Cyclonus (Armada)
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- Cyclonus is a Decepticon from the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.
Cautious. Reliable. Uneager. These are not words to describe Cyclonus. He is one wild and craaaaaaazy guy. Seriously, he's the guy in the group that even the other 'cons think is a little unbalanced. His usual battle tactic is to rush straight in with every piece of artillery he has blazing, all while laughing maniacally. Other times, he yodels while rushing straight in with every piece of artillery he has blazing.
He loves combat, and isn't particularly picky about which side he's on, so long as he gets to shoot things. He's not especially bright, but Megatron knows the value of a soldier largely without fear. Eventually, Cyclonus was upgraded to become Snow Cat, gaining powerful cryokinetic cannons but losing much of his intelligence (if you could even call it that). Despite his low intellect, Cyclonus has a genuine friendship with fellow Decepticon grunt Demolishor.
He is oftentimes partnered with the Mini-Con Crumplezone, whose optics were opened up to just how much fun lunatic charges can be. The two get along amazingly well, and thrive off of the high that comes with blowing stuff up real good. He also sometimes partners up with Drill Bit, which makes sense, too, considering the little 'bot's passion for demolition.
{{#if:Snow Cat"The Return of Demolishor"|| “ | Don't you just love blowing stuff up?! | ” |
| {{#if:Snow Cat| —Snow Cat{{#if:"The Return of Demolishor"|, "The Return of Demolishor"}} }}}} | ||
Fiction
[edit]Toy pack-in comics
[edit]
When Megatron turned an energon-draining device on Cyber City, Cyclonus and Crumplezone guarded it against Autobot intervention. The duo powerlinked and threatened Hot Shot with a super-cannon when he arrived to foil their plans. Hot Shot's partner Jolt arrived, however, giving him super-speed and driving claws to outmaneuver the Decepticons. Cyclonus and Crumplezone were caught in an explosion when Hot Shot dumped the Decepticon device in a ravine. Armada Volume 1
Somehow, Megatron was able to ambush Optimus Prime, and forced him to battle Snow Cat, Demolishor, Mirage, and Shockblast without back-up. Luckily for Prime, Wing Saber arrived with a new Powerlinx mode for the two of them, enabling Prime to annihilate Snow Cat and the other Decepticons with heavy firepower. Energon Volume 4
Dreamwave Armada continuity
[edit]Armada comic
[edit]Before the war with the Autobots began, Cyclonus was part of Megatron's inner circle. He and Demolishor attacked Mini-Con Village C52, capturing most of its population after getting past its forceshield by simply attacking from underground. Armada #1 After picking C52 resident Crumplezone as his personal slave, Cyclonus participated in the Decepticon assault on Cyber City. Armada #2
One million years later, Cyclonus was present when the Decepticons learned that the Mini-Cons who had fled from Cybertron during the war had ended up on Earth. Armada #3 He, Demolishor and Starscream traveled to the alien planet via space bridge and assaulted a military base for new alternate modes. After complaining about the humans' stench and taking out their communications systems, Cyclonus scanned a helicopter and joined Megatron for some Mini-Con hunting. He found out the hard way that the Autobots had also come to Earth when Scavenger caved his cockpit in. Armada #4 Cyclonus and the others fought a short battle with the Autobots, but were forced to retreat when their enemies got some Mini-Cons of their own. Armada #5
Cyclonus later helped capture the Air Defense Mini-Con Team, which led to Megatron getting his hands on the Star Saber. Armada #6 Using this mighty weapon, the Decepticons attacked the Autobots' headquarters. Cyclonus overheard Starscream complaining that Megatron didn't even need his loyal troops now that he had the power of the Star Saber, and told him to stop being so whiny: they were Megatron's eyes and ears, and he would never forget about them! He then fought with the Autobots, lost, and retreated in short order. Armada #7
Megatron eventually came up with the idea to mix Cybertronian technology with human anatomy to create a power source, similar to that of the Mini-Cons, and had Starscream send out Swindle into the wild to lure out some specimens. Cyclonus and Starscream surveyed the Mini-Con from overhead, and moved in once he had secured two targets: Carlos and Rad! Hot Shot, Smokescreen, and Red Alert turned up to rescue their friends, and Cyclonus got knocked out of the sky by a solid right-hook dispensed by Hot Shot. But when Megatron involved himself, the would-be-rescuers were quickly defeated. Afterwards, Swindle demanded his freedom for his part in the Decepticons' plot. The bulks laughed at the Mini-Con, making it clear that nothing would ever convince them to grant him such a thing. This provoked Swindle to free the Autobots from their bonds, forcing Cyclonus and the other Decepticons to retreat. Armada Free Comic Book Day
Some time later at the Decepticons' Silver Ridge base, Cyclonus went to put the Mini-Cons to bed back in their cells, but found that the little 'bots had run away. When he tried to recall them, he found that they had tampered with the base's internal defenses, turning them against him. Cyclonus, who had forgotten the emergency override code, was promptly imprisoned in the base and blasted by laser turrets. Luckily, the lasers were only set to harm Mini-Cons, so he wasn't too injured to participate in the hunt for the escaped Mini-Cons. The Decepticons followed their Mini-Cons to a structure in Kansas, but failed to stop them from entering it and blasting off into space. Armada #8
The Decepticons found that the Mini-Cons had traveled to the Moon, and soon followed them there. The flying Decepticons and Megatron attacked the Mini-Con Moonbase, but were driven off by its automated defenses. Armada #9 Cyclonus doubted that the moonbase had any weaknesses at all, but Megatron scoffed at this and fought his way into it using a really big drill. Armada #10 With help from Leader-1, he took control of the base's defenses and ordered Cyclonus to renew his assault... only for Leader-1 to betray the Decepticons and reactivate the defenses. After retreating again, Cyclonus decided to pick a fight with a newly arrived Autobot shuttle instead, but this turned out to be a poor decision as the ship heavily outgunned him. Armada #11
Megatron eventually wrecked the moonbase and captured the Destruction Mini-Con Team who had built it. However, the Mini-Con trio proved capable of overloading anyone who powerlinxed with them, so rather than using them himself, Megatron decided that Cyclonus had volunteered to try them out. He was sent to help Thrust retrieve some Mini-Cons in Alaska, but shortly after he took out the Adventure Mini-Con Team, the Destruction Team indeed overloaded him. Driven mad with power, Cyclonus attacked Thrust in a berserker rage. Fire & Ice The Destruction Team's power allowed him to easily defeat his Decepticon comrade, and he even outmatched an entire team of Autobots which arrived shortly afterward. He was eventually knocked out by Optimus Prime, powered up with every ounce of Sparkplug's energy. Armada #13 The heavily damaged Cyclonus was eventually retrieved and placed in a repair tank in the Decepticon base. Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4
After recovering, Cyclonus participated in an all-out assault on the Autobots, who had lost Optimus Prime. The attack went well, up until a powerful stranger arrived on the scene and effortlessly took out all the Decepticons other than Megatron. Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4 When the threat of Unicron reared its ugly head, the Decepticons had no choice but join forces with the Autobots. Cyclonus released the Decepticon-held Mini-Cons back into the wild, then returned to Cybertron to do battle with Unicron. The End
Energon comic
[edit]Some time in Cybertron's past, during the war, Cyclonus participated in a battle in which Scorponok led an attack on an Autobot bunker. He watched the battle from a Decepticon saucer-ship, alongside Megatron, Starscream, Thrust, and Demolishor. No Exit
Ten years after the destruction of Unicron, Cyclonus was spotted in Cyber City, oddly not blowing anything up. This Evil Reborn
Cartoon continuity
[edit]Armada cartoon
[edit]- Voice actor: Don Brown (English), Isshin Chiba (Japanese){{#if: Mauro Ramos (Brazil-Portuguese), Tobias Lelle (German), José María Carrero (Spain-Spanish), Frank Carreño (Latin-American Spanish, first voice), Renzo Jiménez (Latin-American Spanish, Awakening onwards), Peter Kjellström (Swedish), Jyrki Kovaleff (Finnish), Olivier Destrez (French), Sergio Di Giulio (Italian), Jeong Hunseok (Korean)|, Mauro Ramos (Brazil-Portuguese), Tobias Lelle (German), José María Carrero (Spain-Spanish), Frank Carreño (Latin-American Spanish, first voice), Renzo Jiménez (Latin-American Spanish, Awakening onwards), Peter Kjellström (Swedish), Jyrki Kovaleff (Finnish), Olivier Destrez (French), Sergio Di Giulio (Italian), Jeong Hunseok (Korean)}}
Cyclonus was a wild soldier under Megatron's command, possessing a maniacal personality. He had a tendency to fire at targets frantically, risking damage to his own teammates. Cyclonus was caught snoozing at the Decepticons' Moon base when Megatron, Demolishor, and Starscream returned from their first attempt at capturing a Mini-Con on Earth. At his comrades' arrival, he sprung up to ask how their mission went, only to learn that it had ended in failure.
