Editing Hardhead (G1)

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Headmaster from Generation 1|the Predacon from Beast Wars Neo|Hardhead (BWN)}}
:''Hardhead is an [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[File:HardH.gif|274px|thumb|No, my toy's head looks nothing remotely like this, why do you ask?]]
'''Hardhead''' is a soldier to his core. A soldier with a stubborn streak a [[Units of length|megamile]] wide. He's stubborn to the point of rejecting outright any path but his own, any idea that goes against his natural instinct or inclination (namely fighting), and any advice he didn't come up with himself. He doesn't talk much, and when he does, it tends to be blunt and terse, if not outright rude. A soldier doesn't waste time on social niceties when there's a war to fight.

Perhaps surprisingly, given his limited social aptitude, Hardhead has found a good companion in [[Duros]], his [[Binary bonding|binary-bonded]] [[Nebulan]] partner, who enjoys warfare just as much as Hardhead does. The two mesh so well, it's been said that theirs may be the best match among all the Autobot-Nebulan teams. 

{{quote|So what? They call me Hardhead. And that's really '''''all''''' you need to know.|Hardhead is unimpressed with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s bragging|[[Devastation issue 4|''Devastation'' #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Stephen Keener]] (English), [[Eiji Itō]] (Japanese)|[[Franz Rudnick]] (German, ''The Rebirth, Part 1''), [[Hans-Rainer Müller]] (German, ''The Rebirth, Part 2'')}}

[[File:Rebirth2-Welcometotheclub.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|This is what my head looks like. Sometimes.]]
After the resurrection of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], the Decepticons practically disappeared for a time. On Cybertron, Brainstorm used this reprieve to experiment on pairing Transformers with human partners, though his efforts did not convince Hardhead or [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]. Shortly after the exercise, Optimus Prime contacted them, notifying them of the Decepticons' return. They had stolen the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]] and were on their way to the chamber itself on Cybertron. Unfortunately, the chamber's activation would destroy Cybertron. Hardhead and several other Autobots commandeered a ship to head off [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] before they could reach the Plasma Energy Chamber, and they managed to retrieve the Key, but an energy surge smacked the Autobot ship out of Cybertron's orbit and far into space. 

Hardhead and the others crash-landed on a strange planet named [[Nebulos]] and were quickly taken captive by an underground resistance movement that believed the Autobots were machines controlled by the [[Hive (G1)|Hive]], who ruled Nebulos. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 1}} After Hardhead volunteered to become a Headmaster, he was partnered with Duros. Their first test run against the Hive machines was a cracking success with the pair working to take one down. They followed that up by taking part in the liberation of some Autobots who had been captured by Decepticon forces, easily outclassing their foe. He was the first to welcome Optimus Prime when the Autobot leader arrived on the planet. The Autobot Headmasters and Targetmasters managed to get the stolen key back from the Decepticons, only for [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] to reveal himself. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 2}}

With the key back in Decepticon hands, the Autobots headed back to Cybertron in an attempt to regain it. It looked like the Decepticons were planning to open the Plasma Energy Chamber, and the Autobots suddenly found themselves abandoned by their partners. Stuck in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], Hardhead and the others tried to storm Scorponok to rescue [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]], but were easily captured. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] came to the rescue with [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], and the Autobots were free for all of thirty seconds before they were overwhelmed by the energies from the opened Plasma Energy Chamber. Luckily they had Spike and the Nebulons to close the chamber and bring about a new [[Golden Age]].

Hardhead, Duros and the other Headmasters later returned to Nebulos to begin the work of reclaiming and rebuilding the planet. {{storylink|The Rebirth, Part 3}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Termination}}}}

===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
{{note|In Japan, Hardhead is a small robot who transforms into a head and controls a larger, lifeless [[transtector]] body. The ''Headmasters'' toyline referred to the small robot as '''Ros''', with "Hardhead" being the name of the combined small robot/transtector form, though this distinction is hardly ever made in fiction.}}

====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Masato Hirano]] (Japanese)}}
[[File:HM7 Hardhead learns to transform.jpg|thumb|230px]]
Four million years ago, Hardhead was among a group of [[Cyberdroid|diminutive Cybertronians]] who departed Cybertron under the leadership of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], seeking to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} Alas, engine trouble caused their craft to crash land on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], an inhospitable world whose murderous environments and wildly changeable atmospheric conditions threatened the lives of the Cybertronians almost as soon as they stepped off their ship and were caught in a desert of sinking sands. Fighting against the odds, the Cybertronians made several technological quantum leaps to survive on Master, including the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called [[transtector]]s. Hardhead and many of his comrades underwent rigorous physical and mental training to master the art of [[transformation]], learning to transform into heads that connected to the transtectors and placed them under their control. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} Hardhead was one of ten warriors who became one of these "Headmasters", but unfortunately, half their number soon rebelled against Fortress's leadership and sided with a traitor named [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] against him. Via the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], Scorponok soon forged an alliance with the Decepticon leader, [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

[[File:HM2 Hardhead small robot.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
In the year 2011, when Galvatron launched his latest attack on Cybertron with the added power of his new Decepticon Headmasters, Hardhead and his fellow Autobot Headmasters traveled to the planet to help their comrades defend their homeworld. {{storylink|Four Warriors Come out of the Sky}} He helped [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] fight [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]]. After the battle concluded with a Decepticon retreat, the Headmasters went to [[Athenia]] for introductions with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} They soon joined [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] on [[Earth]] to search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and fought [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] while Hot Rod retrieved their prize. They returned to Cybertron with the Matrix, and witnessed [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] sacrificing himself to save [[Vector Sigma]] and Hot Rod becoming Rodimus Prime once more. {{storylink|Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime}} 

