Bitstream is aDecepticon from thecartoon portion of theGeneration 1 continuity family.

(He's the blue guy on the right.)

Bitstream is, you might say, one of the Decepticon L33T. He's a genius in his role as Information Engineer and brings to the table a skill set that can hack any target, nuke any system, and break any encryption you need broken. His greatest skill is also his biggest weakness, as he can lose himself in computer systems and virtual worlds to the point where he can't keep track of what is simulated computer space and what is reality. It doesn't make much difference to him, he's just as at home fraggingAutobot jets or Autobot hard drives.

He likes to take off one of his arm guns and hold it rifle style. Just how he rolls.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Bitstream was one of the Decepticon jets onCybertron four million years ago. He was part of a Decepticon patrol that accostedAutobotsWheeljack andBumblebee when they came near. The two were able to escape the Decepticons' attacks and plow through the patrol.More than Meets the Eye, Part 1

Wings Universe

I carry both the injuredand DTS sound through battlefields!

Bitstream was part of the jointAutobot/Decepticon resistance onCybertron againstJhiaxus'sCybertronian clone army. He was stationed atUraya under the command ofBackstreet. However, the city fell under attack and Backstreet was forced to command Bitstream to tell the troops to evacuate the city.Termination

Bitstream was subsequently part ofObsidian andStrika's combined Autobot-Decepticon army which secretly regrouped and directly confronted Jhiaxus's forces. He got an injuredBackstreet to safety by placing him in the back ofHoist's pick-up truck mode.A Common Foe

TransTech

Bitstream was one of many offworlders inAxiom Nexus's Under City. On the morning of theWaruder invasion, Bitstream was part of a crowd inSeeker-Shinai thatC-81 attempted to disperse through intimidation. Unfortunately, all theSeekers present were too stunned to see a "Megatron" in Axiom Nexus to budge.Cybertron's Most Wanted

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance:Transformers #16 (mentioned);#28 (full)

A member ofThe Rise, Bitstream was one ofShockwave's trio of technical experts. He andSparkstalker created adata-bomb thatSlipstream'sstrike team used to disable theTitan Net.The Change In Your Nature Part Four

Although it was necessary at the time for The Rise's sedition, things changed once Megatron and his forces staged a coup and seized control of the government. Megatron wanted the Titans back online and in service of the Decepticons, so he had the existing Hub staff cleared out and replaced withMindwipe, Bitstream, and Sparkstalker.Hunt Even with direct access to theTitan Net, however, their initial attack proved too effective. The data-bomb had caused damage that seemed irrevocable; the orbit of the slumbering Titans was already beginning to decay. Thinking in terms of triage, Megatron was concerned some other data specialist not loyal to the cause could gain access to the Titans from a subsidiary Hub as they did. If the Titans would not serve the Decepticons, Megatron ordered Bitstream's team to eliminate them entirely. They accelerated the damage, causing all the Titans in orbit to crash down to Cybertron.Titans

The Trinity were given access to the last Titanspark by Megatron, in hopes they could bring it online. However, whenExarchon returned, Bitstream and Sparkstalker saw another use for the spark cage technology holding the Titanspark. Against Mindwipe's whining, they explained to Megatron that the cage could be modified to trap and contain the Threefold Spark indefinitely.War's End Part Two Megatron saw the necessity, and sent the Trinity out to theSonic Canyons, whereSixshot was engaged with Exarchon's forces. They explained the plan, and Exarchon was successfully contained and them eliminated, forevermore.War's End Part Four

Numerous Seekers were later seen fightingSky Lynx in the final conflict atDarkmount, possibly including Bitstream.Fate of Cybertron

Energon Universe

Stationed onCybertron near theWell of Sparks, Bitstream joinedCarnivac andHotlink in attackingBluestreak,Warpath, andBlurr. After a grenade stunned the Autobots, they were interrupted by ablack van who immediately crashed into Carnivac, and Bitstream could only watch as Shredhead killed him with their energy sword. Bitstream raised his arms to open fire, only for Shredhead to disarm him by cutting off his hands and cannons.Transformers #18

Games

Transformers Legends

Bitstream was part ofSunstorm's team which unsuccessfully attempted to interceptBumblebee andCliffjumper as the pair returned toIacon after anenergon scavenging mission.More than Meets the Eye

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Bitstream joined the Decepticons because they offered him the freedom to pursue his passion for programming. OnEarth, Bitstream and a number of other low-ranking Decepticons were recruited bySoundwave to keep an eye onStarscream's latest scheme and undermine his operation from within. After infiltrating his team, the group helped recover somePolarity gauntlets from an ancient Cybertronian shipwreck, and came into conflict withRollbar after foiling Starscream's attempted doublecross.Catch a Falling Starscream

Toys

Timelines

They speak of him in whispers, but they never use his name.

• Rainmakers[sic] (Convention 3-pack,2013)
  • Accessories: Left & right missile launchers, 2 missiles

Aredeco of theClassics Deluxe ClassStarscream mold,Timelines Bitstream transforms into a F-15 Eagle, but has the nose of an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. His missile launchers can mount under his wings, on his shoulders, or in his fists, and fire spring-loaded projectiles. The large size of his launchers (necessaryfor safety reasons) restricts his arm movement somewhat in robot mode, as they bump into his wings. All three Rainmakers have slight tolerance issues with the white parts, making key joints juuuuuust a bit too tight.

He was only available in aBotCon 2013exclusive souvenir set withHotlink andSunstorm, limited to 2500 pieces. All three toys use exactly the samepaint operations and plastic layouts, with the only difference between the three being their primary plastic color.

• More information on Bitstream at TFU.info

Merchandise

Jada Toys

• Transformers Series 3 18-pack (4cm Die Cast Figure Multipack, 2023)

Released byJada Toys,Nano Metalfigs Series 3 Bitstream is a redeco of Series 1Skywarp, an incredibly small die-cast figurine molded doing an action pose. He has a little base attached to his feet for balancing reasons.

He comes in an impressive multipack withseventeen other figurines. This mold was also used to make Series 2Redwing.

Notes

• Bitstream was a nameless walk-on in his first appearance in the original 1984 cartoon. He was given his name with his first toy in 2013, taken froma more recent Aligned Seeker.
• Confusion arose duringBotCon 2013, when figures ofSunstorm and his newly named companions from "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1", Bitstream andHotlink, were released in an exclusive three pack titled "Rainmakers". However,Fun Publications employees subsequently confirmed that the pack's title was an error, and that there was no intention to link the "welcoming committee" to the trio from "Divide and Conquer".
• Of his BotCon trio, Bitstream was the only one not to have his name shuffled around in theSunstorm mix-up which spawnedRed Wing.^[1]
• In the2019-2022 IDW comics, Bitstream is drawn as a "virtual redeco" of theSiege Voyager ClassStarscream toy, consistent with other Seekers in that continuity.

References