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Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers

2016-08-31T01:50:07Z

TimelordStarscream: /* Generation 1 */

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Over the years, many '''misconceptions and urban legends''' have sprung up within ''Transformers'' [[fandom]], often resulting from such factors as fuzzy childhood memories, inaccurate catalog illustrations, and mistranslations of foreign material.

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Transformers is (only) a cartoon from the Eighties that has been brought back into vogue recently.'''
: A misconception usually held by casual fans or nostalgic adults is that Transformers went away some time around 1986 (or 1987, or 1988—pick your year). People who stumbled across a newer incarnation of the Transformers franchise before 2007 commonly assumed that it had only recently popped back up as an attempt to cash in on '80s nostalgia. From 2007 onwards, people who were (obviously) aware of the [[live-action film series]] commonly believed that it was the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]] that brought the franchise back from limbo. Neither assumption is correct.
:In fact, the [[Transformers brand]] has been continuous since 1984 (there was a brief gap between 1990 and 1993 as far as the United States market was concerned, but the brand still continued with new products in other markets). It includes many [[Franchise|lines of toys, cartoons and comics]] that span over three decades, with no sign of stopping, as Hasbro considers it a core brand. Each line has experienced varying degrees of success, rebooting when its target audience gets too old or uninterested in the toyline and fiction.
:Some of this misconception is based on the fact that most of the original audience stopped watching and following the franchise after its cancellation, or even before (as it wasn't "cool" to be kiddy once puberty hit). Without any exposure to the market, the toyline and the new cartoons, they simply assume that ''Transformers'' has sunk in popularity, quality and/or sales, since it's not what they remember.
:It ''is'' true that Transformers hit a low point of popularity in the early 1990s, with the cancelation of Generation 1 and the unremarkable sales of ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]''. But the successor ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' line re-established the brand for a new generation beginning in 1996, and Transformers has been a dominant toy franchise ever since. While it's true that the live-action movies caused a major hike in popularity for the brand, they didn't revive a long-forgotten franchise; rather, they merely turned a steadily successful toy series into a major worldwide multimedia phenomenon.
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*'''Generation 1 obviously has the best toys, cartoons and characters.'''
:Casual fans likewise tend to assume automatically that the original 1980s iteration of Transformers is the best and most successful line to date, with all other successors being unpopular and/or unsuccessful ventures.
:While it's hard to measure the overall success of every line in all its aspects, the original line has been surpassed in both quality and sales multiple times over (if not for warm-fuzzy nostalgia-feels in 80s kids). In factors such as realistic alternate forms, durability, articulation, action features, and complexity, various later toylines have all exceeded Generation 1. And while fiction can't be measured objectively, many fans will swear up and down by some of the later incarnations of ''Transformers''.
:Arguably, Transformers is in an endless cycle of creating [[true fan|new fans who share new opinions on what is "teh greatest"]].
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*'''Powermaster/20th Anniversary Optimus Prime was the first, ''original'' Optimus Prime toy.'''
[[File:G1 OptimusPrime toy.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|1984—the original.]]
[[File:PowermasterOptimusPrime toy.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|1988—the Powermaster version.]]

:This one claims that the [[Powermaster]] [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] toy, originally released in 1988, is the ''original'', first Optimus Prime toy ever released, rather than the ''earlier'', non-Powermaster toy, which is an entirely different mold and was originally available in 1984. This phenomenon is particularly common in [[eBay]] auctions, where Powermaster Optimus Prime toys are frequently advertised as "ORIGINAL Optimus Prime".
:The reasons for this misconception are obvious: Numerous people arrived late to the party—that is, became fans of the original ''Transformers'' line after the ''real'' original Optimus Prime toy had vanished off the shelves in 1986 (the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] was still shown in reruns on TV). Any of them looking for a toy of the iconic [[Autobot]] leader would only find the Powermaster toy on store shelves starting in 1988. Fast-forward to 20 years later, and people who weren't really paying a lot of attention to the brand for the past few years, now looking to sell off their childhood toys, would naturally conclude that the toy they got as a kid was the ''original'' Optimus Prime toy.
:The phenomenon is even more widespread in countries such as Germany, where the cartoon wasn't officially shown on TV until 1989(!). By that point, the ''original'' toy, which had originally been released by [[Milton Bradley]] in the European market in 1985, was long gone off the shelves. Thus, the only Optimus Prime toy available to kids who had only just become fans because of the cartoon was the Powermaster version. Admittedly, gray imports of the Mexican version of the ''original'' toy by [[IGA]] were also available in European stores around this time, and Hasbro themselves would release the original toy again two years later as part of their European-exclusive [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] line of reissues. However, the Powermaster Optimus Prime toy was still a lot more widespread.

*''' Optimus Prime was the Optimus Prime toy available in the 1980s/Alternators are the same toys that were available in the 1980s.'''

[[File:20thAnniversary OptimusPrimesm.jpg|125px|thumb|Sadly, this didn't exist until 2003.]]
:This misconception usually comes from people who, upon seeing the 20th Anniversary [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] toy (which was originally released in 2003/2004), honest-to-god swear it's the toy they had when they were a kid. Similarly, there are also people who believe that the toys from the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' line are the same toys they had as kids, when they're most likely confusing them with the original Autobot Cars, which are about half the size.
:The reasons for this aren't too hard to guess: People were a lot smaller when they were kids, so obviously the original Transformers toys seemed a lot larger to them. Since these fans didn't repeatedly hold or play with their Transformers while growing up, they weren't constantly adjusting to the toys' size in relation to their own. This resulted in blurred memories of outright ''gargantuan'' Transformers toys available in the 1980s. (One might wonder how tall those people would remember [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] being.)
:When confronted with the original toys—now relatively small because the fans have grown up—these people often reject them, insisting the "original" toys were ''larger'' (occasionally even accusing the ''real'' original toys of being downsized [[knockoff]]s). Showing them the Alternators or 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime, on the other hand, will bring back warm (albeit incorrect) memories.

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*'''"Bumblejumper" is just a yellow Cliffjumper'''
[[File:G1-toy Bumper.jpg|thumb|200px|"Bumper", who later would be known as "Bumper".]]
:In 1984, Hasbro released three different similar-form toys as part of the [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] assortment: [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]], [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys|Cliffjumper]], and a [[Bumper (G1)|third unnamed toy]] that was not advertised in any capacity, sold ''only'' on Cliffjumper cards (at least, no samples on a Bumblebee card have ever surfaced). This third mold was a "leftover" from the ''[[Micro Change]]'' line, based on a Mazda Familia 1500XG sedan, and was very quickly phased out (resulting in him becoming the first of the "holy grail" super-costly Transformers on the secondary market). The exact nature of how and why this toy got released is still a mystery. Fans took to calling this third mystery mold portmanteau names such as "Bumblejumper", "Cliffbee", and "Bumper"; that last one eventually becoming his official name when he appeared in the ongoing [[Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave)|''Generation One'' Volume 1]] comic series by [[Dreamwave Productions]].
:Adding to the confusion is that both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper were available in two color schemes: their fiction-supported colors (Bee in yellow, Cliff in red) and in reversed colors (Bee in red, Cliff in yellow) up through 1985. And since Cliffjumper and Bumper are both similarly boxy in vehicle form, and Bumper was only available in yellow, and only on Cliffjumper cards for a very short time, and was not in any catalogs and had no name and didn't appear in any cartoons or comics....
:Further adding to the mistaken memory pile is [[Hubcap (G1)#toys|Hubcap]], a yellow [[retool]] of Cliffjumper released in 1986. Fun!

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*'''A super-rare blue variant of Bluestreak was available during Generation 1.'''
[[File:G1 Bluestreak boxart.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|You had this as a kid. The picture, that is. Not the toy.]]
:The very earliest [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]] toy [[catalog]]s used a photo of a blue-sided ''[[Diaclone]]'' Fairlady Z to represent [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys|Bluestreak]]; photographs of the same toy were used for Bluestreak's own [[Instructions|instruction booklet]]. The same blue-sided color scheme was also used on his [[Package art|box art]]; which was in turn shown on ''every'' 1984 instruction booklet as a sample tech spec.
:All this gave rise to a long-standing myth that a blue Bluestreak toy was sold under the ''Transformers'' brand during Generation 1, with some people going so far as to "remember" owning blue Bluestreaks as children, or at least knowing someone else who did. Adding to the confusion, ''[[wikipedia:ToyFare|ToyFare]]'' magazine had a long history of listing the supposed blue Bluestreak as a "foreign [[variant]]" in its monthly price guide.
:However, actual samples of a blue-sided Bluestreak in a sealed ''Transformers'' box have ''never'' appeared, and the [[Karl Hartman|collectors who have been at it since the very beginning]] and [[Jon Hartman|amassed ''insane'' numbers of rare Transformers]] have never seen one.
: Oddly enough, numerous other Transformers toys from that era were depicted in both catalogues and packaging art with colors they were never released in —[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], for example— yet Bluestreak is the only one to be (mis)remembered in this manner, perhaps because his name is ''Blue''streak, so he had to have been blue, right?

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*'''A show-accurate Skyfire toy was available during Generation 1.'''
[[File:Jetfire-SkyfireModels.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Patience. You just have to wait 22 years.]]
:Due to some legal entanglements, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was renamed "Skyfire" for the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]], with a [[character model]] that bore only a vague resemblance to the toy. Some confused viewers seem to have come away assuming that there had to be a [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] Generation 1 toy by the name of Skyfire. (The ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Jetfire toy is actually designed as a mix between the original toy and the cartoon character model.)

*'''Some Generation 1 toy molds were in use as long ago as 1974.'''
:Some ''[[Micro Change|Microchange]]''-derived toys have the text "©1974 TAKARA" stamped on them, and as a result are occasionally sold on eBay with descriptions such as "original 1974 [[Ravage (G1)/toys|Ravage]]". However, the date 1974 refers to the introduction of the original ''[[Microman]]'' franchise due to the way Japanese IP law worked at the time; the first ''Microchange'' toys weren't even designed until the early 1980s.

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*'''A Unicron toy was available during Generation 1.'''
[[File:Unicron Proto.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Seriously, aren't you glad your poor parents didn't have to waste like a hundred bucks on this back in '86?]]
:No toys of [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]] were available (or even produced beyond [[prototype]]) until 2003. In fact, the mere ''existence'' of those prototypes wasn't actually officially confirmed until many years later. The first [[Unicron/toys|official Unicron toy]] to be released came out as part of the ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' line in 2003 and was a brand new mold, not based on an old, unused prototype.
:The fictional existence of a ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' Unicron toy is likely based on schoolground one-upmanship: if one kid had a larger toy such as [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] or [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], a rival kid would claim to have a Unicron toy in order to appear cooler, but would most likely retire to his bed a sobbing mess, knowing in his heart that one day God would punish him for being a HUGE FIBBER.
:What could also have attributed to this misconception was the voice actor for Unicron himself, Orson Welles. He died before the movie's release and the part in the 1986 movie was his last for his death in 1985. He loathed the part and could not even remember his character's name; he was quoted as saying, "I play a big toy who attacks a bunch of smaller toys," mistakenly assuming there was a toy for him.

*'''The reissue Soundwave toys released by Takara are reverse-engineered from Soundblaster because the original molds are lost.'''
:Both the ''[[The Transformers Collection]]'' and ''[[Transformers Encore|Encore]]'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]] releases have different tape buttons and hinges than the ones found on the vintage Hasbro release. While the vintage Hasbro Soundwave had inset controls and an internal tape deck hinge, the Takara reissues have a large button block that serves as a pivot point for an external tape deck hinge. The supposed reason for this is the mold for the original versions of the buttons and door are lost or worn out, so a new single tape door was made to work with the Soundblaster mold.
:In fact, the buttons and hinge used on the reissue Soundwaves were originally a [[retool]]ed running change [[variant]] of Takara's original 1985 release of Soundwave. The further Soundblaster retool was based on the later Japanese version of Soundwave, as were the reissues. Presumably, the original mold in its original condition ''is'' lost - but this happened ''long'' before Takara retooled Soundwave into Soundblaster.

*'''A few years ago, a crazy old man claimed he had created the original ''Transformers'' toys.'''
:In 2005, the ''Transformers'' [[fandom]] learned, by way of a newspaper article posted by an internet fan site, of the existence of [[Henry Orenstein]], a former toymaker. Although the main focus of the article was Orenstein's then-current achievements in the field of poker, it also implied that Orenstein had "created" the original ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Transformers]]'' toys, and even featured a photo that depicted a somewhat confused-looking Orenstein holding [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#20th Anniversary/Masterpiece|20th Anniversary Optimus Prime]]. Many fans subsequently assumed that this was a deluded old man who believed he had created the concept of ''Transformers'' toys, even though the fandom knew full well by this point that the original toys were originally created in Japan. His status as the "creator" of the ''Transformers'' toy line was subsequently repeated in several other articles about the man, possibly directly based on its mention in the original 2005 article.
:The ''fact'' is that Orenstein had worked for [[Hasbro]] during the 1980s, and was the person who had convinced [[George Dunsay]], then Hasbro's Vice President of R&D, to acquire the rights to a (more or less) innovative type of Japanese toys, which would eventually become known as the original ''Transformers'' toys. Aside from that and the original patent for the [[rubsign]]s, which he shares with Dunsay, Orenstein has made no known contribution to the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]]. Obviously, the writer of said newspaper article had only marginal knowledge of the history of the ''Transformers'' brand, was told what was most likely nothing more than an anecdote by Orenstein (his biography is full of fascinating episodes, by the way), and subsequently inflated it massively with hyperbole, possibly in an attempt to gain more attention to his article due to the popularity of the brand, even before the [[Transformers (film)|2007 movie]]. The only question is, where did the photographer get the 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime toy from?

===Generation 2===
*'''"Generation 2" means "after ''The Transformers: The Movie''."'''
:This common but explicitly false idea probably stems from the many casual fans who grew up with the original ''Transformers'' line but stopped paying much attention around 1986, when the animated ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' debuted and the ''Transformers'' craze began to die down. Many such fans regained some interest in ''Transformers'' many years later, particularly with hype surrounding the [[Transformers (film)|2007 live-action movie]]. Seeing the phrase "Generation 2" batted around in fandom, it might seem natural to assume it refers to the big changeover that happened with the animated film. It certainly didn't help that, early in the life of [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]], [[Pat Lee]] shared in this misconception, leading other new arrivals to the fandom to ape his use of the term.
:While the original animated movie certainly marked a change from one "generation" of toys to another, along with some new design trends, the phrase "Generation 2" refers to [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|a very specific franchise]], marketed from 1992 to 1995—years after the animated film had come and gone. Its relative obscurity probably contributes to the mis-attribution of the term, as ''Generation 2'' marks a low point in popularity for ''Transformers'' as a whole.

===Beast Wars===
*'''Beast Wars didn't originally have the Transformers branding.'''
:While the early design of [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]] toy packaging had the Transformers brand name in a smaller typeface than the Beast Wars logo, the toy range was ''always'' officially titled ''Beast Wars: Transformers'' from day one. Later on, with the release of the [[Transmetal]]s and [[Fuzor]]s subranges, the Transformers name was increased in size and prominence on the packaging. Also a source of confusion for people in the [[United Kingdom]] is that Beast Wars figures were sold there in multilingual packaging which further reduced the prominence of the Transformers branding, and that British commercial broadcaster [[GMTV]] edited the Transformers name from the title sequence of the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|television series]].

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise''===
*'''The ''Robots in Disguise'' toyline was known as "Transformers 2000" in Japan.'''
:As information about the then-new [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|''Car Robots'' toyline]] began to trickle out of Japan in 2000, early rumors purportedly from Japanese sources indicated that it was officially named "Transformers 2000".<ref name="Transformers 2000">http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_frm/thread/e6436b92178f0c0a</ref> It's possible those Japanese sources were also going by early, inaccurate rumors or perhaps a soon-to-be-discarded working title for the line. The idea persisted with many Western fans well after the true name of the show was revealed, encouraged by online import retailers (who were equally misinformed) using the title to promote pre-orders on their sites.

*'''''Robots in Disguise'' Side Burn was so complex, the toy's designer later apologized.'''
:Basically. [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|''Car Robots'']] [[Side Burn (RID)|Speedbreaker]] was the first ''Transformers'' toy designed by [[Hironori Kobayashi]], and it kind of shows. In a later interview, he admitted that the development process was a "painful experience" and an "admonition" to do better in the future.<ref name="Translated interview at ToyboxDX">http://toyboxdx.com/phorum/read.php?3,97799,97800</ref>

===Alternators===
*'''A yellow version of Alternators Tracks was released to North American stores (but then recalled by Hasbro).'''

[[File:YellowTracks.jpg|upright=0.6|thumb|Only in Japan, baby.]]
:When [[Hasbro]] (and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]) originally announced the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' version of [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] in 2004, the toy's [[Alternate mode|vehicle mode's]] primary color was yellow. This caused the ire of a significant portion of the fandom, which insisted that the toy had to be ''blue'', like its [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]] predecessor.
:Hasbro eventually confirmed at [[OTFCC 2004]] that the initial idea had been to release the toy in yellow first, and then later as a running change [[variant]] in blue, like Takara would ultimately do. However, Hasbro had encountered problems at the test shot stage, where it became evident that some of the toy's innards were shining through the yellow plastic. As a result, plans for a release of the yellow version were scrapped, and it was decided to release the blue version from the get-go.
:Rumors started circulating that some stores (usually [[Walmart]]) had indeed received a shipment of the toy, but were then asked by Hasbro to send back the entire batch. Naturally, no substantial evidence has ever surfaced to back up these claims. And while toys may occasionally be recalled [[for safety reasons]], it's highly doubtful that "aesthetics" would be enough of a reason to warrant an expensive product recall.
:The only "packaged" versions of a yellow ''Alternators'' Tracks we ever got to see were internet pranks of the "yellow ''Binaltech'' Tracks in photoshopped Hasbro box" variety. Which, of course, didn't help matters at all.

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[[File:WindchargerOverdrive.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Castrated at the request of Honda.]]
*'''Hasbro omitted ''Alternators'' Windcharger's gun barrel for safety reasons.'''

: When the first stolen [[Prototype|test shots]] of ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' [[Windcharger (G1)#Alternators|Windcharger]] surfaced in 2004, the toy sported an extraordinarily long gun barrel (which doubled as the [[Alternate mode|vehicle mode]]'s drive shaft). The toy was ultimately released without the barrel, which was not shown or mentioned anywhere on the packaging or in the instructions. Indeed, Windcharger's weapon accessory was officially identified as a "shield" on the back of the packaging (in addition to the actual, ragtop roof shield). [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], on the other hand, later released their own ''Binaltech'' version of the toy (named [[Overdrive]]) with the full barrel, prominently shown in the official promotional photos.

:The initial fan theory upon seeing the barrel-less toy was that Hasbro had gutted it for safety reasons, under the notion that the long barrel might pose a choking hazard. Even though this was refuted by actual experts on toy safety standards, the rumor still persisted. An official response from Hasbro's customer service department to an e-mail inquiry (published on a fan site's message board) confirmed that the reason for the barrel's omission was "so the accessory would not look like a weapon".<ref name="Windcharger gun barrel">"http://forums.tformers.com/talk/index.php?showtopic=13088 Response from Hasbro's customer service department regarding the lack of Alternators Windcharger's gun barrel.</ref> Eventually, Hasbro (in the presence of Takara representatives) would confirm the full story at [[BotCon 2005]]: It had indeed been Honda, specifically their North American branch, that had asked to remove the gun barrel and all references to "weapons" from the toy, its packaging and included paperwork. Honda's Japanese department, on the other hand, had no such concerns, which is why Takara were able to release the ''Binaltech'' version with the barrel intact.

===Masterpiece===
*'''Masterpiece Convoy has more diecast parts than 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime/Masterpiece Convoy is made almost entirely out of diecast/20th Anniversary Optimus Prime is made entirely out of plastic.'''
:This misconception was started by now defunct Hong Kong-based online retailer Action-HQ<ref name="plasticahq">[http://tformers.com/transformers-20th-anniversary-optimus-prime-plastic/2150/news.html "20th Anniversary Optimus Prime Plastic?"], November 2003.</ref> and ''might'' have been extrapolated from the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' toys, which are made entirely out of plastic (except for the rubber tires) for their Hasbro releases, whereas their Japanese ''Binaltech'' counterparts feature a few parts made out of [[die-cast|die-cast metal]].
:In fact, however, the amount of die-cast metal parts versus injection-[[mold]]ed plastic parts is the same between 20th Anniversary [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] and his Japanese ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' Convoy counterpart. The only differences between the two toys (not counting the packaging) are the shortened smokestacks for Hasbro's 20th Prime and the addition of painted battle damage that is missing from the Takara version.

===Transformers Collection===
[[File:G1 Vol.1 Issue2 1.jpg|thumb|100px|A solicitation of then upcoming Takara reissues? Not really.]]
*'''Takara's ''Transformers Collection'' had something to do with Dreamwave.'''
:In 2002, Takara launched their series of [[Generation 1 reissues]] named ''[[The Transformers Collection|Transformers Collection]]'', also commonly referred to as "bookbox reissues" or even "Dreamwave reissues" among fans. The reason for that is simple: The [[package art]], especially for early releases such as [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Meister]] or [[Prowl (G1)/toys|Prowl]], was directly taken from the covers of and promotional posters for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave's]] first ''[[Prime Directive|Generation One]]'' mini-series drawn by [[Pat Lee]]. A common misconception among fans at that time was that Takara was coordinating their reissues with Dreamwave. Some even tried to predict upcoming reissues based on the existing Dreamwave covers. Yet [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys|Sunstreaker]] never materialized.

:In fact, probably the main reason why Takara recycled Pat's Dreamwave artwork of those characters for the [[packaging]] of their reissues was its coincidental availability: The artwork had already been created and paid for, so why commission new art when they could just use what already exists? Furthermore, only about half of the TFC reissues actually sported "Dreamwave" package art, whereas the rest ''did'' use newly-commissioned art drawn by Japanese artist [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]], who has never in his life worked for Dreamwave and had been drawing in this style long before Pat Lee rose to his brief "superstar artist" fame.
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===Prime===
*'''''Transformers: Prime'' was not initially planned to have any toys.'''
:The [[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|toy line]] for ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers: Prime]]'' was ''very'' delayed, debuting roughly a year after the associated cartoon had premiered. Previously, at a [[BotCon 2010]] panel about the then-upcoming ''Prime'' cartoon, a Hasbro representative had made a statement that they weren't talking about toys just then. ''Transformers'' fandom being [[Red Alert (G1)|what]] [[Breakdown (G1)|it is]], a widespread belief developed that Hasbro was never going to make ''Prime'' toys ''at all.'' As additional information gradually surfaced, this evolved into a rumor that ''Prime'' would only have a small number of toys, with some further speculating that they would also be limited to the Deluxe [[size class]] (since initially only Deluxes had been seen). The eventual revelation of a full ''Prime'' toyline caused the belief to evolve once more, with the new theory being that there wasn't ''originally'' going to be a ''Prime'' toyline, but Hasbro changed their minds due to demand.
:The reality, as usual, was much less apocalyptic. The statement from the Hasbro Studios panel was never intended to refer to anything except the panel itself—the people ''in that room'' weren't going to be discussing toys ''at that panel''. (In fact, [[Eric Siebenaler]] expressed excitement about [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'s toy at the very same panel.) As for the delay in the line's launch, put simply, this was for appearance's sake. Hasbro wanted to establish ''Prime'' as a strong ''fictional'' franchise, rather than merely [[To sell toys|a glorified toy commercial]], and reasonably concluded that launching a toyline immediately would detract from that goal. There ''was'' a point when a few ''Prime'' toys were planned to be released under the ''[[Transformers: Generations]]'' banner, but since ''Generations'' was at that time exclusively Deluxes, the aforementioned Bulkhead (a Voyager) indicates that this idea had already been abandoned when the rumors started.
:In short, this is just a matter of fans jumping to conclusions based on misinterpreted statements.

===Europe (all generations)===
[[File:Jetfire-Dutch.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Oddly enough, Optimus Prime can still be seen in the background.]]
*'''Optimus Prime's toy was originally not released in Europe due to a trademark conflict.'''

:When Hasbro subsidiary [[Milton Bradley]] launched the [[The Transformers (European toyline)|''Transformers'' line]] on the European continent in 1985, many prominent characters were missing, among them [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Generation 1|Optimus Prime]]. Bizarrely, [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] was branded as the Autobot leader, and depicted as such in [[In the Transformers|a pack-in mini-comic]]. Furthermore, Dutch publisher [[Junior Press]] initially renamed Optimus Prime into "Jetfire" for all his appearances in their translated versions of the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comic]]. Optimus Prime's toy was eventually released with the second wave of MB-branded ''Transformers'', and the Junior Press comics subsequently referred to him by his correct name.

:The reason for Optimus Prime's initial omission from the MB line-up was claimed to be due to a [[trademark]] conflict with Swedish kitchen utensil manufacturer "[http://www.optimusstoves.com/ Optimus]". Though initially accepted by the fandom, this claim doesn't hold up under scrutiny. A manufacturer of kitchen utensils ''usually'' does not operate in the "toys" field, thus making a trademark conflict unlikely to begin with. An editor's note in the Junior Press comic trying to explain the "Optimus"/"Jetfire" name situation claimed that the ''Transformers'' were originally ''two'' toy lines by different manufacturers in the United States, and MB had only released ''one'' of them in the Netherlands, while the "[[copyright]]" to the name "Optimus Prime" belonged to the other manufacturer. Which is of course horsehockey. Many years later, this editor's note (including the incorrect use of the term "copyright" rather than "trademark") was cited by a Dutch fan who added his own speculation (without marking it as such), thus spawning the urban myth that was subsequently accepted by the fandom.<ref name="optimusdutch">[http://www.fredsworkshop.com/veuro2.html The origin (?) of the "Optimus trademark conflict in Europe" rumor?] at The Complete Transformers Variants Page</ref>

:A much more likely explanation lies in that French company [[Joustra]] released their own version of the ''[[Diaclone]]'' line in many of the same markets as Milton Bradley's ''Transformers''. The theory suggests that because of Joustra's exclusive contract with [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], any toys from their ''Diaclone'' line-up were initially off-limits for Milton Bradley's ''Transformers'' line-up.<ref name="mijofive">[http://20thcenturytoycollector.com/mb-transformers-part-5/ Mijo's "MB Transformers: Part 5" article] at 20th Century Toy Collector</ref> A related theory suggests that Joustra's parent company, Ceji, got into financial trouble at the time, prompting them to sign a deal with Milton Bradley allowing them to use their existing (but still unsold) ''Diaclone'' stock released in ''Transformers'' packaging, which could explain why the second wave of MB-branded ''Transformers'' matches up almost perfectly with Joustra's ''Diaclone'' line-up.<ref name="mijofour">[http://20thcenturytoycollector.com/mb-transformers-part-4/ Mijo's "MB Transformers: Part 4" article] at 20th Century Toy Collector</ref>

*'''The Generation 1 Seacon Overbite was released under the name "Jawbreaker" in some European markets.'''
[[File:JawbreakerComic.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|UK comic exclusive name variant!]]
:In [[Enemy Action!|issue 152]] of the Marvel UK comics, the first appearance of the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]], [[Overbite (G1)|Overbite]] is called "Jawbreaker", a name repeated in his appearance in [[Salvage!|issue 160]] and in an "A to Z" profile in "[[Transformers Annual 1989]]". In the early days of online fandom, American fans concluded that this must mean that the toy had been released under a different name in Europe—which is not ''entirely'' unfounded, as Transformers often got renamed in Canada and Italy, and many European-market toys from the post-US-cancellation line had multiple names, dependent on what country they were released in.
:However, European fans claimed the toy was called "Overbite" when released in their respective countries (except for Italy, where [[GiG]] actually didn't release the Seacons ''at all''). Furthermore, the [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|letters page]] in [[City of Fear!|issue #164]] of the UK comic features a question by a confused (British) reader about the "Jawbreaker" name, since the UK-release toy was apparently indeed called "Overbite" (resulting in a made-up-on-the-spot explanation from the Marvel staff to reconcile both names).
:So, why ''did'' the story identify the character as "Jawbreaker"? The answer was unknown until 2016, when a couple of early internal [[character model|model sheets]] were offered on [[eBay]]: Overbite's model sheet has his name crossed out, with "Jawbreaker" written below it.<ref name="modelsheets">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/93711-more-unseen-tftm-designs-plus-some-early-colors-and-some-show-design/?p=3191211 Early model sheets] at The Allspark.</ref> Since the same batch of model sheets also refers to the [[Sparkabot]]s as "Sparkler Minibots", another naming anomaly for the Marvel UK comics (and some translations thereof), Marvel UK writer [[Simon Furman]] may have used these model sheets (or similar reference materials) with the non-final names on them. The Overbite toy's instructions still refer to his ''weapon'' as a "Jawbreaker cannon", and his weapon mode for Piranacon is called a "Jawbreaker weapon" in the assembly instructions.

*'''Some toys were exclusively (or predominantly) available only in the United Kingdom/Netherlands.'''
:During the early days of the Transformers online fandom, most of the active European fans in English-language forums were based in the UK and Netherlands. So when information about non-US toys (or toy variants) was spread, there simply were no fans from Germany or France around to confirm that the toys in question had also been officially available in their respective countries. (Although to be fair, it's quite possible that some toys, such as the [[Milton Bradley]]-branded Generation 1 toys, were indeed released in bigger quantities in the Netherlands than in Germany or France.)<ref name="mbpart6">[http://20thcenturytoycollector.com/mb-transformers-part-6/ "MB Transformers: Part 6"] at 20th Century Toy Collector.</ref>
:As a result, numerous toys like the red [[Tracks (G1)#Toys|Tracks]] and [[IGA]] Mexican-market Transformers (imported under dubious circumstances) got labeled as "Nethelands-only", when they actually saw release in at least a half-dozen countries. Meanwhile, post-US-cancellation Transformers like the [[Action Master Elite]]s, "[[Classics (Europe)|Classics]]" reissues, [[Turbomaster]]s, [[Obliterator]]s, etc, were (and sometimes still are) often referred to as "UK exclusives", even though all of them were available in multiple countries, including Canada and Australia!
:In reality, there are ''very'' few toys actually exclusive to a single European country. The first ''genuine'' "UK exclusives" were a set of multi-packs from the 2007 [[Transformers (film)|''Transformers'' live action movie]] [[Movie (toyline)|toyline]], but the toys themselves were identical to the US releases. Meanwhile, other multi-packs or minor variants of toys from the 2007 movie toyline that were available in the UK but not the US were also available in other places, such as Japan, Hong Kong, Australia or other European countries again.

*'''A green variant of Trailbreaker was available in some European countries.'''
:This belief seems to stem from the fact that [[IGA]]'s Mexican version of [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (which, like most Mexican Transformers, was widely available on the European gray market circa 1989, as mentioned above) used the same head sculpt as [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]. But like the "Blue" Bluestreak, no samples of an actual green version of the Trailbreaker mold actually sold ''as'' "Trailbreaker" have been found.

===Takara vs. Hasbro===
*'''Takara (alternatively, Hasbro) are ''solely'' responsible for designing, developing and manufacturing (all, or certain specific) ''Transformers'' toys.'''
: This was true only for the original [[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1 toys]], and possibly also the [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|''Generation 2'' toys]]. Most of the toys from 1984 to 1986 were imported (and, occasionally, slightly altered) versions of already-existing Japanese toys originally designed and released by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]. Following that, Takara developed new toys both for the Japanese and the Western market, now specifically with ''Transformers'' in mind. The primary exceptions are a handful of toys licensed from other Japanese companies (Jetfire, Whirl, and Roadbuster, for example), and the 1986 toys for the [[The Transformers: The Movie|animated movie]], which were mostly based on designs by [[Floro Dery]].
: However, ever since 1988,<ref name="dunsay">[http://obscuretf.com/hhk/images/full/BC04Dunsay.jpg BotCon 2004 program guide interview with George Dunsay]</ref> most "main" line toys released both in Japan and the Western hemisphere (such as the [[Unicron Trilogy]], ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'', the [[Movie (toyline)|2007 Movie line]] and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]/[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'') have been designed and developed in cooperation between [[Hasbro]] (or its subsidiary [[Kenner]]) and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] (now TakaraTomy). (For the specifics of this joint venture development process, see the article about [[toy]]s.)
: Still, numerous reasons have led some people to assume incorrectly that ''all'' ''Transformers'' toy lines were ''solely'' developed by only one of the two companies:
:*The Western public and mainstream media, naturally, tend to be unaware of the existence of Takara (TakaraTomy these days). It's therefore logical to assume that Hasbro, the company responsible for distributing Transformers toys outside Japan, is also solely responsible for developing and manufacturing the toys. The fact that Hasbro regularly chooses not to mention their Japanese business partner in official press releases and interviews hasn't exactly helped matters, either.
:*On the other hand, Western anime fans are used to Japanese companies being solely responsible for designing robot toys, which are then imported and sold by Western companies. For lack of better knowledge, those people then simply assume the same also applies to ''Transformers'' toys — namely, that Takara does ''all'' the design and engineering work on their own, and Hasbro is merely the Western ''distributor'' of those toys. The fact that the back of Hasbro's packaging for ''Transformers'' toys sports a small note saying "Manufactured under license from Takara Co., Ltd." (changed to "TOMY Company, Ltd." on more recent toys) is occasionally cited as "proof" that Takara is the sole manufacturer of ''Transformers'' toys as well. A long paper trail of evidence to the contrary<ref name="Hasbro Tour">[http://www.seibertron.com/events/gallery.php?event_id=70&size=0&start=272 Exemplary rundown] of the development process of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Leader Class [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]], shown during the Hasbro tour at [[BotCon 2007]]. Of course, Hasbro just replaced the name "Takara" in some of the steps with "Hasbro" in order to convince fans that... yeah, riiiight.</ref> has not been able to convince those people of the flaws in their conspiracy theory — rather, some of them have even postulated the existence of a so-called "Hasbro PR machine", whose sole purpose is to convince ''Transformers'' fans that Hasbro actually has a larger part in the development of ''Transformers'' toys than is actually the case.<ref name="Propaganda">[http://toyboxdx.com/phorum/read.php?1,88668 ToyBoxDX thread with anime fanboys arguing that "Takara is an enormous toy '''manufacturing''' company. Hasbro doesn't manufacturer anything. The sole reason for its existence is for marketing the products of their partners and wholly-owned subs. Just to be clear here - Takara is bigger than Hasbro."] They wouldn't even believe that [[Joe Kyde]] actually worked at Hasbro. No kidding.</ref>
: That being said, there ''are'' indeed a few toys originally developed by either Hasbro or Takara without the other one's involvement, and then later picked up by the other company, but they're fewer than usually assumed: For Takara, those include the new molds for ''[[Beast Wars II (toyline)|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (toyline)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Car Robots]]'', plus various mostly short-lived, collector-aimed, niche market lines (such as the new ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' molds, the ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'', the ''[[Hybrid Style]]'' toys etc.); for Hasbro, those are mostly either toys originally based on fiction-based franchises that did not originate with Hasbro (such as ''[[Animorphs]]'' or the ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars Transformers]]'' and their later successor, ''[[Transformers: Crossovers]]''), cross-brand lines ''within'' Hasbro where the Transformers toys only make up one part of the overall lineup (such as the [[Titanium Series]] and the [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] figures) and a few very rare "main" line Transformers toys such as the ''Generation 2'' [[Power Master]]s and [[Grimlock (Energon)|Grimlock]], [[Swoop (Energon)|Swoop]], [[Alpha Quintesson]], [[Kicker Jones#Toys|Energon Kicker]] and [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] from ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]''.

*'''Takara's Japanese-market releases are always of intrinsically better quality than their U.S. counterparts. (E.g., they have sweeter exclusives, and are always more show-accurate, have more accessories, and have tighter quality control.)'''
: This one depends a bit on the speaker, as it can either be a genuine misconception, a matter of opinion, or at worst, [[Personal canon|willful]] [[True fan|snobbery]]. But, like any broad generalization, it does have some basis.
:*"Better quality" can refer to the fact that Japanese versions of individual toys sometimes have clear plastic instead of painted-on windows like [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys|Movie Bumblebee]], or have vac-metallized parts where the equivalent U.S. release doesn't, like [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|''Energon'' Optimus Prime/Grand Convoy]]. Or, "better" quality can refer to the fact that Japan is a less litigious society, with different toy safety laws, and Takara can thus give [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Prime]] toys old-school long smokestacks, which are now shortened in the U.S. [[for safety reasons]]. These laws also mean that [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Masterpiece Megatron]] is freely available in Japan, but hard to get in the U.S. (the exact opposite of ''real'' handguns, ironically).
:*"More [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] decos" does have some basis, as Takara frequently releases its toys later than Hasbro does Stateside, and thus they are better able to reflect discrepancies between late-run changes to a character's coloration in a show (such as with the original [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] or [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|''Armada'''s Tidal Wave]]). The most extreme example of this was ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (toyline)#2005 (Beast Wars Returns)|Beast Wars Returns]]'', the Japanese release of ''Beast Machines'', which was ''years'' later than in the U.S., allowing Takara to add a lot of the deco that was added to the characters by [[Mainframe Entertainment]] that was not accurate to the original toys.
:*"More accessories" mostly comes from the fact that ''some'' of Takara's releases have some extra accessories, but the only cases of this before the reissues were [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]'s two [[sword]]s, Megatron's sword and bullets (even though the Japanese release lacked the barrel, scope and stock extensions) and clear cases from the various cassettes. Japanese reissues have included additional accessories from the cartoon (the axe, chain mace, Energon cubes and gun mode Megatron in the ''[[The Transformers Collection|Transformers Collection]]'' reissues of Optimus and Megatron, Insecticons and Starscream, respectively, the Matrix from New Year's Convoy). Some ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Super Link]]'' releases came with [[redeco]]ed [[Energon weapon]]s as well. ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|Hot Rod]] came with two missile launchers and missiles not included with ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys#Universe .282008.29|Hot Shot]] due to budget constraints, and featured the original tooling for the rear bumper for their inclusion. In contrast, ''Henkei! Henkei!'' [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Lambor]] was ''lacking'' the supercharger engine accessory ''Universe'' Sideswipe came with—TakaraTomy officially confirmed that they had ''deliberately omitted the optional piece of accessory'' to make the toy more "G1-accurate".<ref name="generations2009">Interview with Hisashi Yuki in [[Transformers Generations 2009|''Transformers Generations 2009'' vol. 1]], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/223379-takaratomy-staff-interview-generations-2009-vol-1-translation.html English translation] at TFW2005.</ref>
:*"Sweeter exclusives" is really a matter of taste. If endless redecos of Generation 1 toys as completely unprecedented Generation 1 characters, buying $40 worth of toys you got a month ago for a single [[Mini-Con]], and shelling out half your mortgage for [[Lucky Draw figure|Lucky Draw]] gold chrome figures is what floats your boat, then yeah, Japan has better exclusives.
:*"Tighter [[quality control]]" is a total myth. Takara products are manufactured under much the same production conditions as Hasbro's: Pretty much everything for both markets is made in China—in fact, according to Hasbro [[Australia]] representatives and Hasbro designer [[Eric Siebenaler]], ''all'' of the Transformers toys jointly developed between Hasbro and Takara/TakaraTomy are manufactured at factories contracted to the Japanese toy company. This means Takara is (at least indirectly) responsible for whatever quality control problems occur with Hasbro-released toys. Takara's standards of quality control for their domestically-released toys are just as likely to let mistakes creep through. Just ask any buyer of ''Henkei! Henkei!'' [[Thundercracker (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Thundercracker]] how well his weapons stay attached to the arms. And let's not even get started on ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' [[Hot Rod/toys#Masterpiece|Rodimus Convoy's]] first production run.
:*The fields in which Takara genuinely excels Hasbro are comparably minor: Takara's [[stock photography]] generally tends to be more impressive than Hasbro's, without obvious mistransformations and awkward poses, and at the same time looks more representative of the actual toy due to less reliance on blatant digital touch-ups. Likewise, Takara's [[instructions]] tend to be more detailed and useful than Hasbro's.

===Other===
[[File:SteamhammerEnergonUniverse.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Not literally a waste of packaging material.]]
*'''"Repackaged" toys are ''literally'' unsold toys sent back to Hasbro, taken out of the old packaging, put into new packaging and then sent back to stores.'''

:Every so often, a ''Transformers'' toy line features seemingly identical toys in multiple different [[packaging]] versions, such as multi-packs containing toys that were previously available separately. In addition, some toy lines also feature [[rebranding|rebranded]] items, namely toys that were originally released under one line, but are later re-released as part of another line with virtually no changes to the toy itself, only the packaging it is available in. The final stages of the original ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' line took the concept of "rebranding" to a new level, featuring numerous straight re-releases of toys from the since-ended ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' lines, among many others. Since then, it has been repeated with the 2006 ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' line, the 2008 ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' line, the 2010 ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers]]'' line and many others. Because a common [[fandom]] term for those releases is "repackages", a popular misconception claims that those toys are ''literally'' "repackages": namely, unsold toys sent back to Hasbro, taken out of their old packaging, put into new packaging and then sent back to (different) stores. (The same train of thought also—very rarely—suggests that "repaints", another common fan term for [[redeco]]s, are ''literally'' "[[repaint]]s", i.e. existing toys painted over in new colors, rather than new production runs from the same toolings using new plastic colors.)

:Needless to say, this theory is dubious for various reasons. Generally, old unsold toys are ''not'' sent back to Hasbro. They either [[Shelfwarmer|remain in the store]] until someone finally decides to buy them, or the store somehow dumps them, such as by selling them off to closeout chains. And even ''if'' Hasbro did regularly get sent back huge shipments of unsold toys, they'd be highly unlikely to go through the effort (and additional cost) of literally repackaging them. Hasbro confirmed this in January of 2009, stating that due to the toys being manufactured in Asia, it would be a waste of time and money to repackage them only to sell them at the same price-point.<ref>[http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934 SirStevesGuide.com, Tri-Weekly Hasbro Q&A - January 30th]</ref> Thus, they are ''not'' repackaged old product, but new production runs of previous product. These days, this misconception should be much easier to dispel: Every toy now features a manufacturing date stamp etched into the figure, as well as a product code [[tampograph]]ed onto the figure, thus proving that a figure was manufactured more recently than its superficially identical predecessor.

{{-}}
[[File:SmokesniperStarscream.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|The similarities are astounding. Especially those that aren't there.]]
*'''A new toy that is vaguely reminiscent of an older toy is a retool of said toy.'''

:Hasbro likes to [[redeco]] toys a lot (usually to recoup the R&D costs for developing the original [[mold]]). They also like to release redecos of toys from older lines in newer lines. In some instances, Hasbro also don't just redeco a toy, they [[retool]] it (or create new toolings for new parts that replace parts of the old version of the toy)—sometimes to improve a feature or fix an error, but sometimes also to give the toy new features or [[gimmick]]s, or simply to make it different enough from the original version so owners of the original version would be interested in buying the "retool" as well.

:Some of those retools are comparably minor (such as [[Jazz (Movie)|Final Battle Jazz]] from the [[Movie (toyline)|2007 Movie line]]), whereas others can be pretty elaborate. Sometimes the retools are so elaborate that the line between "retool" and "new [[mold]]" gets blurred. The most drastic instances in this regard would be [[K-9]] from ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' (based on [[Wolfang (Maximal)|Wolfang]] from the same line) and [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Dark Crumplezone]] from ''Cybertron'' (based on the original ''Cybertron'' Crumplezone toy), both of which have most, if not ''all'' of their parts entirely retooled. Another borderline case would be the ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Mini-Con]]s [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]] and [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]], which were released around the same time and are based on the same basic design, share a similar body structure and have very similar [[alternate mode]]s.

:However, sometimes fans ''definitely'' get too far decrying a new toy a "retool" (or "remold"). Toys that share some superficial design similarities, coupled with similar transformation schemes, are often mistaken for retools even though they're simply that: Similar toys based on the same general design, maybe even directly influenced by the older toy, but nothing more. For more examples, see: [[retool#Not actually a retool|retool]].

