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Nominally he is composed of the six robots...
Nominally he is composed of the six robots...
*[[Scrapper|Scrapper (Leader)]]
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper (Leader)]]
*[[Hook]]
*[[Hook]]
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]]

Revision as of 20:02, 11 March 2008

The name or term "Devastator" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Devastator (disambiguation).
Devastator is a Decepticon combiner from the Generation 1 continuity family.
He devastates things. Devastates them right in the mouth.

Devastator is an immensely powerful warrior, and in that sense the combination of the Constructicons into a merged being is a huge success. Mentally, on the other hand, he's very much less than the sum of his parts. Devastator's primitive psyche is limited to only the thoughts and actions on which all his components can agree, which results in raging bouts of destructive fury. Given the sheer power Devastator brings to these rages, Megatron has no complaints.


Nominally he is composed of the six robots...

However, in at least one reality, he goes from being a six-robot combiner to a five-bot one, Hook and Mixmaster being replaced by Hightower.


Nothing defeats the Devastator, nothing!Devastator, "Heavy Metal War"


Japanese name: Devastar
French-Canadian name: Dévastateur
Hungarian Marvel name: Pusztító
Hungarian movie name (second dub): Mega-robot, Pusztító
German original TV dub name: Devastator
German second TV dub and G2 name: Vernichter, occasionally Devastator


Fiction

Animated continuity

Generation 1 cartoon

Voice Actor: Arthur Burghardt (US), Seizō Katō (Japan)

The Constructicons did not initially have the power to merge into Devastator. That ability was given to them by Megatron after he warped their minds into servitude with the Robo-Smasher.

Millions of years later, in 1984, Megatron had the Constructicons built on Earth to steal high-tech electronic components for his Power chip rectifier furnace, as well as tunneling under the Ark to destroy Teletraan I. Teletraan I, sensing the imminent danger, activated the Dinobots. The Dinobots responded and started pounding on the Constructicons, opening up a lava channel in the process. The battle not going in their favor, the Constructicons pulled out one last trick and combined into the super warrior, Devastator. And then all hell broke loose.

The returning Autobots saw the battle between one giant psycho and five ticked off dinosaurs, but were unable to help (due to losing a tournament which prevented them from interfering with the Decepticons). Inside the Ark, Teletraan-I was able to show that Megatron had cheated and the Autobots rushed outside to help the Dinobots. Distracted by one of Hound’s holograms, Devastator was shot by Optimus Prime and fell apart into the lava. Heavy Metal War.

Devastator was continuously called upon during battle for many years to come. Some of his adventures include scaling the Empire State Building like King Kong City of Steel, helping Grapple and Hoist build their solar tower The Master Builders, being brainwashed by Wheeljack's dominator discs into serving the Autobots The Core and going up against the Dinobots on several occasions, most notably the battle at Autobot City (he took out Grimlock and Sludge, Slag knocked him through a wall, but before Swoop could get in, some rubble dropped on him, so essentially, they all beat themselves up). When the Decepticons later argued amongst themselves who would lead them after Megatron's "death", Scrapper stated that since the Constructicons could transform into the powerful Devastator, they should rule. They proceeded to try to form Devastator, but were shaken apart mid-transformation by Rumble and Frenzy.

The Transformer manga

Zone OVA and manga

Voice Actor: Hirohiko Kakegawa (Japan)

PHALLIC!

Devastator was selected by Violen Jygar as one of his 9 Decepticon Demon-Generals. Given the rank of Technology General and gifted with a new bitchin' drill-weapon (not unlike the ones his toy had) and armor, Violen Jygar sent Devastator to the Earth to steal the Zodiac before the Autobots could get it. After destroying the World Trade Center (Not cool, man, not cool!), Devastator drilled deep within the planet, reaching the Zodiac's chamber, and went toe-to-toe with Dai Atlas. He managed to get the Zodiac first and pass it off to King Poseidon. Devastator had the upper hand in battle until Dai Atlas opened a vein of hot lava upon the Decepticon. Devastator was washed-away in the molten magma, apparently killed by it. (Although he did survive a lava dip years earlier in Heavy Metal War, so who knows?) Enter the new Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!

Marvel Comics continuity

The Constructicons were the first (and, as it turned out, the last) new Decepticons created by Shockwave on Earth, using the residual power of the Creation Matrix that was within his captive Optimus Prime. Their first mission was to construct a massive communications dish, allowing Soundwave to broadcast a message to long-lost Cybertron. When the dish came under attack by a squad of Autobots, the Constructions merged to form Devastator, much to the surprise of the attacking Autobots.

Devastator was powerful and tough, but slow and confused as well. Soundwave was connected to the scrambler dish and unable to defend himself; when Huffer threatened to destroy the dish, it took Devastator quite some time to figure out which Autobot Soundwave wanted him to attack ("Destroy Autobot.... which Autobot.... not these Autobots...")

When Bomber Bill cut Soundwave's connections to the dish, causing feedback which destroyed it, he ordered the Constructions to disassemble and retreat, noting that their performance as a single unit had been "notably deficient." The Next Best Thing to Being There!

