Soundwave (WFC)

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

Soundwave is a Decepticon from the Aligned continuity family.

Despite appearances, that is not a mouthplate.

Soundwave is the spy master of the Decepticons. One of Megatron's earliest followers, and, many believe, instrumental to his rise, he uses his tentacles and a veritable army of Minicon Deployers to learn everything there is to know about his allies and his enemies. He was never very chatty, but these days, on Earth, he's become near silent, communicating by playing back recordings of other people's conversations. He just sneaks about, patiently looking for Autobot transmissions and creeping you out. Since the incapacitation of Megatron, Soundwave acts as a restraint on Starscream, reigning in his rather volatile emotions, and ensuring that Starscream's less than subtle ambitions are held in check.

Soundwave has the ability to receive transmissions from anywhere on the planet, bar the shielded Autobot Base. This allows him to spy on every being on the planet in the hopes of picking up Autobot-related communications.

Fiction

Exodus

Soundwave was a gladiator from Kaon who almost bested Megatron in combat, an act that created mutual respect between the two. Soundwave saw in Megatron a desire to return to the swashbuckling spirit of the Golden Age of Cybertron, when Cybertronians emerged from the Well of All Sparks having to escape from the Underworld's monsters rather than being put into a caste. He was appointed Megatron's lieutenant with Shockwave. Though Megatron despised Minicons, Soundwave insisted on having them around to spy on their gladiators, including the time when Megatron's librarian friend Orion Pax came to visit. He was suspicious of Orion and even asked permission from Megatron to tail him as he returned to Iacon.

After Decepticons bombed Cybertron in Megatron's name, Soundwave sent Frenzy and Rumble to search for the Matrix of Leadership in Crystal City (a place which design he always found self indulgent). Soundwave was not sure whether he should have bothered, as he was not superstitious and wondered what use a piece of a broken sword could be. Instead he got chilling indications Crystal City's scientists were planning to revive Omega Supreme.

"Yeah, this look is cool now, but I don't think I'll have it forever: I mean, who'd like to see things looking the same for over twenty five years, right guys? ...guys?"

Soundwave attended Orion and Megatron's hearing before the High Council. During this meeting, Soundwave helped to sow discord and tension by loudly shouting his complaints over security breaches that, in truth, he himself had caused. The Council noted that they were aware someone had tried to find the Matrix, and they appointed Orion Prime and requested he find it. This tore Orion and Megatron's movement in two.

During the final days of the war, Soundwave and his minions' research changed the fate of Cybertron. It was they who found the areas of the DataNet that Alpha Trion had overlooked and not deleted, revealing the existence of Dark Energon on Trypticon Station. It was he who remembered the Geosynchronous Energon Bridge below Crystal City that allowed for the mass transportation of Dark Energon between Cybertron and Trypticon. And it was the evidence he got from Rumble and Frenzy when they infiltrated Crystal City that revealed the existence of the Plasma Energy Chamber and its two Code Keys, which enabled Megatron to poison the Core of Cybertron.

When Optimus removed the Chamber from the Core, beginning the planet's slow healing process, Soundwave boarded the Nemesis with Megatron, Starscream and Lugnut to pursue the Autobot Ark into the unknown reaches of space. Exodus

Prime cartoon

During the Decepticon attack on Cliffjumper, Soundwave intercepted Arcee's comms talk. He later played it back to Starscream, prompting the Decepticon leader to send the drones after her. He later detected transmissions coming from deep space, that prompted the Decepticons to fire up the space bridge, allowing Megatron to return. Darkness Rising, Part 1

He's not shuttershy. He's also not Fluttershy.

Shortly after Megatron left the ship on a mission, Starscream wondered aloud if Megatron had a touch of space madness, and Soundwave reminded him that their absent leader was still in charge. Starscream told him to step up global surveillance. Soundwave subsequently intercepted a transmission from Agent Fowler and, on Starscream's order, dispatched Laserbeak to capture the agent to learn the location of the Autobot base. Darkness Rising, Part 3 When the Autobots attacked the Nemesis to retrieve Fowler, slaughtering dozens of their soldiers, Soundwave hid. He simply watched when Megatron returned and took his fury out on Starscream on the bridge for not waiting on his command. Darkness Rising, Part 4

Starscream sent Soundwave to a radio telescope array in Texas as they needed to use the array to target the space bridge at Cybertron. Soundwave hacked into the computer network at the site, but after he had lined up the dishes, someone realigned them. In response to Starscream's demands as to what was happening, he tapped into the base's security system and discovered that the Autobots' three human friends were in a nearby room, similarly accessing the computer. He extended a tentacle into the room they were in and attacked them. When Miko tried to chop the tentacle with an ax, Soundwave took it from her and used it to sever the computer system's hardline, locking the dishes on Cybertron. The three kids entered the room in time to see him leaving, and Miko and Soundwave snapped photos of each other.