{{-}}
*'''Hasbro lost the rights to a lot of G1 Transformers names. That is why you see toys named "Autobot Jazz" or "Decepticon Brawl" these days. Takara is more competent than Hasbro and doesn't need to change their toys' names.'''

:That's not quite how name rights —aka [[trademark]]— work. There are indeed instances where another company has snatched a trademark, making it unavailable for Hasbro's use. The reason is because trademarks need to be consistently used in commerce (roughly once every year or so), or it could be considered "abandoned", making it open for grabs should another company try to claim it. "[[Hot Rod/toys|Hot Rod]]" is unavailable to [[Hasbro]] because Mattel holds several similar trademarks, "[[Bluestreak (G1)/toys|Bluestreak]]" was too similar to Gendron's "Toledo 'Blue Streak'" trademark, and a company named Lanard held the trademark "Shockwave" until a few years ago. This prompted Hasbro to use substitute names for toys based on these characters, such as "Rodimus Major" and "Rodimus" for Hot Rod, "Silverstreak" for Bluestreak and "Shockblast" for Shockwave (Hasbro has since managed to reacquire the "Bluestreak" and "Shockwave" trademarks).

:Meanwhile, the names with prefixes such as "Autobot" or "Decepticon"? Those are usually non-compound single real words from the English language. Hasbro's legal department considers them too "generic" to be easily defensible as trademarks, hence the addition of prefixes such as "Autobot Jazz", "Decepticon Brawl "or "Constructicon Devastator" for better protection. This does ''not'' work with names already trademarked by another company–otherwise, [[Bandai]] could release a toy named "Megazord Optimus Prime" tomorrow, and Hasbro couldn't do anything about it.

:For a while, it seemed like these trademark quibbles were limited to Hasbro, and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] was somehow exempt due to a different market situation. However, the ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' line saw the emergence of quite a few "Cybertron", "Destron" and "[[Stunticon (G1)|Stuntron]]" prefixes, implying that the trademark situation on the Japanese market was changing, and starting with the [[Movie (toyline)|''Movie'' line]], TakaraTomy (now adopting Hasbro names instead of their established Japanese-market names) began to use "Autobot" and "Decepticon" prefixes. With ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' and ''[[Transformers United|United]]'', TakaraTomy even used prefixes for names Hasbro has been able to use ''without'' prefixes.

{{-}}
*'''Hasbro is responsible for your local store not having the newest toys right now.'''

: Hasbro actually has almost nothing to do with distribution (when Product A arrives in Store B) beyond making sure the manufactured product leaves the factories and shipyards of China at the desired time. Once the items arrive on US shores, they are almost immediately sent from the ships to the distribution centers for the retail chains that ordered them. From there, it's more truck rides to various regional warehouses, which is all controlled by the retailers, not Hasbro. After that, the schedule for taking product from those warehouses and putting it on shelves is dictated by each chain's inventory system.

: It's ''conceivable'' that Hasbro could take more control of the situation, but that would require chains like Wal-Mart to release the vise-like death grip they have on manufacturers' nuts that lets them dictate how the system works—and they're sooooooo not doing that.

{{-}}

{{anchor|Older collectors}}
*'''Hasbro should totally cater to the wishes of older collectors, as they purchase the most Transformers product.'''

: Fans would like to think they've got some sway over the direction of the [[Transformers brand|''Transformers'' brand]]. After all, they've been buying toys for many years (as opposed to the limited purchasing span of most children), and they buy many ''more'' toys than any individual child. And in truth, Hasbro does pay attention to the desires and discussions of its older buyers, even designing certain line segments like ''Alternators'' or ''Classics'' and its successors with collectors as the primary target audience.

: Collectors, however, simply can't compare to the vast numbers of children out there whose parents buy Transformers for them. The bulk of Transformers product is purchased for and/or by young children, and if a company like Hasbro wants to stay in business and keep making money (and by extension, more toys), it must design and market its products accordingly. No accurate figures exist on the collector/children ratio, but estimates mentioned at BotCon panels range from around 10% to 20% of all purchases coming from older collectors—enough to be worth listening to, but not at all the driving force behind the brand. Past toylines have shown that betting ''too much'' on sales from adult collectors can be disastrous.

: Furthermore, it's not as though the [[fandom|fans]] speak with a unified voice. More often, for every fan pushing for one particular idea, there's another fan who thinks that same idea is boring or [[Ruined FOREVER|awful]].

==Fiction==
===Generation 1===
====General====
*'''Transformers were meant as a "genderless" race. Arcee and the other female Transformers were added to the brand because feminists complained about the Transformers all being male.'''
: When [[Bob Budiansky]] was assigned to work out the character details for the toys, he initially intended some of them to represent female characters, like [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]]. However, he was not given permission by [[Hasbro]] to include females because the company feared it would have a negative impact on the sales of those toys.<ref>[http://rustingcarcass.yuku.com/topic/954 Rusting Carcass interview]</ref>
: For the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comics]], this was not a big deal, even though Budiansky still slipped in a female Cybertronian in the form of [[Aunty]]. For the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] however, Hasbro's interests had to be matched with those of the TV networks that would broadcast ''The Transformers''. Since television requires a bigger investment than comics, but also offers the potential for a much better payoff, it is of interest for a TV network to broadcast material that reaches the highest possible demographic. Women make up half the population, so TV networks want at least one (hero) female character to bring in their views. Female characters were considered for inclusion in the cartoon as in its earliest planning stages, but story editors [[Bryce Malek]] and [[Dick Robbins]] chose not to pursue this angle until "[[The Search for Alpha Trion]]" introduced [[Elita One]] and her [[Female Autobots]]. In other Transformers cartoons, Female [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]] and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]] have also been added to their respective series because of network demands, whereas [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]] were a request from the writers to Hasbro.
: Despite persistent stories, there is no documented instance of feminists demanding the inclusion of female Transformers (and likely, they've got something better to do than complain about another generic boys show like there are hundreds of). There is, however, a comic story called "[[Prime's Rib!]]" which presents Arcee's introduction to the Autobot ranks as an attempt by Optimus Prime to appease [[Feminist mob|human feminists]]. While the story is obviously satire, through hearsay it has become believed by some that it is what actually happened.

====The original cartoon====
*'''The original ''The Transformers'' series was redubbed anime which originated in Japan, just like ''Battle of the Planets'', ''Voltron'', ''Robotech'' and other such shows screened in the '80s.'''
: Although most moderate-to-hardcore fans are well aware that this is a fallacy, there are those more casual fans (or those who have not rewatched the Generation 1 cartoon since childhood) who are under the misconception that [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''The Transformers'']] was an anime.
: Although the original toyline and thus the characters' basic visual designs were taken from Japanese-originated products, the original characters, names, factions and entire story premise of the whole ''Transformers'' franchise were developed in the United States by [[Hasbro]], [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] and eventually [[Sunbow Productions|Sunbow]]. Although the animation was farmed out to [[Toei|Japanese]] (and later also [[AKOM|Korean]]) [[Tokyo Movie Shinsha|studios]], the writing and original voice recording of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|all four seasons of the original series]] plus ''[[The Transformers: The Movie|The Movie]]'' was entirely done in America.
: This misconception probably stems from distant childhood memories of the cartoon, the fact that shows like the aforementioned ''Robotech'' were redubbed anime and the ''Transformers''' obvious Japanese influences. This ''may'' also be due to passing exposure to [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|the 2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]] and the [[Unicron Trilogy]] shows which, viewed as an adult, are ''very'' obviously redubbed anime.
: This is in part related to the misconception that '''all''' ''Transformers'' toys are ''solely'' designed, developed and manufactured by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], and all [[Hasbro]] ever does is to put them in new packaging and distribute them in the Western market (see above). Because this is true for other Japanese robot toylines, and therefore it must also apply to ''Transformers''.
: However, there's actually a ''little'' bit of truth to this misconception; since the G1 cartoon is an animated series made by Japanese studios, one could feasibly call it an anime; as "anime" is only a word to describe any form of animation in Japan, much like the word "cartoon" is here in the West, and ''not'' a term for a specific genre.

*'''''The Headmasters'' was going to be dubbed into English and shown in America.'''
: In America, "Season 4" consisted of "The Rebirth", a 3-episode mini-series. In Japan, "The Rebirth" was ignored, and a full-fledged series titled ''The Headmasters'' continued the story instead. Rumors once swirled in the fandom of an American-led dub of ''The Headmasters'' series; the dub was largely finished, goes the story, till the materials were lost in a warehouse fire.
: Given the meandering pace of the series (common for Japanese shows but anathema to American sensibilities), the presence of numerous characters who had no toy equivalent on US shelves, the incompatibility with the "[[Nebulan]]" head characters, the number of Japanese cultural references, and the very existence of "[[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Rebirth]]", this rumor seems unlikely on the surface.
: More to the point, no official confirmation or other evidence has ever surfaced to back it up. In all likelihood the rumor was probably a [[wikipedia:Chinese whispers|Chinese Whisper]] from the fact that the laughably-bad English language [[Omni Productions]] dub (or "Star TV" dub) was screened on UK satellite TV during the 1990s.

====The Transformers: The Movie====
[[File:TFTM dead gray Prime.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Traumatizing enough as it is, frankly.]]
*'''There exists an "uncut version" of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' containing all sorts of non-kid-friendly content.'''

: These stories stem mainly from the fact that many home-video releases of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' omit two relatively minor instances of characters using profanity, which during the 1990s resulted in some [[alt.toys.transformers]] posters advertising "uncut" VHS copies of the movie for sale, thus either intentionally or unintentionally creating the myth of a really foul-mouthed and ultra-violent alternate version of ''The Transformers: The Movie''. At least one poster claimed to have uncut reels of the original film showing a number of violent scenes,<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/07464cbfbb5d0cc9/8aee0b30765b2b4a?hl=en#8aee0b30765b2b4a THE UNCUT JAPANESE TRANSFORMERS MOVIE]</ref> but, unsurprisingly, was unwilling to provide any form of proof.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/799fec40c1aa285e/6af42e4099affa04?hl=en# Doth the Canadian protesteth too much?]</ref> So have ended all claims of uncut footage from the film.

:A much stranger rumor, whose origins are unclear, claims that the original theatrical cut of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' depicted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] crumbling into dust after dying, and that that scene was cut by the distributor in mid-release because children were traumatized by the imagery. Interestingly, the "[[Death of Optimus Prime]]" track on the original soundtrack album does contain ten extra seconds of music. At the end, just before the song's final low-octave percussion sequence, there is a very distinct series of notes that appears nowhere else in the song and is not in the onscreen version. However, no other evidence of this "lost" animation sequence exists among the many storyboards, preliminary animations, interviews, varying formats, etc., that have come to light. The myth could be related to the death of Starscream, a few scenes later, where Starscream '''does''' indeed crumble to dust after being shot by Galvatron; time and distance could lead fans to confuse the two scenes.

:These claims should not be confused with the extra storyboarded scenes and early script revisions which have come to light over the years, which do in fact contain a lot more violence. But no evidence exists that any of these sequences, even those that made it to storyboard, were ever animated. Especially given the expense of producing full animation.

::''See also: [[The Transformers: The Movie#Edits]].''

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*'''Some portions of Unicron's dialogue were recorded by an actor other than Orson Welles.'''

: A common rumor in the Western fandom claimed that Unicron's final lines ("Destiny... you cannot destroy my.. destiny!") were recorded by [[Leonard Nimoy]], based on claims that those lines sounded "different" from the rest of [[Orson Welles]]' lines.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092106/trivia IMDB.com reference to the Leonard Nimoy-as-Unicron rumor.]</ref> Compounding the rumor is the fact that Welles died shortly after recording his ''TF:TM'' lines<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/This-Orson-Welles/dp/030680834X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6174389-3113623?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182349938&sr=8-1 According to one biography, Welles recorded his ''TF:TM'' lines on October 5, 1985 and died five days later.]</ref> (and indeed, one version of the rumor has Welles actually dying ''before'' completing his lines). Despite being debunked repeatedly (including by [[Susan Blu]] and [[Wally Burr]], both of whom should know), this one still pops up from time to time.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/387399-leonard-nimoy-officially-announced-voice-sentinel-prime-13.html#post5858748 Nimoy-as-Unicron rumor repeated by TFW2005 user "RedAlert Rescue".]</ref><ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2007/07/when_orson_welles_was_a_transformer.single.html Slate.com discusses the Unicron rumor.]</ref>

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*'''''The Transformers: The Movie''/Scatman Crothers coined the term "ginormous", which has since been added to several dictionaries.'''

: In ''The Transformers: The Movie'', [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], voiced by [[Scatman Crothers]], described [[Unicron]] as "a ginormous, weird-looking planet". The word "ginormous", a portmanteau of "gigantic" and "enormous", was officially added by the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary in 2007.<ref name="webster">[http://www.merriam-webster.com/info/newwords07.htm Merriam-Webster adding the word "ginormous]</ref>

: Some fans believe that Crothers had coined the term, which is incorrect for several reasons. Even putting aside the notion that under this theory, Crothers is assumed to have ad-libbed the line (rather than simply reading it from [[Ron Friedman]]'s script), the term has actually been around for much longer, being listed in the Oxford English Dictionary as a "British informal" word that has existed since at least the 1940s, and was originally military slang.<ref name="oxford">[http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ginormous Oxford dictionary entry for "ginormous"]</ref>

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*'''''The Transformers: The Movie'' was never released in Japan.'''

: It is true that ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was not released in Japan at the same time it was released in [[Hasbro]]'s markets, with Japanese fans instead getting the ''[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]'' OVA to explain the changes going into the third season of the show (second for Japan). But ''The Movie'' ultimately made it to Japanese theaters in August 1989. The various discrepancies between it and subsequent Japan-only Generation 1 fiction (such as who [[Prowl (G1)#The Headmasters cartoon|didn't]] [[Wheeljack (G1)#Victory cartoon|survive]] the movie) are largely a matter of the Japanese animators and writers being unaware of the precise details of the film.<ref>http://tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?s=&postid=216153#post216153</ref><ref>http://tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?s=&postid=216478#post216478</ref><ref>http://tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?threadid=30800</ref>

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*'''''The Transformers: The Movie'' was released in Japan under the title "Matrix Forever".'''

: "[[The Transformers: The Movie - Apocalypse: Be Eternal, Matrix|Matrix Forever]]" is actually the shortened and slightly mistranslated title of a 20-minute video created to promote the Japanese release of ''The Transformers: The Movie'', but some Western fans have been confused into thinking that ''The Transformers: The Movie'' itself was renamed "Matrix Forever".<ref>http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/a5d29844863d2c29</ref>

====Japanese Generation 1 fiction====
*'''In Japanese continuity, Megatron and Galvatron are two separate characters.'''
:There are a few instances of Japanese fiction (and advertising) that would seem to support this notion, all of which can be attributed to a lack of communication between [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] prior to the release of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. All of them were ultimately ignored by the "primary" fiction, namely the (dubbed) third season of the cartoon (named ''Transformers: 2010'' in Japan) and the accompanying manga, which followed the Western story concept of Galvatron being a reformatted [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]].
:The [[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 2|second issue]] of ''[[The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers]]'' [[manga]] depicts [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] commanding [[Megatron Corps|a legion of automatons]] created in [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s image, which some non-Japanese-speaking fans misinterpreted as depicting Galvatron and Megatron co-existing.<ref>http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=179</ref>

*'''In Japanese continuity, the Destrons (Decepticons) were invaders from a planet called Destron.'''
:The [[Autobot]]s were renamed "Cybertrons" in the Japanese translation, resulting in a misconception that the Destrons ([[Decepticon]]s) must hail from somewhere other than the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. However, the Japanese translation also used slightly different spellings for the faction, "Cybertron" (literally: サイバトロン, "Sa-i-ba-to-ro-n"), and the planet, (literally: セイバートロン, "Se-i-baa-to-ro-n"), commonly interpreted as "Seibertron" by Western fans, in order to avoid confusion, even though both words originally started out based on the English name "Cybertron".<ref name="tfa522">[http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=522 The Transformers Archive essay about various urban legends surrounding the Transformers franchise]</ref>
:This rumor presumably originates from an article a Thomas Wheeler had written for ''Attic's Collectible Toys and Values Monthly'' during the hiatus between the [[The Transformers (toyline)|G1]] and [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|G2]] toylines. According to that article, Hasbro chose not to follow this element of the story because of the similarity between the term "Destron" and ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]'''s "[[Destro]]" character. Of course, seeing as the story originated in America to begin with and was only dubbed into Japanese later on, this doesn't make a lot of sense. In later years, Wheeler wrote toy reviews for Master Collector's website, which occasionally also display a certain lack of knowledge about various toys and the ''Transformers'' brand's overall history, so it doesn't seem entirely out of place for him.

*'''Black Shadow and Blue Bacchus are both members of a "Space Mafia".'''
:[[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]] and [[Blue Bacchus]], two characters from ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]]'', both have their function listed as "Space Gangster". An early fan translation of their on-package [[bio]]s misinterpreted the Japanese word for "gangster" to mean "Mafia", hence the belief that a "Space Mafia" exists in the Japanese Generation 1 universe.

*'''Metrotitan is a zombie version of Metroplex.'''
: [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] was a Destron [[redeco]] of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] from the ''[[Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone]]'' portion of Japanese Generation 1 continuity. For unclear reasons, Western fans believe that Metrotitan was a "zombified" version of Metroplex, and a stranger variation on this rumor holds that Metrotitan was somehow "regrown" from one of Metroplex's legs.<ref name="tfa522" />

====European Generation 1 fiction====
*'''Starscream and Shrapnel are female characters in the French dub of Generation 1.'''
: This rumor is only partly true. The [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Transformers'' cartoon]] used three different dub teams for the French version: one for the TV show's dub broadcast in Quebec, one for the TV show's dub broadcast in France and one for the [[The Transformers: The Movie|1986 movie]] used in both countries. Neither of the TV show's dubs depict [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] as a female as he uses a distinctively male voice;<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhOCYZRxypM YouTube: Doublage de France: Combaticons et Égo]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMXCeXw5Vdo Doublage Québécois: Égo et Dr. Croc-en-ville]</ref> however, the movie's dubbing team used a female voice for Starscream, and at one point [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] calls Starscream "une imbécile" (articles in French are gender-specific), clearly cementing Starscream's movie status as a female.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20080612225831/http://www.bigbot.com/mp3/transformers_mp3.shtml#Femmes</ref> All the same is also true for [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], who is even referred to as "Mademoiselle Shrapnel" by [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] in the movie.

*'''The German version of ''The Transformers: The Movie'' was edited and didn't depict Starscream's death scene.'''
: German TV didn't air a dubbed version of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] until 1989. ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was aired for the first time on German TV in 1994, with only one repeat. For unknown reasons, a rumor was circulating for several years claiming that [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream's]] death was considered too "violent" for German TV standards for children's programs and had therefore been edited out.<ref>[http://www.ofdb.de/view.php?page=fassung&fid=7489&vid=38680 German movie database ''still'' listing the rumor about Starscream's "edited death" in TF:TM]</ref> However, recordings of the TV airing still exist, which don't feature any obvious edits other than [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike's]] infamous "swear" line. Furthermore, a German DVD edition of the movie released in 2004 that features an entirely different dub also depicts Starscream's death in all its glory.

*'''An Earthforce story was written to promote the non-combining Constructicon toys.'''
:The comic story "[[Desert Island Risks!]]" from issue 264 of the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)#Marvel UK|G1 comic]] reveals that the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] have somehow lost their ability to combine into [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. As a result, they try to build another Devastator as a new robot.

:Some fans mistakenly believe that this is somehow related to a re-release of the Constructicons (now in yellow) that were available in [[The Transformers (European toyline)|Europe]] after the ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|Generation 1]]'' toyline had ended in the USA. Those Constructicons omitted the extra parts necessary to form Devastator; and furthermore, [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] and [[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (neither of them officially named in this version; all six toys came on multi-purpose cardbacks simply named "Constructicon") were [[retool]]ed to omit the tabs that were necessary for combining them (and [[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]) when forming Devastator. Since the toys couldn't combine into Devastator anymore, fans believe that the [[Earthforce]] comic story was intended to serve as an "explanation" for this.

:The problem with this theory, however, is that the yellow "Euro" Constructicon toys were released in 1992; the comic story, however, had already come out in early 1990. If anything, "Desert Island Risks!" was based on the [[Action Master]] version of Devastator, which no longer consisted of six individual Constructicons. (Also, the individual Constructicons don't even appear in the story.)

===Beast Wars===
*'''In Japanese ''Beast Wars'' continuity, Optimus Primal and Megatron were the same characters as their Generation 1 namesakes.'''
: While ''Beast Wars'' Megatron and Optimus Primal were identified in early packaging as new incarnations of Generation 1 Megatron and Optimus Prime in the Western release of the toyline, the Japanese dub of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon remained consistent with the original English language version in keeping the characters separate. In the Japanese dub of "[[The Agenda (Part 2)]]", ''Beast Wars'' Megatron, while relating the tale of the Golden Disk to Ravage, even describes Generation 1 Megatron as "My ancestor Megatron".<ref>我先祖のメガトロン, ''Waga senzo no Megatron''</ref>

[[File:BWIICatalogCover01.jpg|thumb|Everything you know is a lie!]]
*'''The characters of the ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoons hail from the same time-period as the cast of ''Beast Wars''.'''
:This particular misconception does have a nugget of truth in it: The first [[Catalog#Beast Wars II|pack-in catalog]] included with the Japanese ''Beast Wars'' toys did indeed present [[Lio Convoy]] and [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] as contemporaries of ''Beast Wars'' Optimus Primal and Megatron. Subsequently, the Hasbro toy bios of [[Transmetal 2]] [[Cybershark]] and ''[[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]]'' [[Magmatron]] further complicated matters by making vague yet recognizable references to the two Japanese cartoons: Cybershark's bio alluded to the ''Beast Wars II'' [[Seacon (BWII)|Seacons]], and Magmatron's bio recalled both ''Beast Wars Neo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s hunt for the [[Angolmois]] capsules and the character's "[[Emperor of Destruction]]" title; both likely derived from the original misconception.

:In truth, however, the [[Emissary of the Fourth Planet|thirty-sixth episode]] of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon establishes that the planet [[Gaea (planet)|Gaea]], on which the series was set—which was clearly intimated to be a future version of [[Earth]]—had been lifeless for tens of thousands of years. As the ''Beast Wars'' characters hailed from a time only 300 years after the Generation 1 era, when Earth was still populated, this made it apparent that their native time was ''long'' after that of the ''Beast Wars'' cast. A scant few weeks later, the [[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!|''Beast Wars II'' movie]] corroborated this with a guest appearance from Optimus Primal, who was treated as a figure of legend, and not a present-day equal of Lio Convoy's (though, many a fan initially interpreted this as supporting the above-mentioned misconception of Optimus Primal being the same person as Optimus Prime in Japan). Nearly a decade later, a fan translation of TakaraTomy's [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)/src|2007 timeline]], which clearly dated ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' shows to tens of thousands of years after the home-time of the ''Beast Wars'' cast, was the first exposure many English-speaking fans had to this idea, having long taken the catalog as immutable canon for the cartoon, but that is now firmly relegated to the status of a [[micro-continuity]]. As for the aforementioned toy bios, the references they made were thankfully parsed vaguely enough to mean little, if anything at all, to those unaware of either Japanese series, and many Hasbro toy bios from the Beast Era were already often contradictory to the material presented in the cartoons to begin with, to the point that the bios can be and generally are considered part of a separate continuity all on their own.

:In contrast to the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, though, the [[Free the Captured Matrix!|third chapter]] of the [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Beast Wars II'' manga]], set in a different continuity from the cartoon, ''did'' follow the catalog's lead by showing Optimus Primal existing on Cybertron at the same time as Lio Convoy. Similarly, the ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' casts appear as contemporaries of the ''Beast Wars'' characters in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers, Beast Wars: The Gathering|The Gathering]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars: The Ascending|The Ascending]]'' comic books, which was likely less a deliberate choice and more a product of the original misconception (except, here, the timeline of these comics treats the events that parallel those of ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' as having happened ''before'' the home time-period of the ''Beast Wars'' instead of during or after, which ''was'' a deliberate choice).

*'''In ''Beast Wars II'', Apache is a drunkard as part of a Native American stereotype.'''
: [[Apache]] did indeed get drunk in the first episode of the ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'' cartoon, but only in grief, believing (erroneously) that his actions earlier had caused the death of [[Lio Convoy]] (which didn't happen). He did not get drunk again for the duration of the cartoon, nor did he ever do so in the manga. Outside of that, the Native American stereotype "common" to Japanese fictions is a stoic, silent, and often mystical warrior—none of which could be used to describe Apache accurately at all.
: That's not to say there aren't [[Jointron|some ethnic stereotypes]] in BWII that could be considered pretty offensive.
: Amusingly enough, in the sixth installment of the [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Beast Wars II'' manga]], ''Lio Convoy'' gets drunk for no apparent reason and ends up trashing Apache's room.

===Beast Machines===
*'''A ''Beast Machines'' writer said, "Real heroes don't use guns."'''
:''Beast Machines'' was the first (but not the last) ''Transformers'' series to explicitly avoid all hand-held projectile [[weapon]]ry. While the [[Vehicon (BM)|villains]] still had traditional "blasters" mounted on their bodies, some of the [[Maximal|heroes]]' weapons were more esoteric (such as [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]'s energy-web attack, activated by putting her hands on the ground, or [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]]'s gauntlets, powered by absorbing enemy fire). According to story editor [[Bob Skir]], this creative decision was agreed upon between the story editors, [[Fox Kids]], [[Mainframe Entertainment]], and [[Hasbro]],<ref name="Skir">[http://web.archive.org/web/20080222040119/http://bigbot.com/beast-machines-transformers-bob-skir/Beast-Machines-FAQ/Sat_06_Nov_1999.html Archived Q&A from Bob Skir's now-defunct website,] where Skir responds to the gun controversy (question 7).</ref> and it is indeed reflected in the toys as well.

:Note that many Maximals had weaponry that was functionally no different from a "gun"—compare [[Botanica (BM)|Botanica]]'s hip-mounted energy cannons, [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream]]'s back-mounted sonic blaster, or Optimus Primal's chest-mounted energy disc launcher to [[Jetstorm (BM)|Jetstorm]]'s shoulder-mounted ray guns or [[Strika (BM)|Strika]]'s wrist-mounted energy... tossing thingies.

:On his website, Skir also elaborated on his own position as a writer choosing if or how to portray gun use, including this statement: "Our heroes use their wiles and resourcefulness, plus a few cool weapons. Guns? I've never been a fan of them myself, and do not write heroes who need them."<ref>[http://members.aol.com/zobovor/guns.html Article on the fan Dave "Zobovor" Edwards' personal site,] quoting Bob Skir's original gun statement.</ref> Some fans interpreted Skir as condemning ''all'' gun use, even in the real world, no matter the circumstances. This led to the misquote, "Real heroes don't use guns,"<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/browse_thread/thread/be5e55a90df944bb/b748601b997b3508#b748601b997b3508 Alt.toys.transformers thread] with the misquote and attendant assumptions right at the start.</ref> which remains a notoriously persistent error in the fandom. Skir, responding to the controversy, said on his site that "there '''are''' heroes who '''do''' need guns (such as the [[Punisher]]). Spider-Man doesn't need guns. Neither does the [[Hulk]]. And neither do Optimus, Cheetor, Black Arachnia{{sic}}, et al."<ref name="Skir" />
:Notably, the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|series]] [[Unicron Trilogy|immediately]] [[Movie (franchise)|following]] ''Beast Machines'' did return to classic hand-held gun use among both heroes and villains. However, the more recent ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]'' series has again eschewed guns, probably because of its younger target audience.

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise''===
*'''The Japanese ''Car Robots'' cartoon was a direct sequel to ''Beast Wars Neo''.'''
: Some fans seem to have concluded, based on the similar animation style and overall tone, that the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|''Car Robots'' cartoon]] was meant to pick up where ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'' had left off, but all indications are that ''Car Robots'' wasn't meant to take place in any pre-existing TF continuity. But now Takara says it's in the Generation 1 continuity.<ref>http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=490</ref>

===Transformers (2007)===
[[File:Japaneseflowchart.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Look! No 2007 movie!]]
*'''The movie series takes place in the Generation 1 timeline in Japan.'''
: This is another one of those instances where one TakaraTomy thing, very early in the life cycle of a new ''Transformers'' [[franchise]], will say one thing about said franchise, and then literally ''everything else ever'' will say another.

: When the live-action movie series was getting started, TakaraTomy went live with their "World of Transformers" web site. The website timeline made the rather bizarre claim that the 2007 live-action movie also somehow took place in the Japanese Generation 1 continuity in 2007, but this was ''not'' reflected by the accompanying flow-chart, and was established to not be the case by the [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)/src|''Kiss Players'' timeline]] (which noted that the movie-verse Autobots and Decepticons came from another universe when they appeared in a ''Beast Wars'' crossover). And of course, nothing else ever attempted to make the connection.

:So... technically, in one [[micro-continuity]] this is true. Everywhere else? Not so much.

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*'''''Transformers'' was nearly rated R by the MPAA.'''
: In the spring of 2007, it was reported that ''[[wikipedia:Disturbia|Disturbia]]'', a then-upcoming [[DreamWorks]] film starring [[Shia LaBeouf]] and produced by [[Steven Spielberg]], had received an R rating from the [[wikipedia:Motion Picture Association of America|Motion Picture Association of America]]. That film's rating was eventually lowered to PG-13 on appeal, but in the meantime some ''Transformers'' fans became confused and believed that it was ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' that had been rated R, leading to some heated discussion on ''Transformers'' message boards.

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[[File:MovieCreditsNoBrawl.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Invisible credit.]]
*'''Brawl is named in the credits.'''

: The Decepticon tank, who was named "Devastator" in a subtitle in the movie, ended up being named "[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]" in [[Hasbro|Hasbro's]] [[Movie (toyline)|toy line]]. Both Hasbro and the screenwriters, [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]], have expressly favored the toy's name, referring to the name in the movie as an "error".

: Since the character has a "speaking" line in the movie, some fans claim that the voice actor is named in the ending credits, and the character's name is stated as "Brawl" there. In fact, however, there's no credit ''at all'' for the character, under either name, as he has no voice actor, his "speaking role" being little more than echo-y electronic gibberish.

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[[File:BanachekMustacheMan.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|One of these is not like the others.]]
*'''The Decepticons' hologram is Tom Banachek.'''

: Several Decepticons in the movie are seen using a holographic "pilot"/"driver" based on the same short-haired, mustache-clad human with an intense stare, only wearing different clothes to match their respective [[alternate mode]]s. Since [[Tom Banachek]], the head of [[Sector Seven]]'s Advanced Research Division, also sports a mustache, a short-cropped hairstyle and a pretty intense stare, many fans mistakenly believe that the Decepticons' hologram is meant to look like him.

: There are two problems with that. One, the Decepticons' hologram, dubbed "[[Moustache Man]]" in the credits, is played by real-life United States Air Force Major [[Brian Reece]], whereas Tom Banachek is portrayed by established actor [[Michael O'Neill]].

:Two... how would the Decepticons know who Banachek even was to model a hologram after him?

{{-}}

===Animated===

*'''The Japanese dub of ''Transformers Animated'' presents it as a prequel to the live-action movies.'''

:This appears to have ''some'' basis: Back in March 2010, the then-recent edition of ''[[TV Magazine]]'' published some early pre-release information about the Japanese dub of the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|''Animated'' cartoon]]. Among the details announced was the name-change of [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] to "Ironhide", and changing his character to be closer in personality to [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] from the [[live-action film series|live-action movies]]. The article allegedly also claimed that because [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] was not Supreme Commander of the Autobots in ''Animated'', the cartoon would be "set chronologically before the live action movies".<ref name="tvmagani">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/animated-8/latest-edition-of-tv-magazine-reveals-new-transformers-animated-japan-details-169265/ TFW2005 reporting on ''TV Magazine'' article about the Japanese dub of the ''Transformers Animated'' cartoon], March 2010.</ref>

:In actuality, however, not much of this has been reflected in the dub itself: Aside from the aforementioned renaming of Bulkhead into "Ironhide", there's nothing in the Japanese dub that ties the ''Animated'' cartoon any closer to the live-action movies than its American counterpart.

===Revenge of the Fallen===

*'''Barricade's return?'''
:A common misconception among fans is that [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade's]] Saleen Mustang alternate mode was spotted on the set of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', possibly as part of the alleged "disinformation campaign" director [[Michael Bay]] repeatedly insisted he had initiated. In fact, however, a truck transporting three "Barricade" prop vehicles was spotted in Culver City, California, in March 2008, more than ''two months'' before principal shooting for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' started.<ref name="vehspotted">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/transformersnews.php?id=6980 Superhero Hype reporting on the spotting of Barricade vehicles in March 2008]</ref> There's been no indication that this had any significance other than moving the prop cars... someplace. Barricade would not make his reappearance until the ''next'' movie, ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''.

===Prime===
*'''The High Moon Studios games are part of G1.'''
{{quote|We really did look very closely at Generation 1 stuff and tried to capture what for us was the essence of the characters.|[[Sean Miller]], Director Character and Animation|[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/12/21/transformers-art-video.aspx Gameinformer interview]}}
:With its designs aiming at a video gamer audience who grew up with [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]], the development team for ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron]]'' took a great deal of inspiration from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]] for such things as characters and the design aesthetic for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].<ref>[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/12/21/transformers-art-video.aspx Gameinformer interview]</ref> A [[Commercial#War for Cybertron|commercial]] even depicted Shockwave ordering Soundwave to play [[The Touch|a song]] made famous by the [[The Transformers: The Movie|original animated movie]]. Furthermore, War for Cybertron toys were sold as part of the ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toyline that featured Generation 1-styled characters. These factors led many to believe the game was actually part of Generation 1.

:To be fair, there was and is virtually no information available to the average fan that ''War for Cybertron'' is not part of Generation 1. Hasbro has essentially been folding ''War for Cybertron'' into their modern continuity, and have been informing dedicated fans of this fact through [[Hasbro Q&A|question and answer sessions]].<ref>"The official story of the original 13 and specifically Alpha Trion has not been explored fully in the modern continuity that Transformers War for Cybertron, Exodus, and Prime are a part of." [[Hasbro Q&A/September 2010: Answers]]</ref> The [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (comic)|''War for Cybertron'' comic adaptation]] and [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?guid=7fd5ecd9-19b9-f369-1041-a7635be83172 online timeline] actually are adaptations from ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'', which is the basis for the new modern continuity fiction.

:Canonically, both WfC and its sequel Fall of Cybertron are in the Aligned continuity, but beyond suggestions and mandatory changes from Hasbro, High Moon Studios doesn't seem to care about Hasbro's declarations of canon. In the art book for the sequel to WfC, ''[[The Art of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'', the only influences of the concept art and designs mentioned are G1 related. Dreamwave, the original cartoon, and other concepts and ideas from Generation 1 are cited, but the fact that Cliffjumper's head is based off of Prime Cliffjumper's is not mentioned, nor are the modifications to Optimus Prime's gun, Megatron's new body, [[Tox-En]], or the other assorted influences from Prime.

*'''''War for Cybertron/Fall of Cybertron'' is a prequel to the G1 cartoon.'''
:With its designs aiming at a 20-something audience who grew up on the original cartoon, many gamers would be forgiven for mistaking ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' for a prequel, and it doesn't help that the developers at [[High Moon Studios]] advertised the game as such. More savvy fans would recognize that the game is generally irreconcilable with the cartoon (or any other Generation 1 continuity for that matter): the circumstances of [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'s rise to power would contradict "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]", and Optimus's [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|predecessor]] does not possess the Matrix, unlike his [[Sentinel Prime (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon|cartoon counterpart]]. The Autobots left Cybertron because the [[Core]] shut down, not because energy sources were depleted, and characters like [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]], [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]], [[Cyclonus (WFC)|Cyclonus]], the [[Aerialbot (WFC)|Aerialbots]] and [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] wouldn't be on Cybertron or even ''exist''. Additionally, the game draws inspiration from other continuities, including characters not from Generation 1 like [[Slipstream (WFC)|Slipstream]] and [[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]. The game does share a lot of similarities with Dreamwave's ''[[War Within (franchise)|War Within]]'' series (where Jetfire and Trypticon are present), but it cannot take place in that continuity either.

==Companies==
===Marvel Comics===
*'''John Romita designed the Generation 1 character models.'''
:The rumor here comes about through a misreading of the credits to [[The Transformers Universe]]. Legendary Marvel Comics artist John Romita, Sr. was listed as "Art Director", leading readers to assume that he was in charge of designing or developing the various [[character model]]s used in the series (and reprinted in said comic). However, Romita was actually the Art Director for Marvel Comics as a whole at the time. The majority of the character models were in fact done by [[Floro Dery]], who went uncredited.<ref>See [http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/01/11/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-85/ Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed] for more information.</ref>

===TakaraTomy===
*'''Takara was taken over by Tomy.'''
:In 2005, it was announced that Takara, longtime Japanese manufacturer/distributor of Transformers toys, and former competitor Tomy would merge into a new company, named [[TakaraTomy]], as of March 1, 2006. Some fans misinterpreted the media coverage, believing that Takara had been bought out by rival Tomy. This was not helped by official press releases declaring Tomy the "surviving company", Tomy having the majority of shares, and the merged company simply going by the name "Tomy" outside Japan.
:The name issue is easily explained, as it was done for purely pragmatic reasons. "Tomy" is an internationally established brand, since the company already had divisions in many other countries prior to the merger, and distributed their toys under their own name there. Takara, meanwhile, had mostly abandoned ventures into international markets years ago, and had its products distributed through other companies (such as [[Hasbro]]) instead. Therefore, the merged company decided to use the better-known name for its international business, while it would continue as "TakaraTomy" within Japan itself.
:Now, as for the specifics of the merger... Although the merger ratio was set at 0.356 of a Tomy share for each Takara share (including a split of Tomy's stock), and the companies announced a layoff of 15% of their combined workforce mostly on the Takara side, the term "merger" (as compared to "take-over") was prominently used in all the official announcements by the two companies, and twisting tiny details into a de facto "takeover" of Takara by Tomy is effectively splitting hairs.

*'''e-Hobby is owned by Takara (TakaraTomy).'''
:The [[e-HOBBY]] shop is owned by Part One, Ltd. Although the company has had close ties with Takara for decades, the online store also sells toys by other companies, primarily TakaraTomy's rival [[Bandai]].
:The online store ''directly'' owned by TakaraTomy, meanwhile, is [[TakaraTomy Mall]] (formerly Toy Hobby Market).

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=522 Ten popular but incorrect rumors about Japanese Transformers]

[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Lists]]

Octane

2016-02-06T22:28:30Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{Factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Decepticon|the ''Kre-O'' Decepticon based on him|Fuselage}}
{{disambig3|Tankor}}
{{picsneeded|Appearances in fiction}}
:''Octane is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Octane MTMTE.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|Con artist, liar, thief, and collector of oddly-shaped shields.]]

'''Octane''' is considered vile, even by Decepticon standards. This triple changing bully is a cheat, a liar, and a coward who thinks only of himself and can't be trusted any further than [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] can throw [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The only reason that this inveterate thief is allowed to continue functioning is that he has an uncanny ability to locate stores of fuel for his fellow Decepticons, and is usually able to spin a fairly convincing excuse for why he was unable to assist them in their latest battle. As annoying and frustrating as he may be to work with, most of his allies will grudgingly admit that he does perform his job as a fuel transport quite well—if he could just get over his annoying habit of making them beg for every drop.

He is sometimes called '''Tankor'''.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Beau Weaver]] (English), [[Kenyū Horiuchi]] (Japanese)|[[Ignacio Campero]] (Latin American)}}

When the Decepticon forces were driven off [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Octane ended up on the barren planet of [[Chaar]]. When [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] told the Decepticons that he was going to bring back [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to lead them, Octane was amongst the cheering crowd... although the canonicity of this is questionable, given that several dead Decepticons and Galvatron himself were also cheering in the crowd. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} He then joined the beating-Autobots-to-death crowd when the Decepticons discovered [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spying on them. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} Finally, he joined the energon-munching crowd when the [[Quintesson]]s offered them energy in exchange for exterminating a group of Autobots on [[Goo 8739B]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

[[File:SandstormOctane BFF.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Octane could only get along with someone who had nothing left to steal.]]