Devastator reappeared when Optimus Prime led an Autobot offensive on the heavily fortified Decepticon coal mining base. The defenses held the Autobots to a standstill, and Shockwave ordered the Constructicons to merge to tip the balance in their favor. But the attack was a nothing but a ruse to draw out Devastator. Bumblebee was monitoring the Constructicons' transformation pattern, and as soon as he successfully recorded it, Optimus Prime ordered a retreat. The information eventually allowed the Autobots to create their own team of combiners, the Aerialbots. Command Performances!

Dreamwave comics continuity

Devastator was the first combiner, the end result of the Constructicon's research into mass intellect. However, he suffered a huge drawback in that he would only do what his components agreed on, which was usually smash stuff. None the less, Megatron was pleased with Devastator's power, and authorized the Stunticons and Combaticons to undergo a similar process. When Megatron and Optimus Prime disappeared, the Decepticons and Autobots fractured, and signed the Crisis Intervention Accords, ruling the Special Teams non-alinged. However, Ratbat managed to convince the Constructicons to side with the Ultracons. The Combaticons formed Devastator when Ratbat tried to take the Tagan Heights. He battled Defensor, but was eventually defeated when the Protectobots forced the Constructicons to separate. The War Within: The Dark Ages

After Megatron freed the other Decepticons from Adam Rook's control, he sent Devastator down the west coast of North America. Along the way, Devastator destroyed a US Navy submarine, before arriving at his destination, San Francisco.

Devastator helped destroy the city until he was initially stopped by Superion, and finally put into stasis lock when Optimus Prime shot him point-blank in the head. His fate was left unconfirmed, but he was last seen falling to the bottom of the sea, so it is likely that he was put into terminal stasis. Prime Directive


Toys

Generation 1

  • Devastator (Giftset, 1985)
Japanese ID number: D-37
Devastator was here first, Scramble-boys!
Normally, Devastator could only be assembled by buying all six individual Constructicons with the additional large-scale weapons components that were assigned to them. However, six-robot gift sets were made available in many markets, including the US, Japan, and several European countries.
Devastor's forearms are also spring-loaded missile launchers, able to fire his fists as well as his drill attachments. He also comes armed with a large purple laser rifle.
Unlike the later Scramble City-style combiners, Devastator's limbs cannot be rearranged into any other configurations.
  • Devastator with Scorpulator (Action Master, 1990)
File:ActionMaster Devastor.gif
Scorpulator, alligator.
A non-transforming action figure compatible with any other Action Master vehicle or accessory, Devastator's sculpt is a combination of the original animation model and several more toy-based elements. He came with his small animal partner Scorpulator.


Generation 2

  • Devastator (1993)
Yellow, but not mellow.
During Generation 2, the Constructicons were only available as individuals, never as a giftset. The team was released in two different colors, initially in yellow, then later in bright orange. All individual members are tampographed with the G2 Decepticon symbol and the words 'Decepticon'.
Other than colour scheme and the lack of rubsigns, G2 Devastator is functionally identical to the original release.

Classics

  • Constructicon Devastator (Multi-pack, 2007)
And then there were five.
For Classics, Devastator is a redeco of the Energon combiner Constructicon Maximus. He was available only in a full five-pack, exclusive to Wal-Mart stores.
Since the new classics combiner contains only five robots, rather than the original's six, the Constructicon team here contains only Bonecrusher, Hightower (who may or may not be related to Hook and/or Mixmaster as his bio seems to combine attributes of both), Long Haul, Scavenger and Scrapper. Also, because of the combination method used, he can use any of the Energon-series limb-robots. Hightower and Long Haul are identical except for color (being made using the same mold), as are Bonecrusher and Scrapper.


Merchandise

  • Devastator (Bust, 2003)
DEVASTATOR BEND METAL BAR FOR FOOD.
This bust of Devastor was released by Hard Hero, and was based on his G1 cartoon appearance.
  • Devastator (KT Figure Collection, 2004)

This is a diorama figure inspired by one scene from the "Battle of Autobot City" in The Transformers: The Movie. The diorama contains not only Devastator, but also features Hot Rod and Arcee.

  • Constructicon Devastator (Heroes of Cybertron, 2004)

This PVC figure was based on the cartoon rendition of Devastator.

  • Devastator (Statue, 2006)
Brother, won't you spare a dime?
This statue of Devastator was released by Palisades.


Trivia

This is why "revisions" exist.
  • Devastator's (or rather, his Diaclone counterpart's) concept design was decidedly less imposing than the final. Interestingly, it is only composed of five components, the core being a long-nosed truck cab.
  • The name "Devastator" was used by Marvel Comics long before the Transformers series came about. In issue 186 of the second Incredible Hulk title (released in April 1975), a Russian supervillain named Kirov Petrovna, aka The Devastator, made his debut.[1]
  • Though a yellow version of the Constructicons were released in the European market at the tail end of Generation 1, they did not come with any of the parts to form Devastator. In fact, Scavenger and Hook had the connector parts on their actual toys removed.
  • It has been rumored that the orange Generation 2 Constructions were a Kay-Bee Toys exclusive, but this is unconfirmed.
  • In later years, toys sporting the name "Devastator" required an additional "Constructicon" prefix for trademark reasons, hence making the official name "Constructicon Devastator".
  • The head design for Devastator's cartoon model was completely different than that of the original toy.


Footnotes