Cliff (Alternity) (Transformers Generation 1)

Strike first, strike fast, strike hard.

Name: Cliff
Allegiance: Autobots
Sub-group: TransTechs
Function: Multiversal protector
Timeline: Generation 1 / Multiversal explorer

Toyline: Transformers Generations

Profile:

Cliffjumper, or Cliff as he now prefers to be known, is a warrior with a long and storied history. Originally a member of Optimus Prime’s Autobots on board the Ark, Cliff overcame his bloodthirstiness and became the first class warrior he always had the potential to be. In his timeline, Cliff’s comrades ascended to become the godlike Alternity - but Cliff decided he’d rather keep to a simpler way of doing things. The concept of a weapon that could destroy you at the precise moment of your spark’s first ignition was too complex and surreal for Cliff, and so he stuck to old fashioned combat methods. Surviving the cataclysmic end of the Alternity War with most of his enhanced abilities intact, Cliff decided to join the TransTechs of Axiom Nexus as one of their agents. Cliff still doesn’t get most of what is going on - he’s only just got his head around this whole “multiverse” thing - but as long as he has his Glass Gas, a rifle, and a bad guy to shoot, Cliff does what he does best and fights for justice.

Abilities:

Cliffjumper is still relatively fast in vehicle mode, although that is highly subjective when dealing with beings who can freeze time or twist reality on a whim. Cliff lost his left hand during one of his missions, and replaced it with a triple-barrelled arm cannon which can fire his signature glass gas capsules, which can render his opponents armour as brittle as glass. Additionally Cliff's arm cannon can fire a variety of different ammunition, including fragmentation, high explosive, smoke and plasma rounds. Cliff carries a neutrino disruptor rifle - a weapon specifically calibrated to disrupt the energy signatures of multiversal anomalies, time travelers and dimensional explorers. Cliff's greatest ability is his tenacity. Many times he'll appear defeated or critically wounded on a mission, only to return to base a bit scorched and worse for wear, but still very much alive.

Weaknesses:

For all the improvements to his systems, Cliff is still prone to blow-outs in vehicle mode. And while he's matured considerably from his days on the Ark, Cliff still has a habit of getting into situations he's not prepared to handle. And Cliff still hasn't figured out how to avoid being affected by his own glass gas if the wind changes direction either.

Muscle car mode:

Additional images of Cliff:

More information on Cliff at TFW2005

Author notes:

This is a “what-if” Cliffjumper based on a post-Alternity Cliffjumper, who now works for a multiversal defence agency. When I took these pics, I left one of the hands folded in and liked the look, so I ran with it. He lost a hand along the way and replaced it with a Glass Gas cannon. I call him Cliff since he’s based on a Japanese character - Cliff is his name in Japan - and I feel it represents how Cliffjumper would have matured.

His tenacity is my protest against how Cliffjumper always seems to die in modern Transformers series. This version of Cliffjumper isn't like that. He's a survivor. In fact it's my view whatever gets thrown at him, he comes out smiling.

Some people ask me where the rifle that Cliff is holding came from. It's a weapon made by Renderform - afraid I cannot be more specific as I bought a whole bag of random guns from them at one of the TFcon conventions in Canada a few years back. Those guns are so useful, though - they give me a few welcome additional options for my toys when I take photos.

This is also my third version of this excellent toy. I've got the Terrorcon version as well as the original First Edition version. It's an excellent toy, I really like it. One of my absolute favourites.