Octane first came to the Autobots' attention while doing what he did best—thinking about himself. When [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been defeated by [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and hurled into the ocean, it was Octane who first discovered that the giant Decepticon had not been destroyed, but had actually survived his untimely dunk in the water. What happened next depends on who you believe: Octane tells a tale of great heroism, where he came across the weakened and dying Trypticon and, for the glory of the [[Decepticon Empire]] and out of the good of his own heart, nursed the injured giant back to health. The rest of the world prefer to take a less charitable look at his actions, and claim that Octane merely took advantage of Trypticon to secure himself a source of high-quality energon from the [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya]]. Whatever his motivation, it was not long before Octane and Trypticon were trading fuel for protection (even going so far as to assault passing cruise ships and then claiming they had been invading sovereign waters, though Trypticon did genuinely believe that they were invading ships). When that was no longer enough to keep their new landlords happy, Octane quickly came up with a scheme to use Trypticon in stealing all of the world's most important monuments and presenting them as gifts to the nation's leader. That got the attention of Rodimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots, who quickly crashed Octane's party. Worse, Galvatron caught wind of what had been happening, and was not amused with how selfishly Octane had been keeping Trypticon to himself. All the wheeling and dealing in the world failed in the face of Galvatron's rage, and Octane soon found himself ousted from the Decepticons (a fate he shared with his fellow Triple Changer, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. Apparently [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] was the only one of them worth keeping). {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

[[File:StarscreamCryptMarker1.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|]]

Alone and on the run, Octane soon discovered that Galvatron was less than willing to let bygones be bygones. The Decepticon leader had placed a price on Octane's head, and countless bounty hunters and assassins were closing in on him. After a close call on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he narrowly avoided being blown to pieces, Octane quickly decided to seek asylum with the Autobots. It was here that he met and befriended [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], a fellow Triple Changer who had recently joined the Autobots after the destruction of his home planet of [[Paradron]]. After being attacked by the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], the pair fled to a space station, where they were assaulted once again by a paid assassin (who was fortunately so incompetent that the two robots barely noticed he was there). Eventually settling on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Octane still found no peace, as Cyclonus and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s tracked him down yet again. Fleeing into the forgotten [[Decepticon Crypt]], Octane stumbled onto the ghost of the most famous Decepticon traitor ever known: [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. Quickly realising kindred spirits in each other, the two joined forces in an attempt to let Starscream possess Cyclonus and take over the Decepticons. Needless to say, their coup attempt failed rather miserably, and both traitors found themselves once again fleeing from Galvatron's wrath. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}}

Despite this, Octane was later back under Galvatron's command, joining him in a firefight with the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] during an attack on the [[Netherlands]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ryōichi Tanaka]] (Japanese)}}

Under the command of [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], Octane and his fellow Decepticon Triple Changers assaulted [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and his troops on Earth in order to prevent them from joining a battle on Cybertron. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} The three went on to defend Trypticon from [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and Octane's old buddy Sandstorm (there's a bromance that died out early). {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} They also helped the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] steal the energy-gathering [[Sol 1]] satellite for [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} On the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]], Octane acted as a cruel taskmaster, whipping the [[Beastformer]]s into shape as they were forced to build Scorponok's giant [[Transtector]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} He witnessed Scorponok's moment of triumph as he finally revealed his MegaZarak transtector. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

====''Wings Universe''====
[[File:LeaveOctanealone-ACommonFoe.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
{{Wingsnote}}
Through his friendship with Sandstorm, Octane became involved in the largely-Autobot defense of Cybertron during the [[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]. He found the Autobot general [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]]'s orders and tactics particularly indecipherable. Despite their closeness, he appeared as surprised as anyone when Sandstorm was revealed as a sleeper clone planted in their forces by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. {{storylink|Termination}}

Octane was caught up in Jhiaxus’s invasion of Cybertron, though he commented that he was uninterested in fighting, even less so when it meant fighting to the death. He further bemoaned that the only reason he had gotten involved was because of Sandstorm, who turned out not to be his friend but a clone of the original. His complaints fell on deaf ears, as Acid Storm besides him joined the fray with glee. He was later rescued by Strika from a squad of [[Thundercracker drone]]s during the battle, though he rescued her right back from one sneaking up on her. {{storylink|A Common Foe}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Octane generic resurrection.jpg|thumb|left]]
Octane was one of the many Decepticons left on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] after [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s departure. ''Along with several others, Octane worked for the tyrant [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] in the giant fortress known as [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]]. He was regarded as one of Cybertron's [[Ten Deadliest Killers]], with soldiers like [[Macabre]] wanting to be seen as his equal, and considered a key target in [[Operation: Volcano]].'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}} ''When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] was accidentally transported back to Cybertron and joined forces with the [[Wrecker]]s to attack a [[Decepticon fuel store]], Octane ran away from them screaming—this is the first sign his rep may be a tad inflated. He reported on the battle to Straxus, greatly over-exaggerating his own role in the battle.'' {{storylink|Resurrection!}}

[[File:OctaneMarvel.jpg|103px|thumb|In the comics, Octane wanted to be like Bono.]]
Octane was sent to Earth by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] to investigate the loss of the [[Wash and Roll|Carwash of Doom]], but when they found the crashed ship they discovered the reason it was lost was because of [[Scraplet]]s. Infected, he failed to kill [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] {{storylink|Crater Critters}} and would end up saved by accident. {{storylink|The Cure!}}

Aside from providing valuable background appearances and occasional comic relief, Octane is also worth noting for one important thing: during a battle in the Arctic that had been set up by [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], Octane managed to kill the Autobot known as [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. Of course, Mirage was up and running again shortly thereafter, so it wasn't even a GOOD killing ("deadliest killer" my ''sine function'') (and he didn't kill [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]] during the previous battle either, as ''HE'' still functioned). Octane's death at the hands of Starscream in [[Buenos Aires]] later that day, however, WAS a good killing and lasted for quite some time. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

In [[2009]] of an alternate future, Octane was stationed at the [[Decepticon Powerbase]] when the last seven remaining Autobots staged a raid on it. After [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] cut the rotors of the Autobot [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]], Octane and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] blew him out of the sky. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

{{charstubfiction}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Triple changers shockwave secrets.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
Octane ended up on Earth under the command of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}} He helped his boss and the other Triple Changers smack down on Megatron and steal an energon shipment from the other Decepticon leader. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}} He also joined the raid on Autobot Earthbase, but was cut down in midair when [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] hurled his [[Energo weapon|energo-sword]] through his wing in jet mode. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}

[[File:Manoeuvres! Octane robs gas station.jpg|thumb]]
Octane often stole fuel from humans and transported it for the Decepticons—and on the way, he'd have fun trashing human cars and working over the occupants. However, one car (secretly [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], trying to end Octane's "games") led him on a merry chase to a military testing ground. These humans could ''fight back'', and Octane—worried a shot in his full fuel tanks would blow him up—called [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to help him. They did, until they found out he'd only gotten there by goofing off on a mission, at which point they left him to suffer. (WHY did Macabre want to be like you again?) {{storylink|Manoeuvres!}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Under Fire!}} {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}} {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} {{storylink|Totaled!}} {{storylink|Cold War!}}}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
After [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], led by the treacherous Starscream, attacked and boarded the ''[[Warworld]]'', Octane was amongst the casualties. {{storylink|Total War!}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
Following Megatron's return in the 21st century, Octane was among the Decepticons who joined Megatron's faction. He was positioned for a strike on [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s faction before the [[Pretender]] was undone from within. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Megatrons zombie army loose ends 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Claims that the virus was caused by rage-infected monkeys have now been dismissed as bull—]]
Octane was one of the Underbase casualties that Megatron reanimated and lobotomized during his time on [[Earth]] and pressed into service as part of his [[zombie]] army. Octane was part of a unit alongside [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Skalor (G1)|Skalor]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] that hunted down and exterminated a convoy of escaping humans, including [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] and [[Jessie]]. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

In [[2012]] the zombie Octane was ordered to chase down [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and the [[Wrecker]]s but was drawn away from the main group by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]'s diversionary tactics. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}} Later, Octane helped attack the aerial team attempting to rescue Kup. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}} He was deactivated with the other zombie-bots when Megatron was killed by Optimus Prime {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5}} and later incinerated from orbit. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers in 3-D''===
[[File:TFin3D2 Octane's head.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85|"Run away!! Run away!!"]]
Octane, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] intercepted [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] on his way to [[Andellor]] to find the [[Prism of Power]]. The trio forced Cosmos to lead them to the planet. There, they entered a cave, though Octane wasn't terribly keen on the prospect. His worries proved well founded, as a few minutes later, he was seized by tentacles and dragged into a pool. As his decapitated head flew back out, he requested that Cyclonus retrieve the rest of him. {{storylink|Transformers in 3-D issue 2}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Octane participated in Shockwave's assault on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] shortly after Optronix arose to become [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}} When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] sorta accidentally blew up Iacon, Octane was among the Decepticons who bailed out. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}} During the [[Dark Ages]], Octane served under Starscream's command as one of the [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]]. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}}

When Cybertron was on the verge of peace, Octane and the rest of Starscream's Predacons on [[Moonbase One|Moon Alpha]] in preparation for an attack, only to be pounced on by a combined Autobot/Decepticon team. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}} Megatron retook Cybertron with his [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], after which Octane ended up guarding the Autobots. He and [[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] were about to punish [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] bashed them both. They regained their wits after one of the drones pacified the Autobot. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}} When the Decepticons fractured again after the disappearance of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', he began working for [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. Octane loved tormenting the pint-sized Decepticon [[Micromaster]]s, lording over them with his size and rank. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The Micromasters got their own back, sending Octane and the other [[guzzler]]s on a suicide mission. Though Octane's crew overcame the Autobots, the Autobot Micromasters turned up with the revelation that Shockwave was deactivated, and Octane called a general retreat. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

[[File:DWColdWar Slag Octane.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Kids, never poke and mock bat-shit insane powerhouses!]]
After the [[Great Shutdown]], Octane qualified for Shockwave's re-engineering process, and joined the [[Triple Changer|Triple Changer Strike Force]]. He traveled to [[Earth]] in [[2003]] under Shockwave and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]' command to collect the "renegade" Autobots and Decepticons who were still fighting the Great War. {{storylink|New World Order}} They returned to Cybertron, and Octane assumed patrol duty until coming across the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], who had just crash-landed in the [[Wastelands]] after arriving from Earth. Sensing weakness, Octane mockingly challenged the woozy travelers, poking them and calling them "primitive".

[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] made an ashtray out of his skull. Even Grimlock was a little creeped out by this particular "trophy". {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 4|The War Within #4}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}} {{storylink|Escalation}}}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
Octane was among the Decepticon forces waiting for [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]'s force field around [[Teletran 3]] would go down. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} After [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] took control of the Decepticons, Octane and several subgroup leaders protected him from an assault by Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Octane participated in a savage all-out Decepticon offensive against the Autobots. With the Decepticons maintaining the advantage throughout the battle, Octane was amongst those who approached a crippled Optimus Prime, ready to dispatch the Autobot leader. Before they could deliver the finishing blow, the Dinobots combined into [[Beast (G1)|The Beast]], shifting the Decepticons’ priorities. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

As the battle wore on, the Decepticons were forced to retreat or risk being butchered by The Beast’s unimaginable strength. Unfortunately for Octane, he was already dead by the time Megatron had given the order to fold back, and his corpse lay in a smoldering heap on the battleground as the Autobots continued their attempts to subdue their former comrades. {{storylink|The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences}}
{{-}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:HeartsofSteel2 Decepticons questions.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|His alt-modes in this continuity are "kite" and "wheelbarrow."]]
Octane participated in the questioning of [[Tobias Muldoon]] when [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] brought the human scientist down to the Decepticon at the bottom of the [[San Francisco]] Bay. In particular, Octane wanted to know if the humans had developed flight technology, which the Decepticons could exploit. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:FacesofDarkness-Tankor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
During [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s raid on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]], Tankor was responsible for carrying the [[energon]] the Decepticons were intending to steal. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} Since he was busy pumping fuel out of the refinery, he didn't participate in the battle with the Autobots protecting it. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}}

Four million years ago, Tankor was part of a convoy carrying 75 tons of energon for [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. Unfortunately, they were intercepted by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and their scout, [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], knocked senseless before he could fire off a shot. Prime and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] managed to capture Tankor's unit without incident by threatening to detonate the unstable energon supply they were carrying. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

Tankor was under [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]]'s command at some point. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}}

Millions of years later, during the Decepticon siege of (parts of) [[Earth]], the [[European Union]] sent a nuclear bomb to wipe out the Transformer infestation of [[New York City]]. Unfortunately the plane they sent to carry the bomb was Tankor in disguise. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Even after the Autobots arrived, Megatron ordered Tankor to proceed with the bomb drop and to rendezvous with the Decepticons later, to which he expressed his pleasure. The bomb was indeed dropped, but diverted by Thundercracker. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:NewArrivalsOldEncounters Tankor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Unfortunately, Tankor never made it off Earth. After getting captured by humans at some point, he was liberated by a small group of Decepticons led by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Their ragtag team then located [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] in the ruins of New York, and added him to the group. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} During an attack on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Swindle starting questioning why they were fighting in the first place. Tankor replied "Because they're Autobots!", but it turned out Swindle was looking for a somewhat deeper answer. The Decepticons subsequently allied themselves with [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s defected Autobots, working together to find a way off the planet. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Tankor was later seen assisting [[Bluestreak (G1)|Silverstreak]] in the construction of a spaceship. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}}

Four months after Swindle's failed attempt to betray the Autobots and steal the spaceship, the other Decepticons returned to Earth, and Tankor rejoined them. He was present as an observer when Optimus Prime confronted Megatron one-on-one, and was caught in an explosion when Prime suddenly had a satellite dropped on his nemesis. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine}}

[[File:CityOnFire-ImGood.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Following the Chaos War, Tankor was one of the Decepticons who began repopulating Cybertron along with the Autobots and [[NAIL]]s. When riots broke out after the return of Megatron, Tankor holed up in [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]'s bar instead of joining in. {{storylink|City on Fire}} They were eventually forced to leave as the bar was burned down. {{storylink|The Verge}} Tankor relocated to [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]]'s med-bay, where he stood alongside both Autobots and NAILs in defending the injured from [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} When the tide turned in their favor, he and some NAILs stopped [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] from killing [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who had also been helping injured Autobots. Given his allegiance during the battle, Tankor likely quit being a Decepticon when [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] became leader of the neutrals and had both Autobots and Decepticons expelled from Iacon. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

When the [[Necrotitan]]'s "death wave" struck Iacon, Tankor took care of the injured and was one of many who blamed Starscream. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} Later he was spotted drinking at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] alongside [[Tankor (BM)|another Tankor]] he had befriended. Other Cybertronians called him "Tall Tankor" to differentiate the two. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}}

Tall Tankor was among the Cybertronians recruited by Windblade during her intended expose of Metroplex being bled out by Starscream, but they were accosted by the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s. Tall Tankor and Windblade double-teamed the airborne [[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]], and together managed to bring down the Terrorcon. However, Starscream and his forces showed up and arrested the entire group. They managed to break out, however, and Tall Tankor was once more involved in battle against Starscream's guards. {{storylink|Windblade issue 2|Windblade vol. 1 #2}} {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}}

After a [[space bridge]] portal had been opened to the world of [[Caminus]], Tall Tankor and Fat Tankor were among the people who went there to aid in rebuilding what had been destroyed by [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. {{storylink|The Possible Light}} They then returned to Cybertron to prevent a mob of Decepticons from taking over the space bridge chamber. {{storylink|All That Remains}} Following Cybertron's contact with [[Velocitron]], another colony world, the Tankors attended a "Not the End of the World" party at Maccadam's, where they danced with [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]]. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} At another time at Maccadam's, Tankor was caught up in a bar fight caused by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], and uselessly pleaded with [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] to cut it out. {{storylink|The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Choose Me}}}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[File:Henkei octane.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I'm an evil mastermind of average intelligence!]]
After successfully conducting an energon theft, Octane gave his pursuers, [[Sideswipe (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Sideswipe]] and [[Bluestreak (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Bluestreak]], the runaround by switching back and forth between his [[alternate mode]]s, making them think they were chasing two culprits instead of one. Once he got bored with the chase, Octane revealed himself, but that proved to be a bad idea, as Sideswipe was able to rocket above him and shoot him down. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 6|Henkei! Henkei! #6}}

Octane's skills were later to put to the test by [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Cyclonus]], who tasked him with stealing energon from a factory. Octane upped the stakes, promising to do the job in thirty minutes if Cyclonus would deliver a good report on him to [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Megatron]]. Despite the interference of [[Smokescreen (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Smokescreen]] and [[Red Alert (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Red Alert]], Cyclonus held Octane to the conditions of the deal, and Octane had to try and shake the two Autobots off as he headed for the factory. Octane thought he had succeeded, but found his two opponents waiting for him at the factory, along with Cyclonus, who announced his time was up. Cyclonus departed to report on Octane's failure to Megatron leaving the hapless swindler to Smokescreen and Red Alert's tender mercies. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 12|Henkei! Henkei! #12}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Generations'' comic===
Octane had the misfortune of being possessed by the ghost of a [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream from another dimension]] and being forced to attack the Autobots. He beat up on [[Ironhide (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Generations comic|Ironhide]], before being taken down by the invisible [[Mirage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Generations comic|Mirage]]. As Mirage had taken out Octane's motor circuits, Starscream's ghost was forced to depart his body and search for a new host. {{storylink|Mirage's Rebirth}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' comic===
Octane was part of the small group of Decepticons who traveled to Earth with [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]] in pursuit of the lost [[Energon Cube]]. He was never seen in action during the battles on the planet, but was shown being rounded up by the combined might of the Autobots and Earth's military forces following [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]]'s apparent death. {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
{{-}}
===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 8}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 10}}}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
{{ongoing}}
Octane fought in the combined Decepticon/[[Cobra]] attack on [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}

==Commercial appearances==
Octane, [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] launched an attack on the Autobots' base, only to be met with the [[Monsterbot]]s, who gave them a good trouncing. Octane was mauled by [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]]. {{storylink|Commercial/Generation 1#Monsterbots|Monsterbots commercial}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TF PS2 Octane.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
{{bigquote|Octane, warrior of the future. With a jet mode and tanker mode! Always loaded with fuel and evil ambition!|The Narrator|"[[The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers]]"}}
{{voiceactor|[[Barry Gjerde]] (English)}}

In an alternate future where Shockwave discovered the mysterious mineral known as [[Zel Quartz]] and went mad by its power, Octane was one of the few Decepticons who survived his destructive rampage. The triple changer was chosen to be a part of the Transformers who were to go back in time in order to find the Zel Quartz before Shockwave did.

After the Autobots had dealt with the Sharkticons, Octane drove up to them in tanker mode, transforming to [[robot mode]] when he was in front of them. Stating his need for power, Octane announced that he was going to destroy the Autobots and then take all the energy of the Karzite mine. He then rambled on about how he was going to be leader of the Decepticons once he took down Galvatron, and then told the Autobots that he was going to melt them down. Rodimus Prime warned the greedy Triple Changer that those with endless ambitions were bound to be destroyed by it, but his warnings fell of deaf audio receptors. In the end, Octane was soundly defeated and he announced his surrender. Transforming to jet plane mode, Octane flew off, announcing that he would not forget his defeat. Rodimus just called him a "thin-fueled coward". Later, Octane fought alongside Cyclonus against the Autobots in the Atalstan gem mine. Even with a fellow flier for backup, he still lost.

In the Decepticon side of the story, the shuttle that the Decepticons of the future had been using crash-landed. Octane had managed to find the main Depecticon force of the present once they had found a drill bit they suspected to be the Zel Quartz. Driving up to them in tanker mode while expressing surprise to the fact that they were still alive, Octane transformed to robot form, explaining that he thought he was done for. He expressed his relief that he managed to rendezvous with the Decepticons, stating that the bad side always did win. Galvatron told the triple changer that if Octane fought hard for him, it would be enough. Octane promised that he would and requested to join back with the Decepticons.

Despite whichever side won, Starscream eventually managed to steal the Zel Quartz and flew off into space with it. This caused the Quartz to become completely useless; and with the timeline altered, Octane and all the Decepticons from the future disappeared from the present time.{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
Octane participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}
===''Transformers: Frontiers''===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Frontiers}}}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1 Octane toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Ice Road Trucker.]]
*'''Octane''' (Triple Changer, 1986, 1991)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-72'''
**''Accessories:'' "Flamethrower", tail rudder/"Deflecto Shield", tanker top

:Octane is a [[Triple Changer]], with the ability to transform into two different [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s. His ground vehicle mode is an extended truck cab with fuel-tanker trailer of undetermined model, with much of the detailing in this mode achieved through stickers rather than sculpting. His truck mode has rather strange proportions due to the robot arms sticking out of the sides and the generally broken-up look of the truck. He has three sets of rolling wheels: two purple sets and a set of grey wheels hidden under the middle of the truck. There is also a set of sculpted, non-rolling, unpainted wheels at the back of the truck.

:His aerial mode is based on the twin-engined Boeing 767 jet plane. Though the better of the two vehicle modes, it has some odd concessions that were made due to Octane being a Triple Changer, such as the grey set of wheels from the middle of the truck now sticking up from the top of Octane's fuselage.

:The tail fin of the jet form separates to become his "Deflecto Shield" for [[robot mode]]. The [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] tanker top piece can also be used as a shield.<ref name="secrets">[http://www.ntfa.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2234&mode=threaded&pid=36400 "The many secrets of Octane... Now with pictures!" on NTFA forums]</ref> Care should be taken not to lose it, as it covers up some rather unsightly jet parts inside the tanker.

:The toy was originally designed to have a sliding waist—not unlike that of [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]—that would create a more proportional (i.e., less "chesty") robot mode. For whatever reason, this ability was blocked off very late in the design process, but can easily be reinstated with a small amount of unscrewing and plastic cutting.<ref name="secrets"/> Furthermore, Octane is depicted as having white lower arms and fists in the USA 1986 catalog and chromed in some European 1986 catalogs. This was apparently changed very late in the process, as the chromed arms are pictured on Octane's box photography. The [[package art]] pictured above also shows the chromed arms.

:Octane was reissued in Europe and Australia as part of the 1991 [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] line.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Octane/octane.htm More information on Octane at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
[[File:Tankoruniverse2008toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He sometimes uses his melee blade to make giant chomping shadow puppets in his spare time.]]
*'''Tankor''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' Two blasters/"Quad laser", "melee blade"
: Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Deluxe Class toys, "Tankor" ([[trademark]] issues<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090121131445/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/universe/default.cfm?page=News/Item&newsid=A795A47F-D56F-E112-48649ACADFB6ADDC Archived page of Hasbro's preview of ''Universe'' Wave 1's toys]</ref>) transforms from either a heavy cargo plane (possibly a C-130) or an [http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_hemtt_m978.php M978 Fueler] truck, into a robot. He is armed with a serrated "melee blade" weapon, which forms the top of his tanker mode and the base of his plane mode, and a pair of double-barreled blasters, which mount under his wings in plane mode and can combine in [[Targetmaster|Double Targetmaster]]-style into a "Quad Laser". For truck mode, the [[instructions]] and [[stock photography]] place the blasters facing forward in the exposed robot mode [[5mm post|5mm fist hole]]s at the rear of the vehicle, but the intended location for them seems to be the two otherwise-pointless holes on either side of the cab, facing upwards, to serve as smokestacks for the truck.
[[File:Universe Tankor clearwindows.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|I can see clearly now...]]
:As shown on Hasbro's website, Tankor's [[prototype]] was designed to have transparent plastic windows in his tanker truck mode, but for reasons unknown (possibly due to part of the windshield forming his feet) the windows were opaque plastic with [[paint operation]]s on the final production versions of the toy. Furthermore, the sculpt was designed for light-piped eyes (and presumably clear truck windows), but the relevant areas have been cast in opaque blue and the eyes are painted red. The Decepticon logo on his chest, unusually enough, has small triangular pupils in its eyes, although they can be applied [[Quality control|rather messily]].

:Slyly, his bio mentions that he delivers "high '''octane''' fuel" to his fellow Decepticons.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/TFUTankor/tankor.htm More information on Tankor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[File:Henkei Octone toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Beware my shiny quad-laser!]]
*'''Destron Octone''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-05'''
**''Accessories:'' Two flamethrowers, "melee blade"

:''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Octone is a [[redeco]] of ''Universe'' Tankor, and like all ''Henkei! Henkei!'' releases, his colour scheme is designed to be [[Show-accuracy|more accurate to his cartoon appearance]] and has [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] parts, such as his two blasters and the back of the truck mode's tank/the base of the melee blade. Besides the vacuum metallized parts, Octone replaces some of this black plastic with both gray and blue plastic, features a lighter and more cool shade of purple paint, and has Decepticon symbols on his wings.
{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Specialist: Decepticons''' (2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two blasters / "Quad Laser", "melee blade

:''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Octane was released in a [[giftset]] with [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Generations|Galvatron]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)#Generations|Astrotrain]] - this time featuring extensive use of metallic paint all over both the figure and its accessories.

:Since this was a [[Hasbro]] release for Asian markets, it is noteworthy that English-language packaging and instructions consistently use the name "Octane" - a first since the end of G1.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Although [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] are far more popular, Octane was the main Triple Changer created by Shockwave as discussed in ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]''.
*Octane's role in "Starscream's Ghost" was originally intended for Blitzwing, who would have been taking refuge with the Autobots after his actions in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]". What this says about Octane's role in "Thief in the Night" is not known.
*In May 2010, a bogus picture of a photoshopped redeco of ''Universe'' Tankor/Octane as [[Clench (G1)|Clench]] was placed in BotCon.com's directory structure to throw off would-be scoop-hounds. The trick worked as one website reported it as being the real deal... until BotCon.com updated its own site with artwork of the actual 2010 version of Clench.
*Octane's on screen plane mode is a two-engine version of the Boeing 707.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Octone''' (オクトーン ''Okutōn'')<ref>The word "octane" is usually rendered in katakana as オクタン ''okutan''. The change thus appears to have been an intentional one, although the why of it is unknown.</ref>
*''Italian:'' '''Triplex Tre''' ("Triplex Three")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hsīn-wǎn''' (Taiwan, 辛烷, "Octane"), '''Duqi Dan''' (China, 毒气弹, "Poison Gas Bomb"）

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Predacons]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One zombies]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Octane

2015-11-03T20:13:13Z

TimelordStarscream: /* Henkei! Henkei! */

{{Factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 Decepticon|the ''Kre-O'' Decepticon based on him|Fuselage}}
{{disambig3|Tankor}}
{{picsneeded|Appearances in fiction}}
:''Octane is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Octane MTMTE.jpeg|upright=1.66|thumb|Con artist, liar, thief, and collector of oddly-shaped shields.]]

'''Octane''' is considered vile, even by Decepticon standards. This triple changing bully is a cheat, a liar, and a coward who thinks only of himself and can't be trusted any further than [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] can throw [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The only reason that this inveterate thief is allowed to continue functioning is that he has an uncanny ability to locate stores of fuel for his fellow Decepticons, and is usually able to spin a fairly convincing excuse for why he was unable to assist them in their latest battle. As annoying and frustrating as he may be to work with, most of his allies will grudgingly admit that he does perform his job as a fuel transport quite well—if he could just get over his annoying habit of making them beg for every drop.

He is sometimes called '''Tankor'''.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Beau Weaver]] (English), [[Kenyū Horiuchi]] (Japanese)|[[Ignacio Campero]] (Latin American)}}

When the Decepticon forces were driven off [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Octane ended up on the barren planet of [[Chaar]]. When [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] told the Decepticons that he was going to bring back [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to lead them, Octane was amongst the cheering crowd... although the canonicity of this is questionable, given that several dead Decepticons and Galvatron himself were also cheering in the crowd. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} He then joined the beating-Autobots-to-death crowd when the Decepticons discovered [[Hot Rod/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] spying on them. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} Finally, he joined the energon-munching crowd when the [[Quintesson]]s offered them energy in exchange for exterminating a group of Autobots on [[Goo 8739B]]. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}}

[[File:SandstormOctane BFF.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Octane could only get along with someone who had nothing left to steal.]]

Octane first came to the Autobots' attention while doing what he did best—thinking about himself. When [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been defeated by [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and hurled into the ocean, it was Octane who first discovered that the giant Decepticon had not been destroyed, but had actually survived his untimely dunk in the water. What happened next depends on who you believe: Octane tells a tale of great heroism, where he came across the weakened and dying Trypticon and, for the glory of the [[Decepticon Empire]] and out of the good of his own heart, nursed the injured giant back to health. The rest of the world prefer to take a less charitable look at his actions, and claim that Octane merely took advantage of Trypticon to secure himself a source of high-quality energon from the [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya]]. Whatever his motivation, it was not long before Octane and Trypticon were trading fuel for protection (even going so far as to assault passing cruise ships and then claiming they had been invading sovereign waters, though Trypticon did genuinely believe that they were invading ships). When that was no longer enough to keep their new landlords happy, Octane quickly came up with a scheme to use Trypticon in stealing all of the world's most important monuments and presenting them as gifts to the nation's leader. That got the attention of Rodimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots, who quickly crashed Octane's party. Worse, Galvatron caught wind of what had been happening, and was not amused with how selfishly Octane had been keeping Trypticon to himself. All the wheeling and dealing in the world failed in the face of Galvatron's rage, and Octane soon found himself ousted from the Decepticons (a fate he shared with his fellow Triple Changer, [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. Apparently [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] was the only one of them worth keeping). {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}

[[File:StarscreamCryptMarker1.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|]]

Alone and on the run, Octane soon discovered that Galvatron was less than willing to let bygones be bygones. The Decepticon leader had placed a price on Octane's head, and countless bounty hunters and assassins were closing in on him. After a close call on the planet [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], where he narrowly avoided being blown to pieces, Octane quickly decided to seek asylum with the Autobots. It was here that he met and befriended [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], a fellow Triple Changer who had recently joined the Autobots after the destruction of his home planet of [[Paradron]]. After being attacked by the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] at [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], the pair fled to a space station, where they were assaulted once again by a paid assassin (who was fortunately so incompetent that the two robots barely noticed he was there). Eventually settling on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Octane still found no peace, as Cyclonus and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweep]]s tracked him down yet again. Fleeing into the forgotten [[Decepticon Crypt]], Octane stumbled onto the ghost of the most famous Decepticon traitor ever known: [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]. Quickly realising kindred spirits in each other, the two joined forces in an attempt to let Starscream possess Cyclonus and take over the Decepticons. Needless to say, their coup attempt failed rather miserably, and both traitors found themselves once again fleeing from Galvatron's wrath. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}}

Despite this, Octane was later back under Galvatron's command, joining him in a firefight with the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] during an attack on the [[Netherlands]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}}}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Ryōichi Tanaka]] (Japanese)}}

Under the command of [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], Octane and his fellow Decepticon Triple Changers assaulted [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] and his troops on Earth in order to prevent them from joining a battle on Cybertron. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} The three went on to defend Trypticon from [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] and Octane's old buddy Sandstorm (there's a bromance that died out early). {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} They also helped the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] steal the energy-gathering [[Sol 1]] satellite for [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} On the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]], Octane acted as a cruel taskmaster, whipping the [[Beastformer]]s into shape as they were forced to build Scorponok's giant [[Transtector]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} He witnessed Scorponok's moment of triumph as he finally revealed his MegaZarak transtector. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Through his friendship with Sandstorm, Octane became involved in the largely-Autobot defense of Cybertron during the [[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]. He found the Autobot general [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]]'s orders and tactics particularly indecipherable. Despite their closeness, he appeared as surprised as anyone when Sandstorm was revealed as a sleeper clone planted in their forces by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]. {{storylink|Termination}}

Octane was caught up in Jhiaxus’s invasion of Cybertron, though he commented that he was uninterested in fighting, even less so when it meant fighting to the death. He further bemoaned that the only reason he had gotten involved was because of Sandstorm, who turned out not to be his friend but a clone of the original. His complaints fell on deaf ears, as Acid Storm besides him joined the fray with glee. He was later rescued by Strika from a squad of [[Thundercracker drone]]s during the battle, though he rescued her right back from one sneaking up on her. {{storylink|A Common Foe}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Octane generic resurrection.jpg|thumb|left]]
Octane was one of the many Decepticons left on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] after [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s departure. ''Along with several others, Octane worked for the tyrant [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] in the giant fortress known as [[Darkmount (Cybertron)|Darkmount]]. He was regarded as one of Cybertron's [[Ten Deadliest Killers]], with soldiers like [[Macabre]] wanting to be seen as his equal, and considered a key target in [[Operation: Volcano]].'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}} ''When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] was accidentally transported back to Cybertron and joined forces with the [[Wrecker]]s to attack a [[Decepticon fuel store]], Octane ran away from them screaming—this is the first sign his rep may be a tad inflated. He reported on the battle to Straxus, greatly over-exaggerating his own role in the battle.'' {{storylink|Resurrection!}}

[[File:OctaneMarvel.jpg|103px|thumb|In the comics, Octane wanted to be like Bono.]]
Octane was sent to Earth by [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] to investigate the loss of the [[Wash and Roll|Carwash of Doom]], but when they found the crashed ship they discovered the reason it was lost was because of [[Scraplet]]s. Infected, he failed to kill [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] {{storylink|Crater Critters}} and would end up saved by accident. {{storylink|The Cure!}}

Aside from providing valuable background appearances and occasional comic relief, Octane is also worth noting for one important thing: during a battle in the Arctic that had been set up by [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], Octane managed to kill the Autobot known as [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. Of course, Mirage was up and running again shortly thereafter, so it wasn't even a GOOD killing ("deadliest killer" my ''sine function'') (and he didn't kill [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]] during the previous battle either, as ''HE'' still functioned). Octane's death at the hands of Starscream in [[Buenos Aires]] later that day, however, WAS a good killing and lasted for quite some time. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

In [[2009]] of an alternate future, Octane was stationed at the [[Decepticon Powerbase]] when the last seven remaining Autobots staged a raid on it. After [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] cut the rotors of the Autobot [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]], Octane and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] blew him out of the sky. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

{{charstubfiction}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Triple changers shockwave secrets.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb]]
Octane ended up on Earth under the command of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}} He helped his boss and the other Triple Changers smack down on Megatron and steal an energon shipment from the other Decepticon leader. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}} He also joined the raid on Autobot Earthbase, but was cut down in midair when [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] hurled his [[Energo weapon|energo-sword]] through his wing in jet mode. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}

[[File:Manoeuvres! Octane robs gas station.jpg|thumb]]
Octane often stole fuel from humans and transported it for the Decepticons—and on the way, he'd have fun trashing human cars and working over the occupants. However, one car (secretly [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], trying to end Octane's "games") led him on a merry chase to a military testing ground. These humans could ''fight back'', and Octane—worried a shot in his full fuel tanks would blow him up—called [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] to help him. They did, until they found out he'd only gotten there by goofing off on a mission, at which point they left him to suffer. (WHY did Macabre want to be like you again?) {{storylink|Manoeuvres!}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Under Fire!}} {{storylink|Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom}} {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} {{storylink|Totaled!}} {{storylink|Cold War!}}}}

====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
After [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronians]], led by the treacherous Starscream, attacked and boarded the ''[[Warworld]]'', Octane was amongst the casualties. {{storylink|Total War!}}

====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
Following Megatron's return in the 21st century, Octane was among the Decepticons who joined Megatron's faction. He was positioned for a strike on [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]]'s faction before the [[Pretender]] was undone from within. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Megatrons zombie army loose ends 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Claims that the virus was caused by rage-infected monkeys have now been dismissed as bull—]]
Octane was one of the Underbase casualties that Megatron reanimated and lobotomized during his time on [[Earth]] and pressed into service as part of his [[zombie]] army. Octane was part of a unit alongside [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]], [[Skalor (G1)|Skalor]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] that hunted down and exterminated a convoy of escaping humans, including [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] and [[Jessie]]. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}}

In [[2012]] the zombie Octane was ordered to chase down [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and the [[Wrecker]]s but was drawn away from the main group by [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]]'s diversionary tactics. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2}} Later, Octane helped attack the aerial team attempting to rescue Kup. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}} He was deactivated with the other zombie-bots when Megatron was killed by Optimus Prime {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5}} and later incinerated from orbit. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}}
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===''Transformers in 3-D''===
[[File:TFin3D2 Octane's head.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85|"Run away!! Run away!!"]]
Octane, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] intercepted [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] on his way to [[Andellor]] to find the [[Prism of Power]]. The trio forced Cosmos to lead them to the planet. There, they entered a cave, though Octane wasn't terribly keen on the prospect. His worries proved well founded, as a few minutes later, he was seized by tentacles and dragged into a pool. As his decapitated head flew back out, he requested that Cyclonus retrieve the rest of him. {{storylink|Transformers in 3-D issue 2}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
Octane participated in Shockwave's assault on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] shortly after Optronix arose to become [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}} When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] sorta accidentally blew up Iacon, Octane was among the Decepticons who bailed out. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}} During the [[Dark Ages]], Octane served under Starscream's command as one of the [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]]. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}}

When Cybertron was on the verge of peace, Octane and the rest of Starscream's Predacons on [[Moonbase One|Moon Alpha]] in preparation for an attack, only to be pounced on by a combined Autobot/Decepticon team. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}} Megatron retook Cybertron with his [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], after which Octane ended up guarding the Autobots. He and [[Barrage (Insecticon)|Barrage]] were about to punish [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] bashed them both. They regained their wits after one of the drones pacified the Autobot. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}} When the Decepticons fractured again after the disappearance of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', he began working for [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. Octane loved tormenting the pint-sized Decepticon [[Micromaster]]s, lording over them with his size and rank. {{storylink|Destined for Nothing}} The Micromasters got their own back, sending Octane and the other [[guzzler]]s on a suicide mission. Though Octane's crew overcame the Autobots, the Autobot Micromasters turned up with the revelation that Shockwave was deactivated, and Octane called a general retreat. {{storylink|Victims of the Revolution}}

[[File:DWColdWar Slag Octane.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Kids, never poke and mock bat-shit insane powerhouses!]]
After the [[Great Shutdown]], Octane qualified for Shockwave's re-engineering process, and joined the [[Triple Changer|Triple Changer Strike Force]]. He traveled to [[Earth]] in [[2003]] under Shockwave and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]' command to collect the "renegade" Autobots and Decepticons who were still fighting the Great War. {{storylink|New World Order}} They returned to Cybertron, and Octane assumed patrol duty until coming across the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], who had just crash-landed in the [[Wastelands]] after arriving from Earth. Sensing weakness, Octane mockingly challenged the woozy travelers, poking them and calling them "primitive".

[[Slag (G1)|Slag]] made an ashtray out of his skull. Even Grimlock was a little creeped out by this particular "trophy". {{storylink|Cold War (issue)|Cold War}}
{{-}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Recipe for Hate}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 4|The War Within #4}} {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}} {{storylink|Escalation}}}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
Octane was among the Decepticon forces waiting for [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]]'s force field around [[Teletran 3]] would go down. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}} After [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]] took control of the Decepticons, Octane and several subgroup leaders protected him from an assault by Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===''The Beast Within''===
Octane participated in a savage all-out Decepticon offensive against the Autobots. With the Decepticons maintaining the advantage throughout the battle, Octane was amongst those who approached a crippled Optimus Prime, ready to dispatch the Autobot leader. Before they could deliver the finishing blow, the Dinobots combined into [[Beast (G1)|The Beast]], shifting the Decepticons’ priorities. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

As the battle wore on, the Decepticons were forced to retreat or risk being butchered by The Beast’s unimaginable strength. Unfortunately for Octane, he was already dead by the time Megatron had given the order to fold back, and his corpse lay in a smoldering heap on the battleground as the Autobots continued their attempts to subdue their former comrades. {{storylink|The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences}}
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===''Hearts of Steel''===
[[File:HeartsofSteel2 Decepticons questions.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|His alt-modes in this continuity are "kite" and "wheelbarrow."]]
Octane participated in the questioning of [[Tobias Muldoon]] when [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] brought the human scientist down to the Decepticon at the bottom of the [[San Francisco]] Bay. In particular, Octane wanted to know if the humans had developed flight technology, which the Decepticons could exploit. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[File:FacesofDarkness-Tankor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
During [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s raid on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]], Tankor was responsible for carrying the [[energon]] the Decepticons were intending to steal. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} Since he was busy pumping fuel out of the refinery, he didn't participate in the battle with the Autobots protecting it. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}}

Four million years ago, Tankor was part of a convoy carrying 75 tons of energon for [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]. Unfortunately, they were intercepted by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and their scout, [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], knocked senseless before he could fire off a shot. Prime and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] managed to capture Tankor's unit without incident by threatening to detonate the unstable energon supply they were carrying. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

Tankor was under [[Drift (G1)|Deadlock]]'s command at some point. {{storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}}

Millions of years later, during the Decepticon siege of (parts of) [[Earth]], the [[European Union]] sent a nuclear bomb to wipe out the Transformer infestation of [[New York City]]. Unfortunately the plane they sent to carry the bomb was Tankor in disguise. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Even after the Autobots arrived, Megatron ordered Tankor to proceed with the bomb drop and to rendezvous with the Decepticons later, to which he expressed his pleasure. The bomb was indeed dropped, but diverted by Thundercracker. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:NewArrivalsOldEncounters Tankor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Unfortunately, Tankor never made it off Earth. After getting captured by humans at some point, he was liberated by a small group of Decepticons led by [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Their ragtag team then located [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] in the ruins of New York, and added him to the group. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} During an attack on [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Swindle starting questioning why they were fighting in the first place. Tankor replied "Because they're Autobots!", but it turned out Swindle was looking for a somewhat deeper answer. The Decepticons subsequently allied themselves with [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s defected Autobots, working together to find a way off the planet. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Tankor was later seen assisting [[Bluestreak (G1)|Silverstreak]] in the construction of a spaceship. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}}

Four months after Swindle's failed attempt to betray the Autobots and steal the spaceship, the other Decepticons returned to Earth, and Tankor rejoined them. He was present as an observer when Optimus Prime confronted Megatron one-on-one, and was caught in an explosion when Prime suddenly had a satellite dropped on his nemesis. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine}}

[[File:CityOnFire-ImGood.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Following the Chaos War, Tankor was one of the Decepticons who began repopulating Cybertron along with the Autobots and [[NAIL]]s. When riots broke out after the return of Megatron, Tankor holed up in [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]'s bar instead of joining in. {{storylink|City on Fire}} They were eventually forced to leave as the bar was burned down. {{storylink|The Verge}} Tankor relocated to [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]]'s med-bay, where he stood alongside both Autobots and NAILs in defending the injured from [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} When the tide turned in their favor, he and some NAILs stopped [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] from killing [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], who had also been helping injured Autobots. Given his allegiance during the battle, Tankor likely quit being a Decepticon when [[Starscream (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Starscream]] became leader of the neutrals and had both Autobots and Decepticons expelled from Iacon. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

Later he was spotted drinking at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] alongside [[Tankor (BM)|another Tankor]] he had befriended. Other Cybertronians called him "Tall Tankor" to differentiate the two. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}}

Tall Tankor was among the Cybertronians recruited by Windblade during her intended expose of Metroplex being bled out by Starscream, but they were accosted by the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s. Tall Tankor and Windblade double-teamed the airborne [[Cutthroat (G1)|Cutthroat]], and together managed to bring down the Terrorcon. However, Starscream and his forces showed up and arrested the entire group. They managed to break out, however, and Tall Tankor was once more involved in battle against Starscream's guards. {{storylink|Windblade issue 2|Windblade vol. 1 #2}} {{storylink|Windblade issue 3|Windblade vol. 1 #3}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} {{storylink|The Possible Light}} {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}} {{storylink|All That Remains}} {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}}}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[File:Henkei octane.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|I'm an evil mastermind of average intelligence!]]
After successfully conducting an energon theft, Octane gave his pursuers, [[Sideswipe (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Sideswipe]] and [[Bluestreak (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Bluestreak]], the runaround by switching back and forth between his [[alternate mode]]s, making them think they were chasing two culprits instead of one. Once he got bored with the chase, Octane revealed himself, but that proved to be a bad idea, as Sideswipe was able to rocket above him and shoot him down. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 6|Henkei! Henkei! #6}}

Octane's skills were later to put to the test by [[Cyclonus (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Cyclonus]], who tasked him with stealing energon from a factory. Octane upped the stakes, promising to do the job in thirty minutes if Cyclonus would deliver a good report on him to [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comics|Megatron]]. Despite the interference of [[Smokescreen (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Smokescreen]] and [[Red Alert (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic|Red Alert]], Cyclonus held Octane to the conditions of the deal, and Octane had to try and shake the two Autobots off as he headed for the factory. Octane thought he had succeeded, but found his two opponents waiting for him at the factory, along with Cyclonus, who announced his time was up. Cyclonus departed to report on Octane's failure to Megatron leaving the hapless swindler to Smokescreen and Red Alert's tender mercies. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! volume 12|Henkei! Henkei! #12}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Generations'' comic===
Octane had the misfortune of being possessed by the ghost of a [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream from another dimension]] and being forced to attack the Autobots. He beat up on [[Ironhide (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Generations comic|Ironhide]], before being taken down by the invisible [[Mirage (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Generations comic|Mirage]]. As Mirage had taken out Octane's motor circuits, Starscream's ghost was forced to depart his body and search for a new host. {{storylink|Mirage's Rebirth}}

===''Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun'' comic===
Octane was part of the small group of Decepticons who traveled to Earth with [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]] in pursuit of the lost [[Energon Cube]]. He was never seen in action during the battles on the planet, but was shown being rounded up by the combined might of the Autobots and Earth's military forces following [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]]'s apparent death. {{storylink|To the Sea of Stars}}
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===''Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Visualize Shot 8}} {{storylink|Visualize Shot 10}}}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
{{ongoing}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Everybody Hates Metroplex}}}}

==Games==
===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[File:TF PS2 Octane.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
{{bigquote|Octane, warrior of the future. With a jet mode and tanker mode! Always loaded with fuel and evil ambition!|The Narrator|"[[The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers]]"}}
{{voiceactor|[[Barry Gjerde]] (English)}}

In an alternate future where Shockwave discovered the mysterious mineral known as [[Zel Quartz]] and went mad by its power, Octane was one of the few Decepticons who survived his destructive rampage. The triple changer was chosen to be a part of the Transformers who were to go back in time in order to find the Zel Quartz before Shockwave did.

After the Autobots had dealt with the Sharkticons, Octane drove up to them in tanker mode, transforming to [[robot mode]] when he was in front of them. Stating his need for power, Octane announced that he was going to destroy the Autobots and then take all the energy of the Karzite mine. He then rambled on about how he was going to be leader of the Decepticons once he took down Galvatron, and then told the Autobots that he was going to melt them down. Rodimus Prime warned the greedy Triple Changer that those with endless ambitions were bound to be destroyed by it, but his warnings fell of deaf audio receptors. In the end, Octane was soundly defeated and he announced his surrender. Transforming to jet plane mode, Octane flew off, announcing that he would not forget his defeat. Rodimus just called him a "thin-fueled coward". Later, Octane fought alongside Cyclonus against the Autobots in the Atalstan gem mine. Even with a fellow flier for backup, he still lost.

In the Decepticon side of the story, the shuttle that the Decepticons of the future had been using crash-landed. Octane had managed to find the main Depecticon force of the present once they had found a drill bit they suspected to be the Zel Quartz. Driving up to them in tanker mode while expressing surprise to the fact that they were still alive, Octane transformed to robot form, explaining that he thought he was done for. He expressed his relief that he managed to rendezvous with the Decepticons, stating that the bad side always did win. Galvatron told the triple changer that if Octane fought hard for him, it would be enough. Octane promised that he would and requested to join back with the Decepticons.

