MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

New lab assistant

2012-05-15T12:08:57Z

76.6.51.248: /* Notes */

{{faction|decepticon}}
{{noname-designation}}
:''The new lab assistant is a [[Decepticon]] from the ''[[Hunt for the Decepticons]]'' portion of the [[live-action film series]].''

[[Image:Newlabassistant-HftD.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Mercifully, the new lab assistant didn't try to "hack" Sam the same way [[Alice]] did.]]

The '''new lab assistant''' is a Decepticon spy! People who wear baseball caps backwards in laboratories cannot be trusted.

==Fiction==
===''Hunt for the Decepticons'' storybooks===
[[Sam Witwicky]] was working on a large supermagnet in science lab, and little did he know that his new lab assistant was secretly a Decepticon spy! [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] had placed him there to watch the [[Autobots]]' [[human]] friend. However, [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] and [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] had already suspected that the new lab assistant was a Decepticon spy, and was ordered to monitor both the new lab assistant and Sam closely.

When the time was right, Megatron ordered the new lab assistant to transform into his robotic form, hack into Sam's lab computer, and send [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] a fake message, luring the Autobot leader into a trap at the science lab.

By the time the new lab assistant and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] arrived at the science lab, Optimus Prime had already escaped, leaving Megatron behind, stuck upside-down to the supermagnet. {{storylink|Prime Target (book)|Prime Target}}

==Notes==
* Like [[Alice]], the new lab assistant is a movie-style [[Pretender]].
* Whilst Alice had a fairly distinct looking robot form, this character has one that more-than-a-little resembles the titular cyborg of the [[Wikipedia: Terminator_(character)|''Terminator'' franchise]]. l
* Why did he have to transform into robot form to hack a computer, when his altmode has opposable digits, too?
[[Category:Live-action film series Decepticons]]
[[Category: Pretenders]]
[[Category: Prose-only Transformers]]
[[Category: Spies]]
[[Category: Transformers (2010) Decepticons]]

Arcee (Energon)

2012-05-13T13:03:55Z

76.6.51.248: /* Energon */

{{factions|autobot|protector}}{{disambig3|Arcee}}
:''Arcee is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]] portion of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]]. She is sometimes known as Elita Seven.''

[[Image:ArceeEn-jcard.jpg|right|275px|thumb|Yes, she is a girl.]]
A headstrong and feisty [[Omnicon]], '''Arcee''' is eager to prove she’s as capable a warrior as any other Autobot. She can manipulate and refine raw [[energon]] easily; her mastery of the Energon Bow is almost legendary. Unlike other Omnicons, there are not lots of her.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===

====''Energon'' cartoon====
:''Voice actress:'' [[Sharon Alexander]] (English), [[Masumi Asano]] (Japanese), [[Cecilia Lundh]] (Swedish)
{{noteslonly}}

After spending years mining [[energon]] in the desolate depths of space, the Omnicon race needed a rallying point to keep them motivated and focused on their work. Through the power of energon, one Omnicon evolved into the feminine Arcee to serve as an icon and idol for the Omnicons to which they could dedicate themselves.

{{note|The general ineptitude of the ''Energon'' dub meant that very little of this backstory was intelligently conveyed in the English-language version of the show.}}

[[Image:Energon Arcee starfire.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Breastforce Arcee.]]
Exactly what the heck Arcee got up to in the intervening years is unknown, as she didn't join up with the Autobots and mine energon for them in [[Earth]]'s solar system, like all her fellow Omnicons. In 2020, however, when an energon-deprived [[Unicron]] began attacking all the intruders that were currently occupying his dormant body, [[Primus]] summoned Arcee and sent her to reinforce the Autobots. She served to rally the Omnicon forces and provide [[Kicker Jones]] with rapid, agile transportation through the dangerous interiors of Unicron. After she and Kicker managed to breach his defenses, the Omnicons provided Unicron's core with [[Energon star|Energon stars]], calming down the dormant Chaos Bringer's violent tendencies. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}}

Soon after, Arcee and the other Omnicons provided the Autobots with energon stars for their defense of Cybertron's energon grid. {{storylink|Each One Fights...}} They returned with more energon supplies during the next battle, but it had already concluded by the time they arrived. {{storylink|Unicron Unleashed}}

When Unicron fell into the rift in space, Arcee led a large group of Omnicons to back up the main Autobot force. {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}} They traveled through the rift in the ''[[Miranda II]]'', and eventually emerged from the other side. {{storylink|Team Optimus Prime}} Arcee and the crew of the ''Miranda II'' arrived on the other side of the rift and made contact with Optimus Prime and his people. She then allowed Kicker to ride her around on [[Iron Planet]] while fighting Decepticons. {{storylink|Protection}}

As the Autobots prepped for an energon tower being delivered from Cybertron, Arcee supervised the Omnicons in clearing a landing spot on Jungle Planet for the tower to touch down. When the Terrorcons staged an assault, she defended the energon in order to buy time. Eventually the energon tower landed and powered up, sending out a destructive wave that cleared the Terrorcons from the planet. {{storylink|Bulkhead (episode)|Bulkhead}}

[[Image:E33 mishakamenrider.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Hot girl-on-girlbot action.]]
''When Alpha Q engineered a large supply of energon on the reconstructed [[Planet Q]], Arcee went with the Autobots to protect it from the Decepticons. Kicker rode her into battle, but after he did a dramatic leap off the motorcycle into a pack of Terrorcons, Arcee wasn't seen again. {{storylink|Return! Our Scorponok}}''

Later, irritated to discover she and [[Misha Miramond]] had been left in the dark about the [[Autobot Grand Prix]], Arcee entered with Misha as her "mysterious" rider. Together, they won the whole '''she'''-bang while Optimus and Hot Shot fooled around with trying to teach Ironhide some greater life lesson about hittinh stuff. {{storylink|Crash Course}}

Arcee supervised activities aboard the ''Miranda II'' with Kicker and Misha during the big confrontation with Unicron. {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}} They brought the energon grid on line in a vain attempt to prevent Unicron from reclaiming his head from Alpha Q's [[Energon Orb]]. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} Arcee accompanied Kicker inside Unicron's head to recover Alpha Q's body. {{storylink|The Power of Unicron}} They laid Alpha Q to rest on [[Plains Planet|Grass Planet]] beneath a simple headstone before returning to the conflict. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} Arcee and Misha coordinated with the Omnicons on all of Alpha Q's worlds, and brought the energon towers together for an offensive strike against Unicron. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}}

Arcee was onboard the ''Miranda II'' when the Autobots returned to Cybertron to fight off a Decepticon invasion. {{storylink|Wishes}} The Autobots could not return home, however, because the Decepticons had unleashed an energon gas in the atmosphere that was lethal to Autobot circuitry. Arcee and the Omnicons were immune to the gas's effects, and so Optimus planned to drop a team of Omnicons with Kicker down on Cybertron to locate the gas pumps and turn them off. Arcee was forced to launch from high atmosphere in the middle of a battle with Kicker on her back in vehicle mode. Unable to use her energon powers to slow her descent while in vehicle mode, Arcee instead performed some daredevil maneuvers by bouncing off the side of an energon tower on her way down. {{storylink|Galvatron!}}

Once they got down to the planet's surface, Arcee and Kicker worked with the Omnicons to seal off the gas pipes with some hardening gel. This created a small window in the atmosphere for Prime and the Autobots to drop down to the surface below. {{storylink|Break Through}} After meeting up with some reinforcements, Optimus Prime assigned Arcee to work with Kicker, [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], Kicker and [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] in penetrating the Decepticon defenses around Central City. Their goal was to find Kicker's family and retake control of the command center and the energon towers. {{storylink|The Omega Train}}

Although Omega Supreme left to provide reinforcements for Optimus, Arcee and Hot Shot managed to reunite Kicker with his family. {{storylink|Decepticon Army}} Down in the core of Cybertron, Arcee and the other Omnicons provided energon stars for [[Primus]], bringing him out of his hibernation state. {{storylink|Ironhide Team}} They remained with Primus as he provided Optimus Supreme with the necessary power to stop Cybertron's forward momentum. {{storylink|Formidable}}

Arcee next joined Kicker, Ironhide and the Omnicons in racing to the Super Energon pool. They were blocked by [[Battle Ravage]] drones, however, and could not claim control of the pool before Galvatron arrived to power up further. {{storylink|Galvatron Terror}} Arcee held off a swarm of Super Insecticons while Kicker and the rest of the Omnicons severed the Super Energon cords that tied Galvatron to his new power source. {{storylink|Destructive Power}}

As the Autobots chased Galvatron out into space, Arcee and the Omnicons remained behind. They used the purefied Super Energon pool as a means of fully recharging Primus for the first time since Unicron was destroyed. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}} Arcee was briefly seen on Cybertron as Primus merged with the Super Energon pool and transported its power deep into space, to serve as the new sun for Alpha Q's planets. {{storylink|The Sun}}
{{-}}

====Force of Habit====
Ten years later, when the [[Unicron Singularity]] forced the evacuation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Arcee and a number of Autobot leaders were summoned to the ''[[Iron Hope]]'', where [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] dispatched them across the galaxy to locate the lost Autobot colony worlds. Arcee was given command of the ''[[Azusa]]'' and sent to [[Gamma Serpentis]]. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}

====''Alternity''====
[[Image:ProtectorE7.jpg|left|thumb|Her new look is truly truly truly outrageous]]
[[Image:ProtectorE7_bike.jpg|right|100px|thumb|[[Michael Bay|He]]'s at it again...]]

Over the following years, Arcee changed her body-design several different times. For her seventh body, she chose a [[synthoid]] form, and took the name '''Elita Seven'''. By the time she had taken on this form, she had been inducted into the ranks of the [[Protector]]s, the elite team of agents who travel space and time in service of the hyper-dimensional race of evolved Autobots known as the [[Alternity]].

While observing a battle between Alternity member [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]] and one of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s [[auto-avatar]]s, Elita Seven waited for the aftermath and chastised Nemesis Prime for fighting dirty. Nemesis Prime took exception to her calling him a "deity" and insisted she call him "Knight of Darkness." She retorted that even if he was a deity she wasn't going to pander to him like that. {{storylink|Arch-Nemesis!}}

[[Image:Worldisflat alternity bumblebee.jpg|right|thumb]]

As time progressed, the Alternity realized that Megatron's forces had been repeatedly focusing their attacks on the year 2009, and Elita Seven was teamed with [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity#Alternity|Bumblebee]] to search the timelines for clues as to why. While investigating [[universal stream]] [[The Transformers: Binaltech Asterisk|Primax 905.0 Beta]], they came to the conclusion that a new type of dimensional flux would come into existence there, and that Megatron was searching for its source that he might use it for his own ends. The flux soon struck, causing a particularly bizarre effect: printed media worldwide began to warp and distort! Moving quickly, Elita and Bumblebee tracked the source of the distortion to a tablet in the Otsuka Museum of Art, which was in the process of being stolen for Megatron by [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]]. Bumblebee bested the Decepticon trio, but Megatron then struck from across the dimensions, wounding the little Autobot and destroying both the museum and the tablet. When Bumblebee awoke, Elita requested that he explain just what the heck had happened; Bumblebee explained that the tablet was a device invented by beings from a two-dimensional universe that converted artworks into trans-dimensional gateways they could have passed through. As Bumblebee began steeling himself for the next dimensional incursion, Elita reminded him they needed to clean up the mess they had made in this world first. {{storylink|The World Is Flat!}}

{{note|Elita Seven specifically hails from the Japanese version of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoon continuity.}}

===''Energon'' comic===
Arcee and her fellow Omnicons are upgraded [[Mini-Con]]s who were sent by [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] to assist [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] in repelling [[Unicron's Four Horsemen]]. They then went to [[Earth]] to stop [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and his [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] in Australia.

Proving to be a bit too out of control to base near human cities, they were sent to the site of a new energon well in the Yukon. While blowing off some steam, they were captured by [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Snow Cat]] who attempted to rewrite their programming to turn them into [[Decepticon]]s. Subconsciously guided by the snarky, floating, advice-giving head of Over-Run, they managed to break free by combining their powers. More teamwork led to Snow Cat's defeat and a better understanding of their abilities. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}}

On a mission with [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] to the Black Sea in Turkey to locate a new energon well underwater, they were attacked by [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] (who had previously butted heads with them as Tidal Wave), [[Slugslinger (Energon)|Slugslinger]] and [[Sharkticon (Energon)|Sharkticon]], who were attempting to capture the energon-empathic human. Though the Omnicons were beaten down, Kicker’s powers revitalized the team and allowed them to force the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Energon===
[[Image:Energon Arcee toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Mommy, I'm Katniss!]]
*'''Arcee''' (Basic, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''SC-16'''
**''Accessories'': 2 tailpipes, scope, launcher, missile, Autobot "Energon Chip"

: Arcee transforms into a "superbike"-type racing motorcycle. Unusually for a Transformer, she does not hold her weapon in her hands as most figures do; her Energon Bow instead mounts on a peg in her arms, with her hands being positioned to give the appearance of her using the bow. The bow itself is spring-loaded, firing a gray missile "arrow". As she is an Omnicon, her clear-red Energon Bow can be used by other toys. She also has an [[energon star|energon chip]] that can be attached to the [[spark crystal]] on most ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]''-series toys.

: The [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] version of this toy uses a much brighter, more feminine pink paint than the [[Hasbro]] version.

: This mold was also retooled into ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] and [[Flareup (Timelines)|Flareup]], and redecoed into [[Flamewar]] and the [[Movie (toyline)|live-action-movie-universe]] versions of [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] and [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Autobot/Arcee/arcee.htm More information on Arcee at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Paradron}}
[[Image:En-toy ArceeParadron.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ariel Paradron Type only exists as long as she is in mint condition.]]
*'''Ariel Paradron Type''' (Basic, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''EX-02'''
**''Accessories'': 2 tailpipes, scope, launcher, missile, Autobot "Energon Chip"

: A Takara "[[Toy's Dream Project]]" [[exclusive]] of 3000 pieces,<ref>[http://www.bwtf.com/toyreviews/unicrontrilogy/superlink/paradron/ Paradron Ariel toy notes at BWTF.com]</ref> the Paradron-type version changes up her color scheme from white-and-pinks to white-and-greens. This color scheme was inspired by the [[Paradron Medic]] from [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]. She came on a normal "Ariel" cardback with the artwork depicting the pink version, but a few extra stickers and bubble inserts were added to mark the special version.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Cybertron/ArielPT/ariel.htm More information on Ariel Paradron Type at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Universe (2003)===
[[Image:Uni03-toy EnArcee.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Don't think too hard about the branding. It's for the best.]]
*'''Omnicon Arcee''' (Basic, 2005)
**''Accessories'': 2 tailpipes, scope, launcher, missile, Autobot "Energon Chip"

: Arcee (along with many other ''Energon'' and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Basic-sized toys) was [[rebranding|repackaged without alteration]] onto ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]''-branded cards and sold at American heavy-discount chains like Family Dollar and Big Lots!.

{{-}}

===Attacktix===
[[Image:AttacktixArcee.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Did she have to remove one of her... um...]]
*'''Arcee''' (Booster, <strike>2007</strike>)
{{attacktix
|ID=TF01
|faction=Autobot
|class=Leader
|special=Rescue
|cost=20
|speed=8
|attacktype=Shooter (small missile)
}}
{{-}}
: Part of the (permanently "on-hiatus") second series of ''Transformers [[Attacktix]]'', Arcee is a "Rare" 20-point "Leader"-class piece. Arcee fires a standard ''Attacktix'' missile. She has a surprisingly high speed for a "blaster" type unit. Her Special Power, "Rescue", does something, but we don't know what yet, and at this rate, probably never will.

{{canceledattacktix}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:ProtectorE7_hotrodsigil.jpg|right|150px|thumb]]

* Arcee's ''Energon'' show model is the base for the [[Autobot nurse]] model as well as a couple of other generic female Autobots.

* The French version of Arcee is dubbed by a man. Nobody could tell the difference, and it's not like it's [[The Transformers: The Movie|the first time]] they've got genders wrong.

*In her Elita Seven body, Arcee's jumpsuit and the three shades of pink it uses match [[Elita One|Generation 1 Elita One]]'s body almost exactly, just as the odd shape of her pink hair and the position of her white barette emulate the shape of Elita's helmet. Additionally, the motorcycle she rides strongly resembles [[Elita-One (Movie)|movie Elita-One]], albeit with a brighter red-and-pink color scheme. Oddly, since Elita-One shares a mold with Arcee, she's essentially riding... herself?!

*Using Ariel, the Japanese name for ''Energon'' Arcee, the connection of ''Energon'' Arcee to Elita Seven becomes more clear. ''Generation 1'' Ariel became [[Elita One]], so ''Super Link'' Ariel became Elita Seven in reference to her namesake.

*Elita Seven's jacket bears an insignia of a [[Rodimus (disambiguation)|Rodimus-like]] face, apparently in homage to her connection to ''Energon'' Rodimus's crew.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ariel''' (エリアル ''Eriaru'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Szélvész''' ("Windstorm")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alternity Autobots]]
[[Category:Exclusives]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Omnicons]]
[[Category:Universe Autobots]]

Tranquility

2012-05-11T23:08:22Z

76.6.51.248: /* Geography */

[[Image:Tranquility location.png|right|250px|thumb|Tranquility, CA: Home to giant robots and really cool explosions.]]
[[Image:Pd042007 tranquility nevada.jpg|thumb|250px|Tranquility, NV: Home to giant robots and really cool explosions.]]
'''Tranquility''' is a city ''possibly'' located in [[Nevada]] or [[California]] (see Trivia) in the [[United States of America]].
[[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] lives there.

==Fiction==
===Transformers (2007)===
Though never explicitly named, Tranquility is where the Witwickys and [[Mikaela Banes]] live. After receiving [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s call for assistance, the [[Autobot|Autobots]] made a (semi)successful planetfall in Tranquility. Only [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] managed to land in an uninhabited area. {{storylink|Transformers (2007)|Transformers}}

===Transformers: The Game===
Tranquility possesses a massive police force which tends to shoot first and not bother asking questions when it comes to [[Transformer|giant robots]], ramps provided by [[Convenient Ramps Inc.]], and an amazing ability to repair itself any time nobody's looking at part of it. They are also firmly in the pocket of [[Sector Seven]]. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] took advantage of their mentality by disguising himself as one of their number. Interestingly, the cops seemed to consider the Autobots a bigger threat than the [[Decepticon]]s, especially as [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] more actively attempted to destroy the city. Maybe it had something to do with [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] destroying the local power station twice within the space of about an hour, or [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] blowing up their station. {{storylink|Transformers The Game}}

===''Transformers: Autobots/Decepticons''===
See above, but with more cops and less Shockwave.

===''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Game'' (console)===
[[Sam Witwicky]]'s house is stated to be located in Burbank, California.

==Related characters==
===Overzealous cop===
This overzealous police officer interrogated Sam Witwicky after he was arrested, claiming that [[Bumblebee (Movie)|his car]] was [[Transformer|alive]]. The cop was convinced that Sam was a junkie, as he was found with pills on his possession, prescribed for [[Mojo]]. [[Ron Witwicky]] explained that the pills were for their dog, but the cop was still unconvinced, and when he caught Sam eying his piece, he threatened to "bring it". Sam asked if the cop himself was on drugs.

Despite having a [[Moustache Man|mustache]], it is currently presumed that this individual was an actual flesh and blood human, and not a [[Decepticon]] [[hologram]].

==Locations in Tranquility==
*[[Bay Demolition]]
*Tranquility Auto Row
*Porche Dealership
*Cadillac Dealership
*[[Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo]]

*[[Tranquility Mall]] (aka the "Metroplex Mall")
*[[Tranquility Sparks]] Baseball Field
* Tranquility Estates — future site of (under construction)

==Notes==
===Geography===
It's uncertain in which state Tranquility is actually supposed to be located. An earlier version of the [[Transformers (2007)|movie]]'s script identified the city as "Tranquility, Nevada", but neither the city nor its state are actually identified by name in the movie itself.

The only official media to explicitly identify the state as Nevada [[Movie Prequel issue 4|Issue 4]] of [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel |Movie Prequel]]'' mini-series and the [[Top Trumps: Transformers|Top Trumps Transformers book]]. Meanwhile, [[Movie Adaptation Issue Number One|issue 1]] of IDW's [[Transformers: Movie Adaptation|Movie Adaptation]] simply identifies it as "Tranquility, U.S.A.", and [[Transformers: Beginnings]], an "animated" version of the Movie Prequel comic available on a Wal-Mart exclusive bonus DVD explicitly has the name "Nevada" ''removed'' from a caption near the end.

Meanwhile the [[Transformers (Glu)|Glu Transformers mobile game]] shows Tranquility location on a map—in northern California. This seems to fit many elements of the movie far better, particularly [[Ron Witwicky]]'s comments about earthquakes.

It seems the writers, while originally intending to have Tranquility located in Nevada, later decided to remove all references to the state, either because [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] somehow manages to drive [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] from there to [[Griffith Observatory]] (which is located in California), or in an attempt to make its location more ambiguous, similar to the Simpsons' [[wikipedia:Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]].

''Revenge of the Fallen'' throws an even bigger monkey wrench into the location: In [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|the film itself]], when [[The Fallen]] makes his demand for Sam, his driver's license is shown to be registered in California. However, when he meets Optimus at the graveyard in the [[Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|novelization]], he states that he is from [[Wikipedia:Burbank, California|Burbank]].

* [http://badflipblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/tf1-signs.html Store signs in the 2007 Transformers game] indicate Tranquility phone numbers have the "460" area code; a (thus far) unallocated region-code in the real world.

*Bumblebee has a California licence plate.

*Ron Witwicky's car has a California licence plate. Duh.

[[Category:Cities in the United States]]
[[Category:Movie locations]]

Hot Rod (G1)

2012-05-11T13:16:36Z

76.6.51.248: /* Generation 1 */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2|wreckers}}
{{disambig3|Rodimus}}
{{disambig3|Hot Rod}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}

:''Hot Rod is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]]. He has also been known as '''Rodimus Prime''', '''Rodimus''', and '''Rodimus Major'''.''

[[Image:DVDbox3d1.jpg|right|301px|thumb|And yet he still gets carded.]]

'''Hot Rod''' is brash and headstrong, with an overwhelming self-confidence that borders on arrogance. [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] has assumed the role of mentor and advisor to the impetuous young Hot Rod, offering him wisdom and advice when he needs it (though Hot Rod rarely feels that he does, much to Kup's annoyance). [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] also serves as a calming influence on Hot Rod, and tends to either worry about him when he is not around, or deride and tease him when he is. Their relationship is antagonistic, but friendly. Exactly how deep Hot Rod's feelings for Arcee might run is unknown, whether they be friendly, [[Transformer romance|romantic]], or otherwise.

In contrast, his '''Rodimus Prime''' persona—while still headstrong and stubborn—seems to suffer from a severe lack of confidence, often doubting his own decisions and expressing distress over his position as an [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]]. Of course, much of this comes from comparisons with his former commander [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]—and let's face it, shoes-to-be-filled just don't ''get'' much bigger than that.

One thing that both sides of this Autobot's identity have in common is their impatience—neither Hot Rod nor Rodimus Prime can stand to wait around when they could be doing something instead. He is also very self-reliant, rarely sending others to do anything when he could be doing it himself. His [[Targetmaster]] partner is [[Firebolt (G1)|Firebolt]]. As Rodimus Prime, his vehicle sometimes splits between his robot and [[Mobile Defense Bay]].

{{bigquote|I ''knew'' you had potential, lad.|[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] on Hot Rod's transformation into Rodimus Prime|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[Image:Fightorflee Rodimus explosion.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
{{main|Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}

At some point before 2005, Hot Rod became stationed at [[Autobot City]] and so was present during the [[Battle of Autobot City]]. This was a turning point in the life of the turbo-revving young punk, because the [[Matrix of Leadership]] chose him as its next bearer following the death of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. As Rodimus Prime, his first accomplishments were the defeat of [[Unicron]] and the return of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to the Autobots.

During his time as [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], Rodimus not only had to deal with the Decepticons and [[Galvatron (G1)|their new leader]], but also the political complexities of the planetary alliance Cybertron joined, the return of the Transformers' cruel masters from long ago, the [[Quintesson]]s, the possible revival of Unicron and the arrival of Unicron's "little brother" [[Tornedron]].

During the [[Hate Plague]] outbreak in 2006, Optimus Prime was brought back to life and Rodimus gave up his rank of Prime, becoming Hot Rod once more. He would live to see the next Cybertronian [[Golden Age]].
{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Tyroxian hot rod blurr marvel uk 132.jpg|left|thumb|150px|What the Hell!?]]
''Several hundred years ago, [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] dispatched Hot Rod and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] to search for habitable worlds. During this mission, the pair ran afoul of the [[Tyroxian]]s—unpleasant [[alien]]s who captured Blurr and pursued Hot Rod through space. While fleeing, Hot Rod crossed paths with the Autobot war veteran, Kup, living a nomadic existence wandering through space at the time, and the youth's bravado in attacking [[Tyroxia]] single-handed re-ignited Kup's fighting spirit. After saving Hot Rod and helping him to rescue Blurr, Kup joined the pair in returning to Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Kup's Story!}}

[[Image:BrothersinArmor-Targetmasters.jpg|right|thumb|350px|I'm important! Just not right now.]]

Hot Rod was among the contingent of Transformers who ultimately accompanied Fortress Maximus in abandoning the war on Cybertron for a new world, [[Nebulos]]. The Autobots' arrival on the planet immediately stirred civil unrest, however, which led to the Decepticons being brought to the planet, and the war continuing on a smaller scale. Technological advancements developed during the conflict saw Nebulans being bio-engineered into [[Binary bonding|partnerships]] with the Transformers. Hot Rod became a Targetmaster, and was bonded to the Nebulan sharpshooter, Firebolt (aka Sparks), who transformed into his gun. Eventually, the Autobots determined to move their war away from Nebulos, and followed a signal sent by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]], received by Hot Rod, to the planet [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

Hot Rod and the other Autobots of Nebulos were soon incorporated into the larger Autobot force on Earth, under the command of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]. On one occasion, Hot Rod and several Autobots accompanied Prime on what appeared to be a simple mission to stop some Decepticon [[Micromaster]]s from attacking MacDill Air Force Base. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}} In fact, the attack was part of a much larger scheme by the deposed Decepticon leader [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], luring Prime and his forces away from the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and setting them against his rival for Decepticon leadership, the mighty [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Once Prime realized the greater threat at issue, he ordered his troops to immediately take the [[Ark shuttlecraft|shuttle]] back to the Ark, but Hot Rod recklessly chose to stay behind at Optimus's side to face the Decepticons. {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}} He was therefore on-hand when the newly resurrected [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] arrived, and began tearing through all Transformers present, in the name of Megatron. He managed to take a shot at Starscream's new [[Pretender]] shell, causing enough neural feedback to temporarily weaken the Decepticon, and give Scorponok time to strike and end the threat. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

[[Image:YesterdaysHeroes-HotRod.jpg|left|thumb|200px|I, Hot Rod, have entered the main US cast so that I may hatch hilariously hairbrained sitcom schemes!]]

The cost was still high, though, as Optimus Prime returned to the Ark and learned that his good friend, [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], had sacrificed himself to help stop Megatron's schemes. This sent the Autobot leader into a depression, and Hot Rod took it upon himself to snap Optimus out of it. He had the crazy scheme of creating a mock threat with a [[Guardian (Marvel)|Guardian Mark V battle droid]], with predictable results. The robot proceeded to ''actually'' malfunction and endanger the Autobots, but Hot Rod's plan worked when Prime eventually snapped out of his funk and defeated the droid to save the day. Hot Rod needed to find a replacement hand after the Guardian snapped it off, but hey, all's well that ends well. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

[[Image:Hoverscooter.jpg|right|thumb|250px|whoopeee]]

Hot Rod continued to operate with Earth's Autobot forces aboard the Ark, and was present during [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s rampage through the shuttle bay. He took some damage, but remained functional enough to continue on, and was later seen speeding into the battle with Unicron himself on a [[Sky-sled|hoverscooter]], {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} He was also one of many Autobots destroyed by the Decepticons on [[Klo]], only to be revived by the [[Last Autobot]]. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}

In an alternate future of 2005, Hot Rod was one of the many Autobots based in the completed Autobot City. He was close friends with the young human [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. Realizing that the Decepticons were invading in a stolen shuttle, Hot Rod and Daniel tried to outpace them before they reached the city. Optimus Prime fell in battle against Megatron, and Hot Rod stood with a handful of others as Optimus died and passed the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Leadership Matrix]] to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}}

[[Image:FinalBattle-Rodimus.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Galvatron can shoot at Rodimus until he's blue in the face, but he'll never surrender his coconut.]]

After Prime's death, Autobot City got word from [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] that a "monster planet" was devouring Cybertron's moons. En route, Hot Rod and Kup (and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]) were separated from the rest of the Autobots during a Decepticon attack and crashed on the planet [[Quintessa]]. After escaping the sadistic trial of the [[Quintesson]]s and attempted execution (as well as meeting [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]]), {{storylink| Judgment Day!}} Hot Rod went on to the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he was just in time to stop [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] from fighting another group of stranded Autobots with a timely use of the [[Universal greeting]]. Together, they all traveled to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to stop [[Unicron]] before he could eat more than just its moons.

Hot Rod plunged his ship through Unicron's eye and was separated from the rest of his team. Alone, he found himself facing Galvatron in a battle to the death over the Autobot Leadership Matrix. Claiming the Matrix, Hot Rod [[Renaming|evolved into]] "Rodimus Prime", an older, larger, and more powerful version of himself. After overpowering Galvatron and hurling him through Unicron's hide into the void of space, he opened the Matrix and destroyed Unicron from within. {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

In 2006, Rodimus Prime's Autobots had taken control of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] reported suspicious activity on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], so Rodimus sent the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbot]]s to investigate. [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] was defeated in battle but was able to send back an SOS before going offline. Sky Lynx was dispatched to retrieve him, and Rodimus decided to investigate himself. He took [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]].

