's Heavies when they attacked the Forge Pyramid looking for Titansparks. Titans Later, the two were scouting near the Deep Wastes when they heard a howling sound. Fearing old ghost stories, they fled back to Iacon and gave a quivering report to the incredulous Starscream. I Have No Mouth And I Must Starscream

The duo briefly appeared again as Jumpstream's out-of-control teleporting abilities carried her all over Cybertron. Test Flight I When the Decepticons learned the location of Termagax and the Enigma of Combination, Runabout and Runamuck were part of the battalion Sixshot assembled to claim their prizes. Sea of Rust II Despite fierce fighting on both sides, though, the Enigma was lost to the Sea of Rust. Enigmatic

Runabout and Runamuck assembled with Strika's army of Decepticons to invade the Autobot-occupied Crystal City. The siege went well at first until the unexpected return of Lodestar, the last Titan. A Dust of Crystals Fearing the Titan's power, much of the Decepticon army except for the very brave or foolhardy fled from Lodestar. The Landscape of Fear

Runabout was later seen in the final battle at Darkmount as the Decepticons attempted to topple Computron. Fate of Cybertron

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

With Cybertron's fate sealed and the Autobots gone, the Decepticons followed them closely through space aboard the Nemesis in pursuit of the AllSpark. Earthrise webpage^[4] Runabout was a Ground Force Black Ops Raider. Earthrise toy packaging While on a mission to infiltrate the Autobot ship, the Ark, Runabout and his brother Runamuck were separated. Runabout was left behind while Runamuck hid in the Ark’s cargo hold. He could only speak in half sentences without his brother to finish them for him.

I want to tell you about the Transformers! This character article is a stub and is missing information on their fictional appearances. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it. Fan First Friday[5]

Commercials

Megatron ordered Runabout and Runamuck to attack Ultra Magnus and his Autobots as they spoiled an Energon-gathering mission. Battlechargers commercial

Games

Transformers Legends

Runabout was part of a convoy led by Motormaster which attempted to deliver the final component for a super weapon to Decepticon HQ. The Aerialbots successfully intercepted them right as they neared their goal, and the four Decepticons had to destroy the weapon to keep it out of Autobot hands. Eagle Eyes

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Over-Run participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Rare character who could be recruited after collecting 160 units of Cybermetal, and 95 units of Transmetal. Transformers: Battle Tactics

Transformers: Earth Wars

Runabout joined the Earth Wars at the same time as Blurr. Burning Rubber

Toys

The Transformers

I'll steal it! And no one will ever know!

• Runabout (Battlecharger, 1986)

• Accessories: "High-energy particle beam rifle"
• Known designers: Hideaki Yoke (TakaraTomy), Takashi Matsuda (initial concept)

One of the two Battlecharger toys released in 1986, The Transformers Runabout transforms into a Lotus Turbo Esprit sports car. An autotransformer, he uses a pull-back motor to propel him forward in both car and robot modes, though starting in car mode triggers his transformation to robot after he rolls forward a short distance. Due to the autotransformation engineering, Runabout is entirely a brick, featuring no articulation whatsoever, or even arms. As such, his weapon can only be plugged into what is presented as his shoulder.

Though this mold is very similar to his partner Runamuck, it is highly unlikely one is actually a retool of the other since they had simultaneous production.

For reasons unknown, the Battlechargers were not released in the Takara Transformers toyline, rare for a Takara-engineered toy at the time.

• More information on Runabout at TFU.info

Timelines

I'll run-you-over!

• Over-Run (Deluxe Class, 2012)

• Accessories: Pistol, 2 side-pipes/shoulder-cannons

Timelines "Over-Run" (new name for trademark reasons) is a retool of Generations Wheeljack (itself a retool of Reveal the Shield Turbo Tracks) with a new head designed by Dan Khanna to amalgamate Runabout and Runamuck's original headsculpts.^[6] He transforms into a sports car of made-up model, though it kind of resembles a Chevy Corvette with a heavily-modified front end. He can also assume a third "flying car" mode by folding down the car doors and flipping out wing extensions. his pistol can be hand-held, or become a shoulder-mounted gun through the use of the c joint clip on its back. His two side-pipes can attach to the c joint bars on his upper body as well to form shoulder-mounted cannons, or be held in his hands by the barrels as wrenches.

