Skyquake (G1)

2022-07-27T18:14:44Z

ObiWan: I think that the Skyquake's jet mode more resembles DSB-LK than SR-71

{{disambig3|Skyquake}}
{{Factions|decepticon|{{factions/icons|custom=Megatron_Origin_Symbol.png|cSize=30x28px|cLink=Gladiatorial combat}}|ascenticon}}
:''Skyquake is a [[Decepticon]] [[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Skyquake.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Taste the ''pain''bow.]]
[[Predator (subgroup)|Predator]] leader '''Skyquake''' is driven—you might say consumed—by a pathological hatred of anything and anyone that is not 100% pure evil. This leaves him with many targets of contempt even among the Decepticon forces. That rage, however, does not blind or control him. In battle, Skyquake is a cold, calculating destroyer, attributes which also even apply to his contempt for the [[Autobot]]s. When he locks together with the smaller Predators under his command, he magnifies his long-range supersight abilities and enables instant communication with the minds of his underlings.

Skyquake even hates the small groups of Decepticons put under his command, and often subjects them to his experiments in [[body-type|body-structure]] science. His hatred is magnified by the sheer quantity of sensors built into his body; he's able to absorb such vast amounts of information, his apparent clairvoyance seems supernatural to those around him. He can literally smell fear and taste betrayal.

His [[Neon|paint job]] allows him to blend into the unique environment of the [[Skomiloch Territories]].

{{quote|Even hatred is subject to improvement.|Skyquake's ''Timelines'' motto}}

==Fiction==
===Predator Air Attack!===
[[File:G1Skyquake catalogue comic.jpg|left|100px|thumb|"Troops! Prepare for action! EVIL action!"]]
During a Decepticon Predator attack on the Autobot base, Skyquake was in [[Skyswoop]], commanding his troops. Skyquake gazed into his [[Supersight]] as he was about to join the battle. Suddenly, "into his Supersight view looms a menacing shape that strikes terror even into his hardened heart..." {{storylink|Predator Air Attack!}}
{{--}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|[[Megatron Origin issue 2|''Megatron Origin'' #2]]}}
[[File:MegsOrigin2 Skyquake.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|He lurks silently to counter his loud color scheme.]]
Millions of years ago, Skyquake was part of [[Clench (G1)|Clench]]'s gladiatorial team. Once Clench had departed the mortal plane, Skyquake fought alongside [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] in the [[Forge]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}}

After the [[Simanzi Massacre]], Skyquake was running a [[Decepticon]] [[hygiene team]]: picking up Autobot survivors and dragging them to [[Grindcore (prison)|Grindcore]]. When Skyquake picked up [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], he had [[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]] perched jauntily on his shoulder. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}}

In the course of the Great War, he led a force to the [[Skomiloch Territories]] to put down local resistance to the Decepticons' [[Star Harvester|star harvesting]] efforts. After crushing the resistance, Skyquake set up a mini-empire there, ruling the area while managing to stay on good terms with [[Decepticon High Command]] and Megatron himself. While there, Skyquake's team, the [[Predator (subgroup)|Predators]], made adaptations to their bodies to suit the unique local environment. {{storylink|The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers|Snare's personnel evaluation}}

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers1-whycouldntyou.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Shot through the heart and you're to blame!]]
2412 [[units of time|meta-cycles]] later, during a galaxy-wide assault on Autobot-held positions, Skyquake led his Predators in a siege against the [[Garrus-9]] prison world. Unfortunately, when the loose cannon [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] arrived, Skyquake was visibly distraught. At first, Overlord asked Skyquake nicely to hand over leadership to him; he refused to be Megatron's lapdog and had his own plans for Garrus-9. After some stammering, Skyquake refused. He would take Garrus-9 for Megatron as ordered.

Overlord apologized and fired into Skyquake's back as he walked away. As the Predators stood over Skyquake's smoking corpse, they viewed their new master in wide-eyed fear. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1|Last Stand of the Wreckers #1}}
{{--}}

===''Wings Universe''===
[[File:WingsofHonor-Skyraiders.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The odd thing is, he has no taste receptors.]]
Skyquake, known as a leader in body-structure science, particularly in creating unique "talent powers" and war-capable designs, developed an experimental [[Seeker (body-type)|Skyraider]] body refitting program. [[Leozack]] was his first test subject for this new body design, and soon Skyquake had converted not only several others but also himself.