Despite whichever side won, Starscream eventually managed to steal the Zel Quartz and flew off into space with it. This caused the Quartz to become completely useless; and with the timeline altered, Octane and all the Decepticons from the future disappeared from the present time.{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}
===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
Octane participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1 Octane toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Ice Road Trucker.]]
*'''Octane''' (Triple Changer, 1986, 1991)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-72'''
**''Accessories:'' "Flamethrower", tail rudder/"Deflecto Shield", tanker top

:Octane is a [[Triple Changer]], with the ability to transform into two different [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s. His ground vehicle mode is an extended truck cab with fuel-tanker trailer of undetermined model, with much of the detailing in this mode achieved through stickers rather than sculpting. His truck mode has rather strange proportions due to the robot arms sticking out of the sides and the generally broken-up look of the truck. He has three sets of rolling wheels: two purple sets and a set of grey wheels hidden under the middle of the truck. There is also a set of sculpted, non-rolling, unpainted wheels at the back of the truck.

:His aerial mode is based on the twin-engined Boeing 767 jet plane. Though the better of the two vehicle modes, it has some odd concessions that were made due to Octane being a Triple Changer, such as the grey set of wheels from the middle of the truck now sticking up from the top of Octane's fuselage.

:The tail fin of the jet form separates to become his "Deflecto Shield" for [[robot mode]]. The [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] tanker top piece can also be used as a shield.<ref name="secrets">[http://www.ntfa.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2234&mode=threaded&pid=36400 "The many secrets of Octane... Now with pictures!" on NTFA forums]</ref> Care should be taken not to lose it, as it covers up some rather unsightly jet parts inside the tanker.

:The toy was originally designed to have a sliding waist—not unlike that of [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]—that would create a more proportional (i.e., less "chesty") robot mode. For whatever reason, this ability was blocked off very late in the design process, but can easily be reinstated with a small amount of unscrewing and plastic cutting.<ref name="secrets"/> Furthermore, Octane is depicted as having white lower arms and fists in the USA 1986 catalog and chromed in some European 1986 catalogs. This was apparently changed very late in the process, as the chromed arms are pictured on Octane's box photography. The [[package art]] pictured above also shows the chromed arms.

:Octane was reissued in Europe and Australia as part of the 1991 [[Classics (Europe)|Classics]] line.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Octane/octane.htm More information on Octane at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
[[File:Tankoruniverse2008toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He sometimes uses his melee blade to make giant chomping shadow puppets in his spare time.]]
*'''Tankor''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' Two blasters/"Quad laser", "melee blade"
: Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Deluxe Class toys, "Tankor" ([[trademark]] issues<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090121131445/http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/universe/default.cfm?page=News/Item&newsid=A795A47F-D56F-E112-48649ACADFB6ADDC Archived page of Hasbro's preview of ''Universe'' Wave 1's toys]</ref>) transforms from either a heavy cargo plane (possibly a C-130) or an [http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_hemtt_m978.php M978 Fueler] truck, into a robot. He is armed with a serrated "melee blade" weapon, which forms the top of his tanker mode and the base of his plane mode, and a pair of double-barreled blasters, which mount under his wings in plane mode and can combine in [[Targetmaster|Double Targetmaster]]-style into a "Quad Laser". For truck mode, the [[instructions]] and [[stock photography]] place the blasters facing forward in the exposed robot mode [[5mm post|5mm fist hole]]s at the rear of the vehicle, but the intended location for them seems to be the two otherwise-pointless holes on either side of the cab, facing upwards, to serve as smokestacks for the truck.
[[File:Universe Tankor clearwindows.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|I can see clearly now...]]
:As shown on Hasbro's website, Tankor's [[prototype]] was designed to have transparent plastic windows in his tanker truck mode, but for reasons unknown (possibly due to part of the windshield forming his feet) the windows were opaque plastic with [[paint operation]]s on the final production versions of the toy. Furthermore, the sculpt was designed for light-piped eyes (and presumably clear truck windows), but the relevant areas have been cast in opaque blue and the eyes are painted red. The Decepticon logo on his chest, unusually enough, has small triangular pupils in its eyes, although they can be applied [[Quality control|rather messily]].

:Slyly, his bio mentions that he delivers "high '''octane''' fuel" to his fellow Decepticons.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Decepticon/TFUTankor/tankor.htm More information on Tankor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[File:Henkei Octone toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Beware my shiny quad-laser!]]
*'''Destron Octone''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-05'''
**''Accessories:'' Two flamethrowers, "melee blade"

:''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Octone is a [[redeco]] of ''Universe'' Tankor, and like all ''Henkei! Henkei!'' releases, his colour scheme is designed to be [[Show-accuracy|more accurate to his cartoon appearance]] and has [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metallized]] parts, such as his two blasters and the back of the truck mode's tank/the base of the melee blade. Besides the vacuum metallized parts, Octone replaces some of this black plastic with both gray and blue plastic, features a lighter and more cool shade of purple paint, and has Decepticon symbols on his wings.
{{-}}

===Generations===
*'''Specialist: Decepticons''' (2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two blasters / "Quad Laser", "melee blade

:''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Octane was released in a [[giftset]] with [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Generations|Galvatron]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)#Generations|Astrotrain]] - this time featuring extensive use of metallic paint all over both the figure and its accessories.

:Since this was a [[Hasbro]] release for Asian markets, it is noteworthy that English-language packaging and instructions consistently use the name "Octane" - a first since the end of G1.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Although [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] are far more popular, Octane was the main Triple Changer created by Shockwave as discussed in ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]''.
*Octane's role in "Starscream's Ghost" was originally intended for Blitzwing, who would have been taking refuge with the Autobots after his actions in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]". What this says about Octane's role in "Thief in the Night" is not known.
*In May 2010, a bogus picture of a photoshopped redeco of ''Universe'' Tankor/Octane as [[Clench (G1)|Clench]] was placed in BotCon.com's directory structure to throw off would-be scoop-hounds. The trick worked as one website reported it as being the real deal... until BotCon.com updated its own site with artwork of the actual 2010 version of Clench.
*Octane's on screen plane mode is a two-engine version of the Boeing 707.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Octone''' (オクトーン ''Okutōn'')<ref>The word "octane" is usually rendered in katakana as オクタン ''okutan''. The change thus appears to have been an intentional one, although the why of it is unknown.</ref>
*''Italian:'' '''Triplex Tre''' ("Triplex Three")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hsīn-wǎn''' (Taiwan, 辛烷, "Octane"), '''Duqi Dan''' (China, 毒气弹, "Poison Gas Bomb"）

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Predacons]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Regeneration One zombies]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]

Thundercracker (G1)/toys

2015-09-07T23:28:46Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{suite}}
[[File:G1 Thundercracker Packaging Art.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] has always looked and will always look a lot like [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. There are many [[Starscream (G1)/toys|toys of Starscream]] and where there is a Starscream toy, a Thundercracker toy soon follows.

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1toy thundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Decepticon Jet, 1984/1985/1986)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''24'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

: Originally a ''[[Diaclone]]'' "Jet Robo Acrobat-Type", Thundercracker transforms into a metallic blue F-15 Eagle fighter jet. His transformation essentially involves removing and reattaching most of his plane parts, though it is possible to do so without removing ''all'' of them, the way the instructions tell you to. As a result of his rather piecemeal design and the fact that neither mode uses all his parts, it can be quite difficult to find an intact original Thundercracker on the secondary market.

:Thundercracker is armed with a pair of missile launchers that mount on his arms in [[robot mode]], and under his wings in jet mode, with a pair of specialized projectiles for each. In jet mode, two short rockets are fitted into the launchers to make them resemble the drop tanks a real F-15 carries, while in robot mode, they are replaced with the long barrels of Thundercracker's incendiary guns. The original ''Diaclone'' version of the mold featured spring-loaded firing mechanisms in these launchers; while this feature was removed for the [[Hasbro]] release of the toy, it was left intact for the [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] version, and all subsequent reissues.

:While the earliest releases of Thundercracker were basically identical to its ''Diaclone'' predecessor, some small modifications were soon made to the figure which became the standard for all subsequent reissues of the mold. These included the hollowing out of the inner edges of his wings and the tips of his tail-wings, the lengthening of the pegs on his wings, and the addition of extra clips on the inner sides of his fist-gauntlets, allowing them to grip his arms better but creating a visible slit on them. Like all his 1984 brethren, Thundercracker gained a factory-applied [[rubsign]] in 1985, which was added to the left side of his fuselage.

:Thundercracker ceased to be shipped to toy stores in 1986, but continued to be available as a mail-away item in the "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction (G1)|Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]" flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $10 and two [[Robot Point|robot points]]. He has been [[Generation 1 reissues|reissue]]d several further times down through the years; this article strives to list each separate release under its own header.

:Thundercracker shares his mold with his simultaneously-released teammates [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], and was later [[redeco]]ed into [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. This mold was also [[retool]]ed into [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Generation 1 Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}{{anchor|ActionMaster}}
[[File:Thundercrackeram.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Do not look directly at him, unless you have sunglasses and/or Pepto Bismol handy.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Action Master Exo-suit, 1991)
**''Accessories'': Solo Mission Jet Plane, sonic boom blaster, 2 missiles

: Released only in European and Australasian markets, [[Action Master]] Thundercracker is, once again, a [[redeco]] of Starscream, a non-transforming action figure that combined elements of both the character's cartoon model and toy-form. Like all Action Masters, Thundercracker came with a transformable accessory — in his case, a Solo Mission Jet Plane vehicle that converted into [[Action Master Exo-suit|exo-suit]] battle armor. For whatever reason, Action Master Thundercracker forewent any attempt at rendering the character in his traditional blue and silver color scheme, but instead opted for a fantastically nauseating blend of magenta, purple, blue, gold, and two shades of green that would become the stuff of legend as the ultimate example of the flair this era's European Transformers had for the [[neon|gaudy]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1991/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Action Master Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Machine Wars===
[[File:MWThundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|No, seriously, this guy is Thundercracker.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Basic, 1996)
**''Accessories'': Two-part rifle

: Sharing a mold once again with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], Thundercracker transforms into a green Dassault Rafale fighter jet with spring-loaded one-step transformation from jet to robot. The two halves of his rifle store in his lower legs. Like all ''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]'' toys, Thundercracker was an [[exclusive]] to Kay-Bee stores and related stores like Toy Liquidators.

: This mold was originally developed for ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'', but was canceled when that line went under. It is unknown if it was intended to be a new character or a recurring one, though odds are it would have been later [[redeco]]ed into a recurring character if the former was true.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'' [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]], ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skyfire (RID)|Skyfire]], ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' [[Wingstun]], and the "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]" version of [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]]. The toy was repurposed as the [[Thundercracker drone]]s.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Machine Wars Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Collector's Edition===
{{anchor|collectorsedition}}
[[File:G1toy reissue thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (reissue, 2001)
**''ID number:'' '''24'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
:The original Thundercracker toy was reissued for the first time in 2001 as part of Takara's small "Collector's Edition" series, which made several Generation 1 toys available as convention [[exclusive]]s. Sold in new open-faced packaging with no notable changes from the original figure, Thundercracker was an exclusive at the Japanese science fiction convention "Super Festival 21", available only in a set with Skywarp and limited to 1000 pieces. The pair are often mistakenly identified as [[e-HOBBY]] exclusives.

::*''[http://shmax.com/product_details/1323/24_thundercracker More information on Collector's Edition Thundercracker at Shmax.com]''
{{-}}

===Commemorative Series===
{{anchor|commemorativeseries}}
[[File:G1toy commemorative series thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (reissue, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

:The original Thundercracker toy was made available again as part of Hasbro's line of [[The Transformers: Generation One Commemorative Series|Commemorative Series]] reissues in. Released in the third wave of the series, it featured functional missile launchers for the first time on a Hasbro version of the toy, but because the launchers now worked, both sets of missiles had to be lengthened [[for safety reasons]]. His incendiary guns didn't turn out ''too'' bad, but as you can see, the once-small rockets just wound up looking ''stupid''.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/CSThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Commemorative Series Thundercracker TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Smallest Transforming Transformers===
[[File:Smallest transforming thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You little Thunder Little Thunder you]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2004)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, left & right wings, left & right tailfins, landing gear

: Part of the third wave of ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' product (dubbed wave "2.5" and available only at CVS stores in Japan), Thundercracker is, of course, a redeco of this line's Starscream. Like all toys in the series, he is a tiny, simplified version of the original Generation 1 toy, transforming into an F-15 fighter jet. As with all previous waves of ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'', these figures were sold [[blindpacking|blindpacked]], with Thundercracker as one of the wave's two rare [[chase figure]]s (the other being a cartoon-colored version of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Combat Deck (G1)|trailer]]).

: The same mold is used by ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' Skywarp and Thrust.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/SmallestThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Smallest Transforming Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Robotmasters===
[[File:RobotMastersThundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Light blue? Totally neon.]]
* '''Skywarp & Thundercracker''' (Multi-pack, 2005)
**''Accessories'': 2 rifles, 2 missile pods

: ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] from the same series, a smaller yet more advanced version of the original toy, adding more articulation and reducing the amount of [[Partformer|part-forming]] required. He was available only in a two-pack with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], which also came with a Decepticon sigil pin and chromed missile pods. This set was the very last product released in the ''Robotmasters'' line, and wasn't even strictly sold in a box from that series; instead, it used an e-Hobby Generation 1 reissue box, with a small "''Robotmasters''" sticker in the corner tab noting its origin from the front.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Destron/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on ''Robotmasters'' Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[File:TitaniumHeroesWWThundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|I don't think I have enough little wings on my shoulders.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display base

: [[Titanium Series]] Thundercracker is based upon his appearance in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''. He transforms into a Cybertronian 'tetrajet', as reimagined by [[Don Figueroa]]. As with all 6-inch Titanium Cybertron Heroes, he is constructed mostly of fully painted die-cast metal.

: This mold was redecoed into ''[[War Within (toyline)|War Within]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Starscream]], [[Sunstorm (G1)#Titanium Series|Sunstorm]], [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Skywarp]], and [[Thrust (G1)#Titanium Series|Thrust]].

: Yes. Thundercracker was here first.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Tit6Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Titanium Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Timelines===
{{anchor|botcon2007}}
[[File:Classics Thundercracker Toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|You want me, but you can't have me!]]
*'''Games of Deception!''' (Multi-pack, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Left & right launchers, 2 missiles

: Much clamored for by fans following the release of ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Starscream and Skywarp in order to complete the original Seeker trio, ''Classics'' Thundercracker was eventually released as part of the "Games of Deception" boxset exclusive to [[BotCon 2007]], along with [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bugbite]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], only 1500 of which were produced. He is, naturally, a [[redeco]] of the ''Classics'' Starscream toy, using the slightly modified version of the mold first seen with Skywarp which features shoulders with a decreased slope and a fifth rectangular marking.

: Like the other entries in the ''Classics'' series, Thundercracker is a faithful "modernizing" of his original Generation 1 form, updating his original toy with modern standards of toy engineering, transformation, sculpting detail and articulation. He still transforms into an F-15 Eagle, but has the nose of an [[wikipedia:F-14 Tomcat|F-14 Tomcat]] fighter jet, and sports a shade of blue closer to that of his ''[[Diaclone]]'' progenitor. As ever, he is armed with a pair of missile launchers, which can mount under his wings, on his shoulders, or in his fists, and fire spring-loaded projectiles. The large size of the missiles (necessary for safety reasons) restricts his arm movement somewhat in robot mode, as they bump into his wings. Like all ''Classics'' figures, he has a heat-activated rubsign, positioned along his fuselage as on his original toy.

:This mold was redecoed to create Thundercracker's ''[[#henkei|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' and ''[[#generations|Generations]]'' incarnations, as well as ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Skywarp]], ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]] and Thundercracker's ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Thundercracker (SG)|counterpart]] (the latter figure later being [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Thundercracker himself). The toy has previously been significantly retooled to create ''Classics'' [[Ramjet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei!|Ramjet]], and that version of the mold was used for Thundercracker's ''Classics'' boxset partners Thrust and Dirge, as well as ''Henkei'' versions of all three, and ''Generations'' versions of the latter two.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/BCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Classics Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}{{anchor|sgam}}
[[File:SGtoy-Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|They don't make F-15s like that any more. Or ever.]]
*'''Galvatron''' / '''Thundercracker''' ([[BotCon 2011]] souvenir set)
**''Accessories'': Left & right launchers, 2 missiles
: ''Shattered Glass'' Thundercracker is a redeco of the previous ''Timelines'' Thundercracker figure (itself a redeco of ''Classics'' Starscream, [[#botcon2007|see above]]) in a [[neon|buffet of colors]] as a visual homage to the Generation 1 [[#ActionMaster|''Action Master'' Thundercracker]] action figure. He was available exclusively at BotCon 2011 in an add-on souvenir set with [[Megatron (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Galvatron]], in limited quantities of 1800.

: [[Fun Publications]] originally proposed this redeco for the attendee freebie figure for [[BotCon 2010]], but the mold was being used for ''Generations'' Thrust by Hasbro at the time and thus unavailable, and so [[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slice]] was produced instead. In the same way that the Slice figure represented both the Generation 1 Decepticon Action Master and [[Wheeljack (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Wheeljack]], this Thundercracker represents both the original Thundercracker and his ''Shattered Glass'' counterpart, and was intended to come with two separate bio cards to reflect this. The Generation 1 bio was nixed during production, but was later published in [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 42|issue #42]] of the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Official Collectors' Club magazine]], officializing the toy's "dual identity" and securing it a spot on this page.

: This mold was also used for a buttload of other [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]; again, see above, 'cause we're not typing that all out again.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/BCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Shattered Glass Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
{{anchor|henkei}}
[[File:Henkei Thundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb| You could have had me . . . but even then you might not want me.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' 2 missile launchers (left and right), 2 missiles

: ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Thundercracker is a Genbo store exclusive redeco of ''Henkei! Henkei!'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]]. He features a metallic flake blue version of his cartoon color scheme, rather than his darker blue Generation 1 toy colour scheme. ''Henkei'' Thundercracker and his fellow [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]] were opened for pre-order on [[May 22]]nd through [[June 20]], and mailed out in September 2008. A second batch was made available on [[November 6]]th, 2008.

:Soon after release, there were numerous complaints from both Japanese and Western collectors about the poor quality control for both Thundercracker and Skywarp. Thundercracker in particular suffered from a widespread issue where his missile launchers did not fit into the holes in his shoulders, due to the holes being too big. Some reported both toys suffering misassembly issues such as having two left or two right thighs.

:Several minor changes were made to this mold for this release. The holes for his missile launchers in his arms were widened, but not the launcher's insertion pegs. The wing's missile launcher insertion points were lengthened and are now curved at the end. The last rectangle on his air intakes, was further modified from the Classics version this time the bottom most rectangle goes completely across the air intake's surface rather than just the center. ''Henkei! Henkei!'' Skywarp and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Generation 1 Series|Starscream]] also saw most of these changes.

:The second release (while extremely limited) did not see any of the quality control issues of the early, more heavily produced release. This version of Thundercracker uses the 2nd version of the Classics Seeker mold that was reinstated with [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Henkei.21 Henkei.21|Ghost Starscream]] and all subsequent releases thus far. Oddly these versions of Thundercracker do not feature a date stamp etched into his leg like the earlier release.

{{-}}

===Masterpiece===
[[File:MP Thundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Hey, at least I'm ''meant'' to be [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|blue]].]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (November 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-7'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 "Machine Guns", 2 AIM missile racks, Doctor Arkeville pilot, Megatron Gun clasp, display stand

:A redeco of ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Starscream]], ''Masterpiece'' Thundercracker eschews the cartoon accuracy that the line normally strives for, transforms into a highly-accurate F-15 Eagle while sporting a more stylized robot mode. He comes with all the features and accessories included with the previous release of the mold: flip-up missile racks built into his pectorals, a two-piece display stand that can be configured to display the figure in mid-flight in either jet or robot mode, a miniature [[Doctor Arkeville]] figurine that fits in his cockpit (now cast in blue plastic), a clip to hold the gun mode Megatron that came with ''Masterpiece'' Optimus Prime in jet-mode, and an extensive sheet of optional stickers to allow buyers to customize him to their liking. Also like Starscream and Skywarp, Thundercracker features a rotating face with two swappable expressions; a normal, stoic gaze (retooled from Starscream's original one, despite the popular misconception that it is the same) and a new growling glare, replete with bared teeth.

:Some ''Masterpiece'' Thundercrackers feature an assembly error: His left and right pectorals are flipped. This misassembly does not affect transformation at all, and is most noticeable when compared to prior ''Masterpiece'' Seekers. The 2008 pressing of ''Masterpiece'' Skywarp also features this part swap.

:This mold was also used for the ''Masterpiece'' version of [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Skywarp]]. It was also redecoed and retooled to create the eleventh ''Masterpiece'' figure, [[Starscream (G1)/toys#MP11|Starscream]], which was then redecoed to create [[Sunstorm (G1)#Masterpiece|Sunstorm]] and [[Acid Storm#Masterpiece|Acid Storm]].

{{-}}
[[File:MP11TT Thundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Good news everybody - yet another MP seeker.]]

*'''Thundercracker''' (November 2015)
**''ID Number'': '''MP-11T'''
**''Accessories'': 2 null rays, orange hologram pilot figurine
{{anchor|MP-11T}}
:Released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive, MP-11T Thundercracker is a redeco of [[Starscream_(G1)/toys#MP11|MP-11 Masterpiece Starscream]], with its coloration based on his animation model. The figure is limited to 2000 pieces.

Like [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Masterpiece11SW|MP11SW Skywarp]], but unlike MP-11 Starscream and the cartoon, the insignias on his wings are the correct way up in robot mode.

{{comingsoontoy}}

===Encore===
{{anchor|encore}}
[[File:G1toy encore skywarp thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Skywarp & Thundercracker''' (reissue multi-pack, 2008)
**''ID number'' '''11'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

:Thundercracker's original toy was reissued again as part of TakaraTomy's ''[[Transformers Encore|Encore]]'' series, this time in a two-pack with his erstwhile partner, Skywarp. This release of the figure is cast in a less metallic blue plastic than previous release, and features tampographed wing stripes and Decepticon insignias instead of stickers.

{{-}}

===Alternity===
[[File:Alternitytoy thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker Sonic Blue''' (2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''A-04'''

:Thundercracker is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Alternity|Skywarp]], transforming into a licensed 1:32 scale [[wikipedia:Mitsuoka Orochi|Mitsuoka Orochi]]. Thundercracker replaces Skywarp's purple, flat black, light purple, and metallic gray for metallic blue, glossy black, light blue, and silver. Like the other toys in the line, he features [[die-cast]] metal parts and rubber tires, as well as an opening hood, trunk and doors. This is also currently the only ''Alternity'' mold to feature [[Kibble#"Faux-parts"|a fake kibble chest]].

:In car mode, small wings are ''supposed to'' be able to flip out from under Thundercracker's rear wheels, giving him the appearance of a flying car. Unfortunately, this [[gimmick]] suffers from a rather nasty [[design flaw]]: there is simply not enough clearance under the car for the wheels to be able to pass and hinge through, and attempting to do so will result in the plastic reinforcement struts underneath ''deforming the rims and chipping the tires''. His door panels also tend to detach from their [[ball joint]]s ''very easily''.

:This mold was also used to make ''Alternity'' [[Banzai-Tron (G1)#Alternity|Banzai-Tron]], while the original version of it was used by ''Alternity'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Alternity|Starscream]].

{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:Genthundercracker.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|You could have me, and you probably want me.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2011)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right launchers, 2 missiles

: Part of the seventh wave of [[2010]]-[[2011]] ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toys, Thundercracker is a third redeco of the ''Classics'' Starscream mold, and the first one to be released to mass retail.

: This version of Thundercracker features a darker blue than both the greenish-blue of the BotCon release, and the blue of the Henkei! Henkei! release. He also features a new deco layout and different striping from any of the previous versions. In the stock photo provided, he is slightly mis-transformed at the ankles.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Generations Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Legends}}
[[File:Generationstoy-LegendsThundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|As if the guns on his arms weren't enough.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Legends, 2012)
**''Accessories'': Two guns

:[[Legends Class]] Thundercracker is redeco of ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers:]] [[Reveal the Shield]]'' Legends Class [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Transformers (2010)|Starscream]], with [[retool]]ed hands and holes in his wings compatible with [[C joint|3mm post]]s. Thundercracker's deco is slightly different from the EZ collection figure, omitting the black paint on his shins in favor of giving him full-color [[Decepticon]] [[insignia]]s on his wings, and a black painted nosecone. He comes with two compatible guns that are heavily based on Generation 1 Thundercracker's Incendiary Guns (based more on the [[character model|animation model]] rather than the original toy). Each gun features two posts, allowing them to mount/be held in different ways.

:Originally developed by Hasbro Asia for release in their territories, Thundercracker was later released together with various other formerly "Asian market exclusive" toys as a [[Toys"R"Us|ToysЯUs]] exclusive in the [[United States of America|United States]] for the 2012 holiday season.

:The retooled version of this sculpt (including the guns) was later used for a [[variant#running changes|running change variant]] of a "Dollar Store" exclusive version of [[Starscream (G1)/toys#DollarLegends|Starscream]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/GDOThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Legends Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|UltimateGiftSet}}
[[File:Generationstoy-UltimateGiftSet.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|right]]
*'''Ultimate Gift Set''' (2012)
**''Accessories'': 2 guns

:This unchanged release of Legends Class Thundercracker comes packed with ''Generations'' Legends Class [[Motormaster (G1)#UltimateGiftSet|Motorbreath]], as well as Deluxe Class [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#UltimateGiftSet|Combat Hero Optimus Prime]] and a ''Generation 2''-styled Deluxe Class [[Jazz (G1)/toys#UltimateGiftSet|Autobot Jazz]].

:The Ultimate Gift Set is an online retailer exclusive in the United States, but is available at general retail in Hasbro's Asian markets.

{{-}}{{anchor|SDCCMetroplex}}
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''01 OF 30'''

: An [[exclusive]] version of Titan Class [[Metroplex (G1)#SDCC|Metroplex]] was made available at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2013. He comes with 12 small, non-transforming figurines of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Bumblebee]], Thundercracker, [[Trailbreaker (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Trailcutter]], and [[Hoist (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Hoist]], all in both modes. Similarly to [[Decoy]]s, the Autobot figurines are cast in red plastic, and the Decepticons in purple.

:While the figurines in this set are not named, the Seeker in this set is likely Thundercracker, based on the fact that the other ten figurines are based on characters from the first two waves of ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Deluxe Class toys, the second of which includes Thundercracker.

{{-}}{{anchor|HKACGCONMetroplex}}
[[File:Generationstoy-T30-Metroplex-Thundercracker-HKACGCON.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''05 OF 30'''

: Another exclusive version of Titan Class [[Metroplex (G1)#HKACGCON|Metroplex]] was made available at [[Hong Kong ACG-CON]] 2013. This Metroplex also has the 12 figurines of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Bumblebee]], Thundercracker, [[Trailbreaker (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Trailcutter]], and [[Hoist (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Hoist]], but casts the Autobot figurines in gold plastic, and the Decepticons in silver.

{{-}}{{anchor|Thrilling30}}
[[File:Generationstoy-Thrilling30Thundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2013)
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #006'''
**''Japanese release date:'' '''[[March 29|03-29]]-[[2014]]'''
**''Accessories:'' Two assault cannons, tail-fin

: Part of the sixth wave of [[2012]]-onwards ''Generations'' Deluxe Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Generations: [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' Starscream, and transforms into a Cybertronian jet fighter. He comes with two spinning, triple-barreled cannons which can combine to form a larger hand-held weapon that is geared to spin its two triple-barrels together, and resembles the [[Neutron assault rifle]] from ''Fall of Cybertron''. Each of the weapon halves features two [[5mm post]]s, as well as a peg-hole on their hollow sides, while the combined form features another peg-hole at the top, but makes the peg-holes on the hollow sides inaccessible. Thundercracker features numerous 5mm peg-holes, such as his hands, forearms, lower legs, and wing undersides.

:Thundercracker's tail-fin is attached via a 5mm post on its underside, and can be detached to reveal three additional peg-holes, with two of these peg-holes being just the right distance to accommodate the combined assault cannons/rifle, with the tail-fin pegging on the rifle's top peg-hole. This allows the weapon to mount on top of the [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], and store on his back in robot mode.

:Thundercracker is minimally mis-transformed in-package: his jet mode nosecone is extended, rather than folded in as it should be in robot mode. He comes packaged with a copy of [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] '[[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Spotlight: Thundercracker]]'.

:The Japanese release of Thundercracker features a shiny metallic finish and an orange canopy, as well as a few different paint details such as black kneecaps and silver on his face and gun barrels. He was sold exclusively at select Edion, Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki, and Best Denki stores, and did not come with a comic.

:Despite using a mold and deco matching [[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]'s appearance in ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'', this toy ''technically'' represents G1 Thundercracker, thanks to his [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] pack-in fiction. Consequently, the toy is listed in the former's page as a [[repurposing]]. This toy was also utilized as ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' Thundercracker and was also redecoed into TakaraTomy ''Fall of Cybertron'' [[Skywarp (WFC)#Generations|Skywarp]] as well as ''Thrilling 30'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Generations|Skywarp]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/GenThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thrilling 30 Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
{{anchor|CWLegends}}
[[File:Generations 30 legends Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Legends, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' 2 cannons
:Part of the first wave of [[Combiner Wars]] Legends toys, Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Thrilling 30'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#GenLegends|Starscream]], based on [[Guido Guidi]]'s Seeker design from IDW's [[The Transformers (IDW)|original ongoing series]]. Thundercracker includes a collector card featuring art from the "[[To the Rescue]]" episode of ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]''.

:This mold was also used to make ''Thrilling 30'' [[Acid Storm (G1)#GenLegends|Acid Storm]] and ''Combiner Wars'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#GenLegends|Skywarp]].
{{-}}
{{anchor|CWLeader}}
[[File:Generations Leader TC.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2.2|Seven guns but no [[Buster (IDW)|dog]].]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Leader, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, 2 arm cannons, 2 leg cannons, 2 "Seeker guns"

:Thundercracker is an extensive retool of ''Generations Thrilling 30'' Leader [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], replacing the head, chest, upper arms, and wings so as to resemble the same Guidi design as the preceding Legends Class figure. He transforms from a robot into a jet fighter, and includes Jetfire's original missile launcher and four limb-mounted weapons, plus two new guns based on the traditional Seeker arm rifles. He also features a faux cockpit.

:Thundercracker does not include Jetfire's "Turbo Thruster" booster pack accessory, but is still compatible with it.

:This mold will also be used to make ''Generations [[Combiner Wars]]'' Leader Class [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]].
{{--}}

===Chronicle===
[[File:Chronicletoy ez thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You ''used'' to want me, but now I just feel [[#Legends|inadequate]].]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (EZ Collection, 2011)

:''[[Transformers Chronicle|Chronicle]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Transformers'' Legends Class Starscream. He transforms into an F-15 with many fuselage details borrowed from the Masterpiece version. This is the first Seeker mold in many years to attempt an entirely new transformation, with the arms now forming the rear of the jet and the legs folding under the wings. Thundercracker was available only in Japan, and like many Japanese "EZ Collection" toys, is [[blindpacking|blindpacked]].

:Surprisingly, Thundercracker was made available months before Starscream was released in the same line.
{{-}}

===Bot Shots===
[[Image:Bot_Shots_Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (2012)
**''Series'': '''1'''
**''Number'': '''B009'''
***''Fist strength'': '''255'''
***''Blaster strength'': '''800'''
***''Sword strength'': '''565'''

:Part of the third wave of ''[[Bot Shots (toyline)|Bot Shots]]'', Thundercracker is unsurprisingly a redeco of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]], turning into a [[super deformed]] jet. An impact to the jet's nose will trigger his spring-loaded transformation back to robot mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/BSThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===BeCool===
*'''Blue Jet (Thundercracker) ''' (2013)
**''ID number'': '''B14'''

:''[[Bot Shots (toyline)#BeCool|BeCool]]'' "Blue Jet" is practically identical to the ''Bot Shots'' Thundercracker toy, the only difference being that his stickers don't depict power levels but instead drawings of his vehicle mode, a jet's cockpit interior and a fighter pilot's helmet.

===Transformers (2010)===
[[File:TRU Masterpiece Thundercracker.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|You probably want me, but you can't afford me.]]
* '''Masterpiece Thundercracker''' (2012)
**''Accessories:'' Two AIM missile racks, hologram pilot, Megatron gun clasp, display stand

:A redeco of the newer ''Masterpiece'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#MP11|MP-11 Starscream]] mold, [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|''Transformers'' (2010)]] Thundercracker features some extensive retooling to wind the ''Masterpiece'' Seeker design back into Kawamori's original, more Generation 1-accurate look, with most of the robot mode being newly tooled parts, including chunkier legs that now incorporate his tail-fins, [[retool]]ed shoulders and wingtips that no longer curve into one another, a new head (with collapsible head fins), new heel spurs that flip out for added support in robot mode, and re-engineered Incendiary Guns attached to extending armatures that mean they no longer have to be [[Partformer|removed]] for transformation.

:He comes with nearly all the accessories included with the previous Hasbro releases of the mold (with Dr. Arkeville being replaced with the newer hologram pilot figurine). The figure features flip-up missile racks built into his pectorals, as well as the original missile racks (with this defeating the purpose of the armature now used for the arm cannons), a two-piece display stand that can be configured to display the figure in mid-flight in either jet or robot mode, and a clip to hold the gun mode Megatron that came with ''Masterpiece'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#20th Anniversary/Masterpiece|Optimus Prime]] in jet-mode.

:Masterpiece Thundercracker features several whimsical [[tampograph]]s, which include Thundercracker holding [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] in tape deck mode, [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] in camera mode, "'''D-24'''" (Thundercracker's Japanese line designation), and various call outs to Hasbro designers, such as "'''[[Joe Kyde|LTC Joe 'Big Daddy' Kyde]]'''" and "'''Cpt. J. 'Dragon' Sass'''". The stock photos of the figure (as shown to the right), however, show all-red Reflector tampographs on the front of his shoulders; on the actual production toy, Reflector appears in full color on the ''back'' of the shoulders (visible on the sides of Thundercracker's jet mode), while the front of his shoulders features the ''Classics'' angled shoulder stripes, colored red to match his ''Generations'' figure.

:Curiously, the accessories, packaging, and instructions for Masterpiece Thundercracker are all specific to the older version of the mold (prior to the changes for MP-11 Starscream), and the packaging recycles the [[package art]] from ''Generations'' Thundercracker and features no pictures of the actual toy itself. The figure may have been intended for release with the older version of the Masterpiece Seeker mold before changes were made to use the newer version of the mold.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/MPThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Hasbro Masterpiece Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===United===
[[File:United Thundercracker Toy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|To think that a few years ago, there wasn't enough of me to go around...]]
* '''Seekers: Aces''' ([[December 21]], 2012)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right launchers, 2 missiles
:''[[Transformers United|United]]'' Thundercracker is a fifth redeco of the ''Classics'' Starscream mold, and the first time he is offered with both of his wing mates [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]].
: This version of Thundercracker is heavily based on his cartoon appearance. He features a light blue (lighter than the Henkei! Henkei! figure), dark gray paint on most of his black plastic, an amber cockpit, and shiny metallic blue paint on his shoulders and collar. Paint operations found on the Henkei! Henkei! release were shuffled around for the sake of cartoon accuracy.
{{-}}

===Construct-Bots===
* '''Thundercracker''' (Scout, 2013)
**''Pieces: '''41'''
: Part of Wave 2 of Construct-Bots Scouts, Thundercracker can transform into a jet.

: Surprisingly, Thundercracker is not a [[redeco]] of the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Starscream]] Construct-Bots toy, but does borrow most of his parts. His head is a retool of Starscream's, changing his smirk into an angrier face. Instead of using [[Blitzwing (G1)#Construct-Bots|Blitzwing]]'s wing and gatling gun parts, Thundercracker uses Triple-Changer [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Bumblebee]]'s wing, back armor, and nosecone parts, as well as [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Megatron]]'s blasters.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/CBThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

===Q-Transformers===
[[File:QTransformers Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|]]
*'''Thundercracker''' ([[September 19|9-19]]-2015)
**''ID number:'' '''QT-31'''

:A redeco and minor retool of ''[[Q-Transformers]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Q-Transformers|Starscream]], Thundercracker transforms from a [[super deformed]] F-15 to a cute chubby little robot. His face has been changed from Starscream's smirk into a more sullen expression.

:This mold was also used, with another retooled face, for ''Q-Transformers'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Q-Transformers|Skywarp]].

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
[[File:Decoy thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
*'''Destron Hero Collection 22''' (multi-pack, 1986)
*'''Mini Mini Collection''' (multi-pack, 1986)

:Thundercracker was among the many characters rendered by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] as part of their series of 1.5" ''keshigomu'' figurines. Like all the Decepticons in the series, Thundercracker was molded in soft purple rubber, and featured a number sculpted into his back that was the sum total of his [[Tech Spec]]s, for use in the various games that could be played with the figurines. He is, surprisingly enough, ''not'' identical to either Starscream or Skywarp: the stance of his legs and the position of his Decepticon symbols differ, but he is, of course, most prominently distinguished by his raised right arm.

:Thundercracker was available as part of a 22-piece box set of Decepticon figures, in a peach coloration in several other box sets, including the Decepticon "Mini Mini Collection", and in a wide variety of colours in "gachapon" capsule machines.

*'''Thundercracker''' (1987)
**''Decoy number:'' '''34'''

: The Thundercracker figurine was later brought over to [[Hasbro]] markets as part of the [[Decoy]] promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number (34, in Thundercracker's case). Like all Decepticon Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded [[Throttlebot]]s, [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], and was, very early on in the promotion, available in an alternate red coloration that was only packed in with the Throttlebots. Unsurprisingly, this red figurine is much rarer.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Decoys/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Decoy Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Super Collection Figure===
[[File:Scf thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2001)

: A three-inch tall [[plastic|PVC]] figurine of Thundercracker was available as part of the fourth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' line, a redeco of the Starscream figure from the same series. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Thundercracker came with the left leg of the wave's collectable [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] build-a-figure.

: This mold was redecoed to create Skywarp, Sunstorm and the [[Air Warrior]]s in the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line (see below), and retooled into Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Destron/PewterThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Pewter Super Collection Figure Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Heroes of Cybertron===
[[File:HOC Thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)

: Released in the second wave of Hasbro's ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line, this version of Thundercracker differs from his ''Super Collection Figure'' incarnation in several ways. Like all the ''Heroes'' figures, he was cast entirely in translucent plastic then painted over, leaving his eyes and the back of his head unpainted to create a [[light-piping]] effect. Moreover, ''Heroes'' Thundercracker features grey pectorals instead of white, black forearms instead of grey (to match his helmet and feet), and a yellow cockpit instead of an orange one. He was sold in individual blister packaging with a profile card.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/HoCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Heroes of Cybertron Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)

: ''Heroes of Cybertron'' Thundercracker was also available in a six-pack with Starscream, Skywarp and three [[Air Warrior]]s. This set was offered by [[3H Productions|3H]] at [[OTFCC 2003]] and elsewhere.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/OTFCCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on 3H's Heroes of Cybertron Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===MyClone===
[[File:Myclone thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)
**''Accessories:'' Grey display base

:''[[MyClone]]'' Thundercracker—who you won't be surprised to hear is a redeco of ''MyClone'' Starscream—was one of two rare chase figures in the second wave of Takara's line of [[super deformed]] PVC figurines (the other being [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#MyClone|"Lava" Galvatron]]). He comes with a hexagonal grey display stand that can link up with the identical stands included with other MyClone figures, and his modular design allows his parts to be mixed and matched with those of any other MyClone figure.

{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[File:Titanium-toy RMThundercracker.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Complete with rocket exhaust. Or possibly [[Goo]]. Or possibly oh dear god please let it be rocket exhaust or Goo.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand

: A redeco of "Robot Masters" Starscream, Thundercracker is a small, non-transforming die-cast metal figurine based on his cartoon [[character model]]. He is sculpted holding a gun in his left hand and stretching out his right arm, while using his feet-jets to fly up.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/TitThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Titanium Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[File:Robotheroesjazzthundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|Now who's geeky?]]
* '''Jazz Vs Thundercracker''' (2007)

: A redeco of ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' Starscream, Thundercracker is a two inch high figure sculpted in a [[super deformed]] style and articulated at the shoulders. He was available in a two-pack with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]]. This mold was later redecoed as Skywarp in the "Decepticon Sneak Attack" set.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/RHThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on ''Robot Heroes'' Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Palisades===
[[File:PalisadesThundercracker.jpg|thumb|Thundercracker [[Wikipedia:Jeff Dunham|on a ''stiiick'']].]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Palisades, 2005)

:A [[Palisades Toys|Palisades Direct]]-exclusive redeco of the Starscream statue, Thundercracker is a six inch tall polystone statue with articulated head and arms. He can stand normally or use a stand to take on a "hovering" pose. Thundercracker was limited to 300 pieces, and sculpted by [[3L Creation Group]] from a design by [[George Tremarco]].

{{-}}

===Transformers - Mini Bust===
[[File:DST08 ThundercrackerBust.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Diamond Select, 2008)
:Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2008, Thundercracker was first exclusive to the [[New York Comic Con]] and later on offered by online retailer Big Bad Toy Store. He was sculpted by [[Mark Wong]] of [[Art Asylum]] and limited to 400 pieces.
{{-}}

===D-Style===
*'''Thundercracker''' (2015)
**''ID number:''
**''Accessories:'' Replacement faces and hands

:A super deformed Skywarp model kit produced by [[Kotobukiya]] as part of their franchise-spanning ''[[D-Style]]'' line. It comes in a two pack along with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#D-Style|Skywarp]].

:This mold was also used to make ''D-Style'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#D-Style|Starscream]].
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternity Decepticons]]
[[Category:Bot Shots Decepticons]]
[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Construct-Bots Decepticons]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Masterpiece]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Robotmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:SDCC exclusives]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]

Thundercracker (G1)/toys

2015-07-28T18:42:54Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{suite}}
[[File:G1 Thundercracker Packaging Art.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] has always looked and will always look a lot like [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. There are many [[Starscream (G1)/toys|toys of Starscream]] and where there is a Starscream toy, a Thundercracker toy soon follows.

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1toy thundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Decepticon Jet, 1984/1985/1986)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''24'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

: Originally a ''[[Diaclone]]'' "Jet Robo Acrobat-Type", Thundercracker transforms into a metallic blue F-15 Eagle fighter jet. His transformation essentially involves removing and reattaching most of his plane parts, though it is possible to do so without removing ''all'' of them, the way the instructions tell you to. As a result of his rather piecemeal design and the fact that neither mode uses all his parts, it can be quite difficult to find an intact original Thundercracker on the secondary market.

:Thundercracker is armed with a pair of missile launchers that mount on his arms in [[robot mode]], and under his wings in jet mode, with a pair of specialized projectiles for each. In jet mode, two short rockets are fitted into the launchers to make them resemble the drop tanks a real F-15 carries, while in robot mode, they are replaced with the long barrels of Thundercracker's incendiary guns. The original ''Diaclone'' version of the mold featured spring-loaded firing mechanisms in these launchers; while this feature was removed for the [[Hasbro]] release of the toy, it was left intact for the [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] version, and all subsequent reissues.

:While the earliest releases of Thundercracker were basically identical to its ''Diaclone'' predecessor, some small modifications were soon made to the figure which became the standard for all subsequent reissues of the mold. These included the hollowing out of the inner edges of his wings and the tips of his tail-wings, the lengthening of the pegs on his wings, and the addition of extra clips on the inner sides of his fist-gauntlets, allowing them to grip his arms better but creating a visible slit on them. Like all his 1984 brethren, Thundercracker gained a factory-applied [[rubsign]] in 1985, which was added to the left side of his fuselage.

:Thundercracker ceased to be shipped to toy stores in 1986, but continued to be available as a mail-away item in the "[[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction (G1)|Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]]" flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $10 and two [[Robot Point|robot points]]. He has been [[Generation 1 reissues|reissue]]d several further times down through the years; this article strives to list each separate release under its own header.

