Ricochet (Headmasters)

Ricochet is an Autobot from the Headmasters portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Jazz gets pimped.

The job of Ricochet, aka Stepper (ステッパー Suteppā), is Rapid-Fire Attack, and he's well suited to it. He is the most accurate marksman the Autobots have and a Targetmaster as well, further augmenting his incredible skill. Unfortunately he's also quick-tempered and very easily provoked. This leads to him having a hard time maintaining friendly relations or even conversations with his teammates. In his favor, Ricochet has an uncommonly strong sense of justice (exactly twice as strong as the ordinary Autobot).

His Targetmaster partner is Nebulon.

Fiction

The Headmasters comic

Here comes the hot Stepper (murderer)
I'm the lyrical gangster (murderer)

Ricochet accompanied Artfire, Chromedome, and Daniel Witwicky in responding to a building fire. While the Autobots attempted to rescue people and put out the flames, the Decepticon Targetmasters attacked. However, the arrival of Fortress Maximus, who dropped fire-retardant foam on the buildings in starship mode, gave the two Autobot Targetmasters the chance they needed to combine with their gun-partners and send the Decepticons flying away uncontrollably. The Headmasters #7

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Transformers Collection bio

On Cybertron, Ricochet often had marksmanship contests with his friends Fusion and Bluestreak.

At some point after 2011, Ricochet's metabolic functions were damaged in an incident. Nebulon, an engineer on the planet Master, volunteered to help him by undergoing a unique form of binary bonding. While ostensibly becoming a Targetmaster, Nightstick's gun mode wasn't merely hand-held. He instead plugged into Ricochet's robot mode back, serving as a life-support system.

Legends comic

In the late 1980s, Ricochet was among the Autobots who fought to protect the Transform Super Cog from being stolen by the Decepticons, but the Battlechargers were able get past their defenses. Slugslinger's Ambition

Generations Selects Special Comic

During the Selector rebellion of 2050, Ricochet was present when Angolmois Energy on the planet Earth went wild, erupting out of the ground. Abominus comic 1

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Apparently, this is how post-1985 redecoes are made.

Ricochet was one of several clones created by Shockwave in the same program that produced Sunstorm. While in a tube, he was discovered by the Battlechargers, who released Sunstorm. The laboratory the clones were stored in was soon destroyed by Sunstorm. Night of the Combaticons

2005 IDW continuity

When Nemesis Prime broke into the Garrus-9 penitentiary, Ricochet was among the Autobot guards who tried to hold him back in vain. Spotlight: Doubledealer

United

"Ricochet, you're in charge, because the colorblind Decepticons might think you're Jazz, who's much cooler."

A devastating nano-virus plagued the Earthbound Autobots, a plague that Headmasters or Targetmasters like Ricochet were mysteriously immune from. Perceptor charged Ricochet with leading a team of unafflicted Autobots to Nebulos, where the supreme scientist Zella had crafted an antidote. Ricochet worried aloud that their departure would leave Autobot City vulnerable, but Perceptor assured him that it would be properly guarded.

As Ricochet's team arrived on Nebulos, Kup warned him he was having a bad feeling about all this. And sure enough, Kup's intuitions were correct, as an army of Decepticons led by Straxus appeared via an inter-dimensional portal. The nano-virus was part of a larger plot to draw out the Headmasters and Targetmasters so that their Nebulan partners could be collected. As the Autobots concentrated their attacks on Straxus, Ricochet slipped through the battle to pick up Zella's antidote, blasting his way through Rumble and Frenzy in the process. By the time he returned with a cart full of the stuff, his Autobots had defeated the Decepticons.

The antidote was successful, and Optimus Prime personally thanked Ricochet for his brave efforts. The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos

Beast Wars: Uprising

Stepper was one of the Autobots present on the disastrous campaign on Nebulos. He was partners with the Targetmaster Nightstick, until Nightstick, along with Fracas, defected to the Decepticons. A Brush With Infamy–Prologue

2019 IDW continuity

Ricochet was a member of the Wreckers, a covert operations team disguised as a traveling stunt show. They were active among and between the Cybertronian colonies after the War of the Threefold Spark. Ricochet and his partner Hot Shot were the main talent in the act and they shared a competitive dynamic over which one was faster and better (both on and off camera). One of the Wreckers' broadcasts was interrupted by dissidents on Velocitron called Mayhem, who objected to the position of First Senator being picked by the outcome of the Speedia 500 race, and promised to disrupt it. Wreckers leader Thunderclash brought the stunt show to Velocitron after that and entered the team in the race as a show of support for Velocitron (and to get close to the action to stop Mayhem). Tread & Circuits Part 1