Under [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]]'s command, Skyquake, Leozack, [[Hooligan (G2)|Hooligan]], [[Hellbat (G1)|Hellbat]], and [[Guyhawk]], followed the Autobot ship ''[[Eight Track (G1)|Eight Track]]'' to the planet [[Beta-Nine]], where they hoped to beat them to a mysterious cargo that had crashed there aboard the ''[[Van De Graaff]].'' Skyquake, Leozack, and Hooligan attacked the Autobots, separating the crew's [[Kup (G1)|youngest member]] from them. The Autobots' commander, [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], drove Skyquake and the others away with a barrage of firepower, allowing his crew to escape into the trees where the Decepticons would have to fight them on the ground.

Skyquake departed after Thunderclash and ordered Leozack and Hooligan to kill the remaining two Autobots, [[Landshark (G1)|Landshark]] and [[Flak (G1)|Flak]]. Unfortunately, Skyquake and the others were defeated and brought back to Cybertron as prisoners. The battle on Beta-Nine began the Autobot/Decepticon civil war. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====Ask Vector Prime====
Skyquake was presumably present with the other Predators as they clashed with the [[Multiforce]] in the Skomiloch Territories. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/01}}

====e-HOBBY comics====
Using his powers of psychometry, [[Magnificus (G1)|Magnificus]] saw a vision of who he thought was Skyquake giving orders to [[Eagle Eye (G1)|Eagle Eye]]. In reality, "Skyquake" was actually [[Scrash (G1)|Scrash]]. {{storylink|Badlands (issue)|Badlands}}

====''Legends'' comic====
Kidnapped and tied up by [[Eagle Eye (G1)|Hawking]] and Magnificus, Skyquake was taken to Scrash's prison, where Scrash leapt from his immobile [[Clouder|Assaultmaster]] body into Skyquake, possessing the Decepticon. {{Storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epiloge}}

===''Regeneration One''===
Following the resurrected [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with a [[Gene Key]] capable of turning Autobots into Decepticons, Skyquake helped guard the creation of a planet-scaled version in the [[Sonic Canyons]]. He watched as Scorponok lost his patience with [[Roadblock (G2)|Roadblock]], knocking him to his death in one of the bottomless canyons, then when the installation was attacked by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] Skyquake looked on as [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] sent Scorponok himself to share the same fate. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Five}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Primax 092.0 Beta]], Predator leader Skyquake obtained [[forestonite]] and tried to destroy the [[Solar System|Sol System]] with it, only to be sent running back to [[New Kaon]] by [[Apex Armor (G1)|Apex Armor]]-wielding Autobot leader [[Hyperdrive (Turbomaster)|Hyperdrive]] and [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/16}}

In [[Primax 903.0-M Lambda]], [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] possessed the deceased body of Skyquake, defeating [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] and initiating the [[Machine Wars (event)|Machine Wars]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/27}}

===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:Tread&Circuits4 XaaronAnnounces.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3|I am also here.]]
Skyquake held a position of governmental authority on [[Velocitron]], but was secretly affiliated with the terrorist organization [[Mayhem Attack Squad|Mayhem]]. He attended [[Knock Out (G1)|Knock Out]]'s inauguration and took cover when there was an assassination attempt on the new [[Senate|First Senator]] by members of Mayhem. The [[Wreckers]] engaged Mayhem, but the entire attack was a smokescreen to frame [[Minerva (G1 robot)|one of the Wreckers]] for the crime. After Minerva was captured, Skyquake stood behind Knock Out as the sentence was passed, and proudly declared their allegiance to both Mayhem and the Decepticons. {{storylink|Tread & Circuits Part 4}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:TF-Predator-Skyquake-toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Skyquake, before your dreams ([[Gold Plastic Syndrome#The Symptoms|and his scope]]) are broken.]]
*'''Skyquake''' (Large Predator, [[1992]])
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, 15 missiles

:Skyquake transforms into a large bomber jet, its model pretty much made-up but based (loosely) on an old Soviet strategic bomber project [https://en.topwar.ru/38442-proekt-strategicheskogo-bombardirovschika-dsb-lk.html/ DSB-LK]. His primary gimmick is the "[[Megavisor]]", a periscope system that the smaller Predator jets can attach to, showing their slides. Skyquake himself has two built-in slides; in jet mode an image of [[Rotorstorm (G1)|Rotorstorm]] can be viewed, while the robot mode picture showing the [[Unreleased toy|unmade]] Autobot [[Turbomaster]] [[Hyperdrive (Turbomaster)|Hyperdrive]]. Each wing also contains a "carpet bombing" gimmick, a rolling drum that drops the Predator-style missiles. This can also be targeted via the Megavisor; by twisting the small tail wings at the back, a mirror swings into a 45 degree angle. When you look through the eyepiece, you can then see directly down relative to the jet, enabling you to see where the bombs will land. He also has a standard Predator hand-held missile launcher, which mounts under his jet mode.

