Quadrant lock

A quadrant lock is capable of sealing off a region of space, both preventing outsiders from entering, and cutting off those inside from the rest of the universe. The device appears as a giant gateway floating in space, with a rectangular metal frame surrounding a flat energy portal.

Its purpose is to isolate a region of space from the rest of the cosmos. The occupants within the "locked" sector were incapable of seeing the stars beyond their world. In essence, it prevented the affected planet from evolving and sealed them in an almost permanent dark age. Only an isolator key was capable of opening a quadrant lock.

The Transformers cartoon
The Quintessons made use of a quadrant lock to seal Quadrant X which held the planet Zamojin, whose natives the Quintessons feared for their starlight based telepathic abilities, which would have been nearly limitless had they evolved further.

Galvatron uncovered the quadrant lock, unaware of its purpose, and wanted its secrets. The Quintessons attempted to stop him from damaging the lock when the Autobots arrived. Fearing defeat, the Quintessons opened the lock and accidentally trapped themselves along with Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Blurr, Perceptor and Cyclonus.

Alternity
As a result of a quadrant lock the Quintessons placed upon the BT World to trap the Binaltech Autobots, the planet was frozen in time until the Alternity were born and broke through it 900,000 years later.

Foreign names

 * Japanese: Quadrant lock (クアドラント・ロック kuadoranto rokku)