User:Locoman/Sandbox/Mini-Cassette

{{#if:Teletraan II"Secret Files of Teletraan II"|

“	In the days of Megatron, Decepticons developed the art of espionage using cassette technology. [...] The Autobots have no choice but to strike back at these Decepticon techniques of stealth, building a force of cassette Transformers of their own, with Blaster as their guardian.	”
{{#if:Teletraan II| —Teletraan II{{#if:"Secret Files of Teletraan II"|, "Secret Files of Teletraan II"}} }} }}

Fiction

Generation 1 continuity family

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

Mini-Cassettes filled in regular positions in the ranks of the Autobots and Decepticons. While all of them were capable of speech, some would sometimes go long periods without talking. The Transformers

Hundreds of years ago, a troop of Autobot astronomers on Cybertron detected the legendary Underbase making its way towards Earth. In order to alert their Autobot colleagues on that world, they encoded the information onto Raindance and Grand Slam. On their way to Earth, their ship was damaged and the two Autobots crashed into the sea. They were found locked in their cassette modes by a band of 18th century pirates, who stashed them away in a treasure chest just before a storm destroyed and sank their ship. Club Con!

A number of small Decepticons—Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ravage, Frenzy, and Rumble—accompanied Megatron when he left Cybertron four million years in the past; upon reactivating on Earth in 1984, the Ark's computer rebuilt them into human tape cassettes. The Transformers These Mini-Cassette troops used their small alternate modes for stealth, disguise and transportation—for instance, Rumble and Frenzy frequently hitched rides in the cockpit of the Decepticon jets, DIS-Integrated Circuits! while Ravage used his cassette form on several occasions to spy on humans. Power Play!

Three of these cassette troops were taken out of play by Omega Supreme Command Performances! and remained inoperative for quite some time, while Ravage was dropped into a mine shaft by the Autobot Skids, which also took him out of comission. Showdown! Laserbeak remained operational, and acted as a sort of totem of Decepticon leadership Command Performances! until an Underbase-empowered Starscream eventually destroyed him and many other Cybertronians. Dark Star

Ratbat assumed a cassette form upon traveling to Earth, and used this disguise to monitor his human accomplices. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom When Decepticon Imperial Headquarters stumbled across long-lost information related to the Underbase, they commanded Ratbat's Earthbound Decepticon to find the lost tapes. They moved their disguised desert island starship to the rough coordinates of the shipwreck and opened a Club Con vacation resort for fleshlings to disguise their true purposes there. The Seacons successfully retrieved Raindance and Grand Slam from the treasure chest, despite a brief altercation with Blaster. Club Con! Ratbat and his communications expert Soundwave were able to learn from the cassettes that the Underbase was set to pass by Earth in less than a week's time. The Flames of Boltax!

Ravage would go on to have multiple other adventures; after helping his former leader Shockwave close a destructive rift in time and space, Time Wars he teamed up with Megatron as the two returned to Cybertron to depose the Triumvirate and put the Decepticon house in order. The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire.

The Autobot cassette Playback was a prisoner of the Decepticons on Cybertron. Along with Hosehead and Horsepower, he was released into the wild on Earth to be hunted down by Thunderwing as part of his initiation as a new Decepticon leader. He was the first of the trio Thunderwing tracked down and executed, and left his corpse to rust on a shallow beach. The Big Shutdown!

Marvel UK future timelines

By 2008, Eject was stationed at Autobase on Cybertron, working communications for Ultra Magnus.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the Quintessons invaded Autobot City, devastating most of the base's population. Rewind, Steeljaw, and Ramhorn were stationed there, but got trapped inside Blaster's chest when he was blasted off-line and hung on the ramparts. A quick-thinking Hot Rod realized where they'd be and managed to free them. The Mini-Cassettes joined Hot Rod and Arcee in retaking Autobot City from the Quints. Space Pirates!

Earthforce

These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See Earthforce for details.

During the Decepticon Civil War, Ravage and Rumble sided with Shockwave. The Bad Guy's Ball!

Classics

Classics continues from the Marvel US series, and does not include the UK stories or any subsequently published stories.

