Shockwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity - Transformers Wiki

Shockwave: The Guardian of Cybertron.

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Corey Burton (English), Yutaka Shimaka (Japanese), Dan Gilvezan (English, "Transformers 40th Anniversary Event"), Chen Chun (Chinese), Peter Musäus (German), Peter Bertram (German, "Transport To Oblivion"), Claus Brockmeyer (German, The Movie, Generation 2), Vladimiro Conti (Italian, second dub), Massimo Aresu (Italian, 40th Anniversary Event dub), Georges Atlas (European French), Albert Augier (European French, "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2"), Jorge García (Latin-American Spanish), Marcos Miranda (Portuguese, "Transport to Oblivion" to "Divide and Conquer"), Sílvio Navas (Portuguese, "The Ultimate Doom, Part 1" to "Countdown to Extinction", and "The Search for Alpha Trion" to "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2"), Carlos Seidl (Portuguese, "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 - 2"), Dario Lourenço (Portuguese, "War Dawn" to "The Revenge of Bruticus"), André Luiz Chapéu (Portuguese, "The Movie" VHS dub), Gyula Szersén (Hungarian, "The Movie" 1st dub (one line)), Sin Heung-chul (Korean, "The Movie" , KBS dub), Seol Yeong-beom ((Korean, "The Movie", Iljin video dub)

Shockwave was a highly ranked and staunchly loyal Decepticon, and with Soundwave, apparently one of the first at Megatron's side. War Dawn Certainly he was one of Megatron's more favored troops, in that Megatron's constant praise of him seemed to annoy Starscream to no end. Starscream's Brigade

Shockwave was entrusted with the stewardship of Cybertron by Megatron when the latter left to intercept an Autobot mission surveying for new forms of energy. Neither Decepticon suspected that Megatron's absence (and Shockwave's command) would last four million years. Little changed on Cybertron during those years, although Shockwave apparently lost his left hand and replaced it with a laser cannon. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1

He oversaw all Decepticon activity on the evidently near-empty Cybertron. His keen scientific mind resulted in several incredible devices, including the space bridge. Although he was able to keep Cybertron functional for the extended length of time, he continued to try to contact Megatron in hopes of finding an energy source to revitalize the planet. In 1984, he finally re-established contact with the Decepticon leader. The two coordinated the refinement of the space bridge, first to send energon cubes, and eventually as an easy method of transport for Decepticons. Transport to Oblivion Roll for It However, Autobots would also occasionally hijack use of the bridge, and Shockwave found himself having to repel stowaways on more than one occasion. Divide and Conquer

Eventually, Megatron and Shockwave developed a space bridge powerful enough to transport Cybertron itself to Earth. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1 The close proximity of the two worlds caused horrible weather disturbances that the Decepticons were able to utilize as sources of energy which could easily be shipped back to their homeworld. It was during this affair that Shockwave and his men had to stop an attempt by several Autobots and Spike Witwicky to rescue Spike's father, who was being held on Cybertron as a slave. The Autobots were eventually able to escape with both Sparkplug and the data for Doctor Arkeville’s mind-control hypno chips. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3

Even though he partook in the near-destruction of the Earth, he could also be credited with helping save it shortly after. With Megatron presumed dead following an explosion on his star cruiser, Starscream assumed command on Cybertron. He rigged Dr. Arkeville's exponential generator to blow up the Earth so the Decepticons could harvest the release of energy. Despite Starscream's orders, Shockwave continued to make communications to Earth, finally reaching Megatron, who wasn't dead after all, and warning him in time to disable the generator. Countdown to Extinction He once came to Earth, but only for a short time. The Autobot Run

When all the Earthbound Transformers began to malfunction due to the deterioration of the essential element Cybertonium in their bodies, Shockwave was tasked with having more mined from Cybertron to send to the Decepticons. The Autobots sent the Dinobots to attack the space bridge and snatch some Cybertonium for them. Instead, the rebellious Dinobots used the space bridge to travel to Cybertron, where they intended to stay. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 They were captured by Shockwave's sentinels, rewired, and put to work in the Cybertonium mines. Spike and Carly were also captured when they attempted to rescue them, but Shockwave underestimated the two humans. Once they were put in the mines, Spike and Carly were able to fix Grimlock and the others. The Dinobots broke free and were able to escape Shockwave with enough Cybertonium to repair the Autobots. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2