[[File:HM4 Hardhead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|And sometimes, my head looks like this.]]
When the Decepticons developed the [[Madmachine]], the Headmasters were all ready to storm over to [[Chaar]] and destroy it. Instead Rodimus had [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] resurrected as Twincast, and the Headmasters went to Cybertron to delay the Decepticons and their machine long enough for Twincast to find a way to destroy it. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}} Out on patrol in space, Hardhead and Chromedome first found stowaways in the form of [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], and then retrieved a couple of [[Beastformer]]s floating in space. The latter led the Headmasters to the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], where they found the natives had been subjugated by the Decepticons. Joining with [[White Leo]]'s rebels, they helped free the natives from Decepticon rule. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}

[[File:HM8 Hardhead.jpg|thumb|left|280px]]
After the Decepticons directed a metal-warping meteor named [[Metamorphose]] at Athenia, the Headmasters accompanied Daniel on a mission to destroy it and ended up tangling with the Decepticon Headmasters. {{storylink|Approach of the Demon Meteorite}} Lured to the planet [[Praum]] by a distress call, the five Headmasters fell into a trap laid by Scorponok. It was only by remembering their struggles back on Master that they performed a Cross-Head on and escaped the trap so they could fight the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery}} When Earth's major powers were threatened by a mysterious blackmailer, the Headmasters attempted fruitlessly to track the culprit down, until a clue led them to the fact it was Sixshot. They joined [[Raiden (Headmasters)|Raiden]] in cornering Sixshot in [[Japan]] and saw the Decepticon off. {{storylink|Terror! The Six Shadows}}

The Headmasters continued their training, with Hardhead exercising on a treadmill. When the Decepticons were reported to be heading for Earth, he and Chromedome went there to investigate, and when it turned out that the Decepticons were heading to Cybertron to secure the supply of [[cybertonuron]], the pair joined the other Earth-based Autobots in heading there too. The Decepticon Headmasters mysteriously ran off mid-battle {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1}} and the Autobots tracked them down. They followed the trio to Vector Sigma's chamber, where the Decepticons had planted a number of bombs. Unable to defuse them, the Autobot Headmasters headed to the surface and raised the alarm, allowing the planet to be evacuated before it was destroyed. {{storylink|Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2}}

[[File:HM11 Hardhead sings karaoke.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|''Never gonna give you up<br />Never gonna let you down'']]
At the party to celebrate the completion of the [[Sol 1]] satellite, Hardhead got drunk, bullied Twincast into providing music, and "treated" everyone to some karaoke. When the Decepticons attacked the launch, Hardhead and [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] double-teamed [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and the satellite was successfully launched, though a short time afterward, the Decepticons stole it. The Headmasters tried to retrieve it, but were eventually forced to destroy it to prevent it being used for evil. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} The Headmasters followed that up by helping save the residents of the South American village of [[Pan]] from a nearby erupting volcano. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} They also faced a huge [[buridanka]] plant as it attacked [[San Francisco]], though it wasn't until Fortress pulled out the [[Master Sword]] that they were able to defeat it. {{storylink|Head On!! Fortress Maximus}}

[[File:HM15 Hardhead aims gun.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire a hundred shots or only ninety-nine? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a metal shard-firing shatterblaster, the most powerful rifle in the universe, and would blow your head clean off, you've gotta ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?]]
When reports came in of the Decepticons being up to something on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], hardhead and the other Headmasters traveled there in [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. After tangling with [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] they rescued Daniel and found out that the Decepticons were planning to blow the entire planet up. Interrogating the Decepticons led them to a crater which naturally turned out to be a trap. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}} With Maximus, [[Brainstorm]] and Highbrow out of commission, Hardhead and Chromedome fought on. Despite the help of Raiden and the other Headmasters once they were better, the Autobots were faced with the arrival of Scorponok's new transtector, and were unable to prevent the Decepticons destroying the planet. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears}}

[[File:HM17 Daniel and Wheelie have fun with hoses.jpg|thumb|240px]]
Despite Fortress's orders, Chromedome and Hardhead made an attempt to attack Chaar by concealing themselves aboard Maximus and heading toward the planet while the ship was on patrol. They were intercepted by the forewarned Decepticons, who sent them back to Maximus in a hurry. Hardhead took part in the Autobot strike on Scorponok's coronation, and was witness to the return of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}} Following a distress call from the planet [[Sandra (planet)|Sandra]], the Headmasters attempted to take a shipment of [[energon]] there. When they were ambushed by the Decepticons ''en route'', Hardhead and Chromedome used their transtectors as decoys while they went on ahead to deliver the energy. {{storylink|SOS from Planet Sandra}}

As part of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]]'s plan to negotiate with the Decepticon, the four Headmasters accompanied him to [[Shangri-La Island]] on Earth as an escort. When the Galvatron who met with Spike turned out to be an impostor, Hardhead and the others rescued [[Carly]] and Daniel before attacking the Decepticons. During the escape, Sixshot destroyed the [[space bridge]] network, and the Autobots set out in pursuit in Battleship Maximus. {{storylink|Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!}} When the Decepticons invaded [[Hive (planet)|Hive]], the Headmasters set out to assist, but the Hive ships mistook them for enemies, and even Hardhead, Chromedome, and Brainstorm trying to reason with them didn't help. After Chromedome went on ahead and persuaded the people of Hive that the Autobots were on their side, the other Headmasters were allowed to help fight off the Decepticons. {{storylink|Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!}}

[[File:HM21 Hardhead splitscreen.jpg|thumb|left|240px]]
The Autobots followed the Decepticons to [[Twin Star]], where it turned out that the planet the Decepticons were attacking had already been evacuated of population and energy. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} They next followed an SOS to planet [[Daros]] where they helped overthrow a corrupt government and fight off the Decepticons. {{storylink|Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!}} Hardhead and Chromedome were put to work fixing Battleship Maximus's weapons systems, and completed repairs by the time they had to go rescue Highbrow and expel the Decepticons from the idyllic world of [[Paradise]]. {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}} They again tangled with the Decepticons on the [[Pirate Planet]], though it ultimately turned out that the planet's energy was long gone. {{storylink|Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship}}

