Smokescreen is paired up with the much larger Decepticon Dreadwing,
forming a deadly duo. Little is known about Smokescreen's past or
origins, only that he can be very manipulative and has a bizarre hatred
of both Autobotsand Decepticons. He takes great advantage of his partner Dreadwing's sheer strength.
"Megatron, look at me before Furman forgets I exist!"
Part of the new wave of Decepticon forces, Smokescreen was connected to Darkwing's vehicle form as they attacked the Rheanimum facility on the planet Tykos. Following this attack, he pointed Megatron towards Skullgrin's crashing shuttle. New Dawn
Smokescreen was never referred to by name within the comic. In fact, he only appears in a single panel by himself... two panels if you count the single image of "Darkwing" in bomber mode.
Japanese G-2 mini-comics and story pages
When Smokescreen met the pacifist Dreadwing, he tricked the hulking brute into believing that the only way to end the war between the Autobots and Decepticons was to destroy the Autobots and the Decepticons. Smokescreen and Dreadwing initially sided with no one, but eventually joined the forces of Megatron. G-2 Part 3
During a decisive battle between Megatron and Optimus Prime, Megatron managed to gain the upper hand after a surprise attack by Hooligan crippled Prime's weaponry. Defenseless, Megatron ordered an aerial assault from Dreadwing and Smokescreen. The pair swooped down and bombarded Optimus Prime with missiles, nearly killing him. Their enemy virtually dead, they left the killing blow to Megatron. G-2 #10
Later, Smokescreen took part in Megatron's final assault on the Autobots. When he was defeated, Smokescreen and the rest of the Decepticons were driven into deep space. G-2 Part 6
Teletraan Go! Go!
As Jetfire sought out Battle Convoy with Teletraan 15 and Steeljaw aboard, Smokescreen and his partner Dreadwing attacked them in the hopes of being led back to the other Autobots. Battle Convoy appeared and badly damaged Dreadwing, defeating the pair.
Toys
Generation 2
No, we already made the rear entry joke.Dreadwing (Decepticon, 1994)
Japanese ID number: TRF-10
Accessories: Two launchers, two missiles
Available only with his larger partner Dreadwing, Smokescreen transforms into a fighter jet of undetermined (probably made-up) model. He has two side-mounted spring-loaded rocket launchers that become hand-weapons in robot mode. He can combine with Dreadwing's vehicle mode to form the large stealth bomber jet. For some reason he came with an Autobot-style instruction book that instructed you to put Smokescreen's forehead sticker on the center of Dreadwing's face.
Besides the obvious colour changes, the live-action movie Decepticon insignias have been replaced with Generation 2 Decepticon insignia.
Smokescreen transforms from a robot into a flying-wing-style stealth jet drone similar to the BAE Corax. Undocumented in the instructions, the two axes that peg into his palms as weapons for his robot mode can also clip directly to his forearms (giving them a superficial similarity to tonfa). For vehicle mode, they integrate into the stealth jet's wings. The robot mode feet are spring-loaded so the heels and toes collapse down and together when the feet are lifted off the ground. This is presumably to simulate the bird-like snatch-and-carry-off activity mentioned in his bio.
The instructions include a "battle mode", which is essentially the vehicle mode with the robot legs untransformed, similar to the "alternate transformation" mode seen on Generation 1Jetfire, which of course, was the "gerwalk" mode from the Japanese series Super Dimensional Fortress Macross.
Like the original Generation 2 toys, in vehicle mode, Smokescreen can attach on top of Dreadwing's alternate mode via two pegs. An undocumented feature in robot mode, Smokescreen (while mostly transformed into robot mode) can fit into Dreadwing's chest cavity, whereupon his arms, wings and legs can be rearranged as chest armor and engine boosters for Dreadwing. Additionally, Smokescreen's axe/hook weapons can clip onto Dreadwing's shins.
Notes
Smokescreen's arms are misassembled with his arms below the pivot joint, as his thumbs end up on the outside of his fists in robot mode and upper arms have a exposed screw on the exposed side. Every release of the mold has this problem.
There is a bizarrely long-running misconception that this mold was used to make EnergonStarscream. However, this is absolutely not true — while the transformation is nigh-identical, they are noticeably different in proportion and every single piece is a different sculpt between the two. The two toys share engineering, which is notuncommon, but they are definitely not the same mold. Retoolingdoes not work that way! Good night!
A non-canon fan comic created by Takara employee Hirofumi Ichikawa offers up the idea that this Smokescreen used to be, in fact, the original Smokescreen. After being destroyed by a Korlonium bomb along with Dreadwing, the two were resurrected by a malfunctioning Vector Sigma. While by no means officially true, this is officially awesome.
