Thundercracker (G1)

This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.

The name or term "Thundercracker" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Thundercracker (disambiguation).

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Thundercracker is (generally) a Decepticon from the Generation 1 continuity family.

The blue one. No, the other blue one.

Thundercracker claims the skies as his arena. He looks down in contempt on those who cannot leave the ground — he considers them lesser beings. He will often attack the flightless beings below him for no other reason than to satisfy his scorn.

His superiority in this realm is the only thing he is sure of. Thundercracker is not entirely committed to the Decepticon cause, and even has some seemingly contradictory sympathy for the humans they terrorize. Fear of retribution from Megatron and the influence of his peers is usually enough to bury these doubts. Regardless, he needs constant reassurance from Skywarp and Starscream (which occasionally take the form of threats) that he's where he needs to be. Sometimes, his heart's just not in the job.

“	These creatures were never worthy adversaries. The Decepticons are forged through combat, not slaughter.	”
—Thundercracker, All Hail Megatron #12

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

One of Megatron's elite, Thundercracker was present when the Decepticons boarded the Ark and was subsequently left in stasis lock for four million years. Thundercracker was a consistent presence on the battlefield until he was severely damaged by Omega Supreme and placed in stasis by the Autobots.

Then, when the Constructicons recovered him (along with various other victims of Omega) and he was reactivated to be one of Ratbat's troops, he didn't last long before being destroyed by the Underbase-powered Starscream.

Thereafter, depending on which splinter timeline you follow, he was either:

• Reactivated by Megatron and resumed his role at his master's side, helping to fight the Cybertronian Empire and the Swarm. Generation 2
• Rebuilt only for his fear and hatred of Starscream to drive him to join Bludgeon before defecting back to Megatron's faction and resuming his high posting. Classicsverse
• Turned into a zombie-like puppet by Megatron, until his body was ultimately vaporised by the Autobots. Regeneration One

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

I like pointing my weapons at people.

Thundercracker was an ever-present member of Megatron's Decepticons on Earth, a regular battlefield presence—usually operating alongside his fellow fliers Starscream and Skywarp—but never one to draw attention to himself. Perhaps his most significant adventure saw his loyalty to Megatron waver slightly when he contemplated letting the Autobot Skyfire destroy the Decepticons' newest superweapon in order to embarrass the glory-snatching Starscream.

In the year 2005, Thundercracker was badly injured during the Battle of Autobot City, and was tossed out of Astrotrain on the Decepticons' return trip to Cybertron. His body was recovered by the planet-eating Unicron, and reformatted into Scourge.

S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers

Somebody told him the femmebots are all into vampires these days.

A series of recruitment messages sent by the Autobots to human allies featured Thundercracker as a recurrent bogeyman. He first appeared in the story of Johnny, a member of S.T.A.R.S. who spotted Thundercracker draining the energy from the boy's town. Despite all other power being knocked out, Johnny was able to activate his Command Center and summon an Autobot squad. Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all? However, even they were somewhat affected by Thundercracker's siphoning, and just as Johnny was preparing to issue orders, his Command Center went dead and the walls around him began to shake. Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons?

Using the human power known as "imagination," S.T.A.R.S. recruits could perceive what it was like to be Thundercracker. You Have Been Chosen.

The match-up no one demanded!

The Autobot messages ended that story there, leaving the outcome unknown. But in later messages, Rodimus Prime would recall what he considered the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth, in which the only enemy combatants were Megatron and Thundercracker. The two Decepticons set up an ambush for an Autobot convoy searching for a site on which to build Autobot City. As the battle erupted, Thundercracker again employed his energy-draining attack (described here as a "force field"). Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth. Optimus Prime ordered Cliffjumper, Cosmos, and Warpath to retreat out of the weapon's range and get help, but as they left, Thundercracker pursued. Transformers Combat Data

Again, the story was cut short, but it would not be the last time Thundercracker was said to tangle with that particular group of Autobots. The final S.T.A.R.S. recruitment message told of Reflector discovering that the squad was out scouting for new energy sources, and Thundercracker was sent on a sneak-attack run. The message warned that if the recipient failed to help out by joining S.T.A.R.S., the Autobots might be destroyed. The Autobots Are Under Attack!

Kid Stuff Talking Story Books

Voice actor: ? (English)

Thundercracker led a Decepticon attack on an oil storage dump within the Arabian peninsula. Though he carried out his mission with excitement and savagery, Thundercracker's attack was little more than a distraction to keep the Autobots occupied while Megatron stole crude oil from super tankers off the coast of Africa. Attack of the Decepticons

Sticker Adventures books

Thundercracker (or Skywarp) participated in a Decepticon assault on the Autobots, only to be once more beaten back. Under Megatron's orders, the Decepticons then lay low for several days, lulling the Autobots into a false sense of security. The Decepticons then stole the entirety of the Autobots' fuel supply and attacked them once more. But Optimus, having anticipated a trick on the Decepticons' part, arrived at the battlefield with a new supply of fuel for his troops. After sustaining too much damage, the Decepticons were forced to retreat once again. Revenge of the Decepticons

Thundercracker attacked an Autobot construction site that Optimus and his troops were using to fix up a spaceship. He received a nasty blow courtesy of Cliffjumper. Return to Cybertron

Marvel Storybooks continuity

Thundercracker is one of Megatron's most vicious fighters. He was involved in Megatron's scheme to take over the Earth by holding millions of humans hostage. When Megatron feigned a friendly demeanor after the Autobots had invaded the Decepticon base, Thundercracker stood by his leader's side. Battle for Earth

After having captured a group of Autobots, the Decepticons were awaiting the Autobots' surrender. The morning the Autobots' surrender was due, the Decepticons found a statue of Devastator on their doorstep, with a note attached to it, explaining the monument to be a peace offering from the Autobots. Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons present that were surprised to see the Autobots burst forth from within the statue, catching the evil robots by surprise. In response to the Autobot fighter planes attacking from the skies, Megatron deployed Thundercracker and the other Decepticon jets to combat them. The Decepticons ultimately lost the fight nonetheless. The Autobots' Secret Weapon

Marvel coloring books

Thundercracker attended a briefing in the Decepticons' war room, where Megatron explained his plan to salvage sunken treasure in the waters near Alaska in order to finance factories that would build a Decepticon army. Thundercracker and Starscream maintained a high altitude above the other Decepticons as they retrieved the treasure, held in reserve as "secret weapons" that Megatron then called upon them when a squad of Autobots interfered with their objective. Thundercracker engaged Cliffjumper, but was forced to retreat when he was hit by a blast of the Autobot's glass gas. He and the other Decepticons were ultimately defeated when one of Rumble's earthquakes backfired, and swallowed up all of them (yes, even the flying ones...) Search for Treasure Under the Sea

After Megatron has constructed his own prison for the Autobots, Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were tasked with rounding their enemies up. He and Starscream employed Sleep Nets to capture Bluestreak and Sideswipe. Once nearly all of the Autobots had been captured, Bumblebee tricked the Decepticons into leaving the prison unattended, and freed his comrades. Thundercracker and Starscream were shot out of the sky by Sideswipe and Bluestreak upon the Autobots' escape. Bumblebee to the Rescue!

