Thundercracker (G1)
This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.
| The name or term "Thundercracker" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Thundercracker (disambiguation). |
- Thundercracker is a Decepticon from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Thundercracker claims the skies as his arena. He looks down in contempt on those who cannot leave the ground — he considers them lesser beings. He will often attack the flightless beings below him for no other reason than to satisfy his scorn.
His superiority in this realm is the only thing he is sure of. Thundercracker is not entirely committed to the Decepticon cause, and even has some seemingly contradictory sympathy for the humans they terrorize. Fear of retribution from Megatron and the influence of his peers is usually enough to bury these doubts. Regardless, he needs constant reassurance from Skywarp and Starscream (which occasionally take the form of threats) that he's where he needs to be. Sometimes, his heart's just not in the job.
| “ | These creatures were never worthy adversaries. The Decepticons are forged through combat, not slaughter. | ” |
—Thundercracker, All Hail Megatron #12 | ||
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
Thundercracker was one of Megatron's troops who attacked the Ark during its mission to clear a path for Cybertron through an asteroid field. Deactivated when the Ark crashed on Earth, Thundercracker lay dormant for four million years until the Transformers awoke in 1984, at which point he was given the new alternate mode of an Earth jet. Soon after their revival, Thundercracker joined his fellow Decepticon fliers in battling the Autobots at a drive-in movie theater, but he and Starscream were sent packing when they got a taste of Cliffjumper's glass gas. The Transformers Thundercracker then participated in the Decepticon strike on the Harrison Nuclear Power Plant, heralding the assault with one of his ear-splitting sonic booms. After the villains constructed a base of operations from stolen portions of the power plant, they learned that the Autobots' new human ally Sparkplug Witwicky had developed a conversion process that would allow Earth fuels to be used by the Transformers. Thundercracker took part in the attack on Sparkplug's auto repair shop, and although he didn't fare too well in the battle, being blinded by one of Sideswipe's flares, the skirmish ended with the successful abduction of the human. Power Play!
While Sparkplug was put to work brewing his conversion formula for the Decepticons, Thundercracker, Starscream, and Skywarp were dispatched to England to investigate a Cybertronian signal that they soon discovered was emanating from an spaceship that had crashed there centuries before. Reports of this mission are contradictory; one account had Thundercracker seriously wounded by a bomb from Bluestreak during an early attack on the Autobots, but another stated that Thundercracker crashed to the ground after his sensors were scrambled by the Autobot Mirage, and still another identified him as the killer of the craft's occupant, the Man of Iron. Man of Iron Returning to America, the three jets were then unleashed upon the human military forces who attempted a hopeless attack on the Decepticons' base. The Autobots soon joined the fray, but while Thundercracker and his comrades took potshots at them, they failed to realise that Gears and Spider-Man were using the battle as cover to sneak through and rescue Sparkplug. Prisoner of War!
When Starscream fired upon his teammate Ravage for eavesdropping on his plot to overthrow Megatron, Thundercracker teamed up with Skywarp to capture the Decepticon Air Commander. Starscream argued for a trial by a combat, and subsequently manipulated the proceedings to suggest treachery by the Autobots, prompting the Decepticons to forget his misdoings and launch a vengeful attack on the Ark. The Enemy Within! That battle was ended prematurely when Auntie, the Ark's computer system, magnetized the walls, immobilizing both factions. Raiders of the Last Ark Also around this time, Thundercracker helped transport energy gathered from a Decepticon raid on Boulder Dam Decepticon Dam-Busters! and joined Skywarp in making a strafing run on Autobot spies Jazz and Sunstreaker as they attempted to scout the Decepticons' base. Jazz was deafened and blasted off the road, but Sunstreaker led them into the human military encampment around the base, prompting Megatron to call them off, not wanting the humans' to interfere with his operations just yet. ...Perchance to Dream
Refuelled with fuel created through Sparkplug's conversion formula, Thundercracker was one of the first Decepticons to enter what promised to be the final battle with the Autobots, jetting into their volcano headquarters and using his sonic booms to bring parts of the mountain down around them. Little did Thundercracker and his fellows know, Sparkplug had poisoned the formula, causing them all to collapse at the climax of fight. The Last Stand Decepticon logician Shockwave then took command of the crippled Decepticon forces and the Ark shortly thereafter and nursed Thundercracker and his comrades back to full health. The New Order They all swore loyalty to Shockwave after he defeated Megatron in combat. The Worse of Two Evils!
Following the disappearance of both Megatron and Shockwave, the Decepticons fell under Soundwave's leadership, and Thundercracker aided in his plan to capture Bumblebee for use as bait in a trap for Optimus Prime. Though Thundercracker's initial sonic attack disoriented Prime, Autobot leader soon overpowered all three Decepticon jets. Crisis of Command! Breaking away from Soundwave, Thundercracker and his fellow jets returned to the Blackrock oil rig, but soon found their makeshift base surrounded by government forces, leaving them trapped for weeks. Shockwave returned to help them make their getaway, then charged the trio with using a power siphon to convert sound energy from a Brick Springhorn concert into more cubes. They were bested in the attempt by the Autobots. Rock and Roll-Out! Later, Thundercracker may have helped Shockwave attempt to capture and brainwash Bumblebee into a Decepticon, or it might have been Skywarp. It's hard to tell. Plight of the Bumblebee!
