Virulent Clone


 * Virulent Clones are Decepticons in a Timelines story set in the Generation 1 continuity family.

Virulent Clones were created from Deathsaurus' experiments on the genetic codes of Insecticons Dirge and Buzzclaw, with the intention of using their latent ability to create endless duplicates of themselves to build a new Insecticon clone army. Deathsaurus would, of course, use this army to wipe out the Autobots and take over the galaxy, yadda yadda yadda.

Each clone isn't very smart, but they do follow orders well. As personality-less, easily-destroyable-yet-easily-replenishable drones, they make perfectly satisfactory cannon fodder.

Timelines: Descent Into Evil
Long after the Insecticon clan had dispersed, Dirge and Buzzclaw were recruited by Deathsaurus to serve as the basis for a new army of Insecticon Virulent Clones. Deathsaurus established a research center on Ceti Alpha Seven, where he unlocked the pair's long-dormant cloning abilities. When the Autobots discovered the facility and sent a team to destroy it, Dirge and Buzzclaw separately led armies of Virulent Clones against them. Although the Decepticons won that battle, the arrival of reinforcements ultimately led to an Autobot victory, with the cloning center destroyed and the clones' genetic matrices poisoned.

Timelines

 * Descent Into Evil (Souvenir two-pack, BotCon 2005)
 * A redeco of the Beast Wars Predacon Fuzor Buzzclaw, Virulent Clone transforms into a praying mantis-lizard monster. Its beast-mode foreclaws and wing-assembly can be used as a hand-held melee weapon, and its tail can be mounted on its arm as a shield.  Virulent Clones were only available as a set of two, packaged in a clear plastic baggie with two tech spec cards, and available for separate purchase at BotCon 2005.


 * The same mold is used by its teammates Buzzclaw and Dirge.


 * (Note: Due to a production error, all Virulent Clones had their beast-mode lower jaw misassembled, so his mandibles point downwards like a funny bandito moustache. This same assembly error is also found in his set-mate Buzzclaw and Dirge, and even Universe Repugnus, leading fans to joke that the original Fuzor Buzzclaw is the "misassembled" one.)