Editing Thunderwing (G1)

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{{disambig3|Thunderwing}}
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:''Thunderwing is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Thunderwing with matrix.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And we are dutifully impressed.]]
In a better world, '''Thunderwing''' would be the ideal Decepticon leader. He's fearless, ruthless, and immensely powerful, while uncommonly concerned about the welfare of his fellow Decepticons. For this mindset, Thunderwing gets a high approval rating from his peers, but, sadly, this is not the whole story.

Thunderwing's vice is, simply, obsession. When his mind sets its sights on a who or what that furthers his goals, he will stop at nothing to achieve victory. Slowly but surely, his esteem for his colleagues is replaced by single-mindedness, until finally Thunderwing awakens from his haze, potentially victorious, but either abandoned or surrounded by the bodies of the few friends who tried valiantly to snap him out of it. In these dark moments, the usually noble Thunderwing is as deceitful and two-faced as any halfwit Decepticon.

But what separates Thunderwing from the rest is his sheer power. His [[Pretender]] shell is likely the most powerful ever built, and it forms impenetrable armor around his robot body. Every inch is covered in weaponry, from the electrostatic guns in his shoulders, to the hoses in his chest that emit dangerous gases, to even the rarely-used metal-eating laser beam that fires out of his forehead. In addition to this built-in arsenal, he carries around his signature [[cyclone cannon]], the power of which is increased 50% by the powerpack his shell houses on its back. In jet mode, Thunderwing can unleash a never-ending torrent of plasma charges. 

Because of all this, Thunderwing is almost always successful in hunting down his obsessions, though at regrettable costs.

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Marvel ''The Transformers'' comics====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Magnificent Six Megadeath Past.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|No, my visual appearance is not a [[Pretender to the Throne!|continuity error]]. Why do you ask?]]
A handful of Transformers are born with a natural affinity to the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]]. Though these special few are usually Autobots, Thunderwing was an exception. Thunderwing felt that the Matrix called to him, and believed that he would become the first Decepticon to possess it. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}} 

''Early on in the war, he served at [[Fort Scyk]]. He became a protege of Fort commander [[Megadeath (G1)|Megadeath]], who saw and encouraged the burning ambition within the lad, grooming Thunderwing as an asset and potential general for when he'd make a bid for leadership. For his part, Thunderwing thought Megadeath was utterly mental but also that he'd be his ticket to the top. When the [[Magnificent Six]] were holed up in the [[neutral]] town of [[Yuss]], it was Thunderwing who broke the siege by destroying the town's [[Yuss#Locations|Ampodrome]] with a [[thermo-charge]], which was instrumental in turning the neutralists against their would-be saviours. He later soured on Megadeath when he viciously tortured the Magnificent Six, which Thunderwing felt was ill-fitting for such valiant enemies, and then Megadeath let himself and the whole of [[Stanix]] get nuked to slag ''anyway''.'' {{storylink|The Magnificent Six!}}

''Four million years later, a vacuum in [[Decepticon High Command]] allowed a driven Thunderwing to rise quickly from relative obscurity to a command position in the ranks. Thunderwing oversaw an operation that lured the [[Battle Patrol]] into a Decepticon facility in order to capture them and steal [[Micromaster]] technology from the Autobots. The [[Race Car Patrol|Race Car]] and [[Off Road Patrol|Off Road]] Patrols staged a successful rescue operation but failed to stop the Decepticons from making their own Micromasters.'' {{storylink|A Small War!}}

[[File:Thunderwingisapretender.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Thunderwing is a Pretender? The hell you say!]]
''Fourteen months later, to test of his readiness to takeover leadership of the Decepticons, Thunderwing was given a hunting mission: Three Autobot prisoners were released on Earth, and Thunderwing was charged with chasing down and executing them on his own. While [[Playback]] and [[Horsepower (G1)|Horsepower]] did fall before his cyclone cannon, the last runner, [[Hosehead (G1)|Hosehead]], was saved by his fellow Autobots [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Siren (G1)|Siren]]. The [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] exploded the fuel core in Playback's corpse at close range to Thunderwing, nearly cooking him alive inside his own impenetrable [[Pretender]] shell. Shrieking in agony, Thunderwing plunged into the nearby surf.'' {{storylink|The Big Shutdown!}}

