Editing Soundwave (G1)

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{{disambig3|Soundwave}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 character eventually upgraded to Soundblaster|the ''Cybertron'' character|Soundblaster (Cybertron)}}
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:''Soundwave is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''

[[Image:SpotlightSoundwave clean.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]

'''Soundwave''' is one of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s most reliable troops, and he has positioned himself comfortably and irreplaceably in the Decepticon upper command structure. Though "only" Communications Officer, Soundwave stands at Megatron's side as a confidant, comparable in rank to [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], but unlike them, entirely loyal to his leader. Though stoic and possessed of little outward personality (as evidenced by his monotone computer-style speech), Soundwave is not without drives: he has worked hard to get where he is, and he guards his place in the Decepticon hierarchy fiercely. On top of hearing all in his role as Communications Officer and Decepticon spy-master, he is actually capable of "reading minds" by scanning and decoding the electrical impulses that comprise "thoughts" in both organics and Cybertronians, and he will not hesitate to use what he learns as blackmail to keep himself high in Megatron's esteem. As such, Soundwave is not popular among the rank-and-file Decepticons, who see him as a two-faced snake and wouldn't mind abandoning him on the battlefield—if they thought Megatron would let them get away with it.

Soundwave commands an ever-growing legion of [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassette troops]] to carry out tasks big and small. Stored within his signature chest compartment and called forth on Soundwave's whim with a push of a button, these miniature menaces are most commonly employed as spies for either the Decepticon cause or Soundwave's personal objectives, but are just as effective as warriors, and are entirely devoted to their master. They are also not Soundwave's only diminutive partners: as an [[Action Master]], he is [[Action Master partner|partnered]] with [[Wingthing (G1)|Wingthing]].

In various universes, Soundwave is upgraded into '''Soundblaster''' (サウンドブラスター ''Saundoburasutā'').

{{quote|As you command, Megatron.|Soundwave, eternal loyalist|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Contentedfools.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Ravage, Megatron, and Soundwave, the first Decepticons.]]
Millions of years ago, Soundwave was one of the first members of the Decepticons; after sowing discontent amongst the masses, he, [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] began the war that tore the planet itself out of its orbit. The Decepticons, including Soundwave, attempted to hijack the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]] four million years ago, only to fail and fall into deactivation sleep for four million years. In 1984, the detonation of the volcano, [[Mount St. Hilary]], reactivated the Autobots and Decepticons, unleashing their war on Earth. Learning the [[Human|inhabitants]] of this planet had access to its vast energy sources, Soundwave joined the Decepticons in raiding a drive-in movie theatre. {{storylink|The Transformers (issue)|The Transformers}} Soon after, Soundwave participated in a raid on [[Harrison Nuclear Power Plant]], and after helping the Decepticons make off with large chunks of its machinery, helped use their bounty to build a [[Fortress Sinister|new headquarters atop a cliffside]]. {{storylink|Power Play!}} After returning from [[S. Witwicky Auto Repairs & Tow Service]] with [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], a human the Decepticons kidnapped to help them convert human fuel to Transformer fuel, the Decepticons' headquarters were infiltrated by a rescue party of [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] and the human superhero [[Spider-Man]]. While Spider-Man caused a diversion in front of Soundwave, Gears was able to suckerpunch him. {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}} 

[[Image:Laserbeakwarriorschool.jpg|right|150px|thumb|"Fly, my pretties, fly!"]]
''When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] nearly caused the death of Ravage, Megatron rallied the other Decepticons, including Soundwave, to enact vengeance for his treason. {{storylink|The Enemy Within!}} Later, the Decepticons unleashed a surprise attack on the Ark. After Soundwave defeated [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], the battle was halted when [[Aunty]], the Ark's computer system, turned rogue. After the crisis was averted, Soundwave and the others were able to retreat. {{storylink|Raiders of the Last Ark}}'' Due to Sparkplug's efforts during his kidnapping, the Decepticons were able to refuel, and Soundwave and his comrades attacked the Autobots. However, Sparkplug had poisoned the fuel, and Soundwave shorted out along with the others. As Soundwave lay deactivated, it was only the surprise arrival of [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] that turned the tide. {{storylink|The Last Stand}}

Shockwave assumed command, and immediately began restoring Soundwave and the other poisoned Decepticons. Soundwave was ordered to prepare the bodies of the fallen Autobots to serve as spare parts for Shockwave's new army of Decepticons. {{storylink|The New Order}} Megatron objected to this new order and rebelled, but Shockwave quelled him quickly, and paraded Megatron's broken body in front of Soundwave and his peers as a warning to those who would cross him. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}} Under Shockwave's command, Soundwave attacked the [[Blackrock Aerospace Assembly Plant Number One]] and secured it for Decepticon use. {{storylink|Warrior School!}} The plant's facilities were used to create the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], who built a massive radio dish that Soundwave used to beam a message back to Cybertron. However, the radio dish was destroyed when Soundwave was defeated by [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] and the human trucker [[Bomber Bill]]. {{storylink|The Next Best Thing to Being There!}} 

[[Image:Soundwavedinobothunt.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"And you—YOU!—no longer exiiii... oh, wait."]]
''A short time later, during a brief period when both Megatron and Shockwave were missing in action, Soundwave assumed leadership of the Decepticons, happily slagging off [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s ambitions of leadership. His first attempt at manipulating Autobots into a trap failed. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}} The second, taking advantage of the "Dinobot Hunt", was a major success—six Autobots were badly injured, not counting two of the Dinobots, and a large amount of fuel was stolen while the Autobots tried to stop a Dinobot rampage in a human town. On the way out, Soundwave proudly declared their victory, a turn of events that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] did not enjoy.'' {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt!}}

When Megatron resurfaced, rendered immobile in a [[Wyoming]] [[Wyoming base|coal mine]] due to lack of fuel, Soundwave sped to his rescue, re-energizing him. {{storylink|I, Robot-Master!}} ''Using the splintered state of the Decepticon forces to his advantage, Soundwave worked both sides of the field, reporting to both Megatron and the returned Shockwave, each without the other's knowledge. When Shockwave learned that the human [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster Witwicky]] had begun to suffer [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]-induced visions of the [[Combiner|next leap in Transformer evolution]], Soundwave reported this to Megatron, prompting him to battle Shockwave for leadership. The Decepticons' human ally, [[Donny Finkleberg|Robot-Master]], televised the battle, much to Soundwave's distaste, and in order to prevent the Decepticons from looking like fools, he interrupted the duel and insisted that they agree to a joint leadership.'' {{storylink|Second Generation!}}

