Thundercracker (Movie)
| The name or term "Thundercracker" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Thundercracker (disambiguation). |
- Thundercracker is a Decepticon from the 2007 movie franchise in the live-action film continuity family.
Thundercracker is the master of fear. His victims can hear him coming from 200 miles away, which is the way he likes it—it's not worth the effort it takes to kill them unless they're nice and terrified first. He doesn't care much about galactic conquest or the All Spark, but as long as Megatron allows him to indulge himself, he's happy to serve.
A fellow Seeker and loyal to a fault, Thundercracker is Starscream's personal choice for Second in Command once he takes control. In fact, bar a lack of experience, he is in many ways comparable to Starscream in skill. However, the air commander is not simply going to hand the job over, and Thundercracker must prove himself worthy by seizing the opportunity with both servos.
Fiction
Titan Magazines Transformers movie comics
"Not bad, Thundercracker. How's you and Thundercracker?"
Thundercracker was the designation for a series of drone units used in the Decepticon occupation of Earth. Dreadwing and Starscream led a group of Thundercrackers in the annihilation of the NATO nuclear fleet. The drones were skilled enough to take out submarines with their guns whilst still in high-speed flight. Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2
A black non-drone Thundercracker serves under Starscream, carrying out a recon sweep at the Okeechobee energon field. Dark Spark
A blue non-drone Thundercracker was present for Starscream's moment of glory and at the taking of Savannah. Return to Cybertron: Part 3 That same Thundercracker was a key part of an ambush when the Autobots re-entered Savannah, flying with Dreadwing and hitting Optimus with a barrage of missiles. Unfortunately, an Autobot sonic attack knocked everyone out of the sky. The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself
Thundercracker served as one of Starscream's generals in the attempted reconquest of America. Revolution Part 2
Thundercracker and Starscream are old colleagues and Starscream would like to reunite with him, #9's Star Screams though he also sneers at Thundercracker for having a lack of drive.
At some point, Thundercracker had an F-15 form, implying he was with Starscream in his covert mission in 1980s Earth. #11's Star Screams
IDW Transformers movie comics
Many years ago, Thundercracker was member of Cybertron's Defense Force under the command of Protector Megatron. When a mysterious relic was uncovered, aliens from the Eshems Nebula attacked, leveling much of the city of Metrotitan. Thundercracker was among the forces deployed to defend their home. Defiance issue 1 Following this outrageous attack on their sovereignty, Megatron used this to declare a military dictatorship and led the flight-capable soldiers in a bloody counterattack on the aliens. During the battle, Thundercracker and his comrade Ramjet competed against each other in the numbers of confirmed kills. Defiance issue 2
After Megatron discovered that science leader Optimus had snooped around his quarters, he issued orders for the arrest of the scientist, but assigned Starscream and Thundercracker's team the task with assassinating those escorting Optimus. However, they underestimated the scientist's fighting prowess and paid for it when an entire city was dropped on top of their heads. They survived, and Megatron used Optimus' act of self-defense as a catalyst for declaring them traitors and forming a new faction: the Decepticons. Defiance issue 3 Thundercracker was present for the inspirational speech Megatron held at the dawn of this new faction. Foundation issue 3
During the subsequent civil war, Thundercracker fought against Strongarm and was present for the launch of the Decepticon flagship Nemesis. Defiance issue 4
Late in the war, Optimus Prime ejected the All Spark into deep space, leaving the warriors of Cybertron to fight over the limited Energon they had left. At one point in the early 20th century, Thundercracker participated in an ambush on a team of Autobots attempting to steal resources from the Decepticon capital of Trypticon. Rising Storm issue 2 Some time after that, he joined the crew of Starscream's battlecruiser which had been launched to search for the All Spark. While the other Decepticons went to Earth in search of the All Spark, Thundercracker waited aboard the ship, hidden on Mars with only Hardtop for company. When Starscream returned with the seemingly lifeless Frenzy, Thundercracker was there to greet his barely functioning Commander and brought him aboard for repairs.