Once there, the Autobots discovered a chaotic scene where aliens from many worlds, including the Decepticons, had arrived and were all engaged in a deadly battle with one another. Rodimus was immediately attacked by a hypnotized [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and the two battled to a standstill. The other Autobots were able to disrupt a hypnotic signal that was causing everyone to fight one another. The [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] then added their strength against the Decepticons, causing the latter to retreat. Rodimus didn't care where the hypnosis signal had been coming from, as long as it was off for good. He never discovered that it was the work of the [[Quintesson]]s. {{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]].}}

[[Image:GalvatrondeadrodimusUS67.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Do you expect me to talk?" "No, Mr Prime, I expect you to die!"]]
In an another alternate future timeline, Hot Rod arose to become Rodimus Prime. However, the planet-eater known as Unicron managed to destroy Cybertron, leaving Rodimus to lead a failed Autobot/human defense of Earth when [[Galvatron II|that timeline's Galvatron]] attacked and eventually conquered it. Rodimus perished during the conflict, and his body was strung up between the ruined towers of the World Trade Center. In the year 2009, Galvatron returned to Manhattan to survey its devastated landscape, and fired upon Rodimus's corpse, demanding to know how many times he would have to kill him to erase his legacy. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

{{-}}
=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[Image:Hot rod ark duty.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Really, by assigning ''me'' to Ark duty, they're practically demanding me to go be irresponsible!"]]
''Hot Rod rose to greater prominence in the alternate future timeline of [[Earth-120185]]. In 1990, he, Kup and Blurr were captured by Megatron; although rescued by a double-agent named [[Warmonger]], Hot Rod was recaptured and bore witness first hand to Megatron's mercilessness when he executed Warmonger. Then, in 1991, he was part of a unit that escorted the captive [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], only to lose the Decepticon leader when forced to defend a human settlement against an attack by the [[Air Strike Patrol]].'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}} ''On another occasion in 1995, Hot Rod was present when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] first unveiled the [[Female Transformer|female Autobot]], [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], to [[Feminist mob|a dubious crowd of human feminists]]. Hot Rod was more than a little flustered by Arcee's presence on the battlefield.'' {{storylink|Prime's Rib!}} ''In 2003, he and Blurr were given "Ark duty," assigned to stand guard over the [[Ark (G1)|Autobots' spaceship]] while construction on [[Autobot City]] began. Kup was apparently instructed to deliver the plans of the city to the American government, and when Hot Rod saw him being jumped by the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], he disobeyed orders and sped out to the rescue. The Stunticons brutally beat on Hot Rod and took the plans, but Hot Rod learned a hard lesson when Kup informed him that it was meant to happen that way because the plans were a fake.'' {{storylink|Ark Duty}} ''When the city was completed in 2004, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] attacked it on its opening day, and Hot Rod repelled him by attacking in a wildly illogical manner, tackling him down a mountain repeatedly.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}} ''Also, at some unknown point in the past, Hot Rod's Targetmaster partner Firebolt was killed in action.'' {{storylink|Headhunt}}

[[Image:FallenAngel-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Since this is a comic book, Rodimus has to hum "[[The Touch]]" to himself.]]

''In the year 2006, when the new Decepticon leader [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] travelled back in time to 1986 as part of a plan to free himself from the control of Unicron, the chaos-bringer used his mental powers to plant knowledge of Galvatron's plan into the minds of Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr and transported them to Cybertron, where they used Galvatron's equipment to follow him into the past. There, with help from the present-day incarnation of Ultra Magnus, they were able to convince Galvatron that he had, in fact, traveled back in time to a parallel universe, where his actions would have no effect on the future. Believing this, Galvatron returned to his own time, and after setting any remaining wrongs to rights, the trio of Autobots also returned to 2006.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}} ''Back in his native timeline, Hot Rod was subsequently involved in a battle with Galvatron inside Unicron's body, during which he opened the sacred Autobot talisman, the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], and was transformed into Rodimus Prime. With this new strength, he hurled Galvatron through Unicron's hide and opened the Matrix, destroying the planet-eater.'' {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

''It's believed that [[Primus]] ''deliberately'' caused Hot Rod's Prime form to resemble him. What an ego!'' {{storylink|Salvage!|#160's Grim Grams}}

[[Image:Rodimusprimerequestdenied.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Rodimus learned the wrong lesson from Optimus's death.]]

''As the new Autobot leader, Rodimus became paranoid about Galvatron's eventual return, since no body was ever recovered from space. He led the Autobot forces high and low searching the universe for the Decepticon leader, neglecting Cybertron in the process. As a result, Shockwave arose as the new Decepticon leader, and total war broke out on Cybertron once again. Unable to take the time to find Galvatron himself anymore, Rodimus rashly placed a bounty on the Decepticon's head. What Rodimus did not realize, however, was that Galvatron had time-jumped again, traveling back to 1987.'' {{storylink|Wanted: Galvatron — Dead or Alive!}} ''In 2007, when the freelance peace-keeping agent [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]] pursued Galvatron back to the '80s, Rodimus was informed of this fact by an Autobot double-agent named [[Nautilus]], and, dismayed at the danger he had unleashed on the past, promptly headed back in time himself to stop the dual threats.'' {{storylink|Burning Sky!}} ''Once again teaming up with the present-day Ultra Magnus, Rodimus and his team of Kup, Blurr and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] tracked Galvatron down to [[Mount Verona]], where he was attempting to harness the volcano's molten energy. While arguing with Death's Head, Rodimus and the bounty hunter were both attacked, but when Ultra Magnus opened fire on his [[power siphon]], Galvatron was distracted long enough for Rodimus to escape.'' {{storylink|Hunters}} ''Rodimus then arranged a plan that saw the Autobots capture Galvatron's time-jump mechanism, in order to have Wreck-Gar re-engineer it to return all the time-travelers to their point of origin. Rodimus engaged Galvatron in a protracted battle to buy Wreck-Gar time, but when the device was activated, Rodimus, Death's Head and the other Autobots were returned to 2007. Galvatron was left behind.'' {{storylink|Fire on High!}}

[[Image:Headhunt-Rodimus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Rodimus discovers a depressing third option to "fight and die" or "live with the knowledge that I ran."]]

''Some time later, a disgruntled Death's Head accepted a contract from the Decepticons on Rodimus Prime's head, and ambushed him while he was inspecting Autobot lines. Their battle subsequently went underground, where [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] intervened, downing Death's Head in hopes of being the ones to defeat Rodimus, in order to reclaim their lost standing in the Decepticons' ranks. Rodimus was able to lead Death's Head through the underground tunnels, right into the heart of the Autobot camp, where he offered him advance payment for a different contract—on Cyclonus and Scourge.'' {{storylink|Headhunt}} ''Death's Head proceeded to track the two Decepticons for the remainder of the year, until the three of them fell under the mental control of Unicron when they discovered his disembodied head on the planet of [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]] in the early days of 2008. Under his control, they assassinated Decepticon leader Shockwave and reignited the stalemated Cybertronian civil war in order to keep the Autobots busy while Unicron worked on rebuilding his body. Rodimus, however, learned of the situation thanks to [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], and led a small Autobot force to Junk, where Death's Head fought against Unicron's control long enough to project Rodimus's mind into a battle with the demi-god on the astral plane. During the battle, explosives planted by Wreck-Gar destroyed Unicron's head, and his mind was sealed within the Matrix.'' {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}}

[[Image:Arceehotrodspacepirates.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Hasbro slips Rodimus a few [[Shanix]] under the table to "lose" the Matrix ever so often. They's got Hot Rod toys to sell.]]

''Later in 2008, the alien Quintessons targeted Cybertron for colonization, and attacked the Autobots with a two-pronged assault on both Cybertron and Earth. When [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] shirked her guard duty at Autobot City, the Quintessons were given an opening that allowed them to take over the city, and when she returned, they gunned her down as bait for a trap for Rodimus Prime. Arriving at the city, Rodimus discovered the injured Arcee and opened his chest compartment to heal her with the Matrix, only to have it yanked from his grasp by the Quintesson general, [[Ghyrik]], causing him to revert to Hot Rod. Liberating [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s cassettes for back-up, Hot Rod and Arcee proceeded to fight their way through the Quintessons to Autobot City's control room, where Hot Rod activated [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] to smash the alien threat. In battle with Ghyrik, Hot Rod duped the Quintessons with a bit of amateur ventriloquism and reclaimed the Matrix; transformed back into Rodimus Prime again, he routed the Quintessons.'' {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}

[[Image:TimeWars-OptimusPrimeentersthefray.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Rodimus traveled 20 years into the past just to be upstaged by That Guy again.]]

''Unbeknownst to Rodimus, the Quintessons had sought to colonize Cybertron because their own homeworld was being destroyed by a rift in space and time caused by the Transformers' repeated time-travel. The rift continued to grow in size until it threatened both Earth and Cybertron at the beginning of both 2009 and 1989. To put an end to the threat, Rodimus and a squad of Autobots traveled back to 1989, only to wind up mass-displacing Optimus Prime (since the Matrix could not exist in two time periods at once) and a group of other Autobots to [[limbo]], leading to a brief but violent misunderstanding with the present-day Autobots. Optimus Prime was able to stabilize the situation by communicating with all involved through the power of the Matrix. Subsequently, Autobots and Decepticons from both the present and future teamed up to battle Galvatron and [[Straxus (G1)|Megatron]], but one by one they fell, until Optimus Prime used the Matrix to return himself to reality for a final showdown. After absorbing Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge, however, the rift was sealed by Shockwave, and Rodimus and the other future Autobots returned to 2009, vowing to destroy their time machines to prevent this from ever happening again.'' {{storylink|Time Wars}}

''As it transpired, however, things would not be that easy. In the wake of the massive chronal damage caused by the rift, time had attempted to heal its wounds, but reality was no longer as it had been. The future that Rodimus and the other Autobots came from no longer existed—in its place was a world where Galvatron had never traveled back in time, and had conquered Cybertron after Unicron's destruction. Rodimus quickly established a rebellion, but when Galvatron tracked down their headquarters, he killed Blurr and all others present, goading Rodimus into a ferocious battle in hopes of corrupting the Matrix within him. Rodimus realized what he was doing, however, and ended the fight before more damage could be done.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

[[Image:EdgeofImpact-EvilRodimus.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Tonight the part of Rodimus Prime will be played by the Green Goblin.]]

''Rodimus and the Autobots escaped to Earth via hyperspace, only to find that [[Future Autobot evacuation ship|their craft]]'s guidance systems had been damaged. During the flight, Rodimus Prime vanished,'' {{storylink|The Void! (UK)|The Void!}} ''and Kup discovered that he was the saboteur,'' {{storylink|Edge of Impact}} ''deducing that he had been corrupted by an evil force from within the Matrix.'' {{storylink|Shadow of Evil}} ''Inside the Matrix, Rodimus battled with the essence of Unicron, trapped there since the events of 2008, until Kup wrenched the Matrix from his chest, freeing him from the chaos-bringer's influence. But now, Rodimus knew that the evil of Unicron would be waiting for him within it...'' {{storylink|White Fire}} ''...and in 2010, Unicron's essence succeeded in taking over Rodimus's body, transforming it into a duplicate of his own and attacking Cybertron once more, until Rodimus was able to defeat him from within and re-seal him within the Matrix.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

''Centuries later, in the year 2356, Rodimus, his body withered and weakened from the continuous harmful influence of Unicron from within the Matrix, lectured a young Autobot [[student]] on the nature of evil, unwittingly setting the youth on the path towards villainy himself.'' {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

''In an unidentified timeline in the year 2510, a healthy Rodimus Prime was overjoyed to announce that the Cybertronian war was finally over, and planned to step down as leader to allow [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] to take over. The sole remaining Decepticon, a double-agent named [[Triton]], spoke out against the decision to cause dissension, and succeeded—as Rodimus could only watch in dismay, arguments escalated into conflict, and the war was born again as [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]] fought [[Wrecker]], and the Autobot Civil War began.'' {{storylink|Peace}}

{{-}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:HotrodG2Marvelcomic.jpg|100px|thumb|left|Try purple! It's the new maroon!]]
After the defeat of the Decepticons on [[Klo]], the Autobots' forces scattered throughout the galaxy as virtually independent splinter cells. A small group under Optimus Prime's command encountered Bludgeon and his soldiers on a desolate world, both sides looking for new weapons or technology, and were in danger of being overrun. Prime sent Hot Rod into a nearby mausoleum building in the hopes that he could conjure up some form of "graven image" to distract the superstitious Decepticon leader. Hot Rod emerged empty-handed from the ruins, only to find that just [[Guardian (G2)|such a graven image]] had conjured ''itself'', chased off the trespassing Decepticons, and was now prepared to do the same to the Autobots. They managed a dignified, if rushed, scramble to safety. {{storylink|All or Nothing!|Ghosts}}

[[Image:G2kupwonderspowerandglory.jpg|right|thumb|300px|No?]]

When Grimlock sent out a message summoning Optimus Prime, Hot Rod and Kup accompanied him. Hot Rod was quick to remark the sorry state of the planet they were on, and pondered exactly why they were here. As Prime continued his lengthy internal monolog, they were ambushed by a second-generation Cybertronian patrol. Hot Rod pretended to flee, but quickly came back as he and Prime caught the squad in a crossfire, annihilating the lot of them. Grimlock made his presence known afterwards and took them to his ship, where Hot Rod casually fiddled with a panel while Grimlock exposited. [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] attacked soon after, crippling the Autobots's ship and capturing them. They later managed to escape Jhiaxus's flagship. {{storylink|War Without End!}} When Grimlock and a team of Autobots were captured once again by the Liege Centuro, Hot Rod was part of Optimus's rescue team. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}} While Optimus Prime went on a vision quest back on Cybertron, some Autobots set up camp on a deserted asteroid, where Kup set up some war games for training. Hot Rod managed to lure the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] into a false sense of confidence and into a trap consisting of Dinobots. When the exercise was over, Hot Rod expressed frustration at the fact that they were stuck playing games while Jhiaxus and his Cybertronians were still out there. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}} Megatron's resurfacing on Earth made Optimus Prime decide to confront him alone. Fortunately, Grimlock had different ideas and mounted up a rescue, which Hot Rod participated in. He tried to engage [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] in vehicle mode, but the small Decepticon used his piledrivers to send Hot Rod tumbling away. Hot Rod crashed just behind Megatron, prompting the Decepticon leader to order a full retreat. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}}

[[Image:Arageinheaven-electro.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Hot Rod is the honorary fifth [[Laser Rod]] member.]]

Hot Rod was amongst the Autobots deployed to the planet [[Ethos]] where they fought hard to counter a Cybertronian offensive, but quickly found themselves overwhelmed and had to be saved by their newfound Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Escalation!}} After Starscream sold out the location of the Autobots' [[Autobase]] on Earth, Jhiaxus organized a full-scale assault. Hot Rod was part of the counter-offensive, and as the Cybertronians were being eradicated by the Autobot-Decepticon alliance, he was quick to report Prime his new finding: Jhiaxus had a ''second wave'' waiting in the wings. {{storylink|Total War!}} When the Cybertronian threat was overshadowed by the oncoming [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]], Hot Rod and [[Electro]] went scouting out for its position. Thanks to Murphy's law, he had the misfortune of reporting its arrival just as Grimlock pondered just how things could get worse. Unlike many of his fellow Autobots, Hot Rod was saved from being devoured by the Swarm thanks to Megatron's timely arrival, carrying canisters of [[Rheanimum]]. Soon afterwards, Hot Rod and company witnessed Optimus Prime's return to life in a shiny new body, and cheered at his speech for unity and a higher purpose than war. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}
{{-}}

====''Classics''====
{{note|The Classics comic takes place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a [[splinter timeline]] that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or Generation 2.}}

[[Image:CrossingOver5-RodimusMirage.jpg|right|thumb|250px|We got to buy... more time!]]

Once peace was restored on [[Klo]], Hot Rod followed Optimus Prime back to Cybertron, where the young Autobot fell back into the racing scene. After countless years of fighting for his life, this quickly bored Hot Rod, who went to Optimus to ask advice. Hot Rod was put in charge of the rehabilitation of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and the integration of the millions of Transformers who had fled the planet during the war. To keep the returning Transformers entertained, Hot Rod devised the [[Cybertron Grand Challenge]], a cross-factional racing event of an epic scale. Following his cultural triumph, Hot Rod changed his name to Rodimus, both to reflect his growing maturity and in homage to Optimus Prime, the leader he still adored. Rodimus became one of Optimus Prime's closest officers, and when [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] reared his head again on [[Earth]], Rodimus was one of the first recruited to accompany Optimus to hunt him down. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 15|''Classics'' Rodimus profile}}

After the Autobots discovered the mysterious Autobot, [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], they flew to [[South America]] to investigate a mysterious power source. Rodimus led them there with a tracking device, muttering that he wished [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] were around to help him use it. Clearly they arrived at the correct location, however, because the Decepticons were there looking for it as well! {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} As the battle raged, [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and Rodimus cornered Soundwave, but the two worried that they were being overwhelmed by numbers. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} Rodimus tried contacting [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]], but the Autobot scout wasn't responding, and so Rodimus grew even more frustrated when Mirage went invisible and left him. Mirage's gambit helped win the battle, and the Decepticons withdrew. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}}

Rodimus was damaged severely, and so after the battle in South America, Optimus Prime carried him all the way home. Bumblebee was asked to put him in a [[CR chamber]]. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

{{-}}
===S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers===
[[Image:PackIn RodimusPrimeRemembers Front.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Just like he remembers Woodstock.]]

Unicron just might consume the universe, and the Autobots need to determine who the Chosen One is so that he may rise from their ranks, unlock the Matrix of Power, and save all from Unicron! Unfortunately, not even the Chosen One himself knows his identity, and his discovery may come too late. {{storylink|The Autobots Have a Special Mission for:}}

There was a legendary conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons when Optimus Prime led Rodimus Prime and a large team of Autobots in a search for the future site of [[Autobot City]]. They were ambushed by Megatron and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and this became known as the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth. Rodimus Prime dubbed it "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction (G1)|Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]." {{storylink|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.}} Some of the Autobots were forced to retreat due to Thundercracker's "force shield," and Optimus Prime told Rodimus and the others that their only hope was to call in for additional troops. {{storylink|Transformers Combat Data}}

Later, Rodimus Prime remembered the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth. {{storylink|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.|Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth.}}
{{-}}

===Big Looker Storybook continuity===
[[Image:CarShowBlowup-AutobotCity.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Hot Rod clearly does not pass emissions standards.]]

Kup and Hot Rod traveled to the coliseum to check out a robot car the [[human]]s had built that could respond to voice commands. They heard about it on their car radios! But when they arrived at the coliseum, Kup spotted Decepticons flying about. As some entered the back door, Kup shooed Hot Rod away, telling him to warn the others. If Hot Rod stayed, he would just get into trouble!

[[Image:Wildboyofquintessonbattle.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This is the genocide referred to [[:Image:EdgeofImpact-EvilRodimus.jpg|above]].]]

When Hot Rod returned with the Autobots, Kup had been captured and held prisoner, so the others entered the coliseum in vehicle mode. Meanwhile, Hot Rod snuck up behind Kup and freed him. Yelling "Geronimo!" they jumped from the control room onto the coliseum floor, taking the Decepticons by surprise. Galvatron and the others escaped, but Kup and Hot Rod agreed that they'd be ready for him when he returned. {{storylink|Car Show Blow Up}}

Later, Kup led Hot Rod, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] on a special mission to take supplies from Earth to a space station on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s second moon. Despite Kup's warnings, the Dinobots loaded too many supplies onto the ship, and in the middle of their journey, the ship began to have problems. Hot Rod reassured Arcee that everything would be okay, but the ship was going down! It crashed on a planet which Kup recognized. It was the planet [[Quintessa|Quintesson]]! They were interrupted by a tribal scream and a flurry of firestones. However, the boy who made his presence known was not aiming at them, but at the Quintessons behind them. The boy's name was [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], and he had been abandoned on the planet when his ship crashed their earlier.

Wheelie led them through the jungle, battling Quintessons along the way, until they reached Wheelie's crashed ship. Hot Rod was able to fix it, and everyone left the planet Quintesson, Wheelie included! {{storylink|The Story of Wheelie, the Wild Boy of Quintesson}}

{{--}}
===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[Image:DecepticonsatthePole-HotRodSparks.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Say I'm badly drawn to my face, pal!]]
Hot Rod was one of several troops stationed on Earth when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] was in charge and the Transformers' war was still a secret one. He got along well with [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], the two spending their downtime looking at car magazines together, and was quite pleased to receive some snazzy gold wheel-trims from the boy. {{storylink|Decepticon Hideout}}

In the time following this campaign, Hot Rod would mature into a more sensible warrior and even a team leader. During the early stages of the war on [[Nebulos]], Hot Rod was Autobot commander against [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]'s Decepticons before the return of Optimus Prime. At one point, he prevented the Decepticons causing Nebulos' destruction via cosmic radiation. {{storylink|Decepticons at the Pole}}

===Sticker Adventures===
Out searching for a missing shuttle, Hot Rod and Kup spied it crashed on the Junk planet. They landed to find their friends engaged in battle with the natives, but Kup cautioned Hot Rod not to rashly jump in and join them. Kup's use of the Universal Autobot Greeting resulted in the Junkions abandoning the fight and making friends with the newcomers, and causing Hot Rod to exclaim "Holy cow!" The Junkions helped repair the damaged shuttle before the Autobots left. {{storylink|Battle on the Junk Planet}}

{{-}}
===Young Corgi Adventure books===
[[Image:Wolf at the door desert of danger.jpg|thumb|right|200px|When you're weary, feelin' small...]]
Hot Rod had himself delivered by freight to the planet of Nebulos, where he and his Targetmaster partner Professor Sparks suspected the Decepticons were attempting reinforce their position in spite of a treaty in place to limit their numbers. With [[You|your]] help they traced the Decepticons to the [[Wolf at the Door]] nightclub, an [[oil]] bar for Nebulan miners run by [[Monzo]], and discovered that [[Weirdwolf]], [[Skullcruncher]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] were importing [[Attack Squad robot]]s from Cybertron and awakening them from cryogenic suspension with a catalytic stimulant disguised as [[Sirian brandy]].

After a confrontation with the Decepticons that left Skullcruncher and Mindwipe out of action, Hot Rod faced off against Weirdwolf and Monzo. Weirdwolf was defiant, but Monzo wasn't feeling lucky and surrendered to the Autobot. Though the Headmasters had to be released under the terms of the treaty, the Attack Squad robots were destroyed. {{storylink|Desert of Danger}}

{{note|"Desert of Danger" is a [[multipath adventure]] and the above only applies to the optimum path through the book. If you make the wrong decision, the Decepticons may well triumph instead.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers PD Type'' comic===
[[Image:Pdtype_rodimus_manga.jpg|left|250px|thumb|]]

Clutching a [[Blackball]], Rodimus Prime found himself being attacked by Galvatron. As the Decepticon leader attempted to throttle him, a light shone from Rodimus's chest, making Galvatron think it was the power of the Blackball. After Galvatron had fled, Rodimus revealed it was just a torch, and reflected on what an idiot his foe was. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##11 "Take a Stand! Rodimus Prime!"|Take a Stand! Rodimus Prime!}}

As Fortress Maximus and Mega Zarak clashed violently, Rodimus reminded Optimus that he had said never to let those two fight. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##14 "Watch Out! Mega Zarak!"|Watch Out! Mega Zarak!}}

Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime enjoyed many victories against the Decepticons, but [[Greatshot|who was that in the background?]] {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##15 "No One Knows When he's Come or Gone. Greatshot..."|No One Knows When he's Come or Gone. Greatshot...}}

Together with Ultra Magnus, Rodimus engaged in battle against [[Sixshot]], but was terrified when the Decepticon ninja unleashed the fury of his "Six Shadow Selves"! Luckily for Rodimus, Sixshot's doppelgangers were actually other Decepticons whom he'd painted black (and weren't very happy about it). {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##18|The Ninja of Space, Sixshot!!}}

In a later altercation with Sixshot, Rodimus attempted to use his Photon Eliminator gun to strike down the fleeing ninja. Though he managed to shoot ''every other'' Decepticon on the battlefield, he failed to hit his intended target. Rodimus sat pouting in the corner as the other Autobots convened to register their disappointment that Rodimus let Sixshot get away. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##21|Photon Eliminator}}

Joining [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]] and Ultra Magnus in an assault on Mega Zarak, Rodimus was terrified when the mammoth Decepticon unleashed his titanic Anti-Gravity Rifle. Fortunately for the Autobots, the gun jammed and Mega Zarak was left fiddling with it while they opened fire. {{storylink|Transformers PD Type##24|Anti-Gravity Rifle}}

{{-}}
===''Transformers in 3-D''===
[[Image:WarAgainstDestructions-HotRodApeface.jpg|right|thumb|300px|GRONK yourself!]]
As Ultra Magnus left for a mission to find an Energon source, Hot Rod assured him that everything would be fine on Cybertron, and if there was any hint of trouble "Rodimus" would pop up and save the day. When Magnus later checked in, Hot Rod reported that they'd made some process on Headmaster technology. Though Magnus was more concerned about the threat of war, Hot Rod told him not to worry, unaware that [[Sixshot]] was planning to throw him a surprise. {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}

Hot Rod was pleased to have [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] back. Then [[Monitorus]] arrived with the news that [[Tau-Ursa]] had been attacked and leveled by Decepticons, and Hot Rod got to point out that the Tau-Ursans had refused the Autobots permission to build a defense base there. He shortly took part in an attempt to repel a Decepticon attack on Cybertron, finding himself fighting against Sixshot, who seemed more interested in goading him than fighting. This turned out to be a diversion, while [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] used his new [[Nullification Cannon]] on the planet's Energon supplies.

Hot Rod and Blurr next visited Tau-Ursa to check for Decepticons, and encountered [[Apeface|Ape Face]], who had found a [[Logicon]] warning beacon. The two Autobots wrestled it from him and returned to Cybertron, where the beacon was found to hold the coordinates to [[Metascan Alpha]], a major Energon storehouse. Prime placed Hot Rod in charge of one of two teams to search for the planet, though the operation was hampered slightly by the discovery of the two Decepticon [[Clone (subgroup)|Clone]]s spying on them. {{storylink|The War Against the Destructons, Chapter 1 of 3}}

{{Note|At this point [[Blackthorne Publishing]] went bankrupt and the storyline was never completed}}

{{-}}
===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Hotroddreamwave.jpg|left|thumb|]]Hot Rod joined an underground Autobot cell led by [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] after [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave's]] takeover of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Among the members of the cell was [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], whom Hot Rod became attached to. From the [[Wastelands]], Hot Rod, [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] observed an incoming Decepticon shuttle carrying the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}} Shortly afterward, the cell rescued [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] from [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]] and [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]], and took him to their base. After awakening, Prime attacked [[Gnaw]], Blurr, and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], forcing Hot Rod (who didn't recognize him) to hold the Autobot leader at gunpoint. After being <strike>bitch slapped</strike> admonished by Kup, Hot Rod apologized. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}

After Shockwave unleashed the [[Guardian robot]]s on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], Prime organized the resistance cell and other Autobot forces on the planet in an assault on Shockwave's citadel. Fighting alongside the Autobot leader, Hot Rod was amazed that the stories Kup had told him about Prime's courage and heroism had all been true. As an injured Prime breached the citadel, Hot Rod, Ironhide and [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] provided cover fire, taking down a number of Guardians in the process. Along with the rest of Iacon, they witnessed the divine light of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Matrix of Leadership]] when Shockwave activated it. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (issue)|Countdown to Extinction}}

As Prime and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] battled Shockwave within the citadel, Hot Rod and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] took down [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. Immediately afterward, they were confronted with the looming threat of a remaining Guardian robot—a threat that was soon neutralized by the arrival of the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]], the [[Autobot High Council]], and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]]. The unified Autobot group soon breached the citadel. {{storylink|Revelation (War and Peace)|Revelation}}

Some time later, Hot Rod ran a simulation combat scenario against Kup, and won using tactics that, in Kup's opinion, would have killed them both had it been real. Only after his victory did Hot Rod remember that he'd promised to take Arcee to see an [[Earth]]-bound shuttle launch—a duty Springer was happy to relieve him of. {{storylink|Lost and Found (issue)|Lost and Found}} Soon afterward, he was assigned to perimeter guard duty at [[Autobase]] with Gnaw and Wheelie, separating him from Arcee. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===''Universe: Featuring the Wreckers''===
[[Image:Skidswreckers2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|It's funny because Rodimus sucked at everything.]]

A few months after the destruction of [[Unicron]] in 2005, Rodimus Prime spearheaded an effort to establish multiple recon posts to watch for advancing threats... even though some of his scientists said he shouldn't. When only two of the five launched ships were ever heard from again, Rodimus felt like a schmuck. Guy can't catch a break. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

After the Great Wars ended and the [[Pax Cybertronia]] was signed, he changed his name to simply "Rodimus" and decided to check out the new "[[Great Upgrade|Maximal Upgrade]]". His relationship with [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] effectively ended shortly after, as the latter went through dark gripping emo depression over the death of [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] and vanished.

Rodimus joined the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] at some undetermined point afterward. After [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] took over Cybertron with his [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon drones]], Wrecker leader [[Apelinq]] got stranded on prehistoric [[Earth]], leaving Rodimus in charge. True to form, he ditched leadership duties to [[Primal Prime]] as soon as possible.

