Editing Bludgeon (G1)

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{{disambig3|Bludgeon}}
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:''Bludgeon is a [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:MarvelUK-282.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|This is pretty much the most metal cover in TF history.]]
'''Bludgeon''' is a ferocious warrior, skilled in the ancient Cybertronian martial art of [[Metallikato]]. He and his blade can cut through the battlefield as if everyone else is operating at a minimal speed setting. Bludgeon's feats in battle seem nearly supernatural, which is probably the effect he's going for, if he doesn't believe his own hype. Utterly vicious and aloof, Bludgeon is also highly religious, adhering to an arcane code of honor. Though his beliefs fuel his single-minded bloodthirstiness with dogmatic precision, they also cause him to be rather superstitious.

Bludgeon's confidence, skill, and grand words have often catapulted him to the upper ranks of the Decepticons. Who wouldn't fall in line behind him? He's charismatic! The [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] is his usual host of cronies, but he's also been known to fill in as [[Decepticon leader]] if a power vacuum presents itself.

Bludgeon is (obviously) a [[Pretender]] who has adopted a shell which takes the appearance of a skeletal samurai. His signature weapon is an [[Energo weapon|energo-sword]], though he also carries a shield and a [[high-voltage electric cannon]]. In accordance with his martial arts motif, generators in his shell's legs can create disorienting clouds of smoke, and he can generate electric fireballs from the torso of either his body or his shell.<ref>Bludgeon's ''[[Transformers: More than Meets the Eye|More than Meets the Eye]]'' profile says the electric fireballs are fired from either of his torsos. His original toy bio said they're fired from between his shell's antennas.</ref> It is unknown whether Bludgeon is any less agile or capable in his blocky [[robot mode]], but it wouldn't be surprising. 

Sometimes Bludgeon combines with some of the members of the Mayhem Attack Squad to form [[Thunder Mayhem]].

{{quote|Prattling fool! Your warrior heart is tainted by an idiot's tongue! Perhaps I shall remove '''both''' for you!|Bludgeon takes on [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]]|"[[The Primal Scream]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Bludgeonasavageplace.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|The shoulder is a well-known [[Transformer]] instant-death spot.]]
''When Decepticons [[Catilla (G1)|Catilla]] and [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] defected to the [[Autobot]]s, a new Mayhem Attack Squad was formed which included Bludgeon, his Pretender cohorts [[Stranglehold]] and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]], and [[Snarler]]. After a [[solid light simulation]] of a mission in [[Slaughter City]], their prey was authorized—they would hunt down and kill Catilla, Carnivac, and their new [[Wrecker]] friends.'' {{storylink|The Hunting Party (Marvel)|The Hunting Party}} ''They found Carnivac outside [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and Bludgeon, promising him a warrior's death, led the charge.'' {{storylink|Way of the Warrior}} ''However, Carnivac managed to draw first blood, injuring Bludgeon's shoulder. The confrontation was then interrupted by the National Guard, and Carnivac escaped Bludgeon and the other Mayhems while they were distracted by the new arrivals.'' {{storylink|Survival Run}} ''After dealing with the fleshlings, the Decepticons tracked Carnivac down to [[Los Gravos]], [[Mexico]]. [[Spinister (G1)|Spinister]] was about to deal the killing blow, when Catilla rescued him. However, Bludgeon threw his [[sword]] into Catilla, killing Carnivac's savior. As the rest of the Autobots arrived, Bludgeon ordered a withdrawal. Carnivac swore that Bludgeon and the other Mayhems would pay for killing his friend.'' {{storylink|A Savage Place!}} 

[[File:Bludgeonstrangleholdoctopunchmodelsheet.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|The [[Nelson Yomtov|colorist]] made me look hunchbacked.]]
He later took on the leadership of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]'s new [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], sent to slay the newly resurrected [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]], [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]], and [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]]. Alongside the [[Rescue Patrol (G1)|Rescue Patrol]], the [[Classic Pretender]]s were due to be teleported to [[Earth]], an operation Bludgeon attempted to interrupt by shoving his blade through the transportation machine. Instead, he and the Mayhems were transported with the Autobots to the center of Cybertron. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}} Here, the Mayhems found the Autobots being told the story of Cybertron's origins by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]]. Despite being on holy ground, Bludgeon and his compatriots attacked, with Bludgeon gaining the upper hand against Jazz until Bumblebee managed to sneak up on him. Bludgeon was lured into a nearby canal, where Seawatch grappled him and hoisted him away with his boat mode. In his absence, the battle inadvertently awakened the slumbering [[Primus]]. Ultimately, the transportation was completed, and the Mayhems were sent to Earth along with the Autobots, {{storylink|The Primal Scream}} where they told [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s coming and joined his Decepticons on Earth. When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] surrendered his Autobots to Scorponok in order to facilitate an alliance against Unicron, Bludgeon helped the other Decepticons imprison the surrendered Autobots. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

Bludgeon was seen fighting on Scorponok's side during the subsequent [[Decepticon Civil War]] {{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}} and was transported with all of them to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] by [[Primus]]. Primus (speaking through the body of [[Emirate]] [[Xaaron]]) told them of the history between himself and Unicron, while Bludgeon cleaned his sword. He was there also to quell the sudden [[Acolyte of Unicron|Unicron cultist]] uprising, remarking that to a master of [[Metallikato]], their moves were like slow motion. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} When Unicron himself arrived, though, the superstitious Bludgeon ran like hell. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} Thankfully, Optimus Prime's sacrifice saved them all, and Bludgeon was there standing over Prime's body with a few others as he died. The Autobot/Decepticon alliance that emerged was shaky and the Decepticons leaderless, so Bludgeon and [[Krok (G1)|Krok]] discussed a plan of their own. {{storylink|Still Life!}}

[[File:Bludgeonlastautobot.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|It's a good thing the Battlechargers were dead then, or Bludgeon's shell would've been totally ganked.]]
Tensions came to a head when [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] discovered that Cybertron was tearing itself apart in the aftermath of the Transformers' victory against Unicron. While Bludgeon openly kept the peace (like keeping [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]] in line at meetings), he and Krok began to worry that some of the Decepticons were in ''favour'' of peaceful alliance and plotted to break it up. New Autobot leader Grimlock almost gave them an opening by beating the tar out of Fangry, until [[Prowl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Prowl]] stopped the fight; Bludgeon quickly exploited the situation anyway, demanding the full details of the Autobots' plans. 