[[Image:Soundwavetarget2006.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You find: Insanity!]]
''When the Robot-Master hoax the Decepticons were perpetrating was threatened by the investigative work of [[Joy Meadows]], Soundwave was instrumental in ending the conflict that ensued between the Decepticons and the Dinobots by holding the reporter hostage and destroying her footage.'' {{storylink|In the National Interest}} ''Not long thereafter, when the deranged future Decepticon, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], traveled back in time, Soundwave was intrigued by the fact that he was unable to scan his mind to discern the truth of his identity. Siding with Megatron when conflict erupted, Soundwave and his leader were buried under an avalanche by Galvatron and then rescued by the Autobots in the name of forming an alliance to defeat their common enemy.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

''Soundwave's loyalty to Megatron was shaken when the latter became increasingly paranoid. Consequently he manipulated his leader into summoning the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to Earth as part of a scheme by Shockwave to ensure a weaponless Megatron was destroyed by Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Prey!}} However Megatron survived and soon returned to the Decepticon leadership, albeit with his memories of the events lost. {{storylink|Resurrection!}} ''Soundwave ''again'' served as co-conspirator when Shockwave once more used the Predacons to destroy Megatron. In the process a deranged Megatron seemingly committed suicide on the [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}}

''Soundwave was now once again under Shockwave's command, and, while patrolling on the Decepticons' mobile island base, he found himself attacked and subdued by the time-traveling freelance peace-keeping agent, [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]], and tricked into giving up information on the whereabouts of Galvatron.'' {{storylink|Hunters}} ''Although Death's Head's attempts to track down the Decepticon met with failure, Galvatron was ultimately entombed in lava, where he was later discovered by [[Susan Hoffman]]. Soundwave observed a televised broadcast of her discovery, and he and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] attempted to destroy Galvatron with explosives planted around the volcano in question. After a battle with the [[Throttlebot|Throttlebots]], Soundwave found that he was unable to remote-detonate the explosives thanks to [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] jamming his signal.'' {{storylink|Ladies' Night (issue)|Ladies' Night}}

[[Image:FlamesofBoltax-SoundwaveRatbat.jpg|left|300px|thumb|In Soviet Russia, ''tape'' commands ''you''!]]
When Shockwave was removed from power, Soundwave smoothly transitioned to serving under the new Decepticon leader, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and helped to operate his [[Realvision]] playback system to decode data from Autobot tapes [[Grand Slam (G1)|Grand Slam]] and [[Raindance]]. {{storylink|The Flames of Boltax!}} The tapes, it was discovered, contained information on the [[Underbase]], the power of which was desired by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] so badly he sparked off a Decepticon-Decepticon war to cover himself. Soundwave ended up having his fuel pump torn into by [[Bomb-Burst (G1)|Bomb-Burst]]. {{storylink|Cold War!}} When Starscream gained the Underbase's power and targeted the Earth, Soundwave co-led the defense of [[Buenos Aires]] alongside [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], but was temporarily deactivated by a blast of cosmic power from Starscream. {{storylink|Dark Star}}

''He was back on his feet by the time that Starscream, now a [[Pretender]], was busy doubting his self-worth. Soundwave was extremely scared of Starscream by this point.'' {{storylink|Fallen Star!}} He continued to operate under the command of the new Decepticon Earth commander, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], though like the other troops he was very unhappy about Starscream being allowed back in after trying to kill everyone. {{storylink|Primal Scream}} He was put in charge of guarding Optimus Prime after the Autobot leader surrendered his troops to Scorponok, hoping to elicit an alliance against the coming of [[Unicron]]. When Prime changed his mind about meekly waiting in a cell for Scorponok to make time for him, however, Soundwave provided little resistance in keeping him there. {{storylink|Surrender!}} After the Decepticon auxiliary army bombed Scorponok's base in New Jersey, Soundwave assumed temporary command of the active Decepticons in fighting back against the traitors, led by Starscream and Shockwave. This "[[Decepticon Civil War]]" didn't last long, though, as all the Autobots and Decepticons of Earth were summoned to Cybertron by [[Primus]] to deal with Unicron. {{storylink|Out of Time!}}

[[Image:TreadshotMarvel.jpg|right|150px|thumb|He's found a new gunformer to toady up with.]]
Soundwave survived the battle with Unicron, and attended a meeting between the briefly-allied Autobots and Decepticons with [[Treadshot (G1)|Treadshot]]. There Blaster announced the imminent end of their world, and an evacuation was called for. Soundwave was still hanging out with Treadshot when he witnessed a fight break out between [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]] and [[Fangry]]. [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], who had assumed command of the Decepticons, doublecrossed the Autobots by sabotaging their ships. Soundwave was last seen beside Bludgeon as the Decepticons left their self-destructing homeworld. {{storylink|Exodus!}}

In an alternate future of 2006, Soundwave was briefly seen participating in a battle on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. He didn't do much except retreat. {{storylink|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (issue)|The Big Broadcast of 2006 (US)}}

{{note|In the UK version of the story, the events of "The Big Broadcast of 2006" are a fabrication invented by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]].}}

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=====Marvel UK future timelines=====
''In 2008, Soundwave was under the command of Shockwave on Cybertron. When the bounty hunter named [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]] arrived with the deactivated bodies of the renegades [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and demanded an audience, Shockwave had Soundwave wait nearby as a precautionary measure. Sure enough, Soundwave's monitoring abilities alerted Shockwave that the two Decepticons were not as dead as they seemed, and the three invaders began an assassination attempt on Shockwave. Soundwave summoned the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticons]], hoping that [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] could breach the sealed doors of the audience chamber in time, but wasn't swift enough. Death's Head killed Shockwave, and together the trio demanded that the Decepticons accept Scourge and Cyclonus as their new leaders. Faced with superior firepower and a hefty dose of explosives, Soundwave was reluctantly forced to accept on behalf of the Decepticons. ''

[[Image:SpacePiratesSoundwaveLeader.JPG|right|400px|thumb|Or, in short, "Soundwave: Superior".]]
''Wasting no time, Scourge and Cyclonus commanded the Decepticons to begin a full-scale assault on [[Autobase]]. This was effectively suicide, as the two armies were just about evenly matched. That, of course, was the point—Scourge and Cyclonus's true master, Unicron, wanted the children of Primus exhausted and depleted in number by the time of his glorious resurrection. After [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] and Death's Head took the fight straight to the recuperating Unicron on [[Junkion (planet)|Junk]], however, he summoned his two minions back to his side. Seeing their "glorious leaders" abandon the battle, Soundwave and [[Hun-Gurrr|Hun-Grrr]] sounded a retreat. In the absence of Unicron's spawn, Soundwave became the new permanent leader of the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Legacy of Unicron!}} ''

''Aching to make a name for himself in Decepticon military history, Soundwave soon fell into a [[Quintesson]] trap. A lone Quintesson arrived at Decepticon headquarters, seeking an alliance against the Autobots, who supposedly had assembled most of their fleet and were on their way to [[Quintessa]]. Instead of helping the Quintessons, Soundwave saw this as an opportunity to invade and destroy the Autobot territory on Cybertron, when most of their warriors were off-world. He assembled his various sub-commanders and set out aboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] to claim a glorious victory.''

