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All the Familiar Faces!

2012-04-20T18:59:52Z

173.171.37.156: /* Synopsis */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''The Transformers'' (US)]] #58
|prev=The Resurrection Gambit!
|next=Skin Deep
|title="All the Familiar Faces!"
|seriesissue2=[[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|''The Transformers'' (UK)]] #246–248
|prev2=Underworld!
|next2=Demons!
|image=MarvelUS-58.jpg
|caption=Ragh! Smash Spider-Man for stealing cover space! Ragh!
|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]
|date=July 1989
|coverdate=November 1989
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[José Delbo]]
|inker=[[Dave Hunt]]
|colorist=[[Nelson Yomtov]]
|letterer=[[Jim Massara]]
|editor=[[Don Daley]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''Why would anyone EVER deliberately bring Starscream back to life?'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Megatron's base]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] has responded well to the medical challenge and advanced technology being used to re-corporate [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Almost too well—he has to rein himself in and remember he is being forced to work on this project. As [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] leaves him to continue his work, Ratchet takes special note of the three deactivated [[Autobot]]s he brought with him from the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], and the three prototype [[Pretender]] shells Megatron has on display. He resolves to... stay busy. Megatron offers [[Dreadwind (G1)|Deadwind]] and [[Darkwing]] permanent jobs and they like the idea, especially as they are not entirely sure they managed to lose the [[Mecannibal]]s. Outside, two of the creatures consume a dead Transformer...

Back on [[Earth]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has had enough of being jerked around, and makes a command decision—the other Autobots are to make their way to the shuttle and return to the Ark as quickly as possible to deal with whatever threat Ratchet might be facing up there. He nominates himself to stay and cover their retreat from any reprisal by [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and the [[Decepticon]]s. As the Autobots reluctantly follow Prime's orders, the Decepticons swarm over Optimus, pressing him to the ground. Seeing this, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] chooses to leap free of the rising shuttle at the last minute, and rushes back to his leader's aid.

No need, though. Optimus Prime once again demonstrates why he's the most hardcore pacifist around. With one shrug of his mechanical muscles, he sends the three Decepticons attacking him flying. He then approaches Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] to calmly discuss the situation, and continues to do so even after taking a point blank zap from Scorponok's tail to the chest. Prime does his best to make Zarak see reason, that they both have been manipulated by the [[Air Strike Patrol]] and whoever is truly giving them orders.

Speaking of "whoever", Megatron is checking on Ratchet's progress and finds Starscream completely repaired and completely mindless... just as Megatron likes him. Per Megatron's instructions, Ratchet has rendered Starscream's mind a total blank slate, with none of that pesky screeching and overthrowing to get in the way of his uses as a warrior. But, as Ratchet tells Megatron that it's time for him to uphold his end of the bargain and disable the explosives on the Ark, the Decepticon laughs at him and prepares to send the detonation order anyway.

Needless to say, Ratchet is hardly surprised, but it is also too soon for the counter-plans he has set in motion to bear fruit. Desperate for time, he triggers an explosion in the laboratory to escape his [[Micromaster]] guards. As he runs through the corridors, though, he finds that Megatron has already sent Starscream to Earth by way of the dimensional portal, thanks to a pre-programmed set of personality commands. He then runs into Megatron himself. Uh-oh.

On the Ark, [[Blackjack]] is almost done setting the explosives, when he realizes the other Autobots are on their way back in the shuttle. Looking for a weapon to blast them with, Blackjack runs into [[Kup (G1)|Kup]], who has reactivated and is pointing a gun in his face. Startled, the Micromaster drops the triggering mechanism, starting the countdown on the copious amounts of explosives.

Just as Optimus and Zarak reach an accord on Earth, Starscream arrives through the dimension portal, pre-programmed to hail the glories of Megatron for all who will listen. Oh, and destroy all who are listening, too. Mustn't forget that.

Back on Cybertron, Megatron is interrupted in his execution of Ratchet by some bad news: his other Pretender prototypes have mysteriously begun glowing. Putting two and two together, the Decepticon tyrant realizes what has become of the deactivated Autobots just as [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] spring to life as... the [[Classic Pretender]]s!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (2)
* ? (4)
* ? (5)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] (7)
* [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug/Bumblebee]] (8)
* [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (9)
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (15)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] (16)
* [[Getaway]] (17)
* [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] (18)
* ? (19)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (20)
* [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (21)
* [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] (28)

|c2=
* [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (1)
* [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (3)
* [[Blackjack]] (6)
* [[Darkwing]] (10)
* [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] (11)
* [[Detour (G1)|Detour]] (12)
* [[Hyperdrive (Micromaster)|Hyperdrive]] (12)
* [[Road Hugger (G1)|Road Hugger]] (14)
* [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] (22)
* [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] (23)
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (24)
* [[Triggerhappy]] (25)
* [[Skullcruncher]] (26)
* [[Weirdwolf]] (29)

|h4=[[Nebulan]]s|c4=
* [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] (27)
}}

==Notes==
[[Image:DelboSelfSwipe1.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Somehow he gave Jazz's future shell his robot face in the second version. Nel Yomtov promptly fell for it.]]
* This being 1989, Hot Rod has yet to learn about interfering with "[[The Transformers: The Movie|Prime's fights]]".
* In this issue, [[José Delbo]] recycles the poses from two panels from the previous issue (a "self-swipe", if you will). The first case, panel 4 on page 2, is somewhat excusable, as it's meant to be a flashback (to panel 6 on page 8 of the previous issue, to be precise). Despite being nearly identical in almost every detail, the panel is in fact redrawn. Less excusable is panel 2 on page 3 of this issue, which recycles the poses of the future [[Pretender]] shells for [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] from panel 6 on page 11 of the previous issue.
* ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profiles for the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] are found after the main story.
* From issue #248 of the UK comic the ''Action Force'' back-up strip was now titled ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe the Action Force]]'', although the cover logo would not change until issue #249.
* The fate of the Mecannibals would be revealed in the UK story "[[Out to Lunch!]]" However, due to the UK comic suspending its printing of the US material and running reprints of old UK stories for eleven issues, "Out to Lunch" appeared six issues ''before'' the Mecannibal scene here.

===References===
* Part of the reason Zarak decides to trust Optimus Prime is that he recalls Prime's selflessness when it came to the [[Underbase]] in "[[Dark Star]]".

===Covers===
<gallery>
Image:MarvelUS-58.jpg|'''US issue #58''' - ''WHAT?''
Image:MarvelUK-246.jpg|'''UK issue #246''' - Um, is it a chair?
Image:MarvelUK-247.jpg|'''UK issue #247''' - They'd never look ''that'' scary again.
Image:MarvelUK-248.jpg|'''UK issue #248''' - Wow, an actual UK cover that references a US story!
</gallery>
* '''US issue #58 cover:''' A bizarre and mad Optimus Prime by [[José Delbo]].
* '''UK issue #246 cover:''' A Demon in Seawatch's eye by [[Staz|Stewart Johnson]].
* '''UK issue #247 cover:''' Demons and Classic Pretender Autobots by [[Jeff Anderson]].
* '''UK issue #248 cover:''' Classic Pretenders by Geoff Senior.

===Advertisements===
* None yet identified.

===Reprints===
*2002 — ''[[Transformers: Primal Scream]]''
*2009 — ''[[Classic Transformers Volume 4]]''

[[Category:Marvel US issues]]
[[Category:Marvel UK issues]]

Junkion (species)

2012-03-01T23:08:18Z

173.171.37.156: /* United */

{{disambigr|Junkion|the planet|Junkion (planet)}}
{{suite}}
{{-}}
[[Image:Junkion symbol.png|thumb|right|250px]]
[[Image:TFTM Junkions.JPG|500px|thumb|Rednecks!]]

'''Junkions''' are a tribe (or possibly race) of [[Transformer]]s that inhabit the planetoid also known as [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. Their historical origin is unclear, although some sources imply that they may indeed be descended from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronians]].<ref>''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]''</ref>

They have a unique physiology, seemingly made of little more than the same rusted scraps of trash metal that compose their homeworld. They are capable of not only withstanding damage that would normally incapacitate or kill the average Transformer, but quickly repairing that damage using any pieces of scrap metal they can get their hands on. A Junkion may even be reduced to a pile of parts, only to come back at their enemy less than a minute later. Junkions in battle are utterly fearless, using tag-team and ambush tactics to keep mobile while swarming their opponents ''en masse''.

They are also expert mechanics, even able to repair with remarkable ease Transformers normal medical science would write off as [[Death|dead]]. ''How'' the Junkions have developed in this manner has yet to be explained.

Junkion culture is centered on one thing: [[Earth]] broadcasting. Their speech is a hodgepodge of television and radio clippings, making them oftentimes hard to understand. Junkions as a whole are somewhat childlike and naive. They are curious, but also tend to be wary of, if not outright hostile towards, newcomers to their planet (far too many have come with the goal of harming their world), but once a Junkion's friendship is gained, they go "coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs" and treat their allies as Friends For Life. As such, they are instinctively protective of [[human]]s, the source of [[television]].

After having come in contact with the [[Autobot]]s, the Junkions have become known as some of the best scrap metal merchants and traders around. Even [[Octane|some]] [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Decepticons]] make use of their services. The Junkions are all too happy to exchange [[energon]] for more scrap metal... even if they don't think to ask just ''where'' the scrap metal came from.

{{quote|Junkions don't need help, Junkions ''are'' help! Spare parts? We'll fix 'em!|[[Wreck-Gar (Prime)|Wreck-Gar]]|''[[Transformers: Exiles|Exiles]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
''Voice actors:'' [[Frank Welker]], [[Michael Bell]] (English)

When a group of [[Autobot]]s crashlanded on their planet, the Junkions saw them as nothing but intruding thieves. Without warning, Wreck-Gar and his Junkions led an assault on them, but they soon halted when another group of Autobots arrived and proved their friendliness with the [[universal greeting]]. Pacified, the Junkions revived the late [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and promptly organized a dance party for everyone.