By the end of the Great War, not all of the small Transformers who partnered with larger 'bots like Soundwave and Blaster transformed into cassettes: some turned into memory sticks, while Blockrock had an unfortunate bomb alternate mode. Recordicons #12

Numerous Mini-Cassettes survived the destruction of their native universe and evacuated into a parallel universe of evil Autobots and heroic Decepticons, where they encountered their mirror-universe selves. Ravage had a run-in with his cheerful doppelganger, Recordicons #10 while Frenzy and Rumble were confused when the this universe's Ratbat tried to bring "their" Ratbat, who'd already died to Scorponok, to justice. Recordicons #11

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Laserbeak was the first Mini-Cassette, designed for espionage and information-gathering. Secret Files of Teletraan II These Mini-Cassettes were largely subordinate to Soundwave and Blaster, and very loyal to them. They spent much of their time stored away in their chest, waiting to be called out when the situation required it. Mini-Cassettes with bestial robot modes were treated like pets and generally did not speak. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1 Laserbeak was frequently sent to spy on the Autobots at Autobot Headquarters, once using his cassette form to sneak in. Divide and Conquer Ravage likewise used his cassette mode to infiltrate Teletraan I and steal information about Earth's resources. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 Rumble was used more often to destroy stuff, though all three frequently engaged in battle.

The less-seen Buzzsaw and Frenzy also appeared on occasion, usually acting in conjunction with Laserbeak and Rumble, respectively. Countdown to Extinction Atlantis, Arise! The Immobilizer

At some point between 1986 and 2005, the Autobots developed cassette technology and created their own army of cassette Transformers. Ratbat also joined Soundwave's cassette forces; like Laserbeak, he specialized in spy work and reconnaissance, particularly in tight quarters inaccessible to Laserbeak. Secret Files of Teletraan II During the attack on Autobot City, Blaster attempted to radio Prime for reinforcements on Moonbase One. Megatron detected the transmission and ordered Soundwave to send his Cassettes to prevent the broadcast. Once Rumble and the others breached the communications tower, Blaster ejected Ramhorn, Steeljaw, Rewind, and Eject to deal with them. The Transformers: The Movie After Perceptor detected chronal energy emanating from an asteroid near Cybertron, Rodimus Prime sent a squad of Autobots with him to investigate, including Blaster with Ramhorn and Rewind. They encountered a Quintesson expedition and a school of Sharkticons, which Ramhorn relished in ramming repeatedly. During the fight, however, the Autobots accidentally passed through the Quintessons' Time Window, arriving 11 million years in the past. They met Beta, and took up arms in the original Cybertronian revolution against the Quintessons. They held the line against the Dark Guardians long enough for the Autobots of 2006 to return the revolution's leader A-3 from the future. As A-3 turned the Coder Remote on the Guardians, the Autobots returned to the present through the time window. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

Multiple cassettes with beast modes, including new arrivals Overkill and Slugfest, were part of the combined Autobot-Decepticon force of "primitives" Primacron summoned to defeat Tornedron. Call of the Primitives

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga

Ravage attacked Kenji and Bumblebee in Tokyo while the rest of the Autobots were occupied by Megatron's forces. Powerglide managed to sweep Kenji to safety, but Bumblebee was then confronted by Rumble, Laserbeak and Ratbat as well. Bumblebee managed to evade the Cassettes long enough for Ironhide and Cliffjumper to arrive as back-up. Using a patented Bumble Kick, the small Autobot damaged Soundwave's chest compartment, so that when Ravage and the others attempted to hide from the Autobots inside their master, they bounced fruitlessly off of Soundwave. Cliffjumper was able to grab them while they were still in their cassette forms, pulling out their magnetic tape. Harsh. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2

When the Stunticons attempted to frame the Autobots for their evil deeds, Rumble and Frenzy appealed directly to the human race for Decepticon support. Disguised in full-body cloaks and masks, they staged rallies against the Autobots and convince mankind that the Decepticons were their true friends. Their ruse was soon uncovered by Eject and Rewind, who ripped off the Decepticons' robes to reveal their true selves. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7

The Headmasters cartoon

The Mystery of Planet Master The Great Cassette Operation Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears Head Formation of Friendship The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an IcebergMiraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1) The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)

