Starscream (TFA)


 * Starscream is a Decepticon in the Transformers Animated continuity family.



Starscream is easily as accomplished, powerful and deserving of leadership as Megatron. At least, that's what he thinks. Power-hungry and driven by jealousy, Starscream operates through three ideals: lying, manipulation and deception. And when all else fails, a bit of sabotage never goes astray. Wise bots are careful about turning their backs on Starscream, just in case it's the day he finally decides to shove in the knife.

Though not nearly as powerful as Megatron (despite what he thinks of himself), Starscream is by no means a wimp. His null-rays can demolish large buildings, and he can fly around so fast that he can break free of Ratchet's magnetic powers. Unfortunately, all these abilities are offset by an enormous ego and the tendency to make long, overbearing speeches when he should just get on it with and fight. More than once, his leanings towards bombast have caused him to miss a golden opportunity. Sadly, he doesn't seem to be learning from these mistakes.

"Yes! Right, then—solemn face, solemn face."

- Starscream about to tell the other Decepticons that he is the new leader

Animated cartoon

 * Voice actor: Tom Kenny (English), Stefan Staudinger (German)

Starscream was aboard the Nemesis when it came across an insignificant vessel which was supposedly carrying the AllSpark. Starscream doubted not only the vessel's cargo, but also the existence of the AllSpark, and let voiced his opinion on Megatron's foolishness for wasting time searching for it. A furious Lugnut then denounced Starscream as a traitor, while Blackarachnia denounced Lugnut as an idiot, causing Blitzwing denounce Blackarachnia as a freak, and Blackarachnia to denounce Blitzwing as a three-faced psycho. As they argued, Starscream demanded silence, causing Lugnut to warn Starscream not to mock Megatron. This fine look into Decepticon camraderie was ended when Megatron entered the bridge and demanded a status report. Adopting a loyal, subservient tone, Starscream informed Megatron of the high energy levels coming off the ship. When Blackarachnia confirmed that it was the AllSpark, Starscream volunteered to secure it. Seeing through his lieutenant's greed, Megatron put a dent in Starscream's wing. As Megatron departed, Starscream arrived to wish him luck and give him a pat on the backand place a bomb on Megatron. In the aftermath of the explosion, Starscream got so caught up in his own greatness that he didn't notice that his comrades left him on the ship, hurtling towards an exploding space bridge.

Over the next fifty solar cycles, Starscream searched for the AllSpark on his own, using the damaged ship as a base (and probably getting a few screws loose in his central processor). He later discovered that the AllSpark was on Earth and adopted a jet fighter as an alternate mode to search for it. When he revealed himself to the Autobots, he quickly thrashed each of them individually. Starscream mocked them, apparently assuming that the Autobots thought they had really defeated Megatron (whom he referred to as "the great Megatron" without sarcasm, so he seems to have at least a loathing respect for his leader's power). All too boastful of his cunning, Starscream boldly admitted that Megatron was already defeated by the bomb which Starscream himself had put on him. Despite being more powerful than the Autobots, Starscream failed to take the AllSpark, partially because he spent too much time gloating. Optimus Prime grabbed Starscream in midair, and they opened the AllSpark, releasing a massive wave of energy. Optimus was killed by the energy surge and subsequent fall (he got better), but Starscream's fate was unspecified.

After Megatron woke up, he found a tape of Starscream's confession and watched it. His reaction was typical: "STAAAAARSCREEEEAM!"

It turns out Starscream had been hiding on Earth this whole time, until he decided to reveal himself to a badly damaged Blitzwing and Lugnut, offering them help in exchange for their loyalty. It also seems that for his skill he never mastered parallel-parking, as evidenced by the wreckage of the Nemesis on Earth's moon.

After repairing Lugnut and Blitzwing, Starscream continually had to reassert his authority over the two walking malfunctions, who were quick to point out that their service was by threat, not choice. As Lugnut went prostrate with praise, Starscream was initially quite flattered by the hulking Decepticon's obsequity, but quickly learned that the big guy was being manipulated by an outside source. Tracking the transmission, he came to Sumdac Tower and was quite surprised to find the disembodied head of his former leader. Megatron, aware of Starscream's betrayal but not wanting to tip his hand, greeted Starscream as a "devoted and faithful subject", while Starscream adopted a subservient attitude himself. Beginning the smug monologue to end all smug monologues, he was interrupted by the senseless heroics of the Autobot Bumblebee. Focusing his attentions on the yellow little squirt, he mistakenly assumed that Megatron was helpless, an oversight that allowed the galactic despot to control the lab's machinery and defenestrate the traitor. Even so Starscream remained fixated on Bumblebee, and thus was caught unaware when the repaired form of Megatron burst from the tower roof.



