Chainclaw (G1)

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

Chainclaw is an Autobot Pretender Beast from the Generation 1 continuity family.

I'm a godless killing machine. OH GOD, DOES THIS LOOK INFECTED?!

An intense hypochondriac, the Pretender Beast Chainclaw believes firmly that there is something very wrong with his systems, if not several things wrong, and nothing will convince him otherwise. He endlessly entertains visions of how he and his teammates are going to die in battle, every possible mishap that's remotely plausible, even several implausible ones. Once he starts fighting, though, his anxiousness is channeled into a wild, animalistic fighting fury. Chainclaw is an incredibly effective and ferocious warrior... so long as he doesn't notice that discolored spot on his exostructure.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

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

Chainclaw was due to make a top-secret delivery of Autobot battle plans to Optimus Prime, but was attacked and carried off by Doubledealer. Chainclaw was returned to the Autobots after Doubledealer conned the Autobots out of a ransom and sold the battle plans to Scorponok. (Double) Deal of the Century!

Later, he was sent to Earth as part of a small team of Autobots by Optimus Prime to report on Starscream's activities since the Decepticon became a powerful Pretender. The Autobots did not want to fight Starscream because of his new strength, but inadvertently enraged Starscream in fleeing from him; the Seeker misinterpreted the Autobots' action as meaning that they couldn't be bothered wasting their time fighting him. This led to Starscream's self-confidence returning and trashing all three of the Autobots in retaliation. Fallen Star!

Rhythms of Darkness!

I'm pretty sure that's not what those directions meant when they said "bear to the left".

In an alternate timeline, Chainclaw was one of seven Autobots remaining in the Western Hemisphere in 2009, which had been overrun by the Decepticons. He, Getaway and Guzzle took on Cyclonus and Scourge in order to keep them away from the rest of their team while they accomplished their mission; showing the rest of the world that America still lived and fought against the Decepticons. Chainclaw got the drop on Cyclonus and likely would have killed him, if not for the intervention of Galvatron, who destroyed Chainclaw with a single shot.

Of course, Galvatron then killed Cyclonus for being weak, so if Chainclaw weren't dead, he'd probably feel better about the outcome. Rhythms of Darkness!

Transformers Comic-Magazin

Chainclaw was among the Autobots summoned to defend Nevada Alpha and its cache of nuclear missiles from the Decepticons. "Save Nevada Alpha"

Regeneration One

Regeneration One continues from the Marvel US series, and does not include the UK stories or any subsequently published stories.

Chainclaw and Catilla were among the many Autobots fighting off Bludgeon's Blitz Engines on Cybertron. Destiny, Part Four

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #23

Wocka wocka!

Chainclaw was a member of the Senate Guard, and provided security for Sentinel Prime when the Autobot senator made his controversial speech before the Senate. He, along with Grotusque lamented about being looked down upon for their bestial modes, until Ironhide told them nobody actually thought that way. Chainclaw and Pipes guarded a cargo door to the Senate, where they were ambushed, attacked, and overrun by the Decepticons Clench, Apeface, and Runabout. We Have Deceived You

All of the members of the Senate Guard were taken prisoner and detained in their own holding cells while Megatron consolidated his power in Iacon, and remained there for some time until a resistance team led by Ironhide and the remnants of the Senate Guard broke into the Senate and freed them. Despite Chainclaw's own protests, Brawn used him as an improvised demolition tool by throwing him right through the floor, and the sudden appearance of his beast mode frightened Ravage and Laserbeak away. Chainclaw joined Ironhide's team as they swept the Senate for any more survivors, but had to drag his leader away when Blitzwing ambushed them and killed Roulette. As Ironhide and the others fled the building and broke for their fallback point, Chainclaw brought up the rear; he didn't get far, however, as a railgun slug from Clench impaled him through the chest, and a second shot fatally decapitated him. War World: Prime

Toys

The Transformers

Harder than the average bear.

• Chainclaw (Pretender Beast, 1988)

• Accessories: Pretender shell, helmet, "solid sonic energy blaster"
• Known designers: Richard Marcej (packaging)

Released in the fifth year of the original The Transformers toyline (fourth year in European markets), Chainclaw transforms into a gray and yellow robotic godless killing machine (aka "bear") with a back-mounted double-barreled "energy blaster". In robot mode, the blaster mounts onto his shoulder.

He comes with an outer Pretender shell shaped like an armored organic brown bear, as opposed to the humanoid shells of most Pretenders. His shell can be fit around his robot body, completely hiding his true form. The shell can also be augmented with a silver battle helmet and the energy blaster.

No version of this mold or character was released in Japan.

• More information on Chainclaw at TFU.info

Notes

"Guys, I'm ready for my Generation 2 comeback!"

• Although he presumably had a character model made, Chainclaw and Carnivac were not seen in the original Pretender Beasts commercial—only a brief clip of Snarler and Catilla fighting was shown.
• "(Double) Deal of the Century!" was coloured for the German Condor Verlag reprints, and is apparently set during Chainclaw's raver days.

Foreign names

• French: Griffeur (Canada, "Clawer")
• Italian: Ursus