[[File:AssaultontheArk-Thunderwing.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|This is exactly how cable news pundits are hired.]]
''Thunderwing eventually rose from the waters, his still-cooling shell juxtaposed with the growing intensity of his rage at being beaten. Thunderwing lashed out at everything around him and very nearly destroyed a ship of his fellow Decepticons who had been sent to find him. As a duly appointed officer of the [[Decepticon High Council]], [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] was sent to inform Thunderwing that his bid for leadership was not being rejected outright, but was still under review, and the Councilors had asked that he return to Cybertron. Instead, Thunderwing violently conscripted Ruckus and his team into joining him for an assault on the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] in order to get revenge on Hosehead and his ilk.'' {{storylink|Rage!}} ''Thunderwing single-handedly blasted his way into the Ark and confronted [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] directly before Ruckus convinced him to save the fight for another day. Returning to Cybertron, Thunderwing was surprised to learn that the Decepticon High Council was impressed by his initiative and the strength of his vendetta, and so granted him full leadership of the Decepticons of Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Assault on the Ark!}}

''One of Thunderwing's first actions on taking over Decepticon leadership was to abolish [[neutral]] territories, making places such as [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] Decepticon-only establishments.'' {{storylink|Out to Lunch!}} Despite these movements, Lord Thunderwing became displeased with the growing success of the newly rebuilt [[Jazz (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Jazz]], [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Bumblebee]] and their raiding of [[Decepticon fuel store|Decepticon fuel]] and ammunition depositories. Fearing the Autobot resistance movement was gaining momentum, he ordered [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]], and [[Stranglehold]], the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]], to find and kill the Autobot Pretenders. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}}

[[File:Thunderwingmindleech.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|This is probably the closest look we'll get at Thunderwing's unpublished character model. [[José Delbo]] was a copier.]]
When the Mayhem Attack Squad failed, Thunderwing became curious when teams of Autobots were subsequently ordered to search an area of space. Trailing a team on [[Pz-Zazz]] which included ''(again)'' Nightbeat, Hosehead, and Siren, he waited until the right moment to blast and capture them. {{storylink|Bird of Prey!}} As Thunderwing's Decepticons began trailing another team of Autobots on [[Cheyne]] ([[Backstreet (G1)|Backstreet]], [[Dogfight (G1)|Dogfight]], and [[Override (G1)|Override]]), he subjected the captured first group to his [[Mind Leech]] machine. He learned from these torture sessions that the Autobots were scouring the universe for the lost Creation Matrix. Unfortunately, the second group was no closer to finding the Matrix either, and he left them to their own devices. {{storylink|Kings of the Wild Frontier.}} His obsession with finding the Creation Matrix caused some concerns for the Decepticons under his command, and he even began attacking his own troops when accused of taking his personal quest too far. These outbursts began coming to a head when he found traces of Matrix energy in a [[Klud|sea monster]] on [[Pequod]]. Ruckus made the mistake of questioning his leader's growing obsession, and Thunderwing backhanded him into some equipment (unknowingly shorting out the Mind Leech which held their captive Autobots immobile). While his troops battled the Autobots searching there, he used his affinity for the Matrix to mind-link with the sea monster. Discovering that the Matrix was on [[Cameron]]'s third moon, [[VsQs]], he abandoned the battle, much to the growing frustration of his troops. {{storylink|Deadly Obsession}}

[[File:Thunderwingwhereisthecreationmatrix.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Obsessed much?]]
As it happened, between the revival of the Klud and the arrival of Thunderwing, the Creation Matrix had become warped. Thunderwing fought intensely with Bumblebee, Jazz, and Grimlock on VsQs, and they were overwhelmed not only by his vastly superior might, but by the strength of his desire to possess the Matrix. However, he and his troops were subdued by a [[Matrixspawn]], a darkly-evolved creature contaminated by the Matrix, allowing Bumblebee and the other Autobots to grab the Matrix and head for their ship. {{storylink|Dark Creation}} The Autobots were low on fuel however, and struggling against the moon's high gravity. Thunderwing overtook them with ease, snatched away the Matrix, and stole their shuttle. {{storylink|All Fall Down}} Thus, when the Autobots allowed their shuttlecraft to board the Ark, it was Thunderwing who emerged, in full possession of the Creation Matrix, enshrouded in its energies. {{storylink|Dark Creation}}

