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Hardhead (G1)

2011-08-29T12:12:33Z

145.74.83.233:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster from Generation 1|the Predacon from Beast Wars Neo|Hardhead (BWN)}}
:''Hardhead is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:HardH.gif|right|274px|thumb|No, my toy's head looks nothing remotely like this, why do you ask?]]
'''Hardhead''' is a soldier to his core. A soldier with a stubborn streak a [[Units of length|megamile]] wide. He's stubborn to the point of rejecting outright any path but his own, any idea that goes against his natural instinct or inclination (namely fighting), and any advice he didn't come up with himself. He doesn't talk much, and when he does, it tends to be blunt and terse, if not outright rude. A soldier doesn't waste time on social niceties when there's a war to fight.

Perhaps surprisingly, given his limited social aptitude, Hardhead has found a good companion in [[Duros]], his [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] [[Nebulan]] partner, who enjoys warfare just as much as Hardhead does. The two mesh so well, it's been said that theirs may be the best match among all the Autobot-Nebulan teams.

{{quote|So what? They call me Hardhead. And that's really '''''all''''' you need to know.|Hardhead is unimpressed with [[Sixshot]]'s bragging|[[Devastation issue 4|''Devastation'' #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Eiji Itō]] (Japan)
[[Image:Rebirth2-Welcometotheclub.jpg|left|thumb|250px|This is what my head looks like. Sometimes.]]
After the resurrection of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Decepticons practically disappeared for a time. On Cybertron, Brainstorm used this reprieve to experiment on pairing Transformers with human partners, though his efforts did not convince Hardhead or [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]. Shortly after the exercise, Optimus Prime contacted them, notifying them of the Decepticons' return. They had stolen the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] and were on their way to the chamber itself on Cybertron. Unfortunately, the chamber's activation would destroy Cybertron. Hardhead and several other Autobots commandeered a ship to head off [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] before they could reach the Plasma Energy Chamber, and they managed to retrieve the Key, but an energy surge smacked the Autobot ship out of Cybertron's orbit and far into space.

Hardhead and the others crash-landed on a strange planet named [[Nebulos]] and were quickly taken captive by an underground resistance movement that believed the Autobots were machines controlled by the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], who ruled Nebulos. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

{{charstubfiction}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Hardhead is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless [[Transtector]] body. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the small robot as '''Ros''', with "Hardhead" being the name of the combined small robot/Transtector form, though this distinction is hardly ever made in fiction.}}
====''The Great Transformer War'' comic====
While significant Transformer battles were being waged on [[Earth]] and across space, Hardhead and the other Headmasters were battling their Decepticon counterparts on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. Thinking that the three Decepticons had escaped them by leaping into a chasm, Hardhead began raging, and nearly wound up fighting with [[Brainstorm]] when the other Headmaster told him to calm down. Luckily, he was able to direct his anger back upon the Decepticons when they came bursting out of the ground beneath the Autobots' feet. The Decepticons didn't fare terribly well in the battle, which abruptly ended when the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]] arrived and instructed them to follow him back to [[Chaar]]. The Decepticons fled into space, but Hardhead and his fellow Autobot Headmasters quickly gave chase aboard the battleship ''Maximus'', heading for Cybertron rejoin the larger Transformer war. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Masato Hirano]] (Japanese)
[[Image:IRiskMyLifeForEarth-Letgoofme.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Humpty Grumpty.]]
Four million years ago, Hardhead was among a group of [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronians]] who departed Cybertron under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], seeking to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their craft to crash land on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], an inhospitable world whose murderous environments and wildly changeable atmospheric conditions threatened the lives of the Cybertronians almost as soon as they stepped off their ship and were caught in a desert of sinking sands. Fighting against the odds, the Cybertronians made several technological quantum leaps to survive on Master, including the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called [[Transtector]]s. Hardhead and many of his comrades underwent rigorous physical and mental training to master the art of [[transformation]], learning to transform into heads that connected to the Transtectors and placed them under their control. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Hardhead was one of ten warriors who became one of these "Headmasters", but unfortunately, half their number soon rebelled against Fortress's leadership and sided with a traitor named [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] against him. Via the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]], Scorponok soon forged an alliance with the Decepticon leader, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of "The Great Transformer War" manga occur at this point.}}

In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Hardhead and his fellow Autobot Headmasters travelled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}}

Hardhead can't hold his energon wine very well. One drink and he wants to karaoke! {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}}
{{charstubfiction}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====
{{note|The ''Headmasters'' manga takes place concurrently with the ''Headmasters'' cartoon}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}
{{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 3|The Headmasters #3}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 4|The Headmasters #4}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 5|The Headmasters #5}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 6|The Headmasters #6}}
{{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}
{{charstubfiction}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====
Several years after the end of the Headmasters' war on Earth, a new Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] named [[Ginrai]] was appointed, and flown to [[Athenia]] for his coronation. Hardhead was present for the ceremony, and then helped to fight off a Decepticon attack upon the planet. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}} Soon after, when the Decepticon [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] made his way to Earth, Hardhead, the other Autobot Headmasters and [[Raiden]] pursued him, but were defeated in battle in Earth's orbit. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}

{{-}}
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Hardhead-RingofHate.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Highbrow's forehead is right!]]

A long time ago, on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Hardhead was part of an Autobot strike unit led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. This unit operated out of a cave dug into the [[Manganese Mountains]], and often worked to foil the schemes of their primary nemesis, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Their last major mission on Cybertron was to upset a slave march to the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. After that, however, Fortress Maximus revealed to the Autobots that he had grown sick of warfare, and planned to escape the endless ring of hate by immigrating to a new world altogether: [[Nebulos]]. Initially, Hardhead was outraged and accused Maximus of cowardice for even conceiving of leaving the war before it was finished, but he was quickly chastized when [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] reminded him of how valiantly their leader had fought on the battlefield that day, and every day prior for countless [[Units of time|vorns]]. With some convincing, Hardhead and many others chose to join Fortress Maximus on his quest for peace. Peace is rarely an Autobot's lot, though, as an innocent mishap combined with some xenophobia among a few of the Nebulan rulers to bring war to the Autobot camp's doorstep. Hardened warriors like Hardhead and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] immediately fell into old habits and started fighting back, but Fortress Maximus abruptly ended their gunplay and ordered an all-out retreat.

Despite these setbacks, Fortress Maximus was determined to wage peace, not war. He brought an envoy of Autobots, including Hardhead, to the Nebulan capitol of [[Koraja]] to once again plead for peace. When the Nebulans still were not totally swayed after he and his Autobots disarmed, Maximus removed his own head from his shoulders, leaving his body deactivated and inoperable in the Nebulans' care. Hardhead and three other Autobots joined their leader in his gesture. It was this gesture which finally ushered in a cease fire with the Nebulans. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

Fortress Maximus, Hardhead and the others had their separate heads and bodies detained inside a bunker outside Koraja, as so-called "prisoners of peace", while the Nebulan leaders conversed with them and also the remaining Autobots (under Kup's supervision) in the [[Folassian Forest]] beyond the city. Maximus had successfully convinced [[Galen]], head of the [[World Watchers]], of his good intentions, but the paranoid Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] distrusted the Autobots at every turn, and was committed to removing them from Nebulos even if he had to fake their crimes in order to do it. He even went so far as to summon the Decepticons to Nebulos, hoping that they would rid the planet of their Autobot problem. (So he's not that bright. Give him a break, he's in politics!)