Starscream watched with interest, tossing Bumblebee around absentmindedly as Megatron trashed the Autobots. When Megatron called out his loyal Decepticons, Starscream gracefully landed on Lugnut's head, ready to return to his position as second-in-command. Megatron prepared to fire on the Autobots, but quickly lashed out and rammed the AllSpark Key into Starscream's chest, seemingly offlining the traitor, who then crumpled to the ground.

Sometime later, Starscream awoke on a garbage barge, evidently thrown in by an Autobot cleaning up Detroit. He found he couldn't detect any Decepticons, not even himself! Panicking, he wondered he if was dead, but recovered when he realised he was still on Earth. Furious, he managed to track down Lugnut and Blitzwing, and follow them to the Decepticon base. There he challenged Megatron and was soundly sliced, blasted and thrown off a cliff. However, he again revived, except now he had no spark! Starscream discovered he was being kept alive by an AllSpark fragment embedded in his head. Using this newfound immortality to his advantage he again, attacked Megatron...and again and again and again in a montage, each time taking a trouncing and having his corpse thrown off a cliff by Blitzwing and Lugnut. Discovering another fragment, he set up a trap that would draw Megatron out and blow up both him and the city. He embedded the shard in a train engine, and as the overloading machine drew out Megatron, Blitzwing, the Elite Guard AND the Earth team, the plan seemed to be working. Unfortunately, the Autobots stopped the train, and Megatron knocked him out of the sky, sending him crashing into the midst of the Autobots. He blasted Ultra Magnus and took back his fragment, but was put into stasis lock when Optimus slipped some cuffs on him. He was last seen bound, gagged and being taken onto the Elite Guard vessel.

While in transit on said vessel, Starscream somehow blasted his way out, once again vowing revenge against Megatron. Magnus sent word to Optimus Prime warning him that Starscream was most likely on his way back to Earth. Megatron, eavesdropping on the conversation, offered a substantial reward for bringing Starscream to him.

To this end, Prowl ran off by himself towards to Moon and the resting place of the Nemesis, and ran right into Starscream. Despite getting in behind Prowl, Starscream was rather easily disabled and put in stasis cuffs. While Lockdown and Prowl battled, Starscream somehow managed to escape.

Lockdown and Prowl agreed to team up and tracked down a seemingly very frightened and very scared Starscream, who was captured easily. While Lockdown brought him to Megatron, another Starscream turned up. This Starscream tried to deal with the Autobots, suggesting they team up to deal with their common enemy, Megatron. Prowl disabled him with ease, despite making a total mess.



While Lockdown was delivering "Starscream" into the hands of Megatron, the Autobots showed with the other Starscream. Confusion ensued and suddenly both Starscreams revealed internal bombs, and a recording of the real Starscream revealed that his entire plan was to allow the clones of himself to be captured and take out all his enemies in one full swoop. Of course, in his infinite wisdom, he seemed to program the bombs to explode long after everyone has realized what has happened. Prowl sent the clones into the sky, where they exploded without destroying the city.

Afterwards, Megatron increased the bounty on Starscream, this time stipulating that it had to be the real Starscream. Watching, Starscream cursed Megatron (again) and dismissed his failure in simply saying he has plenty more clones—an army of them.

Animated

 * Starscream (Voyager, 2008)
 * Accessories: 2 x missiles




 * Starscream transforms into a futuristic, forward-swept wing fighter jet based upon the Su-47 (S-37) Berkut Experimental Fighter and the YF-19 "Alpha One" from the series Macross Plus. This shape allows him to have his faction symbols right-side-up on his wings in robot mode.


 * His null ray cannons can slide forward, transforming his forearms, similar to the "hyper mode" used by some Decepticons in Energon. Landing gear in his vehicle mode flip down from his undercarriage, and his null rays flip forward or back for a "hidden" attack.  Due to his Macross-like design, he can also be configued into a Gerwalk mode very similar to the YF-19.


 * He also features two automorph gimmicks. When his nose cone is pushed in, his undercarriage folds into his hips.  Folding his shoulders down also pushes up his head.  Though not really an "automorph", with the arms and legs out of the way, his spring loaded wings fold down by themselves.  This leads to a surprisingly simple transformation, especially for a Voyager class mold.


 * Going by past experience, there is a fifty-fifty chance this mold will be retooled and redecoed.
 * Scrap that, it already happened: Skywarp (Animated).


 * Starscream (Activators, 2008)

Trivia

 * Though he hasn't truly taken out Megatron yet, this Starscream may be the most successful to bear the name to date.