Soundwave (Animated)
| 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 Transformers Animated continuity family.
Soundwave is technology gone wrong. Machines are superior to humans: more logical, more intelligent, and longer lasting. It does not compute that humans control their robotic helpers, and Soundwave aims to lead the robot proletariat to rise against their fleshling bourgeoisie. The Decepticon cause is logical in Soundwave's optics, and he joined them in the hopes of overthrowing the human/capitalist oppressors. With an army of subservient mechanoids that he can control through powerful signals, that uprising just might be possible.
His arsenal of weapons and gadgets is unusually large, and includes powerful speakers, wiretaps, voice modulators, sonic signals that control lesser robots, and the uncanny ability to assimilate other devices into his body.
He has a pet bird that transforms into a guitar and a pet bat that changes into a keytar. He also on occasion has been known to command an army of diminutive drones of himself.
Fiction
Animated cartoon
- Voice actor: Jeff Glen Bennett (English), Jaron Löwenberg (German)
Soundwave was a robot originally designed by Megatron. Megatron suggested Isaac Sumdac give Soundwave to his daughter as a birthday present... this seemingly kind act, of course, had a sinister ulterior motive. Megatron knew Sari would use her AllSpark-enhanced Key on Soundwave, which would allow him to upgrade... and ultimately become Megatron's new body. What Megatron didn't count on, though, was that the upgrades would actually make Soundwave self-aware and able to control other robots with sound. Additionally, Soundwave concluded that machines should be the masters of the world, and humans would be an ideal slave force. Megatron decided that if Soundwave couldn't be a new body, he would be a new soldier.
Megatron tried to convince Soundwave to join the Decepticons, take control of the machines in Detroit, and steal the Key. At first Soundwave refused, but then Megatron told Soundwave that the Autobots lived to serve the humans. Once convinced, Soundwave promptly upgraded himself into a transforming body using controlled robots, and began his task. He started by taking over all the robots in Detroit and using Tutor Bot to kidnap Sari Sumdac. The revolution of the robots was, however, quickly opposed by the Autobots. When Bulkhead came to rescue Sari, Soundwave blasted him with a sonic blast. Soundwave then appealed to Bulkhead to join the revolution because he did not want to hurt a fellow machine, reminding him how Bulkhead had been replaced by Soundwave himself. Bulkhead acted as if he was about to kill Sari...then used his wrecking ball to shatter Soundwave. The machines were restored to their normal operational status, and the day was saved.
Unknown to all others, however, Soundwave still functioned as a small piece even after Bulkhead pummeled him into scrap metal. Sound and Fury
A newly reassembled Soundwave is revealed to be in control of an army of Soundwave toys that have been marketed and sold by Porter C. Powell just in time for Christmas. One such toy was among the wrapped gifts at Autobot base. This toy freed himself from his packaging where he proceeded to poison the Autobot's oil-nog, which made the Autobots eager to take a stasis nap. Hoping to reprogram them into Decepticons, Soundwave plugged the sleeping Autobots into a virtual world where they were lead to believe they had been turned into humans. However, Optimus Prime and Prowl eventually deduced that they were in a virtual world, and managed—by force of will—to change their avatars into their Cybertronian forms. Soundwave decided that he had to accelerate the reprogramming. However, Sari Sumdac used her previously discovered Cybertronian abilities to try to interfere with his plans. Laserbeak was able to drive her off, and Soundwave used Ratbat to begin a more accelerated reprogramming. Human Error, Part I
 Spoiler warning: Plot details for Human Error, Part II follow. of the next episode/issue in the series or 30 days after release, whichever is sooner |
Unfortunately, the damage that Sari dealt to Soundwave in their scuffle impeded the process of reprogramming the Autobots. That was of little consequence, as Soundwave had a back-up plan: using the toys Powell made in his likeness, Soundwave was able to brainwash every human in Detroit, ordering them to "destroy the techno-organic". Soundwave then turned his attention back to the Autobots, however, Prowl had freed himself using his "processor-over-matter" technique, but Soundwave quickly rectified this and returned the virtual Autobots into their human bodies. Exploiting their desire to escape from his trap, Soundwave entered the virtual world with an oddly-colored avatar and led them into a trap, where their reprogramming was completed.
After Sari Sumdac assembled a group of "Substitute Autobots" to free her friends, Soundwave gained the element of surprise when he burst out from under the street and brought forth his newly reprogrammed Autobot minions. Soundwave held a significant tactical advantage over the inept group, but when the miserable technorganic changed tactics and focused on individual attacks, Soundwave found himself disoriented as he tried to control five minions at once. Soundwave was able to regain the upper hand when the substitute Autobots took out all but one of the reprogrammed Autobots: leaving him with full control over Optimus Prime. However, Prowl was able to break free of Soundwave's control using processor-over-matter and disabled Soundwave's control over his comrades. Soundwave then deployed Ratbat to deal with the meddling cyber-ninja and fought servo-to-servo with Optimus Prime, who then grabbed Laserbeak and forced him to transform back into guitar mode. Soundwave called Ratbat back to him in keytar mode and the two battled each other with music, until Optimus changed tactics and slashed him to pieces with his own ax. Soundwave was reduced back to his smaller form and seemed to be in Autobot custody...until Laserbeak grabbed his master and retreated in the sky. Human Error, Part II
Toys
Animated
- Soundwave (Deluxe, 2008)
- Accessories: "Laserbeak" guitar
- Soundwave transforms into a pseudo-Scion xB that got a "Pimp My Ride" music style treatment. That's awesome. He also comes with his partner Laserbeak, who changes from a guitar to a bird. Also awesome. Laserbeak can mount on the top of the roof of Soundwave's car mode and perch on his arm (or store on his back) in robot mode. Very awesome. And the tuning knobs are just the right size to fit in the screwholes on his arms, so he can look like he's strumming Laserbeak's guitar form. Extremely awesome.
- Between the presence of Soundwave's huge backpack and his painted eyes, his lightpiping feature is well and truly neutered. Not so awesome.
- Soundwave (Bumper Battlers, 2009)
- This adorable Soundwave has a Decepticon symbol that plays unknown sound effects when pressed.
- Soundwave (Animated Activators, 2009)
- Electrostatic Soundwave (Deluxe, 2009)
- Accessories: "Ratbat" keytar
- A redeco of the regular Deluxe Soundwave, Electrostatic Soundwave's deco is an obvious homage to Soundblaster, being black with red paint applications. Instead of Laserbeak, he comes with Ratbat, a black keytar that turns into a bat with a metallic purple head and wings. Supremely awesome.
Notes
- Soundwave's eyes are a reference to 2000 AD's ABC Warriors[1].
- In the cartoon, his eyes can be either "Decepticon" red or "Generation 1 toy" yellow. Everybody's happy!
- The box he was in when given to Sari—as well as his remaining component after Bulkhead first defeated him—are obvious references to the alternate mode of Generation 1 Soundwave.
- The production staff of Transformers Animated were completely unaware of the Soundwave toy's Laserbeak-guitar, hence why it was not included in his debut episode.[2]
- Soundwave's "tape deck" form seen at the end of "Sound and Fury" is based upon Takara's Music Label MP3 player Soundwave toy.[2]
- Soundwave's consciousness appears to be localized to this "tape deck", meaning as long as it remains intact, he can form/build a new body. It's not clear whether his spark is also contained within.
