Clampdown TFP

Clampdown is a crab-like Decepticon. His alt-mode is a sporty boyracer hatchback coupe. Clampdown is also known to be quite deceiving.

Background
Clampdown had attempted to blackmail a member of the High Council, but this did not go as planned, ending with Clampdown being imprisoned on the Alchemor. Before being imprisoned on the Alchemor, Clampdown had snitched on Thunderhoof to Autobot authorities, which resulted in Thunderhoof being imprisoned on the Alchemor as well. On Earth,he tried to find a home as he seems to be homeless until Steeljaw finds him.

Season 1
After Bumblebee's team attempted to arrest him, he managed to escape and instead encountered Steeljaw who invited him to join a group. Unfortunately, Thunderhoof was already a member of the group, and Clampdown fled when the Decepticon threatened to hurt him. Both the Autobots and Decepticons found him hiding in a garbage dump. He and the rest of Steeljaw's gang were captured after Thunderhoof accidentally rendered both himself and Clampdown unconscious. Steeljaw was later able to free them all, and Clampdown rejoined the gang.

Clampdown joined the rest of the gang in spying on the scrapyard, then watched as Steeljaw recruited Kickback into the gang to serve as bait. With the Autobots distracted, the Decepticons broke into the Autobot base, intending to free the other Decepticons from their stasis pods. Unfortunately, Steeljaw didn't count on their hostages Denny and Russell Clay slipping free, and ordered Thunderhoof and Clampdown to go after them. The dysfunctional pair chased the humans through the scrapyard, and were tricked into riding a half-completed roller coaster. Clampdown managed to steer both Decepticons to safety at the last moment, and managed to recapture Denny when Thunderhoof threw him to catch the human while Russell escaped. Before the Decepticons could complete their goal, the Autobots managed to retake the base, and Clampdown received a humiliating tail-thrashing from Grimlock. The Decepticons recovered from the fight with the Autobots and retreated with Steeljaw at their base, where Steeljaw threw some things at his gang and ordered them to leave. Clampdown was hit by a piece of metal and left with the others.

Since Steeljaw had paid lip service to a mysterious entity, the gang worked to scavenge materials and construct a "gateway". Clampdown was tortured by the being and made to telekinetically pinch his own arm, much to Thunderhoof's amusement. Along with the other Decepticons and their Autobot hostages, he traveled to the Crown City Colossus. Clampdown managed to prevent Grimlock from destroying the archway early, allowing Steeljaw to activate the gate and summon Megatronus.

While Megatronus dueled with Optimus Prime, Clampdown and the other Decepticons went up against the Autobots once more. In the ensuing melee, Clampdown managed to throw off Windblade but was soon tackled by Slipstream and Jetstorm. Windblade defeated Clampdown by kicking him unconscious. After Megatronus was defeated, Clampdown was re-captured and placed inside a stasis pod along with the rest of Steeljaw's pack, except for Steeljaw who remains at large.

Season 2
After Steeljaw broke into the scrapyard in Misdirection, he deactivated Clampdown's stasis pod, alongside several others, as part of a bid to bolster Glowstrike's forces. When Thunderhoof brought up Steeljaw's past failures at leadership, Steeljaw informed the Decepticons of his alliance with Glowstrike, and gave them coordinates to follow while he remained at the scrapyard. The escapees later reconvened at Steeljaw's coordinates, where, along with the other newcomers, Clampdown was inspected by Glowstrike, although she seemed notably unimpressed with him as an "elite warrior".

In Portals, Clampdown gathered with Steeljaw's other followers on the roof of the Island, where he listened to Thunderhoof question Steeljaw's authority, and dryly informed the old mob boss that they listened to Steeljaw because he was "the boss". Steeljaw then arrived to update his gathered brethren about his plans to overthrow Glowstrike. Clampdown sees Glowstrike and Saberhorn coming from behind the group. They arrived and wanted to talk with Steeljaw alone.

In Decepticon Island (Part 1), Clampdown was fleeing from Ratchet when he unexpectedly encountered Bumblebee's entire team. After a brief reunion with their old friend, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Ratchet captured Clampdown with no resistance. Back at the scrapyard, Bumblebee ordered Drift and Sideswipe to take Clampdown out of stasis for questioning. After being hammered with questions by Bumblebee's entire team, Clampdown's fear overtook him and he passed out, and he was soon re-imprisoned.