The Headmasters manga

As the Autobots prepared to leave Earth and pursue Scorponok's forces into space, Soundblaster of all the Decepticons stayed behind to continue tormenting humanity. He dispatched Overkill and Slugfest to attack the Witwickys but they were, um...overpowered by Daniel Witwicky. After Chromedome blasted Soundblaster into the distance, his remaining Cassettes crowded around the Decepticon tapedeck as he shook the stars from his eyes. The Headmasters #8

Madman The Transformers comic

In the year 2001, Soundwave unleashed his army of new Mini-Cassettes to steal the Autobot Matrix of Leadership from a secure bunker at the construction site of Autobot City on Earth. They were interrupted during their excavation by Hot Rod, who successfully disabled Soundwave and his various helpers before retrieving the Matrix. The Transformers

Wings Universe

Laserbeak, the first Recordicon, was originally an ordinary Cryo-Condor who was captured and physically modified to transform into an alternate mode: an ordinary datatrax wafer, and his success led to the creation of Ravage and Buzzsaw, more re-engineered specimens of Cybertronian wildlife. Millions of years later, after the Transformers in stasis lock onboard the Ark reawakened on Earth, the Autobots retaliated by engineering an army of "Recordabots", leading to an arms race between the two factions. Menagerie #1

Ladybird Books continuity

While investigating humanity, Laserbeak accidentally collided with some high-voltage power lines, which short-circuited his transformation systems and trapped him in cassette mode. Eventually, he found his way into the possession of a young boy, and wound up in a box of cassettes that would be played at that night's town hall disco. When the disc jockey inserted him into his tape deck, Laserbeak drained the energy from the sound system and used it to re-energize his own circuits. Laserbeak's Fury

Beast Wars cartoon continuity

Beast Wars cartoon

Although he would be reformatted into a humanoid Predacon body at some point after the end of the Great War, Ravage retained the ability to transform into an audio cassette, and did so during his attack on the Axalon to slot himself into a tape deck on the bridge of his transwarp cruiser. The Agenda (Part 2)

Dawn of Future's Past

The Predacon Divebomb granted Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Ravage a new lease on life by rebuilding them with new Predacon bodies. BotCon 2006 Laserbeak profile card The Predacon Megatron's theft of the Golden Disk was closely watched by Divebomb, who sent Laserbeak and Buzzsaw to ensure Megatron and his rogues reached their destination. Their ship intercepted the Axalon and pummelled with missiles, but before they could make another pass, the Chromia 10 bought enough time for the Maximals aboard to restore power, return fire, and completely destroy Laserbeak and Buzzsaw's ship, with the pair inside. Dawn of Future's Past

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

The origin of the Mini-Cassettes as a whole is unknown. Warriors like Laserbeak and Ravage were seen working with Soundwave in their standard capacity since the beginning of the war. The War Within The sole exception is Ratbat, who was once a high-ranking Decepticon, and the leader of his own independent faction during the Dark Ages. War Within: The Dark Ages At an unknown point in history, Ratbat was apparently converted into a Mini-Cassette as punishment for some unknown offense. Countdown to Extinction

During the Age of Internment, Blaster and his Mini-Cassettes were allied with Perceptor and the remaining free Autobots against Megatron. Their twin goals were to bring down the legions of the Aerospace Extermination Squadron, and somehow locate the long-missing Optimus Prime. The Age of Wrath Pt.2

Besides Ratbat, the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes were sent into stasis lock with Soundwave and the rest of the Nemesis' crew for four million years on the planet Earth. They reawakened in 1984 to battle Optimus Prime and the crew of the Ark. Prime Directive When the Transformers eventually returned to Cybertron, the Mini-Cassettes went with Soundwave under the new command of Shockwave. After Starscream made a proposal to strike out on their own, however, they turned against Shockwave. Part of the deal was Starscream reuniting Soundwave with Ratbat, whom he had apparently already used as a Mini-Cassette in the past. The Mini-Cassettes returned to Earth with Soundwave and the Seekers. War and Peace

The Autobot Mini-Cassettes later joined Blaster as part of another rebellion, this time against Shockwave and the corrupt Unified Cybertronian government. Countdown to Extinction

Megatron eventually returned, and reclaimed leadership from Starscream with the help of Soundwave and the Mini-Cassettes. The Route of All Evil

