Space Bridge

The Space Bridge (picture unavailable)

Space Bridges (スペースブリッジ, Supēsu Burijji) are a form of interplanetary transport, allowing Transformers to move from one planet to another almost instantaneously without the need for a spacecraft, via a "short-cut" through the extradimensional realm of transwarp space. Early models required machinery at both ends of the bridge to open a stable dimensional portal, but later iterations of the technology consisted only of a generator at the departure point, which could open bridges to the desired location without the need of a receiver at the other end. Centuries into the future, space bridges have evolved into Transwarp Drive, allowing vessels to generate their own portals wherever required.

Generation 1 / Beast Era

Cartoon continuity

A Space Bridge in the G1 cartoon series.

Biography

The bridge requires a mechanism at both ends in order to successfully open a portal traversing the interdimensional void: On Cybertron, this mechanism is a fixture in Shockwave's command center, where it takes the form of an elevator-like cylindrical tube, the top of which projects outside of the center's dome, while on Earth, it takes the form of a circular metal ring. Due to the constant relative motion of Earth and Cybertron to one another, however, the optimum location on Earth for the space bridge to open constantly changes, requiring the Decepticons to construct new bridges regularly.

The bridge's operation commences with the ring projecting beams of energy that converge at an apex in the sky above its center, opening a dimensional portal. The bridge's contents (usually along with a great deal of rock and detritus) are then drawn into the portal, which closes with a large discharge of energy. On the Cybertronic end, the travelers arrival is marked by a beam or gusher of energy arriving from deep space.

In early uses of the space bridge, the dimensional portal could only remain open and stable for a maximum of 11 minutes. Early space bridge travel likewise proved somewhat unstable, and required the use of a small vehicle to safely transport any cargo. The vehicle was rolled into the ring on a railed structure, and then had to be piloted along "a beam of light". Some Decepticons displayed pronounced horror at being chosen for this unenviable task, as not staying on the light beam would cause the pilot and cargo to "cease to exist".

History

The space bridge was apparently first conceived by Shockwave in 1984, as a means of transport back to Cybertron for the Decepticons stranded on Earth, and to allow them to ferry energon cubes to revitalize the planet.

Genesis

Autobots transwarp technology, the Space Bridge

Physiology

A Space Bridge is an advancable version of Cybertron's Ground Bridge technology. It takes the form of a large, forked structure and works by generating a sphere of energy between the two prongs.

History

Past

The first Space Bridge was desinged by Wheeljack and this gave the Autobots a major strategic advantage over the Decepticons: thanks to the bridges, the Decepticon were in difficult siege during on. At the near end of the Great War, the original Optimus Prime sended the AllSpark into one of the Space Bridges to keep it out of the hands of any Transformer hands.

Synopsis

Optimus Prime and his small band of Autobots were put in charge of repairing space bridges. Megatron planned to use some schematics to build his own, allowing him to transwarp to Cybertron and strike it without warning. He kidnapped Isaac Sumdac to design it and used the Constructicons to build it, but it wasn't enough. With some additional help he completed it, but as often is the case with Decepticon plans, it didn't end well.

During the Decepticon Uprisings, the Decepticons went after every space bridge on the periphery in a simultaneous assault. Team Chaar were the first squad to capture a bridge, but couldn't arrive at the space bridge nexus on Cybertron as Shockwave, who held the access codes at the nexus, was waiting for Megatron's signal to begin the attack. The network was later shut down by the Cybertron Elite Guard.

Blackarachnia used components from a transwarp generator in order to create a teleportation pod which she used to transform Wasp into a Technorganic being; however, after its use, the chamber exploded. Bulkhead along with Isaac Sumdac later attempted to work together in making a space bridge on Earth for the Autobots but faced many arguments on how to calibrate the equipment. Luckily, Sari managed to activate the system which was later used to transport Optimus Prime onto the Elite Guard flagship which had been taken over by the former Decepticon prisoners.

Young Transformer Titans Prime series

A Space Bridge in the Young Transformer Titans Prime Universe

History

During the Great Exodus, Shockwave stayed behind to reverse engineer the ancient space bridge technology. He succeeded in building one beneath Kaon and Starscream intended to use it to reach Earth after intercepting a transmission from Optimus Prime. The space bridge was sabotaged by Arcee and Cliffjumper, who used it to travel to Earth moments before it exploded.

Michael Bay series

History

During the last days of Cybertron's civil war, Autobot leader Sentinel Prime developed a new space bridge technology which used a system of pillars to provide instantaneous transport between any two points. It was hoped that the technology would be able to turn the tide of the war and defeat the Decepticons once and for all. But the technology was lost when Decepticon ships attacked the Autobot flagship Ark, which was transporting both Sentinel and the pillars.

In 1961, the Ark crash landed on Earth's moon, sparking a space race between the United States of America and the Soviet Union in an effort to reach the wreck first. During this era, the Decepticons began removing hundreds of pillars from the crash site, an activity secretly recorded by Soviet space probes.

Animated

Space bridges are used to travel around the galaxy. This incarnation takes the form of a large, forked structure and works by generating a sphere of energy between the two prongs.

History

The technology is exclusively Autobot, and gave them a major strategic advantage over the Decepticons: thanks to the bridges, the Decepticon expansion was halted. The AllSpark was thrown into one to keep it out of Decepticon hands.

Synopsis

Optimus Prime and his small band of Autobots were put in charge of repairing space bridges. Megatron planned to use some schematics to build his own, allowing him to transwarp to Cybertron and strike it without warning. He kidnapped Isaac Sumdac to design it and used Mixmaster and Scrapper to build it, but it wasn't enough. With some additional help he completed it, but as often is the case with Decepticon plans, it didn't end well.

During the Decepticon Uprisings, the Decepticons went after every space bridge on the periphery in a simultaneous assault. Team Chaar were the first squad to capture a bridge, but couldn't arrive at the space bridge nexus on Cybertron as Shockwave, who held the access codes at the nexus, was waiting for Megatron's signal to begin the attack. The network was later shut down by the Cybertron Elite Guard.

Blackarachnia used components from a transwarp generator in order to create a teleportation pod which she used to transform Wasp into a techno-organic being; however, after its use, the chamber exploded. Bulkhead along with Isaac Sumdac later attempted to work together in making a space bridge on Earth for the Autobots but faced many arguments on how to calibrate the equipment. Luckily, Sari Sumdac managed to activate the system which was later used to transport Optimus Prime onto the Elite Guard flagship which had been taken over by the former Decepticon prisoners.

List of Known components/parts

• Plasma Dynamic Thruster
• Retrieval Beacon Generator

Aligned

History

Jazz and Cliffjumper were sent to find Grimlock who had abandoned his post when they had discovered a Space Bridge tower, in the Sea of Rust, which Shockwave had used to open a portal to prehistoric Earth. Shockwave then reported this to Megatron who had ordered it to be built in Kaon. Later, the Dinobots discovered this as well, but when Optimus ordered them back to base, they went against orders and destroyed it anyway. This caused the portal to destabilize, and so the Autobots raced to the portal with the Decepticons trailing behind. Both factions and their respective vessels went through the portal, which closed after them.

Extended Links

• Space Bridge from TF: Earth Wars Wikia
• Space Bridge from Transformers History Wikia
• Space Bridge from Michael Bay's Transformers Wikia
• Space Bridge from Transformer Titans: Animated Wikia
• Space Bridge & Space Bridge TFP from Transformers Wikia
• Space Bridge & Ground Bridge from TFWiki.net
• Space Bridge History from Youtube