The scattered Decepticon forces were then re-integrated when Thundercracker, his fellow jets, and Shockwave were brought to the new base the returned Megatron had established in Wyoming. The Bridge to Nowhere! Back together, they all staged a petty attack on a human settlement, during which they found their circuits affected by the personality-reversing PARD. To a Power Unknown! At Megatron's command, Thundercracker was part of a Decepticon unit who headed out to welcome new troops who had crossed the space bridge from Cybertron. No sooner had they discovered that the new arrivals were actually Autobots than they were alerted by Shockwave to a full-scale Autobot attack on their base. Believing that this meant the Ark was undefended, Megatron had his unit attack it instead, only for them to run afoul of the Ark's powerful new guardian, Omega Supreme. The mighty Omega deactivated most of the Decepticons, Thundercracker included, and their bodies were imprisoned in stasis by the Autobots. Command Performances! Thundercracker's imprisonment did not last too long, however; a malfunction in Starscream's stasis capsule allow him to escape, and before fleeing the Ark, he set Thundercracker and Frenzy's capsules to revive them. Awakening to find themselves in a nearly-empty Ark, the confused pair wandered back to the Decepticon base, which they found to be just as deserted, save for an ill-tempered Shockwave. Before the three could take stock of the situation, they were temporarily mass-displaced to the interdimensional realm of Limbo when Hot Rod, Kup and Blurr time-jumped from 2006. Target: 2006 During their brief stay in this strange twilight realm, the three Decepticons—along with Optimus Prime, Prowl, and Ratchet— were drawn into a conflict between the peaceful Cloran and the forces of the evil Zenag, which was ultimately revealed to be only an illusion created by Limbo's native parasites. Distant Thunder!
Thundercracker, Skywarp, and Starscream took over a power station near the Charlton hotel on the East Coast, imprisoning the plant's workers and converting its output into energon cubes with a power siphon. They were interrupted in this endeavour by Danny Phillips, who had encountered Transformers before and believed that they were all as good as the Autobots. Danny was disabused of this notion when Skywarp seized him and was about to put him in the energy cage with the others when he was interrupted by the arrival of Jetfire and the Aerialbots. Firing into the stack of energon cubes before teleporting out of the power plant, Thundercracker and Skywarp escaped back to the Decepticon fortress in the confusion caused by the ensuing explosion. The Return of the Transformers
Years later, Thundercracker was serving under the new leader of the Earth-based Decepticons, Ratbat. He was part of the large platoon of Decepticons that assumed battle stations in response to the approach of rival Decepticon leader Scorponok's faction upon their iceberg base. Cold War! Ratbat and Scorponok soon had to put their difference aside and join their forces with the Autobots to combat the Underbase-powered Starscream; Thundercracker and Skywarp confronted Starscream in Tokyo, but their former flying partner destroyed them with a wave of his cosmically-empowered hand. Dark Star
Marvel Generation 2 comic
Thundercracker had been reactivated by the time Megatron returned to resume leadership of the Decepticons, and participated in a major offensive against Earth's human population, destroying military jets with his sonic booms and putting up with Starscream's chattering. Tales of Earth, Part Three The Decepticons subsequently raided the planet Tykos, where Megatron ordered Starscream and Thundercracker to begin loading stolen canisters of the planets Rheanimum gas. Thundercracker was happy to oblige, but Starscream silently mocked his obsequence. New Dawn
The Autobots and the Decepticons later forged an alliance against the Cybertronian Empire, but the Deceptions initially declined to help when the Autobots went to the planet Ethos to battle a Cybertronian raiding party there. The Autobots were almost defeated, until Thudercracker and the rest of the Decepticon army arrrived to help. For Thundercracker's part, he and the rest of the Decepticons' fliers aided the Aerialbots in the skies above the battlefield. Escalation!
As the united Autobots and Decepticons gathered on Earth to face the approaching Swarm, a Seeker that may or may not have been Thundercracker appeared among the throng of 'bots. A Rage in Heaven!
Classics
His body recovered from Tokyo by Megatron, Thundercracker was restored to life and upgraded using Seeker schematics designed by Shockwave. Unable to bring himself to serve among Megatron's Earth-based Decepticons alongside Starscream, the bot who had killed him, Thundercracker contemplated abandoning the war all together, but ultimately decided to join Bludgeon's space-based Decepticon faction, along with his fellow fliers Dirge and Thrust. Though the hatred he bore Starscream was without question, against his better nature, Thundercracker did occasionally find himself feeling nostlagic for the old days when he, Starscream, and Skywarp fought side-by-side. Classics Thundercracker's bio
Thundercracker soon fell victim to a mind-controlling cerebro-shell, which placed him under the control of Bug Bite alongside several other unfortunate Decepticons (including Weirdwolf, whose odd manner of speech Thundercracker found extremely frustrating). Bug Bite brought his thralls to Earth, deliberately allowing Megatron's Decepticons to detect their arrival; when Starscream, Skywarp, and Ramjet approached them, Thundercracker and the others were puppeteered into firing more cerebro-shells at them, allowing Bug Bite to take control of them as well. Bug Bite used his small army in an attempt to control Megatron, but interference courtesy of a team of Autobots led by Ultra Magnus resulted in Thundercracker and the others all being freed him from his influence. Games of Deception
Subsequently, Thundercracker was apparently willing to put aside his animosity towards Starscream in order to serve under his glorious leader once more. When Megatron staged an attack on Bludgeon, he placed Thundercracker in command of one of the three warships. At Fight's End
Regeneration One
Following his demise at Starscream's hands, Thundercracker was resurrected as part of Megatron's zombie army of "Ex-Bots" and put to work conquering the Earth. As Buster and Jessie attempted to escape the slaughter, Thundercracker hunted them down; they evaded his fire and took cover in a car wash, where Ratbat found and exterminated them. Less Than Zero
In 2012, when the Wreckers Sandstorm, Springer and Whirl attempted to rescue the captive Kup from Megatron, Skywarp teleported himself and Thundercracker onto the scene to ambush the Autobots. Loose Ends, Part 4 After Megatron's defeat, all of the deactivated zombies were piled into a large pit by the Autobots and obliterated from orbit. Natural Selection, Part One
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Thundercracker was an ever-present member of Megatron's Decepticons on Earth, a regular battlefield presence—usually operating alongside his fellow fliers Starscream and Skywarp—but never one to draw attention to himself. Perhaps his most significant adventure saw his loyalty to Megatron waver slightly when he contemplated letting the Autobot Skyfire destroy the Decepticons' newest superweapon in order to embarrass the glory-snatching Starscream.
