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Thunderwing (G1)

2009-04-15T00:56:13Z

65.11.31.135: /* Notes */

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Thunderwing}}
{{featured}}

:''Thunderwing is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Thunderwingboxart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's some gooood box-art that makes his teeny inner robot look not-crappy.]]
'''Thunderwing''' strikes a delicate balance between calm composure and explosive rage. This rage is backed by an immensely powerful form, and he will not flinch at using this raw power when simple deceit and treachery fail him. His power is amplified further by his impressive [[Pretender]] shell, which is a virtually indestructible arsenal of weaponry.

Despite his position within the Decepticon ranks, Thunderwing wants to be admired and respected by his subordinates, but all too often he can be caught in a consuming obsession that leads him down the irreversible path of darkness. This capacity for obsession is both his strength and weakness, and his blindness to this fault both propels him to greatness and to tragedy. If he becomes at all aware of what horrors he's done, it's usually too late, and he's brought everything he holds dear to the brink of destruction.

:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Aérofoudre''' ("Aerolightning")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
'''Note:''' ''Events from the [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|UK-only]] comic stories are in italics.''

A handful of Transformers are born with a natural affinity to the [[Creation Matrix]]. Though these special few are usually Autobots, Thunderwing was an exception. Thunderwing felt that the Matrix called to him, and believed that he would become the first Decepticon to possess it. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession|Deadly Obsession}}

''Early on in the war, he served at [[Fort Scyk]]. He became a protege of Fort commander [[Megadeath]], who saw and encouraged the burning ambition within the lad, grooming Thunderwing as an asset and potential general for when he'd make a bid for leadership. For his part, Thunderwing though Megadeath was utterly mental but thought he'd be his ticket to the top. He later soured on Megadeath when he viciously tortured the [[Magnificent Six]], which Thunderwing felt was ill-fitting for such valiant enemies, and then Megadeath let himself and the whole of [[Stanix]] get nuked to slag ''anyway''.'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!|The Magnificent Six!}}

[[Image:Thunderwingisapretender.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Thunderwing is a Pretender? The hell you say!]]
''Four million years later, with a vacuum in Decepticon high command, a driven Thunderwing rose quickly from relative obscurity to a command position in the ranks. He made a bid for full leadership of the Decepticons to the [[Decepticon High Council|High Council]], and they decided to test him with a hunting mission: Three Autobot prisoners were released on Earth, and Thunderwing was charged with chasing down and executing them on his own. While [[Playback]] and [[Horsepower]] did fall before his cyclone cannon, the last runner, [[Hosehead]], was saved by his fellow Autobots [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Siren]]. The [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] exploded the fuel core in Playback's corpse at close range to Thunderwing, nearly cooking him alive inside his own impenetrable [[Pretender]] shell. Shrieking in agony, Thunderwing plunged into the nearby surf. {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!|The Big Shutdown!}}''

''Thunderwing eventually rose from the waters, his still-cooling shell juxtaposed with the growing intensity of his rage at being beaten. Thunderwing lashed out at everything around him and very nearly destroyed a ship of his fellow Decepticons who had been sent to find him. As a duly appointed officer of the Decepticon High Council, [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] was sent to inform Thunderwing that his bid for leadership was not being rejected outright, but was still under review, and the Councilors had asked that he return to Cybertron. Instead, Thunderwing violently conscripted Ruckus and his team into joining him for an assault on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] in order to get revenge on Hosehead and his ilk. {{storylink|Rage!|Rage!}} Thunderwing single-handedly blasted his way into the Ark and confronted [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] directly before Ruckus convinced him to save the fight for another day. Returning to Cybertron, Thunderwing was surprised to learn that the Decepticon High Council was impressed by his initiative and the strength of his vendetta, and so granted him full leadership of the Decepticons of Cybertron. {{storylink|Assault on the Ark!|Assault on the Ark!}}''

''One of Thunderwing's first actions on taking over Decepticon leadership was to abolish neutral territories, making places such as [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] Decepticon-only establishments. {{storylink|Out to Lunch!|Out to Lunch!}}'' Despite these movements, Lord Thunderwing became displeased with the growing success of the newly-rebuilt [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and their raiding of Decepticon fuel depositories. Fearing the Autobot resistance movement was gaining momentum, he ordered [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Octopunch]] and [[Stranglehold]], the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], to find and kill the Autobot Pretenders. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