[[Image:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]

The Decepticon arrival was everything you would expect, as Scorponok and his henchmen began to lay siege to Koraja, trying to get at the inoperative Fortress Maximus and his men. Galen and Council Guard Commander [[Duros]] arrived at the Autobots' bunker to rapidly consult them on options. Several potential strategies were discarded in short order, and the allies finally settled on a radical solution involving bio-mechanical engineering — Galen and several other volunteers were bionically reconstructed to transform into duplicates of the Autobots' severed heads, allowing them to [[Binary bonding|binary bond]] with the Autobots' bodies and share both physical control and tactical analysis with the original Autobot personalities. Duros was one of the first volunteers for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] process, and was binary bonded to Hardhead. Duros quickly adjusted to the raw power and military might of his new body, using Hardhead's laser-guided cannon against the Decepticon aggressors. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

Their status as the saviors of Koraja made Duros and the others an instant hit among the populace, but Nebulos's rulers were still wary of the Transformers, especially now that their presence had led Nebulans themselves to wage war for the first time in over 10,000 years. Galen and his men did their best to assuage the fears of the [[Council of Peers]]. When the [[Horrorcon|Horrorcons]] and [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] attacked the [[Splendora]] resort, Hardhead and [[Brainstorm]] joined their Autobot comrades, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], in fending off [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] and zapping [[Apeface]] and [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] into submission. The devastation left in the wake of their battle did little to discourage the Council's antipathy, however. When the Autobot Headmasters went on a rescue mission to recover Lord Zarak and his followers (who had been prisoners of the Decepticons since their arrival), a detachment of Council members insisted on accompanying them. Unfortunately, Zarak had entered into a bargain with Scorponok, and by the time Hardhead and the others reached the [[Plains of Thok]], the Decepticon Headmasters had been born. Although Zarak / Scorponok endangered the council members by using them as a diversion to gun down the Autobots, [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]'s hypnotic gaze had scrambled the other Nebulans' minds so much that Zarak was able to convince them that Galen's men were the evil ones, and he manipulated the Decepticons into becoming Nebulos's new "champions". {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Duros and the other Nebulan Headmasters were held captive by Zarak in Koraja, alongside their disabled Autobot counterparts. Despite his hunger for power and growing battle-lust, however, Zarak still ultimately wanted what was best for Nebulos. Realizing how a continued war between the Autobots and Decepticons would truly affect the planet he loved, Zarak freed Duros and the Autobot Headmasters, sending them back to their comrades in the forest. Galen had reached the same conclusions as Zarak, and gathered his men back aboard the Autobot ship ''[[Steelhaven (G1)|Steelhaven]]'', to leave Nebulos behind to rebuild in their absence. Sure enough, Zarak / Scorponok and the Decepticons chose to follow the Autobots into space. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Hardhead-WorldsApart.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Got to... SHEEAKK!]]

''Before they left, however, the Autobot Headmasters had another encounter with their Decepticon opposite numbers. After the [[Targetmaster|Targetmasters]] were captured by the Decepticons for analysis and dissection, Hardhead and the Headmasters went out looking for them, only to run into the Decepticon Headmasters on the way. Hardhead was nearly knocked off the road when Mindwipe's hypnotic stare sent Brainstorm crashing into him. Despite being shaken by the impact, Hardhead still managed to defeat both [[Weirdwolf]] and [[Skullcruncher]] by himself. The Autobots regrouped to follow Mindwipe, the last of their attackers, who was apparently fleeing for safety. After entering the Decepticons' [[Fortress of Despair]], however, Hardhead and the others realized they had been led into a trap, and were confronted by the might Scorponok and the Decepticon Targetmasters. In order to help even the odds, Hardhead freed the Autobot Targetmasters who were being held prisoner. With their help, the Autobots eventually overcame the Decepticons and fled back to base. {{storylink|Worlds Apart!}}''

[[Image:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|right|thumb|250px|And I'll form the head! Fortress Maximus's head, that is. With tools.]]

After leaving Nebulos, Hardhead and the crew of ''Steelhaven'' followed an Autobot distress call to the planet called Earth. During the long journey, they had Fortress Maximus heavily upgraded into a larger, more powerful body. Even the militaristic Duros was a bit unsettled by the new war-like outlook of their leader, Galen, but he insisted he was merely changing to fit the circumstances they had been dealt. Upon arrival, Fortress Maximus, Hardhead and the other Headmasters took a shuttle down to Earth's surface, and located the caves in [[Mount St. Hilary]] where the distress call had first been broadcast. They also found the broadcaster himself, an Autobot named [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] whose [[brain module]] had been retrofitted into a tiny electronic toy car. [[Toy Soldiers!|Long story]]. Scorponok and the Decepticon Headmasters had also come to Earth after the distress call, however, and a battle broke out. The battle proved costly, as Galen died protecting an Earthen from Scorponok. He passed on his control helmet to this boy, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], leaving Fortress Maximus and the Autobots in his hands. It was Hardhead who first suggested that Spike was the group's new leader. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

In the weeks that followed, ''Steelhaven's'' crew united with the other Autobots on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Hardhead was present on the moon when two members of the Ark's crew, [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], engaged in ritual combat to settle their differences. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

[[Image:Edgeofextinction-hardheadbombburst.jpg|left|200px|thumb|That's gonna leave a mark.]]
''During the Time Wars, Hardhead was among the Autobot strike team gathered by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], Grimlock and Fortress Maximus to engage [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] for the fate of two time periods, several associated planets, and the universe at large. Unfortunately, the future Autobots of 2009 arrived before the battle began, and the mass-substitution effect created by time travel shunted Hardhead into [[Limbo]] for the duration. {{storylink|Time Wars (issue)|Time Wars}}''

Hardhead was next seen on Cybertron for the final united battle against [[Unicron]]. Working with the Decepticon [[Pretender]], [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]], he was in the process of moving a surface-to-air missile battery into position when Unicron touched down on the planet's surface. The Planet-Eater's massive foot indiscriminately crushed Autobot, Decepticon, and weapon flat. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:Escalation6 Hardhead AVENGE.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hardhead makes his own decisions!]]
Hardhead was a career soldier, intended as a problem solver who got things done fast. To him, this meant he had no future, as some day the war will end, and he would be a walking reminder of it, something to be quietly done away with. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[Image:Devastation4 Hardhead.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Hardhead answers his own questions!]]

Prior to the [[Brasnya]] incident, Hardhead was ordered by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to [[Earth]] on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', along with [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} The two arrived right in the middle of the battle, although Hot Rod sped away after the [[facsimile construct|facsimile]] before Hardhead could stop him to report their presence. He engaged in battle with [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} causing severe damage to the shuttle [[Triple Changer]] and continued to hound him to such an extent that [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] had to call in [[Thundercracker (G1)|reinforcements]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] seemingly defeated Optimus Prime, Hardhead attempted (futilely) to damage him with repeated cannon blasts. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

Hardhead would eventually regroup with his teammates after the battle and was among them during [[Sixshot]]'s surprise assault on the ''[[Ark-19]]''. He bravely (if futilely) attacked Sixshot, along with the rest of the Autobots before being beamed back to the ''Ark-32''. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Due to injuries and separate missions, Hardhead found himself to be the only active Autobot besides [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] — and neither were happy to hear that Optimus was withdrawing them from Earth to [[Garrus-9]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Hardhead went to retrieve Hot Rod and the others, blowing up a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] that was attacking Hot Rod. Hot Rod refused to go though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] back with him. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:SpotlightHardhead HardheadsHeadshot.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hardhead expresses his own feelings!]]
Soon, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] discovered that he logged a message during his visit to [[Gorlam Prime]] — of which he had no recollection — and asked Hardhead for help. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Before leaving for Gorlam Prime, Nightbeat told Hardhead of his fears that he may be compromised, and that if he threatened Hardhead or anyone else, he should terminate Nightbeat. Arriving on Gorlam Prime, Nightbeat and Hardhead discovered virtually the entire planet's population had frozen in a chrysalis-like state and were in the midst of undergoing some kind of evolutionary cycle. Before they could explore further, however, they were beset upon by dozens of [[Micromaster|Micromasters]], all of whom immediately targeted Hardhead.

[[Image:Nightbeatexecuted.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Hardhead shoots his own comrades!]]
Escaping from their attackers, the two Autobots fled deep underground. Once they neared the portal to the [[Dead Universe]], [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] took remote-control of Nightbeat and tried to kill Hardhead with a point-blank shot between the optics. Fortunately, Hardhead lived up to his name and took the shot with minimal damage. As Nightbeat was joined by more Micromasters, Hardhead took the opportunity to retreat deeper into Gorlam Prime's underground caverns.