Ordered to patrol "every inch of the Earth" in order to find a factory suitable for constructing a Decepticon army, Thundercracker wound up above some mountains, where he found only ice and snow. Thundercracker and his fellow jets then happened upon an "Autobot Factory," but a bombing run mysteriously had no effect; when the enraged Megatron led his troops to tear the factory down with their bare hands, it turned out they had been duped by one of Mirage's mirages. The Decepticons then battled the Autobots, and Thundercracker surrendered immediately when he was caught in Huffer's crushing grip. Decepticon Patrol

Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who attempted to harm Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky, only for their plan to be foiled by the Autobots. Later, the Decepticons attacked the Hoover Dam. Thundercracker fought and defeated Spin-Out Sunstreaker, only for the Autobot to be repaired by his human allies. Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were shortly after driven away from the dam by the autobots. The Deadly Fuel Shortage Later, Thundercracker was one of the many Decepticons who defended the Decepticons' stronghold when an Autobot convoy mobilized against them. He and the rest of the Decepticons were defeated when the Autobots managed to turn the Decepticons' own Molecular transfer device against them. Summertime Coloring Book

When the Decepticons duped the Autobots into abandoning their base with a phoney message from Cybertron, they were themselves then tricked when the Autobots created a fake message of their own. Fleeing the captured Autobot base under the mistaken belief it was about to be attacked by Martians, Thundercracker and Starscream once again wound up in the vise-like grip of Huffer. A Message From Outer Space In another case of history repeating itself, Thundercracker was once again ordered by Megatron to patrol every inch of the Earth in order to search for the ideal location for a Decepticon factory. Then Megatron claimed the forest they were already in would be the ideal location for said factory, and Thundercracker didn't go anywhere. Thundercracker helped Megatron tear the place up, until the Autobots arrived, and the Decepticons were forced to flee after a brief battle. Forest Rescue Mission

Thundercracker asked Soundwave, Ravage and Rumble to join him in a plot that would put an end to the Autobots once and for all. He led his fellow Decepticons to a scrap yard, where he showed them a car compactor. The four of them then built a fake rest stop which concealed the car compactor beneath its benign exterior. They managed to trap and crush Gears, only for Mirage, Ratchet and Sideswipe to show up instantly afterwards. Thundercracker's circuits were jammed in mid-air by Mirage, sending him plummeting down. The Autobot Smasher!

Big Looker storybooks continuity

Thundercracker was part of the ambush party that boarded the Ark during the Cretaceous period, which led to Optimus Prime crashing his ship in a volcano and shutting everyone on board offline. The Decepticons then raided a nearby nuclear power to gain the additional power necessary to destroy the Autobots. The Decepticons and the Autobots battled afterwards, but with the Decepticons running low on fuel once more, the evil robots were forced to retreat. Battle for Cybertron

Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who sabotaged the Autobots' chance at winning a cross-country car rally. During the final heat of the race, Thundercracker attacked Cliffjumper just as the Autobot was leaving the starting line. Thundercracker planed to blow Cliffjumper to bits, but he did not expect Hound to jump in the way of his projectiles. Thundercracker did not stick around after his botched attempt on the race. The Great Car Rally

The morning after a fierce battle against the Autobots, as both sides were in the process of recovering, Thundercracker and his fellow Decepticon suddenly appeared in the skies over the Autobots' headquarters. Their mission was to draw the Autobots' attentions in order to prevent them from learning about an attempt by Blitzwing to steal oil nearby, but Optimus Prime realized that he and the Autobots were being distracted when he noticed the Decepticons didn't have the energy to fire their own weapons. Decepticon Hijack

Thundercracker was present when Megatron threatened his troops into coming up with a battle plan for him. Insecticon Attack!

Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity

Voice actor: ??? (English)

Under Starscream's leadership, Thundercracker and Skywarp attacked a solar plant. After Starscream was hit by Optimus, Thundercracker asked if he was still functional. The trio retreated after Megatron furiously ordered them to withdraw lest they damage the solar reactor. They rendezvoused with the rest of Megatron's forces a mile away, and Thundercracker admitted they had been wrong to follow Starscream's orders. Megatron let him and Skywarp take part in the subsequent attack on the solar plant. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)

Find Your Fate Junior

The following summarizes one or more multipath adventures. Details vary depending on the paths taken in-story. See the book's page for information on alternate paths.

Battle Drive

In one possible scenario, where Megatron and his troops had tracked down Sparkplug to a cave in the mountains, Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons present, ready to pounce on the human. Then a small squadron of Autobots arrived to rescue Sparkplug. In the event that Megatron was destroyed by Swoop, Thundercracker, along with the rest of the Decepticons, were easily defeated by the Autobots. In the event that Swoop retreated, Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons who remained at the cave instead of pursuing the Dinobot. Thundercracker stood next to Megatron in a military formation, along with Buzzsaw, Ransack, Shockwave, Frenzy and Skywarp, while Megatron delivered his sanction to the Autobots in the cave; "Prepare to die!" Thundercracker was soon knocked back by a blast courtesy of Hound. The battle that ensued lasted for two full days before the Decepticons were ready to move in for the kill. In the event that Swoop returned in time with reinforcements, Thundercracker and the rest of the Decepticons were forced to retreat.

In another possible scenario, Thundercracker was likely part of a large Decepticon army that Megatron led once the Autobots had been lured out in the open farmland. Thundercracker didn't perform any feats of note in the ensuing battle, save for being blasted out of the sky Optimus in a scenario where the Autobot leader and Jazz made for a mad dash towards a bridge for cover. In this scenario, the Autobots were victorious. Battle Drive

Attack of the Insecticons

When Starscream learned that the Autobots had in their possession an energy device called the Sun-Pak, he planned to steal the device for himself, and gathered a posse of Decepticons to accomplish this task, with Thundercracker among the chosen. If Starscream's plan lead to the Autobots concentrating their fire upon him, causing the Decepticon jet to beg for mercy, Thundercracker would react differently depending on the Optimus Prime's retort. If the Autobots accepted Starscream's surrender, Thundercracker would decry Starscream as a coward and terminate his superior officer himself. He would nonetheless thereafter acknowledge Starscream's surrender, and leave the Autobots to their own devices. If the Autobots ignored Starscream's surrender, Thundercracker would prove to be Starscream's salvation instead, as one of his sonic booms would provide Starscream the opening he needed to kidnap Sparkplug and then hastily retreat. Attack of the Insecticons

Earthquake

Thundercracker acted as an advance scout for the Decepticons. In the event that Megatron's plot to destroy Center City with an artificial earthquake was successful, Thundercracker was sent ahead to make sure there were no survivors at ground zero.Earthquake

Desert Flight

Thundercracker was part of a Decepticon deployment stationed in a desert base. The Decepticons plotted to lure the Autobots in a trap through the use of an anti-gravity beam. Using the beam on a nearby human settlement, the Autobots would be duped into coming to the fleshliness' rescue, only to be themselves trapped by the effects of the beam.

If the Autobots bypassed the anti-gravity field, Thundercracker was part of the squad that intercepted the Autobot convoy headed for the Decepticon base. Desert Flight

Decepticon Poison

In a possible scenario, Thundercracker was one of the many Decepticons present at the water supply facility, about to poison it when the Autobots arrived on-scene. In one possible scenario that followed, he was shot down by the Autobots, creating his own grave in the charred earth bellow. Decepticon Poison

Project Brain Drain

In one possible scenario, Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who was to keep a crowd of humans cornered while Galvatron used a "Brain Drain device" to drain their intelligence. As the Decepticons arrived at the open-air concert they had targeted, Thundercracker was caught off-guard by a small group of Autobots. A blast caught his wing, ripping it off and sending him tumbling to the ground. Project Brain Drain

Machine Wars toy bio

The mysterious Machine Wars were a tumultuous time for Thundercracker. At long last he was convinced of and committed to the truth of the Decepticon cause, but Thundercracker now ironically found himself in open rebellion against Megatron's leadership of the faction. It is unknown what events led to his reversal of heart about the Decepticons and his being branded a "Rebel Warrior."

Since no fictional backstory has ever been established for the Machine Wars line it is possible that it is set in some alternate reality where this was simply Thundercracker's nature, but given that the rest of the characters are clearly their classic G1-selves unrevealed events/character development seem more likely explanations.