[[Image:Soundwaveconsiders.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Too nostalgic to let go of the past? No wonder he's a fan-favorite.]]
''Instead, Soundwave and the Decepticons walked right into an ambush. There were no Autobots on Quintessa: it was a ruse to draw them out of their base, where legions of [[Allicon]]s and [[Trident Attack Craft]]s waited to overwhelm the Decepticons. Seeing the danger his troops were in, Soundwave was forced to call in the Autobots. Sending a garbled distress beacon to Autobase, Soundwave hoped to draw a suitable fighting force of Autobots to their location. He was successful, as [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] and his men remained to fight even after learning who the distress call came from. Autobot and Decepticon fought side-by-side until the Quintesson invaders were either destroyed or driven off-world. In a moment of introspection, Soundwave realized how effective the two armies were when fighting as one instead of as enemies... but quickly brushed aside the idea. Simply too much had happened between the Autobots and Decepticons to ever hope for a peaceful end to the war. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

''In 2009, Soundwave and the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] were on Earth, prepping a new energy extraction system to leech the planet dry. A surgical strike led by [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and Ultra Magnus destroyed all their equipment, however, leaving their power cells empty of [[energon]]. Looking for revenge, the Decepticons pursued the Autobots back to Autobot City, only to find an open [[Time-jump mechanism|trans-time dimensional portal]]. Realizing the Autobots had fled back to 1989 on a mission of unknown purpose, the vengeful Terrorcons wanted to pursue them. Giving in to popular opinion, Soundwave led his troops back through time and right into the midst of the Time Wars.''

''Recognizing that the uncontrolled timestorm could conceivably destroy all of existence, Soundwave chose to put aside vendettas for the moment, and added his men to the alliance of Autobots and Decepticons from two time periods against the unmatched power and evil of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Megatron]] combined. Still, the alliance was far from perfect: Soundwave was more than willing to allow the Autobots to charge in first, letting them die in order to "soften up" the resistance. When things turned ugly, Soundwave and the Terrorcons then fled back to 2009, apparently without ever getting their hands dirty. Their final fate after reality restructured itself and the timestorm abated is unknown. {{storylink|Time Wars}}''

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}
[[Image:Secrets Soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Decepticons never got the hang of Internal Affairs.]]
''In an alternate timeline, Soundwave left [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s army and returned to serving at [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s side during the [[Decepticon Civil War]] against [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], helping him with the launch of a [[global warming satellite]]. {{storylink|Starting Over!}} He was not above exploiting the conflict for his own ends, however. When an energon shipment was hijacked by Shockwave's forces thanks to information Soundwave had given them, Megatron came to suspect the presence of a traitor in his ranks, but ironically assigned Soundwave to identify the culprit. To keep his own duplicity a secret, Soundwave set up [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] to take the fall, and Megatron destroyed the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]]. Soundwave not only got away with his treachery, he went on to happily blackmail everyone he'd mind-scanned. Eat your heart out, Starscream! {{storylink|Secrets}}''

''Approached by Starscream with a plan to make them both Decepticon leaders, Soundwave joined forces with the schemer and lured Megatron and Shockwave to an airport, tipping off the Autobots to their location. With the two leaders thus occupied, Soundwave and Starscream took control of both factions. {{storylink|Internal Affairs!}} Subsequently, Soundwave led an all-out attack on the [[Earthbase|Earthforce base]] as a diversion, while Starscream attempted to plunder an oil tanker. Starscream met with failure, however, leading Soundwave to withdraw his forces and hint to them that maybe be should have sole command... {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}} Starscream was aware of Soundwave's goals, and when he was attacked by a [[Louisiana bounty hunters|group of alien assassins]], he suspected that Soundwave had ordered the hit and struck back at him. Soundwave was able to convince Starscream he was not responsible and that in actuality, it was the work of Megatron and Shockwave. {{storylink|External Forces!}}''

''Soon afterward, Soundwave learned that human reporter [[Irwin Spoon (G1)|Irwin Spoon]] had secured an interview with the Autobots that could potentially resolve the public view of the Transformer war. Seeking to prevent this, he had the Stunticons capture the journalist. Although the Autobots were able to rescue him, a carefully planted [[cerebro-shell]] ensured that the story Irwin wrote was anything but accurate. {{storylink|End of the Road! (UK)|End of the Road!}}''

====''Transformers Comic-Magazin''====
{{TransformersComicMagazin}}
Soundwave was present when the Decepticons unleashed a robotic hell-beast known as 'King Con' on New York and helped Megatron and Shockwave to set up a mine belt around the harbor. However Optimus Prime rented a helicopter to fly a banner announcing huge raw oil deposit finds in the Rocky Mountains. After a short hesitation, the Decepticons retreated to pursue these findings{{storylink|Transformers Comic-Magazin issue 7|Transformers — Transforming Robots in Action: New York — A City Sinking in Terror}}

====Generation 2====
[[Image:Soundwavemarvelg2.jpg|left|125px|thumb|He gave the "complete sentences" thing a decent go, but he never really got the hang of commas.]]
After Megatron deposed Bludgeon and reassumed control of the Decepticons, Soundwave once again served Megatron as a close adviser. One of his first acts was to ask, "Why revive Starscream?". Megatron shared Soundwave's concerns, and assured him the on-again-off-again traitor would be dealt with once Megatron had regrown his army. {{storylink|Tales of Earth Part Three}} 

Megatron immediately drew his Decepticons to the moon of [[Tykos]] to violently acquire [[Rheanimum]] from the natives. However, things soured when Soundwave received a distress call from [[Skullgrin]]. In moments, [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] was upon them. After several casualties, and Megatron missing in action, Soundwave led a party to discover if Megatron had survived and recover him if he had; when Mindwipe expressed doubts about the mission, Soundwave told him to shut up. He appeared to assume command when Megatron appeared dead, but ceased when Megatron turned out to still function. {{storylink|New Dawn}} 