Afterwards, Starscream began to confide in his subordinate his plans for recreating Cybertron while Thundercracker questioned him on both his new alternate mode and the fate of the All Spark. Before they could finish their chat, Hardtop alerted them that the ship was under Autobot attack. The Reign of Starscream #2
Thundercracker sent in Swindle, Dreadwing, and Payload drones to soften up the Autobots, and then entered the fray himself, shooting down Air Raid and unleashing his sonic weaponry on the rest of the team. He then swiftly slew Camshaft and wounded Cliffjumper, but he took a little too much time savoring the latter's fear and soon found himself at the mercy of Cliffjumper and Arcee. The revitalized Starscream was forced to enter the fray to save his would-be second-in-command, and he killed or critically damaged the entire Autobot squad. After berating him for his failure, Starscream took Thundercracker back on board and took the Nemesis back to Cybertron. They landed in Trypticon, where they were greeted by Ramjet. Starscream ordered Thundercracker to undergo repairs. The Reign of Starscream #3
Thundercracker's status received a boost after Starscream's copy All Spark failed. While Dreadwing and Ramjet turned on the Seeker leader, Stockade and Thundercracker fought at his side. As Dreadwing made his escape, Starscream gave chase, and when Thundercracker told him he would take care of Dreadwing's drones, Starscream wished "Commander" Thundercracker luck.
After Starscream and Dreadwing were transported by the space bridge, Thundercracker transformed and began to search for his lord, who, having been returned to Mars, was comforted by the fact he had some actual allies still out there. The Reign of Starscream #5
Later, Thundercracker caught up to Arcee's spaceship by an undesignated planet. Eager for a chance to settle the score, Thundercracker singlehandedly massacred his way through the ship until he caught up with Arcee and gleefully tore her apart limb from limb. However, he wasn't about to let her off so easily. He brought her remains back to the outpost he commanded so that Flatline could experiment on her. Flatline questioned Thundercracker whether or not her spark was cut out for his latest far-reaching, objectionable experiment. But Thundercracker insisted it would be and scolded him for squandering the outpost's supply of protoforms on some of his not-so-successful endeavors.
Once Arcee regained consciousness in a strange new body, Thundercracker dropped by to pay his respects personally, casually remarking he got 'carried away' taking her down. Even though Arcee couldn't quite remember him, Thundercracker and Flatline revealled their plan to use her spark to power three discarded protoforms to bolster Decepticon forces and helped the medic carry out the procedure. The experiment was successful...But perhaps a little too successful when all three Arcees escaped, freeing two other prisoners with her. Ultimately, Thundercracker had to personally intervene and subdued one of the three Arcees. However, even he was no match for the combined forces of the two other fury-driven Arcees and was forced to flee. After Flatline purged the outpost, the wounded Thundercracker bitterly watched Arcee, Skids and Mudflap escape on their shuttle.Tales of the Fallen issue 6
Unite for the Universe
After Starscream, high on the power Project: Unite granted him, attacked various human installations, Megatron became furious that he would so without his command. Soundwave, on his behalf, sent Brimstone and Thundercracker to intercept the rogue Decepticon. Thundercracker was shot down with little difficulty and Brimstone soon followed his teammate when Starscream transformed and plunged his claws through Brimstone's torso. On the Road to Destruction
Games
3D Battle-Card Game
Under Megatron's command, Thundercracker did battle with the Autobots using machine guns, cruise missiles and sonic booms. He could also perform a "Thunder Punch" and a "Terror Slash", but it's unclear exactly what those attacks involved. Thundercracker may also have participated in the seemingly inter-dimensional "Energon Wars" conflict, during which the Decepticons were led by Predacon Megatron against Optimus Primal's Autobots. 3D Battle-Card Game
Transformers: The Game (PSP)
- Voice actor: Seth Bleiler
Thundercracker was Shockwave's right-hand man and confidante, and came to Earth alongside him and the other Decepticons. After Shockwave received a communique from Frenzy informing him that the Autobots had found a lead to the location of the lost Decepticon leader Megatron, Thundercracker airlifted his boss into Qatar so they could relay the message to Blackout. Shockwave decided to follow up on the lead himself, and had Thundercracker take him to the Arctic, where they battled their way through a platoon of Autobots that had already arrived and searched the ice cavern that Megatron's body had been found in. Although Megatron had already been moved by Sector Seven, Shockwave discovered that Megatron had brought an army of drones to Earth with him which were currently lying dormant on Earth.
