Scavenger (Armada)
| The name or term "Scavenger" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Scavenger (disambiguation). |
- Scavenger is an Autobot in the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.
A former instructor at Cybertron's top military academy, Scavenger sets the bar high. It was his (and Landmine's) strict training regimen for the now-legendary Autobot leader Optimus Prime that has pushed the Autobots to countless victories. Not easily impressed, Scavenger despises cockiness and values only true skill. Like Optimus Prime, he sees potential in the young Hot Shot. Hot Shot is hotheaded and cocksure, especially now that he wields the Star Saber sword. Scavenger sees this as a problem.
But it's nothing that can't be beaten out of him.
- Japanese name: Devastar
- Polish name: Grabarz ("Gravedigger")
Fiction
Dreamwave comics continuity
Armada
A million years ago, Smokescreen and Scavenger were guarding the entrance to Autobase: Cybertron when Hot Shot barged in, demanding to know where Optimus Prime was. Smokescreen informed him that Prime was in the satellite room and asked if anything was wrong. All Hot Shot would say was that wrong doesn't begin to describe the situation. Dreamwave Armada issue 1 What had transpired was that a group of renegade cybertronians calling themselves "Decepticons" were attacking Mini-Con villages]] and capturing the inhabitants for some reason. While sifting through the rubble of of Village C-52, Scavenger opined that it looks like the diminutive Mini-Cons tried to put up a fight, but didn't stand a chance. Soon afterwards, Megatron, the Decepticon leader, attacked Cyber City, with his captured Mini-Cons re-engineered to powerlink with bulks, providing them great power. The Autobots were beaten up and forced to retreat. Dreamwave Armada issue 2
For a million years the civil war raged on, the once-proud Autobots struggled to defend themselves against the powerful, Mini-Con augmented Decepticons, who were in possession of Cybertron's only remaining Mini-Cons, the others having escaped at the beginning of the conflict. Hope came in the form of a Mini-Con Reactivation Signal sent from a distant world called Earth and the Autobots resolved to go there and fight for Truth, Justice and Freedom. Almost immediately after arriving on Earth, Smokescreen was destroying public property and suggesting that they simply smash their way across the planet to find the Mini-Cons, a plan that Scavenger agreed to, as Cybertron was their priority. This callous attitude earned them both a sharp, furious rebuke from Optimus Prime, who refused to stoop down to the level of the Decepticons. However, he also understood their frustration, telling them to save their anger for the Decepticons. Scavenger apologised for being out of line, suggesting that his logic chip was damaged. Unfortunately for the Autobots, the Decepticons had already arrived and were chasing after Sparkplug's group of Mini-Cons and their human friends, Rad, Carlos and Alexis. Prime and Scavenger arrived just in time to smash Starscream and Cyclonus out of the sky. Dreamwave Armada issue 4 While Optimus Prime kept Megatron distracted by trash talking the Decepticon's failure to defeat the Autobots with all of their power, Smokescreen snuck up and demolished the cliff face Megatron was perched upon with his head. Scavenger noted that at least Smokescreen didn't injure anything important. Eventually Megatron powerlinked with all of his Mini-Cons and gained the upper hand, but help came in the form of Jolt's group of Mini-Cons, who powerlinked with the Autobots. Rollbar linked with Scavenger, giving him extra punching power. At a tactical disadvantage, the Decepticons were forced to flee. Dreamwave Armada issue 5
Scavenger, despite being a bulldozer, swerved out of the way of the approaching tank-mode Demolishor and fell down a hill. This apparently knocked him out.
Really. Worlds Collide, Part 2
Energon
He's still alive.
Armada cartoon
- Voice actor: Ward Perry (English), Keiji Fujiwara (Japanese), Staffan Lindberg (Swedish)
Scavenger was hired by Megatron for his skills as a mercenary and a bounty hunter for Mini-Cons, due to the troubles Megatron was having with the troops under his command. Scavenger claimed that at first he did not know whether to accept the contract or not, until he saw the sorry state of the Decepticons after their defeat at the hands of Hot Shot and the Star Saber. His mocking lack of respect or fear for Megatron intimidated the other Decepticons, as well as earning Starscream's hatred.
His first appearance on Earth was during an observation of a battle between Starscream and Hot Shot. Noting that Hot Shot only won because the Star Saber sensed its wielder's inexperience, Scavenger challenged the younger Autobot and soundly beat him, despite suffering a serious wound. Overmatch
Later, it was revealed that Scavenger was in fact an Autobot spy working on the behalf of Optimus Prime. After locating Rollbar, he set his goal on misleading the Decepticons. It is unclear how long Scavenger posed as a Decepticon, but Megatron takes note of his "legacy" in deciding to trust him.
Scavenger performed his spy duties so well, that he surprised most of the Autobots when he turned over an important member of the Skyboom shield to Megatron. Scavenger continued to serve Megatron until abruptly turning on the Decepticons and aiding Optimus Prime. Scavenger revealed his past with Prime as a teacher and fellow soldier before taking Hot Shot under his wing. Scavenger believes in hard work, but is also prone to bouts of laziness.
He served with the Autobots until the end of the Unicron Battles.
Timelines
With the Unicron Singularity forcing the evacuation of Cybertron, Scavenger and a number of Autobot leaders were summoned to the Iron Hope, where Ultra Magnus dispatched them across the galaxy to locate the lost Autobot colony worlds. Scavenger was given command of the DieCast and sent to Zeta Persei. Force of Habit
Toys
Armada
- Scavenger with Rollbar (Max-Con, 2003)
- Japanese ID number: MC-07
- Accessories: Missile
- Scavenger transforms into a large green front-end loader featuring functional rubber treads. Rollbar (in robot mode) can be placed inside the driver's cabin, and pressing down on the Mini-Con activates engine start up and revving sounds. Pushing Scavenger forward will cause the large purple drum wheel at the back to rotate, making driving sounds, and as he rolls forward, his shovel blade will move up and down.
- In robot mode, Scavenger has no "useful" leg articulation whatsoever. His legs are halves of the shovel blade clipped onto the purple drum wheel. Pushing Scavenger forward in robot mode rotates the wheel, moving the leg-facades up and down in a simulation of walking. Each step is accompanying by a stomp sound effect. Moving his arms up and down activates a crashing metal sound effect. Powerlinxing a Mini-Con to the active Powerlinx port on his hip then pulling it back fires a purple projectile, as well as activating a laser firing sound.
- This mold was used to make Treadbolt.
Merchandise
- Devastar (Super Collection Figure, 2003)
Trivia
- From a design standpoint, Scavenger is essentially an homage to the Generation 1 Constructicons. His coloring is the same distinctive green and purple of the Constructicons, his name, of course, is based off one of the Constructicons (while his Japanese name is the same as Devastator's), and his alternate form is that of a bulldozer, similar to another Constructicon. In addition, his Cybertronic robot mode, seen in the episode "Trust", uses a rifle drawn to resemble Devastator's.
- Scavenger was based off a character design of the same name for the aborted Transtech line.