After Primal Prime got his marching orders from the [[Oracle (BM)|Oracle]], he met Rodimus deep inside Cybertron's caverns, where an even more gothy-emo Arcee—in a new Maximal body—lurked and stewed in her depression. Realizing he couldn't convince her to give a damn about anything, he left, rejoining the main Wrecker force in battle. Making it onto an ancient Autobot shuttle, the Wreckers blasted off... with late-arrival Arcee. {{storylink|Departure}}

[[Image:Arceedisclosure.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Except you're the size of my arm now.]]

Rodimus recognized the homing beacon emitting from [[Akalo|Archa Nine]] as one of those missing exploration parties mentioned before. When the shuttle landed, Rodimus stayed behind to help repair the damage the ship had suffered. The entire Wrecker team later gathered in an [[Akalouthan]] village, where Rodimus was reunited with [[Glyph (G1)|Glyph]], who took them to see the artifact known as the [[Divine Light]]. The Wreckers' analysis of the item was cut short, as it was stolen by the traitor [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]. Rodimus saw the back-in-his-old-body [[Devcon (G1)|Devcon]] off, who was sent to chase after Cyclonus, while the Wreckers made for their next destination... even though several of them were now leery of the visions Primal Prime had been getting. Because they'd really done ''so well'' by the Wreckers so far. {{storylink|Betrayal}}

Upon landing on the frozen planet, Rodimus was part of the search party immediately dispatched to look for... something. Primal Prime wasn't too specific. They came across [[Al-Badur]], an exiled [[Quintesson]], who gave them a little history lesson. They were then promptly attacked by a school of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]], but the Wreckers made short work of them. They made their way back to the ship, with Al-Badur in tow, and made for their next destination... {{storylink|Disclosure}}

[[Image:WreckersFinaleII-RodimusCyclonus.jpg|right|thumb|300px|If Optimus can die, so can I!]]

...Cybertron. As Primal Prime took some Wreckers after their true foe, [[Cryotek (RID)|Cryotek]], Rodimus tried to get their injured to a safe place. Unfortunately, the planet was under a full scale Quintesson invasion, and some anti-aircraft fire inevitably clipped the ship and sent them plummeting downwards. After they made it to safe ground, Rodimus and the crew hooked up with his fellow [[Matrix Templar]], [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], and followed his insight to the battle. They confronted Cryotek's underling, Cyclonus, and his purloined squad of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s. With casualties mounting on both sides, Cyclonus beat a safe retreat, collapsing the tunnel behind him to prevent pursuit. Rodimus was quick enough to dive through the falling debris, however, leaving the two old enemies alone to do battle. Centuries of bad blood carried them through the conflict, until both drew their weapons at point blank range, and fired.

Horribly damaged by this last attack, Rodimus struggled to keep up with the other Wreckers and the running conflict between [[Sentinel Maximus]] and Cryotek. The fighting came to an end at a Quintesson banishing chamber, where the treacherous Al-Badur had attempted to toss Sentinel and Cryotek into a formless void. The two warriors were trapped behind an energy dome, barely able to fight off the portal's pull using their flight systems. Once [[Fractyl]] pointed out that Cryotek was empowered by the Divine Light, a fraction of Primus's own power, Rodimus realized that as Matrix Templars he and Cheetor could drain that power away from the Predacon. They managed to extract most of it before Cryotek cut off their siphoning effect. In the end, Sentinel Maximus sacrificed himself to pull Cryotek into the void with him. Rodimus finally expired from his wounds from fighting Cyclonus, quietly passing on into the Matrix. {{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}
{{-}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:GIJoeTFHotRod70s.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"That bumperchest really doesn't feel right. How do Prowl and Jazz live with it?"]]
Hot Rod was one of [[Teletran 3]]'s unfortunate victims when the computer malfunctioned and transported a random number of Transformers to random points in Earth's timeline. Along with [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], Hot Rod ended up in mid-1970's [[San Francisco]], where he was locked into the form of a Ford Mustang muscle car. The dormant Autobot was soon stolen by a car thief, but was chased down by a group of [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joes]] and [[Cobra]] members sent to retrieve the Transformers. Discovering [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] in the process, the humans equipped both vehicles with [[disruption unit]] that awakened the Transformers and sent them back to present-day Cybertron seconds after Hot Rod commented about feeling "really weird." {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1}} Back on Cybertron, they were stuck waiting inside the force field Ultra Magnus had erected to prevent [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] from capturing Teletran 3. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

Some time after his time travel adventure, Hot Rod reported to Optimus Prime that [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s team on Earth had been sidetracked by a Cobra attack. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2|The Art of War #2}} When said team ended up disappearing in Cybertron's [[Gladiator Zone]], Hot Rod convinced Optimus to stay behind and take care of an Autobot peace ceremony instead of going out and searching for them. Hot Rod then assembled his own search party, but they failed to find the missing Autobots. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} Unfortunately, [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]]'s forces attacked the peace ceremony and captured Optimus Prime, leading to Hot Rod assembling a new team intent on rescuing him. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} They fought Serpent O.R.'s Decepticon army together with reinforcements from G.I. Joe, and during the battle, Hot Rod paused in horror as he saw the light of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] being opened inside the Decepticon base. The Decepticon army eventually defeated, and by the time Hot Rod reached inside their base, Serpent O.R. had been killed as well. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

A few months later, Hot Rod questioned Optimus Prime's choice to go to Earth again, accusing his leader of feeling guilty about [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s death at Serpent O.R.'s hands and doing everything by himself just to prevent more people from dying. Prime just looked at him sadly before leaving, causing Ultra Magnus to tell Hot Rod that he really needed to learn when to stop talking. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

{{-}}
===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Just before the war, Hot Rod was an unaffiliated Cybertronian from [[Nyon]] who stood up against [[Zeta Prime]] and the corrupt [[Senate]], though he refused to join the growing [[Decepticon]] terrorist movement. He and the other insurgents knew that Autobot captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] was also unhappy with the Senate and wanted him on their side, but first they had to show him Zeta Prime's evils firsthand. {{storylink|Ruins}} To attract Orion's attention, Hot Rod attacked his team with a [[plasma-charge]] during one of their missions. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} Before long, Zeta Prime ordered the same team to find and arrest him. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}} When Orion Pax and his Autobots found Hot Rod at the [[Acropolex]], he took pot shots at them to get them to follow him to the heart of the building, where they discovered tanks full of [[energon]] that Zeta Prime had drained from Nyon's citizens. Hot Rod then approached them, explaining that this kind of thing was happening all across Cybertron, and asked Orion to join the insurgents. {{storylink|Ruins}} Hot Rod was revealed to have been tricked by Zeta Prime and destroying Nyon in the process. Orion reassured Hot Rod that making difficult decisions and carrying the burden afterwards was all part of being a leader.{{storylink|Choices}}

Hot Rod was recruited by the Autobots just before [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] disappeared in space. {{storylink|Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination}}

[[Image:SpotlightHotRod rush.jpg|right|180px|thumb|WHEEEEEEE! AWESOME! TUBULAR! COWABUNGA! REAGANOMICS!]]
Years ago, Hot Rod was put in charge of a mission to the planet [[Ki-Aleta]] to obtain a powerful artifact named the [[Magnificence]] so as to keep it out of the hands of the Decepticons. The mission started off smoothly enough, with [[Gizmo]] using a [[holomatter]] generator to distract the defense systems while the rest of the team went after the Magnificence. Unfortunately, after that everything that could go wrong did go wrong. First, the generator malfunctioned, then [[Download]] tripped the security lasers around the Magnificence itself. Gizmo, Download, and [[Backbeat]] were destroyed by the security systems while Hot Rod and [[Doubledealer|Dealer]] fled. Hot Rod, nearing the exit tunnels they had previously drilled, got a call from Dealer—he had been ambushed by a Decepticon attack squad and needed help. Unfortunately, Hot Rod had been given his own, top secret orders: the Magnificence was to be the top priority of the mission, and placed before all else. With a heavy heart, Hot Rod abandoned Dealer to his fate as he left Ki-Aleta with the Magnificence.

Years later, Hot Rod learned that Dealer had not died that day; he was being held prisoner at the Decepticon penal colony known as [[Styx]]. Hot Rod stealthily infiltrated the prison complex, using a holomatter generator to disguise himself as a guard and then short-circuiting the power grid to cause all the cell doors to unlock. During the chaos he snuck in, extracted Dealer, and took off while the Decepticons were busy getting the prisoners under control. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hot Rod}}

[[Image:Escalation6 HotRod Koska.jpg|left|170px|thumb|Mine!]]
Recently, Hot Rod was called to [[Earth]] to aid the crew of the ''[[Ark-19]]'' in procuring a Decepticon [[facsimile construct]] from [[Brasnya]], a former Soviet state in eastern Europe. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} He and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] went down to Earth from the ''[[Ark-32]]'' against [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]'s wishes, and proceeded to join the battle unannounced. As Hardhead went to support the main battle, Hot Rod went after the facsimile... which led to him colliding with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] as they both tried to stop the [[Georgi Koska]] facsimile from letting himself get gunned down by Soviet soldiers. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} Prowl and Hot Rod managed to defuse the situation and secure the facsimile in the end {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}}, but before he could return to his ship he was attacked by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], unable to defend himself because he had to keep the facsimile alive. After returning to the ''Ark-32'', he had to be put in a [[CR chamber]] to recover. His injuries were for nothing, as the facsimile melted during the bounce. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[Image:Devastation6 HotRod Hardhead.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Hardhead, I'm with Arcee now. Let it go.]]
After Hot Rod was repaired and reformatted into a Dodge Viper, his "friend" Dealer tried to convince him to pull some strings to get him to Earth, but Hot Rod and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] had the more important task of rescuing [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} They ran into a bit of trouble with the [[Machination]]'s [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} They managed to escape temporarily, but were found and Wheeljack was incapacitated. Hot Rod easily held his own with the Headmasters {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}}, and noted that for [[Sunstreaker (G1)|some]] [[Hunter O'Nion|reason]] they had lost their "edge". He received a little help from Hardhead, who was mainly there to take Hot Rod and the others back to the ''Ark-32'' for evacuation to [[Garrus-9]]. Hot Rod refused to go, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery through to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[Image:SPDHotRodM.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Oh, Magic 8-Ball, will I ever be Prime in this continuity?]]
Hot Rod's search was interrupted by Dealer's arrival on Earth, with orders for Hot Rod: find the Magnificence and use it to learn what they could about the Expansion. Hot Rod took Dealer to his hiding spot, which turned out to be the planet where they first found the device. As Dealer and Hot Rod closed on the Magnificence, he went over his first visit to the planet in his mind, and how things could have gone so wrong. Eventually he began to have suspicions, and upon locating the Magnificence, asked it the question that haunted him: had Dealer betrayed him? Sadly, it revealed the truth, and Hot Rod was forced to kill Dealer as the traitor attacked. Looking down on his remains, Hot Rod realized the truth had been staring him in the face, he just hadn't wanted to accept it. He then used the Magnificence to find out all he could about the Expansion, and relayed the information to the Autobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

[[Image:HotRodMaxDino02.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You're not fooling anyone, [[Judd Nelson| Bender]]. The next screw that falls out will be YOU.]]

Returning to Earth to continue his search, Hot Rod arrived at the gates of the Machination's complex, and Scorponok prepared himself to deal with the intruder. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} Unfortunately, Hot Rod found himself fighting well out of his weight class as he was man handled by Scorponok, who cheerfully bashed his face in, put out one of his optics and snapped his leg. The Headmasters dragged him into Scorponok's control room where, with absolutely no prompting, the big man explained his entire plan for the Dynobots, Skywatch and the Machination. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 2|Maximum Dinobots #2}}

Hot Rod seemed less than impressed with this rather mundane approach, which ticked Scorponok off enough for him to point out that it was obviously just the first stage in his master plan. He was also warned to remained awed or he'd be of no further interest. When the Dynobots and newly-arrived [[Monsterbot]]s seemed to turn Scorponok's plan on its head, Hot Rod burst out laughing, at which point, Scorponok ordered him taken out and shot. In the lift to the surface, Hot Rod suddenly erupted in flames, killing his captors, but draining his power supply. Weakened and with a crippled leg, he collapsed on the floor. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 3|Maximum Dinobots #3}}

He made it out of the building and ran into the real Sunstreaker, who blasted the 2 clones following Hot Rod. Sunstreaker ignored Hot Rod's warning about Scorponok's army and stormed into the building so Hot Rod painfully wired himself to send a distress signal. When Sunstreaker's real head was later disabled by Hunter, the Headmaster clones shut down, which Hot Rod explained to [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. The group was surprised by the arrival of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] had heard Hot Rod's distress call and was on his way to Earth. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

After Scorponok knocked out [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and Grimlock tended to him, the remaining Dynobots offered Hot Rod a lift aboard the Monsterbots' ship. He refused though, and made it back into Machination HQ to take care of something "personal". He eventually found Scorponok's real head (and remarked how ugly it was). Hunter also showed up and let Hot Rod know how to disable it, but before he could do so, Scorponok grabbed him. Before Scorponok could crush Hot Rod's head, the Dynobots showed up and began to battle Scorponok. Hot Rod told [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] which wires to sever, and he did just that, reducing Scorponok to a catatonic state. Ultra Magnus arrived took everyone back aboard his ship, which later docked with the ''Ark-32''. Within 3 days, Hot Rod was fully repaired, with a new body form design. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

Some time later, while traveling through space by himself, Hot Rod found himself under attack by the ''[[Torment]]'', a Decepticon warship crewed by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and the [[Pretender Monster]]s. He was shot down, but managed to transmit a distress call to the Autobot starship ''[[Trion]]'', which came to his rescue. After the Decepticons were chased off, Hot Rod joined the crew of the ''Trion''. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15|Lost & Found}}

[[Image:Ironhide punches Hot Rod.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Ironhide has waited twenty-two years to pay Hot Rod back for [[The Transformers: The Movie|shooting down his shuttle]].]]
When the Decepticons' galaxy-wide assault hit, the ''Trion'' was shot down over Cybertron. Hot Rod sent out a distress signal and was ecstatic when he ran into some other Autobots. They must've come specifically to save his team and... wait, why do you all look surprised about my signal and appear beaten up and resourceless and... ''oh arsebiscuits''! {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}}

Hot Rod was taken back to base and relayed the story of how he and his other crew-mates from the ''Trion'' arrived on Cybertron, having been diverted there by Decepticon ships and forced to crash land. Once on the surface, Hot Rod sent out his distress signal and was ''so'' sure someone heard it. Kup arrived with the rest of the ''Trion'''s crew at that point, just in time to tell Hot Rod ''of course'' no one heard his message. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

After the Autobots narrowly avoided the [[Insecticon swarm]] and Sunstreaker sacrificed himself, Hot Rod jumped to [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'s defense when he was being insulted by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} When the Autobots were later rescued by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Hot Rod was glad that he sent out the distress call. He was then ferried to Earth with the other Autobots aboard Omega. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[Image:Ongoing issue 1-Hot Rod has had enough.jpg|right|thumb|150px|"Don't talk to me about stuck, Hot Rod, you're the one with that horrible sneer stuck on your face!"]]
For the next two years, the Autobots would remain on Earth as Prime feared the return of the Decepticons. Unfortunately, this led to the capture of a number of Autobots by Skywatch, including [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]], [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] and Prowl. Hot Rod, already frustrated, lashed out at Optimus, accusing him of keeping the Autobots on the planet because he needed someone to protect and demanding he be allowed to lead a team to rescue Prowl. An admonished Prime agreed to a covert operation, but with Ironhide along to watch over things. While Prowl was freed, it turned out the humans had used him as bait to draw the other Autobots in. However Wheeljack's new shielding protected Hot Rod's team from Skywatch's inhibitors and in a panic the soldiers switched to lethal measures. Hot Rod was targeted and Ironhide was killed protecting him. An enraged Hot Rod turned on the humans, damaging their equipment and machinery.

After returning with Ironhide's body, Hot Rod was shocked as Optimus Prime resigned his position as leader. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} Disgusted with Prime's decision and unimpressed with the indecisiveness of the others, Hot Rod decided to make his own way. He announced his intention to leave planet Earth behind, and invited any of his fellow Autobots to follow him in pursuit of that goal. After leaving the Autobot caves with a half-dozen recruits, Hot Rod went looking for Omega Supreme, in the hopes of convincing the massive Autobot to use his interstellar rocket mode to get them all off-planet. Omega remained resolutely loyal to Optimus Prime, however, and refused to abandon the Earth. At that moment, a small squad of Decepticon stragglers led by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] staged an attack on Omega Supreme. After some fast and smooth-talking, Swindle convinced Hot Rod that they all wanted the same thing...to go home. The Autobots put it to a vote, and the majority decided to work with the Decepticons to get off of Earth. {{storylink|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}}

The first thing Swindle asked of Hot Rod was help in reviving their incapacitated "brothers"...several Decepticons mode-locked by the humans. Hot Rod convinced [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] to work on the problem, as there "were no sides anymore", and these other Decepticons were brought back on-line to help with the construction of a new space cruiser. {{storylink|A Rude Awakening}}

[[Image:SeasonsInFlight-RodimusMagnus.jpg|left|thumb|300px|No, don't shoot Swindle! He had some cheap electronics equipment in his van he wanted to sell me!]]

Hot Rod wasn't completely foolish — when Swindle started suggesting they find and revive all the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s, he remembered how deadly [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] could be, and rejected the idea. Ever the smooth-talker, though, Swindle convinced Hot Rod to let the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]] go after [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], the last missing member of their unit. He did so by lavishing a ridiculous amount of praise on Hot Rod, calling him Rodimus Prime, the herald of a new age.

The alliance was soon tested when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived on the scene, attempting to investigate the death of Ironhide for Autobot Command. When he saw Hot...saw ''Rodimus'' working with Decepticons, and Swindle of all mechs, he freaked out and tried to take the Decepticon ringleader into custody. Rodimus and the other Autobots stood up for Swindle, though, and told Magnus he had to be prepared to fight ''all'' of them if he wanted to take ''one'' of them. Stunned that they did not respect his authoritay, Magnus retreated and work continued on the star cruiser. {{storylink|Seasons in Flight}}

What everyone failed to realize, even Ultra Magnus, was that Swindle was not only trading in combiner technology, he knew how to make it work. By the time Magnus came back for Swindle with a posse of Autobots, the Decepticon was prepared to end his alliance with Rodimus. He had forged the Stunticons into [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], and turned the giant loose on the assembled Autobots. {{storylink|Enemies of the System}}

Rodimus fought alongside Ultra Magnus, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and the others against the renewed Decepticon threat. They finally managed to bring down the titan, but the alliance was finished and Rodimus's own comrades turned against him for his poor judgment. Looking to escape his own bad decisions, Rodimus hijacked Ultra Magnus's ship and fled out into space. {{storylink|Earthworks}}

[[Image:Ongoing 13 Rodimus drifting.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Why must you hurt the one you love, [[Nick Roche|Nick]]??]]
Since trying to talk and reason with people had only led to betrayal Rodimus decided that it was best to simply act on his own. He had a plan to regain the respect he had lost by taking back the Autobot [[Matrix of Leadership]], stolen by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] years earlier. Using the ship's advanced tracking equipment, Rodimus found the Decepticons' asteroid base and hid in one of Ultra Magnus's thickly armored weapons lockers. When the ship was shot down, he emerged from the wreckage unscathed, took out several Decepticon guards and even put [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] under his control by improvising with one of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s [[cerebro-shell]]s. Rodimus first sent Razorclaw to attack Starscream, but after that failed, he confronted the self-appointed Decepticon leader himself.

Starscream himself was nigh-impervious to damage, but Rodimus improvised again and fired at the Matrix around his neck, having no idea what would happen. The blast caused some sort of energy discharge from the Matrix that knocked Starscream unconscious. Triumphant, Rodimus took the artifact and went looking for an escape craft... only to run straight into [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] himself. He panicked and waved the Matrix threateningly at the massive Decepticon while warning him to "stay back!", but Megatron was unphased and shot him at point blank range, blowing a huge hole in Rodimus's torso and sending him flying into space. With the Matrix still around his neck, Rodimus's lifeless body could only drift through the void... {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}}

Eventually, Rodimus crash-landed on the desolate [[LV-118]]. Fortunately for him, the Matrix had somehow bonded/interfaced with his body and kept him alive. However, he wasn't alone. An [[Ilxian]] warship had also crashed there a long time ago, leaving only three survivors: a lab technician calling himself "The [[Admiral]]" and two custodians. "The Admiral", desperate for a way off the planet, attempted to use the Matrix as a power source for his ship, which he had fully repaired but was lacking sufficient fuel. But when he informed Rodimus that his plan to use the Matrix to power the ship might put him offline permanently, Rodimus broke free from his bonds and surprised the Ilxians by transforming and driving off.

Having escaped from the "The Admiral", Rodimus found a cave to hide in and figure out what to do next, only to be attacked by a hostile native creature, the [[Chaosteros]]. Suddenly, strange music began to play, causing the Chaosteros to run off, and Rodimus was surprised to find himself face-to-face with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], who had been missing for centuries. Wheelie and Rodimus devised a plan to seize the Ilxian warship. This plan succeeded and the two Autobots, along with one of the Ilxian custodians, [[Garnak]], who had agreed to help them, took off in the warship using the Matrix as a power source. {{storylink|Space Opera Part 1: The Stars My Destination}}

Rodimus planned to return to Earth and rejoin the other Autobots, however, Wheelie misunderstood his instructions to navigate the warship "home" and took them to Cybertron instead while Rodimus was unconscious from the takeoff (It was implied that the Matrix could not accommodate both the ship and keeping Rodimus' spark alive at the same time; hence the risk when "The Admiral" wanted to use it to power the ship. Fortunately for Rodimus, Wheelie managed to fix him up enough that he could survive without it). Rodimus and Wheelie were reunited with [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] on Cybertron. Sunstreaker informed Rodimus that Cybertron's atmosphere had been processed and the Swarm eliminated, rendering the planet habitable once again. The group was then attacked by one of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s [[Sweep]]s, but Rodimus and Wheelie followed the Sweep and spotted Galvatron preparing his army. Having realized that Galvatron had seen them, Rodimus and Wheelie rushed back to the others and took off in the stolen Ilxian warship before the Sweeps could attack. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet}}

Rodimus, Sunstreaker, Wheelie, Ironhide and Garnak returned to Earth and joined the other Autobots. However, after hearing of Galvatron's recent activity on Cybertron, [[Optimus Prime (G1)| Optimus Prime]] elected to return to his home planet on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and take any of the other Autobots along who volunteered to accompany him, including Rodimus. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix}}

During the journey back to Cybertron, Rodimus was disturbed when it appeared that Optimus was getting a little too "cozy" with [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], and voiced his concern during a discussion about the imprisoned Megatron's fate. Later, Optimus asked Rodimus what it felt like to interface with the Matrix. Rodimus revealed that it felt wonderful, in contrast to the pain Optimus felt when he bonded with it. However, Optimus chose not to tell Rodimus this. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

When Omega Supreme arrived in Cybertron's orbit, Rodimus spotted a message from Galvatron sent using binary by ordering his soldiers to shoot off their weapons in a certain order and pattern. The message indicated that Galvatron wanted Optimus to send a landing party with which he could have a civil discussion. Optimus obliged, and Rodimus, along with several other Autobots including [[Drift (G1)| Drift]], [[Sunstreaker (G1)| Sunstreaker]], and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], accompanied Optimus to the meeting with Galvatron. Galvatron revealed that he was preparing an army to fight against "a threat that could destroy us all", and offered to allow Optimus and his army to join his ranks, but would not relinquish any further details. Rodimus complained that Galvatron's soldiers had attacked him before he'd rendezvoused with the others simply for setting foot on Cybertron, but Galvatron claimed the attack was a mistake. However, Optimus declined Galvatron's offer, and the latter attacked. A battle ensued, but Galvatron eventually retreated to the [[Kimia Facility]], which he had stolen and seized control of earlier. Rodimus and the other Autobots were discussing whether Galvatron should be trusted or not when they were taken by surprise by Galvatron transforming Kimia into a massive laser cannon. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations}}

As Galvatron began firing on Cybertron using Kimia, Optimus ordered the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] to launch an attack on the facility. Rodimus volunteered to take Omega Supreme into orbit, along with [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]], in order to oversee the Aerialbots' attack and gather intel on what Galvatron was up to. Rodimus ordered Trailbreaker to attempt to stop the beam from firing by projecting a force field into the barrel of the laser, but this did not work and Trailbreaker suffered significant damage from the feedback. Rodimus then endeavored to ram the facility with Omega Supreme in an effort to disable the laser and/or knock the facility out of orbit. However, he was not aware that the Autobots who remained trapped within Kimia after Galvatron seized control had a plan of their own: [[Lightspeed (G1 Technobot)|Lightspeed]] blew up the facility from the inside before Omega Supreme could strike it, damaging the latter enough that he could no longer maintain orbit. Besides that fact, Trailbreaker was in need of repairs that only [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] could perform. Rodimus and Omega landed at the base that Sunstreaker had set up on Cybertron. He then asked Sunstreaker where Prime had gone, and when Sunstreaker told him that he and Ironhide had suddenly run off toward the blast crater created by the laser, he and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] went off to search for them. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers}}

Drift and Rodimus found Optimus with Ironhide at the blast crater. Confident that Galvatron was headed toward the core of the planet through the hole the laser had made, the four of them went down there after him and confronted him. Galvatron claimed that if he didn't succeed at destroying the core of Cybertron, the universe would be doomed. At that moment, [[D-Void]] began to take control of all the Decepticons and Sweeps, forcing them to fuse together and form a single giant monstrosity, except for Galvatron and Megatron (who had broken out of his cell on Omega Supreme). The standoff ended and Galvatron slipped past as Optimus, Rodimus, and Ironhide became distracted with Drift, who stabbed himself with his own blade to keep from becoming overwhelmed by D-Void's mind control.{{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}}

Through his link to the Matrix, Rodimus realized that Galvatron was planning on fusing [[Vector Sigma]] with the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] in order to destroy it, as well as the fact that he was delusional because the Heart of Darkness' influence had fooled him into believing that such an action would destroy Cybertron and prevent D-Void from creating a giant portal to the Dead Universe at the core of the planet when in fact it would allow him to do just that. He then convinced Ironhide to take an injured Drift back up to the surface for repairs while he and Optimus attempted to stop Galvatron. However, they were too late. Galvatron had already succeeded in fusing the two just before they'd arrived on the scene. Just when it all seemed hopeless, [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] crashed an Autobot battlecruiser into Galvatron, temporarily distracting him and buying Optimus and Rodimus some time. Rodimus knew that using the Matrix was the only way to save Cybertron; however, Optimus was reluctant to risk losing it. Despite his initial hesitation, he finally took Rodimus' advice after Galvatron recovered from being hit by the ship and attacked them again. While Galvatron was again temporarily distracted by [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (who had somehow escaped D-Void's control and now fought on behalf of Cybertron), Optimus opened the Matrix into Vector Sigma. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis}}

After the Heart of Darkness was purged, Cybertron came alive again in a primordial state. Rodimus and the Autobots set up High Command in the remains of the Kimia crash just as Cybertron's long lost civilian population returned to repopulate the planet. A new political landscape began to unfold, with the Autobots coordinating with the captured Decepticons and surly returnees, dubbed Non-Aligned Indiginous Lifeforms (or [[NAIL]]s) by Prowl. Worse, the Matrix was now hollowed out and empty, its power apparently lost forever. Inside its shell, however, Perceptor and [[Rewind]] found a curious inscription and a photonic starchart...a map. Rodimus and Drift seized upon the idea that the map led to the legendary Cyberutopia of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Despite the objections of Bumblebee and Prowl, Rodimus believed that finding the Knights of Cybertron was the best hope for reuniting their fractured people. As he began making plans to pursue the map, Rodimus was bequeathed half the Matrix's shell by Orion Pax, formerly Optimus Prime, who left for deep space in exile to signify the end of the war. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

With Ultra Magnus at his side, Rodimus sent out word to all Autobots and Cybertronians that he planned to search for the Knights, and rallyed more than 200 'bots to join the crew of his new ship, the ''[[Lost Light]]''. Things went wrong from the very start, though. The ''Lost Light'' suffered a freak quantum jump in the upper atmosphere as it launched, catapulting the ship halfway across the galaxy. Roughly 40 crew members fell out into open space as they rematerialized, and fell down to the planet below. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}}

Rodimus arranged a search and rescue force to recover the fallen Autobots, but nonetheless three crew members were dead almost before the mission had begun. Just as Rodimus was giving news of the casualties to the rest of the crew he got word from [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]], who had found [[Shock|another]] crew member dead. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On}} Rodimus later found a Sparkeater was on board and ordered all crew members to their quarters. He then secretly ordered Ultra Magnus to lock them in. Rodimus, Chromedome, Rewind, Trailbreaker, Drift,Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus examined Shock's body and Ratchet revealed that a Sparkeater had done the damage. Rodimus later uses Rung and Skids to lure the Sparkeater into the engine room. Rodimus then grappled with the creature and positioned it into the engine block and told Perceptor to initiate quantum jump. This merged to creature into the engine block and killed it but Rodimus lost his arms in the process. After Ratchet built him some new ones, he had a tense conversation with Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things}}

Rodimus was informed by Ultra Magnus that Tailgate wanted to be a Decepticon after what he heard from Cyclonus about the Great War. Ultra Magnus stated he was tired of keeping the crew together and when questioned why was he on the Lost Light, he said he had no idea. Rodimus then ordered Rewind to show Tailgate video footage of the Great War from the Autobot side, after which Tailgate became ashamed of his previous announcement about wanting to sympathize with the Decepticons. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[Image:Henkei_manga_rodimus.jpg|right|thumb|155px]]
While the other Autobots were busy dealing with a rampaging [[Astrotrain (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Astrotrain]], Rodimus disrupted [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Megatron]] and the other Decepticons' attack on a power plant by engaging them solo. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 2}} Unable to tackle Megatron in hand-to-hand combat, he was able to get [[Starscream (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Starscream]] to accidentally blast his leader instead, but this did little more than annoy Megatron, who flattened Rodimus with a [[fusion cannon]] blast. With Rodimus defeated, the Decepticons pulled out, but the Autobot cavalier didn't let the defeat get him down, and he sped off to join the other Autobots in battling Astrotrain. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 3}} Soon after, Rodimus helped defend another power plant against a Decepticon attack, shielding the human workers from Starscream's blasts with his own body. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 4}}

When the mysterious new Decepticon warrior [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Cyclonus]] provided Megatron with the means to transform himself into the monstrous [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Galvatron]], Rodimus, [[Ironhide (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Ironhide]] and [[Mirage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Mirage]] trailed Cyclonus's Targetmaster partner [[Nightstick (Cyclonus)|Nightstick]] to the volcano in which Megatron was carrying out his transformation. Despite resistance from Starscream and Cyclonus, Rodimus and his team were able to collapse the volcano's cone in on itself. They believed they had sealed Megatron within, and were about to focus their attack on Starscream when they were sent scattering by the explosive emergence of Galvatron from the remains of the caldera. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 9}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' manga===

Following the defeat of [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]] on [[Earth]], Rodimus was among the Autobots that [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Optimus Prime]] summoned to the planet. Together with [[Ironhide (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Ironhide]], [[Hound (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Hound]] and [[Jetfire (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Skyfire]], Rodimus was to protect the planet while Optimus's team set off for Cybertron in pursuit of the fleeing Galvatron. {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===

In the year 2009, Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots experienced ''deja vu'' all over again when a horde of Decepticons attacked their shuttle. Cyclonus, Scourge and 35 of his Sweeps chased them into a nebula where the Autobots lay low to finish repairs. When the boarding party finally found them, Kup's experience helped Hot Rod and the others drive off their attackers. {{Storylink|Wings of Honor}}

==Games==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
Hot Rod was one of [[Optimus Primal]]'s many Autobot allies in a fight against [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s Decepticon forces. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game#Energon Wars expansion|Energon Wars Expansion Set}}

===''The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth''===
[[Image:C64RodimusPrimeAndHotRod.jpg|right|thumb|250px|]]

Along with their fellow Autobots, Hotrod{{sic}} and Rodimus Prime protected Earth from the menace of the Decepticons. Hotrod was ostensibly under the command of Rodimus Prime. {{storylink|The Transformers: Battle to Save the Earth}}

{{note|In this game, "Hotrod" and Rodimus Prime are separate characters who can be in the same place at the same time. Don't try to think about this too hard.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Mystery of Convoy''===
[[Image:Mysteryofconvoy_rodimus.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
When Optimus Prime went missing under mysterious circumstances, Ultra Magnus was given the task of battling hordes of Decepticons in order to solve the mystery of his whereabouts. The Decepticons had also stolen a collection of seven energon cubes belonging to Rodimus Prime, which Magnus strove to recover during his fight. When all seven were successfully obtained and the battle was won, a new challenge rose its head, but with his energon cubes back, Rodimus was able to take up the fight! He had a funny habit of looking like an orange Ultra Magnus if you looked at him sideways. {{storylink|Transformers: Mystery of Convoy}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: The Headmasters''===

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

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter von Gomm]] (English)}}
====Autobot story====
[[Image:Callofthefuture_rodimus.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I am from the future and know a lot about history!"]]

