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* BreakoutVillain: He not only appeared as the main antagonist of ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'', but he got to appear in several other continuities after the series ended.



* {{Expy}}: [[WordOfGod Marty Isenberg confirmed]] that Lockdown was inspired by ComicBook/DeathsHead [[note]] as a nod to this, the name of his ship is ''Death's Head'' [[/note]], and the impetus for Lockdown's creation was to make a Hasbro-owned version of the latter character.

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* {{Expy}}: [[WordOfGod Marty Isenberg confirmed]] that Lockdown was inspired by ComicBook/DeathsHead [[note]] as a nod to this, the name of his ship is ''Death's Head'' [[/note]], and the impetus for Lockdown's creation was to make a Hasbro-owned version of the latter character.[[note]] Though Death's Head was created for the Marvel Comic by Hasbro, Simon Furman made sure Marvel got to own the character first by having a story published ahead of the UK ''Transformers'' series. Then, with the aid of a [[Series/DoctorWho certain Gallifrayan time-traveler]], he got shipped to the main Marvel Universe for good.[[/note]]



* CannotTellALie: Inverted by Ramjet, who is unable to tell the truth and can't say anything other than blatant falsehoods.
* CanonForeigner: Slipstream was created for ''Animated''.

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* CannotTellALie: Inverted by Ramjet, who is unable to tell the truth and can't say anything other than blatant falsehoods.
falsehoods. However, he's technically still telling the truth, since everyone knows what he's saying is a lie.
* CanonForeigner: Slipstream was created for ''Animated''.''Animated'', but she's since been added into other continuities.



* {{Flanderization}}: They take each of Starscream's personality traits and amp it UpToEleven. Had the show gone on further, they would have [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] this trope by developing personalities all of their own.



** It is unknown what happened to Thundercracker and Skywarp after Blurr left them behind in [="TransWarped"=]. Skywarp is implied to become Cyclonus, at least in an alternate timeline, meaning that [[UnexplainedRecovery he got better]].

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** It is unknown what happened to Thundercracker and Skywarp after Blurr left them behind in [="TransWarped"=]. Skywarp is implied to become Cyclonus, at least in an alternate timeline, meaning that [[UnexplainedRecovery he got better]]. Assuming Cyclonus' claims are true and Galvatron is involved, it's possible Thundercracker becomes Scourge as well.



* MythologyGag: The team is named after the planet where the Decepticons hid out on in the original show's third season.



* UndyingLoyalty: Almost as fanatical as Lugnut, although she does (briefly) question Megatron when he denies her a rumble with the Elite Guard.

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* UndyingLoyalty: Almost as fanatical as Lugnut, Lugnut (whom she's also married to), although she does (briefly) question Megatron when he denies her a rumble with the Elite Guard.
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* HeroKiller: He's one of the biggest and most feared Decepticons that was ever created.

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* HeroKiller: He's one of the biggest and most feared Decepticons that was ever created.created, and was responsible for the deaths of many Omega Sentinels and the entirety of the Wreckers.
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* SurroundedByIdiots: Among his Earth soldiers, we've got TheStarscream, a SycophanticServant, and a triple-changing MoodSwinger. That's not even getting into the Constructicons, Blackarachnia and various others. The only really reliable underling he has is Shockwave.
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* InternalizedCategorism: She hates being techno-organic and attempts to do whatever she can to get rid of her organic half.
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* VocalEvolution: His voice changes after his first episode.
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* WakeUpCallBoss: After a 10 episodes of ineffectual villains, human antagonists and a toy Soundwave, the ''real'' Decepticons show up and completely change the game. In a departure from the normal Transformers formula, the Decepticons are treated as a nigh-unstoppable enemy that a simple crew of Autobot maintenance robots can barley stand up against.

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* WakeUpCallBoss: After a 10 episodes of ineffectual villains, human antagonists and a toy Soundwave, the ''real'' Decepticons show up and completely change the game. In a departure from the normal Transformers formula, the Decepticons are treated as a nigh-unstoppable enemy that a simple crew of Autobot maintenance robots can barley barely stand up against.
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* CombiningMecha: They, along with Dirt Boss and the newly added Constructicons, would've been able to combine into Devastator in Season 4.

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* CombiningMecha: They, along He would have combined with Dirt Boss Mixmaster, Scrapper, and the newly added Constructicons, would've been able Constructicons to combine into become Devastator in Season 4.
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** He gets into a petty fight with Lugnut over who is more loyal to Megatron, and later laughs at him when he falls over while they're constructing copies of Omega Supreme.

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** He gets into a petty fight with Lugnut over who is more loyal to Megatron, and later points and laughs at him when he falls over while they're constructing copies of Omega Supreme.
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* TeamMemberInTheAdaptation: No prior incarnation of Dirt Boss was affiliated with the Constructicons.
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Adding Wake up call boss to the Decepticons because they were much more dangerous than other villains.

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* WakeUpCallBoss: After a 10 episodes of ineffectual villains, human antagonists and a toy Soundwave, the ''real'' Decepticons show up and completely change the game. In a departure from the normal Transformers formula, the Decepticons are treated as a nigh-unstoppable enemy that a simple crew of Autobot maintenance robots can barley stand up against.
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** Slipstream did eventually get a toy...in the Transformers Legends line. This is a confusing example as while the tie in comic ''does'' say she's the same character having jumped dimensions (with her head specifically made to look animated style), it's a completely different toyline altogether.

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** Slipstream did eventually get a toy...in the Transformers Legends ''Webcomic/TransformersLegends'' line. This is a confusing example as while the tie in comic ''does'' say she's the same character having jumped dimensions (with her head specifically made to look animated style), it's a completely different toyline altogether.



** Slipstream's appearance in "Endgame" was originally written to set up her reviving Starscream. This was cut when it became clear the third season would be the last, leaving it a mystery where Slipstream went afterward (though this version of the character does appear in the multi-universe ''Transformers Legends'' comic).

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** Slipstream's appearance in "Endgame" was originally written to set up her reviving Starscream. This was cut when it became clear the third season would be the last, leaving it a mystery where Slipstream went afterward (though this version of the character does appear in the multi-universe ''Transformers Legends'' ''Webcomic/TransformersLegends'' comic).
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* SeductiveSpider: Visually attractive (at least as long as [[spoiler:she hides her FacialHorror underneath her helmet]]), and she had used her alluring looks to disorient and distract Optimus Prime before knocking him unconscious, and much later, she seduces insane Autobot fugitive Wasp into allowing himself to become her test subject for creating technorganic Transformers by turning him into Waspinator.
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[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tfa_longarm.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see Longarm Prime]]

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[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tfa_longarm.jpg[[/labelnote]] org/pmwiki/pub/images/longarm.png[[/labelnote]] to see Longarm Prime]]Prime]]

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* FromASingleCell: A variant. After many of his defeats, he's reduced to a tiny piece of hardware [[MythologyGag identical to his G1 cassette player mode]] and rebuilds himself later. The first time he gets away because everyone thought he was destroyed, the second [[VillainExitStageLeft he's carried away by Laserbeak.]]

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* FromASingleCell: A variant. After many of his defeats, he's reduced to a tiny piece of hardware [[MythologyGag identical to his G1 cassette player mode]] and rebuilds himself later. The first time he gets away because everyone thought he was destroyed, and with the second [[VillainExitStageLeft he's carried away by Laserbeak.]]


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* VocalEvolution: In his first appearance, the synth effect with his voice is melodic and [[MachineMonotone monotonous]]. Later appearances would make him sound deeper and add an altering modulation.
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* EvilGenius: As always, he's one of Megatron's smarter and more cunning henchmen, with his biggest fests being his stint as a double agent on Cybertron and rigging Lugnut to directly control the Omega Supreme clones in the series finale.


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* MasterOfDisguise: Moreso than other Cybertronians, Shockwave can actually disguise himself as ''other'' robots, making him a literal robot in disguise.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transformers_animated_shockwave.jpg]]

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[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-tfa_shockwave_4206.jpg]]

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[[quoteright:250:https://static.[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transformers_animated_shockwave.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click]]https://static.
tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-tfa_shockwave_4206.jpg]]jpg[[/labelnote]] to see Autobot colors]]
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* BigBad: As always for the leader of the Decepticons. He spends much of the first season a disembodied head after an assassination attempt by Starscream, but continues to cause a lot of trouble behind the scenes. Once he acquires his new body, he takes the throne full-time from the first season finale onward.

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* BigBad: As always for the leader of the Decepticons. He spends much of the first season a disembodied head after an An assassination attempt by Starscream, Starscream leaves him a disembodied head for most of the first season, but continues to cause he still causes a lot of trouble by manipulating others to do his bidding from behind the scenes. Once he acquires his new body, body in the first season finale, he takes occupies the throne full-time from for the first season finale onward.rest of the series.

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* DrivenToMadness: According to AllThereInTheManual plans for Season 4, it would've been explained that Blitzwing is a MoodSwinger due to the experimentation that turned him into a Triple-Changer by Blackarachnia.



* DrivenToMadness: According to AllThereInTheManual plans for Season 4, it would've been explained that Blitzwing is a MoodSwinger due to the experimentation that turned him into a Triple-Changer by Blackarachnia.
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* CastingGag: His entire personality revolves around his loyalty to Megatron, and he’s voiced by Creator/DavidKaye, who voiced Megatron himself in ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' and ''Anime/TransformersEnergon'', as well as another purple Cybertronian obsessed with (and named after) Megatron in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' and ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines''.
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* {{Expy}}: Of Scorponok from ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars''. His relationship with Blitzwing is also similar to that of Rattrap and Dinobot.
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* FauxAffablyEvil: He's charismatic and polite, but at the end of the day he's just a ruthless, power-hungry megalomaniac.

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* OneShotCharacter: Only appears in the episode "Three's A Crowd". If there had been a fourth season, he would have made another appearance.


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* VillainOfTheWeek: He's the primary antagonist of "Three's A Crowd". If there had been a fourth season, he would have made another appearance.

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* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Only the Hothead personality is based off of a previous version of Blitzwing (specifically, his G1 toy bio that describes him as a raging JerkAss), with his SplitPersonality aspect and the two extra personalities being original to ''Animated''.

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* AccentAdaptation: Blitzwing is given an American accent in the Japanese dub. His Icy persona sounds his words out slowly, while Hothead peppers his dialogue with GratuitousEnglish.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Only the Hothead personality is based off of a previous version of Blitzwing (specifically, his G1 toy bio that describes him as a raging JerkAss), {{Jerkass}}), with his SplitPersonality aspect and the two extra personalities being original to ''Animated''.
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* FauxAffablyEvil: In her first appearance, she initially tries to act like [[Adultfear she's an adult that Sari can trust.]] She's just trying to manipulate her into handing over the Key.

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* FauxAffablyEvil: In her first appearance, she initially tries to act like [[Adultfear [[AdultFear she's an adult that Sari can trust.]] She's just trying to manipulate her into handing over the Key.
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* FauxAffablyEvil: In her first appearance, she initially tries to act like [[Adultfear she's an adult that Sari can trust.]] She's just trying to manipulate her into handing over the Key.
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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/DavidKaye / Kentarō Itō

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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/DavidKaye / Kentarō Itō
Creator/KentaroIto



-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/BumperRobinson / Yuichi Nagashima

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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/BumperRobinson / Yuichi Nagashima
Creator/YuichiNagashima



-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/LanceHenriksen / Akio Ōtsuka

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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/LanceHenriksen / Akio Ōtsuka
Creator/AkioOhtsuka



-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/FredWillard / Nobutoshi Canna

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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/FredWillard / Nobutoshi Canna
Creator/NobutoshiCanna



The Decepticon equivalent of a used car salesman. Swindle is a charming individual who sells weaponry and whatever business he can get his hands on - as long as he can make a profit, it doesn't matter! Voiced, fittingly enough, by the CEO of Buy & Large.

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The Decepticon equivalent of a used car salesman. Swindle is a charming individual who sells weaponry and whatever business he can get his hands on - as long as he can make a profit, it doesn't matter! Voiced, fittingly enough, by [[WesternAnimation/WallE the CEO of Buy & Large.Large]].



