Thunderwing (G1)
Thunderwing was the leader of the Decepticon Pretenders in the Marvel G1 Comic continuity. Also, he is unique in that he is the only Decepticon to possess and use the Autobot Matrix. His alternate form is a massive gunship
The Matrix Quest
He first appeared in issue #60 (Yesterday's Heroes) when he orders Bludgeon's hilariously stupidly named "Mayhem Attack Squad" (which consists of Bludgeon, Octopunch and Stranglehold) to find and kill the Autobot Pretenders.
It was at the beginning of the Matrix Quest that Thunderwing began to come into his own. His obsession with finding the Creation Matrix caused some concerns for the Decepticons under his command, he even attacked his own troops when accused of taking his own personal Matrix Quest too far.
When the Matrix was discovered on the Third Moon of the Planet Cameron, Thunderwing immediately set out to retrieve it. There he met (and effortlessly defeated) the Autobot Pretenders. He was about the claim the Matrix as his own when the horrific Matrix Spawn creature attacked him. Thunderwing defeated the monster and, with it took the Matrix.
All Fall Down
In the final issue of the Matrix Quest mini-series, Thunderwing, using his new found power as a result of having the Matrix, moved to the Ark with the intention of destroying the Autobots.
After nearly beating Optimus Prime to death with his bare hands, the other Decepticons under Thunderwings command realized how far their leader had fallen and turned against him. After being damaged by one of the Pretenders, the true nature of relationship between The Matrix and Thunderwing was revealed.
During the time of The Matrix Quest, the Matrix had come into contact with several evil beings, as a result it had becomed absolutely corrupted. The Now-Evil Matrix managed to establish a state of complete mental domination over the quite obsessed Thunderwing. It had driven Thunderwing to attack the autobots, for it wanted to see the death of goodness.
After Thunderwing (or "The Vessel" as the Matrix called him) was damaged, The Matrix manifested itself as an immense-spectral demon. The combined efforts of all Autobots and Decepticons couldn't as much as harm it. Thunderwing, realizing what was happening, tried to break away from The Matrix's control.
During the turmoil, the Autobots who had been captured by the Pretenders earliar in the Matrix Quest story-line had gotten free and managed to fire their ships grappling hook into Thunderwings shoulder. They then launched the ship out of the Ark, and detonated it. Apparently destroying both Thunderwing and the Matrix. Saving all the Transformers on board, but leaving no method for defending themselves from the coming threat of Unicron
The Unicron Battle
Only when Unicron finally arrived on Cybertron, did The Corrupted Matrix and Thunderwing reappear. Sensing it's ancient nemesis, The Matrix revived Thunderwing, who promptly sped to Cybertron.
Unfortunately, since the Matrix was now a product of evil, it had no effect upon Unicron, who then destroyed the decepticon completely, ending Thunderwings career permanently.
