Laserbeak (DOTM)

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

Laserbeak is a Decepticon from the Dark of the Moon portion of the live-action continuity family.

Spy. Assassin. Invisible tea enthusiast.

An example of a mechanimal re-engineered to serve Transformers, Laserbeak serves the Decepticons primarily as a scout and spy for Soundwave. But that doesn't mean he isn't capable of other tasks, such as hunting down targets for capture, be they human or Autobot.

Perhaps the most useful of his abilities is to transform into almost any type of alternate mode, even those who aren't alternate modes.

Pleasure working with you.Laserbeak upon terminating Alexi Voskhod, Dark of the Moon

Fiction

Convergence

Laserbeak crewed the Nemesis with Soundwave and his other minions. He informed Soundwave the energy reading they detected was growing stronger and more distinct as they approached: it was the AllSpark. When another ship crashed into the Nemesis, Laserbeak bit Fracture's leg, preventing her from falling into space as the bridge decompressed. Laserbeak then searched their records for the ship's identity, but found nothing, though he noticed the ship appeared damaged.

Soundwave parked the Nemesis on a dead ringed world, and took his crew aboard the Longshot to follow the ship via the wormhole it left behind. As they emerged in the far future, they witnessed the ship crash on to the moon below, orbiting the planet containing the AllSpark's energon signature. Convergence chapter 1

The lifeforms of the native planet soon explored the ship, which contained Sentinel Prime. Laserbeak was sent to persuade the Soviet scientist Dr. Voskhod to pull the plug on their manned mission in 1972. In 1979, Soundwave and Laserbeak met with their American contact Gould—whose creative accounting prevented further trips to the moon—for the last time, as well as Gould's son Dylan. Convergence chapter 4

Dark of the Moon film

Voice actor: Keith Szarabajka (English), Masao Komaya (Japanese), Ernesto Lezama (Latin American-Spanish), Alessandro Quarta (Italian)

With the Star Harvester destroyed, Megatron sought to revive Sentinel. Voskhod's nephew Alexi led Optimus Prime, Ratchet and NEST to Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, where they would find an Ark fuel cell. Laserbeak watched, silently intimidating Voskhod when he was about to say too much about their mission. Shockwave and the Driller attacked the NEST forces, and the Autobots retrieved the fuel cell, unaware that the whole thing had been a set up. The mission completed, Laserbeak killed Voskhod as he tried to drive away in his white limo, sarcastically telling his corpse it had been a pleasure to work with him.

I am an angry bird! I'm off to kill human pigs!

Laserbeak soon arrived in Africa, shooting up a vulture as he descended to perch on Soundwave's hand. He reported to Megatron of the success of the Chernobyl mission, which had in turn led to Optimus retrieving Sentinel from the moon. He was then ordered to kill all of the Decepticons's human collaborators. During one of his attacks, he shape-shifted into a small pink version of Bumblebee (albeit with some parts missing), and met Madeline, who presumably mistook him as the friendly robot. When her parents came in, Laserbeak transformed into his normal self and killed her father.

Oh! Does this mean that I can get a billion toys made of me too?

Laserbeak's "favourite" contact Jerry Wang was next, who had passed on articles pertaining to the assassinations and cover-ups to fellow employee Sam Witwicky. Laserbeak confronted Wang at his office, ordering him to do some saboutage work relating to the moon. When Sam came into Wang's office asking about the notes he had been given, Laserbeak forced Wang to send him away. He then demanded to know what he had told Sam. Wang feigned despair, saying he would do anything, but was able to surprise the sadistic Decepticon by pulling out two guns. However Laserbeak quickly disarmed him with his tail and "suicided" Wang by swinging him out the window, sending him falling to his death. Laserbeak took disguise as a photo copier and waited for Sam to come closer, but an employee trying to use him forced Laserbeak into action, chasing Sam through the office. Unfortunately he was not very nimble in the cramped spaces, and Sam managed to escape when Laserbeak clipped his wing.

Laserbeak reappeared with Soundwave after Sam and Carly Spencer had realised that the one human ally that they did not kill, Dylan Gould, was working for the Decepticons in place of his father before him. Laserbeak perched himself on a fountain and watched as Dylan and Soundwave forced Sam into agreeing to find out the Autobot's plans.

I AM THE LIVING LASERBEAK!

Laserbeak later participated in the invasion of the city of Chicago, and waited for Sentinel to activate his space bridge Pillars in Dylan's penthouse. When Sam was arrived to rescue Carly, Laserbeak transformed out of his CD player mode and grabbed Sam with his talons and threw him out of the window. But Sam was saved by Bumblebee and his newly acquired Decepticon fighter. Laserbeak tried knocking a military drone into the fighter to jam its engines, and struggled with Sam on top of the fighter. Sam managed to hold Laserbeak's head in front of one of the fighter's guns and had Bumblebee fire, decapitating and killing Laserbeak. Dark of the Moon

Commercial appearances

Laserbeak, in disguise as an office copy machine, got upset when he jammed because the office workers failed to use the good paper. He transformed and shot the place up until a woman went and got Double A paper. He then went back to making copies. Double A transforming paper

Games

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The Game

Xbox 360/PS3

Laserbeak played a vital role during Soundwave's mission to a former Sector Seven data archive. While Soundwave was able to fight his way to the base, he was unable to break in and so launched Laserbeak to infiltrate it instead.

