Slingshot (G1)

Slingshot (Known as Sling (スリング Suringu) in Japan)is a member of the Aerialbots who transforms into an AV-8B Harrier II jet and forms the left arm of Superion. He was also created by Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobots on Cybertron from old Cybertronian jets and shuttle parts and was brought to life when Alpha Trion sacrificed himself to activate Vector Sigma. 
==Biography==
===Animated series===
Slingshot first appeared in the second episode of the two-part second season story "The Key to Vector Sigma". He was constructed from an old Cybertronian vehicle and turned into a fast Earth jet by Optimus Prime. He and the other Aerialbots accompanied the Autobots to Earth aboard Omega Supreme. Their first mission saw them investigating the theft of a new super fuel but the humans, mistakenly believing the Autobots were responsible for the theft, opened fire on them. The Stunticons then attacked and Slightshot ended up personally fighting their leader Motormaster, although he needed to be rescued by Fireflight when Motormaster jumped onto him in jet mode and started pounding him. Slingshot was contemptuous of the Autobots, the humans and Silverbolt, who Optimus Prime had appointed group leader, leading to him arguing with Ironhide. He wanted to return to Cybertron and nearly got the other Aerialbots to follow them but Silverbolt convinced him the Decepticons would never leave them alone and showed how Sparkplug Witwicky worked tirelessly to repair Omega Supreme. Slingshot joined a battle against the Stunticons again, rescuing Optimus Prime, fighting Motormaster again and forming Superion with the other Aerialbots for the first time. He ultimately saved Silverbolt from falling to his death after Silverbolt destroyed the Key to Vector Sigma which Megatron had tried to use to turn Earth into a new Cybertron.
He was given focus in the following episode, "Aerial Assault", where he and Skydive were sent undercover to investigate plane thefts linked to the Decepticons. After being disassembled, he was repaired by a boy, Hassan, and given a Rolls Royce grill as a new chest plate, with Hassan turning out to be the country's true ruler Prince Jamal. In "War Dawn", Slingshot and most of the other Aerialbots remained unsure about being on the right side, admiring the Decepticons despite rescuing a group of kidnapped diplomats from them. As a result, they were transported back in time millions of years to the beginning of the war on Cybertron. They befriended a dock worker, Orion Pax, only to see him brutally injured and many of his friends killed in an attack by Megatron. They took him to Alpha Trion, who rebuilt him as Optimus Prime. Slingshot and the others were willing to sacrifice themselves to destroy an energon shipment the Decepticons sought but were pulled back to the present by the other Autobots in the nick of time. Slingshot was left determined to stop Megatron.
Slingshot's only other season two appearance was in "Cosmic Rust", where he helped stop the Decepticons from destroying the Statue of Liberty and unleashing a rust virus. He reappeared in the aftermath of The Transformers: The Movie in the "Five Faces of Darkness" miniseries that opened season three, accompanying Rodimus Prime in rescuing Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike Witwicky from the Quintessons and defending Cybertron from the Decepticons.
Slingshot continued to appear throughout the season but was given little focus, mainly just appearing with the other Aerialbots. He encountered an even younger Alpha Trion when he was sent through time in "Forever is a Long Time Coming", fought Trypticon in "The Ultimate Weapon" and was among those drained of energy by Tornedron in "Call of the Primitives" and infected by the Hate Plague in "The Return of Optimus Prime". He last appeared in the final miniseries "The Rebirth" trying to defend Cybertron from Galvatron's attack.
===Comics===
Slingshot first appeared in the Marvel UK story "Second Generation", where he was part of a vision of the future seen by Optimus Prime and Buster Witwicky, pursuing Blast Off to a stricken power plant and forming Superion with the other Aerialbots. This led into his first Marvel US appearance in Issue #21, where he and the other Aerialbots were activated without being fully programmed in order to stop a Decepticon plan to hijack the power of Hoover Dam. Despite taking fire from both Shrapnel and Ramjet, Slingshot helped drive off the Decepticons and formed Superion to try and destroy their power syphon. However, since he had not been programmed to protect humans, Superion's function was hindered and the combiner disengaged, with the syphon being destroyed by human Ricky Vasquez instead.
In the following issue, Slingshot and the others were fully programmed and given life with the Creation Matrix. However, their next mission, where they tried to stop a rampage by the Stunticons, saw them deactivated and captured by the human robot hunter Circuit Breaker and her allies RAAT. They were freed in the following issue after doing a deal with Circuit Breaker to stop the Battlechargers.