:Thundercracker shares his mold with his simultaneously-released teammates [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], and was later [[redeco]]ed into [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]. This mold was also [[retool]]ed into [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Generation 1 Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}{{anchor|ActionMaster}}
[[File:Thundercrackeram.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Do not look directly at him, unless you have sunglasses and/or Pepto Bismol handy.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Action Master Exo-suit, 1991)
**''Accessories'': Solo Mission Jet Plane, sonic boom blaster, 2 missiles

: Released only in European and Australasian markets, [[Action Master]] Thundercracker is, once again, a [[redeco]] of Starscream, a non-transforming action figure that combined elements of both the character's cartoon model and toy-form. Like all Action Masters, Thundercracker came with a transformable accessory — in his case, a Solo Mission Jet Plane vehicle that converted into [[Action Master Exo-suit|exo-suit]] battle armor. For whatever reason, Action Master Thundercracker forewent any attempt at rendering the character in his traditional blue and silver color scheme, but instead opted for a fantastically nauseating blend of magenta, purple, blue, gold, and two shades of green that would become the stuff of legend as the ultimate example of the flair this era's European Transformers had for the [[neon|gaudy]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1991/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Action Master Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Machine Wars===
[[File:MWThundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|No, seriously, this guy is Thundercracker.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Basic, 1996)
**''Accessories'': Two-part rifle

: Sharing a mold once again with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], Thundercracker transforms into a green Dassault Rafale fighter jet with spring-loaded one-step transformation from jet to robot. The two halves of his rifle store in his lower legs. Like all ''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]'' toys, Thundercracker was an [[exclusive]] to Kay-Bee stores and related stores like Toy Liquidators.

: This mold was originally developed for ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'', but was canceled when that line went under. It is unknown if it was intended to be a new character or a recurring one, though odds are it would have been later [[redeco]]ed into a recurring character if the former was true.

: This mold was also used to make ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]'' [[Dirge (BWII)|Dirge]], ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Skyfire (RID)|Skyfire]], ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' [[Wingstun]], and the "[[Dawn of Future's Past]]" version of [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]]. The toy was repurposed as the [[Thundercracker drone]]s.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Machine Wars Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Collector's Edition===
{{anchor|collectorsedition}}
[[File:G1toy reissue thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (reissue, 2001)
**''ID number:'' '''24'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
:The original Thundercracker toy was reissued for the first time in 2001 as part of Takara's small "Collector's Edition" series, which made several Generation 1 toys available as convention [[exclusive]]s. Sold in new open-faced packaging with no notable changes from the original figure, Thundercracker was an exclusive at the Japanese science fiction convention "Super Festival 21", available only in a set with Skywarp and limited to 1000 pieces. The pair are often mistakenly identified as [[e-HOBBY]] exclusives.

::*''[http://shmax.com/product_details/1323/24_thundercracker More information on Collector's Edition Thundercracker at Shmax.com]''
{{-}}

===Commemorative Series===
{{anchor|commemorativeseries}}
[[File:G1toy commemorative series thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (reissue, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

:The original Thundercracker toy was made available again as part of Hasbro's line of [[The Transformers: Generation One Commemorative Series|Commemorative Series]] reissues in. Released in the third wave of the series, it featured functional missile launchers for the first time on a Hasbro version of the toy, but because the launchers now worked, both sets of missiles had to be lengthened [[for safety reasons]]. His incendiary guns didn't turn out ''too'' bad, but as you can see, the once-small rockets just wound up looking ''stupid''.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/CSThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Commemorative Series Thundercracker TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Smallest Transforming Transformers===
[[File:Smallest transforming thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You little Thunder Little Thunder you]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2004)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, left & right wings, left & right tailfins, landing gear

: Part of the third wave of ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' product (dubbed wave "2.5" and available only at CVS stores in Japan), Thundercracker is, of course, a redeco of this line's Starscream. Like all toys in the series, he is a tiny, simplified version of the original Generation 1 toy, transforming into an F-15 fighter jet. As with all previous waves of ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'', these figures were sold [[blindpacking|blindpacked]], with Thundercracker as one of the wave's two rare [[chase figure]]s (the other being a cartoon-colored version of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Combat Deck (G1)|trailer]]).

: The same mold is used by ''Smallest Transforming Transformers'' Skywarp and Thrust.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/SmallestThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Smallest Transforming Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Robotmasters===
[[File:RobotMastersThundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Light blue? Totally neon.]]
* '''Skywarp & Thundercracker''' (Multi-pack, 2005)
**''Accessories'': 2 rifles, 2 missile pods

: ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] from the same series, a smaller yet more advanced version of the original toy, adding more articulation and reducing the amount of [[Partformer|part-forming]] required. He was available only in a two-pack with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]], which also came with a Decepticon sigil pin and chromed missile pods. This set was the very last product released in the ''Robotmasters'' line, and wasn't even strictly sold in a box from that series; instead, it used an e-Hobby Generation 1 reissue box, with a small "''Robotmasters''" sticker in the corner tab noting its origin from the front.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Destron/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on ''Robotmasters'' Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[File:TitaniumHeroesWWThundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|I don't think I have enough little wings on my shoulders.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display base

: [[Titanium Series]] Thundercracker is based upon his appearance in [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s ''[[Transformers: The War Within|The War Within]]''. He transforms into a Cybertronian 'tetrajet', as reimagined by [[Don Figueroa]]. As with all 6-inch Titanium Cybertron Heroes, he is constructed mostly of fully painted die-cast metal.

: This mold was redecoed into ''[[War Within (toyline)|War Within]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Starscream]], [[Sunstorm (G1)#Titanium Series|Sunstorm]], [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Titanium Series|Skywarp]], and [[Thrust (G1)#Titanium Series|Thrust]].

: Yes. Thundercracker was here first.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Tit6Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Titanium Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Timelines===
{{anchor|botcon2007}}
[[File:Classics Thundercracker Toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|You want me, but you can't have me!]]
*'''Games of Deception!''' (Multi-pack, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Left & right launchers, 2 missiles

: Much clamored for by fans following the release of ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'' Starscream and Skywarp in order to complete the original Seeker trio, ''Classics'' Thundercracker was eventually released as part of the "Games of Deception" boxset exclusive to [[BotCon 2007]], along with [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bugbite]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], only 1500 of which were produced. He is, naturally, a [[redeco]] of the ''Classics'' Starscream toy, using the slightly modified version of the mold first seen with Skywarp which features shoulders with a decreased slope and a fifth rectangular marking.

: Like the other entries in the ''Classics'' series, Thundercracker is a faithful "modernizing" of his original Generation 1 form, updating his original toy with modern standards of toy engineering, transformation, sculpting detail and articulation. He still transforms into an F-15 Eagle, but has the nose of an [[wikipedia:F-14 Tomcat|F-14 Tomcat]] fighter jet, and sports a shade of blue closer to that of his ''[[Diaclone]]'' progenitor. As ever, he is armed with a pair of missile launchers, which can mount under his wings, on his shoulders, or in his fists, and fire spring-loaded projectiles. The large size of the missiles (necessary for safety reasons) restricts his arm movement somewhat in robot mode, as they bump into his wings. Like all ''Classics'' figures, he has a heat-activated rubsign, positioned along his fuselage as on his original toy.

:This mold was redecoed to create Thundercracker's ''[[#henkei|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' and ''[[#generations|Generations]]'' incarnations, as well as ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Henkei! Henkei!|Skywarp]], ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]] and Thundercracker's ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Thundercracker (SG)|counterpart]] (the latter figure later being [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Thundercracker himself). The toy has previously been significantly retooled to create ''Classics'' [[Ramjet (G1)#Henkei! Henkei!|Ramjet]], and that version of the mold was used for Thundercracker's ''Classics'' boxset partners Thrust and Dirge, as well as ''Henkei'' versions of all three, and ''Generations'' versions of the latter two.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/BCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Classics Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}{{anchor|sgam}}
[[File:SGtoy-Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|They don't make F-15s like that any more. Or ever.]]
*'''Galvatron''' / '''Thundercracker''' ([[BotCon 2011]] souvenir set)
**''Accessories'': Left & right launchers, 2 missiles
: ''Shattered Glass'' Thundercracker is a redeco of the previous ''Timelines'' Thundercracker figure (itself a redeco of ''Classics'' Starscream, [[#botcon2007|see above]]) in a [[neon|buffet of colors]] as a visual homage to the Generation 1 [[#ActionMaster|''Action Master'' Thundercracker]] action figure. He was available exclusively at BotCon 2011 in an add-on souvenir set with [[Megatron (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Galvatron]], in limited quantities of 1800.

: [[Fun Publications]] originally proposed this redeco for the attendee freebie figure for [[BotCon 2010]], but the mold was being used for ''Generations'' Thrust by Hasbro at the time and thus unavailable, and so [[Slicer (Decepticon)|Slice]] was produced instead. In the same way that the Slice figure represented both the Generation 1 Decepticon Action Master and [[Wheeljack (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Wheeljack]], this Thundercracker represents both the original Thundercracker and his ''Shattered Glass'' counterpart, and was intended to come with two separate bio cards to reflect this. The Generation 1 bio was nixed during production, but was later published in [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 42|issue #42]] of the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Official Collectors' Club magazine]], officializing the toy's "dual identity" and securing it a spot on this page.

: This mold was also used for a buttload of other [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]; again, see above, 'cause we're not typing that all out again.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/BCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Shattered Glass Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Henkei! Henkei!===
{{anchor|henkei}}
[[File:Henkei Thundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb| You could have had me . . . but even then you might not want me.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' 2 missile launchers (left and right), 2 missiles

: ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Thundercracker is a Genbo store exclusive redeco of ''Henkei! Henkei!'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]]. He features a metallic flake blue version of his cartoon color scheme, rather than his darker blue Generation 1 toy colour scheme. ''Henkei'' Thundercracker and his fellow [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]] were opened for pre-order on [[May 22]]nd through [[June 20]], and mailed out in September 2008. A second batch was made available on [[November 6]]th, 2008.

:Soon after release, there were numerous complaints from both Japanese and Western collectors about the poor quality control for both Thundercracker and Skywarp. Thundercracker in particular suffered from a widespread issue where his missile launchers did not fit into the holes in his shoulders, due to the holes being too big. Some reported both toys suffering misassembly issues such as having two left or two right thighs.

:Several minor changes were made to this mold for this release. The holes for his missile launchers in his arms were widened, but not the launcher's insertion pegs. The wing's missile launcher insertion points were lengthened and are now curved at the end. The last rectangle on his air intakes, was further modified from the Classics version this time the bottom most rectangle goes completely across the air intake's surface rather than just the center. ''Henkei! Henkei!'' Skywarp and ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Generation 1 Series|Starscream]] also saw most of these changes.

:The second release (while extremely limited) did not see any of the quality control issues of the early, more heavily produced release. This version of Thundercracker uses the 2nd version of the Classics Seeker mold that was reinstated with [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Henkei.21 Henkei.21|Ghost Starscream]] and all subsequent releases thus far. Oddly these versions of Thundercracker do not feature a date stamp etched into his leg like the earlier release.

{{-}}

===Masterpiece===
[[File:MP Thundercracker toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Hey, at least I'm ''meant'' to be [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|blue]].]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (November 2008)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MP-7'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 "Machine Guns", 2 AIM missile racks, Doctor Arkeville pilot, Megatron Gun clasp, display stand

:A redeco of ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Starscream]], ''Masterpiece'' Thundercracker eschews the cartoon accuracy that the line normally strives for, transforms into a highly-accurate F-15 Eagle while sporting a more stylized robot mode. He comes with all the features and accessories included with the previous release of the mold: flip-up missile racks built into his pectorals, a two-piece display stand that can be configured to display the figure in mid-flight in either jet or robot mode, a miniature [[Doctor Arkeville]] figurine that fits in his cockpit (now cast in blue plastic), a clip to hold the gun mode Megatron that came with ''Masterpiece'' Optimus Prime in jet-mode, and an extensive sheet of optional stickers to allow buyers to customize him to their liking. Also like Starscream and Skywarp, Thundercracker features a rotating face with two swappable expressions; a normal, stoic gaze (retooled from Starscream's original one, despite the popular misconception that it is the same) and a new growling glare, replete with bared teeth.

:Some ''Masterpiece'' Thundercrackers feature an assembly error: His left and right pectorals are flipped. This misassembly does not affect transformation at all, and is most noticeable when compared to prior ''Masterpiece'' Seekers. The 2008 pressing of ''Masterpiece'' Skywarp also features this part swap.

:This mold was also used for the ''Masterpiece'' version of [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Masterpiece|Skywarp]]. It was also redecoed and retooled to create the eleventh ''Masterpiece'' figure, [[Starscream (G1)/toys#MP11|Starscream]], which was then redecoed to create [[Sunstorm (G1)#Masterpiece|Sunstorm]].

{{-}}
*'''Thundercracker''' (November 2015)
**''ID Number'': '''MP-11T'''
**''Accessories'': 2 null rays, hologram pilot figurine
{{anchor|MP-11T}}
:Released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive, MP-11T Thundercracker is a redeco of [[Starscream_(G1)/toys#MP11|MP-11 Masterpiece Starscream]], with its coloration based on his animation model. The figure was limited to 2000 pieces.

{{comingsoontoy}}

===Encore===
{{anchor|encore}}
[[File:G1toy encore skywarp thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Skywarp & Thundercracker''' (reissue multi-pack, 2008)
**''ID number'' '''11'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear

:Thundercracker's original toy was reissued again as part of TakaraTomy's ''[[Transformers Encore|Encore]]'' series, this time in a two-pack with his erstwhile partner, Skywarp. This release of the figure is cast in a less metallic blue plastic than previous release, and features tampographed wing stripes and Decepticon insignias instead of stickers.

{{-}}

===Alternity===
[[File:Alternitytoy thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker Sonic Blue''' (2010)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''A-04'''

:Thundercracker is a redeco of ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Alternity|Skywarp]], transforming into a licensed 1:32 scale [[wikipedia:Mitsuoka Orochi|Mitsuoka Orochi]]. Thundercracker replaces Skywarp's purple, flat black, light purple, and metallic gray for metallic blue, glossy black, light blue, and silver. Like the other toys in the line, he features [[die-cast]] metal parts and rubber tires, as well as an opening hood, trunk and doors. This is also currently the only ''Alternity'' mold to feature [[Kibble#"Faux-parts"|a fake kibble chest]].

:In car mode, small wings are ''supposed to'' be able to flip out from under Thundercracker's rear wheels, giving him the appearance of a flying car. Unfortunately, this [[gimmick]] suffers from a rather nasty [[design flaw]]: there is simply not enough clearance under the car for the wheels to be able to pass and hinge through, and attempting to do so will result in the plastic reinforcement struts underneath ''deforming the rims and chipping the tires''. His door panels also tend to detach from their [[ball joint]]s ''very easily''.

:This mold was also used to make ''Alternity'' [[Banzai-Tron (G1)#Alternity|Banzai-Tron]], while the original version of it was used by ''Alternity'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Alternity|Starscream]].

{{-}}

===Generations===
[[File:Genthundercracker.JPG|right|upright=1.67|thumb|You could have me, and you probably want me.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2011)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right launchers, 2 missiles

: Part of the seventh wave of [[2010]]-[[2011]] ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' toys, Thundercracker is a third redeco of the ''Classics'' Starscream mold, and the first one to be released to mass retail.

: This version of Thundercracker features a darker blue than both the greenish-blue of the BotCon release, and the blue of the Henkei! Henkei! release. He also features a new deco layout and different striping from any of the previous versions. In the stock photo provided, he is slightly mis-transformed at the ankles.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Generations Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Legends}}
[[File:Generationstoy-LegendsThundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|As if the guns on his arms weren't enough.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Legends, 2012)
**''Accessories'': Two guns

:[[Legends Class]] Thundercracker is redeco of ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers:]] [[Reveal the Shield]]'' Legends Class [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Transformers (2010)|Starscream]], with [[retool]]ed hands and holes in his wings compatible with [[C joint|3mm post]]s. Thundercracker's deco is slightly different from the EZ collection figure, omitting the black paint on his shins in favor of giving him full-color [[Decepticon]] [[insignia]]s on his wings, and a black painted nosecone. He comes with two compatible guns that are heavily based on Generation 1 Thundercracker's Incendiary Guns (based more on the [[character model|animation model]] rather than the original toy). Each gun features two posts, allowing them to mount/be held in different ways.

:Originally developed by Hasbro Asia for release in their territories, Thundercracker was later released together with various other formerly "Asian market exclusive" toys as a [[Toys"R"Us|ToysЯUs]] exclusive in the [[United States of America|United States]] for the 2012 holiday season.

:The retooled version of this sculpt (including the guns) was later used for a [[variant#running changes|running change variant]] of a "Dollar Store" exclusive version of [[Starscream (G1)/toys#DollarLegends|Starscream]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/GDOThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Legends Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|UltimateGiftSet}}
[[File:Generationstoy-UltimateGiftSet.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|right]]
*'''Ultimate Gift Set''' (2012)
**''Accessories'': 2 guns

:This unchanged release of Legends Class Thundercracker comes packed with ''Generations'' Legends Class [[Motormaster (G1)#UltimateGiftSet|Motorbreath]], as well as Deluxe Class [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#UltimateGiftSet|Combat Hero Optimus Prime]] and a ''Generation 2''-styled Deluxe Class [[Jazz (G1)/toys#UltimateGiftSet|Autobot Jazz]].

:The Ultimate Gift Set is an online retailer exclusive in the United States, but is available at general retail in Hasbro's Asian markets.

{{-}}{{anchor|SDCCMetroplex}}
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''01 OF 30'''

: An [[exclusive]] version of Titan Class [[Metroplex (G1)#SDCC|Metroplex]] was made available at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2013. He comes with 12 small, non-transforming figurines of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#SDCCMetroplex|Bumblebee]], Thundercracker, [[Trailbreaker (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Trailcutter]], and [[Hoist (G1)#SDCCMetroplex|Hoist]], all in both modes. Similarly to [[Decoy]]s, the Autobot figurines are cast in red plastic, and the Decepticons in purple.

:While the figurines in this set are not named, the Seeker in this set is likely Thundercracker, based on the fact that the other ten figurines are based on characters from the first two waves of ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Deluxe Class toys, the second of which includes Thundercracker.

{{-}}{{anchor|HKACGCONMetroplex}}
[[File:Generationstoy-T30-Metroplex-Thundercracker-HKACGCON.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Metroplex''' (Titan Class, 2013)
**'''05 OF 30'''

: Another exclusive version of Titan Class [[Metroplex (G1)#HKACGCON|Metroplex]] was made available at [[Hong Kong ACG-CON]] 2013. This Metroplex also has the 12 figurines of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Orion Pax]], [[Megatron (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Megatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#HKACGCONMetroplex|Bumblebee]], Thundercracker, [[Trailbreaker (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Trailcutter]], and [[Hoist (G1)#HKACGCONMetroplex|Hoist]], but casts the Autobot figurines in gold plastic, and the Decepticons in silver.

{{-}}{{anchor|Thrilling30}}
[[File:Generationstoy-Thrilling30Thundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2013)
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / #006'''
**''Japanese release date:'' '''[[March 29|03-29]]-[[2014]]'''
**''Accessories:'' Two assault cannons, tail-fin

: Part of the sixth wave of [[2012]]-onwards ''Generations'' Deluxe Class toys, ''[[Thrilling 30]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Generations: [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' Starscream, and transforms into a Cybertronian jet fighter. He comes with two spinning, triple-barreled cannons which can combine to form a larger hand-held weapon that is geared to spin its two triple-barrels together, and resembles the [[Neutron assault rifle]] from ''Fall of Cybertron''. Each of the weapon halves features two [[5mm post]]s, as well as a peg-hole on their hollow sides, while the combined form features another peg-hole at the top, but makes the peg-holes on the hollow sides inaccessible. Thundercracker features numerous 5mm peg-holes, such as his hands, forearms, lower legs, and wing undersides.

:Thundercracker's tail-fin is attached via a 5mm post on its underside, and can be detached to reveal three additional peg-holes, with two of these peg-holes being just the right distance to accommodate the combined assault cannons/rifle, with the tail-fin pegging on the rifle's top peg-hole. This allows the weapon to mount on top of the [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], and store on his back in robot mode.

:Thundercracker is minimally mis-transformed in-package: his jet mode nosecone is extended, rather than folded in as it should be in robot mode. He comes packaged with a copy of [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] '[[The Hunting Party (IDW)|Spotlight: Thundercracker]]'.

:The Japanese release of Thundercracker features a shiny metallic finish and an orange canopy, as well as a few different paint details such as black kneecaps and silver on his face and gun barrels. He was sold exclusively at select Edion, Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki, and Best Denki stores, and did not come with a comic.

:Despite using a mold and deco matching [[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]'s appearance in ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]'', this toy ''technically'' represents G1 Thundercracker, thanks to his [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] pack-in fiction. Consequently, the toy is listed in the former's page as a [[repurposing]]. This toy was also utilized as ''[[Transformers Cloud|Cloud]]'' Thundercracker and was also redecoed into TakaraTomy ''Fall of Cybertron'' [[Skywarp (WFC)#Generations|Skywarp]] as well as ''Thrilling 30'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#Generations|Skywarp]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/GenThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thrilling 30 Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
{{anchor|CWLegends}}
[[File:Generations 30 legends Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Legends, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' 2 cannons
:Part of the first wave of [[Combiner Wars]] Legends toys, Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Thrilling 30'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#GenLegends|Starscream]], based on [[Guido Guidi]]'s Seeker design from IDW's [[The Transformers (IDW)|original ongoing series]]. Thundercracker includes a collector card featuring art from the "[[To the Rescue]]" episode of ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]''.

:This mold was also used to make ''Thrilling 30'' [[Acid Storm (G1)#GenLegends|Acid Storm]] and ''Combiner Wars'' [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#GenLegends|Skywarp]].
{{-}}
{{anchor|CWLeader}}
[[File:Generations Leader TC.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2.2|Seven guns but no [[Buster (IDW)|dog]].]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Leader, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' Missile launcher, missile, 2 arm cannons, 2 leg cannons, 2 "Seeker guns"

:Thundercracker is an extensive retool of ''Generations Thrilling 30'' Leader [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], replacing the head, chest, upper arms, and wings so as to resemble the same Guidi design as the preceding Legends Class figure. He transforms from a robot into a jet fighter, and includes Jetfire's original missile launcher and four limb-mounted weapons, plus two new guns based on the traditional Seeker arm rifles. He also features a faux cockpit.

:Thundercracker does not include Jetfire's "Turbo Thruster" booster pack accessory, but is still compatible with it.

:This mold will also be used to make ''Generations [[Combiner Wars]]'' Leader Class [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]].
{{--}}

===Chronicle===
[[File:Chronicletoy ez thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You ''used'' to want me, but now I just feel [[#Legends|inadequate]].]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (EZ Collection, 2011)

:''[[Transformers Chronicle|Chronicle]]'' Thundercracker is a redeco of ''Transformers'' Legends Class Starscream. He transforms into an F-15 with many fuselage details borrowed from the Masterpiece version. This is the first Seeker mold in many years to attempt an entirely new transformation, with the arms now forming the rear of the jet and the legs folding under the wings. Thundercracker was available only in Japan, and like many Japanese "EZ Collection" toys, is [[blindpacking|blindpacked]].

:Surprisingly, Thundercracker was made available months before Starscream was released in the same line.
{{-}}

===Bot Shots===
[[Image:Bot_Shots_Thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (2012)
**''Series'': '''1'''
**''Number'': '''B009'''
***''Fist strength'': '''255'''
***''Blaster strength'': '''800'''
***''Sword strength'': '''565'''

:Part of the third wave of ''[[Bot Shots (toyline)|Bot Shots]]'', Thundercracker is unsurprisingly a redeco of [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]], turning into a [[super deformed]] jet. An impact to the jet's nose will trigger his spring-loaded transformation back to robot mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/BSThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===BeCool===
*'''Blue Jet (Thundercracker) ''' (2013)
**''ID number'': '''B14'''

:''[[Bot Shots (toyline)#BeCool|BeCool]]'' "Blue Jet" is practically identical to the ''Bot Shots'' Thundercracker toy, the only difference being that his stickers don't depict power levels but instead drawings of his vehicle mode, a jet's cockpit interior and a fighter pilot's helmet.

===Transformers (2010)===
[[File:TRU Masterpiece Thundercracker.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|You probably want me, but you can't afford me.]]
* '''Masterpiece Thundercracker''' (2012)
**''Accessories:'' Two AIM missile racks, hologram pilot, Megatron gun clasp, display stand

:A redeco of the newer ''Masterpiece'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#MP11|MP-11 Starscream]] mold, [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|''Transformers'' (2010)]] Thundercracker features some extensive retooling to wind the ''Masterpiece'' Seeker design back into Kawamori's original, more Generation 1-accurate look, with most of the robot mode being newly tooled parts, including chunkier legs that now incorporate his tail-fins, [[retool]]ed shoulders and wingtips that no longer curve into one another, a new head (with collapsible head fins), new heel spurs that flip out for added support in robot mode, and re-engineered Incendiary Guns attached to extending armatures that mean they no longer have to be [[Partformer|removed]] for transformation.

:He comes with nearly all the accessories included with the previous Hasbro releases of the mold (with Dr. Arkeville being replaced with the newer hologram pilot figurine). The figure features flip-up missile racks built into his pectorals, as well as the original missile racks (with this defeating the purpose of the armature now used for the arm cannons), a two-piece display stand that can be configured to display the figure in mid-flight in either jet or robot mode, and a clip to hold the gun mode Megatron that came with ''Masterpiece'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#20th Anniversary/Masterpiece|Optimus Prime]] in jet-mode.

:Masterpiece Thundercracker features several whimsical [[tampograph]]s, which include Thundercracker holding [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] in tape deck mode, [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] in camera mode, "'''D-24'''" (Thundercracker's Japanese line designation), and various call outs to Hasbro designers, such as "'''[[Joe Kyde|LTC Joe 'Big Daddy' Kyde]]'''" and "'''Cpt. J. 'Dragon' Sass'''". The stock photos of the figure (as shown to the right), however, show all-red Reflector tampographs on the front of his shoulders; on the actual production toy, Reflector appears in full color on the ''back'' of the shoulders (visible on the sides of Thundercracker's jet mode), while the front of his shoulders features the ''Classics'' angled shoulder stripes, colored red to match his ''Generations'' figure.

:Curiously, the accessories, packaging, and instructions for Masterpiece Thundercracker are all specific to the older version of the mold (prior to the changes for MP-11 Starscream), and the packaging recycles the [[package art]] from ''Generations'' Thundercracker and features no pictures of the actual toy itself. The figure may have been intended for release with the older version of the Masterpiece Seeker mold before changes were made to use the newer version of the mold.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Decepticon/MPThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Hasbro Masterpiece Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===United===
[[File:United Thundercracker Toy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|To think that a few years ago, there wasn't enough of me to go around...]]
* '''Seekers: Aces''' ([[December 21]], 2012)
**''Accessories:'' Left & right launchers, 2 missiles
:''[[Transformers United|United]]'' Thundercracker is a fifth redeco of the ''Classics'' Starscream mold, and the first time he is offered with both of his wing mates [[Starscream (G1)/toys|Starscream]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/toys|Skywarp]].
: This version of Thundercracker is heavily based on his cartoon appearance. He features a light blue (lighter than the Henkei! Henkei! figure), dark gray paint on most of his black plastic, an amber cockpit, and shiny metallic blue paint on his shoulders and collar. Paint operations found on the Henkei! Henkei! release were shuffled around for the sake of cartoon accuracy.
{{-}}

===Construct-Bots===
* '''Thundercracker''' (Scout, 2013)
**''Pieces: '''41'''
: Part of Wave 2 of Construct-Bots Scouts, Thundercracker can transform into a jet.

: Surprisingly, Thundercracker is not a [[redeco]] of the [[Starscream (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Starscream]] Construct-Bots toy, but does borrow most of his parts. His head is a retool of Starscream's, changing his smirk into an angrier face. Instead of using [[Blitzwing (G1)#Construct-Bots|Blitzwing]]'s wing and gatling gun parts, Thundercracker uses Triple-Changer [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Bumblebee]]'s wing, back armor, and nosecone parts, as well as [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|Megatron]]'s blasters.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/CBThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

==Merchandise==
===Decoy===
[[File:Decoy thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
*'''Destron Hero Collection 22''' (multi-pack, 1986)
*'''Mini Mini Collection''' (multi-pack, 1986)

:Thundercracker was among the many characters rendered by [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] as part of their series of 1.5" ''keshigomu'' figurines. Like all the Decepticons in the series, Thundercracker was molded in soft purple rubber, and featured a number sculpted into his back that was the sum total of his [[Tech Spec]]s, for use in the various games that could be played with the figurines. He is, surprisingly enough, ''not'' identical to either Starscream or Skywarp: the stance of his legs and the position of his Decepticon symbols differ, but he is, of course, most prominently distinguished by his raised right arm.

:Thundercracker was available as part of a 22-piece box set of Decepticon figures, in a peach coloration in several other box sets, including the Decepticon "Mini Mini Collection", and in a wide variety of colours in "gachapon" capsule machines.

*'''Thundercracker''' (1987)
**''Decoy number:'' '''34'''

: The Thundercracker figurine was later brought over to [[Hasbro]] markets as part of the [[Decoy]] promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number (34, in Thundercracker's case). Like all Decepticon Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded [[Throttlebot]]s, [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], and was, very early on in the promotion, available in an alternate red coloration that was only packed in with the Throttlebots. Unsurprisingly, this red figurine is much rarer.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Decoys/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Decoy Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Super Collection Figure===
[[File:Scf thundercracker.jpg|thumb|right]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2001)

: A three-inch tall [[plastic|PVC]] figurine of Thundercracker was available as part of the fourth wave of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' line, a redeco of the Starscream figure from the same series. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve [[blindpacking|blindpacked]] figures. In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Thundercracker came with the left leg of the wave's collectable [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] build-a-figure.

: This mold was redecoed to create Skywarp, Sunstorm and the [[Air Warrior]]s in the ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line (see below), and retooled into Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Destron/PewterThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Pewter Super Collection Figure Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Heroes of Cybertron===
[[File:HOC Thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)

: Released in the second wave of Hasbro's ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' line, this version of Thundercracker differs from his ''Super Collection Figure'' incarnation in several ways. Like all the ''Heroes'' figures, he was cast entirely in translucent plastic then painted over, leaving his eyes and the back of his head unpainted to create a [[light-piping]] effect. Moreover, ''Heroes'' Thundercracker features grey pectorals instead of white, black forearms instead of grey (to match his helmet and feet), and a yellow cockpit instead of an orange one. He was sold in individual blister packaging with a profile card.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/HoCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Heroes of Cybertron Thundercracker at TFU.info]''

* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)

: ''Heroes of Cybertron'' Thundercracker was also available in a six-pack with Starscream, Skywarp and three [[Air Warrior]]s. This set was offered by [[3H Productions|3H]] at [[OTFCC 2003]] and elsewhere.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/OTFCCThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on 3H's Heroes of Cybertron Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===MyClone===
[[File:Myclone thundercracker.jpg|right|thumb]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (2003)
**''Accessories:'' Grey display base

:''[[MyClone]]'' Thundercracker—who you won't be surprised to hear is a redeco of ''MyClone'' Starscream—was one of two rare chase figures in the second wave of Takara's line of [[super deformed]] PVC figurines (the other being [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#MyClone|"Lava" Galvatron]]). He comes with a hexagonal grey display stand that can link up with the identical stands included with other MyClone figures, and his modular design allows his parts to be mixed and matched with those of any other MyClone figure.

{{-}}

===Titanium Series===
[[File:Titanium-toy RMThundercracker.JPG|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Complete with rocket exhaust. Or possibly [[Goo]]. Or possibly oh dear god please let it be rocket exhaust or Goo.]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand

: A redeco of "Robot Masters" Starscream, Thundercracker is a small, non-transforming die-cast metal figurine based on his cartoon [[character model]]. He is sculpted holding a gun in his left hand and stretching out his right arm, while using his feet-jets to fly up.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/TitThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on Titanium Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[File:Robotheroesjazzthundercracker.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|Now who's geeky?]]
* '''Jazz Vs Thundercracker''' (2007)

: A redeco of ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' Starscream, Thundercracker is a two inch high figure sculpted in a [[super deformed]] style and articulated at the shoulders. He was available in a two-pack with [[Jazz (G1)/toys|Jazz]]. This mold was later redecoed as Skywarp in the "Decepticon Sneak Attack" set.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/RHThundercracker/thundercracker.htm More information on ''Robot Heroes'' Thundercracker at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Palisades===
[[File:PalisadesThundercracker.jpg|thumb|Thundercracker [[Wikipedia:Jeff Dunham|on a ''stiiick'']].]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Palisades, 2005)

:A [[Palisades Toys|Palisades Direct]]-exclusive redeco of the Starscream statue, Thundercracker is a six inch tall polystone statue with articulated head and arms. He can stand normally or use a stand to take on a "hovering" pose. Thundercracker was limited to 300 pieces, and sculpted by [[3L Creation Group]] from a design by [[George Tremarco]].

{{-}}

===Transformers - Mini Bust===
[[File:DST08 ThundercrackerBust.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.1]]
* '''Thundercracker''' (Diamond Select, 2008)
:Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2008, Thundercracker was first exclusive to the [[New York Comic Con]] and later on offered by online retailer Big Bad Toy Store. He was sculpted by [[Mark Wong]] of [[Art Asylum]] and limited to 400 pieces.
{{-}}

===D-Style===
*'''Thundercracker''' (2015)
**''ID number:''
**''Accessories:'' Replacement faces and hands

:A super deformed Skywarp model kit produced by [[Kotobukiya]] as part of their franchise-spanning ''[[D-Style]]'' line. It comes in a two pack along with [[Skywarp (G1)/toys#D-Style|Skywarp]].

:This mold was also used to make ''D-Style'' [[Starscream (G1)/toys#D-Style|Starscream]].
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Alternity Decepticons]]
[[Category:Bot Shots Decepticons]]
[[Category:BotCon exclusives]]
[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Construct-Bots Decepticons]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons]]
[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Mail order items]]
[[Category:Masterpiece]]
[[Category:MyClone]]
[[Category:Robotmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:SDCC exclusives]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]

Energon

2015-06-06T15:09:37Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{disambig3|Energon}}
{{featured}}
[[File:EnergonCubesCartoon1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Taste the not-so-rainbow-but-shiny-pink]]
'''Energon''' (sometimes spelled with a capital letter, sometimes not<ref>Original Sunbow documentation from the production of the Generation 1 cartoon series (as seen on the [[Metrodome]] DVD collections, among other places) alternates between spelling the fuel's name with an upper- and a lower-case "e", with the lower-case option appearing more frequently—a standard reflected in other contemporary media such as the [[Action Cards]], and even publications as recent as the [[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|''Timelines'' stories]] written by [[Greg Sepelak]] and [[Trent Troop]]. Only in recent years, beginning in force around the time of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' franchise, has the upper-case "Energon" become more pervasive, with perhaps the earliest example being its intermittent use in ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[instructions]] sheets (in reference to the line's [[rubsign]]s, which would alternately be called "Energon Chips", "Energon chips" and "energon chips". Most recently, the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' and the ''Timelines'' stories by [[Jesse Wittenrich]] have used the capital-E spelling. This article opts to use the original lower-case as the default, using the upper-case for continuities where it has been explicitly spelled that way.</ref>) is the preferred fuel of the [[Transformer]] race. It takes many forms, including ore, crystal, gas, and raw energy, but it is most commonly used by Transformers in its liquid state, which is stored in many different mediums, most famously the [[energon cube]]. It is ubiquitous in [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] culture; in addition to being the Transformers' primary "foodstuff", it also serves as the default power source for their machines and weapons, and is even used as a currency, a catch-all fuel of life, technology, war and commerce on Cybertron and beyond. This widespread use also comes in defiance of its extreme volatility: energon is prone to detonating explosively if mishandled, and is even used as ammunition in order to exploit this attribute.

True energon is an emanation of [[Primus]], the creator-god of the Transformers, and is, in its most [[Rarified Energon|rareified state]], the basic building block of Transformers' bodies and [[spark]]s. A highly coveted substance, it is sometimes capable of inducing remarkable transformations in Cybertronians, [[spontaneous recoloration|reshaping and otherwise altering]] their bodies while imbuing great strength and other powers, either temporary or permanent depending on the duration or strength of exposure. True energon is, however, extremely rare: in most [[universal stream]]s, the Transformers' long [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|war]] has left Cybertron drained of all but the smallest fraction of the substance, and although it ''has'' been known to exist on a small sampling of other planets throughout the multiverse (usually [[Earth]]), its paucity leaves the Transformers usually subsisting on artificially-generated substitutes created from other local energy sources.

{{bigquote|They're all after this stuff called Energon, which is kinda like food and gas and blood and electricity all mixed into one.|[[Raf Esquivel]]|[[Raf's Notes]]}}

==Conceptual history==
Energon has undergone extensive redefinition and reimagination over the past 30+ years of Transformers fiction.

[[File:Energon cube design evolution.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Layered, iridescent cubes alternated their screentime with non-layered ones before being supplanted entirely by purple ones.]]

When it was originally introduced in the [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|first episode]] of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon series]], energon was a liquid fuel used by the [[Decepticon]]s and stored in [[Energon cube|cubes]], which was created by processing virtually any available energy resource; in the opening mini-series alone, [[oil]], [[Sherman Dam|hydro-electric power]], [[ruby crystal]]s and rocket fuel were all converted into energon, and many more types of energy would be used by the villains throughout the show's run. The cubes themselves began a visual evolution almost immediately: in "More than Meets the Eye", they were stacked high and filled with the energy in question, then compressed, taking on a layered appearance and an iridescent rainbow coloration, though they also appeared as solid cubes without the layered effect. Immediately following the mini-series, however, in "[[Transport to Oblivion]]", the stacking-and-compressing idea was omitted, and the cubes were instead colored a glowing purple-pink. This was the only time the cubes were depicted this way in season one; otherwise, they remained rainbow-hued, and alternated between layered and non-layered, for the remainder of the season and the early portion of season two, until the purple-pink cubes reappeared in "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and suddenly became the standard depiction of energon for the remainder of the cartoon—and indeed, the default coloration for energon in much future media.

It was very rarely overtly stated, but at this point in time, energon was treated as an exclusively-Decepticon energy; [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] had never heard of it in the pilot episode, while "[[Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots]]" presented the Autobots as using [[recharging chamber]]s to re-energize, and "[[Traitor]]" involved [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] puzzling over where [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] would have acquired energon from. This standard began to slip towards the end of the second season, presumably by accident rather than a deliberate change in policy—[[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] spoke of having an "[[energon pump]]" in his body in "[[Sea Change]]", while "[[Masquerade]]" had the Autobots using [[energon bar]]s to hold the captive [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], and frustratingly, "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]" depicted energon in use on Cybertron millions of years beforehand. The divide was eventually broken in a more conscious way by ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', which had the Autobots using energon cubes and [[energon goodie|goodies]]. The movie's original script justified this change by explaining that [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] had been built to harness renewable, natural energy sources, thus supplying the Autobots with energon. The Autobots continued to use energon throughout the third season, and far beyond, with the idea of it being of Decepticon purview alone never revisited in any subsequent fiction.

[[File:Raw energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The raw form of natural energon has taken several different forms in different continuities, including crystals and ore.]]

The [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Generation 1 comic]] treated energon much like the cartoon did, depicting it as cubes produced by the processing of other energy sources, albeit freely used by both Autobots and Decepticons. The first piece of fiction to re-examine energon was, surprisingly, the short-lived and comparatively obscure 1987 comic ''[[Transformers in 3-D]]'' by [[Blackthorne Publishing]]. The first issue of the series, "[[The Test (issue)|The Test]]", was the first story to explicitly present energon as something other than an artificially-generated fuel, establishing that it also existed as a unique natural element. Through pleasant coincidence, the idea of natural energon returned and gained widespread acknowledgement in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon in 1996, where it was depicted as a highly unstable, naturally-occurring [[energon crystal|crystalline mineral]] that emitted dangerous radiation. In 2003, [[Dreamwave Productions]] directly incorporated the ''Beast Wars'' depiction of energon into its continuity, reconciling it with the liquid energon of Generation 1 by explaining that the liquid could be created by processing either the crystals, or, as seen in the cartoon, other natural resources. Later still, [[IDW Publishing]]'s continuity would specifically refer to energon created from sources other than natural energon as "artificial".

The series to truly redefine energon was, fittingly enough, the ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' franchise. Taking its cue from ''Beast Wars'', the energon of ''Energon'' also existed naturally and was dangerous to Transformers before being processed into a usable form. Beyond these facts, however, it was scarcely recognizable as any of the substances seen in previous fiction, possessed as it was of several strange, unusual, and indeed, nigh-on ''magical'' powers, including the ability to cause full-body reconfiguration. Perhaps this was not so surprising, however, as ''Energon'' was the first series to depict the fuel as the creation of the nigh-magical Primus, who appeared in this series as a glowing orb of energon itself, and who had produced energon as part of a grand destiny for the Cybertronian race.

The 2007 live-action movie universe revisited the importance ''Energon'' had placed upon the titular fuel, establishing it as the source of Transformer life itself. It wasn't name-checked in the [[Transformers (film)|first film]] itself, but rather in the [[Transformers The Game|video game adaptation]] of the movie, where it was revealed to be the energy emitted by the life-giving [[AllSpark]]; unsurprising, given that the AllSpark was originally to be called the "Energon Cube". Soon after, in 2008, the ''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (Comic Bun Bun)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' [[manga]] published in ''[[Comic Bun Bun]]'' combined some of the movie's ideas with the more "magical" concepts of ''Energon'', creating the power-boosting, body-transforming, vision-inducing [[Energon Cube]]. And while all this was going on, the ongoing comic book story published in the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Hasbro Transformers Collectors Club]] magazine introduced [[Rarified Energon]], revealing that it was not merely a ''fuel'', but actually the base substance from which Transformers were ''created'' at the molecular level. The fuel being a product of Primus and the base material of Transformer life were key points in the 2010 novel, ''[[Transformers: Exodus|Exodus]]''. With this knowledge, it might be safely theorized that the life-giving energy of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] is also a form of energon; something that had actually been claimed by the anomalous-at-the-time ''[[The Transformers Trilogy|Transformers Trilogy]]'' novels.

[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]] gave further varieties of energon including a [[Tox-En|highly toxic form]] and a [[Red Energon|speed inducing form]]. The [[Aligned continuity family]] as a whole also introduced and capitalized on [[Dark Energon|dark energon]], the blood of [[Unicron]] and counter to the substance associated with Primus.

And that's where we are on understanding energon right now. The natural version of it comes from Primus himself, usually just on Cybertron but sometimes on other planets, while the liquid cubes we've been seeing since 1984 are an artificial substitute. Phew. Now, for specifics on energon in all of this various fiction, read on.

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 continuity family===
====Generation 1 cartoon continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Energon cube]], [[energon-axe]], [[energon mace]], [[energon chains]], [[Energon Transfer Device]], [[energon convertor]], [[energon pump]], [[energon bar]], [[energon goodie]], [[energon infuser]]''
=====''The Transformers'' cartoon=====
[[File:Mtmte1 prepare the energon cubes.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Soundwave tests out a 'tapedeck enhancement' pill. Ahem.]]
The history of energon in this universe is confusing at best. It appears to have been in use on Cybertron in the distant past: the inhabitants of the colony world of [[Paradron]] were aware of it in the year 2006, despite fleeing Cybertron during [[Cybertronian Civil Wars|civil wars]] millions of years beforehand, {{storylink|Fight or Flee (episode)|Fight or Flee}} and nine million years ago, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Orion Pax]] and his [[Autobot]] dockworker companions were seen loading and transporting what very much appeared to be energon cubes as part of their daily routine. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}} These accounts, then, seem to stand in complete contradiction to the Autobots subsequent apparent ignorance and disuse of the fuel during their early years on Earth and the Decepticons' monopolization of it—but this would not be only time that Transformers were shown to have poor memories of their personal histories.<ref>Optimus Prime and [[Elita One]] completely forgot that Alpha Trion was their creator, for instance.</ref>

Over 1984 and 1985, energon cubes were solely seen being used by the Decepticons. The cubes were a self-sustaining forcefield framework with no internal mechanisms, which was capable of converting virtually any form of energy that entered it into liquid energon. The empty cubes initially had to be generated by [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]], {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} but other Decepticons eventually gained the ability to manifest them. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} The Autobots' lack of knowledge about energon was displayed almost immediately after Transformers awoke on [[Earth]] in 1984; upon learning of Megatron's plan to convert Earthly resources into the fuel, Hound could only report back to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] that the villains were intending to create "some kind of cube". {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} Indeed, even [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] showed a lack of familiarity with the cubes, driven as he was to test them so he could make sure they worked. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}}

[[File:TransporttoOblivion fillingcubes.jpg|225px|thumb|Filling up the tanks... err... I mean cubes...]]
The Decepticons created energon from a massive amount of varied resources during their time on earth, ranging from conventional electricity, oil and geothermal to more esoteric, extra-dimensional sources like [[antimatter]]. The exact nature of the conversion process was never detailed, but usually simply involved taking an empty energon cube and attaching it to, or placing it next to, the energy source to be drained. The cube itself then carried out the conversion, processing the energy into liquid energon that filled the cube. Sometimes, the process required an [[Energon Transfer Device]]. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} Energon was occasionally influenced by the source materials used to create it, sometimes taking on its properties: Cubes created with anti-matter, for instance, reacted violently due to prolonged exposure to normal matter {{storylink|Roll for It}} while the especially pure oil of [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|Carbombya]] yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that "smelled" different (according to [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]]) and created an instantly perceptible increase in vigor and strength in those who consumed it. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}} In addition to powering them personally, the Decepticons occasionally used energon for even more nefarious means; Megatron's arsenal included an [[energon mace]], {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} and the Decepticons once forged [[energon chains]] to bind the Autobots with. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[File:Gamblersmokescreenbets.jpg|left|thumb|225px|"Wait a minute." "What?" "Well, we're supposed to haggle."]]