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

When the forces of Cobra recovered Cybertronians from the crashed Ark, Doctor Mindbender showed off the repaired Soundwave and his Mini-Cassettes to Destro. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2 Shortly thereafter, Soundwave deployed Laserbeak, Rumble, Frenzy, Ratbat, and Ravage, during an attack on the SPS Center, although Laserbeak did not survive the battle against G.I. Joe. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3

Later, the Autobot cassette Eject worked alongside Prowl and Hawk to round up any leftover Cybertronian technology on Earth, and later found himself caught up in battle when the Cobra-La-allied Pretender Monsters attacked the sunken Arc II. Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2

In an alternate future in which the Decepticons had conquered Earth, time-travelling members of G.I. Joe and Cobra encountered multiple Ravages. A few of them were destroyed by Ratchet, causing the remaining ones to flee. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3

2005 IDW continuity

During the reign of Nominus Prime, Transformers with data slug alternate modes—which included 'bots like Rewind, Rosanna, and Flip Sides—were a part of the "disposable class"; although they could store and record vast amounts of data, The Custom-Made Now they were treated like mindless slaves. Before & After Other members of the disposable class with animal forms, like Laserbeak, Ravage, and Buzzsaw, occupied some of the lowest ranks in Cybertronian society. Soundwaves By Zeta Prime's era, members of the disposable class had received more rights and a legal acknowledgement of personhood thanks to the writings of noted thinker Dominus Ambus, but continued to face prejudice. Before & After

During the buildup to the Great War, multiple small Cybertronians, including Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, and Squawkbox reformatted themselves into cassette-like alternate modes. While in the employ of Senator Ratbat, Soundwave's compatriots were modified into cassette forms; Soundwaves once Soundwave joined the Decepticons during the later buildup to the Great War, Frenzy and Rumble underwent the procedure, mostly out of fear and loyalty to Megatron. Megatron Origin #3

When the Decepticons attacked and successfully overthrew the Senate, Soundwave also attacked his former boss Ratbat, but preserved his spark in a Cybertronian mini-cassette. Megatron Origin #4 As the war spread across Cybertron, the information officer released his cassettes to distract his pursuers whenever they closed in. The Hunt for Soundwave Much later, Squawkbox served on the same space station as Sixshot. Spotlight: Sixshot

Ravage and Laserbeak traveled with Soundwave to Earth while keeping an eye on Bludgeon. Buzzsaw, Frenzy, and Rumble were not seen during this period, but the possibility that Soundwave was keeping one or more of them in reserve cannot be ruled out. (You never really know who he has hidden in there.) It was at this time that Soundwave and at least Ravage and Laserbeak picked up 1984-era Earth alternate modes. Spotlight: Soundwave Although the eruption of Mount St. Helens wound up trapping the pair in lava, the human organization Skywatch eventually dug out their inactive bodies and reprogrammed them into efficient hunter-killers. Escalation #6 After a sudden surge in Transformer activity on Earth, they were released on their first hunt, only for Soundwave—trapped his cassette player mode and in the possession of a human named Jimmy—to detect their presence and block Skywatch's control signal, freeing his subordinates. Devastation #4 Locating their master, Laserbeak and Ravage broke into Jimmy's home and carried Soundwave away, but were unable to do anything to repair him. Fortunately, Shockwave soon met with them and negotiated a deal to restore Soundwave to his true form. Maximum Dinobots #4 As part of the plan, Laserbeak and Ravage were left lying dormant in a forest to be recaptured by Skywatch, only to awaken and murder their would-be captors as soon as Shockwave freed Soundwave from his condition. Maximum Dinobots #5

Ratbat, who by this point had a non-mini-cassette alternate mode, spent some time as a regular member of Earth's infiltration unit doing reconnaissance work. Devastation issue 1

During the Surge, Laserbeak, Ravage, Frenzy, Rumble, and Ratbat all participated in Megatron's full-scale invasion of Earth as Soundwave's mini-cassette minions. All Hail Megatron After the Autobots successfully retook Earth and sent the Decepticons on the run, however, the group went their separate ways: Ravage and Frenzy wound up in Skywatch custody, while Rumble and Laserbeak remained with Soundwave during Starscream's brief stint leading the Deepticons. Altered Carbon