Now knowing they intended to start anew on another planet and live in peace, he sabotaged the Autobot ships and assumed command of the Decepticons. He gave the troops a rousing speech, condemning the Autobot plan as weak and advocating a return to conquest as was the Decepticon way. Having risen from the ranks to light their darkest hour, he was cheered on by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Exodus!}} 

[[File:Bludgeon-youlie1.jpg|thumb|Look at him go. What a skeleton!]]
With his Decepticons eager for conquest, Bludgeon randomly selected the planet of [[Klo]] as their first target. {{storylink|A Savage Circle}} The peaceful inhabitants of Klo were easily (and violently) subdued, and Bludgeon thought this planet did not meet the challenges befitting their warrior race. In turn, Krok pleased him with news that their ships were bugged and that they should be expecting the Autobots to be arriving soon. {{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} 

Indeed, when the Autobots arrived, Bludgeon's Decepticons were ready for them, luring them into an ambush—only five Autobots escaped their purge, and Bludgeon sent a small hunting party after them. Ultimate victory was snatched from Bludgeon only by divine intervention. The [[Last Autobot]] arrived with a resurrected Optimus Prime and the [[Neo-Knights]]. Bludgeon rejected this development on religious grounds; the Last Autobot, according to his beliefs, was the Ultimate Warrior, who was bent on conquest. He ordered his troops to attack the "unbelievers". Ultimately, the Decepticons were defeated. The Last Autobot was able to revive the fallen Autobots at will, and Bludgeon was forced to admit defeat and withdraw. As he and the Decepticons retreated, he promised a "solitary exile" to the Autobots—while saying that they were fleeing to fight another day to his subordinates. {{storylink|End of the Road! (US)|End of the Road!}}
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=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
[[File:Aspects of evil bludgeon.jpg|left|75px|thumb|GIVE ME YOUR THROAT.]]
In an alternate [[1990]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] was captured by the Decepticons and freed by an agent placed within their ranks. [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] accused Bludgeon of being the culprit, and Bludgeon demanded the chance to prove himself through [[Trial by Combat]]. He was released and chased by [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], [[Stranglehold]] and [[Warmonger]]. Bludgeon easily dispatched the former two but was caught from behind by Warmonger, who couldn't bring himself to kill in cold blood. Realizing who the infiltrator was, Megatron destroyed Warmonger, then reflected that it would have simply been easier to kill all four of them. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}
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=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[File:UKBludgeonEarthForce.jpg|thumb|There wolf!]]
Following Catilla's death, the Mayhems set up a base on a deserted island, where Needlenose decided to test their response time in an emergency. Enraged, Bludgeon threatened to tear him apart, but was stopped by Snarler. As Needlenose returned to his quarters, he was ambushed by Carnivac, who had snuck in during the chaos caused by his "drill". His calls for help were ignored by Snarler and Bludgeon, who thought that their comrade was once more lying about the emergency. {{storylink|Cry Wolf!}} Carnivac decided to pick off Bludgeon next, finding him meditating. Bludgeon sensed him coming and took him on, and the other Mayhems responded to the commotion. Bludgeon wanted to finish this traitor with his blade as well, but Spinister decided to end it summarily by slagging Carnivac with his blaster instead. {{storylink|Wolf in the Fold!}} Angry at losing his kill, Bludgeon was pleased to find [[Earthforce]] attacking them, in an attempt to rescue Carnivac. He and his fellow Pretenders were defeated, outnumbered by the Autobots. But before they could be executed, a shell-less Carnivac appeared and told the Autobots to spare them, denying them a warrior's death. {{storylink|Where Wolf?}}

Captives of Earthforce, Bludgeon and his Pretender partners were held in a cell together. To get free, Bludgeon arranged a most subtle escape attempt with his cell mates. At first, they all remained completely silent for an extended period of time, partly to unnerve their guard, [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]], but also to give Bludgeon time to make mental contact with his katana, locked away in the property vault. Once he found the weapon and began summoning it back to him through the hallways, Bludgeon signaled Stranglehold to begin pounding frantically on the floor. This sudden activity spooked Inferno into opening the cell door to pacify the prisoner, only to wind up with a floating sword in his backside. The Pretenders then simply walked out over his leaking body. {{storylink|Shut Up!}}

Afterwards, Bludgeon and the others hooked up with Megatron and Shockwave, the deposed leaders of the Decepticons, and took on a bounty to assassinate their betrayers, [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Assassins}} Though the Pretenders were only meant to eliminate whichever of their targets had survived an orchestrated battle between the pair, they found both Starscream and Soundwave functional upon their arrival. Unperturbed, Bludgeon and his teammates surmised that they could ask to be paid double for the hit once it had been completed. {{storylink|External Forces!}} The assassins outnumbered their prey, but they hadn't counted on the Autobots intervening on Starscream's behalf. It seemed the Dinobot [[Snarl (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Snarl]] was dying, and could only be saved by a systems boost from a compatible Transformer, namely Starscream. [[Swoop (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Swoop]] and [[Sludge (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Sludge]] joined the fight on Starscream's side, and the Mayhems were defeated. {{storylink|The Lesser Evil!}}

=====Another Time & Place=====
[[File:BludgeonStrangleholdOctopunch-AnotherTimeAndPlace.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Bludgeon: All skeleton, no spine.]]
After the defeat on Klo, Bludgeon decided the Decepticons needed some "old blood" back in charge. He traveled to Earth and retrieved the deactivated body of [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] from the wreckage of the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]]. Then, he seized upon an opportunity to follow Grimlock and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] to [[Hydrus Four]], the source of the miraculous energy known as [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] which had supercharged the Dinobot commander. Slipping ahead of the Dinobots as they made their way to the medical facility, Bludgeon and his Decepticons set up a [[Holocaust Trigger]] to trap the Dinobots, disabling them without firing a shot. Unfortunately for Bludgeon, he ignored [[Fangry (G1)|Fangry]]'s cries of "Let's just kill them already!" and instead planned on keeping Grimlock and the Dinobots alive long enough for them to witness the triumphant resurrection of Megatron. That didn't mean, however, that he kept his fellow Decepticons from aggressively torturing their fallen captives. 

In a matter of hours, a full scale Autobot strike force had tracked the Dinobots down to Hydrus Four and assaulted Bludgeon's position. Fearing his rag-tag team of Decepticons wouldn't be enough, Bludgeon accelerated Megatron's revival, sending the half-mad, half-living monstrosity at Optimus Prime. He had no time to gloat, though—the heavily-injured Dinobot known as Swoop had dragged himself to the control module for one of the [[repair spider|medical machines]] in the area, setting its spidery arms to work on Bludgeon, disassembling him in seconds down to his core components.

