Thunderwing (G1)

. Thunderwing is a Decepticon from the Generation 1 series.

Thunderwing was the leader of the Decepticon Pretenders in the Marvel G1 Comic continuity. Also, he is remarkable in that he is one of the very, very few Decepticons to possess and use the Autobot Matrix. His alternate form is a massive gunship.

Marvel Comics
Thunderwing first appeared (in the US comics) in issue #60 (Yesterday's Heroes) when he orders Bludgeon's "Mayhem Attack Squad" (which consists of Bludgeon, Octopunch and Stranglehold) to find and kill the Autobot Pretenders.

It was at the beginning of the Matrix Quest that Thunderwing began to take things into his own hands. After learning of the Matrix from some captured Autobots, he realized that it was the key to power beyond comprehension. His obsession with finding the Creation Matrix caused some concerns for the Decepticons under his command (as they did not know of the Matrix's true power), he even attacked his own troops when accused of taking his personal quest too far.

It was at this time that Thunderwing revealed that he was one of the select few Transformers, and indeed, the only Decepticon, to possess a natural affinity for the Matrix. He was one of the very few who could actually use the powers of The Matrix.

After forming a psychic link with an immense whale-like alien called a Kludd whom had been restored from the brink of extinction by the Matrix's power, Thunderwing learned where the Matrix was last seen: the third moon of Cameron. Thunderwing immediately set out to retrieve it, much to the disapproval of his troops.

As it would happen, between the revival of the Kludd and the arrival of Thunderwing, The Creation Matrix had become warped. A dying alien "Deathbringer" touches the Matrix, and is fully healed and recreated by it's power. This malevolent entity gave The Matrix it's first taste of evil. Later, another creature finds the Matrix. This one, a parasitic insect which exists purely to kill and destroy. The Matrix, now quite fascinated by the nature of darkness, restored and improved the creature, considering it to be the single most evil creature it had ever seen. This new creature was referred to as the Matrix Spawn. Which would serve as its vessel.

Meanwhile, the Autobot Pretenders (who had escaped from the Mayhem Attack Squad arrived on Cameron, after hearing the reports of a research team on that moon, which discovered an incredible power source inside Optimus Prime's old body, alongside the Matrix Spawn creature. Which the autobots assumed to be Creation Matrix.

When Thunderwing arrived on Cameron, he met, and attacked, the Autobot Pretenders. The battle was pre-empted by the arrival of the Matrix Spawn however. Thunderwing, possessing a natural affinity for The Matrix, managed to catch The Spawn off guard, causing it to flee with Thunderwing in pursuit.

The Spawn fled straight to The Matrix, where it met Thunderwing in mortal combat. The Spawn was defeated, and The Matrix was Thunderwings prize.

In the final issue of the Matrix Quest mini-series, Thunderwing, using his new found power as a result of having the Matrix, moved to the Ark with the intention of destroying the Autobots.

After nearly beating Optimus Prime to death with his bare hands, the other Decepticons under Thunderwing's command realized how completely Thunderwing had fallen, and turned against him. After being damaged by one of the Pretenders, the true scope of relationship between The Matrix and Thunderwing was revealed. The Matrix's newly found evil influence was even enough to dwarf Thunderwing's own judgement, and was controlling him!

After Thunderwing (or "The Vessel" as the Matrix called him) was damaged, The Matrix manifested itself as an immense-spectral demon. This new entity proved to be too much for both Autobots and Decepticons to handle. After seeing what he had become, Thunderwing struggled to break free of The Matrix's control. While the Thunderwing/Matrix was distracted, the course of the battle shifted.

During the turmoil, the Autobots who had been captured by the Pretenders earliar in the Matrix Quest story-line had gotten free. Nightbeat managed to fire the Decepticon ships grappling hook into Thunderwing's shoulder. They then launched the ship out of the Ark, and detonated it, apparently destroying both Thunderwing and the Matrix. This saved all the Transformers on board, but left no method for defending themselves from the coming threat of Unicron

Only when Unicron finally arrived on Cybertron, did The Corrupted Matrix and Thunderwing reappear.

Despite now being corrupted and enraptured by the nature of darkness, The Matrix was created to destroy Unicron. It could not deny this aspect of its existence.

Sensing it's ancient nemesis, The Matrix rebuilt Thunderwing, who promptly sped to Cybertron. Unfortunately, because the Matrix was now a product of evil, it had no effect upon Unicron, who destroyed the Decepticon completely with a massive burst of energy, ending Thunderwing's career permanently.

Dreamwave Armada Comic
An alternate version of Thunderwing appears briefly as one of Unicron's heralds, along with Scourge, Bludgeon, Dirge, and Galvatron. He is blown up when Jetfire detonates the Decepticon headquarters that they have taken over.

IDW Stormbringer Comic
Thunderwing appears as the major antagonist in Stormbringer. He was one of the scientists who had a gathering to help the other Transformers realize what the war was doing to Cybertron.