-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/PhilLaMarr / Atsushi Imaruoka

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-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/PhilLaMarr / Atsushi Imaruoka
Creator/AtsushiImaruoka
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-> '''Voiced by:''' John Mariano / Tetsuo Gotō

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-> '''Voiced by:''' John Mariano Creator/JohnMariano / Tetsuo Gotō
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[[Characters/TransformersAnimated Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TransformersAnimatedMainAutobots Main Autobots]] | [[Characters/TransformersAnimatedOtherAutobots Other Autobots]] | '''Decepticons''' | [[Characters/TransformersAnimatedHumans Humans]] | [[Characters/TransformersAnimatedShatteredGlass Shattered Glass]]
----
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[[foldercontrol]]
!Decepticons

[[folder:In General]]
----
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: They used to be Cybertron's military defense, but then they got tired of it and decided to stage war on Cybertron against the Autobots instead. Now they just seek out power, are just really loyal to Megatron, or are just evil [[ForTheEvulz because they can be]].
* AdaptationalBadass: The average Decepticon in this incarnation is able to take on a team of Autobots, five to one.
* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Downplayed. While they continue to be a threat requiring multiple Autobots to defeat individually, they became steadily easier to deal with as the series went on, and this is justified as the Autobots become more experienced fighting them.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Averted. If they had a troubled backstory, it isn't relevant to who they are anymore. The only Decepticon known to have a dark and troubled past and continues to be affected by it is [[FallenHero Blackarachnia]].
* EvilIsBigger: The average Decepticon towers over most of the Autobots! This is a JustifiedTrope, because a guy who turns into a plane is obviously going to have more mass to account for than a guy who can turn into a car.
** Though some of them are the same height/smaller than the Autobots, such as Lockdown, Dirt Boss, Swindle and Soundwave. [[spoiler:Though that's because Swindle and Lockdown are heavily implied to be former Autobots.]]
* FactionCalculus: Of the Powerhouse variety, in contrast to the Autobots' Subversive.
* RobotSoldier: Their entire history, as they are descendants of Cybertronians built for military applications and, for a time, were the entirety of Cybertron's armed forces.
* SequelAdaptationIconicVillain: The first season of the show focused on human villains and lone Decepticons, or else their plots were downplayed. The first season ended with Megatron getting his own body again and Starscream's arrival on Earth, setting the Decepticons up as much more prominent antagonists in season two.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: Decepticons see themselves as freedom fighters, but everyone else sees them as terrorists.
[[/folder]]

!!Main Decepticons

[[folder:Megatron]]
!!Megatron
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/300px-megatronanimated_8121.jpg]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/CoreyBurton / Creator/NorioWakamoto

--> ''"With the power of the [=AllSpark=], I will reclaim Cybertron for all Decepticon-kind - but not before I lay waste to the miserable world that held me captive for so long."''

Megatron likes to think of himself as a freedom fighter, leading his troops to reclaim their home from the Autobots who exiled them after the Great War. This claim is somewhat undermined by his complete lack of concern for anyone not useful to him and his willingness to manhandle his own soldiers to remind them who's in charge or to field-test weapons of mass destruction on defenseless human cities.

In a surprising turn from the regular "Optimus Prime vs. Megatron" setup of most Transformers series, here Megatron regards Optimus as a minor nuisance, in fact, up until the last episode he never even calls him by name.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: Probably the most powerful major Megatron in the franchise as of this writing. He manages to menace the Autobots without having a body, trounces them easily when he does get one, and consistently needs either a lot of luck or a ''very'' strong opponent to be laid low. His revival alone was considered a big enough threat to warrant a season finale. He also has nowhere near the resources or armies of other Megatrons, and yet still manages to threaten all of Cybertron on a regular basis.
* AdaptationalIntelligence: In practice, he's a lot smarter than his G1 counterpart, who was basically a GeneralFailure at the end of the day. ''This'' Megatron, however, is TheChessmaster; he always has a long term scheme going, is easily able to manipulate others to do his bidding, can [[XanatosSpeedChess skillfully turn unexpected complications to his advantage]], and deals with [[TheStarscream treacherous lieutenants]] with a vicious, zero-tolerance policy.
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: He's a lot more polite and generous than most other incarnations of Megatron. Make no mistake, however; he's not really any more noble.
* AliensOfLondon: He speaks in a British accent.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Even his larger, more powerful subjects bow down to him with little hesitation.
* AxCrazy: In Season 4, he would've gone off the deep end after being reformatted into a Triple-Changer.
* BackFromTheDead: Given the state of his body and that his head was apparently inert for the entire time Sumdac possessed it, it seems he really did go offline after crash-landing on Earth, and the burst of [=AllSpark=] energy from Sari's Key reignited his spark.
* BenevolentBoss: Compared to [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers his past]] [[WesternAnimation/BeastWars incarnations]], Megatron is a very charismatic leader who inspires UndyingLoyalty to many of his followers. He's also generally not as needlessly cruel to his minions, [[KickTheDog unless they're]] [[TheStarscream Starscream]] or [[PunyEarthlings Sumdac]].
* BigBad: As always for the leader of the Decepticons. He spends much of the first season a disembodied head after an assassination attempt by Starscream, but continues to cause a lot of trouble behind the scenes. Once he acquires his new body, he takes the throne full-time from the first season finale onward.
* CatchPhrase: Whenever one of his troops (typically [[UndyingLoyalty Lugnut]]) annoys him, he has a tendency to remark "Oh for spark's sake".
* CapturedSuperEntity: For most of season one, he's just a disembodied head in Isaac Sumdac's secret lab.
* TheChessmaster: Always has a long-term plan going on, and is known to edit them on the fly when necessary.
** Pulls a ''delicious'' gambit in the final episodes with Shockwave, Starscream and Lugnut as his pawns in the game. He needs a template for his Omega clones, but using himself will likely result in massive Megatron clones that ''will'' try to overthrow him and likely will succeed. Starscream is currently in league with him out of no other choice, so Megatron keeps him around to help out despite knowing he will betray him and likely try to become the template himself. So when Shockwave returns to the fold full-time, he begins showering him with praise as his most loyal servant - deliberately to piss off Lugnut, who's loyal to Megs to the point of religious fanaticism and starts making obscenely over-the-top displays of loyalty. When the time comes to make a template, Lugnut stops Starscream from betraying Megatron... and becomes the template for the clones himself. Now Megatron has three massive Lugnut's with UndyingLoyalty to him to do his bidding.
* ChewingTheScenery: While he's usually a lot more sedate than other incarnations of the character, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOU2oAiHadQ he has his moments]]. ''[[SayMyName Starscream!!]]''.
** Bonus points for being voiced by none other than Creator/NorioWakamoto in the Japanese version.
* CompositeCharacter: Of a few previous incarnations. While based mostly off of his ''G1'' counterpart (with his design borrowing from his ''Battlestars'' incarnation), his extended planner qualities are from the ''Beast Wars'' incarnation (and would have looked somewhat like his ''Beast Machines'' counterpart had Season 4 happened). His look prior to Earth and the fact technology was reverse-engineered from him were taken from the first live-action film, specifically in the shape of his helmet. His Season 4 look would have also given him the ability to triple change, as with ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
* ConsummateLiar: He's extremely good at manipulating people with his words, telling them exactly what they need to hear to either allay their suspicion of himself or send them against the Autobots. Professor Sumdac, the Dinobots, Soundwave, and the Constructicons all fell prey to his silver tongue ([[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters though Soundwave didn't need much convincing]]).
* CreepyMonotone: He doesn't have much inflection when he speaks, making him sound sinister and emotionless.
* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: After crashing onto Earth, he's stuck as a disembodied head and is forced to trick Isaac Sumdac into building him a new body.
* DeadpanSnarker: Occasionally. One of the most notable examples is in "The Elite Guard", where he refutes Isaac Sumdac's hopes of the Autobots eventually rescuing him by snarkily pointing out how unlikely it would be for the Autobots to trust Professor Sumdac because of his hand in reviving Megatron.
--> '''Megatron''': [''to Starscream''] And to think, you actually believed you could take over as leader of the Decepticons? You couldn't lead a parade.
* TheDreaded: He is so feared that there are even rumors that he eats protoforms for breakfast.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: While he had already got a good deal of screentime, one of the defining moments for his character occurred in the Season 1 finale; having just come back online and aware that Starscream played a key role in his original demise, the very first thing he does is outright ''kill'' Starscream [[note]] [[ResurrectiveImmortality it doesn't last.]] [[/note]]. This shows that, unlike previous incarnations, ''this'' Megatron is not so forgiving of treachery.
* EvenEvilHasStandards:
** When addressing Swindle, he remarks with disdain that the latter would sell out his own motherboard for profit.
** Compared to the reputation the Autobot High command has(especially Sentinel Prime) Megatron seems to have no reservations about partially-organic cybertronians. That Blackarachnia was more willing to serve under him than the Elite Guard really says something.
* EvilBrit: Speaks with a slight accent.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Creator/CoreyBurton took inspiration from Creator/TimCurry, Creator/ChristopherLee, and Creator/JohnHurt.
* FalseFriend: Paints himself as a friend of the Autobots and ally of humanity during his time trapped in Professor Sumdac's lab.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Very little is given about his background in the series, and the [[AllThereInTheManual Complete AllSpark Almanac]] doesn't give much, but it ''does'' indicate he wasn't nearly as infamous before he overthrew the original Decepticon leader, Megazarak.
* HeyYou: Viewing Team Optimus as below him, he never bothers to learn their names until it turns out Bulkhead is a space bridge technician at the end of Season 2 and Optimus gets on his level at the end of Season 3.
-->'''Megatron:''' You're a persistent little Autobot.\\
'''Optimus:''' [[MyNameIsInigoMontoya My name is]] '''[[MyNameIsInigoMontoya OPTIMUS PRIME!]]'''\\
''[later]''\\
'''Megatron:''' If I cannot save my clones, I will at least have the satisfaction of destroying you, Optimus Prime!\\
'''Optimus:''' So you ''can'' remember my name.
* HostileTerraforming: In the Season 4 premiere, he and his 'Cons would've detached the city of Kaon from Cybertron and landed it smack-dab in the middle of Lake Erie. At the end of the season, they would then go on to try to turn the rest of Earth into their own personal Cybertron, but the Autobots and company would've put a stop to it.
* KnightTemplar: Maybe. He talks of himself as a freedom fighter struggling against "Autobot tyranny", but it's not entirely clear if he genuinely feels this way or if it's just empty rhetoric designed to win sympathy for the Decepticon cause.
* LargeAndInCharge: Averted. He's huge, but he's got soldiers bigger than him like Lugnut and Blackout.
* LargeHam: Averted; in fact, he's probably the most subdued incarnation of Megatron to date, especially in comparison to his ''Beast Wars'' and ''Prime'' counterparts.
* LightningBruiser: Has incredible strength and speed.
* LosingYourHead: When falling through the Earth's atmosphere, his head was severed from the rest of his body and crash-landed separately. It's reconnected in the Season 1 Finale.
* ManipulativeBastard: Can play people like a fiddle, including Professor Sumac, the Constructicons, his troops...
* MoralMyopia: He's outraged when he learns of Starscream's treacherous attempt to kill him and usurp his role... even though he became leader of the Decepticons when he overthrew his predecessor.
* MythologyGag:
** His [[spoiler:Triple Changer]] robot mode appearance looks to be based on ''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersBeastMachines Beast Machines]]'' Megatron.
** It's claimed by Cyclonus that he'll [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie he'll become Galvatron]] and kill Oil Slick.
* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: As much as Megatron talks about liberating the Decepticons from Autobot oppression, his main goal is, as in most other incarnations, the conquest of Cybertron. The main difference between this Megatron and most others is his rhetoric.
* OracularHead: Season 1, following the destruction of his body in the pilot. He gets a new one in the season finale.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: During season 2, his space bridge project keeps him too busy to go out. Unless it involves Starscream.
* PsychoticSmirk: Does this frequently.
* SealedEvilInACan: For most of season 1, he's just a head locked up in Sumdac's secret lab waiting for a new body.
* ShouldersOfDoom: In his Cybertronian body; his Earth form replaced them with VerticalMechaFins.
* ShroudedInMyth: At least by the time of the present day, if Bumblebee's crazy stories in the pilot about him are any suggestion.
* TheStarscream: Ironically, WordOfGod says that he didn't start the Decepticons. Megazarak started them but Megatron overthrew him.
* TheStoic: For the most part, he's not as emotional or expressive as the other Decepticons.
** NotSoStoic: See VillainousBreakdown.
* TakingYouWithMe: He tries to pull this on Optimus in ''Endgame'' [[note]] They both survive regardless [[/note]]. This is a stark contrast from the beginning of the series, where he saw the Autobot as beneath him, and shows Optimus' development into a true hero and thus a WorthyOpponent for Megatron.
* UngratefulBastard:
** Sumdac spent almost a year trying to repair him and was nothing but respectful and kind while doing so. Yet not only does Megatron sabotage his inventions more than once in order to destroy the Autobots, as soon as he gets his body back he takes Sumdac hostage and forces him to work for the Decepticons, all the while being as openly callous and disrespectful as possible. This might have something to do with the fact that Sumdac built his entire empire from Megatron's salvaged remains while he was offline all those years, which he saw as a ''massive'' insult.
** In ''A Bridge Too Close'', Optimus saves him from being blasted by Starscream; Megatron repays him by using the Autobot as a HumanShield against a subsequent attack by Ramjet.
* VillainousBreakdown: Megatron spends much of the series very composed and rarely ever loses his temper. Come "Endgame", where his plans are ''yet again'' thwarted by the same band of second-rate Autobots that have been a persistent thorn in his side, and Megatron completely drops all pretense and settles for just destroying everything in sight.
-->'''Megatron''': "DESTROY ''ANYTHING'' THAT'S NOT '''''ME!'''''"
* VillainousCheekbones: He has these because of his face being rather angular.
* WeaponOfChoice: Quite a few.
** ArmCannon: He has an arm cannon on his arm.
** {{BFG}}: As always, his iconic Fusion Cannon.
** {{Cool Sword}}s
** DualWielding: He uses two swords.
* WickedCultured: He's the vicious leader of the Decepticons, but he's also an oil connoisseur, even brewing his own blends!
** Hilariously, his delicious oil blends help him connect with and recruit the LowerClassLout Contructicons to his cause.
* WorthyOpponent: He's alarmed when he believes Ultra Magnus has come to fight him in the GrandFinale. By the end of the episode, he regards Optimus Prime as this after he's stood in the way of his plans for far too long and too stubbornly.
-->'''Megatron''': If I cannot save my clones, then at least I'll have the satisfaction of destroying ''you'', '''Optimus Prime!'''
-->'''Optimus Prime''': So you ''can'' remember my name.
* XanatosSpeedChess: One of his greatest strengths is his ability to turn unexpected developments to his advantage. The Dinobots get sparks? Convince them that "car robots" are their enemies. Soundwave develops self-awareness, making him unsuitable as a new body? Persuade him to lead a machine uprising against the humans and Autobots.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Starscream]]
!!Starscream
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-starscreamanimated_7961.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:''"YES! Right then, solemn face, ''solemn'' face..."'']]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TomKenny / Creator/JinYamanoi

-->''"Don't try to deceive a Decepticon, Autobot! ''We'' are the ''masters'' of deception!"''