[[Image:Thunderwingmindleech.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This is probably the closest look we'll get at Thunderwing's unpublished character model. Jose Delbo was a copier.]]
When the Mayhem Attack Squad failed, Thunderwing became curious when teams of Autobots were subsequently ordered to search an area of space. Trailing a team on [[Pz-Zazz]] which included ''(again)'' Nightbeat, Hosehead, and Siren, he waited until the right moment to blast and capture them. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!|Bird of Prey!}} As Thunderwing's Decepticons began trailing another team of Autobots on [[Cheyne]] ([[Backstreet]], [[Dogfight]], and [[Override (G1)|Override]]), he subjected the captured first group to his [[Mind Leech]] machine. He learned from these torture sessions that the Autobots were scouring the universe for the lost [[Creation Matrix]]. Unfortunately, the second group was no closer to finding the Matrix either, and he left them to their own devices. {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier|Kings of the Wild Frontier}} His obsession with finding the Creation Matrix caused some concerns for the Decepticons under his command, and he even began attacking his own troops when accused of taking his personal quest too far. These outbursts began coming to a head when he found traces of Matrix energy in a [[Kludd|sea monster]] on [[Pequod]]. Ruckus made the mistake of questioning his leader's growing obsession, and Thunderwing backhanded him into some equipment (unknowingly shorting out the Mind Leech which held their captive Autobots immobile). While his troops battled the Autobots searching there, he used his affinity for the Matrix to mind-link with the sea monster. Discovering that the Matrix was on [[Cameron]]'s third moon, [[VsQs]], he abandoned the battle, much to the growing frustration of his troops. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession|Deadly Obsession}}

[[Image:Thunderwingwhereisthecreationmatrix.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Obsessed much?]]
As it happened, between the revival of the Kludd and the arrival of Thunderwing, the Creation Matrix had become warped. Thunderwing fought intensely with Bumblebee, Jazz, and Grimlock on VsQs, and they were overwhelmed not only by his vastly superior might, but by the strength of his desire to possess the Matrix. However, he and his troops were subdued by a [[Matrix Spawn]], a darkly-evolved creature contaminated by the Matrix, allowing Bumblebee and the other Autobots to grab the Matrix and head for their ship. But when the Autobot shuttlecraft later arrived within the Ark, it was Thunderwing who emerged, in full possession of the Creation Matrix, enshrouded in its energies. {{storylink|Dark Creation|Dark Creation}}

[[Image:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|right|200px|thumb|I HAVE THE POWER!]]
On board the Ark, Thunderwing savagely beat Optimus Prime, the latter of whom was afraid to return the violence in kind, in fear that the Matrix would be destroyed and their race would be doomed against Unicron. Waves of Autobots stormed against Thunderwing, ending in [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] and others being killed or critically wounded. Quickly, the increasingly-evil Matrix took over Thunderwing, overpowering his thoughts and controlling his actions. After turning his power on his own troops, he had one final moment of clarity at what he had become, but it was too late. He was consumed. Nightbeat, Siren, and Hosehead, who Thunderwing had captured earlier, had escaped their constraints, and after releasing the bay doors, Thunderwing was harpooned to the shuttlecraft. The shuttle self-destructed and Thunderwing and the Creation Matrix were seemingly lost. {{storylink|All Fall Down (comic issue)|All Fall Down}}

[[Image:G1thunderwingthevoid.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Thunderwing displays that, yes, he has an alt mode just before showing up to die again.]]
The Matrix, however, was made of sterner stuff, and after some time reactivated alongside Thunderwing's body and the Autobot shuttlecraft on [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. {{storylink|Out of Time!|Out of Time!}} As time passed, and though only the "barest [[spark]] remained," it healed Thunderwing's body, eventually allowing it to transform and escape the Moon. It (they) now hungered for revenge! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