[[File:AllFallDown-Thunderwingpossessed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|We are '''power incarnate!''' We are '''unstoppable!''' We are a '''really short Deluxe Class toy!''']]
On board the Ark, Thunderwing savagely beat Optimus Prime, the latter of whom was afraid to return the violence in kind, in fear that the Matrix would be destroyed and their race would be doomed against Unicron. Waves of Autobots stormed against Thunderwing, ending in [[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] and others being killed or critically wounded. Quickly, the increasingly-evil Matrix took over Thunderwing, overpowering his thoughts and controlling his actions. After turning his power on his own troops, he had one final moment of clarity at what he had become, but it was too late. He was consumed. Nightbeat, Siren, and Hosehead, who Thunderwing had captured earlier, had escaped their constraints, and after releasing the bay doors, harpooned Thunderwing to the shuttlecraft. The shuttle self-destructed and Thunderwing and the Creation Matrix were seemingly lost, out in the void of space. {{storylink|All Fall Down}}

Optimus Prime would later refer to Thunderwing (and the lost Matrix) in his pitch to [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] for an alliance against [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]. {{storylink|Surrender!}}

[[File:G1thunderwingthevoid.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Thunderwing displays that, yes, he has an alt mode just before showing up to die again.]]
The Matrix, however, was made of sterner stuff, and after some time reactivated alongside Thunderwing's body and the Autobot shuttlecraft on the surface of a planet. {{storylink|Out of Time!}} As time passed, and though only the "barest spark of life remained," it healed Thunderwing's body, eventually allowing it to transform and escape. It (they) now hungered for revenge! {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}}

Thunderwing, completely controlled by the Creation Matrix, arrived on Cybertron just as Unicron had attacked. Through Thunderwing, the Matrix continued to manifest as a frightening demon, which blasted Unicron and buried its tendrils within him. Though Unicron was momentarily stunned, once the Matrix revealed that it was now attempting to be a force of Evil, Unicron ripped the manifestation apart. Unicron has no equal in the arena of evil. Thunderwing's body fell in tatters, and the Matrix casing dropped to the planet below. {{storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}}
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====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
Emerging from a dimensional bridge that linked [[Earth]] to parallel worlds and times, Thunderwing attacked [[Vroom (G1)|Vroom]] and [[Crossblades (G1)|Crossblades]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 9|Headmaster of the Dimensions}} Later, this Thunderwing or another Thunderwing trailed a nuclear submarine in preparation for the Decepticons stealing its [[plutonium]] rods. {{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 13|The Energon Trap}}

====''United''====
[[File:FierceFightingonPlanetNebulos-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Thunderwing was so disappointed he later [[Transformers United|painted his arms gray]].]]
Thunderwing originated from another universe, where he was said to have possessed the Matrix and nearly defeated the Autobots. {{storylink|#United 2|''United'' Thunderwing bio}}

As Decepticon leader, Thunderwing had a [[nano-virus]] released that afflicted most Autobots save those with [[Nebulan]] partners, tricking them to go to [[Nebulos]] for an anti-virus so they could be ambushed and their partners taken! His minion [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] botched the mission though. Thunderwing chewed him out and decided he needed to take a more active role... {{storylink|The Fierce Fighting on Planet Nebulos}}
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====''Regeneration One''====
{{NoteRG1}}
[[File:Kup thunderwing destiny.jpg|thumb|left]]
At some point following the battle with Unicron, Thunderwing's remains were recovered and interred in the [[Hall of Silence]] on Cybertron. Twenty-one years later, Optimus Prime departed Cybertron, bound for Earth to end the threat of Megatron. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 3}} [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] seized this opportunity to attack the Hall of Silence to steal what was left of Thunderwing for Bludgeon, and to gain control of the residual Matrix energy stored in his corpse. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4}} Soundwave reached the remains, and used the emergency destruct charges triggered by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] in the event of a break-in to cover his teleportation escape. {{storylink|Natural Selection, Part One}} 

Rendezvousing at Bludgeon's ''[[Warworld]]'', Soundwave provided the Pretender what he needed to augment his [[Blitz Engine]]s before the attack on Cybertron. {{storylink|Destiny, Part One}} When the Autobots fought back, that last remnants of Thunderwing and the Matrix energy were seemingly lost with the ''Warworld''. {{storylink|Destiny, Part Five}}
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====''Transformers '84''====
[[File:Thunderwing secrets and lies.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8]]
After [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] was lost aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], Thunderwing, [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]], and [[Scorponok (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Scorponok]] formed an alliance to wipe out the remaining Autobots on Cybertron.  There was a degree of contentiousness between the three about divvying up personal territories, and Thunderwing raised the question of what would happen if Megatron were to return—a possibility that Straxus readily dismissed. {{storylink|Secrets & Lies issue 3|Secrets & Lies #3}}
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===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
[[File:Thunderwingg1worldscollide.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|They weren't even trying to color me right!]]