When [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] gained the incredible power of the [[Zel Quartz]] in the year 2010 and began cutting a swath of destruction across the galaxy, Rodimus Prime, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] resolved to prevent this devastation by traveling back in time and eliminating the quartz in the past, thereby altering their future. Using a [[Transwarp]]-equipped ship supplied by the [[Quintesson]]s, they traveled to the world of [[Zel Samine]] in the year 2003, where they ran across teams of present-day Autobots and Decepticons led by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who were carrying out investigations on their own on the planet.

Making matters worse, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] also followed them back in time, and the two teams allied themselves with their respective present-day factions in order to locate the Zel Quartz. It wasn't necessarily an easy alliance to make: Rodimus was barely able to keep his cool when [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], not believing that he and his team were really Autobots, demanded to know if Rodimus was Autobot leader in the future, what happened to Optimus? Fortunately, Optimus calmed his lieutenant down and welcomed the trio of future Autobots into his forces.

Working with the present day Autobots was not easy for Rodimus, as he was well aware of the fate that awaited them. On a number of occasions, he struggled with his knowledge of the future, knowing he could prevent a [[Battle of Autobot City| great tragedy]] but could also cause untold damage to the timestream by doing so. He also showed some interest in Arcee when he attempted to give her a precious stone he'd found during a mission to a mine, only for the female Autobot to scold him for taking something that didn't belong to him. Luckily for him, Optimus stepped in and settled things by ordering Rodimus and Arcee to return the stone. That Optimus makes one heck of a wingman.

After several false leads, the quartz was eventually located, serving as the power source of the [[ELTA]] power transmission array. After fighting their way through the likes of Cyclonus, Scourge, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and both Soundwave and his future counterpart Soundblaster, Rodimus and Optimus engaged Megatron and Galvatron in a two-on-two battle over ELTA, using the power of their twin Matrices to stop the computer from self-destructing. Once the dust from the fight had settled, Starscream reemerged and snatched up the Zel Quartz, only to promptly take it off-planet, where it disintegrated without Zel Samine's atmosphere and electromagnetic properties to sustain it. With their future thus averted, Rodimus and his Autobots began fading away to rejoin the timestream. Before they disappeared, Rodimus attempted to warn Optimus of the coming dangers in the future, including his Optimus's death (for which Rodimus continued to blame himself), but Optimus silenced him, telling him that he did not need to know what the future held. Rodimus told Optimus that he would always be the greatest leader in Autobot history, but Optimus told him that he was merely a soldier who loved justice, and that that was all Rodimus needed to be too.

====Decepticon story====
Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave encountered Rodimus Prime while investigating the presence of unknown craft over Zel Samine. Rodimus was stunned to see the Decepticon [[Emperor of Destruction]] before reminding himself of the era he was in. For his part, Megatron thought he was facing Hot Rod, but quickly realised his mistake. After a short, sharp fight that saw Rodimus defeated, Megatron was distracted enough by the appearance of Galvatron to allow the future Autobot to escape.

Rodimus would again battle Megatron as well as Galvatron at the ELTA power transmission array, this time alongside his hero Optimus Prime. He was shocked that despite the fact the two Primes were working together, they were still defeated. When Megatron and Galvatron resolved to destroy the ELTA array Rodimus pleaded with them to stop, pointing out that the array generated a massive amount of energy, the same energy the Decepticons so loved. Sadly, the two Emperors of Destruction felt that with the Zel Quartz now in their possession, they no longer needed the array and proceeded to destroy it with their combined power. The wounded Rodimus barely escaped.

He presumably returned to the future alongside all the future Transformers when Starscream unwittingly rendered the Zel Quartz powerless. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
{{main|Hot Rod (G1)/toys}}

==Notes==
[[Image:RodimusPrime-earlymodel.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Hey, ladies. Look at your G1 Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime toys, now back to us, now back at your toys, now back to us."]]
* Like the rest of the 1986 movie's original characters, Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime had early designs by [[Floro Dery]] which the toys were based on, and then final models were drawn from the toys. Both designs had revised heads that made it into the ''[[The Transformers Universe|Transformers Universe]]'' profile books and subsequent Marvel comic book appearances.
** Rodimus Prime's early model appears to carry the trailer of the truck on his back, plus additional [[kibble]] on the back of his forearms. If only there were art of the back of this design. We'd plotz.
**Both Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime's character models suggest that the windshield and roof of their respective vehicles form the pelvic area, including little side windows on their hips. The animation studio [[AKOM]] even colored his crotch like his windshield. Unsurprisingly, this has never been duplicated on any toy, although the Masterpiece version makes a nod to it with a transparent groin plate with indentations underneath denoting two seats and a steering wheel.
**Meanwhile, both sets of wheels are on Hot Rod's arms in his character model, as they are intended to span the entire length of the vehicle. His wristcuffs are intended to become the vehicle's taillights. This also has never been duplicated on any toy.
**Much of Hot Rod's early model seemed to form the basis of Rodimus Prime's finished model. (Though given that nearly everybody else from the movie had a totally redrawn finished model, we wouldn't be surprised if there's a more-final-er model out there.)
**According to earliest materials (also the source of the earliest Hot Rod head seen in this section's first image), Rodimus Prime's original name was '''Hot Rodimus'''.

[[Image:Hotrodrodimuscharactermodels.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Rodimus is always embarrassed by his yearbook photos.]]
*Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime look very similar in fiction, but there are ways to distinguish them by sight.
**Rodimus Prime's character model has extra lines on his face that go from the bottom of his nose and connect to another line forming a triangle shape. Hot Rod's cheeks are more clear and youthful.
**Despite their toys being the same color of red, the cartoon series rendered Hot Rod as magenta, and Rodimus a dark shade of burgundy (the movie, however, made Rodimus the same color as Hot Rod). In addition to repeatedly getting the two character models mixed up, sometimes the animation would depict one model colored as the other.
**In Marvel stories, Hot Rod was also colored almost entirely magenta, with a yellow spoiler and flame deco, but with silver thighs instead of orange. Whoever did the Marvel deco sheet seems to have been looking at the [[:Image:Pinkrod.jpg|original toy photos]] and colored the thighs like the toy's silver stickers. While Marvel Hot Rod was stark magenta, Marvel Rodimus was colored in the reds, oranges and yellows of his toy. Future comics and toys would ignore any differences in color between the character's two forms, presenting them both in the original toy colors (see the image at the head of the article for a good example).
**The Japanese ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'' cartoon, in addition to featuring the coloration differences of the Generation 1 cartoon, also added some extra lines around the perimeter of Rodimus's eyes to further distinguish him from Hot Rod. These odd-looking lines appeared only intermittently, thankfully so—they made Rodimus look like he was wearing robo-mascara. The ''Headmasters'' Rodimus Prime character model also moved the wheel kibble from the back of the arms to the front, to better approximate their position on the toy.

[[Image:RodimusPrimeG1-trailermanagement.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Maybe his Mobile Defense Bay is just an extra set of legs!]]
* Rodimus Prime's toy followed the model set by Optimus Prime before him by having a trailer that disconnected and transformed into a battle station (in this case, called the "[[Mobile Defense Bay]]"). Unlike Prime's [[Combat Deck (G1)|Combat Deck]], however, Rodimus's Defense Bay failed to make the leap to fiction, with the cartoon simply depicting his trailer as somewhat unfeasibly folding up into his legs and body <ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/stories/tfpulp/8704TVM/k.gif Image of Rodimus Prime's animated transformation scheme from TV Magazine]</ref> (barring a few animation errors that depicted it as a separate unit). This transformation scheme was realized in toy form with Rodimus's 6" ''[[Titanium Series]]'' action figure.

* A lot of early secondary material uses Hot Rod and Rodimus in ways that don't fit the main Movie-established dynamic, as with stories from the same era that portrayed Megatron and Galvatron as separate beings, this was likely to avoid spoiling the Movie's ending.

* Hot Rod might be the ''Transformers'' character with the most names in the US. From "Hot Rod" to "Rodimus Prime", to "Rodimus Major" to just plain "Rodimus". Varieties of "Rodimus" appear to be how he will be for a while, as Hasbro appears to be unable to secure the [[trademark]] on "Hot Rod".

* [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]]'s powered up form has a color scheme which resembles Hot Rod's.

* Aside from the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' [[Rodimus (Energon)|namesake character]], Hot Rod has also been [[Homage|homaged]] twice (or possibly thrice depending on how you look at it) in the [[Unicron Trilogy]]. For ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', the "[[Powerlinx]]" upgrade of [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] was given a very Hot-Rod-inspired deco. In ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'', [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] made a redeco of Hot Shot (well, "Exillion"), who already had some Hot Rod homage elements in his toy design, with Hot Rod deco as a DVD-pack-in [[exclusive]]. [[Hasbro]] then took this deco, altered it, and released it in the US line at mass retail as the new character [[Excellion (Cybertron)|Excellion]].

* This Rodimus Prime, along with the original [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] makes a cameo appearance as one of the four elders who began the [[space bridge]] project in the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Balance]]".

===Foreign names===
====Hot Rod====
*''Japanese:'' '''Hot Rodimus''' (ホットロディマス ''Hotto Rodimasu''), '''Hot Rod''' (ホットロッド ''Hotto Roddo'')
*''English:'' '''Roadimus Prime''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''French:'' '''Météorite''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Nagyágyú''' ("Hot Shot"), '''Peca''' (''The Movie'', "Fisher")
*''Italian:'' '''Folgore'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Rod''' (Taiwan, 羅德 ''Lúo Dé''), '''Rè Pò''' (China, 热破, "Hot Break")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Roda Quente''' (Portugal comic)
*''Russian:'' '''Patron''' (cartoon, Патрон, "Cartridge")

====Rodimus Prime====
*''Japanese:'' '''Rodimus Convoy''' (ロディマスコンボイ ''Rodimasu Konboi''), '''Rodimus Prime''' (ロディマスプライム ''Rodimasu Puraimu'')
*''French:'' '''Rodimus Primo''' (Canada toy, "Rodimus First"), '''Rodimus Primus''' (Canada cartoon)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Rodimusz Fővezér''' ("Prime Commander Rodimus")
*''Italian:'' '''Captain'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Rhodie Jr-tsūn''' (Taiwan, 羅迪至尊, "Rodimus Prime"), '''Bǔ Tīan Shì''' (China, 补天士, "Soldier Who [[Wikipedia:Nüwa|Repairs the Sky]]")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Rodimus Supremo''' (Portugal comic)
*''Russian:'' '''Rodomes Prime''' (cartoon, Родомес Прайм)
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Rodimus Najkrashhyj''' (cartoon, Родімус Найкращий, "Rodimus The Best")

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Rodimus_Prime Rodimus Prime's profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Beast Machines Autobots]]
[[Category:Classics Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Autobots]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:Kiss Players Autobots]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Micromasters]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy Autobots]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Targetmasters]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:United Autobots]]
[[Category:Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Wreckers]]

Decepticon

2012-05-10T14:22:35Z

76.6.51.248: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|ttdecepticon|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Transformers faction|the ''Robots in Disguise'' episode|The Decepticons}}
[[Image:Symbol decept reg.png|right|236px|thumb|Get this tattooed on you and all you'll need is a black trenchcoat and a long ponytail. Then people will love you.]]

{{quote|'''''Decepticon''' (di-sep-ti-con) A member of a subversive sect or society. From the noun — 'deception'; one who deceives.|the [[New Cybertronic Dictograph]]}}

The '''Decepticons''' are one of the primary factions in the ''[[Transformer]]s'' mythos. They are typically concerned with such things as conquering [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], defeating the [[Autobot]]s, amassing large quantities of [[energon]], developing powerful weaponry, and beating people up. Not necessarily in that order.

Unlike the Autobots, whose leader is a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] bearing a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], the Decepticons are led by the [[Decepticon leader|most powerful]] of their ranks. This tends to cause some conflict, given how generally ''every'' Decepticon thinks that they're the most powerful. Also, the Decepticons are not exactly the most compassionate beings in the universe, but not all fight for greed. More than a few have a sense of honor, while others believe that Cybertron would be better protected by [[Decepticon Empire|aggressive expansion]]. Ultimately, the Decepticons desire to protect their homeworld, even if it is at the expense of others. [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Usually]].

{{quote|The Decepticons are a malevolent race of robot warriors, brutal and merciless. The Decepticons are led by a single undeviating goal: total domination of the universe.|[[Narrator]]|[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]}}

==Generation 1==
===Marvel Comics===
[[Image:Thelaststand-prepare.jpg|left|350px|thumb|MUSTER THE GOOMBAS! HAND OUT THE DE-EVOLUTION GUNS! PREPARE FOR DESTINY!]]
The Decepticons emerged from the gladiatorial [[State Games]], which caused [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s rise to public prominence - in the aftermath of the destructive Vos-Tarn War, Megatron was able to use his fame and charisma to unite both the survivors and the planet's malcontents into a new army. His plan was to turn Cybertron into a mobile cosmic dreadnought and conquer the galaxy. The Decepticons developed new technology to allow them to transform into attack vehicles and weaponry, launching a devastating attack that killed billions and shook the planet from its orbit before [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] turned the tide.

Megatron, Shockwave and others were lost on Earth for four million years; as Optimus was too, the Autobots swiftly lost ground to Decepticon leaders [[Trannis]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]. Cybertron was devastated and conquered, causing the cream of the Decepticons to leave the burnt-out planet to form a [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] out in the stars, while Straxus threw all those he considered weak into the [[Smelting pool]]. The Empire would go on to slaughter and Cyberform planet after planet, their actions unknown on Cybertron.

Eventually the Earth-bound Decepticons would awaken in 1984, sparking off a new front in the war. After the presumed suicide of Megatron, an escalation in fighting would see Decepticon leadership fragment and change hands rapidly, with frequent clashes, plots and counter-plots between the primary leadership, namely [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], until most of them were killed in the [[Underbase]] conflict, leaving Scorponok the only surviving commander. A brief truce with the Autobots was held when [[Unicron]] attacked in 1991, but Scorponok was killed in the following conflict. Immediately after this, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came to power. Charismatic and driven, Bludgeon turned the beaten Decepticons into a new army; after a defeat on [[Klo]], they regrouped and reorganised. ([[Another Time & Place|In one reality, they were immediately massacred afterward.]])

====Earthforce====
In the side-continuity of [[Earthforce]], while Unicron continued on to Cybertron, Megatron and Shockwave continued a Decepticon civil war on Earth with a small handful of troops - wasting most of their time trying to take each other out. Eventually Soundwave and Starscream overthrew them, uniting both factions into a stronger Decepticon force. The two former leaders attempted to regain their position but never appeared to succeed.

====Generation 2====
Bludgeon invaded Earth with the intention of capturing the Matrix and making a new generation of Decepticons, but Megatron returned, killed Bludgeon in one-on-one combat, and stole this plan. However, the threat of the Cybertronian Empire forced an alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons again.

====Classics====

===Cartoon===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon''====
[[Image:Ffod4 early soldiers.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

The Decepticons began life as a line of military hardware robots created by the [[Quintesson]]s, alongside the consumer goods robots that would become the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} It is unknown exactly what role the military hardware robots played in the eventual rebellion of the robots against their creators; the only ones seen to participate in the conflict were the Autobots' ancestors, led by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]], but given their fighting ability, the proto-Decepticons seem like they would have made logical soldiers in the fight. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

Following the defeat of the Quintessons and their exile from Cybertron, a brief period of peace descended, before the base differences between the two breeds of robot led to the outbreak of conflict. Lusting for power, the Decepticons, as they now called themselves, rallied under [[Early Decepticon leader|a leader]] and began a war with the peaceful Autobots, who proved unable to match their inborn military skills. After the fall of several successive Autobot leaders, the heroic robots turned to stealth, and invented the art of [[transformation]]; with this edge, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] defeated the Decepticons' leader, ending the war and ushering in the prosperous [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}
[[Image:Masterplan2 earth germ.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Excuse me, do you have seating for 3?"]]
Over time, the defeated Decepticons married transformation technology with robot-mode flight powers, leading to the creation of Megatron around nine million years ago. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Gathering like-minded warriors like the loyal [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], the emotionless [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the young upstart [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and brain-washing others into his service with the [[Robo-Smasher]], {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Megatron slew Sentinel Prime and reignited the war. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Against the Autobots under the command of new leader Optimus Prime, the protracted warfare ran for five million years, draining Cybertron dry of energy and forcing the Transformers to seek new power sources on other planets. When Optimus Prime's best and brightest departed on this quest aboard [[Ark (G1)|a spacecraft]], Megatron's elite followed them, and the battle that erupted led to a crash-landing on prehistoric Earth that entombed all the combatants in stasis for four million years. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

In 1984, a volcanic explosion led to the reactivation of the Transformers; the Decepticons were first to recover, and immediately set about plundering Earth's natural resources to build a [[Victory (G1)|space cruiser]] that would take them back to Cybertron. Sabotaged in mid-flight, the ship crashed into one of Earth's oceans, {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}} but the Decepticons survived and rebuilt the crippled craft to serve as their new [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|headquarters]] for the continuing conflict on the planet. A [[space bridge]] was established between Earth and Cybertron, and any resources the villains could purloin would be sent back to the dying planet to secure their stranglehold over it. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}
[[Image:FFOD5 Decepticons attack.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
At some point over the next twenty years, the Decepticons focused their attentions away from Earth and managed to take complete control of Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to relocate to twin moonbases on Cybertron's two satellites, and to [[Autobot City]] on Earth. In 2005, learning that the Autobots planned a major strike to retake Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]] on Autobot City, with disastrous consequences for the Autobots. The battle saw one of the Decepticons' long held dreams achieved in the death of Optimus Prime, but Megatron was damaged, and left to rot in deep space, along with several of his wounded followers. Found by the monster planet [[Unicron]], Megatron was reformatted him into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and the others into [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and the [[Sweep]]s, in return for their servitude. Soon after, while Unicron was attacking the Decepticon-controlled Cybertron, Galvatron duelled with the new Autobot leader [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], who triumphed and hurled him into the void of space. Their world and their forces devastated and their leader gone, the Decepticons were easily routed by the Autobots, who forced them into exile on the burned-out world of [[Chaar]] while they retook and restored Cybertron. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

{{quote|Once the Decepticons held the quadrant through terror, now we scrap like [[Slaarg]]s over a few [[energon cube]]s.|[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]|[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]}}
[[Image:Rebirth 2 Decepticon offerings.JPG|left|thumb|250px]]
On Chaar, the Decepticons faced constant energy shortages and engaged in constant in-fighting over what little they did have. Determined to restore order, Cyclonus hatched a plan to locate the lost Galvatron, in hopes that he could lead the Decepticons to glory once more. Although they were successful, Galvatron proved to have been driven insane by his experiences, and while his return did herald the recommencement of hostilities with the Autobots, the Decepticons never quite recovered their old standing, continuing to operate on Chaar throughout 2006 and regularly entering into ill-fated alliances with the Quintessons. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness}}

Eventually, the Decepticons went into hiding following the resurrection of Optimus Prime. When they returned, it was in force, launching an attack on Autobot City in order to steal the key to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] on Cybertron, intending to use the chamber to overload the sun and destroy Earth and Cybertron together. The battle for the key carried several of their number to the planet [[Nebulos]], where they became [[binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the planet's evil rulers, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s. They returned with the key to Cybertron, but Autobot intervention caused the energy of the chamber to backfire on them, hurling their battlestation [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], with the amassed forces of the Decepticons aboard, off into the far reaches of the universe. {{storylink|The Rebirth}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====

{{note|In Japanese cartoon continuity, the events of "The Rebirth" do not occur, and Headmasters and Targetmasters have a different origin.}}
[[Image:FourWarriors Decepticon Headmasters flaming balls.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Following the return of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons consolidated their power base by heavily fortifying Chaar and turning it into an actual, functional base of operations. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Their ranks were swelled with the addition of the Decepticon Headmasters—Cybertronians who had fled their homeworld millions of years before and taken up residence on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], but who had been exiled by the local leader [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] for an attempted coup. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Headmaster commander [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] coveted leadership of the Decepticons for himself, and finally obtained it when the Autobot Headmasters entombed Galvatron in an iceberg. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} Under Scorponok's leadership, the Decepticons nearly succeeded in destroying the Earth with [[crysmagnetal]] and [[plasma energy]], but upon the destruction of Scorponok's [[Transtector]], the ultimately elected to finally withdraw from Earth once and for all. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
[[Image:BirthHeadmasterJrs Decepticon Jrs in transtators.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Decepticons returned to Chaar, and over the next few years, fought the Autobots on [[Athenia]] in a series of space-based exchanges that became known as the [[Master Wars]]. Circumstances changed when the mysterious alien [[Devil Z]] was able to brainwash Scorponok, placing him and by extension, the entire Decepticon army, under his command. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}} While Scorponok, now known as "BlackZarak", continued to lead the Decepticons' space based forces, a small group of [[Pretender]]s operating under Devil Z's direct command on Earth furthered the evil alien's attempts to fuse human and Transformer life to create the ultimate lifeform by bringing about the rise of the [[Headmaster Junior]]s and the [[Godmaster]]s. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}} {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}} A group of Autobot Pretenders worked to counter his schemes by doing the same, and the repeated failure of his human Transformers to triumph over their Autobot counterparts led Devil Z to conclude that he had been incorrect, and that humanity was of no use to him. He transformed the Headmaster Jr and Godmasters into full robotic lifeforms, but soon after, he and BlackZarak were destroyed by the Autobot leader [[Ginrai]], and the Decepticons fled the Earth once more. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
[[Image:Deathsaurus throne.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Leadership was briefly taken up by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but by the year 2025, the Decepticon army was reorganized under the new Emperor of Destruction, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], and began attacking numerous different planets all across the galaxy in pursuit of a world they could take for their own. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} Deathsaurus led the [[Breastforce]] and [[Dinoforce]] in attack on Earth, seizing enough energy to reactive his [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], but he was stopped by the new Autobot [[Supreme Commander]], [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
[[Image:TVMJuly1990Mashougun.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Deathsaurus's defeat marked a decline in Decepticon activity, but soon a more supernatural force seized command: [[Violen Jiger]], a being made up of the spirits of many defeated Decepticons, rallied together [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] from throughout Decepticon history to capture for him the Autobots' new [[Energon Z]], and the life-giving [[Zodiac]], which he would combine to create a "[[Decepticon Zone]]" from which he could conquer the universe. His plans were stopped by new Autobot leader [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]], {{storylink|Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone}} and the Zodiac was instead used to bring Optimus Prime back to life. This stood in the way of the plans of the mysterious alien [[Dark Nova]], so he used his powers to resurrect Galvatron from his Arctic tomb and transform him into Super Megatron. The Decepticon army was virtually non-existent under Dark Nova; Super Megatron had no actual Decepticon troops at his command, merely Dark Nova's [[Novaroid]] and [[Galaman]] warriors, though they did bear the Decepticon insignia. Dark Nova later upgraded Super Megatron into Ultra Megatron, then merged with him to become "Star Giant", but was destroyed by the resurrected Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy}}

Dark Nova and Super Megatron were succeeded as Decepticon leader by the enigmatic [[Scrash (OC)|Scrach]], who sent the [[Battle Gaia]] and the [[Jet Corps]] to attack Earth. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination}} Some reports suggest that when they were stopped by [[Guard City]] and the [[Micromaster]] six-combiners, Scrash himself made another attempt along with his warriors [[Flashwing]], [[Deathplay]], [[Darkfly]] and [[Sharpedge]] which also met with failure. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)#After_2025|2007 timeline}}

===Dreamwave===
[[Image:DeceptLitho.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"My Liege, when did you get that sw—" "CAN'T HEAR YOU, FANWANKING"]]
The Decepticons arose out of the [[Gladiatorial combat|underground fights]] that Megatron once partook in. After discovering certain secrets about Cybertron's origin, including massive [[planetary engine]]s, Megatron began using the games to recruit combatants. For nearly half a million years, they grew in numbers and trained, until they rebelled against the [[Council of Ancients]] and took [[Kaon]] by force.

While the war raged on, the Constructicons repaired the engines and introduced a mecha-forming process, but what they really needed was a power source. Megatron became convinced that he could find one powerful enough within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which was in the possession of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. However, when Megatron finally killed the Prime, he discovered that it was not within him. Soon after, Optronix became Optimus Prime, and Megatron initiated a plan: an assassination team under Communications Officer [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] would elimate the Prime and claim the Matrix, while Military Operations Commander [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] would lay siege to Iacon, preventing the Autobots from coming to Prime's rescue.

However, Megatron made two mistakes: he informed Air Commander [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] of his intentions, and he underestimated Optimus Prime. The Prime managed to erase some of Megatron's memories of what he discovered, while Starscream activated the mechaforming process using energy from the planetary engines. The engines were destroyed before the process was complete, ruining both. {{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}}

After Megatron disappeared with Optimus Prime in a space bridge test, Shockwave became Decepticon leader, though Starscream and High Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] broke off with their own splinter factions shortly afterwards. The Decepticons allied with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s Autobots and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] (an Autobot splinter group), to stop the machinations of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}} Several thousand years later, Shockwave was prepared to sign a peace treaty with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who had become Autobot leader, the LSC, and Ratbat's [[Ultracon]]. However, Megatron returned with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Quintesson]] created [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] drones, whose abilities allowed the Decepticons to fully conquer Cybertron and enslave the Autobots. The Decepticons' control over Cybertron was ended when Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron and the Air Warriors were defeated. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath|War Within: The Age of Wrath}}

When Megatron disappeared along with the ''Nemesis'' crew, Shockwave again emerged as Decepticon leader, this time as head of a triumvirate including Ratbat and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. With [[energon]] becoming scarce, Shockwave agreed to work with Ultra Magnus and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in the creation of the [[Micromaster]]s, Transformers who were downsized for better fuel efficiency. Shockwave suffered a rebellion when [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] overthrew him, using Shockwave's severed head as a tool. {{storylink|Transformers: Micromasters}} However, all Transformers on Cybertron entered [[stasis lock]] when the [[Great Shutdown]] occurred.

Around 1,000 B.C.E., Shockwave was reactivated by Scourge, and then defeated the Unicronian Transformer. Studying Scourge and discovering some of the secrets Megatron had learned, Shockwave made peace with the Autobots, installing himself as Head of State with an [[Autobot High Council]] as a legislature, while Ultra Magnus became his senior security officer. However, the High Councillors were unsuited for peace time government, and gradually gave Shockwave more and more power... which is exactly what he had planned.