There, he discovered the portal to the Dead Universe. As the mind-controlled Nightbeat caught up with him, Hardhead realized he had nowhere else to fall back to. When told to surrender, Hardhead responded by shooting Nightbeat through the head with a pinpoint shot and then plunged through the portal, ready to face whatever dangers lay on the other side. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[Image:DeadUniverseHardhead.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Hardhead rises from his own grave!]]
Having become a permanent resident of the [[Dead Universe]], Hardhead did not resurface until Jhiaxus's plans were well underway. However, he did manage to catch the Cybertronian scientist who was fleeing the onslaught of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Preventing the madman's escape, he explained to the hyperviolent Autobot that Jhiaxus couldn't truly die here on the threshold between the material world and the Dead Universe. That suited Arcee fine, as it let her indulge her revenge fantasies to their utmost. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[Image:Heart of Darkness2 HardheadVSCyclonus.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Hardhead delivers his own lame dialogue!]]
Hardhead remained at Arcee's side as she happily killed Jhiaxus over and over again, though he was more interested in investigating some ancient catacombs discovered in the depths of Gorlam Prime. After some time had passed, the portal to the Dead Universe began to act strangely, luring the inhabitants of the planet into wandering through it. Seemingly due to his connection to the Dead Universe, Hardhead was immune to this apparent hypnosis, and he pinned Arcee down to keep her from following the others. Once the entire population of Gorlam Prime was gone, the portal emitted a flash of light and changed shape, knocking Hardhead and Arcee out cold. After they awoke, they left to investigate the catacombs and figure out what happened. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2}} Eventually, they detected [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and his troops entering the portal's chamber and attacked them. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}}

Hardhead took on [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], defeating both of them, but was brought down by Galvatron, who was drawing on power from the Dead Universe. He urged Arcee to flee and warn the Autobots, and was then captured by Galvatron, who invaded his mind and read his memories. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}}

Having presumably fallen under Galvatron's control, Hardhead joined the army he was building to defend the universe from [[D-Void]] from the Dead Universe. He accompanied Galvatron, Cyclonus, and a [[generic]] or two to the planet [[Dykayra]] to scout out a sight of an incursion of D-Void. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 3|Heart of Darkness #3}} There, he and the others fought with [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]], resurrected and controlled by D-Void. Hardhead survived the battle and was later air-dropped onto [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the army's first line of defense. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}

{{-}}
==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
Hardhead was kidnapped by the Decepticons and held captive on the Jail planet by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. He was rescued by [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and his other comrades, and in turn helped rescue those who were still imprisoned. Once they had reunited, Hardhead and the others met with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] for the last battle against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

===The Transformers (PS2)===
{{Note|Hardhead was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.}}

{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Hardhead toy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|I don't get it either. Not like I have a "hard head" to draw.]]
*'''Hardhead''' (Headmaster, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-102'''
**''Accessories'': "Duros" Headmaster partner "Tank Commander", 2 "Shatterblasters"

:Hardhead transforms into a Cybertronian self-propelled artillery gun. Like many Transformers of this era, he can store his rifles in 5mm peg holes in his vehicle mode, and his Headmaster partner, Duros, can ride inside his cockpit. Duros transforms into his head, which, when attached to Hardhead's robot mode, activates a simplified, spring-loaded [[Tech Spec]] meter hidden under a panel on his chest. This [[gimmick]] works with any other Headmaster "pilot" figure.

:In robot mode, Hardhead is unusually tall for a toy of his price point, as the tank basically flips on end and extends to transform. As to be expected, Hardhead has rather limited articulation.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Hardhead/hardhead.htm More information on Hardhead at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
====Generation 1 Series====
[[Image:Universe2008toy-HardheadUltra.jpg|right|thumb|300px|It feels like a pizza-disc launcher is missing.]]
*'''Hardhead''' (Ultra Class, 2009)
**''Accessories'': Shield

: Hardhead is a mostly green [[Walmart]]-[[exclusive]] [[redeco]] of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Ultra-class [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], transforming into a six-wheeled SWAT assault truck. Instead of blending in with the rest of his colors, his shield stands out entirely black with a messily painted "no" sign on top of a similarly made Decepticon symbol and seven tally marks below it. He doesn't seem to come with Duros in any form, which might explain the shield.

: Hardhead uses the later version of Onslaught's electronics that doesn't cut off quickly.

: This mold was [[retool]]ed into ''[[Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Clench (G1)|Clench]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/TFUHardhead/hardhead.htm More information on Hardhead at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[Image:G1HardheadOriginalHead.jpg|right|180px|thumb|More like... Squathead...]]
* In the television [[commercial]] for [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]'' limited series, the Autobot and Decepticon Headmasters are shown having different head designs than the ones their Nebulan partners would later turn into. These designs were seemingly never used in any other piece of ''Transformers'' media. The [[Character model|models]] for most of them, however, turned up in the excellent ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' guidebook.
* The instructions for Generations [[Warpath (G1)|Warpath]] showed the toy with an alternate headsculpt based on Hardhead. There are no known plans to release this version.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ros''' (ロス ''Rosu''), '''Hardhead''' (ハードヘッド ''Hādoheddo'')
*''Italian:'' '''Blindobot''' ("Armoredbot")
*''French:'' '''Tête-Dure''' (Canada, "Hard-Head")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tǐeh Tóu''' (Taiwan, 鐵頭, "Hard Head", literally "Iron Head"), '''Lao Wangu''' (China, 老顽固, "Old Stubborn")
{{--}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Hardhead Hardhead's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Wal-Mart exclusives]]

Weirdwolf (G1)

2011-08-29T12:08:35Z

145.74.83.233:

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2}}
:''A [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]] Weirdwolf is.''

[[Image:Weirdwolf boxart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Yoda]]? This Yoda you speak of, who is?]]
The "weird" in "Weirdwolf", '''Weirdwolf''' puts. To talk to himself he doesn't just like; to talk to himself he ''really'' likes. Ceaselessly. And to make matters worse, not even very ''well'' he does it. To talk in a strange backward speak few can make sense of but himself, he likes.

Cute at first this personality quirk might seem, but once other Decepticons realize that totally off his nut he is, their best to avoid speaking with Weirdwolf they do. Just too ''weird'', he is.

[[Binary bonding|Binary bonded]] to the [[Nebulon]] [[Monzo]] Weirdwolf is, and really wishes that Weirdwolf would shut up Monzo does.

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Weirdwolftrialbyfire.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Weirdwolf, if keep hanging out back there you do then get colored you will not.]]
Among [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s troops was Weirdwolf. Followed [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and his Autobots from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to the peaceful planet [[Nebulos]], they did. After the Decepticons were soundly defeated by the Autobots, upgraded with [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster technology]], Weirdwolf was one of the Decepticons who underwent the Headmaster process to even the odds. Now [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the Nebulan [[Monzo]], he and the other Decepticons defeated and captured the Autobot Headmasters. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

The Autobot Headmasters escaped, and the Decepticons followed the Autobots from Nebulos to [[Earth]], where the two factions battled in the vacant [[Mount St. Hilary]]. Though Fortress Maximus's Headmaster partner, the Nebulan [[Galen]], was killed, Weirdwolf and the other Decepticons were driven off when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] replaced him. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

''When Decepticons from the future travel back in time to 1989, following a group of Autobots attempting to stop a rift in space-time from swallowing the entire universe, Weirdwolf and several other Decepticons are displaced to [[Limbo]]. Presumably, they are returned when the future Decepticons left for their own time near the end of the ensuing battle.'' {{storylink|Time Wars (issue)|Time Wars}}

Scorponok's Decepticons soon met up with the group of Decepticons stranded on Earth led by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] aggravated the two sides towards a civil war. During the following Decepticon-on-Decepticon battle, Weirdwolf was run over by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]. {{storylink|Cold War!}} The Decepticons stopped their civil war and teamed up with the Autobots when it was discovered that Starscream had orchestrated the whole affair to distract from his pursuit of the legendary Transformers knowledge database, the [[Underbase]]. In the wake of this event, Scorponok assumed command of all Decepticons and, with Weirdwolf's help, placed a new headquarters, including an Energon convertor, under a swamp near [[New York City]]. {{storylink|King Con!}}

Weirdwolf and his Decepticon comrades were once again manipulated by an outside party when both Autobots and Decepticons responded to the [[Air Strike Patrol]]'s stunt at [[MacDill Air Force Base]]. Weirdwolf pounced on [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] when Prime lost his temper and tore through the rest of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}} The orchestrator behind this staged battle was revealed when Starscream, rebuilt as a [[Pretender]], arrived and fought both sides in the name of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