Thunderwing, completely controlled by the Creation Matrix, arrived on Cybertron just as Unicron had attacked. Through Thunderwing, the Matrix continued to manifest as a frightening demon, which blasted Unicron and buried its tendrils within him. Though Unicron was momentarily stunned, once the Matrix revealed that it was now attempting to be a force of Evil, Unicron ripped the manifestation apart. Unicron has no equal in the arena of evil. Thunderwing's body fell in tatters, and the Matrix casing dropped to the planet below. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comics continuity===
[[Image:Thunderwingg1worldscollide.jpg|left|150px|thumb|They weren't even trying to color me right!]]
Versions of Thunderwing, [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] from various devoured universes were sent by their master, [[Unicron]], to prepare another universe for his coming. Porting into [[Decepticon Command Headquarters]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Galvatron left Thunderwing and the others on Cybertron to accomplish their task. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1|Worlds Collide, Part 1}} Though they destroyed all of the Decepticons in their headquarters and established a network of [[space bridge]] portals, this universe's [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] was not amongst their victims. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}}

Traveling to Earth's Decepticon headquarters (but leaving Bludgeon behind on Cybertron to guard the portal), they found it momentarily abandoned, so Thunderwing suggested they hunt down this universe's [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] to learn Megatron's location. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3|Worlds Collide, Part 3}} However, Thrust knew nothing, and they quickly returned to Decepticon Earth headquarters when Thunderwing detected that their space bridge nexus on Cybertron had been breached. Ultimately, Thunderwing and the other servants of Unicron were destroyed when this universe's [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] detonated a bomb in Cybertron's Decepticon Command Headquarters, incinerating them all. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}
{{-}}
===IDW comics continuity===
[[Image:Thunderwingwhathaveyoudone.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Moral of Stormbringer: Pretenders ruined Transformers.]]
Seven hundred years ago, during the height of the Autobot-Decepticon war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Thunderwing was a Decepticon scientist who alerted both sides to the damage that the ongoing conflict was doing to their planet and the resultant danger of an impending catastrophic event. According to [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], his warnings were ignored, even by [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]].

[[Image:Thunderwing stormbringer.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Y'know, Thunderwing, Al Gore was content with just making a slide show.]]
Subsequently, Thunderwing took action on his own, subjecting himself to a "polydermal grafting" process of his own design, one that had previously been summarily rejected by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] as "unnatural" and "ill-conceived". This process of grafting tissue culled from living subjects onto a Transformer to create an armored symbiotic carapace somehow also appears to have made him the avatar of the very apocalypse he had warned against. The process drove Thunderwing insane but made him invulnerable; even the combined might of the Autobots and Decepticons couldn't stop him. In the end, he was swallowed whole by Cybertron itself, leaving the planet completely uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer issue 1}}

When [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] went missing, Megatron assigned Bludgeon to dig into his research and find out what he'd been doing. An indeterminate time later, Thunderwing's resting place was discovered by a group of Decepticons led by Bludgeon, who planned to continue where Thunderwing left off. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave|Spotlight: Soundwave}} The project was completed in the present day, using a combination of "[[Ultra-Energon]]" (culled from Shockwave's research) and a set of imprinted commands. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer issue 2}} Thunderwing was thus resurrected and immediately departed for [[Nebulos]], following Bludgeon's plans to sacrifice that world to restore Cybertron somehow. There, Thunderwing was engaged by the Decepticon Infiltration team in place, which did not want to see Nebulos completely destroyed. After Thunderwing totaled [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]], [[Skullcruncher]], and [[Roadgrabber]], the survivors, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], [[Darkwing]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], abandoned the planet, leaving Thunderwing alone. However, after the destruction of Bludgeon's control harness, Thunderwing changed course—back towards Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer issue 3}}

[[Image:Thunderwingidwultramode.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Ultra mode" puts all that wing kibble to use!]]
There, he was attacked by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]], the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], and reprogrammed [[Centurion droid|Centurion drones]]. Jetfire revealed that enough punishment would eventually cause Thunderwing to drain most of his [[Energon (G1)|Energon]] reserves. However, Thunderwing revealed a third "[[Super Mode|Ultra]]" robot configuration. Thanks to the Wreckers, the Decepticons, the instability of Ultra Energon, and a speech/salvo combination from Optimus Prime, he was stopped dead in his tracks. His inanimate form was taken into custody by the [[Autobot|Autobots]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer issue 4}}