He was in command of the ''[[Warworld]]'' while Megatron was on Earth. When the Empire boarded the ship (thanks to Starscream's treachery) he and his bridge crew fled to Earth in escape pods. {{storylink|Total War!}} He was later seen standing by in the final battle against the [[Swarm (G2)|Swarm]]. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}

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====''Classics''====
Soundwave was apparently one of the first Decepticons to return to Megatron's side after the Decepticon leader re-emerged. He helped Megatron rebuild his power base on Earth in secret, using human proxies to covertly recover the remains of [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and other Decepticons lost on Earth during the Underbase Saga. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 14|Astrotrain's ''Classics'' profile}}

After the arrival of the mysterious Decepticon [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], Soundwave ran a neural scan on the Transformer to confirm his story of alternate dimensions and [[Unicron]] singularities. Soundwave confirmed that, at the very least, Landquake believed he was telling the truth. The Decepticons took off aboard Astrotrain to explore a new energy signature in the Southern Hemisphere...one which materialized at the same time as Landquake and possessed a similar resonance pattern. {{storylink|Crossing Over, Part 2}} In [[South America]], Soundwave engaged [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s troops alongside Megatron and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] on the ground. At Megatron's command, he dispatched [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] to intercept the Autobot scouts who had been sent after the energy source. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 3}} 

The Cassettes soon reported back that the energy had been discovered, and Megatron rallyed the Decepticons behind Soundwave to break for the source's location. [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] interferred with the Decepticons' progress, however, by hurling Constructicons like shotputs until he knocked Soundwave down. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 5}} 
Soundwave and Astrotrain got caught exchanging fire with [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] until the latter Autobot turned invisible and snuck around behind the Decepticons, getting the drop on Soundwave. An explosion from below rocked the battlefield, however, and the Decepticons withdrew from combat. {{storylink|Crossing Over: Part 6}} 

When [[Bug Bite (G1)|Bug Bite]] tried to assassinate Megatron, he used [[cerebro-shell]]s to take control of Soundwave and several other Megatron loyalists. The shells' effects were soon jammed by an attacking Autobot team, and in the chaos that followed, Soundwave noticed that the Autobots were targeting their [[Ark (G1)|base]]'s computers, but failed to stop them. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}

Soundwave was stationed aboard Starscream's warship when Megatron orchestrated the downfall of [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and his splinter faction. After their [[Seacon (G1)|inside men]] terminated Bludgeon, Soundwave informed Starscream he had received a transmission of surrender from the forces below. {{storylink|At Fight's End}}
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===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
[[Image:Soundwave and company.jpg|right|thumb|220px]]
{{main|Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity}}
Soundwave was one of the first Decepticons and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]]'s most loyal soldier. Denoted by his eerie, echoing monotone, Soundwave regularly gathered vital intelligence for Megatron's numerous schemes with the aid of his faithful and ever-growing team of cassettes, but despite his primary role as a spy and communications officer, he never shied away the battlefield, and would regularly clash with the Autobot [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] before finding a true rival in his Autobot opposite number, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. He survived the perilous events of 2005 that took the lives of many of his contemporaries, and continued serving under [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in the 21st century.

In a future timeline that branches off from this one, Soundwave ultimately met his end at the hands of Blaster, but even death could not stymie his loyalty to the Decepticon cause, as he was reborn as '''Soundblaster''' through the super-science of the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]].
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===Kid Stuff Talking Story Books continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' Unknown

According to Megatron, Soundwave is a "blundering, tape-filled idiot." While the veracity of this statement is subjective, Soundwave ''does'' whine a lot. {{storylink|When Continents Collide}}

===Colorforms audiobooks continuity===
Soundwave recorded a broadcast of Doctor [[Heath Blaisedale]] receiving an award from the [[President of the United States]] and reported it to Megatron. Megatron dubbed him a "King of Communication". {{storylink|Sun Raid}}

===The Battle for Planet Earth===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Marinker]] (English)}}
Soundwave was among the Decepticons who followed the Autobots to [[South America]] and attacked them atop [[Mount Sheela]]. The Decepticons were caught in the volcano's erupt and became trapped in lava. {{storylink|Terror of Mount Sheela}} Despite his ability to hear a fly sneeze, he completely missed [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] infiltrating the Decepticon base to find out where the humans the Decepticons had been kidnapping had gone. He later discovered that the Autobot had stolen their [[global crystal]]. {{storylink|Bumblebee to the Rescue}} Soundwave was part of a Decepicon mission to take over [[Stanley Lake]] dam, which ended in the Decepticons being washed away in a torrent of water by the Autobots. {{storylink|Menace at the Dam}} When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] planned to infiltrate the Autobots, Soundwave supplied him with a midget radio transmitter with which to report back. Unfortunately while the Decepticons were acting on the information Starscream gathered, the Autobots destroyed their base. {{storylink|Espionage!!!!!}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[Image:BW Agenda Pt3 Soundwave.jpg|right|180px|thumb|With one stroke I shall free my tiny dinosaur brethren, yesssss!"]]
Soundwave was among the many Transformers strewn about the bridge of the Ark when the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] infiltrated the ship on his mission to destroy Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}
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====3H comics====
Soundwave is one of the ancient warriors who appears from [[J'nwan]] to help battle the warlord [[Shokaract]]. {{storylink|Terminus}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
[[Image:Soundwavewarwithin.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Sound and ([[Ravage (G1)#3H Universe_comics|eventually]]) Furry.]]
Soundwave was chosen by Megatron to lead his second assassination team against the new Autobot supreme commander, Optimus Prime. With the aid of Soundwave's cassette troops, most notably [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], as well as [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]], [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], and [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]], it was assumed he would have no problem with a young, peace-loving Autobot. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} Soundwave, like many others, underestimated Prime's resolve and was quickly incapacitated. {{storylink|The War Within issue 3|The War Within #3}} He was still out cold when [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] came by, {{storylink|The War Within issue 5|The War Within #5}} but recovered in time to rescue Megatron after the latter's own battle with Prime. {{storylink|The War Within issue 6|The War Within #6}}

When Megatron and Optimus Prime vanished in a [[space bridge]] accident, the Decepticons were fragmented and Soundwave joined [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]'s faction. He participated in the attack on [[The Fallen]]'s minions in an attempt to stop the [[Unbinding]]. {{storylink|Conflagration}}

Eventually, Shockwave attempted to call a truce with the Autobots for the good of the Transformer race, but the initial ceremony was interrupted by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]'s faction, the [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacons]]. Soundwave was quite mad about this, telling the Predacons to perish for their crimes against Cybertron as he attacked them alongside several Autobots. Shortly after the Predacons were defeated, Megatron returned to Cybertron with his [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]] and reunited the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath}} After falling back under Megatron's command, Soundwave reported the progress on his leader's plan to dig a hole to the core of Cybertron. {{storylink|The Age of Wrath Pt.2}}