On Earth, the ''Nemesis'' crew was reawakened in 1984. Cut off from Cybertron, the Decepticons concluded that they had no other choice but to conquer the planet. Megatron soon learned that others had come looking for them, including [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]]. The Decepticons captured Jetfire and the Dinobots except Grimlock, and used the hostage situation to force Grimlock to serve the Decepticons. Additionally, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] located Earth and served under Megatron. In 1998, the Autobots allied with humanity to defeat the Decepticons. They were to be returned to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]'', but Shockwave, through a human intermediary, sabotaged the ''Ark II'', causing the ship to crash and send the Transformers aboard into stasis lock.

Renegade members of the [[United States military]] managed to capture the Decepticons and a number of Autobots, intending to use them as instruments of war, but [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]] later stole them and set himself up as an arms dealer. Unfortunately, Megatron overwhelmed the programming that kept him a prisoner, and freed the other Decepticons. Megatron then intended to unleash a technovirus on Earth, but the Autobots defeated him. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

A year later, Shockwave arrived to tie up loose ends, quickly capturing Megatron and the ''Nemesis'' crew. Starscream ejected Megatron out of the ship carrying them to Cybertron, leaving him to die in space. The ''Nemesis'' crew were granted amnesty, but Starscream quickly recruited them into going back to Earth to conquer the planet, taking the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] with them. Shockwave was finally overthrown when Optimus Prime united the Autobot resistance groups, but he escaped with a small number of troops. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

Meanwhile, Megatron was rescued by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], who repaired his memory loss. Using some recovered Air Warriors, Megatron located the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who were used to take control of Shockwave's small army. On Earth, Starscream's failures during [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]'s rampage were reason enough to convince the ''Nemesis'' crew to mutiny against Starscream in Megatron's favor. With two combiner teams, an army of Seekers, Soundwave's cassettes, and knowledge of Earth's connection to Cybertron, Megatron prepared to lead the Decepticons on the conquests of Earth and Cybertron {{storylink|Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave) |G1 ongoing}}...

{{note|...At which point Dreamwave went bankrupt. Damn.}}

===IDW===
{{ongoing}}
The Decepticons were formed out of the uprising in Kaon that Megatron spearheaded: the end result of a corrupt Autobot Senate and a vicious underground bloodsport. Kaon fell quickly {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} and the Decepticons soon began spreading across the planet, recruiting new people and carrying out terrorist strikes in advance of their main assaults. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} The war they started proved ''too'' destructive for Cybertron to handle though, and the Decepticons had to abandon it after the disastrous [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] incident. {{storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer |Stormbringer}}

The Decepticons are spread across known space, following a strict [[Infiltration protocol]] to conquer worlds. Disguising themselves, the infiltration unit gathers intelligence and seeds [[Facsimile construct|facsimiles]] in key strategic places; Phase Two is to use their facsimiles to inflame global tensions and watch the locals to devastate themselves. By Phase Five, their base is in [[Infiltration protocol|Siege Mode]] and Phase 6 has open war on a burnt-out world. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation}} In extreme circumstances, when they ''really'' want a world destroyed, they'll send in [[Sixshot]].

The Decepticon army is highly specialised: there's infiltration units for, er, infiltration; a [[Decepticon Secret Service]] handling spying and tech acquisitions {{storylink|Spotlight: Hot Rod}}; penal colonies like [[Styx]]; and Tactical Assault Units like the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] who carry out direct action.

This all got thrown out of the window in the early 21st Century, however, when it appeared the Decepticons had won. Whoops, they hadn't. Earth was lost, Megatron was defeated, and Starscream took control through a charade of wielding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}} Some Decepticons were left behind on Earth while Starscream led the rest to a barren asteroid, where they accomplished nothing for three years until Megatron finally returned and took back his rightful position. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}}

Later, Megatron allowed himself to be captured and brought to a mostly restored Cybertron, where he used a [[space bridge]] built into his body to summon the Decepticon army to him. Then they were brainwashed by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and/or [[D-Void]] into combining with the [[Sweep]]s to form a "[[Deceptigod]]". {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} Once the monster was defeated, the weakened Decepticons were all captured by the Autobots. They were imprisoned and kept under control using [[inhibitor/deterrence chip]]s in their heads, and the war was considered over. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

===Aftermath===
Both sides signed the [[Pax Cybertronia]], which eventually led to peace, but left the Decepticons in a second class position.

==Beast Era==
In ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' continuity, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were the descendants of the Decepticons and fought with the same aggression and ideas of conquest. They faced the [[Maximal]]s in the same way their ancestors had fought the [[Autobot]]s.

==Robots in Disguise==
In the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]], the Decepticons were a brand new faction that came into being during the events of the story. Because there were so few Decepticons (only six or seven), and because they were a subset of the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] antagonists, they can almost be viewed as a [[subgroup]] rather than a proper faction. The Decepticons were created on Earth when [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s forces captured a set of [[stasis pod]]s from an ancient Transformer spaceship that had been found on [[Earth]], leading to the birth of the [[Commando]]s and [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. The toy version of [[Megatron (RID)|Galvatron]] was also labeled as a Decepticon, although this "change" in the character's faction was only mentioned once in the cartoon series.

In the Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', ''Car Robots'', the Decepticons were known as Combatrons. This is the same name by which the [[Combaticon (G1)|G1 Combaticons]] were called in Japan.

For the [[Hasbro]] toy line, several other non-show Decepticons were added to the ranks to help fill out the line. It is unknown how most of these actually fit into the story, though one of them, [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], is actually a dimension-hopper who arrived from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] universe.

==Unicron Trilogy==
===Animated continuity===
====Armada====
The ''exact'' origins of the Decepticon faction are a bit muddled. It is widely assumed, though never directly confirmed, that the movement was founded by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. Also, the enslavement of the power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s is considered to be the impetus to the Decepticons' rise to a massive multi-planet-spanning army, though at what point in the war this occurred is unclear; it's possible the Mini-Cons' arrival was what gave Megatron the opportunity to rise to power, or that they arrived after the war had already begun.

Either way, the Mini-Cons fueled the war machine for centuries, and the war with the [[Autobot]]s soon spread from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to other worlds. The self-imposed exile of the Mini-Cons to an unknown destination was seen as a major setback for the Decepticons (and something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots), but despite this, the war continued, as both sides had amassed a large enough power base to continue on without the little buggers.

The Autobots and Decepticons seemed to fight to a stalemate, neither able to gain a distinct advantage over the other. When a signal reached Cybertron centuries later that the Mini-Cons had landed on [[Earth]], it seemed neither side was capable of sending a full force to retrieve them, despite the power they contained. Though the Decepticon force sent to Earth was small in numbers, it was far from insignificant; Megatron himself led the squad, backed by some of his most trusted warriors.

When Megatron returned to Cybertron, the overwhelming majority of the Mini-Cons were in the protective custody of the Autobots, but Megatron was unfazed; he had assembled the Mini-Cons required to make the three legendary weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] and [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. Bolstered by this new power and the apparent death of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], Megatron attempted to take Cybertron once and for all.

But Megatron's (now calling himself Galvatron) return to Cybertron was the beginning of the end of the Decepticon army. When [[Unicron]] revealed himself as a threat to both armies, fueled by the negative psychic energies from centuries of death and destruction, the two sides eventually joined together to beat back the planet-eater. Despite the truce, Galvatron and Prime engaged in a brutal duel on the surface of the weakened Unicron after the three legendary weapons had been removed from his core. Realizing their battle was keeping Unicron active, Galvatron sacrificed himself, and both Unicron and Galvatron disappeared into nothingness.

====Energon====
[[Image:Energon Decepticon insignia.jpg|left|127px|thumb|Now available with added purple!]]
Galvatron's final orders to his troops still stood: work ''with'' the Autobots. The Decepticons maintained a degree of autonomy, still wearing the faction sigil and often taking military/defensive positions in the growing number of [[energon]]-mining colonies, but they were ultimately answerable to Optimus Prime and the Autobots. There were, of course, dissenters, most of whom were captured and imprisoned. For a decade, Autobot and Decepticon worked side-by-side in a somewhat stable truce.

Both sides found themselves the target of attacks from Unicron again; hordes of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon drones]], sent by [[Alpha Quintesson]] to steal energon ore with which to revive the now-shattered husk of Unicron. What the alien did not count on was that Galvatron's [[spark]] had survived within the remains, and was siphoning energon from Unicron's body. Soon the Decepticon leader revived himself in a new form,(calling himself Megatron again) drove off Alpha Quintesson, and along with an elite cadre of soldiers and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mindless Terrorcon drones, began his ''new'' plans for conquest.

When news of Megatron's return reached Cybertron, hundreds of Decepticons rose up and rebelled, eager to get back to conquering. But having been joined to Unicron for so long apparently had given Megatron a taste of godhood; he had no more interest in amassing a galaxy-spanning army of troops. Countless Decepticons died in the resulting battles, with Megatron more than willing to sacrifice them without a thought to attain ultimate power for himself. As "[[the Powerlinx Battles]]" -as they came to be called- came to their climax, Megatron (calling himself Galvatron ''again'') found that his actions and thoughts were being influenced and controlled by the dark spark of Unicron. Unwilling to let Unicron stand in his way, Galvatron ultimately sacrificed himself (again) and seemingly destroyed Unicron's spark by plunging himself into a newly-formed energon sun created by [[Primus]].

====Cybertron====
What little remained of the once-mighty Decepticon army after [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron's]] loss was at best a loose association of criminals, thugs, and lunatics, with no real political or military power to speak of. For a decade, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was once again at peace, with the population overwhelmingly [[Autobot]] or neutral. The Transformers had withdrawn from [[Earth]] and its other colonies to focus on revitalizing their homeworld after the devastation of the Powerlinx Battles. However, two great catastrophes shattered this peace; the energon sun collapsed in on itself, forming the powerful black hole known as the [[Unicron Singularity]], which threatened to devour Cybertron and, if left unchecked, the entire universe... and the return yet once again of Megatron, who had absorbed much of what remained of Unicron's power.

Megatron's goal of attaining godhood was now at hand. By obtaining the legendary [[Omega Lock]] and the four [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, Megatron intended to accelerate the growth of the black hole, consuming the universe in a vast sea of nothingness that only he would survive, then use his powers to re-create the universe in his image.

To this end, he had no need of an army. He gathered a small group of allies and lackeys to seek the items he needed, but they were nothing more than pawns to him, to be used and discarded at a whim.

The Decepticons briefly regained their status as a mass army of individuals when [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who had long suffered at Megatron's hands since the beginning of the Decepticons, made his own bid for ultimate power with the help of the [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] agent [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]. Having sealed Megatron and his troops in a trap, Starscream freed hundreds of criminal Transformers who had been locked up on [[Earth]] for millennia, and formed his own globe-spanning army. The Decepticon "Monsters" were tasked with finding the Omega Lock and Earth's Cyber Planet Key, which they eventually brought to their leader. However, numerous Decepticons were killed in the battles with the Autobots, and it soon became apparent that Starscream, like Megatron before him, didn't care. Most of these criminals soon abandoned Starscream and went into hiding.

As for Megatron, he too had deserters among his own considerably-small ranks. Most notably, the powerful [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], leader of the [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] and the colossal [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] from [[Gigantion]], both of whom eventually joined forces with their former enemies the Autobots.

This was not seen as a concern for Megatron, however, as by this time Starscream and his allies were seemingly destroyed on Gigantion, and Megatron (now calling himself "Galvatron" again) had the Omega Lock and all four Keys. What few Decepticons remained loyal to him were too stupid to see what Galvatron had planned, and made perfect distractions as he set his final plan in motion. If they weren't strong enough to survive the coming cataclysm, then so be it.

[[Image:NewDecepticonArmy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The yutz, the ditz, the klutz, and the putz.]]
Ultimately, Galvatron's plan failed, and the Unicron Singularity was sealed. His remaining Decepticons quickly left him, realizing what was likely to have happened to them, and eventually joined the Autobots. After Galvatron's seemingly-final defeat and death in a one-on-one duel with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] moon, the Decepticons, not knowing when to quit, rose again, albeit in a rather pathetic fashion. Having cobbled together a rather rickety rocket, [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] shanghaied the reluctant [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], who was ''really'' keen on being on the winning side for once, and flew off to parts unknown as the "[[New Decepticon Army]]".

They made it to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] before the rocket crash-landed.

Meanwhile, the Autobot [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] reported form a deep-space recon mission that he thought he had picked up traces of Starscream, seemingly backed up by Sideways and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]. [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and the former Decepticon [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] raced off to join Wing Saber and investigate...

===Comics continuity===
====Armada====
Founded by Megatron, the exact number of the original Decepticons is unknown. Using the Mini-Cons as weapons, they were able to conquer Cybertron and force the Autobots underground. Eventually they were beaten due to the arrival of Unicron: his heralds slaughtered the entire Decepticon base on Cybertron, and the Chaos-Bringer's arrival forced them to join forces with the Autobots. With Megatron shot dead during the Unicron battle, the peace held for a period of years.

==Live-action ''Transformers'' movies continuity==
[[Image:Defiance3_wearenowDECEPTICONS.jpg|thumb|300px|LATER: Megatron realizes he blew his entire budget on the giant rotating wall symbol.]]

The Decepticons are the Transformers who sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Lord High Protector Megatron]] and attempted to seize the [[AllSpark]]. Their numbers ranged from the [[Starscream (Movie)|treacherous]], the [[Blackout (Movie)|fanatical]], the [[Brawl (Movie)|violent]], and the [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|treacherous fanatically violent]] to the [[Frenzy (Movie)|spastic]].

The origins of these Decepticons began when a being known as [[The Fallen]] turned on his [[Dynasty of Primes|brother Primes]] in an attempt to seize power at the cost of [[human|humanity's]] existence. One account has it that the Fallen gathered a small army of [[Constructicon (ROTF)|construction drones]] to assist him and named them Decepticons. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3}} Either way, he would become known as the ''first'' Decepticon and would go on to become the [[Yoda]] to Megatron's [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}, tempting the latent aggressive edge in the Protector. Filled with dreams of power and paranoia of losing that power, Megatron reformed the Cybertron defense force into a massive engine of war, ready to wipe out entire alien species who would dare challenge them. When science leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime's]] opposition became known, Megatron branded them traitors and declared his followers to be the Decepticons. Soon after, The Fallen commanded Megatron to build the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', a ship that would carry his sarcophagus and Decepticon soldiers in their search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] left on Earth. Megatron was commanded to remain on Cybertron, so [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] commanded the expedition. Most of the Decepticons left Cybertron, leaving Megatron with a reduced, but still potent, army. {{Storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

War devastated Cybertron. While the Decepticons were heavily reliant on drone units to bolster their forces and were forced to automate many of their outposts, the risk was still too high that they might claim the AllSpark, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}} and Optimus Prime made the desperate decision to launch the AllSpark into deep space. Megatron obsessively followed after it, and disappeared. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took over leadership, and began a search for Megatron and the AllSpark. After a while, Starscream began to focus more on the AllSpark, hoping Megatron would remain lost, something the other Decepticons began to suspect. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

In 2003, Starscream's retrieval team made their way to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], destroyed the [[Beagle 2 Rover]] and making their way to Earth. In 2007, the Decepticons began to make their presence known, with [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] destroying [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]], searching for information on Megatron and the AllSpark. A few days later, [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] hacked [[Air Force One]]'s computers. Although he was unable to find out the truth about [[Sector Seven]], he avoided detection and managed to get a clue in [[Sam Witwicky]], whose ancestor [[Archibald Witwicky]] had discovered Megatron a century earlier. His glasses had been marked with coordinates to the AllSpark's location, so [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and Frenzy attempted to confront the boy. Although they were defeated by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], Frenzy hid in Mikaela's purse, and accompanied them to [[Hoover Dam]], where Megatron and the AllSpark were hidden. As Starscream ordered the Decepticons to mobilize, Frenzy shut down the temperature controls while Starscream destroyed the external generators. Megatron was freed, but Bumblebee took the Cube with a group of survivors from Blackout's attack to Mission City, meeting with Optimus Prime's Autobots along the way. In the Battle of Mission City, Megatron and most of the Decepticons were killed and the AllSpark believed destroyed. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

Starscream, however, survived, and stole Frenzy's remains to access whatever information the humans had on the AllSpark to build [[Replica AllSpark|his own AllSpark]]. Returning to Cybertron, Starscream proclaimed himself [[Decepticon leader]] and began building the replica. One month later, the replica was ready, but it didn't work properly and [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] made a coup attempt. Starscream barely survived and made his way back to Mars, questioning his purpose, when he received word that the Autobots would be helping the humans destroy Megatron's remains. Hoping to destroy Prime, Megatron, and the traitor [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] all at once, Starscream returned to Earth. Although he managed to destroy Wreckage, Prime had already left with Megatron's body. Just as he defeated Bumblebee, Starscream received word from Soundwave, who had brought the ''Nemesis'' to Earth's solar system. After meeting up with Soundwave, Starscream explained the situation, and returned to the ''Nemesis'' to awaken the remaining Decepticons and oversee the spawning of more [[hatchling]]s while Soundwave lead a scout team to Earth. {{storylink|Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream}} {{storylink|Transformers: Alliance}}

[[Image:ROTF Fallen message.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Fallen performs what may be the greatest [[Rick Astley|Rick roll]] in history.]]
Over the next two years, the Decepticons searched for the [[Tomb of the Primes]], which housed the Matrix needed to activate the solar harvester. In 2009, Soundwave discovered Megatron's resting place in the [[Laurentian Abyss]] and the presence of an AllSpark shard on [[Diego Garcia]]. Dispatching [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s, the Decepticons managed to restore Megatron's [[Spark]] and bring him back to life. Returning to the ''Nemesis'', Megatron learned from the Fallen that the AllSpark's knowledge was within Sam Witwicky's mind, who had destroyed the Cube when he killed Megatron. Further commanded to kill Optimus Prime, Megatron captured the boy. Although he escaped, Megatron managed to kill Optimus. Megatron then decided that a show of force was needed to compel the humans to turn Sam over to them. The Fallen lead Decepticon protoforms to Earth and then broadcast a message demanding the humans turn over Sam. Sam was eventually found in [[Egypt]], where the harvester was hidden. Although the Fallen managed to reclaim the Matrix, it had been used to resurrect Optimus, who in turn killed the Fallen. Megatron and Starscream were forced to retreat and form a new plan. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

The Decepticons returned after three years with the plan to use a space bridge to bring an army to Earth and transport Cybertron into orbit to rebuild the planet with Earth's natural resources and the human population as slaves. Megatron and the traitorous Sentinel Prime had planned this for a long time, intending to meet on Earth before Megatron went after the Allspark and ended up frozen while the Ark was shot down by Decepticon fighters and crashed on Earth's Moon in 1961. This was detected by the Americans and the Russians and the space programs were created to reach the ship and study it. However, by 1963 the Decepticons had raided the Ark and removed all but five of the pillars and hid them on the Moon along with an army of Decepticons, awaiting the time that the pillars would be used. After humans successfully reached the Moon and explored the ship, Soundwave and Laserbeak approached various humans including Dylan Gould's father to get them to shut down the American and Russian space programs. The Decepticons established a network of human collaborators who kept the humans from noticing the Decepticons actions on the Moon, later led by Dylan Gould. After a human collaborator named Alexi Voshkod lead NEST to Chernobyl where they retrieved an engine part from the Ark, the Decepticons reemerged for the first time since Egypt in the form of Shockwave and his Driller who attack, but retreat. This leads the Autobots to retrieve Sentinel and the remaining space bridge pillars and revive him. As this is part of his plan, Megatron orders Laserbeak to kill all the human collaborators save for Dylan Gould. Sam Witwicky and Seymour Simmons find out about the Decepticons plot from pictures a Russian probe got of the Decepticons hiding the pillars and the Dreads are sent to attack the convoy protecting Sentinel, but are killed. After Sentinel reveals his true colors and murders Ironhide, he sets up the pillars in the National Mall and brings the Decepticon army, consisting of hundreds of Decepticon soldiers and Decepticon ships, to Earth. With the army in hand, the Decepticons promise to bring no war against the human population in exchange that the Autobots must leave Earth. While taking off into the atmosphere, Starscream destroyed the Autobot ship, knowing that mankind will resist on their own. Some of the Decepticons scatter around the world to set up the pillars while most of the army invades Chicago, devastating the human population and securing it as a fortress. The Autobots, NEST and, a team of mercenaries, led by Sam Witwicky and Robert Epps, invade Chicago and battle the Decepticon army, aided by the United States Army and U.S Air force. The group manages to take out much of the army including Laserbeak, the Driller, Starscream, Soundwave, Barricade, and Shockwave and disrupt the Control Pillar, forcing Sentinel into battle. The combined human and Autobot forces overwhelm Sentinel and his remaining forces while Tomahawk missiles destroy most of the Decepticon fighters. Sentinel then tried to flee before engaging Optimus one-on-one as Dylan Gould reactivates the space bridge. Sam Witwicky kills Gould and Bumblebee and Ratchet destroy the Control Pillar, causing Cybertron to implode and ruining the Decepticon plan. The remaining Decepticon ships are sucked up into Cybertron by the space bridge and are presumably destroyed with the planet. Sentinel nearly kills Optimus, but Megatron, convinced by Carly Spencer that he would end up working for Sentinel, saves Optimus and incapacitates Sentinel. Megatron, half-heartedly,offers a truce between the Autobots and Decepticons after Cybertron is destroyed as long as he's in charge of the Decepticons again, but Optimus refuses and kills Megatron and Sentinel. While the loss of human life in Chicago is massive, the battle is a major victory for the Autobots as they eliminated most of the Decepticon army on Earth. Despite there sill being some decepticons scattered around the globe, the entire Decepticon command structure was destroyed in the battle.{{Storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
[[Image:Titan23_decepticonsmassing.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Company photo day.]]
The Decepticons are, in general, less human in appearance than the Autobots in the movie, resembling carnivorous mammals, birds, insects or the Decepticon insignia itself (possibly to frighten the [[Human|insects]]). What is also most noticeable about the Decepticons in the movie franchise is that they've actually been designed to resemble the insignia of their faction, most notably Megatron, Blackout, Barricade, and the Fallen; the insignia is in fact based on the Fallen's ugly mug. {{storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

{{note|In a departure from previous Transformers incarnations, Japan used the name "Decepticons" for this franchise, rather than "Destrons"<ref>[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/movie/decepticons.html Movie Decepticons toy listing on Takaratomy.com]</ref>.}}

{{-}}

==Animated==
Around 1 billion years ago, the [[Destron (Animated)|Destrons]] emerged as a new faction on the Protectobot governed Cybertron. Led by [[Devron (Animated)|Devron]], the [[Third Cybertronian War]] was fought between the Destrons and the Protectobots (who were led by the new leader [[Nova Magnus]]). ''The Destrons emerged victorious, though many Cybertronian records were forever lost due to the [[Great Purge]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

The Decepticons came to prominence as a sub-faction of the Destrons around 70 million years ago. They advocated the use of the AllSpark to bring Cybertron itself to life, that it might serve as a cosmic juggernaut that would allow the Transformers to return to the era of expansion and colonization of other worlds they had enjoyed nearly 700 million years beforehand. When the Decepticon leader [[Megazarak (Animated)|Megazarak]] was ousted by charismatic rhetorician named [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], tensions finally exploded, and the Autobots and Decepticons went to [[Great War (Animated)|war]] for possession of the AllSpark.

After something in the vicinity of six million years of civil war, things reached a crisis point when the Decepticons began a strategic bombing campaign on Cybertron, demanding the AllSpark be turned over in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Rather than give in to Megatron's demands, the Autobots instead sought to put the AllSpark beyond any Cybertronian's reach, launching it randomly through a [[space bridge]] to some distant corner of the galaxy, where it was hoped it would never be found. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

4 million stellar cycles ago, the Autobots and Decepticons battled each other in what is now known as The Great War. The Autobots pulled a victory only due to their exclusive access to [[space bridge]]s and their decision to send the [[AllSpark]] into deep space. Defeated, the Decepticons dispersed, and, according to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], the only sight of them would be an occasional scout ship. In fact, they had been missing for so long, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] believed a Decepticon presence was a thing of the past. This was quickly reassessed upon encountering [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron's]] crew. In his final battle against Optimus, Megatron was taken back to Cybertron, along with [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], for imprisonment. The rest are still at large, except Starscream, who died when his AllSpark fragment was removed.

{{stub}}

{{note|As with the movie Decepticons, the Animated Decepticons are not called Destrons in Japan.}}

==Shattered Glass==
[[Image:Decepticon Shattered Glass.png|right|180px|thumb|Decepticons wage their battles to destroy...]]
{{quote|Your tyranny ends here, Prime! Cybertronians will once again know the freedom which is their right!|Megatron|"[[Shattered Glass]]"}}
In this universe, the Decepticons are the good guys and a resistance group, intended to overthrow Autobot tyranny and their dastardly leader, [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]. Led by the heroic [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]], the 'Cons want to liberate Cybertron and preserve freedom and life across the galaxy, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|no matter the cost]]. But if they fail to stop the Autobots, not only will the Autobots conquer [[Earth]], they will also enslave the universe and all will be lost. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}

{{-}}

==Prime==
{{bigquote|Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who listen to the truth should not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies.|[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]].}}

[[Image:DeusExMachina-fourcons.jpg|thumb|300px]]
The Decepticons originated from those in the [[caste system|lower castes]] of Cybertronian society in the [[Badlands (Cybertron)|Badlands]]. Megatron, a gladiator who seized control of all the gladiatorial pits and assumed the name of The Fallen, began preaching to the dispossessed on the Grid. He allowed them to bomb Cybertron and throw their society into chaos, for he rightly believed if he denied any connection to their extremist behavior, it would elevate him in the eyes of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Even the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] kidnapped [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] for him. When the Council questioned Megatron about the movement's name, he denied he had heard of it, though he also accepted it for reasons outlined above.

When Halogen appointed Orion the new Prime, Megatron declared his Decepticons would continue to fight for freedom. During the war they conquered eighty-five percent of the planet, as well as occupying [[Moonbase One|Moon Base One]] and [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] Station, before poisoning the [[core]] itself with [[Dark Energon]]. When the Autobots left aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', Trypticon transformed into the ''Nemesis'' and followed them with Megatron, Starscream, [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] and [[Lugnut (WFC)|Lugnut]] into unknown space, while [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] took control of the Cybertronian Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

Eons later, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] were based on [[Earth]], with a mass-produced [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] army. During a three year lull, Starscream was ordered to build a [[space bridge]] and to mine more Energon. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (comic)}} Megatron returned, but not with the army Starscream had hoped for. Instead he tried to raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] [[zombie]]s to eradicate humanity, but failed and perished in a space bridge implosion, leaving Starscream in command once more. {{storylink|Darkness Rising}} It emerged he survived, and he was retrieved and placed in sickbay. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Meanwhile, Starscream and Soundwave waited for opportunities to pounce on [[Team Prime]] with their Vehicons. {{storylink|Con Job}} {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers (2007)===
====Transformers Movie Screen Cleaners====
[[Image:Movie Decepticon Screencleaner.jpg|right|105px|thumb|Transforms your dirty screen to a clean one and — well, actually just the first thing.]]
*'''Decepticon''' (2008)
:Released by Tomy Yujin on January,<ref>[http://www.gachausa.com/products/transformers.asp Tomy Yujin ''Transformers'' page]</ref> this dangler is a [[Insignia|faction logo]]-shaped screen cleaner for your cell phone, with a stock image of Decepticon insignia printed on the other side.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Cantonese'': (Hong Kong, 狂派. 狂 not only has a similar pronunciation to 'con', but also means "madness" in Chinese: 瘋狂. )
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron''' (デストロン ''Desutoron''), '''Combatron''' (''Car Robots'', コンバットロン ''Konbatoron''), '''Decepticon''' (ディセプティコン ''Diseputikon'')
*''Danish'': '''Bedragerne''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers"), '''Bedraonerne''' (''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''French:'' '''Decepticans''' (France ''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Álcák''' (Marvel comic, "Disguises"), '''Decepticonok''' (toy commercial, second ''The Movie'' dub), '''Varangyok''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Toads"), '''Robotikák''' (''Energon'', ''Cybertron'', "Roboticas")
*''Italian:'' '''Distructors'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Dí Sài Kāng''' (Taiwan, 迪賽剛), '''Ba Tian Hu''' (China, 霸天虎, "Tigers that Forcibly Occupy the Sky")
*''Polish:'' '''Deceptikony''', '''Decepcjokony''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Deceptiocons"), '''Dezorientaci''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Decépticos''' (Portugal comic), '''Malignus''' (Brazil comic)
*''Serbian:'' '''Deseptikoni'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Bedragare''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Obmanoidy''' (Обманойди, "Decepticons")
*''Korean:'' '''디셉티콘''' (Decepticons)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Alternity]]
[[Category:Animated factions]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beastformers franchise]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon]]
[[Category:Decepticons| ]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Machine Wars]]
[[Category:Micromaster]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Operation Combination]]
[[Category:Predacon subgroups]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robot Masters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Victory]]
[[Category:Zone]]

Decepticon

2012-05-10T14:21:29Z

76.6.51.248: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|ttdecepticon|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Transformers faction|the ''Robots in Disguise'' episode|The Decepticons}}
[[Image:Symbol decept reg.png|right|236px|thumb|Get this tattooed on you and all you'll need is a black trenchcoat and a long ponytail. Then people will love you.]]

{{quote|'''''Decepticon''' (di-sep-ti-con) A member of a subversive sect or society. From the noun — 'deception'; one who deceives.|the [[New Cybertronic Dictograph]]}}

The '''Decepticons''' are one of the primary factions in the ''[[Transformer]]s'' mythos. They are typically concerned with such things as conquering [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], defeating the [[Autobot]]s, amassing large quantities of [[energon]], developing powerful weaponry, and beating people up. Not necessarily in that order.