Bludgeon didn't even have time to scream. {{storylink|Another Time & Place}}
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====Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic====
{{note|The ''Generation 2'' stories take place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but does not include the events of "Another Time & Place", which takes place in a [[splinter timeline]].}}
[[File:Bludgeontalesofearth.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|G2, home of New Extreme Weapons.]]
Optimus Prime considered Bludgeon a defeated threat. When the [[Cybertronian (faction)|Empire]] was discovered, he considered if "Bludgeon had lied about his plans" but decided that this was too advanced an operation. {{storylink|War Without End!}} 

Turns out Prime was dumb as what Bludgeon had actually meant by "solitary exile" was "build a slag-off big planet-like spacecraft called the [[Warworld]] and attack vessels for their cargo across the galaxy". {{storylink|Primal Fear!|Old Evils}} He also battled Optimus Prime and the Autobots over a store of ancient alien weapons, but an [[Guardian (G2)|alien entity]] drove him off. {{storylink|Ghosts}} After that, he went back to stealing resources—and finished the construction of a [[Bludgeon's new army|new generation of Decepticon warriors]], who just needed the Matrix to come back to life. That meant luring Prime to him... {{storylink|Primal Fear!|Old Evils}} 

[[File:Bludgeon-PowerAndTheGlory.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Also, so very much less.]]
To lure Prime out, Bludgeon launched a full-scale attack on Earth and did succeed in drawing Optimus Prime to Earth's defense, but not before Bludgeon was confronted by the newly-rebuilt [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], who wanted command of the Decepticons for himself once more. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Tales of Earth Part One}} Bludgeon destroyed Megatron's gun with one swipe of his blade, but neglected to realize how enhanced the new Megatron was—the former Decepticon leader ripped Bludgeon's Pretender skull off with one hand. Undaunted, Bludgeon proclaimed himself an agent of chaos and transformed into his little-used tank mode to confront Megatron on his own terms. He briefly drove back Megatron, but ultimately the Decepticons' founder proved to be too much for their current leader, and his new railgun destroyed Bludgeon utterly. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory|Tales of Earth Part Two}}

[[File:Megatron ignores Bludgeon's severed head.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|If you think this is harsh Bludgeon, Swindle would've sold your skull on eBay by now.]]
The victorious Decepticon leader subsequently displayed Bludgeon's severed head in the Warworld, though he did muse that he might have spared Bludgeon's life if he'd known how much the guy had achieved and envisioned with limited time and resources. {{storylink|The Gathering Darkness}} Later on, the Decepticons would try not to say the word "bludgeon" around Megatron (even with the "to hit things" meaning) just in case it annoyed him. {{storylink|New Dawn}}
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====Fleetway ''Generation 2'' comic====
[[File:Bludgeon-WarWithoutEndUK.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|thumb|[[Robin Smith]], copying a [[character model]] pose??? [[Ravage (G1)|Never!]]]]
Intending to draw out Autobots to Earth and steal the Matrix to bring a new generation of Decepticons to life, Bludgeon attacked Earth in force—specifically [[London]]. Unfortunately for him, the Autobots were already there, and attacked just as his troops were low on fuel. Bludgeon fought Optimus in direct combat and lost. {{storylink|War Without End (issue)|War Without End}} When Megatron turned up afterwards to fight Optimus, Bludgeon's men actually ''attacked'' Megatron just in case it was Bludgeon he was stomping: [[Rage (G1)|Rage]] bluntly said that the Pretender was their boss, not the old guy.

Bludgeon sneaked away {{storylink|War Zone}} to try exactly the same tactic again. {{storylink|Devices and Desires! (Marvel)|Tales of Earth Part One}}—and learned if at first you don't succeed, Try #2 will get you killed by Megatron. {{storylink|The Power and the Glory|Tales of Earth Part Two}}
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====''Classics''====
{{noteclassics}}
[[File:Bludgeon Piranacon AtFightsEnd.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Is that you, Brainiac?]]
Optimus Prime was reluctant to prolong the war by following Bludgeon and his followers across the galaxy, but [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] was more than happy to. Grimlock, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]], and a crew of others searched and fought Bludgeon's Decepticons in the fringes of known space, but to no known resolution. At some point the mysterious Decepticon, [[Bug Bite (GoBots)|Bug Bite]], joined Bludgeon's Decepticons, and Bludgeon put him in charge of his own subgroup. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

As Bludgeon became aware of Megatron's re-emergence, he began to prepare his forces to repel an attempted coup by the former Decepticon leader. Bludgeon and his Sub-Commander [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snaptrap]] were readying their battleplans when [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] brought to his attention their plans may have been compromised from within. They apparently identified the traitor working for Megatron, [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gurrr]] of the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]]s, and so Bludgeon confronted him with the [[Seacon (G1)|Seacon]]s. A fight broke out between [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]] as a result, but Bludgeon's loyal gestalt won, and so they returned to battle preparation. In the war room, Bludgeon became so intent on watching for Megatron's next move on the monitors that he failed to notice Seawing removing his sword. Only after the Seacons had formed Piranacon again did Bludgeon finally realize he had miscalculated. Piranacon's mass compression cannon destroyed the Pretender completely, leaving room for Megatron to swoop in and claim full leadership of the Decepticons. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}
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====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
[[File:BludgeonVision DestinyPt3.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|]]
Bludgeon felt his warrior's honor was deeply tarnished on [[Klo]], when he faltered and retreated instead of fighting to his death. The various conquests and victories the Decepticons achieved since then did nothing to remove that stain. Deep in meditation, Bludgeon received a vision of his own glorious death at the hands of a worthy opponent back on Cybertron, and he began plotting to bring this future about. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Three}}

Twenty years after the defeat at Klo, the Autobots unaware of his location, Bludgeon was finally ready to take his revenge. He contacted [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] at the secret [[Fort Scyk]] base, revealing he had agents on Cybertron and even in the Neo-Decepticons, and requested Soundwave retrieve a valuable resource for him in exchange for aid against the Autobots. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 1}} The moment came when [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and many of his warriors were occupied on Earth. Soundwave contacted Bludgeon as his men eliminated another bio-mechanical species on [[Torkulon]], telling him to expect delivery soon. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}}

Soundwave successfully retrieved the Matrix-infused remains of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Lord Thunderwing]], the "spark" Bludgeon needed to bring life to his [[Blitz Engine]]s—adaptable, self-regenerating war machines of tremendous power. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part Three}} The spark was lit, and Bludgeon and Soundwave observed a successful field test of the Engines' power on [[Cresta Superior]]. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} Soundwave returned to Cybertron and used his Neo-Decepticons to orchestrate the total blinding of Cybertron's long-range sensors, allowing Bludgeon and the Warworld to come within striking distance unnoticed. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Two}}

As the siege began, Bludgeon dropped Blitz Engine troopers all over Cybertron, devastating Autobot defensive measures. The Warworld was transmitting Matrix-energy to power the Engines' sparks, and so it needed to be close to the assault, but Bludgeon initially refrained from bringing the Warworld's more awe-inspiring weapons to activation. Something needed to be left of Cybertron to rule, after all. Still, at his troops' encouragement, Bludgeon agreed to a symbolic strike. Hacking the Autobot surveillance feed, he made them watch as the Warworld's city-killer armaments were brought down on top of a single target: [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. (Miraculously, Magnus survived by using the body of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] as a super-dense shield.) {{storylink|Destiny, Part Four}}

[[File:RodimusVBludgeon DestinyPt5.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|"C'mon, beat me up!  I'll even sing "[[The Touch]]" for you if need be."]]
Bludgeon sent his soldiers to join the Neo-Decepticon forces on the ground, but remained on board the Warworld in anticipation of his final battle. He easily dispatched the [[Wrecker]]s commando unit sent to disable the Thunderwing link to the Blitz Engines, and was prepared to deliver the killing stroke to [[Kup (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Kup]] when his fated opponent arrived: ''[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Rodimus Prime]]'', freshly empowered by an alternate Creation Matrix and ascended to the name of Prime. Unimpressed at first, Bludgeon learned otherwise when Rodimus Prime caught his blade in mid-strike. The battle after that was swift but certain, as Rodimus threw Bludgeon out of the Warworld, letting him hurtle uncontrollably into the planet's surface below. {{storylink|Less Than Zero}} {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}

