Blitzwing (TFA)


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



Blitzwing not only has sree modes (robot, jet, und tank) he also has sree alternate personalities (a cold strategist, a short-tempered hothead, und a total nutcase) along vit' sree faces rattling around in hiz head to go vit' zem (Sounds familiar). He's as liable to have a conversation vit' himself as he is to say a vord to his fellow Decepticons. Pretty much ze only sing zat keeps him in line is that all sree of his personalities are scared to death of Megatron.

"Ze name iz Blitzwing insect—remember it! Cause it's ze last thing you're gonna hear before I—express my feelings in song!"

- Blitzwing switching personalities like we switch shoes

Transformers Animated cartoon

 * Voice actor: Bumper Robinson (US), ? (Japan)

His cold personality is represented by a long, blue face with a monocle and talks with quiet disdain. His easily angered personality has a red face and is gap-toothed, making him look and sound like a certain Austrian musclehead. Finally, his crazy personality's face looks like nothing so much as a black jack-o'-lantern and just sounds hysterical. All three personalities have a German accent.

Blitzwing's special power is based on ice-rays and/or flame-rays, depending on which personality is dominant at the time.

Basically, he's the Purple Baron. Or Herr Freezer Burn.

Blitzwing was aboard the Nemesis with the other Decepticons at the time of the All Spark's re-discovery. He partially froze Blackarachnia's arm, commenting on how her demeanor was as unpleasant as her accursed beast mode. Referring to him as Three-Face, Blackarachnia advised him to blow that insult out his actuator. Blitzwing switched to his angry face, shouting at Blackarachnia to refer to him by his proper name, but his insane face took over and decided to express his feelings in song. His out-of-tune rendition of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" got all the Decepticons arguing until Megatron entered, which prompted Blitzwing to fall silent with the rest. When it became clear the Nemesis was going to crash into an exploding space bridge, Blitzwing fled in an escape pod.

After Megatron's disappearance, Blitzwing placed a bounty on Optimus Prime, intending to punish him for destroying Megatron. Fifty solar cycles later, the bounty hunter Lockdown contacted Blitzwing, saying he had Prime. Blitzwing promised that Lockdown would payment once Blitzwing received Prime&mdash;then asked if he could see Prime turn into a fire truck.

Animated

 * Blitzwing (Deluxe?, 2008)
 * Blitzwing transforms into a futuristic "Mech-Warrior"ish-tank with large, anti-aircraft-like guns and a squat jet with tracks. The robot mode has three faces, which can be switched around. He looks awesome.

Trivia

 * Marty Isenberg originally envisioned a character who could change into anything. When that (obviously) proved unworkable in toy terms, the character of Blitzwing as a triple-changer was suggested for the role.


 * His helmet is an obvious nod to a World War II-era German Stahlhelm helmet and goggles. Given the overall design in robot mode, the nature of his personalities and even his name itself, this really isn't very surprising.


 * Blitzwing's face-changing gimmick is similar to two other characters from popular 1980s toylines, Man-E-Faces from Masters of the Universe, and Ashuraman from Kinnikuman, also known as Ultimate Muscle.


 * His three faces also evoke the many depictions of the Buddha as having three faces, as well as certain gods from the Hindu pantheon such as Trimukha Ganapati.