Before the race, the Wreckers did recon of the other competitors, suspicious that Mayhem may have an inside 'bot at the Speedia. Ricochet observed the reclusive biker Sideways, but was unable to get a read on him. Their recon was interrupted when the Wreckers' chronicler Circuit spotted Mayhem in the city, but was sniped and critically injured. Minerva took to watching over Circuit as the other Wreckers gathered at the starting line and the Speedia 500 began. Tread & Circuits Part 2

Thunderclash gave Ricochet and Hot Shot permission to go all out in the race. They found themselves neck-and-neck with the dirty trickster called Drag Strip. Mayhem attacked the race course, causing an avalanche which Drag Strip negotiated around. Hot Shot gave Ricochet a boost over the rubble, but they were targeted by Mayhem's Thunderblast and Slugslinger from the air. Hot Shot took a hit, but the rest of the racers caught up, leading to an all-out melee. The remaining racers dragged themselves across the finish line, but even the arrival of Security Operations didn't stop Mayhem from escaping. Tread & Circuits Part 3

Days later, the racers gathered at the Velocitronian Senate as the winner Knock Out was sworn in as the new First Senator. Mayhem made another strike at the ceremony, and Ricochet and Hot Shot got a rematch with Thunderblast and Slugslinger. They tag-teamed the terrorists and knocked them out, but Minerva ended up being arrested under suspicion of attacking the First Senator. With Minerva incarcerated and Circuit passing away from his injuries, the Wreckers questioned whether they should go on. Although their stunt show went on hiatus, Thunderclash tried to boost his troops' spirits by suggesting a recruitment drive for the future. Tread & Circuits Part 4

Games

Angry Birds Transformers

Main article: Bubbles#As Ricochet

Ricochet appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. He is portrayed by Bubbles. Angry Birds Transformers

Transformers: Battle Tactics

He shoots without Nightstick in vehicle mode!

Ricochet (G1) participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Epic character available to 100 leagues in the "Disaster: Code Blue" event. Transformers: Battle Tactics

Toys

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers

Former holy grail.

• Stepper (Targetmaster, 1987)

• ID number: C-109
• Accessories: "Nebulon" Targetmaster partner, gun mount backpack

A retool and redeco of the original Jazz toy, Targetmaster Stepper transforms into a 1976 Porsche 935 race car. As a Targetmaster, he came with a smaller partner robot named Nebulon. In gun mode, Nebulon could peg into Stepper's retooled car mode spoiler, or could attach to a separate bracket that mounted over his robot mode shoulder. Stepper did not come with any of Jazz's accessories.

As a late addition to the Japanese Headmasters series (he was a tail-ender release and was unlikely to have been on shelves for very long as stores would reset for the new Super-God Masterforce toyline) and one of the earliest Japanese-only Transformers, though Stepper was not particularly rare, he was perceived as such in the West. As such, for several years Stepper commanded top dollar on the secondary market... until the reissue (see below) pretty much iced that.

• More information on Ricochet at TFU.info

The Transformers Collection

Modern heavily discounted shelfwarmer.

• Stepper (2004)

• ID number: 15
• Accessories: "Nebulon" Targetmaster partner, gun mount backpack, rifle, missile launcher backpack, 3 missiles

Stepper was reissued as part of Takara's Transformers Collection series, and almost simultaneously by Hasbro in their Commemorative Series (see below). This version of the figure featured a bolstered arsenal that now included golden-chromed versions of Jazz's weapons; additionally, Nebulon was retooled with a slender peg extension to allow Stepper to actually hold him in his hand.

The reissue also featured some small remolding, with the easily-broken plastic clasp that held Stepper's legs in being altered to a more sturdy pin and solid plastic holder combination. Also, the mold degradation that had plagued Jazz's head sculpt since the days of the Generation 2 toyline—which had reduced his face to a distorted grimace—was finally amended, restoring the figure's original appearance. This restored tooling was subsequently used for the Transformers Encore reissue of Jazz.

Unlike every other Generation 1 reissue up to that point, Stepper was initiated by Hasbro, to be released alongside their Commemorative Series release (see below). Even the sticker sheet uses Hasbro's Transformers logo.

• Transformers Collection Stepper at TFU.info

Commemorative Series

Former FORMER holy grail.