In the present day, Soundwave was among the Decepticons defeated by the Autobots and their human allies on Earth. The ''[[Ark II]]'', the spacecraft that would have taken the Transformers back to Cybertron, was sabotaged by General [[Robert Hallo]] and [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]], and it exploded upon liftoff, scattering the robots across the Arctic Ocean. Soundwave and the others were recovered, Autobot and Decepticon alike, and reprogrammed by Rook to accept commands and were leased to terrorist organisations and military juntas as powerful weapons of war. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 2|Prime Directive #2}} After Megatron freed himself and the other Decepticons, Soundwave developed a 'metallic virus' that cyberformed Earth organics into cybertronic materials. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive #3}} During the subsequent battle with the Autobots in [[San Francisco]], Soundwave warned Megatron that a nuclear missile launched by Hallo was headed for the city. The Decepticons used the distraction to escape. {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 6|Prime Directive #6}}

[[Image:Soundwaveg1vol2.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Leader's pet.]]Soundwave was among the Decepticons who joined Shockwave's forces when the new ruler of Cybertron appeared on Earth. {{storylink|War and Peace}} When Shockwave brutally deposed Megatron, Soundwave stood by in silence and did nothing to help his former leader. Soundwave worked his way quietly into Shockwave's good graces, earning the ire of Starscream. However, it didn't take many words to bring Soundwave around to the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]'s point of view. Later, when interrogated by Shockwave, a single, silent look from Soundwave stopped [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] from revealing that Starscream was behind Megatron's disappearance during their voyage to Cybertron. As the battle between the Autobots and Shockwave's forces intensified, Soundwave followed Starscream's lead without a word, and helped him prepare for a return trip to Earth aboard [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Starscream rewarded him by giving him a [[Ratbat (G1)|present]]. Soundwave silently approved.

Though Soundwave feigned subservience to Starscream, it was later revealed that he had been serving Megatron the entire time in secret. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===''G.I.Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:Soundwavedevilsdue.jpg|left|225px|thumb|"Eject. Operation: Dynamic Group Shot."]]
Soundwave was among the Transformers on the ''Ark'' when it crashed long ago, and was discovered and reprogrammed by the human terrorist organization known as [[Cobra]] in the present. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1}} Arms dealer [[Destro]] made a visit to [[Cobra Island]] where [[Doctor Mindbender]] introduced him to Soundwave and his cassettes, who were under the complete control of Cobra's scientists. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2}} While Destro liked what he saw, he wanted to run a test, and personally operated Soundwave's controls during an attack on the [[SPS Research Facility]].

Meanwhile, a picture of Soundwave was secretly sent out to hundreds of email boxes. The message turned out to be a [[Defense Matrix|secret signal]] from Optimus Prime, which alerted [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and Bumblebee to the location of Cobra's secret base where the rest of the Transformers were being held. When the two Autobots appeared to stop Destro's attack, the human brought Soundwave and himself back to Cobra Island. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3}}

Soundwave was released from Cobra control thanks to Wheeljack and attacked his former human masters. With Megatron and the other Decepticons freed, Soundwave went to work making energon cubes. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}} Just as things were going their way, Optimus Prime arrived, powered up using the energon, and punched his fist right through Soundwave's chest, taking him out of the battle. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}} After the Autobots left on a return voyage to Cybertron, Soundwave's head and remains were taken in secret by human scientists for study. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 6|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6}}

Several years later, the scientists managed to use Megatron's technology to create the organic weapon [[Serpentor|Serpent O.R.]], who plugged himself into Soundwave's deactivated head after getting free and downloaded data on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s history. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 1|The Art of War #1}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
Along with the rest of the Decepticons, Soundwave was buried in the [[Fera Islands]] until 1938, when [[Cobra]] accidentally awakened them and used them to conquer most of [[Europe]]. He sent Laserbeak to spy on the [[United States of America|United States]]' reaction to this, and learned that [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] had been created to battle the Cobra threat. Soundwave later helped Megatron and Starscream get rid of some Royal Air Force fighters above the English Channel, allowing Cobra to attack the [[United Kingdom]]. {{storylink|The Line}}

When G.I. Joe attacked the Fera Islands, Soundwave infiltrated [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s unit in the form of a radio transmitter carried by a disguised [[Zartan]]. Flint noticed that it wasn't their radio, but that didn't stop Soundwave from capturing him and taking him back to Cobra HQ. {{storylink|Wolves}} However, the Joes had managed to awaken the Autobots also buried on the island, and Soundwave soon found himself facing down [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. He lost the fight, and either died at the hands of Grimlock or when the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] was smashed to pieces. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}

{{note|According to solicitations for ''[[Transformers/G.I. Joe: Divided Front]]'', Soundwave was set to return by unknown means years later, but [[Dreamwave Productions]] bankrupted before the issues could be produced.}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
Soundwave was extremely amused by the footage Laserbeak and Ravage gathered of Starscream falling on his head. He let Megatron know, and they went to pick up Starscream, only to find him gone, taken by the Autobots. The discovery that Starscream appeared to be working with the Autobots only amused Soundwave more, and the Decepticons went to retrieve their former comrade. When it turned out that Starscream wanted to stay with the Autobots, Megatron was enraged, and Soundwave reflected that it was the most fun he'd had in years. Starscream eventually returned to the Decepticons, claiming it was all an act, and Soundwave suggested he should be more careful while mountain climbing in future. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

Puzzled by the loss of much of their stock of weapons, Megatron assigned Soundwave to investigate. Using Laserbeak's spying abilities, Soundwave determined that [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] was selling the weapons on the black market, much to Megatron's outrage. {{storylink|Two for the Price of One}}

===IDW ''Hearts of Steel'' continuity===
Millions of years in the past, Soundwave was among the Decepticons who took on organic modes in order to battle the Autobots on prehistoric Earth. When an ice age approached, the Decepticons survived by powering down under what would eventually become the [[San Francisco]] Bay. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}} Soundwave woke up in the mid-19th century, where he came under the command of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. Along with several other Decepticons, he stood by Starscream as he and [[Tobias Muldoon]] discussed where they would build their headquarters. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}}