Unlike the Autobots, whose leader is a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] bearing a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], the Decepticons are led by the [[Decepticon leader|most powerful]] of their ranks. This tends to cause some conflict, given how generally ''every'' Decepticon thinks that they're the most powerful. Also, the Decepticons are not exactly the most compassionate beings in the universe, but not all fight for greed. More than a few have a sense of honor, while others believe that Cybertron would be better protected by [[Decepticon Empire|aggressive expansion]]. Ultimately, the Decepticons desire to protect their homeworld, even if it is at the expense of others. [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Usually]].

{{quote|The Decepticons are a malevolent race of robot warriors, brutal and merciless. The Decepticons are led by a single undeviating goal: total domination of the universe.|[[Narrator]]|[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]}}

==Generation 1==
===Marvel Comics===
[[Image:Thelaststand-prepare.jpg|left|350px|thumb|MUSTER THE GOOMBAS! HAND OUT THE DE-EVOLUTION GUNS! PREPARE FOR DESTINY!]]
The Decepticons emerged from the gladiatorial [[State Games]], which caused [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s rise to public prominence - in the aftermath of the destructive Vos-Tarn War, Megatron was able to use his fame and charisma to unite both the survivors and the planet's malcontents into a new army. His plan was to turn Cybertron into a mobile cosmic dreadnought and conquer the galaxy. The Decepticons developed new technology to allow them to transform into attack vehicles and weaponry, launching a devastating attack that killed billions and shook the planet from its orbit before [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] turned the tide.

Megatron, Shockwave and others were lost on Earth for four million years; as Optimus was too, the Autobots swiftly lost ground to Decepticon leaders [[Trannis]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]. Cybertron was devastated and conquered, causing the cream of the Decepticons to leave the burnt-out planet to form a [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] out in the stars, while Straxus threw all those he considered weak into the [[Smelting pool]]. The Empire would go on to slaughter and Cyberform planet after planet, their actions unknown on Cybertron.

Eventually the Earth-bound Decepticons would awaken in 1984, sparking off a new front in the war. After the presumed suicide of Megatron, an escalation in fighting would see Decepticon leadership fragment and change hands rapidly, with frequent clashes, plots and counter-plots between the primary leadership, namely [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], until most of them were killed in the [[Underbase]] conflict, leaving Scorponok the only surviving commander. A brief truce with the Autobots was held when [[Unicron]] attacked in 1991, but Scorponok was killed in the following conflict. Immediately after this, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came to power. Charismatic and driven, Bludgeon turned the beaten Decepticons into a new army; after a defeat on [[Klo]], they regrouped and reorganised. ([[Another Time & Place|In one reality, they were immediately massacred afterward.]])

====Earthforce====
In the side-continuity of [[Earthforce]], while Unicron continued on to Cybertron, Megatron and Shockwave continued a Decepticon civil war on Earth with a small handful of troops - wasting most of their time trying to take each other out. Eventually Soundwave and Starscream overthrew them, uniting both factions into a stronger Decepticon force. The two former leaders attempted to regain their position but never appeared to succeed.

====Generation 2====
Bludgeon invaded Earth with the intention of capturing the Matrix and making a new generation of Decepticons, but Megatron returned, killed Bludgeon in one-on-one combat, and stole this plan. However, the threat of the Cybertronian Empire forced an alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons again.

====Classics====

===Cartoon===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon''====
[[Image:Ffod4 early soldiers.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

The Decepticons began life as a line of military hardware robots created by the [[Quintesson]]s, alongside the consumer goods robots that would become the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} It is unknown exactly what role the military hardware robots played in the eventual rebellion of the robots against their creators; the only ones seen to participate in the conflict were the Autobots' ancestors, led by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]], but given their fighting ability, the proto-Decepticons seem like they would have made logical soldiers in the fight. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

Following the defeat of the Quintessons and their exile from Cybertron, a brief period of peace descended, before the base differences between the two breeds of robot led to the outbreak of conflict. Lusting for power, the Decepticons, as they now called themselves, rallied under [[Early Decepticon leader|a leader]] and began a war with the peaceful Autobots, who proved unable to match their inborn military skills. After the fall of several successive Autobot leaders, the heroic robots turned to stealth, and invented the art of [[transformation]]; with this edge, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] defeated the Decepticons' leader, ending the war and ushering in the prosperous [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}
[[Image:Masterplan2 earth germ.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Excuse me, do you have seating for 3?"]]
Over time, the defeated Decepticons married transformation technology with robot-mode flight powers, leading to the creation of Megatron around nine million years ago. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Gathering like-minded warriors like the loyal [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], the emotionless [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the young upstart [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and brain-washing others into his service with the [[Robo-Smasher]], {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Megatron slew Sentinel Prime and reignited the war. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Against the Autobots under the command of new leader Optimus Prime, the protracted warfare ran for five million years, draining Cybertron dry of energy and forcing the Transformers to seek new power sources on other planets. When Optimus Prime's best and brightest departed on this quest aboard [[Ark (G1)|a spacecraft]], Megatron's elite followed them, and the battle that erupted led to a crash-landing on prehistoric Earth that entombed all the combatants in stasis for four million years. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

In 1984, a volcanic explosion led to the reactivation of the Transformers; the Decepticons were first to recover, and immediately set about plundering Earth's natural resources to build a [[Victory (G1)|space cruiser]] that would take them back to Cybertron. Sabotaged in mid-flight, the ship crashed into one of Earth's oceans, {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}} but the Decepticons survived and rebuilt the crippled craft to serve as their new [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|headquarters]] for the continuing conflict on the planet. A [[space bridge]] was established between Earth and Cybertron, and any resources the villains could purloin would be sent back to the dying planet to secure their stranglehold over it. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}
[[Image:FFOD5 Decepticons attack.JPG|right|thumb|250px]Pyoo Pyoo!]
At some point over the next twenty years, the Decepticons focused their attentions away from Earth and managed to take complete control of Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to relocate to twin moonbases on Cybertron's two satellites, and to [[Autobot City]] on Earth. In 2005, learning that the Autobots planned a major strike to retake Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]] on Autobot City, with disastrous consequences for the Autobots. The battle saw one of the Decepticons' long held dreams achieved in the death of Optimus Prime, but Megatron was damaged, and left to rot in deep space, along with several of his wounded followers. Found by the monster planet [[Unicron]], Megatron was reformatted him into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and the others into [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and the [[Sweep]]s, in return for their servitude. Soon after, while Unicron was attacking the Decepticon-controlled Cybertron, Galvatron duelled with the new Autobot leader [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], who triumphed and hurled him into the void of space. Their world and their forces devastated and their leader gone, the Decepticons were easily routed by the Autobots, who forced them into exile on the burned-out world of [[Chaar]] while they retook and restored Cybertron. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

{{quote|Once the Decepticons held the quadrant through terror, now we scrap like [[Slaarg]]s over a few [[energon cube]]s.|[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]|[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]}}
[[Image:Rebirth 2 Decepticon offerings.JPG|left|thumb|250px]]
On Chaar, the Decepticons faced constant energy shortages and engaged in constant in-fighting over what little they did have. Determined to restore order, Cyclonus hatched a plan to locate the lost Galvatron, in hopes that he could lead the Decepticons to glory once more. Although they were successful, Galvatron proved to have been driven insane by his experiences, and while his return did herald the recommencement of hostilities with the Autobots, the Decepticons never quite recovered their old standing, continuing to operate on Chaar throughout 2006 and regularly entering into ill-fated alliances with the Quintessons. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness}}

Eventually, the Decepticons went into hiding following the resurrection of Optimus Prime. When they returned, it was in force, launching an attack on Autobot City in order to steal the key to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] on Cybertron, intending to use the chamber to overload the sun and destroy Earth and Cybertron together. The battle for the key carried several of their number to the planet [[Nebulos]], where they became [[binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the planet's evil rulers, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s. They returned with the key to Cybertron, but Autobot intervention caused the energy of the chamber to backfire on them, hurling their battlestation [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], with the amassed forces of the Decepticons aboard, off into the far reaches of the universe. {{storylink|The Rebirth}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====

{{note|In Japanese cartoon continuity, the events of "The Rebirth" do not occur, and Headmasters and Targetmasters have a different origin.}}
[[Image:FourWarriors Decepticon Headmasters flaming balls.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Following the return of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons consolidated their power base by heavily fortifying Chaar and turning it into an actual, functional base of operations. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Their ranks were swelled with the addition of the Decepticon Headmasters—Cybertronians who had fled their homeworld millions of years before and taken up residence on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], but who had been exiled by the local leader [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] for an attempted coup. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Headmaster commander [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] coveted leadership of the Decepticons for himself, and finally obtained it when the Autobot Headmasters entombed Galvatron in an iceberg. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} Under Scorponok's leadership, the Decepticons nearly succeeded in destroying the Earth with [[crysmagnetal]] and [[plasma energy]], but upon the destruction of Scorponok's [[Transtector]], the ultimately elected to finally withdraw from Earth once and for all. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
[[Image:BirthHeadmasterJrs Decepticon Jrs in transtators.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Decepticons returned to Chaar, and over the next few years, fought the Autobots on [[Athenia]] in a series of space-based exchanges that became known as the [[Master Wars]]. Circumstances changed when the mysterious alien [[Devil Z]] was able to brainwash Scorponok, placing him and by extension, the entire Decepticon army, under his command. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}} While Scorponok, now known as "BlackZarak", continued to lead the Decepticons' space based forces, a small group of [[Pretender]]s operating under Devil Z's direct command on Earth furthered the evil alien's attempts to fuse human and Transformer life to create the ultimate lifeform by bringing about the rise of the [[Headmaster Junior]]s and the [[Godmaster]]s. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}} {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}} A group of Autobot Pretenders worked to counter his schemes by doing the same, and the repeated failure of his human Transformers to triumph over their Autobot counterparts led Devil Z to conclude that he had been incorrect, and that humanity was of no use to him. He transformed the Headmaster Jr and Godmasters into full robotic lifeforms, but soon after, he and BlackZarak were destroyed by the Autobot leader [[Ginrai]], and the Decepticons fled the Earth once more. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
[[Image:Deathsaurus throne.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Leadership was briefly taken up by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but by the year 2025, the Decepticon army was reorganized under the new Emperor of Destruction, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], and began attacking numerous different planets all across the galaxy in pursuit of a world they could take for their own. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} Deathsaurus led the [[Breastforce]] and [[Dinoforce]] in attack on Earth, seizing enough energy to reactive his [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], but he was stopped by the new Autobot [[Supreme Commander]], [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
[[Image:TVMJuly1990Mashougun.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Deathsaurus's defeat marked a decline in Decepticon activity, but soon a more supernatural force seized command: [[Violen Jiger]], a being made up of the spirits of many defeated Decepticons, rallied together [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] from throughout Decepticon history to capture for him the Autobots' new [[Energon Z]], and the life-giving [[Zodiac]], which he would combine to create a "[[Decepticon Zone]]" from which he could conquer the universe. His plans were stopped by new Autobot leader [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]], {{storylink|Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone}} and the Zodiac was instead used to bring Optimus Prime back to life. This stood in the way of the plans of the mysterious alien [[Dark Nova]], so he used his powers to resurrect Galvatron from his Arctic tomb and transform him into Super Megatron. The Decepticon army was virtually non-existent under Dark Nova; Super Megatron had no actual Decepticon troops at his command, merely Dark Nova's [[Novaroid]] and [[Galaman]] warriors, though they did bear the Decepticon insignia. Dark Nova later upgraded Super Megatron into Ultra Megatron, then merged with him to become "Star Giant", but was destroyed by the resurrected Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy}}

Dark Nova and Super Megatron were succeeded as Decepticon leader by the enigmatic [[Scrash (OC)|Scrach]], who sent the [[Battle Gaia]] and the [[Jet Corps]] to attack Earth. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination}} Some reports suggest that when they were stopped by [[Guard City]] and the [[Micromaster]] six-combiners, Scrash himself made another attempt along with his warriors [[Flashwing]], [[Deathplay]], [[Darkfly]] and [[Sharpedge]] which also met with failure. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)#After_2025|2007 timeline}}

===Dreamwave===
[[Image:DeceptLitho.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"My Liege, when did you get that sw—" "CAN'T HEAR YOU, FANWANKING"]]
The Decepticons arose out of the [[Gladiatorial combat|underground fights]] that Megatron once partook in. After discovering certain secrets about Cybertron's origin, including massive [[planetary engine]]s, Megatron began using the games to recruit combatants. For nearly half a million years, they grew in numbers and trained, until they rebelled against the [[Council of Ancients]] and took [[Kaon]] by force.

While the war raged on, the Constructicons repaired the engines and introduced a mecha-forming process, but what they really needed was a power source. Megatron became convinced that he could find one powerful enough within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which was in the possession of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. However, when Megatron finally killed the Prime, he discovered that it was not within him. Soon after, Optronix became Optimus Prime, and Megatron initiated a plan: an assassination team under Communications Officer [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] would elimate the Prime and claim the Matrix, while Military Operations Commander [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] would lay siege to Iacon, preventing the Autobots from coming to Prime's rescue.

However, Megatron made two mistakes: he informed Air Commander [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] of his intentions, and he underestimated Optimus Prime. The Prime managed to erase some of Megatron's memories of what he discovered, while Starscream activated the mechaforming process using energy from the planetary engines. The engines were destroyed before the process was complete, ruining both. {{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}}

After Megatron disappeared with Optimus Prime in a space bridge test, Shockwave became Decepticon leader, though Starscream and High Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] broke off with their own splinter factions shortly afterwards. The Decepticons allied with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s Autobots and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] (an Autobot splinter group), to stop the machinations of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}} Several thousand years later, Shockwave was prepared to sign a peace treaty with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who had become Autobot leader, the LSC, and Ratbat's [[Ultracon]]. However, Megatron returned with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Quintesson]] created [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] drones, whose abilities allowed the Decepticons to fully conquer Cybertron and enslave the Autobots. The Decepticons' control over Cybertron was ended when Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron and the Air Warriors were defeated. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath|War Within: The Age of Wrath}}

When Megatron disappeared along with the ''Nemesis'' crew, Shockwave again emerged as Decepticon leader, this time as head of a triumvirate including Ratbat and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. With [[energon]] becoming scarce, Shockwave agreed to work with Ultra Magnus and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in the creation of the [[Micromaster]]s, Transformers who were downsized for better fuel efficiency. Shockwave suffered a rebellion when [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] overthrew him, using Shockwave's severed head as a tool. {{storylink|Transformers: Micromasters}} However, all Transformers on Cybertron entered [[stasis lock]] when the [[Great Shutdown]] occurred.

Around 1,000 B.C.E., Shockwave was reactivated by Scourge, and then defeated the Unicronian Transformer. Studying Scourge and discovering some of the secrets Megatron had learned, Shockwave made peace with the Autobots, installing himself as Head of State with an [[Autobot High Council]] as a legislature, while Ultra Magnus became his senior security officer. However, the High Councillors were unsuited for peace time government, and gradually gave Shockwave more and more power... which is exactly what he had planned.

On Earth, the ''Nemesis'' crew was reawakened in 1984. Cut off from Cybertron, the Decepticons concluded that they had no other choice but to conquer the planet. Megatron soon learned that others had come looking for them, including [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]]. The Decepticons captured Jetfire and the Dinobots except Grimlock, and used the hostage situation to force Grimlock to serve the Decepticons. Additionally, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] located Earth and served under Megatron. In 1998, the Autobots allied with humanity to defeat the Decepticons. They were to be returned to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]'', but Shockwave, through a human intermediary, sabotaged the ''Ark II'', causing the ship to crash and send the Transformers aboard into stasis lock.

Renegade members of the [[United States military]] managed to capture the Decepticons and a number of Autobots, intending to use them as instruments of war, but [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]] later stole them and set himself up as an arms dealer. Unfortunately, Megatron overwhelmed the programming that kept him a prisoner, and freed the other Decepticons. Megatron then intended to unleash a technovirus on Earth, but the Autobots defeated him. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

A year later, Shockwave arrived to tie up loose ends, quickly capturing Megatron and the ''Nemesis'' crew. Starscream ejected Megatron out of the ship carrying them to Cybertron, leaving him to die in space. The ''Nemesis'' crew were granted amnesty, but Starscream quickly recruited them into going back to Earth to conquer the planet, taking the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] with them. Shockwave was finally overthrown when Optimus Prime united the Autobot resistance groups, but he escaped with a small number of troops. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

Meanwhile, Megatron was rescued by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], who repaired his memory loss. Using some recovered Air Warriors, Megatron located the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who were used to take control of Shockwave's small army. On Earth, Starscream's failures during [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]'s rampage were reason enough to convince the ''Nemesis'' crew to mutiny against Starscream in Megatron's favor. With two combiner teams, an army of Seekers, Soundwave's cassettes, and knowledge of Earth's connection to Cybertron, Megatron prepared to lead the Decepticons on the conquests of Earth and Cybertron {{storylink|Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave) |G1 ongoing}}...

{{note|...At which point Dreamwave went bankrupt. Damn.}}

===IDW===
{{ongoing}}
The Decepticons were formed out of the uprising in Kaon that Megatron spearheaded: the end result of a corrupt Autobot Senate and a vicious underground bloodsport. Kaon fell quickly {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} and the Decepticons soon began spreading across the planet, recruiting new people and carrying out terrorist strikes in advance of their main assaults. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} The war they started proved ''too'' destructive for Cybertron to handle though, and the Decepticons had to abandon it after the disastrous [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] incident. {{storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer |Stormbringer}}

The Decepticons are spread across known space, following a strict [[Infiltration protocol]] to conquer worlds. Disguising themselves, the infiltration unit gathers intelligence and seeds [[Facsimile construct|facsimiles]] in key strategic places; Phase Two is to use their facsimiles to inflame global tensions and watch the locals to devastate themselves. By Phase Five, their base is in [[Infiltration protocol|Siege Mode]] and Phase 6 has open war on a burnt-out world. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation}} In extreme circumstances, when they ''really'' want a world destroyed, they'll send in [[Sixshot]].

The Decepticon army is highly specialised: there's infiltration units for, er, infiltration; a [[Decepticon Secret Service]] handling spying and tech acquisitions {{storylink|Spotlight: Hot Rod}}; penal colonies like [[Styx]]; and Tactical Assault Units like the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] who carry out direct action.

This all got thrown out of the window in the early 21st Century, however, when it appeared the Decepticons had won. Whoops, they hadn't. Earth was lost, Megatron was defeated, and Starscream took control through a charade of wielding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}} Some Decepticons were left behind on Earth while Starscream led the rest to a barren asteroid, where they accomplished nothing for three years until Megatron finally returned and took back his rightful position. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}}

Later, Megatron allowed himself to be captured and brought to a mostly restored Cybertron, where he used a [[space bridge]] built into his body to summon the Decepticon army to him. Then they were brainwashed by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and/or [[D-Void]] into combining with the [[Sweep]]s to form a "[[Deceptigod]]". {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} Once the monster was defeated, the weakened Decepticons were all captured by the Autobots. They were imprisoned and kept under control using [[inhibitor/deterrence chip]]s in their heads, and the war was considered over. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

===Aftermath===
Both sides signed the [[Pax Cybertronia]], which eventually led to peace, but left the Decepticons in a second class position.

==Beast Era==
In ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' continuity, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were the descendants of the Decepticons and fought with the same aggression and ideas of conquest. They faced the [[Maximal]]s in the same way their ancestors had fought the [[Autobot]]s.

==Robots in Disguise==
In the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]], the Decepticons were a brand new faction that came into being during the events of the story. Because there were so few Decepticons (only six or seven), and because they were a subset of the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] antagonists, they can almost be viewed as a [[subgroup]] rather than a proper faction. The Decepticons were created on Earth when [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s forces captured a set of [[stasis pod]]s from an ancient Transformer spaceship that had been found on [[Earth]], leading to the birth of the [[Commando]]s and [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. The toy version of [[Megatron (RID)|Galvatron]] was also labeled as a Decepticon, although this "change" in the character's faction was only mentioned once in the cartoon series.

In the Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', ''Car Robots'', the Decepticons were known as Combatrons. This is the same name by which the [[Combaticon (G1)|G1 Combaticons]] were called in Japan.

For the [[Hasbro]] toy line, several other non-show Decepticons were added to the ranks to help fill out the line. It is unknown how most of these actually fit into the story, though one of them, [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], is actually a dimension-hopper who arrived from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] universe.

==Unicron Trilogy==
===Animated continuity===
====Armada====
The ''exact'' origins of the Decepticon faction are a bit muddled. It is widely assumed, though never directly confirmed, that the movement was founded by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. Also, the enslavement of the power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s is considered to be the impetus to the Decepticons' rise to a massive multi-planet-spanning army, though at what point in the war this occurred is unclear; it's possible the Mini-Cons' arrival was what gave Megatron the opportunity to rise to power, or that they arrived after the war had already begun.

Either way, the Mini-Cons fueled the war machine for centuries, and the war with the [[Autobot]]s soon spread from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to other worlds. The self-imposed exile of the Mini-Cons to an unknown destination was seen as a major setback for the Decepticons (and something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots), but despite this, the war continued, as both sides had amassed a large enough power base to continue on without the little buggers.

The Autobots and Decepticons seemed to fight to a stalemate, neither able to gain a distinct advantage over the other. When a signal reached Cybertron centuries later that the Mini-Cons had landed on [[Earth]], it seemed neither side was capable of sending a full force to retrieve them, despite the power they contained. Though the Decepticon force sent to Earth was small in numbers, it was far from insignificant; Megatron himself led the squad, backed by some of his most trusted warriors.

When Megatron returned to Cybertron, the overwhelming majority of the Mini-Cons were in the protective custody of the Autobots, but Megatron was unfazed; he had assembled the Mini-Cons required to make the three legendary weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] and [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. Bolstered by this new power and the apparent death of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], Megatron attempted to take Cybertron once and for all.

But Megatron's (now calling himself Galvatron) return to Cybertron was the beginning of the end of the Decepticon army. When [[Unicron]] revealed himself as a threat to both armies, fueled by the negative psychic energies from centuries of death and destruction, the two sides eventually joined together to beat back the planet-eater. Despite the truce, Galvatron and Prime engaged in a brutal duel on the surface of the weakened Unicron after the three legendary weapons had been removed from his core. Realizing their battle was keeping Unicron active, Galvatron sacrificed himself, and both Unicron and Galvatron disappeared into nothingness.

====Energon====
[[Image:Energon Decepticon insignia.jpg|left|127px|thumb|Now available with added purple!]]
Galvatron's final orders to his troops still stood: work ''with'' the Autobots. The Decepticons maintained a degree of autonomy, still wearing the faction sigil and often taking military/defensive positions in the growing number of [[energon]]-mining colonies, but they were ultimately answerable to Optimus Prime and the Autobots. There were, of course, dissenters, most of whom were captured and imprisoned. For a decade, Autobot and Decepticon worked side-by-side in a somewhat stable truce.

Both sides found themselves the target of attacks from Unicron again; hordes of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon drones]], sent by [[Alpha Quintesson]] to steal energon ore with which to revive the now-shattered husk of Unicron. What the alien did not count on was that Galvatron's [[spark]] had survived within the remains, and was siphoning energon from Unicron's body. Soon the Decepticon leader revived himself in a new form,(calling himself Megatron again) drove off Alpha Quintesson, and along with an elite cadre of soldiers and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mindless Terrorcon drones, began his ''new'' plans for conquest.

When news of Megatron's return reached Cybertron, hundreds of Decepticons rose up and rebelled, eager to get back to conquering. But having been joined to Unicron for so long apparently had given Megatron a taste of godhood; he had no more interest in amassing a galaxy-spanning army of troops. Countless Decepticons died in the resulting battles, with Megatron more than willing to sacrifice them without a thought to attain ultimate power for himself. As "[[the Powerlinx Battles]]" -as they came to be called- came to their climax, Megatron (calling himself Galvatron ''again'') found that his actions and thoughts were being influenced and controlled by the dark spark of Unicron. Unwilling to let Unicron stand in his way, Galvatron ultimately sacrificed himself (again) and seemingly destroyed Unicron's spark by plunging himself into a newly-formed energon sun created by [[Primus]].

====Cybertron====
What little remained of the once-mighty Decepticon army after [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron's]] loss was at best a loose association of criminals, thugs, and lunatics, with no real political or military power to speak of. For a decade, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was once again at peace, with the population overwhelmingly [[Autobot]] or neutral. The Transformers had withdrawn from [[Earth]] and its other colonies to focus on revitalizing their homeworld after the devastation of the Powerlinx Battles. However, two great catastrophes shattered this peace; the energon sun collapsed in on itself, forming the powerful black hole known as the [[Unicron Singularity]], which threatened to devour Cybertron and, if left unchecked, the entire universe... and the return yet once again of Megatron, who had absorbed much of what remained of Unicron's power.

Megatron's goal of attaining godhood was now at hand. By obtaining the legendary [[Omega Lock]] and the four [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, Megatron intended to accelerate the growth of the black hole, consuming the universe in a vast sea of nothingness that only he would survive, then use his powers to re-create the universe in his image.

To this end, he had no need of an army. He gathered a small group of allies and lackeys to seek the items he needed, but they were nothing more than pawns to him, to be used and discarded at a whim.

The Decepticons briefly regained their status as a mass army of individuals when [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who had long suffered at Megatron's hands since the beginning of the Decepticons, made his own bid for ultimate power with the help of the [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] agent [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]. Having sealed Megatron and his troops in a trap, Starscream freed hundreds of criminal Transformers who had been locked up on [[Earth]] for millennia, and formed his own globe-spanning army. The Decepticon "Monsters" were tasked with finding the Omega Lock and Earth's Cyber Planet Key, which they eventually brought to their leader. However, numerous Decepticons were killed in the battles with the Autobots, and it soon became apparent that Starscream, like Megatron before him, didn't care. Most of these criminals soon abandoned Starscream and went into hiding.

As for Megatron, he too had deserters among his own considerably-small ranks. Most notably, the powerful [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], leader of the [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] and the colossal [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] from [[Gigantion]], both of whom eventually joined forces with their former enemies the Autobots.

This was not seen as a concern for Megatron, however, as by this time Starscream and his allies were seemingly destroyed on Gigantion, and Megatron (now calling himself "Galvatron" again) had the Omega Lock and all four Keys. What few Decepticons remained loyal to him were too stupid to see what Galvatron had planned, and made perfect distractions as he set his final plan in motion. If they weren't strong enough to survive the coming cataclysm, then so be it.

[[Image:NewDecepticonArmy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The yutz, the ditz, the klutz, and the putz.]]
Ultimately, Galvatron's plan failed, and the Unicron Singularity was sealed. His remaining Decepticons quickly left him, realizing what was likely to have happened to them, and eventually joined the Autobots. After Galvatron's seemingly-final defeat and death in a one-on-one duel with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] moon, the Decepticons, not knowing when to quit, rose again, albeit in a rather pathetic fashion. Having cobbled together a rather rickety rocket, [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] shanghaied the reluctant [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], who was ''really'' keen on being on the winning side for once, and flew off to parts unknown as the "[[New Decepticon Army]]".

They made it to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] before the rocket crash-landed.

Meanwhile, the Autobot [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] reported form a deep-space recon mission that he thought he had picked up traces of Starscream, seemingly backed up by Sideways and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]. [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and the former Decepticon [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] raced off to join Wing Saber and investigate...

===Comics continuity===
====Armada====
Founded by Megatron, the exact number of the original Decepticons is unknown. Using the Mini-Cons as weapons, they were able to conquer Cybertron and force the Autobots underground. Eventually they were beaten due to the arrival of Unicron: his heralds slaughtered the entire Decepticon base on Cybertron, and the Chaos-Bringer's arrival forced them to join forces with the Autobots. With Megatron shot dead during the Unicron battle, the peace held for a period of years.

==Live-action ''Transformers'' movies continuity==
[[Image:Defiance3_wearenowDECEPTICONS.jpg|thumb|300px|LATER: Megatron realizes he blew his entire budget on the giant rotating wall symbol.]]

The Decepticons are the Transformers who sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Lord High Protector Megatron]] and attempted to seize the [[AllSpark]]. Their numbers ranged from the [[Starscream (Movie)|treacherous]], the [[Blackout (Movie)|fanatical]], the [[Brawl (Movie)|violent]], and the [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|treacherous fanatically violent]] to the [[Frenzy (Movie)|spastic]].