3H comics

During the Quintesson invasion of Cybertron less than three months after the Great Transformation, a team of Sharkticons led by Overseer Rexian came upon a non-reformatted section of Cybertron. There, they found themselves surrounded by a group of eight fully-mechanical Cybertronians, who alleged that they were Decepticon prisoners freed by the upheaval to their homeworld. With their sparks now in random bodies and their former identities thus unclear, one claimed that he was really Thundercracker—something that the others angrily contested, each claiming that they were really Thundercracker. The group agreed that the one who was able to smash the most Sharkticons must have been the real Thundercracker, and they set about tearing Rexian's forces apart. Wreckers: Finale Part II

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Events from The Transformers Trilogy novels are in italics.

Sitting quietly in the background while other characters actually do things—Thundercracker's entire resume until IDW came along.

Thundercracker was one of the first Decepticons recruited by Megatron, part of his "inner circle" with standing high enough that he was among those who stood at the Decepticon leader's side as he delivered speeches to his burgeoning army in the early days of war. The Route of All Evil

Some time into the war, on the eve of the appointment of the Autobots' new Prime, Thundercracker and Skywarp were charged with massacring a building's worth of pesky neutrals in Altihex. The War Within #1 Some time later, he was sent to destroy an Autobot base in Sector Zero-Six alongside Skywarp and Starscream, but on the way Starscream leaked the plan to Grimlock in an attempt to bait him into joining the Decepticons. It didn't exactly work out like that: when the Seekers arrived, Grimlock had evacuated the base and planted a bomb to greet them. The War Within Preview Once Skywarp was done berating Starscream for being an idiot, he and Thundercracker returned to base without him. The War Within #3

When Megatron and Optimus Prime were granted a vision of the future by the Matrix of Leadership, Thundercracker was among the Transformers they saw battling on Earth. The War Within #5 In the years that followed this vision, the two leaders disappeared, heralding the beginning of the Dark Ages. During this time Thundercracker served under Shockwave, and was one of the troops sent to the Well of All Sparks to put a stop to The Fallen's plans. Conflagration

Thundercracker was one of several Decepticon invaders who attacked the Ark when it left Cybertron to search for energon on other planets, and wound up entombed within the vessel for four million years when it crashed on Earth. More than Meets the Eye #8 He was reactivated in 1984 with the rest of the Transformers, and fought at Megatron's side until the Decepticons were ultimately defeated in 1999. Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were loaded aboard the spacecraft Ark II with the intent that they be returned to Cybertron, but the vessel had been sabotaged and exploded mid-flight. Scheming arms dealer Adam "Lazarus" Rook, recovered the bodies of Thundercracker and the other Decepticons, and spent the next several years reprogramming them in order to sell them to foreign powers. Prime Directive #5

In 2002, in a demonstration of the Transformers' power for a group of prospective clients, Lazarus had Thundercracker participate in an attack on the Arctic division of the Smitco Oil Refinery. Prime Directive #2 Everything went wrong for Lazarus soon after, however, when Megatron succeeded in breaking free of his control, then liberated his Decepticon subordinates. Megatron began a plan to cyberform the Earth with a metallic virus, and to pass the time during the preparations, Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp busied themselves by tearing apart the Autobot Mini Vehicle team. Prime Directive #3 Once the virus was deployed, the Decepticons launched an attack on San Francisco in which Thundercracker took part, joining his fellow fliers in a bombing run on the Autobot giant Superion, forcing the combiner to split into his component Aerialbots. Prime Directive #4 The Decepticons triumphed over the Autobots, and Thundercracker stood watch over their defeated foes while Megatron tried to persuade Optimus Prime to help the Decepticons conquer Earth. Prime Directive #5 Ultimately, though, the Decepticons' plans were foiled thanks to human interference, and the sacrifice of Superion. Prime Directive #6

When the Decepticons were left leaderless after Megatron was abducted by the mysterious aliens known as the Keepers, Thundercracker, oddly enough, turned to weapons smuggling, working with Mexican arms dealers south of the border. He was moored at Atahulpa Aeropuerto de Mesa Verde, getting his cargo hold loaded with guns, when Prowl and Bumblebee sieged the tiny airport. As his human allies scattered, Thundercracker transformed and engaged the Autobots with his drone missile launchers. One of the guided projectiles nearly blasted Prowl in the back, but Bumblebee knocked it off course... right into a tanker filled with jet fuel. The resulting explosion was catastrophic, and threw the Autobots for a loop. Thundercracker was prepared to finish off Prowl when the renegade Dinobot Grimlock arrived on the scene. Fresh for battle, Grimlock easily defeated Thundercracker, battering him from head to toe before knocking him into the airport terminal. Hardwired

Thundercracker's smuggling operation may have been connected to Starscream supplying advanced weapons technology to his human servants in Las Vegas, but this was never made clear.

Recovering from his injuries, Thundercracker joined up with Starscream and his forces in Las Vegas (renamed "New Centurion" by Starscream following his takeover of the city). He got another chance at Prowl and Bumblebee while fighting on the Strip, but the Autobots were better prepared this time and Thundercracker was brought down by Prowl's wire-guided missiles and crashed in front of Caesar's Palace. He revived in time to join Soundwave in double-teaming Grimlock, who had also come in the assault on Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Thundercracker once again fell before the Dinobot's superior might after only a few blows. He stayed under Starscream's command after Megatron returned, remaining in Las Vegas while the former Decepticon leader and those loyal to him quit the city. This only led to Thundercracker being captured with the rest of Starscream's Decepticons when their leader was killed by the Keepers and reanimated as a host body for their awesome power. Thundercracker, Skywarp and the others were trapped beneath a massive energy field, like mice in a cage to the god-like aliens.

The Constructicons eventually dug a tunnel to freedom, and Thundercracker's group of Decepticons reunited with Megatron, working with the Autobots against the Keepers. Thundercracker joined Laserbeak and the Autobot Wheeljack on air patrol during the fight with the Keepers, strafing the aliens and their puppets, Bluestreak and Starscream. He survived the battle with the Keepers (not to mention the nuclear missile launched by the American government) thanks to Optimus Prime super-charging the Matrix with a pool of newly discovered energon. Annihilation

Thundercracker began working for Megatron again, and was present in the Nevada desert when the Autobots and Decepticons confronted the United States military. Thanks to their airborne tactics, Thundercracker and Skywarp did significant injury to the troops and survived the deconstructionite assault virtually unscathed. Fusion

When the Decepticons clashed with the Autobots over a crashed Autobot vessel discovered in the Arctic, Thundercracker took a beating from Mirage. This battle was soon interrupted by the arrival of Shockwave and his army of Triple Changers, who had come from Cybertron to bring the planet's errant sons home. He quickly disposed of Megatron and demanded that Thundercracker and the others submit to him. New World Order The Decepticons somewhat begrudgingly assented to return to Cybertron, but upon arrival Thundercracker and Skywarp were amazed at what Shockwave had accomplished in their absence. While relaxing in an energon bath, they debated how to proceed; Thundercracker believed it would not be long before Shockwave demanded they pledge themselves to his cause, but Skywarp didn't care much, advocating they do what they always did and pick the side with the biggest guns. Brothers' Burden Their tune soon changed, however, when Shockwave's dark schemes were uncovered by Optimus Prime; the two Seekers tried to shut the blast door to the command centre before the Autobot leader could make it through, but they failed, and Prime forced Shockwave's location from them. Countdown to Extinction Thundercracker and Skywarp then both played possum to avoid fighting further. Starscream passed them on his way to the shuttle bay, intending to escape the planet and return to Earth, and he ordered Thundercracker and Skywarp to accompany him. They complied, and helped him load up the inactive Combaticons aboard a shuttle they hijacked. Revelation