In the year 2005, Thundercracker was badly injured during the Battle of Autobot City, and was tossed out of Astrotrain on the Decepticons' return trip to Cybertron. His body was recovered by the planet-eating Unicron, and reformatted into Scourge.
S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers
A series of recruitment messages sent by the Autobots to human allies featured Thundercracker as a recurrent bogeyman. He first appeared in the story of Johnny, a member of S.T.A.R.S. who spotted Thundercracker draining the energy from the boy's town. Despite all other power being knocked out, Johnny was able to activate his Command Center and summon an Autobot squad. Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all? However, even they were somewhat affected by Thundercracker's siphoning, and just as Johnny was preparing to issue orders, his Command Center went dead and the walls around him began to shake. Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons?
Using the human power known as "imagination," S.T.A.R.S. recruits could perceive what it was like to be Thundercracker. You Have Been Chosen.
The Autobot messages ended that story there, leaving the outcome unknown. But in later messages, Rodimus Prime would recall what he considered the Transformers' greatest battle on Earth, in which the only enemy combatants were Megatron and Thundercracker. The two Decepticons set up an ambush for an Autobot convoy searching for a site on which to build Autobot City. As the battle erupted, Thundercracker again employed his energy-draining attack (described here as a "force field"). Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth. Optimus Prime ordered Cliffjumper, Cosmos, and Warpath to retreat out of the weapon's range and get help, but as they left, Thundercracker pursued. Transformers Combat Data
Again, the story was cut short, but it would not be the last time Thundercracker was said to tangle with that particular group of Autobots. The final S.T.A.R.S. recruitment message told of Reflector discovering that the squad was out scouting for new energy sources, and Thundercracker was sent on a sneak-attack run. The message warned that if the recipient failed to help out by joining S.T.A.R.S., the Autobots might be destroyed. The Autobots Are Under Attack!
Kid Stuff Talking Story Books
- Voice actor: ? (English)
Thundercracker led a Decepticon attack on an oil storage dump within the Arabian peninsula. Though he carried out his mission with excitement and savagery, Thundercracker's attack was little more than a distraction to keep the Autobots occupied while Megatron stole crude oil from super tankers off the coast of Africa. Attack of the Decepticons
Sticker Adventures books
Thundercracker (or Skywarp) participated in a Decepticon assault on the Autobots, only to be once more beaten back. Under Megatron’s orders, the Decepticons then lay low for several days, lulling the Autobots into a false sense of security. The Decepticons then stole the entirety of the Autobots’ fuel supply and attacked them once more. But Optimus, having anticipated a trick on the Decepticons’ part, arrived at the battlefield with a new supply of fuel for his troops. After sustaining too much damage, the Decepticons were forced to retreat once again. Revenge of the Decepticons
Thundercracker attacked an Autobot construction site that Optimus and his troops were using to fix up a spaceship. He received a nasty blow courtesy of Cliffjumper. Return to Cybertron
Marvel Storybooks continuity
Thundercracker is one of Megatron's most vicious fighters. He was involved in Megatron's scheme to take over the Earth by holding millions of humans hostage. When Megatron feigned a friendly demeanor after the Autobots had invaded the Decepticon base, Thundercracker stood by his leader's side. Battle for Earth
After having captured a group of Autobots, the Decepticons were awaiting the Autobots' surrender. The morning the Autobots' surrender was due, the Decepticons found a statue of Devastator on their doorstep, with a note attached to it, explaining the monument to be a peace offering from the Autobots. Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons present that were surprised to see the Autobots burst forth from within the statue, catching the evil robots by surprise. In response to the Autobot fighter planes attacking from the skies, Megatron deployed Thundercracker and the other Decepticon jets to combat them. The Decepticons ultimately lost the fight nonetheless. The Autobots' Secret Weapon
Marvel coloring books
Thundercracker attended a briefing in the Decepticons' war room, where Megatron explained his plan to salvage sunken treasure in the waters near Alaska in order to finance factories that would build a Decepticon army. Thundercracker and Starscream maintained a high altitude above the other Decepticons as they retrieved the treasure, held in reserve as "secret weapons" that Megatron then called upon them when a squad of Autobots interfered with their objective. Thundercracker engaged Cliffjumper, but was forced to retreat when he was hit by a blast of the Autobot's glass gas. He and the other Decepticons were ultimately defeated when one of Rumble's earthquakes backfired, and swallowed up all of them (yes, even the flying ones...) Search for Treasure Under the Sea
After Megatron has constructed his own prison for the Autobots, Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were tasked with rounding their enemies up. He and Starscream employed Sleep Nets to capture Bluestreak and Sideswipe. Once nearly all of the Autobots had been captured, Bumblebee tricked the Decepticons into leaving the prison unattended, and freed his comrades. Thundercracker and Starscream were shot out of the sky by Sideswipe and Bluestreak upon the Autobots' escape. Bumblebee to the Rescue!
