Flat-Out (Armada)

Flat-Out is a Mini-Con from the Legends of the Microns portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

Flat-Out (フラットアウト Furatto Auto) is the most combat-tested and proficient member of the Super Stunt Team. He also seems to be the oldest and wisest, and is a very close friend to the Team's leader Redline. But it's not all seriousness with him, as he makes time to poke a little fun at Servo from time to time. Stalwart and brave, he's determined to win Mini-Cons their freedom from the whims of their dark creator.

Fiction

Linkage

After the Mini-Cons were activated on Earth, Flat-Out and the Super Stunt Team began operating in California. They were attacked by mysterious flying "Fixer Bugs" on the city streets, and fled into an underground parking garage. Working with what was available, Flat-Out and Servo helped Redline Powerlinx with a nearby car, evolving a turbo cannon out of the hood to annihilate their attackers. That car belonged to their new human friend, Stella Holley. Linkage Part 1 Redline created a psychic link with Stella so that she could understand their binary language, and the Mini-Cons took refuge in their new friend's basement. Linkage Part 2

In the Deccan plateau of India, the Super Stunt Team, Stella, and their recovered ally Rollbar checked out a Bulk-sized starship, hoping to salvage technology from it. As Flat-Out and Rollbar moved closer to examine the ship, the evil Speed Chaser Team attacked the others with their Fixer Bugs. Linkage Part 3 Flat-Out came to the rescue, using his arm-blasters and repulsor unit to engage in aerial target practice. It was still a close fight, however, until the Bulk, Scavenger, emerged from his ship and Powerlinxed with Rollbar, using their combined firepower to drive off the evil Mini-Cons. He agreed to leave his ship for Flat-Out and the others, providing they forgot they ever saw him. It was a good deal, except that Rollbar abandoned his fellow Mini-Cons to journey with Scavenger. Linkage Part 4 Afterwards, the Super Stunt Team explained the Mini-Con Servility Program to Stella, and how their will can be subsumed by their larger partners. Flat-Out mentioned that he and Redline were Powerlinxed with Decepticons for 100 years before learning to override the program and assert their independence. Linkage Part 5

Next, Redline and Flat-Out tried to intervene when the Speed Chaser Team attacked their old allies, Falcia and Combusta. Those two were saved, but the Mini-Con panel containing Falcia's friend Twirl was damaged in the firefight. Linkage Part 6 Flat-Out assisted Redline and Falcia in entering the Linkage to restore Twirl to life. They were successful in guiding Twirl's soul into a new Earth mode. Linkage Part 7

As Redline continued his efforts to upgrade the Mini-Cons' spark frames, Flat-Out witnessed the arrival of Ravenus with Stella and Falcia. Linkage Part 9 Ravenous's threat became clear when he forcibly Powerlinxed with Servo and Twirl. Stella got an idea and retrieved her car, giving Flat-Out and Falcia something to Powerlinx with themselves. The two Mini-Cons converted the vehicle into a fighting exo-suit for Stella, driving off Ravenous. Linkage Part 10 As the Mini-Cons learned that Ravenous possessed the devastating Doomstone, they took off after the fleeing Bulk. Flat-Out and the others upgraded their spark frames using Redline's new process. After disconnecting from him, however, Twirl revealed that Ravenous was really an Autobot underneath Unicron's manipulations. Linkage Part 11 After Redline ended Ravenus's threat by absorbing the Doomstone into himself, Flat-Out and the Mini-Cons left for deep space to confront Unicron. Linkage Part 12 Out in the vacuum of space, the Super Stunt Team battled Midship and the other Mini-Cons loyal to Unicron. Linkage Part 13

Toys

Legends of the Microns

• Super Stunt Team Micron (DVD pack-in, 2003)

• Release date: May 1, 2003

Legends of the Microns Flat-Out is a redeco of the Street Speed Mini-Con Team member Oval, transforming into a Saleen S7 luxury car. His wheels are designed to allow for relatively speedy rolling on flat surfaces. Like all Mini-Cons in the line, he has a "Powerlinx" socket that allows him to connect to larger toys, which can also activate gimmicks when attached to specific plugs.

He was only available with limited-edition copies of the first Legends of the Microns DVD, in a three-pack with his teammates Redline and Servo. This set also came with the first volume of the Linkage comic. Later pressings of the disc, however, did not include the toys or comic.

This toy doubles as the Beast Wars: Uprising character Flat-Out, and this mold was also used to make Armada Nightscream and Plug. It was planned to be used for Energon Brakedown and packed with Ultra Magnus, but that release was changed late in the production run and given a different Mini-Con Team.

• More information on Flat-Out at TFU.info

Notes

• Legends of the Microns Volume 1 was the only DVD in the series to come with an entire Mini-Con Team; the rest only had a single Mini-Con per volume.
• Flat-Out's coloration was going to be applied to the unreleased Energon Mini-Con Clocker. That whole team was a "one-off" of the Super Stunt Team, shuffling the colors from each member onto different molds.