===IDW comics continuity===
{{ongoing}}
[[Image:MegatronOrigin4 Soundwave humbles Ratbat.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Ratbat, you shall be repurposed as the greatest mix tape ever to be given to Megatron."]]
Long before the war began, Soundwave was the personal assistant to Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]]. When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] caught Ratbat's eye as a champion of the illegal underground gladiatorial matches, Ratbat sent Soundwave to offer Megatron funding and weapons technology. When [[Bumper (G1)|two]] [[Fastback (G1)|Autobots]] were discovered listening in on their conversation, Soundwave dispatched [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]], [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] to capture them. After their capture, he read Bumper's mind to see if there was any immediate threat to Megatron's activities. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} Some time later, Soundwave was assigned to find a warrior with flight capabilities. He found the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]: Starscream, [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]. During a recruitment rally in which Megatron attempted to kill [[Decimus|Senator Decimus]], a raid by the Autobots under [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] resulted in the participants being arrested. Soundwave, however, was freed under [[Senate]] directive, something which greatly angered Sentinel Prime. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Soundwave had apparently switched loyalties at this time, becoming one of Megatron's own in not only helping Starscream exterminate [[Kaon]] senators but also to the extent that he destroyed Ratbat's original body, placing his spark into a relatively weak cassette form and thus forcing him into the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

After [[Zeta Prime]] was made leader of the Autobots, Soundwave was sent to spy on him and gather information on what he planned to do about the growing Decepticon movement. Smuggled into a Senate security meeting by Starscream, he overheard Zeta announce his plan to drain civilians of their energy in order to power the [[Omega Destructor]]s' [[vamparc ribbon|weaponry]], but was forced to make a break for it when Starscream revealed his presence in order to ease suspicion against himself. Fearing what would happen if the populace found out about his plans, Zeta Prime sent [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Orion Pax]] to hunt Soundwave down. {{storylink|Parasites}} As Soundwave fled towards the safety of Kaon, he was continuously set upon by Orion Pax's Autobots, but got away every time by ejecting one of his many cassettes to defeat or distract them. When he finally reached the border of Kaon, Orion himself caught up and put a stop to his minions by crushing his chest window before defeating him in hand-to-hand combat. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Luckily, a squad of Decepticons showed up before the Autobots could arrest Soundwave, and his findings were delivered to Megatron. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

Four million years ago, Soundwave and [[Hook (G1)|Hook]] were leading a Decepticon offensive to cover for [[Octane|Tankor]]'s convoy of energon. When Optimus Prime slipped away to intercept the convoy, Soundwave went after him and got the drop on Prime from behind. Prime's bodyguard [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] turned the tables on him, though, taking out both Soundwave and his Mini-Cassettes. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

During the war, [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] contacted various scientists on both sides to discuss his startling findings that the conflict would create such devastation that would render the planet uninhabitable, and that the only way to survive was to adopt the [[Pretender|organic carapace]] idea he had come up with. Soundwave was among those scientists who refused to accept Thunderwing's findings and his proposal. {{Storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}}

After the end of the cataclysm brought by Thunderwing, as part of a plan to assassinate [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], a motivational speaker for the Autobots, Soundwave had [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]] captured and used [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] to implement a [[cerebro-shell]] into him. While Beachcomber didn't outright kill Blaster, his motivational broadcast failed to air at precisely the moment the Decepticons began the big push. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blaster}}

[[Image:SpotlightSoundwave infoispower.jpg|left|180px|thumb|He's just too busy being an eighties guy.]]

Centuries later, after [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] disappeared, Megatron assigned [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to delve into Shockwave's research and relay all the information back to him. As the Decepticon leader did not fully trust Bludgeon, Megatron also assigned Soundwave to spy on him. Soundwave followed Bludgeon and his team as they left for Earth in 1984 and established a base within [[Mount St. Helens]], eventually discovering that they intended to resurrect [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. Though Soundwave tried to stop them, [[Iguanus (G1)|Iguanus]] used an experimental cannon from Shockwave's arsenal to lock him in his alt mode while they instigated a volcanic eruption. He was eventually recovered by a team of unwitting humans who sold him to a pawn shop. {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}}

Soundwave was purchased by a human teenager named [[Jimmy]] and taken to his home. When Ravage and Laserbeak were reprogrammed by the American government agency [[Skywatch]] to find the other Transformers, Skywatch's control signal was blocked by a signal emanating from a functioning Soundwave, still in cassette-player mode. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Sometime later on, Ravage and Laserbeak located the signal and reclaimed their master from Jimmy. Relocating to Mount St. Helens, Soundwave told them that he could barely keep blocking Skywatch's hold on them, due to his weakening state in cassette mode. Shockwave suddenly appeared from a cave entrance and said that the four could make a deal together. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}} Shockwave knew how Soundwave could unlock his robot mode, but would only tell him if he did Shockwave a favour in return, something which Soundwave agreed to. He was told that Skywatch had placed a bomb in Shockwave's head, and that he needed to intercept and copy its disarm code. The plan went off without a hitch, and after transmitting the code to Shockwave, Soundwave was finally freed from his alt mode. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}

After returning to his position as Megatron's right hand, Soundwave helped defeat the Autobot forces on Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} He was present during the attack on [[New York City]], and detected the incoming human military jets. The planes fired, and on Megatron's orders, Soundwave calmly detonated the arsenal. He then launched Laserbeak to take out the human resistance. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

Soundwave reported that the humans had sent a sizable ground force after the Decepticons. Following Megatron's orders, he released [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] and set him loose on the humans. The only being immune to Frenzy's infrasonic manipulation, he silently observed his minion's work. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} With the conquest of New York complete, Soundwave listened to Megatron's victory speech. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} When a group of humans led by [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Cmdr. Spike Witwicky]] deactivated [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] with an experimental weapon which originated from Shockwave, Soundwave, sensing this, found Rumble's lifeless body, grieved, and took him away. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

During [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] attempt to take control of the Decepticons, Megatron revealed that Soundwave had been watching him all along, reporting his planned rebellion to Megatron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} The infighting amongst the Decepticons stopped when jets from [[Europe]] arrived to take them all on, soon followed by the return of the Autobots. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Megatron was defeated, and Soundwave escaped alongside the rest of the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} Whilst traveling away from Earth onboard [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]], Soundwave and his cassettes took care of their heavily injured leader. Starscream attempted to dissuade him from wasting energon on Megatron, all the while buttering him up with compliments about his loyalty, but all Soundwave said in response was "Negative. Megatron functions." {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

Three years later, Soundwave was still dutifully attending to Megatron's reconstruction. {{storylink|All His Engines}} He eventually came to the conclusion that his leader's body was beyond repair, and instead recruited Shockwave to build a new body for him. Once Megatron returned in a new and upgraded form, he hatched a plan to use parts of his old body to make Megatron gun replicas that would subconsciously influence humans. Alongside his cassettes and Shockwave, Soundwave helped produce these weapons. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon}} He was later present when Megatron got rid of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], and was ordered to gather everyone in the base so that their leader could address them. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}}