Ordered to patrol "every inch of the Earth" in order to find a factory suitable for constructing a Decepticon army, Thundercracker wound up above some mountains, where he found only ice and snow. Thundercracker and his fellow jets then happened upon an "Autobot Factory," but a bombing run mysteriously had no effect; when the enraged Megatron led his troops to tear the factory down with their bare hands, it turned out they had been duped by one of Mirage's mirages. The Decepticons then battled the Autobots, and Thundercracker surrendered immediately when he was caught in Huffer's crushing grip. Decepticon Patrol
Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who attempted to harm Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky, only for their plan to be foiled by the Autobots. Later, the Decepticons attacked the Hoover Dam. Thundercracker fought and defeated Spin-Out Sunstreaker, only for the Autobot to be repaired by his human allies. Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were shortly after driven away from the dam by the autobots. The Deadly Fuel Shortage Later, Thundercracker was one of the many Decepticons who defended the Decepticons' stronghold when an Autobot convoy mobilized against them. He and the rest of the Decepticons were defeated when the Autobots managed to turn the Decepticons' own Molecular transfer device against them. Summertime Coloring Book
When the Decepticons duped the Autobots into abandoning their base with a phoney message from Cybertron, they were themselves then tricked when the Autobots created a fake message of their own. Fleeing the captured Autobot base under the mistaken belief it was about to be attacked by Martians, Thundercracker and Starscream once again wound up in the vise-like grip of Huffer. A Message From Outer Space In another case of history repeating itself, Thundercracker was once again ordered by Megatron to patrol every inch of the Earth in order to search for the ideal location for a Decepticon factory. Then Megatron claimed the forest they were already in would be the ideal location for said factory, and Thundercracker didn't go anywhere. Thundercracker helped Megatron tear the place up, until the Autobots arrived, and the Decepticons were forced to flee after a brief battle. Forest Rescue Mission
Thundercracker asked Soundwave, Ravage and Rumble to join him in a plot that would put an end to the Autobots once and for all. He led his fellow Decepticons to a scrap yard, where he showed them a car compactor. The four of them then built a fake rest stop which concealed the car compactor beneath its benign exterior. They managed to trap and crush Gears, only for Mirage, Ratchet and Sideswipe to show up instantly afterwards. Thundercracker's circuits were jammed in mid-air by Mirage, sending him plummeting down. The Autobot Smasher!
Big Looker storybooks continuity
Thundercracker was part of the ambush party that boarded the Ark during the Cretaceous period, which led to Optimus Prime crashing his ship in a volcano and shutting everyone on board offline. The Decepticons then raided a nearby nuclear power to gain the additional power necessary to destroy the Autobots. The Decepticons and the Autobots battled afterwards, but with the Decepticons running low on fuel once more, the evil robots were forced to retreat. Battle for Cybertron
Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who sabotaged the Autobots’ chance at winning a cross-country car rally. During the final heat of the race, Thundercracker attacked Cliffjumper just as the Autobot was leaving the starting line. Thundercracker planed to blow Cliffjumper to bits, but he did not expect Hound to jump in the way of his projectiles. Thundercracker did not stick around after his botched attempt on the race. The Great Car Rally
The morning after a fierce battle against the Autobots, as both sides were in the process of recovering, Thundercracker and his fellow Decepticon suddenly appeared in the skies over the Autobots' headquarters. Their mission was to draw the Autobots' attentions in order to prevent them from learning about an attempt by Blitzwing to steal oil nearby, but Optimus Prime realized that he and the Autobots were being distracted when he noticed the Decepticons didn't have the energy to fire their own weapons. Decepticon Hijack
Thundercracker was present when Megatron threatened his troops into coming up with a battle plan for him. Insecticon Attack!
Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity
- Voice actor: ??? (English)
Under Starscream's leadership, Thundercracker and Skywarp attacked a solar plant. After Starscream was hit by Optimus, Thundercracker asked if he was still functional. The trio retreated after Megatron furiously ordered them to withdraw lest they damage the solar reactor. They rendezvoused with the rest of Megatron's forces a mile away, and Thundercracker admitted they had been wrong to follow Starscream's orders. Megatron let him and Skywarp take part in the subsequent attack on the solar plant. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)
Find Your Fate Junior
Battle Drive
In one possible scenario, where Megatron and his troops had tracked down Sparkplug to a cave in the mountains, Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons present, ready to pounce on the human. Then a small squadron of Autobots arrived to rescue Sparkplug. In the event that Megatron was destroyed by Swoop, Thundercracker, along with the rest of the Decepticons, were easily defeated by the Autobots. In the event that Swoop retreated, Thundercracker was amongst the Decepticons who remained at the cave instead of pursuing the Dinobot. Thundercracker stood next to Megatron in a military formation, along with Buzzsaw, Ransack, Shockwave, Frenzy and Skywarp, while Megatron delivered his sanction to the Autobots in the cave; "Prepare to die!" Thundercracker was soon knocked back by a blast courtesy of Hound. The battle that ensued lasted for two full days before the Decepticons were ready to move in for the kill. In the event that Swoop returned in time with reinforcements, Thundercracker and the rest of the Decepticons were forced to retreat.
In another possible scenario, Thundercracker was likely part of a large Decepticon army that Megatron led once the Autobots had been lured out in the open farmland. Thundercracker didn't perform any feats of note in the ensuing battle, save for being blasted out of the sky Optimus in a scenario where the Autobot leader and Jazz made for a mad dash towards a bridge for cover. In this scenario, the Autobots were victorious. Battle Drive
Attack of the Insecticons
When Starscream learned that the Autobots had in their possession an energy device called the Sun-Pak, he planned to steal the device for himself, and gathered a posse of Decepticons to accomplish this task, with Thundercracker among the chosen. If Starscream's plan lead to the Autobots concentrating their fire upon him, causing the Decepticon jet to beg for mercy, Thundercracker would react differently depending on the Optimus Prime's retort. If the Autobots accepted Starscream's surrender, Thundercracker would decry Starscream as a coward and terminate his superior officer himself. He would nonetheless thereafter acknowledge Starscream's surrender, and leave the Autobots to their own devices. If the Autobots ignored Starscream's surrender, Thundercracker would prove to be Starscream's salvation instead, as one of his sonic booms would provide Starscream the opening he needed to kidnap Sparkplug and then hastily retreat. Attack of the Insecticons
Earthquake
Thundercracker acted as an advance scout for the Decepticons. In the event that Megatron’s plot to destroy Center City with an artificial earthquake was successful, Thundercracker was sent ahead to make sure there were no survivors at ground zero.Earthquake
Desert Flight
Thundercracker was part of a Decepticon deployment stationed in a desert base. The Decepticons plotted to lure the Autobots in a trap through the use of an anti-gravity beam. Using the beam on a nearby human settlement, the Autobots would be duped into coming to the fleshliness’ rescue, only to be themselves trapped by the effects of the beam.
