The Energon Pub

I can't be the only one who's noticed that Windblade went from being pushed as a major new player in Transformers to being dropped like a stone almost overnight, right? Like it wasn't too long ago she was in almost every new bit of media, but she seems to have been almost abandoned. She hasn't gotten a new transforming toy in ages (her last official product was the Flametoys model kit) and she certainly doesn't seem to be doing much in new media. Me and a friend have a few theories as to why (popularity wasn't helped by the fact they never really decided on a set personality for her, she was the brainchild of someone no longer working on the brand, etc) but it does seem a bit strange for her to go to heroine to zeroine in such a short space of time.

Evil Eye wrote:I can't be the only one who's noticed that Windblade went from being pushed as a major new player in Transformers to being dropped like a stone almost overnight, right? Like it wasn't too long ago she was in almost every new bit of media, but she seems to have been almost abandoned. She hasn't gotten a new transforming toy in ages (her last official product was the Flametoys model kit) and she certainly doesn't seem to be doing much in new media. Me and a friend have a few theories as to why (popularity wasn't helped by the fact they never really decided on a set personality for her, she was the brainchild of someone no longer working on the brand, etc) but it does seem a bit strange for her to go to heroine to zeroine in such a short space of time.

What you're seeing is the whiplash effect of hyped fads; her only claim to the intial fame (or notoriety) was the fact she's the first of something new, in this case the first Fan-Built character and toy, almost 10 years ago (Primus I'm old...) and heavily advertised. And as with anything new, she became old news and ignored, cast aside like that most popular girl from school fallen from grace...

Her not having a set archetype across continuities like you said certainly didn't help matters (even between the US and Japan!); her being a City-Speaker in her debut was something I wish they kept as it added a layer of intrigue to both her and the Titans her kind commanded. With that aspect gone, she's just a blank slate with writers doing whatever with her.

Hum, wasn't Windblade a central character for most of Cyberverse except for the last two specials last November? Seems a bit soon to consider her retired already.

And wasn't she portrayed as a Cityspeaker for all but two iterations (RiD2015 and IDW2)? Admittedly, PWT didn't use that very effectively, but still.

MaximalNui wrote:And wasn't she portrayed as a Cityspeaker for all but two iterations (RiD2015 and IDW2)? Admittedly, PWT didn't use that very effectively, but still.

You're right, Cyberverse did have her as a Cityspeaker. But for iteration I mean main continuity, in which case it appeared in 2 out of... the 3, 4 she appeared in?

Evil Eye wrote:I can't be the only one who's noticed that Windblade went from being pushed as a major new player in Transformers to being dropped like a stone almost overnight, right? Like it wasn't too long ago she was in almost every new bit of media, but she seems to have been almost abandoned. She hasn't gotten a new transforming toy in ages (her last official product was the Flametoys model kit) and she certainly doesn't seem to be doing much in new media. Me and a friend have a few theories as to why (popularity wasn't helped by the fact they never really decided on a set personality for her, she was the brainchild of someone no longer working on the brand, etc) but it does seem a bit strange for her to go to heroine to zeroine in such a short space of time.

She was a main character of the most recent kids show, even ending up on the main stage at the end with Optimus and Bumblebee as representitive for the autobots. And we havent seen the new show yet, she might be in it or not, we don't know. I think it's too early to say she's been abandonned.

Evil Eye wrote:I can't be the only one who's noticed that Windblade went from being pushed as a major new player in Transformers to being dropped like a stone almost overnight, right? Like it wasn't too long ago she was in almost every new bit of media, but she seems to have been almost abandoned. She hasn't gotten a new transforming toy in ages (her last official product was the Flametoys model kit) and she certainly doesn't seem to be doing much in new media. Me and a friend have a few theories as to why (popularity wasn't helped by the fact they never really decided on a set personality for her, she was the brainchild of someone no longer working on the brand, etc) but it does seem a bit strange for her to go to heroine to zeroine in such a short space of time.

What new media has there been lately anyway, Comics?

RodimusPrimeUkraine1 wrote:What new media has there been lately anyway, Comics?

She also hasn't been in the Netflix series, or, for that matter, the related toyline(s).

Glarryg

I don't miss Windblade at all, or Drift for that matter. They were shoehorned in under the guise of being " fan created" ( well Windblade at least), and pun intended, I found those voting polls that created her highly dubious. Same with Victorion if I'm being honest, but they never really got beyond CW unlike Windblade.

I was honestly shocked that a live action version of Windblade didn't turn up in TLK. But to avoid being 100% negative, I'll say the versions of Drift and Windblade that showed up in RiD2015 were fairly decent. Developed fairly organically in that continuity rather than being forced.

Lastly, isn't Windblade getting one of those super stylized model kits? So that's something new at least. There are several characters that deserve to show up in new media and Toys, but Windblade can definitely stay on the sidelines indefinitely and that would be great.

o.supreme wrote:I don't miss Windblade at all, or Drift for that matter. They were shoehorned in under the guise of being " fan created" ( well Windblade at least), and pun intended, I found those voting polls that created her highly dubious. Same with Victorion if I'm being honest, but they never really got beyond CW unlike Windblade.

I would still like another Drift toy though. We got that one in generations when he first appeared and then never got another one that would fit the G1 aesthetic as the generations line evolved.

o.supreme wrote:Lastly, isn't Windblade getting one of those super stylized model kits?

There's a part of me that thinks because of the massive backlash when that kit was first revealed that they may be scaling back Windblade's role. Arcee has been getting more eyeball time as of late and there hasn't been as much tongue-on-the-floor drooling over her reveals as there was Windblade.

But as others have said, she was prominent in Cyberverse and the comics have a relatively large female character ensemble so it may simply being a case of giving others a chance to shine for a bit until the next lot of media rolls out.