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The name or term Shockwave refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Shockwave (disambiguation).



Shockwave is a massive cycloptic Decepticon. Apparently, he's been working to oust Megatron since before Starscream got the idea. Starscream decided Shockwave will be lucky to be kept as a pet if he takes over.

Shockwave is described as a hyper lethal Decepticon assassin. He is also a scientist, coming up with twisted and soulless experimental Decepticons. Shockwave is Stronger than every Transformer. His weapons are as powerful as Megatron's, which he can rival, his Hand Cannon is powered by his own personal reactor mounted on his back. Shockwave has control over the massive, vicious beast known as the Driller and rides it into battle. Shockwave has a Shield on his left arm for defense. He uses to block the gunfire from the Wreckers.

"That is one scary-ass Decepticon...!"
―Epps describes Shockwave.[[Dark of the Moon| [src]]]


No, really. HE WANTS TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TRANSFORMERS.
I want to tell you about the Transformers!

This character article is a stub and is missing information on their fictional appearances. You can help Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki by expanding it.


Titan Magazines[]

No, really. HE WANTS TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TRANSFORMERS.
I want to tell you about the Transformers!

This character article is a stub and is missing information on their fictional appearances. You can help Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki by expanding it.


Bumblebee[]

Voice actor: Jon Bailey
Shockwave and Decepticon Bumblebee

THICCwave leads the Decepticons into battle

In the absence of Megatron, Shockwave and Soundwave led the Decepticon forces on Cybertron in an all-out assault on the Autobot resistance.


No, really. HE WANTS TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TRANSFORMERS.
I want to tell you about the Transformers!

This character article is a stub and is missing information on their fictional appearances. You can help Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki by expanding it.


Fiction[]

IDW live-action film prequel comics[]

Eons after the Dynasty of Primes were vanquished, Cybertron fell into dark times. The AllSpark had been buried somewhere within Cybertron and been dismissed as a legend, and the planet itself lacked a star to orbit. As energy became more and more scarce, Cybertronians segregated into tribes. Shockwave chose to rally behind Sentinel Prime, who claimed to be descended from Primus himself. However, he faced opposition from the non-believer Thetacons, and Shockwave joined Megatron, Optimus, and several others in repelling their attacks. Ultimately, Sentinel Prime won the day, as he and Wheeljack were successful in locating the lost AllSpark and harnessing a new sun to orbit. This, however, did not please Shockwave. Now that the war was over, he was dissatisfied, and he no longer knew his purpose. This shocked his old friend, Megatron, and Shockwave explained that it was the journey he enjoyed, not the destination. Plus, well, that new sun was kind of bright. Foundation #1

The next day, Megatron detailed to Shockwave how he had eavesdropped on a conversation between Sentinel and Optimus, where Sentinel had tried to pass on leadership to Optimus, who refused, unable to accept he was also a Prime. At the outskirts of Thetacon, they encountered a Driller, a subterranean lifeform that had been brought to the planet's surface by the new energy flowing through it, which was attacking a group of Hatchlings and their protector Starscream. Shockwave was amazed by the creature and called it "magnificent". After besting it, he joined the Cybertronian Defense Force that Sentinel placed under Megatron's command, rooting out dissident Transformers. Foundation #2

After the war broke out he joined the Decepticons. As Starscream was asking what to do next minutes before the Nemesis went to space, Shockwave told him that they would obey Megatron's orders without any question. Foundation #3When the Autobots attacked Simfur Temple, Shockwave attempted to apprehend Elita-One, but with no success. When Starscream blew up the ship carrying Sentinel and his secret weapon, Shockwave ordered the annihilation of the retreating Autobots, but Megatron made him stand down, gleefully predicting Optimus would return with a vengeance. Foundation #4

Shockwave returned with Megatron to his citadel during Optimus's revenge attack. Foundation #1Shockwave asked Megatron if he could kill Optimus Prime and Ironhide after they had been stuck by the smelting pool, but Megatron was disappointed by Shockwave's lack of vision. Foundation #3Optimus got inside to fight Megatron, while Starscream and Shockwave attempted to kill their former comrade Ironhide. Suddenly, the skies darkened: the Autobots had attacked the citadel to distract the Decepticons from their true goal of stealing the AllSpark from the temple. Optimus blasted Starscream and Shockwave, and the two Autobots escaped. Foundation #4

Some time later, after the Autobots sent the All Spark into space, Starscream left Shockwave in charge of the Decepticons still on Cybertron as he went in search of his prize. During a battle with a team of Autobots, Shockwave heard the scream of the AllSpark when it was found by Sector Seven. Leaving Dreadwing in charge of the Decepticons on Cybertron, Shockwave set out in an impossibly fast ship, swearing not to return without the AllSpark. He crashed in Tunguska, Siberia in 1908. He remained buried there in stasis lock, healing until Soviet Russia found him ten years later. Using stolen research from the U.S., who had found Megatron the same way, the Russians reverse-engineered his technology to invent nuclear power plants. Rising Storm #2 Frozen