When [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] voiced his desire to destroy [[Unicron]], the Junkions did not hesitate to join him, and a large number of them boarded the [[Minnow]] with which to attack the dark god. The Minnow was crushed in Unicron's hand in the following battle, but luckily the passengers survived (at the very least, Wreck-Gar and [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] did). {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Two Junkions came with Wreck-Gar when he travelled to planet [[Goo 8739B]] to save his Autobot friends. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} The exiled Decepticon [[Octane]] later worked with Junkions to freight scrapmetal between their planet to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}} The defensive Junkions later chased off a number of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] that had landed on their planet in search of a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson Journal|journal]]. In response, the Quintessons hijacked the Junkions' precious television signals, planting subliminal messages that caused the Junkions to consider all other races to be their enemies. Even worse, the Junkions got the bright idea to ''share'' these transmissions, beaming them out in the galaxy and causing sentient races everywhere to fight each other. The brainwashed Junkions were eventually fixed when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] countered the transmissions with some of his own. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (episode)|The Big Broadcast of 2006}}

====''Victory'' cartoon====
A few Junkions were residing in [[Iron Town]], where they were menaced by the [[Decepticon desperadoes]]. Fortunately, [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] saved the town. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}}

===Marvel Generation 1 comics===
In a strange alternate future, the defensive Junkions chased off a number of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]] that had landed on their planet in search of a [[Quintesson]] [[Quintesson Journal|journal]]. In response, the Quintessons hijacked the Junkions' precious television signals, planting subliminal messages that caused the Junkions to consider all other races to be their enemies and meticulously organize the junk on their planet in hopes the lost journal would be discovered. The Junkions got the bright idea to ''share'' these transmissions, beaming them out in the galaxy and causing sentient races everywhere to fight each other. The brainwashed Junkions were eventually fixed when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] countered the transmissions with soothing easy-listening music. Once the hypnosis was broken, the Junkions sided with the Autobots in driving off the attacking Decepticons. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)}}

{{note|In the UK version of the story, the events of "The Big Broadcast of 2006" are a fabrication invented by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]].}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
{{noteukonly}}
''Following the destruction of Unicron, his still living head floated into range of the planet Junk, and using his vast mental powers he took control of the entire Junkion population. Planning to use Junk as his new body, Unicron ordered the Junkions to attach his head to the planet. His plot failed when Wreck-Gar, who had been off in space at the time Unicron took control, planted explosives benath his head and blew him up.'' {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
The Junkions did not take kindly to the [[Recyclon]]s intending to recycle their planet into energon. After [[Salvage (G1)|Salvage]] damaged Wreck-Gar, the Junkions swarmed the intruders and forced them to retreat into space. Down but not out, the Recyclons decided to fire the [[Prime Processing Unit]] to recycle the entire planet from orbit, but the Junkions fired a tractor beam in return, sending [[Reclamation|their ship]] crashing violently into Junk. Salvage was the sole survivor of the crash, his last sight alive being a group of Junkions moving in on him. {{storylink|Collect and Save}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation 1'' comics===
[[Image:MTMTE 8 anonymous Junkion.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"We are the Transformers who say "NI!"]]
{{quote|You're not an Autobot or Decepticon, yet I smell the stench of ''both'' breeds emanating from you.|[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]|"[[Runnin' with the Devil]]"}}
The planet Junkion began as a [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] garbage disposal area in space where junk was dumped by means of [[space bridge]] technology. From whatever more the Cybertronians, [[Autobot]] and [[Decepticon]] alike, dumped through the space bridge, {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More Than Meets The Eye'' space bridge entry}} the Junkions emerged as a new breed of Transformer. {{storylink|Runnin' with the Devil}} Though not hostile by nature, the fact their home planet was paradise to numerous treasure hunters and thrill seekers that couldn't care less how the Junkions would suffer from their presence, the Junkions had adopted a mildly xenophobic disposition. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|''More Than Meets The Eye'' Junk entry}}

[[Dreamwave timeline|Sometime in 2003]], Junkion leader [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] was flying the [[Minnow|Junkions' main ship]] alone through space when he stumbled upon the remains of [[Decepticon leader]] [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}} He brought him on board and repaired him, though Megatron was not the least bit grateful. First, he harshly demanded to know what Wreck-Gar was and when that was answered, Megatron proceeded to manipulate Wreck-Gar into getting him a start back to power. The two returned to Junkion, where Wreck-Gar collected discarded [[Air Warrior]] bodies and repaired them, believing Megatron needed an army to vanquish evil from the [[Universe (universe)|universe]]. When he was done, Megatron killed (?) him, because Wreck-Gar was too unpredictable an ally. {{storylink|Runnin' with the Devil}}

===IDW Generation 1 comics===
[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] recruited several Junkions into the army he was raising to oppose [[D-Void]]. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 3|Heart of Darkness #3}}

===''The AllSpark Almanac''===
[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] expressed that [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] was "buggier than a Junkion's code-base". {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac}}

===''Exiles''===
Early on in the space bridge colonization project, the world of Junkion was used as a collective dumping ground for the vast amounts of refuse and garbage that inevitably resulted from the push outwards. This same planetoid was later used as a hideout for Cybertronian criminals, pirates, and outlaws. Many of them created new identities for themselves. As the space bridge project collapsed, they were forced to turn to scavenging to survive. As they created new bots from the junk around them, those few Cybertronians gradually forgot about their origins and took on the name "Junkions". At the time of Optimus Prime's search for the Allspark, their leader was the eccentric [[Wreck-Gar (Prime)|Wreck-Gar]]. {{Storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

{{stub}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Wreck-Gar toy.JPG|right|300px|thumb|"Not sold in stores...anymore."]]
* '''Wreck-Gar''' (1986)

:The only Junkion toy originally produced was the group's leader.

* '''Detritus''' (Junkion, 2004)

:An e-Hobby exclusive redeco of [[Hound (G1)|Hound]].
{{-}}

===Transformers (2010)===
[[Image:Generationstoy-WreckGar.jpg|right|thumb|300px|This is the breakfast your Wreck-Gar could look like, can you see me now?]]
*'''Wreck-Gar''' (Deluxe, 2011)
: Wreck-Gar transforms from a Road-Warriors-esque motorcycle into an asymmetrical robot with [[facial hair]], a grin, and an axe. Double pegs under his pelvis correspond to double pegholes in his vehicle-mode seat, meaning if you get more than one he can totally ride himself, Junkion-style!

{{-}}

===United===
[[Image:Unitedtoy-Scrapheap.jpg|thumb|300px|right|"I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Junk!"]]
*'''Wreck-Gar''' (Deluxe, 2011)
: ''[[Transformers United|United]]'' Wreck-Gar is a redeco of the 2010 Wreck-Gar toy with different paint layouts.

*'''Autobot SET''' (3-pack, 2011)
: This e-Hobby exclusive 3-pack contains [[Scrapheap (G1)|Scrapheap]], a retool of Reveal the Shield and United Wreck-Gar with a new head inspired by the background Junkions from the movie. <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-generations-classics-30-35/more-information-on-the-ehobby-transformers-2010-campaign-exclusives-170961/ More Information on the eHobby Transformers 2010 Campaign Exclusives]</ref>

{{-}}

===Generations===
[[Image:Gen-toy_Junkheap.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
*'''Junkheap''' (Deluxe Class, 2011)
:*''Accessories'': Tailpipe/axe

: "[[Junkyard (G1)|Junkheap]]" is a retool of Wreck-Gar with a new head. The pegs that tab into slots on the bike-mode's seat mean he can ride either Wreck-Gar or Scrapheap, or vice-versa.

{{--}}

==Notes==
[[Image:Dreadnokcyborgs2.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Spiked tires make for a very un-smooth ride.]]
* According to [[Secret Files of Teletraan II|secret file on Autobots]], the Junkions are a "tribe of Autobots that dwells on the planet Junkion", ostensibly cementing their place as Transformers.
* In [[G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3|''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3'']], the [[Dreadnok]]s, a [[Cobra]] biker gang, are shown to ride motorcycles that look just like the Junkions. The Dreadnoks claim to have found their new bikes in a junkyard at some point. No indication is given that the bikes are living Transformers, leaving it simply an [[Easter egg]] for the reader.
*The Junkions that appeared in the movie and their ship were given names in the ''[[Transformers: The Complete Ark]]'' book, which was released 23 years after the movie.
*It's probably a good idea to just not mess with the Junkions, as everyone who does seems to die.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Junkion''' (ジャンキオン ''Jankion'')
{{--}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Autobot subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Junkions| ]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Prime subgroups]]
[[Category:Victory]]
[[Category:United]]

Talk:Doctor Arkeville

2012-01-25T02:16:17Z

173.171.37.156:

There is a character page template. Please use it - [[User:RolonBolon|RolonBolon]] 23:24, 12 April 2006 (UTC)

Sorry, just kinda whipped the thing together. Forgot about the templates et all.

Rewrite forthcoming!--[[User:OctopusPrime|Octopus Prime- King of the Road!]] 23:55, 12 April 2006 (UTC)

Uh, he's not dead in the BT stories...

Well, now I know that. And Knowing is half the battle!--[[User:OctopusPrime|Octopus Prime- King of the Road!]] 00:16, 13 April 2006 (UTC)

Should we mention his resemblance to Rotwang from Fritz Lang's film Metropolis?

Scorponok (G1)

2012-01-07T18:47:15Z

173.171.37.156: /* Zone cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon|{{factions/icons|custom=Machination_logo.png|cSize=45x30px|cLink=Machination}}}}
{{disambig3|Scorponok}}
:''Scorponok is a [[Decepticon]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Scorponok-Annual.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Scorponok's American look… taken from a British publication.]]
'''Scorponok''' is frequently in a position of Decepticon leadership and is usually the arch-foe of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. He is often partnered in some way with a being named [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]].

In some universes, he becomes '''BlackZarak''' (ブラックザラック ''Burakkuzarakku'').