====Ask Vector Prime====
Thunderwing was the most recent addition to a crew of dimension-traveling [[Herald of Unicron|Heralds]] of [[Unicron]]. He was addicted to [[Dark Energon]], and the prospect of an endless supply of [[Angolmois Energy|angolmois energy]] was enough to convince him to join. He went to [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma]] with the other heralds when his home universe was destroyed. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#September 19, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 19/09/2015}}

====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
Thunderwing, along with [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], and [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], was sent to prepare [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|another universe]] for Unicron's arrival. Porting into [[Decepticon Command Headquarters]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Galvatron left Thunderwing and the others on Cybertron to accomplish their task. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} Though they destroyed all of the Decepticons in their headquarters and established a network of [[space bridge]] portals, this universe's [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] was not amongst their victims. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}}

Traveling to Earth's Decepticon headquarters (but leaving Bludgeon behind on Cybertron to guard the portal), they found it momentarily abandoned, so Thunderwing suggested they hunt down this universe's [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] to learn Megatron's location. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} However, Thrust knew nothing, and they quickly returned to Decepticon Earth headquarters when Thunderwing detected that their space bridge nexus on Cybertron had been breached. Ultimately, Thunderwing and the other servants of Unicron were destroyed when this universe's [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] detonated a bomb in Cybertron's Decepticon Command Headquarters, incinerating them all. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
:*''First Appearance:'' [[Stormbringer issue 1|Transformers: Stormbringer #1]]
[[File:Thunderwingwhathaveyoudone.jpg|thumb|Moral of Stormbringer: Pretenders [[Ruined FOREVER|ruined Transformers]].]]
Seven hundred years ago, during the height of the Autobot-Decepticon war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Thunderwing was a Decepticon scientist who alerted both sides to the damage that the ongoing conflict was doing to their planet and the resultant danger of an impending catastrophic event. According to [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], his warnings were ignored, even by [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]]. 

[[File:Thunderwing stormbringer.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Y'know, Thunderwing, Al Gore was content with just making a slide show.]]
Subsequently, Thunderwing took action on his own, subjecting himself to a "polydermal grafting" process of his own design, one that had previously been summarily rejected by [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] as "unnatural" and "ill-conceived". This process of grafting tissue culled from living subjects onto a Transformer to create an armored symbiotic carapace somehow also appears to have made him the avatar of the very apocalypse he had warned against. The process drove Thunderwing insane but made him invulnerable; even the combined might of the Autobots and Decepticons couldn't stop him. In the end, he was swallowed whole by Cybertron itself, leaving the planet completely uninhabitable. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

An indeterminate time later, Bludgeon—who had been assigned by Megatron to dig into the missing [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s research—discovered Thunderwing's resting place. Bludgeon and the Decepticons serving under him decided to continue where Thunderwing left off, {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} and in the present day completed their project using a combination of "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" (culled from Shockwave's research) and a set of imprinted commands. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Thunderwing was thus resurrected and immediately departed for [[Nebulos]], following Bludgeon's plans to sacrifice that world to somehow restore Cybertron. There, Thunderwing was engaged by the local Decepticon Infiltration team, which did not want to see Nebulos completely destroyed. Thunderwing totaled [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]], [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]], [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]], and [[Roadgrabber]], and the survivors ([[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]]) abandoned the planet. However, after the destruction of Bludgeon's control harness, Thunderwing changed course—back towards Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}}

[[File:Thunderwingidwultramode.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"Ultra mode" puts all that wing kibble to use!]]
There, he was attacked by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], the [[Wrecker]]s, the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], and reprogrammed [[Centurion droid|Centurion drones]]. Jetfire revealed that enough punishment would eventually cause Thunderwing to drain most of his [[energon]] reserves. However, Thunderwing revealed a third "[[Super Mode|Ultra]]" robot configuration. Thanks to the Wreckers, the Decepticons, the instability of Ultra Energon, and a speech/salvo combination from Optimus Prime, he was stopped dead in his tracks. His inanimate form was taken into custody by the [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}

[[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] would later steal Thunderwing's body from [[Hound (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hound]]'s detail of Autobots, in service of [[Nova Prime|his master]] in the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}} Since the Dead Universe Transformers can only spend a limited amount of time in the land of the living, they programmed Thunderwing to guard the cave entrance to the [[Nega-Core]] on planet [[Corata-Vaz]]. He easily batted away Hound's crew and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but did not pursue them, as his programming seemed to keep him on a leash that only included the cave entrance. It did, however, allow [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] the time he needed to escape. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