[[Image:BurningChrome Prime shoots Soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
As part of Megatron's master plan, the Decepticons subsequently returned to Earth, where Soundwave led Rumble and Frenzy in an attack on the [[Skywatch]] base where several Decepticons were being held captive. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man}} Soundwave was then responsible for holding [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] hostage while Megatron explained to Optimus Prime that he was the one turning the humans against the Autobots. In an attempt to throw off Megatron's concentration, and with it his influence over the gun-wielding humans, Prime fired on Soundwave, blowing off a large portion of his head. The plan worked: seeing his loyal soldier fall sent Megatron into a rage, and he picked up the barely living Soundwave and flew off. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome}} With his body in [[stasis lock]], Soundwave was brought to Shockwave, who was unsure if he could repair such an extensive injury with the limited resources at his disposal. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine}}

Soundwave was mostly repaired by the time Megatron had surrendered himself to the Autobots, although half his face remained exposed and damaged from Optimus Prime's attack. The damage caused to his vocal processors rendered him completely mute. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}} Once on Cybertron and having freed himself, Megatron used the [[space bridge]] technology built into his new body to summon Soundwave and the rest of the Decepticons to him.  At first, Soundwave and the others did battle with the Autobots, but were soon entranced by [[D-Void]].  The Decepticons along with [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s army of [[Sweep]]s combined into an [[Deceptigod|enormous monster]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings}}

Following the defeat and fracturing of this "Deceptigod", Soundwave and the rest were left in a weakened state from the ordeal.  This allowed the Autobots to round the Decepticons up, stick [[inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chips]] in them, and place them in a holding pen.  Prowl was eventually forced to sanction their release to quell a riot, leaving Soundwave and the others with a limited sort of freedom. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} [[Needlenose]], fed up with working as an enforcer for the Autobots, accused Soundwave, Shockwave and [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] of just sitting around instead of doing something about the Decepticons' situation. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson}}

Little did Needlenose know that Soundwave and Shockwave had actually been working together to take control of the I/D chips on the orders of Ratbat, who was trying to reassert his authority in Megatron's absence. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

{{note|The events of "Spotlight: Mirage" possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}

[[Image:SpotlightMirage Soundwavescorpse.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Not so superior now, are you?]]
In a dream set in an alternate universe wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a soft taco shell dreamt by [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]], Soundwave was part of the Decepticon strike force who attacked the last stronghold of the Autobots. Soundwave was attacked by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]], who snapped his head off, killing him. But it was just a dream, so it didn't matter. Right? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{-}}

===''TransTech''===
Soundwave—[[Soundwave (G1)/toys#LaserCycle|in his Laser Cycle body]]—was seen among the inhabitants of the multiversal hub city of [[Axiom Nexus]]. {{storylink|Transcendent: Part 4}}

===Timelines===
Soundwave was present with Megatron, [[Punch (G1)|Counterpunch]], and [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] when the topic about finding new ultimate weapon ideas changed to [[BotCon 2010]]. As Breakdown mentioned that one of the things he was looking forward to was the debut of the [[Transformers Hall of Fame]], Soundwave turned to Counterpunch and pointed to himself. {{storylink|BotCon 2010 Promo}}

===''Wings Universe''===
When [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] captured [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]]'s base, Soundwave was by his side. After defeating Deathsaurus in single combat, Megatron ordered Soundwave to check the computers for information on [[Combiner]] technology, and sent [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] with him. A week later, Soundwave was part of the Decepticon forces who entered [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] after [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] breached the city walls. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 5}} He was still by Megatron's side when Devastator fell and took part in the subsequent retreat. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 6}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[Image:Soundwavecommercial.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Say hello to my leetle friend!"]]

Soundwave's [[commercial]] appearances include: 

* An appearance in his very own 1984 commercial. This early animation featured a Soundwave model colored in lavender, versus the dark blue used later. Also, instead of the cassettes ejecting themselves from his chest, he reached into his chest compartment with his own fingers and threw the (tiny) tapes into the air. He wasn't properly introduced.

* He's more on-form in a commercial for the Dinobots, where he, Ravage and Laserbeak are driven back by the robotic monsters amid a thunderstorm.

* Soundwave has a speaking part in the commercial for Blaster. When Rumble strolls into his base carrying a radio, Soundwave immediately identifies it as an "Autobot intruder" and dispatches Ravage and Laserbeak to attack the Autobot. Soundwave is given his correct voice and modulation.

* He's seen grappling with Springer in a 1987 commercial for the ''Headmasters'' comic.

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] troops from the Decepticons, Soundwave could intefere with Optimus Prime's progress, diverting him into areas of the Decepticons' maze-like base. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

===''The Transformers'' (Commodore 64)===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|The Transformers (Commodore 64)}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
[[image:TF PS2 Soundwave.jpg|thumb|250px]]
:''Voice actor'': [[Robert Belgrade]]

====Decepticon story====

Soundwave and Starscream were sent to investigate strange reports of space-time warps and UFOs on the planet Zel Samine, bringing a space bridge with them on their shuttle that they would use to transport Megatron to the plant once they had landed. Inexplicably, their ship wound up crashing, and when they attempted to use the space bridge, it malfunctioned, dumping Megatron some distance away. After reuniting with his leader, Soundwave deduced that powerful electromagnetic rays from Zel Samine's sun, Paradius, were responsible for scrambling the systems of the shuttle and the space bridge, and that the Decepticons themselves would be subject to similar catastrophic system disruption if they tried venturing off the planet without a ship. The Decepticons immediately set about raiding local energy sources for energon to repair their craft, starting with a wind power plant on [[Mount Jaad]]. Then, after successfully draining the [[Ranpas geothermal plant]]—in part thanks to Soundwave deploying Laserbeak to locate any Autobot guards around the facility—Megatron chose the [[Monogan hydroelectric power station]] for their next target. Soundwave pointed out the heavy Autobot fortifications that had been set up around the station and suggested a different target, but Megatron dismissed his concerns, and when the Decepticons did indeed emerge victorious, Soundwave apologized for speaking out of turn and doubting his leader.