• Ricochet with Nightstick (2004)

• Accessories: "Nightstick" Targetmaster partner, gun mount backpack, rifle, missile launcher backpack, 3 missiles

Hasbro actually announced their reissue of Stepper prior to Takara, finally christening him with the new English name of "Ricochet" seventeen years after his creation. Released as part of the ninth and final wave of Toys"R"Us exclusive Commemorative Series reissues, Ricochet shared all the modifications made to Takara's reissue, except that—as had previously been the case with Hasbro's Commemorative Series reissue of Jazz—his rifle and missiles were un-chromed black plastic, and both the missiles and launcher were elongated to standard safety-regulation length in order to retail actual missile-launching functionality (the only "Autobot car" releases in the line to have working launchers).

Ricochet was initially listed as "Sunstreaker" in Canadian and Australian Toys"R"Us computers, leading to some confusion among fans. What's worse, the public Canadian Toys"R"Us website even illustrated their listing with a non-official photo of the Generation 1 Sunstreaker toy lifted straight off a fan's website, complete with watermark!

Amusingly enough, after years of demand by the fandom, Ricochet didn't sell particularly well at all. He was eventually sent to the "closeout" chain Tuesday Morning, where he could be purchased for $8 (original TRU price: $35). Japan saw similar clearance sales on its version.

• Commemorative Series Ricochet at TFU.info

Alternators

Sadly, Ricochet's brilliant plan to score with ladies by becoming a lifeguard failed miserably.

• Ricochet (Alternator, 2006)

• ID number: 20
• Accessories: Intercooler/gun
• Known designers: Steve Bono (Hasbro), Marcelo Matere (packaging artist)

Part of the Alternators line's second, relaunched assortment, Ricochet is a redeco of Alternators Silverstreak, who was himself retooled into Smokescreen (who in turn was released first for marketing reasons). Like Silverstreak, Ricochet's alternate mode is a licensed Subaru Impreza WRX featuring opening doors, hood and trunk and a detailed interior. The intercooler becomes a hand-held (non-firing) weapon.

Ricochet was among the first Alternators figures to feature a state-specific license plate; Ricochet is registered in New Jersey. With his attitude, he'll fit right in.

Though early official Hasbro stock photos (including those printed on the underside of the packaging) depict Ricochet with a fully-gold face, the final product's nose is white for unknown reasons. Contrary to popular belief, it was not left unpainted, as his head is made out of black plastic.

This sculpt was also retooled to make Red Alert.

• More information on Alternators Ricochet at TFU.info

United

SWEET! Now where does the Targetmaster store?

• Stepper (Deluxe mail-away, 2011)

• Release date: December 27, 2011
• Accessories: Blaster, left & right speakers, "Nebulon" Targetmaster

Available only as a mail-away exclusive offered through Transformers Generations 2011 Volume 1, United Stepper is a redeco of Reveal the Shield Deluxe Class Special Ops Jazz, transforming into a "street rally" sports car that looks like his original Porsche front-end wearing Pontiac Solstice headlights for a hat. Stepper has deployable speakers in both robot and vehicle mode, which can combine with his rifle via 3 mm clips to form a super rifle or be used on any other clip-compatible Transformers toy.

He once again comes with Nebulon, now (and naturally) a redeco of Universe Nightstick. However, Stepper lacks any new tooling that allows his vehicle mode to use Nebulon's gun mode in any way.

Stepper and Nebulon are the only United figures to retain their original Japanese names rather than being sold under their Hasbro-market names.

This sculpt was also used to make Shattered Glass Longarm and Stepper, and the mold's alternate head was used to make Treadshot. It was also retooled to make Generations Wheelie and Timelines Kick-Over.

Generations Selects

LUCHARAAAAAAANNNN!!!

• Ricochet (Deluxe Class, 2019)

• Series: Power of the Primes
• Accessories: Blaster, Prime Armor/combiner hand, Prime Master gap filler/gun
• Known designers: AJ Piejko-Brown (packaging)

A Generations Selects accompaniment to Power of the Primes, Ricochet is a redeco of Power of the Primes Jazz (which reuses the wheels and combiner peg of Combiner Wars Dragstrip), transforming into a Le Mans-like racing car subtly inspired by a Porsche 962. Curiously, Ricochet's engineering includes wrist swivels, but the panels molded underneath his forearms render them largely worthless. Ricochet can also form an arm or leg for any Combiner Wars-style combiner (or become one of Legends Godbomber's legs).

