Soundwave (G1)


 * Soundwave is a Decepticon in the Generation 1 continuity family. In the Japanese series, he later took the name Soundblaster.



Soundwave is one of Megatron's most reliable troops, and he has positioned himself comfortably and irreplaceably in Megatron's upper command structure. He stands at the Decepticon leader's side as a confidant. Though "only" Communications Officer, he is comparable to Starscream and Shockwave in rank and is the only one of the three to display consistent loyalty to Megatron. Soundwave guards his place in the hierarchy fiercely. Other Decepticons (except Megatron) see him as a two-faced snake, since, as Communications Officer, Soundwave hears all and doesn't hesitate to use blackmail to keep himself high in Megatron's esteem. The other Decepticons wouldn't mind abandoning him on the battlefieldif they thought Megatron would let them get away with it.

Soundwave commands a legion of cassette troops to carry out tasks big and small. He has a symbiotic relationship with them, providing them transportation and a cheap, if cramped, place to live in his chest. Sometimes he lets them all out to watch impromptu gladiator games or takes them to discotheques. In return, they perform spy and recon missions for him and make sure no one calls him "unchrasimatic".

"As you command, Megatron."

- Soundwave, eternal loyalist


 * French-Canadian name: Radar
 * French-Canadian name (Action Master): Sonore ("Sound")
 * Chinese name: Shēng-pō ("Sound wave")
 * Hungarian name: Fülelő ("Listener")
 * Italian name: Memor
 * Italian name (Soundblaster): Vizar
 * Polish name (The Movie): Dźwiękofalowiec ("Soundwaver")
 * Portugese name (Brazil comics): Microonda ("Microwave", as in the radiation)
 * Portugese name (Portugal comics): Onda-Sonora
 * Russian name (TV): Barkhan ("Dune". Dubbers thought his name was "Sandwave". Jerks.)
 * RTM dub name (Soundblaster): New Soundwave

Generation 1


After the Transformers' awakening on Earth, Soundwave served quietly under Megatron before Megatron was overthrown by Shockwave. Under Shockwave's command, Soundwave attacked the Blackrock Aerospace Plant and secured it for Decepticon use. The plant's facilities were used to create the Constructicons, who built a massive radio dish that Soundwave used to beam a message back to Cybertron.

''A short time later, during a brief period when both Megatron and Shockwave were missing in action, Soundwave assumed leadership of the Decepticons, happily slagging off Starscream's ambitions of leadership. His first attempt at manipulating Autobots into a trap failed. The second, taking advantage of the "Dinobot Hunt", was a major success - six Autobots were badly injured, not counting two of the Dinobots, and a large amount of fuel was stolen while the Autobots tried to stop a Dinobot rampage in a human town. On the way out, Soundwave went "neener neener" at Optimus and got away with it.''

When Megatron resurfaced, rendered immobile in a Wyoming coal mine due to lack of fuel, Soundwave sped to his rescue, re-energizing him. ''Using the splintered state of the Decepticon forces to his advantage, Soundwave worked both sides of the field, reporting to both Megatron and the returned Shockwave, each without the other's knowledge. When Shockwave learned that the human Buster Witwicky had begun to suffer Matrix-induced visions of the next leap in Transformer evolution, Soundwave reported this to Megatron, prompting him to battle Shockwave for leadership. The Decepticons' human ally, Robot Master, televised the battle, much to Soundwave's distaste, and in order to prevent the Decepticons from looking like fools, he interrupted the duel and insisted that they agree to a joint leadership.''

When the Robot-Master hoax the Decepticons were perpetrating was threatened by the investigative work of Joy Meadows, Soundwave was instrumental in ending the conflict that ensued between the Decepticons and the Dinobots by holding the reporter hostage and destroying her footage. ''Not long thereafter, when the deranged future Decepticon, Galvatron, traveled back in time, Soundwave was intrigued by the fact that he was unable to scan his mind to discern the truth of his identity. Siding with Megatron when conflict erupted, Soundwave and his leader were buried under an avalanche by Galvatron and then rescued by the Autobots in the name of forming an alliance to defeat their common enemy.''

''It would be some time before Soundwave came back to the fore, and his return to the spotlight was an ignominious one. With Megatron having apparently died, Soundwave was now once again under Shockwave's command, and, while patrolling on the Decepticons' mobile island base, he found himself attacked and subdued by the time-traveling freelance peace-keeping agent, Death's Head, and tricked into giving up information on the whereabouts of Galvatron. Although Death's Head's attempts to track down the Decepticon met with failure, Galvatron was ultimately entombed in lava, where he was later discovered by Susan Hoffman. Soundwave observed a televised broadcast of her discovery, and he and the Combaticons attempted to destroy Galvatron with explosives planted around the volcano in question. After a battle with the Throttlebots, Soundwave found that he was unable to remote-detonate the explosives planted around the volcano thanks to Blaster jamming his signal.''



When Shockwave was removed from power, Soundwave smoothly transitioned to serving under the new Decepticon leader, Ratbat, and helped to operate his Realvision playback system to decode data from Autobot tapes Grand Slam and Raindance. The tapes, it was discovered, contained information on the Underbase, the power of which was desired by Starscream so badly he sparked off a Decepticon-Decepticon war to cover himself. Soundwave ended up having his fuel pump torn into by Bomb-Burst. When Starscream gained the Underbase's power and targeted the Earth, Soundwave co-led the defense of Buenos Aires alongside Fortress Maximus, but was temporarily deactivated by a blast of cosmic power from Starscream (how he came back from this was never revealed).

