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In robot mode, Windcharger's arms act as the positive and negative poles of a magnet. He can cast powerful magnetic fields at distances up to 700 feet. He can levitate a 10-ton block of steel at that distance. He can attract objects that are affected by magnetism toward him or repel them. At closer distances he can rip them apart.
Animated series
Windcharger was among the original Autobot crew of the Ark when it crashed on Earth 4 million years ago. Despite his role as the fastest Autobot over short distances as well as one of their then-few warriors (Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Cliffjumper being the others), he saw few noteworthy appearances in the series.
In the episode "A Prime Problem", Optimus Prime was captured and cloned by the Decepticons. Both Primes returned to the Ark (the second secretly being controlled by Megatron), causing confusion among the Autobot ranks. Only after Windcharger and their human ally Spike Witwicky sneaked into the Decepticon base did the truth about the clone reveal itself.
In the episode "Prime Target", the big game hunter Lord Cholmondeley captured a secret Soviet jet, in addition to an American military vehicle, leading to each side to blame the other, creating a threat of war. Cholmondeley then set his sights on the ultimate trophy, the head of Optimus Prime. In order to lure Optimus in Cholmondeley captured the Autobots Tracks, Bumblebee, Jazz, Beachcomber, Grapple, Blaster and Inferno. Windcharger and Huffer were able to avoid being trapped. When Cosmos learned of the location Cholmondeley was keeping the captured Autobots Optimus Prime accepted Cholmondeley's challenge to meet him alone. Although interrupted by the Decepticons Astrotrain and Blitzwing's attempt to ally the Decepticons with Cholmondeley, Optimus defeated the big game hunter and freed the Autobots. The Soviet plane was returned by the Autobots, with Cholmondeley tied to its nose antenna like a hood ornament as punishment for his actions.
In the episode "Masquerade", Windcharger was among the team of five Autobots who disguised themselves as the Stunticons. Penetrating the Decepticons' camp, and learning of their plans, the Autobots eventually ran into trouble when the real Stunticons arrived, proving their identities by arriving as Menasor. With a combination of Windcharger's magnetic powers and Mirage's illusion-creating ability, the Autobots were able to appear as Menasor too, but the deception was soon revealed, though they were still able to thwart the Decepticons' plans.
In The Transformers: The Movie, he apparently dies after Starscream and several other Decepticons blasted him in the chest but managed to blast Skywarp a time before going out.
Windcharger's body is dragged to cover by Arcee next to Wheeljack, (who looks deceased in a similar way, their bodies not changing colour to the grey black associated with Transformers when they die), during the Battle of Autobot City. However, despite his assumed death, Windcharger's name is absent from the list of casualties entombed in the Autobot mausoleum, and he is later seen running around in the background of Transformers Episode #91: Call of the Primitives. This implies that Windcharger was not killed at all but only seriously wounded and rendered unconscious during the battle at Autobot City.
Comics
Windcharger is one of the Autobots introduced in the initial four-issue miniseries as one of Optimus Prime's original crew. The UK annual story "And There Shall Come a Leader" later establishes that Windcharger was already working with Optimus Prime when he became Autobot leader, using his magnetic powers to retrieve Optimus after he stayed on the wrong side of a bridge the Autobots were about to blow to hold off the Decepticons. Windcharger only has cameos during the miniseries, worrying about the Autobots' lack of fuel and taking part in the rescue of Sparkplug Witwicky. The early UK exclusive story "The Enemy Within", set during the miniseries, has him among the Autobots welcoming Brawn back from his duel with Starscream. The following story, "Raiders of the Last Ark", gives Windcharger a featured role. When the Ark's computer, Auntie, turns on both Autobots and Decepticons and magnetises them to the floor, Windcharger and Ravage are the only ones unaffected because of their magnetic powers. They team up to locate Auntie, with Windcharger battling a Guardian robot while Ravage destroys the computer. Windcharger uses his magnetic powers to expel Megatron from the Ark before he can unleash a burst of anti-matter but is left badly drained, possibly explaining why he isn't one of the five Autobots Optimus Prime chooses to keep functioning for a final battle with the Decepticons at the end of the miniseries (although he is shown present in some panels).
The miniseries ended with Shockwave taking most of the active Autobots offline, meaning Windcharger would remain dormant for the next few issues. In the UK story "The Wrath of Grimlock", the Autobots have regained control of the Ark but Shockwave has left a Guardian robot behind. Prowl instructs that priority be given to bringing Windcharger back online so he can fight the Guardian, but before Windcharger can do so, Swoop steps in and carries the Guardian out of the Ark.
Windcharger would be confirmed among the active Autobots again in US Issue #9 but would disappear after being one of several Autobots ambushed by a fake Optimus Prime in Issue #12. The following UK story "Dinobot Hunt" saw him leading a team comprising himself, Gears and Cliffjumper to search for the feral Dinobots. They discovered an unconscious Sludge only to be gunned down by Soundwave, Skywarp and Scavenger. The trio were later retrieved by Bumblebee but were too badly damaged to be immediately revived.
Windcharger's only subsequent appearance was in US Issue #41, where he was among the Autobots present on the moon for the duel between Grimlock and Blaster. He was probably among the casualties of the battle with Ratbat's Decepticons that followed.