Via Laserbeak, Soundwave soon discovered that the Autobots on the planet had made contact with the occupants of one of the strange UFOs, and suggested to Megatron that they send a task force to intercept them. In the process, the Decepticons wound up allying themselves with the ''other'' UFO's passengers: Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge, a trio of Decepticons from the future who had traveled back in time to locate and destroy the powerful [[Zel Quartz]], a weapon that threatened Galvatron's rule in their home time. Soundwave was teamed with Cyclonus to seek out possible locations of the quartz across the planet, and the communications officer stoically carried out his task, all the while struggling to keep Megatron and Galvatron from fighting with each other.

After failing to find the quartz at the [[Lazalt Ruins]], the Decepticons next decided to search the [[Karzite mine]]. Cyclonus informed Soundwave that he saw both him and Megatron as "worthless scrap", and warned the communications officer the mine yielded a similar lack of results, then he would be taking the blame, not Cyclonus. Soundwave agreed, but have a warning of his own: he charged a high price for being spoken to with disrespect. As it turned out, the quartz was not in the mine, and Soundwave accepted the blame as promised, only to then reveal his price: he had recorded his conversation with Cyclonus and played it back for Megatron, who did not take kindly to the future Decepticon's insults. At Megatron's command, Soundwave recorded Cyclonus's screams as the Decepticon leader subjected him to a vicious punishment.

{{charstubfiction}}

{{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

====Autobot story====
Megatron had Soundwave send out a fake Autobot SOS transmission in an attempt to trick the Autobots into leaving their base. The plan was a success and Optimus Prime and his crew were lured out. When the Autobots realized that they had been deceived, Megatron sent a message through Soundwave's transmitter, gloating how he had tricked Prime and announced that his crew was going to steal the energon the Autobots had on their shuttle. When Megatron had finished his message, Soundwave returned to base. On the way back to their shuttle, the Autobots encountered Soundwave again, this time leading a hoard of Decepticon troops, and fought them. Despite his best efforts, Soundwave was overwhelmed and left to rejoin Megatron. Later, Soundwave fought the Autobots again while they were dealing with another swarm of enemies. He lost again, and left to fight another day.

Later on, Soundwave teamed up with his future self, Soundblaster, and with [[Full-Tilt]] as the final defense against the Autobots before they reached Megatron and Galvatron. When the Autobots arrived, Soundblaster started by expressing [[dull surprise]] at how the Autobots managed to survive up until the current point. Soundwave continued, warning the Autobots that he would not let them stand in Megatron's way. Both the present and future versions of the Communications Officer we all know and love put up the best fight they could, but even with Full-Tilt's help, the Autobots overpowered them.

===Transformers G1: Awakening===
{{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
:''Main article: [[Soundwave (G1)/toys]]''
{{-}}
==Merchandise==
:''Main article: [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave (G1) toys#Merchandise]]''
{{-}}
==Notes==
* The Decepticon faction insignia appears to be roughly based on Soundwave's head.

* Though Soundwave's toy is a microcassette recorder, his fictional appearances depict him as a stereo cassette deck or Walkman. (Likewise, his microcassette tapes are depicted as regular audio cassettes.)

* The Marvel U.S. comics chose a purple scheme for Soundwave. This could have been an attempt to distinguish him from the other Decepticons, who were mostly blue (especially since blacks also ended up as blues in the industry's then-limited color palette). Or it could have been a simple error. But very likely, it had something to do with his early animation model, which appeared lavender, rather than blue. (See Commercial Appearances.) Compounding this error, Marvel US Soundwave was drawn without a mouthplate by artist [[José Delbo]]. The Marvel UK comics colored him blue like everywhere else (partially due to using a more sophisticated coloring system) and always included his faceplate.

* Soundwave was in charge of the [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|UK letters page]] from issues 22 to 78, barring a few interruptions.

[[Image:Bm soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Soundwave gets slagged by Vehicons, and Nightscream escapes. How's that for injustice?]]

* Soundwave's computer model was used for one of the [[generic]] Transformers in Beast Machines. It is seen in "[[Forbidden Fruit]]" during [[Nightscream (BM)|Nightscream's]] flashback being cornered by [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon drones]] just before Nightscream flees into the lower levels of Cybertron. Though the model was recolored, it was still really 'Soundwavey,' causing much confusion among fans. His computer model as well as [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s continued to show up for the rest of the series, used to represent deactivated Transformer shells.

* Later, Soundwave's character model showed up numerous times in various color schemes as a generic background character in the ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon.

* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] listened to music using a tape deck resembling Soundwave in the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Memory]]". Later, after a new [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] was found, ''Cybertron'' [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] held tape deck Soundwave in his arms. This caused a great disturbance in the [[force]]...

[[Image:Unused AHM Soundwave.jpg|right|200px|thumb|What? You mean we don't use brick-sized microcassette recorders anymore?]]

* IDW Publishing seems to be undecided on Soundwave's speech pattern. In ''[[The Transformers: Megatron Origin|Megatron Origin]]'', he speaks in his classic cartoon-based monotone. However, in "[[Spotlight: Soundwave]]", he speaks in a normal fashion. Which is once again reverted to the classic speech in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''. 

* [[Guido Guidi]] made a concept drawing of Soundwave with a modern microcassette recorder as an alt-mode (which are still used by reporters and doctors today) for [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' maxi-series. This was also unused. Consequently, Soundwave may go down as the Transformers character with the most unused designs.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Soundwave''' (サウンドウェーブ ''Saundowēbu'')
*''Cantonese:'' '''Jam Bo''' (音波, "Voice Wave")
*''English:'' '''New Soundwave''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub Soundblaster)
*''French:'' '''Radar''' (Canada), '''Sonore''' (Canada Action Master, "Sound")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Fülelő''' ("Listener")
*''Italian:'' '''Memor''', '''Vizar''' (Soundblaster)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Shēng-bō''' (Taiwan, 聲波, "Sound Wave"), '''Shēng Bàu''' (Taiwan Soundblaster, 聲爆, "Sound Blast")
*''Polish:'' '''Dźwiękofalowiec''' (''The Movie'', "Soundwaver")
*''Portuguese:'' '''Onda-Sonora''' (Portugal comics), '''Microonda''' (Brazil comics, "Microwave")
*''Russian:'' '''Barkhan''' (cartoon, Бархан, "Dune")<ref>Dubbers thought his name was "Sandwave".</ref>
*''Spanish:'' '''Sam''' (America ''The Headmasters'')
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Zvukohvyl''' (Звукохвил, "Soundwave")

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&amp;char=Soundwave Soundwave's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Action Masters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Classics Decepticons]]
[[Category:Communications specialists]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Decoys]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generation 2 Decepticons]]
[[Category:Go-Bots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Machine Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Robo-Capers characters]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce Decepticons]]
[[Category:United Decepticons]]
[[Category:Universe Decepticons]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Decepticons]]