''He was back on his feet by the time that Starscream, now a Pretender, was busy doubting his self-worth. Soundwave was extremely scared of Starscream by this point. He continued to operate under the command of the new Decepticon Earth commander, Scorponok, though like the other troops he was very unhappy about Starscream being allowed back in after trying to kill everyone''. He was put in charge of guarding Optimus Prime after the Autobot leader surrendered his troops to Scorponok, hoping to elicit an alliance against the coming of Unicron. When Prime changed his mind about meekly waiting in a cell for Scorponok to make time for him, however, Soundwave provided little resistance in keeping him there. After the Decepticon auxiliary army bombed Scorponok's base in New Jersey, Soundwave assumed temporary command of the active Decepticons in fighting back against the traitors, led by Starscream and Shockwave. This "Decepticon Civil War" didn't last long, though, as all the Autobots and Decepticons of Earth were summoned to Cybertron by Primus to deal with Unicron.

Soundwave survived the war with Unicron, but was apparently not a favorite of the new Decepticon commander, Bludgeon, and faded somewhat into the background.

Marvel UK future timelines
''In 2008, Soundwave was under the command of Shockwave on Cybertron. When the bounty hunter named Death's Head arrived with the deactivated bodies of the renegades Scourge and Cyclonus and demanded an audience, Shockwave had Soundwave wait nearby as a precautionary measure. Sure enough, Soundwave's monitoring abilities alerted Shockwave that the two Decepticons were not as dead as they seemed, and the three invaders began an assassination attempt on Shockwave. Soundwave summoned the Stunticons, hoping that Menasor could breach the sealed doors of the audience chamber in time, but wasn't swift enough. Death's Head killed Shockwave, and together the trio demanded that the Decepticons accept Scourge and Cyclonus as their new leaders. Faced with superior firepower and a hefty dose of explosives, Soundwave was reluctantly forced to accept on behalf of the Decepticons. ''

''Wasting no time, Scourge and Cyclonus commanded the Decepticons to begin a full-scale assault on Autobase. This was effectively suicide, as the two armies were just about evenly matched. That, of course, was the point -- Scourge and Cyclonus's true master, Unicron, wanted the children of Primus exhausted and depleted in number by the time of his glorious resurrection. After Rodimus Prime and Death's Head took the fight straight to the recuperating Unicron on Junk, however, he summoned his two minions back to his side. Seeing their "glorious leaders" abandon the battle, Soundwave and Hun-Grrr sounded a retreat. In the absence of Unicron's spawn, Soundwave became the new permanent leader of the Decepticons. ''

''Aching to make a name for himself in Decepticon military history, Soundwave soon fell into a Quintesson trap. A lone Quintesson arrived at Decepticon headquarters, seeking an alliance against the Autobots, who supposedly had assembled most of their fleet and were on their way to Quintessa. Instead of helping the Quintessons, Soundwave saw this as an opportunity to invade and destroy the Autobot territory on Cybertron, when most of their warriors were off-world. He assembled his various sub-commanders and set out aboard Astrotrain to claim a glorious victory.''

''Instead, Soundwave and the Decepticons walked right into an ambush. There were no Autobots on Quintessa: it was a ruse to draw them out of their base, where legions of Allicons and Trident assault craft waited to overwhelm the Decepticons. Seeing the danger his troops were in, Soundwave was forced to call in the Autobots. Sending a garbled distress beacon to Autobase, Soundwave hoped to draw a suitable fighting force of Autobots to their location. He was successful, as Ultra Magnus and his men remained to fight even after learning who the distress call came from. Autobot and Decepticon fought side-by-side until the Quintesson invaders were either destroyed or driven off-world. In a moment of introspection, Soundwave realized how effective the two armies were when fighting as one instead of as enemies...but quickly brushed aside the idea. Simply too much had happened between the Autobots and Decepticons to ever hope for a peaceful end to the war. ''

''In 2009, Soundwave and the Terrorcons were on Earth, prepping a new energy extraction system to leech the planet dry. A surgical strike led by Kup and Ultra Magnus destroyed all their equipment, however, leaving their power cells empty of energon. Looking for revenge, the Decepticons pursued the Autobots back to Autobot City, only to find an open trans-time dimensional portal. Realizing the Autobots had fled back to 1989 on a mission of unknown purpose, the vengeful Terrorcons wanted to pursue them. Giving in to popular opinion, Soundwave led his troops back through time and right into the midst of the Time Wars.''

''Recognizing that the uncontrolled timestorm could conceivably destroy all of existence, Soundwave chose to put aside vendettas for the moment, and added his men to the alliance of Autobots and Decepticons from two time periods against the unmatched power and evil of Galvatron and Megatron combined. Still, the alliance was far from perfect: Soundwave was more than willing to allow the Autobots to charge in first, letting them die in order to "soften up" the resistance. When things turned ugly, Soundwave and the Terrorcons then fled back to 2009, apparently without ever getting their hands dirty. Their final fate after reality restructured itself and the timestorm abated is unknown. ''