Though he'd believed them to be extinct, Shockwave discovered a small group of Female Autobots when they attempted to raid his energon stockroom. Although they got away with some supplies, he was able to track them to their hidden hideout. He alerted Megatron, who devised the plan of kidnapping their leader, Elita One. Megatron knew she had a relationship with Optimus Prime. Sure enough, after her capture, Optimus raced to Cybertron to rescue her, only to be captured himself by Starscream. Thanks to Elita's special power, she and Optimus were able to escape. Meanwhile, Shockwave, Starscream, and the other Decepticons had to contend with Ironhide leading a small group of Autobots who had followed Optimus Prime. With the help of the Female Autobots team, they eventually cornered the Decepticons, until Shockwave blasted them off the bridge with his gun mode. He would’ve been able to finish them off had Prime and One not intervened at the last moment to save their comrades, send Starscream and the others running off, and blast Shockwave down into the pits of Cybertron. The Search for Alpha Trion

He wasn't out of action for long. After Megatron built his new combiner team, the Stunticons, Shockwave helped locate the key to Vector Sigma, the computer that gave life to all Transformers. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 He later learned and reported to Megatron that the key had other unknown properties on other worlds, which Megatron discovered meant turning organic matter into metal. Unfortunately for Megatron, Silverbolt was able to score a precise shot, blowing apart the key before Megatron could get away with it. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2

Another device built by Shockwave was the Kronosphere, a time machine that was used to dispose of the Aerialbots. When the Autobots were able to drive the Decepticons out of their hideout, Shockwave helped Megatron reactivate a fallen Guardian robot to try to take back the base. In the end, the Autobots were able to bring the Aerialbots back to the present, and with their help, drove the Decepticons away for good. War Dawn

Later, Shockwave alerted Megatron to the theft of five personality components from the Decepticon Detention Center on Cybertron. These were stolen by Starscream to build his own force to defeat Megatron, the Combaticons. Starscream's Brigade

This coup failed, and Starscream and the Combaticons were exiled to deep space. While Starscream went off on his own, the Combaticons instead made their way back to Cybertron, where they attacked Shockwave and his sentinels and succeeded in taking over Decepticon headquarters. Shockwave ran into Starscream, and the two teamed up to stop the Combaticons and their plan to use the space bridge to push the Earth into the Sun. However, Starscream saw an opportunity to assert power over Megatron, who was still on Earth. He turned against Shockwave, the two fought each other, and they were captured by the Combaticons. They were both eventually freed when Megatron and Optimus Prime came to Cybertron to defeat the Combaticons themselves. The Revenge of Bruticus

By 2005, Megatron had returned to Cybertron and completely conquered the planet, leading Shockwave to rejoin Megatron's inner circle. He participated in the Battle of Autobot City and was present for both Starscream's coronation and his subsequent destruction by Galvatron, the reformatted version of Megatron. With Galvatron indisposed, Shockwave commanded the Decepticon forces during Unicron's attack on Cybertron. The Transformers: The Movie

Japanese cartoon continuity

Unite Warriors

Long ago on Cybertron, Shockwave sent Flowspade to join the 4 Guards to keep an eye on Megaempress, but Flowspade wound up pledging her loyalty to Megaempress. Unite Warriors Flowspade bio When Megaempress used her special ability to bewitch Megatron and came close to usurping him as Decepticon leader, Shockwave began to fear her power and had her placed in stasis in his base. Unite Warriors Megaempress bio Megatronia Chapter

Cloud

Story of Binaltech

This section takes place in a divergent timeline. Skip to the next section to continue reading about the original timeline.

In 2004, as the battle for control of Cybertron was reaching fever pitch, Shockwave was among the casualties of war, his body destroyed but his personality component intact. Around this time, the time-tossed Decepticon Ravage took control of the Kronosphere, seeking to use it to alter the course of history. Ravage used the Kronosphere to teleport Megatron and the majority of the Decepticons outside of time, knowing that this would leave the Autobots to face the looming threat of Unicron alone. To keep the remaining Decepticons organized until then, Ravage realized they would need a leader, and Shockwave was elected for the task; his personality component implanted into a vehicle outfitted with molecular-manipulating Transmuter technology, Shockwave was reborn in a powerful Binaltech body and rallied the Decepticons under his command. Changing Lanes

Although they were forced off of Earth by the Autobots there, Shockwave's Decepticons continued to operate within the Solar System, and were discovered in the vicinity of Saturn's rings by a Prowl. Alas, Prowl did not make it back to Earth after making his discovery: Shockwave led an attack on his shuttle and Prowl's spark was lost when he attempted to transfer it to safety through subspace. Prowl & Chase

Starscream initiated a rebellion against Shockwave's Earthbound forces. The fighting, however, was quelled by the two Autobot BT units hijacked by Unicron for Blackarachnia and Decepticharge. The servants of Unicron informed the Decepticons that Unicron was displeased with their infighting and commanded the Decepticons to destroy Optimus Prime and the Matrix of Leadership. Widow's Edge