Cyclonus pleaded with Megatron to allow him the "honor" of scanning the planet for the Mini-Cons. Megatron permitted it, only to return after a short while with a Mini-Con already in hand. Megatron demanded to know how Cyclonus could be so incompetent as to not detect a Mini-Con he had found himself right outside their base. Cyclonus tried to weasel his way out of his failure, but Megatron assured him that he would be spared; he still served some use, after all. The Decepticon leader got Leader-1 to shoot around Cyclonus some to "inspire" him to work harder though. Two more Mini-Cons were then detected awakening on Earth, and this time around Cyclonus accompanied the others on the recovery mission. Before they headed planet-side, Megatron had them all adopt modified vehicle modes to blend in better. They then came upon the three Mini-Cons Grindor, High Wire and Sureshock, accompanied by three Earth children. Taking them for easy pickings, the Decepticons surrounded their targets, only to be prevented from acquiring them by Optimus Prime and his Autobot warriors. Metamorphosis In the battle that followed, Cyclonus managed to land a few good shots on Optimus, bringing the Autobot leader to his knees. The Decepticons still felt it more cautious to retreat, but before they did so, Cyclonus managed to grab a couple of dormant Mini-Cons. He kept Crumplezone for himself, and presented the other to Megatron, who in turn gave it to Demolishor. Base
Cyclonus was eager to claim the next Mini-Con as his own as well, though Starscream protested that their next acquisition rightfully belonged to him. Megatron ordered the pair to put aside their differences, and the Decepticons headed down to Big Canyon, where the newest Mini-Con signal emanated from. Though Cyclonus managed to sideline Hot Shot there, the Decepticons still lost out on adding Leader-1Sparkplug to their ranks.Comrade The Decepticons' next attempt at capturing a Mini-Con took them to the Antarctic. Megatron had Demolishor and Cyclonus keep tabs on Starscream during their search, though they lost track of him rather quickly. The glow of the Mini-Con panel led them back to their fellow Decepticon, then being overpower by Hot Shot. Megatron, Cyclonus, and Demolishor ganged up on the lone Autobot, with Cyclonus being granted permission to deliver the finishing blow. The execution was spoiled by Red Alert's arrival. The Decepticons continued to fight so long as they outnumbered the Autobots, but as soon as Optimus showed up, they warped back to base. Soldier
After Cyclonus, Starscream, and Demolishor failed a holographic training exercise, Megatron criticized Starscream for his poor show of leadership. Cyclonus then taunted the second-in-command, but before their exchange could escalate into a squabble, the Decepticons' computer signaled that another Mini-Con had been detected.
The Decepticons warped down into a forest, where they started a forest fire during a clash against the Autobots. While the Autobots ran off to deal with the blaze, the Decepticons focused on acquiring the Mini-Con. Though the Autobots caught up to them, Starscream managed to have Swindle imprint on him, and the Decepticons made another tactical retreat. Jungle During some downtime, the Decepticons continued to repair their base of operations. As they were working, Cyclonus got a good laugh at Demolishor being a clumsy oaf and getting on Megatron's nerves.Carnival
While scouring the Sahara Desert for a Mini-Con, Cyclonus was taken for an enemy unit by Demolishor and fired upon. After yelling at his fellow Decepticon some, Cyclonus informed him he was having a lot of difficulty finding anything in the sandy expanse, and took off again. He circled back around to find the Autobots, and helped keep them at a standstill until Demolishor managed to swipe the Mini-Con and bring it back to base. Palace Later, Cyclonus came upon the children riding their Mini-Cons in the open. He failed to capture his initial targets, so instead settled on abducting Fred and Billy. Cyclonus then had the other three children convey his ransom message to Optimus; Fred and Billy would be released in exchange for all of the Mini-Cons in the Autobots' possession. When the Autobots turned up, Cyclonus acted as his faction's negotiator in the exchange. As usual, the negotiations quickly devolved into a firefight between the two factions. Cyclonus was punched out of the sky by Hot Shot and fell unconscious. While he was out of it, the Autobots gained the upper hand, and Cyclonus woke up just in time to skedaddle from the scene. Confrontation
The Decepticons searched a city's subway system for the next Mini-Con. This frustrated Cyclonus; the confined spaces of the underground disallowed him from flying and moving comfortably. By the time the Decepticons made their way to the Mini-Con's location, the Autobots' children allies had already gotten a hold of its panel. Cyclonus's attempt to smash the brats under-foot was halted by Smokescreen, though the new Autobot wasn't able to deal with all of Megatron's goons by himself. Cyclonus activated the Mini-Con, Drill Bit, who bonded to him, and the Decepticons left the Autobots to dig out Smokescreen from some rubble. Underground
Cyclonus and the other Decepticons tracked a Mini-Con signal within a city at the bottom of the ocean. Instead of heading for it immediately, they lay in wait to ambush the Autobots when they arrived in turn. Despite their surprise attack, the Autobots were able to press on. The Decepticons left, Mini-Con in hand, as the entire underwater structure began collapsing on itself. Ruin Their next venture took them to a volcanic island. Cyclonus successfully plucked a Mini-Con panel from a lava flow there, while the other Transformers busied themselves with firing at one another. But when the Autobot-aligned Mini-Cons joined the fray and shot Cyclonus out of the sky, Cyclonus lost the panel to Red Alert. Prehistory
Megatron determined the general location of the Autobots' base thanks to Sonar's ability to sense the other two members of the Star Saber trio. He sent out Cyclonus out to pinpoint it, and after searching for a whole day, Cyclonus finally uncovered it. With the base's defenses turned off, the Decepticons thought it would be a cakewalk to get the Mini-Cons. But the Autobots had trickier tactics to get rid of the intruders. After being confounded by a smokescreen and split up from the others, Cyclonus chanced upon the human children. Figuring he could have another go at holding them ransom for Mini-Cons, Cyclonus chased after them, only to be tricked into stepping into the warp gate. He was teleported away to the Arctic. Before Cyclonus could figure out where he was, Megatron sounded a withdrawal and warped all his minions back to the moon. Swoop
Misfortune continued to ail Cyclonus; on his next mission he nearly managed to grab a Mini-Con panel, only to be knocked out of the sky by Starscream's blade, cleaved from its hilt and sent flying by Hot Shot and the Star Saber. Frustrated over the continuous setbacks they suffered, Megatron brought in the mercenary Scavenger to assist the Decepticons. Though Scavenger helped out in their next venture, he came in late enough that Cyclonus had already lost his helicopter mode's tail pylon to Hot Shot's blade. At least the mercenary bought him the time he needed to fetch the Mini-Con panel while everyone else was fighting. Overmatch
Cyclonus was next assigned to guard a highway tunnel while Scavenger was within, digging for their next prize. He also caused a gridlock to slow the Autobots down. Hot Shot sidestepped the traffic jam, and Cyclonus ambushed him while he was fighting Scavenger. After Sideways joined the fight, Cyclonus went back to the tunnel... until Hot Shot drove by, provoking him to give chase. Cyclonus was lured to a bridge which Hot Shot then cut down, sending Cyclonus and Scavenger plummeting. Cyclonus ditched Scavenger and took off. Not much of an attention span, that Cyclonus. Gale
Despite his own lackluster performance on the battlefield, Cyclonus took to mocking Megatron during their next encounter with the Autobots. Though, between Sideways joining the Autobots and Hot Shot being in possession of the Star Saber, none of the Decepticons were faring well against their opponents. The Decepticons retreated, accidentally warping Sideways and Hot Shot along with them to their moonbase. Megatron told his minions that whichever Decepticon took the Star Saber would get to keep it, but Cyclonus's attempt at stealing it only left him with his rotor chopped off. He recovered in time to beat up Hot Shot after Sideways betrayed him and passed the sword to Starscream. Credulous Cyclonus rejoiced over the Decepticons' subsequent series of victories in gathering Mini-Cons. But the Star Saber being in Starscream's hands also led to trouble, as the ambitious 'bot was quick to use the blade in response to any criticism his fellow Decepticons had against him. After failing to take down Optimus on his own during the next mission, Cyclonus suggested taking the Star Saber away from Starscream; due to a set-up orchestrated by Megatron, the rest of the Decepticons were led to believe that Starscream was too unstable to wield it safely. With the sword now being wielded by Megatron, the Decepticons managed to snag the second Mini-Con of the Skyboom Shield trio. Conspiracy
When Starscream voiced his concerns that Scavenger might have went and joined the Autobots after deserting the Decepticons, Cyclonus and Demolishor pointed out that there was no evidence that the mercenary had actually switched sides. Seeing him among the Autobot ranks changed Cyclonus's mind. Cyclonus powerlinxed with Drill Bit to try and stab Scavenger, but the turncoat was too agile to be hit. Cyclonus then fell victim to Scavenger's Dozer Cannon and was taken out of the rest of the fight. Trust