Energon was first seen being used as a currency in the form of chips—by non-Cybertronians, no less—in the den of iniquity known as [[Sheol]], on the asteroid of [[Monacus]], where the Decepticons were running a protection racket, forcing local crime boss [[Gyconi|Lord Gyconi]] to pay them a cut of his profits. This dank place was also home to the first documented instance of Autobots running on energon, when Gyconi powered up a group of Autobots he had captured with an unstable brew that quickly depleted and left them defenseless during pit fights. {{storylink|The Gambler}}

Other than this forced instance, the Autobots refrained from using energon during their first year on Earth: [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] was heard to balk at the notion of Mirage having energon cubes, {{storylink|Traitor}} while the Autobots used [[recharging chamber]]s to re-energize themselves, rather than drinking energon. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}} Evidently, however, they began experimenting and using energon some time in 1985; when describing his physiology to the [[Tlalakan]] [[Alana]], [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray]] noted that he had an [[energon pump]] inside him, {{storylink|Sea Change}} and when they captured the Stunticons, the Autobots used [[energon bar]]s to imprison them. {{storylink|Masquerade}} By the year 2005, they had fully embraced energon as their own fuel, and began creating and storing it at Autobot City on Earth, using it to power their attempt to retake Cybertron after the planet fell entirely into Decepticon hands. The Autobots followed the Decepticons' lead in their use of energon cubes, but also created the bite-sized "[[energon goodie]]". {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}} By 2006, use of energon had become widespread enough in the galaxy that it was on the menu at a neutral alien space station visited by [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and [[Octane (G1)|Octane]], although their energon was served in the unique form of small orange wedges. {{storylink|Starscream's Ghost}}

[[File:Microbots overenergizing.jpg|thumb|275px|"''Red solo cup....I fill you up.....Lets have a partyyyyyyyyyy....''"]]

Liquid energon is measured in [[astroliter]]s. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}} Transformers consume energon in the same manner as [[human]]s eat or drink: by simply putting it in their open mouths. The liquid can be drunk from a whole cube, leaving the empty framework behind, {{storylink|Microbots}} but the framework itself is obviously safe to "eat" as well, as Transformers have also been seen biting into cubes, breaking pieces off to chew on, and in the case of particularly large individuals, eating them whole. {{storylink|Thief in the Night}}. Notably, breaking a chunk off a cube does not damage the structural integrity of either the cube or the removed piece; evidently, the forcefield resolves itself around the broken area to prevent spillage of the precious contents. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} Once consumed, energon is passed through an [[energon convertor]] within the Transformer's systems. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} Excessive consumption of energon results in "over-energizing", a state of inebriation accompanied by all the singing, burbling and reminiscing that you might expect. {{storylink|Microbots}} In emergency cases, a shot of energon can be injected directly into a Transformer's system with an [[energon infuser]]. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}}

{{note|Later media has classified the energy axe Optimus Prime wields in "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 2]]" as an "[[energon-axe]]", but this is something of a misnomer as far as cartoon continuity goes, as the only time he was seen to use the axe in this continuity was when the Autobots were not supposedly ''using'' energon.}}{{-}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
:''For further information, see: [[energon wine]], [[Energon Z]]''
[[File:Sixshot energon.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|When Sixshot is on the road, he carries his liquid energon in a Transformers lunchbox.]]
By the year 2011, Earth had also embraced the potential that energon held to solve its own energy crisis. Earth's ambassador to Cybertron, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], worked closely with the Autobots and teams of human scientists to develop new sources of energon, which was closely stockpiled, guarded and rationed between Cybertron, Earth and the Autobots' secondary headquarters on the planet [[Athenia]]. [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] had little tolerance for [[energon wine]], over-energizing after a single glass, {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} while Spike viewed the energon as so important that when the energy-starved planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]] sent a request for aid, he had to crunch the numbers to see if it was viable to share any! {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

The Decepticons also continued energon production, spreading their reach to more and more planets, raiding the worlds of [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}} [[Twin Star]], {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} [[Daros]], {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} [[Paradise]] {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} and the [[Pirate Planet]] {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}} as part of a master plan by [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] to accumulate a huge quantity of the fuel, which he would then use to help him integrate the very Earth into his body. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

[[File:EnergonZ.jpg|thumb|I love... lava lamp.]]
Galvatron's rival for leadership, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], did not place nearly as much significance on energon, instead experimenting with the deadly [[plasma energy]] to achieve his goals. He still drank it, though, and being an evil mastermind, he did enjoy swishing it around in a snifter, because he was classy like that. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] also enjoyed taking his energon in a glass, and was less prone to crushing them in fits of melodramatic rage than Scorponok was. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

Energon fell out of focus after Scorponok's Decepticons were forced off Earth; the forces of [[Devil Z]] who terrorized the planet a few years later were not interested in gathering energy, {{storylink|Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce}} while [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s campaign against Earth in 2025 targeted a wide array of different energy types, not bothering with the energon conversion process. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory}} The Autobots did continue to experiment with the fuel on the planet [[Micro]], however, and developed an even more potent version known as "[[Energon Z]]", which became a target for [[Violen Jiger]] and his [[Nine Great Demon Generals]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone}}
{{-}}

====Marvel Comics continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Transformer fuel]], [[Energon Stick]]''

[[File:Energoncubesrockandrollout.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb]]
[[File:FinalBattle-energonsticks.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|Stick, cube, whatever!]]

Although energon was not mentioned by name until the Transformers had been on Earth for a while, it ''was'' quickly established that Earthly fuels were incompatible with Cybertronian systems and needed to undergo ''some'' kind of conversion process before they were consumable. {{storylink|Power Play!}} This [[Transformer fuel]] was the subject of several struggles between the Autobots and Decepticons, and was also shown to be intrinsic to several important cultural ceremonies like the [[Rite of Oneness]] and the [[Rite of the Autobrand]]. {{storylink|Warrior School!}} {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

Energon made its first named appearance with the debut of a [[power siphon]] invented by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], which was capable of converting multiple energy sources into energon cubes. After testing it out on oil from a captured [[Blackrock Enterprises]] offshore [[oil-drilling platform]], the villains then took it to a [[Brick Springhorn]] concert and used it to make cubes from the raucous sonic energy of the singer's performance. {{storylink|Rock and Roll-Out!}}

The Autobots also went on to make smart use of energon: [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] invented a [[Geothermal Generator]] to transform the [[Earth]]'s underground heat into energon cubes, successfully producing so many that the Autobots were able to power the entire [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] and get the ship airborne again. {{storylink|Used Autobots}} They were also seen using a [[:File:Marvel52 concentratedenergoncubes.jpg|concentrated form of energon]], green in color and much smaller and less-explosive than normal cubes, which was employed as currency when dealing with alien races. {{storylink|Guess Who the Mecannibals Are Having for Dinner?}}

[[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] complained to himself about an energon shortage on Earth and planned to use [[Dynamo|Hector Dialonzo]] as some kind of super-[[Powermaster]]. {{storylink|The Human Factor!}}

In an alternate future timeline, when the Autobots were stranded on the [[Junkion (planet)|Planet of Junk]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] tried making peace with the native [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] using the [[universal greeting]] and the offering of [[Energon Stick|energon sticks]]. Junkion leader [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] was most enthralled by the "tasty sticks". {{storylink|The Final Battle!}}

{{note|Energon sticks were called for by the script of ''The Transformers: The Movie'', but were replaced in the finished film by energon goodies. The sticks appear in the comic book adaptation of the film (albeit ''called'' "energon cubes", even though they are not drawn as such), as well as other works based on the script like the [[Sticker Adventures]] book, ''[[Battle on the Junk Planet]]''.}}

In a different alternate future, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] conquered the western hemisphere of Earth and planned on allowing the [[European Crisis Coalition]] to nuke North and [[South America]] to smithereens. He would have hid behind the shield generated at the East Coast [[Decepticon Powerbase]] while various powerbases converted the resulting radiation into energon. It didn't work out that way. {{storylink|Rhythms of Darkness!}}

====''Transformers in 3D''====
[[File:Energon molecule.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Energon is alien poop? We guess Primus works in mysterious ways...]]

This universe is home to the first documented appearance of the true element of energon. The conversion process for transforming the element into a consumable form involves combining it with various other molecules, resulting in what is termed "pure energon". While not discussed explicitly, this would imply the existence of an "impure" energon that can be manufactured without use of the element.

True energon was evidently rare enough that its discovery was cause for immediate action, as evidenced when both the Autobots and Decepticons mobilized with haste to investigate a potential source of it on a barren asteroid far from Cybertron. Puzzlingly, their quest led to some small, organic alien creatures, and each faction took one back to their base for study. It was [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], studying the creatures' biological processes, who realized that their ''excrement'' was true energon! Before anything could be done with this information, however, a battle broke out between the two faction, and the two aliens wandered off, revealed to actually be supremely intelligent lifeforms who had been employed to spy on the Transformers by the [[Quintesson]]s! {{storylink|The Test (issue)|The Test}}{{-}}

====European toy bio continuity====

[[File:Energonfigures.jpg|thumb]]

{{see|Energon figure}}

The many deadly functions of the dimension-traversing [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s body were controlled by "[[Energon figure]]s", small humanoid forms that could transform into engines and connect to his body. To stop this monolithic horror, the Autobots stole and duplicated the technology, providing the trio known as the [[Motorvator]]s with Energon Figures that gave them new powers: [[Flame (Motorvator)|Flame]]'s Energon Figure had an analytical compu-unit that gave him enhanced problem solving abilities, [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]]'s provided the dual functions of wide-sweep radar and sonic scanner, while [[Lightspeed (Motorvator)|Lightspeed]]'s was equipped with micro lens photo-record equipment.<ref>Overlord, Gripper, Flame and Lightspeed's [[bio]]s and packaging blurbs.</ref>

====Beast Era====
=====''Beast Wars'' cartoon=====
:''For further information, see: [[Energon crystal]], [[energon radiation]], [[energon discharge virus]], [[energon storm]], [[energon armor]], [[furmanite|anti-energon]]''
[[File:PowerSurge energon crystals.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
Following the information on the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] to prehistoric Earth, the teams of [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] under the command of [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] discovered the planet to be teeming with natural crystalline energon. In fact, the element was in such abundance that it had blanketed the planet with an all-encompassing field of [[energon radiation]], which threatened to overload the Transformers' unprotected bodies and send them into [[stasis lock]]. As the organic creatures of the planet were unaffected by the radiation, the Maximals and Predacons adopted [[beast mode]]s with organic skins in order to shield themselves from its harmful effects, able only to transform into [[robot mode]] outside of their shielded headquarters for comparatively short periods of time before the energon build-up in their systems became dangerous. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} Manipulation of the crystals was a particularly challenging task, given their explosive instability; among the Predacons, only [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] had the skill to carve them up safely. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}} If a significant mass of crystals exploded, the radiation could interact with the local atmosphere and induce an [[energon storm]] that would see energon lance from the sky as lightning. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} While it was experimented with, used to power various machines and even weaponized on occasion, neither the Maximals nor the Predacons were ever seen actually ''consuming'' any energon during their [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]] on Earth, but it certainly did run through their bodies, as demonstrated rather violently when [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] was infected with an [[energon discharge virus]] that left him sneezing and...''otherwise'' shooting energon out of his body. {{storylink|The Low Road}}
[[File:TangledWeb energon cubes.jpg|thumb|225px]]
By all accounts, the existence of natural energon on a planet other than Cybertron was not uncommon in this universe, but it was eventually revealed that the energon was not there naturally: Earth had been ''seeded'' with the crystals by the mysterious aliens known as the [[Vok]].<ref>''Beast Wars'' writer [[Larry DiTillio]] envisioned the Vok as placing the energon on Earth for future generations of humanity to find and use as a clean energy source.</ref> Viewing the intrusion of the Transformers onto the planet as a disruption to enigmatic experiments they were conducting on Earth, the Vok attempted to "sterilize" their work-surface by activating their orbital [[Planet Buster]] weapon, and blasting the planet with its energy beam. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}} This beam caused most of the planet's energon crystals to explode before it was destroyed by Optimus Primal, but a not-insubstantial portion of them remained, some of which were transformed into a more stable form referred to as "energon cubes". {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}} These rarely-seen "natural" cubes are different to the artificial energon cubes seen in other universes; they remain composed of crystal, but are much safer to handle and to generally be around, unless they are cracked, at which point the radiation locked within them will be violently released. {{storylink|Tangled Web}}
{{-}}

=====Japanese cartoon continuity=====
{{see|Energon Matrix}}
[[File:PrimalLeadershipMatrix1.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
At some point over the three centuries that followed the end of the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]], a new energon-powered device was created: the [[Energon Matrix]]. Sculpted in the likeness of the legendary [[Matrix of Leadership]], these objects of power were given to [[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]]-ranked [[Maximal]]s, and were capable of supplying huge boosts of energon to their wielders in moments of desperate need, which could be further magnified if more than one Energon Matrix was used together. These power boosts could massively enhance the wielder's physical attributes, usually accompanied by [[spontaneous recoloration]], such as when Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy used theirs to become the super-strong "Burning Convoy" and super-fast "Flash Lio Convoy", {{storylink|Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!}} or be released as mighty energy blasts, as when [[Big Convoy (BWN)|Big Convoy]] combined his with his [[Big Cannon]] to create a weapon powerful enough to obliterate [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|The Final Battle (BWN)|The Final Battle}} The Matrices may also have some connection to [[Vector Sigma]], the mega-computer at the heart of Cybertron, since it was able to communicate through Big Convoy's Matrix, making him say what it wanted. {{storylink|Big Convoy, Move Out}}

When Optimus Primal and Lio Convoy were caught up in the dimensional fissure known as the [[Blasty Zone]], they found themselves teleported from their respective time periods to Earth circa 2004. Here, they teamed up with Optimus Prime, and their Energon Matrices apparently unlocked the power of an Energon Matrix within Prime himself, as he was soon using his in tandem with theirs to create shatteringly powerful attacks like the "Double Convoy Tornado" {{storylink|Fight! The Group of the Strongest Commanders!}} and the "Lio Typhoon Arrow". {{storylink|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters (episode)|The Lio Convoy Typhoon Enters}}
{{-}}

====Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity====
{{see|Energon Pools}}
[[File:OriginalSin PushButton.jpg|thumb|160px]]
{{note|The Dreamwave G1 continuity specifically incorporates the depiction of energon as seen in the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon.}}
Natural Energon exists in crystalline form both on Cybertron and select other planets throughout the galaxy, with Earth being home to a particularly high concentration of it. Transformers can power themselves off the crystals by using ambient absorption circuits in their body to soak up their energy, but this is always a dicey prospect, given the explosive nature of the mineral. For safety's sake, the crystals are usually processed into a liquid state before they consumed by Transformers, at which point the Energon can be taken orally in [[robot mode]] or loaded directly into the Transformer's fuel tank in [[alternate mode]]. This processed, liquid Energon can also be synthesised from other energy resources—an unfortunate necessity, given the rarity of the natural crystals on Cybertron after the Transformers' war took its toll on the planet. {{storylink|Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More Than Meets The Eye #8}}

Approximately 3.5 million years ago, Cybertron's supply of Energon was completely depleted, and the entire planet and all the Transformers on it were deactivated for a long, pre-programmed period known as the [[Great Shutdown]]. During this time, Cybertron slowly regenerated, and by the time the Transformers came back online around 3000 years ago, Energon was back in supply. With Cybertron restored to peace, the fuel was no longer a scarcity; by 2003, the [[High Council Pavilions]]' [[Energon Pools]] were recharged {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} and the Transformers had even started canning the fuel in [[Kremzeek]]-branded cans, which were enjoyed by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] in a moment of riverside relaxation {{storylink|Skyfire (issue)|Skyfire}} and served at Autobot strategy meetings along with small Energon cubes. {{storylink|Original Sin}}

{{note|A large pool of purple-pink goop was uncovered beneath the surface of the Earth by [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] in "Original Sin", but it was never explained if this was actually energon or not, since Dreamwave went bankrupt and ceased publication before this plot thread could be revisited.}}

=====''The Transformers Trilogy''=====
{{note|Although they are notionally part of the Dreamwave continuity, the depiction of energon in ''[[The Transformers Trilogy]]'' of novels stands in complete contradiction to Dreamwave's writings.}}
Pure energon is a silvery-yellow liquid that exists naturally on certain planets, and is the power source of the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. During a battle with the alien [[Keeper (species)|Keepers]] in [[Las Vegas]], a subterranean reservoir of the fuel was discovered beneath the city that was of such size that Optimus Prime claimed he had never seen so much of it in one place before. With an American nuclear missile streaking towards Vegas in order to eliminate both the Keepers and the Transformers, Prime immersed himself in the energon pool, supercharging the Matrix and suffusing his entire body with the energon's power. With this added power, Prime used the Matrix to contain and redirect the nuclear blast, apparently destroying the Keepers while protecting the rest of the city. {{storylink|Transformers: Annihilation|Annihilation}}

====IDW Generation 1 continuity====
:''For further information, see: [[Regenesis]], [[Ore-13]], [[Innermost energon]]
[[File:Stormbringer1 ultra energon.jpg|left|thumb]]
In this universe, natural energon is known only to exist on Cybertron, {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} and in the pre-war days, [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] was among the workers that mined it. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}} Unfortunately for the Transformers, their war stripped Cybertron of its resources, energon included, precipitating a cataclysm that ultimately rendered the planet sterile and uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} With their homeworld lost to them, the Autobots and Decepticons subsequently scattered across the galaxy, seeking new sources of fuel, subsisting on "artificial energon derivatives" and "foul local brews" {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} that [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] described as "nowhere near as good as the real thing". {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}} Several seemingly dead and empty planetoids contained underground reservoirs of liquid "pseudo-energon", which according to a [[Guardminder]] was about 20-25% as fuel efficient as proper energon. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Millennia beforehand, the Decepticon logician [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] correctly predicted that Cybertron's resources would eventually dry up, and formulated the [[Regenesis]] program as a countermeasure to the inevitable energon drought. Distilling energon, he created a series of thirteen ores with which he seeded specially-selected planets—including Earth—where energon would then flourish and grow, so that he could harvest it in the centuries to come. [[File:Infiltration6 starscream on ultraenergon.jpg|thumb|Hepped up on goofballs.]] As Shockwave visited each of the planets, he observed that some ores had failed to take root, and others had mutated and gained bizarre properties over time, life, death and more. On one world, however—Earth—the [[Ore-13|thirteenth ore]] had flourished to the point that the planet had begun to undergo geological collapse, generating an atmosphere that was hazardous to Transformer life. Intending to regulate the process with [[global damper]]s, Shockwave was stopped by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]] and buried in a volcanic eruption and leaving the ore to mature into an exceptionally powerful energon variant. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}}

Investigating Shockwave's research, the scheming [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] learned of the Regenesis program, and travelled to Earth in the 1980s to harvest a sample of the super-powerful energon. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} Using this "Ultra-Energon", as he termed it, Bludgeon reactivated the monstrous [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] to facilitate his agenda of conquest. {{storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer}} Meanwhile, a team of Decepticons led by Starscream independently discovered the existence of Ore-13, and initiated [[infiltration protocol]] to conquer the planet and harvest it. Seeing in Ore-13 the potential power to help him overthrow Megatron, Starscream powered himself up with the energon and staged his own coup. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} It was the instability of the Ultra-Energon that was the downfall of both Starscream and Thunderwing: although the additional power it provided them was undeniable, it burnt out very quickly, at which point they were left extremely weakened and easily bested.

The methods by which energon is distilled and absorbed in this universe are not particularly detailed. Natural energon is mined as ore, and undergoes processing into an unknown state, after which it has only been shown being absorbed via a [[delivery capsule]], a large full body capsule which the Transformer enters. Even what goes on inside the capsule is unknown; all that can be discerned is that when the process is over, a cloud of gas colored in energon's traditional purple-pink escapes as the capsule re-opens. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} In contrast, Cliffjumper required no capsule to take in artificial energon from a convertor; it was simply transferred through a tube that ran from the device into a port in his forearm. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cliffjumper}} Energon flows within Transformers' bodies in purple-pink liquid form, which is prone to splattering ''eeeeverywhere'' if the Transformer receives serious injury. {{storylink|The Transformers: Megatron Origin}} {{storylink|The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers}}

Following a failed Decepticon invasion of Earth, humans learned to produce yellow-colored energon, but it was a difficult and costly process and the substance could only be stored for a few months before growing unstable, making it nonviable as an alternate energy source. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} [[Skywatch]] ran experiments on energon and used it to power their [[crash suit]]s, which were based on Cybertronian technology. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} [[North Korea]] was able to produce 7,000 cubic feet of energon per month, which according to Skywatch was enough to power [[Combaticon (G1)|five Transformers]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}}
{{-}}

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

{{see|Energon Cube}}
[[File:Henkei chpt 03 energon-cube chase.jpg|left|thumb|225px]]
This universe's Cybertron gained its supply of energon from the colossal "Energon Cube", a solid mass of energon bigger than a starship. When it was lost to the reaches of space, [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Megatron]] each led two small teams in pursuit of it, but they were unable to intercept the Cube before it crash-landed on Earth and shattered into innumerable fragments that were scattered all across the planet. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}} Additionally, the release of energy caused by the cube's shattering endowed a special ability in some newborn babies within range of the impact wave: they became [[Booster]]s, legendary beings able to generate and control energon. {{storylink|Wataru's Power}}

The Autobots and Decepticons hid themselves amongst human society to search for the cube shards and the Boosters. Both sides were able to accumulate substantial portions of energon, but only the Autobots were able to locate any Boosters: first was [[Akira Kihara]], who sadly died using his powers to save Optimus Prime, {{storylink|Time of Resurrection}} and second was [[Wataru Hoshinoumi]]. When they first met Wataru, the Autobots were unaware that he was a Booster, but Optimus Prime soon realized the truth after showing Wataru the chunk of the Energon Cube that they had recovered. [[File:Henkei8 megatron energon bath.jpg|thumb|225px]] When Wataru touched the shard, a wave of energon swept over the Autobots, healing their wounds and offering them a mystic, cross-dimensional vision of [[The Transformers (cartoon)|another time and place]]. {{storylink|Kingdom of Giants}}

As a Booster, Wataru was able to aid his Autobot allies by temporarily increasing their strength, healing their injuries, generating protective forcefields and powering up their weapons, as he did when he transformed Optimus Prime's [[energon-axe]] into a sword that the Autobot leader used to grievously wound Megatron. {{storylink|Optimus Prime's Secret}} [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] sought to heal his leader by placing him in a bath of molten energon cubes, but Optimus Prime tracked him down while he was still recovering. Megatron flew into a rage at the sight of Prime, and the energon began reacting to his furious emotions, levitating and whirling around. The maddened Megatron seized one of the cubes and bit deeply into it, triggering an explosive release of power. Consumed by the explosion, Megatron emerged, transformed by the power of energon into [[Galvatron (G1)#Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga|Galvatron]]! {{storylink|Creation! The New Emperor of Destruction!!}}
{{-}}

===2001 ''Robots in Disguise''===
:''For further information, see: [[Energon chains]].''

[[File:Sideburnsobsession energon chains.jpg|left|thumb]]
Energon played only a minimal role in this universe, as the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacons]] came to Earth in search of [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]], rather than for more traditional energy theft. It did crop up from time to time, though: the Predacons' craft, the [[Megastar]], ran on energon cubes, and they carried out a few heists to gather up Earthly energy sources they could process to create them—though flashlight batteries were not an especially viable option for conversion. {{storylink|An Explosive Situation}} Either the conversion or the process by which the cubes powered the ship involved a smelter. {{storylink|The Fish Test}} At one point, the Predacons created chains from energon and staged a trap for the Autobots using them. {{storylink|Sideburn's Obsession}}

Energon is ingested through an "energon intake" {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}} and comes in "leaded" and "unleaded" varieties—[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] swore off the latter when he found he didn't have the energy to keep up with the speedy [[Skid-Z (RID)|Skid-Z]]. {{storylink|Skid Z's Choice}}
{{note|In the original Japanese version of ''Robots in Disguise'', Optimus Prime wields an Energon Matrix (see [[#Beast Era|Beast Era]], above) rather than the Matrix of Leadership.}}

===Unicron Trilogy===
:''For further information, see: [[energon star]], [[energon weapon]], [[Energon Sword]], [[Energon Saber]], [[energon tower]], [[energon grid]], [[Energon Blaster]], [[Energon band]], [[Energon Orb]], [[energon gas]], [[Super Energon]], [[Energon Volant Accumulator]], [[energon tomato]]

====''Energon'' cartoon====
[[File:Energonep1 omnicons and energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]

Energon exists naturally on multiple planets throughout the universe in the form of glowing golden ore. Following the end of [[The Unicron Battles]] in 2010, the allied forces of the Autobots and Decepticons united with humankind to mine Energon for the betterment of both their species. The Transformers' reawakened creator-god Primus—manifesting in this universe as a glowing white orb of Energon itself—bestowed upon the young human [[Kicker Jones]] the ability to sense the location of Energon, {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}} and Kicker's father, [[Brian Jones (Energon)|Brian Jones]], used his son's new power to find Energon deposits on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], in the [[asteroid belt]] and on multiple locations on Earth. The Transformers and humans set up [[Cybertron City (city)|Cybertron Cities]] in all these various locations to mine the ore: [[Mars City]], [[Asteroid City]], [[Ocean City]], [[Plains City]] in [[United Kingdom|England]], [[Jungle City]] in [[Mexico]], [[Desert City]] in [[Egypt]], [[Blizzard City]] in the [[Arctic]], {{storylink|Unicron Trilogy guidebooks#Energon|Transformers Energon Official Guidebook}} and later [[Lunar City]] on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. {{storylink|Kicker Beware!}}

[[File:Energonep2 energon stars.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

In its unprocessed form, Energon ore is bursting with raw energy, and hence hazardous to normal Transformer life. The only Transformers capable of safely handling energon are the [[Omnicon]]s, whose bodies became immunized to the ore's hazardous effects after years of mining it in space, and the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]]. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}} These master Energon sculptors can absorb the energy from Energon ore into their bodies, and then generate sold-state [[Energon star]]s that can be given to other Autobots to temporarily boost their strength. The Stars are also capable of generating [[Energon weapon]]s like spears and axes, though these drastically shorten the Star's lifespan. {{storylink|Scorpinok}} In one particularly puzzling instance, the interaction of multiple Energon Stars with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s [[Matrix of Leadership#Unicron Trilogy|Matrix of Leadership]] led to the creation of the [[Energon Blaster]]. {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}} Energon can also be processed into a liquid form that can be used as a medicinal bath capable of incredible feats like limb regeneration. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}} This refined, positively-charged "Autobot" Energon is typically red in color.

[[File:Energonep3 shock shock shock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2]]

In 2020, trapped in the ruined, deactivated body of Unicron, the insane alien [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] realized Energon's immense potential to create, and using what little Energon remained in the planet-eater's husk, created the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] from the very substance of Unicron to raid the Autobots' Energon mines. It was Alpha Q's intention to use indefinable, mystic properties of the Energon they would gather to recreate all the worlds that Unicron had consumed over the millennia. {{storylink|A Tale of Two Heros}} To rally the disenfranchised Decepticons to his side, Alpha Q forged an [[Energon Sword]] from the Spark of [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who had been trapped in Unicron's body for a decade. {{storylink|Megatron's Sword}} Megatron, however, was able to siphon off some of the Energon the Terrorcons returned with and crafted a new body for himself, ousting Alpha Q (who escaped in Unicron's disembodied head) and taking control of the Terrorcons. Under Megatron's directions, the Terrorcons gathered Energon to rebuild Unicron himself, so that Megatron could use him as a weapon. {{storylink|Megatron Resurrected}} The Terrorcons were created to be immune to the harmful effects of raw Energon; they consume it orally, and convert it into green, negatively-charged "Decepticon" Energon Stars internally. Like the Autobots' Omnicon-made stars, these could be used by the Decepticons as power-enhancers, but they apparently remained unsafe to touch directly: When [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] tried to grab one, he received a debilitating jolt of energy that scarred his body with jagged lightning patterns. {{storylink|Scorpinok}} The Terrorcons were also not the only thing Alpha Q used Energon to create: using the small supply he had left after escaping from Megatron, he restored the deceased [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] to life. Unfortunately, he ran out halfway through the process, leaving Starscream incomplete, a sort of Energon "ghost", whose body constantly shifted from physical to incorporeal. {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}}

[[File:Energonep14 energon grid.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]

Setting off into space to stop Megatron's plans, the Autobots left Earth protected by Doctor Jones' newest Energon innovation: the [[Energon grid]], a protective field of plasma-state Energon generated by [[energon tower]]s positioned at each of the Cybertron Cities. {{storylink|Battle of the Asteroid Belt}} The mechanism was later duplicated on Cybertron, where the towers were fuelled by [[Energon gas|gaseous green Energon]]. {{storylink|Battle Stations}} Earth's defense had to be sacrificed for the greater good, however, when Kicker convinced his father to beam all of Earth's Energon to Alpha Q, who used it to charge Unicron's head. Alpha Q rammed the positively-charged head into Unicron's body, causing the release of the "sparks" of all the planets Unicron had destroyed. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} Trying to destroy Alpha Q, Megatron triggered the release of all the negatively-charged Energon in Unicron's body, causing a violent reaction between the two kinds of Energon that tore open a fissure in space. {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}}

[[File:Energonep28 energon sun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Red sun at night, sailor’s delight. Red sun in morning, sailor’s warning.]]

In the [[Alpha Q's universe|newly created dimension]] this fissure led to, Unicron's head became a glowing [[Energon Orb|sun]], nurturing all the reborn planets with its life-giving Energon light. Consequently, however, all of the planets were rich in Energon themselves, making them ripe targets for Decepticon pillaging. {{storylink|Protection}} Alas, the villains were able to gather enough Energon to restore and reactivate Unicron's body, and even reclaimed his head, extinguishing the Energon sun it had become and killing Alpha Q in the process. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} To stop Megatron's schemes, Primus transmitted Energon from Cybertron to the Autobots, [[burning justice|recoloring and powering them up]], and transforming the combined Optimus Prime and [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] into a planetary-scale giant. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} Prime and Omega were able to destroy Unicron's body, but Alpha Q's planets were in danger of dying due to the destruction of Energon sun. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}} Salvation came in the form of Primus' greatest creation: a reservoir of liquid blue [[Super Energon]], sealed away beneath Cybertron's surface, from a time when Autobots and Decepticons were allies, intended to usher in a new era of peace. {{storylink|Ambition}} This Energon had incredibly potent transformational abilities: it transformed Megatron into Galvatron, recolored and powered up [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]], {{storylink|Wishes}} and turned [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]] Terrorcons into giants. {{storylink|Decepticon Army}} A second immersion transformed Galvatron into a giant as well, at which point he was possessed by Unicron's still-living [[Spark]], but Primus orchestrated his downfall by gathering up the entire reservoir of Super-Energon and transforming it into a new foundling sun. Struggling against Unicron's control, Megatron flung himself into the sun, and both he and the planet-eater were seemingly destroyed as it burst into life. This new Energon sun took up position in Alpha Q's universe, nurturing his planets once more. {{storylink|The Sun}}

====''Energon'' comic====
[[File:Energon22 terrorcons power up.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

In this universal stream, Energon's raw form is a green gas. It normally undergoes processing before use for optimal efficiency, but even in its crude gaseous form, it remains a very effective power source. [[Energon Volant Accumulator]] planes are used to collect Energon vapour before it is lost to the atmosphere. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

The existence of pockets of energon gas on Earth was discovered by the alternative energy research and development company [[Alterenergy]], who dubbed it "01 Source". Unknown the public, the discovery was the work of Alterenergy consultant Brian Jones, whose son Kicker had the unexplained ability to detect Energon. This made Alterenergy a target for the Terrorcons, a cell of Decepticons who had been recruited by the evil alien [[Alpha Quintesson]], who bade them gather Energon to reactivate his master Unicron. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}} Attacking Alterenergy's [[Australia|Western Australia]] facility, the Terrorcons stole Energon using siphons that condensed the gas into green liquid form, which they then used to power themselves up with. [[File:Energon29 energon weapons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95]] Thankfully, the Autobots arrived, able to take on their Energon-empowered foes thanks to their new [[Spark of Combination|combining abilities]]. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}} Following the Autobots' victory, {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} they entered into an alliance with the humans, and began setting up drilling sites around the Earth to replenish their own dwindling supplies of Energon. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}}

Energon can be shaped and moulded by the small group of evolved [[Mini-Con]]s known as Omnicons, who can fire it as blasts, create energy-constructs from it and sculpt it into powerful weapons. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} Kicker also discovered that his energon-manipulating powers had evolved when he was attacked by Decepticons over an Energon pocket in [[Turkey]] and was able to channel and redirect the energy into the Omnicons. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

===Live-action film series===
:''For further information see: [[AllSpark]], [[Energon drone]], [[Dual Energon Swords]], [[Energon detector]]

{{quote|Without it, we'd all perish, oxidize and rust, ''like my wretched self!'' Do you have any idea what it's like to slowly fall apart and die?!|[[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] explains the importance of Energon|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''}}

[[File:Defiance4 allspark creates primes.jpg|left|thumb|165px]]

Cybertron's source of Energon in this universe was the legendary, life-giving [[AllSpark]] cube, which sustained the planet and the Transformer race through its constant generation of the fuel, presumably in the form of crystals or ore. It was the Energon produced by the AllSpark that gave life to the first Cybertronians, the [[Dynasty of Primes]], creating them from Cybertron's metal surface itself. The Primes were soon to learn that the AllSpark's supply of Energon was not infinite: it required periodic recharging to continue Energon generation, and the only source of energy viable enough was that of suns. Using [[Star Harvester]]s, the Primes converted the suns of lifeless star systems into Energon, which fuelled the AllSpark, in turn allowing it to generate exponentially greater amounts of the energy, thereby allowing Cybertron to thrive, and more and more Transformers to be given life. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

Millions of years later, at the height of the civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] had the AllSpark blasted into space, to put its power beyond the reach of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. Without the AllSpark's constant supply of Energon, however, Cybertron began to atrophy, eventually becoming a ruin of a planet, uninhabitable by the Transformers. They too took to the stars, searching for the lost cube: the Autobots to reinvigorate Cybertron, Megatron planning to use its Energon to bring to life the machinery of other worlds, forging an even greater army. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} Without true Energon from the Allspark, the Transformers were forced instead to subsist on a manufactured brew processed out of other natural resources on the other worlds they visited. Although much more stable that the Energon of most universes, if this artificial Energon ''were'' hypothetically detonated, the resultant explosion would be large enough to obliterate most of a good-sized continent. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

[[File:MovieAdaptation4 nokia bot.jpg|thumb|275px]]

The AllSpark landed on Earth in what would become Colorado, directly on top of an entrance into a mysterious network of subterranean caves that criss-crossed the entire planet. The cube's Energon radiation was funnelled into the tunnels for thousands of years, stimulating the growth of Energon ore, and mutating the animals that lived there into huge monstrosities. The Energon was discovered in caves in the Sierra Nevada mountains by gentleman adventurers [[Walter Simmons]] and [[Theodore Joseph Wells]] in the late 19th Century, {{storylink|Original}} but while these two men would go on to found the organization [[Sector Seven]], dedicated to protecting the Earth against the Transformers, they would not realize that this discovery was connected to their larger mission until they found the AllSpark and excavated it in 1913, uncovering more of the substance in the caves beneath it. They also discovered the abandoned [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]], who was looking for the cube himself, and who accidentally triggered a surge of Energon from it that overloaded his systems and brought a nearby crane, car, gun and radio to life. {{storylink|Irreplaceable}} Energon was the subject of some study on Earth in later years; scientist [[Dina Morgan]] experimented with the energy potential of converting the crystals into liquid, and a memo about her research was later discovered by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] during his advance recon on the planet in the early 21st century. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Chevy Autobots}}

In 2007, Bumblebee was joined on the planet by more representatives of both factions, leading to a battle for possession of the AllSpark in [[Mission City]], during which a wave of Energon was released that brought [[Dispensor|several]] [[Xbox 360 robot|Earth]] [[steering wheel robot|machines]] to life. Ultimately, the cube was destroyed when [[Sam Witwicky (Movie)|Sam Witwicky]] plunged it into Megatron's Spark, overloading and apparently destroying him. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} Following the destruction of the cube and the defeat of the Decepticons, the Autobots allied with humankind, and, lacking the time to confirm the presence of true Energon on Earth, instead began stockpiling manufactured Energon at [[NEST]] base on [[Diego Garcia]]. When questioned about the substance by [[Robert Epps]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] explained that it was basically useless to humanity; they could not use it to power weapons the way the Transformers did (like Optimus Prime's [[Dual Energon Swords]]) because its chemical composition was far beyond their ability to master. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

[[File:ROTF jetfire awakens.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

In 2009, the small fragments that remained of the AllSpark cube were revealed to still possess Energon-generating powers when one was stolen by the Decepticons and used to restore Megatron to life. At the bidding of his master, a renegade member of the Dynasty of Primes known as [[The Fallen]], Megatron uncovered a hidden Star Harvester The Fallen had built in Egypt nineteen thousand years beforehand, planning to use it to convert Earth's sun into Energon that could be used to sire a new race of Decepticon [[hatchling]]s. Another shard brought a group of [[Appliancebot|kitchen appliances]] in Sam Witwicky's home to life; Sam later used it to rouse Jetfire from his years-long slumber. Jetfire was living proof of the fact that without regular consumption of Energon of any kind, a Transformer's body and mind begin to slowly break down, rusting away in a kind of robotic senility. By combining with Jetfire, Optimus Prime gained the power to stop Megatron and The Fallen and destroy the Star Harvester. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
[[File:ROTF fallen leaks energon.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|The [[Tony Todd|Candyman]] can, 'cause he mixes it with love, and makes the world taste good...]]
Not long after the Autobot victory in Egypt, [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] stumbled across a cave full of natural Energon, and was nearly brainwashed by the Decepticon [[Mindwipe (ROTF)|Mindwipe]] into harvesting it for the Decepticons. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 5}} Later still, [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] were seen transporting a cargo of Energon ''cubes'', but whether they were created from the natural Energon Ironhide found or just more manufactured Energon is unknown. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 10}} Within a few years, NEST developed [[Energon detector]]s that could alert them to the approach of Cybertronian lifeforms, and had them stationed around major cities, forcing the Decepticons to withdraw to unmonitored regions of the planet like [[Namibia]], [[Africa]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

Energon flows inside Transformers' bodies in a liquid form through a structure akin to a human's circulatory system. It is prone to gushing out when a Transformer receives debilitating injuries—glowing blue Energon showered from the wounds sustained by several Transformers during the battle of [[Mission City]], {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}} while a golden form of liquid Energon oozed from The Fallen's dying frame<ref>Hasbro's online [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/TRANSFORMERS-Glossary.cfm Transformers glossary].</ref> when Optimus Prime killed him. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} In fact, quite a ''lot'' of differently-colored fluids were seen slooshing and squirting from the Transformers during the quest for the Matrix of Leadership and the battles over [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s space bridge, including a disturbingly blood-like red liquid, but whether or not any of these were Energon is unclear. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}} {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}} Later still, [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]], [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], and [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated|KSI]]'s robot prototypes could be seen spilling a ''green'' liquid when injured. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Collectors' Club comics===
{{see|Rarified Energon}}
[[File:CrossingOver5 rarified energon.jpg|left|thumb|165px|"The formula is water! Pure, ordinary water!"]]
On the second leg of their multiverse-hopping journey, amnesiac Transformers [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]] discovered a pool of liquid energon beneath the jungles of South America, being watched over a similar Transformer named [[Breakaway (Classics)|Breakaway]]. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} They were informed by Breakway's assistant, the computer system known as the [[Caretaker]], that the pool was no ordinary energon: it was [[Rarified Energon]], the base substance that made up Transformers' bodies and sparks. Skyfall, Landquake and Breakway were, in fact, components of [[Nexus Prime (Classics)|Nexus Prime]], one of the [[Thirteen|thirteen original Transformers]], who had been tasked with guarding Rarified Energon by Primus eons in the past. When Nexus Prime had been divided into five separate robots in order to protect the secret of [[Prima (G1)|Prima]]'s [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]], Rarified Energon was left without a guardian, and was consequently secreted away in the corners of the multiverse—for if it should be destroyed, then it would be impossible for more Transformer life to be created. The Caretaker opened a cross-dimensional portal to take the three Transformers to the universe where they would find the [[Topspin (Classics)|fourth of their number]], assuring them that the Rarified Energon would be teleported away to a new safe location once they had left. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}}
{{-}}

===Animated===
{{see|Energon farm}}
[[File:Ani07 sllsparkinfusedenergon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Mine mine mine! All mine!"]]
Crystalline formations of natural energon are cultivated on Cybertron at [[energon farm]]s, a menial task that earns workers a reputation as hayseeds despite its extreme importance, {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}} {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}} and stored in energon cubes. Despite the Autobots being in full control of Cybertron and no excess energon being expended in a war effort, the substance remains extremely precious, as evidenced by the risks cadet [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] took when he and fellow cadets [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] attempted to recover a huge stockpile of it from a starship that had crashed on the planet [[Archa Seven]] centuries beforehand. Sentinel called this "AllSpark-infused energon", but there was nothing to indicate that it was any different from normal energon, suggesting that the energies of the life-giving [[AllSpark]] are known to be shared by energon in this universe, as they are in [[#live-action film series|others]]. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

Contrary to the hardships faced by Transformers in other universes, when [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s teams were stranded on Earth with no energon, they proved quite able to survive on simple [[oil]]. Back on Cybertron, though, energon remained on the menu at [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], where varieties served included Z and Ultra blends from various different planets, as well as energon-on-a-stick for the little 'bots. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Energon is used to power the machines and weapons of Cybertron, like those of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]]'s [[Fortress Maximus (Animated)|Fortress Maximus]], {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}} and small energon cubes are used as blasting charges in construction. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

{{note|The episode title "[[A Fistful of Energon]]", parodying the Western movie "A Fistful of Dollars", suggests energon is employed as a currency in this universe, though nothing that occurs in-universe addresses this use.}}

===Shattered Glass===
[[File:Cliffjumper&SGGoryu Dungeons&Dinobots.jpg|left|thumb|100px|[[Steven Spielberg]] takes the directorial reins.]]
{{see|Energon rod}}
The energon of this twisted mirror universe is superficially different to the more recognizable fuel of most worlds. Here, it is a sickly green-yellow in color, is stored primarily in [[energon rod|rod]]s, and is considered by the dimensionally-displaced [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] to have a strange aftertaste when compared to the energon of his home dimension. It remains used as a form of currency among Transformers.