Back on Earth, the Decepticons made it back to the Nemesis and set about scavenging parts to restore the ship to working order. Black Sunshine To this end, they attacked the Ark. Thundercracker was part of Starscream's initial salvo against the Autobot base, a decoy to be deliberately taken prisoner in order to draw out the remaining Autobots where the newly reformatted Combaticons could get at them. Night of the Combaticons After decimating the Autobots' ranks, Bruticus freed the fallen Decepticons, and they were about ready to terminate their opponents when the awe-inspiring clone known as Sunstorm emerged from fold-space, looking to have words with Starscream. Sunstorm's "purifying light" induced an energon overload in the Decepticons' systems, knocking them into stasis lock. Black Sunshine Skywarp and the others remained Autobot prisoners until Starscream negotiated a deal for their release in exchange for his aid against Sunstorm. They were only given half-power, though, and had to stumble out of the Autobot camp in an extremely weakened condition. Skyfire

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

Thundercracker was one of the many Transformers found dormant aboard the Ark by Cobra, who reprogrammed the alien robots to serve them. After rebuilding Thundercracker and Skywarp into Rattler planes, Cobra sent them to attack a peace ceremony at Washington, D.C., where one of the Seekers was the first of the attackers to reveal their transformation ability before punching Ace out of the sky. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1

Eventually, the Decepticons were freed from Cobra's control, and Thundercracker and Skywarp started fighting against the newly freed Autobots. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5 When the SPS Satellite went out of control and sent energy beams raining down on Cobra Island, the two Seekers were caught in its blasts and deactivated. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6

Thundercracker and Skywarp are identical in this series, so it's possible that Thundercracker was also the one to kill Major Bludd in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4. It seems more like something Skywarp would do, though.

The Beast Within

During an all-out offensive against the Autobots, Thundercracker attempted to take down Grimlock by himself, only to have his head crushed for his troubles. The Beast Within It's not quite clear if this killed Thundercracker; soon afterward, The Beast slaughtered most of the Decepticons, and Thundercracker's corpse could be seen lying amongst the monstrosity's victims, but his dead body was in jet mode, suggesting that perhaps he'd survived Grimlock's ministrations and met his end at The Beast's hands while in vehicle form. The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences

2005 IDW continuity

"I've only had Buster for a day and a half. But if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself."

A chance to be part of the exciting world of underground gladiator games turned into a life Thundercracker never wanted. Though the terrorism and insurgency of the Decepticons gave him pause, a belief in the rhetoric that founded the faction, and the sense of brotherhood and belonging he gained from being a Seeker, saw Thundercracker remain a loyal Decepticon for millions of years. He served as part of Starscream's infiltration unit on Earth, but when Megatron laid waste to the planet, it was more than Thundercracker could bear. He believed the Decepticons had strayed too far from their original goals, and turned against his leader, saving the Autobots and the city of New York from a nuclear strike. Cast out by his fellows, he threw his lot in with Earth, embracing the planet as a new home and celebrating the ability of its people to grow and change in ways that Transformers struggle to. Today, his love of humanity and their arts has evolved into a desire to become a screenwriter, but love for his dog Buster always comes first.

Lil Formers

Thundercracker watched "Snakes on a Plane" with Thrust and Skywarp. All three Decepticons were pretty freaked out by the premise of the film.

Later, he got squeamish when a human baby almost touched him. Lil Formers

Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga

Thundercracker accompanied Starscream, Skywarp, Ramjet, and a mind-controlled Jetfire in raiding a power plant. Henkei! Henkei! volume 4 A little while later, he, Skywarp, and Ramjet had their alternate modes graffitied by a little kid. Flaming mad, they went after the kid, who was being sped to safety by Sunstreaker. The jets were able to catch up to them when Prowl pulled Sunstreaker over for speeding, but once he understood the situation, the 'cop-bot helped his fellow Autobot send the Decepticons packing. Henkei! Henkei! volume 5

Mini Mayhem!

Thundercracker participated in an infiltration of BotCon to track down next year's toy designs, and use them to conquer the Autobots once and for all! Mini Mayhem!

Robot Heroes

When Optimus Prime recounted a story of the Transformers' homeworld of Cybertron, Thundercracker could be seen flying through the planet's skies in his original Cybertronian alternate modes. As Prime's story continued, he was joined by Skywarp. I Am Optimus Prime

Alternity

A Thundercracker from an unknown universal stream was one of the Questors gathered by Megatron. Granted a portion of the hyperdimensional powers that his leader had obtained from the monstrous Hytherion, Thundercracker was given a new body with a Timaeus drive that granted him the ability to travel through dimensions, and an assortment of new weaponry, among them a "Power Zap" that let him drain energy from other machines, including his enemies, and a Nova Concussion Generator that allowed him to create the functional equivalent of sonic booms in the vacuum of space. He was less than pleased with his new sports car alternate mode, however; having always considered his ability to fly one of things that put him above most other lifeforms, Thundercracker saw his new ground-bound form something of an ironic humiliation. Further, these assorted upgrades did nothing to dispel his doubts about the Decepticon cause. Alternity Thundercracker Sonic Blue profile

Thundercracker's doubts came to the fore when Megatron succeeded in his plan to seize control of the two-dimensional lifeforms known as the Planicrons. Observing Megatron's manipulation of these beings from their base on the magical planet of Menonia, Thundercracker felt for the strange creatures as swathes of them were slain in service of Megatron's ambition. Just then, Starscream made another of his characteristic power plays, using a magical tablet to take control of the Planicrons from Megatron—but Megatron simply killed Starscream, and gave the tablet to Thundercracker to hold. Thundercracker set the tablet down, unable to find it himself to do anything to help the Planicrons... then suddenly, the next thing he knew, he was staring at the tablet again, and the sequence to free the Planicrons had been initiated. Although confused as to whether or not he was responsible, Thundercracker felt no fear when a furious Megatron rounded on him. Rather, he informed his leader that he did not deserve such power, and immediately fled, covering his escape with a Nova Concussion blast.

Subsequently, the liberated Planicrons joined forces with the Alternity and the Binaltech Transformers of the BT World, and succeeded in obliterating Megatron. In the wake of Megatron's defeat, a guilty Thundercracker returned to Menonia to survey the damage done to the planet, where he received a message from the Planicrons thanking him for helping them. Although Thundercracker took some consolation in their words, the ghostly form of the deceased Starscream the appeared to tell him he would never truly be forgiven. Alternation

The story, or at least the translation we currently have of it, is not very clear, but the implication seems to be that Thundercracker may have been possessed by Starscream's ghost and used to set the Planicrons free.

Kre-O cartoon

Thundercracker gave a poor score to Bumblebee's awesome dance performance, and a great score to Starscream's terrible performance. Bot Stars

Thundercracker was among the minions who passed Megatron his presents during the holiday season. A Gift For Megatron

Thundercracker helped Megatron get back into shape after a string of humiliating defeats by standing on top of him while the Decepticon leader did some push-ups, and holding on to his weights while he did some reps. Megatron's Revenge

Transformers: All Spark

Hi-diddle-dee-dee, a background extra's life for me.

