Thundercracker

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Thundercracker is the name given to multiple fictional characters in the Transformers Universes. Thundercracker is almost always depicted as a blue color Decepticon who turns into a jet fighter. In many different incarnations, Thundercracker is classified as one of the Seekers.

Contents 1 Transformers: Generation 1 1.1 Animated series 1.2 Marvel Comics 1.2.1 Fun Publications 1.3 Dreamwave Productions 1.4 Devil's Due Publishing 1.5 IDW Publishing 1.5.1 The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel 1.6 Toys 1.7 Other Media 2 Transformers: Armada 2.1 Animated series 2.2 Dreamwave Productions 2.3 Toys 3 Transformers: Cybertron 3.1 Animated series 3.2 Toys 4 2007 Transformers film 4.1 Toys 5 Animated 6 References

[edit] Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
box artwork
Thundercracker
Affiliation	Decepticon
Sub-Group	Seekers Action Master Basic Vehicles
Function	Warrior Aerial Assault Rebel Warrior (Machine Wars)
Partner	Skywarp
Motto	"The deadliest weapon is terror." "The best weapon is terror!" (Machine Wars) "The ringing in your ears is the sound of your own destruction." (Classics)
Alternate Modes	JAS 39 Gripen Cybertronian Jet F-15 Eagle
Series	Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Machine Wars Transformers: Robot Masters Transformers: Titanium<BT>Transformers: Timelines
Voiced by	John Stephenson, Wally Burr (in the G1 episode War Dawn) (English) Yutaka Shimaka (Japanese)

Thundercracker is one of the original Decepticon Seekers from the first year of the series.

[edit] Animated series

Thundercracker was one of the first Decepticons to awaken on Earth in 1984. After laying dormant for four million years, he shared the same Earthen appearance as Starscream and Skywarp and is usually allied with them during attacks.

Despite being one of the original Decepticons and appearing in many battles during 1984 and 1985, Thundercracker had few prominent roles.

Often chafing under Starscream's self-importance and glory-seeking, he seemed to dislike Starscream and exploited reasons to undermine his authority, such as letting the Autobot Skyfire destroy one of their secret weapons merely so Starscream would get the blame.

In the year 2005, Thundercracker was present during the battle for Autobot City, and was gunned down by Optimus Prime. With the subsequent defeat of their leader, Megatron, the Decepticons were forced to retreat. However, there were too many Decepticons aboard Astrotrain (who served as an impromptu escape vehicle), and Thundercracker was among those few Decepticons too weakened to put up a fight to stay on board. Being cast out into space, the damaged Decepticons drifted into the path of Unicron, and Thundercracker's body was used to create Scourge, one of Galvatron's new warriors.

In the season 3 episode, Starscream's Ghost, Thundercracker appears to have a grave--or at least a commemorative marker--in the Decepticon crypt.

Thundercracker made a cameo in the pilot of the Transformers: Animated series on a historical video being viewed by Optimus Prime. This historical video was stock footage from the original animated series.

[edit] Marvel Comics

In the Marvel comics series, Thundercracker was depicted as one of Starscream's lieutenants, along with fellow Seeker Skywarp. (This point was driven home by the fact that while Thundercracker's colors were noticeably different from both Starscream and Skywarp, in the comics he was colored a dark, almost black shade of blue with only the colors of their wing stripes -- when drawn in -- made the two look different.) Frequently in the early issues, Thundercracker is seen fighting alongside Skywarp, although Thundercracker was shown to be a smarter fighter.

