Virulent Clone

Virulent Clones are Decepticon Insecticons from the Generation 1 continuity family.

There's always two of me just a-hangin' arou-ound.

Virulent Clones were created from Deathsaurus's experiments on the genetic codes of Insecticons Dirge and Buzzclaw, with the intention of using their latent ability to create endless duplicates of themselves to build a new Insecticon clone army. Deathsaurus would, of course, use this army to wipe out the Autobots and take over the galaxy, yadda yadda yadda.

Each clone isn't very smart, but they do follow orders well. As personality-less, easily-destroyable-yet-easily-replenishable drones, they make perfectly satisfactory cannon fodder.

Fiction

We're back! Ahahahaha!

Descent into Evil

Long after the Insecticon clan had dispersed, Dirge and Buzzclaw were recruited by Deathsaurus to serve as the basis for a new army of Insecticon Virulent Clones. Deathsaurus established a research center on Ceti Alpha Seven, where he unlocked the pair's long-dormant cloning abilities. When the Autobots discovered the facility and sent a team to destroy it, Dirge and Buzzclaw separately led armies of Virulent Clones against them. Although the Decepticons won that battle, the arrival of reinforcements ultimately led to an Autobot victory, with the cloning center destroyed and the clones' genetic matrices poisoned. Descent into Evil

Wings Universe

At the beginning of the war, infestations of Virulent clones were rampant in many of Cybertron's city-states. Around Cybertron #10 A plague of these insects were beaten back by two Elite Guard teams. Though the clones were defeated, at least their corpses managed to cover their enemies in disgusting goo. The Coming Storm: Part 2

Toys

Timelines

Game Freak saw this and ran with it.

• Virulent Clones (BotCon 2005 Souvenir two-pack)
  • Accessories: Claw-pack, tail/shield

A redeco of the Beast Wars Predacon Basic Class Fuzor Buzzclaw, Virulent Clone transforms into a praying mantis-lizard monster. Its beast mode foreclaws and wing-assembly can be used as a hand-held melee weapon, and its tail can be mounted on its arm as a shield. Virulent Clones were only available as a set of two, packaged in a clear plastic baggie with two tech spec cards, and available for separate purchase at BotCon 2005.

The same mold is used by its teammates Buzzclaw and Dirge.

Due to a production error, all Virulent Clones had their beast mode lower jaws misassembled, so their mandibles point downwards like a funny moustache. This same assembly error is also found in Buzzclaw and Dirge, and even Universe Repugnus, leading fans to joke that the original Fuzor Buzzclaw is the "misassembled" one.

• More information on the Virulent Clones at TFU.info