[[File:SpotlightSideswipe ThunderwingVSWreckers.jpg|left|upright=1.5|thumb|The Wreckers return to star in '''''“Nothing Can Stop The Thunderwing! Part III”'''''.]]
The [[Wrecker]]s later attempted to penetrate Thunderwing's defenses and reach the Nega-Core, but apparently had no more success than Ultra Magnus and company. {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} Jetfire came up with the idea to try and take control of Thunderwing using Bludgeon's (apparently repaired) control harness. This alerted [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]], who activated Bludgeon (now under his control) to put a stop to it. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} While Jetfire managed to halt Thunderwing in his tracks for a brief time, a visit from the Jhiaxus-controlled Bludgeon forced Jetfire to focus on other, more pressing issues. While the Wreckers were successful in disabling the Nega-Core, Thunderwing once again began to advance on them. All of the Wreckers survived the experience, so Thunderwing was presumably disabled along with the other guardians when Jhiaxus was defeated. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

Thunderwing's attacks had left [[Crankcase (G1)|Crankcase]] with a notable head wound. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The Decepticon often spoke about Thunderwing on [[The Big Conversation]] which caused some confusion (and a healthy dose of panic) when the [[Dire Wraith]] known as "[[CONS4EVA]]" adopted Thunderwing's form to meet Crankcase. {{storylink|Nothing Will Ever Be the Same Again!}}

===''Wings Universe''===
Thunderwing was captured by the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticon]]s after being cornered and making an unsuccessful attempt to defend himself with what turned out to be a dud bomb. {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 3}}

===''Kre-O'' online manga===
[[File:KreO-webcomic-10-Thunderwing.jpg|upright=0.5|thumb]]
Thunderwing was among the Decepticons that invaded [[Metroplex (Kre-O)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!}}

===''Of Masters and Mayhem''===
Seeking ultimate power, Thunderwing experimented on himself, managing to turn his [[Point One Percenter|spark green]].  [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] learned of this, had Thunderwing imprisoned and removed the spark, placing it in a special container and creating the [[Matrix of Malice]].  The Matrix of Malice became the core of [[Thunder Mayhem]], a monstrously-powerful [[combiner]] formed from the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] that wore Thunderwing's visage.  Thunder Mayhem rampaged across the universe, proving near-unstoppable and reducing the Cybertronian race to only a handful of survivors.  {{storylink|Foundation and Wreckage Part 1: Deadly Aim|Deadly Aim}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Some time after the [[Scouring of Nebulos]] saw the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] restricted to a [[Allowed Zone|handful of planets]], Thunderwing succeeded [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] as Decepticon leader, becoming known to future generations as the Last Decepticon Emperor. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} {{storylink|Derailment}} He led an expedition to [[Moonbase Two|Artemis]] in search of the [[Underbase]]. His quest proved successful–thus empowered by the artifact, he fused his sparks with those of the [[Mayhem Attack Squad]] and wreaked havoc across Cybertron, killing the [[Wrecker]]s. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}} Around this time, he oversaw advances in military science, developing the [[Micromaster]] upgrade on [[Cyberdroid]] volunteers such as [[Caliburn (BWU)|Caliburn]] {{storylink|Derailment}} as well as a method of weaponizing [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]]s' links with their partners' sparks to drain Cybertronians of life merely through presence. {{storylink|Trigger Warnings}} Thunderwing eventually uploaded himself into the [[Grand Mal]]; the floating fortress was only brought down after the Autobots and Decepticons teamed up to bring down their mutual enemy. Thunderwing died when the battle station crash-landed, but the Autobot-Decepticon alliance paved the way for the rise of the pan-factional [[Builder Assembly]]. {{storylink|Not All Megatrons}}

===''Prime Wars Trilogy'' marketing material===
[[File:SiegeOnCybertron-Pounce versus Metalhawk.jpg|thumb|350px]]
{{quote|The Autobots had their chance and failed.  Now the power of the Matrix of Leadership will be mine to hold, and yours to behold!}}

The [[Titan Master]] Thunderwing participated in a Decepticon mission on Cybertron alongside [[Pounce]] and [[Tidal Wave (G1)|Tidal Wave]]. {{storylink|#TRSOC|Siege on Cybertron}}