Earthforce


''In an alternate timeline, Soundwave left Scorponok's army and returned to serving at Megatron's side during the Decepticon Civil War against Shockwave. He was not above exploiting the conflict for his own ends, however. When an energon shipment was hijacked by Shockwave's forces thanks to information Soundwave had given them, Megatron came to suspect the presence of a traitor in his ranks, but ironically assigned Soundwave to identify the culprit. To keep his own duplicity a secret, Soundwave set up Wildrider to take the fall, and Megatron destroyed the Stunticon. Soundwave not only got away with his treachery, he went on to happily blackmail everyone he'd mind-scanned - eat your heart out, Starscream! ''

''Approached by Starscream with a plan to make them both Decepticon leaders, Soundwave joined forces with the schemer and lured Megatron and Shockwave to an airport, tipping off the Autobots to their location. With the two leaders thus occupied, Soundwave and Starscream took control of both factions. Subsequently, Soundwave led an all-out attack on the Earthforce base as a diversion, while Starscream attempted to plunder an oil tanker. Starscream met with failure, however, leading Soundwave to withdraw his forces and hint to them that maybe be should have sole command... Starscream was aware of Soundwave's goals, and when he was attacked by a group of alien assassins, he suspected that Soundwave had ordered the hit and struck back at him. Soundwave was able to convince Starscream he was not responsible and that in actuality, it was the work of Megatron and Shockwave. ''

''Soon afterward, Soundwave learned that human reporter Irwin Spoon had secured an interview with the Autobots that could potentially resolve the public view of the Transformer war. Seeking to prevent this, he had the Stunticons capture the journalist. Although the Autobots were able to rescue him, a carefully planted cerebro-shell ensured that the story Irwin wrote was anything but accurate. ''

Generation 2
After Megatron reassumed control of the Decepticons, Soundwave served under him in a high-ranking position. Naturally, the first thing he did in that position was ask, "Why revive Starscream?" When the Cybertronian Empire beat the snot out of the Decepticons and Megatron was missing in action, Soundwave led a party to recover their leader, telling those who thought Megatron must be dead to shut up.

He was in command of the Warworld while Megatron was on Earth. When the Empire boarded the ship (thanks to Starscream's treachery) he and his bridge crew fled to Earth in escape pods. He was later seen standing by in the final battle against the Swarm.

Generation 1 cartoon

 * Voice Actor: Frank Welker (US), Issei Masamune (Japan), Michael Rüth (Germany)



Soundwave served as intelligence officer during the war on Cybertron. He had the questionably useful altmode of a space-age lamp-post, which allowed him to get as close to Autobot headquarters as the street leading into Iacon. There, he deployed his chest-dwelling minion Laserbeak who could snoop even closer. Laserbeak overheard talk of the Autobot mission to seek new energy sources off Cybertron, which prompted the Decepticons to intercept and board the Ark. During the fight aboard the Ark Soundwave easily fought off Jazz, Prowl and Sideswipe only to be kicked in the back by Ironhide. He then somehow got up again to be punched in the chest by Ratchet, whom he threw against a console. However, this battle was cut short when the gravity of a primitive planet forced both ships to crash land. Four million years later in the Earth year of 1984, the Transformers awakened and Soundwave was reformatted into a portable cassette player. He played an essential role in the generation of energon cubes and the formation of plans for a new space cruiser to return the Decepticons to Cybertron.



Soundwave's cassette player mode allowed him to dupe a grabby and none-too-questioning Spike Witwicky into carrying his shrunken form into Autobot headquarters, where he was able to deploy Ravage and record information on Earth's most plentiful resources. Though Ravage was captured, Soundwave escaped to report to Megatron. After Ravage returned after being allowed to escape, Soundwave proved his loyalty to Megatron by warning his leader of Starscream's foolish attempt to take his life. During the subsequent battle at the launch site of the space cruiser, Sound deployed several tapes in Operation: Warfare (read: he wanted them to fight the Autobots). Soundwave served as helmsman for the space cruiser on its remarkably short flight from Earth, and alerted the others to Mirage's intrusion. Implacable in the face of destruction, Soundwave monotonally reported his failure to halt their descent while the rest of the Decepticons totally freaked out.



After the Decepticons established an undersea headquarters, Soundwave fooled the workers of a solar power plant into thinking he was a worker's tape player, even though he wasn't, which begged the question of how he managed to get inside in the first place. After Megatron was seemingly destroyed, he chafed under the command of Starscream, whose inept leadership he was forced to endure. Their first sortie ended in comical defeat that saw Soundwave bowled over by Prowl as he ran away. When Megatron eventually returned in a scheme to steal Doctor Alcazar's antimatter formula, Soundwave happily latched back onto his master. After Alcazar deleted the formula from his own computer, Soundwave used his mind-reading talents to acquire the formula from the brain of Chip Chase.



During their mission in the Peruvian Andes to exploit the fabled Incan Crystal of Power, Soundwave and Reflector were ambushed by Brawn and Windcharger in mid-air. Brawn drove Soundwave head first into the side of a mountain. As Soundwave got up, he was knocked over by Brawn who had been blasted by Megatron. He got the Autobot back, though, firing sonic bursts directly into Brawn's head, then going after the Autobot with Megatron's gun mode. Soundwave's mind-reading abilities came into use again when he scanned the brains of Grimlock, Slag and Sludge in order to determine their weaknesses.



"I've been waiting a long time for this, you poor excuse for a sound system!"

- Blaster

"All talk, no shock."

- Soundwave, Auto-Bop

One of Soundwave's most notable misadventures came in 1985, when, operating a plan conceived by Starscream, he brainwashed humans with ultrasonic vibrations inside the Decepticon-built night club Dancitron in New York City, leading to a confrontation with his Autobot Communications Officer counterpart, Blaster. This began a lasting rivalry between the two.

"Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior."

- Soundwave on why he is the better candidate, The Transformers: The Movie

In the year 2005, the Autobots had been driven from Cybertron and were now based on their homeworld's moons and on Earth. After scouting from Laserbeak, Megatron concocted a scheme to strike at the heart of Autobot strength by sacking their great fortress of Autobot City. During the subsequent battle, Soundwave deployed an array of his cassettes against the Autobot communications array manned by Blaster. Little did he know Blaster had since gathered a group of cassettes of his own, and in any case Soundwave's minions failed to stop the distress signal. Soundwave's loyalty to Megatron was demonstrated when he recovered the seriously damaged Decepticon leader, who'd been left for dead after Optimus Prime defeated him. But while Soundwave was loyal, he was far from stupid, and he kept his mouth shut when Megatron was subsequently ejected into space. Although he did suggest himself as a replacement leader, he again loyally served Megatron when that being returned as Galvatron.

In the year 2006, although operating in a less prominent capacity for most of the time, Soundwave played a prominent role in Galvatron's attempt to learn the secret of a sonic weapon on the planet Eurythma, where sound and music were the way of life, leaving Soundwave entranced by the planet's perfect melodies. Recording each piece of the harmony that formed the devastating sonic effect, Soundwave was defeated when the Eurythmans countered the harmony with white noise, and he was again pulled into a confrontation with Blaster, who erased his recordings.

Madman Transformers comic


In 2001, Soundwave and his squad of cassettes were deployed to the construction site of Autobot City while the balance of the Autobot forces were engaged in an evacuation of Cybertron. He managed to record a secret conversation between Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus where the Autobot leaders discussed hiding the Autobot Matrix of Leadership in a bunker at the build site, against the chance Prime would be captured or destroyed while off-world. Soundwave returned to the not-so-secret bunker and deployed his minions to dig up the Matrix. Just as the artifact had been secured and Soundwave was about to call for retrieval, the young Autobot Hot Rod took the Matrix and defeated Soundwave's team.

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga
While Megatron and the Decepticons engaged the Autobots in battle in Arizona, Soundwave and his cassettes were dispatched to do something unspecified (but likely evil) in Tokyo. Optimus Prime dispatched a unit of Autobots led by Bumblebee and Kenji to track them down. He was ultimately defeated when Bumblebee got the drop on him with a patented "Bumble-Kick" and shattered his chest. This made it impossible for his cassette forces to return to him, leaving them to be captured as well. When he next appeared, Soundwave hadn't quite got over his injuries, and was seen with bandages stuck to his chest-window.

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages
When Soundwave learned that the Autobots were keeping themselves in shape by having a friendly race, he set up a trap within a narrow canyon, walling the Autobots in and opening fire on them. Luckily, Hound arrived on the scene and delivered a powerful punch to Soundwave's chest, shattering his tape door once again. Soundwave immediately fled.

The Headmasters anime
In 2011, the Decepticons were offered a chance to regain control of Cybertron when Vector Sigma began to destabilize due to the release of the energy of the Matrix. To discover the Autobots' plan of action, Soundwave and his cassettes infiltrated Autobot City. Although discovered by Blaster and his own cassettes, they escaped with the knowledge that the Matrix was currently missing, and that the Autobots were preparing to search Earth for it. Blaster and Hot Rod subsequently embarked on a search mission to the Arctic, where Soundwave and his cassettes attacked them. Blaster allowed Hot Rod to escape, and he and Soundwave engaged in a one-on-one battle, with shattered chests and severed limbs aplenty. The two combatants ultimately inflicted fatal damge to one another, and Soundwave's body exploded even as Blaster collapsed.

The deceased Soundwave's cassettes were able to recover fragments of his body, allowing Decepticon Headmaster leader Scorponok to reconstruct him using the planet Master's super-technology. Soundwave was thusly restored to life as Soundblaster, although now black in appearance as opposed to blue. Immediately Soundblaster set to work using his broadcasting powers to direct the Decepticons' latest creation, the Madmachine, in another attack on Cybertron. The science of Master had also restored the Autobot Blaster to life, however, and under the new name "Twincast" he destroyed Soundblaster's sonic control and foiled the Decepticons' plot.

Soundblaster continued to serve in his role as a spy for the Decepticons, and he and his cassettes would regularly snoop on the Autobots on Cybertron, Earth and Athenia. Soundblaster and his team were responsible for discovering that Vector Sigma was in the process of creating Cybertonuron,  but they didn't take kindly to the arrival of the new intelligence officer, Counterpunch, who seemed able to dig up information that they couldn't (because he was actually the Autobot double-agent, Punch). Soundblaster was himself specifically responsible for the destruction of planet Mars, acting upon the twisted orders of Scorponok; he readily pressed the button which triggered the detonation of plasma bombs placed at the Martian magnetic poles in accord with Scorponok's scheme.

Although rarely doing little more than standing guard and relaying information over large distances (save for one daring instance where he and Ratbat actually managed to sneak board Battleship Maximus), Soundblaster was a regular battlefield presence and accompanied the Decepticon army on interplanetary energy raids, voyaged to planet Master, and was present on Earth during the final battle at the North Pole.