{{note|Other than these base facts, much about him differs by continuity; from personality to [[Scale|size]]. See separate character notes in the sections below.}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
Scorponok was a Decepticon commander on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and was a rival of the [[Autobot]] [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. ''Some time in the past, [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] were displaced from the year 2008 and fell under his command. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}'' In the modern day, Scorponok led his troops in a raid on an Autobot city on Cybertron, leveling the city and leaving its remnants in flaming ruins. A long line of captives was taken from the battle; as they marched to their doom in the [[smelting pool]], Scorponok took a sadistic glee in ordering them to move faster or feel his sting. He wasn't so gleeful when Fortress Maximus led an ambush on his squadron; his troops were overwhelmed by the Autobots' righteous fury, and Scorponok ordered a retreat so that they might live to fight another day. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

Soon after, Fortress Maximus and his followers quit the war and left for the planet [[Nebulos]]. Scorponok invaded the Autobots' abandoned base, but found nothing, not even the obligatory trap that Scorponok expected. They did receive a communication from Lord [[Zarak (G1)|Zarak]] on Nebulos, who informed them of the Autobots' arrival there and requested their help. Scorponok happily led his troops there, vowing to conquer the new planet.

[[Image:Loveandsteel-scorponokispissedoff.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Not having a good day here.]]
Upon reaching Nebulos, Scorponok immediately confronted Zarak and obtained the location of Fortress Maximus, learning that he had surrendered himself and four of his followers to ensure peace for the Autobots. Scorponok decided to attack there first, ignoring Zarak's protests. Scorponok and his troops laid siege to the capital city of [[Koraja]], demanding the surrender of the Autobots and blasting away at its newly erected defensive walls when they were refused. It seemed the Decepticons would capture the city, until the gates opened to reveal the Autobots. They had not come to surrender, but to fight. With their newly enhanced [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] powers, they easily overwhelmed the more numerous Decepticons; Brainstorm and Chromedome effortlessly penetrated Scorponok's defenses, blasting him. Faced with this unexpected development, Scorponok ordered a rather ignominious retreat.

Scorponok and his troops began investigating ways to dispose cleanly of the Nebulans, such as dumping them into space inside anti-gravity-powered [[polymer alloy]] bubbles. In the midst of this research, Apeface and Snapdragon returned from a failed mission, defeated by two of the Autobot Headmasters, and Scorponok gave them a good smacking around. When the captive Lord Zarak suggested that there might be something to this whole "working with fleshlings" thing, Scorponok nearly smacked ''him'' around too, before conceding that perhaps sharing his power might indeed be in his best interest.

And so, Scorponok underwent the Headmaster process, along with five of his troops; Zarak became his binary-bond partner. Using Zarak's daughter [[Llyra]] as bait, the Decepticons lured the Autobots into a trap. During the ensuing battle, the Decepticons trapped a group of Nebulans inside the floating polymer bubbles. When Scorponok noticed Llyra was inside one of the bubbles, he found himself conflicted, his feelings as Zarak the father battling against his legacy as Scorponok the Decepticon. The Decepticon won out, and plan went forward: While the Autobots were busy saving the nebulans, Scorponok and his troops defeated them and took them captive. {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

[[Image:Terrorcons-rollout1.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The Terrorcons are too dumb to notice that they're hanging out with a headless dude.]]
Scorponok continued to dominate Zarak's personality more and more, driving him to a battle lust at the [[Mercury Gardens of Melanossus]], and again at [[The Nursery]]. Zarak broke free of Scorponok's influence long enough to free the captive Autobots, but the Nebulan was soon back atop his partner, urging his troops onward to destruction. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

''Scorponok and Zarak challenged Fortress Maximus and Galen (here called "Kord") to a duel to settle their differences. Kord/Maximus won by cheating, but it didn't matter because the duel was a ruse to distract the Autobots while [[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] stole Autobot fuel converters. The Deceptions had bugged the Autobot base and learned of Earth. They needed the converters to travel there. The Decepticons left for Earth and the Autobots followed.'' {{storylink|The Final Conflict}}

{{note|The events in this UK story differ in significant ways to the ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' miniseries.}}

When [[Galen]] decided to leave Nebulos for [[Earth]], Scorponok and his forces again followed, leaving the war-torn Nebulos behind. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

Scorponok's first action upon arriving on Earth was to track down the signal that had led Fortress Maximus's crew there. At first, he found only an [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|impudent fleshling]], but soon Fortress Maximus and the Autobots returned to the cave from which the signal had been sent. In the ensuing battle, Scorponok nearly took the human hostage, and he used him as a tool to kill Zarak's old nemesis, Galen. At first, he thought this would leave Fortress Maximus helpless, but the human took Galen's place, and Fortress Maximus drove the Decepticons into retreat. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

[[Image:Scorponokpretendertothethrone.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Nya ha ha!]]
Scorponok took his time establishing a beachhead on Earth. First, he covertly seized a genetics lab and created the Decepticon [[Pretender|Pretenders]], hoping to disguise his troops' robotic natures. It was during this operation that he first crossed paths with Optimus Prime, within a computer-simulated world. {{storylink|Pretender to the Throne!}} Scorponok then sent [[Skullgrin]] to the planet to establish a fuel depot for the Decepticons' eventual landing. {{storylink|Monstercon from Mars!}} Scorponok used his human component to head up a covert operation by the [[Z Foundation]], in an effort to get humans to destroy the Autobots for him. When the plan failed, Scorponok himself attacked [[Roadjammers|some of the same humans]] in a brutal battle in a parking garage. {{storylink|Ca$h and Car-nage!}}

''When Scorponok sought to have [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] brainwash the Autobot [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]], his plans couldn't have gone more wrong. Mindwipe neglected to hypnotise Highbrow's partner [[Gort]], and the Nebulan managed to regain enough control of Highbrow's body to rip Scorponok's head clean off his shoulders. The sudden separation without any mental command caused both Scorponok and Zarak to black out, and Highbrow returned to base with Scorponok's head in his grip.'' {{storylink|All in the Minds!}} ''Highbrow found himself unable to kill Scorponok in cold blood despite his desire to end the threat he posed, but as he ruminated on the matter outside the Autobot base, he was attacked by a group of Decepticons who had come to reclaim the head of their leader. The chronal crisis known as the "Time Wars" soon erupted, during which Scorponok was reunited with his head and reactivated, at which point he joined with the various Transformers of two worlds, two factions and two eras against the fighting-mad [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]].'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

Not long afterwards, Scorponok was contacted by Starscream, representative of another faction of Decepticons operating on Earth under the command of [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. Scorponok immediately brought his ship to this group's location in the [[Arctic]], only to find his vessel under attack by [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]]. Starscream soon arrived to smooth things over before any damage could be done, but relations were off to a rocky start. Things got worse when Scorponok revealed his partially fleshling nature to Ratbat's group, worse still as a tour of Ratbat's base seemed to be a pointless delaying tactic, and even worse when he learned of Ratbat's plan to seize the legendary power source known as the [[Underbase]]. Furious that Ratbat had clearly never intended to cooperate with his group, Scorponok attempted to lead his troops away, only to find his path barred by the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]. Seeing their leader besieged, the rest of Scorponok's troops stormed to the attack. A battle soon erupted between the two sides, with Scorponok mercilessly ripping, tearing, smashing and blasting his way through Ratbat's soldiers. Only the sight of Starscream stealing his ship in the midst of the battle caused him to call a cease-fire. {{storylink|Cold War!}}

The arrival of the Autobots caused another battle to break out, this time with the Decepticons united against a common foe. But Ratbat and Fortress Maximus called for a cease-fire so they could unite against Starscream. The group was unable to stop Starscream from uniting with the Underbase, and he destroyed Scorponok's ship. Optimus Prime saved the allied groups, bringing them all aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Scorponok found the proposed alliance "detestable" and was eager to take action against the traitor; he was disgusted by Optimus Prime's apparent cowardice in refusing to join the attack teams against Starscream on Earth.

[[Image:Ratbatdarkstardeath.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Sorry, no, I'm a $40 toy. I am NOT getting upstaged by a cassette.]]
Scorponok was co-commander of an attack team in [[Tokyo]], where an offhand comment by Grimlock caused him to realize what Optimus Prime must be up to. Abandoning the fight, Scorponok returned to the Ark aboard the Autobot shuttle that had ferried him to Earth. He found that Ratbat had the same idea; the two confronted Optimus Prime, who had just launched a rocket into space to bring the Underbase to Earth. Seeing the Autobot leader's apparent treachery, Scorponok blasted him. When Ratbat stated his intention to take the Underbase himself, Scorponok blasted him, too, taking him out of the picture permanently. Rocketing into space, Scorponok was nearly in range of the Underbase, when Optimus Prime—now recovered and with his [[Powermaster]] partner back in place—pushed them both out of its way. The two leaders watched in horrified fascination as Starscream arrived, absorbed the entire Underbase, and promptly self-destructed.

Impressed by Prime's actions, Scorponok agreed to a temporary truce, long enough for both sides to gather up their fallen. With Ratbat and Starscream out of the way, Scorponok's command of the Decepticons on Earth was assured. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

The truce at an end, Scorponok attempted to assassinate his old foe, Fortress Maximus, by having [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] and [[Snarler]] kill his human partner, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]. {{storylink|The Man in the Machine!}} ''In return, Scorponok granted Pretender shells to the pair.'' {{storylink|Survivors!}}

Scorponok finally made a permanent landing on Earth, establishing [[New Jersey base|a base in New Jersey]] as part of a plan to gather energy. The plan failed, but Scorponok kept his base there. {{storylink|King Con!}}

Zarak continued to function as a covert human for Scorponok, allowing the Decepticons to counter the growing popularity of [[Roadhandler (G1)|Roadhandler]] in [[New York City]]. {{storylink|The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!}}

Scorponok found himself drawn into a battle at [[MacDill Air Force Base]] by his newest recruits, the [[Air Strike Patrol]]. Announcing his arrival in no uncertain terms, he attacked the Autobots who were harassing his troops, only to have those same troops cut and run. Optimus Prime, meanwhile, tried talking to him about alliance and cooperation, of them both being manipulated by some unknown player. Scorponok wasn't very interested in listening, but his memories of Prime's selfless actions during the [[Underbase Saga]] finally got the better of him. Just as he was ready to compare notes, the [[Classic Pretender|Pretender-enhanced]] Starscream arrived. {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}} The Autobots and Decepticons eventually overpowered him, and Starscream begged Scorponok to take him back. {{storylink|Skin Deep|Skin Deep}} Badly in need of additional troops and firepower, Scorponok agreed, but this decision proved to be very unpopular with his troops. {{storylink|Primal Scream}} It eventually cost him the loyalty of [[Triggerhappy]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], who deserted him after Starscream went missing again. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}}

In 1991, Scorponok made Decepticon history as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] formally offered his surrender in hopes of making a new force to combat the Dark God [[Unicron]]. Scorponok initially planned to betray Prime's trust to bolster his own leadership position, but Prime eventually convinced him of the Chaos-Bringer's threat and persuaded him to unite their forces—just as a contingent of rebel Decepticons under Shockwave's command attacked Scorponok's base. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

[[Image:Allthisandcivilwar-arethey.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Wildman and Baskerville, pretty well summed up in one panel.]]