[[File:POTP vote Thunderwing.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=0.5]]
Thunderwing was a potential bearer of the Matrix of Leadership.  As a force for chaos, Thunderwing planned to unleash the unknown powers within the Matrix using its connection to his unique [[spark]].  Instead, the Matrix went to [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]]. {{storylink|Fan polls#2017|''Power of the Primes'' fan poll}}
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===Precursor World===
Thunderwing<ref>This character probably had a name and title structured like that of [[White Gallant Convoy]] or [[Brightes|Blue Brightes Convoy]], but whatever it was remains speculation.</ref> was a leader of the [[White Order]] of the [[Primus Vanguard]]. He passed away and was memorialized with a hologram at the [[Ivory Towers]]. {{Storylink|Generations Selects Special Comic Finale Part 1|Finale Part 1}}

A [[Specter]] would later take on his visage. {{Storylink|Blue Big Convoy comic}}
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===2019 IDW continuity===
[[File:LightStar Thunderwing.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|left|Can't figure out how to do the [[Vulcan]] salute.]]
During the era of [[Expansion]], Thunderwing was a famed fleet commander and at the forefront of the movement, gathering resources to fuel the ever-growing Cybertronian race.  After the Expansion had been halted, Thunderwing was consigned to the distant asteroid colony [[Hexagon]] as its administrator.  Stewing in his perceived "retirement" and the [[Senate]]'s curtailing of his lofty ambitions, Thunderwing waited for the day he could again ascend to prominence.  Upon receiving word of the rise of the [[Decepticon]] movement on Cybertron, he began hiring various mercenaries and malcontents like [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], and [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] under the pretense of increasing security for Hexagon.  Thunderwing also secretly sheltered and allowed [[Airachnid (G1)|Airachnid]]'s unholy experiments in creating synthetic versions of the [[Artifacts of the Primes]].  

When [[Vigilem]] docked at Hexagon and Thunderwing heard of the Senate's dissolution, he saw an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the new Decepticon regime by repairing the fugitive [[Titan (group)|Titan]].  The [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] soon arrived at Hexagon aboard [[Lodestar (Titan)|Lodestar]], seeking to apprehend Vigilem in the name of [[Colonial Security]].  Thunderwing held an audience with them and played dumb in regards to the Titan's crimes and what was occurring on Cybertron.  The Technobots' suspicions were sparked by Thunderwing's choice in employees and his attempts to divert them, and a battle soon broke out on Hexagon.  Intending to have the intruders killed, Thunderwing revealed the full scope of his plans, but the Technobots accidentally fell into Airachnid's experimental [[Combination Core]], which forcibly merged them into [[Computron (G1)|Computron]].  Furious at this turn of events, Thunderwing jettisoned the entire section of Hexagon that Computron was in out into space.  Vigilem was soon thereafter destroyed by Lodestar, further stymying Thunderwing's ambitions.  {{storylink|Light/Star}}

{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers Legends''===
During the Great War, Thunderwing almost destroyed [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but was defeated and placed in a state of dormancy. Years later, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came up with a plan to revive Thunderwing and destroy the Autobots once and for all. The [[Wrecker]]s traveled to Cybertron in an attempt to stop Bludgeon and [[Darkwing (G1)|Darkwing]], but failed. Both the Autobots and Decepticons were forced to cooperate as Thunderwing proved uncontrollable, and they eventually wore him down until he ran out of [[Ore-13|Ultra Energon]]. {{storylink|Stormbringer (Legends)|Stormbringer}}

Sometime later, Thunderwing had become more amenable. He, [[Axer (G1)|Axer]], and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]] accompanied [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] on a mission to defeat Nemesis's former self, Nova Prime. {{storylink|Prime Evil}} He led a team of Decepticons including [[Banzai-Tron (G1)|Banzai-Tron]] and Bludgeon in a raid on an Autobot [[Sun-Farming facility]]. Despite the Autobots putting up more resistance than expected, Thunderwing and his men triumphed, conquering the facility and sending the Autobots packing. {{storylink|Revelation (Legends)|Revelation}}

===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:BattleTacticsThunderwing.jpg|thumb|400px|Not so menacing when you are a [[Super deformed|super deformer]], uh?]]
Thunderwing participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Uncommon character who could be recruited after collecting 120 units of Cybermetal, and 56 units of Transmetal. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
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==Toys==
===''The Transformers''===
[[File:G1Thunderwing toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|You passed this up when you saw it in the stores. Then [[Simon Furman|Furman]] had to come along.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Mega Pretender, [[1989]])
**''Accessories'': Pretender shell, 2 heat-seeking laser blasters, [[cyclone cannon]]
:Thunderwing's inner robot transforms into a rather simple Cybertronic shuttlecraft. His [[Pretender]] shell also transforms into a starship mode of its own. The inner vehicle can be attached underneath the nose of the larger vehicle to create a combined starship mode. The inner robot is relatively generic in appearance (as with most Pretenders) while his outer Pretender shell resembles an alien warrior with Japanese {{w|Oni (folklore)|oni}} influences. The inner robot carries a small "cyclone cannon" laser, while the shell is armed with two large laser blasters. All three of his guns can be mounted on his shell's vehicle mode. The large laser blasters can be mounted on the jet two different ways, either perpendicular or parallel to the wing undersides.