Armed with a machine gun, the small but vicious Decepticon could not last long in an all-out firefight with the Autobots inside, so he had to rely on stealth. Using his abilities to take the form of holographic items and fixtures within the base, Laserbeak was able to ambush and slay numerous Autobots as he sought a way to allow Soundwave entry.

Throughout the course of this operation, Laserbeak encountered numerous defense drones, autoturrets and Autobots. He also learned that the base, while still containing useful data, was now used as a workshop by the Autobot scientist Wheeljack. Worse, Wheeljack was working with human scientists to develop MechTech weaponry.

Realizing the threat, Soundwave now changed objectives from data retrieval to outright destruction. As the base was built in a volcano in order to take advantage of geothermal energy, he had Laserbeak damage several of the seismic dampeners that prevented the volcano from erupting. Laserbeak also managed to hack the gates, finally allowing Soundwave to enter the base personally and complete both objectives.

As the base was consumed in flames, Laserbeak flew overhead before landing on his master's arm, screeching in victory. Dark of the Moon

Toys

Dark of the Moon

It's like some sort of vast... wait, that's what it is.

• Laserbeak (MechTech Deluxe, 2011)
  • Japanese ID number: DD07
  • Accessories: MechTech Cybertronian Cannon A, Cybertronian Cannon B

Dark of the Moon Laserbeak transforms from a VTOL aircraft (similar to the G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Dragonhawk vehicle) to a Cybertronian bird/dragon thing. There are a total of eight MechTech weapon holes, from the top and bottom of both wings, to the bottom of both feet, as well as above and below the cockpit in vehicle mode. The red upper portion of his propellers can also be spun.

The two weapons included have Gatling-style barrels, with one gun being static while the other having a MechTech swapping feature. Pulling the lever on the latter will make the barrel repeatedly spin forward to eventually reveal a second, different cannon barrel. The static gun can plug into the back of the MechTech gun to create a giant cannon. Both guns also include a C joint bar on top.

The beast mode's mouth can open, and the heels are actually 5mm pegs. Along with the peg-holes on the soles of his feet, this allows the toy to perch on the arm of any toy with the compatible holes or pegs. The cockpit/helmet of the vehicle mode has a stylized bird head painted on both sides.

The red paint application on the larger weapon as shown on the packaging was left off on the actual toy.

The instructions show a different head than the final toy, with a more realistic looking bird head. The instructions also fail to mention that the black plastic flap on his tail can be swiveled over and pegged onto a small grey tab on the tail's base, covering up his tail in vehicle mode and making him look just a bit more convincing as an aircraft, as shown in the stock photos. Care should be taken however, as the small tab is prone to stress marks and may eventually snap off.

Laserbeak was initially packaged with the toy pointing diagonally to the left (like all Dark of the Moon Deluxe Class toys), with his guns placed to the right, pointing in the same direction as Laserbeak. A later variant saw Laserbeak pointing diagonally to the right, with the guns placed to the left, pointing straight up.

His MechTech weapons were redecoed as the weapons for Streetside Bot Brawl Optimus Prime.

• More information on Laserbeak at TFU.info

Just in case you want a Laserbeak who's not the same size class as your Soundwave.

• Soundwave / Mr. Gould with Laserbeak (Human Alliance, 2011)
  • Japanese ID number: DD09
  • Accessories: Missile

Coming with Soundwave and Dylan Gould, Human Alliance Laserbeak is a smaller figure that can transform into a spring-loaded missile-firing cannon that Gould (or any other "driver" figure) can man. The cannon itself can be pegged into any of Soundwave's six MechTech ports: two ports on his shoulders (his right shoulder is the nominal choice, as per the instructions), a port on top of each of his upper arms, and (rather awkwardly) a port on the sonic cannons on each of his lower arms. In bird mode, Laserbeak can also perch on either of the (flipped out) seats on Soundwave's lower arms via a molded-in C joint bar on the seats themselves and the bar clips on Laserbeak's heels.

As with many late-wave DOTM products, this toy had no US release.

• More information on Human Alliance Laserbeak at TFU.info

Notes

• Laserbeak was in an early draft of The Reign of Starscream, but was dropped at Hasbro's request.
• Just as in the case with Reign, Laserbeak was present in early drafts for Revenge of the Fallen, but was cut from the film.
• Previous beast-like robots didn't talk because the production team thought it would be "weird". Apparently, they changed their minds when it came Laserbeak's turn.
• Alternate modes that Laserbeak has been known to assume include a hover jet, a photocopier/printer, an LCD television screen, a wall-mounted CD player, and a child sized, fuchsia Bumblebee.
• According to some concept art, he was supposed to transform from what looks like an electronic plush penguin to a penguin/condor/dragon-hybrid robot with VTOL wings. The robot mode is both ridiculous and freaky.
• Surprisingly, his Vector Sigma database claims he has no vehicle modes, despite also having a picture of him in vehicle mode. Someone clearly didn't pay attention to the merchandise.
• Though it is implied that Laserbeak was the one torturing Jerry Wang as an evil computer and mouse, when Sam leaves the room Laserbeak transforms from the television on the other side of the office while the mouse that had been clamped around Jerry's hand just stays on the desk.
• Although referred to in the movie as a photocopier, Laserbeak's second alternate mode is a Canon ImageClass MF8350Cdn Multifunction Printer. It was presumably colored black to better match Laserbeak's robot mode.
• The wall-mounted CD player that served as Laserbeak's final alternate mode is a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 9000.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Laserbeak (レーザービーク Rēzābīku)