Starscream is an actual threat to the Autobots this time around, capable of flooring even Ultra Magnus with a close enough shot, but he has about as much chance of winning a fair fight with Megatron as his G1 self. Of course, being Starscream, a fair fight is generally the last thing on his mind.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: He's not as competent a leader as he thinks he is, but he's still a powerful fighter in comparison to other Starscreams.
* BackFromTheDead: Megatron slags him in the last episode of season one, but an [=AllSpark=] fragment lands on his head a few episodes into season two and ''keeps'' bringing him back to life no matter what happens to him. At least, until Prowl and Jazz removed it.
* BigBadWannabe: He wants to take over as leader of the Decepticons, but his attempts at getting Megatron out of the picture never work out.
* ButtMonkey: From season 2 onward, he becomes a Butt Monkey in this series. It starts with the infamous [[Funny/TransformersAnimated "Starscream Death Montage"]] with Megatron killing him over and over again (with the [=Allspark=] fragment on his head being the only thing keeping him alive). All of his plans always fail and in the finale in which may be his Crowning Moment of Butt Monkery, his clones (with one heavily implied to represent his self-loathing) betray him for Megatron. He spends the majority of season three as a disembodied head trapped with Megatron aboard Omega Supreme, and just when he finally gets a new body, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Megatron blasts him (He recovers).]] And in the finale, The [=AllSpark=] fragment that was keeping him alive is pulled out, thus killing him. And if you count the comic adaptation, he gets humiliated and blackmailed by Professor Princess. One can't help but feel a bit sorry for him.
* CardCarryingVillain: Says "You Autobots and your pathetic heroics" at one point.
* CharacterDeath: After [[DeathIsCheap numerous fake-outs]], he dies for real in the series finale when Prowl and Jazz, using processor-over-matter, yank the [=AllSpark=] fragment out of his head; to emphasize that he's really dead, the last shot we see of him is his greyed, offline body.
* TheChewToy: This is pretty much what his role amounts to from the second season on, taking all kinds of abuse that gets PlayedForLaughs.
* CompositeCharacter: While in most versions they are completely separate characters, Dirge, Ramjet, Skywarp, Sunstorm, Thundercracker, Thrust, and Cyclonus are each aspects of Starscream's personality given form in a clone body.
* {{Determinator}}: No matter how often he fails to overthrow Megatron, he never gives up.
* DiesWideOpen: [[spoiler:He meets his end with his eyes open when he has his [=AllSpark=] fragment yanked out during the series finale.]]
* TheDragon: He started out as Megatron's second-in-command, but he spends pretty much the entirety of the series attempting to turn against him.
* EasilyForgiven: ''Averted''. In a shift from their classic dynamic, Megatron is completely intolerant and unforgiving of Starscream's treachery. He spends the majority of the series exiled from the Decepticons as a result, and indeed only survives his leader's initial retribution due to the ResurrectiveImmortality granted by the [=AllSpark=] fragment in his head. Any time he ended up bumping into Megatron afterwards, the Decepticon tried to put him down, and only used him in instances where he would further his plans. [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness After that...]]
* EvilGloating: To the point where he was ''[[BerserkButton furious]]'' when he was once interrupted.
* EvilLaugh: As a heavy contrast to [[TheStoic Megatron]], he has a tendency to do this.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He's charismatic and he knows it, but it's obvious he only ever does it to earn favor so he can manipulate others or stab them in the back, usually both.
* GaspOfLife: After Megatron kills him for the umpteenth time and he's brought back to life (again) by the [=AllSpark=] fragment, Starscream gasps for air and tiredly admits that he ''might'' just need a new approach.
* GoodThingYouCanHeal: He starts taking a lot more punishment after becoming immortal (see above).
* HeroKiller: Was responsible for the destruction of Theta Supreme.
* ImmortalityInducer: His [=AllSpark=] fragment enables him to come back every time he's killed.
* IronButtMonkey: Because of his ResurrectiveImmortality, he takes a ''lot'' of fatal abuse, but he always comes back. Well, until the final episode.
* LargeHam: His ego is as big as the volume of his voice.
* LeanAndMean: He's very skinny and also a treacherous jerk.
* LosingYourHead: The end of Season 2. Lasts until the GrandFinale.
* MesACrowd: He eventually starts making clones of himself.
* MythologyGag: G1 Starscream had an indestructible spark. This incarnation of the character also has a form of immortality.
* NoIndoorVoice: "YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEEEEECH!"
* OvershadowedByAwesome: Starscream is enough of a threat to give the Autobots a hard time... when Megatron's not around, that is.
* PsychoticSmirk: He's constantly grinning slightly.
* ResurrectiveImmortality: As long as he keeps the [=AllSpark=] fragment in his head, he'll quickly revive after every death.
* ShoutOut: In his transformation sequence, there's a part where his legs are in robot mode while the upper half of his body is still a jet, referencing the gerwalk mode from ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' (specifically the YF-19 Alpha One from ''Anime/MacrossPlus'', as both are based on the Russian Su-47 Berkut).
* SmugSnake: Thinks he's better than everyone else.
* TheStarscream: [[TropeNamer Obviously]]. Although he doesn't do nearly as well as his [[WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime counterpart]].
* TheyKilledKennyAgain: Behold: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR5G3gcNKwg The Starscream Death Montage]]. His [[Creator/TomKenny voice actor]]'s last name is even the same as [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark the]] TropeNamer's first.
* ThinChinOfSin
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lugnut]]
!!Lugnut
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/300px-lugnutpromomodel_9779.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"Megatron cannot be stopped! Megatron is EVERYWHERE!"'']]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/DavidKaye / Kentarō Itō

-->'''Lugnut:''' Stasis lock itself could not deter me from your grand and glorious plan, oh wise and noble Megatron!
-->'''Megatron:''' [[TwitchyEye Just... go]].

A powerful Decepticon and former gladiator, Lugnut is extremely and utterly devoted to Megatron. During the GrandFinale, he becomes the imprint for Megatron's Omega Sentinel clones, transforming them into a trio of Lugnut Supremes.
----
* BattleButler: A very powerful and devoted minion of Megatron.
* TheBrute: He and Blitzwing were the muscle of Megatron's crew. After Starscream's treachery was uncovered, Lugnut and Blitzwing upgraded to CoDragons.
* [[CanonImmigrant Canon Emigrant]]: Has gotten a toy in the 2010 ''Transformers'' toyline, and later made a few appearances in the IDW G1 comics as well as the Aligned continuity.
* CanonForeigner: He was created for ''Animated''.
* CharacterShilling: He's Megatron's no. 1 fanboy, to the point it actually annoys him:
-->'''Lugnut''': Stasis lock itself could not deter me from your grand and glorious plan, oh wise and noble Megatron!
-->'''Megatron''': ''[[EyeTwitch (Left optic twitches)]]'' Just ''go''.
* CoDragons: Once Starscream is ousted, Lugnut and Blitzwing shared his position, until they were both captured. Lugnut managed to escape in "Decepticon Air" and rejoin Megatron, but ended up sharing the spot again with the returning Shockwave.
* TheComicallySerious: He's the straight man to Blitzwing (which isn't saying much), but a few moments shine.
-->(''after finding Megatron'') '''Lugnut''': Oh master! I am not worthy! I am not worthy! *beat* What happened to your body??
-->'''Megatron''': Long story.
* DumbMuscle: He's very strong, but his blind devotion to Megatron doesn't do his competence any favors.
* DropTheHammer: He doesn't use it often.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Lugnut hates Lockdown, seeing the mercenary as "a disgrace" to the Decepticons.
* EvilSoundsDeep: He has a very deep voice.
* ExtraEyes: He resembles a CyberCyclops, but those red dots on the side of his head are ''also'' eyes, so he actually has five eyes.
* {{Foil}}: Serves as a foil of sorts to several characters.
** Starscream: Starscream's [[TheStarscream legendary treachery]] makes a big contrast to Lugnut's UndyingLoyalty.
** Bulkhead: They're both the [[TheBigGuy biggest, strongest and least intelligent]] members of their respective teams, but where Bulkhead is a GentleGiant with HiddenDepths, Lugnut is a destructive brute with no depths seen.
** Shockwave: They're both devoted to Megatron (and have been known to brawl over who's the most loyal) but while Lugnut is [[DumbMuscle dumb as a rock]], Shockwave is loyal but ''smart''.
* GroundPunch: Lugnut often uses his [[PowerFist Punch Of Kill Everything]] in this manner, leaving enormous craters and devastating any Autobots (and unfortunate Decepticons) who happen to be in nearby.
** This can be turned against him, however. The trigger on the POKE is a BigRedButton on top that's highly sensitive. In "Megatron Rising, Part 2", Lugnut tries using the POKE against Bulkhead, but the Autobot is able to use his flail to push the button, sending Lugnut flying. In "Garbage In, Garbage Out", Wreck-Gar misinterprets Lugnut's threatening to Ratchet as the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie universal greeting]]... which in this continuity, ends in a '''high five'''.
* HeroKiller: Was responsible for the destruction of Iota Supreme.
* HiddenDepths: He displays some considerably competent leadership abilities during "Decepticon Air", and several other times he's shown to be rather cunning.
* HonorBeforeReason: "I will not hide! I will stand proudly and shout Megatron's name to the HEAVENS!"
* ImplacableMan: He's very hard to get rid of or bring down.
* LargeHam: Especially when he starts praising "The great and GLORIOUS Megatron!".
* LightningBruiser: Suprisingly fast as well as incredibly strong.
* MinionShipping: With Strika, although this is only mentioned in secondary material.
* StuffBlowingUp: He has perfected the art of making things explode. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew0RO4mNm54 Behold! The P.O.K.E!]]
* SycophanticServant: To the point where even the '''Grand and GLORIOUS''' Megatron gets tired of the praise.
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: With Blitzwing. They hang out even when they aren't fighting.
* UndyingLoyalty: Taken to the extreme. He can practically make religious sermons about his great and [[MemeticMutation GLORIOUS]] leader. To the point that in the "The Trial of Megatron" reading, [[spoiler:when [[BadBoss Megatron]] is throwing a bunch of 'Cons into the Trypticon core to keep it powered, Lugnut willingly throws himself in, killing himself]].
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Blitzwing, the two often bicker and sometimes even fight with Lugnut sometimes hitting Blitzwing when he's annoyed by Random's antics or him disrespecting Megatron, but until Blitzwing's capture at the end of "Air Decepticon" the two almost always seen together and Lugnut shows of being sorry after he punched Blitzwing by mistake in "Lost and Found".
* WeaponOfChoice[=/=]AnatomyArsenal
** PowerFist: His Punch Of Kill Everything.
** RocketPunch: Or rather turns his hand into a bomb and uses a jet engine on his arm to punch things really hard.
*** Played straight against Omega Supreme in the second season finale.
* YesMan: He's always agreeing with Megatron's ideas.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blitzwing]]
!!Blitzwing
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-aniblitzwingpromomodel_3397.jpg]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/BumperRobinson / Yuichi Nagashima

-> (Hothead): '''AUTOBOTS! I WILL CRUSH THEM INTO IRON FILINGS!'''
-> (Icy): But my orders are to retrieve the Constructicons...
-> (Random): Oooh, but I like iron filings! [[{{Squick}} Especially sprinkled on top of servo salad!]]