:Unlike fellow Mega Pretenders [[Crossblades (G1)#Toys|Crossblades]] or [[Vroom (G1)#Toys|Vroom]], parts do not need to be removed and rearranged in order for Thunderwing to achieve any of his modes.

:This mold was [[retool]]ed to make [[Black Shadow (G1)#Toys|Black Shadow]].
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm More information on Thunderwing at TFU.info]''
::*''[http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/decepticon/1989/instr_thunderwing.jpg Instruction booklet for Thunderwing at Botchthecrab.com]''
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===''Generations''===
[[File:Generationstoy-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Matrix obsession sold separately.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Deluxe Class, [[2010]])
**''Accessories'': 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, recon drone
:Part of the fifth wave of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Thunderwing's alternate mode is a fighter jet loosely based on an [[United States Air Force#F-22 Raptor|F-22 Raptor]], with different wings but retaining the F-22's characteristic zigzag patterns sculpted on the hull. He transforms into a robot that looks like the original Thunderwing toy's Pretender shell. The nose of the jet can detach and become a separate aerial drone, while the two missile launchers can detach from the wings and become handheld weapons or clip together into one massive gun. The middle section of the sculpted missiles on the sides of the guns are also compatible with [[C joint]] accessories. Thunderwing's colors seem to be inspired by his color scheme in the latter end of the Marvel run, considering his green arms. There is also an homage to [[Don Figueroa]]'s design in ''Stormbringer'' with Thunderwing's face and feet.

:At [[BotCon 2010]], the [[Hasbro]] design team noted that they had wanted to make the aerial drone unit transform into a robot but were unable to do so (presumably for budget reasons, though they didn't go into that detail).  

:The toy is slightly mistransformed in packaging, with the chest section that conceals his head in jet mode in its robot mode position.

:This sculpt was retooled to make ''Generations'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Generations|Sky Shadow]] and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 toyline)|Adventure]]'' [[Black Shadow (RID)#Toys|Black Shadow]] as well as [[BotCon 2012]] [[Metalhawk (G1)#Timelines|Metalhawk]]. Thunderwing's [[instructions]] initially depicted him with Sky Shadow's head and chest. A [[Variant|running change]] version of the instructions depicts Thunderwing's own head, but keeps Sky Shadow's chest unchanged.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Decepticon/Thunderwing/thunderwing.htm More information on ''Generations'' Thunderwing at TFU.info]''
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===''United''===
[[File:Unitedtoy-Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sometimes Hasbro beats Takara to media accuracy.]]
*'''Thunderwing''' (Deluxe Class, [[2012]]-[[January 28|01-28]])
**''ID number:'' '''UN-26'''
**''Accessories'': 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, recon drone

:The ''[[Transformers United|United]]'' release of Thunderwing decos his robot mode to approximate the colors of the original toy rather than his Marvel appearances. It achieves this by changing the green plastic on his arms for gray and the green plastic on his thighs and waist side armor for black plastic. The clear orange plastic is now a clear cherry red, the light green and dark green paint is a hi-gloss forest green, and the blue paint is slightly darker. His light gray plastic is now a cream color. Last but not least the purple plastic is a very light purple on this release.

:The soft-plastic spikes on ''United'' Thunderwing's arms are much softer than either his ''Generations'' counterpart or Sky Shadow's. 

:Like the 5th and 6th wave figures, Thunderwing's package feature a sticker that said "limited quantity (数量限定)", indicating that this figure is released in limited numbers after its first and only shipment.
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===''Titans Return''===
{{anchor|TRSOC}}
[[File:TitansReturn TitanMaster Thunderwing.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Evil cute little robot but still dangerous.]]
*'''Siege on Cybertron''' (2017)

:''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' Thunderwing is a retool of [[Titan Master]] [[Fangry (G1)#Generations|Fangry]], with a new die-cast metal head mode face based on Thunderwing's Pretender Shell face, and a torso shared with Titan Master [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#TRCOV|Rodimus Prime]]. The robot mode face is based on [[Don Figueroa]]'s ''Stormbringer'' design.