Not long after the Transformers' awakening on Earth, Thundercracker and Starscream engaged the Autobots in battle in a desert canyon, keeping them busy while the other Decepticon raided a nearby power plant. The Fated Rival, Once Again... Some time later, after the Decepticons had seized control of a human city and constructed a space bridge, Thundercracker stood alongside his fellow jets and Devastator to defend the bridge against the Autobots' newest warriors, the Dinobots. Thundercracker was sent hurtling off into the distance by the shockwaves that resulted when Grimlock managed to topple Devastator, but was back in action in time to help direct the Insecticons that Shockwave then sent through the space bridge to keep the Autobots occupied. Revenge He then came under fire from human military in the city, and was eventually overpowered by their barrage. Great Aspirations

BeCool shorts

Blue Jet (青のジェット機 Ao no Jettoki) was part of the audience of Quiz! BeCool. The Story of Quiz! BeCool

Angry Birds comic

Hi-diddle-dee-day, a background extra's life is gay.

Thundercracker was part of a group of Decepticons who attacked an Autobot shuttle in a failed attempt to steal the AllSpark. Angry Birds Transformers #1

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

A high silk hat and a silver cane...

Aided by a number of Cobra troops, Thundercracker guarded the temple constructed by Megatron on Primus's face. He detected the arrival of a group of Autobots and Joes, and entered a firefight with them. Expelled from the Garden

TransTech

...a watch of gold with a diamond chain...

A couple of Thundercrackers were two of many offworlders in Axiom Nexus's Under City. They were part of a crowd in Seeker-Shinai that C-81 attempted to disperse through intimidation. Unfortunately, all the Seekers present were too stunned to see a "Megatron" in Axiom Nexus to budge. Cybertron's Most Wanted

Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

I'll rarely be a celebrity, a background extra's life for me!

Thundercracker followed Megatron to Earth in pursuit of the Allspark. His specialty amongst the Seekers was maneuverability. He participated in a large battle against the Autobots in a human settlement. The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe

Timelines: Wings Universe

Thundercracker was enhanced by both Forestonite and Nucleon. Though he retained his alt mode, he now has the speed, strength, and power of an Action Master. Thundercracker's new coloration made him highly self-conscious and doesn't seem to trust Clench very much. Issue #42 of the Official Collectors' Club magazine

Q-Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Kenjirō Tsuda (Japanese)

Starscream dragged Skywarp and Thundercracker along to Sanrio Puroland. When they encountered Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, Thundercracker reflected that nothing good ever came of the pair tagging along with Starscream. Starscream challenged the Autobots who suggested coming up with a Q-Transformers theme park. Thundercracker's suggestion was to insert 10 yen coins into the Autobots. Riffing on Starscream's idea of an adult-targeted theme park, Thundercracker came up with the concept of locating it in a red light district. The Road to Q-Transformers Land Which Won't Lose to Puroland

Prime Wars Trilogy cartoons

Not even a speaking role, just dies. Was this role supposed to go to Dirge?

The Mistress of Flame ordered Thundercracker and the other members of the Elite Air Resistance Squadron to attack Trypticon, but they were all completely overwhelmed by the Titan. Our Heroes Respond

Star Trek vs. Transformers

When World War III consumed Earth, the Decepticons fled the blighted planet aboard Trypticon, trailing the Autobots aboard Fortress Maximus. When the two Titans reached Cygnus Seven, the Decepticons attacked, the battle sending Maximus hurtling into the planet and causing everyone to fall into stasis lock. Eventually, the Federation moved onto Cygnus Seven with a survey team accidentally rousing Maximus's autonomic systems. By random chance, the repair beam first struck Megatron who proceeded to revive the other Decepticons and lead an attack on the surface. Prime's Directive, Part Two Thundercracker joined his fellow Seekers in attacking the mining colony before the Decepticons were scared away by a photon torpedo barrage from the USS Enterprise. When the group retreated to a nearby moon, they found Trypticon being swarmed by Kuri's Klingons. Prime's Directive, Part One

As Megatron negotiated with the aliens, Thundercracker conducted a patrol before the alliance was cemented and he joined Starscream in re-attacking Cygnus Seven. Prime's Directive, Part Two When the group cornered Optimus and prepared to execute him, Fortress Maximus burst out of the moon, sending the Seekers scattering. Prime's Directive, Part Three When the two Titans began brawling, Starscream used the distraction to steal away a cache of dilithium so he could conquer a planet. When Megatron took notice of this, he ordered the battle ended, having Trypticon beam all the Decepticons aboard so they could pursue the traitor. Prime's Directive, Part Four

The Decepticons caught up with Starscream at the chambers of the Klingon High Council on Kronos. Once Megatron had downed the traitor, he ordered his troops to raze the First City before the Autobot/Starfleet alliance arrived. Though the organics had donned Cybertronian-scaled mechas, the Seekers' air superiority proved an advantage in the fight before Soundwave crippled their foes via audio disruptor waves. Unfortunately for the Decepticons, the Klingons were deaf to the frequency that Soundwave used, allowing them to call in a warbird fleet that defeated the invaders. As part of James T. Kirk's peace treaty with the Klingon Empire, Thundercracker and his fellow Decepticons were left in Klingon custody. Prime's Directive, Part Five

War for Cybertron Trilogy continuity

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

On Cybertron, Thundercracker was an Air Force Infantry Sergeant, whose function was a Seeker. Siege webpage During the war for Cybertron, Thundercracker was stationed at Altihex, an area with such high levels of militant Decepticon activity that Autobots found it unsafe and sought to avoid entering. Siege Teletraan-1 Data Files

With Cybertron's fate sealed and the Autobots gone, the Decepticons followed them closely through space aboard the Nemesis in pursuit of the AllSpark. Earthrise webpage At this time, Thundercracker was a member of the Seeker Elite team alongside Skywarp. WFC-E29 Skywarp & Thundercracker packaging

Closer than ever to reaching the AllSpark, the Decepticons awakened after crash-landing on pre-Ice Age Earth. While battling the Autobots, both sides were joined by the Maximals and Predacons, their epic battle changing their combined destinies.

During this period, Thundercracker trans-scanned into a jet. His Null Rays and sonic booms were his powers and weapons, and his core traits were his self-importance, indifference, and carelessness. Thundercracker's message from the future was that it takes two wings to fly. Kingdom webpage

War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon

Voice actor: Danny Hansen (English), Erwan Zamor (French), Manuel Campuzano (Latin-American Spanish), Jesús Carrasco (Castilian Spanish)

Thundercracker accompanied several Seekers in detaining the Autobot Wheeljack and the energon scavenger Bumblebee. On Megatron's orders, Thundercracker and the others prepared to execute their prisoners, but intervention by other Autobots led to their captives' escape. Thundercracker and the other Seekers gave chase but ultimately failed to capture the Autobots. Siege episode 1

Thundercracker and Acid Storm joined Starscream in confronting Jetfire outside the tomb of Alpha Trion. Starscream then exposed Jetfire as a traitor for murdering fellow Seeker Skywarp. When Jetfire admitted that Starscream spoke the truth, Megatron ordered his execution. Thundercracker prepared to attack, only to be thrown aside by Jetfire launching missiles, and he fled into the air. Thundercracker joined Starscream in give chase in vehicle mode, and though Hotlink was lost, Thundercracker and the others succeeded in shooting down Jetfire. Siege episode 4

Thundercracker was among the Decepticons that attacked Autobot Command, under the command of Starscream. Siege episode 6 He was later tasked with torturing the captured Steeljaw as part of Starscream's plan to lure the Autobots left on Cybertron into a trap. Once the trap succeeded, Thundercracker was among the Seekers who delivered the captured Autobots to Megatron. Earthrise episode 1

Once Megatron had gotten the Nemesis off of Cybertron, Thundercracker helped Megatron ambush the Ark; although the arrival of the insane Quintesson Deseeus forced both factions to temporarily put their differences aside, the destruction of the Fool's Fortune caused an explosion that sent both ships plummeting into Earth's atmosphere, where they violently crash-landed. Earthrise episode 6 After getting their bearings, Thundercracker joined Megatron on a reconnaissance mission; the group encountered the Predacons, a time-travelling group of future Cybertronians led by their own Megatron, and the two factions agreed to an alliance. Kingdom episode 1 After returning to the Nemesis, Thundercracker informed Dinobot that they'd captured Airazor. Kingdom episode 2