At first glance, Blitzwing seems to be a stoic, no-nonsense Decepticon. However, he is a master MoodSwinger, able to change from stoic to anger to insanity depending on his mood.
----
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Only the Hothead personality is based off of a previous version of Blitzwing (specifically, his G1 toy bio that describes him as a raging JerkAss), with his SplitPersonality aspect and the two extra personalities being original to ''Animated''.
* AffablyEvil: Well, a two-thirds case of this trope. Icy is coolly polite, while Random is cheerful and friendly, though neither is a "good" personality. Averted with Hothead, who's a bad-tempered asshole.
* TheAhnold: Hothead, to a degree, resembles Schwarzenegger and has a similar accent.
** Icy, meanwhile, would be "The Colonel Klink".
** While Random is, well, Random.
* TheBrute: Hothead fits the bill best, but he and Lugnut shared the role until Starscream was shown the door for his treachery. Then, he became CoDragons with Lugnut.
* BullyingADragon: Hothead thought it'd be a good idea to get up in [[HumongousMecha Omega Supreme]]'s face with threats he could ''not'' back up.
* CaptainObvious: "Curious, my electrical systems have gone offline. Which means... '''I'M FALLING! WHOA-HOHOHOHOHOHO-A!'''"
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Random is completely nuts and always says something absurd when Blitzwing switches to his face.
* CanonImmigrant: His three faces were implemented onto a ''Thrilling 30'' version of Generation One Blitzwing, while his "Random" face was used on a toy of the [[Film/{{Bumblebee}} movie]] version of the character.
* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: Compared to how the other Cybertronian designs are more or less the same robot designs but with slightly different vehicle parts, Blitzwing had spikes on his shoulders and didn't have the large, square weapon pack on his back (His weapons just came out from his back). His wings were also smaller.
* ElementalPowers: Two out of three of his personalites have one.
** AnIcePerson: Icy has ice weapons.
** PlayingWithFire: Hothead has fire powers.
* FreudianTrio: His personalites are this.
** TheKirk: Random, albeit an insane version.
** TheMcCoy: Hothead.
** TheSpock: Icy.
* DrivenToMadness: According to AllThereInTheManual plans for Season 4, it would've been explained that Blitzwing is a MoodSwinger due to the experimentation that turned him into a Triple-Changer by Blackarachnia.
* GigglingVillain: Random is constantly laughing.
* GogglesDoNothing: He has goggles on his helmet that are never used.
* HairTriggerTemper: Say anything that sets him off and he'll switch to Hothead.
* HeroKiller: Was responsible for the destruction of Kappa Supreme.
* HighClassGlass: Icy has the appearance of this thanks to one of his optic sensors being big and round like a monocle.
* HotBlooded: Hothead is very passionate and ill-tempered.
* {{Jerkass}}: "Hothead" is a lot more confrontational than Blitzwing's other two faces.
* [[LanternJawOfJustice Lantern Jaw Of Injustice]]: Hothead's got the only chin in the universe that can compete with Sentinel Prime's.
* LargeHam: Hothead and Random are ''always'' yelling at the top of their vocal processor.
* LaughablyEvil: "Random" is very humorous due to how insane and wacky he is.
* MacrossMissileMassacre: He often fires a barrage of missiles.
* ManipulativeBastard: Upon meeting Mixmaster and Scrapper he is quick to manipulate them into taking materials that he and Lugnut had stolen, and to work for the Decepticons.
* MoodSwinger: Thanks to being turned into a Triple-Changer by Blackarachnia.
* PerpetualFrowner: Icy and Hothead are constantly frowning.
* PersonalityPowers: Icy and Hothead are ice/jet and fire/tank respectively, while his Random persona can use both. His big weakness is that it's involuntary - if you can get him to, say, switch from Icy to Hothead when he's in jet mode, [[TrickingTheShapeshifter he'll have no choice but to turn into a tank]] [[GravityIsAHarshMistress while still in midair.]]
* PragmaticVillainy: Unlike Lugnut he has no issues working with Lockdown, knowing the hunting skills of the bounty hunter, prefers to avoid confrontations with human policemen as he wanted to know their numbers and strength before a fight and quickly recognizes the usefulness of the Constructicons just after meeting them.
* PutOnABus: He's brought to Cybertron as a prisoner at the end of ''Decepticon Air,'' and consequently is absent in the GrandFinale, unlike the rest of the Decepticon main cast.
* RedOniBlueOni: The passionately aggressive Hothead is the red to the stoic Icy's blue. They are even literally red and blue respectively.
* {{Shoulder Cannon}}s: He has cannons in his shoulders.
* SlasherSmile: Random's default expression is a manic grin.
* SplitPersonality: Icy and Hothead actually argued over a vehicle mode choice (the former wanted a jet while the latter preferred a tank). Random then [[TakeAThirdOption chose both]].
* TheStoic: Icy is a lot less emotional than Hothead and Random.
* TankGoodness: Transforms into a tank as one of his altmodes.
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Before his capture, Blitzwing is rarely seen without Lugnut.
* TrickingTheShapeshifter: Several times Blitzwing is tricked into switching to his tank mode while still in mid-flight in jet mode, sending him plummeting to the ground.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Lugnut, the two often bicker and fight and Blitzwing is generally annoyed by Lugnut's obsessive loyalty to Megatron and only follow him reluctantly, but the two are rarely seen without each other and Blitzwing still follows Lugnut's lead no matter how much it annoys him.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: WordOfGod is that he was "different" before becoming a triple-changer.
** ''The [=AllSpark=] Almanac'' elaborated further: Blackarachnia experimented on him and made him a triple-changer. He may have been different before, but that had to have pushed him over the edge.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blackarachnia]]
!!Elita-One / Blackarachnia
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-finalaniblackarachnia_7755.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Click [[labelnote:here]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/elita_one_tfa.png[[/labelnote]] to see her as Elita-One.]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/CreeSummer / Creator/RyokaYuzuki

--> ''"It'll be a long time before I ever trust another Autobot. ''Especially'' you, Optimus."''

Formerly Elita-1 -- Optimus and Sentinel's best friend -- Blackarachnia joined up with the Decepticons to find a cure for her cursed techno-organic form. Though she uses her spider abilities to her advantage, she can't stand her hideous appearance and is desperate for a cure. She tends to use her beauty to seduce those around her to get what she wants -- just... don't look under the helmet. She's currently stuck in an unknown jungle with Waspinator.
----
* AdaptationalOriginConnection: The original Blackarachnia was a Maximal protoform transformed into a Predacon for a time before she made a HeelFaceTurn, with no connection to Optimus Prime other than learning of Beast Wars Megatron's plot to kill him (and later working with Prime's descendant, Optimus Primal). Here, she and Prime were both cadets at the Autobot Academy, and have an implied romantic past.
** Additionally, had there been a fourth season, her connection to the Predacons would have changed from being forced into the faction, to ''founding'' the entire faction.
* AdaptationalVillainy: ''Beast Wars'' Blackarachnia had a HeelFaceTurn because of LoveRedeems, and wasn't evil by her own choice as she was the result of the Predacons tampering with a Maximal protoform, while Elita-One from the original series was always good. Here, she has a DarkAndTroubledPast that may possibly justify her FaceHeelTurn, though she's done some undeniably evil things.
* AdvertisedExtra: Despite her importance to Optimus and Sentinel's backstory, and receiving top billing, the Dinobots, who are recurring characters at best, make far more appearances than her. It's almost acknowledged later on, as by Season 3, her spot on the Decepticon main cast is taken by [[TheMole Shockwave]], who makes far more appearances over the course of the show than her.
* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: In-universe. After being transwarped by Waspinator's explosion by containing it, Optimus thinks she did it as a HeroicSacrifice. Sentinel, on the other hand, thinks she did it to escape. We're not entirely sure either.
* AmbiguousSituation: The last we see of her is being transwarped to a jungle area with giant wildlife from Earth, but it's unknown if she's still on Earth or a similar world. In this franchise, if it's a similar world, [[EarthAllAlong it usually turns out to indeed be Earth]]. AllThereInTheManual states that Blackarachnia and her Predacons would've stepped in to help the Autobots protect Earth at the end of Season 4, pointing towards her being on Earth since she would have little incentive to do so if she wasn't on Earth.
* AntiVillain: All she really wants is to be cured of her techno-organic form.
* ArachnidAppearanceAndAttire: She has spider-like traits, even in robot mode.
* BuildingSwing: She gets around by swinging on her webbing.
* CombatStilettos: Oddly, she only has these ''after'' becoming part-organic.
* CompositeCharacter: She's a combination of the original Blackarachnia from ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' and Elita-One from ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers''.
* CorruptTheCutie: Her transformation from Elita-1 after being mistakenly LeftForDead with the giant spiders. Also doubling as her StartOfDarkness.
* DarkActionGirl: She's a female villain and every bit as formidable as the other Decepticons.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Elita used to be a promising Autobot Academy student and a friend of Optimus & Sentinel, but a reckless trip to find energon on a planet that was deemed off-limits by the Elite Guard due to its dangers led to her supposedly being killed in a freak accident. Optimus and Sentinel are forced to leave her for dead, and after attempting to use her [[PowerCopying downloading powers]] on the native giant spiders, she mutated into a techno-organic. [[TheyWouldCutYouUp Unable to return home]], she chose to join the Decepticons.
* DatingCatwoman: She and Prime have some sort of romantic tension, but while both hold regrets over what might have been, neither of them seem willing to act on it, unlike the TropeNamer.
* DistractedByTheSexy: She plays it up for the male bots.
* EnemyMine: How much she and the others consider each other "enemies" by then is [[HeelFaceTurn currently]] [[RedemptionRejection unk]][[IChooseToStay nown]], but she and her Predacons would've worked together with the Autobots to defend Earth from Megatron's invasion.
* EverybodyHasStandards: When Sentinel learns about her techno-organic state, being the xenophobe he is, ''he'' has more issues about it than she does, leading to her cutting him off and saying that it's bad, not ''that'' bad. Considering Season 4 would've provided closure on her character arc, it's possible this was {{foreshadowing}} that she would [[IAmWhatIAm come to terms with herself]].
-->'''Sentinel:''' I just never knew, never imagined that something this... unspeakable could have happened to you. [[InnocentlyInsensitive How can you even live like that?!]] [[UpToEleven It's horrible! It's disgusting!]]\\
'''Blackarachnia:''' Okay, okay, I get it! It's bad, but it's not ''that'' bad, all right?!\\
'''Sentinel:''' No. It's worse. [[MoodWhiplash You]] [[IWishedYouWereDead should have gone offline.]]
* FaceHeelTurn: After being left behind by Optimus and Sentinel, she joined the Decepticons.
* FallenHero: She used to be an Autobot before her transformation.
* FantasticRacism: Or a victim of such. She left the Autobots rather than risk [[TheyWouldCutYouUp being strapped to a lab table]], and she’s disgusted that she’s part-organic.
** Also, a self-inflicted example: she can't stand being part-organic.
* FauxActionGirl:
** Her evil schemes very often ended with her needing to be rescued as well as, or rather than, her victims.
** In ''The Arrival'' she defeats ''Lockdown''... by playing possum then stinging him with her cyber-venom once he's distracted.
* FemmeFatale: She's very attractive and manipulates everyone to suit her own agenda.
* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Implied to be this among the Decepticons; Blitzwing at least expresses distaste for both her [[DeadpanSnarker demeanor]] and her techno-organic status. Considering she never associates with the core Decepticons after ThePilot, the feeling's probably mutual.
* GiantSpider: And unlike her ''Beast Wars'' version, her spider mode is the same size as the ones she gained it from.
* IAmAMonster: Thanks to a combination of Cybertronian anti-organic prejudice, the trauma of her transformation and the fact she is kind of disfigured looking, she's really, ''really'' not happy about her present state.
* IChooseToStay: It is implied by information about Season 4 that she would've stayed with her Predacons and there is at least some closure with the bots she had ties with.
* IGaveMyWord: She pulls a PoisonAndCureGambit on Optimus's team to force him to do something for her. Optimus completes his end of the bargain, but everything else goes wrong. Despite [[RedemptionRejection rejecting Optimus's offer to help her again]], she still leaves a cure for the poison behind, continuing to give evidence to Optimus that she could be redeemed one day.
* IveComeTooFar: Implied. When Waspinator is about to explode, she rejects Optimus's help once again and contains the explosion while still inside, saying that she's going to ''have'' to leave him and Sentinel, implying that she believes it's too late for her to be saved.
-->'''Optimus:''' This time, we're not leaving without you!\\
'''Blackarachnia:''' This time, I am!
* MadScientist: Not only regarding techno-organics; [[AllThereInTheManual The [=AllSpark=] Almanac]] states that she rebuilt Blitzwing into a triple-changer sometime after the Great War.
* MeaningfulName: Elita-1's name, at least. Received from Kup alongside Optimus and Sentinel in boot camp due to her snobby and "elitist" attitude.
* MinorMajorCharacter: Though she ended up not being a part of the main cast, she still plays a large role in the show's lore, including Optimus and Sentinel's DarkAndTroubledPast that continues to have effects in the present day, being responsible for the creation of triple-changing (which Blitzwing, and had Season 4 come, Megatron, would use), and had Season 4 come, the creation of one or possibly two new (sub-?)factions formed by techno-organics she created.
* MythologyGag:
** Her HeelFaceTurn in ''Beast Wars'' was caused by [[LoveRedeems her love for Silverbolt]]. A couple of times, it seems that her ShipTease with Optimus would be the key to her redemption, but is actually just her being a FemmeFatale.
** In Season 4, her new design would've been based off of her first design in ''Beast Wars'', having spent the rest of the show using a design based off of her Transmetal form from later in ''Beast Wars''.
** Her head design as Elita-One is based off of Ariel, Elita's previous identity in ''Generation 1'' before being reformatted. Meanwhile, the rest of her body is based off of ''Generation 1'' Elita's body.
* NeverMyFault: Has elements of this in her attitude; Optimus may have been the one to assume she was dead and leave her behind, but it was (presumably) Sentinel's idea to go to Archa-Seven in the first place, and she was willing to go along in the first place -- she and Sentinel convinced Optimus to come, not the other way around. There's also the little detail that she ended up being mutated because she ignored Optimus' warnings not to try and use her copying powers on organics.
* PowerCopying: Her original special power was the ability to download and temporarily replicate the powers of other transformers. Trying to use this on Energon-infused alien spiders turned her into what she is now. She still has the power, though she doesn't use it very often.
* PrimaryColorChampion: Elita was primarily yellow with blue, while Sentinel is blue with yellow and Optimus is red with blue. After her mutation, yellow (or gold, that is) is the only part of her color scheme that stays.
* RedemptionRejection: Refuses to take Optimus's offers to help her if she stays, bitterly citing that it'll be a long time until she trusts Autobots again, ''especially'' Optimus. Season 4 information isn't clear if she ever does redeem herself.
* SealedEvilInACan: "Black Friday" reveals she washed up on the shore of Dinobot Island after the Season 1 finale. Because of her organic nature, she can't simply swim back to the mainland. Prometheus Black's laboratory, however, gives her a reason to not want to leave. After the events of the episode, it was left unclear if she left, but "Predacons Rising" confirms that she did stay, and Optimus presumably knew and let her be.
* ShipTease: [[UnresolvedSexualTension With Optimus]]. Might just be a result of her being a FemmeFatale.
* StagesOfMonsterGrief:
** '''Denial:''' Though it's pretty hard to pretend that she isn't techno-organic, she believes that once she gets rid of her organic half, everything will be fine and dandy, ignoring the fact that she's cut ties with everything from her past life, [[NowWhat so she has nothing to return to]].
** '''DrivenToSuicide:''' Never explicitly stated, but Optimus implies that he thinks she performed a HeroicSacrifice on Wasp at the end of "Predacons Rising" because [[DeathSeeker she wanted to die]].
** '''Defiance:''' She holds a grudge against Optimus, Sentinel, and the Autobots for not going back for her as well as the fact that [[TheyWouldCutYouUp they would've cut her up]] if they ''did'' go back for her.
** '''[[IAmWhatIAm Acceptance:]]''' The extent of this is unknown, but from what we know of Season 4, she would've continued making Predacons, but instead of doing it for experimental purposes, it would be so that she had her own army. The intended series finale would've had her and her Predacons do an EnemyMine with Team Prime, a possibility being that she got over her self-hatred and anger.
* [[ThatManIsDead That Bot Is Dead]]: "It's ''Blackarachnia'' now!"
* TheyWouldCutYouUp: Considering Autobot attitudes towards organics, she probably has a point as to why she won't go back to them. Meltdown also attempts this on her, but Optimus stops him in time.
* TragicVillain: She used to be close friends with Optimus and Sentinel, but now she's a Decepticon who outright loathes the Autobots.
* TwoGirlsToATeam: She and Strika are the ''only'' female Decepticons that were properly in the ranks. Though Blackarachnia later goes rogue, like Slipstream, who was never properly ranked.
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Despite showing anger towards Optimus and Sentinel, when she's alone at the end of "Along Came A Spider" after her RedemptionRejection, she cries, with the Japanese dub adding her whispering "I'm sorry.", suggesting that she really does wish she could go back to the Autobots.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: She definitely deserves sympathy because of the trauma she's been through that made her techno-organic.
* WouldHurtAChild: Doesn't care that using the Key on herself is harming every organic nearby, including Sari, and then proceeds to throw Sari off of a building in an attempt to distract Optimus. She later tries to hurt Sari in the Season 1 finale.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shockwave]]
!!Shockwave/Longarm Prime
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-tfa_shockwave_4206.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote:Click]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tfa_longarm.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see Longarm Prime]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/CoreyBurton / Creator/NobuyukiHiyama

