Lockdown (TFA)


 * ''Lockdown is a bounty hunter commonly allied with the Decepticons in the Transformers Animated continuity family



Driven by the thrill of the chase, Lockdown is a bounty hunter by choice and a Decepticon only by necessity. He's got no real loyalty towards Megatron, but the Decepticons always pay better than the Elite Guard and allow him access to the systems upgrades he craves. Besides that, he's such a nasty piece of work that it's just easier for him to be a 'Con.

Lockdown has a grisly habit of collecting "trophies" from his victims for his own use. He has attached a number of parts that appear to be stolen, such as his hook, chainsaw weapons, and parts of his left leg. His collection of stolen gadgets include quick-hardening cement spray, smoke bombs, and Ratchet's EMP generator. The Autobots consider his actions appalling, while Lugnut views his mercenary ways an insult to the Decepticon cause, but Lockdown doesn't care. As long as Megatron and the Decepticon leadership will give him his upgrades, Lockdown will get the job done.

"I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy."

- Lockdown

Animated cartoon

 * Voice actor: Lance Henriksen (English), Kaspar Eichel (German)



One of the earliest aspects of his life that was known was the fact that Lockdown was an apprentice Cyber Ninja who was under the direction of the legendary Sensei Yoketron. However, he betrayed his master and later led an attack on his fortress whereupon he mortally wounded his master after which he stole his helmet and his collector of protoforms that were being stored by the Autobots in case they lost the Great War. He apparently really liked the helmet.

During the war, Lockdown worked as a bounty hunter. One of his jobs was to bring an intelligence officer who carried vital information in for questioning. He encountered Ratchet, broke off one of the Autobot's forehead chevrons and stole his EMP generator, turning the healing tool into a weapon. During said encounter, Lockdown's right arm was destroyed when he launched it at Ratchet, causing him to replace it with a decidedly more menacing one (namely, the hook seen above). He was also indirectly responsible for Arcee losing her memory.

On modern-day Earth, Lockdown was hired by Blitzwing to bring in the Autobot presumed responsible for Megatron's death, Optimus Prime. He captured Prime using the EMP generator and, impressed by Prime's own personal modifications, stole his axe and forcibly removed Optimus's grapplers, something that traumatised him later on. When the Autobots came to rescue Prime, Lockdown made short work of Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Prowl, on the other hand, proved a bigger challenge, but Lockdown came out on top (after having a tire mark smudged on his face). He was about to leave in his ship with his new trophies, when Ratchet, who had been suffering from war flashbacks, came on the scene and soundly thrashed him, partially because the stolen EMP generator didn't work on Ratchet himself. Pinning Lockdown, Ratchet painfully removed both Prime's grapplers and his own EMP generator. Lockdown was forced to watch as Ratchet crippled his ship and escaped with a weakened Optimus.

After arriving on the Moon, Blitzwing remarked that the Decepticons hadn't heard anything from Lockdown since he contacted Blitzwing. Mentioning Lockdown's name made Lugnut get a little bent out of shape.

As it turns out, Lockdown survived the crash and his ship was repaired. Learning of a large bounty on Starscream, Lockdown headed back to Earth, expecting a serious fight to take him down. It turned out that Prowl managed to take down Starscream for him. During a fight over the Decepticon, they realized that Starscream escaped. Heading to Earth on his ship, he discovered Prowl had stowed away. Prowl offered to help Lockdown, and the bounty hunter offered a suit of armor to assist.

Upon landing on Earth, Lockdown and Prowl discovered Starscream (both purple and more cowardly than usual) and Prowl managed to take him down. Lockdown contacted Megatron to set up a meet, but Prowl wanted to turn him over to the Elite Guard. Lockdown subdued Prowl and took Starscream. At the warehouse, the Autobots arrived with another Starscream. Lockdown tried to take his leave, but Megatron commanded him to stay. Then the two Starscreams revealed that they were clones with bombs in their chests. Lockdown managed to get away in the chaos, then contacted Prowl with an offer of a partnership. Prowl rejected his offer, saying that all the mods were for weak processors, and warned Lockdown never to contact him again, or he'd turn him over to the Elite Guard.

