Dead End (Armada)

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

Dead End is a Mini-Con from the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.

And you thought that other Dead End was depressed.

What scraps of mind remain within Dead End are twisted beyond all hope of recovery. A gibbering mad-bot in an eternal state of mind-numbing terror, Dead End lives (such as it is) within the depths of the colossal Unicron. The Chaos-Bringer has a use for the poor creature, however; he is the template for the hundreds—perhaps thousands—of non-sentient Dead End Drones that serve as part of Unicron's immune system.

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Linkage

Dead End and the drones based on him defended Unicron during his battle with Cybertron's population. Linkage Part 13

Armada cartoon

The "laser pod" drones seen in the episodes "Alliance" and "Union" were likely directly inspired by the Dead End toy included with Unicron and, as such, the "Dead End" toy was probably meant to represent a single drone. However, the Transformers Collectors' Club revealed (or retconned if you prefer) that the drones shown in the show were clones of Dead End, who was himself an individual character not shown in the show itself.

Energon comic

Dead End is top shelf!

Dead End (or one of his clones) could be seen briefly inside the core of Unicron. What Lies Beneath, Part Three

Transformers Legends comic

Dead End was among the Mini-Cons stolen by Megatron in the Legends Universe. Bonus Edition Vol. EX

Games

Transformers (PS2)

A massive Dead End can be seen on one hemisphere of Unicron's planetary mode. Transformers

Toys

Armada

• Unicron with Mini-Con Dead End (Supreme Class, 2003)
  • Japanese ID number: MX-00

Armada Dead End transforms into a dark gray and yellow mechanical "moon" with a cannon. He can fit into a specially-shaped socket on Unicron's planet form and act as a turret.

This mold was used to make the Dead End Drone, Dead End General, and Kranix.

• More information on Dead End at TFU.info

• Hikari no Unicron (Supreme Class, 2003)

This contest-prize exclusive toy of Unicron's Mini-Con-formed doppelganger from the Micron Densetsu Year Book 2003 of course came with a version of Dead End. Despite the mass changes to the big toy, this version of Dead End is only slightly different from the regular version, using a slightly lighter shade of charcoal as a base plastic color. Only 10 Green Unicrons were awarded.

Energon

• Unicron (Supreme Class, 2004)

Dead End's Armada toy was redecoed along with Unicron for the Energon toyline, in a somewhat Earth-like light blue and green color scheme, possibly inspired by the Dead End Drone's show color scheme.

The Energon packaging shipped with either the orange Armada Unicron and dark gray Dead End or the black Energon Unicron and blue Dead End inside in early shipments.

• More information on Energon Dead End at TFU.info

Universe (2008)

• Unicron (Supreme Class, 2008)

Dead End was once again available with the Universe (2008) version of Unicron which was a Toys R Us-exclusive. He was a straight repack of Armada Dead End, with no changes whatsoever in paint detailing.

Transformers (2010)

Thought they'd forget me, didn't you.

• Unicron (Supreme Class, 2010)

Bug once again came with Unicron, this time colored in his larger master's Generation 1 dark-gray-and-orange coloration, with a little extra gold on the gun.

This set was only available in Japan as a Toy Hobby Market exclusive, with orders being taken from June 1st through July 4th. the toy was shipped at the end of September 2010.

Encore

Ironically, one of the few Mini Cons who couldn't be part of it

• Unicron (Micron Shūgō-tai Color) (December 22, 2018)

Universal Dominator Unicron naturally came with a correspondingly redecoed Bug. He is cast primarily in green plastic with grey parts.

Notes

Dead End's great-grandpappy.

• The unreleased Generation 1 Unicron toy was accompanied by a small moon that looks an awful damn lot like Dead End's moon mode. According to character designer Floro Dery, this moon was to transform into a "mini-Unicron" of sorts, and act like the Mini-Me to Unicron's Dr. Evil. [1]
• Preliminary names for Dead End included "Gobotron" after the home planet of the GoBots and "Nebulon" after the planet from the Generation 1 cartoon and comics. Ultimately, Hasbro did the only sensible thing they could, and named him after a random Stunticon instead.
• Of course, Dead End can serve as a drone if you want him to. Why the hell not?

Foreign names

• Japanese: Bug (バグ Bagu)
• Korean: Bug (버그 Beogeu)