The origins of these Decepticons began when a being known as [[The Fallen]] turned on his [[Dynasty of Primes|brother Primes]] in an attempt to seize power at the cost of [[human|humanity's]] existence. One account has it that the Fallen gathered a small army of [[Constructicon (ROTF)|construction drones]] to assist him and named them Decepticons. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3}} Either way, he would become known as the ''first'' Decepticon and would go on to become the [[Yoda]] to Megatron's [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}, tempting the latent aggressive edge in the Protector. Filled with dreams of power and paranoia of losing that power, Megatron reformed the Cybertron defense force into a massive engine of war, ready to wipe out entire alien species who would dare challenge them. When science leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime's]] opposition became known, Megatron branded them traitors and declared his followers to be the Decepticons. Soon after, The Fallen commanded Megatron to build the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', a ship that would carry his sarcophagus and Decepticon soldiers in their search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] left on Earth. Megatron was commanded to remain on Cybertron, so [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] commanded the expedition. Most of the Decepticons left Cybertron, leaving Megatron with a reduced, but still potent, army. {{Storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

War devastated Cybertron. While the Decepticons were heavily reliant on drone units to bolster their forces and were forced to automate many of their outposts, the risk was still too high that they might claim the AllSpark, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}} and Optimus Prime made the desperate decision to launch the AllSpark into deep space. Megatron obsessively followed after it, and disappeared. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took over leadership, and began a search for Megatron and the AllSpark. After a while, Starscream began to focus more on the AllSpark, hoping Megatron would remain lost, something the other Decepticons began to suspect. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

In 2003, Starscream's retrieval team made their way to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], destroyed the [[Beagle 2 Rover]] and making their way to Earth. In 2007, the Decepticons began to make their presence known, with [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] destroying [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]], searching for information on Megatron and the AllSpark. A few days later, [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] hacked [[Air Force One]]'s computers. Although he was unable to find out the truth about [[Sector Seven]], he avoided detection and managed to get a clue in [[Sam Witwicky]], whose ancestor [[Archibald Witwicky]] had discovered Megatron a century earlier. His glasses had been marked with coordinates to the AllSpark's location, so [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and Frenzy attempted to confront the boy. Although they were defeated by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], Frenzy hid in Mikaela's purse, and accompanied them to [[Hoover Dam]], where Megatron and the AllSpark were hidden. As Starscream ordered the Decepticons to mobilize, Frenzy shut down the temperature controls while Starscream destroyed the external generators. Megatron was freed, but Bumblebee took the Cube with a group of survivors from Blackout's attack to Mission City, meeting with Optimus Prime's Autobots along the way. In the Battle of Mission City, Megatron and most of the Decepticons were killed and the AllSpark believed destroyed. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

Starscream, however, survived, and stole Frenzy's remains to access whatever information the humans had on the AllSpark to build [[Replica AllSpark|his own AllSpark]]. Returning to Cybertron, Starscream proclaimed himself [[Decepticon leader]] and began building the replica. One month later, the replica was ready, but it didn't work properly and [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] made a coup attempt. Starscream barely survived and made his way back to Mars, questioning his purpose, when he received word that the Autobots would be helping the humans destroy Megatron's remains. Hoping to destroy Prime, Megatron, and the traitor [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] all at once, Starscream returned to Earth. Although he managed to destroy Wreckage, Prime had already left with Megatron's body. Just as he defeated Bumblebee, Starscream received word from Soundwave, who had brought the ''Nemesis'' to Earth's solar system. After meeting up with Soundwave, Starscream explained the situation, and returned to the ''Nemesis'' to awaken the remaining Decepticons and oversee the spawning of more [[hatchling]]s while Soundwave lead a scout team to Earth. {{storylink|Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream}} {{storylink|Transformers: Alliance}}

[[Image:ROTF Fallen message.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Fallen performs what may be the greatest [[Rick Astley|Rick roll]] in history.]]
Over the next two years, the Decepticons searched for the [[Tomb of the Primes]], which housed the Matrix needed to activate the solar harvester. In 2009, Soundwave discovered Megatron's resting place in the [[Laurentian Abyss]] and the presence of an AllSpark shard on [[Diego Garcia]]. Dispatching [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s, the Decepticons managed to restore Megatron's [[Spark]] and bring him back to life. Returning to the ''Nemesis'', Megatron learned from the Fallen that the AllSpark's knowledge was within Sam Witwicky's mind, who had destroyed the Cube when he killed Megatron. Further commanded to kill Optimus Prime, Megatron captured the boy. Although he escaped, Megatron managed to kill Optimus. Megatron then decided that a show of force was needed to compel the humans to turn Sam over to them. The Fallen lead Decepticon protoforms to Earth and then broadcast a message demanding the humans turn over Sam. Sam was eventually found in [[Egypt]], where the harvester was hidden. Although the Fallen managed to reclaim the Matrix, it had been used to resurrect Optimus, who in turn killed the Fallen. Megatron and Starscream were forced to retreat and form a new plan. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

The Decepticons returned after three years with the plan to use a space bridge to bring an army to Earth and transport Cybertron into orbit to rebuild the planet with Earth's natural resources and the human population as slaves. Megatron and the traitorous Sentinel Prime had planned this for a long time, intending to meet on Earth before Megatron went after the Allspark and ended up frozen while the Ark was shot down by Decepticon fighters and crashed on Earth's Moon in 1961. This was detected by the Americans and the Russians and the space programs were created to reach the ship and study it. However, by 1963 the Decepticons had raided the Ark and removed all but five of the pillars and hid them on the Moon along with an army of Decepticons, awaiting the time that the pillars would be used. After humans successfully reached the Moon and explored the ship, Soundwave and Laserbeak approached various humans including Dylan Gould's father to get them to shut down the American and Russian space programs. The Decepticons established a network of human collaborators who kept the humans from noticing the Decepticons actions on the Moon, later led by Dylan Gould. After a human collaborator named Alexi Voshkod lead NEST to Chernobyl where they retrieved an engine part from the Ark, the Decepticons reemerged for the first time since Egypt in the form of Shockwave and his Driller who attack, but retreat. This leads the Autobots to retrieve Sentinel and the remaining space bridge pillars and revive him. As this is part of his plan, Megatron orders Laserbeak to kill all the human collaborators save for Dylan Gould. Sam Witwicky and Seymour Simmons find out about the Decepticons plot from pictures a Russian probe got of the Decepticons hiding the pillars and the Dreads are sent to attack the convoy protecting Sentinel, but are killed. After Sentinel reveals his true colors and murders Ironhide, he sets up the pillars in the National Mall and brings the Decepticon army, consisting of hundreds of Decepticon soldiers and Decepticon ships, to Earth. With the army in hand, the Decepticons promise to bring no war against the human population in exchange that the Autobots must leave Earth. While taking off into the atmosphere, Starscream destroyed the Autobot ship, knowing that mankind will resist on their own. Some of the Decepticons scatter around the world to set up the pillars while most of the army invades Chicago, devastating the human population and securing it as a fortress. The Autobots, NEST and, a team of mercenaries, led by Sam Witwicky and Robert Epps, invade Chicago and battle the Decepticon army, aided by the United States Army and U.S Air force. The group manages to take out much of the army including Laserbeak, the Driller, Starscream, Soundwave, Barricade, and Shockwave and disrupt the Control Pillar, forcing Sentinel into battle. The combined human and Autobot forces overwhelm Sentinel and his remaining forces while Tomahawk missiles destroy most of the Decepticon fighters. Sentinel then tried to flee before engaging Optimus one-on-one as Dylan Gould reactivates the space bridge. Sam Witwicky kills Gould and Bumblebee and Ratchet destroy the Control Pillar, causing Cybertron to implode and ruining the Decepticon plan. The remaining Decepticon ships are sucked up into Cybertron by the space bridge and are presumably destroyed with the planet. Sentinel nearly kills Optimus, but Megatron, convinced by Carly Spencer that he would end up working for Sentinel, saves Optimus and incapacitates Sentinel. Megatron, half-heartedly,offers a truce between the Autobots and Decepticons after Cybertron is destroyed as long as he's in charge of the Decepticons again, but Optimus refuses and kills Megatron and Sentinel. While the loss of human life in Chicago is massive, the battle is a major victory for the Autobots as they eliminated most of the Decepticon army on Earth. Despite there sill being some decepticons scattered around the globe, the entire Decepticon command structure was destroyed in the battle.{{Storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
[[Image:Titan23_decepticonsmassing.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Company photo day.]]
The Decepticons are, in general, less human in appearance than the Autobots in the movie, resembling carnivorous mammals, birds, insects or the Decepticon insignia itself (possibly to frighten the [[Human|insects]]). What is also most noticeable about the Decepticons in the movie franchise is that they've actually been designed to resemble the insignia of their faction, most notably Megatron, Blackout, Barricade, and the Fallen; the insignia is in fact based on the Fallen's ugly mug. {{storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

{{note|In a departure from previous Transformers incarnations, Japan used the name "Decepticons" for this franchise, rather than "Destrons"<ref>[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/movie/decepticons.html Movie Decepticons toy listing on Takaratomy.com]</ref>.}}

{{-}}

==Animated==
Around 1 billion years ago, the [[Destron (Animated)|Destrons]] emerged as a new faction on the Protectobot governed Cybertron. Led by [[Devron (Animated)|Devron]], the [[Third Cybertronian War]] was fought between the Destrons and the Protectobots (who were led by the new leader [[Nova Magnus]]). ''The Destrons emerged victorious, though many Cybertronian records were forever lost due to the [[Great Purge]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

The Decepticons came to prominence as a sub-faction of the Destrons around 70 million years ago. They advocated the use of the AllSpark to bring Cybertron itself to life, that it might serve as a cosmic juggernaut that would allow the Transformers to return to the era of expansion and colonization of other worlds they had enjoyed nearly 700 million years beforehand. When the Decepticon leader [[Megazarak (Animated)|Megazarak]] was ousted by charismatic rhetorician named [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], tensions finally exploded, and the Autobots and Decepticons went to [[Great War (Animated)|war]] for possession of the AllSpark.

After something in the vicinity of six million years of civil war, things reached a crisis point when the Decepticons began a strategic bombing campaign on Cybertron, demanding the AllSpark be turned over in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Rather than give in to Megatron's demands, the Autobots instead sought to put the AllSpark beyond any Cybertronian's reach, launching it randomly through a [[space bridge]] to some distant corner of the galaxy, where it was hoped it would never be found. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

4 million stellar cycles ago, the Autobots and Decepticons battled each other in what is now known as The Great War. The Autobots pulled a victory only due to their exclusive access to [[space bridge]]s and their decision to send the [[AllSpark]] into deep space. Defeated, the Decepticons dispersed, and, according to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], the only sight of them would be an occasional scout ship. In fact, they had been missing for so long, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] believed a Decepticon presence was a thing of the past. This was quickly reassessed upon encountering [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron's]] crew. In his final battle against Optimus, Megatron was taken back to Cybertron, along with [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], for imprisonment. The rest are still at large, except Starscream, who died when his AllSpark fragment was removed.

{{stub}}

{{note|As with the movie Decepticons, the Animated Decepticons are not called Destrons in Japan.}}

==Shattered Glass==
[[Image:Decepticon Shattered Glass.png|right|180px|thumb|Decepticons wage their battles to destroy...]]
{{quote|Your tyranny ends here, Prime! Cybertronians will once again know the freedom which is their right!|Megatron|"[[Shattered Glass]]"}}
In this universe, the Decepticons are the good guys and a resistance group, intended to overthrow Autobot tyranny and their dastardly leader, [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]. Led by the heroic [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]], the 'Cons want to liberate Cybertron and preserve freedom and life across the galaxy, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|no matter the cost]]. But if they fail to stop the Autobots, not only will the Autobots conquer [[Earth]], they will also enslave the universe and all will be lost. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}

{{-}}

==Prime==
{{bigquote|Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who listen to the truth should not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies.|[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]].}}

[[Image:DeusExMachina-fourcons.jpg|thumb|300px]]
The Decepticons originated from those in the [[caste system|lower castes]] of Cybertronian society in the [[Badlands (Cybertron)|Badlands]]. Megatron, a gladiator who seized control of all the gladiatorial pits and assumed the name of The Fallen, began preaching to the dispossessed on the Grid. He allowed them to bomb Cybertron and throw their society into chaos, for he rightly believed if he denied any connection to their extremist behavior, it would elevate him in the eyes of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Even the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] kidnapped [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] for him. When the Council questioned Megatron about the movement's name, he denied he had heard of it, though he also accepted it for reasons outlined above.

When Halogen appointed Orion the new Prime, Megatron declared his Decepticons would continue to fight for freedom. During the war they conquered eighty-five percent of the planet, as well as occupying [[Moonbase One|Moon Base One]] and [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] Station, before poisoning the [[core]] itself with [[Dark Energon]]. When the Autobots left aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', Trypticon transformed into the ''Nemesis'' and followed them with Megatron, Starscream, [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] and [[Lugnut (WFC)|Lugnut]] into unknown space, while [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] took control of the Cybertronian Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

Eons later, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] were based on [[Earth]], with a mass-produced [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] army. During a three year lull, Starscream was ordered to build a [[space bridge]] and to mine more Energon. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (comic)}} Megatron returned, but not with the army Starscream had hoped for. Instead he tried to raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] [[zombie]]s to eradicate humanity, but failed and perished in a space bridge implosion, leaving Starscream in command once more. {{storylink|Darkness Rising}} It emerged he survived, and he was retrieved and placed in sickbay. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Meanwhile, Starscream and Soundwave waited for opportunities to pounce on [[Team Prime]] with their Vehicons. {{storylink|Con Job}} {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers (2007)===
====Transformers Movie Screen Cleaners====
[[Image:Movie Decepticon Screencleaner.jpg|right|105px|thumb|Transforms your dirty screen to a clean one and — well, actually just the first thing.]]
*'''Decepticon''' (2008)
:Released by Tomy Yujin on January,<ref>[http://www.gachausa.com/products/transformers.asp Tomy Yujin ''Transformers'' page]</ref> this dangler is a [[Insignia|faction logo]]-shaped screen cleaner for your cell phone, with a stock image of Decepticon insignia printed on the other side.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Cantonese'': (Hong Kong, 狂派. 狂 not only has a similar pronunciation to 'con', but also means "madness" in Chinese: 瘋狂. )
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron''' (デストロン ''Desutoron''), '''Combatron''' (''Car Robots'', コンバットロン ''Konbatoron''), '''Decepticon''' (ディセプティコン ''Diseputikon'')
*''Danish'': '''Bedragerne''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers"), '''Bedraonerne''' (''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''French:'' '''Decepticans''' (France ''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Álcák''' (Marvel comic, "Disguises"), '''Decepticonok''' (toy commercial, second ''The Movie'' dub), '''Varangyok''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Toads"), '''Robotikák''' (''Energon'', ''Cybertron'', "Roboticas")
*''Italian:'' '''Distructors'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Dí Sài Kāng''' (Taiwan, 迪賽剛), '''Ba Tian Hu''' (China, 霸天虎, "Tigers that Forcibly Occupy the Sky")
*''Polish:'' '''Deceptikony''', '''Decepcjokony''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Deceptiocons"), '''Dezorientaci''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Decépticos''' (Portugal comic), '''Malignus''' (Brazil comic)
*''Serbian:'' '''Deseptikoni'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Bedragare''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Obmanoidy''' (Обманойди, "Decepticons")
*''Korean:'' '''디셉티콘''' (Decepticons)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Alternity]]
[[Category:Animated factions]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beastformers franchise]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon]]
[[Category:Decepticons| ]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Machine Wars]]
[[Category:Micromaster]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Operation Combination]]
[[Category:Predacon subgroups]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robot Masters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Victory]]
[[Category:Zone]]

Decepticon

2012-05-10T14:20:13Z

76.6.51.248: /* The Transformers cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|ttdecepticon|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Transformers faction|the ''Robots in Disguise'' episode|The Decepticons}}
[[Image:Symbol decept reg.png|right|236px|thumb|Get this tattooed on you and all you'll need is a black trenchcoat and a long ponytail. Then people will love you.]]

{{quote|'''''Decepticon''' (di-sep-ti-con) A member of a subversive sect or society. From the noun — 'deception'; one who deceives.|the [[New Cybertronic Dictograph]]}}

The '''Decepticons''' are one of the primary factions in the ''[[Transformer]]s'' mythos. They are typically concerned with such things as conquering [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], defeating the [[Autobot]]s, amassing large quantities of [[energon]], developing powerful weaponry, and beating people up. Not necessarily in that order.

Unlike the Autobots, whose leader is a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] bearing a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], the Decepticons are led by the [[Decepticon leader|most powerful]] of their ranks. This tends to cause some conflict, given how generally ''every'' Decepticon thinks that they're the most powerful. Also, the Decepticons are not exactly the most compassionate beings in the universe, but not all fight for greed. More than a few have a sense of honor, while others believe that Cybertron would be better protected by [[Decepticon Empire|aggressive expansion]]. Ultimately, the Decepticons desire to protect their homeworld, even if it is at the expense of others. [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Usually]].

{{quote|The Decepticons are a malevolent race of robot warriors, brutal and merciless. The Decepticons are led by a single undeviating goal: total domination of the universe.|[[Narrator]]|[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]}}

==Generation 1==
===Marvel Comics===
[[Image:Thelaststand-prepare.jpg|left|350px|thumb|MUSTER THE GOOMBAS! HAND OUT THE DE-EVOLUTION GUNS! PREPARE FOR DESTINY!]]
The Decepticons emerged from the gladiatorial [[State Games]], which caused [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s rise to public prominence - in the aftermath of the destructive Vos-Tarn War, Megatron was able to use his fame and charisma to unite both the survivors and the planet's malcontents into a new army. His plan was to turn Cybertron into a mobile cosmic dreadnought and conquer the galaxy. The Decepticons developed new technology to allow them to transform into attack vehicles and weaponry, launching a devastating attack that killed billions and shook the planet from its orbit before [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] turned the tide.

Megatron, Shockwave and others were lost on Earth for four million years; as Optimus was too, the Autobots swiftly lost ground to Decepticon leaders [[Trannis]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]. Cybertron was devastated and conquered, causing the cream of the Decepticons to leave the burnt-out planet to form a [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] out in the stars, while Straxus threw all those he considered weak into the [[Smelting pool]]. The Empire would go on to slaughter and Cyberform planet after planet, their actions unknown on Cybertron.

Eventually the Earth-bound Decepticons would awaken in 1984, sparking off a new front in the war. After the presumed suicide of Megatron, an escalation in fighting would see Decepticon leadership fragment and change hands rapidly, with frequent clashes, plots and counter-plots between the primary leadership, namely [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], until most of them were killed in the [[Underbase]] conflict, leaving Scorponok the only surviving commander. A brief truce with the Autobots was held when [[Unicron]] attacked in 1991, but Scorponok was killed in the following conflict. Immediately after this, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came to power. Charismatic and driven, Bludgeon turned the beaten Decepticons into a new army; after a defeat on [[Klo]], they regrouped and reorganised. ([[Another Time & Place|In one reality, they were immediately massacred afterward.]])

====Earthforce====
In the side-continuity of [[Earthforce]], while Unicron continued on to Cybertron, Megatron and Shockwave continued a Decepticon civil war on Earth with a small handful of troops - wasting most of their time trying to take each other out. Eventually Soundwave and Starscream overthrew them, uniting both factions into a stronger Decepticon force. The two former leaders attempted to regain their position but never appeared to succeed.

====Generation 2====
Bludgeon invaded Earth with the intention of capturing the Matrix and making a new generation of Decepticons, but Megatron returned, killed Bludgeon in one-on-one combat, and stole this plan. However, the threat of the Cybertronian Empire forced an alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons again.

====Classics====

===Cartoon===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon''====
[[Image:Ffod4 early soldiers.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]

The Decepticons began life as a line of military hardware robots created by the [[Quintesson]]s, alongside the consumer goods robots that would become the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} It is unknown exactly what role the military hardware robots played in the eventual rebellion of the robots against their creators; the only ones seen to participate in the conflict were the Autobots' ancestors, led by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|A-3]], but given their fighting ability, the proto-Decepticons seem like they would have made logical soldiers in the fight. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

Following the defeat of the Quintessons and their exile from Cybertron, a brief period of peace descended, before the base differences between the two breeds of robot led to the outbreak of conflict. Lusting for power, the Decepticons, as they now called themselves, rallied under [[Early Decepticon leader|a leader]] and began a war with the peaceful Autobots, who proved unable to match their inborn military skills. After the fall of several successive Autobot leaders, the heroic robots turned to stealth, and invented the art of [[transformation]]; with this edge, [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] defeated the Decepticons' leader, ending the war and ushering in the prosperous [[Golden Age]] of Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}
[[Image:Masterplan2 earth germ.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Excuse me, do you have seating for 3?"]]
Over time, the defeated Decepticons married transformation technology with robot-mode flight powers, leading to the creation of Megatron around nine million years ago. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Gathering like-minded warriors like the loyal [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], the emotionless [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and the young upstart [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], and brain-washing others into his service with the [[Robo-Smasher]], {{storylink|The Secret of Omega Supreme}} Megatron slew Sentinel Prime and reignited the war. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} Against the Autobots under the command of new leader Optimus Prime, the protracted warfare ran for five million years, draining Cybertron dry of energy and forcing the Transformers to seek new power sources on other planets. When Optimus Prime's best and brightest departed on this quest aboard [[Ark (G1)|a spacecraft]], Megatron's elite followed them, and the battle that erupted led to a crash-landing on prehistoric Earth that entombed all the combatants in stasis for four million years. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

In 1984, a volcanic explosion led to the reactivation of the Transformers; the Decepticons were first to recover, and immediately set about plundering Earth's natural resources to build a [[Victory (G1)|space cruiser]] that would take them back to Cybertron. Sabotaged in mid-flight, the ship crashed into one of Earth's oceans, {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}} but the Decepticons survived and rebuilt the crippled craft to serve as their new [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Earth)|headquarters]] for the continuing conflict on the planet. A [[space bridge]] was established between Earth and Cybertron, and any resources the villains could purloin would be sent back to the dying planet to secure their stranglehold over it. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}
[[Image:FFOD5 Decepticons attack.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]pyoo pyoo
At some point over the next twenty years, the Decepticons focused their attentions away from Earth and managed to take complete control of Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to relocate to twin moonbases on Cybertron's two satellites, and to [[Autobot City]] on Earth. In 2005, learning that the Autobots planned a major strike to retake Cybertron, the Decepticons launched an [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]] on Autobot City, with disastrous consequences for the Autobots. The battle saw one of the Decepticons' long held dreams achieved in the death of Optimus Prime, but Megatron was damaged, and left to rot in deep space, along with several of his wounded followers. Found by the monster planet [[Unicron]], Megatron was reformatted him into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], and the others into [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and the [[Sweep]]s, in return for their servitude. Soon after, while Unicron was attacking the Decepticon-controlled Cybertron, Galvatron duelled with the new Autobot leader [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]], who triumphed and hurled him into the void of space. Their world and their forces devastated and their leader gone, the Decepticons were easily routed by the Autobots, who forced them into exile on the burned-out world of [[Chaar]] while they retook and restored Cybertron. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

{{quote|Once the Decepticons held the quadrant through terror, now we scrap like [[Slaarg]]s over a few [[energon cube]]s.|[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]|[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]}}
[[Image:Rebirth 2 Decepticon offerings.JPG|left|thumb|250px]]
On Chaar, the Decepticons faced constant energy shortages and engaged in constant in-fighting over what little they did have. Determined to restore order, Cyclonus hatched a plan to locate the lost Galvatron, in hopes that he could lead the Decepticons to glory once more. Although they were successful, Galvatron proved to have been driven insane by his experiences, and while his return did herald the recommencement of hostilities with the Autobots, the Decepticons never quite recovered their old standing, continuing to operate on Chaar throughout 2006 and regularly entering into ill-fated alliances with the Quintessons. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness}}

Eventually, the Decepticons went into hiding following the resurrection of Optimus Prime. When they returned, it was in force, launching an attack on Autobot City in order to steal the key to the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] on Cybertron, intending to use the chamber to overload the sun and destroy Earth and Cybertron together. The battle for the key carried several of their number to the planet [[Nebulos]], where they became [[binary bonding|binary bonded]] to the planet's evil rulers, the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster]]s. They returned with the key to Cybertron, but Autobot intervention caused the energy of the chamber to backfire on them, hurling their battlestation [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], with the amassed forces of the Decepticons aboard, off into the far reaches of the universe. {{storylink|The Rebirth}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====

{{note|In Japanese cartoon continuity, the events of "The Rebirth" do not occur, and Headmasters and Targetmasters have a different origin.}}
[[Image:FourWarriors Decepticon Headmasters flaming balls.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Following the return of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons consolidated their power base by heavily fortifying Chaar and turning it into an actual, functional base of operations. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Their ranks were swelled with the addition of the Decepticon Headmasters—Cybertronians who had fled their homeworld millions of years before and taken up residence on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], but who had been exiled by the local leader [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] for an attempted coup. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Headmaster commander [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] coveted leadership of the Decepticons for himself, and finally obtained it when the Autobot Headmasters entombed Galvatron in an iceberg. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} Under Scorponok's leadership, the Decepticons nearly succeeded in destroying the Earth with [[crysmagnetal]] and [[plasma energy]], but upon the destruction of Scorponok's [[Transtector]], the ultimately elected to finally withdraw from Earth once and for all. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}
[[Image:BirthHeadmasterJrs Decepticon Jrs in transtators.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
The Decepticons returned to Chaar, and over the next few years, fought the Autobots on [[Athenia]] in a series of space-based exchanges that became known as the [[Master Wars]]. Circumstances changed when the mysterious alien [[Devil Z]] was able to brainwash Scorponok, placing him and by extension, the entire Decepticon army, under his command. {{storylink|Master File No, 1}} While Scorponok, now known as "BlackZarak", continued to lead the Decepticons' space based forces, a small group of [[Pretender]]s operating under Devil Z's direct command on Earth furthered the evil alien's attempts to fuse human and Transformer life to create the ultimate lifeform by bringing about the rise of the [[Headmaster Junior]]s and the [[Godmaster]]s. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}} {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}} A group of Autobot Pretenders worked to counter his schemes by doing the same, and the repeated failure of his human Transformers to triumph over their Autobot counterparts led Devil Z to conclude that he had been incorrect, and that humanity was of no use to him. He transformed the Headmaster Jr and Godmasters into full robotic lifeforms, but soon after, he and BlackZarak were destroyed by the Autobot leader [[Ginrai]], and the Decepticons fled the Earth once more. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}
[[Image:Deathsaurus throne.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
Leadership was briefly taken up by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], but by the year 2025, the Decepticon army was reorganized under the new Emperor of Destruction, [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], and began attacking numerous different planets all across the galaxy in pursuit of a world they could take for their own. {{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} Deathsaurus led the [[Breastforce]] and [[Dinoforce]] in attack on Earth, seizing enough energy to reactive his [[Planet-Destroying Fortress]], but he was stopped by the new Autobot [[Supreme Commander]], [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}
[[Image:TVMJuly1990Mashougun.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Deathsaurus's defeat marked a decline in Decepticon activity, but soon a more supernatural force seized command: [[Violen Jiger]], a being made up of the spirits of many defeated Decepticons, rallied together [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] from throughout Decepticon history to capture for him the Autobots' new [[Energon Z]], and the life-giving [[Zodiac]], which he would combine to create a "[[Decepticon Zone]]" from which he could conquer the universe. His plans were stopped by new Autobot leader [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]], {{storylink|Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone}} and the Zodiac was instead used to bring Optimus Prime back to life. This stood in the way of the plans of the mysterious alien [[Dark Nova]], so he used his powers to resurrect Galvatron from his Arctic tomb and transform him into Super Megatron. The Decepticon army was virtually non-existent under Dark Nova; Super Megatron had no actual Decepticon troops at his command, merely Dark Nova's [[Novaroid]] and [[Galaman]] warriors, though they did bear the Decepticon insignia. Dark Nova later upgraded Super Megatron into Ultra Megatron, then merged with him to become "Star Giant", but was destroyed by the resurrected Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy}}

Dark Nova and Super Megatron were succeeded as Decepticon leader by the enigmatic [[Scrash (OC)|Scrach]], who sent the [[Battle Gaia]] and the [[Jet Corps]] to attack Earth. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination}} Some reports suggest that when they were stopped by [[Guard City]] and the [[Micromaster]] six-combiners, Scrash himself made another attempt along with his warriors [[Flashwing]], [[Deathplay]], [[Darkfly]] and [[Sharpedge]] which also met with failure. {{storylink|Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)#After_2025|2007 timeline}}

===Dreamwave===
[[Image:DeceptLitho.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"My Liege, when did you get that sw—" "CAN'T HEAR YOU, FANWANKING"]]
The Decepticons arose out of the [[Gladiatorial combat|underground fights]] that Megatron once partook in. After discovering certain secrets about Cybertron's origin, including massive [[planetary engine]]s, Megatron began using the games to recruit combatants. For nearly half a million years, they grew in numbers and trained, until they rebelled against the [[Council of Ancients]] and took [[Kaon]] by force.

While the war raged on, the Constructicons repaired the engines and introduced a mecha-forming process, but what they really needed was a power source. Megatron became convinced that he could find one powerful enough within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which was in the possession of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. However, when Megatron finally killed the Prime, he discovered that it was not within him. Soon after, Optronix became Optimus Prime, and Megatron initiated a plan: an assassination team under Communications Officer [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] would elimate the Prime and claim the Matrix, while Military Operations Commander [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] would lay siege to Iacon, preventing the Autobots from coming to Prime's rescue.

However, Megatron made two mistakes: he informed Air Commander [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] of his intentions, and he underestimated Optimus Prime. The Prime managed to erase some of Megatron's memories of what he discovered, while Starscream activated the mechaforming process using energy from the planetary engines. The engines were destroyed before the process was complete, ruining both. {{storylink|Transformers: The War Within|The War Within}}

After Megatron disappeared with Optimus Prime in a space bridge test, Shockwave became Decepticon leader, though Starscream and High Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] broke off with their own splinter factions shortly afterwards. The Decepticons allied with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s Autobots and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] (an Autobot splinter group), to stop the machinations of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages|War Within: The Dark Ages}} Several thousand years later, Shockwave was prepared to sign a peace treaty with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who had become Autobot leader, the LSC, and Ratbat's [[Ultracon]]. However, Megatron returned with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Quintesson]] created [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] drones, whose abilities allowed the Decepticons to fully conquer Cybertron and enslave the Autobots. The Decepticons' control over Cybertron was ended when Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron and the Air Warriors were defeated. {{storylink|Transformers: War Within: The Age of Wrath|War Within: The Age of Wrath}}

When Megatron disappeared along with the ''Nemesis'' crew, Shockwave again emerged as Decepticon leader, this time as head of a triumvirate including Ratbat and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. With [[energon]] becoming scarce, Shockwave agreed to work with Ultra Magnus and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in the creation of the [[Micromaster]]s, Transformers who were downsized for better fuel efficiency. Shockwave suffered a rebellion when [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] overthrew him, using Shockwave's severed head as a tool. {{storylink|Transformers: Micromasters}} However, all Transformers on Cybertron entered [[stasis lock]] when the [[Great Shutdown]] occurred.