Scorponok arose from the wreckage of his base and quickly put down most of the rebels. He then went mano-a-mano with Shockwave, in a protracted battle which spilled into New York Harbor and across the river into the city's Battery Park. Optimus Prime and Nightbeat interrupted the fight, as did the arrival of the human mutant squad the [[Neo-Knights]]. {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} Though initially scornful of the humans' efforts, Scorponok was downed by two of them and was nearly killed by [[Circuit Breaker]]. The battle came to a conclusive end when Circuit Breaker used all her power to knock out Shockwave, and Scorponok agreed to stop fighting.

In a sign of the growing alliance, Scorponok was actually inquiring as to Prime's well-being, when they, along with every other Transformer on Earth, were transported by Primus to Cybertron. {{storylink|Out of Time!}}

Faced with Armageddon, Scorponok confessed his fears of dying to Optimus Prime, who reassured him that there was no shame in it. Scorponok vowed that he would be proud to go down fighting alongside Optimus... which he nearly did, when the two came under attack from a group of [[Unicron cultist|Unicron cultists]]. Though Scorponok had the option of leaving Prime to his fate, the Decepticon portion of him wouldn't hear of it, and he attacked the cultists in a rage. With the battle won, Scorponok spared one of the cultists at Optimus Prime's behest. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

Unicron arrived at Cybertron mere seconds later, and the final battle began. Scorponok was at first paralyzed by the sheer size of their foe, and later further terrified when Optimus Prime was batted aside with ease. But he rose to the challenge, calling on his Decepticon heritage, and attacked Unicron viciously. While he was tearing into the giant's foot, Unicron blasted him with a stream of fire, mortally wounding him. Optimus Prime knelt over him as him as he lay dying, providing solace in the final moments of his life. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
''In an alternate 1991, near the end of the Decepticon Civil War between the forces of Scorponok, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], Scorponok found himself separated from his troops and hounded by Megatron's [[Air Strike Patrol]]. He attracted the attention of the Autobots by rampaging through a human settlement, and immediately surrendered to [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], leader of the Autobot unit. As Autobot ethics require the protection of prisoners, Scorponok had maneuvered Hot Rod's team into fighting his battle for him. With the frustrated Autobots and Megatron's Decepticons focused on each other, Scorponok was free to walk away. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}''

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
{{TransformersComicMagazin}}
Scorponok was present when the Decepticons unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York; however Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings{{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 7|Transformers — Transforming Robots in Action: New York — A City Sinking in Terror}}

====''Classics''====
{{note|The ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' story takes place in a post-Marvel Generation 1 comics universe where neither [[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]] nor the Marvel UK material happened.}}
Scorponok and Zarak's remains on Cybertron were discovered and studied by the [[Mini-Con]] [[Broadside (Classics)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|The New World}}

===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Eiji Itō]] (Japanese)

Scorponok was a gigantic Headmaster robot built from scratch by Lord Zarak, the secret ruler of Nebulos, upon learning of the Transformers. Working from the Headmaster process designed by the Autobot [[Brainstorm]] and later applied to his allies in the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]] and the Decepticons, Zarak used his mental powers to reconstruct the Hive's entire city into a robotic body for him to binary bond with. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}} With Scorponok under his command, Zarak was able to retrieve the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber from the Autobots and carry the Decepticon forces back to Cybertron to reunite with Galvatron. In the end, a bolt of [[plasma energy]] zapped Scorponok in his city mode, launching the massive Headmaster (and the collected Decepticons inside) far out into space. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

{{Note|Like Fortress Maximus, it is unclear if Scorponok has a life of his own or is simply a large machine that Zarak can control. There is no explanation of how Zarak could've brought him to life and his one line of "Autobot Die!" isn't exactly the most sophisticated of expressions.}}

===Japanese cartoon continuity===
{{note|In this continuity, in a reverse of the standard western naming, Scorponok is the name of the being who becomes the ''head'' of the giant robot, taking the place of Lord Zarak in Japanese fiction. The giant robot's name is '''MegaZarak''', but it's simply a lifeless [[Transtector]] that serves as a larger body for Scorponok. Scorponok's size varies over the series, from human-sized to full Transformer-sized.}}
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Banjō Ginga]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Scorponok headmasters shadows.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Well-manicured eeeeevil.]]
Scorponok was one of a group of diminutive Transformers who left Cybertron four million years ago to escape the Great War and took up residence on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. To survive the harsh environmental conditions on Master, the Transformers built large, lifeless robotic bodies called [[Transtector|Transtectors]], to which they could connect as heads, increasing their size and power. Scorponok underwent the training to become one of these "Headmasters," but he chafed under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], and he led several like-minded Headmaster warriors in a rebellion that ultimately ended with their defeat and exile from Master. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

By the year 2011, Scorponok had teamed up with Galvatron and the Decepticons, and his three minions, [[Weirdwolf]], Mindwipe and [[Skullcruncher]], joined Galvatron's forces in an attack on Cybertron in 2011. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Scorponok himself, on the other hand, refrained from making appearances on the battlefield, sticking to the shadows (in the most preposterously literal way imaginable) and emerging only to lure the Autobot Headmasters into a trap on the planet [[Praum]]. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Not long thereafter, when Galvatron discovered that [[Vector Sigma]] was in the midst of developing a powerful [[Cybertonuron|new alloy]], Scorponok advised against attacking the planet, suggesting instead that they destroy the alloy, rather than risk the Autobots gaining control of it. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} In truth, Scorponok was more concerned about ''Galvatron'' obtaining the alloy's power, and determined to stop anyone from acquiring it by taking out Cybertron itself. He had Mindwipe plant powerful bombs in Vector Sigma's chamber, which went off and devastated the planet, ostensibly taking Galvatron with it. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[Image:Scorponok headmasters smallrobot.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"Mine is an evil laugh! Moo hoo ha ha!"]]
Scorponok subsequently took control of the Decepticons, falsely claiming that Galvatron was alive and commanding him from afar. He immediately put a series of far-reaching plans into action, starting with the creation of a massive Transtector for himself, which would put him on equal footing with Fortress and his Transtector-cum-battleship, the ''Maximus''. Enslaved [[Beastformer|Beastformers]] were put to work on the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]] to construct this Transtector, and to provide it with power, Scorponok had the Decepticons steal [[Sol 1]], a human solar-energy-gathering satellite, which beamed its power reserves to Zarak. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} While the construction was going on, meanwhile, Scorponok focused his attention on harnessing the power of the [[plasma energy]] released in the destruction of Cybertron. Seeking to generate even more of the energy for his plans of universal conquest, Scorponok used the energy he had already obtained to create bombs that were planted beneath the surface of [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which would rip the planet apart. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} While the Autobots were busy fighting the Decepticon contingent on Mars to prevent the planet's destruction, Scorponok unveiled his completed Transtector to the rest of the Decepticons on [[Chaar]], stepping from the shadows for the first time as he brought all his troops aboard his new battleship-body and flew to Mars. Once there, he transformed into robot mode and spitefully attacked the immobile Maximus before fleeing into space just before his plasma bombs detonated and blew Mars to cosmic rubble. The Maximus was able to absorb some of the energy released in the initial stages of the explosion, and Fortress was able to transform into Fortress Maximus and escape the blast. Fortress Maximus cleaved Scorponok's shoulder with his [[Master Sword]], forcing the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[Image:Scorponok headmasters megazarak.jpg|right|225px|thumb|"Hello? My visor seems to have fallen down over my face. Little help?"]]
Believing that his deeds had cemented his position of power, Scorponok arranged to be coronated the new Decepticon emperor on Earth's moon, but in the midst of the ceremony , Galvatron returned alive and well and retook leadership. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Galvatron's return saw Scorponok relegated to the insulting position of interplanetary short bus as the Decepticons traveled from world to world, pillaging copious amounts of energy. Scorponok transformed to robot mode only once on the journey, to battle Fortress Maximus on [[Hive (planet)|Hive]]. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} When the Decepticons returned to Earth, diminishing Scorponok's immediate usefulness to Galvatron, the wicked Headmaster returned to this own schemes, ignoring Galvatron's orders {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} and planting more plasma energy bombs along the [[Pacific Ring of Fire]]. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

Everything turned around for Scorponok when Galvatron faced the Autobot Headmasters alone in a battle in Alaska, and was finally destroyed when they collapsed an iceberg on top of him. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} This allowed Scorponok to once again seize leadership of the Decepticons, appointing himself the "Emperor of Terror" and resuming his plan for the destruction of Earth by attempting the detonation of his plasma bombs. During the previous interplanetary quest, the Autobots had made contact with [[Tekna]], one of the Beastformers who had worked on the construction of Scorponok's Transtector, and he was able to provide them with encrypted data that pinpointed the location of the Transtector's weak spot. After [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] decoded the data, he raced to Earth where the battle was already in progress and gave Fortress Maximus the information, allowing the Autobot leader to perforate Scorponok's weak spot, and send the critically wounded Decepticon fleeing off into space. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

[[Image:Scorponok headmasters scorpionmode.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Claws...check. Stinger...check. Multiple gun turrets...check. Giant, vulnerable weak spot dead center on the chest...check mate.]]
Moving his attentions away from Earth for the time being, Scorponok led the Decepticons back to planet Master in search of a weapon to counter the power of Fortress's Master Sword. The Autobots pursued them, which unfortunately resulted in [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] being captured by the villains and ransomed for the secrets of the Master Sword. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} Using this information, Scorponok forged the [[Zarak Shield]] out of [[G-Metal]], and when the two weapons clashed, the Zarak Shield emerged triumphant. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}} Emboldened by this victory, Scorponok led the charge back to Earth, intending to finally destroy it, pausing only in the asteroid belt to effect repairs on his Transtector, and to betray and dispose of [[Sixshot]], whom he had never trusted. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