Afterwards, Megatron took out his frustration on his troops by putting them through a "training exercise" where he chased them around with the Star Saber. Cyclonus was able to skip out on most of it, as Megatron focused primarily on chasing Sideways. Vacation
After losing out a Mini-Con to the Autobot team's newest member, Blurr, Cyclonus participated in a chase for the last member of the Skyboom Shield trio, Downshift. Thanks in great part to Blurr and Hot Shot butting heads the whole time, Cyclonus managed to snatch the Mini-Con. With this acquisition, the Decepticons now possessed both the Skyboom Shield and the Star Saber! Reinforcement With both weapons in hand, Megatron decided to issue a message to the Autobots, and challenge them to a final clash that would potentially end their war. Throughout the fight, Cyclonus ran interference, preventing the Autobots from coming to Optimus's rescue as Megatron beat him down. He was taken out by a shot that, unbeknownst to him, came from Sideways. Seizing this opening, the Autobots managed to snatch away the Skyboom Shield, and the Decepticons hightailed it back to the moon. Decisive Battle Despite this setback, Megatron was quick to orchestrate another confrontation between himself and Optimus. To do so, he set up a trap where a series of warp gates would scatter the Autobots around the globe. Cyclonus was tasked with keeping track of the Warp Gates so the Decepticons could retrieve Megatron if anything went wrong. Being Cyclonus, he lost track of the gates almost immediately. He sorted them out just before Megatron could get beaten down by the bulk of the Autobot forces, and the Decepticons pulled the plug on the operation. Vow
The Decepticons warped back to their base after yet another failed mission, the sound for a retreat having this time been sounded because Sideways had a leg injury. Cyclonus made fun of Sideways's "boo-boo," but collapsed mid-mockery due to exhaustion. He then slept through most of Sideways's plot to turn the Decepticons against one another, only coming to when he heard that Megatron and Starscream were about to duel. Eager to get a good view, he rushed out giddy with anticipation. The duel ended with Starscream being humbled after Megatron beat him down with his bare hands. Rebellion
Despite the Decepticons benefiting from improved morale after Starscream's failed coup, they were unable to best the Autobots, who were growing increasingly effective in their battle tactics. When Cyclonus attempted to fetch Prowl's Mini-Con panel, he was shot out of the air by Smokescreen, and left blubbering on the ground until the Decepticons pulled out. A new arrival, Thrust, provided the Decepticons with tactics that surpassed those of the Autobots, and Cyclonus next took part in an ambush that nearly spelled the end of Optimus Prime. But Jetfire unexpectedly joined the fray, reversing the balance of power once more. Tactician Though Demolishor was quick vent his anger towards Thrust, Cyclonus and the other Decepticons still retained faith in their new recruit. Cyclonus, Starscream, and the Decepticons' flying Mini-Cons were organized into an aerial attack-squad that ambushed Jetfire over the ocean, where the other Autobots couldn't come to his aid. The battle was going in the Decepticons' favor until Optimus warped in mid-air, and displayed his ability to combine with Jetfire. Together, the two Autobots took out their Decepticon opponents one-by-one. Linkup
The Decepticons gathered on the Moon so that Thrust could explain why his plans weren't working out. The tactician pointed out that the Decepticons lacked unity, and the reason behind their in-fighting was soon revealed: Sideways was caught reporting to his unseen master, admitting that he was keeping the Decepticons from gaining ground on the Autobots. Cyclonus helped his teammates gun down the traitor, only for Sideways to enter his "Trans-phase mode" and fly off to parts unknown. The Decepticons and Autobots then met in a beachfront battle, Detection where Cyclonus was sent wailing off in terror when Tidal Wave came bearing down on the scene. He then learned that the new arrival was on his side. Cyclonus continued his assault on the Autobots, only to get shot up by Optimus. Awakening Cyclonus continued to fight on, though a Decepticon victory seemed assured after it was revealed that Tidal Wave could combine with Megatron to grant him flight capabilities and additional firepower. Cyclonus attacked Hot Shot, but lost the tussle between the two. The Autobots then secured a victory by acquiring the Requiem Blaster. Desperate What followed was some uneventful downtime, during which Cyclonus mostly stood around, made jokes that only he found funny, and pestered Thrust after he had been tasked with tracking down the Space Mini-Con team. Runaway
Cyclonus was on hand when Wheeljack was welcomed into Megatron's forces. Past II
After the bulk of the Autobots had been lured away from their base, Cyclonus participated on an attack on the enemy headquarters which ended with the Requiem Blaster in Megatron's hands, and Smokescreen at death's door. Sacrifice The Decepticons regrouped at their base, where Megatron congratulated Thrust for getting him the Requiem Blaster. Cyclonus and Demolishor griped that Thrust was taking credit for their part in the weapon's acquisition. Starscream then walked in, and took out his frustration on being left behind on Thrust. Cyclonus rather enjoyed the show. Megatron stopped the fight however, and sent his troops off. Cyclonus and Wheeljack rushed back to Megatron's throne room when they heard that Starscream was rebelling against Megatron. Starscream shot them both before they could intervene, and left to join the Autobots. Regeneration
The Decepticons were gathered in Megatron's throne room when an alarm sounded throughout their base. Wheeljack suggested that maybe the alarm signaled an incursion from the Autobots, but Cyclonus dismissed the idea as preposterous. As far as he was concerned, there was no way the Autobots were smart enough to get passed their security system. He was wrong, of course, and the Autobots led a siege that ended with nearly all of the Decepticon-held Mini-Cons being liberated under their care. Rescue Cyclonus and the others were stuck filling in for the tiny 'bots, picking up where they'd left off on the construction of a spaceship, and cutting into the time the Decepticons would have otherwise spent gossiping, and watching Megatron vent his anger by destroying the lunar landscape. Mars
Cyclonus participated on an attack on the Autobot base. Though he was shot down immediately, elsewhere on the battlefield Thrust convinced Starscream to return to the Decepticons with the Star Saber and Skyboom Shield. Crack With the sword, the shield, and the blaster now in hand, the Decepticons finalized the construction of the Hydra Cannon, powered by all three Mini-Con weapons. They then used its awesome firepower to obliterate a comet before turning their sights towards the Earth.Threaten As the Hydra Cannon aligned itself, Megatron gave Thrust the new nickname "Squidhead." Cyclonus found this moniker especially hilarious. When Optimus Prime and Jetfire arrived to stop the Decepticon ship from unleashing its power against Earth, Cyclonus, Demolishor, and Wheeljack dealt with Jetfire, pinning him down and leaving him unable to stop Optimus from sacrificing himself to stop the cannon's blast. Crisis
With Optimus destroyed, Cyclonus and the other Decepticons set course back to Cybertron. Remorse Cyclonus expressed confusion over why Megatron seemed so morose after the death of Optimus Prime. Wheeljack explained to him that the sudden loss of an eternal rival could be discomforting. Depart After Megatron turned the Decepticons' ship around to crush their Autobot pursuers, Cyclonus battled against Blurr amidst an asteroid field. The fighting came to an end when Optimus was revived by the Mini-Cons, and used the power of his Super Mode to push Megatron back. Miracle Cyclonus was further confused by Megatron laughing to himself over Optimus Prime's return to the living. Demolishor pointed out to him that it was better than Megatron yelling at them all the time, and Cyclonus agreed. Puppet
Arriving on their home planet ahead of Optimus Prime and his soldiers, the Decepticons managed to take Cybertron by force. During a war-charge led by Galvatron (formerly Megatron), Cyclonus and the others came upon Optimus and Jetfire. The Decepticons retreated when the Autobots brought to their attention a black hole overhead the Mini-Cons were in the process of keeping at bay, and warned of the approach of "Unicron." Uprising Cyclonus encountered Hot Shot when the Autobot attempted to infiltrate Galvatron's fortress. Though all too happy to gun down the intruder, Cyclonus stepped down to allow Wheeljack his revenge against Hot Shot. But Hot Shot managed to convince his opponent to allow him to deliver his message to Galvatron. In the throne room, Cyclonus was mostly confused over the talk of Unicron and betrayals. Galvatron made things clearer by ordering him to pursue Thrust, revealed to be an agent of Unicron, as the traitor absconded into the depths of Cybertron with the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster in hand. Dash