One of the original ten Decepticons that fell to Earth in the Ark.Thundercracker was reactivated and given the Earth mode of an F-15 jet. He would participate in many of the early battles against the Autobots - until a disastrous raid by Megatron led to Thundercracker, along with Starscream, Skywarp, Buzzsaw, Rumble and Frenzy, getting deactivated by Omega Supreme. In the US continuity Thundercracker was eventually rescued along with the other captive Decepticons, by Ratbat's forces, although he returned much earlier in the UK comics, where he was displaced to a limbo dimension by the arrival of future Autobots alongside Frenzy and Shockwave, where they had to work with Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet to survive. He would then participate in the battles against Scorponok's Decepticons and then against the Autobots using their united force. None realised, however, that it was all a ruse by Starscream to gain the power of the Underbase for himself. The Autobots and Decepticons would then unite to stop him, but Starscream's power was too great, and Thundercracker was one of those deactivated by his former wingmate. He was not seen again until the G2 comic, where he seemingly took command of the Decepticon aerial contingent against the forces of Jhiaxus.

According to his expanded Transformer's Universe biography, Thundercracker is unique among his fellow Decepticons in that he has a certain amount of pity for the humans they continually endanger or kill. He doesn't see the point of killing humans just to kill them as some of his fellows do, although he is very careful not to reveal this. No matter what small amount of sympathy Thundercracker feels for humans, his sense of self-preservation (and fear of what Megatron would do if he found out) outweighs it.

[edit] Fun Publications

Thundercracker appears in Transformers: Timelines volume 2 #2, "Games of Deception".

[edit] Dreamwave Productions

Thundercracker could always fly, even before joining the Decepticons. He was recruited as a Decepticon under the leadership of Megatron in his war against the Autobots on the planet Cybertron. Thundercracker became a member of the elite Seekers under Aerospace Commander Starscream. He often worked with fellow Seeker Skywarp.

Skywarp and Thundercracker launched an attack against the city of Altihex, where they killed the Autobot named Overhaul and routed Grimlock and his group of Autobots. Later, Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker attacked the city of Protihex under the orders of Megatron, but this time Grimlock launched a successful counterattack. If not for Skywarp's ability to teleport to safety, the Decepticons may have not escaped alive. After Megatron's disappearance, Thundercracker remained loyal to the Decepticons.

Because he was part of Megatron's loyal inner circle, Thundercracker was chosen as a member of the crew of the Nemesis when Megatron launched it to attack the Ark, an Autobot ship. Both ships fought, and after the Decepticons boarded the Ark, it crashed on the planet Earth. All on board were placed in emergency stasis lock for millions of years.

In the Earth year 1984, a volcanic explosion awakened the Ark. The Ark's computer, Teletran One, reformatted all on board to be able to assume the forms of Earth machines. Thundercracker, like Starscream and Skywarp, was given the form of an F-15 fighter jet. Eventually the combined forces of the Autobots on Earth, and their human allies were able to capture the Decepticons. A ship called the Ark II was built to take the Cybertonians back to Cybertron, along with some human companions, but the ship exploded shortly after takeoff. The human allies were killed, but the Cybertonians were lost in the ocean, again in stasis lock.

After being awoken again Thundercracker and the other Decepticons on Earth returned to Cybertron with Shockwave, but he later returned to Earth under the command of Starscream. He was captured along with Soundwave and Skywarp by the Autobots and locked in cells on board the Ark. They escaped when the Ark was attacked by Bruticus (Transformers: Generation One III #1).

[edit] Devil's Due Publishing

In this re-imagining of the Generation One story, the Ark was discovered by the terrorist Cobra organization. All the Transformers inside were formatted into Cobra vehicles. They were to be remotely controlled by the Televipers, Cobra soldiers proficent in communication systems.

Thundercraker, who in this continuity, transformed into a Cobra Rattler, was going to be piloted by Major Bludd during an Autobot invasion. Thundercracker had ideas of his own. Changing into robot mode, Bludd is crushed to death inside his cockpit.

Thundercracker made no further appearances and was likely deactivated with the rest of the Decepticons.