See how much more convincing I am as a communications tower with this look?

Because of Soundwave's success, the Autobots resorted to sabotaging the space bridge, blowing it up and taking Megatron with it. Darkness Rising, Part 5 At Starscream's order, Soundwave activated the comm system so Starscream could give a speech to the troops, declaring himself leader. Failing to impress the Vehicons, Starscream pressed Soundwave's sensors into locating Skyquake, a Decepticon secreted in a pod in the desert. Starscream and Soundwave reactivated Skyquake, only to find he wasn't receptive to Starscream's leadership. Soundwave detected a Decepticon signal from the site where the space bridge exploded, and when Starscream went to investigate, Soundwave sent Laserbeak to keep Starscream honest while he himself filmed the battle between Skyquake and two Autobots. Though the fight ended detrimental to the Decepticon cause, Soundwave was able to ensure that Starscream returned Megatron's barely-functioning body to the Nemesis. Masters & Students

Soundwave intercepted a transmission from Wheeljack who was heading for Earth. At Starscream's order, he downloaded the necessary information to Makeshift, who took on Wheeljack's form and infiltrated the Autobot base. As Starscream and Soundwave paid a visit to the captive Wheeljack, Soundwave prevented his leader from terminating their prisoner, as he might be of use later. The two 'Cons retired to the ship's top deck to wait for Makeshift to activate the GroundBridge, however Wheeljack broke free and started trashing the Vehicons. When Wheeljack escaped through the ground bridge and sent back Makeshift with his grenade activated, Soundwave and Starscream made sure to get well clear before he exploded. Con Job During another Autobot operation, Soundwave listened in on their comms chatter, prompting Starscream to send some Vehicons to attack. Convoy

And that's why there's no Ratbat.

When Breakdown mentioned seeing an Energon Harvester in a fresco in Greece, Soundwave was able to track the device's location to a museum. Breakdown and Knock Out kept the Autobots busy in front of the museum while Soundwave sneaked in the back. He ran into Raf and Jack, who were already in the process of stealing the Harvester, and grabbed it from them before making a getaway in his vehicle mode. Deus ex Machina

"Let me see some tenderness connected with a death, or that dark chamber, Spirit, which we left just now, will be forever present to me."

Starscream and Knock Out made a concerted attempt to convince Soundwave that Megatron was beyond saving, and that the only option left to them was euthanasia. Soundwave remained skeptical, and pointed out the patch cable that Arcee and Bumblebee was using to access Megatron's brain. Megatron's life support was damaged during the ensuing confusion, and though it seemed Starscream and Knock Out were content to leave Megatron flat-lining, Soundwave pressured them into reconnecting the cable sustaining their master. Sick Mind

After Megatron's resurrection, Soundwave kept him informed regarding Starscream's activities, including his attempt to resurrect Skyquake with the Dark Energon shard ripped from Megatron's chest, and the loss of his arm. Rock Bottom Soundwave watched as Breakdown was captured by MECH, and reported back to Starscream. He was on the bridge of the Nemesis when Starscream passed the news on to Megatron, who was less than impressed that Breakdown had been taken by a bunch of humans. Operation: Breakdown He detected the magnetic anomaly caused by the polarity gauntlet, causing Megatron to send Breakdown to go look for it. Metal Attraction

Megatron and Starscream headed to a stripped Energon Mine to discover mining drills still there. Starscream attempted to blame this on Soundwave. Megatron told Starscream that Soundwave had been filling him in on the second-in-command's activities. Rock Bottom Soundwave listened to Starscream's confessions after Megatron nearly terminated the second-in-command. Partners

When the new Decepticon space bridge was nearing completion, Soundwave supplied a diagram of the last component they needed. After they obtained said component, Megatron left the ship on a mission of his own. Optimus Prime began searching the ship for the Decepticon leader and Megatron instructed Soundwave to send Prime to him. One Shall Fall

He's playing Dubstep.

Soundwave translated tremors coming from the Earth's core into sound, revealing it to be a heartbeat. Megatron did not appreciate this, as it was making his head hurt. One Shall Rise, Part 1

After Megatron left the ship to talk to Unicron, Soundwave monitored the comms channels for his master's return. When Airachnid suggested considering a future without Megatron, Soundwave ominously looked at her. One Shall Rise, Part 2

Plot details for One Shall Rise, Part 3 follow. Spoilers have expired, you may remove this tag

YOU! SHALL NOT! PASS!.