If the Autobots bypassed the anti-gravity field, Thundercracker was part of the squad that intercepted the Autobot convoy headed for the Decepticon base. Desert Flight
Decepticon Poison
In a possible scenario, Thundercracker was one of the many Decepticons present at the water supply facility, about to poison it when the Autobots arrived on-scene. In one possible scenario that followed, he was shot down by the Autobots, creating his own grave in the charred earth bellow. Decepticon Poison
Project Brain Drain
In one possible scenario, Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who was to keep a crowd of humans cornered while Galvatron used a “Brain Drain device” to drain their intelligence. As the Decepticons arrived at the open-air concert they had targeted, Thundercracker was caught off-guard by a small group of Autobots. A blast caught his wing, ripping it off and sending him tumbling to the ground. Project Brain Drain
Machine Wars toy bio
The mysterious Machine Wars were a tumultuous time for Thundercracker. At long last he was convinced of and committed to the truth of the Decepticon cause, but Thundercracker now ironically found himself in open rebellion against Megatron's leadership of the faction. It is unknown what events lead to his reversal of heart about the Decepticons and his being branded a "Rebel Warrior."
3H comics
During the Quintesson invasion of Cybertron a week after the Great Reformatting, a team of Sharkticons led by Overseer Rexian came upon a non-reformatted section of Cybertron. There, they found themselves surrounded by a group of eight fully-mechanical Cybertronians, who alleged that they were Decepticon prisoners freed by the upheaval to their homeworld. With their sparks now in random bodies and their former identities thus unclear, one claimed that he was really Thundercracker—something that the others angrily contested, each claiming that they were really Thundercracker. The group agreed that the one who was able to smash the most Sharkticons must have been the real Thundercracker, and they set about tearing Rexian's forces apart. Wreckers: Finale Part II
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
Thundercracker was one of the first Decepticons recruited by Megatron, part of his "inner circle" with standing high enough that he was among those who stood at the Decepticon leader's side as he delivered speeches to his burgeoning army in the early days of war. The Route of All Evil
Some time into the war, on the eve of the appointment of the Autobots' new Prime, Thundercracker and Skywarp were charged with massacring a building's worth of pesky neutrals in Altihex. The War Within #1 Some time later, he was sent to destroy an Autobot base in Sector Zero-Six alongside Skywarp and Starscream, but on the way Starscream leaked the plan to Grimlock in an attempt to bait him into joining the Decepticons. It didn't exactly work out like that: when the Seekers arrived, Grimlock had evacuated the base and planted a bomb to greet them. The War Within Preview Once Skywarp was done berating Starscream for being an idiot, he and Thundercracker returned to base without him. The War Within #3
When Megatron and Optimus Prime were granted a vision of the future by the Matrix of Leadership, Thundercracker was among the Transformers they saw battling on Earth. The War Within #5 In the years that followed this vision, the two leaders disappeared, heralding the beginning of the Dark Ages. During this time Thundercracker served under Shockwave, and was one of the troops sent to the Well of All Sparks to put a stop to The Fallen's plans. Conflagration
Thundercracker was one of several Decepticon invaders who attacked the Ark when it left Cybertron to search for energon on other planets, and wound up entombed within the vessel for four million years when it crashed on Earth. More than Meets the Eye #8 He was reactivated in 1984 with the rest of the Transformers, and fought at Megatron's side until the Decepticons were ultimately defeated in 1999. Thundercracker and the other Decepticons were loaded aboard the spacecraft Ark II with the intent that they be returned to Cybertron, but the vessel had been sabotaged and exploded mid-flight. Scheming arms dealer Adam "Lazarus" Rook, recovered the bodies of Thundercracker and the other Decepticons, and spent the next several years reprogramming them in order to sell them to foreign powers. Prime Directive #5
In 2002, in a demonstration of the Transformers' power for a group of prospective clients, Lazarus had Thundercracker participate in an attack on the Arctic division of the Smitco Oil Refinery. Prime Directive #2 Everything went wrong for Lazarus soon after, however, when Megatron succeeded in breaking free of his control, then liberated his Decepticon subordinates. Megatron began a plan to cyberform the Earth with a metallic virus, and to pass the time during the preparations, Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp busied themselves by tearing apart the Autobot Mini Vehicle team. Prime Directive #3 Once the virus was in deployed, the Decepticons launched an attack on San Francisco in which Thundercracker took part, joining his fellow fliers in a bombing run on the Autobot giant Superion, forcing the combiner to split into his component Aerialbots. Prime Directive #4 The Decepticons triumped over the Autobots, and Thundercracker stood watch over their defeated foes while Megatron tried to persuade Optimus Prime to help the Decepticons conquer Earth. Prime Directive #5 Ultimately, though, the Decepticons' plans were foiled thanks to human interference, and the sacrifice of Superion. Prime Directive #6
When the Decepticons were left leaderless after Megatron was abducted by the mysterious aliens known as the Keepers, Thundercracker, oddly enough, turned to weapons smuggling, working with Mexican arms dealers south of the border. He was moored at Atahulpa Aeropuerto de Mesa Verde, getting his cargo hold loaded with guns, when Prowl and Bumblebee sieged the tiny airport. As his human allies scattered, Thundercracker transformed and engaged the Autobots with his drone missile launchers. One of the guided projectiles nearly blasted Prowl in the back, but Bumblebee knocked it off course... right into a tanker filled with jet fuel. The resulting explosion was catastrophic, and threw the Autobots for a loop. Thundercracker was prepared to finish off Prowl when the renegade Dinobot Grimlock arrived on the scene. Fresh for battle, Grimlock easily defeated Thundercracker, battering him from head to toe before knocking him into the airport terminal. Hardwired
Recovering from his injuries, Thundercracker joined up with Starscream and his forces in Las Vegas (renamed "New Centurion" by Starscream following his takeover of the city). He got another chance at Prowl and Bumblebee while fighting on the Strip, but the Autobots were better prepared this time and Thundercracker was brought down by Prowl's wire-guided missiles and crashed in front of Caesar's Palace. He revived in time to join Soundwave in double-teaming Grimlock, who had also come in the assault on Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Thundercracker once again fell before the Dinobot's superior might after only a few blows. He stayed under Starscream's command after Megatron returned, remaining in Las Vegas while the former Decepticon leader and those loyal to him quit the city. This only led to Thundercracker being captured with the rest of Starscream's Decepticons when their leader was killed by the Keepers and reanimated as a host body for their awesome power. Thundercracker, Skywarp and the others were trapped beneath a massive energy field, like mice in a cage to the god-like aliens.