[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] would later steal Thunderwing's body from [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s detail of Autobots, in service of [[Nova Prime|his master]] in the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Since the Dead Universe Transformers can only spend a limited amount of time in the land of the living, they programmed Thunderwing to guard the cave entrance to the [[Nega-Core]] on planet [[Corata-Vaz]]. He easily batted away Hound's crew and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], but did not pursue them, as his programming seems to keep him on a leash that only includes the cave entrance. It did, however, allow [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] the time he needed to escape. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

The [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] later attempted to penetrate Thunderwing's defenses and reach the Nega-Core, but apparently had no more success than Ultra Magnus and company. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

Jetfire came up with the idea to try and take control of Thunderwing using Bludgeon's (apparently repaired) control harness. This alerted [[Jhiaxus]], who activated Bludgeon (now under his control) to put a stop to it. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

While Jetfire managed to halt Thunderwing in his tracks for a brief time, a visit from the Jhiaxus-controlled Bludgeon forced Jetfire to focus on other, more pressing issues. While the Wreckers were successful in disabling the Nega-Core, Thunderwing once again began to advance on them. The end result of this battle has as-of-yet remained unrevealed. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Thunderwing''' (Mega Pretender, 1989)
**''Accessories'': Pretender shell, 2 large laser guns, small laser gun

[[Image:G1Thunderwing toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|You passed this up when you saw it in the stores. Then Furman had to come along.]]
:Thunderwing's inner robot transforms into a rather simple Cybertronic shuttlecraft. His [[Pretender]] shell also transforms into a starship mode of its own. The inner vehicle can be attached underneath the nose of the larger vehicle to create a combined starship mode. The inner robot is relatively generic in appearance (as with most Pretenders) while his outer Pretender shell resembles an alien warrior with Japanese [[wikipedia:Oni_(folklore)|Oni]] influences. The inner robot carries a small laser, while the shell is armed with two large blasters. All three of his guns can be mounted on his shell's vehicle mode. The large laser cannons can be mounted on the jet two different ways, either perpendicular or parallel to the wing undersides.

:Unlike fellow Mega Pretenders [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]] or [[Vroom]], parts do not need to be removed and rearranged in order for Thunderwing to achieve any of his modes.

: This mold was [[Retool|retooled]] to make [[Black Shadow]].

{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:Thunderwingisdeath.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Like that cannon he always carries around? Too bad, the toy ain't got it.]]
* Thunderwing only transformed out of his humanoid shell mode once in the entire United States run of the Marvel Comics series. Even then, it was into his non-combined shell-only jet mode, leaving no hint that he had a inner robot mode at all. The only time we see his inner robot mode is in his first appearance, the Marvel United Kingdom story, "[[The Big Shutdown!]]".

* Thunderwing's Marvel Comics appearances give him a four-barreled hand weapon that's completely fabricated, as it's not based on any of the toy's three guns. As with the melee weapons [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Stranglehold]], and [[Octopunch]] use in the comic, his four-barreled cannon likely originated from his unpublished [[character model]].

* A phenomenon [[Straxus (G1)|seen]] [[Circuit Breaker|often]] in the Marvel United States material, Thunderwing suffered from color scheme shift. At first, he appears in colors as approximate to his toy's layout as the printing process allowed, but by the time he makes his biggest, most memorable appearances, much of his blacks, grays, and blues had been substituted for light greens.

[[Image:Thunderwingg1catalog.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Early Thunderwing was faaaabulous!]]
*Hasbro photography of Thunderwing shows some plastic color differences from the final product. His shell's arms are the same purple as his guns instead of gray, and his inner robot's thighs are that purple as well, instead of the final toy's black. Black paint is applied to the shell's thighs differently, and the inner robot's forearms seem to be painted light gray. Additionally, the smaller robot is incapable of toting either of the larger guns in jet mode, as the peghole isn't large enough.

*Speaking of pegholes, both of Thunderwing's large guns have [[Powerlinx|Powerlinxable]] pegs which can store [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]], if one so desires.

