Editing Star Seeker

{{factions|starseeker}}
[[File:Symbol star seeker reg.png|upright=1.4|thumb|What're we up to now, three Autobot/Decepticon symbol fusions? We've lost count.]]
The '''Star Seekers''' (aka '''Star Raiders''') are a crew of space pirates. They are headed by [[Thundertron]], who due to his hate of Cybertronians, leads them in their spacecraft, the ''[[Tidal Wave (Prime)|Tidal Wave]]'', to hunt down any and all Cybertronians they can find.

==Fiction==
===Aligned novels===
Thundertron led his crew on the trail of a [[Ark (WFC)|Cybertronian ship]], landing on [[Velocitron]].  Facing opposition from [[Override (Prime)|the planet's leader]], Thundertron grew angry and ordered his men to attack. 

Continuing their travels, they took a [[space bridge]] to [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. Discovering not only the ''Ark'' but [[Trypticon (WFC)|another Cybertronian ship]], Thundertron met [[Wreck-Gar (Prime)|Wreck-Gar]] while the Cybertronians fought each other. Forcing Wreck-Gar and the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] to repair the ''[[Tidal Wave (Prime)|Tidal Wave]]'' and install a space bridge on it, Brimstone and Cannonball killed [[Arclight (Junkion)|Arclight]] on Thundertron's orders to make a point. Following the repair and installation, the Star Seekers attacked the Cybertronians. After acquiring the [[Requiem Blaster (Megatronus)|Requiem Blaster]], the pirates affixed it to their vessel.

The Star Seekers gained a member for the crew with the addition of Axer, who feigned hatred for Cybertronians to live and join the crew. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

Some time after the battle on Junkion, the Star Seekers reunited with their fleet and used [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] technology to mimic the frequency of the ''Ark'' and lure the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' into a trap where they would destroy it with the Requiem Blaster. Once the trap had been sprung, [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] proposed an alliance between the two factions, with him in charge, before both sides came to blows. The more nimble ''Nemesis'' took advantage of the Requiem Blaster's high energy consumption rate to have the pirates detach the weapon before it moved in for the kill, damaging the ''Tidal Wave'' to the point of retreat. As the Star Seekers fled, Thundertron swore that he and Megatron would cross blades again, an opinion that the Decepticon leader did not share, overriding pursuit of the pirates in favour of continuing to hunt the [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

'''Known Members:'''
*[[Axer (Prime)|Axer]]
*[[Brimstone (Prime)|Brimstone]]
*[[Cannonball (Prime)|Cannonball]]
*[[Sandstorm (Prime)|Sandstorm]]
*[[Starquest]]
*[[Thundertron]] (leader)

===''Wings Universe''===
The Star Seekers rescued [[Tornado]] and [[Ferak]] from Autobot pursuers and enlisted them as part of their crew, the Decepticon duo joining them on a series of epic space adventures as the pirates gathered enough resources for a heist. Once all the necessary supplies had been gathered, the ''Tidal Wave'' [[time travel]]ed to the year [[2984]] whereupon Cannonball intended to siphon away the [[energon]] reserves of a now peaceful and defenceless [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

Recruiting the Decepticon [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]], the Star Seekers travelled to the [[Galadria Space Bridge Outpost]] in the [[Delta Prysmos Sector]] to use the [[space bridge]] to enter [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s head, intending to use the deceased god's systems to drain the planet. As they schemed, the pirates were confronted by the [[Cybertronian Knight]]s who revealed that Cybertron was now [[technorganic]] and no longer ran on pure energon as a result. Feeling like plonkers, the pirates were taken into custody. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

After breaking free of the prison, the Star Seekers began a new quest for the [[spark]] of the immortal [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] heading to the planet [[Shut-Up-Tornado-I'm-Trying-To-Think]] in the [[Unknown Sector]] where they found but a decrepit [[Quintesson]] who asked for passage off the planet in exchange for Starscream's location. In short order it was revealed that Starscream's spirit had possessed the Quintesson, abandoning its body for Cannonball's, reformatting it to suit his needs. Backed by Flamewar, Starscream took control of the ship, the Decepticons stranding a third of the Star Seekers, along with Cannonball's own spark, on Shut-Up-Tornado-I'm-Trying-To-Think. {{storylink|Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur}}