The Constructicons eventually dug a tunnel to freedom, and Thundercracker's group of Decepticons reunited with Megatron, working with the Autobots against the Keepers. Thundercracker joined Laserbeak and the Autobot Wheeljack on air patrol during the fight with the Keepers, strafing the aliens and their puppets, Bluestreak and Starscream. He survived the battle with the Keepers (not to mention the nuclear missile launched by the American government) thanks to Optimus Prime super-charging the Matrix with a pool of newly discovered energon. Annihilation
Thundercracker began working for Megatron again, and was present in the Nevada desert when the Autobots and Decepticons confronted the United States military. Thanks to their airborne tactics, Thundercracker and Skywarp did significant injury to the troops and survived the deconstructionite assault virtually unscathed. Fusion
When the Decepticons clashed with the Autobots over a crashed Autobot vessel discovered in the Arctic, Thundercracker took a beating from Mirage. This battle was soon interrupted by the arrival of Shockwave and his army of Triple Changers, who had come from Cybertron to bring the planet's errant sons home. He quickly disposed of Megatron and demanded that Thundercracker and the others submit to him. New World Order The Decepticons somewhat begrudgingly assented to return to Cybertron, but upon arrival Thundercracker and Skywarp were amazed at what Shockwave had accomplished in their absence. While relaxing in an energon bath, they debated how to proceed; Thundercracker believed it would not be long before Shockwave demanded they pledge themselves to his cause, but Skywarp didn't care much, advocating they do what they always did and pick the side with the biggest guns. Brothers' Burden Their tune soon changed, however, when Shockwave's dark schemes were uncovered by Optimus Prime; the two Seekers tried to shut the blast door to the command centre before the Autobot leader could make it through, but they failed, and Prime forced Shockwave's location from them. Countdown to Extinction Presently, Starscream passed through on his way to the shuttle bay, intending to escape the planet and return to Earth, and he ordered Thundercracker and Skywarp to accompany him. Revelation
Back on Earth, Thundercracker was part of Starscream's initial salvo against the Ark, a decoy to be deliberately taken prisoner in order to draw out the remaining Autobots where the newly reformatted Combaticons could get at them. Night of the Combaticons After decimating the Autobots' ranks, Bruticus freed the fallen Decepticons, and they were about ready to terminate their opponents when the awe-inspiring clone known as Sunstorm emerged from fold-space, looking to have words with Starscream. Sunstorm's "purifying light" induced an energon overload in their systems, knocking them into stasis lock. Black Sunshine Skywarp and the others remained Autobot prisoners until Starscream negotiated a deal for their release in exchange for his aid against Sunstorm. They were only given half-power, though, and had to stumble out of the Autobot camp in an extremely weakened condition. Skyfire
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
Thundercracker was one of the many Transformers found dormant aboard the Ark by Cobra, who reprogrammed the alien robots to serve them. After rebuilding Thundercracker and Skywarp into Rattler planes, Cobra sent them to attack a peace ceremony at Washington, D.C., where one of the Seekers was the first of the attackers to reveal their transformation ability before punching Ace out of the sky. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1
Eventually, the Decepticons were freed from Cobra's control, and Thundercracker and Skywarp started fighting against the newly freed Autobots. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5 When the SPS Satellite went out of control and sent energy beams raining down on Cobra Island, the two Seekers were caught in its blasts and deactivated. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6
Transformers Legends anthology
Thundercracker and Skywarp were getting bawled out by Megatron when the news came in that Starscream had injured himself. When they went to retrieve Starscream, the Seeker was gone, and Thundercracker pointed out the Autobot tire-marks leading away from the area. He later totally bought Starscream's story that he'd been feigning amnesia to gain access to the Autobot base. Redemption Center
The Beast Within
During an all-out offensive against the Autobots, Thundercracker attempted to take down Grimlock by himself, only to have his head crushed for his troubles. The Beast Within It's not quite clear if this killed Thundercracker; soon afterward, The Beast slaughtered most of the Decepticons, and Thundercracker’s corpse could be seen lying amongst the monstrosity's victims, but his dead body was in jet mode, suggesting that perhaps he'd survived Grimlock's ministrations and met his end at The Beast's hands while in vehicle form. The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences
Q-Robo Transformer
IDW Generation 1 continuity
A chance to be part of the exciting world of underground gladiator games turned into a life Thundercracker never wanted. Though the terrorism and insurgency of the Decepticons gave him pause, a belief in the rhetoric that founded the faction, and the sense of brotherhood and belonging he gained from being a Seeker, saw Thundercracker remain a loyal Decepticon for millions of years. He served as part of Starscream's infiltration unit on Earth, but when Megatron laid waste to the planet, it was more than Thundercracker could bear. He believed the Decepticons had strayed too far from their original goals, and turned against his leader, saving the Autobots and the city of New York from a nuclear strike. Cast out by his fellows, he threw his lot in with Earth, embracing the planet as a new home and celebrating the ability of its people to grow and change in ways that Transformers struggle to. Today, his love of humanity and their arts has evolved into a desire to become a screenwriter, but love for his dog Buster always comes first.