The Headmasters manga
After their defeat at the North Pole, the Decepticons were preparing to retreat from Earth entirely when Scorponok instructed Soundblaster to remain on the planet in secret to act as a spy for the Decepticons. Soundblaster proved that he wasn't up to the challenge by making his presence and intentions known almost instantly when he kicked Wheelie square in the face and took the Witwicky family hostage. Chromedome was left powerless to do anything but surrender, as Slugfest and Overkill brutalized Spike and threatened Carly. Daniel finally snapped and beat the living crap out of the two Cassette dinosaurs, leaving Soundblaster open to Chromedome's poorly named "Master-Chrome Hurricane Throw to the End of Hell!" Chromedome chucked Soundblaster over the horizon, where he landed near the rogue Decepticon Sixshot.

Kid Stuff Talking Story Books continuity

 * Voice actor: Unknown

In When Continents Collide, Megatron calls Soundwave a "blundering, tape-filled idiot." This is notable because it is hilarious. Also, Soundwave is really, really whiny in these stories.

Beast Wars


Soundwave was among the many Transformers strewn about the bridge of the Ark when the Predacon Megatron infiltrated the ship on his mission to destroy Optimus Prime.

3H comics
Soundwave is one of the ancient warriors who appears from J'nwan to help battle the warlord Shokaract.

Dreamwave comics continuity
Soundwave was chosen by Megatron to lead his second assassination team against the new Autobot supreme commander, Optimus Prime. With the aid of his cassette troops, most notably Ravage, as well as Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback, it was assumed he would have no problem with a young, peace-loving Autobot. Soundwave, like many others, underestimated Prime's resolve and was quickly incapacitated. He recovered quickly enough to rescue Megatron after the latter's own battle with Prime.

In the present day, Soundwave was among the Decepticons defeated by the Autobots and their human allies. The spacecraft that would have taken the Transformers back to Cybertron was sabotaged by General Robert Hallo and Adam Rook, and it exploded upon liftoff, scattering the robots across the artic ocean. Soundwave others recovered, Autobot and Decepticon alike, were reprogrammed by Rook to accept commands and were leased to terrorist organisations and military juntas as powerful weapons of war. After Megatron freed himself and the other Decepticons, Soundwave developed a 'metallic virus' that cyberformed Earth organics into cybertronic materials. During the subsequent battle with the Autobots in San Francisco, Soundwave warned Megatron of a nuclear missile launched by Hallo was headed for the city. The Decepticoned used the distraction to escape.

Later, Soundwave was among the Decepticons who quickly joined Shockwave's forces upon returning to Cybertron. Soundwave had little loyalty to Shockwave and readily joined up with Starscream when the Seeker decided to return to Earth and take over. Though Soundwave feigned subservience to Starscream, it was later revealed that he had been serving Megatron the entire time in secret.

IDW comics continuity


Long before the war began, Soundwave was the personal assistant to Senator Ratbat. When Megatron caught Ratbat's eye as a champion of the illegal underground gladiatorial matches, Ratbat sent Soundwave to offer Megatron funding and weapons technology. When two Autobots were discovered listening in on their conversation, Soundwave dispatched Ravage, Buzzsaw, and Laserbeak to capture them. Some time later, Soundwave was assigned to find a warrior with flight capabilities. He found the Seekers: Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker. During a recruitment rally in which Megatron attempted to kill Senator Decimus, a raid by the Autobots under Sentinel Prime resulted in the participants being arrested. Soundwave, however, was freed under Senate directive, something which greatly angered Sentinel Prime. Soundwave had apparently switched loyalties at this time, becoming one of Megatron's own in not only helping Starscream exterminate Kaon senators but also to the extent that he destroyed Ratbat's original body, placing his spark into a relatively weak cassette form and thus forcing him into the Decepticons.



Centuries later, after Shockwave disappeared, Megatron assigned Bludgeon to delve into Shockwave's research and relay all the information back to him. As the Decepticon leader did not fully trust Bludgeon, Megatron also assigned Soundwave to spy on him. Soundwave followed Bludgeon and his team as they left for Earth in 1984 and established a base within Mount St. Helens, eventually discovering that they intended to resurrect Thunderwing. Though Soundwave tried to stop them, Iguanus used an experimental cannon from Shockwave's arsenal to lock him in his alt mode while they instigated a volcanic eruption. He was eventually recovered by a team of unwitting humans who sold him to a pawn shop.



Soundwave was purchased by a human teenager and taken to his home. When Ravage and Laserbeak were reprogrammed by the American government agency Skywatch to find the other Transformers, Skywatch's control signal was blocked by a signal emanating from a functioning Soundwave, still in cassette-player mode.

In a dream set in an alternate universe wrapped in an enigma surrounded by a soft taco shell dreamt by Mirage, Soundwave was part of the Decepticon strike force who attacked the last stronghold of the Autobots. Soundwave was attacked by Hound, who snapped his head off, killing him. But it was just a dream, so it didn't matter. Right?

One year on, Soundwave had been freed and returned to his position at Megatron's right hand. He was present during the attack on a human city, and detected the incoming human military jets. The planes fired, and on Megatron's orders, Soundwave calmly detonated the arsenal. He then launched Laserbeak to take out the human resistance.

Soundwave reported that the humans had sent a sizable ground force after the Decepticons. Following Megatron's orders, he released Frenzy and set him loose on the humans. The only being immune to Frenzy's infrasonic manipulation, he silently observed his minion's work.