Among the natural sources of energon on this universe's Cybertron are bright blue crystalline deposits that form on the shores of the [[Rust Sea]], when the sea's innate trace energon content is solidified by evaporation. {{storylink|Dungeons & Dinobots}}
{{-}}

===Aligned===
:''For further information, see: [[Energon battle pistol]], [[Energon grenade]], [[Energon repair ray]], [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]], [[Dark Energon]], [[Energon prod]], [[Energon Harvester]], [[Synthetic Energon]], [[Energon shard]], [[Tox-En]], [[Red Energon]]
[[File:Wfc energon cubes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] explained that Energon is an emanation of Primus, and a different form of that which makes up a [[Transformer]] and everything else on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} Energon occurs naturally in the form of blue crystals, {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}} though these sometimes resemble normal rocks. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} It is stored within Energon cubes, {{storylink|Masters & Students}} the framework for which can be produced by the Decepticon [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron}} and is fashioned into smaller ingots for oral ingestion by Transformers. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

In Cybertronian prehistory, the ancients moved Energon by reconstituting and concentrating it into its most rarefied form, that of pure energy, which is transmitted between arrays such as the [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}} [[File:Starscreamharvestingcrystals.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Starscream harvesting raw Energon.]] Similarly, they used [[Energon Harvester]]s to draw this energy right out of Energon crystals. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}} Later, during the [[Golden Age]], a formula for a synthetic version of Energon was developed; apparently never put into production, this formula was programmed into a [[Cybertronian data cylinder|data cylinder]] and sent into space. {{storylink|T.M.I.}}

When war broke out on Cybertron, Energon was weaponized in the form of the [[Energon battle pistol]] and the [[Energon prod]] (the latter an instrument of torture that would later prove to have a particularly deleterious, if temporary, effect on the human neural system {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}}), but also found use on the battlefield as an implement of healing in medical tools like the [[Energon grenade]], which releases a localized aura of Energon that restores the vigor of Transformers within the grenade's range. Medics were also known to carry [[Energon repair ray]]s, more focused tools that fire a beam of Energon to heal the injured. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)}} As the war depleted Energon supplies on Cybertron, both sides tried hiding their stockpiles of this valuable commodity on many other planets, including [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}} The Decepticons even began experimenting with Energon's poisonous counterpart, [[Dark Energon]], a product of [[Unicron]] in the same way that true Energon is a product of Primus. Using it, the Decepticons corrupted the [[core]] of Cybertron, and although the Autobots restored it, the planet's Energon supply had been crippled, necessitating that the Transformers depart Cybertron so that it would be able to recharge and regenerate enough Energon to once again support life. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron}}

By coincidence or design, the Transformers' war eventually carried them back to Earth in the 21st century. After an undetailed initial clash, [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] retreated into space to gather up an army, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], left in charge of the Decepticons on Earth, set about mining the Energon that had flourished on the planet, claiming there was enough there to repower Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (graphic novel)}} The shifting geology of Earth occasionally stymied his attempts, as some deposits had become unmineable since originally being stored; the largest of these was labelled "ND-7 Class". {{storylink|Out of His Head}} After three years, however, Megatron returned, having recovered more Dark Energon from the depths of space {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}, but he was fortunately stopped by the Autobots from using it to reanimate Cybertron's dead. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

[[File:Crossfire Insecticon holding energon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'s Autobots later discovered the data cylinder containing the synthetic Energon formula, but its contents were beamed directly into [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'s brain. The formula threatened to wipe his mind, so he was only able to transcribe a portion of it before it was necessary to remove it shoot it off into space. {{storylink|T.M.I.}} [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] then attempted to complete the formula, but the result of experiments was a green liquid form of Energon which supercharged his physical attributes at the loss of his mental stability. In the throes of this rage, Ratchet attacked a Decepticon mine and was wounded by Megatron, allowing [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] to obtain for the Decepticons a sample of the synthetic Energon that drained from his wounds. {{storylink|Stronger, Faster}}

Having gone rogue, Starscream was forced to either steal energon from the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} or scavenge for it in abandoned mines. {{storylink|Crossfire}} After [[MECH]] stole [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s [[transformation cog|T-cog]] in an attempt to get their own creation working, Starscream pointed out that it required Energon to properly function. He used a small amount of his own as a demonstration. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 1}} With Starscream's help, they were able to track down a sizable deposit. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 2}} [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] later found an [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] which searched for energon for her. {{storylink|Crossfire}}

A sample of [[Tox-En]] was stored in the Iacon Vaults, and eventually made its way to Earth, which was found by Bulkhead. After a fight with [[Hardshell (Prime)|Hardshell]], Bulkhead began to drip liquefied Energon, which Bulkhead figured was leaking from a loose gasket. Bulkhead used the leak to make a false trail of Energon puddles to lead the Insecticons away while he carried the Tox-En to a nearby volcano for disposal. At one point, Hardshell took time out to taste an Energon puddle. {{storylink|Toxicity}}

A chunk of [[Red Energon]] was uncovered on Earth, and during the race to get hold of it, Starscream managed to secure a chunk. {{storylink|New Recruit}}

A bizarre interaction with the Energon of Earth was responsible for bringing many weapons, including the Transformers' personal armaments, to life as the [[Arms Micron]]s.

{{--}}

==Toys and merchandise==
===''Beast Wars''===

[[File:BWNtoy-BigConvoy-Matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]

The [[rubsign]]s introduced into the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toyline in 1997 were called "Energon Chips". On the Japanese side of things, Energon Matrices were included with [[Lio Convoy (BWII)|Lio Convoy]] and [[Big Convoy (BWN)|Big Convoy]]'s toys; while the former's was merely sculpted detail beneath a panel on his chest, the latter's was fully removable.
{{-}}

===Generation 1===

[[File:G1 energon toys.jpg|thumb|275px|Foooood Fiiight!!!]]
[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]]'s energon-axe and energon mace were the first toys that represented physical energon. [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] has enjoyed a long love affair with these weapons, which up until their release in plastic form, had only been ''very'' rarely seen. After several ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' PVC figurines depicted Prime and Megatron with the weapons deployed, the armaments made the jump to true toys with the ''[[The Transformers Collection|Transformers Collection]]'' line of reissues, which featured new axe and mace accessories for the 2003 re-releases of the original Generation 1 [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Transformers Collection|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Transformers Collection|Megatron]] toys. These weapons were also included with the ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' versions of the characters, and on Prime's ''[[Hybrid Style]]'' and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' figures as well. Prime's axe in particular has gotten a lot of face-time, having been recolored with each new [[redeco]] of these various Prime toys—and that's been quite a few! See the [[energon-axe]] article for a full listing of this weapon's releases.

''The Transformers Collection'' also featured the first, and to-date only, toys made of energon cubes, three of which came packaged with the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] giftset. The translucent pink cubes are made of soft rubbery plastic, and are quite small; fairly in-scale with the Insecticons themselves, but undeniably dinky next to any larger toys. The reason for their small size is so that they can fit into the Insecticons' opening cockpits, left over from their days as ''[[Diaclone]]'' toys. Three cubes were also included with the [[e-HOBBY]] exclusive [[Insecticon clone]] [[redeco]] of this set.
{{-}}
===''Energon''===

[[File:Energon weapons.jpg|left|thumb|275px]]

All the Omnicon and Terrorcon toys released in the ''Energon'' toyline came packaged with an Energon star (called an "Energon chip" in the toyline) which could attach to the Spark crystals that most of the toys in the series feature, and an Energon weapon, itself formed from several modular pieces that could be mixed and matched with other figures and other Energon weapon components through the miracle of [[5mm post]]s. The Autobot stars and weapons were various shades of red, while the Decepticons' were green, with each faction sporting a different design for their Energon stars. These weapons included [[Strongarm (Energon)|Strongarm]]'s '''Energy Axe''' (formed from a boom arm and a spare tire) [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]]'s '''Energy Spear''' (the merging of a cannon and two rocket boosters), [[Signal Flare (Energon)|Signal Flare]]'s '''Energy Cutter''' (made up of a projecting dish and two shield panels), [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]]'s compound bow (built from fuel tanks and exhaust pipes), [[Battle Ravage]]'s twin cannons, [[Divebomb (Energon)|Divebomb]]'s '''Energy Raiden''' (the united form of two blades) [[Cruellock]]'s '''Energy Blade''' (a large sword made even larger with the addition of a small gun as a handle) and [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon]]'s '''Energy Drill''' (a dagger and gatling cannon combined). In addition to being recolored and sold in the ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' and live-action movie toylines along with the figures who wielded them, many of these weapons were released in new colors as exclusives in Japan, sometimes on their own, sometimes packaged with different toys. See the [[Energon weapon|Energon weapon article]] for a full list. One other set of modular Energon weapons was available as part of the line: the rifle and sword which came with Starscream, owing to the character's status as an "Energon ghost". This pair of weapons could combine to form a ''huge'' sword.

[[File:Energontoy sword and combiner.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

The limb components of the three "Maximus" [[Combiner]]s released during ''Energon'' also each came with a translucent blue "Super Energon" star and an Energon weapon. Rather than follow the modular mix-and-match pattern of the earlier toys, however, these Energon weapons converted into either a hand or foot for their combined super [[robot mode]]. From [[Superion Maximus]], [[Treadshot (Energon)|Treadshot]] and [[Windrazor (Energon)|Windrazor]] came with twin double-ended cannons, while [[Sky Shadow (Energon)|Sky Shadow]] and [[Terradive (Energon)|Terradive]] were armed with double-barrelled blasters; from [[Constructicon Maximus]], [[Sledge (Energon)|Sledge]] and [[Bonecrusher (Energon)|Bonecrusher]] wielded odd clawed cudgels that were particularly strange next to [[Duststorm (Energon)|Duststorm]] and [[Wideload (Energon)|Wideload]]'s pincer-claws; and from [[Bruticus Maximus (Energon)|Bruticus Maximus]], [[Kickback (Energon)|Kickback]] and [[Blight (Energon)|Blight]] bore combined double-barrelled cannon radar arrays, while [[Blackout (combiner)|Blackout]] and [[Stormcloud (Energon)|Stormcloud]] brandished modular quintuple-barrelled arsenals. These figures were redecoed across the ''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]'', ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' toylines, and select limbs were chosen by the Transformers Collectors' Club to become components of their exclusive combiner figure, the energon-manipulating Nexus Prime.

[[Megatron (Armada)/toys|Megatron]]'s Energon Sword was his perennial accessory throughout the ''Energon'' toyline, available in various sizes and colors with his toys, and also with a ''Super Link'' exclusive Kicker figure and as a rather large role-play weapon. See the [[Energon Sword|Energon Sword article]] for a full list of releases. By contrast, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]]'s Energon Blaster was ''only'' released as a role-play weapon, its role in the toyline about as memorable as its brief, puzzling appearance in the cartoon.

Energon took another form for a small line of European-exclusive [[List of Transformers restaurant promotions|McDonald's Happy Meal ''Energon'' toys]]. The four figures in the series each came with a large, translucent "Energon cube", which could be inserted inside their body and featured various effects: Optimus Prime and [[Ironhide (Energon)#Toys|Ironhide]]'s had electronic sounds, while Megatron and [[Unicron/toys|Unicron]]'s featured LED lights.

===Live-action movies===
[[File:ROTF energon swords.jpg|left|thumb|225px| Now... where's that face?]]

The first [[subline imprint]] of the [[Movie (toyline)|live-action movie toyline]] was the "[[AllSpark Power]]" series, in which all the figures sported bright blue parts to represent the glowing blue Energon power of the AllSpark. The AllSpark itself was also rendered in plastic form: it came as a small accessory packaged with the Japanese releases of the "AllSpark Power" figures, or as more esoteric objects like a Rubik's Cube, a paperweight and a candy container. We guess that would make the candy itself the Energon! See the [[AllSpark|AllSpark article]] for a complete listing of merchandise.

[[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Optimus Prime]]'s original live-action movie toy did not include the Energon Sword he was seen deploying in the feature film, but the blade was soon added when the figure was retooled for the "[[Premium Series]]" subline imprint. A second sword was added to Prime's arsenal in the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie, and given that the swords played a major part in one of the film's set-piece battles, they were quickly established as a fixture on almost all of the line's Optimus Prime toys, from his large-scale Leader-class figure, all the way down to his ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' figurine. See the [[Dual Energon Swords|Dual Energon Swords article]] for a full listing of toys wielding these face-taking blades.

===G.I. Joe and the Transformers===
An [[exclusive]] toy set released for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2012, was a [[redeco]] of the 2012 new-[[mold]] ''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe: Retaliation]]'' [[HISS tank]] meant to represent Shockwave, with an additional cannon piece meant to emulate Generation 1 Shockwave's gun barrel. It includes the [[Cobra]]s [[Destro|James McCullen Destro XXIV]] and a [[Battle Android Trooper]]<ref>[http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/12/shockwavehiss/ Shockwave H.I.S.S. page at yojoe.com]</ref> with a trolley for carrying a trio of [[Energon cube]]s. The three cubes, clearly inspired by the Generation 1 cartoon version, are clear pink plastic with inserts to make them appear to be partially filled with liquid.

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Energon''' (エネルゴン ''enerugon'')
*''Chinese:'' '''Energon''' (comics, 异能晶, ''Yìnéngjīng''), '''Néngliàng Kuài''' (Generation 1, 能量块, "Energy Block"), '''Néngliàng Jīngtǐ''' (''Generation 2'', 能量晶体, "Energy Crystal")
*''Russian:'' '''Energon''' (Энергон)

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Animated substances]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars substances]]
[[Category:Drink]]
[[Category:Energon| *]]
[[Category:Energon franchise]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Generation 1 substances]]
[[Category:MacGuffins]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Primus]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]

Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity

2015-05-24T19:43:11Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|predacon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:MegatronTFUMarvel.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Head on - apply prototypical helmet directly to the forehead.]]
Humiliated, but never humbled, '''[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s tale in [[Marvel Comics continuity|Marvel Comics]] is one of survival against all odds!

==Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics==
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Megatrong1marvelarmy.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|No, not fascist at all.]]
Four million years ago, ''rising from his beginnings as a gladiator for the city-state of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]] in the [[Games]],'' {{storylink|State Games}} Megatron and the Decepticons developed the ability of transformation, using it to begin the war against the Autobots, who fought back by mimicking the technology. Megatron declared his intent to transform [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] into a "cosmic dreadnought" to conquer the universe. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} ''However, he would only get as far as building massive engines deep beneath the planet's surface.'' {{storylink|Legion of the Lost!}}

Megatron also vowed to possess the planet's superdatabase, the [[Underbase]], for himself, so he followed a young [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] on his quest into the [[Temple of Knowledge]], where he destroyed the temple's curator, [[Boltax (G1)|Boltax]]. In order to keep the Underbase out of Megatron's hands, Optimus Prime destroyed the temple and launched the Underbase into space. {{storylink|The Flames of Boltax!}}

[[File:Megatrong1earlymarvel.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Check out my awesome preproduction model!]]
''After the death of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], Megatron's troops poised themselves around the Autobot capital city of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], slowly disintegrating its defenses. [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]] chose Optimus Prime, a warrior, to take the [[Council of Autobot Elders]]' place as leader of the Autobot forces. Optimus Prime and Megatron's armies then met in battle, and Megatron's forces were defeated—with help from an exploding bridge.'' {{storylink|And There Shall Come...a Leader!}}

In time, the war grew so fierce that Cybertron itself was shaken from its orbit, and set adrift in the cosmos. Eventually, over a thousand years after Megatron's war had begun,<ref>The length of the war is given as "over a thousand years" in [[The Transformers (issue)|Marvel Comics #1]], but it's said to be just a hundred years in Marvel UK's [[Legion of the Lost!|Legion of the Lost!, Part 1]].</ref> the planet fell into the path of an asteroid cluster in the Sol system that threatened to destroy it, and so Optimus Prime led a contingent of his troops in the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' to reduce the asteroids to rubble, saving Cybertron. The plan was a success, but immediately afterwards, Megatron and his troops attacked, forcing Optimus Prime to crash the ''Ark'' into prehistoric Earth.

Four million years later, in [[1984]], the Transformers were reawakened, and Megatron immediately set about trying to locate a source of fuel for the Decepticons. After having his troops construct a fortress out of a nuclear power plant, Megatron found that they were unable to withdraw usable fuel from it. Overhearing the Autobots' plan to have new ally [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] develop usable fuel out of Earth gasoline, Megatron's forces engaged the Autobots in a battle which ended in the kidnapping of the human. {{storylink|Power Play!}} Back at their fortressed, Megatron forced him to develop a conversion process. Megatron soon found his Decepticons and his base of operations under siege by the Autobot [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] and a strange super-powered human named [[Spider-Man]]. The pair escaped with Sparkplug, but not before he had managed to convert Earth fuel into usable energy. {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}}

[[File:Megatrong1marvelblackhole.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|In early Marvel UK stories, Megatron's colors were blinged up to match his box art.]]
''After an argument with Megatron, [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] left their headquarters and set about on a plan to position himself above Megatron in the eyes of his comrades. [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], sent by Megatron to spy on Starscream, was discovered overhearing Starscream's treachery, and so Starscream tried to eliminate the elusive jaguar. This enraged Megatron, who punished Starscream by having him duel the Autobot [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]].'' {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}} ''Soon, Megatron and the full fury of the Decepticons under his command laid siege to the ''Ark'' itself, but his attack was stopped short by a malfunctioning [[Aunty|Auntie]], the ''Ark'''s computer system. Captured with Optimus Prime in a stasis field, Auntie's fatal intentions towards them prompted Megatron to activate his rarely-used ability to tap into the power of a black hole. This proved unnecessary after [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] saved them, so Megatron moved to use his cosmic power on Prime—until Windcharger magnetically launched him out of the ''Ark'' and into the stratosphere.'' {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}

[[File:Marvel-us04-last-stand-megatron-stands-supreme.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0|So begins Megatron's thousand millisecond reign.]]
Fully fueled with the fuel developed by Sparkplug, Megatron was able to laugh off a full-scale assault by the US Army. Less amusing were Starscream's continuing attempts to undermine his leadership, which Megatron answered with a nasty fusion cannon blast. With the Autobots lacking their own source of fuel and the Decepticons at full strength, Megatron led a full-scale assault on the ''Ark''. The empowered Decepticons soon overcame the ''Ark'''s five remaining defenders; Megatron himself took down Optimus Prime - only to collapse himself a moment later! Though Sparkplug had been forced to develop fuel for the Decepticons, he had also secretly poisoned it, deactivating all the remaining Decepticons. Megatron's last sight before going offline was... the explosive arrival of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who defeated the Autobots with a single blast. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

[[File:Megatrong1marvelhumiliation.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|left|Get used to this, Megatron.]]
Megatron awoke in a repair harness, undergoing restoration at the hands of Shockwave - who now considered himself leader of all Decepticons, including Megatron. {{storylink|The New Order}} Chafing under his command, Megatron impudently broke free from his repair harness before he was fully restored and attacked Shockwave, but was soundly defeated. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}}

This forced Megatron into an alliance with [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], who located and reactivated the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], who had defeated Shockwave in the past. However, Ratchet loosed them on Megatron, and was willing to sacrifice himself to knock Megatron off a cliff. While Ratchet survived, Megatron disappeared for some time. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!}}

Soon, however, Megatron re-emerged, trapped in pistol mode, his higher brain functions disconnected. Used as a weapon by wannabe gangster, [[Joey Slick]], Megatron eventually restored himself, and was impressed enough with Slick for standing up to him that he allowed him to live. {{storylink|Shooting Star!}} At this point, Megatron was desperately low on fuel and attacked a [[Wyoming base|coal mine]], finding the coal to be an unsuitable type of nourishment. He eventually completely ran out of fuel and froze in place. He was located by [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]], who brought him back online, and they subsequently entered into an alliance with the human [[Donny Finkleberg]], who used the alias of "Robot-Master" to con humankind into thinking the Transformers worked for him. {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}}

Shockwave and Megatron entered into a period of shared leadership, but when a two-pronged attack by the Autobots saw Megatron defeated by [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and Shockwave allowing the Autobots to capture the secrets of [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], Megatron was able to spin the situation and reclaim his leadership. {{storylink|Command Performances!}}

So feared was Megatron by the Autobots that Skids once had a nightmare about facing off against the Decepticon leader, who laughingly annihilated him with a single fusion cannon blast. {{storylink|Showdown!}}

[[File:Megatrong1marveltarget2006.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb|SPOILERS!]]
''A mysterious Decepticon called [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], along with his henchmen [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], entered the Decepticon camp and claimed he was the future Decepticon leader from the year [[2006]]. Megatron found this preposterous, but though he tried to destroy the alleged impostor, he and Soundwave were buried under rubble by the powerful newcomers. Megatron was retrieved from the rubble by [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], and he and the Autobots forged an uneasy alliance against Galvatron. This was still not enough, as Galvatron (who was revealed to be Megatron himself from the future) easily disposed of all of them, and was only deterred when he was tricked into believing he had traveled back in time to a past that would not become his own future.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

''Megatron summoned the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to Earth with the intention of having them hunt down Optimus Prime, but Shockwave used the opportunity to try and remove Megatron from the picture. After trailing Prime through a forest and bringing him to his knees, the Predacons turned on Megatron, blindsiding him, stealing his fusion cannon, and absconding.'' {{storylink|Prey!}} ''When Megatron came to, he continued hunting Prime, but when the Autobot leader attacked him, he summoned the [[space bridge]] in hopes of escaping to Cybertron, only for Prime to be transported with him. On Cybertron, Megatron established contact with local Decepticon commander Lord [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]], whose body had been destroyed by [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], leaving him a head floating in a jar.'' {{storylink|...The Harder They Die!}}

[[File:MegatronAntimatterUK.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|left|Cry me an antimatter river.]]
''Straxus soon came to consider the irrational Megatron a liability and sought to dispose of him by transplanting his mind into Megatron's body, giving him mobility again while trapping Megatron in his remains. Megatron resisted the transfer, however, and the process went awry, leaving both Straxus and Megatron's minds trapped in Megatron's body together. Outwardly, Megatron seemed to become more and more unstable as the two personalities inside him battled for control; when attacked by Prime and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], he even proved desperate enough to use his [[antimatter]] manipulation powers, nearly destroying the entire [[Polyhex Decepticon stronghold|Decepticon complex]], until [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] activated the space bridge and sent him back to Earth. Straxus's consciousness fled Megatron's body, and Megatron himself was left with no memory of the whole affair.'' {{storylink|Resurrection!}}

{{GIJoeTransformersfiction}}
Megatron saw the [[Dreadnok]]s' failed attempt to steal [[Power Station Alpha]] on television and set his own plan in motion to steal it for himself. {{storylink|Blood on the Tracks}}

[[File:Megatrong1marveltooclever.jpg|right|upright=1.66|thumb|Yes, you're very smart. Shut up.]]
In order to attain possession of a new energy-generating device, the hydrothermocline, Megatron battled Optimus Prime in a video game duel, using a cheat code to continue the fight after he had lost. Prime defeated him again, but at the expense of some of the game's characters, and ruled himself the loser because he would not have committed such an act in real life. {{storylink|Afterdeath!}} Prime was destroyed, and Megatron's elation soon turned into paranoia, as he had not killed Prime with his own hands, and believed he could still be alive. Bringing the Predacons ''back'' to Earth, Shockwave had them pose as Autobots and attack Megatron in another attempt to remove his threat, but the plan failed when the deranged Megatron defeated even [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]]. Believing (correctly, as it would turn out) that Prime's mind could have been preserved on computer disk, Megatron descended into outright insanity, and boarded the space bridge, vowing to go where Prime could not follow—right before he blew it up with his fusion cannon, apparently killing himself. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}} However, the explosion had merely deposited him in [[Dead End (place)|the Dead End]] region of Cybertron, where he wandered as an [[empty]], with no recollection of who he was. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}}

[[File:Megatrong1marveltwomegatrons.jpg|upright=1.1||left|thumb|buggabuggaWHA?]]
''Megatron's absence allowed a contingency plan arranged by Lord Straxus to be put into motion. In the event that his attempt to seize Megatron's body failed, Straxus had had [[Hapless trooper|a clone]] of Megatron created, complete with a copy of his brain patterns, into which his consciousness retreated following the previous debacle. Straxus lay dormant within the clone, which was activated following Megatron's seeming demise, and sent to Earth, to the sewers beneath [[London]]. There, the clone—believing itself to be the genuine article—battled the Autobots, [[G.I. Joe (team)|Action Force]], and the mechanoid [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]], and wound up submerged in the [[Thames|River Thames]].'' {{storylink|Ancient Relics!}}

''Some time later, it was salvaged by Shockwave, who brainwashed it and unleashed it on [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], a recreated future version of Megatron who had traveled back in time from the year 2006 and posed a threat to Shockwave's leadership. The clone Megatron, however, saw a possible partner in Galvatron, {{storylink|Altered Image!}} and the two teamed up to battle Autobots and Decepticons from both present and future in the apocalyptic [[Time Wars]]. {{storylink|Time Wars}} Subsequently, the clone returned to Cybertron, where it defeated the ruling Decepticon [[Triumverate]],'' {{storylink|The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire.}} ''but was then confronted with the ''real'' Megatron—''who was still wandering incoherently through Dead End until he had saved [[Blackjack|a Decepticon]] from Autobots and regained his memories. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}}'' The clone Megatron subsequently destroyed itself to prevent Straxus, buried inside its mind, from taking over.'' {{storylink|Two Megatrons!}}

[[File:Megs ratch.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|As you can tell, the Marvel Comics weren't very good to Megatron. Or Ratchet for that matter...]]
While Megatron's [[Micromaster]] [[Air Strike Patrol]] created a diversion which pitted Optimus Prime's forces against [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s, Megatron sent his Micromaster [[Sports Car Patrol]] to capture Ratchet from the ''Ark'', bringing him to [[Megatron's base|his base]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}} Threatening Ratchet with the destruction of the ''Ark'' and all of his patients aboard, Megatron forced him to recreate Starscream as a [[Pretender]]. Ratchet did so, but also restored [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] in the same manner, thwarting Megatron's scheme, and also bringing the explosives on board the ''Ark'' through a [[trans-time dimensional portal]] into Megatron's base. When Megatron then attempted to flee through the portal, Ratchet tackled him as the Decepticon's base exploded around them, apparently killing them both. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

Soon after, however, Autobot detective [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] discovered that the explosion had actually blown them through the portal, and he dispatched a probe to pull them back from the gaps between reality. However, when they rematerialized, it was revealed that the explosion had fused the two enemies together, into a hideous, twisted mockery of a being, which ran rampant through the ''Ark''. The half that was Ratchet begged Optimus Prime to kill them, but Prime could not, and had the Micromaster [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]] separate their bodies. Unfortunately, Fixit could not separate their minds, as they were bonded at a molecular level; one could not survive without the other. {{storylink|The Pri¢e of Life!}}

[[File:Galvatron2vsmegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|left|Two mes enter, one me leaves!]]
Their separated bodies lay in the ''Ark'''s medbay until Grimlock pumped them full of [[Nucleon]], though the revitalizing effect took some time to help Ratchet and Megatron come to. Megatron awoke to find [[Galvatron II]], a''nother'' version of him from the future, wandering the halls of the ''Ark'' as it returned to Earth. Galvatron II, driven to insanity, initially tried to kill Megatron to purge the memory of him that haunted his mind. Megatron was in no state to comprehend what was going on around him, and began interpreting Galvatron II's blows as coming from Ratchet.

Though Galvatron II and Megatron eventually came to terms with each other while beating up Shockwave (he and Starscream had stolen the ship), vowing to join forces and take over the galaxy, Ratchet doomed them all by igniting the ''Ark'''s engines and spiraling the Autobot spacecraft into the Earth below. Megatron was presumed dead among the remains that constituted the crash site in northern [[Canada]]. {{storylink|A Savage Circle}}
{{-}}

===''Robo-Capers''===
At some point during the conflict on Earth, Megatron questioned why he should fear [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]]. In response, Swoop pooped on him. {{storylink|Robo-Capers issue 87|''Robo-Capers'', UK issue #87}}

===Marvel UK future timelines===
[[File:Megatron bludgeon aspects of evil.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|DON'T CALL ME INSANE! I JUST HAD TO GO TO THERAPY FOR-ok, I see your point.]]
In an alternate [[1990]], Megatron was in control of Decepticon forces on Cybertron, including [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Stranglehold]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], and [[Warmonger]]. After they captured a trio of Autobots, the heroes somehow managed to escape custody. They were recaptured, but Megatron realized there must be a traitor in his midst. Accusing Bludgeon of the crime, he attempted to beat the [[Pretender]] into confessing. Instead, Bludgeon demanded a trial by combat, as was his right as a Decepticon. Megatron agreed, and sent him out into the wreckage surrounding the base, with his three fellow Decepticons chasing after him, eager for the kill. Octopunch and Stranglehold both tried and failed to destroy Bludgeon, but Warmonger managed to get the drop on him. When Warmonger hesitated to kill a helpless foe, however, Megatron executed him as the REAL traitor. He then revealed this was his plan all along, to draw out the traitor by trusting in the sickeningly honorable [[Autobot Code]] to make the spy reveal himself. Megatron also made it clear he would have had no regrets if Bludgeon had died in the "testing" process. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}
{{note|The above story is the earliest known account from the Marvel UK alternate "Movie" timeline. The split between the main comic and the future stories almost certainly took place in [[1989]], either due to the Time Wars, the events of "[[The Primal Scream]]" where Primus alerted Unicron to his location 15 years early, or both.}}
{{-}}

===Earthforce===
{{Earthforcefiction}}
[[File:Megs earthforce.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|The real culprit behind global warming!]]
Somewhere in the Arizona desert, Megatron and the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] built a [[Global warming satellite|satellite]] that would launch into Earth's atmosphere and detonate, converting the atmosphere into [[energon]]. The Decepticons were interrupted by [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], and though Megatron insisted they were too late to stop the rocket, {{storylink|Starting Over!}} Prowl rode the rocket into the atmosphere, and was able to destroy the satellite the rocket carried before it released its gas canisters. {{storylink|Desert Island Risks!}}

Now that [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]'s [[Earthforce]] had installed itself to counter Megatron and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s Decepticons on Earth, the two leaders decided to hold an [[Enclave]] to foster unity. This event was sabotaged by the Earthforce by staging an assassination attempt on Megatron, and once again, Megatron and Shockwave's respective groups were at each other's throats. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}}

After being ambushed at a secret energon drop by Shockwave and the [[Triple Changer]]s, an enraged Megatron demanded that [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] use his mind-reading powers to find the traitor who betrayed his location to the enemy. Of course, Soundwave WAS the traitor, so this proved difficult. He managed to satisfy Megatron, though, by framing the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] named [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] for leaking the information, knowing Megatron would destroy Wildrider before he could explain himself. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}} When Megatron gained information as to Shockwave's whereabouts, Megatron ambushed him, unaware the information had been deliberately leaked by [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]]. Starscream and Soundwave subsequently deposed their respective leaders and when they came under attack from the Autobots (who had been alerted to their position by Starscream) Megatron and Shockwave were forced to join forces to escape. {{storylink|Internal Affairs!}}

Megatron and Shockwave soon hired a [[Louisiana bounty hunters|group of inept assassins]] to attack Starscream, knowing he would believe Soundwave had sent them and thus initiate a confrontation between the pair. {{storylink|Assassins}} They then hired the surviving members of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]—Bludgeon, Octopunch and Stranglehold—to kill whichever one of the two survived. {{storylink|External Forces!}} The plan failed thanks to the intervention of the Autobots, who needed Starscream's help to save [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]], and Megatron and Shockwave were forced to retreat again. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}
{{-}}

===Another Time & Place===
[[File:TFAnnual1991rip.JPG|100px|thumb|Prime and Grimlock disapprove of Megatron's Bludgeon cosplay.]]
Trapped in non-transforming Action Master bodies, Grimlock and the Dinobots snuck a shuttle to [[Hydrus Four]], where rumor had it a new, less destructive brand of [[Nucleon]] had been developed. However, the allegedly defeated Decepticons were waiting for just such a trip, and followed the Dinobots to the planet's surface, where they were ambushed and captured. Grimlock woke up to hear endless chants of "Megatron! Megatron! Megatron!" as technicians had strung up the late Decepticon leader's body, culled from his supposed doom on Earth, for repairs. Bludgeon would revive him and revive their fallen, and then the war would begin anew.

But Bludgeon wouldn't get the chance. The cavalry arrived, and Optimus Prime's Autobots quickly quelled the Decepticons' would-be resurgence. As Bludgeon was taken to pieces by a vicious repair spider, a partially-restored Megatron, a visual monstrosity, lunged half-alive at Grimlock and Optimus Prime. With a double-teamed punch, Megatron's undead corpse was easily defeated. The war was truly over. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Warrior School!}} {{storylink|Decepticon Dam-Busters!}} {{storylink|The Icarus Theory}} {{storylink|Second Generation!}} {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}} {{storylink|In the National Interest}} {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}} {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}} {{storylink|Decepticon Graffiti!}} {{storylink|Under Fire!}} {{storylink|Distant Thunder!}} {{storylink|Enemy Action!}} {{storylink|Salvage!}} {{storylink|Dry Run!}} {{storylink|Cold Comfort and Joy!}} {{storylink|Mind Games}} {{storylink|All the Familiar Faces!}} {{storylink|...Perchance to Dream}} {{storylink|Once upon a Time...}} {{storylink|Life in the Slow Lane}} {{storylink|Flashback!}} {{storylink|Power Struggle}} {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}} {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} {{storylink|Exodus!}} {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} {{storylink|Robo-Capers issue 97}} {{storylink|Plague of the Insecticons!}} {{storylink|Hunted!}} {{storylink|The Quest!}} {{storylink|Victory!}} {{storylink|To a Power Unknown!}} {{storylink|The Planet-Eater!}}}}

==''Transformers Comic-Magazin''==
{{TransformersComicMagazin}}
[[File:Megs comic-magazin9.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|[[Neon|NEON]] RULEZZZ!]]
Megatron held the rank of Headmaster and served as joint leader with his rival Shockwave. Together, they worked out that hijacking the oil reserves of [[Alaska]] would make more sense than hitting oil refineries, and battled the Autobots to seize the Alaskan oil. Megatron ordered his forces to ensure not a single Decepticon was downed, or they'd be overrun and forced to retreat. And they ''did'' retreat! {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 2|Attack at Dawn}}

He had the more fiendish plan of making peace gestures to Humanity, and made a public speech in [[New York City]] of how the Decepticons would now agree to live peacefully under human laws (adding in the threat that humanity couldn't ''make'' them do it). As a gesture, a "statue" of [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]] was placed in New York, and he promised Decepticons would help patrol the city, assist in human space programs, and help "secure" oil reserves. Unsurprisingly, once Humanity was off-guard, the Decepticons struck, and the Autobots barely stopped them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 4|The Troy Principle}}

A more standard plan involved seizing an oil tanker, in order to distract the Autobots from sudden blitzkrieg strikes across America. However, Megatron's plan was thwarted, as Optimus had placed [[Micromaster|Micronaut]] squads across the continent. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin|A Big Day for Powermaster Optimus Prime}} He later tried to seal off New York's harbour with a mine belt but was conned into heading for the Rocky Mountains for fake oil deposits. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 7|New York — A City Sinking in Terror}}

Megatron had three nuclear missiles stolen and threatened to nuke New York, Berlin, and Moscow if he was not given one million tons of oil! His demands were met...and he threatened to nuke the same cities unless the world's arsenal was handed over! At the same time, he had Starscream made into a [[Pretender]] to kill Shockwave for him. The Autobot [[Classic Pretender]]s wrecked these plans, though, and Megatron was shot down by the mighty Bumblebee! {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 8|Megatron's Ultimatum}}

When both an oil tanker crashed at Alaska ''and'' an interdimensional portal ripped open, Megatron—now holding Powermaster rank!—naturally decided the tanker was more important. He got the tanker to surrender to him by threatening to make the oil spill worse. Battle broke out with an Autobot rescue team, and the Decepticons were driven off, all while Megatron politely ignored the extradimensional battle raging in eyeshot. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 9|The Transformers' Grand Hour: Headmaster of the Dimensions}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 8|Save Nevada Alpha}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 10|Transformers in Action: Wanderer Between the Worlds}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 13|The Energon Trap}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 15|The Cosmic Adventure: Memories of Bumblebee}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 17|Transformers in the Battle for Peace: Powermaster Optimus Prime - a Robot, a Hero}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 21|Transformers in Action: In Memory of Earth}}}}
{{-}}

==Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic==
[[File:Megatrong2cobra.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Green with evil!]]
Although thought dead for a year or two, Megatron had actually survived the ''Ark'' crash (though his mental link with Ratchet was forgotten), and had quietly worked to repair it, concealing it beneath the ground. From there, Megatron tracked a signal, mistakenly believing it was another Transformer, but instead he found the shape-shifting castle of the terrorist organization, [[Cobra]]. {{storylink|Unfoldings!}} He entered into a bargain with its leader, [[Cobra Commander]], offering him the technology of the ''Ark'' in exchange for the new weapons his organization was developing. {{storylink|Realignments}} Reconstructed into a new tank body with a powerful [[rail gun]], Megatron defeated a squad of Autobots sent to stop him, and then turned on Cobra, capturing the scientist who had developed his gun, Doctor [[Sidney Biggles-Jones]] and escaping in the ''Ark''. {{storylink|Final Transformations}}

Both [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] and [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] had snuck on board, and following a clearly one-sided battle with Spike's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster partner]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], Megatron was seemingly killed again when Fortress Maximus threw himself into the ''Ark'''s power core, destroying it once and for all. {{storylink|All or Nothing!}} But Megatron (and a repaired Starscream) rejoined the Decepticons on Earth to challenge the current Decepticon leader, Bludgeon. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}} Bludgeon was deposed, fatally, though Megatron continued many of the Pretender's ongoing projects, such as calling the attentions of Optimus Prime to Earth by indiscriminately rampaging across it. When Prime finally showed up, Megatron's old foe at first attempted to talk and join forces against the new threat of [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] and his [[Cybertronian (faction)|Advanced-Decepticons]], but Megatron ignored him, ripped the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]] from his chest, and left to infuse a [[Bludgeon's new army|new generation of warriors]] with life. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} His new warriors proved to be highly successful, and helped Megatron secure the galvanizing additive known as [[Rheanimum]]. Immediately thereafter, however, Megatron's Decepticons came into conflict with Jhiaxus's forces. Many of Megatron's troops were killed in the resulting battle, and Megatron himself was humbled brutally in battle against Jhiaxus, getting knocked out of space and crashing with immense force into the planet below. {{storylink|New Dawn}}

[[File:Megatrong2idiot.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Megatron's getting a little too self-aware.]]
In order to gain revenge, Megatron entered into an alliance with the Autobots to "put their house in order". He was forced to deal with Prime's more altruistic streak, but toughed it out for the sake of the alliance. {{storylink|Escalation!}} But, of course, they were betrayed by Starscream, who joined forces with Jhiaxus's troops, alerted Jhiaxus to the location of the Autobot/Decepticon camp on Earth, and then again betrayed both sides by using the opportunity to steal the Creation Matrix and Megatron's [[Warworld]]. {{storylink|Total War!}} Starscream, using the powers of the Matrix, fused himself with the Warworld, which gave Megatron and Optimus Prime great difficulty as they fought their way through its shifting insides. {{storylink|Dark Shadows!}} Ultimately, Starscream relinquished the Creation Matrix to Optimus Prime when it was discovered that the artifact was making him nice, allowing Megatron to load a ship with canisters of [[Rheanimum]] gas and head back to Earth, where the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]] was beginning its attack. Megatron arrived just in time to coat the remaining Transformers with the gas, which protected them from the Swarm long enough for Optimus Prime to defeat the Swarm with the Matrix. The Swarm departed, changed into a force for good, leaving both Autobot and Decepticon seemingly united for good. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Goin' South}} {{storylink|Sucker Punch}} {{storylink|War Without End!}} {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Devices and Desires!}} {{storylink|Swarm (issue)|Swarm}}}}

==Fleetway ''Generation 2'' comic==
[[File:Optimus megatron war without end.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85]]
When [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] launched an all-out attack on [[London]] to attract the attention of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], Megatron waited nearby, where he encountered and subdued [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. Once Optimus had confronted and defeated Bludgeon, Megatron revealed his presence. {{storylink|War Without End (issue)|War Without End}}

In a new body (constructed with the aid of human scientists) that was more even powerful than before, Megatron easily knocked Optimus down, but before he could finish the job he was attacked in turn by Bludgeon's Decepticons, Grimlock's [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and Prime's Autobots. Facing so many enemies and dangerously low on [[energon]] reserves, Megatron called [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and retreated. {{storylink|War Zone}}

Some time later, Bludgeon attempted exactly the same plan again, bombarding Earth with the [[Warworld]] to attract the attention of Optimus Prime. However, this time it was Megatron and Starscream who answered the call and the former [[Decepticon leader]] demanded his position back. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)#"Tales of Earth Part One"|Tales of Earth #1}} Although Bludgeon attempted to put up a good fight, he was no match for Megatron in his upgraded body and was quickly despatched. Megatron once again assumed leadership of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory#"Tales of Earth Part Two"|Tales of Earth #2}}
{{-}}

==''Classics''==
{{noteclassics}}
[[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]] believed that Megatron was a key factor in the splintering of this universe from its [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|core universe]]. The creation of this universe caused the [[Cataclysm (GoBots)|Cataclysm]], which began to replace Bug Bite's [[GoBots (franchise)|home universe]]. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

[[File:Megatronclassicscrossingover.jpg|thumb|I got your child safety right here pal!]]
Fifteen years had passed since Megatron supposedly died along with Shockwave, Starscream, and Ratchet when the ''Ark'' crashed violently into the Yukon. The defeated Decepticon army scattered, and the Autobots were able to return to a peaceful Cybertron.