Over-Run is one of two 2012 Transformers Collectors' Club exclusive figures (the other being Shattered Glass Drift).

This mold (with the new head) was also used to make the Club's 2012 "membership freebie" Runamuck, for whom extra space is provided in Over-Run's display box!

Over-Run sold out within a day of being available (taking into account problems with the store's ordering process).

• More information on Over-Run at TFU.info

War for Cybertron: Earthrise

You can hear Mike Judge laughing.

• Decepticon Runabout (Deluxe Class, 2020)

• Hasbro ID number: WFC-E41
• TakaraTomy ID number: ER EX-23
• TakaraTomy release date: April 24, 2021
• Accessories: 2 blasters

Earthrise "Decepticon Runabout" is, astonishingly, a redeco and new-head retool of his compadre Runamuck, being one of the final figures revealed for the Earthrise toyline. Runabout transforms into an 80's sportscar that theoretically resembles a Lotus Esprit X180 with red striping. Like most War for Cybertron Trilogy toys, Runabout has 3 mm posts and 5 mm holes for the C.O.M.B.A.T. System. In order to be accurate to the original toy, there are 5 mm holes at the top of each shoulder to mount his gun, as well as faux wheels at the back of his feet, albeit unpainted. To achieve a proportional chest with the rest of his body, his robot mode chest uses a faux car roof. Unlike Runamuck, only Runabout's faux chest, car roof and backside are painted in his primary color, reducing the risk of paint chipping.

Replicating a switcheroo from the Battlechargers' original character models, Runabout includes a gun based on Runamuck's friction rifle. Unlike Earthrise Runamuck, however, Runabout also includes a second gun for a toy-accurate option, based on his own high-energy particle beam rifle. Either gun can be plugged into the top of his vehicle form, any of his 5 mm ports, or combine into a larger rifle. Due to the way each blaster can stack on the other, you can further elongate the weapon by attaching Runamuck's gun too.

Runabout was exclusive to Target stores in the United States and a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive in Japan.

Like all Earthrise figures, Runabout's package includes a clip-and-save piece of a larger collectable space map. This piece is unusually empty and featureless, but does depict a small unlabeled sphere that may be a satellite of Botropolis. It also shows the earliest point in the Fool's Fortune path, which enters this piece from an edge that turns out to be an upper boundary of the entire map.

Merchandise

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Raider Runabout, Infantry-Soldier (2019)
  • Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: T36/T48
  • Stars: 10

Raider Runabout, Infantry-Soldier is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege I.

The line-art for the card is reused from the Transformers Legends mobile game, with updated colors to match the style used in the War for Cybertron: Siege toyline packaging art.

• Raider Runabout, Infantry-Soldier (2019)
  • Wave 3P
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: P9/2019
  • Stars: 10

A reprint of Raider Runabout, Infantry-Soldier was made available as an in-store play promo card for the release of Wave 4: War for Cybertron: Siege II. The card is identical to the original release, printed with gold-foil on the Robot Mode side.

Notes

Everybody wants to be Runabout.

• In Hasbro's 1986 pre-Toy Fair catalog, a Runabout toy in robot mode (minus arm decals) is used to represent Runamuck's robot mode. The toy, however, is holding Runamuck's gun. Hmm....
• Runabout's original character model gives him Runamuck's weapon (and vice versa), which would later influence the Battlechargers' Earthrise toys (see above).
• Runabout was the inspiration for the Cybertron homage toy Runamuck (trademark issues explain away the name-shift).
• The Generations Combiner Wars Blackjack figure was originally designed as a new Runabout toy.^[7] The reasons for its new identity are unknown, but likely involve name unavailability and/or a desire for a more colorful toy. Takara later released the toy as Runabout and Runamuck for their Adventure toyline.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Runabout (ラナバウト Ranabauto)
• French: Rôdo (Canada)
• Italian: Diablo
• Russian: Podryvnik (Подрывник, "Bomber")
• Hungarian: Futkosó (Person who runs around)

Gallery

References