Adding insult to horrible, horrible injury, Rodimus found Bludgeon's still smoldering frame after the battle. Bludgeon lived, barely, and insisted Rodimus finish the job. Instead, Rodimus Prime refused to grant Bludgeon his "glorious death", and ordered Autobot medics to make sure Bludgeon survived to suffer the ignominy of imprisonment. {{storylink|The War to End All Wars, Part 1}}
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===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:WarWithin Escalation Bludgeons vision.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|EPIC FORESHADOWING.]]
During the so-called [[Dark Ages]] of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict, Bludgeon, alongside [[Bugly (G1)|Bugly]] and [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]], formed the [[Chaos Trinity]], a group that sought to harness the dark forces of the universe and use them to their advantage. During one of their ceremonies in the [[Polities of Cybertron|Orbital Torus State]] of [[Kalis]], they were interrupted by the mysterious being known as [[The Fallen]], who applauded their amateur theatrics while mocking the lack of substance behind their words. He offered them [[Furmanism|power beyond measure]] in exchange for their servitude, a proposal that Bludgeon at first boldly refused, then agreed to once The Fallen changed the term for which they would be referred to. The Fallen tasked his new "disciples" with capturing a number of Transformers in order to perform a bizarre ceremony called The [[Unbinding]] in [[Well of All Sparks|Cybertron's core]]. {{storylink|Fragmentation (G1)|Fragmentation}} Soon, Bludgeon began to chafe at being ordered around without any tangible reward, so The Fallen gave him a glimpse of the dark power, ensuring the Decepticon's loyalty. While the [[Wrecker]]s and [[Ultracon]]s busied themselves with their civil war, unaware of the events unfolding, Bludgeon formulated a strategy to capture two of their targets: the Trinity would exploit [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s twisted sense of justice and have him deliver himself and [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] into their trap. {{storylink|Escalation}} 

When Jetfire met with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] in the [[Neutral Territories]] to discuss their suspicions about an outside force influencing the current conflict, the Trinity sprung their trap, attacking the Decepticon Commander. Bludgeon declared that once he would have never dared face Shockwave in battle, but he had been given new insights into the [[dark science]] and his ability to see the bigger picture, the latter no longer stood a chance. Once Shockwave was taken care of, the Trinity captured Jetfire, but noticed that Grimlock hadn't taken the bait of Jetfire's supposed treachery. As they prepared to leave, Grimlock jumped them, forcing The Fallen to step in. {{storylink|Revelation (The Dark Ages)|Revelation}} 

[[File:WarWithin Confrontation BludgeonBlades.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.2|And you call yourself 'Blades'? You don't even have a blade!]]
With two of the targets secured, The Fallen ordered the Trinity to capture [[Hot Spot (G1)|Hot Spot]], leader of the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]], while he would take care of the fourth target personally. In the ruins of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], while the Protectobots were discussing their problems with maintaining their control while combined as [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], Bludgeon and the Trinity attacked, taking down the other Protectobots with ease and capturing Hot Spot. {{storylink|Confrontation (issue)|Confrontation}}

While The Fallen used the four prisoners to unlock the [[Seal of Primus]], Bludgeon and the others were forced to defend the access shaft to the underground chamber against the Decepticons. Though Bludgeon stood resolute, ordering his comrades to fight on, with the faith that they would be rewarded for their loyal service, his resolve soon crumbled when the Autobots and the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] joined forces with Shockwave and eliminated Bugly and Mindwipe. Bludgeon escaped underground to seek his master, only to be gunned down by a teleporting [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]. {{storylink|Conflagration}}
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===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====Ask Vector Prime====
In a universe ultimately destroyed by [[Unicron]], Bludgeon joined [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s team of [[Herald of Unicron|Heralds of Unicron]] to serve [[Last Autobot|the Ultimate Warrior]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/19}}

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:DWDropshot sliced.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Silent but deadly.]]
Bludgeon, Galvatron, [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] were sent to prepare [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|this universe]]'s Cybertron for Unicron's arrival, starting with capturing the [[Decepticon Command Headquarters]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} After the group had activated all the [[space bridge]]s in the [[space bridge nexus]] in order to destabilize local space-time, Bludgeon was left to guard the nexus while the other three went to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}} He attacked [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]]'s unit when they arrived to investigate and put up a formidable assault (as [[Dropshot (Armada)|Dropshot]] could attest), though the Autobots eventually realized the secret to his technique and forced him to retreat, leaving behind his Pretender shell. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} He returned when Jetfire attempted to use the space-bridge portal, but like the rest of the Heralds was shortly blown up when the Autobot detonated the entire base. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}
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===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[File:Bludgeon Robot GIJoe.jpg|upright=0.8|thumb|Bludgeon always secretly dreamed of being a [[Visionaries|Visionary]].]]
Eons ago, when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was given the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Bludgeon attempted to kill him, but failed. 

Along with the [[Pretender Monster]]s, Bludgeon traveled to Earth, seeking to be present at the planet's destruction by Unicron. The group was shot down by the [[China|Chinese]] Air Force, however, and damaged in the process. An alliance with the underground kingdom of [[Cobra-La]] provided them with life-sustaining [[Pretender]] shells in exchange for protecting the kingdom. He was responsible for the death of [[Atomic Man]] in 1978, when the [[Adventure Team (G.I. Joe)|Adventure Team]] came snooping too close to Cobra-La's hidden lair in the caves beneath [[Tibet]]. {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2}}

Decades later, Bludgeon engaged Optimus Prime in battle as the Autobot attempted to infiltrate Cobra-La's caves. After being burned by Bludgeon, Optimus ripped the chest from Bludgeon's Pretender shell. In his anger, Bludgeon lost his edge and fell off a cliff. Although Optimus had caught him, Bludgeon chose to fall, standing by his philosophy of "merciless death and destruction." {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2}}
{{-}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:Bludgeon Thundercracker SLOrionPax.jpg|upright=1.55|thumb|left|I seek glory, power, enlightenment, and my lower jaw.]]
In the earliest days of the war, Bludgeon was ordered by [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] so that the Decepticons could use him to find [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. To this end, he kidnapped [[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] and organized a hostage exchange in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]], knowing that the Autobots would have to use Alpha Trion to find their way through the area. The plan worked up until that point, but Alpha Trion escaped his clutches thanks to the efforts of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]], one of the hostage exchangers. As payback, Bludgeon had him strapped to a shuttle programmed crash into the nearest settlement, and though Orion tried to stall for time by telling him he'd go far in life only to overreach and become a symbol of failure, Bludgeon didn't really care and launched his captive into the sky. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:Bludgeon altmode TheHuntingParty.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Ancient Metallikato secret...the flying tank.]]
Following Metroplex's departure from Cybertron, Bludgeon continued his hunt for the [[Titan (IDW)|Titan]] using the starship ''[[Empirion]]''. One of his subordinates, [[Thundercracker (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Thundercracker]], tracked their prey to a desolate planetoid inhabitated by some pesky [[Urtuskian|aliens]], so Bludgeon commenced planetary bombardment to get them out of the way. The assault attracted the attention of a group of Autobots who rammed and crippled the ''Empirion'', forcing Bludgeon to abandon ship and fight them until Thundercracker reported that Metroplex was nowhere to be found. As the Decepticons retreated to continue their hunt elsewhere, Bludgeon had Thundercracker transferred out of his unit for seemingly having led them into an Autobot trap. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