[[File:IRiskMyLifeForEarth-Letgoofme.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Humpty Grumpty.]]
As the Decepticons returned to Chaar, their mission complete, so the Headmasters returned to Athenia. They were unable to get to Earth in time to prevent Sixshot from killing [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but fought the ninja off with a fearsome counter-attack. {{storylink|Ultra Magnus Dies!!}} The emboldened Decepticons began striking across the globe until the Headmasters tracked Galvatron down in [[Alaska]]. Using information passed on by [[Punch (G1)|Punch]], they defeated the Decepticon leader and buried him beneath the ice. {{storylink|The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg}} New information pointed to the Decepticons trying to destroy Earth altogether. As Chromedome had been relieved of duty by Fortress, Brainstorm took Hardhead and Highbrow to face the Decepticons on [[Kamchatka Peninsula]]. They didn't fare well until Chromedome completed Highbrow's research, discovering Scorponok's weak point. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

With the Decepticons having abandoned Earth, the Autobots set about repairing the damage they'd done. Hardhead and Chromedome attempted to remove a number of bombs from a mine, but when Chromedome accidentally activated one, the pair had to perform a head switch to get them out safely. As they transported the bombs to a safe location in space, the Headmasters encountered a ship of refugees from Master. The refugees attempted to help dispose of the bombs but were caught in the explosion. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)}} The refugees from Master became bonded as [[Targetmaster]]s with three newly arrived Autobots, who turned out to have a low opinion of the Headmasters. Nonetheless, the Headmasters returned to their home world to fight the Decepticons. {{storylink|Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)}}

[[File:HM30 Hardhead in hiding.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|We don't know why he's smiling, because we can't see what he's doing behind that rock.]]
After the Decepticons ransomed Wheelie for information on the Master Sword, Hardhead and the other Autobots were unsuccessful in keeping said information out of the Decepticons' hands, even after Wheelie was rescued. {{storylink|The Master Sword Is in Danger!!}} The Headmasters worked on finding Scorponok by searching for unique energy wavelengths and even found the cavern where he was constructing the [[Zarak Shield]], but were too late to prevent its completion. {{storylink|The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide}} Hardhead and the others went along with Chromedome's plan to rally the population of Master against the Decepticons, only for the whole plan to go wrong when Scorponok popped up in the middle of a major city and defeat Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

As the Decepticons left Master to head home, the Autobots gave chase. When Daniel was inadvertently ejected during a battle, the Headmasters eventually traced him to [[Daira]], though they had a hard time believing that he'd been looked after by Sixshot. {{storylink|My Friend Sixshot!}} When Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a duel, the other Headmasters tried and failed to talk their comrade out of it. They were unable to follow him to lend help, as it turned out the whole thing was a diversion while the Decepticons headed for Earth. {{storylink|Duel on the Asteroid}}

[[File:Hm35 chromedome hardhead hypnotised.jpg|thumb|230px]]
By the time the Autobots reached Earth, the Decepticons had begun erecting [[Death Tower]]s made from [[crysmagnetal]] around the globe, discharging energy from their tops. The Headmasters had their hands full attending to the crash of Spike and Carly's plane in the Andes Mountains. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}} The Autobots headed for [[Egypt]] where they tangled briefly with the three Decepticon Headmasters and failed to stop another Death Tower going up. As a last ditch effort, the Headmasters joined the entire Autobot army in a counter strike on the Decepticons at the [[Arctic|North Pole]]. Hardhead and Chromedome were saved from [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]'s hypnotism by Twincast and his cassettes. As Fortress Maximus was caught in the energies preparing to tear the planet apart, Hardhead and the other three Headmasters attempted a Head Formation to give him more power. It was only when the other Autobots joined in that they succeeded, and the Decepticons' satellite was destroyed. With the Decepticons having fled into space, the Autobots left Earth to pursue them. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

====''The Great Transformer War''====
While significant Transformer battles were being waged on [[Earth]] and across space, Hardhead and the other Headmasters were battling their Decepticon counterparts on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. Thinking that the three Decepticons had escaped them by leaping into a chasm, Hardhead began raging, and nearly wound up fighting with [[Brainstorm]] when the other Headmaster told him to calm down. Luckily, he was able to direct his anger back upon the Decepticons when they came bursting out of the ground beneath the Autobots' feet. The Decepticons didn't fare terribly well in the battle, which abruptly ended when the Decepticon ninja [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]] arrived and instructed them to follow him back to [[Chaar]]. The Decepticons fled into space, but Hardhead and his fellow Autobot Headmasters quickly gave chase aboard the battleship ''Maximus'', heading for Cybertron rejoin the larger Transformer war. {{storylink|The Great Transformer War issue 3|The Great Transformer War #3}}

====''The Headmasters'' manga====
On [[Athenia]], Hardhead attended the unveiling of the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] memorial statue. He and the other Headmasters of Justice also waylaid a Decepticon bombing attack on the planet. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 1|The Headmasters #1}}

Venturing to [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], Hardhead and the Headmasters of Justice investigated an SOS from their allies. On ground patrol, Hardhead and Chromedome were assaulted by [[Reproganmar]]...the Fever Vegetation! Luckily, [[Kane]] and the Beastformers were able to cut them free. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Headmasters, [[Trainbot]]s, and Beastformers successfully drove the Decepticon forces off of Beest and back to [[Chaar]]. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}

Headhead and the Headmasters next traveled to an Alaskan energy refinery, where the Headmasters of Evil managed to temporarily get the drop on them, separating the Masters from their [[Transtector]]s. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Autobot Headmasters reunited with their Transtectors and defeated the enemy. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 2|The Headmasters #2}}

The Trainbots joined Hardhead and the Headmasters on an undersea mission where they found [[Rippersnapper (G1)|Rippersnapper]], [[Skullcruncher]] and the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s stealing(?) energy from subaquatic vents. They also found a giant robot squid lying in wait. Through quick thinking and teamwork, the Headmasters and Trainbots dismantled the squid and stopped the Decepticons' scheme. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 3|The Headmasters #3}}