Soundwave continued to try to find some sign of Megatron. When Airachnid announced Megatron wasn't coming back and ordered the ship to Regulon Four, Soundwave decided it was time to lay down the law. He defied Airachnid, who angrily attacked him, but the Decepticon spy master quickly proceeded to defeat demolish humiliate Airachnid. Upon Unicron's defeat, Soundwave detected Megatron's signal and activated the GroundBridge, bowing in respect with the other Decepticons as Megatron entered the bridge of the ship. He had to hold Breakdown back when they saw that Megatron was accompanied by Optimus Prime. One Shall Rise, Part 3

Games

Transformers: War for Cybertron (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)

Voice actor: Isaac C. Singleton, Jr. (English), Claudio Moneta (Italian)

Fans loved this but apparently Soundwave wasn't a G1 fan.

Soundwave took control of the orbital station Starscream was posted at, helping Megatron to reach the Dark Energon by establishing a forward base within the station. He then directed Megatron to a Data Matrix Center in order to find a route to the Dark Energon that had not been blocked by Starscream.

Later, Soundwave notified Megatron that access to the core was impossible, as it was guarded by the Omega Gate. He and Breakdown accompanied Megatron as they led the assault on Iacon, through which they would find and take the Omega Key, opening the Omega Gate and allowing the core to be infused with Dark Energon. On their way to the Stellar Galleries, Soundwave reported snipers, and after taking them down, Megatron infused the entrance with Dark Energon and took his team into the security station. Soundwave noticed that the batteries fed the security grid, and the trio infused each of them with Dark Energon, deactivating the security measures. Soundwave then detected the Omega Key behind their next door, and after opening it, the Decepticons arrived at the Stellar Galleries. They opened the container, finding not the key, but a message from Zeta Prime, who announced that he had taken the Omega Key, anticipating Megatron's plan. Zeta sent Autobot attack forces against them, but they were swiftly taken down. Megatron ordered Soundwave to trace Zeta Prime's broadcast, and Soundwave found it came from 12.7 cycles ahead. He then noted a weak wall, and the Decepticons broke it down and entered the cities' subsystems, providing a direct route to Zeta, and the Omega Key.

The group descended down a shaft and went through a tunnel, avoiding trains on the way, and after breaking down a door in a ventilation area, they were ambushed by Autobot cloakers. Soundwave dispatched them and infused Dark Energon into the batteries. Megatron congratulated him, and then ordered him to unlock the exit. Soundwave obliged, and the trio found themselves in another tunnel. Breakdown challenged Soundwave to a race, to which the Decepticon responded, in his trademark monotone, "Negative." Tough crowd. Rushing through the tunnel, this time full of moving trains, the group came to a station where they infiltrated Iacon's lower levels. Soundwave detected the Omega Key at last, and suggested proceeding through the logistics station. Roughing it through the Autobot attackers, Soundwave finally determined that the key was beyond the train tunnels.

Soundwave and his teammates arrived at Iacon's main streets, where they met up with Brawl outside of Zeta Prime's vaults, which were impervious to the small amount of Dark Energon Megatron was capable of channeling. After Megatron's squad helped Brawl clear the area, Brawl called in the Dark Energon bombers, but they were spectacularly shot down by the planetary guns. Brawl suggested disabling them, and Soundwave assisted in carrying out the plan. Autobots advanced all around, but Soundwave and the others managed to hold them off until the next wave of bombers arrived, clearing the street and destroying the Vault doors. Soundwave joined the others on their way to the entrance, but the squad was intercepted by a Destroyer. Soundwave and Breakdown split from Megatron to flank him, and eventually they rendered him non-functional. Inside the vault, they avoided Zeta's traps and finally reached the Omega Key—but it too was a trap. Zeta then attacked them, using a giant hologram and controlling the chamber to his advantage, dropping the ceiling and sending holographic brutes to attack for him while safe within an impenetrable energy shield. (Even during the battle, Soundwave was impressed by the creation of endless energon clones, to which Breakdown responded, roughly, "NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!") Soundwave's dorkiness proved useful in discerning the weakness of Zeta's machines—that the core rapidly overheated after prolonged use, and needed to open up in order to cool, rendering it vulnerable to attack. After the battle, Megatron plucked from Zeta's hand the "key"...which started to blink its lights and chirp. Zeta Prime informed them that the "key" he was actually a device that activated the real key: Omega Supreme.