[[Image:Weirdwolfthevoid.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.]] When the second Decepticon civil war broke out between Scorponok's faction and a small group of rogues led by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Weirdwolf was one of those buried under Scorponok's headquarters near New York. He was unharmed, however, and [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] ordered him, [[Misfire]], and [[Fangry]] to the surface to help protect their commander. The battle came to a halt when all Earth-bound Transformers were instantaneously transported to Cybertron to prepare to battle [[Unicron]]. Weirdwolf listened to [[Primus]] (via a possessed [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]]) tell the origin of the Transformers and their imminent destiny. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} Unicron subsequently attacked, was defeated, and Weirdwolf was one of the lucky survivors. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

Under the pretenses of an Autobot/Decepticon alliance, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] led Weirdwolf and the other Decepticons to [[Klo]], stranding the Autobots on their dying home planet. {{storylink|Exodus!}} When the Autobots followed them, the Decepticons ambushed them, killing all but five. Bludgeon sent Weirdwolf, [[Octopunch]], [[Fangry]], and [[Quake (G1)|Quake]] to hunt down these stragglers, but Weirdwolf had trouble hunting their scent. Unfortunately, their prey rose before them and overcame their group. Weirdwolf apparently escaped, as he appeared next as part of the main battle, where Optimus Prime had returned. He leaped onto Optimus from behind, but before he could deliver a deadly blow, [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s group had returned victorious, and he was destroyed by a blast Grimlock fired from Octopunch's trident. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Weirdwolfg2.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Don't you mean, "Time for feeding it is"?]]
Weirdwolf was one of countless Decepticons under Bludgeon's command when they fought the Autobots over ownership of a cache of weapons on an unnamed barren world. Bludgeon ordered a retreat when a gigantic creature who guarded their quarry warned them away. {{storylink|Ghosts}} Later, he and the other Decepticons were ordered to rampage across Earth in order to get Optimus Prime's attention. Weirdwolf, like his comrades, enjoyed this job very much. {{storylink|Tales of Earth Part One}}

Megatron returned and quickly usurped Bludgeon, but not long after Megatron fell in battle against [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] over [[Tykos]]; Weirdwolf was part of the search party for Megatron's remains. {{storylink|New Dawn}}

When the Autobots and Decepticons joined forces to defeat Jhiaxus and his [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], Weirdwolf was present in both the battle on [[Ethos]] {{storylink|Escalation!}} and the final battle on Earth. {{storylink|Total War!}}

{{-}}
====Classics====
[[Image:Weirdwolfgod.jpg|right|180px|thumb|This sounds [[Wheelie (G1)|familiar]], doesn't it? The wrong characters are talking like that, oh shit!]]
In the fifteen years after the battle on Klo, Weirdwolf was one of the Decepticons under the command of the spacefaring [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and assigned to the command of the mysterious [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]]. Whether Weirdwolf followed Bug Bite of his own accord or was sublimated by Bug Bite's reverse-engineered [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shells]] is anybody's guess. What is known is that Bug Bite had Weirdwolf rebuilt to remove his Headmaster technology, resulting in both a spurned [[Monzo]] and Weirdwolf being even less coherent than he was previously, having to resort to talking to his own wolf head in the absence of his Headmaster partner.

After the return of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], Bug Bite's team arrived on [[Earth]] under the pretenses of forming a partnership. Weirdwolf and the rest of Bug Bite's team were escorted back to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], Megatron's current headquarters. Suddenly, due to cerebro shells implanted earlier, nearly all of Megatron's troops doublecrossed him, turning their guns on him at Bug Bite's radio-controlled command. However, Weirdwolf's recreation was his team's downfall; Monzo turned to the Autobots with what information he knew, and a rogue Autobot team led by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and jammed the cerebro shells' frequency. Weirdwolf was critically damaged by Megatron in the resulting crossfire. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

The barely-alive Weirdwolf and apparently-dead Bug Bite were dragged (literally in the latter's case) back to their ship by [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]]. He put Weirdwolf into a newly-installed [[CR chamber]] to heal. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

{{-}}
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Stan Jones]] (English, casting only)

[[Image:Weirdwolfrebirthr.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Growl.]]
After the return of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Decepticons were scattered across the galaxy. Suddenly, they returned en masse, descending upon [[Autobot City]] on Earth. Weirdwolf was among their number. After the Decepticons retrieved the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]], [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] called off their attack and they retreated. But when the Decepticons brought the key to Cybertron to activate the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]], it was retaken by a group of Autobots who were subsequently thrown across the galaxy. [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] took a ship of Decepticons, which included Weirdwolf, and followed the Autobots to the planet [[Nebulon]].

Confronting the Autobots in a cave, Decepticons were unable to retrieve the key, but did capture the Autobots' wounded. Weirdwolf dragged [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] back to their ship. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} During the ensuing interrogation, the Decepticons were ambushed by the remaining Autobots, who had teamed up with the [[Nebulan]] [[Gort]]'s native rebel forces, and had been rebuilt into [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. The Decepticons' ship demolished, they fled into the trees, where the Decepticons were abducted by the evil overlords of Nebulon, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]]. The Hive, too, wished to become Headmasters, and so [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] offered him the Decepticons who transformed into animals. Weirdwolf was paired with Monzo.

{{note|The bonding of Weirdwolf and Monzo is depicted at the conclusion of an error-filled sequence of events. First, Mindwipe hypnotizes his reluctant partner Vorath, who is mistakenly drawn as Monzo when this occurs. Then Mindwipe and Vorath bond together, alongside Skullcruncher silently bonding with Grax. Then the voice of Grax, emanating from a character drawn as Vorath but colored like Monzo, declares "I am to be bonded to that creature? This project was a bad investment!" while the "creature" he is looking at is Skullcruncher, colored like Weirdwolf. This is immediately followed by the bonding of Weirdwolf and Monzo. Oh, "[[The Rebirth|Rebirth]]", you so crazy!}}

[[Image:Weirdwolfrebirthb.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Rowr.]]
With Headmaster and also [[Targetmaster]] technology behind them, the Decepticons retrieved the Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber in battle. The Autobots quickly struck back with Targetmasters of their own, but the leader of the Hive, [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]], had rebuilt the Hive's city into [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Scorponok abducted [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], who was in possession of the key amidst battle, and with the Decepticons inside, it returned to Cybertron. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

Upon their return, Galvatron was unhappy with Weirdwolf and the other Decepticons' alliance with organic creatures, but reluctantly accepted them into their ranks temporarily since they had possession of the key. The Autobots followed them back to Cybertron, and after a huge battle involving all of the Headmasters, Targetmasters, Scorponok, and the new [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], the Decepticons retreated inside Scorponok just as it was swatted off-planet by volatile surges of the activated Plasma Energy Chamber. Weirdwolf and the other Decepticons retreated to parts unknown. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}
{{-}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Weirdwolf is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless [[Transtector]] body. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the small robot as "Monzo", with Weirdwolf being the name of the combined small robot/Transtector form, though this distinction of nomenclature is very rarely made in fiction, and he is normally referred to as "Weirdwolf" regardless of what form he takes.}}
====''The Great Transformer War''====
In the closing days of 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged on Earth and across space, Weirdwolf and the other Decepticon Headmasters were running from their Autobot counterparts on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. The Decepticons appeared to flee by leaping into a chasm, but moments later, they burst up through the ground to catch their pursuers unaware. Unfortunately for the villains, the Autobots were able to sneak away under cover of the dust cloud their emergence created, leaving Weirdwolf and [[Skullcruncher]] to mistakenly beat up [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]. The Decepticons soon realized their error, but the Autobots then crashed into them in vehicle mode, ending the fight. At that point, the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]] arrived and instructed them to follow him back to [[Chaar]]. The Decepticons fled into space, but the Autobot Headmasters quickly gave chase aboard the battleship Maximus, heading for Cybertron rejoin the larger Transformer war. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

{{-}}
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Katsuji Mori]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Hmep2_weirdwolf_smallbot.jpg|right|thumb|225px|]]
Four million years ago, Weirdwolf—also known as just plain "Wolf" to the 'bots who know him best—was among a group of [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronians]] who departed Cybertron under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], seeking to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their craft to crash-land on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], an inhospitable world whose murderous environments and wildly changeable atmospheric conditions threatened the lives of the Cybertronians. Fighting against the odds, the Cybertronians made several technological quantum leaps to survive on Master, including the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called [[Transtector]]s. Weirdwolf and many of his comrades underwent rigorous physical and mental training to master the art of [[transformation]], learning to transform into heads that connected to the Transtectors and placed them under their control, and even developing telepathic and telekinetic powers. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Weirdwolf was one of ten warriors who became one of these "Headmasters", but he and several other warriors soon began to chafe under Fortress's leadership, and ultimately rebelled against him, siding with a traitor named [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Weirdwolf was Scorponok's second-in-command and leader of the other Decepticon Headmasters, Mindwipe and Skullcruncher. Defeated by Fortress and his men, Scorponok, Weirdwolf and the rest were exiled from Master, but eventually entered into an alliance with Decepticon leader [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