[edit] IDW Publishing

After Dreamwave's closure, the rights to the Transformers comics were awarded to IDW Publishing. The rebooted Generation One continuity borrowed from many previous sources, included the animated series, as well as the Marvel and Dreamwave comic books, but also featured many new and unexplored ideas and origins. Chronologically, Thundercracker made his first appearance in The Transformers: Megatron Origin, joining the criminal gladiator, Megatron. He, along with his fellow Seekers, played a role in Megatron's plan to cause a rash of terror throughout Cybertron. Thundercracker soon became a member of the Decepticons. Much later, chronologically, in The Transformers: Infiltration, Starscream is in command of a small group of Decepticons on Earth consisting of Skywarp, Thundercracker, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, and the Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream had discovered an Energon ore on Earth that was the Transformer equivalent of steroids, making him bold enough to advance their infiltration phase ahead of schedule. However, humans somehow obtained evidence of the Transformers' existence, derailing Starscream's plans. Thundercracker has so far been seen chasing Ratchet to kill several humans who discovered the Decepticons' presence on Earth. When Megatron finally arrived at the Decepticons' base on Earth to destroy Starscream, Thundercracker was one of the four Decepticons (along with Runabout, Runamuck, and Astrotrain) who stood between Megatron and Starscream — and who promptly surrendered to him without a fight.

Thundercracker reappeared in The Transformers: Escalation, warned by Megatron that no further treachery would be tolerated. Thundercracker then accompanied a repaired Skywarp on a bombing mission to stir up trouble between the humans. Later, he returned to Brasnya with Skywarp after his wingmate had been damaged by Autobots, damaging Hot Rod severely and killing the facsimile. However, they were forced to flee when Megatron called for pickup after his Ore-13 was expended. His alternate mode here is that of an F-22 Raptor, the successor to his original Generation One F-15 Eagle alternate jet mode.

[edit] The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel

Thundercracker and the other Seekers also appeared in the mini-series The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel. In this alternate reality tale, Thundercracker served as Starscream's right-hand 'bot. He was presumably destroyed when Bumblebee and John Henry managed to send the entire Decepticon rail convoy into a chasm. Like his fellow Seekers, Thundercracker originally had a beast alternate mode and was later reformatted to an 18th Century flying machine.[1]

[edit] Toys

• Generation 1 Thundercracker (1984)

The original Thundercracker toy was originally part of the Japanese Diaclone toyline, and was imported to become part of the Transformers toyline by Hasbro in 1984. In jet mode, the toy is 21cm long (a scale of 1:93, suggesting that Thundercracker's 14cm robot mode would be about 13m tall). In what is considered to be a major drawback to the toy, the majority of its parts have to be removed for transformation, and it is rare to find a totally complete one, since no single mode can hold all the parts.

Due to what appears to be a mistake in production, the tech spec ratings for Skywarp and Starscream were seemingly swapped, since Starscream is described as the leader and fastest of the three jets in the text, yet the numbers show Skywarp as faster and having a higher ranking. Most accounts indicate that Thundercracker's tech specs were correct, however.

• Action Masters Thundercracker (1991)

A repaint of Action Master Starscream with new accessories, this toy was only released in Europe. The color scheme does not resemble the original, and is considered garish by some. Thundercracker comes with a jet which he can ride or wear as armor when it is transformed. This version of Thundercracker does not appear in any official Transformers fiction. His bio was much the same as the original toy bio, portraying him as a vicious flyer who enjoys taking his enemies apart by causing them to crash - either by shooting them down, or by nosediving and pulling up at the last second, letting his foes slam into the ground.

• Machine Wars Thundercracker (1997)

A basic sized flip changer. Sharing the same mold as fellow Decepticon Skywarp, Thundercracker was a "flip-changer" jet where if the toy's nosecone was pressed down, the toy would automatically transform to robot mode. It is difficult to determine where the Machine Wars characters are placed within the overall Transformers storyline as there was no fictional material other than their tech specs. Machine Wars characters are usually considered future or alternate reality versions of the main G1/G2 characters which was never expanded upon.

His tech spec was similar to his original G1 bio in that Thundercracker believed in the Decepticon cause, still possessed of a fierce independent streak. Believing himself superior to anything that can't fly Thundercracker uses terror-causing tactics and his traditional sonic boom attack to destroy his enemies.