As the three Decepticons flew away to track Omega, Soundwave noticed that the "key" was coming for them. Omega Supreme attacked, and thrust the Decepticons' star cruiser into a wall. Crash-landing, Megatron had a change of plans; force Omega Supreme to open the Omega Gate. Soundwave noticed a Decepticon Drop Ship across the bridge, but when the squad went to investigate, Omega Supreme intercepted them. Soundwave reported that his weapons were ineffective; Megatron told his soldiers to destroy the bridge supports, causing Omega Supreme's vast bulk to collapse it. But he transformed to his ship mode, flew back up, and forced the Decepticons to retreat inside. In a frenzy, Breakdown noted that the next door was locked, and Soundwave proposed that Dark Energon could open the door, which it did. Inside, Soundwave picked up a transmission from Starscream, who announced that he would be replacing the "deceased" Megatron as Decepticon leader. Enraged, Megatron threatened Starscream, but Soundwave informed his leader that communication to the surface had been cut off, so Starscream could not hear him.

The trio arrived at the lift, but found it to be locked down. Breaking the locks got the lift back to working condition, but on their way up, Omega Supreme returned and blasted it, forcing the Decepticons down the shaft at breakneck speed. Omega was still out there, so the emergency brakes' destruction was the Decepticons' only hope. At the bottom, they continued their journey to find a way to fight Omega Supreme—Soundwave noted that at the top of the tower were several heavy weapons emplacements which could at least theoretically damage Omega—but Omega Supreme didn't know the meaning of the word quit. (He really doesn't; not much in the processor department.) He grabbed the Decepticons, but Soundwave helped out in shooting Omega Supreme's hand, forcing him relinquishing the three from his grasp. They retreated inside a fortified Autobot position, and in order to prevent detection, Soundwave jammed their signals. Slaying the Autobots inside who dared attempt to counterattack, Soundwave unlocked the exit, which only let in more Autobots. They too, met their demise, but as Soundwave and his comrades escaped, he noticed that the Autobots' security was countering the effects of Dark Energon. Destroying the sentries turned to be a worthwhile solution, but then the Decepticons had to deal with Omega Supreme mining road. Soundwave's sensors indicated the presence of a bridge nearby, and though Breakdown was unsure, Megatron was willing to follow Soundwave's advice. Once again, Omega Supreme continued to stalk them, but Soundwave led his group to an alternate route...a dead end, to be precise, which Megatron was irritated with. Soundwave revealed that breaking a structurally-weak sealed doorway nearby took them to Iacon maintenance tunnels leading straight to the bridge terminal. When they arrived through the power conduits, Soundwave and the others fought through more Autobots and finally activated the bridge.

Racing across the bridge, they barely avoided Omega Supreme's pursuit, and Soundwave located another cargo lift that would transport them straight to the heavy ion turrets. On the lift he picked up several Autobot/Decepticon signals, a sign they were approaching the battle on the surface. Soundwave participated in the slugfest, and his analysis proved that the turrets nearby had enough firepower to legitimately damage Omega Supreme. Then, he showed no mercy using the turrets to breach Omega's armour and finally topple him to the ground below.

Soundwave, Breakdown, and Megatron followed Omega, and at the bottom, they were surprised to see him survive and transform into his mighty robot mode. Soundwave noted that energon batteries produced from within Cybertron were the source of Omega's limitless endurance, and further advised the team on battling Omega; avoiding his tractor beams would allow them to live, and his turrets were vulnerable, making them the prime target. When the turrets were blown, Soundwave saw that the batteries were being used to repair them, and so it became an objective to corrupt them with Dark Energon. When Omega Supreme used the batteries to heal himself, he was instead weakened, allowing the Decepticons to critically injure him. Omega Supreme was still alive even after all of that, but much weaker. Soundwave observed that his chest plating had been damaged, and Megatron ordered Soundwave and Breakdown to blast it, and Omega Supreme fell at last. Soundwave advised Megatron that now would be a good time to corrupt Omega with Dark Energon, but Megatron told Captain Obvious to shut up and did as he would have done even if Soundwave hadn't brought it up, laughing all the way.