Upon his return to Earth, Scorponok promptly had the Decepticon launch an energy-gathering satellite into orbit, and then withdrew to the sunken continent of [[Lemuria (G1)|Lemuria]], where already had numerous Decepticons working to mine the legendary [[crysmagnetal]]. Scorponok raised "Death Towers" of this metal in five strategic location all over Earth all, which proceeded to generate waves of energy that were gathered by the satellite. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} For the final part of his plan, Scorponok lured the Autobots to the North Pole, where he clashed with Fortress Maximus for the last time atop a sixth dais of crysmagnetal. As soon as the two combatants were upon the dais, Scorponok had the satellite beam its stored energy down into his Transtector, and through it into the dais, creating an exponential loop that threatened to tear the Earth apart. Scorponok disconnected from his Transtector and retreated into space with the Decepticons to watch the Earth's destruction, only for Fortress Maximus—supercharged with the combined energy of the Autobot army united in a [[Head Formation]]—to destroy his Transtector, breaking the circuit and saving the Earth. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''Super-God Masterforce Master File''====
With the Decepticons at last forced off of Earth, the Autobots also left the planet, and Transformers' war transitioned into a series of space-based exchanges between Chaar and [[Athenia]], which became known as the [[Master Wars]]. To rejoin the fight, Scorponok had a new Transtector constructed, much smaller than his old one (comparatively speaking – it was still taller than a [[combiner]]), but outfitted with hyper-dense armor. Before he could connect with this new body, Scorponok was captured by the mysterious alien entity [[Devil Z]], who had been in hibernation on Earth until recently, and saw a use for Scorponok in his plan to create the ultimate lifeform. Devil Z brainwashed Scorponok, placing him, and by extension the entire Decepticon army, under his control, and then allowed him to link up with his new Transtector. Rather than forming the head for his Transtector, however, Scorponok controlled it from within its chest cavity, wired directly into its systems from there, with a new "decoy" head placed between its shoulders. Now, Scorponok was '''BlackZarak'''.

The former Decepticon ninja, [[Sixshot]], learned what had befallen Scorponok, and alerted the Autobots to the existence of Devil Z on Earth. The news of this shadowy controller reached the Autobots just as the [[Trainbot|Trainbots]] reported the first sighting of BlackZarak in the shadows of a meteor cluster, and the concerned Autobots decided to send a collection of Transtectors to the small Autobot group under the command of [[Metalhawk]] that was still on Earth, which he used to transform human beings into Autobot warriors to aid in the battle against Devil Z's forces. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}}

{{note|Following ''The Headmasters'', Japanese continuity branches off in two similar but distinct directions: one is depicted in the ''Super-God Masterforce'' animated series, leading into the ''Zone'' cartoon, while the other is told through the ''Super-God Masterforce'' manga, which leads into the ''Zone'' manga and story pages. However, Scorponok's activities ''between'' the end of ''The Headmasters'' and the beginning of ''Super-God Masterforce'', told through his own packaging [[bio]] and [[TV Magazine]] articles, apply to both continuities.}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Banjō Ginga]] (Japanese), [[Hidekatsu Shibata]] (Japanese, when merged with Devil Z)

[[Image:Blackzarak robotmode.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Also known as "African-American" Zarak.]]
After numerous failures by Devil Z's forces on Earth resulted in multiple [[Godmaster]] warriors joining the Autobot ranks instead of the Decepticons, the incensed alien summoned BlackZarak to Earth. Observing BlackZarak's activities, Fortress Maximus's younger brother, [[Grand Maximus]], raced to Earth ahead of him and warned the Autobots of his coming. In preparation for BlackZarak's arrival, the Autobots worked to construct a power-up drone named [[Godbomber]] for their most powerful member, [[Ginrai]]. {{storylink|Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot}} While they worked, the approaching BlackZarak bombarded the Earth with meteors as part of a complicated scheme by Devil Z's ambassadors, [[Giga]] and [[Mega]] to publicly discredit the Autobots, which was ultimately foiled. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Giga and Mega combined into their robot form of [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] and headed to Earth's moon to rendezvous with BlackZarak, but before BlackZarak arrived, Ginrai merged with the completed Godbomber, and pursued him into space. BlackZarak showed up in the midst of their battle, and promptly impaled Ginrai with his Tyrant Spear, sending him crashing to the moon's surface. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} BlackZarak and Overlord followed him down to the moon, and hunted the wounded Autobot, who was in dire straits until the timely arrival of Grand Maximus. With the sides now more evenly matched, the two Decepticons attempted to break off the battle and head for Earth, but Ginrai and Grand brought them back down to the moon with a bump. BlackZarak instructed the damaged Overlord to flee the battle, and although he was furious at being ordered around by this newcomer, Overlord could do little to argue, and left BlackZarak to face the two Autobots alone. Grand and Ginrai double-teamed BlackZarak, and eventually, Ginrai was able to decapitate the Decepticon with his God Fire Guts attack. Although Ginrai thought his opponent was done for, BlackZarak's headless body hauled itself back up, and retreated off into space, with Grand Maximus hot on his tail. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}}

[[Image:Blackzarak scorpion mode.jpg|left|215px|thumb|The scorched remains of two fans who wouldn't stop asking why Devil Z made so many Autobot Transtectors.]]
During this extended stay in space, BlackZarak mastered localized gravity manipulation and gained the ability to open black holes, which he could use to teleport himself across the galaxy at will. After trapping Grand Maximus inside one of these singularities in order to keep him out of the way, BlackZarak teleported directly to Earth and immediately tore through [[New York City]] as part of Devil Z's "Operation M-1". He proceeded to attack [[Tokyo]] alongside Overlord, but was foiled when Ginrai freed Grand Maximus, and the two Autobots stopped the villains by tricking them into blasting each other. {{storylink|BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space}} With the failure of this scheme, Devil Z initiated "Operation M-2" and had BlackZarak withdraw to the far side of the moon, where he would unleash the atmosphere-destroying [[Death Para-Machine]] against the Earth. Thankfully, BlackZarak was only able to get off one shot from the deadly weapon before Ginrai destroyed it with his God Fire Guts attack. {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction}}

[[Image:Blackzarak dakatsu mode.jpg|right|215px|thumb|A dog chasing its own tail has nothing on Hydra Mode.]]
BlackZarak returned to attacking cities around the globe, and soon struck in a city where [[Cancer (Masterforce)|Cancer]] went to, with a trio of [[Sparkdash]] drones to back him up. Luckily, Autobot Godmaster [[Road King]] was on patrol in the area, and soon called him Ginrai to help him take BlackZarak down. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}} Later, after battling Grand Maximus in [[Moscow]], BlackZarak was present at the Decepticon base when the Autobots attacked it. During this clash, Devil Z took his brainwashing to the next level, and actually merged his consciousness with BlackZarak, entering his body and taking control of it himself. For his first act in BlackZarak's body, Devil Z collapsed the Decepticon base in a failed attempt to destroy the Autobots {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}} and then led the Decepticons in an attack on North America, bombarding the country with his [[Devil Power]] from a strategic staging point in the heart of the [[Grand Canyon]]. {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}}

Devil Z next took the Decepticons to the peak of the Matterhorn, where he unleashed his Devil Power upon Europe until God Ginrai arrived to challenge him. The battle was fierce, and Ginrai thought he had won when he once again cleaved BlackZarak's head from his shoulders, but the decapitation of his host meant little to Devil Z, who simply transformed BlackZarak's body into a new, twin-headed serpent form, and kept the fight going. Uniting his Chōkon Power with that of the [[Headmaster Junior|Headmaster Juniors]], Ginrai unleashed his most powerful God Fire Guts yet and dove through BlackZarak's body, finally destroying the giant Decepticon in a huge explosion that left only ash and shrapnel. Although Devil Z survived the blast, he now no longer had BlackZarak's body to enclose him, and was wide open for Ginrai's finishing move: the Final Fire Guts, which utterly obliterated the evil alien. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
{{-}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon=====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Hirohiko Kakegawa]] (Japanese)

[[Image:ZarakZone1.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Aye aye aye—sharpen your boot, and bludgeon your eye]]
Several years after the conclusion of the [[Masterforce War]], when the supernatural entity [[Violen Jiger]] seized control of the Decepticons, one of his first actions was to recruit "[[Nine Great Demon Generals]]" from Decepticon history. Using his mysterious powers, Violen Jiger resurrected BlackZarak to serve as his "Evil Spirit General," and outfitted him with new armor and weapons to make him more deadly than ever before. It was never explicitly stated if he possessed the consciousness of Scorponok or Devil Z, but he seemed to have a serious ''pirate''-vibe going on, now sporting a hook for a hand and an eye-patch.