Henkei! Henkei! pack-in manga
Thundercracker accompanied Starscream, Skywarp, Ramjet, and a mind-controlled Jetfire in raiding a power plant. Henkei! Henkei! volume 4 A little while later, he, Skywarp, and Ramjet had their alternate mode graffitied by a little kid. Flaming mad, they went after the kid, who was being sped to safety by Sunstreaker. The jets were able to catch up to them when Prowl pulled Sunstreaker over for speeding, but once he understood the situation, the 'cop-bot helped his fellow Autobot send the Decepticons packing. Henkei! Henkei! volume 5
Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-
Robot Heroes
When Optimus Prime recounted a story of the Transformers' homeworld of Cybertron, Thundercracker could be seen flying through the planet's skies in his original Cybertronian alternate modes. As Prime's story continued, he was joined by Skywarp. I Am Optimus Prime
Alternity
A Thundercracker from an unknown universal stream was one of the Questors gathered by Megatron. Granted a portion of the hyperdimensional powers that his leader had obtained from the monstrous Hytherion, Thundercracker was given a new body with a Timaeus drive that granted him the ability to travel through dimensions, and an assortment of new weaponry, including a "Power Zap" that let him drain energy from other machines, including his enemies, and a Nova Concussion Generator that allowed him to create the functional equivalent of sonic booms in the vacuum of space. He was less than pleased with his new sports car alternate mode, however; having always considered his ability to fly one of things that put him above most other lifeforms, Thundercracker saw his new ground-bound form something of an ironic humiliation. Further, these assorted upgrades did nothing to dispel his doubts about the Decepticon cause.
Thundercracker's doubts came to the fore when Megatron succeeded in his plan to seize control of the two-dimensional lifeforms known as the Planicrons. Observing Megatron's manipulation of these beings from their base on the magical planet of Menonia, Thundercracker felt for the strange creatures as swathes of them were slain in service of Megatron's ambition. Just then, Starscream made another of his characteristic power plays, using a magical tablet to take control of the Planicrons from Megatron—but Megatron simply killed Starscream, and gave the tablet to Thundercracker to hold. Thundercracker set the tablet down, unable to find it himself to do anything to help the Planicrons... then suddenly, the next thing he knew, he was staring at the tablet again, and the sequence to free the Planicrons had been initiated. Although confused as to whether or not he was responsible, Thundercracker felt no fear when a furious Megatron rounded on him. Rather, he informed his leader that he did not deserve such power, and immediately fled, covering his escape with a Nova Concussion blast.
Subsequently, the liberated Planicrons joined forces with the Alternity and the Binaltech Transformers of the BT World, and succeeded in obliterating Megatron. In the wake of Megatron's defeat, a guilty Thundercracker returned to Menonia to survey the damage done to the planet, where he received a message from the Planicrons thanking him for helping them. Although Thundercracker took some consolation in their words, the ghostly form of the deceased Starscream the appeared to tell him he would never truly be forgiven. Alternation
BeCool shorts
Blue Jet (青のジェット機 Ao no Jettoki) was part of the audience of Quiz! BeCool. The Story of the BeCool Quiz!
Transformers: All Spark
Not long after the Transformers' awakening on Earth, Thundercracker and Starscream engaged the Autobots in battle in a desert canyon, keeping them busy while the other Decepticon raided a nearby power plant. The Fated Rival, Once Again... Some time later, after the Decepticons had seized control of a human city and constructed a space bridge, Thundercracker stood alongside his fellow jets and Devastator to defend the bridge against the Autobots' newest warriors, the Dinobots. Thundercracker was sent hurtling off into the distance by the shockwaves that resulted when Grimlock managed to topple Devastator, but was back in action in time to help direct the Insecticons that Shockwave then sent through the space bridge to keep the Autobots occupied. Revenge (All Spark) He then came under fire from human military in the city, and was eventually overpowered by their barrage. Great Aspirations
Cloud
Thundercracker was one of many undesirables cast out of Cloud World's Metropolis for seeking to use the super-robot SARA's power over space and time for his own ends. Exiled to the lawless Underground, he and these other malcontents banded together under Megatron, who gave them the name "Decepticons" and led them in an attack on Metropolis to take SARA for themselves. Thundercracker worked in concert with Starscream to lay waste to the sector of the city they had been charged with attacking as part of the Decepticons' simultaneous, city-wide assault, but Starscream then left him to mop up so he could swagger off and report their success to Megatron. Fate
Angry Birds comic
Thundercracker was part of a group of Decepticons who attacked an Autobot shuttle in a failed attempt to steal the AllSpark. Angry Birds Transformers #1
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
Aided by a number of Cobra troops, Thundercracker guarded the temple constructed by Megatron on Primus's face. He detected the arrival of a group of Autobots and Joes, and entered a firefight with them. Expelled from the Garden
TransTech
A couple of Thundercrackers were two of many offworlders in Axiom Nexus's Under City. They were part of a crowd in Seeker-Shinai that C-81 attempted to disperse through intimidation. Unfortunately, all the Seekers present were too stunned to see a "Megatron" in Axiom Nexus to budge. Cybertron's Most Wanted
Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe
Thundercracker followed Megatron to Earth in pursuit of the Allspark. His specialty amongst the Seekers was maneuverability. He participated in a large battle against the Autobots in a human settlement. The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe
Ask Vector Prime
He was enhanced by forestonite. Ask Vector Prime
Commercial appearances
Thundercracker snuck his way into several bits of original commercial animation. The following commercials contain original footage of Thundercracker:
- He appeared in the first Transformers animation, a 1984 commercial advertising the Marvel comic. In it, he, Starscream and Skywarp attacked a power plant on Earth. The Autobots then launched a counter-attack against them. Thundercracker was animated with an early model featuring a black face. The Transformers #1
- Thundercracker, Skywarp and Starscream encountered the Autobots Jazz, Sideswipe and Prowl in the middle of a desert. The two groups briefly scuffled. Decepticon jets & Autobot cars commercial
- He flew overhead in jet mode as Optimus transformed and opened fire on Megatron and his troops. Optimus Prime and Megatron commercial
- Thundercracker and Starscream strafed three Autobot cars, only to be met with Jetfire. The airborne Autobot shot him down, forcing the Decepticons to transform and land. Thankfully, their newest recruit, Shockwave, was able to pick up the slack. Jetfire and Shockwave commercial
- Thundercracker, Skywarp and Starscream found themselves on the wrong end of a beating when they came to blows with the Dinobots. Predacons commercial
- A commercial for Transformers reflective iron-on patches advertised the "Prizes in Disguise" competition. When the iron-on patch was used, it was possible to find instead an instant win ticket for a Transformers voice changer (of the Enemy variety)—or to have a party with "life-size" Transformers! Among the "life-size" Transformers shown were Jazz and Thundercracker. In all likelihood, you did not party with them.