At some point after he left Earth, Lockdown traded information to Swindle in exchange for weapons. He later returned to Earth whereupon he made a deal with Sentinel Prime of the Elite Guard. In exchange for helping the Autobot commander capture Decepticons on Earth secretly and giving credit to Sentinel, the Prime would give him his choice in upgrades. Thus, Lockdown was successful in the capture of Swindle, Blitzwing, Sunstorm and Lugnut. He later captured the Liar Starscream but the Stascream clone offered him a better deal then the Autobots in exchange for betraying them. Thus, he contacted Sentinel Prime and attempted to make the exchange once again but was being followed by Prowl. His plan was revealed and an astonished Sentinel asked why he betrayed him which was frankly quite silly. Lockdown then fought against Prowl and revealed that he was once an apprentice of Yoketron and was responsible for murdering the Sensei. After capturing Prowl, he attempted to strip him of his upgrades until Prowl mastered Processor over Matter allowing him to free himself from the trap after which he retrieved Yoketron's helmet as well as an upgrade Lockdown offered him earlier when they joined forces to capture Starscream. After the battle was over, Lockdown quickly escaped the scene in his ship.

Transformers Animated

 * Lockdown (Deluxe, 2008)
 * Lockdown transforms into a Cybertronic amalgam of a 1980s Corvette and a 1960s Cougar. He looks freaking terrifying. And he has a hook, essentially making him the "pirate" to Prowl's "ninja". The hook arm can be removed to reveal a normal arm under it; the hook can be attached to either arm. It can also be pegged into the hole that holds it in vehicle mode which gives him the "coattails" look of his animation model. Due to his lanky build, he comes out a fair bit taller than most of his fellow Deluxe-class toys, towers over many Voyagers and even stands eye-to-eye with some Ultras (from series that had Ultras). However, online reviews note that Leader Class Megatron is taller, with Lockdown's head meeting his chin.


 * The EMP generator can be attached to Ratchet (but won't always stay on). There is currently much rejoicing. But it cannot be attached to Prowl. There is currently much complaining. He also lacks the fashionable poncho seen in A Fistful of Energon.


 * Lockdown (Activators,2008)
 * A scout class version of Lockdown, featuring a button-activated auto-transformation. It is similiar to Bulkhead's Activators toy because it doesn't resemble the full-size toy very closely, unlike Starscream or Optimus Prime.


 * Stealth Lockdown (Deluxe 3-pack, 2008)
 * Revealed on a Hasbro instruction sheet, a Deluxed-sized Lockdown that comes with Universe Legends Bumblebee and  Optimus Prime. As the name suggests, it is made out of transparent plastic, to simulate a stealth mode.


 * Blazing Lockdown (Deluxe, 2008)
 * A retool of the original Lockdown toy, with flame deco and a new chainsaw weapon. His bio says he's become super energized with fiery energy that emanates from his body. Gee, that sounds familiar...


 * He also has a metallic gold face as opposed to his usual silver. Doubly famililar...


 * Bandit Lockdown (Activators, 2008?)



Trivia

 * According to Derrick Wyatt's blog, his original concept for Lockdown was as a freakish Frankenstein-like monster. It was altered to better fit Lockdown's more business-like nature.
 * Lockdown's final model, itself, is "reminiscent of skull like head and an undertaker's tux" (sic)... hey, he even has coat-tails!
 * Meanwhile, Wyatt has explicitly said that Lockdown is not based on Death's Head.
 * When he is seen wearing Yoketron's helmet, Lockdown appears to have a gap in his "teeth", however this gap was not shown in earlier episodes. Maybe he took a bad hit to the vocal synthesizer?
 * The cartoon model for Lockdown shows an amusing homage to the older toys. Instead of the ordinary Decepticon symbol seen on the toy, the animated version's chest carries what appears to be a rubsign, presumably to symbolize the character's lack of allegiance to any faction.
 * His toy's vehicle mode is adorable yet terrifying. Like if Cars had a serial-killer character.
 * Lockdown is the only Transformer in the Animated continuity who landed on Earth to retain his Cybertronian alt-mode. However he's not the only one in the Transformers mythos who has made the decision not to scan a new disguise, as there are some others who are not here to blend.
 * Despite having lost the EMP generator, Lockdown retains the external engine it comprises in his vehicle mode, as seen in "A Fistful of Energon". Perhaps he found a substitute or a replacement?
 * The interior of Lockdown's vehicle mode sports a chain-steering wheel and a skull on the gear stick. Now that's hardcore.
 * In episode "A Fistful of Energon" he mentioned something about a spark-to-spark to Prowl. Perhaps he has feelings?
 * He claims his first act as a bounty hunter was betraying his sacred sensei.