[[Image:Zone blackzarak.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Aye aye aye—the blarney stone brings a tear to me eye]]
BlackZarak was part of the team of generals who attacked planet [[Micro|Zone]] in order to steal its precious [[Energon Z]] for Violen Jiger's schemes, but BlackZarak refrained from participating in the assault, hanging back on the fringes of the planet's atmosphere to cover his allies' rear. As his fellow generals made good their escape with the Energon Z in hand, BlackZarak barred the way of the [[Super Car Patrol Team]] and [[Battle Patrol]] as they attempted to pursue in the [[Rocket Base|Galaxy Rocket]]. The Demon General managed to trap the rocket in a crackling field of electricity, and then departed to rejoin his fellow Decepticons, leaving the electric net to slowly destroy the rocket. Luckily for the Autobots, the [[Jet Patrol Team]] arrived to destroy the net, and [[Sunrunner]] proceeded to use his radar to track BlackZarak back to the other Decepticons. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}
{{-}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic=====
[[Image:Blackzarak manga.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Black-and-WhiteZarak]]
When it became apparent that the small force under his command on Earth lacked the manpower to handle the Autobots, Devil Z chose to unite them with the Decepticons in space, and ordered the combined army to attack Athenia. Ginrai (who was on the planet at the time to be appointed Supreme Commander of the Autobots) was able to win the battle by defeating [[Scramble 7]], but after the fight, BlackZarak made his first appearance before the Autobots, carrying Hydra, Buster and the Decepticon Headmasters, who announced that they were returning to Earth. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

BlackZarak joined the Decepticons in travelling to Earth, battling [[Raiden]] and the Autobot Headmasters outside the planet's atmosphere while Ginrai confronted Overlord for the first time down on its surface. After defeating his opponents, BlackZarak turned towards Earth, only to find Ginrai streaking towards him, with Overlord in close pursuit. At the last moment, Ginrai spun out of the way, causing the two Decepticons to accidentally strike each other, and damage one another quite badly. While the wounded Overlord returned to Earth, BlackZarak limped back off into space. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}

BlackZarak later battled Grand Maximus and the Autobot Godmasters in space, with the aid of [[Darkwings]], {{storylink|The Earth Family of Good and Evil}} after which Devil Z spirited him away to carry out some upgrades. {{storylink|Decepticons' Great Counterattack!}} These upgrades complete, BlackZarak was soon returned to Earth, and joined Overlord in attacking another city, where he wound up battling Grand Maximus and the Autobots Godmasters once more. {{storylink|Live? Die?! The Desperate Super-God Combination}} Later, BlackZarak attacked China with a trio of [[Sparkdash|Sparkdash drones]]. Decepticon Headmaster Junior [[Cancer (Masterforce)|Cancer]] happened to be in the city at the time, and when the Autobots arrived to battle BlackZarak, he displayed his disdain for humans—even comrades—by seizing Cancer and using him as a shield to keep the Autobots at bay. It was then that Overlord arrived, and surprised everyone by viciously attacking BlackZarak, disgusted by his treatment of Cancer. While the two Decepticons were fighting, the Autobots exploited their conflict to attack and force them to retreat. {{storylink|Great Turn-Around! Autobots}}

[[Image:Devilz head on%21.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Head? I don't need a head. Heads are for wimps!]]
Overlord's betrayal proved to be the last straw for Devil Z, and he took matters into his own hands by connecting himself to BlackZarak's Transtector as a new head of sorts. Now in control of the Decepticon's body and mind, he transformed BlackZarak into a new serpentine form, and attacked Overlord, the Headmaster Juniors and Ginrai, intending to absorb their [[Chōkon Power|Jinchōkon]], in order to transform himself into the ultimate lifeform. His Jinchōkon-absorbing beam was blocked by the wholly-robotic Autobot [[Pretender|Pretenders]], and the Autobots and Decepticons united to destroy Devil Z and BlackZarak for good. Uniting their powers in the "Perfect Transform Attack", all the Autobots and Decepticons boarded Grand Maximus, who collided with BlackZarak, destroying the Decepticon and his alien passenger in an explosion of pure Chōkon Power. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Lifeforms}}
{{-}}

=====''Zone'' comic and story pages=====
[[Image:Blackzarak zone manga.jpg|left|180px|thumb|]]

Years after the end of the Masterforce War on Earth, the creature known as [[Violen Jiger]] took control of the Decepticon forces and created an elite fighting force by recruiting "[[Nine Great Demon Generals]]" from throughout Transformer history. BlackZarak was selected to be one of these generals, and Violen Jiger used his strange, supernatural powers to bring the Decepticon back from the dead, dubbing him his "Evil Spirit General" and increasing his strength with new armor and weaponry. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}}

BlackZarak was part of the contingent of generals sent to planet Zone to steal its super-energy, Energon Z, for Violen Jiger. After his fellow Decepticons succeeded in purloining the Energon Z, BlackZarak covered their escape, seizing the Galaxy Rocket carrying the pursuing Autobots in an unbreakable grip. He proceeded to coat the rocket in a cocoon of strange energy webbing and then departed to join his fellow generals, but fortunately for the Autobots, the Jet Patrol Team arrived to cut them free before they lost BlackZarak's trail. {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}}

BlackZarak later attacked Earth, and met resistance in the form of [[Landshaker]] and [[Sky Hyper]]. BlackZarak seized Landshaker, easily shrugging off Skyhyper's blasts, but was suddenly stunned by a barrage from [[Sonic Bomber]], as he and Dai Atlas came swooping onto the battlefield. Exploiting the opening, Dai Atlas fired on BlackZarak, proving once again that the Autobots' desire to save their comrades would always best the Decepticons' evil. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 5}}

Along with the other Generals, BlackZarak schooled [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] and the [[Metrosquad]] in the ways of evil, making them formidable oponents for the [[Powered Master]]s. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 7}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[Image:Decepticonsatthepole.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Put me on the Naughty List, will you?!"]]
Scorponok was originally a large, mobile Decepticon base on [[Nebulos]]. {{storylink|Decepticons at the Pole}} Through means unknown, he became a Transformer, as well as smaller and sentient, and took command of the Decepticon forces from [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]].

He matched wits with Optimus Prime himself, at one point trying to lure him into surrendering in exchange for a hostage's life. {{storylink|Autobot Hostage}} Eventually, the Autobots became too big a nuisance, and Scorponok had the Decepticons move en masse to a secret underground city in the Nebulos Triangle, but this backfired when the Autobots sealed him and his army underground for good. {{storylink|Decepticons Underground}}
{{-}}
===''Transformers in 3-D''===
Seeking a new [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] source, the Decepticons flew Scorponok to an out-of-the-way asteroid, where he served as a base of operations. When a fight inevitably broke out, Scorponok flew to the battle scene. After he pucked up [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] and tossed the Autobot into the distance, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] angrily bodyslammed him, and the pair began grappling. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

Scorponok, accompanied by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Octane]], intercepted [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], as the Autobot was heading for [[Andellor]]. Scorponok threatened to destroy the Autobot unless he revealed where he was headed. Cosmos complied, but Scorponok was keen on destroying him anyway. Cyclonus insisted they investigate, and recalled the history of Andellor. Scorponok realised that the [[Prism of Power]] which Cosmos sought was the only thing that could stop the Decepticon's new weapon, the [[suspension-ray beam]]. Down on the planet, the three Decepticons ventured into a cave and were attacked, first by some tentacles from a pool, and finally by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. Ironhide shrugged off Scorponok's mightiest blast, and defeated both him and Cyclonus. {{storylink|Transformers in 3-D issue 2|Transformers in 3-D #2}}

After the [[Clone (subgroup)|Clone]]s failed to obtain the coordinates to [[Metascan Alpha]], Zarak mocked Galvatron's skills and, combining with Scorponok, reasserted that he was leader of the Decepticons now. While the pair were still in disagreement, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] broke into their base with the intention of destroying Galvatron's [[Nullification Cannon]]. During the battle, Scorponok took a swing at Prime which accidentally connected with the Cannon, causing it to explode. {{storylink|The War Against the Destructons, Chapter 1 of 3}}

===Transformers PD Type===
Scorponok and Fortress Maximus met in battle, with Scorponok vowing to crush Maximus with his bare hands. Unfortunately the two giant Transformers, engrossed in their fight, began to topple over, sending their smaller comrades fleeing for their lives. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! Mega Zarak!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:DestinedforNothing_Scorponok.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]
Shortly before the [[Great Shutdown]], Scorponok attended a teleconference with [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], where he criticized the latter for "thinking like a calculator instead of a warrior". {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}}

{{-}}
===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:SpotlightUltraMagnus Scorponok.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If you insist on sticking your olfactory sensors where they don't belong, I'm just going to have to take them from you!]]
Long ago, Scorponok once robbed an installation that the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] were guarding—it was something [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] wouldn't forget. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

After the destruction of Cybertron, Scorponok became a criminal known for his flagrant violations of the [[Code of Interplanetary Conflict]]. His traditional modus operandi was to make contact with ambitious non-Cybertronians on a developing world, work with his contacts to develop advanced weaponry using Cybertronian technology, then eliminate his partners when he had what he wanted. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] had been seeking him for some time.

On the planet Nebulos, Scorponok was in league with [[Zarak (G1)|Mo Zarak]], head of the [[Zarak Consortium]], a cabal of really smart scientists. Presumably with input from Scorponok, the Cranium had created hybrid Nebulan/Cybertronian beings. Unfortunately for Scorponok, Ultra Magnus had tracked him down. Claiming to be on the verge of something "breathtaking", Scorponok proceeded to beat the snot out of Ultra Magnus, before transforming into beast mode to finish him off. Unfortunately, Zarak ran out, begging Scorponok not to fire, or risk destroying what they had built. Unable to abort his shot, Scorponok killed Zarak (revealing to Magnus that the Nebulan had also been infused with Cybertronian technology). Shocked at his actions, a furious Scorponok turned to Ultra Magnus, and Magnus shot Scorponok in the head. However, Scorponok managed to escape through an artificial wormhole generator. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ultra Magnus}}

Shortly after the [[Brasnya]] conflict, Ultra Magnus contacted Optimus Prime, saying that he had a new lead on Scorponok's whereabouts, but he did not elaborate on the specifics. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

At some point over the last twenty years, Scorponok chose [[Earth]] as the location to continue his experiments. Making contact with a man named [[Abraham Dante]], Scorponok established an underground organization of human agents known as the [[Machination]], based out of [[Tampa, Florida]]. With their assistance, Scorponok began further developing the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] technology he had begun on Nebulos, designing the means for cybernetically-enhanced humans to bond with mechanoid bodies. This technology now had great personal value to Scorponok, as he had been reduced to little more than a disconnected head without a body, apparently due to the head shot Ultra Magnus gave him in their last encounter.