There were no digital records of Shockwave's existence, and the physical documents pertaining to him were lost, burned, shredded or stolen in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse. The Siberian facility was abandoned and Shockwave was left forgotten. Convergence #4

Soundwave discovered the satirical article and its photograph, and deduced it was based on stolen Soviet documents. Convergence #4

Revenge of the Fallen film[]

Rotf-shockwave-film-newspaper

The Newspaper with Shockwave on it.

In 2009, Shockwave was caught on film and put in a newspaper article with the headline "Mysterious Robot Spotted". It was sucked up by Devastator. Revenge of the Fallen


IDW live-action film prequel comics[]

In 2010, Megatron freed Shockwave and brought him to his "base" in Namibia, where he was eager to get back to killing Autobots as soon as possible. Rising Storm #2

Shockwave and Astrotrain made their presence known on Earth near Dalian, China, where they quickly disposed of the Autobots Longarm and Salvage and stole material for a mysterious construction project. Shockwave began following the exploits of Earth's stranded Transformers from afar, and derided its war's combatants as idiots after watching a skirmish in California. After contacting Astrotrain for an update on their project, he tracked Divebomb's radiation trail back to Starscream's current base of operations, in a junkyard on the outskirts of Mexico City. Blasting his way through the Decepticons unwise enough to try defending Starscream, Shockwave informed the treacherous air commander that Megatron had "requested his services." Before the conversation could go any further, Astrotrain radioed Shockwave with some bad news: the "brain unit" scrap drone that held the control software for the machine he was constructing had escaped. Shockwave charged Starscream and his followers with recovering the drone. Rising Storm #1

Shockwave contacted an angry Starscream who thought he was promised the Autobots would be occupied. Shockwave countered that they were occupied, but, you know, with Starscream, leaving Shockwave free to leave a message for Optimus Prime at the NEST Headquarters in Diego Garcia. After killing Knock Out, Dune Runner, and other Autobots who stood in his way, Shockwave confronted the trembling humans left to fend for themselves. When Shockwave asked who was in command, Theodore Galloway told him that he was. Shockwave killed Galloway and the other humans save one, and he asked his question one more time. Rising Storm #3

After killing Jolt, he and Fearswoop left Diego Garcia, then he arrived in Philadelphia killing Elita-One in the process and shot down Wheeljack and Mirage. Enraged by the death of Elita-One and the other Autobots, Optimus Prime battled Shockwave, quickly overpowering him and brutally pummeling the sadistic Decepticon. Prime was about to kill Shockwave, till Shockwave's "pet" came to save his master. The badly damaged Shockwave returned to Namibia along Starscream and Soundwave. Rising Storm #4


IDW/Dark of the Moon film[]

Voice actor: Frank Welker (English)
"Optimus..."
―Shockwave staring at Optimus Prime.


DOTMShockwave vs Optimus

Shockwave and Optimus Prime prepares to battle.

DOTMadaptation1-Shockwavemurderer

Shockwave talks to Optimus about their post-confrontations (extended material)


Shockwave and his pet Driller ambush NEST and the Autobots at Chernobyl after a tip-off by a Russian agent. The Driller steals the Ark's fuel cell that was being held there. After Optimus retrieves the Ark's fuel cell from the attacking Driller, Shockwave emerges from within his pet and glares at Optimus and says his name Dark of the Moon, and begin has an extended battle with Optimus, Dark of the Moon Adaptationthen sinks back into the Driller and retreats, leaving Optimus very disturbed. However, it was later revealed that this was all a ploy to get the Autobots to revive an old Autobot leader Sentinel Prime so he could use his space bridge pillars to bring an Decepticon army to Earth to enslave humanity.

Dotm-shockwave-film-1

Shockwave attacks the Autobots

Shockwave and his pet Driller took part in the capturing Chicago and sealed off the city from outside interference. When NEST and Autobots break in to Chicago, Shockwave immediately begins hunting the Autobots, with Driller hits Optimus' trailer again. The Wreckers attack Shockwave with their mounted machine guns in a fire fight. Shockwave used a car as a shield before tossing it away, firing back at the Wreckers and just ignoring their bullets. The Wreckers pulled out, Shockwave used this gap to reload, but he did not notice two Autobots Brains and Wheelie.