In a battle with [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], Hardhead and the Headmasters of Justice failed to prevent the Six Clan ninja from stealing food rations. And kidnapping [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]. By accident. Way to go, guys. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 4|The Headmasters #4}}

During the Christmas season, Hardhead and his friends entertained the patients at a children's hospital until the Decepticons arrived. Through quick thinking and teamwork...aw, you get the picture. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 6|The Headmasters #6}}

On Earth, Hardhead and the crew of the Battleship Maximus helped put out a fire so that [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]] and [[Artfire (Headmasters)|Artfire]] could concentrate on battling the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 7|The Headmasters #7}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon continuity====
=====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon=====
Archive footage of a battle in space involving Hardhead was used to educate the future [[Headmaster Junior]]s about the [[Master Wars]]. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

=====Train Wars=====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Train Wars}}}}

====''Super-God Masterforce'' manga====
Several years after the end of the Headmasters' war on Earth, a new Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] named [[Ginrai]] was appointed, and flown to [[Athenia]] for his coronation. Hardhead was present for the ceremony, and then helped to fight off a Decepticon attack upon the planet. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}} Soon after, when the Decepticon [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] made his way to Earth, Hardhead, the other Autobot Headmasters and [[Raiden (Headmasters)|Raiden]] pursued him, but were defeated in battle in Earth's orbit. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Hardhead-RingofHate.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Highbrow's forehead is right!]]

A long time ago, on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Hardhead was part of an Autobot strike unit led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. This unit operated out of a cave dug into the [[Manganese Mountains]], and often worked to foil the schemes of their primary nemesis, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Their last major mission on Cybertron was to upset a slave march to the [[smelting pool]]s. After that, however, Fortress Maximus revealed to the Autobots that he had grown sick of warfare, and planned to escape the endless ring of hate by immigrating to a new world altogether: [[Nebulos]]. Initially, Hardhead was outraged and accused Maximus of cowardice for even conceiving of leaving the war before it was finished, but he was quickly chastized when [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] reminded him of how valiantly their leader had fought on the battlefield that day, and every day prior for countless [[Units of time|vorns]]. With some convincing, Hardhead and many others chose to join Fortress Maximus on his quest for peace. Peace is rarely an Autobot's lot, though, as an innocent mishap combined with some xenophobia among a few of the Nebulan rulers to bring war to the Autobot camp's doorstep. Hardened warriors like Hardhead and [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] immediately fell into old habits and started fighting back, but Fortress Maximus abruptly ended their gunplay and ordered an all-out retreat.

Despite these setbacks, Fortress Maximus was determined to wage peace, not war. He brought an envoy of Autobots, including Hardhead, to the Nebulan capitol of [[Koraja]] to once again plead for peace. When the Nebulans still were not totally swayed after he and his Autobots disarmed, Maximus removed his own head from his shoulders, leaving his body deactivated and inoperable in the Nebulans' care. Hardhead and three other Autobots joined their leader in his gesture. It was this gesture which finally ushered in a cease fire with the Nebulans. {{storylink|Ring of Hate!}}

Fortress Maximus, Hardhead and the others had their separate heads and bodies detained inside a bunker outside Koraja, as so-called "prisoners of peace", while the Nebulan leaders conversed with them and also the remaining Autobots (under Kup's supervision) in the [[Folassian Forest]] beyond the city. Maximus had successfully convinced [[Galen Kord|Galen]], head of the [[World Watchers]], of his good intentions, but the paranoid Lord [[Mo Zarak|Zarak]] distrusted the Autobots at every turn, and was committed to removing them from Nebulos even if he had to fake their crimes in order to do it. He even went so far as to summon the Decepticons to Nebulos, hoping that they would rid the planet of their Autobot problem. (So he's not that bright. Give him a break, he's in politics!) 

[[File:Loveandsteel-runfortmaxrun.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]

The Decepticon arrival was everything you would expect, as Scorponok and his henchmen began to lay siege to Koraja, trying to get at the inoperative Fortress Maximus and his men. Galen and Council Guard Commander [[Duros]] arrived at the Autobots' bunker to rapidly consult them on options. Several potential strategies were discarded in short order, and the allies finally settled on a radical solution involving bio-mechanical engineering — Galen and several other volunteers were bionically reconstructed to transform into duplicates of the Autobots' severed heads, allowing them to [[Binary bonding|binary bond]] with the Autobots' bodies and share both physical control and tactical analysis with the original Autobot personalities. Duros was one of the first volunteers for the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] process, and was binary bonded to Hardhead. Duros quickly adjusted to the raw power and military might of his new body, using Hardhead's laser-guided cannon against the Decepticon aggressors. {{storylink|Broken Glass!}}

Their status as the saviors of Koraja made Duros and the others an instant hit among the populace, but Nebulos's rulers were still wary of the Transformers, especially now that their presence had led Nebulans themselves to wage war for the first time in over 10,000 years. Galen and his men did their best to assuage the fears of the [[Council of Peers]]. When the [[Horrorcon]]s and [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] attacked the [[Splendora]] resort, Hardhead and [[Brainstorm]] joined their Autobot comrades, the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], in fending off [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] and zapping [[Apeface]] and [[Snapdragon (G1)|Snapdragon]] into submission. The devastation left in the wake of their battle did little to discourage the Council's antipathy, however. When the Autobot Headmasters went on a rescue mission to recover Lord Zarak and his followers (who had been prisoners of the Decepticons since their arrival), a detachment of Council members insisted on accompanying them. Unfortunately, Zarak had entered into a bargain with Scorponok, and by the time Hardhead and the others reached the [[Plains of Thok]], the Decepticon Headmasters had been born. Although Zarak / Scorponok endangered the council members by using them as a diversion to gun down the Autobots, [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]]'s hypnotic gaze had scrambled the other Nebulans' minds so much that Zarak was able to convince them that Galen's men were the evil ones, and he manipulated the Decepticons into becoming Nebulos's new "champions". {{storylink|Love and Steel!}}