• Smallest Transformers Thundercracker (2004)

This redeco of Smallest Transformers Starscream was only released in limited numbers as a chase item in the blind packed Smallest Transformers line.

• Robot Masters Thundercracker (2005)

Thundercracker is a repaint of Robot Masters Starscream and was released in a package with Robot Masters Skywarp. Apart from his new chest missiles, he is the exact same character as his original appearance, only with a red stripe in his abdomen and more black in jet mode. Thundercracker did not appear in any Robot Masters fiction.

• Transformers: Titanium Thundercracker 6 inch (2006)

A new 6" Thundercracker toy based on his 'The War Within' design was unveiled on the 8th March by an internet store. A day later the pictures were taken down at the request of Hasbro. This version of Thundercracker seems to be based on his appearance in the Dreamwave War Within comics series. ^[1]

This toy was later repainted as a War Within Starscream.

• Transformers: Titanium Thundercracker 3 inch (2006)

A second Titanium Thundercracker, a 3 inch one based on his Generation 1 form was released. This one is a repaint of the 3 inch Starscream.

• Transformers: Timelines Thundercracker (2007)

A BotCon 2007 exclusive Thundercracker figure was announced and released at the end of June 2007 along with four other figures (including two additional Seekers, Dirge and Thrust). Thundercracker is a straight redeco of Classics Starscream and Skywarp. The release of this figure as a high-priced, limited run convention exclusive, instead of a brick-and-mortar retail release, has caused a divide among fans as half the official Classics Seekers are rendered unattainable for those who could not preorder them, attend the convention or afford the set second-hand.

Transformers Henkai Thundercracker (2008) (Takara/ Tomy) A Japanese store exclusive, Thundercracker is in cartoon colors, different enough from the Botcon version, which doesn't violate Fun Publications exclusitivity. The figure will be released in September and will be released at the same time as the Henkai Skywarp.

[edit] Other Media

Thundercracker appeared in the Robot Chicken episode "Junk in the Trunk." He was seen with the other Decepticons using a dam to stock-pile energon cubes until the Autobots attacked.

[edit] Transformers: Armada

Transformers character
Image:PXStarscream.jpg Starscream 'Super Mode' animated appearance
Thundercracker
Affiliation	Decepticon
Sub-Group	Seekers
Partner	Zapmaster
Motto	"Taste the cruel bite of my vicious weaponry."
Alternate Modes	Cybertronian Jet fighter
Series	Transformers: Armada Transformers: Energon
Voiced by	Ty Olsson (English), Nobuyuki Kobushi (Japanese)

[edit] Animated series

Transformers: Armada Thundercracker was used in the television show as Starscream's Super Mode, instead of as a separate character as originally intended. When Starscream gets the upgrade he quotes: "I look like Thundercracker." This began a trend which was prominent during Transformers: Energon where Hasbro released toys that were repainted from another as a separate character with a different name, even though the show depicted the repaint as an upgrade to the original character. This was because the show's creators did not like to use repainted toys as separate characters. To cement the character of Starscream as being separate from the toy character he now looked like, the American version of the show added a line of dialog where Starscream remarked that "he looked like Thundercracker", implying an off-screen character that Starscream somehow knew. Thundercracker's Mini-Con is called Zapmaster, a gray repaint of Starscream's Mini-Con, Swindle.

[edit] Dreamwave Productions

Thundercracker's only fictional appearance was in a flashback scene in the Transformers: Energon comic #30 and #31, as one of the Decepticons being led into battle by Scorponok.

While not much was known about Thundercracker, the Dreamwave Productions' More Than Meets the Eye biography series filled in some of the gaps. It reveals that Thundercracker was one of Megatron's elite aerial troops, and was responsible for training Starscream and Skywarp. Eventually he grew disenchanted with Megatron and disappeared. Resurfacing shortly before the battles on Earth, and now with a Mini-Con partner, he seemed to become a mercenary.

Like Starscream, Thundercracker can use one of his wings as an Energon blade and is a lethal martial fighter. However, in seeming reference to his original Marvel bio, his only weakness is his self-doubt.