-->''"That's the beauty of activation codes. They wipe clean of all that unpleasant morality."''

Shockwave is a Decepticon spy taking on the form of Autobot Longarm Prime. When rumors of a spy were floating around Autoboot camp, Longarm secretly plotted for Wasp to take the fall, succeeding admirably. He later becomes leader of Cybertronian Intelligence and uses his position to spy for the Decepticons. He gloatingly reveals himself to Bumblebee in the season two finale, only for Megatron's space-bridge plan to fail, leaving him terrified of discovery. Shockwave eventually attacks and severely damages Ultra Magnus, stealing his hammer in the process.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: Shockwave's inclusion came from a conversation between Corey Burton and the creators of ''Animated'' about how Shockwave didn't get to do much in the original cartoon. As such, while this Shockwave appears less, he accomplishes ''far'' more, including taking down several prominent Autobots and dealing several hard blows after infiltrating their ranks, compared how the original Shockwave would get clobbered every time the Autobots used the space bridge he was meant to guard.
* BaitTheDog: Longarm seems like a NiceGuy, as the only one in the Autoboot camp besides Bulkhead who isn't a jerk to Bumblebee and is actively supportive of him. Then it turns out that he is a Decepticon spy who assisted Bumblebee in arresting an innocent bot to draw suspicion away from himself.
* {{BFG}}: His main weapon.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Presents himself as a NiceGuy as Longarm and is an old pal of Bumblebee, and turns out to be a ruthless spy for the Decepticons.
* BondVillainStupidity: When it seems that Team Optimus is defeated, Shockwave decides to rub it in Bumblebee and Bulkhead's faces by revealing that he had tricked them--he, as Longarm, was the ''real'' spy. Team Optimus ends up getting bailed out and connection to Earth is lost, leading to Shockwave's increasing paranoia over being discovered in the following episodes once the Elite Guard attempts to contact Earth again.
* CanonCharacterAllAlong: He first appears as an Autobot named Longarm, who seems to be an original character created for the series, before it is revealed that he is a Decepticon spy named Shockwave, who is an established character in ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''.
* CardCarryingVillain: While on his way to kidnap Arcee in order to get access to the Project Supreme activation codes, he mocks to Ratchet that the heroic weapons the Autobots used to win the Great War will now fall into the hands of the Decepticons, but now "wiped clean of all that unpleasant morality".
* CompositeCharacter: His DoubleAgent gimmick and ability to transform into another identity is similar to ''G1'' character Punch, just aligned with the Decepticons. His design also takes cues from both the original Shockwave and ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' Megatron.
* CoDragons: With Lugnut after Starscream is ousted. Shockwave's stint as a double agent makes him one of Megatron's most valuable lieutenants.
* CreepyMonotone: As Shockwave, he speaks with little emotion. (Though he does show ''some'' emotion a few times such as being in fear of having his cover exposed or proudly bowing to Megatron.)
* CyberCyclops: He even quotes [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey HAL 9000]] in season 3.
* DeepCoverAgent: He disguises himself as an Autobot named Longarm Prime to infiltrate the Autobots.
* DevilInPlainSight: Spent several decades, if not longer, worming his way up the Autobot chain of command, and no-one was the wiser.
* DropTheHammer: He steals the Magnus Hammer after almost killing its owner. Ratchet retrieves it in "This Is Why I Hate Machines".
* EveryoneHasStandards: Implied. After learning that Arcee was a schoolteacher before the war, he says it regrettably, suggesting that he pities her for being a public servant turned into an espionage agent and casualty of war.
* EvilBrit: Corey Burton uses the same Creator/DavidWarner impression that he used for Shockwave in the ''G1'' cartoon.
* [[EvilCostumeSwitch Eviler Color Switch]]: He celebrates his reunion with Megatron by switching to his G1 colours.
* FalseFriend: To Bumblebee during their academy days.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Of "Where Is Thy Sting?". He forces [[BeingEvilSucks Wasp to play the main antagonist]] of said episode to keep the Earth Autobots busy with a SpotTheImposter situation and at the end escapes with Ultra Magnus's hammer after pounding Magnus to death with his own hammer.
* HaveYouToldAnyoneElse: Blurr hadn't told anyone on Cybertron that Shockwave was among the ranks of the Autobots, resulting in him nearly getting murdered. Though he survives and gets better, he's too late by the time he’s brought back, with Ultra Magnus being another victim of Shockwave.
* HeroKiller: He nearly killed Blurr ([[AllInTheManual who actually survived being crushed]]) and had the series continued, his attack on Ultra Magnus would've proven fatal. He also murdered Highbrow for the job of Head of Cybertron Intelligence in the past.
* InTheHood: His head's shape and one eye glowing on a dark panel visually evokes a face hidden under a hood.
* ItsPersonal: Bumblebee and Bulkhead are the ones that take him down in the series finale.
* TheKingslayer: If the series had continued, Ultra Magnus would've succumbed to the injuries he'd inflicted on him.
* KnightOfCerebus: Unlike many other Decepticons in the show, he has little to no humorous quirks to balance out how frightening and serious he is. Though during the series finale, [[NotSoAboveItAll he can be heard bickering childishly with Lugnut.]]
** As mentioned under HeroKiller, He also has the highest body-count of the main Decepticons; he [[BackFromTheDead (temporarily)]] killed Blurr onscreen, supplementary material reveals he killed Autobot Intelligence Director Highbrow so that "Longarm" could take his place, and had the series continued, the wounds he inflicted on Ultra Magnus would've proven fatal.
* LiteralMetaphor: When he reunites with Megatron towards the end of season 3, he expresses relief at being able to serve his leader "under [his] true colors". His color scheme then shifts from gray to purple, the color he's traditionally depicted being.
* MeaningfulName: For his Longarm persona. Received his alongside Wasp, Bumblebee, etc. from Sentinel due to... exactly what his name says.
* TheMole: He infiltrates the Autobots as Longarm Prime.
* {{Mondegreen}}: The subtitles for “Autoboot Camp” claim his name is Chugway.
* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Shockwave ultimately proves to be his own undoing by blaming Wasp for the space bridge attacks.
* NonStandardCharacterDesign: He has one giant red eye and isn’t as armored as the other Decepticons. The strange red circle on Longarm’s forehead as well as his weird scuba-brace tips off that something isn't completely right about him.
** In one of the tie-in comics, [[TheCameo Whirl]] ([[https://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/thumb/5/5a/BotsofScience-moveout.jpg/300px-BotsofScience-moveout.jpg the Autobot on the bottom right]]) is also a cyclops, which seems to point at cyclop-type Cybertronians not being too uncommon. [[SchrodingersCanon Unless]] you want to take the [[BodyHorror explanation]] from [[ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise the IDW]] [[ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye comics]]...
* NoSell: [[VillainousBreakdown After getting defeated]] by Bumblebee and Bulkhead, he tries transforming into Longarm to get them to show mercy while he reaches for a blaster to backstab them. They sarcastically show mercy before they crush his weapon.
* NotSoAboveItAll:
** As Longarm, he and the others laugh at Bulkhead wanting to be a certified space bridge technician. Doubles as KickTheDog, along with everyone else.
** He seems to be annoyed with doing transform-ups as punishment for Bumblebee's constant blunders while in boot camp as Longarm.
** He gets into a petty fight with Lugnut over who is more loyal to Megatron, and later laughs at him when he falls over while they're constructing copies of Omega Supreme.
* PetTheDog: The way he comments to Megatron that Arcee used to be a school teacher before the war suggests he may feel bad for her.
* RubberMan: His shapeshifting ability allows him to extend his limbs. Unlike most examples, since he’s a robot made of metal, he’s not elastic-like.
* SecretIdentity: It's his secret that he and Longarm Prime are one and the same.
* ShoutOut:
** With his grey and purple coloring, antler-like comm antennae, extensible arms & sinister mono-eye, he's a dead ringer for [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Perfect Zeong]].
** At the end of his report of the events of "[=TransWarped=]" in AllThereInTheManual, he says that "I am determined that, should I be revealed, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_go_gentle_into_that_good_night I will not go peaceably into that dark night.]]"
** The inspiration for him was characters like the Horned King from ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron'' and the Grim Reaper -- scary and hooded, like an angel of death.
** His much colder and more emotionless demeanor is similar to that of [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey HAL 9000]], even quoting the A.I. in "This Is Why I Hate Machines".
* SixthRanger: After his stint as TheMole is over, he rejoins Megatron's team at the end of Season 3, temporarily replacing Blitzwing until Season 4.
* TankGoodness: As Shockwave, he can turn into a tank.
* TinmanTypist: He uses his fingers to interface with computer systems.
* UndyingLoyalty: He's just as devoted to Megatron as Lugnut is, though he's generally far more subdued in expressing it.
* VillainousBreakdown:
** Approaches this by the time people have found him out, worrying that Team Optimus will reveal his identity to the Elite Guard soon. He resorts to assassinating Ultra Magnus before running off.
** Has another in the series finale when Bumblebee and Bulkhead defeat him. Out of desperation, he transforms into Longarm and tries to get buddy-buddy with them while he reaches for his blaster to backstab them. He takes their [[SarcasmMode refusals to hurt him]] seriously and looks away indignant after Bulkhead sees him reaching for his blaster and destroys it.
* VocalEvolution: Burton, who's obviously been improving his Creator/DavidWarner impression, delivers a more whispery and soft-spoken voice for Shockwave compared to the G1 cartoon, where he bordered on NoIndoorVoice.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Moreso than the other Transformers. In addition to the standard alt mode, he's a master of disguise.
* WorthyOpponent: Admits this much to Ratchet during “This Is Why I Hate Machines”.
[[/folder]]

!!Other Decepticons

[[folder:Soundwave]]
!!Soundwave
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/soundwave.png]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JeffBennett / Creator/NobuoTobita

-->''"I am Soundwave. I am Decepticon. The revolution begins now."''