Thundercracker was among the Decepticons captured by the Autobot-Maximal alliance and shipped back to Cybertron aboard the Ark, and later took part in the final battle against a time-travelling Nemesis Prime and Galvatron. After vanquishing Unicron's minions, Thundercracker was present for the ceremony marking a tentative end to the Autobot-Decepticon war. Kingdom episode 6

Bumblebee graphic novels

Thundercracker was one of a number of Decepticons who joined Starscream as they battled for control of a volatile Cybertonium meteorite. After first tangling with Sideswipe, he and Skywarp chased Windblade through the sky until the impending meteor explosion prompted them both to retreat. Go for the Gold

Mazinger Z versus Transformers

Transported to the Japan of an alternate universe by a malfunctioning space bridge, Thundercracker and the other Decepticons scouted out the nearby Photonic Power Laboratory, and watched as the Autobots battled Kōji Kabuto inside the Mazinger Z super robot. After Megatron and Doctor Hell formed an alliance of their own, Thundercracker and Skywarp joined the Mechanical Beasts in their attack on the facility, but Mazinger Z shot them both out of the sky. The duo took part in the three-way battle to take down the monstrous "Hellscream" when the Air Commander went rogue, and Hellscream's eventual destruction opened a second dimensional breach that sent the remaining Cybertronians back home. Mazinger Z versus Transformers

Transformers/Ghostbusters

Thundercracker took part in a battle on Cybertron at some point before Gozer invaded the planet. Ghosts of Cybertron Part 1

Transformers vs. The Terminator

He's sad because he knows he's in another crossover comic and is about to eat shit.

In 2029, Thundercracker was part of the final attack on Skynet's last stronghold, hovering high and raining death on the artificial intelligence's army. Enemy of My Enemy Part One

To avert the Decepticon threat, a lone T-800 travelled back to 1984 to try and destroy them before they conquered the world. In this new timeline, the interference of the anomalous android allowed the Autobots to survive. After the Decepticons had fallen back to scout the alien world, they launched an attack on Cyberdyne Systems for its energy production capabilities. Enemy of My Enemy Part Two

After thoroughly conquering the facility, Thundercracker reported on the Decepticons' activities to Megatron, informing his master that nothing similar to the Terminator robot had been found. When the Autobots found them, Thundercracker was jumped by Arcee, having his nosecone impaled. Enemy of My Enemy Part Three

Thundercracker recovered in time to join his fellows in cornering Bumblebee, Arcee and Velocity before Starscream betrayed the Decepticons by shooting Soundwave in the back, a distraction Arcee took advantage of to knock Skywarp into Thundercracker and take both out of the fight. When Megatron was felled, Thundercracker was taken into custody by the Autobots only for the Cybertronians to find that the T-800 had remotely detonated Mount St. Hilary and destroyed the Ark. Though confused about who had destroyed the mountain, Thundercracker ultimately agreed to Optimus Prime's proposal of a truce. Enemy of My Enemy Part Four

My Little Pony/Transformers

"Remember when I got to write screenplays and walk my dog and everyone loved me? Why can't I have that back?"

Thundercracker was one of several Decepticons who battled for control of a malfunctioning spacebridge, only to be teleported to Equestria as a result of Queen Chrysalis's magic interfering with the machine. Transformation Is Magic While Megatron had gone off with the changeling queen, Thundercracker remained with Starscream and Skywarp and the three quickly conquered the city of Manehattan. Though initially sent to do rounds, Thundercracker was called back into battle by Starscream when Arcee arrived. While the Seeker trio initially pinned down the Autobot, the equine Rarity used her magic to shield Arcee and allowed her to shoot down Thundercracker. Shine Like a Diamond

When the Decepticons returned their attention to Equestria, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Slipstream travelled to the city of Las Pegasus to steal magic artifacts, only for Thundercracker to blow their cover and attract the attention of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. The Magic of Cybertron After King Sombra began enslaving Cybertronians, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Skywarp teamed up with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts to capture some of his brainwashed Transformer slaves. Rainbow Dash put her "sonic rainboom" attack to good effect; despite Starscream's insistence that he'd saved the day, Skywarp and Thundercracker wound up cheering for the ponies. Stunt Flying

While trying to escape from Cybertron, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia witnessed Thundercracker flying by. Sick Beats

Transformers/Back to the Future

After the Decepticons had conquered Hill Valley, Thundercracker functioned as an aerial patrol. Transformers/Back to the Future #1

2019 IDW continuity

After Jhiaxus had Strika's Heavies force the Autobots in the path of the rust worms, Thundercracker was part of the Seeker force that blocked their escape route. Radical Time

Energon Universe

Thundercracker was part of the Decepticon detachment aboard the Nemesis as it pursued the Ark. Transformers #8 As part of the Decepticons' raiding party, he was on the Ark when it crashed on Earth. Teletraan I was halfway through reconstructing him when Optimus Prime destroyed it, leaving Thundercracker to collapse back into his component parts. Transformers #1

File:TF2023 no. 5 – Thundercracker finds Skywarp.jpg

Thundercracker expresses distress over his brother's fate as any sibling likely would. Starscream acts in a manner which would make even Cain raise an eyebrow.

Eventually, Starscream and Soundwave were able to get the raw material to repair Teletraan One by dismembering Skywarp and integrating him into the computer, and then began using Teletraan to reconstruct more Decepticons, with Thundercracker being the first. On being revived, Thundercracker was shocked to see what had become of his fellow Seeker, but Starscream was unsympathetic, telling him that Skywarp had "volunteered his life" for the Decepticon cause (conveniently omitting the fact that Skywarp had been a less-than-willing volunteer).

On finding out that the Autobots had found a new source of energy at a dam, Starscream ordered an offensive to put an end to it. Thundercracker and Starscream began the attack by strafing the Autobots, with Thundercracker vowing to avenge Skywarp. On another strafing run, Thundercracker damaged the dam, causing some human to nearly fall to her doom. The attack would succeed in its original goal when the Decepticons destroyed the turbine the Autobots had built, but they retreated anyway when Starscream was wounded fighting Optimus Prime. Transformers #5

When the Autobots made a push to retake the Ark, a still-vengeful Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons charged with holding them back. When they made it into the Ark, he grappled with Arcee and later carried Soundwave away as the Decepticons retreated. Transformers #6

Now hiding out in the mountains, the Decepticons turned on Starscream, demanding he step down as leader as Soundwave challenged him for the top job. When Starscream attempted to talk his way out of it, Thundercracker pushed the Air Commander into the ring, where Soundwave gave him a merciless beatdown. Thundercracker then led the Decepticons in cheering for their new leader. Transformers #7

File:TF2023 no. 8 – Soundwave and Thundercracker.jpg

So he strikes, like Thunderball!