:Skyquake's vertical stabilizer fins have what appears to be a unique personal [[insignia]] - a Decepticon symbol inside a shield, with an unfurled scroll featuring (illegible) writing, superimposed atop a jagged bolt of lightning. Exactly what this is supposed to denote is unclear. A year later the same lightning design was reused for fellow UK toy villain [[Clench (G1)#Toys|Clench]].

:Skyquake's scope is prone to [[Gold Plastic Syndrome]], and is very delicate. It can break rather violently if one of the smaller Predator jets is attached to him. So don't do it. Attach them to [[Stalker (G1)|Stalker]] instead.

:Unusually, Skyquake, [[Thunder Clash]], and the [[Motorvator]]s were all sold in Japan at the tail-end of 1992, after the original Japanese ''Transformers'' toyline had already ended. The toys were identical to their European releases—down to the packaging—except for some Japanese-language stickers on the boxes.

:Skyquake was later [[redeco]]ed (with neutered gimmicks and no handgun) to make ''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Starscream]] and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[King Atlas]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1992/Decepticon/Skyquake/skyquake.htm More information on Skyquake at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Timelines''===
[[File:Timelinestoy-SkyquakeWOH.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Hooray, I don't [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|break]]!]]
*'''Skyquake''' (BotCon 2009 souvenir)
**''Accessories:'' Sword, rifle, 2 missiles

:''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' Skyquake is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' Combat Class [[Starscream (Armada)/toys#Energon|Starscream]], available [[exclusive]]ly at [[BotCon 2009]]. The existence of this figure was first announced by artist [[Andrew Wildman]] (who drew the character's profile art) in a blog post on [[February 23]], 2009... and apparently Wildman jumped the gun a bit, as he soon had to delete the posting.<ref>[http://andrewwildman.blogspot.com/2009/02/skyquake.html Andrew Wildman's blog]</ref>

:Skyquake transforms into a jet fighter loosely based upon the F/A-22 Raptor. The toy features numerous spots of sculpted battle damage. He comes with two very large accessories, a sword and a non-firing blaster, which can combine to form a larger sword and/or non-firing blaster. In jet mode, he has two wing-mounted spring-loaded missile launchers which can flip up over his robot-mode shoulders. Limited to 1500 sets, Skyquake came bagged with [[Banzai-Tron (G1)#Timelines|Banzai-Tron]].

:This mold was also redecoed as ''Energon'' Energon Starscream and BotCon 2009 [[Leozack#Timelines|Leozack]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Decepticon/BCSkyquake/skyquake.htm More information on Skyquake at TFU.info]''
{{EnergonStarscreamMold}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Skyquake ''might'' have been the physical model for ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Decepticon leader [[Scrash (G1)|Scrash]], who was never visually depicted in fiction but described as having a massive jet-mode in the ''Operation Combination'' telephone audio adventures. Whether this was truly the original intent or not is unknown, but later fiction featuring Scrash would proceed to use Skyquake's model, beginning with ''[[Transformers United EX|United EX]]''. A direct reference to the uncanny resemblance shared between Skyquake and Scrash was made in the comic "[[Badlands (issue)|Badlands]]", where Scrash is mistaken for Skyquake by another character.
*An unrealized [[Fun Publications]] [[BotCon]] [[exclusive]] proposal was redecoes of [[Silverbolt (G1)#Universe (2008)|''Universe'' Silverbolt]] into Skyquake/Scrash and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]]/[[King Atlas]].<ref>[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14br.html BotCon 2014 attendee report]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Skyquake''' (スカイクエイク ''Sukaikueiku'', スカイクェイク ''Sukaikweiku'')
*''Dutch:'' '''Crash'''
*''French:'' '''Aéroséisme''' (Canada, "Aeroquake"), '''Crash''' (Europe)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:European-original Transformers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Seekers]]
[[Category:Gladiators]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

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Skyquake (G1)