Duros and the other Nebulan Headmasters were held captive by Zarak in Koraja, alongside their disabled Autobot counterparts. Despite his hunger for power and growing battle-lust, however, Zarak still ultimately wanted what was best for Nebulos. Realizing how a continued war between the Autobots and Decepticons would truly affect the planet he loved, Zarak freed Duros and the Autobot Headmasters, sending them back to their comrades in the forest. Galen had reached the same conclusions as Zarak, and gathered his men back aboard the Autobot ship ''[[Steelhaven]]'', to leave Nebulos behind to rebuild in their absence. Sure enough, Zarak / Scorponok and the Decepticons chose to follow the Autobots into space. {{storylink|Brothers in Armor!!}}

[[File:Hardhead-WorldsApart.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Got to... SHEEAKK!]]

''Before they left, however, the Autobot Headmasters had another encounter with their Decepticon opposite numbers. After the [[Targetmaster]]s were captured by the Decepticons for analysis and dissection, Hardhead and the Headmasters went out looking for them, only to run into the Decepticon Headmasters on the way. Hardhead was nearly knocked off the road when Mindwipe's hypnotic stare sent Brainstorm crashing into him. Despite being shaken by the impact, Hardhead still managed to defeat both [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] and [[Skullcruncher]] by himself. The Autobots regrouped to follow Mindwipe, the last of their attackers, who was apparently fleeing for safety. After entering the Decepticons' [[Fortress of Despair]], however, Hardhead and the others realized they had been led into a trap, and were confronted by the might Scorponok and the Decepticon Targetmasters. In order to help even the odds, Hardhead freed the Autobot Targetmasters who were being held prisoner. With their help, the Autobots eventually overcame the Decepticons and fled back to base. {{storylink|Worlds Apart!}}''

[[File:Trialbyfire-fortmax-disassemble.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|And I'll form the head! Fortress Maximus's head, that is. With tools.]]

After leaving Nebulos, Hardhead and the crew of ''Steelhaven'' followed an Autobot distress call to the planet called Earth. During the long journey, they had Fortress Maximus heavily upgraded into a larger, more powerful body. Even the militaristic Duros was a bit unsettled by the new war-like outlook of their leader, Galen, but he insisted he was merely changing to fit the circumstances they had been dealt. Upon arrival, Fortress Maximus, Hardhead and the other Headmasters took a shuttle down to Earth's surface, and located the caves in [[Mount St. Hilary]] where the distress call had first been broadcast. They also found the broadcaster himself, an Autobot named [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Goldbug]] whose [[brain module]] had been retrofitted into a tiny electronic toy car. [[Toy Soldiers!|Long story]]. Scorponok and the Decepticon Headmasters had also come to Earth after the distress call, however, and a battle broke out. The battle proved costly, as Galen died protecting an Earthling from Scorponok. He passed on his control helmet to this boy, [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]], leaving Fortress Maximus and the Autobots in his hands. It was Hardhead who first suggested that Spike was the group's new leader. {{storylink|Trial by Fire!}}

In the weeks that followed, ''Steelhaven's'' crew united with the other Autobots on board the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Hardhead was present on the moon when two members of the Ark's crew, [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], engaged in ritual combat to settle their differences. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

[[File:Edgeofextinction-hardheadbombburst.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|That's gonna leave a mark.]]
''During the [[Time Wars (event)|Time Wars]], Hardhead was among the Autobot strike team gathered by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]], Grimlock and Fortress Maximus to engage [[Galvatron (G1)#Marvel Comics continuity|Galvatron]] for the fate of two time periods, several associated planets, and the universe at large. Unfortunately, the future Autobots of 2009 arrived before the battle began, and the mass-substitution effect created by time travel shunted Hardhead into [[Limbo]] for the duration. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''

Hardhead was next seen on Cybertron for the final united battle against [[Unicron]]. Working with the Decepticon [[Pretender]], [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]], he was in the process of moving a surface-to-air missile battery into position when Unicron touched down on the planet's surface. The Planet-Eater's massive foot indiscriminately crushed Autobot, Decepticon, and weapon flat. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
{{-}}

{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Final Conflict}} {{storylink|Stylor's Story}}}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Two}} {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Three}} {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Four}} {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}} {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 2}}  {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 4}} {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 5}}}}

===Ladybird Books continuity===
[[File:HeadlessChromedomeandHardhead-ASO.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0]]
While the Autobots planned for an elaborate sabotage scheme designed by [[Brainstorm]] to eliminate a Decepticon installation, Hardhead complained about the fancy stuff and wished they could just rush in and blow stuff up. {{storylink|Decepticons at the Pole}}

During a period when the Autobots on Nebulos were low on lubricant, [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] dispatched Hardhead and [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] to search for a legendary lost lake of oil. They searched a possible valley with their Headmaster partners, but [[Stylor]] reported back with no luck. Looking for Duros's return, Hardhead transformed into his headless [[robot mode]] to get a better view across the plains. When Duros returned with a clear signal on his geo-sensors, the Headmasters traced the spot. Hardhead used sonic shell as a non-inflammatory means of drilling down to the reservoir. Duros and Stylor entered the tunnel and found a vast source of oil for the Autobots to claim. {{storylink|Autobots Strike Oil}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:Escalation6 Hardhead AVENGE.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Hardhead makes his own decisions!]]
{{note|In the IDW continuity, Hardhead is not a Headmaster.}}
Hardhead was [[Reproduction#IDW Generation 1 continuity|constructed cold]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} He was a career soldier, intended as a problem solver who got things done fast. To him, this meant he had no future, as some day the war will end, and he would be a walking reminder of it, something to be quietly done away with. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}  He was part of the [[113th Battalion]] and took part in a massive battle against [[Black Shadow (Victory)|Black Shadow]].  {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} 