Soundwave was another of Megatron's attempts to regain a body during his tenure as a talking head. He presented the plans to Isaac as a walking music player he could give Sari for her birthday, anticipating that Sari would use the Key on it and programming Soundwave to upgrade into a specific form. What he didn't expect was that Soundwave would become sentient, although he was only too willing to take up the Decepticon emblem.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: ''Animated'' Soundwave possesses certain abilities his G1 counterpart does not such as being able to control machines and humans to do his bidding.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Soundwave's defining trait in G1 is his UndyingLoyalty to Megatron. Here, while Megatron is the reason for Soundwave turning to villainy, he mostly acts on his own agenda rather than taking orders from Megatron.
* AdaptedOut: Ravage, Rumble, Buzzsaw, and Frenzy aren't part of his lineup, and it's unclear if he ever would have gotten them.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Megatron created him to serve as a test body, but he became sentient and started going about his own agenda. Then again, Megatron wanted it to happen, and he was still able to make it work to his advantage.
* ArcVillain: Of the "Human Error" two-parter.
* TheAssimilator: After Soundwave was upgraded to the point he became self-aware, he quickly brainwashed dozens of smaller robots and merged with them into his current form.
* CoolShades: He appears to wear angular sunglasses, but like Prowl and Grimlock before him, it's possible that his optic sensors just look like angular sunglasses because of how they are shaped.
* CreepyMonotone: He speaks in a sinister and robotic voice that's devoid of emotion.
* DemotedToExtra: Unlike in ''Generation 1'', he's not an official member of the Decepticons and mostly does his own thing akin to a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Villain of the Week]]. Even when he's under Megatron's command, he manages to ''use'' him for his own goals too. However...
** AscendedExtra: He does get upgraded to ArcVillain status in the "Human Error" two-parter. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Had the show been renewed for Season 4, he would've joined Megatron and the rest of the Decepticons full-time.]]
* DevilInPlainSight: He obviously looks a little sinister and yet no civilians get the hint that he's evil.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Megatron intended him to break him free from Sumdac labs. Soundwave instead chose to go with his own ambition of overthrowing the human race.
* FantasticRacism: He is very contemptuous of human beings.
* FromASingleCell: A variant. After many of his defeats, he's reduced to a tiny piece of hardware [[MythologyGag identical to his G1 cassette player mode]] and rebuilds himself later. The first time he gets away because everyone thought he was destroyed, the second [[VillainExitStageLeft he's carried away by Laserbeak.]]
* GlassCannon: Despite his all-too-threatening abilities, Soundwave isn't really that tough. Both Bulkhead and Optimus were able to demolish him easily once they got past his defenses. Justified, because Soundwave is composed of earth machines, in contrast to natural Cybertronians.
* ItCanThink: Sari upgraded him so many times that Soundwave developed a will of his own.
* MachineMonotone: His voice sounds very robotic.
* MadeOfPlasticine: Due to making his body out of Earth-born materials, Soundwave is far less durable than the other Decepticons.
* MakeMeWannaShout: After being upgraded by Sari's key, he gains a pair of loudspeakers on his shoulders that emit sonic blasts.
* ManipulativeBastard: You know someone is cunning when they manage to play ''Megatron'' for a chump.
* MusicalAssassin: Complete with two [[InstrumentOfMurder Instruments of Murder]]. Laserbeak is a guitar, Ratbat a keytar.
* MythologyGag: His core is designed to resemble his original cassette mode.
* ThePowerOfRock: He uses rock music as a weapon.
* RobotWar: Tries to start one, but it only works when he makes them rise up.
* SixthRanger: Would've officially joined Megatron and the Decepticons in Season 4.
* ShoutOut: His behavior and goals are eerily similar to that of ComicBook/{{Ultron}}.
* {{Technopath}}: He can control other robots.
* TookALevelInBadass: He was a serious menace in his first appearance, but in Season 3 he acquires his instrument minions, Ratbat and Laserbeak, and extends the reach of his hypnosis to Cybertronians and humans.
* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: After he becomes self-aware, he takes no time at all to decide that humans should serve machines instead of the other way around. When Megatron lies to him that the Autobots are traitors who willingly serve humans, he's baffled by the idea that a robot would ''choose'' to do so.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Scrapper & Mixmaster]]
!!Scrapper and Mixmaster
[[quoteright:263:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tfascrapper.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:263:Scrapper]]
[[quoteright:263:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mixmaster_animated.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:263:Mixmaster]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JeffBennett (Mixmaster) and Creator/TomKenny (Scrapper) / Daiki Nakaruma (Mixmaster) and Masashi Endō (Scrapper)

-->'''Mixmaster:''' Who puts the "crude" in "crude oil"?\\
'''Scrapper:''' Mixmaster and Scrapper, that's who!

Two 'bots brought to life by [=AllSpark=] fragments, Mixmaster and Scrapper (known as the Constructicons) want two things: hot cars and oil. Though Bulkhead tries his best to befriend them, their minds drift right back into trouble just searching for those two things. They later join the Decepticon side by building Megatron a space bridge in exchange for oil. They're later caught in a massive explosion alongside their boss, Dirt Boss, but only Scrapper is currently shown to be alive. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown. During their separation, Scrapper ended up on Dinobot Island, befriended Snarl, and briefly joined the "Subtitute Autobots", with poor effects.
----
* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Compared to their original villainous iterations, or their monstrous movie versions, these guys are surprisingly affable and friendly. That is, when they aren't acting like party animals (er, bots).
* AdaptedOut: The rest of the Constructicons (Hook/Hightower, Long Haul, Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Rampage, Skipjack, Overhaul) don't appear with them. As there were plans to have Devastator in Season 4, it's possible more of them might have been introduced.
* TheAlcoholic: Pretty much always drinking oil, which is treated as a GRatedDrug for alcohol.
* AffablyEvil: Even after their FaceHeelTurn, they get along surprisingly well with Bulkhead (when they remember him, that is).
* CombiningMecha: They, along with Dirt Boss and the newly added Constructicons, would've been able to combine into Devastator in Season 4.
* CompositeCharacter: Scrapper has Scavenger's excavator mode, and Bonecrusher's tread legs and loader chest.
* ConstructionCatcalls: They have the appearance of construction workers and sometimes hit on cars as if they were beautiful women.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: Their initial appearances had them in the Construction vehicle colors, yellow grey and pale green with yellow eyes. After undergoing Decepticon branding their eyes change from yellow to red, their color schemes go to lime green and purple and Mixmaster gains some red accents.
* FatAndSkinny: Mixmaster and Scrapper, respectively.
* FluffyTamer: Somehow, Scrapper was able to make the Dinobot Snarl his pet.
* TheLancer: Scrapper is this to Sari in the team of "Substitute Autobots".
* LineOfSightName: Thanks to the name tag on Mix's vehicle mode and a pile of, well, scrap.
* NeutralNoLonger: They start out as unaffiliated before joining the Decepticons.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Mixmaster's voice is an imitation of Creator/JoePesci (which helps in the WholePlotReference [[Film/HomeAlone "Sari, No One's Home"]]).
* NotInThisForYourRevolution: They don't even know what Cybertron is. They just joined the Decepticons for the oil.
* OnlySaneMan: Scrapper is able to figure out Sari's trying to trap them in "Sari, No One's Home". Mixmaster tells him to shut up, and then they go through a HumiliationConga.
* PlumbersCrack: They somehow have gluteal clefts.
* PoisonousFriend: When they first come online, their rowdy behavior leads the other Autobots to think of them as this to Bulkhead.
* PunchClockVillain: They'd probably work for Optimus instead if he offered them oil. Though not so much after they join the 'cons. It takes some sweet-talking from Bulkhead to get them to help him with something.
* SiblingTeam: [[WordOfGod According to Wyatt]], they are brothers.
* SkewedPriorities: Even after their closest friend Bulkhead informs them of Megatron and the Decepticons really being the bad guys, Scrapper and Mixmaster choose to side with the Decepticons simply because their oil is better than the Autobots'.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Scrapper is definitely the kindest member of the Constructicons. Sari is even able to recruit him into helping the Autobots.
* ThisIsADrill: Scrapper's primary weapons.
* ThoseTwoGuys[=/=]ThoseTwoBadGuys: They're inseparable both as neutral Cybertronians and as Decepticons.
* {{Toyless Toyline Character}}s: Neither of them got a toy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dirt Boss]]
!!Dirt Boss
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/animateddirtboss1.jpg]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' John Mariano / Tetsuo Gotō

--> ''"What're you cogs lookin' at? You wanna piece 'a me? Try it and you'll be goin' to the scrapyard in a crankin' box!"''
---> -- His ''first words''.

Mixmaster and Scrapper's self-appointed boss, also a product of an [=AllSpark=] fragment (combined with a damaged Headmaster unit and a forklift). He is a no-nonsense, strict and nasty piece of work who keeps the Constructicons busy.
----
* CanonImmigrant: While there were other characters in the franchise that had the name "Dirt Boss" (specifically from ''Armada'' and ''Cybertron'', this one was designed to be entirely different from those two. A version similar to him would even appear in media for ''Revenge of the Fallen''.
* CombiningMecha: They, along with Dirt Boss and the newly added Constructicons, would've been able to combine into Devastator in Season 4.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: Averted. Unlike the other Constructicons, Dirt Boss was born into his Decepticon colors and insignia.
* HairTriggerTemper: "You got a PROBLEM?!"
* TheNapoleon: He was plotting to take over Detroit minutes after being created, and doesn't take kindly to anyone contradicting him. He also doesn't like people pointing out his height.
* NeverFoundTheBody: Scrapper survived the oil rig's explosion, but Dirt Boss and Mixmaster never showed up again. According to Wyatt, they 'exploded away'. The AAII says they're alive, and working on [[CombiningMecha something called 'Devastator']].
* OneShotCharacter: Only appears in the episode "Three's A Crowd". If there had been a fourth season, he would have made another appearance.
* PeoplePuppets: Capable of taking over other robots' bodies.
* PintsizedPowerhouse: Even without his drill, he is still capable of giving roundhouses that can knock over bots larger than he is.
* ShoutOut: He looks like a [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Gunmen]].
* ThisIsADrill: He fires a drill prong out of his forehead [[PeoplePuppets to take control of other robots]].
* ToylessToylineCharacter: No toy for him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lockdown]]
!!Lockdown (technically unaffiliated)
[[quoteright:249:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lockdown.jpg]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/LanceHenriksen / Akio Ōtsuka

--> ''"I know you... EMP generator, right? I'm not good with names and faces, but I never forget a trophy."''