He has also been featured in some online promotional videos:
- After Megatron learned about BotCon 2009 from Optimus Prime, he led a small group of Decepticon representatives to the convention, including Thundercracker. BotCon 2009!
Games
Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' Minicar troops from the Decepticons, Thundercracker could hinder Optimus Prime's progress, by attacking him, temporarilly breaking down the Autobots' leader. Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game
The Transformers (PS2)
Thundercracker was one of the Decepticons who joined the battle on the planet Zel Samine over the powerful Zel Quartz, where he defended the Monogan Hydroelectric Power Station and ELTA against Autobot incursion. The Transformers
Transformers G1: Awakening
Thundercracker was among the Decepticons who pursued and boarded the Autobot Ark. When the ship crashed on Earth, all inside were sent into stasis, but the Decepticons woke up four million years later and resumed their conquering ways. Picking up Jetfire, whom they tricked into becoming a Decepticon, Thundercracker took part in an attack on Dyson Dam. He and the other Seekers picked a fight with Grimlock and were soundly trounced by the Dinobot. He also took part in a disastrous assault on the Ark, which ended with the Decepticons in retreat. Transformers G1: Awakening
Bot Shots Battle Game!
Thundercracker participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! Bot Shots Battle Game!
Transformers: Construct-Bots
Thundercracker was one of the many customizable Transformers who battled across Earth and Cybertron. Construct-Bots
Transformers Legends
Thundercracker was among the Seekers who went on a worldwide rampage, until they were thwarted by the Autobots. Robots in the Sky During a Decepticon attack on a major human city, Thundercracker and Dirge used their sonic powers to make things difficult for the Autobot rescue team of Ratchet, Inferno and the Protectobots. To the Rescue Thundercracker took part in a major battle in Autobot City, but his taunting of the Dinobots resulted in Swoop dragging him out of the air for a beating. S.O.S. Dinobots
Thundercracker was among the Decepticons who came to the aid of the reprogrammed Nightbird, but failed to prevent her falling back into Autobot hands. Enter the Nightbird
When the Autobots were driven from Earth, Thundercracker fought against his Decepticon comrades. All Hail Megatron
At some point, he was reformatted into Scourge. The Coronation of Starscream
Thundercracker was caught up somehow in a Quintesson plot to kidnap several Autobots during the Galactic Games. Five Faces of Darkness: Part 1
Transformers: Battle Tactics
Thundercracker participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He appeared in multiple different bodies:
- Thundercracker — This Common character could be recruited by collecting 6 units of Cybermetal.
- Generations Thundercracker — This Uncommon character could be recruited by collecting 90 units of Cybermetal, and 42 units of Transmetal.
- Generations Thundercracker — This Super Rare character could be recruited by collecting 250 units of Cybermetal, 75 units of Transmetal, 50 exclusive cores, and 5 cores of this character.
Transformers: Devastation
- Voice actor: André Sogliuzzo
After the Plasma Core was lost following its ejection from the ancient Cybertronian starship the Proudstar, the Autobots had to hunt down a Decepticon from whom they could learn its location. Thundercracker had the misfortune of being the closest 'Con, and was promptly beaten into submission. Optimus Prime invited him to join their cause, and while Thundercracker didn't accept, he did reveal the core's location to them; he considered Megatron's plans for it to be utter madness, and hoped the Autobots would destroy it. Bumblebee quipped that the Decepticon hadn't required any convincing at all, and that it was no surprise he was named Thundercracker. Despite the Autobots' efforts, the Decepticons got their hands on the core and brought it back to the Proudstar, where Thundercracker later battled the Autbots alongside Skywarp. Transformers: Devastation
Transformers: Frontiers
Toys
Notes
- A handful of Marvel Books coloring books (among them Decepticon Patrol) depict Skywarp and Thundercracker with original head designs. It's possible these were developed so kids could tell the characters apart in black and white, but the numerous character model oddities in these books make any kind of certain judgment difficult.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Thundercracker (サンダークラッカー Sandākurakkā)
- French: Coup de Tonnerre (Canada, "Thunderclap")
- Hebrew: Méfatsé'ach Raám (מפצח רעם, "Thunder Cracker")
- Hungarian: Villámcsapás ("Lightning strike")
- Italian: Vampiro ("Vampire")
- Mandarin: Lìe Léi (Taiwan, 裂雷, "Cracking Thunder"), Léi Gōng (Taiwan, 雷公, "Lord of Thunder"), Jīngtiān Léi (China, 惊天雷, "Sky-shocking Thunder")
- Portuguese: Grande Trovão (Portugal comics, "Big Thunder"), Arrasador (Brazil comics, "Destroyer")
- Russian: Gromoverzhec (Громовержец, "Thunderer")
- Featured articles
- Pages with image sizes containing extra px
- Character stubs missing fiction
- Character stubs missing video games
- Action Masters
- Alternity Decepticons
- Classics Decepticons
- Cloud Decepticons
- Generation 1 Decepticons
- Generation 2 Decepticons
- Henkei! Henkei! Decepticons
- Machine Wars Decepticons
- Regeneration One Decepticons
- Regeneration One zombies
- Robotmasters Decepticons
- Seekers
- TransTech Decepticons
- Universe Decepticons
- Wings Universe Decepticons