[[Image:Hm1_weirdwolf_botmode.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

In the year 2011, Weirdwolf and his fellow Headmasters joined Galvatron's Decepticons in a massive attack on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], seeking to seize control of the destabilized [[Vector Sigma]] and establish a Decepticon hold over the planet through the computer. Weirdwolf requested that Galvatron entrust the task of taking control of Vector Sigma to them, but Galvatron informed the newbie that he had overstepped his bounds. Undeterred, Weirdwolf led the charge on the computer control center, only to be stopped in his tracks by the dramatic arrival of Fortress and his Autobot Headmasters. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} In the subsequent battle, Weirdwolf transformed to maul [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], but was blasted by [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and then forced to retreat with the other Decepticons before the awesome firepower of Fortress's Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

Soon after, Weirdwolf journeyed with Galvatron to Earth to help interfere in the Autobots' search for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]], which could restore balance to Vector Sigma. The villains caught up to [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] just as he located the Matrix, but [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] stepped in to keep them busy while Hot Rod escaped to Cybertron. Weirdwolf and company pursued, leading to a showdown in Vector Sigma's chamber, where Hot Rod used the Matrix to become Rodimus Prime again. Weirdwolf and the Decepticons wisely fled, rather than face the combined might of both Rodimus and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

[[Image:CassetteOperation Searchlight Weirdwolf.JPG|right|thumb|225px]]

Weirdwolf and the Decepticon Headmasters accompanied the Decepticons' newest weapon, the [[Madmachine]], when it was unleashed upon Cybertron, and he savaged [[Searchlight (G1)|Searchlight]] in wolf mode until [[Chase (G1)|Chase]] stepped in to help. The Decepticon Headmasters retreated when the Madmachine was destroyed by the Autobot Headmasters. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} After helping the Decepticons enslave planet Beast, {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}} Weirdwolf again clashed with the [[Throttlebot]]s, this time on [[Earth]], as the Decepticons kept the Autobots busy there while their newest evil creation, Metamorpho, headed towards Athenia. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}}

[[Image:Hmep8_weirdwolf_plays_cards.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Stacks and stacks of Scooby Snacks!]]

Under the orders of Scorponok, Weirdwolf and the Decepticon Headmasters attacked an Autobot energy outpost on Earth and killed all those stationed there in order to distract Rodimus Prime while Scorponok sprang a trap for the Autobot Headmasters on the planet [[Praum]]. Weirdwolf and his allies departed for Praum before Rodimus arrived so they could watch their enemies meet their end, but the Autobots were able to overcome the trap by switching heads to boost their power. The Decepticons tried doing the same, with Weirdwolf taking over Skullcruncher's Transtector, but they still got thrashed. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} After this defeat, Weirdwolf and his chums decided to sit out the next mission and played cards instead. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

When Vector Sigma developed a powerful new alloy named cybertonuron, Weirdwolf was among the Decepticons who invaded the planet seeking to take possession of it for Galvatron. Scorponok, however, disliked the idea of seeing the alloy in Galvatron's hands, and so resolved instead to destroy Cybertron and the cybertonuron with it. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} While Mindwipe was sent to plant bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, Weirdwolf and Skullcruncher covered his rear and tried to stop the Autobot Headmasters from pursuing him. They failed and wound up chasing the Autobots into the planet's depths themselves, only to discover that Mindwipe had successfully planted the bombs. Weirdwolf naturally panicked and promptly fled back to the surface to escape. The Transformers all abandoned Cybertron with minutes to spare, save for Galvatron, who attempted to remove the bombs and was caught at ground-zero of the planet-shattering explosion. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:Hm12_weirdwolf_sword.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

With Galvatron apparently destroyed, Scorponok seized command of the Decepticons, and as his first order of business, had Weirdwolf, Mindwipe, and Skullcruncher steal the [[Sol 1]] satellite. Although defeated by Chromedome and the Autobot Headmasters, Weirdwolf had another trick up his sleeve: If the Autobots tried to retake the satellite, he would destroy it using his telekinetic powers. Unable to take the satellite back, the Autobots were forced to destroy it to keep it out of Decepticon hands. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} As part of Scorponok's plan to keep the Autobots' attentions focused on Earth, Weirdwolf and his fellow Headmasters accompanied the Predacons in menacing [[Pan|a small South American village]]. When Mindwipe captured a human boy named [[Pipiro]], Weirdwolf instructed the Autobot Headmasters to hand over their Transtectors to save his life, but the heroic actions of donkey [[Dodo]] saved the day. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} A little later, still distracting the Autobots from Scorponok's bigger scheme with attacks on Earth, Weirdwolf joined in a Decepticon attack on San Francisco with [[buridanka|a giant carnivorous plant]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[Image:Hm14_ride_em_chromedome.jpg|left|thumb|225px| Get off of me you should, if good for you you know what is!]]

Scorponok's plans came to a head when he plotted to destroy [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], and sent the Decepticon Headmasters to the planet to place a series of [[plasma energy]] bombs beneath its crust. After doing so, the villainous trio engaged the Autobot Headmasters on Mars's surface, trapping them in a crater. When Fortress arrived to save them, Weirdwolf and his fellows got particularly crafty, blasting him with a plasma energy bomb in mid-transformation! {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} Weirdwolf and the Decepticons then withdrew to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]], where Scorponok unveiled his secret project: a giant Transtector of his own! The Headmasters boarded Scorponok's giant new body and returned with him to Mars, putting the finishing touches to the bombing set-up while he battled Fortress. Weirdwolf and his pals completed their task quickly, and withdrew with Scorponok as Mars was destroyed. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Hm17 weirdwolf tricked by transtector.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

Weirdwolf subsequently attended the coronation of Scorponok on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]], but during the event, Galvatron abruptly returned, alive and well, and retook leadership. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Soon after, Galvatron sent him to interfere with an Autobot energy run to the planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], but Weirdwolf was tricked when Chromedome and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] abandoned their Transtectors to make the run in a small shuttlecraft. The unwitting Weirdwolf chased after the unmanned Transtectors, failing to realize that they were empty until the Autobots were off on their way to Sandra. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

The appearance of two unknown robots in the vicinity of Chaar set off alarm bells for Weirdwolf and the Decepticon Headmasters, and they immediately attacked the newcomers. Weirdwolf took on the newcomer with the dragon alternate mode, but was laid out by a swipe of the stranger's tail, at which point Galvatron arrived to inform them that these were actually their old allies from Master, [[Apeface]] and [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]]. Weirdwolf, Mindwipe and Skullcruncher subsequently went to Earth with the two new arrivals to serve as bodyguards for Galvatron while he negotiated a potential peace with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]. When the negotiation was discovered to be a Decepticon ruse to cover their preparations for an interplanetary energy raid, a fight broke out, and Weirdwolf was pummelled by [[Yukikaze (Headmasters)|Yukikaze]]. The Decepticons were able to escape and join up with their fellows to carry out the planned raid. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} The Decepticons' started their energy gathering by attacking the planets [[Hachi no Susei]] {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Hachi no Susei!!}} and [[Twin Star]] for energy, but Weirdwolf didn't really have much to get up to, and entertained himself on the journey between planets by watching asteroids fly by. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}}

[[Image:Hm21_weirdwolf_kills_tekna.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

When the Decepticons set down on the planet [[Daros]], Weirdwolf and the Headmasters were given a special task by Scorponok: hunt down and kill the [[Beastformer]][[Tekna]], who had helped build his Transtector and who was currently imprisoned in a penal colony on the planet. Weirdwolf and his foul fellows took pleasure in massacring every inmate in the prison, but Tekna managed to escape their wrath by hiding in the [[North-South Caves]]. Weirdwolf followed him into the caves, and, finding him in the company of Chromedome and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]], fatally shot him in the back. Chromedome saw Weirdwolf off, and Tekna clung to life long enough to provide the Autobots with information on the secret weak spot of Scorponok's Transtector. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}}

[[Image:Hm24_weirdwolf_om_nom_nom.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Nom om om.]]