Slingshot was brought fully back online in the G.I. Joe and the Transformers miniseries, going to back up Bumblebee in protecting Power Station Alpha. He was briefly seen attending Optimus Prime's funeral in Issue #26 of the main comic, before returning at the conclusion of the miniseries to form Superion in order to battle Defensor.
After a lengthy absence, Slingshot returned in Issue #41 to witness the duel between Grimlock and Blaster on the moon's surface. He made his last appearance in the Marvel US comic in Issue #50 during the Underbase Saga, where he went to rescue Buster Witwicky from the arctic only to end up in a Decepticon ambush where he was injured by Astrotrain and Slugslinger. After the Autobots and Decepticons united against an Underbase-powered Starscream, Slingshot was part of a team led by Blaster and Ratbat who went to protect New York only to be among the first deactivated by Starscream.
He was shown back online in Marvel UK's Earthforce stories, appearing in "The House That Wheeljack Built", where he and the other Aerialbots ran air cover for Prowl as he fought through the Earthforce base defences. The post-movie version of the character appeared in "Space Pirates" as one of several Autobots deactivated by the Quintessons when they took over Autobot City on Earth.
==Personality==
Slingshot is self-centered, loud mouthed. He tends to take credit for other's work. Despite this, Slingshot actually lacks self-confidence due to his build & speed being the lower than other Aerialbots. Understanding this, Optimus Prime shows support to him who is a loyal & hard-working soldier with effectiveness.
== Abilities & Weapons According to Transformers: More than Meets the Eye profile books & 1986 The Transformers Universe series ==
==== Primary function: Ground Troop Support ====
====Abilities====
* In his jet mode, Slingshot can reach speeds of Mach 1.6 (~ 1228 mph or 1976 km/h) for up to 800 miles (~ 1287 km). While that speed is the slowest among all Aerialbots, Slingshot is the most maneuverable: He can even turn, in mid-air, on the provebial dime. His jet mode is also a VTOL aircraft, which allows him to launch straight up for take-off and requires only a launching pad to land instead of requiring a run way most of the time.
[MTMTE's profile claims his top speed with is Mach 3.2 (~ 2455 mph or 3951 km/h) for up to the same range above.]
*Despite his insecurity, Slingshot actually has above average strength & intelligence. He's also an accomplised sharpshooter in both mode. In his jet mode, Slingshot can use his armament to hit a highway stop sign 6 miles (~ 9656 meters) away.
*He can also fly in robot mode. 
*He severs as one of the limbs (mostly left arm) for the gestalt form of the team - Superion. 
====Arsenal: Slingshot has great firepower====
*His jet mode's armament is twin-mortar cannons.
*In robot mode, Slingshot uses neutron rifle. It can shoot packets of neutron at 200 round per second. A few bursts can level a Earth city block.
====Weaknesses====
* He has below average endurance. He requires 50% more maintenance than other Aerialbots due his abrupt maneuvering.
* His obnoxious attitude results him being disliked by most other Autobots (including his teammates). This often lead to them leaving him behind to deal with dangerous situation.
Stats comparison to other Aerialbots
 	
Pros 	
* Higher strength than Air Raid & Skydive (also higher courage)
* Higher intelligence & firepower than Fireflight
* Higher skill than most Aerialbots
Equals	
* Same strength & courage with Silverbolt
* Same speed with Fireflight
* Same endurance with Skydive
* Same rank with Air Raid
* Same firepower with most Aerialbots
Cons 	
* Lower courage than Air Raid & Fireflight (also lower strength)
* Lower intelligence, endurance & rank than most Aerialbots
* Lower speed than most Aerialbots
* Lower skill than Skydive
Specific differences
 	Strength	Intelligence	Speed	Endurance	Rank	Courage	Firepower	Skill
Air Raid 	+ 1 	- 1 	- 1 	- 3 	0 	- 2 	0 	+ 2
Fireflight	- 1 	+ 1 	0 	- 4 	- 1 	- 1 	+ 1 	+ 6
Silverbolt	0 	- 2 	- 1 	- 4 	- 3 	0 	0 	+ 4
Skydive 	+ 2 	- 4 	- 1 	0 	- 2 	+ 1 	0 	- 1
== Gallery ==
File:(A) Dreamwave G1 Aerialbot Slingshot.jpg|Dreamwave G1 Slingshot Profile
File:Ts slingshot.jpg|G1 Slingshot Tech Spec
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