A neutral bounty hunter, Lockdown caters to whoever pays him the most (usually the Decepticons). He is a mish-mash of different mods and body-parts and a hoarder of trophies from various 'bots he has stripped and robbed over the years. He was also a former student of Yoketron before he realized he didn't like all that spiritual crud. As his first act as a bounty hunter, Lockdown killed him and took the protoforms Yoketron was tasked to guard. He has a history with Ratchet and a rivalry with Prowl, in whom he sees a WorthyOpponent and kindred spirit.
----
* AintTooProudToBeg: After Ratchet tears Optimus' grappling hook out of his arm, Lockdown begs him to use his EMP to make the pain go away. Though knowing him and seeing as he tries to attack Ratchet the second he makes a step towards him it was probably a WoundedGazelleGambit.
* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: Lockdown was a student of Yoketron before he disgraced and ultimately betrayed and murdered his former teacher.
* AllThereInTheManual: ''The [=AllSpark=] Almanac'' confirms that Lockdown utilizes an Autobot shell, which adds further evidence to the possibility that Lockdown was actually an Autobot before his current form of business.
* ArchEnemy: To Prowl and especially Ratchet, due to having personal history with both.
* TheAssimilator: He takes trophies from his victims and incorporates whatever bits he likes or needs into himself. The rest go on the wall.
* BadassInANiceSuit: His design suggests a skull-like head on top of an undertaker's tuxedo.
* BaitTheDog: His second appearance is him at his most likable. He's not sympathetic by any means, but it plays up his friendly rivalry with Prowl and he's in a supporting role with Starscream as the antagonist. The episode ends with him offering Prowl a partnership and when Prowl denies him, he laughs it off and goes his own way. Then he returns in season 3 and he shows the audience the extent of his cruelty.
* BountyHunter: He captures and kills Autobots as a hired job from the Decepticons.
* CanonImmigrant: Has shown up in the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' toyline, IDW's G1 comic continuity, and the [[Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction fourth live action Michael Bay film.]]
* ChainsawGood: One of his hands can become a chainsaw.
* CollectorOfTheStrange / CreepySouvenir: He states outright that collecting trophies from his victims is his favorite part of the hunt.
* CoolCar: His alt mode is a spiky muscle car.
* DeceptiveDisciple: He used to be an Autobot in the Cyber-Ninja Corps, but was expelled after 'bringing shame to it' somehow. He later killed Yoketron and stole the Corps' cache of protoforms to sell to the 'Cons.
* EvilSoundsDeep: He has a deep and sinister voice.
* EvilPaysBetter: Why he tends to work for the Decepticons, in addition to his [[PsychoForHire personality]] being a better fit for them.
* {{Expy}}: [[WordOfGod Marty Isenberg confirmed]] that Lockdown was inspired by ComicBook/DeathsHead [[note]] as a nod to this, the name of his ship is ''Death's Head'' [[/note]], and the impetus for Lockdown's creation was to make a Hasbro-owned version of the latter character.
* FaceHeelTurn: His size, car-based vehicle mode, and training with Yoketron indicate that Lockdown was an Autobot before his current line-of-work.
* FashionableAsymmetry: to represent that he has parts from former preys, each of his limbs has a different color, with a yellow right arm, a purple left arm, a metallic left leg with purple features, and his right leg is the only one that actually fits with the black and green pattern of his torso. The first figure of the character is the only one that keeps him that way (even if both arms are the same color when removing the hook hand), while later recolors and the movie versions miss the point by keeping him in more uniform color patterns, with the hook as the only asymmetrical element.
* FauxAffablyEvil: One of the scarier parts about him is how nice he acts in spite of having no qualms with dismembering robots and taking their parts.
* HookHand: One of his arms has a hook for a hand.
* IdiotBall: He ultimately terminates his partnership with Sentinel because Ramjet offered him a better deal. Putting aside the fact that a minute listening to Ramjet reveals him to be a compulsive liar, what guarantee did Lockdown have that Ramjet had any kind of capital? For a bot as business-savvy as Lockdown is, he bought into Ramjet's trickery rather easily.
* KnightOfCerebus: Has nothing comedic about him and is by far the most outright evil character in the series.
* MorphWeapon: His left arm becomes a chainsaw.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: His hook hand effectively makes him a robot pirate; early designs even had an eyepatch. What's more, he has a death motif in his undertaker look and skull-like head, and was once a ninja pupil of Yoketron - meaning he may be one of very few literal expressions of the trope depending on how you count it.
* OnceASeason: Lockdown's appearances play out like this. He shows up three times, once in each season.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Lockdown is only loyal to whoever's paying him; ''Five Servos Of Doom'' shows that he's perfectly willing to capture Decepticons for the Autobots provided the latter's pay is better.
* PsychoForHire: He does business for the Decepticons and really enjoys harvesting parts from other Cybertronians.
* RocketPunch: He used one in his first appearance; when Ratchet destroyed it, he replaced it with a HookHand.
* ShouldersOfDoom: He has very pronounced shoulders.
* TheSociopath: Lockdown sees his victims as little more than trophies, only cares about his own benefit, and has no morals whatsoever. Case in point, he murdered his own mentor and sold a large number of protoforms to Megatron.
* SoftSpokenSadist: As part of his [[FauxAffablyEvil affable façade]], Lockdown rarely raises his voice, which only underlines how evil he is.
* SpikesOfVillainy: He has spikes on his body.
* TheUnfettered: He has absolutely no scruples to prevent him from doing whatever job he is given.
* WholeCostumeReference: His color scheme is very reminiscent of [[Franchise/StarWars Boba Fett]], who the creators said was part of the inspiration for Lockdown.
* WorkingForABodyUpgrade: Between taking parts from those he hunts and preferring to be paid in upgrades, Lockdown has a double dose of this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Swindle]]
!!Swindle (technically a Decepticon)
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/swindle.png]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/FredWillard / Nobutoshi Canna

--> ''"Hmmm, maybe I should help them - or maybe I should just help myself!"''

The Decepticon equivalent of a used car salesman. Swindle is a charming individual who sells weaponry and whatever business he can get his hands on - as long as he can make a profit, it doesn't matter! Voiced, fittingly enough, by the CEO of Buy & Large.
----
* AdaptedOut: The rest of the Combaticons don't appear along with him.
* AffablyEvil: Acts friendly and charming toward his clients.
* AndIMustScream: "SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy" ends with him being hauled away to be broken down to spare parts after being immobilized by Slo-Mo. He gets better.
* ArmsDealer: He sells weapons to the Decepticons.
* BadassInANiceSuit: He has a bolo tie.
* TheBarnum: He takes advantage of the other Decepticons' needs. The ''Arrival'' story "Everything Must Go" even has him scam Blitzwing and Lugnut into buying stuff to blast each other with.
* ContinuityNod / {{Homage}}: His design is noticably more angular than most ''Animated'' Cybertronians, as he was specfically designed to resemble G1 Swindle as closely as possible.
* DeflectorShields: He claims to have purchased it from the ''[[WesternAnimation/BeastWars Vok]]''.
* FaceHeelTurn: His size and vehicle mode suggest he was originally an Autobot who ([[EvilPaysBetter nominally]]) threw in with the Decepticons. The [=AllSpark=] Almanac makes this connection more explicit with Strika expressing distrust of ex-Autobots, and distrusts Swindle especially.
* GlassCannon: Very impressively armed, yet the only Decepticon Bumblebee's stingers have ever proved effective against.
* {{Hammerspace}}: The drawer built into his chest contains a transwarp frequency that leads directly to his own personal storage dimension. It's where he keeps most of his merchandice safe before offering it to potential customers.
* HellishPupils: His pupils are slit like a cat's or snake's.
* HonestJohnsDealership: Doesn't care at all about the quality of his services.
* LargeHam: He's a salesman ''and'' a showman and (according to Megatron) would sell his own motherboard to the highest bidder.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: His voice and mannerisms are based on Ron Popeil.
** NowHowMuchWouldYouPay
** ButWaitTheresMore
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: All he cares about his services is getting paid for them.
* PunchClockVillain: He's not very malicious, unless his business ventures are threatened. His joining up with Lugnut and the Decepticons in "Decepticon Air" was only to get some payment from Megatron, and he outright abandons them.
* PutOnABusToHell: At the end of his first appearance, he's put into stasis in vehicle mode and Fanzone expresses interest in sending him to a dump to be dismantled. Lockdown finds him at some point in Season 3, though he's not unfrozen until halfway through the season.
* WeaponOfChoice
** AnatomyArsenal
*** ArmCannon
*** ChestBlaster:Something resembling a futuristic [[GatlingGood gatling gun]] pops out of his chest. He's lost most of these weapons by his second appearance - possibly the police or the Elite Guard removed them - but makes up for it using his personal storage dimension.
** {{BFG}}
** MoreDakka: [[http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/2/2c/TFASwindlefullyarmed.jpg And how!]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Starscream Clones]]
!!Slipstream, Ramjet, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Sunstorm, Thrust, Dirge
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/TomKenny (all males), Creator/TaraStrong (Slipstream) / Jin Yamanoi (all males), Creator/AtsukoTanaka (Slipstream)

--> ''"Ah, never before have I seen a more impressive group of lethal fighting machines... and pretty good-looking if I do say so myself."''

Stolen protoforms + Starscream personality mod suits + [=AllSpark=] slivers from the chunk keeping the real Starscream online = trouble (and [[HilarityEnsues hilarity]]). While they have the same weapons and speed as the original, they each represent an exaggerated (er, even more so) aspect of his personality, which makes [[DirtyCoward some]] [[SmallNameBigEgo of them]] a lot less effective than they could be. Two of them show up in ''A Fistful of Energon'', but are revealed to be walking bombs. Starscream builds five more during the season two finale for his assault on Megatron.

The second Almanac adds another two - Dirge (toy-only) and Thrust (who never showed up at all), created by Swindle to act as bodyguards. All in all, not one of his best ideas. You want them? He can let them go cheap!
----
* AdaptationalVillainy: Thundercracker represents Starscream’s ego, with all his doubts over the Decepticon cause omitted.
* AdaptationalWimp: Skywarp may not have been the most powerful of the Decepticons, but he was nowhere near as cowardly or weak, as he is the clone representing Starscream’s cowardice.
* AffablyEvil: Sunstorm tends to heap compliments and praise on even his enemies, being Starscream's sycophant side.
* AllThereInTheManual[=/=]MythologyGag: None of them are ever named in the cartoon, although if you're a fan of the original series, you can guess all but one or two based on color scheme.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: At the end of "Endgame", Slipstream would've come across Starscream's dead body and given him part of her [=AllSpark=] fragment to revive him.
-->'''Slipstream:''' Arghh, I know I'm going to hate myself for this...
* BackForTheFinale: Slipstream briefly shows up again in "Endgame", mistaking a flying Optimus Prime for Starscream and then shooting him down once she realizes her mistake. This was originally meant to set up her reviving Starscream, but ended up becoming [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse her last appearance]].
* BadFuture: Cyclonus is heavily implied to be Skywarp from a future where TheBadGuyWins -- Unicron was presumably involved and Megatron became Galvatron, who Cyclonus is completely loyal to.
* BadLiar: Ramjet, who literally can't say anything except outright contradictions.
-->'''Ramjet:''' Oh, I would ''never'' do that.
* BigNo: Skywarp lets our one of these when Lockdown drags him away to Megatron.
* BreakoutVillain: Slipstream, the female Starscream clone, was created exclusively for this series as part of Starscream's squadron, and shows up the least out of them. Due to the uniqueness of being a female Seeker, however, and fan popularity, she's since found her way into other incarnations, often separately from Starscream.
* CannotTellALie: Inverted by Ramjet, who is unable to tell the truth and can't say anything other than blatant falsehoods.
* CanonForeigner: Slipstream was created for ''Animated''.
* DarkActionGirl: Slipstream is a female clone of Starscream and just as aggressive and cunning as the original.
* DirtyCoward: Skywarp represents Starscream's cowardice.
* EnemyMine: At the end of Season 4 (and the intended series finale), Slipstream and her team of Decepticons would've worked together with the Autobots to defend Earth from Megatron's invasion.
* {{Greed}}: Dirge is this trope in spades.
* GreenEyedMonster: Thrust, the clone created late in the game according to the [=AllSpark=] Almanac II, is the embodiment of Starscream's intense envy. He pals around with Dirge, which is appropriate since their quirks more or less compliment one another.
* HazyFeelTurn[=/=]HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: They turn against Starscream and join Megatron in the fight for the space bridge in "A Bridge Too Close". And then...
** Slipstream would've revived Starscream at the end of "Endgame", but it was cut for time, leaving it unknown as to whether or not this scene is still canon. And then AllThereInTheManual states that she would've formed a Decepticon team of her own, but would've joined forces with Optimus and the Autobots to fight against Megatron in the SeriesFinale.
** Sunstorm and Ramjet decide to stick with the main Decepticons.
** Skywarp is implied to become Cyclonus, growing an UndyingLoyalty to Megatron (or Galvatron, technically).
* IdenticalTwinIDTag: Swindle eventually gives Ramjet and Sunstorm helmets ([[MythologyGag inspired by their G1 counterparts' heads]]) to tell them apart.
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Poor Skywarp can't catch a break because of his cowardice.
* InformedAbility: Their bios claim they have various unique abilities based on their G1 counterparts (teleportation for Skywarp, energy absorption for Sunstorm, etc). None of these ever had a chance to appear in the cartoon.
* {{Irony}}:
** While Starscream was the TheFriendNobodyLikes, his colleagues seem to get along ''a lot'' better with his LiteralSplitPersonality clones. Probably because the only 'bot they'd pull their ChronicBackstabbingDisorder on is ''him''.
** In AllThereInTheManual, the information we're given about Cyclonus, who is implied to be a future version of Skywarp, Scalpel states that he shares similar algorithms to Starscream, which have been switched off. An implication of this is that Starscream could've ''turned off'' the LiteralSplitPersonality aspect of his clones.
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: Ramjet does this to Starscream after the latter has had his clones rebelling against him and head removed from his body by Professor Sumdac.
-->'''Ramjet:''' [[BlatantLies I will remain loyal to you forever.]] ''[kicks Starscream]''
* LiteralSplitPersonality: All of them represent an aspect of Starscream's personality (Sunstorm being his sycophant side, Thundercracker embodying his egomaniacal tendencies, Skywarp representing his cowardice, and Ramjet being the embodiment of his deceitful nature. Whatever aspect of his personality is represented by Slipstream remains unknown).
** Supposedly, WordOfGod states that they would've grown into their own individuals. It is unknown if that is officially the case, though AllThereInTheManual heavily implies that Skywarp will become Cyclonus.
* MesACrowd: They're all clones of Starscream.
* MythologyGag:
** Ramjet, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Sunstorm, Thrust, and Dirge are all nods to Starscream's PaletteSwap characters from ''Generation 1''.
** Ramjet kicking Starscream while the latter was headless is similar to how Starscream [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown kicked Megatron while he was heavily wounded]] after battling Optimus Prime in the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie original 1986 film]].
** In what is ultimately their final appearance in the show, Thundercracker and Skywarp are last seen with each other. In ''Generation 1'', it is implied that the both of them were reformatted by Unicron alongside Megatron.
** See NiceHat below.
* NiceHat: Swindle gives Sunstorm and Ramjet helmets to help him differentiate them. Doubles as a MythologyGag because the helmets make them resemble their counterparts in [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon]].
* NoNameGiven: They are not named in the show. The Japanese dub of "A Bridge Too Close" has Slipstream tell Starscream their names.
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Most have comedic points, but they can be quite dangerous. Sunstorm especially was effective in the Season 2 finale.
* PaletteSwap: With the exception of Slipstream, all of them are basically Starscream given a different color scheme.
* PetTheDog:
** Slipstream, despite supposedly hating Starscream enough that she would lead a betrayal against him out of [[EvilIsPetty spite]], would've revived him at the end of Season 3 with a piece of her own [=AllSpark=] fragment.
** Despite turning against Starscream to help the main Decepticons against him and the Autobots in the Season 2 finale, the Season 4 finale would've had her and her group of splinter Decepticons perform an EnemyMine with Team Prime to defend Earth against Megatron. Best guess as to why is presumably because she sees Earth as her home.
* ProfessionalButtKisser: Sunstorm will praise anyone if it will allow him to weasel his way out of getting hurt.
* RiddleForTheAges: According to WordOfGod, the aspect of Starscream that Slipstream represents is one of these.
* SchrodingersCanon: Given that Skywarp is implied to become Cyclonus after Unicron reformats him, by MythologyGag logic, you could also assume that Thundercracker (who just so happens to be accompanying Skywarp in their last appearance in the show) becomes Scourge.
* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Skywarp does this when he [[OhCrap finds sees Prowl flying right behind him.]]
* SmallNameBigEgo: Thundercracker embodies Starscream's egotism, so of course he'll have an inflated opinion of himself.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Slipstream is the only female of the group.
* ToylessToylineCharacter: Slipstream. Inverted by Dirge, who ''does'' have a toy, but never appeared on the show. Thrust didn't get ''either'' and is only known to exist through supplementary material. No wonder he's envious.
** Slipstream did eventually get a toy...in the Transformers Legends line. This is a confusing example as while the tie in comic ''does'' say she's the same character having jumped dimensions (with her head specifically made to look animated style), it's a completely different toyline altogether.
* VillainousGlutton: Dirge, the one toy-only clone, represents Starscream's insatiable greed.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** It is unknown what happened to Thundercracker and Skywarp after Blurr left them behind in [="TransWarped"=]. Skywarp is implied to become Cyclonus, at least in an alternate timeline, meaning that [[UnexplainedRecovery he got better]].
** Slipstream's appearance in "Endgame" was originally written to set up her reviving Starscream. This was cut when it became clear the third season would be the last, leaving it a mystery where Slipstream went afterward (though this version of the character does appear in the multi-universe ''Transformers Legends'' comic).
* YesMan: Sunstorm will agree with anyone to get on their good side.
* YouDoNotWantToKnow: What part of Starscream's personality ''does'' Slipstream represent, anyway? Best just not to ask. Word Of God isn't being entirely serious [[http://www.formspring.me/DerrickJWyatt/q/770787093 about this.]]
[[/folder]]