Through the efforts of the mysterious time- and space-bending entity known as the Protector, the changes Ravage wrought upon the timeline were undone, and history was corrected. The altered version of the timeline, however, was also preserved as a parallel dimension (colloquially known as the "BT World"), and in that alternate dimension, the Autobots were successful in defeating Unicron alone. In accordance with Ravage's plan, however, Megatron and his forces then returned from beyond time, immediately launching a ferocious attack upon the weary Autobots. Binal Time

The Autobots' total defeat was only delayed by Megatron's encounter with Nemesis Prime, an Earth-made robot which had taken the side of the Decepticons, who challenged Megatron during an attack on the Earth Defense Command base on Mars for ownership of Earth's solar system. While Megatron and Nemesis Prime battled, across the galaxy, Mirage ventured into the depths of Cybertron and activated the Quintessons' killswitch, deactivating all non-Binaltech Transformers throughout the universe. With Megatron deactivated right in front of him, Nemesis Prime declared himself Decepticon leader, and summoned Shockwave to his side, instructing him to gather up as many fallen Decepticon as he could before the humans' took possession of them. Shockwave hesitated momentarily, but quickly acquiesced to the logic of the plan and complied. Kill Switch

Rodimus Wars

On Megatron's orders, Shockwave created evil clones of various Autobots in hopes that they would destroy their originals and prevent Optimus Prime from having a successor, and his clone army soon overran the Autobots on Cybertron, who had Hot Rod and Dark Hot Rod infiltrate his cloning facilities. Catching them, Shockwave recognized Dark Hot Rod as one of his creations and warned him that destroying the facility's computer would kill all the clones, including him, but Dark Hot Rod was willing to make that sacrifice and destroyed it anyway. When the dead clone's essence merged with Hot Rod, transforming him, Shockwave deemed him a potential threat to Megatron and attacked him, only to be defeated. However, the "Shockwave" destroyed by Hot Rod turned out to be a duplicate and the real one, watching from another location, admitted defeat for now but continued to believe in a Decepticon victory. Rodimus Wars

Shockwave traveled to the Legends World after learning that Megatron had ended up there. Knowing that Megatron was trying to conquer this world through peaceful methods, he loyally began to aid his leader behind the scenes and targeted Cancer to help him with his plan. LG24 Shockwave & Cancer Prologue He was included on a chart of employees of Decepticon Tera-Kura Co., Megatron's business. Bonus Edition Vol. 22 Styling himself as a manager of the "Decepticon Entertainment Company", he made contact with Cancer and asked him to become a pop idol to increase the popularity of the Decepticons. Cancer accepted, but his first concert was interrupted by Skullcruncher, who just wanted to conquer the world normally. After Cancer revealed himself to be a Headmaster Junior, Shockwave teamed up with his ward to defeat Skullcruncher, leading to the two strengthening their bonds and vowing to transform the Decepticons into a peaceful organization together. Bonus Edition Vol. 24

Disguising himself, Shockwave then infiltrated the Autobot Axalon Trading Company under the name "Longarm". When Megatron was brainwashed into the violent Galvatron, Longarm built a new body for Blurr and convinced him to fight Galvatron, knowing he'd revert to Megatron on his defeat. Bonus Edition Vol. 25 Shockwave and Cancer later witnessed Scourge's body explode in the sky and mistook it for fireworks. Bonus Edition Vol. 26 When Megatron was almost blown up by Trypticon, Shockwave left the shadows and came to his leader's rescue, carrying him to safety. Bonus Edition Vol. 43 He then became Megatron's aide when he was elected mayor of Neo Akihabara City. Targetmaster Chapter Prologue He stood by Megatron's side when Kickback clones invaded the city, Bonus Edition Vol. 47 when he held a speech introducing Broadside as the city's guardian, Bonus Edition Vol. 53 and when he was attacked by the ghost of Starscream. Bonus Edition Vol. 57

Shockwave was present when Megatron responded to Quintessons attacking the city, Bonus Edition Vol. 59 and urged his leader to relocate to somewhere safe when the office itself was attacked by the Concurrence. Bonus Edition Vol. 63 He and the other Decepticons responded to Majin Zarak's attack on the Legends World, Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One using their firepower to help banish the monster by pushing it through a warp gate. The world ended up being doomed regardless, however, so the Decepticons all evacuated back to their home dimension. Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two

Back in 2039, the Decepticons wished to end the war and reinstate the Cybertron Alliance, combining resources with the Autobots in an effort to reconstruct the lost Legends World. Shockwave and Soundwave coordinated this effort after Megatron was killed when he was forced to be a part of Star Giant once more. The Legends World was restored, and Megatron with it, leading him to return and declare the Cybertron Alliance officially reforged alongside Optimus Prime. Epiloge

Generations Selects Special Comic

In 2050, Shockwave was one of the Decepticons supporting the Selector revolt at Neo Scramble City. Volcanicus comic 1

Shockwave attempted to stop Grimlock, who sided with the humans along with the other Dinobots. However, even with his new power armor, he was no match for Grimlock's might and was quickly defeated by him. Volcanicus comic 2

Full Throttle Scramble Power!

