Bludgeon (ROTF)
From MediaWiki
| The name or term "Bludgeon" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Bludgeon (disambiguation). |
- Bludgeon is a Decepticon in the live-action movie continuity.
Bludgeon is a martial-artist, loyal to the Decepticon cause. However when the prospect of engaging his rival, the Autobot Whirl, the larger battle is forgotten. Both are masters of Metallikato, and seek to one day prove which is the master.
Fiction
Toy bios
Bludgeon was defeated, and almost killed, by Whirl, and so he retreated into the jungle. He reemerged in Southeast Asia, having scanned a new tank mode and brandishing a frightening new skeleton-like robot mode. He lies in wait for Ironhide, who was drawn to Bludgeon's location by his acts of mayhem. Unfortunately for Ironhide, Bludgeon is eager to prove his mettle against an Autobot in battle and restore his honor...
Toys
Revenge of the Fallen
Deluxe Class toys
- Master of Metallikato (Figure Multi-pack 2009)
- Accessories: Two blades
- Bludgeon is a redeco of deluxe-class Wreckage from the 2007 live-action movie toyline. The figure transforms into an M1126 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle in green and brown, armed with a M2 .50 cal machine gun and two other machine guns mounted extending out of the troop compartment. His Automorphing feature is activated during transformation by swinging his machine gun down, pushing it against a translucent purple panel, which simultaneously raises his shoulders, lowers his torso, raises his head and extends his stomach-mounted cannon all in one movement.
- The smaller machine gun weapons feature flip-out energy blades that can be held in his hands, mounted under his forearms or on any of the wheels. They can also connect together to form an undocumented but certainly intended double-bladed weapon; mounting this on his forearm wheels gives him an awesome spinning blade weapon.
- This figure was only available in the Toys"R"Us -exclusive Master of Metallikato battle pack with Whirl. Also, this toy was repurposed by IDW Publishing as an upgraded form for Wreckage.
Voyager Class toys
- Voyager class Bludgeon transforms from a green and orange Japanese Type 90 tank into a skeletal Samurai robot mode, which homages Generation 1 Bludgeon's alternate mode and Pretender shell respectively in both form and color. Bludgeon features two close quarter weapons, both made of a flexible gray plastic: a long sword which becomes the forward portion of the tank's main gun barrel, as well as a small dagger. In vehicle mode the dagger is stored in a sheath which is revealed from inside the tank turret in robot mode by swinging it open, allowing Mech Alive gears to make it accessible to both Bludgeon and the person playing with him. A second Mech Alive feature has gears rotate the mechanical parts in Bludgeon's thighs when his knees are moved back and forth.
- The vehicle mode is one of the very few Transformer tank toys with rubber components to its treads. When in robot mode, portions of the tread links unlock, allowing them to hang from the robot mode to mimic the look of Samurai Sode and Haidate, while the wheels located inside the treads that would realistically be responsible for the treads movement are integrated separately into the robot mode form itself upon transformation. The treads still do not function realistically; small plastic wheels on the underside of the treads help the tank mode roll, as is standard with nearly all Transformers "tank toys".
- Beyond the physical features of both of Bludgeon's modes, his Japanese/Decepticon warlord aesthetics are numerous: The long sword - a Nodachi - is customarily meant to be worn slung across the back during times of peace as a symbol of status. This means that the turret is to be ratcheted three clicks over, allowing the long handle/barrel to be visible over Bludgeon's left shoulder (Nodachis are not drawn from this position, meaning his weapon is in its "Decepticon Leader" position for those who wish to include him in the Classics/Universe line). This arrangement allows the small dagger - a Wakizashi - to be reachable directly behind his right shoulder when the turret is opened, facilitating the need to handle any traitors amongst Bludgeon's ranks. Both blades can be slotted in holes provided on the robot mode's left hip guard during times of war (such as they are amongst Cybertronians), with the Wakizashi placed in the inner slot and the Nodachi placed in the outer protruding slot, mimicking the traditional sword positions for Samurai. Additionally, the Wakizashi's handle can fit in the gun barrel/sword's handle, forming a double-bladed bo staff.
- There is a paint application error on Bludgeon that places the black paint needed to conceal the tank tread wheels that become part of his thigh armor on the wrong side, meaning that - when in vehicle mode - there is a single orange wheel in the tread assembly visible on either side of the tank. The paint application's original placement becomes noticeable when one sees that there are black paint apps on Bludgeon's robot mode's shoulders (which apparently become tool & equipment boxes in vehicle mode) that would have matched the look of the thigh armor accordingly if the application was on its correct section.
- The toy is still pretty much sex though.
Notes
- The Deluxe-Class Bludgeon toy was used as an "almost-reformatting" disguise by Wreckage in IDW Publishing's "Alliance issue 2" comic, before the official identity of the toy (whose pictures were leaked on the internet months prior) was publicly confirmed. Let the repurposing be confirmed!
- According to the Hasbro panel at BotCon 2009, Voyager-Class Bludgeon was said to be designed to fit in with the Universe "Classics" line.
- The origin of Voyager class Bludgeon is older than one may expect: Artist Don Figueroa submitted a concept for a Unicron Trilogy Bludgeon toy that looked very, VERY similar to the final product back during the development of the Energon or Cybertron toylines. Obviously, the concept wasn't put into production as a toy at the time, so Figueroa used it as inspiration for his IDW Publishing "Stormbringer" rendition of Generation 1 Bludgeon. However, Hasbro evidently resurrected the concept for the Universe line, shunting it over to the Revenge of the Fallen line when tank/tank-like vehicles became prevalent in the former. Figueroa notes that his contribution on this toy is very small, as his work on it ended when he submitted the concept to Hasbro way-back-when.