Dotm-shockwave-film-shootingatoptimusprime

Shockwave fires on Optimus, taking him out of the battle

Later, he saw Robert Epps and his troops in a building after having a desk fall out the building and a tea cup break on his head. After noticing them, he quickly called in the Driller to take down the building. While the Driller was doing this, the Driller nearly succeeded in destroying Hudson tower, but Optimus flew in and destroyed it. Enraged, Shockwaves roared at Optimus and blasted him with his cannon, snaring the Autobot in some construction wires. Shockwave and his forces then temporarily retreated.

Dotm-shockwave-film-blind

Shockwave becomes blinded by Wreckers and NEST

After that Shockwave and four protoforms put up a guard just a click from Sentinel's base of operations. Barricade soon joined them after escaping from an ambush from the Autobots, which resulted in Soundwave's death. Shockwave then took the time to observe him beating the other Decepticons blaming them for Soundwave's death and the other Autobots' escape, especially Bumblebee, Barricade's rival. However, the NEST troops ambushed the group of six. Barricade and another protoform were killed by bombs, while Shockwave began firing with his cannon and other members of NEST parachute in in an attempt to kill Shockwave. Eventually, all the NEST troopers are forced to engage Shockwave alone, with no success. One paratrooper is able to use his chute to cover Shockwave's eye long enough to bring Shockwave the pain by crippling his shoulder. Shockwave then came under fire from Epp's team, but even this didn't do much damage. Eventually, the Wreckers returned and fired at Shockwave, blowing his eye out.

Dotm-optimusprime-film-shockwave

Shockwave about to be killed by Optimus Prime

Shockwave then fell back while taking fire from NEST, Wreckers and the edition of Sideswipe, Dino, Ratchet, Bumblebee and the U.S. Army and Navy SEALs, using many other Decepticons as cannon fodder. While stumbling around, Optimus, now free, engaged him after killing the other Decepticons, slashing Shockwave across his torso with bladed knuckles. But even this did not kill Shockwave. However, Optimus then pinned him down and ripped out his eye and throat, finally killing him. Optimus then used Shockwave's cannon to blast the Control Pillar from the building it's on, temporarily deactivating the space bridge. Dark of the Moon

Note: In Adaptation Shockwave's rampage from Rising Storm is actively referred to when he appears at Chernobyl also drawn extended battle Shockwave with Optimus in Chernobyl which was not shown in the movie. Moreover, for some reason, in film Lennox does not recognize Shockwave, although the last time he met him was in Rising Storm #4. It feels like a lot of scenes were cut out of the movie and some of them were re-shot altogether.

Alternate timeline[]

This is a potential future that may not necessarily following trilogy.

Age of Extinction film[]

As Harold Attinger explained that the Transformers were being hunted and destroyed, he threw a bunch of cards down on a table with giant red X's across them. Shockwave's face was on one of those cards. KSI then based their "Two-head" units on him. Age of Extinction

The Last Knight film[]

When Viviane Wembly was abducted by Hot Rod, she remarked that her captor had better be a famous Transformer, like Shockwave or Soundwave, perhaps unaware that both Deceptions were deceased. Hot Rod retorted that he was more impressive than either of them. The Last Knight

The Last Knight TRF prisoner bios[]

Shockwave's death on Earth has greatly angered fellow Decepticon Nitro Zeus.

Game[]

Transformers: The Game (console)[]

"My calculations are correct, awake my army, awakening conquer!!"[]

-Shockwave in Transformers The Game" (NOT THE CONSOLE)

Movie Shockwave
Shockwave movie

G1 shockwave

Shockwave appears as a boss character in the Autobot campaign. Under the orders of Starscream, he attacked Tranquility, the hometown of Sam Witwicky, but was beaten to death by Optimus Prime.

Shockwave also appears in the Autobots' Cybertron bonus stage. When there are only 3 Decepticons left, Shockwave is one of them. He doesn't transform in this stage (neither can the player character).

Transformers Decepticons (DS)[]

Shockwave is playable, after a fashion, via scanning the Attack Copter, the Recon Chopper and the Stealth Chopper. Only the Attack Chopper is able to look relatively like Shockwave, with purple and black as the colors.

Transformers Autobots (DS)[]

Shockwave's body type appears as three helicopters: the Attack Copter, the Recon Chopper and the Stealth Chopper. However, the only one of the three able to become purple like Shockwave is the Attack Copter.

Transformers: The Game (PSP)[]

Shockwave is a playable character in the PSP version of the game. However he only has one alternate mode, which is a rail-cannon tank based on Energon Shockblast. Accompanied by Thundercracker, he tried to find Megatron in the arctic, only to discover that his leader had been moved. However, he also found something worth more than the All Spark: the massive drone army that had followed Megatron to Earth.

