Shockwave (Animated)
| The name or term "Shockwave" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Shockwave (disambiguation). |
- Shockwave is a Decepticon from the Transformers Animated continuity family.
Shockwave is a covert agent in service to Megatron. A master of disguise, he represents Megatron's long-term plans, if outright military conquest proves unfeasible. He's been in deep cover on Cybertron for so long that even he probably doesn't know who he really is, but he provides the inside scoop on what the Autobots are doing.
Fiction
Animated cartoon
- Voice actor: Corey Burton (English)
Shockwave was recruited by Megatron because his mass-shifting abilities allowed him to effectively impersonate a wide variety of shapes and sizes, making it difficult for Autobots to accurately track him during missions of infiltration and sabotage. It was these traits which led to Megatron sending him to enlist in the Autobot armed services, as a means of climbing the ranks and eventually taking the organization down from within.
Disguising himself as "Longarm", Shockwave enrolled in Autobot boot camp, but slipped up in the early days of training and was overheard reporting to Megatron by the black sheep recruit, Bumblebee. Although Shockwave managed to avoid detection right away, Bumblebee was tipped off to the presence of a traitor in the camp and suspected fellow recruit Wasp, whom he spotted leaving the building shortly afterward. Seeing his fellow recruit Wasp (probably Shockwave) leaving the building shortly afterwards, Bumblebee was aware there was a traitor in their midst, and suspected Wasp. Bumblebee turned to the espionage-savvy Longarm for advice, and Shockwave used the opportunity to divert attention away from himself by suggesting that the young Autobot refrain from telling their commander, Sentinel Minor, so that 'Bee could take all the credit when he exposed the traitor himself as a means to ensuring his career in the Cybertron Elite Guard. Unfortunately, all of Bumblebee's efforts only got him in worse trouble, and his fellow recruits began to bully him, with Longarm being the only one to stick up for him. After several failures on Bumblebee's part, Shockwave had to take matters into his own hands and switched the training equipment to live ammo in an attempt to offline the Autobot and keep the whole matter of a traitor a secret. Luckily for Bumblebee, this plan was foiled by Bulkhead.
Eventually, Shockwave found out that Sentinel Minor intended to conduct a surprise inspection, and he contrived to set up Wasp to take the fall himself. After planting a Decepticon communicator in Wasp's locker, Shockwave, as Longarm, informed Bumblebee of the upcoming inspection, telling him that it was his last chance to find the evidence he needed. Using one of his extensible limbs to trip up Wasp, Shockwave allowed Bumblebee to palm Wasp's locker key as 'Bee helped him up, allowing him to find the communicator and show it to Sentinel. In the end, Wasp was dragged off to prison, and Longarm commended Bumblebee for his deductive work. Subsequently, Shockwave graduated boot camp and became a member of the Cybertron Elite Guard. Now "Longarm Prime", he became head of Cybertron Intelligence and remained in this position, hiding in plain sight, for the fifty stellar cycles, even when Megatron was lost on Earth. After Optimus' ship was lost, Longarm pressed Sentinel to continue the search for the ship's crew, the AllSpark and Megatron. His pleas fell on deaf ears. The Arrival issue 1 Years later, After Megatron succeeded in restoring himself and the Decepticons were assembled on Earth, he re-established contact with Shockwave on Cybertron and initiated a plan to construct a space bridge that would allow the Decepticons to conquer the planet from within. Misson Accompolished Wasp, now criminally insane, escaped from prison, and Megatron started receiving transmissions from his double agent on Cybertron. When Megatron's captive, Isaac Sumdac, attempted to alert the Autobots to the existence of the double agent by bouncing a transmission to their base, Bumblebee again suspected Wasp, and informed his old friend Longarm Prime, he expressed his pleasure at hearing from Bumblebee and Bulkhead again, and promised to deal with the matter of the traitor personally, but of course, Very personally, that accomplished nothing. As he reported back to Megatron that the Autobots didn't suspect a thing and that Wasp's jailbreak had been the perfect distraction. Megatron's plan had succeeded, and in the guise of Longarm Prime Shockwave was ready to take the Autobots down from the inside. Autoboot Camp