Generation 1



 * Soundwave (Decepticon, 1984/1985, 2003, 2007)
 * Japanese ID number: 17, TFC-10
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, 3 rockets, "Concussion Blaster" gun
 * Soundwave transforms into a realistically sized microcassette recorder of indeterminate manufacture and includes weapons that turn into imitation batteries to power his nonexistent circuitry. Takara's release of Soundwave in the Transformers line was nearly identical to the Microchange "MC-10 Cassette Man" toy on which he was based. This meant that along with being packaged with Rumble (previously a red "MC-01 Micross"), he came with a set of non-functioning headphones that allowed you not to listen to the silence not recorded on his non-functioning tapes with the non-functioning microphone. Hasbro packaged Soundwave with Buzzsaw rather than Rumble and omitted the other non-functioning accessories.


 * Soundwave was included in the VS-Y versus pack along with Rumble and Grimlock.


 * For 2003, Soundwave was reissued as part of Takara's Transformers Collection "book-box" series. This iteration of Soundwave came packaged with Laserbeak.


 * Another reissue of Soundwave and Laserbeak was seen in 2007 with Takara's Transformers Encore series. This release featured significantly lighter blue and tweaked stickers to match the new shade used.




 * Soundblaster (Decepticon, 1987, 2005)
 * Japanese ID number: D-101, TFC-18
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, 3 rockets, "Concussion Blaster" gun


 * As part of the Japanese Headmasters series, Soundwave was redecoed and retooled so that he could hold two Cassettes in his chest at once. Soundblaster's tape door was cast in transparent red plastic to allow the information on the "readout" decal, unique to the Headmasters decos of the cassettes, to be seen, functioning in the same manner as the Tech Specs decoders. The readouts of the Decepticon cassettes showed the "weak points" of Fortress Maximus. Soundblaster came packaged with Buzzsaw.


 * Soundblaster saw reissue in the Transformers Collection series in 2005, packaged together with Buzzsaw and Ravage.


 * This mold was used for all future reissues of Soundwave, since the original Soundwave mold is broken, they mostly just have a single tape door to let it look more like Soundwave, yet they still feature the more exposed buttons on the bottom of Soundwave's chest door.




 * Soundwave with Wingthing (Action Master, 1990)
 * Accessories: "Photon Negator" rifle


 * Part of the very first wave of Action Masters, Soundwave is a non-transforming action figure which combines elements of his cartoon model and original toy. He is compatible with any other Action Master weapon or vehicle. He came packaged with his new partner, Wingthing.

Generation 2



 * Soundwave (Go-Bot, 1995)
 * Accessories: Gun


 * A redeco of the Go-Bot Gearhead, Soundwave transforms into a Ford Thunderbird stock car with precision wheels and wire axles, compatible with "Hot Wheels" and "Matchbox" playsets and tracks (which he was properly sized to fit). Notably, his color scheme is very loud, being bright shades of fluorescent yellow, pink and blue. This is one time fans can actually get away with describing a toy's color scheme as neon.




 * In Japan, Soundwave was one of three Go-Bots releases, on a normal Hasbro card with stickers over key parts to add Japanese text to the mix. While this version uses the same bright yellow outer car shell, his internal parts are the same as the second-series all-opaque version of Gearhead. Interestingly enough, his giant "T" hood deco was also applied to the other two toys in the series, Optimus Prime and Megatron.


 * This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise W.A.R.S. and the Universe incarnation of Camshaft. It was planned to be used to make Generation 2 Greasepit, but that toy was canceled.




 * Soundwave (Laser Cycle, 1995)


 * A redeco of the Laser Cycle Road Pig was planned as Soundwave, but ultimately never released, one of many planned late-1995 Generation 2 redecos that never made it to release. Interestingly, many of these including Soundwave and fellow Laser Cycle redeco Jazz were solicited in various store catalogues. Some packaged samples of this toy do exist, but there are estimated to be less than a dozen in existence. Soundwave would have transformed to a blue and silver Honda Goldwing motorcycle, with an LED-lit tailpipe that becomes an arm-mounted weapon in robot mode.


 * This mold was later retooled to make Robots in Disguise Axer and Robot Masters Sideways.

Machine Wars



 * Soundwave (Mega, 1997)
 * Accessories: Giant missile, radar dish


 * Machine Wars Soundwave is a redeco of the Predator Stalker, minus Stalker's handgun and its missiles and with the sighting gimmick having been removed from the missile. In this incarnation, Soundwave transforms into a tracked ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) carrier of probably made-up model. His ICBM can mount on either shoulder or his back in robot mode, and features a see-through "scope" gimmick that is considerably neutered from Stalker's original version. The top panel slides open to allow the small Predator jets to attach to it via their Megavisor gimmicks.


 * This mold was also used to make the Universe incarnation of Soundwave.

Smallest Transforming Transformers



 * Soundwave and Ravage (2003)
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, "Concussion Blaster" gun


 * Like all of the Smallest Transforming Transformers, this version of Soundwave is a tiny replica of his Generation 1 form. He came with Smallest Transforming Transformers Ravage, who is probably the smallest Transformer ever.

Universe (2003)



 * Soundwave & Space Case (Ultra, 2004)
 * Accessories: Giant missile, radar


 * The Machine Wars version of Soundwave was redecoed for release in the Universe line in an Ultra-level two-pack with Space Case. It retains basically all the the same neutered gimmicks from the previous release of the mold.


