Terradive (Armada)

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images. Specifics: First Universe toy, Cybertron comic.

Terradive is a Mini-Con from the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Seemingly unconcerned that he's knee-deep in fire.

Terradive is the thrill-seeker of the Air Military Mini-Con Team, much to his more serious-minded teammates' chagrin. His favorite tactic is to dive-bomb a target, then pull up at the very last possible second. This takes a severe toll on his body (especially when he stalls or mistimes pulling up) and he's constantly having to get maintenance done to his system because of it, but the thrill, to him, is all worth it.

An alternate-universe incarnation of Terradive is partnered with the herald of Unicron Ramjet, but shares none of Terradive's personality traits—he hasn't got a personality anymore. Untold millennia of servility to the dark Transformer have left him—and his fellow Mini-Cons—little more than drones, utterly subservient to his master's will.

Fiction

Armada cartoon

Terradive and the Air Military Team were hidden away in storage on the moon, apparently trapped there for a million years unlike their fellow Mini-Cons who had been scattered over the Earth. They were found and recruited by Thrust to the Decepticon cause, and incorporated into his battle strategies. Alongside the Air Defense Team, the Decepticons now possessed a rather large air force for vanquishing the Autobots. After Thrust lured the Autobots into a tight ravine with a false Mini-Con signal, Terradive and his flying partners joined with Starscream in strafing the trapped Autobots. They were eventually overcome when Hot Shot fired on the jets, bringing them down. Tactician

The Air Military Team and Air Defense Team were used in Thrust's next offensive as well. Terradive and the others used the Autobots' prohibition against firing on Mini-Cons against them, keeping Jetfire distracted and surrounded in mid-air, cut off from his landbound fellow Autobots and unable to fire back at his attackers. Linkup

Terradive and his squad were assembled again to do battle with Jet Optimus alongside Megatron and his Dark Fleet armor. Desperate

Cybertron comic

The alternate-universe Terradive and his teammates came with Ramjet and Nemesis Prime to Cybertron during their mission to destroy Primus using the Dead Matrix. Their first move was to blast their way into the Vector Sigma chamber, where they neutralized both the supercomputer and Alpha Trion. Balancing Act Terradive and his fellow Mini-Cons later sat down as Ramjet explained Dark Scorponok's vampiric behavior to them and several Scrapmetals, then stood beside their master as he met Skyfall. Balancing Act, Part 3 They all came with Ramjet and Nemesis Prime as they headed for Primus's chamber. The group was confronted by Vector Prime, who aimed to stop them, in the Spark Core Access Tunnels. Balancing Act, Part 4 As Ramjet dueled with the ancient Transformer, the Air Military Team powerlinxed with him to increase his strength. Balancing Act, Pt 5 However, it still wasn't enough, and Terradive ended up getting blasted into a portal alongside his dark master. Revelations Part 1

Toys

Armada

With this Mini-Con, you too can look like Wolverine!

• Air Military Mini-Con Team (Mini-Con 3-pack, 2003)

• Takara name: Air Military Micron
• Takara ID number: MM-11
• Takara release date: June 12, 2003
• Known designers: Hironori Kobayashi (Takara)

Armada Terradive transforms into a stealth fighter somewhat similar to a SR-71 Blackbird. He also has a third "weapon" mode, a triple-bladed claw. As a Mini-Con, he has two "Powerlinx" sockets on the underside of his vehicle and weapon modes that allow him to attach to larger toys with compatible Powerlinx plugs, activating special gimmicks on the larger toys when attached to a "live" plug.

There is an unfortunate design flaw of the three claw/cockpit sections, in that there isn't enough clearance for each claw to move past each other during transformation, meaning each claw has to be flexed past one another, causing any of them to pop off. In the worst recorded cases, the outer claw sockets can crack and break; it's not as bad with this release's softer PVC-ish plastic, but later redecos… watch out. As it is a result of the overall design, it's safe to assume that every use of the mold is just as prone to breakage. Caution is advised.

He was normally only available in a three-pack with his teammates Gunbarrel and Thunderwing. In the Hasbro line, the Air Military Mini-Con Team was released in the fourth assortment of Mini-Con teams. In Japan, it was part of the fourth wave of Legend of the Microns product, released in June 2003. Aside from packaging, there are no noteworthy differences between the two releases.

• More information on Terradive at TFU.info

• Thrust & Air Military Micron (Multi-pack, 2003)

• Sonokong name: Sniper & Air Military
• ID number: MS-06
• Takara release date: June 12, 2003

In Japan, the Air Military Microns were also available in a multi-pack with Thrust and his Micron "Thunder". All of the toys in the set are identical to their individual releases.

Sonokong also released the set in Korea under their Eunha Yeongung: Cybertron line. All of the toys are identical to their Japanese release, other than packaging. This was also the only way to obtain "Sniper" (Thrust) and the "Air Military" in Korea.

• Air Military Micron Exdimensions (Mini-Con 3-pack, 2003)

• ID number: MM-12
• Release date: July 17, 2003

A limited-edition (yet still standard retail) "Exdimensions" redeco of the Air Military Microns was released in Japan. The entire team was redecoed in black, clear-black, and white plastics, plus given a light white paint-wash.

The design flaw noted above is amplified here, as all three claw prongs and the sockets to secure the outer claws are all thin transparent plastic and easily breakable.

This toy also doubles as the separate character Recon.

• More information on Exdimensions Recon at TFU.info

• Unicron with Dead End (Bonus pack, 2003)

Late in the US line, Walmart stores received exclusive Unicron toys that came with the Air Military Team in a bubble attached to the top of the box. This set was sold for the normal retail price of Unicron… hey, free Mini-Cons!

Universe (2003)

• Ramjet with Thunderclash, Gunbarrel, Thunderwing, and Terradive (Ultra Class, 2004)

Available as part of a Toys"R"Us-exclusive Universe "Spring Value Pack" with his master Ramjet, this version of Thunderwing was redecoed in mostly darker shades of his original colors, though his entire cockpit area was painted orange, the most immediately-noticeable difference. (The boxback photography showed a very different deco, see "Notes" below).

This set also came with redecoes of the Mini-Cons Thunderclash, Gunbarrel, and Thunderwing.

• More information on Spring Value Pack Terradive at TFU.info

• Stockade & Magna Stampede with Prowl & Terradive (Ultra Class, 2004)

Terradive was redecoed again for the regular-retail Universe line, this time in a blindingly white and gold deco.

He was only available in an Ultra Class multi-pack with Stockade, Magna Stampede, and the Mini-Con Prowl, released in the third "official" wave of the line (Universe has a few ".5" half-waves, which ultimately put this pack in the fifth set of Ultra releases, yes it's confusing). The packaging for this toy lists both Mini-Cons as Autobots.

• More information on Universe Terradive at TFU.info

Notes

• The packaging for the Toys"R"Us Ramjet sets shows an air Military Team in very different colors. Terradive ended up primarily white with medium blue accents, possibly a reference to the Generation 2 Cyberjet version of Jetfire.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Recon (リーコン Rīkon), Terradive (テラダイブ Teradaibu)
• Korean: Recon (리콘 Rikon)