During the war, Bludgeon formed an army of "deviants and half-forms" in event that would be remembered as one of the most horrible things the Decepticons did. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}}

[[File:SpotlightSoundwave Bludgeon defeatsLaserbeakRavage.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.66|Wait, does this mean that Piranacon [[Bludgeon (G1)#Classics|is stealthier]] than ''Ravage''?]]
Bludgeon was the leader of a team of Decepticons (including [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]], [[Finback]], [[Skullgrin]], and [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]]) who were assigned by Megatron to look into what [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]]'s various projects were when he disappeared. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} Megatron also sent [[Soundwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Soundwave]] to spy on them. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} During this time, Bludgeon discovered Shockwave's work on [[Regenesis]]. Eventually, however, they discovered the remains of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], the Decepticon scientist who became the cause of the Cybertronian cataclysm. Bludgeon came to believe that Thunderwing was an avatar of the apocalypse, and became bent on restoring the wasted Cybertron to its former glory by resurrecting him. He and his team of Decepticons believed that in reawakening Thunderwing and turning him loose, the mass sacrifice of worlds would allow the rebirth of Cybertron. They also delved into the outlawed [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]] experiments pioneered by Thunderwing, in an attempt to create super-shells of their own.

In [[1984]] they went to [[Earth]] to extract a load of [[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]], establishing a base within Mt. St. Helens. Soundwave naturally followed them. He eventually came to them asking for a cut of their profits, believing that they meant to sell the energon, but when he realized that they meant to resurrect Thunderwing he tried to stop them. They used one of Shockwave's devices to lock him in his alt-mode, then caused a volcanic eruption and returned to Cybertron via an [[orbital jump|orbital bounce]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

[[File:IDWBludgeonShell.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Yes... I feel it, the power... fills me. Yes, I feel the universe within me! I am... I am a part of the cosmos! Its energy flows... flows through me! Of what consequence are you now?]]
Twenty-three years later, [[Jetfire (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Jetfire]] and the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]], detecting the Ultra-Energon from orbit, went to investigate, and were taken by the cult, planning to use them as raw materials for their shells. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Bludgeon wanted Jetfire to witness Thunderwing's awakening, to make him see that Thunderwing had been right to experiment, but Jetfire eventually annoyed him too much. Connecting his mind to an [[axis cradle]] that controlled Thunderwing's blank neuroscape, Bludgeon sent Thunderwing to destroy [[Nebulos]], then engaged the auto-drive to inspect his own shell's progress. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} When [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the Wreckers attacked Bludgeon's base on Cybertron by surprise, Iguanus escaped to the bio-graft chamber to find Bludgeon—only to find the cult leader having donned full polydermal armor. However, in Bludgeon's rush, the shell was not mentally aligned, causing a psychic backlash that took down the Decepticon before the Wreckers even found him. It is unclear whether Bludgeon's mind survived, but if it did, it is apparently trapped in torment. Prime felt that he got off lightly for having unleashed Thunderwing. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}}

[[File:SpotlightSideswipe Bludgeon attacks.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.95|"I can tell you're happy to see me, Craig...IN YOUR PANTS!"]]
After the defeat of Thunderwing, Bludgeon was transferred to [[Garrus-9]], where [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Fortress Maximus]] stored his extracted [[spark]] in the Rig. {{storylink|Spotlight: Arcee}} 

However, during [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]]'s attempt to bring forth the [[Expansion]], Bludgeon (his shell at least) was reactivated inside his cell by [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] to stop Jetfire from attempting to take control of Thunderwing. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

The remote-controlled Bludgeon sliced its way into Jetfire's lab and Jhiaxus planned to have it kill the Autobot. However, multiple fronts of Autobot resistance at each [[Nega-Core]] kept Jhiaxus from focusing his full attention on controlling Bludgeon, and he was forced to abandon his effort to kill Jetfire. [[Cloudraker (G1)|Cloudraker]] and [[Fastlane]] arrived and quickly disarmed the now-inert Bludgeon, and Jetfire borrowed the Pretender's [[sword]] to go aid Optimus Prime in his fight against Nemesis Prime. Bludgeon's body was presumably returned to confinement afterwards. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

[[File:AHM bludgeoniseeevill.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Another inconsistency [[John Barber]] has to fix.]]
Somehow freed from Garrus-9 and again in possession of his full faculties (such as they were), Bludgeon was given command of the ''[[Torment]]'', a Decepticon warship crewed by the [[Pretender Monster|Monstructor Six]]. Still displaying cultish fanaticism and a cruel streak a mile wide, he urged his crew onward in pursuit of the maverick Autobot [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]. Downing the Autobot's shuttlecraft, Bludgeon had his ship land and crew disembark to sacrifice Hot Rod for the greater purpose of restoring Cybertron. With the untimely arrival of the crew of the battleship ''[[Trion]]'', Bludgeon ordered his acolytes to form Monstructor and crush the Autobots. However, his forces were put to rout by a precise shot from [[Perceptor (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Perceptor]]'s sniper rifle, which hit the vulnerable connecting joint of the large combiner. Appearing to realize what he was up against, Bludgeon sounded the retreat. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15|Lost & Found}} In actuality, he was leading the pursuing ''Trion'' to Cybertron, where several Decepticon battlecruisers staged an ambush, sending the Autobot craft plummeting to the planet below. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:Bludgeon Wheelie Syndromica1.jpg|left|100px|thumb|Annnnnd ''fixed''. Thanks, John!]]
Several years later, learning that Jhiaxus had returned and was the captive of [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|his]] [[Garnak|crew]], Bludgeon, following the orders of Shockwave, put into motion a plan to liberate him. Taking Monstructor to the planet [[Arduria]], he sent out a phony distress call that lured Hardhead's crew—joined now by Orion Pax, formerly Optimus Prime—to the frozen world. While Monstructor kept Hardhead and Orion busy, Bludgeon penetrated their ship, easily cutting his way through [[Garnak]] and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and liberating Jhiaxus. Together, the villains set off to track down the other planets that had been targeted by the Regenesis program crafted by Shockwave, who had been Jhiaxus's greatest student. {{storylink|Syndromica (1)}}

