Scorponok (ROTB)

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

The Scorponoks are Terrorcon-allied Predacons from the Rise of the Beasts portion of the Movie continuity family.

"These armor-plated, techno-advanced scorpion creatures are huge and pissed."

The Scorponoks are monstrous and malicious Predacon scorpion drones, being as either brute reinforcements for Unicron's endless numbers of Sweeps or ferocious pursuers that seek out and destroy targets for his Terrorcon servants.

They also have a Decepticon counterpart out and about with the same name, although their connection to him is relatively unknown. Hell, who knows where these things came from, either!

Fiction

Rise of the Beasts film

In search of the Transwarp Key, Unicron deployed his forces to besiege the Maximal homeworld, including three Scorponok drones ahead of senior acolyte Scourge. Two of them attacked Apelinq, the Maximal leader who carried the Transwarp Key, but one Scorponok was quickly decapitated by Optimus Primal and the other was engulfed in flames by Airazor.

When the Transwarp Key was activated on Earth in 1994, Unicron sent an army of Scorponoks through the transwarp portal as reinforcements for the Terrorcons and their hordes of Sweeps. The Autobots, Maximals, and Noah Díaz fought the Predacon and Terrorcon army, with a Scorponok once again decapitated by Optimus Primal. In the ensuing battle, the Transwarp Key was destroyed by Optimus Prime, sending the enemy forces up into the portal and back to Unicron's galaxy. Rise of the Beasts

Toys

Rise of the Beasts

Scourgeponok.

• Scourge & Predacon Scorponok (Beast Combiners, 2023)

• TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Change Armor Set Scourge & Scorponok
• TakaraTomy ID number: BCAS-04
• TakaraTomy release date: July 15, 2023
• Accessories: Tail section
• Known designers: Koki Yamada (TakaraTomy)

Included with Scourge, Rise of the Beasts Beast Combiners Scorponok converts into a set of armor for compatible figures via partial autotransformation. His claws form a secondary set of arms while his tail section detaches to form a handheld weapon. Unlike other combiner armors, Scorponok attaches facing forward rather than sideways.

The instructions use the Kingdom Predacon insignia instead of the Rise of the Beasts version.

This might be the wrong profession for "Take Your Kid to Work Day"

• Predacon Scorponok & Sandspear (Beast Weaponizers, 2023)

• TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Change Set Scorponok & Sandspear
• TakaraTomy ID number: BCS-EX
• TakaraTomy release date: April 15, 2023
• Accessories: Tail weapon
• Known designers: Koki Yamada (TakaraTomy)

Released as part of a Target-exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee line, Scorponok transforms from robot to monstrous robotic scorpion. Unlike other Beast Weaponizers, Scorponok comes with his own weapon, that being his detachable tail. Scorponok's fellow scorpion-bot and pack-in partner Sandspear also converts into a blade that he can wield. Scorponok features 5mm ports on his forearms, sides of his legs, and four on his tail weapon for additional playability.

Interestingly, the robot mode head of this toy is based on that of Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Class Dead End, or more specifically, based on a fan-made custom using that head, which happens to be one of the top results on Google Images when you type in stuff like "movie scorponok".

The instructions use the Kingdom Predacon insignia instead of the Rise of the Beasts version. The TakaraTomy release is a Toys"R"Us exclusive, and uses Rise of the Beasts style packaging.

Studio Series

Well, he had to take out his frustration on failing the Insecticon interview somewhere...

• Predacon Scorponok (Deluxe Class, 2024)

• Movie: Rise of the Beasts
• Hasbro ID number: 107
• TakaraTomy ID number: SS-126
• TakaraTomy release date: May 25, 2024
• Accessories: Tail weapon, "Rainforest Battle" backdrop
• Known designers: Evan Brooks (Hasbro), Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy)

Part of the twenty-third wave of Studio Series Deluxes, Scorponok is a movie-accurate version of the character, albeit in a new purple deco not seen in the film or art, possibly inspired by the character's original Beast Wars namesake. He transforms from a robotic scorpion to a robot based on an ultimately unused CG model. His tail can be detached to use as a whip-like weapon, pegging inside the forearm with the robot hands resting in the gap, making the weapon look integrated into the arm.

In beast mode, the gold paint on his chest can get scratched from contact with the ground.

His "Rainforest Fight" backdrop is a cropped version of "Peruvian Jungle Discovery" which depicts where the Autobots and Maximals first meet. The blurb on the box implies Scorponok is present in this scene, possibly based on an early concept for the movie (see Notes below).

Scorponok uses three versions of the Predacon insignia: the box uses the original Beast Wars version, his instructions use the Kingdom version, and the toy itself correctly features the Rise of the Beasts version.

Scorponok, alongside the first wave of 2024 Studio Series product, was revealed at MCM London 2023.

Notes

• Scorponok has turbine detailing in his claws and body like his Decepticon counterpart, while his nature as being one of many Scorponoks is similar to both versions from the War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoons.
• It is unclear if the Scorponoks' status as Predacons is applicable to the film's setting, wherein the Scorponoks' sole purpose is to serve Unicron. The term "Predacon" is never used in the film, and the group's existence can only be inferred from the Predacon insignia being barely visible on the Scorponoks' backs as well as Scourge having nine as trophies. Given that Scourge's schtick is harvesting insignias from defeated enemies of Unicron, it is questionable that the Scorponoks would be classified as sentient members of a different faction, but the film does not go into any detail on where the Scorponoks came from.
• Models from concept artist Fred Pashe identify alternate color schemes for Scorponok as "Sandstorm" (red) and "DoublePunch" (blue), drawing from redecoes of the original Beast Wars Scorponok toy. While green is the designated color for "Scorponok" in the art and toys, most of the Scorponoks seen in the film itself are red with blue splotches, with one instance of a predominantly blue Scorponok.
  • The green seen on Scorponok's artwork is actually moss and algae, based on a very early version of the movie where he would have emerged from the water. This growth was removed for the final movie design. The Studio Series package art simply recolors it purple to match the toy, though ironically purple moss and algae does exist.
• During production, the Scorponok drones initially had a troll-like robot mode, and dozens of them would have merged into a massive Scorponok combiner that towered over the Autobots and Maximals in the final battle. Although their 3D animation models were made, this function was ultimately cut out.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Scorponok (スコルポノック Sukoruponokku)