{{note|It is unclear whether Scorponok pre-dated the Decepticon infiltration unit on Earth or not.}}
[[Image:Devastation6 Scorponok liveagain.jpg|left|200px|thumb|That must have been one hell of a stag night]]
The Headmaster process was completed shortly before [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] initiated Phase Two on Earth—all it needed was a test subject. To accommodate this, Scorponok and Dante sent agents out into the field to locate the Autobot and Decepticon bases, and conceived tactical scenarios for forcibly acquiring a Transformer as a "guinea pig" before Scorponok underwent the process himself. When the discovery of [[Ultra-Energon|Ore-13]] accelerated the conflict on Earth, the Machination accelerated their plans as well. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

When the Autobots [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] next left the ''[[Ark-19]]'' in [[Lake Michigan]], Machination agents surprised them on the highway and kidnapped Sunstreaker, leaving behind a heavily-scrapped replica to throw any pursuers temporarily off the scent. As a bonus, they picked up Sunstreaker's passenger as well, [[Hunter O'Nion]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} Taking advantage of the situation, Scorponok and Dante attempted to have Hunter brainwashed and subjected him to the same bio-mechanical engineering as their own agents, creating a small squad of [[Sunstreaker clone|Sunstreaker clones]], each with their own human cyborg controller modified to act as the head in robot mode. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

With the Headmaster process a success, Scorponok proceeded to the next stage: revitalizing himself. Abraham Dante underwent the Headmaster process and donned an exo-carapace of his own. The two of them binary bonded just in time to test-drive their union against Hunter O'Nion, who had managed to shake off their brainwashing attempt and was trying to escape the Machination compound. Despite his renewed size and power, Scorponok failed to prevent Hunter from binary-bonding with one of the Sunstreaker drones, and escaping the Machination. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:SpotlightGrimlock punch KLUNG.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Oh come on, I just got this head!]]
The Dante/Scorponok merge went well; even Dante considered them one being. He planted a mole named [[Kloss]] into [[Skywatch]], who planted a virus into Grimlock, freeing him from Skywatch's control. When Grimlock escaped, Scorponok met Grimlock with an offer of an alliance for world conquest. Grimlock refused and they battled, with Grimlock losing. Before he could be killed, Grimlock teleported to his still-functional ship. Dante/Scorponok later planned to take control of the other Dynobots and use them to destroy Grimlock. {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

While continuing his search for the real Sunstreaker, Hot Rod came upon a wrecked Sunstreaker clone; he deduced that its destruction was "the price of failure". {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

[[Image:ScorponokHotRodMaxDino02.jpg|left|200px|thumb|No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to listen.]]
Following his bonding with Dante, he became a lot chattier and willing—nay, ''desperate''—to monologue his evil schemes.

Once his agents had ensured Skywatch had reprogrammed the Dynobots (reprogramming ''he'' could remotely control) and an army of Sunstreaker clones had been built, Scorponok arranged for Grimlock to be orbital-bounced to [[Fallon]], [[Nevada]]. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}}

When Skywatch turned up with the Dynobots, he ensured a massive, destructive fight took place, all a set-up so Skywatch would be discredited and his Headmasters could "save the day"... intending his puppet companies would get all the lucrative anti-Transformer defense contracts from a panicked US government. While his attempt to exploit the Dynobots' internal divides failed, he ''did'' get to beat Hot Rod half to death and yell a lot. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}}

When Scorponok's control of the Dynobots was lost, he sent in an army of Headmasters to annihilate everyone. They might have succeeded if not for the timely arrival of the [[Monsterbot]]s. This bemused Hot Rod, and Scorponok ordered him terminated, but Hot Rod managed to set his guards ablaze and escape the compound. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}}

As Hot Rod broke out, Sunstreaker broke in to find his real head. Scorponok caught him and blasted him through the chest, but Hunter was able to escape. Before Scorponok could find Hunter, the Monsterbots began blasting the compound, taking out the defenses. Scorponok ordered a recall of all Headmasters to attack the Dynobots, but Hunter was able to sever the connection to Sunstreaker's head, disabling all the Headmasters. A furious Scorponok began to take revenge but was thrown into battle with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who wanted the same thing. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

Shockwave eventually gained the upper hand but allowed Scorponok to retreat gracefully. Scorponok caught Hot Rod trying to sever the connection with his real head, so he thought he'd take out his frustrations by squeezing the life out of Hot Rod. The timely arrival of the Dynobots prevented that, and Swoop severed the connection himself, rendering Scorponok helpless. Just then, Ultra Magnus arrived, responding to an S.O.S. from Hot Rod. He wouldn't allow Scorponok to be killed, but took him into custody. He also ordered the Machination stripped and all technology removed. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}
{{--}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[Image:Scorponok-Rebirth.jpg|right|180px|thumb|"Not Elton John."]]
Scorponok has an odd history of [[Commercial|television commercial]] appearances:

* Like any proper flagship toy, he appears in a 1987 commercial largely devoted to him. As Galvatron narrates, the Technobots attack his base mode, prompting him to transform and counterattack, bashing Computron with a boulder. Notably, the commercial identifies Scorponok as Galvatron's "[[Triple Changer]] Headmaster base". Some of the animation was recycled for the Season 4 cartoon opening.

* In 1989, a [[Giant Decepticon Soldier|Frankenstein Decepticon]] appeared in one of the first Micromaster commercials, getting swarmed and overwhelmed by hordes of Micromasters. While not using the same character model, this character was partially based on Scorponok's appearance, including his distinctive head antennae and some of his color palette.

* In 1990, a Scorponok toy painted white and gray appeared in the stop-motion animated toy segment of a commercial advertising the [[Hot Rod Patrol]] and [[Construction Patrol]]. Like his cel animated counterpart, he gets overwhelmed by his smaller foes, who blow up a bridge beneath him, sending him tumbling into a ravine with an amusingly unthreatening cry of "RAWRRR."

==Games==
===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===
As the Decepticons rampaged over Earth, Cybertron, and some place called "Jail", Scorponok waited on the Last planet (seriously, THE last planet) for Fortress Maximus to show up and challenge him. And Fortress did. And he won. Yay. {{storylink|Transformers: The Headmasters (video game)|Transformers: The Headmasters}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Scorponok toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|If a camel is a horse designed by committee, then Scorponok is… er…]]
* '''Scorponok''' (Headmaster, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-93'''
**''Accessories:'' Lord Zarak Headmaster unit, helmet, Scorponok's rifle, rifle cover, Scorponok's shield, [[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]], Fasttrack's 2 guns, 2 ramps, 4 double cannons, 4 antenna, 2 leg shields, 1 claw arm, 1 side gun arm and 1 elevator.

: The largest Decepticon toy in Generation 1, Scorponok's beast mode is a robotic purple, green and orange scorpion. The pincers have multiple points of articulation, and the ratcheting joints are strong enough to grasp a smaller Transformer. His eight legs are also independently jointed. There are two wheels with rubber grips underneath Scorponok's beast mode body, and pushing him along will cause the scorpion legs to move, simulating the motion of walking. Lord Zarak can sit inside the scorpion head/cockpit while in robot form, or he can be stored inside the chest compartment.

:Like many large Generation 1 Transformers, Scorponok has a base mode, with various ramps and towers for smaller Transformer toys to interact with, though it is quite out of [[scale]] for larger toys, such as his fellow Decepticon Headmasters. The central ramp (formed out of his beast tail) is designed with Fasttrack in mind and features a minor gimmick — placing Fasttrack on the orange panel and pressing the small black button will cause the back of the orange panel to rise, sending Fasttrack rolling down the ramp.

:Scorponok's robot mode is impressively large, and still remains one of the largest Decepticon toys in the ''Transformers'' franchise. As with all Headmasters, Scorponok has a flip-down panel on his chest which covers a spring-loaded mini-[[Tech Spec|Tech-Spec]]-meter which gives readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers are activated when Lord Zarak (or any other Headmaster unit) is plugged into his neck socket while in head mode. As Lord Zarak is about the same size as the Headmaster units of smaller Headmaster toys, Scorponok would thus have a pretty small noggin if not for the large helmet (that was the beast mode scorpion head) that is placed over the Headmaster. The helmet also features a flip-down visor, which was homaged in ''Energon'' [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]. The 2-part rifle and shield plug into Scorponok's pincers.

:Also, he has a [[die-cast]] ass.

:Fasttrack transforms into a small six-wheeled attack vehicle. He comes with two small, easily lost orange guns.

::*[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Decepticon/Scorponok/scorponok.htm More information on Scorponok at TFU.info]
{{-}}

===Super-God Masterforce===
[[Image:Blackzarak toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Stingin' and blingin']]
*'''BlackZarak''' (Headmaster, 1988)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-311'''
**''Accessories:'' Scorponok Headmaster unit, face cover, two-piece "Tyrant Spear", "Black Hole Cannon", cannon cover, "Shield Tower"/"Plantium Shield", four "Blacking Cannons", two "Combat Ramps", two "Maintenance Arms", four "Radar Sensors", elevator, [[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Black Roritchi]], Black Roritchi's two lasers

:This Japanese-exclusive [[retool]] of the original Scorponok figure [[Redeco|redecoes]] the figure in black, gold and red, and equips the figure with a new helmet/scorpion head that features a better-proportioned face sculpted directly into it. As such, it's not really necessary to plug the Scorponok Headmaster unit between the shoulders, since the new helmet-head conceals it completely, but it does fit. The figure includes a small red visor-like mask that clips over the robot mode face, hiding it from view for scorpion mode.

:BlackZarak comes with one major new accessory—his red, two-piece "Tyrant Spear", which he can hold in robot mode—and also includes all of Scorponok's original accessories, appropriately redecoed, including a gold redeco of [[Fasttrack (Scorponok)|Fasttrack]] named "Black Roritchi". BlackZarak is notoriously difficult to find complete, due to many of his accessories, and even body parts, suffering from [[Gold Plastic Syndrome]]. Even sealed box samples have horrified owners who opened the toys for the first time to discover broken parts on their previously-untouched toys.

:Like [[Sixshot]] and Overlord, with their respective "Wingwolf" and "space jet" alternate modes, BlackZarak's instructions do not feature the additional two-headed serpent mode, created as it was by the production staff after fiddling around with the toy and dubbed the "dakatsu" mode. As such, it's entirely possible to transform the toy into this form, but if you try, be aware that it was seriously streamlined for animation, and doesn't look nearly as good in plastic as it does on the screen or comic page. (Also, if the toy hasn't shattered yet due to GPS, putting the toy into dakatsu mode will probably finish the job.)