*Fitting with [[Don Figueroa]]'s method of making all of his robot designs able to be easily turned into toys, IDW Thunderwing's Ultra Mode is telegraphed by his kibble. An image in the sketch section shows exactly how he transforms into it.

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm Thunderwing at TFU.info]

[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

The Transformers: Stormbringer

2009-04-15T00:54:26Z

65.11.31.135: /* Overview */

{{disambig3|Stormbringer}}

[[Image:Stormbringer_tpb.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Cybertron is a [[Energon mace|spiky ball]]]]
'''''The Transformers: Stormbringer''''' is a 4-issue limited series published by [[IDW Publishing]] and set in the main [[IDW continuity]]. Occurring roughly during the same period of time as the ''[[Infiltration]]'' arc, it establishes the situation of Cybertron and the rest of the [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s not on Earth.

It is issues #7–10 in the IDW overarching "sub-numbering" (shown by a number in an Autobot-sigil shaped shield beside the barcode on each issue), and was originally published between July and October, [[2006]].

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''''The Transformers: Stormbringer'' issues:'''
|-align=center
|| [[Stormbringer issue 1|#1]] | [[Stormbringer issue 2|#2]] | [[Stormbringer issue 3|#3]] | [[Stormbringer issue 4|#4]]
|}

''Preceded by: [[Infiltration]]'' 
''Followed by: [[Escalation]]''
{{TOCclear}}
== Overview ==
''Stormbringer'' gives readers their first look at the larger war beyond Earth. [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is a dead, wasted world, victim of some distant cataclysm that elder Transformers, including [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], were present at. Prime's musings establish that the long war between the Autobots and Decepticons was directly responsible for the cataclysm, and in flashback we discover that a single demonic figure was somehow the focus for or avatar of the event; this being was so powerful that only the combined might of the Autobots and Decepticons could stop it.

Both Autobots and Decepticons appear to have large, star-spanning armies. Similar Decepticon infiltration cells to the one portrayed in ''Infiltration'' are seen on the planets [[Nebulos]] and [[Varas Centralus]]. The Autobots' main base is a space station orbiting a planet at least nineteen megacycles away from Cybertron via foldspace travel, and they possess at least one space battlecruiser, the ''[[Xantium]]''.

Stormbringer was proudly advertised with the tagline "NOTHING BUT ROBOTS ON CYBERTRON", seemingly in response to fandom outcries over [[Hunter O'Nion|those]] [[Verity Carlo|horrible]] [[Jimmy Pink|humans]] and general lack of robot-on-robot action which had infested IDW's initial ''Infiltration'' storyline. Nice goin' there, [[fandom]].

The image assembled from the four "A" covers has a small but interesting error: Thunderwing appears twice. At the top left, he is in the middle of the blue energy burst, while he is in his Ultra Mode at the bottom left.

==Creative team==
''Stormbringer'' was scripted by Transformer veteran [[Simon Furman]] and penciled by [[Don Figueroa]]{{m-}}the pair also worked together on [[Dreamwave Productions]]' ''[[The War Within]]'' and IDW's ''[[The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]]''.

==Collections==
* ''Stormbringer'' TPB (February 25, 2007) ISBN 160010018X
:Bonus material includes images of each cover and concept art of many characters, several of which would not appear in the story. It wields the number #2 on its side.
* ''Stormbringer'' Manga TPB (April 25, 2007) ISBN 1600100422
:B&W small format
* ''[[Premiere Collection|The Transformers: Premiere Collection Volume 1]]'' (December 12, 2007) ISBN 1600101186
:Hardcover collection of ''Stormbringer'' and other IDW stories.

