Diver (Transformers)

Diver is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers series and major characters in their respective anime series. Both are heroic characters who specialize in underwater combat.

Transformers: Generation 1

Diver is a marine biologist.^[1] Out of the Autobots, he is the best skilled in oceanic combat. He knows everything about Earths seas, and can even understand a little of the fish language. His weapons include his Sea Power Blaster and Sea Axe. His final attack is the "Screw Anchor", where he turns his Sea Anchor on its head, and launches it at the enemy like a boomerang.^[2]

Diver was fond of humans, and thought them special.^[3]

Animated series

Diver was a regular character featured in the early episodes of the Japanese exclusive series Transformers: Super-God Masterforce. In this series, Diver's human form was that of a marine biologist.

Eight thousand years ago, a starship containing the Autobot Pretenders Metalhawk, Lander, Diver and Phoenix pursued the Decepticon Pretenders Blood, Dauros and Gilmer to Neolithic-era Earth, where they crashed. Using their Pretender abilities, the Autobots adopted the form of humans - not using simple external shells like in the American fiction, but actually transforming the very structure of their bodies into an organic equivalent, shrinking down to normal human size to hide in plain sight among burgeoning humanity. The Decepticon Pretenders, on the other hand, adopted the forms of monstrous creatures, becoming feared as demons by early man. After many battles, the Autobots succeeded in defeating their enemies and sealing them away for thousands of years—Blood in the pyramids of Egypt, Gilmer in the ruins of Atlantis, and Dauros beneath the Nazca Lines in Peru.

Liberated in the near future by the mysterious Decepticon god, Devil Z, the three Pretenders entered his service, and immediately began to draw the Autobot Pretenders out of hiding, before turning their attention to a series of plans of acquiring energy and disrupting one of the three Chokoon Powers on Earth. After a string of failures, Devil Z supplanted them with his more powerful Godmaster minions, and although they would often participate in missions, their standing was downgraded and their regularity of appearance on the battlefield diminished. Eventually, they generally only served to supply comic relief, and departed Earth with the other surviving Decepticons when Devil Z was destroyed.

Comics

Fun Publications

Waverider or Diver appears among the various characters on Transtech Cybertron in the "Transcendent Part 4" by Fun Publications.

Toys

• Generation 1 Pretender Diver (1988)

Although portrayed as a different character, the toys for Waverider and Diver were identical.^[4][5]

Beast Wars

A guard stationed at the Niagara base, Diver's jumping power is the greatest of the Maximals. Prudent and timid, yet also rather careless, he usually avoids dangerous work by saying, "It was my grandfather's dying wish...." On the other hand, moved by friendship, he has often met danger side on. In frog mode, Diver appears unarmed, but can catch enemies by surprise with a tongue-punch. His specialty is singing, and he sings rap songs to himself. When he's surprised in robot mode, Diver's neck pops out to its full length. Speaks in Kansai dialect.^[6]

Animated series

Diver first appears in episodes #1 of Beast Wars Second, called "The Birth of a New Army."

Diver appears in episode #14, "The Combined Giant, Tripledacus." Upon arriving on Gaea the Jointrons briefly fight Bighorn, Diver, Tasmanian Kid, Starscream and BB. After chasing away the Predacons Tripledacus notices the remaining mechs are Maximals and becomes friends with them. Later, when Tripledacus confronts Megastorm, Starscream and BB the Maximals arrive to chase the Predacons away from their new ally.

Diver appears in episode #22, "Megastorm's Reconing" where he fought the Seacon Sea Phantom.

Diver appears in the Beast Wars Second movie, "Lio Convoy Crisis".

Comics

IDW Publishing

Diver had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.^[7]

Manga

In "The Maximal Brainwashing Projec]" Starscream and BB were able to capture Diver and the Tasmanian Kid, brainwashing them into serving the Predacons. Meanwhile, Leo Prime, Apache and Scuba were able to capture Dirge and Thrust. The shock of being damaged in capture had the side effect of making the Predacons think they were Maximals. Diver and the Kid were able to ambush the Maximals, allowing Galvatron to gain the upper hand on Lio Convoy, but the Maximals were aided by Dirge and Thrust. Furious that Lio had seemingly stolen his brainwashing idea Starscream had BB attacked the Maximals. Megastorm found the whole turn of events amusing and planned to use his main cannon to destroy all the Maximals and Predacons in the conflict, becoming the leader of the Predacons. His attack took so long to charge Diver was able to ruin it with a water geyser. The explosion was enough to shock the brainwashed Maximals back to their senses. Galvatron and the Predacons retreated with Dirge and Thrust in tow.^[8]

Toys

• Beast Wars Second Basic Diver

A redeco of the first Beast Wars Spittor toy.

References