Cyclonus was present when Starscream pled with Galvatron to put aside his enmity towards Optimus, and join forces with the Autobots. Galvatron refused to acknowledged the greater threat of Unicron, and Cyclonus sided with him, saying their leader knew what he was doing. Cyclonus later accompanied Galvatron as he attacked Optimus's forces in a canyon. He was kept occupied by the enemy soldiers while Optimus tried to reason with Galvatron. The Autobots' and Decepticons' firefight was interrupted by an energy discharge from Unicron, and soon thereafter Galvatron was swayed by Starscream's death to unite his forces with Optimus's. Cramp Cyclonus showed no grief over his fellow Decepticon's demise, though a punch from Galvatron made him shut his yap on the subject. Cyclonus then attended a formal alliance ceremony where the Autobots and Decepticons officially joined forces, grudgingly shaking hands with Side Swipe. He and Demolishor subsequently joined Hot Shot and Side Swipe on a reconnaissance mission to Unicron's surface, though Cyclonus deviated from the mission immediately in a trigger-happy craze. As Unicron began transforming, Cyclonus nearly fell to his death down a chasm, but was saved thanks to the combined efforts of Demolishor and the Autobots. The scouting party was then rescued from Unicron's surface by Jet Optimus and Galvatron. Alliance All attempts to damage Unicron proved futile. Determining their best plan of attack laid in attacking Unicron from within, Optimus and Galvatron infiltrated their gargantuan foe's body. Meanwhile, Cyclonus and the rest of the troops kept Unicron occupied with their ships, in the hopes of forestalling Cybertron's annihilation. Union
Thankfully, Galvatron, Optimus, the kids and their companion Mini-Cons managed to travel within Unicron and remove the Mini-Con weapons powering him. Unicron became inert. Cyclonus then joined Jetfire on a flight over to the evil planet to retrieve their respective leaders, though Unicron began to stir en route. A final assault was launched on Unicron, though it proved unnecessary; within him, Galvatron sacrificed himself after a ferocious duel with Optimus. Robbed of the hatred Galvatron provided him, Unicron was no longer able to sustain himself, and vanished from existence. Afterwards, Cyclonus joined the Autobots' unit, though with reservations. Mortal Combat
Alternate timeline
[edit]In a timeline where the Cybertronians' conflict never left their home planet, the Mini-Cons' influence on the Autobots and Decepticons subjugated the larger robots. Cyclonus and the rest of his kind were left entangled in a semi-organic growth spawned from Unicron's cells, and were shut down by Unicron's power. Carlos, Alexis, and Rad appeared before him, visitors from another time, and beheld Cyclonus's inert form before shooting off into time once more, eventually leading to Cyclonus's fate being prevented. Drift
Cloud
[edit]At some point after Side Swipe joined the Autobots on Earth, Starscream encountered a small group of Transformers who had travelled to their world from the other-dimensional Cloud World. This caused him to miss a scheduled check-in with the Decepticon base, and Demolishor and Cyclonus were dispatched to see what had happened. They arrived after the otherworldly travellers had left, and faced off against the trio of Hot Shot, Scavenger, and Side Swipe. Return
Energon cartoon
[edit]- Voice actor: Don Brown (English), Isshin Chiba (Japanese){{#if: José María Carrero (Spain-Spanish), Renzo Jiménez (Latin-American Spanish), Imre Józsa (Hungarian), Johan Hedenberg (Swedish, Cyclonus), Anders Öjebo (Swedish, Snow Cat), Ari Wirta (Finnish), Olivier Destrez (French), Sergio Di Giulio (Italian), Cezary Kwiecinski (Polish)|, José María Carrero (Spain-Spanish), Renzo Jiménez (Latin-American Spanish), Imre Józsa (Hungarian), Johan Hedenberg (Swedish, Cyclonus), Anders Öjebo (Swedish, Snow Cat), Ari Wirta (Finnish), Olivier Destrez (French), Sergio Di Giulio (Italian), Cezary Kwiecinski (Polish)}}
Cyclonus was stationed as the guardian of the Cybertron City based on the moon. Although he served in his role dutifully, he was yearning for the days of combat. Not long after the attacks on Mars and Asteroid City, the Moon would also be attacked, a battle through which Cyclonus would hold up a small resistance before he was presumed destroyed. Energon Stars
As Demolishor prepared for more Terrorcon assaults on Earth, Cyclonus surfaced, having tucked tail and ran, abandoning the Cybertron City on the moon to be looted of its Energon. Cyclonus had learned of Megatron's potential rebirth, and shared the news with Demolishor during some friendly sparring. He then assisted Demolishor and the Autobots defend Plains City until Tidal Wave showed up wielding Megatron's Sword, a blade forged by Alpha Quintesson from the Spark of Megatron. Believing that it was proof of Megatron's impending return, Cyclonus abandoned the Autobots and Demolishor, joining Alpha Quintesson's forces. Megatron's Sword
Returning from an Energon-gathering mission, Cyclonus and Tidal Wave found Megatron's remains within Unicron. Cyclonus attempted to reawaken their leader, to no effect. Both Decepticons then questioned Scorponok about Megatron's status; now that they had seen in what poor condition he was in, doubts began to seep in over whether or not it was truly possible for Megatron to be revived. Scorponok and Alpha Q dismissively told the pair to keep on task. Cyclonus, Tidal Wave, and a horde of Terrorcons zeroed in on an Energon expedition led by Hot Shot, and triggered an avalanche to sweep away the Autobot. The Autobots regrouped, fought back, and during the battle verbally sparred for Demolishor's loyalty with Cyclonus. Despite Scorponok arriving late into the battle with reinforcements, Cyclonus and his team were forced to pull back after the Autobots warped in an entire city atop the Energon cache, securing it under Autobot control. The New Cybertron City
Cyclonus was the first to enter a battle for Jungle City but also the first to leave when he realized that the Autobots had fitted the installation with automated defensive artillery. After the rest of the Terrorcons followed suit, Cyclonus and Tidal Wave apologized to their inert leader for not securing the energon needed to revive him. Cyclonus then grew irritated over their situation, and kicked Megatron's corpse. Suddenly, Megatron's voice filled the cavern, telling his former minion to stop doing that. Tidal Wave defended Megatron, but Cyclonus reminded him how badly they had been treated under his command and stated that he preferred that Megatron remained powerless, kicking him again. Megatron spoke up once more, making Cyclonus realize he would wind up in big trouble when his leader did revive. Scorponok then entered the cavern brandishing Megatron's Energon Sword. Scorponok claimed that Megatron had been siphoning their energon reserves for himself, and that he intended to rectify this problem. He stabbed Megatron's spark with his Energon Sword, inadvertently completing the Decepticon's resurrection. Cyclonus laughed maniacally as Megatron burst out of his old body, like an insect from its cocoon. Lucky for him, Megatron was now too preoccupied with Scorponok to follow up on his previous threat.
When Megatron was about to deliver a killing blow to Scorponok, Cyclonus backed up the former chamberlain's claim that his actions were at the bidding of Alpha Q. Megatron spared Scorponok to pursue Alpha Q instead, though he escaped the Decepticons aboard Unicron's head. Shifting his attention once more, Megatron led Cyclonus and the rest of his minions in an attack on Plains City, from which they emerged victorious. Megatron Resurrected Cyclonus cackled gleefully as Megatron allowed their enemies retreat to lick their wounds. He later joined in an attack on Ocean City, only to be beaten back by Hot Shot, wielding a copy of Megatron's energon sword. Megatron Raid Cyclonus accompanied Megatron on an attack on Lunar City, though their forces were pushed back before they could acquire more Energon. Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary The next raid on Lunar City was more successful, as the Autobots had left it unguarded while venturing to Asteroid City. Cyclonus accompanied Megatron on that attack, and then journeyed with him into the asteroid belt. There, they retrieved Scorponok from an Autobot interrogation, and detonated an energon-rich asteroid to cover their escape. Battle of the Asteroid Belt
As Megatron's soldiers scrounged up the last remaining morsels of Energon on Mars, Cyclonus complained about being bored. Megatron promised him some action once their preparations were done, and delivered on his promise when he led his troops on another attack on Ocean City. Cyclonus engaged Jetfire in aerial combat for most of the conflict, only to be sniped down by Inferno. He returned to the battle just in time to fly headlong into Tidal Wave, and be forced away by the activation of the Autobots' newest weapon, an Energon Tower. Energon Tower After that venture, Cyclonus was no longer too keen on launching another attack on the Earth. He then took a nap, only to be awoken when Starscream made an assassination attempt on Megatron. But Megatron had grown too powerful for the mercenary, and Cyclonus witnessed his leader psychologically torment Starscream before reprogramming him into a loyal Decepticon. The Legend of Rodimus Cyclonus watched as Starscream was inducted fully into Decepticon ranks, and then joined in on an attack on Jungle City. The Decepticons gained control of the city, but it was detonated by the Autobots, preventing the Decepticons from acquiring the Energon housed within. Crisis in Jungle City
"I think it was two ninjas taped together to make one giant ninja!"