After rounding out the Decepticons' planet-hopping escapades by helping to capture Highbrow on planet [[Paradise]] {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} and participating in the battle on [[Pirate Planet]], {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} Weirdwolf returned to Chaar with the other Decepticons. At Scorponok's command, Weirdwolf led Mindwipe and Skullcruncher on a sabotage mission to Earth, where they used their small robot forms to sneak inside an Autobot outpost and cause explosions that wiped out most of the base personnel. After they finished off the survivors with their beast modes, Weirdwolf reported the successful taking of the base to Scorponok. Scorponok informed him that it was time for them to start acting toward his own agenda again, and in accordance with their boss's master plan to destroy the Earth by triggering the simultaneous eruption of every volcano along the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]], Weirdwolf and his fellow Headmasters set about planting a plasma energy bomb beneath the outpost. When Scorponok was ordered to Earth by Galvatron, he checked in with Weirdwolf telepathically for an update. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}}

[[Image:Hm26_weirdwolf_palm_punch.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]

Continuing to carry out Scorponok's plan, Weirdwolf and his team helped their leader plant another explosive in [[Alaska]], though their activities were briefly interrupted by a wide-ranging battle between Galvatron and the Autobot Headmasters that concluded with the Decepticon emperor's destruction. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} This allowed Scorponok to take control of the Decepticons once again, and he dispatched Weirdwolf and the Headmasters to plant the final explosive on the Kamchatka Penninsula. Luckily, before the bombs could be triggered, Chromedome deduced the location of Scorponok's weak spot, and Fortress Maximus exploited it to critically damage the Decepticon leader. Scorponok withdrew, and Weirdwolf and all the other Decepticons fled Earth with him. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

Weirdwolf and the Decepticons withdrew with Scorponok to their old home of planet Master, where they terrorized the locals until the Autobots arrived to stop them. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}} Retreating beneath the surface of the planet aboard Scorponok's Transtector, Weirdwolf stood by with Mindwipe and Skullcruncher, watching as Scorponok processed [[G-Metal]] from the ore they found underground. With the metal, Scorponok hoped to forge a weapon to counter Fortress's [[Master Sword]], so Weirdwolf and his cronies captured Wheelie and ransomed him for information on the Master Sword and its weaknesses. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}}

[[Image:Hm30_weirdwolf_bombs.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]

With this data in their hands, the Decepticons briefly withdrew from Master to throw the Autobots off their tail, hiding in a field of space debris where Weirdwolf and Mindwipe teased Skullcruncher for confusing the space rocks with aliens. Their trail suitably cold, they then returned to Master and headed underground so Scorponok could build his "[[Zarak Shield]]". The Autobots soon tracked them down, but during the battle, Weirdwolf snuck aboard Fortress's battleship and planted a pair of bombs, causing an explosion that covered the Decepticons' escape. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} Following the successful completion of the Zarak Shield, Weirdwolf participated in the final battle on Master, which ended with Scorponok's triumph over Fortress Maximus and the Decepticons' departure from the planet. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}} On the way back to Earth, they were separated from [[Sixshot]] {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} and when they set down on the asteroid [[Pallas]] for repairs, Weirdwolf agreed with Mindwipe's suggestion that they wouldn't be seeing the ninja again. No sooner had he voiced this opinion, of course, than Sixshot returned. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[Image:Hmep35 trio formation.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]

Once back on Earth, Scorponok immediately had the Decepticons begin setting up "Death Towers" at strategic points around the globe, forged from the crysmag metal of the lost continent of Lemuria. Attempting to defend the tower set up in Egypt, Weirdwolf quickly informed Mindwipe and Skullcruncher that they would be debuting their new "[[Trio Formation]]", a manoeuvre which had stayed up all night coming up with. The bizarre formation turned out to involve them stacking on top of each other like a totem pole, and when Apeface and Snapdragon thought to get in on the action, they wound up toppling it over. Weirdwolf's tomfoolery notwithstanding, the Egyptian Death Tower was successfully raised, creating an energy-channelling circuit of towers around the Earth that threatened to rip the planet apart. To stop the Decepticons' plan, the Autobots faced their whole army down in a massive final battle at the North Pole. The conflict came to a close when the Autobots all channeled their energy into Fortress Maximus, enabling him to destroy Scorponok's Transtector and the circuit, saving the planet and forcing Weirdwolf and all the other Decepticons to flee Earth for good. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

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====''The Headmasters'' comic====
{{charstubfiction}}
====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====
{{charstubfiction}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor:''

While the Autobots are at the hydroelectric power station, Weirdwolf ran out from a canyon in his wolf mode, stopping in front of the Autobots and transforms to robot form. Greeting them with a laugh and calling them "scrap-for-brains", Weirdwolf welcomed the Autobots. He threatened to shred up the Autobots and warned them that they would never fight the Decepticons again, but Optimus Prime was unimpressed by Weirdwolf's bravado and fought him. Weirdwolf was soundly defeated, and he warned that such an outcome would never be repeated if they fight him again. He then transformed and ran off. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1Weirdwolf toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Word Salad Shooter (TM)]]
*'''Weirdwolf''' (1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-86'''
**''Accessories:'' Monzo Headmaster unit, [[Photon pistol|Photon Pistol]],[[thermo-sword| Tail/Thermo Sword]]

: Weirdwolf transforms into a mostly yellow robotic wolf. He has some articulation in his legs (mostly in his forelegs), and his jaw can open. A clear red canopy on his back opens to reveal a cockpit/storage compartment for his Headmaster partner, Monzo. His beast mode tail has a blade on its underside, later serving as a shortsword in robot mode.

: As with many mammalian-derived beast mode Transformers, his robot mode is essentially his beast mode standing on his (extended) hind legs. A panel on each shoulder slides down to reveal a bank of non-firing rockets. Monzo forms his head, inserted into a slot on his upper torso. Some tabs of various lengths on Monzo push down three spring-loaded buttons inside the neck cavity, which in turn reveal three [[Tech Spec]] ratings on a bar-graph in his chest under a grey panel. He is armed with a green rifle and his [[thermo-sword| tail-sword]].
::* ''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Weirdwolf/weirdwolf.htm More information on Weirdwolf at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
===Timelines===
*'''Alpha Trion/Weirdwolf''' (BotCon 2007 souvenir set)
**''Accessories:'' Tail/sword/missile launcher weapon, 1 missile, Jungle Planet Cyber Planet Key
[[Image:Weirdwolftimelinestoy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|What I bring you is plight, and colors bright bright bright!]]

:A bagged set of [[Alpha Trion (SG)|Alpha Trion]] and Weirdwolf was released at BotCon 2007 as a souvenir set add-on, limited to 1400 pieces. A yellow and turquoise [[redeco]] of ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Snarl (Cybertron)|Snarl]], Weirdwolf transforms into a techno-organic wolf. His articulated tail features a spring-loaded missile launcher that can fire a transparent orange projectile. Inserting his [[Cyber Planet Key]] causes his lower jaw to open and a pair of transparent orange fangs to extend from his upper mouth. Unlike other Cyber Key gimmicks, this feature does not automatically secure itself into position, so as to allow the user to repeatedly open his mouth with the Cyber Key. However, his mouth can be locked into the open position by rotating down the two pieces of turquoise 'fur' on his cheeks.

: In robot mode, Weirdwolf is almost his beast mode inverted, as his robot legs are the beast hind legs rotated, and the torso and arms are the beast torso split and flipped. He is armed with his tail, which has an articulated handle that allows it to be held as either a projectile weapon or as a sword. He retains his Cyber Key feature in this mode. He comes with a green-bordered Jungle Planet type Cyber Key, which still has Snarl's [[Key Code]], "'''d43j'''," stamped on its back.