Soundwave and Thundercracker then launched an attack on the human aircraft carrier USS Henry Harrison. As he pushed the human fighter jets off of the ship's flight deck and watched the humans panic, Thundercracker sneered at the humans' reliance on machines to get around and snatched one up. On hearing the human plead for his life, Thundercracker took pity and released him, allowing the humans to get into a lifeboat. However, Soundwave, not wanting to leave behind any witnesses, sank the lifeboats. They then scuttled the carrier in a specific location where they linked up with the Constructicons, with Soundwave revealing that this was the resting place of the Nemesis. Using the Harrison's nuclear reactor, the Decepticons restored power to the Nemesis and made their way inside. On hearing a series of bangs, the Decepticons realized that Astrotrain was now online. Soundwave ordered Thundercracker to release him from his cell, and on doing so, the enraged triple changer beat Thundercracker like a drum until Soundwave managed to calm him down. Transformers #8

Thundercracker helped repel the Autobot attack on the base, participating in a beatdown on Optimus Prime. Afterwards, he watched his peers drag Cliffjumper and Jazz away. Transformers #9 Thundercracker joined Shockwave and Soundwave in visiting their prisoners, leaving before Shockwave began his torture. Soundwave attempted to ease the Seeker's misgivings, claiming Shockwave's control of Cybertron made him necessary. When Thundercracker suggested mounting an attack on the Ark, Soundwave denied him, reminding him that, as a Decepticon, his body belonged to Soundwave. Later, Thundercracker watched as Shockwave used the space bridge to bring Cybertron to Earth. Transformers #10

File:TF2023 №16 – Thundercracker Abandons Soundwave.jpg

After that plan's failure, Soundwave ordered the Decepticons on a terror spree across the continental United States to lure out the Autobots, much to Thundercracker's discomfort. When the Decepticons were razing Tacoma, Thundercracker encouraged a group of humans to flee before he was forced to bring down their building. When the Autobots were lured out, the Decepticons confronted them at a dam only for Starscream to return, now commanding the loyalty of Astrotrain and the Combaticons. Transformers #15 Engaging Starscream in battle, Thundercracker learnt that Soundwave had been complicit in Skywarp's fate. Disgusted by it all, Thundercracker sent the H.I.S.S. tank that formed Starscream's lower half into the water below before he flew off, abandoning Soundwave to the mercy of Astrotrain. Transformers #16

While the Autobots and their human allies were all out of their base, Thundercracker snuck into the empty Ark to try and free Skywarp from Teletraan I. But the half-brain-dead Skywarp told him to stop, pointing out that removing him from the computer would kill him. Undaunted, Thundercracker vowed that one way or another, he'd free his brother-in-arms. Transformers #17 So he concealed himself inside the Ark, Transformers #20 biding his time until the Autobots were distracted by a Decepticon attack. As the fighting outside intensified, Thundercracker flipped a switch within Skywarp's body, which allowed Skywarp to use his teleportation ability to teleport away the Ark, with the two Seekers inside it, right from under the Autobots' feet. Transformers #21

The Ark teleported to a realm of monsters, causing a maddened Thundercracker to reverse the teleport, returning the Ark to its original resting place whereupon Thundercracker took his madness out on the Autobots. Transformers #25 Though he briefly sought to manually extract Skywarp from the supercomputer, Thundercracker was quickly beaten down by Ultra Magnus before Optimus Prime arrived and defused the conflict by promising to repair Skywarp. While the Autobots delivered on their promise, Skywarp's loyalty to the Decepticons proved absolute. After rebuking Thundercracker's plea to hear him out and mocking him as weak, Skywarp flew out of the Ark. When Ultra Magnus questioned what was to be done with Thundercracker, the blue Seeker said the Autobots had nothing to fear from him and that he had chosen his side. Transformers #26

NOW GIMME A DOG.

Thundercracker was approached by Optimus Prime as he sat in a forest near the Ark, and the two had a fruitful discussion about Thundercracker's loyalties. Thundercracker admitted that the cruelty of the Decepticons was something he never agreed with. He still valued his Decepticon kin over the natives of Earth, but he didn't believe that innocents should be slaughtered. Thundercracker was encouraged by Optimus Prime's willingness to find common ground with him and decided to make his faction change official. Later inside the Ark, Optimus Prime was considering reviving some of the remaining deactivated Decepticons left in the ship, but Thundercracker told him it wasn't a good idea. Thundercracker then had his Decepticon insignias formally swapped for Autobot ones and affirmed dedication to his new cause. Transformers #27

Thundercracker visited the captive Soundwave in the Ark's brig, who greeted him with disgust and labeled him a traitor. Thundercracker told him that one day Soundwave might find himself in the same situation; exposed to Decepticon cruelty so heinous that it would change how he viewed his faction. Soundwave seemed to reflect on Thundercracker's words after the Seeker departed. Thundercracker later came out for the official debut of Arcee Magnus with the rest of the Autobots. He was part of the roll call and ordered to transform by the new Magnus, but everyone took pause when Optimus Prime realized Trailbreaker was absent. Transformers #28

They soon discovered the reason, as the Decepticons were nearby and Megatron had brutally killed Trailbreaker. Optimus Prime attacked in a fury and the two factions clashed. Thundercracker was immediately punched by Skywarp and soon after mauled by Ravage. He found himself down on the ground and facing the vengeful Megatron, who prepared to execute the traitor. Thundercracker was saved when Megatron was suddenly seized by a fit that made him collapse in pain. Thundercracker expressed concern for his former leader and with Megatron down, Optimus advised the Decepticons to surrender. Devastator's arrival on the battlefield threw the situation into chaos again and allowed the Decepticons to regroup and retreat. Transformers #29

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

Commercial appearances

How bizarrely in-character.

Thundercracker snuck his way into several bits of original commercial animation. The following commercials contain original footage of Thundercracker:

• He appeared in the first Transformers animation, a 1984 commercial advertising the Marvel comic. In it, he, Starscream, and Skywarp attacked a power plant on Earth. The Autobots then launched a counter-attack against them. Thundercracker was animated with an early model featuring a black face. The Transformers #1
• Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream encountered the Autobots Jazz, Sideswipe, and Prowl in the middle of a desert. The two groups briefly scuffled. Decepticon jets & Autobot cars commercial
• He flew overhead in jet mode as Optimus transformed and opened fire on Megatron and his troops. Optimus Prime and Megatron commercial
• Thundercracker and Starscream strafed three Autobot cars, only to be met with Jetfire. The airborne Autobot shot him down, forcing the Decepticons to transform and land. Thankfully, their newest recruit, Shockwave, was able to pick up the slack. Jetfire and Shockwave commercial
• Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream found themselves on the wrong end of a beating when they came to blows with the Dinobots. Predacons commercial
• A commercial for Transformers reflective iron-on patches advertised the "Prizes in Disguise" competition. When the iron-on patch was used, it was possible to find instead an instant win ticket for a Transformers voice changer (of the Enemy variety)—or to have a party with "life-size" Transformers! Among the "life-size" Transformers shown were Jazz and Thundercracker. In all likelihood, you did not party with them.

He has also been featured in some online promotional videos:

• After Megatron learned about BotCon 2009 from Optimus Prime, he led a small group of Decepticon representatives to the convention, including Thundercracker. BotCon 2009!

Games

Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons

When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' Minicar troops from the Decepticons, Thundercracker could hinder Optimus Prime's progress, by attacking him, temporarilly breaking down the Autobots' leader. Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game

Transformers: Mystery of Convoy

Thundercracker was among the Decepticon troops who sought to destroy Ultra Magnus on his journey, confronting him in the Temple Ruins... in theory. Transformers: Mystery of Convoy

Thundercracker's supposed appearance in this game is from a Mystery of Convoy promo video, calling him one of the "Jetron" foes. These enemies being copies of Thundercracker is... dubious, especially given the poor visual resemblance.

Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)

In one of several possible timelines, the time-traveling Predacon Ravage broke into the Ark while its occupants were still in stasis and downloaded protoform cloning data from Thundercracker, among several others. He then returned to his future, planning to revive the Decepticons in new clone bodies and begin their conquest anew. Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)

The Transformers (PS2)

Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who joined the battle on the planet Zel Samine over the powerful Zel Quartz, where he defended the Monogan Hydroelectric Power Station and ELTA against Autobot incursion. The Transformers

Thundercracker is a non-playable character who appears only among the legion of Decepticon duplicates in the Autobot campaign.