Thundercracker and Shockwave subsequently travelled south, keeping themselves hidden by making the trip submerged in a large body of water, heading for an unknown location. Thundercracker was fairly puzzled by the whole affair, as Shockwave was playing the mission objective close to his chest, but things soon became clear when he discovered that they had arrived at a rocket launch site. While Thundercracker created a distraction by attacking the facility, Shockwave slipped in and programmed the rocket with the signal code required to reactivate the drones. Once the rocket blasted off, the signal was beamed down across the world, bringing the drone army back on-line.
A platoon of drones proceeded to attack the Autobots who were on their way to Hoover Dam, forcing Ironhide and Ratchet to break off and take care of them. The fight carried the two Autobots to the Smash Derby arena, where Thundercracker attacked them. Unfortunately for the Decepticon, the two Autobots overpowered him, and forced him to reveal the origin of the drone army, providing them with the information they needed to take the drones down. Transformers The Game (PSP)
Toys
Transformers (2007)
- Thundercracker (Voyager, 2007)
- Japanese ID number: MD-19
- Accessories: 6 missiles
- This version of Thundercracker is a retooling of the Transformers Voyager class Starscream toy, with a new head. Cast mostly in light blue and grey plastic resembling Generation 1 Thundercracker's paint scheme, he transforms into a Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet. As with Starscream, this vehicle mode is ridiculously inaccurate. Farcically so. Pushing the fighter along a smooth surface causes the barrels of his gigantic spring-loaded Gatling missile launchers to rotate and fire their projectiles, which can also be stored in the black flip-up braces on the launchers.
- During transformation, pushing up upon the canopy fuselage piece activates Thundercracker's Automorphing gimmick which pushes panels out of the torso, wings and stabilizers. In robot mode, his projectile missiles are sculpted to resemble fingers, should users choose keep them loaded while Thundercracker is in robot mode.
- This version of the mold was later redecoed into the Target-exclusive Generation 1 style-Starscream and the Walmart-exclusive Revenge of the Fallen Skywarp. The original mold was used to make Revenge of the Fallen Ramjet.
Revenge of the Fallen
- War for the Skies (Legends multi-pack, 2009)
- Revenge of the Fallen Thundercracker was available only as part of the Kmart-exclusive "War for the Skies" Legends Class battlepack, He is a redeco of Legends class Starscream, colored very similarly to his Voyager class toy from 2007.
- He comes with the Legends-class figures Autobot Blades, Jetfire and Spinister.
Dark of the Moon
- Thundercracker (MechTech Deluxe, 2011)
- Japanese ID number:
- Accessories: MechTech Blaster/Assault Saw, Null Ray Cannon/Sword
- Dark of the Moon Thundercracker is a redeco of Dark of the Moon MechTech Deluxe Starscream. He comes with a redecoed version of Roadbuster's MechTech weapon, and one of Starscream's MechTech Null Ray Cannon/Sword weapons. Oddly, his packaging and stock photos only depict him with the Saw weapon, and don't acknowledge the Cannon/Sword.
Merchandise
3D Battle-Card Game
- Thundercracker (3D Battle Card, 2007)
- Card number:
- 3D Battle-Card Game Thundercracker consists of two card with punch-out pieces that can be assembled into a robot or a jet. He uses the same parts layout as live-action Starscream, Dreadwing and Jetfire, but is decorated like Generation 1 Thundercracker. This layout was also used for Classic Starscream, Skywarp and Ramjet in the "Energon Wars" expansion set.
- Thundercracker's card art was done by Lucio Parrillo.
Notes
- Curiously, Thundercracker's upturned nosecone behind his head is interpreted as being a part of his head on the box art. Target-exclusive Starscream, which was released nearly concurrently, uses the same box art, but with the odd nosecone section correctly removed.
- Thundercracker is the only non-movie Decepticon to get toys in all three films.