When the completed space bridge failed to function, Megatron contacted Shockwave and instructed him to locate the top space bridge specialist on Cybertron to help correct the problem. Shockwave was surprised to discover that the specialist was already on Earth; it was Bulkhead! Bulkhead was subsequently captured by Megatron and forced to perfect the space bridge. A Bridge Too Close, Part I The other Autobots arrived too late to stop him, and they were defeated by the Decepticons and strung up to watch as the bridge was activated. Shockwave revealed his alter ego of Longarm Prime to the Autobots, disclosing that he had already given Megatron an appropriate access code and forcing Bumblebee to feel the shame of sending an innocent Wasp to prison. When Megatron tried to test the space bridge by sending Optimus Prime through it, Shockwave assured his master that he awaited the "test subject" on the other side. Unfortunately, an attempt by Megatron to boost power caused the space bridge to overload, deleting the access code and setting the space bridge to random coordinates. A Bridge Too Close, Part II
Megacycles later, Shockwave, as Longarm once more, assures Ultra Magnus that the Decepticons would not be able to reach the Cybertron Space bridge nexus. Shockwave came into contact with Team Chaar who were assault an Autobot base with a space bridge with the intention of using it to gate to Cybertron. When Strika asked for permission to begin the assault, Shockwave denys and tells Strika and her team that they had to wait for Megatron to which an annoyed Strika stated that he was supposed to be there megacycles ago. Unexpectively, the Elite Guard increasing security and eventually cutting power to the space bridge nexus when it became clear that the Decepticons were attempting to invade Cybertron. At this point, Agent Blurr arrived and attempted to report to Longarm that Wasp was not a traitor and that a double agent was still on Cybertron, stating it is the Decepticon: Shockwave (Blurr was not aware of Shockwave's shape-shifting abilities. His intention was to consult the Cybertron Intel database to find the real spy. Longarm then inquired from Blurr if he shared his findings with anyone else to which Blurr responded by saying he did not and reported straight to the head of Cybertron Intelligence. Shockwave then attacked Blurr and attempted to eliminate him before his secret was revealed but the fast Autobot escaped. However, Shockwave then activated traps within the facility which cornered and later crushed Blur leading to the Agent into a brick-like material (but it is unknown of Blurr is actually offline of not). TransWarped
Toys
Transformers Animated
- Shockwave (Voyager, 2008)
- Representing his double nature in the cartoon, Animated Shockwave represents both the Autobot Longarm and Decepticon Shockwave, featuring four distinct modes. In "Infiltration Mode," the shorter, stockier Autobot Longarm transforms into a four-legged crane platform. If one fancies, you can stretch out his Shockwave's elbows to emulate his limb stretching ability in Longarm mode (abeit not very well). In "Spy Mode," he stretches and manipulates himself into the taller, lankier Decepticon Shockwave, as the crane portion of Longarm's body converts into a hand-held cannon. The symbol on his chest flips between Autobot and Decepticon symbols. Both chest symbols are vacuum metalized, with very shiny silver and gold used.
- Curiously, while the rotating faction symbols on his chest use the usual "classic" designs, the tampographed Decepticon symbol on his cannon/crane is in the movie style. It is also plainly visible in his Autobot modes. Whoops!
- Shockwave VS Bumblebee (Multi-pack, 2009)
- A predominantly purple redeco of the Voyager toy, this version of Shockwave is packaged with an apparently-unaltered Activators-class Bumblebee figure. Shockwave retains his four modes and gimmickry within each. A Target stores exclusive, this set was available simultaneously with the Sunstorm/Ratchet multi-pack.
Trivia
- Shockwave's body appears to be largely patterned after Armada Megatron; he transforms into an "H-tank", the front treads end up on his shoulders, and his helmet features large, serrated blades of the kind found on Megatron's Armada-body helmet. However, he retains the classic Shockwave window-chest and face that is little more than a single, round optic. It is unknown at this time if one of his hands retracts to reveal a blaster-cannon.
- Actor Corey Burton reprises the role of Shockwave from Generation One.
- Despite having just an eye, Shockwave still manages to have a mouth that dosen't actually move. Granted, it is not as outlandishly large as some others are.
- Shockwave has been entrusted to remain on Cybertron with the mission to prepare the place for Megatron's return. Humm... Déjà vu!
- Also, Shockwave's disguise as Longarm Prime has some similaries including the red light on his forehead (Shockwave's eye), a similar color scheme, and the tread arms & legs.