Megatron then learned through Demolishor of Kicker's extra-sensory power to detect energon. Intrigued, Megatron tasked Cyclonus to help him distract Optimus while Demolishor went after the boy. Amidst the ruins of Lunar City, the Autobots managed to warp in another completed Energon Tower, forcing the Decepticons to retreat once more, foiling the abduction. On their way out, Cyclonus retrieved Demolishor, but sustained damage doing so. He begged Megatron to repair him back at the Decepticons' base. In a rage, Megatron bound Cyclonus to the wall using Unicron's internal tentacles, and infused him with Unicron's essence in a painful manner. This resulted in Cyclonus being upgraded into Snow Cat. Kicker Beware! Megatron left him strapped to the wall as he enacted his next plot, this one involving sending artificially-created meteors towards the Earth in the hopes of destroying it. The plan failed when the Autobots managed to activate a planet-wide, protective energon grid around the Earth. Energon Grid
Once released from his restraints, Snow Cat took up skiing amidst debris fields in the void of space, yodeling all the while. Using his new weaponry to first freeze some of the debris, he then sent it earth-wards, only for the energon grid to send laser beams in his direction, forcing Snow Cat to flee. Later, when Megatron's suspicions about Scorponok still working for Alpha Q came to a head, Megatron strapped Scorponok to another artificial comet and sent him hurling towards the Earth's energon grid. Snow Cat taunted him briefly as he approached his impending doom. Rodimus Friend or Foe? Rodimus arrived to rescue Scorponok, and the Decepticons engaged him and his crew. During the fight, Landmine grabbed Snow Cat by the head and tossed him away. Knocked silly, Tidal Wave had to retrieve Snow Cat before the Decepticons pulled back. Later, Snow Cat alerted Megatron that they had detected an Autobot ship heading for their position. This ship was Optimus's vessel, the Miranda II, built for tracking down Unicron's body in the far reaches of space. The ship deployed an Energon Ring to generate its own ship-sized warp gate, but Snow Cat disabled the device before the Autobots could activate it. He then gunned for Skyblast and Strongarm as they attempted to fix the ring, forestalling the Autobots' departure further. Ironhide ran interference with only partial success, as he knocked Snow Cat into the Omnicons, preventing them outright from completing their task. Kicker managed to do the job himself, and after the Miranda II activated its Energon shield, destroying Demolishor in the process, Megatron ordered his troops to retreat. Go for Unicron!
Snow Cat somehow tracked the Autobots to an icy planet in another galaxy. Learning that Optimus Prime had found a stockpile of Energon on this distant world, Snow Cat transmitted his findings to Tidal Wave, who in turn informed Megatron. Snow Cat goofed off in the wintery landscape until he was joined by Demolishor, now reborn in a new body. Together, they tracked down a small team of Autobots led by Kicker, and drove them away from an energon repository. They watched over several Battle Ravages gathering up energon until they were in turn attacked by a new breed of Terrorcons. Though they lost several of their own Terrorcon units, the Decepticons were eventually left in control of the planet, as they destroyed the new Terrorcons and the Autobots were forced to flee. The Return of Demolishor After that, Snow Cat took part in a rather half-hearted attack on the Miranda II in deep space, and was again driven off. A Tale of Two Heros He later engaged Hot Shot in a vehicle mode battle on the Miranda II's hull as both the ship and Unicron returned to Cybertron via space bridge. The Decepticons were forced to warp away when the Autobots turned the planet's energon grid on, inflicting massive damage onto Unicron's body. Battle Stations
The sight of Unicron in the skies of Cybertron led the Decepticons on the planet to revolt—news that Snow Cat and Demolishor happily brought to Megatron, though he wasn't particularly bothered. Alpha Q: Identity Snow Cat was part of the unit sent down to Cybertron's surface to recruit Decepticon war criminal Shockblast. Shockblast: Rampage Several Decepticon refugees then followed Shockblast's example, and fled Cybertron to join Megatron. Snow Cat was tasked with overlooking these refugees as they assembled within Unicron. He used his authority to goof around until Megatron began to lose control of Unicron. Several energon-draining spikes sprung out of Unicron's interiors and skewered the new arrivals, with Snow Cat barely managing to evade being killed himself. Unicron only calmed down once he absorbed enough Energon to sate his hunger for the time being. Survival Instincts With that situation now under control, Snow Cat was sent as part of a team back down to Cybertron to create an opening in the planet's energon grid. They managed to fell only a few towers before they had to retreat due to Tidal Wave sustaining heavy damage. Each One Fights... With Tidal Wave (rebuilt as "Mirage") leading another raid, Snow Cat helped hold off the Autobots while Terrorcons gathered energon from the planet's core. This energon re-powered Unicron enough for Megatron to have him transform, and Snow Cat helped keep the attacking Autobots busy while the process completed itself. Unicron Unleashed When Unicron's transformation was done, Megatron opened his surface beneath Demolishor and Snow Cat so they could escape a standoff with Scorponok, but the Terrorcon leader dogged them through Unicron's interior, foiling their every attempt to battle the Autobots. Open Fire! Subsequently, an unstable energon reaction initiated by Alpha Q opened up a rift in space, through which Demolishor, along with Unicron and all the other Decepticons, were sucked into. Ripped Up Space
On the other side of the rift, Alpha Q used Unicron's head and his energon to begin recreating all the planets that Unicron had once eaten, and Snow Cat and the Decepticons began stealing the energon growing within them to continue Megatron's plans for Unicron's body. The Autobots followed, and succeeded in apprehending Shockblast. Snow Cat and the other Decepticons purposely left him in Autobot custody when they ventured to Iron Planet to acquire its energon reserves. Protection After Shockblast apologized and promised to pledge his renewed loyalty to Megatron, the Decepticons put the effort forward to rescue him from the Autobots. As the others cornered Shockblast's jailer, Inferno, Megatron tasked Snow Cat with calling in Scorponok and the Terrorcons in anticipation of Optimus turning up. Optimus arrived before Scorponok did though, and Snow Cat came to be on the receiving end the Autobot leader's laser-blasts with no back-up. Imprisoned Inferno
During the Decepticon attack on Jungle Planet, Snow Cat helped run interference in orbit to keep the Autobots from getting down to the planet's surface, but he and his team-mates were taken down by new Autobot arrivals Team Bulkhead. Jungle Planet Undeterred, Snow Cat and the Decepticons soon made another play for Jungle Planet's energon, only to be repelled when the Autobots erected a new energon tower to shield the planet. Bulkhead
Snow Cat was part of attack force on Blizzard Planet who failed to prevent another energon tower from being activated there. Afterwards, he accompanied Megatron as he investigated a Decepticon signal emanating from Inferno, then struggling to overcome mind-altering reprogramming the Decepticon leader had inflicted upon him. When Megatron was called away to Ocean Planet, he brought Snow Cat, Shockblast, and Mirage along with him, while the other Decepticons were left to help Inferno through his "transition." Snow Cat tried to destroy the Autobots' last energon tower before it could come online, but as on his last mission, met with too much Autobot resistance to see this through. Farewell Inferno
With an energon grid now protecting most of the planets, the Decepticons had to scavenge what they could from the half-formed world outside the grid. Just as Snow Cat begun his menial labor, Starscream came to fetch him with some news: Planet Q had just been revitalized outside the grid! Snow Cat took part in the battle on the newly-formed world, but when Scorponok deviated from his mission parameters, Megatron called a retreat. Return! Our Scorponok
Between fights, Demolishor and Snow Cat shuttled supplies around, but had to contend with tremors that shook Unicron, spawned by Megatron's impatience. Crash Course
On their next energon-gathering mission, Snow Cat and his buddies came under attack from the Autobots, but managed to cover the Terrorcons' escape, allowing them to deliver the final payload of energon needed to power Unicron back up to the stage where he could move again. Omega Supreme Snow Cat and the other 'Con grunts then battled the Autobots on Unicron's surface, preventing them from interfering with Megatron's successful reintegration of Unicron's body and head. Though Megatron succeeded, his actions seemed so brash throughout the process that Snow Cat of all people begun to question his leader's sanity. A Heroic Battle
Optimus used new powers granted to him by his combination with Omega Supreme to toss Snow Cat and Mirage around like rag dolls as he made his way towards Megatron's throne room. As soon as the pair recovered, they were hounded by a team of Autobots led by Hot Shot, leaving them unable to help Megatron gather the last bit of Energon he needed to fully awaken Unicron. As the battle went on, Snow Cat learned that it was no longer Megatron, but Shockblast that was now controlling Unicron, a revelation that sent him into a panic. Once he regained his composure, Snow Cat and Mirage continued to battle Autobots seeking an audience with Megatron. Then... the voice of the Decepticon leader was heard throughout the planet, declaring Megatron was no more: Unicron was now in command of the Decepticon's body! The Power of Unicron Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage struggled to escape the planet-eater's internal defenses. They failed, and ended up bound to Unicron's surface by energy-tendrils, giving them a front-row seat for Unicron/Megatron's battle with the giant-size, Primus-empowered Optimus Supreme. Optimus Supreme Fortunately for them, they were freed by a barrage of Autobot fire moments before Optimus destroyed Unicron, and captured by Landmine. Unicron Perishes
With Megatron having apparently perished along with Unicron, Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage were incarcerated on Cybertron. There, Snow Cat made the acquaintance of Six Shot, Shockblast's brother, and told him that Optimus had slain his sibling. The jailbirds were then freed by Starscream, who revealed that Megatron still lived. Ambition After finding Mirage (who had previously gotten separated from the group) Snow Cat passed on the news that their leader was still alive. Mirage was overjoyed, and Snow Cat joined him in sowing wanton destruction in celebration. Wishes
Six Shot succeeded in taking control of the energon gas powering the grid and using it to force the Autobots off the planet, and Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage soon began to feel a bit under-appreciated as Megatron (now "Galvatron" again after exposure to Super Energon) praised Six Shot for his accomplishments. However, following a battle on the hull of the Miranda II, during which Snow Cat and Demolishor were clobbered by Omega Supreme, they all enjoyed watching Galvatron beat Six Shot up for taking action without orders. Galvatron! The Autobots were soon to find a way to break through the gas shroud and return to Cybertron; Snow Cat took part in the battle that followed, which concluded with the Autobots escaping underground. Break Through
At some point, Snow Cat took part in a virtual fighting tournament, thanks to Six Shot hacking into an Autobot training program. Fighting as a tag team, he and Demolishor went up against Prowl and Downshift, and won when the two Autobots took themselves out of the fight by powerlinxing incorrectly—though in the process, the two Decepticons were inspired to try powerlinxing themselves, even if they couldn't get it quite right. Proceeding to the next round, they discovered their opponents were Galvatron and Starscream, who had already beaten virtual duplicates of the pair in their original bodies in the previous round. Frustrated to have found his minions goofing off in the game, Galvatron thrashed them, then quit the tournament. Distribution
Hoping to get a taste of the Super Energon that had empowered Galvatron and Starscream, Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage went searching for the subterranean reservoir that held the miracle fuel, accidentally stumbling into Primus's chamber in the process. Finding Rad and the Jones family taking refuge there, Snow Cat and Demolishor left Mirage to stand guard and forced Brian Jones to lead them to the temple containing the Super-Energon. The Omega Train They hesitated over immersing themselves in it, but were finally about to go through with it when a horde of Insecticon Terrorcon drones burst out of the reservoir's depths and spooked them away. Decepticon Army Fleeing from the Insecticons, grown to giant size by the Super Energon, the two Decepticons headed back to the surface and sent word of the creatures' approach to Galvatron, news-reporter style. They then rejoined their leader on the battlefield, just in time for Optimus to have his spark of combination re-energized by Primus's awakening. Once more able to combine with Omega Supreme, Optimus blew away all of his enemies with a whirlwind attack. Ironhide Team
Once the rogue Terrorcons were back under control, the Decepticons turned to the business of using the energon towers to move Cybertron through space, through the rift back to Alpha Q's realm. Snow Cat helped battle the Autobots as the planet moved through the rift, and later tried to defend the towers against Autobot attack, though both times, he had to contended with Six Shot's ambition constantly undermining their battlefield movements. Formidable
"Pretty rich coming from you, Snow Cat."
Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage were made spectators as Galvatron beat Six Shot for the umpteenth after the insubordinate Decepticon defied orders. To make sure Six Shot wouldn't start any more trouble in his absence, Galvatron had the trio keep a constant eye on him. Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage abandoned their post when Six Shot tricked them into thinking they should make another attempt at super-charging themselves with super energon. Six Shot then remotely trapped the "blockheads" inside the base's corridors but lowering blast doors all around them. They were found and berated by Starscream for once again failing at the simplest of tasks. The lecture was cut short by the arrival of the Autobots, who managed to drive out the Decepticons from their base and retake control of Cybertron's warp gate system. Everyone's attention then shifted towards a more pressing matter: Galvatron had used super energon to grow himself into a giant. Galvatron Terror The Decepticons asked their great leader what was going on, but Unicron's influence on his mind having grown alongside his physical size, Galvatron only answered by laughing menacingly. Despite the lack of an intelligible response, Snow Cat and the others continued to ward off the Autobots as they tried to swarm the colossus. Eventually, Galvatron became so large that Snow Cat suggested the Decepticons vamoose, to avoid getting stepped on. Once Galvatron took to space, Starscream insisted they follow him. The Decepticons continued to make war with the Autobots, fluttering about like skirmishing insects around the now Unicron-sized Galvatron. Destructive Power
When Optimus Prime used the power of Unicron to grow to a titan of equal height, Snow Cat and Demolishor broke off from the battle to excitedly watch the two giant leaders duke it out on Jungle Planet. Spark Unable to make much in the way of a contribution to the huge scale of the final battle, Snow Cat, Demolishor, and Mirage could only spectate as the possessed Galvatron shook off Unicron's influence long enough to sacrifice himself by plunging into a foundling energon sun created by Primus. While loyalists Starscream and Mirage followed their leader into solar oblivion, the long-suffering Snow Cat and Demolishor could only float in space and ponder what to do next with their lives. The Sun
Universe toy bio
[edit]Following The Powerlinx Battles, Snow Cat went totally starkers (it wasn't a long trip), and without Megatron to guide him, wandered the streets of Kaon, a raving loon during the planet's evacuation. Snow Cat's Universe toy bio
Force of Habit
[edit]During the search for the Cyber Planet Keys, Decepticon sniper Swindle bitterly remarked on Demolishor and Snow Cat's disappearance from the Decepticon ranks, considering it evidence of how little good loyalty to Megatron would do to advance a 'bot's standing in life. Force of Habit
Panini Armada comic
[edit]In the early days of the war, Cyclonus, Starscream, and Thrust performed an airstrike on the Autobot Command HQ. Counter-Strike! As the war with the Autobots continued for millions of years, and Cyclonus was seen fighting alongside Starscream some more. During one of his battles, Cyclonus was forced to retreat after Optimus Prime unleashed the power of his battle station onto the Decepticon forces. First Encounter!
When the Mini-Cons were discovered on Earth, Megatron summoned the two fliers and Demolishor to scour the planet. Shortly after arriving, they got into a battle with the Autobots again, and Cyclonus was rammed out of the sky by a flying Hot Shot. Friends and Foes! The Decepticons later attacked the Autobots to stop them from sending some Mini-Cons back to Cybertron. The Mini-Cons ultimately decided to remain on Earth, though the Decepticons destroyed their space bridge anyway. No Way Back! When Megatron went looking for Mini-Cons on the Moon, he took Cyclonus and Demolishor with him. They didn't do much searching, though, as they soon ran into two Autobots sent to stop them. Cyclonus spent some time strafing Scavenger until the latter got his own Mini-Con powerup and presumably defeated the crazy copter. Between Two Worlds!
The Decepticons remained on the Moon and built a new base, from which they prepared to fire missiles at the Autobot base on Earth. When the Autobots' Mini-Cons surrendered in exchange for their friends' lives, Cyclonus was sent to pick them up in a solar barge and take them to the Moon. Earthshaker! Unfortunately, the Mini-Cons broke out during the trip and cut the cable connecting Cyclonus and the barge. When the Decepticon noticed, he prepared to destroy the pesky Mini-Cons, but was shot by Jolt's electrical darts. This crashed his guidance systems, and he was sent floating aimlessly through space. Lost in Space! Cyclonus crashed on the Moon's surface, where he was found by the Destruction Mini-Con Team. The three Mini-Cons power-linked with him, taking control of his body in order to use it against the other Decepticons. As he was forced to bombard his headquarters and grapple with his leader, Cyclonus could do naught but plead that it wasn't his fault. Eventually, Starscream used a sonic destabiliser to disconnect the Destruction Team from him. Dawn of Destruction!
Reader's Digest Armada novels
[edit]Cyclonus was one of the Decepticons teleported to Earth by the warp gate within the remains of a Mini-Con ship. Despite the radical change in scenery, Cyclonus continued to do battle against the Autobots who had been teleported alongside them. The fighting came to an end, temporarily, thanks to the efforts of Perceptor. The Decepticons then retreated to Earth's moon, where they began reinforcing the partial remains of the Mini-Cons' ship as a base of operations. The Battle Begins
Cyclonus worked furiously on reinforcing the Decepticons' base, as Megatron grew increasingly impatient. While working on the ship's exterior, he accidentally dropped his calibration device, which nearly hit Megatron on its way down. Cyclonus began blubbering and made excuses for his clumsiness, but Megatron interrupted him and ordered him to dig instead. The calibration device had hit something metallic upon landing on the ground, and Megatron had correctly guessed that a Mini-Con panel was buried underneath. The Mini-Con that emerged from the panel bonded with Megatron, and was named "Leader-1". Cyclonus was forced to duck for cover when Megatron decided to give Leader-1's weapon mode a test-run, and peppered the scenery with machine-gun fire. Megatron then instructed Cyclonus to adopt an Earth vehicle mode alongside the rest of his inner-circle, Starscream and Demolishor. Cyclonus took on the form of an army helicopter as his disguise.