 * Due to the lack of fiction for either toy in the set, it is possible that this incarnation is in fact an alternate-universe version of Soundwave, or possibly even a new character altogether.

Titanium Series



 * Soundwave (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, "Concussion Blaster" gun


 * A new representation of his Generation 1 form, Titanium Series Soundwave transforms into a slightly redesigned version of his original microcassette player mode. Included is a VERY tiny Laserbeak that transforms into a black rectangle, vaguely resembling a microcassette, and is almost (but not quite) as small as Smallest TF Ravage. He can also fit inside of Soundwave's chest. Both of Soundwave's guns resemble batteries and fit into the battery compartment on his back. Some fans have complained that oddly-shaped crotch area makes it look like Soundwave is wearing a diaper, and that poor leg engineering makes it impossible for them to stay extended, and as a result unable to stand up (much like a baby).


 * This mold was to be redecoed as Soundblaster, but, well...


 * Soundblaster (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, "Concussion Blaster" gun


 * A planned redeco of the transforming Titanium Soundwave in Soundblaster colors, this toy would have come with a new Titanium version of Ravage instead of Laserbeak. However, this toy was ultimately canceled along with many other solicited 6" Cybertron Heroes. Unlike many of those canceled items, however, Soundblaster is apparently not on Hasbro's list for being revived as a 2008/2009 exclusive. Gee, wonder why.


 * Soundwave (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
 *  Accessories: Decepticon stand


 * Soundwave was also planned to be released as a 3" Robot Masters non-transformable figurine, though it never saw release.

Classics



 * Soundwave (Commemorative Edition, 2007)
 * Accessories: Rocket launcher, 3 rockets, "Concussion Blaster" gun


 * Despite having packaging that claims Classics Soundwave is "identical to the original toy," this version is actually a redeco of the Transformers Collection Soundblaster reissue in Soundwave's original colors. This is presumably due to reported mold degradation on the cassette door of the Soundwave mold. While later releases such as the Transformers Encore edition would feature a single-cassette bay, it is noteworthy that this release featured the much more rarely used Cassetteman version of the door mold. Like the Soundblaster reissue, Classics Soundwave is packaged with "Battle" Ravage, as well as Laserbeak, recolored from Soundblaster's Buzzsaw. In a move rare for a US release of this toy, the set included two Takara clear-plastic cassette cases.


 * Exclusive to Toys 'R' Us stores, Soundwave had been intended for the Commemorative Series, but after the cancellation of that line, he was added to Classics, although the phrase "Commemorative Edition" is prominently displayed on the front and sides of the box.

Music Label



 * Soundwave Playing Audio Player (2007)
 * Accessories: Electric launcher, "Wave Bluster", 2 closed fists (left & right), 2 gun-holding pose fists (left & right), 2 eject-button pose fists (left & right), headphones


 * Released by TakaraTomy's Music Label (which also puts out a not-half-as-cool Convoy iPod stand), Soundwave is an MP3 player which takes a miniSD card. The box says it can take up to 1 GB, but many claims have shown it can support up to 2 GB. The player uses 1 AAA battery. An optional accessory, sold separately, features headphones that transform into Frenzy and Rumble. The player also features a transformation almost entirely accurate to his G1 appearance. He also comes with two sets of hands, his shoulder cannon, and a sidearm.


 * Controls
 * Play/Pause (Press and hold for three seconds to power on or off)
 * Next
 * Previous
 * Volume Up
 * Volume Down.


 * It also treats Folders as Albums.




 * An LED behind the "cassette" door turns on and flashes to indicate the power's on. The single AAA battery lasts for about 6 hours of continuous play. Soundwave was initially released in two color schemes: "Spark Blue", his normal blue and silver colors; and "Sonic White", a mostly white color scheme with some blue detailing, echoing the traditional iPod color scheme. While the "Spark Blue" version reappeared in a second production run, the "Sonic White" version was replaced with "Blaster Black". In this deco, the figure bears a deliberate resemblance to Soundblaster. However, the packaging and other materials still refer to it as "Soundwave".


 * The "Sonic White" version was also later used to represent the mirror-universe "Shattered Glass" Soundwave.

Attacktix



 * Soundwave (Booster, 2007)


 * Part of a planned second series of Transformers Attacktix boosters, Soundwave was to be a 30-point "Leader" class piece.

Super Collection Figure/Heroes of Cybertron

 * Soundwave


 * Soundblaster

Transformers - Mini Bust



 * Soundwave (Diamond Select, 2007)


 * Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2007, Soundwave was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1,000 pieces. The sculpt features both his concussion blaster gun and shoulder cannon with Laserbeak perched on his left shoulder. His tape deck altmode is sculpted on the base of the bust.

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2008, Sound Blaster was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum, limited to 1,000 pieces, and comes with a scale version of Frenzy in tape mode that can be freely removed. This is Sound Blaster's first North American release. His name has been changed from "Soundblaster" to "Sound Blaster" and his Tech Spec contains some interesting new information. Notably that his body was reconstructed using technology stolen from Nebulos and his shoulder cannon is now an "electric launcher" capable of firing charged particles at 38,000 volts. His tech spec stats are also completely different from his original Japanese release. His motto reads "Volume the same, destructive power doubled."
 * Sound Blaster (Diamond Select, 2008)

Robot Heroes

 * Bumblebee & Soundwave (2007)


 * He came in a two-pack with Bumblebee.