It is currently unknown if Ricochet suffers the same breakage problems with his translucent plastic as his mold-mate. So far, seems good.

Ricochet comes with a "Prime Armor" accessory with a socket for a Prime Master, Titan Master, Enigma of Combination, or Matrix core, which can also transform into a hand for a combiner robot. He also comes with a piece that can fill the gap in the Prime Armor or be held as a gun. To connect the armor, the grill portion of Ricochet's chest has two indents that fit the tabs on the "thumbs" when inserted at a slight angle. This Prime Armor mold was also used for Moonracer, Novastar, and Punch-Counterpunch.

Merchandise

Robot Heroes



Finally, someone to redeco every Jazz into.
• Ricochet & Predaking (Two-pack, 2009)

• Known designers: Bill Rawley (Hasbro), Marcelo Matere (concept artist)

A redeco of Robot Heroes Autobot Jazz, Ricochet is a small super deformed figurine with articulated shoulders. He was only available in a two-pack with Predaking.

The United States release of this two-pack was canceled, but it was released in other markets such as Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

• More information on Robot Heroes Ricochet at TFU.info

ReAction



A Hasbro licensee acknowledges his one true name.
• Stepper (2020)
  • Accessories: Photon rifle

Released as a special wave of black redecos for Black Friday for Super7's line of multi-property 3.75 inch action figures, ReAction Stepper is a non-converting action figure with 5 points of articulation and is a redeco of Jazz from the same series. He comes with a blaster which can only be held in his right hand. As with all releases in the ReAction toyline, Stepper comes packaged in a small cardback that emulates the nostalgic packaging style of Kenner Star Wars action figures of the late 1970s.

Transformers Character Card



• Stepper & Artfire Set (June, 2024)
  • ID number: 89 & 90

Released as part of the twelfth wave of the e-HOBBY exclusive Transformers Character Card series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of Stepper and Artfire along with character profiles and tech specs.

• Translation of Stepper's Transformers Character Card

Notes

• The "Stepper/Ricochet" name situation is a bit of a rare one in Transformers: while it was very common for toy characters to get name changes when making the jump from Takara to Hasbro markets and vice-versa up through the mid-2000s, there's usually not a lot of time between the character's creation and said jump, rarely more than a year in the majority of cases. In this one, the character was exclusively "Stepper" for nearly twenty years before Hasbro brought him over as "Ricochet". (Nowadays, with both companies working so close together, characters making the cross-company jump typically keep their original name, or a close-enough-to-pass-legal version thereof.) As is TFWiki's policy, we use his English-market name throughout this article, though we do admit that it can sometimes feel a little... dishonest? ...given how long he was just "Stepper". We no longer do the same for his partner due to the unique complications with that matter.
• Stepper and Artfire's Targetmaster partners' names were switched from their English-language counterparts. There has been some speculation among fans that "Stepper" and "Artfire" may have been switched as well, given that Artfire is the one with a ladder to step on and Stepper is the one with art of fire on him. This is fueled by the fact that Hot Shot, the Ricochet homage in the 2001 Robots in Disguise franchise, was named Art Fire in Japan (albeit with a different pronunciation than the Targetmaster), not Stepper.
• Hasbro designer Aaron Archer picked the name Ricochet, as the reissue meant that "the character was coming back", and as he'd enjoyed the 1991 movie Ricochet.^[1]
• Ricochet is one of the few Generation 1 characters to have more than one Shattered Glass doppelgänger, receiving both "Ricochet" in 2008 and "Stepper" in 2015.
• Ricochet's Selects toy was "leaked" months prior to its announcement via Elita Infin1te's package art, with a black-colored Jazz visible as the right leg. Given that line artist Robby Musso stated he was instructed to draw specific toys,^[2] it would seem that plans for Ricochet's release venue shifted around at Hasbro.

Foreign names

• Mandarin: Wǔzhě (舞者, "Dancer")

References

1. ↑ "We couldn't use the name Stepper for some reason. I named him Ricochet for no really good reason other than the character was coming back—you know, like, ricochet—and it was also a movie that I kind of enjoyed, a weird movie, at one time... so I just thought it was an interesting name."—Aaron Archer, The Toy Armada, ""Toy Armada Friday Night LIVE - Armada Hot Shot and more!"", 2023/11/10
2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10157930304367266&set=a.10156303508002266 Facebook post by Robby Musso, 4 October 2020