Transformers G1: Awakening

Thundercracker was among the Decepticons who pursued and boarded the Autobot Ark. When the ship crashed on Earth, all inside were sent into stasis, but the Decepticons woke up four million years later and resumed their conquering ways. Picking up Jetfire, whom they tricked into becoming a Decepticon, Thundercracker took part in an attack on Dyson Dam. He and the other Seekers picked a fight with Grimlock and were soundly trounced by the Dinobot. He also took part in a disastrous assault on the Ark, which ended with the Decepticons in retreat. Transformers G1: Awakening

Bot Shots Battle Game!

Service with a smile.

Thundercracker participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! Bot Shots Battle Game!

Transformers: Construct-Bots

Thundercracker was one of the many customizable Transformers who battled across Earth and Cybertron. Construct-Bots

Transformers Legends

Thundercracker was among the Seekers who went on a worldwide rampage, until they were thwarted by the Autobots. Robots in the Sky During a Decepticon attack on a major human city, Thundercracker and Dirge used their sonic powers to make things difficult for the Autobot rescue team of Ratchet, Inferno and the Protectobots. To the Rescue Thundercracker took part in a major battle in Autobot City, but his taunting of the Dinobots resulted in Swoop dragging him out of the air for a beating. S.O.S. Dinobots

Thundercracker was among the Decepticons who came to the aid of the reprogrammed Nightbird, but failed to prevent her falling back into Autobot hands. Enter the Nightbird

When the Autobots were driven from Earth, Thundercracker fought against his Decepticon comrades. All Hail Megatron

At some point, he was reformatted into Scourge. The Coronation of Starscream

Thundercracker was caught up somehow in a Quintesson plot to kidnap several Autobots during the Galactic Games. Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1

Angry Birds Transformers

Thundercracker appears as one of the first unlockable characters. He is portrayed by a Minion Pig. Angry Birds Transformers

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Thundercracker participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He appeared in multiple different bodies:

• Thundercracker — This Common character could be recruited by collecting 6 units of Cybermetal.
• Thundercracker — This Uncommon character could be recruited by collecting 90 units of Cybermetal and 42 units of Transmetal.
• Thundercracker — This Super Rare character could be recruited by collecting 250 units of Cybermetal, 75 units of Transmetal, 50 exclusive cores, and 5 cores of this character.
• Thundercracker (Gen) - This Epic Character could be recruited by collecting 650 units of Cybermetal, 350 units of Transmetal, 150 exclusive cores, and 50 cores of this character. Transformers: Battle Tactics

Transformers: Devastation

Voice actor: André Sogliuzzo

"Go bleach your roots, creep!"

After the Plasma Core was lost following its ejection from the ancient Cybertronian starship the Proudstar, the Autobots had to hunt down a Decepticon from whom they could learn its location. Thundercracker had the misfortune of being the closest 'Con, and was promptly beaten into submission. Optimus Prime invited him to join their cause, and while Thundercracker didn't accept, he did reveal the core's location to them; he considered Megatron's plans for it to be utter madness, and hoped the Autobots would destroy it. Bumblebee quipped that the Decepticon hadn't required any convincing at all, and that it was no surprise he was named Thundercracker. Despite the Autobots' efforts, the Decepticons got their hands on the core and brought it back to the Proudstar, where Thundercracker later battled the Autobots alongside Skywarp. Transformers: Devastation

Transformers: Earth Wars

Ya ta ta ta ta ta Ya ta ta to ta ti Ya ta ta ta ta Ya ta ta ta ta to ta to KABOOM. KABOOM

Thundercracker knows the power of fear. While in his supersonic alt-mode, he often scorns the wretched beings below who are unable to claim the sky as he does, diving down on the hapless fools, leaving them as smouldering ruins. To conquer is his right as a Decepticon, to burn is his destiny, yet in his Spark he sometimes finds himself wondering what he really fights for. Thundercracker Bio

Thundercracker arrived on Earth with Skywarp in time to participate in the battle for the Codex Key.

Starscream tried to pass the blame on Thundercracker for that one time they lost a Crystal of Power in Peru, so Megatron had them find another Crystal like it, buy they found an inferior Depleted Crystal instead. Starscream hoped to use it anyway to bring an army of his own, but that didn't happen. Fire on the Mountain event

He later commented on how giving Shockwave cloning tech for his Inception Day to create Nemesis Prime was a bad call. Light Our Darkest Hour Event

• Added: April 6, 2016
• Autobot Counterpart: Silverbolt
• Class: Aerial
• Star Ratings: 1 - 5 stars
• Weapons: He dual-wields miniguns to steadily damage targets.
• Ability: EMP bomb - Fly into the air and drop an EMP on one target, dealing heavy damage and disabling it.
• Cost: 4 (was 3) ability points +2 for reuses.
• Level 11 Bonus: EMP bomb bounces from one target to a second one, dealing electric damage.
• Compatible C.O.M.B.A.Ts:
  • Companion
  • Ranged

Thundercracker at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki

Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive

Thundercracker was in command of the ninth Decepticon base attacked and destroyed by the Autobots during a series of raids. He fought the invaders using his air advantage, but was eventually defeated. Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive

Transformers: Forged to Fight

"Wait, what do you mean it's fair and balanced?"

Thundercracker was one of many bots pulled from his universe to fight against the Quintessons. There are many of him running around! Transformers: Forged to Fight

Transformers: Heavy Metal

Thundercracker was among the Decepticons under Starscream's command who invaded Earth in search of Energon. Transformers: Heavy Metal

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Thundercracker was a reluctant warrior who only served the Decepticons because he felt it was better than life as an Autobot stooge. Despite his many hang-ups and his contempt for “grounders”, Thundercracker was a capable warrior when he put his mind to the task at hand. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, English, German, Japanese, and Junkion, in addition to his native Cybertronian. Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook

Shortly after arriving on Earth, Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream attacked Hoover Dam in an attempt to generate more energon for themselves and attacked a team of human engineers. However, a team of Autobots were able to keep the Decepticons at bay long enough for the engineers to open the release valves, which prevented the dam from collapsing and forced the Decepticons to retreat with less energon than they’d hoped. Troubled Waters

Thundercracker and Acid Storm sent a group of Decepticon rookies to meet with Astrotrain in Kansas. The Great Energon Robbery

Notes

My hat has eyebrows!

• A handful of Marvel Books coloring books (among them Decepticon Patrol) depict Skywarp and Thundercracker with original head designs. It's possible these were developed so kids could tell the characters apart in black and white, but the numerous character model oddities in these books make any kind of certain judgment difficult.
• The original title sequence for The Transformers cartoon inexplicably depicts Thundercracker leading the Seeker trio instead of Starscream.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Thundercracker (サンダークラッカー Sandākurakkā)
• Czech: Hromoprask
• French: Coup de Tonnerre (Canada, "Thunderclap")
• Hebrew: Méfatsé'ach Raám (מפצח רעם, "Thunder Cracker")
• Hungarian: Villámcsapás ("Lightning strike")
• Italian: Vampiro ("Vampire")
• Mandarin: Lìe Léi (Taiwan, 裂雷, "Cracking Thunder"), Léi Gōng (Taiwan, 雷公, "Lord of Thunder"), Jīngtiān Léi (China, 惊天雷, "Sky-shocking Thunder")
• Portuguese: Grande Trovão (Portugal comics, "Big Thunder"), Arrasador (Brazil comics, "Destroyer")
• Russian: Tanderkreker (Тандеркрэкер, "Thundercracker"), Gromoverzhec (Громовержец, "Thunderer")