The Decepticons then attacked the Autobots' base, until the children, Carlos, Alexis and Rad showed up. Megatron ordered the Decepticons hault their attack so that he could demand the humans hand over their companion Mini-Cons. But close behind were the Autobots, who launched a counter-attack. Though they managed to get a few hits on Optimus, Starscream and Cyclonus were forced to double back to Megatron's side when the Autobot leader assumed his “Super Optimus Prime” form and swatted the Decepticon fliers out of the air. Cyclonus soon recovered and helped Starscream and Demolishor rush the Autobots. This proved to be a futile tactic, and Optimus swatted Cyclonus out of the sky once more. Outmatched, Megatron called a retreat, but Cyclonus opted to linger behind as his compatriots warped away. Feinting an attack towards the Autobots, he changed his course at the last moment and managed to snatch a couple of Mini-Con panels that the children had uncovered during the fight. As a reward for his grab, Megatron allowed Cyclonus to keep one of the Mini-Cons for himself. Cyclonus named the robot that emerged from his panel "Crumplezone," and vowed to learn how to use his power to defeat the Autobots. Race for the Mini-Con Robots
The Balance of Power
[edit]When Hot Shot and Red Alert entered Decepticon territory in the search for an ancient Mini-Con artifact, Cyclonus accosted them, backed up by hundreds of Decepticlones. Starscream then discovered the artifact, and soon after he activated it, a portal opened to the Mini-Cons' hiding place: Earth. Cyclonus, Starscream, and Megatron went through the portal to begin the search for the Mini-Cons in earnest on this new world. The Balance of Power
Kre-O online manga
[edit]
Snow Cat was among Bludgeon's troops when they discovered the legendary Red Bucket. How he got there with skis, nobody knows. Treasure Competition! Defeat with Block Power!
Precursor World
[edit]A Warrior of the Seven Lights resembling Snow Cat was a member of the White Order of the Primus Vanguard. He looked on alongside a bestial Warrior and some of the planet's natives as his commander White Gallant Convoy and his retinue drove by their home on the White Planet. God Neptune comic 2
Games
[edit]Transformers (PS2)
[edit]- Voice actor: Daran Norris (English){{#if: Luca Sandri (Italian), Enrique Suárez (Castilian Spanish), Stefan Godin (French)|, Luca Sandri (Italian), Enrique Suárez (Castilian Spanish), Stefan Godin (French)}}
When a Mini-Con signal drew the Decepticons to Earth, Cyclonus was deployed in the Amazon to find the signal's origin. The Autobots were not far behind, and once they reached the hilltop where the signal had originated, he revealed himself, declaring Earth to be Decepticon property before departing, leaving a Heavy Unit behind to deal with them.
After the defeat of Starscream in Antarctica, the Autobots returned to the Amazon, venturing deeper into the jungle to an ancient temple. There, Cyclonus attacked again, tossing the Autobots all across the temple's surroundings and strafing them in copter mode. Eventually, the Autobots managed to deal him a finishing blow that sent him spiraling out of control in copter mode as his internal components exploded. Transformers
Transformers: Battle Tactics
[edit]
Cyclonus Armada participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Epic character who was first available as a reward to 2500 players in the third "Armada: Episode 1" mini events, and could be recruited by collecting 650 units of Cybermetal, 350 units of Transmetal, 150 exclusive cores, and 50 cores of this character. Transformers: Battle Tactics
Toys
[edit]Armada
[edit]
(Hasbro version pictured)
- Takara name: Sandstorm
- Takara ID number: MD-04
- Takara release date: December 26, 2002
- Accessories: Missile, "gatling" missile, rotor blade
- Known designers: Aaron Archer (Hasbro), Yuichiro Hira (Takara){{#if: |, {{{2}}}}}
- Part of the first wave of Armada Super-Con (aka "Deluxe") toys, Cyclonus transforms into a Cybertronian flat-nosed assault helicopter. His primary gimmick is a trigger-activated gear assembly that runs through the length of the vehicle mode; pulling the trigger both spins the rotor blade and a gear system in the cockpit area. Attaching a compatible geared Mini-Con to the square frame on the underside of his cockpit (any Destruction Mini-Con Team, Adventure Mini-Con Team, or Refute mold) allows the gear system to activate their gear-wheel gimmicks as well by pulling the trigger. On top of that, flipping up his cockpit reveals a unique attachment point for his included Mini-Con partner Crumplezone in his long-nosed "cockpit" form; once attached pulling to rotor trigger also makes Crumplezone's under-slung cannon move back and forth. That's three different action features from just one trigger!
- Cyclonus also has more conventional Mini-Con Powerlinx gimmicks: plugging a Mini-Con into the hardpoints on either of his arms/wing-mounted weapon pods launches a spring-loaded missile, while attaching a Mini-Con to the plugs on either side of his legs will make a spring-loaded (non-firing) cannon pop up from his shins. His booster tail piece can be detached and slid into his right wrist sculpted twin cannons for a hand blaster but cannot do the same on his left arm. Additionally, his rotor blade is detachable and can be mounted onto any of his Powerlinx plugs, although this will not activate any gimmicks.
- The tips of his rotor blades differ in shape from those in the toy's original promotional images, which featured rounder, more cyclindrical edges.
- The Takara Legend of the Microns release of "Sandstorm" has some slight color differences from the Hasbro version, the most immediately-noticeable being a "separated" painted Decepticon sigil, and a much brighter white plastic.
- Sandstorm & Destruction Micron (Multi-pack, December 26, 2002)
- Sonokong name: Sandstorm & Destruction
- ID number: MS-04
- Accessories: Missile, "gatling" missile, rotor blade
- Takara's "Sandstorm" was sold both as an individual and in a multi-pack with the Destruction Mini-Con Team, whose gear-gimmicks were designed to function with Cyclonus's gearing system. All of the toys in the set are identical to their individual releases.
- This multi-pack was also sold in South Korean markets by Sonokong.
- Powerlinx Cyclonus with Mini-Con Crumplezone (Super-Con Class, 2003)
- Takara release date: September 27, 2003
- Accessories: Missile, "gatling" missile, rotor blade
- Released in the seventh wave of Armada Super-Cons, this redeco of Cyclonus uses mostly bright green plastic, as well as dark grey and chocolate-brown. He retains all of his original gimmicks and still has his Mini-Con partner. He may have been designed as something of a questionable homage to Springer.<ref>Aaron Archer, in an "Orson's World" post, once noted that if he had his way, he'd have named the toy as a new character called "Sprigger". We assume he actually meant "Springer"...</ref>
- This toy was not released as part of the normal Legends of the Microns series in Japan, but was straight-imported as a USA Edition exclusive to LaOX stores.
- Powerlinx Cyclonus with Powerlinx Crumplezone (Super-Con Class, 2003)
- Accessories: Missile, "gatling" missile, rotor blade
- In November of 2003, US Toys"R"Us stores had special bonus pack Super-Con toys, which came with a single bonus Mini-Con attached to the card over their sticker, for less than the price as a normal Super-Con during Toys"R"Us' post-Thanksgiving-day sale.
- Like Powerlinx Hot Shot, Powerlinx Cyclonus came with one of the Adventure Mini-Con Team members: Dune Runner, Iceberg, or Ransack.
Built to Rule!
[edit]
- Megatron with Leader-1 / Cyclonus with Crumplezone (2003)
- Part of the largest Built to Rule! Armada set, Cyclonus is based around a "Trans-Skeleton", a generic bodyplate that converts from robot to vehicle-mode base, with the individual robot and vehicle modes rebuilt around it. Cyclonus transforms as usual to a Cybertronic helicopter; his rotor blade spins, but not freely. He has a spot behind the rotor with a 2x2 "Powerlinx" peg-plate to mount any BTR or normal Mini-Con, though the grip on the latter is not terribly good. Cyclonus is the only non-Mini-Con Built to Rule! "figure" that does not have some kind of missile launcher.
- He came with a block-version of his Mini-Con partner Crumplezone, as well as the larger Megatron with Leader-1 model.
Energon
[edit]
- Cyclonus with Mini-Con Crumplezone (Combat Class, 2004)
- Takara name: Sandstorm
- Takara ID number: SD-03
- Accessories: Missile, "gatling" missile, rotor blade
- Cyclonus's and Demolishor's Armada toys (with their respective Mini-Cons) were redecoed for the initial assortment of Takara's Super Link line. It's quite possible that their new color palettes were chosen to fit with Takara's plans to characterise the new Energon Snow Cat and Demolishor toys as upgraded forms for these two; Cyclonus's Arctic camouflage is thematically in line with Snow Cat. In addition to the black-and-white paint applications for this camo, Energon Cyclonus retains all of the exact same paint applications from the previous Powerlinx release.
- These toys were only released in America much later, towards the end of the Energon line as KB Toys exclusives. These releases were identical apart from their packaging, which naturally sold them under their Western-market names.
- Snow Cat (Combat Class, 2004)
- Takara name: Snowstorm
- Takara ID number: SD-10
- Accessories: 2 missiles
- Known designers: Aaron Archer (Hasbro), Takio Ejima (Takara){{#if: |, {{{2}}}}}
- Snow Cat transforms into a G.I. Joe "Snow Cat" SAM half-track<ref>{{#if: I loved 80s #GIJOE , #Snowjob and the snowcat were favorites. It was fun to homage a vehicle that I loved as a kid. |"I loved 80s #GIJOE , #Snowjob and the snowcat were favorites. It was fun to homage a vehicle that I loved as a kid."—|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/ |Aaron Archer|Aaron Archer}}{{#if: Instagram |, Instagram|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2019 |, 2019{{#if: 03 |/{{#switch:{{#len:03}}|1=003|03}}{{#if: 15|/{{#switch:{{#len:15}}|1=015|15}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/ ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BvAvpGDnmFk/%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref> cast in primarily white and light blue plastics, with clear and burgundy for accents. In vehicle mode, the front wheel-hubs and side-skirts can be lowered to form skis for the vehicle to travel on, while the sideskirt-skis fold down from his feet in robot mode to allow him to "ski". He has one non-functional Mini-Con port on his left arm, which is on a small swiveling panel that swaps to the right side in vehicle mode. This is one of the most frequently lost pieces for second-hand figures.