[edit] Toys

• Armada Thundercracker

A repaint of Armada Starscream. Mini-Con Zapmaster is a repaint of Swindle.

[edit] Transformers: Cybertron

Transformers character
Thundercracker
Thundercracker
Affiliation	Decepticon
Sub-Group	Deluxe Vehicles
Function	Airman
Motto	"You see my strength?"
Alternate Modes	Sukhoi Su-37
Series	Transformers: Cybertron Transformers: Universe
Voiced by	Mark Oliver (English) Kazunari Tanaka (Japanese)

Thundercracker, only mentioned off-screen in Transformers: Armada , finally made his appearance on screen in Transformers: Cybertron. Originally released alone, Thundercracker was later packaged with a Mini-Con partner as a Wal-Mart-exclusive but is unable to powerlinx with the Mini-Con. Although Armada Thundercracker did appear in the Dreamwave comics, he was portrayed very differently from the Cybertron character.

As a character, Thundercracker is a Deception highly distinguished for his love of battle. This excessive blood-lust affects the entire Decepticon group. What he lacks in skills, Megatron recognizes Thundercracker's talent for encouraging the troop's fighting spirit. He always has his sights on target in either robot or jet mode. He speaks with a distinctive southern "drawl" accent. Unfortunately, he can't concentrate a target, and accuracy isn't his style. He also comes up with special attacks that prove ineffective against his foes, most particularly Jetfire in a battle for sky supremacy. But when reinforcements arrive, he is usually the first to be defeated.

Thundercracker's tech specs by both Hasbro and Takara revealed more about him. The Takara bio noted that he was excessively eager to go into battle, in turn inspiring the Decepticons who fought with him — which is why Megatron keeps him around. His Hasbro bio is indicates that, like the original G1 Thundercracker, his main power is his ability to create deafening sonic booms in combat. Rather oddly, the unlockable content on Hasbro's website indicates he is also somewhat of a practical joker.

The Wal-Mart-exclusive Mini-Con pack would explain how Thundercracker got his Mini-Con partner Downshift, snatching him from under the Autobot's noses in one of his trademark fear causing missions. What he didn't realize was that Downshift was as dedicated to creating chaos as him, and the two formed an alliance to terrorize the Autobots on Earth.

In 2006, a Target store exclusive 2-pack called the "Ground to Air Blast Pack" included Cybertron Crosswise and Thundercracker. The toys were identical to their original ones, and the front included a brief mention of how the Autobot Bounty Hunter was hunting the Decepticon criminal Thundercracker. His tech spec indicates that his desire to blast Autobots isn't out of any sort of sadism — it simply keeps him out of Megatron's way when the Decepticon leader is looking for someone to take his frustration out on.

[edit] Animated series

Originally appearing as one of the Decepticons under Megatron, Thundercracker was paired with Starscream to search for the Omega Lock on Earth, using his Earthen alternate mode to great advantage. He scanned an aircraft and transforms into the Su-37 and attacked Landmine. He had a rivalry with the Autobot Jetfire over who was the superior flyer. However, he was unaware that his wingmate harbored ambitions of his own. When Starscream gave Megatron a Planet Map to search for the remaining Cyber Planet Keys , the map turned out to be a fake and Thundercracker, along with Megatron, Ransack and Mudflap were trapped in a steel globe until they were freed by Scourge. The Decepticons often ride on him a lot.

Subsequently, Thundercracker was present for many more battles against both the Autobots and Starscream's ancient Decepticons. On one occasion, when Galvatron (a recreated Megatron) needed the Decepticons to distract the Autobots while he used the power of the Cyber Planet Keys to control the Grand Black Hole, he used the power of the keys to turn Dark Crumplezone, Ransack, Thunderblast and Thundercracker into giants, rivaling the size of the Giant Planet Transformers. Thundercracker even took on Optimus Prime himself, but was jumped by Hot Shot and Jetfire, distracting him long enough for Prime to pursue Galvatron. After the fight, the Decepticons returned to normal size.

