Editing Thundercracker (Armada)

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{{disambig3|Thundercracker}}
:''Thundercracker is a [[Decepticon]] in the [[Armada (franchise)|Armada]] and [[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]] portions of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] continuity family.''

[[Image:ArmadaThundercracker.jpg|right|273px|thumb|Say, haven&#39;t I seen you somewhere before?]]
'''Thundercracker''' suffered from low self-esteem and longed for approval from authority figures to validate his existence. He was willing to work as hard as necessary to gain attention and praise from [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], but when all his efforts were ignored or taken for granted, he grew frustrated.   Thundercracker felt the need to engage in ever more risky and reckless behavior in an attempt to gain Megatron's notice. Many predicted this would lead to his destruction.

When next we see Thundercracker it is over ten years later, loyally serving under [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] during the search for the [[Cyber Planet Key|Cyber Planet Keys]]. In the intervening years he became something of a jokester and goofball. This has often gained him the attention that he craves. Though frequently, especially when Megatron is the brunt of the joke, it is far from positive attention. Thundercracker doesn't seem mature enough to tell the difference, but he does know when to get the smelt out of Decepticon HQ before Megatron looks for someone to pummel.


{{Note|The [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] ''[[More Than Meets The Eye (Armada)|More Than Meets The Eye]]'' profile book series for ''Armada'' portrays Thundercracker very differently, as a former Decepticon who left the army centuries ago. However, this does not seem to mesh with the glimpses of unreleased ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' comic issues where Thundercracker, along with several other Armada-series characters, show up in the present day.}}


==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Armada''====
When both the Autobots and Decepticons encountered the powerful [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]] on a strange world, they were thoroughly thrashed by the evil [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] look-a-like. The Mini-Cons accompanying the Autobots joined together to repair the Transformers and give them extra power. When Starscream gained his new coloration, he stated with distaste that he looked just like Thundercracker.  {{storylink|Puppet|Puppet}}

====''Cybertron''====
{{Cleanup|March 2009|Needs storylinks and general expansion.}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[Mark Oliver]] (English) [[Kazunari Tanaka]] (Japanese)

[[Image:CybThundercracker.jpg|left|250px|thumb|He puts the "cracker"; in "Thundercracker".  A-hyuck!]]

Back outside the boundaries of the [[Unicron Singularity]], Thundercracker and the few remaining Decepticons still loyal to Galvatron were given a boost of Omega Lock power, super-sizing them so they could take on the massed armies that had gathered from all of the colony worlds to oppose them.  Thundercracker took on Optimus Prime himself to give Galvatron time to achieve his goal.  However, Thundercracker was then gang-attacked by [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]], [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]], [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], and [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]], giving Prime the opportunity to chase Galvatron into the black hole.

Thundercracker continued to fight, and came very close to being directly in the path of the singularity-collapsing cannon-blast from the massive [[Ark (Cybertron)|''Ark'' starship]].

After the defeat of Galvatron and the closing of the Unicron Singularity, Thundercracker realized that Galvatron was going to let him die in the cataclysm that his plan would have caused, and along with the other now-de-powered Decepticons, ran off.  When the rocket boosters that were built on the [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]] to push the world back to its normal place in the cosmos began to fail, the four Decepticons arrived, cackling... and helped with the efforts to keep the thrusters upright and functional, deciding to try being on the winning team for once.

{{charstubfiction}}

[[Image:Thundercracker-Autobot.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Thundercracker gits &#39;r&#39; done.]]
Thundercracker spent most of his time then on Earth, under the supervision of Mudflap, helping rebuild cities damaged by the Singularity's effects.  When the Autobots were ready to begin their [[Space Bridge]] initiative, Thundercracker went to see his new "best friend" Optimus Prime off.  Unfortunately, he ran across his former Decepticon allies, who were sick of trying to fit in, and had built a ramshackle rocket and taken off to form the [[New Decepticon Army]].  The trio shanghaied Thundercracker, who ''really'' didn't want to join them, and took off for parts unknown.

They made it as far as [[Mars]] before the rocket crashed. {{Storylink|Beginning}}

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==Toys==
===Armada===
{{anchor|ArMax}}
[[Image:Armada Thundercracker toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|DEAD GRAY EYES.]]
*'''Thundercracker with Zapmaster''' (Max-Con, 2003)
**''Accessories'': Wing-sword, 2 "blast" missiles

: Thundercracker is a [[redeco]] of ''Armada'' [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], transforming into a Cybertronic fighter jet.  In both modes, pressing down on his cockpit canopy activates electronic sound effects; in jet mode, it also deploys his [[Mini-Con]] partner [[Zapmaster]] if he is stored under the cockpit.  Plugging a Mini-Con onto his rearmost [[Powerlinx]] plug releases two spring-activated over-shoulder spring-loaded missile launchers, as well as more electronic sound effects.  His left wing detaches and unfolds to form a large sword for use in robot mode.  He is something of a rarity in the Armada line, in that he is a redeco that is a new, separate character rather than a "[[Powerlinx]]" upgrade of an existing character.

: This mold was [[Retool|retooled]] to make ''Armada'' [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]] and ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]].

:In Japan, Thundercracker's toy is simply a "powered up" version of Starscream.