Trivia

 * According to an interview in the magazine Otaku USA (issue 3, pg. 102-3), the original Microchange toy and the accompanying cassettes were at least partially designed by famed mecha designer and anime director Shinji Aramaki. He did not come up with the transformation scheme, but designed most of the outward appearance and details. He also worked on the toys that became the deluxe Insecticons, Reflector, and Perceptor.


 * Including the Microchange "Cassette Man" version, the original Soundwave mold has sported at least four different tape doors:
 * The original MC-10 version had a cassette door that had "Cassette Man" emblazoned on it and featured a hinge that was internal to the robot's body.
 * For the initial Transformers release by Hasbro, the "Cassette Man" text was removed.
 * When Takara's Soundwave was released, the hinge was remolded so the bottom of the door attached to the outside of the robot, on either side of the "buttons", which had also been remolded.
 * The Soundblaster version had a door that retained the external hinge and added the capacity for holding a second cassette.




 * Though Soundwave's toy is a microcassette recorder, his fictional appearances depict him as a stereo cassette deck or Walkman. (Likewise, his microcassette tapes are depicted as regular audio cassettes.)


 * Animation from early Transformers commercials featured a Soundwave model colored in very light blue, versus the dark blue used later. Also, instead of the cassettes ejecting themselves from his chest, he reached into his chest compartment with his own fingers and threw the (tiny) tapes into the air.




 * Soundwave's distinctive voice proved to be one of Generation 1's most memorable aspects. The highly processed voice began with Frank Welker basically doing his "Dr. Claw" voice from Inspector Gadget. Whether due to variations in the performance or the processing, the final result varied quite a bit across Soundwave's three seasons on the show. Occasionally, as in the episodes "Roll For It" and "Webworld", the processing was left out and Welker's actual voice can be heard.


 * Soundwave has flown in his alt mode one time, in the episode "Masquerade". In the Japanese Playstation 2 game, Soundwave can transform to tape mode and kind of bounces around to move in that form. No, really.


 * The typically emotionally-barren Soundwave actually laughs on two separate occasions in the Generation 1 cartoon (Quest for Survival and Auto-Bop), while he screams like a little girl only once (Roll for It).


 * The Marvel U.S. comics chose a purple scheme for Soundwave. This could have been an error, an early look for him that was dropped in other media, or perhaps an attempt to distinguish him from the other Decepticons, who were mostly blue (especially since blacks also ended up as blues in the industry's then-limited color palette). He was also sometimes shown without a faceplate. The Marvel UK comics colored him blue like everywhere else (partially due to using a more sophisticated coloring system) and always included his faceplate.


 * Soundwave was in charge of the UK letters page up until issue 78.




 * Soundwave's computer model was used for one of the generic Transformers in Beast Machines. It is seen in Nightscream's flashback being cornered by Vehicon drones just before Nightscream flees into the lower levels of Cybertron. Though the model was recolored, it was still really 'Soundwavey,' causing much confusion among fans. Well, apparently he is not the only one.


 * Later, Soundwave's character model showed up numerous times in various color schemes as a generic background character in the Armada cartoon.


 * Sideways listened to music using a tape deck resembling Soundwave in the Cybertron cartoon. Later, after a new Planet X was found, Cybertron Soundwave held tape deck Soundwave in his arms. This caused a great disturbance in the force...


 * In the Japanese dub of the Generation 1 cartoon, as well as the supporting manga, all of Soundwave's cassette forces which could talk referred to him as "big brother". It should probably be noted, though, that this is a fairly common way to refer to others you admire and such in Japanese. It's also a term that gang members use toward older, more experienced members who aren't actual gang bosses. Take it as you will. Whatever it says about his relationship with them, it does give new meaning to the phrase "Big Brother is watching over you".


 * If you look closely, Soundwave's head resembles the Decepticon insignia while the Autobot insignia resembles Prowl's, possibly indicating they might have been considered the leaders of their factions early in the Transformers development process.


 * IDW Publishing seems to be undecided on Soundwave's speech pattern. In Megatron Origin, he speaks in his classic cartoon-based monotone. However, in Spotlight: Soundwave, he speaks in a normal fashion. Which is once again reverted to the classic speech in All Hail Megatron. This is possibly due to the fact Megatron Origin was originally written for the cartoon-based Dreamwave comics continuity rather than IDW's, while All Hail Megatron aimed to reflect the most recognizable "classic" depictions of the characters, compared to Simon Furman's Marvel Comics-based take on Soundwave.


 * Don Figueroa made a concept drawing of a potential Classics Soundwave. The design was canceled, but seems to have inspired other toys.


 * Guido Guidi made a concept drawing of Soundwave with a modern microcassette recorder as an alt-mode (these are apparently still used by reporters today) for IDW Publishing's All Hail Megatron maxi-series. This was also unused. Consequently, Soundwave may go down as the Transformers character with the most unused designs.

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 * During one of Hasbro's designer panels at BotCon 2008, an audience member questioned the feasibility of releasing the Music Label Soundwave toy in the 2008 Universe toyline, but without the expensive MP3 player electronics. Bizarrely, Hasbro design director Aaron Archer gave a seemingly prepared statement that did not answer the question at all, and instead stated that Hasbro were unlikely to release Music Label Soundwave in their markets due to the obscurity of the MiniSD memory card format.


 * Soundwave made a cameo appearance in the Family Guy episode "The Courtship of Stewie's Father", gaining an Employee of the Month award for doing nothing! Way to go Soundwave!