: This mold was also used for [[Snarl (Cybertron)|Fangwolf Black Version]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/BCWeirdwolf/weirdwolf.htm More information on Timelines Weirdwolf at TFU.info]''

==Merchandise==
===Transformers Caramel===
[[Image:Caramel_weirdwolf.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Weirdwolf''' (1987)

:A soft-rubber figurine of Weirdwolf was available as part of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Milk Caramel]]'' line of "[[candy toy]]s" in yellow, red or blue. Like all the figures from the ''Headmasters'' assortment, the figure was permanently attached to a flat base that had a rubber stamp of Weirdwolf's face and name on its underside.
{{-}}

===Transformers Gum===
*'''Weirdwolf''' (1987)
**''Accessories:'' "Monzo" Headmaster unit, Photon Pistol, Tail/Thermo Sword

:A snap-together model kit of Weirdwolf was available as part of sixth wave Kabaya's ''[[Transformers Gum]]'' line of [[candy toy]]s. ''Gum'' Weirdwolf is virtually identical to the original toy in all but height and color, standing at about four inches tall and cast in cream, black and red plastic. He retains all the features of the larger figure, including his transforming Headmaster unit, opening cockpit, and functioning Tech Spec meter. As a ''Transformers Gum'' kit, he featured no paint applications, but came with stickers for detail, and a piece of terrible gum.

::*''[http://bowbowdaijin.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-24.html More information on Transformer Gum Weirdwolf at a Japanese fansite]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
[[Image:G1WeirdwolfOriginalHead.jpg|right|thumb|For better quality stills Transformers Wiki would kill.]]
* In early planning stages, the Large Headmasters were to have differently styled heads that would be replaced by their more familiar heads during the Headmaster process. Much like the "trainer" concept for the small Headmaster partners, this quickly fell by the wayside; a [[commercial]] for [[Ring of Hate!|''Headmasters'' #1]] featuring animation of Weirdwolf and others is the only time these designs were used.
* The instruction sheet to Weirdwolf's Generation 1 toy contains perhaps the most unintentionally perverse direction ever written for such a thing: ''To complete wolf, insert post on tail/thermal sword into hole on wolf rump.'' Ew.[http://fortmax05.10gbfreehost.com/instructions/g1/decepticon/weirdwolf.jpg]
* In [[Bob Budiansky]]'s run on Marvel Comics, Weirdwolf started out with his trademark speech quirk, but when writer [[Simon Furman]] took over, he lost it and sounded like everyone else. In ''Timelines: Games of Deception'', written by [[Forest Lee]], Weirdwolf seems to have gotten it back.
* Despite having the status of a ''Classics'' toy, ''Timelines'' Weirdwolf features the modified Decepticon symbol seen on the [[Transformers (2007)|Movie]] action figures.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Weirdwolf''' (ウィアードウルフ ''Wiādourufu''), '''Monzo''' (モンゾ, see above)
*''French:'' '''Bizalou''' (Canada)
*''Italian:'' '''Lupo'''

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Weirdwolf Weirdwolf's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Trackers]]

Skullcruncher (G1)

2011-08-29T12:02:58Z

145.74.83.233:

{{picsneeded|Toy}}
{{factions|decepticon}}
:''Skullcruncher is a [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1 Skullcruncher boxart.jpg|right|300px|thumb| [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Hn0yM00Fo Interior crocodile alligator...] ]]
'''Skullcruncher''' is both slow on his feet and slow witted. He has a nasty habit of grinding his teeth before attacking his foes, making a noise so loud and obnoxious it tips the [[Autobot|enemy]] off to his whereabouts instantly. Because of this personality defect, few Decepticons wish to be partnered with him.

What Skullcruncher '''does''' do efficiently is eat. While he thinks they taste rather yucky, Skullcruncher will gleefully scarf down as many Autobots as he can during battle, often ceasing to fight until he's finished chewing his meal. He wouldn't want to choke or anything.

Skullcruncher is [[Binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the [[Nebulan]] [[Grax]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
Skullcruncher was one of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s soldiers on Cybertron. He was first seen eagerly driving a group of Autobot prisoners towards the [[smelting pool]]. [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and his band of interlopers jumped them, however, and the Decepticons were forced to retreat. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}} After Maximus's unit abandoned Cybertron, Scorponok received word they had come to the planet called [[Nebulos]], and brought a strike team to that world in order to exact revenge. Skullcruncher joined his leader in assaulting the planet's capitol, [[Koraja]], and demonstrated a little-seen [[Fire-breath|fire-breathing]] ability as the Decepticons tried to penetrate the city's walls. Later he transformed to robot mode and issued the Decepticon rallying cry.

{{bigquote|Let's stomp these creatures til we're knee-deep in pink slime!}}

[[Image:Skullcruncher-LoveandSteel.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The Crocodile Punter.]]

The Decepticons' forward momentum was halted, however, by the arrival of the new Autobot [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. Fortress Maximus and several of his crew members had [[Binary bond|binary bonded]] with their Nebulan allies, creating two-in-one warriors. The increased skill and accuracy gained from this combination sent Skullcruncher and the other Decepticons fleeing into the night. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}} In the remote [[Plains of Thok]], Scorponok's Decepticons made camp at the industrial complex whose [[hyper-galactic tranceiver]] had first alerted them to the Autobots' presence. Forced to admit the value of the Headmaster process, Scorponok allowed himself, Skullcruncher, and several other Decepticons to undergo the process, binary bonding with Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]]—political rival of Fortress Maximus's Nebulan partner—and his entourage. Skullcruncher was binary bonded with [[Grax]], the industrialist who owned the communications complex, and had modified it to accomodate the hyper-galactic transmitter. Joining with such a refined businessman did little to boost Skullcruncher's fighting style at first, as Fortress Maximus still managed to fight off both him and [[Weirdwolf]] at once, and then used Skullcruncher as a club to knock Scorponok around. Only by threatening civilian hostages were Scorponok and his men able to get the drop on the Autobots. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}} ''Skullcruncher and the Decepticon Headmasters had another brief battle with their counterparts {{storylink|Worlds Apart!}} but, ''as the war continued to escalate on Nebulos, both sides decided to quit the planet and moved on to planet Earth after receiving a distress signal. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[Image:Weirdwolftrialbyfire.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Grrr! Begin your sentences with animal sounds so they know that you're bestial!]]

Once they arrived on Earth, the Decepticons raced the Autobots to [[Mount St. Hilary]], former landing site of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and location of the distress signal. The two Headmaster teams did battle in the volcano caverns. Skullcruncher was heard mocking Weirdwolf's bizarre Yoda-esque speech pattern during the fight, but to be fair he also demonstrated an odd quirk of "grrr"ing before each sentence. Do alligators growl? {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

''After the Autobot named [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] got the drop on Scorponok and stole his head, leaving the Decepticon leader incapacitated, Skullcruncher and his comrades hunted down Highbrow until he reached an Autobot shuttle parked in nearby canyons. They recovered the stunned Lord Zarak and reconnected him with Scorponok, restoring their leader. Moments after they did so, however, Skullcruncher and five of his teammates were shunted into [[Limbo]] thanks to the time-traveling arrival of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] from 2009. They remained out of action until the war with [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] ended, and the time storm was abated. {{storylink|Time Wars (issue)|Time Wars}}''

[[Image:Predacons-ColdWar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Decepticons that transform into animals? This is ridiculous!]]

When Scorponok's army made first contact with [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and the other Decepticons active on Earth, Skullcruncher and the Headmasters went with their leader as his entourage. A breakdown in negotiations led to combat, as Skullcruncher and the group began fighting with the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], and later Ratbat's entire base. {{storylink|Cold War!}} The Decepticons stopped their civil war and teamed up with the Autobots when it was discovered that Starscream had orchestrated the whole affair to distract from his pursuit of the legendary Transformers knowledge database, the [[Underbase]]. In the wake of this event, Scorponok assumed command of all Decepticons and, with Skullcruncher's help, placed a new headquarters, including an Energon convertor, under a swamp near [[New York City]]. {{storylink|King Con!}} Sometime later, Skullcruncher responded with a team of Decepticons to MacDill Airforce Base when the [[Air Strike Patrol]] got into trouble with the Autobots. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}} The whole event was orchestrated from afar by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] to eliminate [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and his rivals in the Decepticons. Skullcruncher didn't know any of this, but that didn't keep him from getting beaten up a lot, first by Optimus Prime {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}} and later by a reconstructed version of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

Skullcruncher remained a part of the Decepticons throughout the next few months. He was seen running in panic with many other Autobots and Decepticons at the sight on [[Unicron]] on Cybertron. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} Later, he was on the planet [[Klo]] when Optimus Prime first arrived with the [[Last Autobot]] to rescue the besieged Autobot forces. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
{{-}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Chris Latta]] (English, casting only)