[[File:Syndromica2 pax vs bludgeon.jpg|upright=0.9|thumb|Weak sword or sturdy gun?]]
Bludgeon arrived on planet [[LV-117]], which thanks to the Regenesis missile that had landed there, existed in a constant state of chronal flux. After they both separately came in contact with the time machine aboard [[Turmoil]]'s stolen ship, Bludgeon and Orion Pax were sent adrift across different eras of the planet, moving in opposite directions through time in relation to each other. Bludgeon managed to steal the device that allowed LV-117's inhabitants to control their planet's journey through time and slew Wheelie's friend [[Varta]] in the process, before he and Jhiaxus escaped aboard Turmoil's ship. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}}

The villains tracked down [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], one of Bludgeon's old [[Titan Hunter]] subordinates, who had once managed to control a Titan. After duping Orion Pax into raising a deactivated Titan on [[Gorlam Prime]], they used Waspinator to seize control of it. The Titan's [[space bridge]] was used to teleport it back to Cybertron, and Jhiaxus' group followed in their own ship. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} They arrived on Cybertron to join with Shockwave shortly thereafter. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} Bludgeon watched silently as Jhiaxus prepared to undertake Shockwave's master plan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} The completion of the chronal drive came just in time for the invasion of Cybertron by Shockwave's allies, the [[Ammonite]]s. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

Bludgeon began expressing some small doubts of the plan, as he came to realize that his master, Jhiaxus, was actually subservient to Shockwave. Still, he remained at their side, striking out against the Autobots and Decepticons who invaded Crystal City to stop Shockwave's plot. He struck down [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] and laughed at [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] and his copied Metallikato moves. As he prepared to execute [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], however, Bludgeon was blasted by Optimus Prime, as the Autobot leader and his team re-emerged from the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Bludgeon was last seen as Ultra Magnus checked the fallen warrior for signs of life, but ultimately left him behind. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

[[File:BludgeonslicesBarricade Redemption.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|left|]]
Managing to escape from the Crystal City before it was consumed into a singularity, Bludgeon set up residence in the Sea of Rust, and in the following months, he discovered that the [[Hot spot]] in [[Alyon]] had reignited with Sparks. He proceeded to perform horrifying experiments upon some of them, including placing some of the sparks within the remains of fallen [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] and mutant [[Turbofox]]es, as well as messing with the corrupted energon emanating from the fallen [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]].

Upon discovering a convoy protected by the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] which contained sparks from the colony of [[Caminus]], Bludgeon set some of his Sweeps upon them, but when they were driven off by a [[Torchbearer|second group]] he instead had them followed. Taking advantage of an attack from the [[Badgeless]], Bludgeon attacked the truck himself, destroying it, [[Barricade (G1)|Barricade]] and the sparks. Easily disregarding the attack from [[Strafe (IDW)|Strafe]], Bludgeon hurled her into the corrupted energon, curious to see what it would do as it began mutating her. However the equally distraught [[Swift (G1)|Swift]], upset at Barricade's death, damned him for robbing himself of his "future" by destroying the sparks. Disgusted with the amoral scientist, she pushed Bludgeon over a cliff into a pool of the contaminated energon, only narrowly saved from joining him when [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] caught her by the wrist. Doubting that Bludgeon had perished, Strafe and the Dinobots decided to seek him out and make sure he suffered. {{storylink|The Transformers: Redemption|Redemption}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
After [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] asked him why his Pretender shell had a skeleton's face, Bludgeon explained that it once looked human, but its face was melted off after witnessing [[w:Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade|the opening of the Ark of the Covenant]]. The incident totally ruined his chances at being that year's prom king. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===A Tale of the Pretenders===
[[File:Tale of Pretenders Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|left|250px|"''Nyeh-heh-heh!'' Soon the secrets of Castle Greyskull will be mine!"]]

With other Decepticon Pretenders, Bludgeon was active in ancient [[Japan]]. One day, they came across three [[human]] siblings and threatened them. The oldest managed to escape and both [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] and [[Carnivac (G1)|Carnivac]] pursued the remaining two while the other Decepticons followed. Bludgeon found the entire thing beneath their notice, but was rebuked by [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], who desired to play with the humans. Octopunch was about to step on the two when [[Metalhawk (Masterforce)|Metalhawk]] leapt to the rescue. Impressed by this apparent human, Bludgeon challenged him to a duel, but he ultimately proved lacking. Despite the rescuees trying to defend Metalhawk, Bludgeon was about to go in for the kill when other Autobot Pretenders appeared and fought off the Decepticons. Bludgeon and Metalhawk continued their duel, which Metalhawk managed to end by sending Bludgeon falling into a lava pit. {{storylink|A Tale of the Pretenders}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
The otherworldly guardian of the entrance to the [[AllSpark|Matrix]], Bludgeon blocked the path of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s souls on their journey to the great beyond, demanding they present the "[[Key to Vector Sigma|key]] to [[Vector Sigma|Vector Stigmata]]" before they could pass. While Prime revealed the key and was granted passage by the gatekeeper, Grimlock could not produce one and was refused entry until Prime let him have his key. {{storylink|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe issue 12|Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
Bludgeon and the rest of the Mayhem Attack Squad were drawn to a cavern on Earth by a Decepticon signal, finding upon their arrival that the extra-dimensional [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] was the one broadcasting it. Though other members of his team were eager to simply off the stranger, Bludgeon allowed their new acquaintance to speak first. Ramjet was quick to comment on the dark energies he sensed within Bludgeon, who rebutted that if Ramjet was simply after his [[Matrix of Malice]], it would not be easily pried from his frame. Ramjet reassured him that he had no interest in the artifact, and instead made a quick demonstration of his power to convince the Squad that he would make a valuable ally. Impressed by Ramjet's eldritch energies, Bludgeon and his team agreed to join forces with him, and together they begun to plot the destruction of the universe. {{storylink|History}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
[[File:TFLegends-Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Surely everyone waited for ''official'' permission to [[repurposing|repurpose]] this design, right?]]
Early in the war, Bludgeon was to meet with the Autobots Orion Pax, Alpha Trion, and Nightbeat to perform a prisoner exchange for the safe return of Rack'n'Ruin. This turned out to be a Decepticon ploy, however, and the Decepticons ambushed the group, capturing Alpha Trion in the process. {{storylink|Orion's Gambit}} Bludgeon and [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]] attempted to revive [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], but when Thunderwing proved uncontrollable, the pair had to cooperate with the Wreckers to defeat him. {{storylink|Stormbringer (Legends)|Stormbringer}}

Bludgeon was later part of Thunderwing's squad of Decepticons. They attacked a [[Sun-Farming facility]] run by [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], only to discover that the Autobots were more formidable than they had counted on. Bludgeon headed for the main building, fending off [[Fastlane]] and cleaving guards with his [[Energo weapon|Energo-Sword]], until he was able to secure the [[Energon]] stored inside. The Autobots subsequently retreated. {{storylink|Revelation (Legends)|Revalation}} Bludgeon was among a group of Decepticons who joined a time-displaced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in attacking the fused-together [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], but were fought off by some Autobots. {{storylink|Savage Circle}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
[[File:BludgeonEarthWars.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.75| [[Starscream (G1)|Who]] said I was a "Disturbing sword guy?"]]Mysterious, stealthy and deadly, Bludgeon is a master of the ancient Cybertronian martial art of Metallikato, a combat style that borders on the mystical.