[[File:Devastation4 Hardhead.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Hardhead answers his own questions!]]
Prior to the [[Brasnya]] incident, Hardhead was ordered by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] to [[Earth]] on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', along with [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} The two arrived right in the middle of the battle, although Hot Rod sped away after the [[facsimile construct|facsimile]] before Hardhead could stop him to report their presence. He engaged in battle with [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} causing severe damage to the shuttle [[Triple Changer]] and continued to hound him to such an extent that [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] had to call in [[Thundercracker (G1)|reinforcements]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} When [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] seemingly defeated Optimus Prime, Hardhead attempted (futilely) to damage him with repeated cannon blasts. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

Hardhead would eventually regroup with his teammates after the battle and was among them during [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s surprise assault on the ''[[Ark-19]]''. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} He bravely (if futilely) attacked Sixshot, along with the rest of the Autobots before being beamed back to the ''Ark-32''. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Due to injuries and separate missions, Hardhead found himself to be the only active Autobot besides [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]—and neither were happy to hear that Optimus was withdrawing them from Earth to [[Garrus-9]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Hardhead went to retrieve Hot Rod and the others, blowing up a [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] that was attacking Hot Rod. Hot Rod refused to go though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Ironhide (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ironhide]] back with him. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[File:SpotlightHardhead HardheadsHeadshot.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Hardhead expresses his own feelings!]]
Soon, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] discovered that he logged a message during his visit to [[Gorlam Prime]]—of which he had no recollection—and asked Hardhead for help. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Before leaving for Gorlam Prime, Nightbeat told Hardhead of his fears that he may be compromised, and that if he threatened Hardhead or anyone else, he should terminate Nightbeat. Arriving on Gorlam Prime, Nightbeat and Hardhead discovered virtually the entire planet's population had frozen in a chrysalis-like state and were in the midst of undergoing some kind of evolutionary cycle. Before they could explore further, however, they were beset upon by dozens of [[Micromaster]]s, all of whom immediately targeted Hardhead.

[[File:Nightbeatexecuted.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Hardhead shoots his own comrades!]]
Escaping from their attackers, the two Autobots fled deep underground. Once they neared the portal to the [[Dead Universe]], [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] took remote-control of Nightbeat and tried to kill Hardhead with a point-blank shot between the optics. Fortunately, Hardhead lived up to his name and took the shot with minimal damage. As Nightbeat was joined by more Micromasters, Hardhead took the opportunity to retreat deeper into Gorlam Prime's underground caverns.

There, he discovered the portal to the Dead Universe. As the mind-controlled Nightbeat caught up with him, Hardhead realized he had nowhere else to fall back to. When told to surrender, Hardhead responded by shooting Nightbeat through the head with a pinpoint shot and then plunged through the portal, ready to face whatever dangers lay on the other side. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}}

[[File:DeadUniverseHardhead.jpg|100px|thumb|Hardhead rises from his own grave!]]
Having become a permanent resident of the [[Dead Universe]], Hardhead did not resurface until Jhiaxus's plans were well underway. However, he did manage to catch the Cybertronian scientist who was fleeing the onslaught of [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. Preventing the madman's escape, he explained to the hyperviolent Autobot that Jhiaxus couldn't truly die here on the threshold between the material world and the Dead Universe. That suited Arcee fine, as it let her indulge her revenge fantasies to their utmost. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Hardhead remained at Arcee's side as she happily killed Jhiaxus over and over again, though he was more interested in investigating some ancient catacombs discovered in the depths of Gorlam Prime. After some time had passed, the portal to the Dead Universe began to act strangely, luring the inhabitants of the planet into wandering through it. Seemingly due to his connection to the Dead Universe, Hardhead was immune to this apparent hypnosis, and he pinned Arcee down to keep her from following the others. Once the entire population of Gorlam Prime was gone, the portal emitted a flash of light and changed shape, knocking Hardhead and Arcee out cold. After they awoke, they left to investigate the catacombs and figure out what happened. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}} Eventually, they detected [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] and his troops entering the portal's chamber and attacked them. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}}
[[File:Heart of Darkness2 HardheadVSCyclonus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Hardhead delivers his own lame dialogue!]]
Hardhead took on [[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], defeating both of them, but was brought down by Galvatron, who was drawing on power from the Dead Universe. He urged Arcee to flee and warn the Autobots, and was then captured by Galvatron, who invaded his mind and read his memories. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}} Having presumably fallen under Galvatron's control, Hardhead joined the army he was building to defend the universe from [[D-Void]] from the Dead Universe. He accompanied Galvatron, Cyclonus, and a [[generic]] or two to the planet [[Dykayra]] to scout out a sight of an incursion of D-Void. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 3|Heart of Darkness #3}} There, he and the others fought with [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]], resurrected and controlled by D-Void. Hardhead survived the battle and was later air-dropped onto [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the army's first line of defense. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}

[[File:Hardhead Chaos Part4.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|Hardhead crashes his own ship!]]
Hardhead was somehow freed from Galvatron's influence and reunited with Arcee.  Thanks to Galvatron tapping into his mind with the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]], Hardhead had a solid understanding of the connection between it, D-Void, and Galvatron himself.  Aboard Arcee's shuttle in Cybertron's orbit, they addressed the survivors of the destroyed [[Kimia Facility]], expounding on Cybertron's current predicament.  Some, like [[Brainstorm]] and [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]], had trouble grasping the complicated scenario, but Hardhead finally broke through to [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]].  The group of Autobots set upon the task of preventing Galvatron from unknowingly doing D-Void's bidding and turning Cybertron into a massive portal for the Dead Universe to bleed through.  