After Cybertron's Core had been infected with Dark Energon, Soundwave was reassigned as head of Kaon's prison, and watched over (i.e., tortured) Zeta Prime in his spare time. Optimus, Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Air Raid led an Autobot breakout and battled Soundwave's minions Frenzy, Rumble and Laserbeak. Soundwave himself sustained heavy damage leaving the safety of his position to revive and retrieve each Minicon, showing uncharaceristic concern for other living beings. Eventually, defeated and critically damaged, Soundwave desperately attempted to restore himself by absorbing life force from Zeta's very own spark. His attempt to fully heal was halted by Optimus, who even took a shot from the Decepticon intended to finish off Prime. Although Soundwave and his minions fled, the damage had already been done and Zeta Prime expired moments later. Transformers: War for Cybertron

Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)

Voice actor: Isaac C. Singleton, Jr. (English)

Soundwave hacked into the Autobot mainframe and, while Megatron and some other Decepticons kept the Autobots distracted, downloaded intel indicating the location of the Trypticon space station. As they approached the station in Megatron's ship, Soundwave reported that the inhabitants were taking up defensive positions and docking would not be possible. Though Megatron was confident they could ram the station, Soundwave turned out to be right, and they could only get close enough to drop a small team off on the debris surrounding the station. When the station was conquered and Dark Energon in Megatron's hands, Soundwave suggested it might be a good idea to test the stuff prior to use. It turned out to be unstable, and he warned it could result in destruction of its host. The Decepticons set up Kaon Prison as a testing ground and, after eleven failures, established that the Dark Energon could be used. When Barricade asked what happened to the failures, Soundwave would only say that their remains laid in the prison and creepily ask Barricade to get in the chair so he too could be infused with Dark Energon.

Trypticon station required more power, so the Decepticons sent a team to Cybertron's core to reactivate the Energon Bridge. Soundwave did not anticipate the activation of latent defense systems, triggered by the Decepticon presence, because he hadn't studied the same ancient files as Starscream. Megatron ordered Soundwave to give Starscream whatever he needed, and they succeeded in activating the bridge. Soundwave reported that they were only at 37% power — the Autobots had severed the bridge's link to the core using the Omega Key. Lazerbeak intercepted an Autobot transmission indicating that Zeta Prime was hiding the Omega Key, and Megatron ordered Soundwave to assemble a strike force to obtain it. They managed to find and defeat the Autobot leader, but the Omega Key he had was only the key to awaken the real key — Omega Supreme. Once the Decepticons fought their way through the Autobot defenses, Soundwave reported they had reached Omega Supreme himself. The Decepticons defeated the giant, reestablished the link to the core and infused it with Dark Energon. Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)

Transformers: Cybertron Adventures

Voice actor: Isaac C. Singleton, Jr. (English), Claudio Moneta (Italian)

Transformers: Cybertron Adventures

Terrorcon Defense

As awesome as he looks here, he's probably waltzing off after Bumblebee blasted him again.

Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense

Commercial appearances

The toy can do this if you try hard enough.

Shockwave arrived to a location where Megatron, Starscream, and Soundwave were battling Autobots. Megatron left, leaving Shockwave in charge. Shockwave ordered Soundwave to Transform. Soundwave changed into Cybertronian boombox mode and played The Touch. GameSpot's commercial for their Shockwave multiplayer exclusive

Toys

Generations

File:Generationstoy-CybertronianSoundwave.jpg

No giant guitar this time!

• Cybertronian Soundwave (Deluxe, 2010)

• Accessories: two "weapons"

This toy is based on Soundwave's appearance in the video game Transformers: War for Cybertron, transforming into a Cybertronian SUV-type vehicle. Soundwave comes with his classic shoulder launcher and rifle, both of which can store inside his opening chest, approximating the visual of cassette spools. The weapons can also attach to either side of the vehicle mode. Soundwave's head features a light-piping gimmick, but the effect is largely neutered by his painted visor.

This mold was redecoed into United Soundwave Cybertron Mode.

Prime

• Soundwave (Deluxe, 2012)

• Accessories: Laserbeak

Notes

But can he replay footage of "Operation: Firestorm"?

• Soundwave transforms into a Cybertronian car during gameplay of War for Cybertron, and his toy does the same, having only one alternate mode. However, in a War for Cybertron cutscene, the Gamestop commercial for Shockwave, and the end credits for War for Cybertron, he is additionally shown to transform into a Cybertronian boombox, which the toy can technically do with some fiddling.

• Despite his toy and concept art appearance, Soundwave has a yellow visor in-game. Hmmm...

• His Prime alt-mode, on the other hand, is an unmanned aerial vehicle with a similar design to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper.

• According to the Transformers Hall of Fame biography, Soundwave deleted his emotions to process information more quickly, and is susceptible to too many sonic booms.

• Duane Capizzi said Soundwave can speak, but just chooses not to. The decision was to contrast Soundwave with the overly talkative Starscream, and at BotCon 2011, the staff compared Soundwave to Boba Fett. Sorry, Frank, only one character for now...