!!Team Chaar

[[folder:In General]]
[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin An elite team of Decepticons stationed on the Planet of Chaar.]]
----
* AscendedExtra: Released details about Season 4 indicates they would have a larger role.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Strika]]
!!Strika
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/strika.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Oooh, the Autobot Elite Guard. This should be fun."'']]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/TaraStrong / Rikako Aikawa

-->''"Victory lies in the tactics of destruction."''

A big, hulking fembot who is just as loyal to Megatron as Lugnut is. Makes sense, too -- they're married.
----
* AdaptationalVillainy: A WellIntentionedExtremist in her home continuity, Strika was loyal to Cybertron above all others even if that meant following Megatron. Here Strika's a fascist, loyal to the Decepticon ideals and their vision for Cybertron.
* BigBad: Of Team Chaar.
* BoobsOfSteel: Quite literally. Mostly because she's a BrawnHilda and that her chest literally contains [[ChestBlaster two bombs]].
* BrawnHilda: She's a very brawny woman.
* CanonImmigrant: From ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines''.
* ChekhovsGunman: She and Team Chaar lead an attack on Bulkhead's hometown during "Trial of Megatron", as seen in "The Stunticon Job".
* ChestBlaster: According to a piece of art by Derrick J. Wyatt, she literally has two bombs in her chest.
* DarkActionGirl: A formidable female Decepticon.
* DragonAscendant: After Megatron's capture in the series finale.
* GeniusBruiser: She's as cunning as she is strong.
* HuskyRusskie: She has a Russian accent.
* MythologyGag:
** Back in ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines'', she was romantically involved with another loyalist of Megatron.
** Said ''Beast Machines'' lover's preproduction name was "Blitzwing", which is the name of Lugnut's [[ThoseTwoGuys partner-in-crime]] in this continuity.
* RedBaron: Holds title of Megatron's "General of Destruction".
* TankGoodness: She becomes a tank-like vehicle.
* ToylessToylineCharacter: She has no toy.
* UndyingLoyalty: Almost as fanatical as Lugnut, although she does (briefly) question Megatron when he denies her a rumble with the Elite Guard.
* WeAREStrugglingTogether: According to Lugnut, she's not fond of [[ItsPersonal Blackarachnia]] and [[OpportunisticBastard Swindle]] because neither of them are truly dedicated to the Decepticon cause.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Spittor]]
!!Spittor
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transwarpedspittor1.jpg]]

-->''"Are you going to eat that?"''

A Decepticon who can suck in Autobots with his tentacles and either "eat them" or spit them out, covered in explosive slime. He's kind of horrible.
----
* AnimalMotifs: His robot and alt modes are frog-like in appearance.
* CanonImmigrant: From the ''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersBeastWars Beast Wars]]'' comics.
* CombatTentacles: Or rather, combat ''tongues''. The Almanac II calls them [[MythologyGag Legion tentacles]].
* GrievousHarmWithABody: One of his major battle tactics is to grab an opponent with his tongues, swallow them, coat them in explosive slime, and fire them at their other opponents as a living projectile.
* ThePigPen: He's not very tidy.
* ToylessToylineCharacter: There is no toy of him.
* VillainousGlutton: He always eats Autobots alive.
* TheVoiceless: He never speaks on the show.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blackout]]
!!Blackout
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blackoutanimated1.jpg]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/BumperRobinson / Creator/KentaMiyake

-->''"Lights out."''

An extremely large Decepticon -- in fact, until the advent of Project: Omega, he was the single largest Cybertronian ever protoformed. He fought during the Great War and was essentially a one-man army.
----
* TheBrute: He's a very aggressive Decepticon.
* CanonImmigrant: Based heavily on his live-action counterpart. His transformation sound is deeper and more metallic than the other characters, very much like the movies' sound.
* DumbMuscle: He's the biggest, most heavily-armed Decepticon alive, but isn't much help without supervision. He sheepishly apologizes when Strika tells him off for accidentally shutting down the space bridge they were supposed to use.
-->''[Blackout stomps, activating his EMP and turning off the space bridge]''\\
'''Strika:''' Blackout, [[YouFool you fool!]] We need the space bridge operational.\\
'''Blackout:''' Ooh. Sorry.
* {{EMP}}: Also works in reverse.
* HeroKiller: He's one of the biggest and most feared Decepticons that was ever created.
* OneManArmy: His custom Decepticon sigil means he ''is'' the Decepticon Heavy Brigade: the rest of his unit died fighting Zeta Supreme. Blackout went on to kill ''three other'' Omega Sentinels during the War.
* PercussiveMaintenance: He can use his stomp to knock out electronics and then reactivate them by doing it again.
* VillainDecay: Only in ''The Cool'' comic. Jetfire and Jetstorm are able to easily avoid his attacks because of their speed, and then they turn into their combined mode to take him down. In the War, Blackout killed robots the size of Omega Supreme, and took down opponents both larger and smaller than him (like Rodimus).
* WeaponOfChoice
** {{Arm Cannon}}s: In his toy-only Earth form, they become [[GatlingGood gatling guns]].
** MoreDakka
** RingsOfDeath: His Earth form has an arm-mounted disc launcher.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Oil Slick]]
!!Oil Slick
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tfa_oilslick_1.jpg]]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/PhilLaMarr / Atsushi Imaruoka

-->'''Rodimus Prime:''' You'll have to get past me first, Decepticreeps!
-->'''Oil Slick:''' You say that like it's a difficult thing, Autobot.

An expert chemist, Oil Slick invented the deadly weapon "cosmic rust", is a master of vehicle-to-vehicle combat and claims to have trained in Circuit-Su with an Autobot motorcycle, although he's not giving out any details.
----
* BadFuture: According to Cyclonus (who was either simply hoping it would happen or accidentally let it slip), he can't wait to see Oil Slick get offed by Galvatron.
* CanonImmigrant: He started as an unrelated sketch, got produced as a toy, made an appearance in a side-comic, and was introduced in the third season.
* CoolBike: Based on the 'Dodge Tomahawk' concept motorcycle, with a goat skull at the front.
* EpicFlail
* EvilGenius: He serves as the evil brains of Team Chaar.
* LeanAndMean: He's very skinny and also quite cruel.
* MadScientist: His expertise is in chemical warfare.
* ManipulativeBastard: A story in ''The Arrival'' had him afflicted with cosmic rust and using it to his advantage by tricking Ratchet into helping him make more of his weaponized chemical while claiming it to be an antidote for cosmic rust.
* NinjaPirateRobotZombie: A ninja robot ''chemist'', though the 'ninja' part is only mentioned in secondary material: he apparently studied Circuit-Su with Prowl. How that could happen is unclear, but there is a big gap in Prowl's past...
* PlagueMaster: His dome-helmet protects him from his own chemical weapons and poisons.
* SpikesOfVillainy: More notably in his Cybertronian mode, where he's practically covered in them.
* WeHaveReserves: In the comic where he was introduced, he tested his "Cosmic Rust" chemical in the middle of a battle, taking out soldiers from both sides. He flat-out tells Ratchet this.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Cyclonus]]
!!Cyclonus
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cyclonus_animated1.jpg]]

-->''Compassion is the Autobots' downfall.''

The stoic Cyclonus appeared in the skies of New Kaon in a storm of light and tachyons some time after the Great War ended, and has remained a complete mystery ever since. He has sworn loyalty to Megatron, but even that seems somehow abstract - and just who is this "Galvatron" he keeps talking about?
----
* CameFromTheSky: He first appeared when he fell out of the sky over New Kaon.
* TheDragon: He serves as Strika's second-in-command.
* DualWielding: He wields two [[CoolSword Bleedback Blades]].
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: His Almanac II bio "implies" that he's from the future and is just waiting for Megs to become Galvatron.
* FutureBadass: Like Cyclonus from G1, this one is implied to be the result of a Decepticon being reformatted, but it is unknown as to who. The implication seems to be that he's ''[[DirtyCoward Skywarp]]''.
* MysteriousPast: No information is given about his backstory in the show. As suggested in the Almanac, Cyclonus' past is more than likely everyone else's ''future''.
* MythologyGag: Him possibly being Skywarp reformatted by Unicron is a reference to him either implied to be Bombshell (whose existence in ''Animated'' is a mere cameo via AllThereInTheManual) or Skywarp before being reformatted by Unicron in various ''Generation 1'' continuities. Most interpretations go with him being Bombshell, making ''Animated'' the only case so far where he was Skywarp.
* NobleDemon: He finds Oil Slick's tactics distateful, preferring to face his enemies one-on-one.
* NoodleIncident: Apparently, he wants Galvatron's forgiveness.
* ShouldersOfDoom: He has very pronounced shoulders.
* StrawNihilist: According to his magazine bio, he believes that nothing truly matters because "the end is near".
* SwordBeam: The through-the-ground version.
* TookALevelInBadass: It's implied that he's Skywarp, the cowardly clone of Starscream, but his self-preservation algorithms from Starscream have been switched off.
* ToylessToylineCharacter: Hasbro stated that this particular incarnation never got a toy because his design was considered too similar to the ''Generation 1'' incarnation's figure in the ''Universe'' line.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Galvatron, whoever that is. The same applies to Megatron.
* VerbalTic: Apparently speaks entirely in "[[https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Furmanism Furmanisms]]".
* TheVoiceless: He has no dialogue.
[[/folder]]
----

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