Bringing their shuttle into Cybertron's crumbling atmosphere, everyone but Hardhead and Arcee bailed out when it was decided to fly under the planet's surface.  Following a large access tunnel directly to [[Vector Sigma]] and the core, Hardhead crashed the shuttle directly on top of Galvatron.  Galvatron dug himself out from under the debris and took both Hardhead and Arcee on, quickly defeating them.  {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis}}

After the Chaos war ended and Galvatron was defeated, Hardhead was subjected to tests by Brainstorm, who concluded that his connection to the Dead Universe was gone and as such he was no longer undead. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Hardhead briefly considered joining Rodimus's quest for the [[Knights of Cybertron]], only to change his mind when he learned that the crew was full of freaks. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Instead he joined forces with [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], and [[Garnak]] to take custody of the catatonic Jhiaxus and leave Cybertron to keep it safe from his brand of evil. After a while, their ship picked up a distress signal from the planet [[Arduria]], which caused Jhiaxus to awaken and begin screaming 'Pax'. In response, Hardhead called Optimus Prime, who had changed his name back to Orion Pax in the aftermath of the Chaos Event. Together, they investigated the situation on Arduria, only to fall victim to a Decepticon trap. Attacked by [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], Hardhead and Orion were unable to prevent Jhiaxus from begin rescued by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], but upon deducing that the Decepticons were hunting down the fruits of [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s [[Regenesis]] program, they pursued them to the [[Lenocinium Velnero System]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (1)}}

Hardhead, Pax, Wheelie, and Garnak, after months of searching for Jhiaxus, came across another Decepticon ship just as it entered planet [[LV-117]]'s atmosphere. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}} This ship was manned by [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]], who had just stolen it out from under [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] on Cybertron. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

Hardhead and his companions chased the stolen Decepticon ship to LV-117's surface only to arrive, to their surprise, many years after the ship they had just followed to the surface has crashed. Almost immediately, Orion Pax disappeared from the company of his companions to find himself shifting non-linearly through time, which, fortuitously, enabled him to gain a firmer understanding of what Jhiaxus and Bludgeon were planning. Pax, after a month away, temporally stabilized and returned to his friends, who had waited on LV 117 for his return at Wheelie's staunch insistence. Hardhead then let Pax know how long he had been gone and informed him that Jhiaxus and his followers had returned in Pax's absence, stolen the crashed Decepticon ship, and were gone again. The quartet set out once more to hunt down and stop Jhiaxus, Bludgeon, and Monstructor. Hardhead attempted to pilot the ship out of the planet's orbit at the same angle by which they had entered, but despite his best efforts, another two weeks was lost leaving orbit. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}}

As Jhiaxus had mentioned Gorlam Prime during their last encounter, the four Autobots made their way to the dead planet. On the way, Hardhead, like all cold constructed Cybertronians, was nearly killed by [[Tyrest (G1)|Chief Justice Tyrest]]'s [[universal killswitch]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} After recovering and arriving on Gorlam, he showed his companions the  mysterious catacombs he'd explored years earlier, leading to the discovery of another Regenesis ore within them. Hardhead's own theory was that Jhiaxus had built the catacombs to make the planet more like Cybertron, but they found it went deeper than that when Wheelie began disintegrating on touching one of the buildings, forcing Hardhead to amputate his arm. Another battle with Monstructor led to the revelation that the underground city was in fact a dormant [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]] infused with [[Ore-2]], and unfortunately Orion Pax played right into Jhiaxus's hands by awakening it. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} As the unleashed Ore-2 destroyed Gorlam Prime, Pax's group escaped on the ''[[Skyroller]]'' and were rescued by the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]''. Hardhead was unhappy to find Cyclonus there. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

Learning that a Dead Universe portal had opened on Cybertron, Orion Pax elected to enter the still active Gorlam Prime portal alongside Hardhead, Rodimus and Cyclonus to investigate. Having nothing but mistrust for Galvatron's former minion, Hardhead called Cyclonus a coward and accused him of abandoning them when the group was attacked by [[cyberwraith]]s within the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} He was also pretty rude to Rodimus for abandoning Cybertron in favor of some quest, only to learn that it was in fact the ''Lost Light'' crew who had recently saved him from death by killswitch. To the surprise of everyone, most of all Hardhead, the group was then approached by none other than Nightbeat, {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} having "survived" his death at Hardhead's hands by falling through the Dead Universe portal and becoming undead. Even so, he remained a sleeper agent of Nova Prime's, and by following him Hardhead and the others found themselves led into a trap. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}}

Trapped in a containment cube by Nova, the team improvised a plan to distract their captors and smash their way out using Orion Pax's strength and Hardhead's skull. The plan succeeded, only for the force field to reseal itself before anyone other than Hardhead could escape, leaving him alone against Nova Prime, who crushed his fist and with it the force field generator allowing him to survive within the Dead Universe. Exposed to the malevolent and lethal universe around him, Hardhead's body disintegrated and scattered on the winds. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}}

Arcee asked Optimus Prime about Hardhead's death, to which Optimus assured her that he had personally taken care of his killer. {{storylink|Earthfall Chapter 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} When [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] later accused Arcee of not knowing what it was like to lose someone, Arcee found herself admitting that Hardhead's death had affected her, but couldn't tell if they had ever really been happy during their time together. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Legends'' comic===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 9}} {{storylink|Transformers Legends (comic)#Brainstorm Chapter|Brainstorm Chapter Part 1}}}}

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

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Strings Kozisek]] (English)}}
{{Note|Hardhead was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.}}
{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
The Autobot Headmasters including Hardhead hunted for [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s ghost by tracking the electro-magnetic spikes which signaled his manifestations. They were able to prevent him passing over into the physical world, and scattered the Decepticons who had aided him. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (Legends)|Ghost in the Machine}} When the Decepticons aimed to get hold of the [[Key to the Plasma Energy Chamber]], Hardhead and his fellow Headmasters made off with it but soon crashed on Earth. They were aided by the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]], who patched them up and helped them fight off [[Apeface]] and [[Skullcruncher]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Earth Defense Command}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Hardhead toy.jpg|thumb|I don't get it either. Not like I have a "hard head" to draw.]]
*'''Hardhead''' (Headmaster, 1987)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-102'''
**''Accessories'': "Duros" Headmaster partner "Tank Commander", 2 "Shatterblasters"

:Hardhead transforms into a Cybertronian self-propelled artillery gun. Like many Transformers of this era, he can store his rifles in 5mm peg holes in his [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], and his Headmaster partner, Duros, can ride inside his cockpit. Duros transforms into his head, which, when attached to Hardhead's [[robot mode]], activates a simplified, spring-loaded [[Tech Spec]] meter hidden under a panel on his chest. (The panel is very susceptible to breakage however, so it's advised you don't open it.) This [[gimmick]] works with any other Headmaster "pilot" figure.