The Decepticons constructed a new weapon to pursue their energy-plundering campaign on Earth, the Omega Wave Cannon. Shockwave and Reflector were charged with manning the device's control as other teams of the Decepticons would go out and attack power plants to retrieve the energy stored within them. The whole plot was foiled when Jenny, a captive of the Decepticons, managed to reprogram Starscream into blowing up the Omega Wave Cannon's controls. Shockwave then followed Megatron into battle, but was forced to flee along with the rest of the Decepticons when a massive amount of Autobot reinforcements joined the fray. Full Throttle Scramble Power!

Robot Parade

After getting stuck on Cybertron with Doctor Arkeville, Shockwave passed the time by playing Twister against a couple of drones. Robot Parade

Madman The Transformers comic

In the year 2001, the Decepticons had managed to conquer Cybertron completely. As the Autobots evacuated off-planet, Shockwave was one of the many space-worthy Decepticons who pursued them into orbit and attacked. The Transformers

Wings Universe

When the Decepticon Warlords formed a war council to discuss ways to eliminate the Elite Guard, Megatron sent Shockwave along to the meetings as his spokescon. When Trannis reacted to footage of Megatron's men being destroyed by the Elite Guard by dismissing it, Shockwave agreed with Straxus in that the Elite Guard did not discriminate between Decepticon factions. Shockwave's real reason for being at the meetings was not to share information, but to gather information on the other Warlords. The information was subsequently used to persuade Hook and Reflector to amalgamate their armies with Megatron's. Shockwave did not attend the following meeting, which was just as well for him, since Deathsaurus blew it up, killing everyone present. A Team Effort

When Megatron later captured Deathsaurus's base, Shockwave was by his side. He took part in the later attack on Iacon blasting Rumbler and Sprocket as Devastator broke through the city walls. Battle Lines, Part 5

Shockwave erased data on vast periods in Cybertron's history to keep the information out of Megatron's hands. Among the eras censored was the period during which Jhiaxus was brought online and sought to unite Cybertron under one banner. Shockwave came to oppose Jhiaxus in this time, and culled his followers. Though he believed then that he had also eliminated Jhiaxus, unbeknownst to Shockwave his opponent had survived and escaped off-world. Jhiaxus's Wings of Honor profile

Tornado considered Squadron X leader Macabre to possess the strength of Megatron, the firepower of Shockwave, and triple the crazy of Galvatron. Tornado - Decepticon Saboteur

Ask Vector Prime

In Primax 1185.04 Alpha, Shockwave dispatched reinforcements via space bridge to Cobra-controlled Earth at Megatron's behest, but the Decepticons were defeated on Earth anyway. Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/13

Deviations

In an alternate timeline where Optimus Prime killed Megatron in the Battle of Autobot City, Shockwave bore witness to Starscream's coronation and the approach of Unicron. Deviations

Notes

• Shockwave's cartoon portrayal is highly inconsistent with his appearances in all other fictional media. Instead of a coldly logical, power hungry rival to Megatron, in the cartoon Shockwave is consistently loyal and subservient. In a 2009 retrospective documentary about the brand, Hasbro staff said this disparity was a simple—though extreme—result of there not having been enough time during the production of the Generation 1 cartoon and comic to get all the story basics firmly and consistently established from the outset. The character descriptions in the cartoon's production bible are mostly abridged versions of Bob Budiansky's original character writeups, which went on to become the toys' tech specs... yet Shockwave's show bible description is entirely different from his tech spec bio. Later versions of the character would split the difference between the two interpretations.
• According to early drafts of the script for the series' pilot episode, Shockwave was at one point to be called "Flash Beam". At TFcon Los Angeles in 2019, Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster displayed an early model sheet labeled "Decepticon's Flash Beam", using a preliminary color scheme inspired by Astro Magnum/Galactic Man.^[1]
• The Generation 1 cartoon production bible gave Shockwave the ability to create up to five holographic duplicates of himself, which never appeared in the cartoon except in one debatable instance. The guidebook manga "Rodimus Wars" and the Transformers: Devastation video game are two of the few times Shockwave has employed said power (albeit dropping the hologram portion, instead being solid to be dealt with).
• Shockwave debuted as "Laserwave" in classic Japanese media, but this was adjusted in 2017 in Legends, with Bonus Edition Vol. 43 confirming that he changed his name from "Laserwave" to "Shockwave".

References