Season 4
Exiles

Physical Appearance
Clampdown is based on a normal crab from Earth. He has two claw like arms, crab like legs (which allow him to walk sideways instead of straight), and crab like eyes that are very loose.

Thunderhoof (frenemy)
Clampdown was the one who snitched on Thunderhoof and got him arrested on Cybertron. After Clampdown joined the gang, Thunderhoof became enraged and chased Clampdown away. This ended with Clampdown and Thunderhoof accidentally head-butting each other unconscious and they were both placed in cuffs by the Autobots until Steeljaw helped his gang get out of their cuffs and escaped. With Clampdown in Steeljaw's gang, Thunderhoof still deeply despises Clampdown. Unsurprisingly, in Battlegrounds, Part 1, when Megatronus starts torturing Clampdown, Thunderhoof seems very entertained by his ordeal.

Steeljaw
Steeljaw found Clampdown and welcomed him into the gang. Steeljaw tried to protect Clampdown from Thunderhoof, saying that what Clampdown did was in the past. After the confrontation with the Autobots, Steeljaw scratched out Clampdown's Decepticon symbols, to officially be affiliated with the pack, when asked what they would do if Clampdown betrayed them, Steeljaw replied that they would not rest until they made Clampdown eat his own claws. In Lockout, it is shown that they're relationship is similar to that of Megatron and Starscream. This is shown when Steeljaw is throwing a tantrum and throws a steel pipe at Clampdown, ordering him and the rest of the pack to give him time alone. In Battlegrounds, Part 1, Steeljaw prevented Megatronus, who was controlling one of Clampdown's arms to crush his other arm, from further damaging Clampdown any further.

Fracture
Fracture met Clampdown when the latter joined Steeljaw's Pack, they are never seen interacting. After hearing about Thunderhoof and Clampdown's history, Fracture asks Steeljaw what they'll do to Clampdown if he ends up betraying them, showing that he may have some distrusts towards Clampdown.

Underbite
Clampdown and Underbite never interact, it is unknown how the latter feels about Clampdown joining the gang.

Strongarm (former buddy)
In Prisoner Principles, Clampdown is arrested by Strongarm, who was tunneling with Quillfire to the nuclear power plant. Quillfire escapes, but Clampdown blabbed out the whole plan, while he was in custody. He was under the assumption they would free him if he spilled it. Strongarm had cuffed Clampdown to her, and she stated that they have to protect Clampdown, according to the Kaon Conventions. Strongarm decided to walk with Clampdown to a safe place, but she got terribly bored and annoyed listening to Clampdown's chatter about getting mud and dirt on his shell. She soon got an unexpected call for backup, but they stumbled upon Thunderhoof. He was so mad at Clampdown for spilling the beans, that he wanted revenge. Strongarm and Clampdown tried to face Thunderhoof, but he had the upper hand. The latter begged Strongarm to protect him as per as the conventions, but it was a little too tough. As 'Hoof was circling around the pair, near a tree, Clamps begged Strongarm to arrest him, but that didn't work, so he said "You're under arrest, Thunderhoof!" Strongarm pulled him and said that she does the arresting, and tried to arrest 'Hoof in the same way, but it was of no use. The duo managed to trip over Thunderhoof using the stasis cuffs, and they accidentally became buddies. Later, Strongarm argued that they will have to stop Steeljaw, on top of protecting Clamps. But he was allowed to come along, and later at the plant, Clamps was locked in a vault for his safety, but he was frantically reluctant, and begged not to, as he was claustrophobic. Still, he was locked in, and Strongarm said to him "We'll be back before you say boo!" A little while later, Clampdown was freed, and he said that he had said 'boo' over 300 times! When the others were about to get trapped inside, Clampdown used his claws to jam the doors, so the rest could escape. Later, he was arrested, even though he asked the others to free him after what happened. Later, he was in his cell, relaxing on the hand chair he was given. Unlike the other prisoners, he did not feel like escaping, as he liked the security and isolation in his cell.

Season 1

 * "Sideways" (Debut)
 * "Lockout"
 * "Battlegrounds, Part 1"
 * "Battlegrounds, Part 2"

Season 2

 * "Misdirection"
 * "Portals"
 * "Decepticon Island (Part 1)"

Season 4

 * "Exiles"
 * "Breathing Room"
 * "Prepare for Departure"
 * "Prisoner Principles"
 * "Something He Ate"

Trivia

 * Clampdown shares a body-type with Clawtrap.

Gallery
Clampdown/Gallery