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{{anchor|BTR}}
[[Image:BTR Armada Thundercracker.jpg|150px|thumb|Energon cake goes right to his hips.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Built to Rule, 2003)

: For the ''[[Built to Rule]]'' line, Thundercracker was once again a redeco, a new-color version of the Starscream set. He can be assembled into a Cybertronic fighter jet or a robot, or to whatever else you feel like making out of the blocks provided (or any blocks you feel like adding). He came with a building-brick version of Zapmaster.  The set features two missile launchers that use a unique "twist-block" pressure-launch mechanism. He was one of the last of the Transformers ''Built To Rule'' toys released at wide retail.

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===Cybertron===
<span id="CybDx1"></span>
[[Image:TCracker-CybToy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|This hick&#39;s shotgun is built-in.]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Deluxe, 2005)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''GD-02'''
**''Accessories'': Missile, Earth Cyber Key

: Part of the first wave of the ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' series, Thundercracker transforms into a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Su-35 Sukhoi Su-35] fighter jet. Inserting a [[Cyber Planet Key]] into his rear fuselage pops up the back panel, revealing a spring-loaded missile launcher. This assembly becomes his left forearm in robot mode, despite being almost as long as he is tall.  He came with a silver-bordered [[Earth]]-style Cyber Planet Key; the [[Hasbro]] release has the [[Cyber Key Codes|Key Code]] "'''d98d'''" [[Tampograph|tampographed]] on the back of it.

: The [[Takara]] ''Galaxy Force'' release of the toy is slightly different from the later [[Hasbro]] ''Cybertron'' release, mainly the Hasbro version added a Decepticon  insignia to the missile-launcher cover.

: This mold was also used to make ''Cybertron'' [[Skywarp (Armada)|Skywarp]] and [[Movie (toyline)|live-action movie continuity]] [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]].

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{{anchor|CybVsCross}}
*'''Ground To Air Blast Pack: Crosswise vs Thundercracker''' (Multi-pack, 2006)

: In 2006, Target got multiple [[exclusive]] toys and reduced-price multi-packs, among them a set with unaltered versions of Thundercracker and [[Crosswise (Cybertron)|Crosswise]] for about 75% of the cost of two Deluxes normally.
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{{anchor|TinyTin}}
*'''Thundercracker with Downshift''' (Tiny Tins multi-pack, 2006)

: Part of a run of Wal-Mart exclusive sets, Thundercracker was also sold in a larger box that came with a special [[redeco]] of the [[Race Mini-Con Team]] member [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]], plus a special [[Tiny Tins]] carrying tin for the Mini-Con.
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{{anchor|LoC}}
[[Image:Cybertron LOC Thundercracker.jpg|170px|thumb|"Hey Sarge! They done gave me one of these new-fangled DOUBLE shotguns!"]]
*'''Thundercracker''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)

: A smaller, simplified version of the deluxe toy was released in the fourth wave of the ''[[Legends Class|Legends of Cybertron]]'' line.  Unlike the large toy, this version has two robot-mode fists, and the blaster-weapon is now an arm-mounted double-barreled weapon.

: This mold was used to make ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], and the [[Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 ''Universe'']] Legends-class [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]].

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===Universe===
*'''Excellion vs. Thundercracker''' (Multipack, 2007)

: During [[Christmas|Christmastime]] 2007, Wal-Mart got several exclusive double-packs of ''Cybertron'' Deluxes sold under the ''[[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' banner. For this series, Thundercracker came packaged with [[Excellion]].

==Trivia==
* According to [[Joe Kyde]], the reason for ''Armada'' Thundercracker's red face was because the gray plastic used to make the eyes is [[unpaintable plastic]], so he changed the original plan from gray face and red eyes to red face and gray eyes.

* One of Thundercracker's lines in the episode "[[Inferno (episode)|Inferno]]", as well as several other episodes, is "[[wikipedia:Larry_the_Cable_Guy|git 'r' done]]". Seriously.

[[Image:Darkness-TCrackerROUD.jpg|right|180px|thumb|WHEEEE!]]

* Between his "Rain of Ultimate DEEE-struction" in ''[[Darkness (episode)|Darkness]]'' and his "Super 'Lectric Lightnin' Thundercrackin' Punch" in ''[[Ambush]]'', Thundercracker seems particularly fond of making up ridiculously dramatic attack names. Strangely enough, the attacks ''themselves'' proved to be effective, but whether this says more about Thundercracker or his target ([[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]], both cases) is hard to say.

* In the last episode of ''Cybertron'', Thundercracker showed no signs of hard feelings towards the Autobots, and was even shown working hard on the Space Bridge for them. Even later when he is shanghaied by his former allies, he is shown wearing a rather badly drawn Autobot symbol on his chest. This stands in some contrast to his [[Generation 1]] namesake, who hated anything that couldn't fly but felt doubts when innocent [[human]] lives were in danger.

* Of all the Decepticons in the ''Cybertron'' cartoon, Thundercracker is the only one who stayed loyal to Megatron/Galvatron from start to finish (well, at least till Galvatron betrayed ''him'').

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm Armada Thundercracker at TFU.info]

*[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm Cybertron Thundercracker at TFU.info]


[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Built to Rule]]
[[Category:Cybertron characters]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]