[[Category:IDW titles]]
[[Category: Generation 1]]

Cheap Shots

2009-04-14T23:38:46Z

65.11.31.135: /* Real-world references */

{{comicstory|seriesissue=Transformers [[Timelines]] Spring Special
|prev=I, Lowtech
|next=Dungeons & Dinobots
|title="Cheap Shots"
|image=Timelines3.jpg
|caption=Nightbeat in: The Case of the Bewildering Spacial Physics.
|publisher=[[Fun Publications]]
|date=October 27th 2008
|writer=[[Forest Lee]]
|pencils=[[Dan Khanna]]
|inks=[[Jake Isenberg]]
|colors=[[Thomas Deer]]
|letters=[[Jesse Wittenrich]]
|editor=[[Pete Sinclair]]
}}
'''What are two of the strongest Dinobots, Slag and Sludge, doing with Nightbeat and his Headmaster ally Siren? And who is following the foursome to one of the most dangerous asteroid colonies in the galaxy?'''

==Synopsis==
Nightbeat and his crew have found themselves stranded on [[Azure]], a dingy, miserable backwater planet. They were tracking an assassin towards [[Vestial Imperium]] space when they were chased off by Imperium defenders. While trying to land on Azure to effect repairs, they were further shot at by that planet's militia due to their communications being down, and managed to crash-land into the only repair bay equipped to fix their ship.

Some weeks later, while Nightbeat is busy trying to enjoy a can of oil in one of Azure's run-down, shifty-looking alien bars, he is accosted by a large thug who says that "someone wants to talk to him". Nightbeat tells the thug that if the person in question really wants to speak with him, he can come to the bar himself. When the thug gets cranky in response and tries to drag Nightbeat off, Nightbeat's "boys" come over to deal with the problem. After a brief altercation involving even more structural damage to the bar due to Slag throwing people around, it's determined that the thugs really ''do'' just want to talk, and the person who hired them can't ''fit'' in the bar. Nightbeat & co. finally agree to come along peacefully.

They find out that the "person" wanting to talk to them is ''Amory'', a sentient [[Shi-Lai]] ship. ''Amory'' tells Nightbeat that her pilot, Phyrion, has gone missing, and since Nightbeat is supposed to be one of the best detectives there is, she wants to hire him to find Phyrion. Nightbeat accepts the case, and his crew all board the ship.

As ''Amory'' flies them to [[Purgatory]], the planet Phyrion was last seen on, the Nebulans, Minerva, and Nightbeat all go over what little information there is available, including ''Amory'''s video logs of Phyrion's disappearance. Once they reach the planet, Slag, Sludge, and Lug go around "questioning" (read: manhandling) the local inhabitants on the street, while Nightbeat, Siren/Quig, Muzzle, and Minerva question (read: completely botch up questioning) the citizens in the more "respectable" areas of the planet. The end result is that Nightbeat & co. fail to discover anything in the way of a lead on finding Phyrion.

Just as they start getting frustrated about the trail being cold, however, ''Amory'' volunteers that she did receive an encrypted transmission through her hull to Phyrion's quarters soon before he disappeared. Although she doesn't know the contents of the message, she says she was able to trace its origins to a building on Purgatory.

Nightbeat and co. stage a stakeout, and finally an exploration, on the building in question, only to discover it seems to be completely empty. That is, until the new and improved [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] shows up. Turns out Ruckus wants revenge for [[Matrix Quest|some old grudges]], and he and the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] he convinced to help him kidnapped Phyrion themselves to blackmail ''Amory'' into setting Nightbeat up. A melee ensues, and it seems to be going badly for the Autobots, especially when ''Amory'' herself brings her weapons to bear on them... until everyone finds out that Ruckus brilliantly brought Phyrion with him.

Slag promptly convinces Ruckus to drop Phyrion by slicing off the arm holding the pilot. ''Amory'' then turns her warmed-up weaponry on the Decepticons instead and tells them they should go, which everyone except Ruckus is more than happy to do. Ruckus is forced to reluctantly limp off without his arm (which Slag has decided to keep for himself).

Later, ''Amory'' has thanked Nightbeat for freeing Phyrion by honoring the agreed-upon fee for his help (even though it wasn't a "real" case). She also springs for him to get a new head to replace his original one that was damaged in the fight. ''Amory'' and Phyrion head off... and Minerva belatedly comments that, oh, yeah, they still don't have a ship (so hitching a ride might have been nice). Nightbeat snaps his fingers in realization, and says, well, someone here must need a detective, right?