- He features twin spring-loaded missile launchers available to him in both modes; in robot mode, they end up as a back-mounted over-shoulder assembly. His missiles are cast in the same clear blue plastic as his windshield with the front ends painted gold. This makes them look awesome in flight. There are also two 5 mm post holes on each missile launcher. His big ol' belly features a spark crystal as an attachment point for an energon star, which ends up on his front bumper in vehicle mode. Unusually for Transformers of this era, he has a visible cockpit interior with a partially frosted windshield and working windshield wiper, further homaging the G.I. Joe toy he was designed after.
- Snowcat's vehicle mode features no physical means of securing its back end together beyond the luck of friction in the waist swivel meant for transformation and against his stored feet, both of which are highly prone to failure. Due to this, simply picking him up in this mode is likely to result in the bottom half of the back end swinging out of place, especially if the skis are deployed. Although mistransforming the ski-based side panels diagonally in vehicle mode can offer some assistance to hold the vehicle mode together, it is by no means secure, and for obvious reasons is of no help in ski mode. Snowcat also does not include the ski poles seen in the cartoon, although in a pinch his missiles can be loosely held to simulate them. Snowcat's instructions also configure the folded-up skis mounted on his ankles onto the side of his shins rather than the back as they appear in the cartoon. While the back skis can be folded in back to be show-accurate, doing so drastically reduces the already-low range of motion in his knees due to obstruction. The skis do not secure regardless of where they are placed, and are highly prone to falling out of place, as are the front skis.
- Super Link Snowstorm has only one color difference compared to the Energon Snow Cat figure; the treads, fists and upper arms are molded in a burgundy plastic, whereas the Energon release has them molded in brown plastic.
Universe (2003)
[edit]
- Accessories: 2 missiles
- The Energon Snow Cat mold was redecoed in superdark blue and black with orange accents and released as a Universe exclusive to KB Toys stores in 2005, alongside a redeco of Energon Downshift. However, at the time KB was undergoing financial troubles, closing numerous stores across the United States, and it appears that the two toys did not make it to a great many of the stores that remained open. Many did make their way to Toy Liquidator outlets, a sub-company within KB mostly found in outlet malls. In 2006, the toys eventually made it to a wider distribution through the remaining KB stores.
- This Snow Cat's colors appear to be an homage to the G.I. Joe: Night Force redeco subline, which has never featured the G.I. Joe Snow Cat toy!
Merchandise
[edit]McDonald's
[edit]
- Cyclonus (Happy Meal toy, 2003)
- Accessories: Rotor
- Part of the McDonald's Armada promotion, this extremely simplified version of Cyclonus transforms into a long-nosed assault helicopter seemingly drawing from Crumplezone's cockpit configuration. Rolling his vehicle form forward spins his rotor prop, which launches into the air after picking up enough speed, a gimmick like that of the Generation 2 Rotor Force toys. With a prominent Powerlinx hardpoint and several 5mm ports, he could combine with the Happy Meal versions of Megatron, Starscream, and Demolishor toys to form a "Mighty Vehicle".
Super Collection Figure
[edit]
- Sandstorm (2003)
- Act: 10
- Accessories: Stand
- A soft-plastic PVC figurine of Cyclonus was released in the tenth and final "Act" of Takara's Super Collection Figure line. He is in a very odd tippie-toe pose, but his tail acts as a tripod to keep him upright. He was available in both full-color and pewter-finish versions, with one of each packed into every case of twelve blindpacked figurines.
- Act 10 is notable for using much softer plastic than previous waves, which can make it difficult to push connector pegs into their intended sockets. This can be exacerbated on the pewter versions as the pegs can sometimes end up with a layer of paint on them, which can also lead to sticking and tearing pegs when trying to move or remove parts. Lightly shaving the inside of the socket with a hobby knife is usually sufficient to solve the issue.
Notes
[edit]- According to designer Aaron Archer, Cyclonus (alongside Demolishor) was an early test for the Mini-Con play pattern, and he always thought of the characters as a pair.<ref>{{#if: Cyclonus was a early concept model for ways the mini cons could work. Him and Demolishor were early tests and that is why they naturally got paired up in the show. we always thought of them together |"Cyclonus was a early concept model for ways the mini cons could work. Him and Demolishor were early tests and that is why they naturally got paired up in the show. we always thought of them together"—|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/ |Aaron Archer|Aaron Archer}}{{#if: Instagram |, Instagram|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2019 |, 2019{{#if: 03 |/{{#switch:{{#len:03}}|1=003|03}}{{#if: 10|/{{#switch:{{#len:10}}|1=010|10}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/ ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref> His alt-mode was inspired by sea rescue helicopters, not unlike Blackout from the live-action film series.<ref>{{#if: His design was based off of sea-based rescue copters (similar to Movie Blackout), The toy has a lot of play value that future dlx items would lose. His #minicon gimmick was the best of all the deluxe figures. If i were to redesign him today, he would have a stronger body form. the toy is gangly. #kneecannons |"His design was based off of sea-based rescue copters (similar to Movie Blackout), The toy has a lot of play value that future dlx items would lose. His #minicon gimmick was the best of all the deluxe figures. If i were to redesign him today, he would have a stronger body form. the toy is gangly. #kneecannons"—|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/ |Aaron Archer|Aaron Archer}}{{#if: Instagram |, Instagram|}}{{#if: |, ""|}}{{#if: 2020 |, 2020{{#if: 09 |/{{#switch:{{#len:09}}|1=009|09}}{{#if: 02|/{{#switch:{{#len:02}}|1=002|02}}|}}}}|}}{{#if: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/ ||}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/%7C7%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/%7C8%7C11}}%7Cweb.archive= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/%7C7%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#switch:{{#sub:https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpFr7vgfCY/%7C8%7C10}}%7Carchive.is= (archive link)|}}{{#if: | (dead link)}}</ref>
- According to the Armada PlayStation 2 game instruction booklet, Cyclonus's Armada body has the following statistics:
- Height: 19' 7" (17' 1" vehicle mode)
- Weight: 16,550 lbs
- Power: 1800 shaft horsepower
- Vehicle top speed: 190 mph
- In the cartoon, Cyclonus almost never had the right Mini-Con. In one episode, it is Longarm that he uses, while in another episode, it is Drill Bit (whom he refers to as Crumplezone). However, in "Swoop", he is shown with Crumplezone in cockpit mode.
- In the game Transformers Armada: The Energon Within, the "Decepticon Scout" units are based on Cyclonus's design.
- Snow Cat may have been originally intended as a separate character. Hasbro appears to have implied this is the case, saying that designing the toys before the show was completed led to "some characters not aligning together in the animation and toy expressions".<ref>Hasbro Q&A/August 2009: Answers</ref>
- Instead of missiles like his toy, the orange bits of Snow Cat's cannons in the cartoon are depicted as wind turbines.
- Kreon Snow Cat is made purely from existing Kre-O parts like other non-toy robot Kreons from the comics (especially in Hayato Sakamoto's writing period). He uses the Bumblebee helmet (with extra paint applications to better resemble his original counterpart), a backpack piece with two cannons, and a set of skis and ski poles from the G.I. Joe Snow Job figure.
- Cyclonus made a few Easter egg cameo appearances in the 2005 IDW continuity. A Cybertronian based on his Armada Cyclonus form appears in More than Meets the Eye #35 and Optimus Prime #20 while the former issue also contains a separate Cybertronian based on his Energon Snow Cat form.
- According to Aaron Archer at a TFcon Toronto Panel, the name "Cop-Tur" would have been considered for Cyclonus had his name not been available for trademark.<ref>How To Name a Transformer - Toy Trademarks with Designer Aaron Archer</ref>
Foreign names
[edit]Cyclonus
[edit]- Japanese: Sandstorm (サンドストーム Sandosutōmu), Cyclonus (サイクロナス Saikuronasu)
- Hungarian: Ciklonusz (Armada), Ciklon (Energon, "Cyclone")
- Korean: Sandstorm (샌드스톰 Saendeuseutom)
- Polish: Cyklotron
- Russian: Ciklon (Циклон, "Cyclone")
Snow Cat
[edit]- Japanese: Snowstorm (スノーストーム Sunōsutōmu)
- Hungarian: Hósapka ("Snow Cap")
- Russian: Snegohod (Снегоход, "Snowmobile")