'''Known Present Members:'''
{| style="margin-left:-0.25em;" width="100%"
|width="25%" valign="top"|
*[[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball the 5th]] (captain)
*[[Arms Minicon]]s
**[[Pillage]]
**[[Plunder]]
*[[Axer (G1)|Axor]]
*[[Brimstone (G1 Star Seeker)|Brimstone]]
*[[Chairman]]
*[[Eclipse (G1)|Eclipse]]
*[[Ferak]]
|width="25%" valign="top"|
*[[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]]
*[[Shokaract|Hunter]]
*[[Izzerkilod]]
*[[Navigator (Star Seeker)|Navigator]]
*[[Olin Zarak]] / [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]
*[[Rockhopper]]
*[[Thunderlane (G1)|Thunderlane]]
*[[Tornado]]
*[[Vez]]
|width="25%" valign="top"|[[Dread Pirate Crew]] Pounce-types:
*[[Cutback]]
*[[Drydock (G1)|Drydock]]
*[[Neurotoxin]]
*[[Rolling Thunder (G1)|Rolling Thunder]]
*[[Stormcharge]]
*[[Wheellock]]
|width="25%" valign="top"|Dread Pirate Crew Wingspan-types:
*[[Boltcaster]]
*[[Lockpick]]
*[[Skyduster]]
*[[Thunderclap (G1)|Thunderclap]]
*[[Turbolift]]
|}

'''Known Past Members:'''
*[[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball the 3rd]]
*[[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball the 4th]]
*[[Gallows]]
*[[Guillotine]]
*[[Prism Glider]]
*[[Star Dasher]]

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
After the technologically superior [[Human Confederacy]] had declared the Great War over, {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}} the Decepticon [[Star Dasher]] signed on to the Star Seekers. The group enjoyed a successful career until they ran afoul of some [[Nebulan]] [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] who dragged the Star Seekers back to Cybertron, ending their plundering. {{storylink|Safe Spaces}}

'''Known Past Members:'''
* [[Cannonball (G1)|Cannonball the 3rd]]
* [[Bilge (BWU)|Bilge]]
* [[Nebulon (Headmasters)|The Nebulon]]
* [[Neurotoxin]]
* [[Pillage]]
* [[Star Dasher]]
* [[Tornado]]

==Games==
===''Transformers Online''===
Thundertron and the Star Seekers recruited robots that turn into animals from another planet,<ref>http://tf.91.com/guide/map/map.shtml</ref> and they hunt Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2012 video game)|Transformers Online}}
{{charstubgame}}

==Notes==
*As originally conceived, the Star Seekers consisted of Thundertron, captain of the ''Tidal Wave'', and his crew: [[Cosmos (RID)|Cosmos]], [[Cannonball (Prime)|Cannonball]], [[Axer (Prime)|Axer]], [[Sandstorm (Prime)|Sandstorm]], [[Brimstone (Prime)|Brimstone]], [[Chromia (Prime)|Chromia]], [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]], [[Crumplezone (Prime)|Crumplezone]] (an Aligned version of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]]), [[Oilslick]], a character based on the [[Tako Tank]], and a [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=In the concept around Thundertron [...] he had a ship that he got away on, which was the ''Tidal Wave'' [...] The crew that we had planned for ''Tidal Wave'' was a Junkion [...] Cosmos [...] Cannonball was on that list. We had Chromia, I believe? Dreadwing... [...] Is that the green guy from ''Cybertron''? [...] Yeah, Crumplezone, Crumplezone was in our pitch. [...] Oil Slick, I think, the ''Animated'' kind of bubble-headed Mr. Freeze looking dude, he was also on that short list. [...] The giant Tako-squid-thing from that ''Beast Wars Neo'' set with the bike [...] that guy was in there too.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGOC47Wrt5Y&t=1132s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=LIVE: Cybertron Starscream/Cannonball thoughts|year-2024|month=03|day=23}}</ref> This roster was compiled for internal presentations for the Aligned continuity, and the same pitch was later repurposed for the ''Transformers Online'' MMO.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Now that says MMO, but that was actually us reusing the presentation for a different presentation for an MMO, but originally this was built for the Aligned continuity. So there's the Tako guy, Axer was on the list, there's the Junkion, Sandstorm...|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGOC47Wrt5Y&t=1391s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=LIVE: Cybertron Starscream/Cannonball thoughts|year-2024|month=03|day=23}}</ref>
*[[Rik Alvarez]] has said ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' would have introduced "pirates" if it had continued.<ref>Rik Alvarez panel, slide show on ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)#Season 3: Beast Hunters|Beast Hunters]]'' - [http://sunnybutte.tumblr.com/post/131368170623/and-if-you-were-wondering-why-beast-hunters-was See fan photos]</ref>
*The ''Wings Universe'' Star Seekers almost included the Generation 1 Insecticon [[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]], who would have had a toy redecoed from [[Kickback (FOC)|''Generations Fall of Cybertron'' Kickback]].<ref>[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14br.html BotCon 2014 attendee report by griffin]</ref>
*The Chinese name 雷霆怒 shows nothing connected with the original name, but according to '''Hasbro Transformers''''s Weibo post, it is the real Chinese name of Star Seeker.<ref>[https://weibo.com/2105859182/NkwxOg2QA]</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Mandarin:'' '''Léi Tíng Nù''' (China, 雷霆怒, "Thunder anger"), '''Xīngjì Xúnyóuzhě''' (China, 星际巡游者, "Interstellar Rangers")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Pirates]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Star Seekers| ]]
[[Category:Wings Universe subgroups]]