The consummate assassin, Bludgeon locks on to his victim like a silent guided missile, and won't stop or deviate until he's claimed his scalp.
A master swordsman, Bludgeon hides his true robot self behind an outer shell designed to strike icy dread into his victims.{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Bludgeon character bio}}

Bludgeon was brought through the Space Bridge by Starscream, and he had a transmission for Starscream from Megatron: Get Megatron to Earth, or be stuck on the dreary mudball for eternity.  Seeing as Starscream didnt want to be abandoned with Bludgeon and Autobots, he and Bludgeon got a crystal powerful enough to get Megatron through. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Get Megatron! Campaign}}

Bludgeon recieved orders from Megatron to spy on and observe Starscream. Starscream headed to the Space Bridge and brought out [[Hook (G1) | Hook]] and Scrapper. Bludgeon followed the trio to an Autobot outpost, where Bludgeon stopped them from getting another piece of the [[Fractal Map]] to make sure Starscream didn't get any credit and would be humiliated by Megatron. Which Starscream was. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars| Power Play Campaign}}

Bludgeon helps out in the final battle for the Codex Key, helping to destroy the opposing Autobot outpost to the ground. {{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|The Codex Showdown Campaign}} 

He then witnesses the creation of Devastator.
{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars|Combiner Wars Campaign}}

Bludgeon heard of Cyclonus's movement and scouting in the Frozen wastes of the Arctic. 
Bludgeon was oddly missing from the battle for the Frozen Fortress, even though prior to, Megatron orders him to rally the troops to attack. Maybe he was assigned baby sitting duty of the outpost to ensure Autobots didn't randomly attack. {{storylink| Transformers: Earth Wars| Arctic Saga}}

*'''Class:''' Warrior
*'''Lowest Star Rating:''' 1 star
*'''Weapons''' - He targets a building with his gun, then engages and slices it with his sword. 
*'''Ability: Rush in'''- Rush into combat smashing walls along the way and dealing damage to the target. 
**'''Cost:''' 3 ability points +2 for reuses.

[http://wiki.transformersearthwars.com/character:bludgeon| Bludgeon at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki]

===''Transformers Online'' (2016 video game)===
Even Bludgeon was impressed by [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]'s mastery of warfare in contests of strength. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2016 video game)|Transformers Online}} <ref>[http://tfol.qq.com/act/a20160726data/hero15.shtml Brawn on the Transformers Online website]</ref>

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
Bludgeon was one of the Decepticons pulled from [[The Transformers (franchise)|his universe]] by the [[Quintessons]] and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[File:G1Bludgeon toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|He's an electric warrior. He is not, however, a Jeepster for your love.]]
*'''Bludgeon''' (Pretender, [[1989]])
:*''Accessories'': Pretender shell, large "Laser Rifle" gun, tank turret/shield, small "[[high-voltage electric cannon|electric cannon]]", helmet

:Bludgeon's inner robot transforms into a green and lilac tank of undetermined origin. Oddly, compared to most ''Transformers'' tanks, he has no wheels inside the static tank tracks for any sort of rolling movement; however, as the treads are arranged in two pairs, he is also one of the very few tank Transformers whose treads do not split apart during transformation. Transformation to [[robot mode]] is very similar to many tank-vehicle Micromaster figures, except one must remove the rotating turret piece to do so, with the removable main gun as his weapon, mounted in a hole in his wrist (rather than his hand).

:Bludgeon's Pretender shell, continuing the Decepticon trend of monstrous or war-like shells, is an orange and maroon humanoid samurai with a human skull for a head. Removing the helmet reveals great attention to detail to the skull, with cranium fusion seams and well-defined teeth, among other sculpting. The shell is armed with a white rifle and the inner robot's tank turret mounted on his arm as a sort of shield.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Bludgeon/bludgeon.htm More info on Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Revenge of the Fallen===
[[File:ROTFtoy-BludgeonVoyager.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Behold, I am Yoshimitsu the Second!"]]
*'''Decepticon Bludgeon''' (Voyager, [[2009]])
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RD-20'''
**''Accessories:'' [[Wikipedia:Katana|katana]], [[Wikipedia:Tantō|tantō]]

{{note|''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] was officially [[repurposing|repurposed]] as Generation 1 Bludgeon via the ''[[Transformers Legends (mobile game)|Transformers Legends]]'' game (albeit with an [[#IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW-based]] head) and ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]''.}}
:[[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] transforms from a green and orange Japanese [[Wikipedia:Type 90 Kyū-maru|Type 90]] tank into a skeletal samurai robot mode which homages his original [[Pretender]] shell, in colors that homage both the shell and the original inner robot. Bludgeon features a flexible plastic sword which is made out of a portion of the barrel of the tank's main gun as well as a smaller dagger. The dagger can be stored in a sheath which is revealed from inside the tank turret, and both blades can be slotted in holes provided on the robot mode's left hip guard. Additionally, the dagger's handle can fit in the base of the sword's handle, forming a double-bladed weapon. He has [[Mech Alive]] [[gimmick]]s in his thighs and turret: Sculpted cylinders in his thighs rotate whenever his lower legs are rotated, and that pulling his turret open makes a gray sculpted "disc" at the center rotate while a scabbard for the tantō hinges over to the side and props itself up for use.

:The [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] is one of the very few Transformer tank toys with rubber components to its treads. Portions of the tread links can unlock, allowing them to hang from the robot mode, while the wheels of the treads are integrated separately into the robot mode form itself. The treads still do not function realistically; small plastic wheels on the underside of the treads help the tank mode roll, as is standard with nearly all Transformer tank toys. 

[[File:ROTFBludgeon japanese instructions.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66]]
:There is a paint application error on Bludgeon's rear wheels/thighs, wherein the black [[paint operation]]s, which were meant to help blend his rear wheels in with the black center wheels, are placed on the ''wrong side'', keeping them out of sight in vehicle mode, and behind his thighs in robot mode. The ratcheting hip joint is also flipped 180 degrees from what it should be, with two further ratchet divots on top of the hip than inside of it, meaning the mechanism in the upper leg is trying to click into a smooth surface. The toy seems to have been originally designed to feature light-piping in the head, though this feature is rendered useless with it being cast in the same solid gray plastic used for his arms, weapons, shoulders and Mech Alive features.

:The Japanese [[TakaraTomy]] release of Bludgeon has a different [[instructions|instruction sheet]] that actually labels the weapons as a {{w|katana}} and {{w|tantō}}, whereas the Hasbro release doesn't label them at all.

:This mold was [[redeco]]ed into ''[[Transformers (2010 toyline)|Transformers]]'' [[Banzaitron (TF 2010)|Banzaitron]], and [[retool]]ed into [[BotCon 2012]] [[Overlord (Masterforce)#Timelines|Gigatron]] and ''[[Transformers: Generations|Generations]]'' [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Generations|Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Bludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on ''Voyager''-class Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
{{-}}
===Kre-O===
[[File:KreO-Toy BludgeonKreon.jpg|right|thumb|300px|It's not the [[Bludgeon (RID 2001)|first time]] he's had Megatron's head.]]
* '''Decepticon Bludgeon''' (Micro-Changer, 2012)
**''Bag number'': '''22851 51'''
**''Accessories'': Stand brick, sword

: Part of the first normal wave of [[Micro-Changer]] [[Kreon]]s, Bludgeon is a [[blindpacking|blindpacked]]-bagged mini-figure, though a stamped ID number can be found on the back of the bag, top-right corner. He comes with extra parts which turn him into a kinda-sorta-tank. He also comes with a 2x4 block stand with the Kre-O logo on the side.

: He uses [[Megatron (Kre-O)|Megatron]]'s helmet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/Kre-OBludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on Bludgeon at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{Anchor|2016}}
* '''Bludgeon''' (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2016)
**''Collection'': '''1'''
**''Accessories'': Logo plate, sword

:In 2016, Collection 1 was re-released in a whole new production run for Dollar General stores in the US as part of a large collection of re-released ''Kre-O'' sets. But where most of these releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Blugeon's torso [[tampograph]] has also been reworked to be slightly more detailed, and the formerly-bare legs now have extra detail tampographing on them. 

:Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.
{{-}}

===G.I. Joe and the Transformers===
*'''''The Epic Conclusion!'' box set''' ([[2013]])
[[File:SDCC2013Bludgeon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"To a master of Metallikato, your kung-fu grip is slow-motion!"]]
:*''Accessories'': helmet, short sword, long sword, chest armor, cloak

:An [[exclusive]] release for [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2013, this is a 3.75" figure depicting Bludgeon in his Pretender shell. It is a [[retool]] of the ''G.I. Joe Retaliation'' Budo action figure, sporting a new head representing Bludgeon's skeletal visage. The set also comes with a G.I. Joe [[VAMP]] redecoed into [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], a retooled [[Skystriker (vehicle)|Skystriker]] representing [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], a new [[Snake-Eyes]] figure bearing an Autobot symbol, a [[Baroness]] figure with [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] on a leash, and a [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] boombox with cassette pieces representing [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]], [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]], and [[Eject (G1)|Eject]]. Both of Bludgeon's swords feature the same detailing on the front of the blade as Bludgeon's original character model did.

:The box set was announced via a ''USA Today'' [http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/life/2013/06/05/hasbro-2013-comic-con-exclusives/2392295/ article] on June 5, 2013, along with Hasbro's other Comic-Con exclusives.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2013/Decepticon/SDCCBludgeon/bludgeon.htm More information on ''G.I. Joe and the Transformers'' Bludgeon at TFU.info]''
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===Combiner Wars===
[[File:CombinerWarstoy-Bludgeon.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The samurai skeleton look was going out of fashion.]]
*'''Bludgeon''' (2016)
::''Accessories:'' Twin "high-voltage" cannons, two "cyber-blade" swords.

:Part of the [[Transformers Figure Subscription Service#Series 4.0 (2016)|Figure Subscription Service 4.0]], Bludgeon is a [[retool]] of [[Onslaught (G1)#CombinerWars|Onslaught]] from the ''[[Transformers: Generations#Combiner Wars|Combiner Wars]]'' subline of ''Generations'' with a new robot head, a new combiner head, and two additional swords from [[Optimus Prime (WFC)/toys#Exprime|''Go!'' Optimus Exprime]]. Being a ''Combiner Wars'' Voyager, he can combine with any four of that line's Deluxes, though he is meant to combine with his fellow [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] to form [[Thunder Mayhem]]. Like the other ''Combiner Wars'' Voyager Class toys, Bludgeon's head and torso kibble is incorporated into the toy itself, rather than being add-on parts. Bludgeon's two rifles combine into a longer rifle for the combined robot.

:Unfortunately, Bludgeon features misassembled knee struts, but his feet can flip out to provide better support.

:Bludgeon's mold was originally retooled from [[Hot Spot (G1)#CombinerWars|Hot Spot]], who was retooled differently as [[Pyra Magna]].
{{CWHotSpotMold}}
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==Notes==
*Like [[Stranglehold]] and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], Bludgeon's [[character model]] portrays him with a specialized melee weapon. Bludgeon is consistently drawn with the character model's sword, which has become a trademark, despite his toy lacking one. The character model also seems to include a scabbard for the sword, though that is not included nearly as often. Why all three of these characters are given weapons that don't exist is unknown.
*The only time we see his character model is when it's copied faithfully by [[José Delbo]] in "[[Yesterday's Heroes!]]". (However, [[Robin Smith]] takes another crack at it in [[Fleetway]]'s ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Fleetway)|Generation 2]]'' series, but a tiny few liberties were taken, style-wise.)
*The sword in his character model has unique detailing at the base of the front of the blade. In Delbo's rendition, it looks kind of like a dong. Elsewhere, not so much. Thankfully.
*Bludgeon's outer shell is a "Warrior-Grade Pretender Shell" equipped with an ambient stealth field.<ref>''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', by [[Simon Furman]]</ref>
*Bludgeon came close to having a new toy on two separate occasions. The first was a planned 6" Titaniums toy, supposedly based on his ''War Within'' design.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/titanium-13/cancelled-titanium-bludgeon-revealed-in-tfw2005-toy-database-164105/ Cancelled Titanium Bludgeon Revealed in TFW2005 Toy Database]</ref> Artist [[Don Figueroa]] then submitted a concept for a [[Unicron Trilogy]] Bludgeon toy way back during the development of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' or ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' toylines. Obviously, the concept wasn't put into production as a toy at the time, so Figueroa used it as inspiration for his [[IDW Publishing]] ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' [[Bludgeon (G1)#IDW Generation 1 continuity|rendition of Generation 1 Bludgeon]]. Hasbro considered releasing Bludgeon in the ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' line, but put it on hold because of the large number of tank and tank-like vehicles released recently.<ref>[[Bill Rawley]] in an interview for the Transformers Collector's Club magazine: ''"One that comes to mind right away is Bludgeon. We even started early design sketches for him but the fact that he would transform into a tank, in a line that had a lot of tank-like vehicles in it, meant that he would have to be put on hold... for now."''</ref> This design was evidently [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|resurrected]] for the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' line. Figueroa notes that his contribution on this toy is very small, as his work on it ended when he submitted the concept to Hasbro way back when.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Bludgeon''' (ブラジオン ''Burajion'')
*''French:'' '''Gourdin''' (Canada, "Club", as in the beat-you-up-with kind)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Husáng''' ("Stick", as in the beat-you-up-with kind)
*''Italian:'' '''Teskior'''

==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Martial artists]]
[[Category:Mayhem Attack Squad]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Repurposed toys]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]