After Galvatron's defeat and the closing of the black hole, his minions realized that Galvatron had never had any intentions of helping his minions escape the Black Hole disaster in the first place. Thundercracker and the remaining Decepticons abandoned their allegiance to Galvatron and considered themselves free.

When the Autobots attempted to use a gigantic rocket to move the Jungle Planet back into its orbit, Galvatron attacked and damaged the rocket. The Jungle Planet threatened to crash into Cybertron. Much to the Autobots' surprise, the four Decepticons helped Scourge and the Autobots to move the rocket boosters back into place.

After Galvatron's death, Thundercracker, in an attempt to continue being active, allied himself with the Autobots by taking part in construction work on Earth. He wanted to be an Autobot and never lose (even though he didn't know how to make the Autobot symbol appear on his body he just put on a badly drawn one). He was forced back to the Decepticon ranks by Thunderblast, Dark Crumplezone and Ransack, who self-declared themselves as the new Decepticon army. Predictably, the hapless group didn't get far: the credits montage that closed the series showed they had crashed on what appeared to be Mars.

[edit] Toys

• Cybertron Deluxe Thundercracker (2005)

The deluxe sized toy of Thundercracker was sold by itself in 2005, as well as packaged with the Mini-Con Downshift and a Tiny-Tin as a promotion at Wal-Mart stores, then again packaged with the Autobot Crosswise as a Target exclusive. The original deluxe sized Thundercracker was recolored into Cybertron Skywarp. ^[2]

A value 2-pack repackaging Cybertron Excellion and Thundercracker in Transformers: Universe packaging was first seen online in September 2007, called "Opposites Attack".

Cybertron Deluxe Thundercracker is 18 centimeters long, but a real Su-37 Terminator is 2218 centimeters long. This gives us a scale of 1/123. Since his robot mode stands 13.5 centimeters tall, this means Cybertron Thundercracker should stand 54 feet tall. He is not depicted as being this big in the animated series, standing as big as most Deluxe sized toys, a bit over 20 feet tall.

• Legends of Cybertron Thundercracker

Besides his original release as a Deluxe-sized figure, a Micro-class Thundercracker was released in wave 4 of the Legends of Cybertron line. Thsi figure improved on some of the flaws of the Deluxe sized figure, giving Thundercracker a full sized left arm and feet larger feet he can balance on.

This toy was later repainted as Micro-class Jetfire. A double sized knockoff of this toy made in China and packaged in a box the Deluxe sized Excellion toy.

[edit] 2007 Transformers film

Transformers character
Thundercracker
Affiliation	Decepticon
Function	Aerial Assault
Partner	Shockwave
Alternate Modes	F-22 Raptor
Series	Transformers movie toys

Though Thundercracker did not appear in the 2007 live-action film, a blue repaint of the Starscream toy has been released, named Thundercracker, with a new head mold.^[3]

Thundercracker also has a small role in the Transformers video game, most of all on the PSP version, in which one can play as the character in multi-player mode. Thundercracker is a minion of Shockwave, and spends most of his time transporting the Decepticon from place to place. He also meets Blackout and Shockwave after the Decepticons attack the base in Qatar. He speaks a few lines and later rescues Shockwave from a U.S. military base. Thundercracker eventually is interrogated (and likely deactivated) by Autobots Hound and Trailbreaker at a sports stadium, in the former's quest for information about what exactly the Decepticons are doing on earth.

[edit] Toys

• Movie Voyager Class Thundercracker (2007)

A light-blue recolor of Voyager Class Starscream, featuring an alternate head sculpt. Turns into an F-22 Raptor as most airborne jet Decepticons.

• 3D Battle Card Game Movie Thundercracker (2007)

Thundercracker is among the characters which appeared in the 1st wave of Transformers 3D Battle Card Game by Wizards of the Coast. He is a redeco of movie Starscream.

[edit] Animated

Thundercracker is scheduled to be an Animated character.

[edit] References