:Thunderwing was only available as part of the "Siege of Cybertron" set, which also includes [[Ginrai (robot)#Titans Return|Magnus Prime]] & [[Ginrai (human)#Generations|Ginrai]], [[Fathom#Toys|Fathom]] & [[Tidal Wave (G1)#Generations|Tidal Wave]], [[Haruma Gō#Toys|Professor Go]] & [[Metalhawk (G1)#Generations|Metalhawk]], and [[Pounce#Generations|Decepticon Pounce]]. In the United States, this set was exclusive to [[BigBadToyStore]], but it saw a wider release in Canada where it was available at [[Toys"R"Us]], [[Amazon (website)|Amazon]], the Canadian [[Walmart]] online store, book store chain Indigo and several PC retailers (seriously!). Additionally, it was also available at retail in Hong Kong and Singapore and even saw an official in the Netherlands, where it was exclusively available from BOL.

:This sculpt was also used to make [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Titans Return|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Scorponok (G1)/toys#Generations|Scorponok]].
{{TRFangryMold}}
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==Notes==
[[File:Thunderwingisdeath.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Like that cannon he always carries around? Too bad, the toy ain't got it.]]
[[File:Thunderwingg1catalog.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|<s>Also available in Violent Violet.</s>]]
*According to the Marvel UK story, "[[The Big Shutdown!]]", Thunderwing stands at 40 feet tall while in his Pretender shell.
*Thunderwing only transformed out of his humanoid shell mode once in the entire United States run of the Marvel Comics series. Even then, it was into his non-combined shell-only jet mode, leaving no hint that he had an inner robot mode at all. The only time we see his inner robot mode is in his first appearance, the Marvel United Kingdom story, "[[The Big Shutdown!]]".
*Thunderwing's Marvel Comics appearances give him a four-barreled hand weapon that's completely fabricated, as it's not based on any of the toy's three guns. As with the melee weapons [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Stranglehold]], and [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] use in the comic, his four-barreled cannon likely originated from his unpublished [[character model]].
*A phenomenon [[Straxus (G1)|seen]] [[Circuit Breaker (G1)|often]] in the Marvel United States material, Thunderwing suffered from color scheme shift. At first, he appears in colors that approximate his toy's layout as best as the printing process allowed. Suddenly, in his biggest, most memorable appearances in [[Dark Creation|#65]] and [[All Fall Down|#66]], much of his blacks, grays, and blues were replaced by light greens. As a side effect of this phenomenon, since covers are colored in advance of the interiors, #66's cover featured a blue-armed Thunderwing with a green-armed Thunderwing inside. 
*Hasbro [[stock photography|photography]] of Thunderwing shows some plastic color differences from the final product. His shell's arms are the same purple as his guns instead of gray, and his inner robot's thighs are that purple as well, instead of the final toy's black. Black paint is applied to the shell's thighs differently, and the inner robot's forearms seem to be painted light gray. Additionally, the smaller robot is incapable of toting either of the larger guns in jet mode, as the peghole isn't large enough. 
*Speaking of pegholes, both of Thunderwing's large guns have [[5 mm post]]s with holes in the center that can function very much like [[Powerlinx]]able pegs, which means one can store [[Mini-Con]]s on them, if one so desires.
*Fitting with [[Don Figueroa]]'s method of making all of his robot designs able to be easily turned into toys, IDW Thunderwing's Ultra Mode is telegraphed by his kibble. An image in the ''[[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]]'' trade paperback's sketch section shows exactly how he transforms into it.
*Kreon Thunderwing's appearance in the comic is extremely small, making it difficult to tell what Kre-O parts he's made out of.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Thunderwing''' (サンダーウイング ''Sandāuingu''; サンダーウィング<ref>Japanese translation of ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]''</ref> ''Sandāwingu'')
*''French:'' '''Aérofoudre''' (Canada, "Aerolightning"), '''Foudre''' (France, "Lightning")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Léi Yì''' (Taiwan, 雷翼, "Thunder Wing"), '''Léi Yì Wáng''' (China, 雷翼王, "King Thunder Wing")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Mennydörgés''' ("Thunder")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2019) Transformers]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Regeneration One Decepticons]]
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Titan Masters]]
[[Category:Titans Return Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]
[[Category:White Order]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]