Inexplicably, Megatron returned (in a new body) and once again stalked the Earth, rallying the remaining Decepticons to him. Megatron rebuilt many of these Decepticons using altered specifications created by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], who was now nothing more than a disembodied head summoned by Megatron when he desired counsel. Eventually, Megatron happened across [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], who had travelled from [[Unicron Trilogy|their universe]] in a fantastic energon/force field explosion, but his evil intentions for them were interrupted by human-piloted [[Armored Robot Hunters]] (or RUNTs) and subsequently a small team of Autobots led by Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 1|Crossing Over #1}}

Megatron managed to escape with Landquake and return with him to the Decepticons' base of operations, where he had Landquake restrained, interrogated, and inspected. Megatron was intrigued by Landquake's claims of being from another dimension. He was further intrigued by a radiation wavelength signature detected in [[South America]] that exactly matched Landquake's readouts, and so Megatron led his Decepticons to the source of the signature. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 2|Crossing Over #2}} There, he encountered not only a fleet of jet-piloting RUNTs, but also the Autobots again. This time, with the might of his Decepticons behind him, he eagerly engaged in battle. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3|Crossing Over #3}}

The Autobots and Decepticons continued their struggle while events of cosmic significance took place beneath their feet. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5|Crossing Over #5}} Ultimately, Megatron was unable to claim the power he coveted, as an explosion sealed the area from any further recovery efforts. The Decepticons were forced into a withdrawal. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6|Crossing Over #6}}

Megatron soon received word of a delegation of Decepticons from those loyal to [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] seeking a parley. When Starscream brought [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]] and his agents back to the ''Ark'', Megatron was surprised to see all the Decepticon troops turn against him. Bug Bite had a personal vendetta against Megatron, and had modified cerebro-shell technology to amass enough forces to overpower the Decepticon leader. Or...so he thought. Megatron overcame the effects of the cerebro-shell used against him and, even during an Autobot raid, saw fit to behead Bug Bite with his fusion cannon for the pathetic attempt on his life. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

In a plot to end the Decepticon civil war with Bludgeon, Megatron distracted him with a space fleet performing [[Offensive Strategy LV-117]] while his mole in Bludgeon's forces, [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]], assassinated the [[Pretender]]. Assuming leadership of all Decepticons, Megatron shared his philosophy on the nature of the Transformer race with Ratchet before leaving him in a [[CR chamber]] for the [[Autobot]]s to find. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

A curious distress call from the Earth-based Autobots caused Megatron to return to that planet in the ''[[Talon (Classics)|Talon]]''. The ship arrived in time for the destruction of the universe, and was pulled through the rip in space/time that had swallowed Earth, arriving in the [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]] universe along with the Autobot ship ''[[Graviton (Classics)|Graviton]]''. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 52|Megatron's profile}} Both ships were shot down during the ensuing battle, and crashed on prehistoric [[Earth]]. Megatron sent [[Tentakil (G1)|Tentakil]] and [[Nautilator (G1)|Nautilator]] outside to secure the area, only to discover the [[Energon radiation]] that threatened them. He eschewed [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]]'s suggestion of organic [[alternate mode]]s in favor of energon-absorbing armor. {{storylink|Shattered Time}}

The Decepticons detected three Autobot [[stasis pod]]s and through careful planning, Megatron was able to reach them first and activate them as [[Scylla]], [[Autojetter]], and [[Autolauncher]]. He watched triumphantly as the new Decepticons attacked the Autobots, and when [[Depth Charge (BW)|Depth Charge]] interceded, Megatron blasted the Maximal and prepared to terminate him. By that point, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] had recovered enough to blast the Decepticons with his [[Blue Bolts]] cannon. {{storylink|Shattered Expectations (BWSG)|Shattered Expectations}}

Megatron and his men tracked the Autobots to a chasm, and himself faced Magnus in single combat on a rock bridge. Unfortunately once the Autobots were safe, Magnus shattered the bridge and blasted Megatron, who plummeted to the bottom of the chasm and was covered in rocks. He was dug out by the other Decepticons, and was overjoyed to find they'd stumbled on a giant face carved into the rock. {{storylink|Shattered Paths}} He set to work using the systems in the cavern they'd found. {{storylink|Shattered Hope}} Constructing a huge saurian mech, he used it to bust into the cavern in which the Maximals had just found the [[Origin Matrix]], and demanded their prize. {{storylink|Shattered Balance}} The Maximals refused and opened fire but didn't even dent the [[Gigastorm Armor]]; Megatron then ordered the Predacons to counterattack. Magnus called out Megatron to come out and fight, but Megatron responded that he couldn't because he was one with the armor. Magnus then tried firing on the armor to damage it to hurt Megatron, but Megatron transformed the Armor to battle platform mode and took out all the other Maximals. Megatron demanded the Origin Matrix again, but Magnus responded by inserting the Matrix into his gun to power up the Matrix Blaster Cannon and firing, opening a hole in space-time that sucked all the Predacons through. {{storylink|Shattered Destiny}} {{storylink|Timeless}}}}

==''Regeneration One''==
{{noterg1}}
[[File:Megatron loose ends.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Well, you've already destroyed Earth without the Autobots noticing, so, apparently a lot.]]
Megatron was sent offline by the crash of the ''Ark'', and, with the other Autobots having withdrawn entirely from Earth, Spike Witwicky and Fortress Maximus took it upon themselves to protect the crashed ship to ensure that he could never be revived. Unfortunately, a group of humans were able to penetrate the ship in [[1994]], unwittingly causing Megatron's reactivation. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3|Loose Ends #3}} Awakening to a world abandoned by Optimus Prime, Megatron immediately set about attempting to get the attention of his old enemy by rampaging across the planet. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2|Loose Ends #2}} When Prime did not appear, his swathe of destruction only grew wider, forcing humanity to turn to nuclear tactics—Megatron was able to hack their missiles and redirect them to major population centers, reducing much of the Earth to wasteland. With still no sign of Prime, Megatron's schemes grew even more outrageous: returning to the ''Ark'', he used the technical knowledge gained from his mind-merge with Ratchet to get the ship's computer back online, and to reanimate the various deceased Decepticons and Autobots in the ''Ark'''s stasis capsules as lobotomized [[zombie]]s that would eliminate the last of the human resistance. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3|Loose Ends #3}} Only two Transformers were spared the full extent of this process: Ratchet, reduced to a decepitated head on the prow of Megatron's [[battle sled]], whose bond with Megatron meant that the Decepticon would die if he did, and Starscream, kept alive as torture for years of treachery. These two were granted a small spark of consciousness beneath the mental conditioning, allowed to be aware of their hideous plight but entirely unable to do anything. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2|Loose Ends #2}} But still, Prime did not appear...

In the year 2012, the [[Wrecker]]s arrived on Earth, unaware of the planet's fate, merely having been convinced by [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] that they needed to recover the ''Ark'', Megatron, and the other traces of their technology left there. Scanning the planet from orbit, they discovered its grisly fate, and were horrified when Megatron took control of their probe, questioning them from his throne in the ruins of Washington D.C. why they took so long to notice what he had done. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1|Loose Ends #1}} After blowing the Wreckers' ship out of the sky, Megatron set his zombie army to track down any survivors and bring them to him so that he could snuff out their [[spark]]s utterly. When they captured Kup, Megatron explained that he was ''allowing'' the other Wreckers to carry out their plan to contact Cybertron, in hopes that ''that'' would bring Prime to him. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2|Loose Ends #2}}

[[File:Prime megatron loose ends 5.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|When electric shock therapy just isn't working, this is how therapists fix you.]]
After the Wreckers had sent their message, Megatron infected Kup with [[Scraplet]]s from the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s mech-hazard lab, and proceeded to use him as bait to lure the other Autobots to Washington. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3|Loose Ends #3}} [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] willingly walked into the trap in order to keep Megatron's attention on him while the other members of his team focused on retaking control of the ''Ark'', but before Megatron could finish him off, a familiar voice reached Megatron's ears: Optimus Prime had come to face Megatron at last. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4|Loose Ends #4}} Before engaging his eternal foe, Megatron coldly killed Springer, sending Prime into a rage. As they battled fiercely, Megatron gleefully revealed that he had taken steps to ensure that this would be their last confrontation: when their duel reached its end, whatever the outcome, the [[Ark (G1)|''Ark'']]'s [[Aunty|computer]] would launch nuclear missiles all across the world, destroying winners, losers, and everyone else. As Prime prepared to crush him with a huge chunk of rubble, Megatron laughed that doing so would make Prime as bad as he is, forcing the Autobot leader to relent. Megatron seized the opening to stab Prime with a shard of debris, turning the tables and allowing Megatron to lean in for the kill. It was at that point that Megatron's own hubris proved his downfall: fighting against all his conditioning, the small spark of life in Starscream revealed to Kup how to kill Megatron: by killing Ratchet! Kup shot the Autobot medic point-blank, causing Megatron to convulse in agony, and allowing Prime to plunge his fist into the Decepticon's chest, ripping out his spark and killing him once and for all. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Circuit Smasher]] stopped Megatron's final solution by shorting out the ''Ark'''s computer systems, shutting down it, the missiles, and the zombie Decepticons. Curiously, just after the death of Megatron, in the frozen wastes of the [[Yukon]]... a crack appeared in the ice... and from the frozen depths, [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]] emerged! {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5|Loose Ends #5}}

To make sure that Megatron would stay dead this time, the Autobots dumped his body into a pit with the rest of his deactivated army, and vaporized the remains from space. Starscream managed to escape, though, as he wasn't quite dead yet. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} Starscream returned to the ''Ark'', where he found Galvatron, and showed the time-displaced Decepticon that Shockwave had been integrated into the ''Ark'''s computer core, facilitating Megatron's control of its systems. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Two}} As Galvatron was focused elsewhere on the ship restoring its systems, Shockwave regained consciousness, and revealed to an increasingly-cognisant Starscream that ''he'' was the one responsible for lifting the blocks Megatron had placed on his mind. Thus, Shockwave had a hand in facilitating Megatron's final destruction. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Five}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}}}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*In the Marvel Comics, Megatron was often drawn with his chest [[insignia]] off-center to his right. This is probably due to his [[character model]] (as seen at the top of this page). In that pose, the insignia is centered with respect to ''his belly'', but because of the way his upper body is drawn, it actually is located farther to one side of his chest. (Compare the distance the insignia is from one side of the line above it to the other.) If he moved to any other camera angle, the insignia would look off-center.
*Megatron [[Gone but Not Forgotten!|once]] crushed [[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]'s head with his bare hands!
*In the UK comics, [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] explains that Megatron is the equivalent of a 'blueblood,' possessing some royal lineage. "That's why [his fuel]'s green, innit?!" {{storylink|Letters page (Marvel UK)|Dread Tidings #227}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

[[Category:Beast Wars Predacons]]
[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Marvel Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Gladiators]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Robo-Capers characters]]

Stunticon (G1)

2014-08-19T04:59:04Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Stunticon}}
:''The Stunticons are a [[Decepticon]] [[subgroup]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:Stunticons magami.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|"Roads? Where we're going... we don't need... roads."]]
The '''Stunticons''' are a group of five rebellious Decepticon automobiles that [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] can barely control. They are the mortal enemies of the [[Autobot]] [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]].

The Stunticons consist of:

*The merciless [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] (leader)
*The victory obsessed [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]]
*The gloom ridden [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]]
*The psychotic [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]]
*The paranoid [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]

They can combine to form [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]].

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
[[File:Stunticons.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Unfortunately, this image lost the Clint Eastwood reference to [[A Fistful of Energon|the poncho]].]]
In envy of the Autobots' vehicular modes, [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] stole various human vehicles and customized them so he could have his own car team, the Stunticons. Before they were given [[Spark|life]], he brought them out for a test drive via remote control, forcing them to flip, somersault, fly off the road, drive up cliffs and bash through forests without a scratch. The Stunticons having satisfied Megatron's idea of normalcy, he headed to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to get Cybernetic personalities for them. On activation, they swore loyalty to Megatron... or at least agreed to do what he told them to.

Their first mission was to steal the [[superfuel]] from the humans. As they smashed up the superfuel facility, the human guards immediately assumed that they were Autobots, since the Decepticons could not possibly [[Constructicon (G1)|transform]] [[Astrotrain (G1)|into]] [[Blitzwing (G1)|land vehicles]]. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} Whilst the Autobots were marooned on Cybertron, the Decepticons returned to [[Earth]] with the newly awakened Stunticons who began wreaking havoc and damaging the Autobots' good name by attacking the US military base containing the experimental rocket fuel. Eventually, the Autobots returned with the newly built [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] whose combined form [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] defeated the Stunticon combiner Menasor... with a little help from [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

[[File:Trans-europe-express-stunticons-sideswipe-sunstreaker.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Despite this defeat, the Stunticons were the key component in Megatron's elaborate scheme to hold a [[Europa 2000|fake charity race]] from Paris to Istanbul so he could steal US driver [[Auggie Cahnay (G1)|Auggie Cahnay]]'s car which would be melted down to house the powerful [[Pearl of Bahoudin]]. One by one, the Stunticons disabled the Autobot participants assigned to protect Cahnay, but the downfall of Megatron's plan came when he ordered the Stunticons to stop going after the remaining Autobots. Though they combined into Menasor to fend off the last three Autobots, the giant was eventually defeated by the Autobots and Cahnay. {{storylink|Trans-Europe Express}}

[[File:Cosmicrust taking over this boat.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

When Megatron was infected with [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] after a trip to the lost Autobot colony of [[Antilla]], the Stunticons were assigned to capture the Autobot scientist [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], who had developed the powerful anti-corrosion [[Corrostop]]. After Megatron cured himself and infected the Autobots with the disease, Menasor attacked the Statue of Liberty in [[New York City]] with the ancient [[Lightning Bug]] heat ray, intent on stopping the Autobots from matter-duplicating more Corrostop from the layer they sprayed on the statue. Superion defeated Menasor and destroyed the Lightning Bug. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade Stunticon lineup.jpg|thumb|300px]]
After [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] was banished for yet another failed coup, he returned with a powerful new Decepticon team called the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], who were able to outfight Autobot and Decepticon alike. Needing a trump card, Megatron attempted to call on the Stunticons to help, but they refused as the rebellious Decepticons were busy having a demolition derby with various human-owned cars. However, the Stunticons belatedly arrived after the Combaticons' combined form of [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] defeated [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and forced Megatron to acknowledge Starscream as the new Decepticon leader. Realizing that Starscream would not stop at Megatron, the Stunticons merged into Menasor and disabled Bruticus in one mighty punch. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

[[File:Dragstripcartoon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]

Megatron ordered the Stunticons out to steal a series of items, but their actions were quickly noticed by the Autobots, who managed to track down and capture them, culminating with a head-on collision between Motormaster and Optimus Prime that only the Autobot leader was able to drive away from. Optimus and several of his Autobots used [[camouflage paint]] to disguise themselves as the Stunticons, so that they could infiltrate the Decepticons and learn Megatron's plans for the stolen components. The disguised Autobots flaunted their impersonations in front of the captured Stunticons, infuriating them enough to work up the energy to escape. Upon confronting the fake Stunticons at the site of Megatron's new weapon, the real Stunticons combined into Menasor, only to be shocked when the Autobots pull off the same stunt (thanks to a combination of [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]'s and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s powers). The ''ersatz'' Menasor proved to be no match for the real thing, though, and the masquerade quickly fell apart. When Megatron attempted to use his new weapon on the Autobots, however, it blew up in his face (thanks to a little sabotage from [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]), and the Stunticons were forced to flee with the other Decepticons.{{storylink|Masquerade}}

[[File:Ffod3 squalor on chaar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]

In the year [[2005]], in the aftermath of [[The Transformers: The Movie|the battle with Unicron]], the Stunticons joined the Decepticon retreat to the planet [[Chaar]], where dwindling resources left them on the verge of shutdown. [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s arrived proclaiming that they would bring [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] back. Dead End was not particularly optimistic about the situation. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} When [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] were discovered spying on them, the Stunticons participated in a beat-down of the Autobot intruders, until [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] arrived in a commandeered [[Rockeroid|Scuxxoid ship]] to rescue them. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2}} Before Cyclonus can return with Galvatron, however, the [[Quintesson]]s showed up and offered the Decepticons unlimited energon in exchange for destroying Rodimus Prime, who by then was stranded on [[Goo 8739B|Goo]] with only a few other Autobots. Dead End sampled the first batch of energon and found it satisfactory, leading to the other Decepticons to dogpile on the rest of it. Motormaster put the Quintessons' offer up to a vote, and only [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] chose not to participate, sensing something familiar about the Quintessons and suspecting they couldn't be trusted. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3}} The attack on Goo was interrupted when Galvatron showed up to reassert himself over the Decepticons, but in the confusion, the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] rescued the Autobots. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4}} The Stunticons participated in the joint Decepticon/Quintesson attack on Cybertron, which turned out to be a ruse by the Quintessons in their bid to retake Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

In [[2006]], the Decepticons attempted to take advantage of civil unrest among the humans in northern Europe to wreak havoc. The Stunticons merged into Menasor to try and take on a one-armed Defensor, but the combiner was dispatched by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. Later, the Stunticons responded to an alert at Trypticon's perimeter, charging into battle alongside Galvatron - only to be dispatched ''again'' by Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear Stunticons Matrix.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Later that year, Wildrider and Dead End encountered Rodimus Prime and [[Marissa Faireborn]] on a mountain road in [[Japan]], and the two Stunticons proceeded to run Rodimus off the road. When they inspected the crashed Autobot leader, they found the [[Matrix of Leadership|Autobot Matrix of Leadership]], and took it back to Chaar as a present for Galvatron. When the Decepticon leader attempted to use the Matrix to boost his power and it failed, he accused Wildrider and Dead End of breaking it, but visions of the [[Ancient Autobots]] convinced Galvatron to get rid of it. After [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] decided to use the Matrix himself, he overpowered Galvatron and Cyclonus, and led the Decepticons, including all Stunticons present, on an assault on Earth. When Hot Rod reclaimed the matrix from Scourge, the assault came to an end. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

The Stunticons joined Galvatron in following Bruticus into the loading dock of [[Mark Morgan|Dr. Morgan]]'s laboratory, after learning that the body of Optimus Prime was being held there. A group of [[Hate Plague]]-infected Autobots led by [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] quickly infected Bruticus and the Stunticons, though, forcing Galvatron to retreat back to Chaar. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1}} Presumably, the Stunticons were cured when the revived Optimus Prime was able to open the Matrix, though they would not be seen again during or immediately after that crisis. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga====
The Stunticons decided to have a little fun and tear up a baseball stadium in Japan. Luckily, the Autobots' plucky young ally [[Kenji]] was present to radio for assistance. All the combiner teams assembled, and it was Menasor and Bruticus against Superion and Defensor! Defensor was forced to break apart by the combined Decepticon attack, but Superion and Kenji got the idea to shoot out the Decepticons' legs. [[Groove (G1)|Groove]] and [[Blades (G1)|Blades]] took advantage of the empty combiner ports and took over as Menasor's legs, launching him into the ocean. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 5|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #5}}

While posing as Autobots, [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] and the Stunticons rampaged through the city streets, smearing the good name of their adversaries. Later, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] posed as humans to rally people against the Autobots, and Motormaster's brigade staged an attack on the rally to drive the point home. The Autobot fire engines [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] and [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] arrived, however, and used their water hoses to wash off the Decepticons' fake insignia. Enraged, Motormaster planned to combine into Menasor...only to see the other Stunticons were already retreating into the distance. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 7|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7}}

====''Scramble City'' OVA====

The Decepticons discovered that the Autobots were secretly constructing a [[Metroplex (G1)|mobile fortress]], and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] mobilized his forces to attack the Autobots' secret factory. The Stunticons were deployed against the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] after the latter group drove off the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. As the Stunticons and Aerialbots used Scramble Power to try to optimize the power of their combined forms, [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] crashed into his own teammates, leaving an opening on [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] took advantage by disengaging from [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and taking a position as Superion's leg, which caused the air warrior great pain. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] shot Wildrider off, though, allowing Fireflight to recombine with his team. At that point, the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] showed up and combined into [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], turning the tide of the battle in favor of the Decepticons.

Menasor and Bruticus were able to overpower Superion, but found themselves outmatched when the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] showed up and formed [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], followed by the newly completed Scramble City fortress, which transformed into the robot mode of Metroplex! The city-bot quickly dispatched Menasor and Bruticus with one shot; however, the victory was short-lived, as the Decepticons then revealed their own city warrior - [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]! {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
The Stunticons participated in Galvatron's siege on Cybertron. They managed to gain the high ground against the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] and [[Throttlebot]]s, and rained laser fire down on their opponents. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} Later, the Stunticons formed Menasor to fight their Autobot counterparts, but were steamrolled by the might and firepower of the Battleship Maximus. Transporting back to Earth, they attempted to interfere with Hot Rod's quest for the Matrix. They were confronted by the Aerialbots in the desert, but the battle of their combiner forms eventually led them to the Arctic. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

When [[Vector Sigma]] began perfecting the new super-metal [[Cybertonuron]] on Cybertron, Galvatron ordered another all-out attack on the planet to seize the metal for the Decepticons before the Autobots could make use of it. The Stunticons journeyed to Cybertron with the strike force, and confronted their old enemies, the Aerialbots. The Aerialbots got the drop on the Stunticons by forming Superion and lashing out before the Stunticons could form Menasor as well. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} They were still in a firefight sometime later, as [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] passed by looking for [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] and the Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}} In [[San Francisco]], the Stunticons assisted Bruticus in using a carnivorous plant to distract the Autobots from [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s plans on [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]]. They fought against the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s and [[Computron (G1)|Computron]]. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

Much later, the Stunticons assembled in the desert as their Ninja Commander [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] began issuing orders. They assembled as Menasor, and took part in the escalating Decepticon war effort as five separate Autobot outposts were attacked simultaneously at Sixshot's command. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}}

====''Zone'' OVA, manga and story pages====
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the [[Nine Great Demon Generals]], upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. The Stunticons were among those summoned, but only in the form of Menasor. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}} {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Zone (manga)|Zone}} {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Stunticonsmarvelg1.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Soundwave not included.]]

''Due to his experience with the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] experienced a vision of the future, in which the Stunticons and [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] battled the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] and [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] over the abandoned [[Pullen Power Plant]]. In order to help make sense of the visions, Buster was temporarily mind-linked to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], but unbeknownst to them, [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] were able to monitor them as well, allowing the Decepticons to gain insights into their own future forces!'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

The Stunticons were brought to life on Earth thanks to a [[cerebro-shell]], which the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]] [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] implanted inside Optimus Prime, allowing Megatron to remotely access the power of the Creation Matrix when Prime used it to give life to the Aerialbots. Megatron sent the Stunticons out to menace the human population after [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] was sighted on television saving a human, in order to increase fear of Transformers among the population. During the ensuing fight, the Stunticons formed Menasor to counter Superion, but the Autobot gestalt was disabled by [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|Circuit Breaker]]. The Stunticon combiner attempted to take advantage of Circuit Breaker's weakened state after her attack on Superion, but [[Rapid Anti-robot Assault Team|her human teammates]], led by [[Walter Barnett (G1)|Walter Barnett]], saved her. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}

''In a fit of hubris, Motormaster suggested to Megatron that the Stunticons could finish off Optimus Prime - and then quickly corrected himself to say they could only after Megatron had worked Prime over. Soundwave convinced Megatron that there was merit to Motormaster's idea of overpowering Optimus with numbers, but Megatron decided to use the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] instead of the Stunticons, and had them use Motormaster as target practice as a warm-up! Fortunately for Motormaster, the Predacons opted only to scare him.'' {{storylink|Prey!}}

The Stunticons didn't see much action afterward, as both the Autobot and Decepticon factions became embroiled in internal politics. The team was last seen in action together when [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] sent Motormaster to lead a Decepticon assault on the Autobot gathering on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], giving the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] a chance to recover the deactivated Decepticons being held in the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. When [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] joined the battle, they were able to force the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Totaled!}} Soon after, Drag Strip and Breakdown were among the Decepticons participating in the [[Club Con]] resort scam. {{storylink|Club Con!}}

====Earthforce====
{{earthforcefiction}}
Back in action on Earth, Drag Strip and his Stunticon partner Dead End began working for a faction of Decepticons led by Megatron. Megatron had created an [[Global warming satellite|ozone-warping rocket]], designed to trap heat in the atmosphere which could be tapped for a new source of energy, even though it would virtually destroy all life on Earth. Their plan was interrupted by two Autobots, [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]. {{storylink|Starting Over!}} While Wheeljack kept the Stunticons busy, Prowl leapt onto the rocket itself, his weight knocking it off course and causing it to crash before it reached the apex point in the atmosphere it was meant to travel to. Drag Strip and Dead End raced to the crashsite, hoping to retrieve the atmospheric poisons Megatron had loaded it with. At the fallen rocket, however, they ran into [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]], who were interested in securing the equipment for their commander, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. The four Decepticons began to tussle, little realizing Prowl had already snuck away and neutralized the canisters. {{storylink|Life in the Slow Lane}}

Several Stunticons were seen at the [[Enclave]] between Megatron and Shockwave's troops before the fracas broke out. {{storylink|The Bad Guy's Ball!}}

A poisoned [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] staggered into Wildrider's quarters, and gave him a tape of battle plans to transmit to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Wildrider assumed that Soundwave had been betrayed by traitors in Megatron's faction of Decepticons, and attempted to send the plans in secret. When Megatron saw him doing so, however, he assumed that the Stunticon was trying to send them to his rival Shockwave, making him the traitor who had betrayed him to Shockwave earlier. With one blast from his [[fusion cannon]], Megatron promptly killed him. Which was exactly what Soundwave (who had not been poisoned and was, in fact, the traitor) had planned. Harsh. {{storylink|Secrets (G1)|Secrets}} Shortly thereafter, Motormaster was present with [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s troops outside [[Decepticon Louisiana bayou base|their base]] when Soundwave and Starscream announced they were taking over. {{storylink|Internal Affairs!}}

Later, the Decepticons learned a human reporter named [[Irwin Spoon (G1)|Irwin Spoon]] would be writing an exclusive about the Autobots to upgrade their public image. In order to stop this, they sent Motormaster and the Stunticons out to snatch the human. Using his henchmen as a distraction, Motormaster rammed [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] from behind and pulled the reporter into his cab to make a getaway. {{storylink|Front Line! (issue)|Front Line!}} It wasn't that easy, however, as the Autobots gave chase. Motormaster ran Prowl off the road again, and surprised [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] into running into his trailer by disconnecting from it (a surprise to everyone, no doubt). In the end it was his own Stunticons who did Motormaster in, though—[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] tried to ram [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] as they were following Motormaster's cab, but the Autobots dodged at the last second and the 'Con cars barreled into their own leader, sending him into a ditch. Bumblebee then ripped off Motormaster's door and rescued the human.

"King of the Road", my central processor. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}
====Marvel UK future timelines====

[[File:Stunticons ark duty.jpg|thumb|200px]]
In [[2003]], Motormaster and the Stunticons took on a mission to steal the plans for [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] from their courier, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]]. They surrounded the Autobot, and Motormaster had his goons tag-team the old wreck until they got their hands on the data tape. Thinking they were done for the day, the Stunticons got lucky and had a second beatdown when the hotheaded Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] chased after them alone to retrieve the tape. Needless to say, they beat the ball bearings out of him. {{storylink|Ark Duty}}

Five years later, Motormaster and the Stunticons were present on Cybertron when [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]] (under the influence of [[Unicron]]) attempted to take [[Decepticon leader]]ship from [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]. Combined into Menasor, the Stunticons tried to save their commander but were, alas, too late. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} Later, under [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]'s command, the Decepticons were engaged in an extended guerrilla war with the Autobots for control of Cybertron. After getting a tip from the [[Quintesson]]s, Soundwave had Motormaster and his other lieutenants gather the troops for a full-scale attack on the Autobots. The tip turned out to be a trap, however, and Motormaster and the others had to bail out of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] in mid-flight to protect themselves from a mass of invaders. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
At some point in Cybertron's recent history, the Stunticons were deemed psychotic and too dangerous to function in society, and as a result were placed into perpetual stasis lock inside of a [[Detention Banks|prison facility]]. Later, in an attempt to create a diversion while he set his final plans in motion, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] arranged for the release of the Stunticons. They formed into Menasor and ran amuck for awhile, until [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] arrived and began insulting them. Unable to reconcile with this, the five Stunticons began to bicker with each other over whose fault it was that they were failing, temporarily stopping Menasor and allowing Ultra Magnus to ram the combiner in the chest, forcing him to separate into his component parts and disabling the Stunticons. {{storylink|Passive Aggression}}

===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
When [[Teletran 3]] went out of control and started zapping random Transformers into different points in Earth's timeline, the Stunticons found themselves laying dormant in mid-1930's [[Chicago]]... except Breakdown, who kept his consciousness and waited for the [[G.I. Joe (team)|various]] [[Cobra|humans]] sent to retrieve the lost Decepticons. While Motormaster was missing, Breakdown woke three of his comrades and the Stunticons chased the humans and Optimus Prime across the city. Eventually they found Motormaster, and were promptly transported back to present-day Cybertron. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2}}

Some time later, the Stunticons were recruited by [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]], and helped him capture some pesky Autobots and G.I. Joes. Motormaster later attended a Decepticon gathering organized by their new leader, and attacked an Autobot peace ceremony in the form of Menasor. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3|The Art of War #3}} After the giant helped [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] and [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] take down [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], he brought [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] to Optimus Prime. A short while later, Drag Strip was seen among the Decepticon forces preparing to defend their base from a combined Autobot/G.I. Joe assault, while Breakdown completely failed to guard some human prisoners. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4|The Art of War #4}} Motormaster helped defend Serpent O.R. from Optimus Prime's fury, but it didn't end well. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 5|The Art of War #5}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{ongoing}}
Motormaster, Dead End and Wildrider were among the Cybertronians who answered the call to join Megatron in [[Kaon]]'s underground pit-fighting ring, and later participated in the first street battle against Autobot forces. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} As the war broke out, Dead End and Drag Strip were seen fighting Autobots as Motormaster attempted to challenge [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

Many years later, the Stunticons were abandoned on [[Earth]] following a failed Decepticon invasion. Motormaster, Wildrider and Dead End were all captured and deactivated by [[Skywatch]] {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}, as was Breakdown sometime later. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} Drag Strip managed to avoid capture, and joined a crew of Decepticons under [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]'s leadership trying to get off the planet. They allied themselves with a group of Autobots with similar goals, led by [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} This mixed group later rescued Motormaster, Wildrider and Dead End, as well as others, and the Autobot [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] concocted a method of reversing the mode-lock imposed on them by Skywatch. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

The Stunticons participated in the construction of a new space cruiser, while Swindle talked "Rodimus Prime" into agreeing to let them rescue their brother Breakdown, and reunite the team. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 3: "Seasons in Flight"|Seasons in Flight}} Wildrider and Drag Strip assaulted [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] while he was driving around in Breakdown, recovering the last member of their group. Swindle hastily applied stolen combiner technology to the quintet, enabling them to form the terrifying Menasor and help him seek revenge on his old nemesis, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} Swindle's mechanical skill didn't equal his greed, however, and the combined Stunticons could not achieve the mental fusion they needed, leaving Menasor awkward and self-contradictory in battle, despite his fearsome power. The Autobots took advantage of the Stunticons' weakness and overwhelmed the new gestalt. All the Stunticons were taken into custody by Skywatch again after the battle. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

The Stunticons were freed once the Decepticons returned to Earth and attacked the Skywatch facility where they were held. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} When the other Decepticons left the planet via [[space bridge]] to join Megatron on Cybertron, the Stunticons stayed behind to finish off an intruding [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]], only to be defeated and recaptured. {{storylink|The Question}} They were subsequently brought to a restored Cybertron and imprisoned alongside the other Decepticons. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
Even [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] had trouble controlling the Stunticons. The team went on a crime spree in the back alleys of human cities until they were tracked down and stopped by [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] and his team. {{storylink|The Thin Blue Line}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:Stunticons-collectallfive.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Learn to count, the Decepticon way!]]
* '''Stunticons''', 1986
**[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]]
**[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]]
**[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]]
**[[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]]
**[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]]
***''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-50''' through '''D-54'''

: As a [[Scramble City (toyline)|Scramble City]]-style [[combiner]] team, the Stunticons consist of four small "limbs", sold carded at the $5 price point, and a single larger leader toy that forms the combined robot's torso, sold boxed for roughly $12. They were available in 1986 and 1987.

: The smaller Stunticons, like their Aerialbot counterparts, share a general transformation scheme involving pulling out the back of the vehicle to form legs, and flipping the hood out of the way to reveal the robot head. Dead End and Breakdown share an additional step, requiring rotating their legs at the knees and pushing the legs back in so they aren't incredibly tall and skinny. All four feature shoulder articulation and not much else. Each comes with a small pistol for the robot mode, and a ''huge'' double-barreled cannon which plugs into the back of the vehicle mode.

: The four smaller cars are fairly close in [[scale]], but Motormaster throws the whole equation off. He's a tiny truck compared to his teammates, a point which becomes doubly obvious alongside the much-larger truck form of the original Optimus Prime toy, his supposed arch-rival.

: The Stunticons are ''slightly'' less prone to being produced as [[knockoff]]s than the other Scramble City teams. Inexplicably, three members of the group (Motormaster, Breakdown and Drag Strip) are frequently packaged by bootleggers with two members of the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]]. Drag Strip was named "Brain Man" in at least one such set.

{{-}}

===Generation 2===
[[File:G2 Menasor and G2 Defensor.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|[[Generation 2 Defensor and Menasor|Yowza.]]]]
* [[Redeco]]s of all five Stunticons were planned for release in 1994, but were canceled. ''Generation 2'' Stunticon and Protectobot limbs have surfaced over the years in what appears to be finished packaging. (Motormaster and [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]] have never appeared in finished packaging, but unpainted prototypes have surfaced.) However, these are still exceedingly rare pieces, and all told it is believed that less than a dozen of each team member were produced, with one exception: Breakdown, who was available in relatively small numbers (about 300 pieces) as a [[BotCon 1994]] [[exclusive]]. While no plans for a giftset are known, Menasor would have been constructed using these toys.
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===Alternators===
* '''Dead End''' (Alternators, 2004)
{{main|Dead End (G1)#Alternators}}

===Classics===
* '''Menasor''' (Legends, 2006)
{{main|Menasor (G1)#Classics}}

===Titanium Series===
* '''Menasor''' (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2007)
{{main|Menasor (G1)#Titanium Series}}

===Universe (2008)===
* '''Decepticon Drag Strip''' ("Special Edition" Deluxe, 2008)
{{main|Drag Strip (G1)#Universe (2008)}}

===Gentei! Gentei!===
*'''Stuntron Wildrider''' (Deluxe, 2008)
{{main|Wildrider (G1)#Gentei! Gentei!}}

===Timelines===
*'''Generation 2: Redux''' (BotCon 2010 box set)
{{main|Breakdown (G1)#Timelines}}

===Generations===
*'''Motorbreath''' (Legends, 2012)
{{main|Motormaster (G1)#Generations}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Stuntron''' (スタントロン ''Sutantoron'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Sztuntikon'''
*''Russian:'' '''Effecticon''' (Эффектикон)
*''Brazilian Portuguese:'' '''Acrobaticon'''
*''French:'' '''Cascadicon'''

[[Category:Combiner teams]]
[[Category:Decepticon subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 1 subgroups]]
[[Category:Generation 2 subgroups]]
[[Category:Stunticons| Stunticon (G1)]]

Galvatron (AOE)

2014-07-23T23:18:47Z

TimelordStarscream:

{{factions|decepticonfilm}}
{{disambig3|Galvatron}}
:''Galvatron is a Prototype from the [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|Age of Extinction]] portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]].''
{{spoiler|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|July 28}}
[[File:AOEGalvatron.jpg|thumb|right|355px|Pal, you picked the wrong car to terrorize.]]
The crowning achievement of [[Kinetic Solutions Incorporated]], the man-made [[Transformer]] code-named '''Galvatron''' was originally intended for use in the United States military. Reverse-engineered from the scavenged body of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], the drone adopted many of his features during its construction. However, Megatron's [[spark]] had not yet been extinguished, and before long he had seized this new body for himself. His lack of a true spark makes him almost invincible, as does his ability to split apart into a cloud of [[Transformium]] and avoid taking damage. With all of Megatron's memories and abilities, Galvatron conspires to turn KSI's technology against its creators and forge a new Decepticon army under his command.

{{quote|You have no soul!}}
{{quote|That is why I have no ''fear!''|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and Galvatron on the latter's rebirth|[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]}}

==Fiction==
===''Age of Extinction'' film===

{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English)|[[Mario Arvizu]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Mario Bombardieri]] (Italian)}}
{{spoiler|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|July 28}}
Though believed dead, Megatron actually survived the battle of [[Chicago]] though he remained a non-functioning and immobile head. Megatron's head was collected by Joshua Joyce's KSI, and used to produce man-made Transformers. Learning of KSI and Cemetary Wind's alliance with [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] in order to obtain a Seed, Megatron silently bided his time until KSI finished creating a new body for him to inhabit, with which he plotted to rebel against KSI and take the Seed for himself to simultaneously wipe out millions of humans, and to announce his return. Only [[Brains]], who was forced into hard labor by KSI, knew Megatron lived, but was unwilling to share this information with his captors. The new body unit was dubbed "Galvatron", but thanks to its source coding being developed from Megatron, its body was twisted and very reminiscent of its source. This came to the chagrin of Joyce, who wanted the robot to have the friendlier appearance of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]].

After the Autobots left KSI after an attempted raid, [[Harold Attinger]] ordered Galvatron deployed with [[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] to destroy Optimus. Upon activation, Galvatron pretended to obey KSI's remote control, but showed several signs of free will during the operation, including firing weapons unbidden. Galvatron separated Optimus from [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and the Autobots, attacking many civilians in his way. Galvatron soon came to fight Optimus in robot mode, and held his own against the Autobot leader. When Optimus declared Galvatron had no soul, he retorted that it left him without any fear in exchange. It was this verbal exchange that alerted Optimus to Galvatron's true nature, but before the fight could be resolved, Lockdown arrived and easily dispatched his prey. Galvatron was retrieved from the field by a furious Joyce, declaring Galvatron's signs of autonomy as critical flaws.

Brains revealed Galvatron's scheme to [[Cade Yeager]], who called Joyce and alerted him of the danger Galvatron posed should he obtain the Seed. Having ended his deal with Lockdown, Attinger handed over the Seed he'd received in exchange for Optimus. Though efforts were made to tighten security, Galvatron activated on his own, and breathed life into the other KSI Transformers, allowing them to rebel against their creators. However, Joyce was able to flee the facility from both Galvatron and the CIA with the Seed, attempting to rendezvous with the Autobots and Yeagers in Hong Kong. Galvatron ordered his new Decepticons to pursue Joyce, and his troops were able to shoot down the Autobot ship just as Joyce was about to hand over the Seed, causing the ship to crash in the nearby Wulong Valley, leaving only [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] and Bumblebee to protect the humans and the Seed. However, just as the two were about to be overwhelmed, the other Autobots returned with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]]s in tow, quickly turning the tide of battle and slaying most of the Decepticons. Galvatron was only saved by the timely reappearance of [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], whose attack drew Optimus's attention. With his plans temporarily stymied, Galvatron declared his rebirth and swore retribution against Prime as he left for parts unknown. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)}}

==Toys==
===Robots In Disguise===
{{anchor|OneStep}}
[[File:AoE 1-step Galvatron.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
*'''Galvatron''' (One-Step Changer, 2014)
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}
{{anchor|PowerBattler}}
*'''Galvatron''' (Power Battler, 2014)
{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

===Generations===
{{anchor|VoyagerClass}}
[[File:TF4-Voyager-Galvatron.JPG|400px|thumb|right|'''''[[Trukk not munky |KANNON NOT TRUKK]]''''']]
*'''Galvatron''' (Voyager, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Cannon
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''AD22'''
:Part of the second wave of ''Age of Extinction: [[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' Voyager Class toys, Galvatron transforms into a 2012 Freightliner Argosy. Given the impossible-to-recreate nature of his on screen transformation he is a ''complete'' shell-former, with his truck mode folding up solely along his back and calves. As with Evasion Optimus Prime, he has a different paint scheme than seen on his packaging, with less paint applications on his body and weapon. His truck mode is also a darkish grey, rather than the black seen in the movie footage. His cannon can either be held like a gun, or fitted on his hand in a way that appears as if it is coming out of his arm.

:Galvatron's package is the only packaging in the Age of Extinction toyline thus far that neglects to mention what his alternate mode is called. The only mention of Freightliner being involved with his alternate mode is mentioned in the tiny copyright information section of the box.

==Notes==
[[File:TF3concept-Galvatron-MassiveBlack.jpg|thumb|]]
*Concept art for Galvatron in [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|''Dark of the Moon'']] was created by [[Massive Black]] artist [[Bruno 'Nox' Gore]]. Whether he was intended to be an upgraded Megatron or a separate character entirely is unknown. [http://www.ballisticpublishing.com/flipbook/mb_2/index.php].
*Interestingly (perhaps to avoid movie spoilers), the toy-bio for Galvatron on the Voyager packaging does not mention ''anything'' about Galvatron, but rather how the Autobots face new adversaries after the Battle of Chicago.
* ''Age of Extinction'' sees Frank Welker make his on-screen debut as the live-action incarnation of Megatron, having previously played the role in tie-in video games.
* Because of Joshua Joyce's original intent of making him a new version of Optimus Prime, Galvatron combines not only elements and characteristics of previous incarnations of Galvatron, but also those of the [[Optimus Prime clone]]. Whilst retaining characteristics of previous Galvatrons, this one in particular most resembles [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)| the ''Prime'' incarnation of Nemesis Prime]], having also been built by humans to use as a weapon, having the same or similar alternate mode as Optimus but in different colors, and having a huge amount of endurance (for Nemesis, it's due to being remote-controlled; for ''AOE'' Galvatron, it's because he is made of Transformium and has no spark).

[[Category: Age of Extinction Decepticons]]
[[Category: Man-made transformers]]

Jet judo

2014-07-22T06:10:57Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could easily take down the Autobots, unlike the other Seekers. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] just got himself thrown into the water. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] did it to the recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] with the help of [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]. This was one of the most intense Jet Judo-related events recorded, as Bumblebee was ripping Skyquake to pieces, leading to Skyquake's death upon crashing into the ground. {{storylink|Masters and Students}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-07-22T06:07:48Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could easily take down the Autobots, unlike the other Seekers. [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] just got himself thrown into the water. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] did it to the recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] with the help of [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]. This was one of the most intense Jet Judo-related events recorded, as Bumblebee was ripping Skyquake to pieces, leading to Skyquake's death upon crashing into the ground. {{storylink|Masters and Students}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Cyberverse]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-07-22T06:05:29Z

TimelordStarscream:

Jet judo

2014-07-22T06:01:09Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] did it to the recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] with the help of [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]. This was one of the most intense Jet Judo-related events recorded, as Bumblebee was ripping Skyquake to pieces, leading to Skyquake's death upon crashing into the ground. {{storylink|Masters and Students}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-07-22T06:00:30Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] did it to the recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] with the help of [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]. This was one of the most intense Jet Judo-related events recorded, as Bumblebee was ripping Skyquake to pieces, leading to Skyquake's death upon crashing into the ground.

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:59:46Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could take down [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and his comrades on his own to his fellow injured [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s, only to get himself shoved into the bay. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
The then-recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]], after claiming an alt-mode, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]'s fighter, was ripped apart and shoved into the ground by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], this being the cause of his death. The fandom applauded [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s efforts, and Autobots, [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]], and fans alike mourned [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:55:11Z

TimelordStarscream: /* Transformers Prime */

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could take down [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and his comrades on his own to his fellow injured [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s, only to get himself shoved into the bay. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

[[File:Bumblebee vs. Skyquake Jet Judo]]===''Transformers Prime''===
The then-recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]], after claiming an alt-mode, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]'s fighter, was ripped apart and shoved into the ground by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], this being the cause of his death. The fandom applauded [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s efforts, and Autobots, [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]], and fans alike mourned [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:51:50Z

TimelordStarscream: /* Transformers Prime */

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could take down [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and his comrades on his own to his fellow injured [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s, only to get himself shoved into the bay. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
The then-recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]], after claiming an alt-mode, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]'s fighter, was ripped apart and shoved into the ground by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], this being the cause of his death. The fandom applauded [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s efforts, and Autobots, [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]], and fans alike mourned [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:43:32Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could take down [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and his comrades on his own to his fellow injured [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s, only to get himself shoved into the bay. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

===''Transformers Prime''===
The then-recently reawakened [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]], after claiming an alt-mode, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]]'s fighter, was ripped apart and shoved into the ground by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], this being the cause of his death. The fandom applauded [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s efforts and mourned [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:19:02Z

TimelordStarscream: /* "Transformers Prime" */

Jet judo

2014-06-08T23:14:34Z

TimelordStarscream:

[[Image:RollForIt Sunstreak JetJudo.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The master in action.]]
'''Jet judo''' is the art of judoing jets. When one performs Jet Judo, one usually is propelled into the air and jumps on top of a Transformer with a jet alternate mode.

==Fiction==
===''The Transformers'' cartoon===
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] tried to do it to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s once, but failed. {{storylink|Roll for It}}
[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] did it to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], who claimed he could take down [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] and his comrades on his own to his fellow injured [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s, only to get himself shoved into the bay. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

===Shattered Glass===
In this reality, it apparently is the art of judoing ''by'' jets, as [[Blitzwing (SG)|Blitzwing]] used a Jet-Judo throw to incapacitate [[Wheeljack (SG)|Wheeljack]]. {{storylink|Blitzwing Bop}}

==="Transformers Prime"===
The then-recently awakened [[Skyquake (TFP)|Skyquake]], after claiming an alt-mode, [[Agent Fowler (TFP)|Agent Fowler]]'s fighter, was ripped apart and shoved into the ground by [[Bumblebee (TFP)|Bumblebee]], this being the cause of [[Skyquake (TFP)|Skyquake]]'s death. The fandom applauded [[Bumblebee (TFP)|Bumblebee]]'s efforts and mourned Skyquake. {{storylink|Masters and Students}}

[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Martial arts]]
[[Category:Shattered Glass]]

Jet judo

2014-06-08T22:57:06Z

TimelordStarscream: /* The Transformers cartoon */

Jet judo

2014-06-08T22:56:20Z

TimelordStarscream: /* The Transformers cartoon */

Jet judo

2014-06-08T22:55:43Z

TimelordStarscream: