Nightbird (Transformers)

Nightbird is a fictional character, notable as the first female robot character seen in the Transformers cartoon series, although she is a human construct with a single form and thus not actually a Transformer herself. Created by Dr. Fujiyama ("the famous scientist," according to Cliffjumper), she was a non-transforming ninja robot. Fujiyama originally intended her to be used for research purposes and limited her abilities accordingly. However, when he presented her at a university talk, the Decepticons grabbed her, despite an Autobot presence. After the Decepticons had left, carrying Nightbird away, Optimus Prime promised Dr. Fujiyama that she would be retrieved unharmed.

Meanwhile, Megatron had Bombshell make several alterations to Nightbird, removing the limitations Fujiyama had set and boosting her power supply. Many people argue that Nightbird was merely a programmed automaton because when Bombshell slips a chip into her head, he says, "I love warping minds for you, Megatron." Starscream scoffs Nightbird, who promptly socks him one in return. Megatron reveals his plan (Nightbird is going to retrieve the World Energy Source chip from Teletraan I).

Nightbird sneaks into the Ark, revealing that she is equipped with climbing skills and a grappling hook. She does not move silently but quietly enough that none of the Transformers or even Spike notice her moving around. She happens across the Autobots' new security system (floor sensor pads installed at the beginning of the episode), and defeats it by magnetizing her feet and walking up a wall and along the ceiling. Sneaking through the base, she finds the chip and rips it out of Teletraan I, which sets off an alarm and knocks out the lights. She encounters Mirage in the dark and beats him easily, displaying martial arts skills. When a group of Autobots chase her into a corner, she tries to chase them off by converting her hands into whirling sawblades and throwing them at the Autobots. When that doesn't work she performs a vanishing trick by whirling around, she suddenly creates a burst of light that blinds them long enough for her to escape.

The Autobots track Nightbird through the countryside as she heads back towards the Decepticon land base she was altered at. Prime hits her with a stun beam, but when Prowl approaches, she jumps up and takes him down. Optimus then approaches her, cautioning the other Autobots not to fire at her, since they've promised not to harm her. Nightbird attacks him, knocking him down, when someone shoots her laser sword out of her hand. She leaves the sword and grabs Prime's rifle and takes off, literally jumping off a cliff and disappearing when pursued by the Autobots.

Nightbird continues to evade the Autobots, coming up with counters to their every attack, until she's finally trapped in an energy net. In the meantime, Starscream has injudiciously punched Megatron in response to his continued taunting suggestions of replacing Starscream with Nightbird, and been locked up.

The Decepticons attack the Autobots, freeing Nightbird in the process, and for a moment it looks as though the battle will go to them, no small thanks to Nightbird's defeat of five or so Bots. However, Starscream has freed himself and proceeds to stun Nightbird with his null-ray. She collapses into Prime's hands lifelessly, and Megatron calls off the Decepticons to chase after Starscream.

In the final scenes, Nightbird is locked up by Dr. Fujiyama, while Prime says he's glad that she's deprogrammed, but in the final shot we see her angrily narrowing eyes making it unclear just how deprogrammed she is.

Nightbird makes no other appearances in the Transformers television series than the one episode in season two of the Generation 1 cartoon THE TRANSFORMERS named Enter the Nightbird.

There were two Nightbird cameos in the Transformers comic books. The first was in the convention comic book series where an army of robot ninjas who looked exactly like Nightbird were responsable for the death of an adult Daniel Witwicky and the Autobot Wheelie. The second was in the Dreamwave comic series where a movie theatre was playing the film "Enter the Nightbird", and you could see Nightbird herself on the movie screen.