::*[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/BlackZarak/blackzarak.htm More information on BlackZarak at TFU.info]
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Parody Deformed===
[[Image:Scorponok pd model.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Sets a new standard for "mega"]]
*'''MegaZarak''' (1990)

:A small white and red, non-transforming [[super deformed]] model kit of Scorponok was available as part of [[Kabaya]]'s "[[Parody Deformed]]" line of [[Candy toy|candy toys]]. The fourteenth figure in the series, he came with a "[[Transformers PD Type]]" comic about himself, "Watch Out! MegaZarak!", and something that could charitably be described as "gum".
{{--}}

===Super Collection Figure===
*'''BlackZarak''' (2001)

[[Image:Scorponok scf.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Me and myself]]
:BlackZarak was the "Build-A-Figure" from the fifth, ''Masterforce''-centric wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s line of ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines, available in eight out of every ten cases. He was divided into six parts, each one packaged with one of the silver metallic "pewter" versions of the other six figurines in the line (the regular, color versions of the figures didn't come with BlackZarak parts): his head and torso came with Ginrai, his left arm with [[Shūta Gō|Goshooter]], his right arm with Metalhawk and [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]], his waist and tail with [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], his left leg with [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and his right leg with Overlord. BlackZarak's part were available in both full-color and smokey translucent plastic (in an equal ratio of 4 out of every 10 cases each), meaning that there were two versions of the figure to collect.

*'''MegaZarak''' (2002)

:Like BlackZarak before him, this version of Scorponok was the Build-A-Figurine from the line's eighth wave. His six components were packaged with the regular color versions of the other figurines in the line: his head and torso came with Fortress, his left arm with Dai Atlas, his right arm with Star Convoy, his pelvis with [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], his left leg with [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] and his right leg with [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. Like BlackZarak, there was both a regular full-color figure to collect (available in 6 out of every 10 cases) as well as a rarer variant version, this time in metallic silver (available in 4 out of every 10 cases).

==Notes==
[[Image:Rebirth3-legdoor.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Have fun crawling through the joints.]]
* Both Scorponok and Fortress Maximus suffer from the writers struggling to reconcile the characters' high rank with their size. In their comic appearances, they are portrayed as commanders in some capacity but are shrunk down to interact with other Transformers, and their city modes pretty much don't exist. Conversely, the cartoons have opted to portray them as giant city Transformers, though they seem to be merely extensions of the smaller beings that bond with them, with no real life or will of their own.

* When Scorponok prepares to leave [[Nebulos]] in "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]," he opens a ramp for the other Decepticons to board him. Curiously, the ramp leads up into one of his scorpion-mode legs.

[[Image:Zazorigun.jpg|thumb|300px|"Zazori" is Japanese for "scorpion", so his name is about as clever as his progenitor's.]]

* The [[Action Master Elite]] [[Double Punch]]'s mold looks just like an [[Action Master]] version of BlackZarak, right down to the molded details, including the head. The coloring (black/red/purple) is similar to BlackZarak's coloring (black/red/gold) as well. This is very strange, considering that Japan never got Action Masters, and Europe never got BlackZarak.

*Scorponok served as the basis for the evil "Zazorigun" (ザゾリガン ''Zazorigan'') mecha in [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave of Gold Goldran]]'' series. Unlike fellow ''Goldran'' baddie Deathgarrygun (who was derived from [[Sky Garry (ROC)|Sky Garry]]), no toy or merchandise of Zazorigun was ever released. At least one enterprising Japanese fan, though, has [http://mamao2.cside.com/contents/toys/gd/zazorigan.html created a custom one] for himself.

* The Latin American dub of ''The Headmasters'' displayed some inconsistencies with Scorponok's name. On his first appearance, Galvatron calls him "'''Lok'''". Later, Skullcruncher calls him '''"Gronko"''' (episode 7 only), later in the series, he's named "'''Scorponok'''", and during the space travel event, he's called "'''Chandler'''", the last two names being the most used during the ''Headmasters'' series. It should be noted that no name makes a distinction between Scorponok and his Transtector.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Scorponok''' (スコルポノック ''Sukoruponokku''), '''MegaZarak''' (メガザラック ''Megazarakku''), '''Zarak''' (ザラック ''Zarakku'', see above), '''Scorpion''' (スコーピオン ''Sukōpion'', "The Rebirth")
*''Italian:'' '''Skorpion'''
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Skorpiy''' (cartoon, Скорпій, "Skorpiy")
*''Russian:'' '''Skorponog''' (cartoon, Скорпоног, "Scorpoleg")
*''Spanish:'' '''Lok''', '''Gronko''', '''Chandler''', '''Scorponok''' (all America, see above)

[[Category:Decepticon bases]]
[[Category:City Transformers]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
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Chaos Part Four: Genesis

2011-12-18T19:55:38Z

173.171.37.156: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers (IDW)|The Transformers]]'' #30
|prev=Police Action Part 3: A Second Chance at Eden
|next=Pax Cybertronia (issue)
|title="Chaos Part Four: Genesis"
|caption="Owwwwww... thsss reeeeeally ''hurrrrtttts''."
|image=Ongoing 30 Cover.jpg
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[November 16]], [[2011]]
|coverdate=November 2011
|story by=[[Mike Costa]] and [[James Roberts]]
|written by=[[Mike Costa]]
|art by=[[Livio Ramondelli]]
|letters by=[[Shawn Lee]]
|associate editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2011)]]
}}

==Synopsis==

In the skies above [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] try to explain current events to the [[Kimia Facility]] refugees. Thanks to [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] hacking his mind, which allowed him to do the same in reverse, Hardhead is able to lay an info dump and explain that Galvatron has been raising his armies and wielding the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] to try and stop the [[D-Void]] emerging into the universe, but the Heart ''is'' D-Void, conning Galvatron into turning the dead world of Cybertron into a [[Dead Universe]] portal so D-Void can make everyone dead. [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] heroically simplifies the situation to "stop bad guys, save universe".

Down on Cybertron, everything is up the creek: the titanic [[Deceptigod|D-Void avatar]] comprised of the [[Decepticon]]s' bodies is tearing through the ruins, and only [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stands against it while the [[Autobot]]s flee for their lives. Deep under the surface, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] is bleeding out while [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] are aware, thanks to the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], that Galvatron's going to doom them all. To [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]'s dismay, he's being sent back to the surface to get help for Drift, rather than guard Optimus.

Despite horrific wounds, Megatron refuses to give in and blasts the D-Void's avatar to bits; deep underground, Galvatron feels the pain and can't work out why. As he reels, the Primes arrive to stop him before he can release the Heart... except he already has done so. Up in space, the Kimia shuttle's readouts tell it Cybertron is no longer ''there'' and navigation is impossible; Arcee, zen-like, points out you can see the planet because it's a planet. Unfortunately, the planet is being ripped apart by storms and the crew are forced to bail out for cover, while the Decepticons on the surface crumble to rust... And below, Galvatron bellows that he's won...

And then the shuttle crashes on him. ("Did we get him?", asks Hardhead.)

The Primes have an opening but the D-Void is coming through, consuming [[Vector Sigma]] as it does. Rodimus realizes that the only way to stop it is, of course, the Matrix. Optimus Prime is against the idea, as with Sigma and Cybertron both lost, it's the only part of their heritage left; Rodimus argues that he just ''knows'' the Matrix can save them, but Prime remains doubtful. Those doubts allow Galvatron to shoot him in the back. He snarls that he is going to unite their race as their new leader, that there's no secret allies left to ambush him—and then [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] rams him, enraged by what he's been made to do to the planet he loved. Galvatron swats him aside but, as he dissolves, realizes his failure to see the true forces at work.

Optimus Prime realizes he must use the Matrix after all, and opens it to the light the darkest hour...

And a long time after, when the glow fades and night has calmed, Optimus Prime remains kneeling in the new crater, the hollow halves of the Matrix at his feet.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] (1)
*[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] (2)
*? (3)
*? (4)
*[[Rewind]] (5)
*[[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] (6)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (7)
*[[Brainstorm]] (8)
*? (9)
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] (10)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (11)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (12)
*[[Rad]] (13)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (14)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (15)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Silverstreak]] (16)
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (17)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (18)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (19)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] (23)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (24)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (25)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (26)

|c2=
*[[Sweep]]s (20)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (21)
*[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] (27)
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (28)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (29)

|c4=
*[[Deceptigod]]/[[D-Void]] (22)

}}

==Quotes==
"We've made it sound more complicated than it is."
:—'''Hardhead''', master of plot summaries

"No, Ironhide. You're going to make it through this time, no matter what. Prime and I need to finish this. You save lives. Save this one more."
:—'''Rodimus'''

"Muster your parts - my own soldiers - for the final sortie. I can feel you in my head, trying to master my will. But I will not yield. I will not be '''conquered'''. I will not be '''defied'''.<br>
'''I'''<br>
'''AM'''<br>
'''MEGATRON!'''"<br>
:—You know who, staring down the Deceptigod

''"WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"''
:—You plonker, '''Galvatron'''

==Notes==
* The Matrix has been completely spent. (Mike Costa thinks the image of an empty Matrix was [[James Roberts]]'s idea.)<ref>[http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/webpage/the-underbase-reviews-ongoing-31 Moonbase 2 interview with Mike Costa ("Special Guest")]</ref>
* The opening two pages, where Arcee and Hardhead explain the plot, are a loving fourth-wall-bending admission that, yeah, there's a need for some heavy exposition: Brainstorm asking it to be gone through again, characters calling it an "info dump", Hardhead trying to claim it's not as complicated as he made it sound and then admitting it is, Swerve trying to understand the plot and finally summing it up as "stop Galvatron, stop D-Void, universe saved"...
* This issue reveals that Galvatron's battle to defeat D-Void, i.e. everything involving him since ''[[Infestation (IDW)|Infestation]]'', has actually been a plan of manipulation on the D-Void's part to kill everything. The D-Void is one clever spawn of a glitch.
* As in "[[Chaos Theory Part 2]]", Rodimus seems to be more in-tune with the Matrix than Optimus.
* Cyclonus was first established as a Cybertronian patriot in [[Spotlight: Cyclonus|his spotlight]].
* Just like the previous issues in the story, Part Four is named after [[Wikipedia:Book of Genesis|a book of the Bible]].

===Errors===

===Covers (3)===
* '''Cover A:''' Optimus Prime; art by [[Livio Ramondelli]]
* '''Cover B:''' Galvatron; art by Livio Ramondelli.
* '''Cover RI:''' Black & white art of Megatron; art by Livio Ramondelli.

<gallery>
Image:Ongoing 30 Cover.jpg
Image:IDW TF 30 B.jpg
Image:IDW TF 30 RI.jpg
</gallery>

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[[Category:IDW Generation 1 issues]]