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|c1=
* [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (1)
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (3)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (4)
* [[Siren]] (5)

|c2=
* [[Octopunch]] (12)
* [[Stranglehold]] (13)
* [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] (14)
* [[Needlenose]] (15)
* [[Sunbeam]] (16)
* [[Zigzag]] (17)

|c3=
* [[Minerva]] (8)

|h4=[[Nebulos|Nebulans]]|c4=
* [[Lug]] (6)
* [[Muzzle]] (7)
* [[Quig]] (10)

|c5=
* [[Vorg]] (2)
* ''[[Amory]]'' (9)
* [[Phyrion]] (11)

}}
==Quotes==
"You missed window." 
"Wasn't ''aiming'' for window."
:—'''Sludge''' comments on '''Slag''''s aim after he throws Vorg through the wall.

"Siren... inside voice, ''please''." 
"RIGHT. SORRY."
:—'''Nightbeat''' might have to give '''Siren''' a time-out

"Slag, did you have to chuck that guy through the wall?" 
"Yup." 
"Okay, but we need to conserve our cash." 
"Don't care."
:—'''Nightbeat''' and '''Slag''' discuss tact and caution

'''Quig:''' The type of folks who'd import ten dozen animals called "baby [[Gnasher|gnashers]]" probably don't blink at offing a guy who'd done 'em wrong. 
'''Nightbeat:''' I think those are just young gnashers, Quig. They're like cows on [[Earth]]. Not animals that actually gnash babies.

'''Siren''': RIGHT, NIGHTBEAT. ME AND THE DINOBOTS ARE STEALTH. 
'''Nightbeat:''' (''internal dialogue'') Hope springs eternal.

"You brought the hostage ''with'' you?"
:—'''Octopunch''' and '''Nightbeat''' share a moment of marveling at Ruckus' stupidity

==Other notes==
===Art errors===
*The cover features some bizarre spatial and proportion issues, including the fact that Nightbeat is standing in front of Sludge, but Sludge's foot is placed before Nightbeat. Siren, meanwhile, has a right leg that is not connected to any thigh.

===Continuity errors===
===Real-world references===
* The introductory caption is a shout-out to the opening of ''The A-Team''.
* The ''Amory'' was possibly named in honor of ''The Amory Wars'', a story formed by the music of Coheed and Cambria.

===Transformers references===
* Siren is drawn with a pair of "normal" optics under his visor, a nod to the whole [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat/Siren character-model head-swap deal]]. He even has his Marvel Comics nosebridge under there.
* Slag really lives up to his old box-back [[bio]] personality in this issue (basically, "unrepentant asshole"), moreso than he ever did before. Similarly, Siren's "loud" aspect from his bio is also brought to the forefront, as he basically shouts his way through the entire issue.
* This is possibly the first in-fiction appearance of several characters' toy weapons that had gone long-unseen. Slag and Sludge both have their missile launchers. Needlenose is carrying [[Sunbeam]] and [[Zigzag]] (though neither transform out of gun mode). Octopunch uses both of his toys' blasters instead of his "signature" trident.
* Along those lines, Siren's use of his [[Sonic-screamer pistol|sonic-screamer pistols]] is the first in-fiction use of the smaller [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]' helmet-guns in robot mode.
* Ruckus and Needlenose first crossed paths with Nightbeat and Siren in "[[Bird of Prey!]]", the "shooting in the back" incident spoken of here. The rest of the argument is about various events from the "[[Matrix Quest]]" issues of the old Marvel comic, though it's not apparent when Needlenose was thrown out into space... Needlenose seemed pretty cozily inside the Ark after Nightbeat jettisoned [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] in "[[All Fall Down (comic issue)|All Fall Down]]". It's possible he got sucked out unseen and the Autobots retrieved him.

===Miscellaneous notes===
* Nightbeat getting a new head from ''Amory'' to repair the heavy damage he took in the battle, was done to reconcile the fact that the ''[[Timelines]]'' Nightbeat toy [[Nightbeat (G1)#Timelines|ended up with a head different from what the original design called for]].
* When Slag waves goodbye to ''Amory'', he's using Ruckus' arm to do it.

[[Category:Generation 1 issues]]
[[Category:Timelines]]