Around 1,000 B.C.E., Shockwave was reactivated by Scourge, and then defeated the Unicronian Transformer. Studying Scourge and discovering some of the secrets Megatron had learned, Shockwave made peace with the Autobots, installing himself as Head of State with an [[Autobot High Council]] as a legislature, while Ultra Magnus became his senior security officer. However, the High Councillors were unsuited for peace time government, and gradually gave Shockwave more and more power... which is exactly what he had planned.

On Earth, the ''Nemesis'' crew was reawakened in 1984. Cut off from Cybertron, the Decepticons concluded that they had no other choice but to conquer the planet. Megatron soon learned that others had come looking for them, including [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]]. The Decepticons captured Jetfire and the Dinobots except Grimlock, and used the hostage situation to force Grimlock to serve the Decepticons. Additionally, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] located Earth and served under Megatron. In 1998, the Autobots allied with humanity to defeat the Decepticons. They were to be returned to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]'', but Shockwave, through a human intermediary, sabotaged the ''Ark II'', causing the ship to crash and send the Transformers aboard into stasis lock.

Renegade members of the [[United States military]] managed to capture the Decepticons and a number of Autobots, intending to use them as instruments of war, but [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]] later stole them and set himself up as an arms dealer. Unfortunately, Megatron overwhelmed the programming that kept him a prisoner, and freed the other Decepticons. Megatron then intended to unleash a technovirus on Earth, but the Autobots defeated him. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

A year later, Shockwave arrived to tie up loose ends, quickly capturing Megatron and the ''Nemesis'' crew. Starscream ejected Megatron out of the ship carrying them to Cybertron, leaving him to die in space. The ''Nemesis'' crew were granted amnesty, but Starscream quickly recruited them into going back to Earth to conquer the planet, taking the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] with them. Shockwave was finally overthrown when Optimus Prime united the Autobot resistance groups, but he escaped with a small number of troops. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

Meanwhile, Megatron was rescued by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], who repaired his memory loss. Using some recovered Air Warriors, Megatron located the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who were used to take control of Shockwave's small army. On Earth, Starscream's failures during [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]'s rampage were reason enough to convince the ''Nemesis'' crew to mutiny against Starscream in Megatron's favor. With two combiner teams, an army of Seekers, Soundwave's cassettes, and knowledge of Earth's connection to Cybertron, Megatron prepared to lead the Decepticons on the conquests of Earth and Cybertron {{storylink|Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave) |G1 ongoing}}...

{{note|...At which point Dreamwave went bankrupt. Damn.}}

===IDW===
{{ongoing}}
The Decepticons were formed out of the uprising in Kaon that Megatron spearheaded: the end result of a corrupt Autobot Senate and a vicious underground bloodsport. Kaon fell quickly {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin}} and the Decepticons soon began spreading across the planet, recruiting new people and carrying out terrorist strikes in advance of their main assaults. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} The war they started proved ''too'' destructive for Cybertron to handle though, and the Decepticons had to abandon it after the disastrous [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] incident. {{storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer |Stormbringer}}

The Decepticons are spread across known space, following a strict [[Infiltration protocol]] to conquer worlds. Disguising themselves, the infiltration unit gathers intelligence and seeds [[Facsimile construct|facsimiles]] in key strategic places; Phase Two is to use their facsimiles to inflame global tensions and watch the locals to devastate themselves. By Phase Five, their base is in [[Infiltration protocol|Siege Mode]] and Phase 6 has open war on a burnt-out world. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infiltration|Infiltration}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Escalation|Escalation}} In extreme circumstances, when they ''really'' want a world destroyed, they'll send in [[Sixshot]].

The Decepticon army is highly specialised: there's infiltration units for, er, infiltration; a [[Decepticon Secret Service]] handling spying and tech acquisitions {{storylink|Spotlight: Hot Rod}}; penal colonies like [[Styx]]; and Tactical Assault Units like the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] who carry out direct action.

This all got thrown out of the window in the early 21st Century, however, when it appeared the Decepticons had won. Whoops, they hadn't. Earth was lost, Megatron was defeated, and Starscream took control through a charade of wielding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron}} Some Decepticons were left behind on Earth while Starscream led the rest to a barren asteroid, where they accomplished nothing for three years until Megatron finally returned and took back his rightful position. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}}

Later, Megatron allowed himself to be captured and brought to a mostly restored Cybertron, where he used a [[space bridge]] built into his body to summon the Decepticon army to him. Then they were brainwashed by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and/or [[D-Void]] into combining with the [[Sweep]]s to form a "[[Deceptigod]]". {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}} Once the monster was defeated, the weakened Decepticons were all captured by the Autobots. They were imprisoned and kept under control using [[inhibitor/deterrence chip]]s in their heads, and the war was considered over. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

===Aftermath===
Both sides signed the [[Pax Cybertronia]], which eventually led to peace, but left the Decepticons in a second class position.

==Beast Era==
In ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' continuity, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were the descendants of the Decepticons and fought with the same aggression and ideas of conquest. They faced the [[Maximal]]s in the same way their ancestors had fought the [[Autobot]]s.

==Robots in Disguise==
In the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]], the Decepticons were a brand new faction that came into being during the events of the story. Because there were so few Decepticons (only six or seven), and because they were a subset of the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] antagonists, they can almost be viewed as a [[subgroup]] rather than a proper faction. The Decepticons were created on Earth when [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s forces captured a set of [[stasis pod]]s from an ancient Transformer spaceship that had been found on [[Earth]], leading to the birth of the [[Commando]]s and [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. The toy version of [[Megatron (RID)|Galvatron]] was also labeled as a Decepticon, although this "change" in the character's faction was only mentioned once in the cartoon series.

In the Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', ''Car Robots'', the Decepticons were known as Combatrons. This is the same name by which the [[Combaticon (G1)|G1 Combaticons]] were called in Japan.

For the [[Hasbro]] toy line, several other non-show Decepticons were added to the ranks to help fill out the line. It is unknown how most of these actually fit into the story, though one of them, [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], is actually a dimension-hopper who arrived from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] universe.

==Unicron Trilogy==
===Animated continuity===
====Armada====
The ''exact'' origins of the Decepticon faction are a bit muddled. It is widely assumed, though never directly confirmed, that the movement was founded by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. Also, the enslavement of the power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s is considered to be the impetus to the Decepticons' rise to a massive multi-planet-spanning army, though at what point in the war this occurred is unclear; it's possible the Mini-Cons' arrival was what gave Megatron the opportunity to rise to power, or that they arrived after the war had already begun.

Either way, the Mini-Cons fueled the war machine for centuries, and the war with the [[Autobot]]s soon spread from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to other worlds. The self-imposed exile of the Mini-Cons to an unknown destination was seen as a major setback for the Decepticons (and something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots), but despite this, the war continued, as both sides had amassed a large enough power base to continue on without the little buggers.

The Autobots and Decepticons seemed to fight to a stalemate, neither able to gain a distinct advantage over the other. When a signal reached Cybertron centuries later that the Mini-Cons had landed on [[Earth]], it seemed neither side was capable of sending a full force to retrieve them, despite the power they contained. Though the Decepticon force sent to Earth was small in numbers, it was far from insignificant; Megatron himself led the squad, backed by some of his most trusted warriors.

When Megatron returned to Cybertron, the overwhelming majority of the Mini-Cons were in the protective custody of the Autobots, but Megatron was unfazed; he had assembled the Mini-Cons required to make the three legendary weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] and [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]]. Bolstered by this new power and the apparent death of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], Megatron attempted to take Cybertron once and for all.

But Megatron's (now calling himself Galvatron) return to Cybertron was the beginning of the end of the Decepticon army. When [[Unicron]] revealed himself as a threat to both armies, fueled by the negative psychic energies from centuries of death and destruction, the two sides eventually joined together to beat back the planet-eater. Despite the truce, Galvatron and Prime engaged in a brutal duel on the surface of the weakened Unicron after the three legendary weapons had been removed from his core. Realizing their battle was keeping Unicron active, Galvatron sacrificed himself, and both Unicron and Galvatron disappeared into nothingness.

====Energon====
[[Image:Energon Decepticon insignia.jpg|left|127px|thumb|Now available with added purple!]]
Galvatron's final orders to his troops still stood: work ''with'' the Autobots. The Decepticons maintained a degree of autonomy, still wearing the faction sigil and often taking military/defensive positions in the growing number of [[energon]]-mining colonies, but they were ultimately answerable to Optimus Prime and the Autobots. There were, of course, dissenters, most of whom were captured and imprisoned. For a decade, Autobot and Decepticon worked side-by-side in a somewhat stable truce.

Both sides found themselves the target of attacks from Unicron again; hordes of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon drones]], sent by [[Alpha Quintesson]] to steal energon ore with which to revive the now-shattered husk of Unicron. What the alien did not count on was that Galvatron's [[spark]] had survived within the remains, and was siphoning energon from Unicron's body. Soon the Decepticon leader revived himself in a new form,(calling himself Megatron again) drove off Alpha Quintesson, and along with an elite cadre of soldiers and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mindless Terrorcon drones, began his ''new'' plans for conquest.

When news of Megatron's return reached Cybertron, hundreds of Decepticons rose up and rebelled, eager to get back to conquering. But having been joined to Unicron for so long apparently had given Megatron a taste of godhood; he had no more interest in amassing a galaxy-spanning army of troops. Countless Decepticons died in the resulting battles, with Megatron more than willing to sacrifice them without a thought to attain ultimate power for himself. As "[[the Powerlinx Battles]]" -as they came to be called- came to their climax, Megatron (calling himself Galvatron ''again'') found that his actions and thoughts were being influenced and controlled by the dark spark of Unicron. Unwilling to let Unicron stand in his way, Galvatron ultimately sacrificed himself (again) and seemingly destroyed Unicron's spark by plunging himself into a newly-formed energon sun created by [[Primus]].

====Cybertron====
What little remained of the once-mighty Decepticon army after [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron's]] loss was at best a loose association of criminals, thugs, and lunatics, with no real political or military power to speak of. For a decade, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was once again at peace, with the population overwhelmingly [[Autobot]] or neutral. The Transformers had withdrawn from [[Earth]] and its other colonies to focus on revitalizing their homeworld after the devastation of the Powerlinx Battles. However, two great catastrophes shattered this peace; the energon sun collapsed in on itself, forming the powerful black hole known as the [[Unicron Singularity]], which threatened to devour Cybertron and, if left unchecked, the entire universe... and the return yet once again of Megatron, who had absorbed much of what remained of Unicron's power.

Megatron's goal of attaining godhood was now at hand. By obtaining the legendary [[Omega Lock]] and the four [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, Megatron intended to accelerate the growth of the black hole, consuming the universe in a vast sea of nothingness that only he would survive, then use his powers to re-create the universe in his image.

To this end, he had no need of an army. He gathered a small group of allies and lackeys to seek the items he needed, but they were nothing more than pawns to him, to be used and discarded at a whim.

The Decepticons briefly regained their status as a mass army of individuals when [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who had long suffered at Megatron's hands since the beginning of the Decepticons, made his own bid for ultimate power with the help of the [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] agent [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]. Having sealed Megatron and his troops in a trap, Starscream freed hundreds of criminal Transformers who had been locked up on [[Earth]] for millennia, and formed his own globe-spanning army. The Decepticon "Monsters" were tasked with finding the Omega Lock and Earth's Cyber Planet Key, which they eventually brought to their leader. However, numerous Decepticons were killed in the battles with the Autobots, and it soon became apparent that Starscream, like Megatron before him, didn't care. Most of these criminals soon abandoned Starscream and went into hiding.

As for Megatron, he too had deserters among his own considerably-small ranks. Most notably, the powerful [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], leader of the [[Animatron|Jungle Planet]] and the colossal [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] from [[Gigantion]], both of whom eventually joined forces with their former enemies the Autobots.

This was not seen as a concern for Megatron, however, as by this time Starscream and his allies were seemingly destroyed on Gigantion, and Megatron (now calling himself "Galvatron" again) had the Omega Lock and all four Keys. What few Decepticons remained loyal to him were too stupid to see what Galvatron had planned, and made perfect distractions as he set his final plan in motion. If they weren't strong enough to survive the coming cataclysm, then so be it.

[[Image:NewDecepticonArmy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The yutz, the ditz, the klutz, and the putz.]]
Ultimately, Galvatron's plan failed, and the Unicron Singularity was sealed. His remaining Decepticons quickly left him, realizing what was likely to have happened to them, and eventually joined the Autobots. After Galvatron's seemingly-final defeat and death in a one-on-one duel with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] moon, the Decepticons, not knowing when to quit, rose again, albeit in a rather pathetic fashion. Having cobbled together a rather rickety rocket, [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] shanghaied the reluctant [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], who was ''really'' keen on being on the winning side for once, and flew off to parts unknown as the "[[New Decepticon Army]]".

They made it to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] before the rocket crash-landed.

Meanwhile, the Autobot [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] reported form a deep-space recon mission that he thought he had picked up traces of Starscream, seemingly backed up by Sideways and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]. [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and the former Decepticon [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] raced off to join Wing Saber and investigate...

===Comics continuity===
====Armada====
Founded by Megatron, the exact number of the original Decepticons is unknown. Using the Mini-Cons as weapons, they were able to conquer Cybertron and force the Autobots underground. Eventually they were beaten due to the arrival of Unicron: his heralds slaughtered the entire Decepticon base on Cybertron, and the Chaos-Bringer's arrival forced them to join forces with the Autobots. With Megatron shot dead during the Unicron battle, the peace held for a period of years.

==Live-action ''Transformers'' movies continuity==
[[Image:Defiance3_wearenowDECEPTICONS.jpg|thumb|300px|LATER: Megatron realizes he blew his entire budget on the giant rotating wall symbol.]]

The Decepticons are the Transformers who sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Lord High Protector Megatron]] and attempted to seize the [[AllSpark]]. Their numbers ranged from the [[Starscream (Movie)|treacherous]], the [[Blackout (Movie)|fanatical]], the [[Brawl (Movie)|violent]], and the [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|treacherous fanatically violent]] to the [[Frenzy (Movie)|spastic]].

The origins of these Decepticons began when a being known as [[The Fallen]] turned on his [[Dynasty of Primes|brother Primes]] in an attempt to seize power at the cost of [[human|humanity's]] existence. One account has it that the Fallen gathered a small army of [[Constructicon (ROTF)|construction drones]] to assist him and named them Decepticons. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3}} Either way, he would become known as the ''first'' Decepticon and would go on to become the [[Yoda]] to Megatron's [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}, tempting the latent aggressive edge in the Protector. Filled with dreams of power and paranoia of losing that power, Megatron reformed the Cybertron defense force into a massive engine of war, ready to wipe out entire alien species who would dare challenge them. When science leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime's]] opposition became known, Megatron branded them traitors and declared his followers to be the Decepticons. Soon after, The Fallen commanded Megatron to build the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', a ship that would carry his sarcophagus and Decepticon soldiers in their search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] left on Earth. Megatron was commanded to remain on Cybertron, so [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] commanded the expedition. Most of the Decepticons left Cybertron, leaving Megatron with a reduced, but still potent, army. {{Storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

War devastated Cybertron. While the Decepticons were heavily reliant on drone units to bolster their forces and were forced to automate many of their outposts, the risk was still too high that they might claim the AllSpark, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}} and Optimus Prime made the desperate decision to launch the AllSpark into deep space. Megatron obsessively followed after it, and disappeared. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took over leadership, and began a search for Megatron and the AllSpark. After a while, Starscream began to focus more on the AllSpark, hoping Megatron would remain lost, something the other Decepticons began to suspect. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

In 2003, Starscream's retrieval team made their way to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], destroyed the [[Beagle 2 Rover]] and making their way to Earth. In 2007, the Decepticons began to make their presence known, with [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] destroying [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]], searching for information on Megatron and the AllSpark. A few days later, [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] hacked [[Air Force One]]'s computers. Although he was unable to find out the truth about [[Sector Seven]], he avoided detection and managed to get a clue in [[Sam Witwicky]], whose ancestor [[Archibald Witwicky]] had discovered Megatron a century earlier. His glasses had been marked with coordinates to the AllSpark's location, so [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and Frenzy attempted to confront the boy. Although they were defeated by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], Frenzy hid in Mikaela's purse, and accompanied them to [[Hoover Dam]], where Megatron and the AllSpark were hidden. As Starscream ordered the Decepticons to mobilize, Frenzy shut down the temperature controls while Starscream destroyed the external generators. Megatron was freed, but Bumblebee took the Cube with a group of survivors from Blackout's attack to Mission City, meeting with Optimus Prime's Autobots along the way. In the Battle of Mission City, Megatron and most of the Decepticons were killed and the AllSpark believed destroyed. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

Starscream, however, survived, and stole Frenzy's remains to access whatever information the humans had on the AllSpark to build [[Replica AllSpark|his own AllSpark]]. Returning to Cybertron, Starscream proclaimed himself [[Decepticon leader]] and began building the replica. One month later, the replica was ready, but it didn't work properly and [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] made a coup attempt. Starscream barely survived and made his way back to Mars, questioning his purpose, when he received word that the Autobots would be helping the humans destroy Megatron's remains. Hoping to destroy Prime, Megatron, and the traitor [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] all at once, Starscream returned to Earth. Although he managed to destroy Wreckage, Prime had already left with Megatron's body. Just as he defeated Bumblebee, Starscream received word from Soundwave, who had brought the ''Nemesis'' to Earth's solar system. After meeting up with Soundwave, Starscream explained the situation, and returned to the ''Nemesis'' to awaken the remaining Decepticons and oversee the spawning of more [[hatchling]]s while Soundwave lead a scout team to Earth. {{storylink|Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream}} {{storylink|Transformers: Alliance}}

[[Image:ROTF Fallen message.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Fallen performs what may be the greatest [[Rick Astley|Rick roll]] in history.]]
Over the next two years, the Decepticons searched for the [[Tomb of the Primes]], which housed the Matrix needed to activate the solar harvester. In 2009, Soundwave discovered Megatron's resting place in the [[Laurentian Abyss]] and the presence of an AllSpark shard on [[Diego Garcia]]. Dispatching [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s, the Decepticons managed to restore Megatron's [[Spark]] and bring him back to life. Returning to the ''Nemesis'', Megatron learned from the Fallen that the AllSpark's knowledge was within Sam Witwicky's mind, who had destroyed the Cube when he killed Megatron. Further commanded to kill Optimus Prime, Megatron captured the boy. Although he escaped, Megatron managed to kill Optimus. Megatron then decided that a show of force was needed to compel the humans to turn Sam over to them. The Fallen lead Decepticon protoforms to Earth and then broadcast a message demanding the humans turn over Sam. Sam was eventually found in [[Egypt]], where the harvester was hidden. Although the Fallen managed to reclaim the Matrix, it had been used to resurrect Optimus, who in turn killed the Fallen. Megatron and Starscream were forced to retreat and form a new plan. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

The Decepticons returned after three years with the plan to use a space bridge to bring an army to Earth and transport Cybertron into orbit to rebuild the planet with Earth's natural resources and the human population as slaves. Megatron and the traitorous Sentinel Prime had planned this for a long time, intending to meet on Earth before Megatron went after the Allspark and ended up frozen while the Ark was shot down by Decepticon fighters and crashed on Earth's Moon in 1961. This was detected by the Americans and the Russians and the space programs were created to reach the ship and study it. However, by 1963 the Decepticons had raided the Ark and removed all but five of the pillars and hid them on the Moon along with an army of Decepticons, awaiting the time that the pillars would be used. After humans successfully reached the Moon and explored the ship, Soundwave and Laserbeak approached various humans including Dylan Gould's father to get them to shut down the American and Russian space programs. The Decepticons established a network of human collaborators who kept the humans from noticing the Decepticons actions on the Moon, later led by Dylan Gould. After a human collaborator named Alexi Voshkod lead NEST to Chernobyl where they retrieved an engine part from the Ark, the Decepticons reemerged for the first time since Egypt in the form of Shockwave and his Driller who attack, but retreat. This leads the Autobots to retrieve Sentinel and the remaining space bridge pillars and revive him. As this is part of his plan, Megatron orders Laserbeak to kill all the human collaborators save for Dylan Gould. Sam Witwicky and Seymour Simmons find out about the Decepticons plot from pictures a Russian probe got of the Decepticons hiding the pillars and the Dreads are sent to attack the convoy protecting Sentinel, but are killed. After Sentinel reveals his true colors and murders Ironhide, he sets up the pillars in the National Mall and brings the Decepticon army, consisting of hundreds of Decepticon soldiers and Decepticon ships, to Earth. With the army in hand, the Decepticons promise to bring no war against the human population in exchange that the Autobots must leave Earth. While taking off into the atmosphere, Starscream destroyed the Autobot ship, knowing that mankind will resist on their own. Some of the Decepticons scatter around the world to set up the pillars while most of the army invades Chicago, devastating the human population and securing it as a fortress. The Autobots, NEST and, a team of mercenaries, led by Sam Witwicky and Robert Epps, invade Chicago and battle the Decepticon army, aided by the United States Army and U.S Air force. The group manages to take out much of the army including Laserbeak, the Driller, Starscream, Soundwave, Barricade, and Shockwave and disrupt the Control Pillar, forcing Sentinel into battle. The combined human and Autobot forces overwhelm Sentinel and his remaining forces while Tomahawk missiles destroy most of the Decepticon fighters. Sentinel then tried to flee before engaging Optimus one-on-one as Dylan Gould reactivates the space bridge. Sam Witwicky kills Gould and Bumblebee and Ratchet destroy the Control Pillar, causing Cybertron to implode and ruining the Decepticon plan. The remaining Decepticon ships are sucked up into Cybertron by the space bridge and are presumably destroyed with the planet. Sentinel nearly kills Optimus, but Megatron, convinced by Carly Spencer that he would end up working for Sentinel, saves Optimus and incapacitates Sentinel. Megatron, half-heartedly,offers a truce between the Autobots and Decepticons after Cybertron is destroyed as long as he's in charge of the Decepticons again, but Optimus refuses and kills Megatron and Sentinel. While the loss of human life in Chicago is massive, the battle is a major victory for the Autobots as they eliminated most of the Decepticon army on Earth. Despite there sill being some decepticons scattered around the globe, the entire Decepticon command structure was destroyed in the battle.{{Storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
[[Image:Titan23_decepticonsmassing.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Company photo day.]]
The Decepticons are, in general, less human in appearance than the Autobots in the movie, resembling carnivorous mammals, birds, insects or the Decepticon insignia itself (possibly to frighten the [[Human|insects]]). What is also most noticeable about the Decepticons in the movie franchise is that they've actually been designed to resemble the insignia of their faction, most notably Megatron, Blackout, Barricade, and the Fallen; the insignia is in fact based on the Fallen's ugly mug. {{storylink|Transformers: Defiance|Defiance}}

{{note|In a departure from previous Transformers incarnations, Japan used the name "Decepticons" for this franchise, rather than "Destrons"<ref>[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/movie/decepticons.html Movie Decepticons toy listing on Takaratomy.com]</ref>.}}

{{-}}

==Animated==
Around 1 billion years ago, the [[Destron (Animated)|Destrons]] emerged as a new faction on the Protectobot governed Cybertron. Led by [[Devron (Animated)|Devron]], the [[Third Cybertronian War]] was fought between the Destrons and the Protectobots (who were led by the new leader [[Nova Magnus]]). ''The Destrons emerged victorious, though many Cybertronian records were forever lost due to the [[Great Purge]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

The Decepticons came to prominence as a sub-faction of the Destrons around 70 million years ago. They advocated the use of the AllSpark to bring Cybertron itself to life, that it might serve as a cosmic juggernaut that would allow the Transformers to return to the era of expansion and colonization of other worlds they had enjoyed nearly 700 million years beforehand. When the Decepticon leader [[Megazarak (Animated)|Megazarak]] was ousted by charismatic rhetorician named [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], tensions finally exploded, and the Autobots and Decepticons went to [[Great War (Animated)|war]] for possession of the AllSpark.

After something in the vicinity of six million years of civil war, things reached a crisis point when the Decepticons began a strategic bombing campaign on Cybertron, demanding the AllSpark be turned over in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Rather than give in to Megatron's demands, the Autobots instead sought to put the AllSpark beyond any Cybertronian's reach, launching it randomly through a [[space bridge]] to some distant corner of the galaxy, where it was hoped it would never be found. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

4 million stellar cycles ago, the Autobots and Decepticons battled each other in what is now known as The Great War. The Autobots pulled a victory only due to their exclusive access to [[space bridge]]s and their decision to send the [[AllSpark]] into deep space. Defeated, the Decepticons dispersed, and, according to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], the only sight of them would be an occasional scout ship. In fact, they had been missing for so long, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] believed a Decepticon presence was a thing of the past. This was quickly reassessed upon encountering [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron's]] crew. In his final battle against Optimus, Megatron was taken back to Cybertron, along with [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], for imprisonment. The rest are still at large, except Starscream, who died when his AllSpark fragment was removed.

{{stub}}

{{note|As with the movie Decepticons, the Animated Decepticons are not called Destrons in Japan.}}

==Shattered Glass==
[[Image:Decepticon Shattered Glass.png|right|180px|thumb|Decepticons wage their battles to destroy...]]
{{quote|Your tyranny ends here, Prime! Cybertronians will once again know the freedom which is their right!|Megatron|"[[Shattered Glass]]"}}
In this universe, the Decepticons are the good guys and a resistance group, intended to overthrow Autobot tyranny and their dastardly leader, [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]. Led by the heroic [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]], the 'Cons want to liberate Cybertron and preserve freedom and life across the galaxy, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|no matter the cost]]. But if they fail to stop the Autobots, not only will the Autobots conquer [[Earth]], they will also enslave the universe and all will be lost. {{storylink|Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}

{{-}}

==Prime==
{{bigquote|Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who listen to the truth should not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies.|[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]].}}

[[Image:DeusExMachina-fourcons.jpg|thumb|300px]]
The Decepticons originated from those in the [[caste system|lower castes]] of Cybertronian society in the [[Badlands (Cybertron)|Badlands]]. Megatron, a gladiator who seized control of all the gladiatorial pits and assumed the name of The Fallen, began preaching to the dispossessed on the Grid. He allowed them to bomb Cybertron and throw their society into chaos, for he rightly believed if he denied any connection to their extremist behavior, it would elevate him in the eyes of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Even the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] kidnapped [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] for him. When the Council questioned Megatron about the movement's name, he denied he had heard of it, though he also accepted it for reasons outlined above.

When Halogen appointed Orion the new Prime, Megatron declared his Decepticons would continue to fight for freedom. During the war they conquered eighty-five percent of the planet, as well as occupying [[Moonbase One|Moon Base One]] and [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] Station, before poisoning the [[core]] itself with [[Dark Energon]]. When the Autobots left aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', Trypticon transformed into the ''Nemesis'' and followed them with Megatron, Starscream, [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] and [[Lugnut (WFC)|Lugnut]] into unknown space, while [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] took control of the Cybertronian Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

Eons later, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] were based on [[Earth]], with a mass-produced [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] army. During a three year lull, Starscream was ordered to build a [[space bridge]] and to mine more Energon. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (comic)}} Megatron returned, but not with the army Starscream had hoped for. Instead he tried to raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] [[zombie]]s to eradicate humanity, but failed and perished in a space bridge implosion, leaving Starscream in command once more. {{storylink|Darkness Rising}} It emerged he survived, and he was retrieved and placed in sickbay. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Meanwhile, Starscream and Soundwave waited for opportunities to pounce on [[Team Prime]] with their Vehicons. {{storylink|Con Job}} {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers (2007)===
====Transformers Movie Screen Cleaners====
[[Image:Movie Decepticon Screencleaner.jpg|right|105px|thumb|Transforms your dirty screen to a clean one and — well, actually just the first thing.]]
*'''Decepticon''' (2008)
:Released by Tomy Yujin on January,<ref>[http://www.gachausa.com/products/transformers.asp Tomy Yujin ''Transformers'' page]</ref> this dangler is a [[Insignia|faction logo]]-shaped screen cleaner for your cell phone, with a stock image of Decepticon insignia printed on the other side.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Cantonese'': (Hong Kong, 狂派. 狂 not only has a similar pronunciation to 'con', but also means "madness" in Chinese: 瘋狂. )
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron''' (デストロン ''Desutoron''), '''Combatron''' (''Car Robots'', コンバットロン ''Konbatoron''), '''Decepticon''' (ディセプティコン ''Diseputikon'')
*''Danish'': '''Bedragerne''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers"), '''Bedraonerne''' (''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''French:'' '''Decepticans''' (France ''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Álcák''' (Marvel comic, "Disguises"), '''Decepticonok''' (toy commercial, second ''The Movie'' dub), '''Varangyok''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Toads"), '''Robotikák''' (''Energon'', ''Cybertron'', "Roboticas")
*''Italian:'' '''Distructors'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Dí Sài Kāng''' (Taiwan, 迪賽剛), '''Ba Tian Hu''' (China, 霸天虎, "Tigers that Forcibly Occupy the Sky")
*''Polish:'' '''Deceptikony''', '''Decepcjokony''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Deceptiocons"), '''Dezorientaci''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Decépticos''' (Portugal comic), '''Malignus''' (Brazil comic)
*''Serbian:'' '''Deseptikoni'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Bedragare''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Obmanoidy''' (Обманойди, "Decepticons")
*''Korean:'' '''디셉티콘''' (Decepticons)

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Alternity]]
[[Category:Animated factions]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beastformers franchise]]
[[Category:Cybertron franchise]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon]]
[[Category:Decepticons| ]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Machine Wars]]
[[Category:Micromaster]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Operation Combination]]
[[Category:Predacon subgroups]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robot Masters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Victory]]
[[Category:Zone]]