:In robot mode, Hardhead is unusually tall for a toy of his price point, as the tank basically flips on end and extends to transform. As to be expected, Hardhead has rather limited articulation.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1987/Autobot/Hardhead/hardhead.htm More information on Hardhead at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/g1-1987/hardhead/14/1/ Image gallery of Hardhead at Seibertron.com]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1987/instr_hardhead.jpg Instruction booklet for Hardhead at Botchthecrab.com]''
{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
[[File:Universe2008toy-HardheadUltra.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|It feels like a pizza-disc launcher is missing.]]
*'''Hardhead''' (Ultra Class, 2009)
**''Series:'' '''Generation 1 Series'''
**''Accessories'': Shield

:Hardhead is a mostly green [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' Ultra Class [[Onslaught (G1)#Uni08Ultra|Onslaught]], and transforms into a six-wheeled SWAT assault truck with positionable mine-scoops and a rotating double-barreled turret on top. When the button on his rotating turret is pressed, electronic lights in his head and turret flash and one hears either machine gun fire or a siren sound, either of which are continuous if held down. Rolling the vehicle's middle left tire activates a third sound effect of him causing extensive property damage on something unfortunate enough to get caught under his wheels. A looped driving sound will then be continuously played until the tire stops rolling, when a final sound of the vehicle driving away/to a halt is played. He comes with a riot shield, which can either connect to a flip up tab on his left arm in robot mode, or store on top of his turret in either mode. The small flap at the top of the shield is used to access the turret's button, either by pressing on the flap itself, or by flipping it open and pressing the button directly. A button on his right arm spring-deploys an arm-mounted weapon. Instead of blending in with the rest of his colors, his shield stands out entirely black with a messily painted "no" sign on top of a similarly made Decepticon symbol with seven tally marks below it.

:The robot mode [[Kibble#.22Faux-parts.22|cheats]] somewhat, having a second tow-winch on his belt-buckle immediately below his vehicle hood, while the actual vehicle mode winch splits in two to form his shoulders.

:Hardhead uses the later version of Onslaught's electronics that doesn't cut off quickly.

:This mold was [[retool]]ed into ''[[Transformers Timelines (toyline)|Timelines]]'' [[Clench (G1)#Timelines|Clench]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/TFUHardhead/hardhead.htm More information on ''Universe'' Hardhead at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers-toys/gallery/classics-universe/hardhead/1933/1/ Image gallery of ''Universe'' Hardhead at Seibertron.com]''

===Generations===
[[File:TitansReturntoy-Hardhead.jpg|right|thumb|300px|]]
*'''Headmaster Hardhead''' (Deluxe Class, [[2016]])
**''Accessories:'' "Furos" Titan Master, rifle 
: Part of the first wave of ''Titans Return'', Hardhead transforms into a futuristic tank. He comes with his Titan Master partner Furos, who fits into his vehicle mode cockpit and transforms into his robot mode head. As with other ''Titans Return'' toys, Hardhead can accommodate any compatible Titan Master figure in both robot and vehicle mode.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1HardheadOriginalHead.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|More like... Squathead...]]
*In the television [[commercial]] for [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[The Transformers: Headmasters|Headmasters]]'' limited series, the Autobot and Decepticon Headmasters are shown having different head designs than the ones their Nebulan partners would later turn into. These designs were seemingly never used in any other piece of ''Transformers'' media. The [[Character model|models]] for most of them, however, turned up in the excellent ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' guidebook.
*As had been (snarkily) pointed out on the captions on this page, the design of Hardhead's toy head doesn't match any of his fictional appearances. The biggest difference is that the toy has a mouthplate whereas the cartoon and comics all show him with a mouth, but there are lots of other variations in shape and detailing.
[[File:Hardhead-in-WarpathInstructions.jpg|thumb|Ah, ''that's'' more like it!]]
*The [[instructions]] for ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Warpath (G1)#Generations|Warpath]] show him with an alternate head sculpt resembling Hardhead. Unlike various other ''Generations'' toys, however, the alternate head only shows up in ''some'' steps in the instructions, whereas most steps simply depict Warpath's actual head. 
*In late 2013, upcoming product listings inadvertently released to the public included 'TRA GENERATIONS DLX HARDHEAD A9252', although this figure was ultimately never announced or released.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/96540-monzos-mega-hasbro-customer-service-listing-breakdown/ Hasbro customer service listings summary] by [[User:Monzo]]</ref> Considering that a [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] [[retool]] of the contemporary ''[[Reveal the Shield]]'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Generations|Jazz]] mold was also originally planned for the same assortment, it seems likely that this Hardhead toy would have used the aforementioned Warpath pretool.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ros''' (ロス ''Rosu''), '''Hardhead''' (ハードヘッド ''Hādoheddo'')
*''Italian:'' '''Blindobot''' ("Armoredbot")
*''French:'' '''Tête-Dure''' (Canada, "Hard-Head")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tǐeh Tóu''' (Taiwan, 鐵頭, "Hard Head", literally "Iron Head"), '''Lǎo wán gù''' (China, 老顽固, "Old Stubborn")
*''Russian:'' '''Tverdolob''' (Твердолоб ''Die-Hard'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dead Universe]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Headmasters]]
[[Category:Ladybird Books Autobots]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Autobots]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Autobots]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Autobots]]
[[Category:Titans Return]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]
[[Category:Wal-Mart exclusives]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]