After the end of the war, the Mini-Cassettes returned to Cybertron along with most other Autobots and Decepticons. While one data stick Transformer, the chronicler Rewind, joined the crew of the starship Lost Light on their quest for the Knights of Cybertron, How to Say Goodbye and Mean It most of the surviving Decepticon cassettes remained on Cybertron; although Arcee killed Ratbat shortly after their return to Cybertron, The World & Everything in It the rest took part in a scheme to resurrect Megatron and Devastator. As part of this new upgrade, many of Soundwave's minions were upgraded into new bodies—some, like Laserbeak, now transformed into data discs, while Rumble and Frenzy became tanks. The Verge The Decepticons were exiled into the wilderness after losing the battle of Iacon, where Soundwave made it their first priority to find and kill the deserter Shockwave. Shockpoint With the other Decepticons refusing to follow him, Soundwave took only the cassettes with him to Crystal City, where they fought Shockwave and his minion Dreadwing. However, because of Shockwave's Ore-14 repairing any damage done to either side, they soon realized the battle was going nowhere and returned to recruit the other Decepticons. Soundwaves

Following the conclusion of the "Dark Cybertron" crisis, many of the Decepticon cassettes joined Soundwave as he and Galvatron set a course for Earth to begin again. Full Fathom Five Eventually, after Soundwave cut ties with Galvatron and joined forces with Optimus Prime, several took up residence on Sanctuary Station, a Deccepticon commune where they could live in peace, South of Heaven while others, like Rumble and Frenzy, remained on Earth and bounced from one hairbraned get-rich-quick scheme to the next. Starscream: The Movie Primeless, Part 2 Although both Soundwave and Laserbeak perished in the final battle against Unicron, Buzzsaw remained active on Earth, where he hunted poachers in memory of his fallen friend. Post

The Functionist Universe

In an alternate timeline, an incremental series of mass recalls left the data slugs relatively common among the general population. However, it was not long before Six-of-Twelve reported back to the Functionist Council that their theoconomists were divided over the data slugs—though they still had a functional value, their ability to store information threatened the Council's ability to govern. Overruling the theoconomists, One-of-Twelve ordered that their obsolescence chips be detonated and the data slugs were recalled. The Custom-Made Now

Hearts of Steel

Soundwave, Ravage, Squawkbox, and Rumble and/or Frenzy were among the Decepticons who were awakened on nineteenth century Earth and took on alternate modes from that era. Hearts of Steel

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

Frenzy, Ravage, Laserbeak, and Rumble were the sons of Soundwave and nephews to Shockwave, Black Cybertron and took part in the initial Decepticon attack on Earth. I Saw Three Ships When their father fell in battle on Earth, Shockwave summoned Rumble and Laserbeak to his side as part of a quest to revive their fallen relative, and together they brought Soundwave's corpse to the dread arcane scholar Flame in the city of Kalis. Black Cybertron

Beast Wars: Uprising

Owing to their small size and fuel efficiency, cassettes like Eject and Ratbat were some of the only non-Micromaster Builders capable of independent movement on a post-war Cybertron depleted of its energon. Broken Windshields

2019 IDW continuity

Infiltration troopers were a group of Cybertronians with unique, compressed alternate modes which could be hidden within larger Transformers and released to quickly overwhelm and surround opponents. While in alternate mode, they possessed the ability to switch to a semi-dormant, low-power state, allowing them to remain almost undetectable so long as they stayed out of sight. Infiltration troopers saw extensive action during the Age of Expansion and the subsequent War of the Threefold Spark as saboteurs, spies, and infiltrators; although multiple Cybertronians volunteered to become infiltration troopers, the body-type had fallen out of favour by the time of the Nominus Edict. The ever-impartial Starscream attributed Senator Ratbat's continual re-election to his popularity among his fellow infiltration troopers, rather than any kind of political acumen. Wheeljack: Orbital Decay

As a member of the Ascenticon party, Megatron ordered Ratbat to gather as many loyal infiltration troopers as he could and rally them behind his cause as he escalated his plans. All Fall Down When Megatron made his move on the Senate, Clench stored and released a squad of infiltration troopers into the chamber to surround the Senators. We Have Deceived You