[[Image:SkullcruncherAmericancartooncontinuity.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
Skullcruncher was one of the many new Decepticons from around the universe gathered by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to go after the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] in 2007. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} He later accompanied [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] to the planet Nebulos. His honored leaders then volunteered him to have his head ripped off and stuffed with [[Grax|organic material]]. Remarkably, this somehow ''increased'' his combat skills. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} When [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] came to life, he quickly told Skullcruncher to attack [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], as she was carrying the Plasma Energy Key. Once the key was retrieved, Skullcruncher and his fellow Decepticons boarded Scorponok and left Nebulos for Cybertron. When [[Cerebros (G1)|Cerebros]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] returned to Cybertron, Skullcruncher joined in on the attack, but was forced to pull back when the Autobot spaceship turned into a [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|battle station]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Skullcruncher—or '''Skull''', as he is known there—is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless [[Transtector]] body. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the small robot as '''Grax''', with "Skull" being the name of the combined small robot/Transtector form, but this distinction of nomenclature is made in fiction only ''very'' rarely, with the character usually being referred to as "Skull" regardless of what form he takes.}}
====''The Great Transformer War''====
[[Image:Greattfwar_mindwipe_beaten_up.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
In the closing days of 2010, while significant Transformer battles were being waged on Earth and across space, Skullcruncher and the other Decepticon Headmasters were running from their Autobot counterparts on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. The Decepticons appeared to flee by leaping into a chasm, but moments later, they burst up through the ground to catch their pursuers unaware. Unfortunately for the villains, the Autobots were able to sneak away under cover of the dust cloud their emergence created, leaving Weirdwolf and Skullcruncher to mistakenly beat up Mindwipe. The Decepticons soon realized their error, but the Autobots then crashed into them in vehicle mode, ending the fight. At that point, the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]] arrived and instructed them to follow him back to [[Chaar]]. The Decepticons fled into space, but the Autobot Headmasters quickly gave chase aboard the battleship Maximus, heading for Cybertron rejoin the larger Transformer war. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}
{{-}}
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Kōji Totani]] (Japanese)

Four million years ago, Skullcruncher was among a group of [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronians]] who departed Cybertron under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], seeking to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their craft to crash land on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], an inhospitable world whose murderous environments and wildly changeable atmospheric conditions threatened the lives of the Cybertronians. Fighting against the odds, the Cybertronians made several technological quantum leaps to survive on Master, including the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called [[Transtector]]s. Skullcruncher and many of his comrades underwent rigorous physical and mental training to master the art of [[transformation]], learning to transform into heads that connected to the Transtectors and placed them under their control. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Skullcruncher was one of ten warriors who became one of these "Headmasters", but he and several other warriors soon began to chafe under Fortress's leadership, and ultimately rebelled against him, siding with a traitor named [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Via the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot]], Scorponok soon forged an alliance with the Decepticon leader, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

{{note|The events of the ''Great Transformer War'' manga occur at this point.}}

In the year 2011, Skullcruncher and his fellow Headmasters [[Weirdwolf]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] joined Galvatron's Decepticons in a massive attack on Cybertron, seeking to seize control of the destabilized [[Vector Sigma]] and establish a Decepticon hold over the planet through the computer. Unfortunately for Skullcruncher, he failed to impress Galvatron on this first foray when he made the first demonstration of his vulnerability to Mindwipe's hypnotic powers, and fell asleep in the middle of the battle. A kick from his new leader woke him up so he could participate in an attack on the Autobots' computer base, but before the villains could enter the facility, Fortress's Autobot Headmasters arrived on Cybertron to stop them. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} In ensuing battle, Skullcruncher battled [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], but was forced to retreat alongside the others when Fortress brought the firepower of his battleship, the ''Maximus'', to bear. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

Soon after, Skullcruncher journeyed with Galvatron to Earth to help interfere in the Autobots' search for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]], which could restore balance to Vector Sigma. The villains caught up to [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] just as he located the Matrix, but [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] stepped in to keep them busy while Hot Rod escaped to Cybertron. Skullcruncher and company pursued, leading to a showdown in Vector Sigma's chamber, where Hot Rod used the Matrix to become Rodimus Prime again. Skullcruncher and the Decepticons wisely fled, rather than face the combined might of both Rodimus and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}}

{{charstubfiction}}

====''The Headmasters'' comic====
{{charstubfiction}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic====
Several years after the Decepticons' departure from Earth, Skullcruncher appeared on Athenia with the other Decepticon Headmasters, working with the new Decepticon [[Godmaster]]s to disrupt the coronation of [[Ginrai]] as [[Supreme Commander]] at the behest of their new secret ruler, [[Devil Z]]. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:Stormbringer2 NebulosDecepticons1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Skullcruncher, shortly before departing for Burning Man]]
Skullcruncher was part of the [[Nebulos]] infiltration unit, working for [[Darkwing]] and [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] when [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] attacked the planet. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Skullcruncher was less than enthused with the idea of attacking the giant Pretender, but Darkwing insisted they make a showing of protecting their investment in order to avoid Megatron's wrath. Skullcruncher rolled out with [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]], [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] and [[Roadgrabber]], but was apparently destroyed by an energy blast from Thunderwing. Darkwing and Dreadwind fled Nebulos shortly thereafter. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
:''Voice actor:''

While the Autobots were searching the Lazalt Ruins, they found Skullcruncher guarding a large stone door. Asking aloud what took them so long, he transformed from crocodile mode to robot mode and announced that he was gonna chomp them up. Optimus was unimpressed, and Skullcruncher lost the ensuing fight against the Autobots. Skullcruncher fled in beast mode, vowing the Autobots wouldn't get the key necessary to open the door. Optimus Prime was surprised they'd need a key, but an inspection of the door proved it true. Suspecting that Skullcruncher might have the key in question, Optimus sent the Autobots after him. Spotting his pursuers, Skullcruncher transformed back to robot mode and answered Prime's demand for the key by sending a horde of enemies after them. Fighting their way through, the Autobots gave the Headmaster another pounding. Deciding he'd had enough, Skullcruncher returned once more to crocodile mode and retreated, leaving the key behind him. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Skullcruncher''' (Headmaster, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-58'''
**''Accessories:'' Grax Headmaster unit, [[Demolecularization gun]] and sword/tail

: Skullcruncher transforms into a green and pink robotic crocodile, at least according to his packaging; his head implies he's actually an alligator. Skullcruncher includes one of the most bizarre alt-mode cockpits among the Headmasters for his partner Grax, a small molded seat at the back of his alt-mode mouth below the large canopy that serves as this mode's eyes, his entire upper jaw serving as the hatch to access it. The sword/tail's shape actually makes it look more like a short club.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Skullcruncher/skullcruncher.htm More information on Skullcruncher at TFU.info]''
==Merchandise==
===Transformers Caramel===
[[Image:Caramel_skullcruncher.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Skull''' (1987)

:A soft-rubber figurine of Skullcruncher was available as part of [[Kabaya]]'s ''[[Transformers Milk Caramel]]'' line of "[[candy toy]]s" in yellow, red or blue. Like all the figures from the ''Headmasters'' assortment, the figure was permanently attached to a flat base that had a rubber stamp of Skullcruncher's face and name on its underside.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:G1SkullcruncherOriginalHead.jpg|right|180px|thumb|]]
* In the television [[commercial]] for [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[Headmasters (comic)|Headmasters]]'' limited series, the Autobot and Decepticon Headmasters are shown having different head designs than the ones their Nebulan partners would later turn into. These designs were seemingly never used in any other piece of ''Transformers'' media. The [[Character model|models]] for most of them, however, turned up in the excellent ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' guidebook.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Skull''' (スカル ''Sukaru''), '''Grax''' (グラックス ''Gurakkusu'', see above)
*''French:'' '''Broyeur''' (Canada, "Shredder")
*''Italian:'' '''Spaccaossa''' ("Bonecrusher")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Kū-lǒu''' (Taiwan [[Omni Productions]] dub, 骷髏, "Skull"), '''E Long''' (China, 鳄龙, "Alligator-saur")

==External links==
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Skullcruncher Skullcruncher's Universe profile at NTFA.net]
*[http://www.aftermidnightstudios.com/3D/Skully.html Gallery of the unreleased ''Robot Heroes'' Skullcruncher]

[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]