Splashdown

Splashdown is an Autobot Pretender from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Yet another example of cool box art conning innocent children out of their parents' money.

The legend of the weathered old mariner lives on in Splashdown. A veritable treasure chest of nautical warfare experience, no seas are too violent for Splashdown. Indeed, for one who has honed his skills in oceans of mercury and liquid lead, taming the H₂O of Earth is like paddling in a pond to him. As the Autobot's naval commander, his troops admire his jovial demeanor, his effective tactics, and his deep conviction in the Autobot cause—even if he tends to ignore the chain of command when he thinks he knows better than the higher-ups.

When ensconced in his heavily-armored Pretender shell, Splashdown can survive immersion in even the most corrosive liquids, and safely operate 30,000 feet under the sea. His shell comes equipped with an armor-piercing harpoon cannon and an electro-spear, perfect for tackling underwater Decepticons... especially his arch-enemy Finback. In spite of his prowess on the high seas, Splashdown often finds himself over his head (under his head?) when he tries to take command of terrestrial operations.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

Cloudburst has to introduce Splashdown because nobody knows who he is because he never does anything.

A member of Fortress Maximus's crew aboard the Steelhaven, Splashdown volunteered for the synthoplasmic conversion process Optimus Prime had stolen from Scorponok, transforming him into an Autobot Pretender. With Optimus Prime coordinating the Pretenders' first battle with the Decepticons, Splashdown and his teammates easily overwhelmed the opposing force. Pretender to the Throne!

As a naval command officer, Splashdown accompanied Landmine and Cloudburst in trailing the Decepticon Pretenders to an off-shore oil rig. With Landmine and Cloudburst concentrating on their own dance partners, Splashdown presumably disabled Iguanus behind the scenes. The three Decepticons were disarmed, and the Autobots planned to take them back to Cybertron to stand trial for their crimes. The Chain Gang!

Regeneration One

Splashdown was stationed with Perceptor and Hoist at the Autobot base beneath the Senate Forum on Cybertron, but when Grapple, Hosehead, Crosshairs, and Blurr arrived there to look for reinforcements Splashdown was gone, presumably infected by Scorponok's Gene Key. Natural Selection, Part Three

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

e-HOBBY comics

After an investigation of recent attacks on human ships by biomechanical sea monsters, the Autobots tracked the beasts to an underwater Decepticon base, and Splashdown and his fellow Pretender Waverider were tasked with transporting a submarine carrying troops into enemy territory. Splashdown was initially boggled by the lack of guards, but was reassured when he ran into two Constructicons. Together with Cliffjumper and Sideswipe, he defeated and interrogated them, then reported to Optimus Prime that the monsters were indeed created by the Decepticons, but had gone berserk and broken out of their control. MP-1B Cybertron Commander / Convoy Black Ver.

Splashdown reported their attempts to thwart the sea monsters had failed, resulting in the abduction of Black Convoy, so backup was sent to assist him. MP-3G Destron Air Commander / Starscream Ghost Ver.

Legends comic

Splashdown was amazed when Optimus Prime announced his plan to resurrect the legendary hero Ultra Magnus. Resurrection Chapter

Toys

The Transformers

He bites. He fights. He stands for everything right.

• Splashdown (Pretender, 1988)

• Accessories: Helmet, belt, "electron-sword", large "harpoon gun", "photon blaster", shield
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist), Richard Marcej (packaging)

Released in the fifth year of the original The Transformers toyline (fourth in European markets), in the second wave of normal Pretenders, Splashdown transforms into an extraordinarily vague-looking Cybertronic hovercraft. In this mode, his small red "photon blaster" pegs on the top of his shield, which completes the vehicle mode.

His robot form fits inside his Pretender shell, which can also mount the shield on its left arm. Similarly to Sky High and Groundbreaker, the shell's chest plate features an animal-inspired design, in Splashdown's case, a shark's head.

No version of this mold was sold in Japan.

• More information on Splashdown at TFU.info

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Splashdown (スプラッシュダウン Suprurasshudaun)
• French: Aquachef (Canada)
• Italian: Squalos ("Sharkos")