To revive the drones, he had to transmit a signal from a high altitude, so he made his way to a missile base, where he used a rocket to transmit it from space. However, Shockwave's control of the giant robot army was short-lived, as the two Autobots Trailbreaker and Hound planted a virus in the signal, shutting the drones down. This enraged Shockwave, but his day got worse when he learned that Megatron's location was found was no doubt shocked by his message as Megatron regained his strength announced his debut to the modern world. Luckily Megatron was defeated, while it was unknown what part Shockwave played in the final battle or how he managed to get back to Cybertron (since Thundercracker was presumably put down by the autobots) regardless he fought Starscream over leadership of the Decepticons back on Cybertron. He was blasted to bits.

Note: It is unclear of Shockwave actually dies as there is no ending cutscene, but the place he was standing explodes during the "level complete" screen. Also note that Shockwave is one of the hardest bosses in the game, as he has a tendency to mercilessly fire on you without overheating his guns, and has a load of HP.

Dark of the Moon video game[]

Shockwave is a very formidable warrior and ally to the decepticons, he has a Shock Cannon and a blade arm that can kill scouts with ease, his eye also a built in telepathic scope laser but this only in the final mission bummer.

Several decades ago prior to the first film, Shockwave landed in Sibera, where the Soviets found and studied him via cryo stasis, similar to Megatron, but for unknown reasons he was abandoned and also came with his Driller.When the autobots invade Megatron's base, he plans to revive Shockwave, who is being held in Cryo-stasis with his Driller in a chamber of an abandoned Soviet military base that now serves as Megatron's base. Megatron finds it ironic that the Russians froze Shockwave the same way as the Americans froze him.

With navigation from Soundwave, Megatron slays Warpath and finds the Cryo Chamber. He deactivates the cyro process, but Optimus Prime arrives. The two battle, but Megatron deactivates Optimus' overshield and eventually defeats him. Megatron shoves Optimus into the Cryo-Statis chamber, where Prime discovers that Shockwave is thawing out from his icy prison. Ratchet activates the coolant tubes to keep Shockwave frozen, but the two of the Driller's arms activate, and destroy the tubes. Shockwave soon reactivates, and jumps off the platform he was frozen on, and attacks Optimus. However, Optimus forces Shockwave to retreat back onto the platform by damaging his weapon cooling tanks on his back. Before leaping to the platform, Shockwave blasts the ice holding the rest of the Driller frozen, reactivating it as well. Shockwave repeatidly fires at the Autobot, but Optimus manages to defeat the Driller, and Shockwave returns to battle Optimus. Autobot reinforcements arrive, but Shockwave easily kills them. Optimus Prime activates his jetpack and fires a volley of missiles at Shockwave. Shockwave would have been deactivated but, the Driller shields its master from the attack and retreats. The Decepticons regroup in Nambia, where Megatron orders the Decepticon assassin to recover an artifact in an abandoned nuclear factory located in Chernobyl, leading up to the movie.


Note: Note: (This game sort of retcons and erases Shockwave's previous appearance in the first film tie in game) Shockwave only speaks in the stealth force edition, he also is playable in the console but do not expect him to transform as the developers didn't design a vehicle mode for him because they see or buy his toy.

Toys[]

Dark of the Moon[]

Dotm-shockwave-cyberverse-3
  • Shockwave with Fusion Tank (Cyberverse, 2011)
This Commander class Shockwave comes with a bigger treaded cannon that can turn into a weapons mount, mobile weapon, and a base.
The Shockwave figure itself, it appears, is a smaller version of the Voyager class mould. The Weapons base is moddled on the Driller, likely to be the only toy representation of the Beast that will ever be released.
In weapons mount mode, Shockwave's weapons can be placed on it.
Dotm-shockwave-toy-voyager
  • Shockwave (MechTech Voyager, 2011)
    • Japanese ID number:
    • Accessories: Partical wave blaster
Shockwave is released as part of the second wave of MechTech Voyager figures. He turns into a tank/ground assault vehicle, similar in style to that of Megatron's in Revenge of the Fallen. His head is visible at the front of the vehicle.
His battle cannon utilizes MechTech technology to convert to a particle wave blaster. The toy's file says that he prefers stealthy tactics and never leaves a trace.

Notes[]

Dotm-shockwave-promo-cropped
Dotm-shockwave-film-scar
  • Originally in the film's production, Shockwave was supposed to be DOTM's main foe of the film, this would make sense since the film's story premise was space bridge technology the character past incarnations has been familiar with space bridges (see also: Animated, G1)
  • Also because he was modeled and personality wise created after David Warner, the film makers were attempting to get him in the role.
  • At 40 feet tall (he was reported as being 40 feet tall),[citation needed] he is one of the few Decepticons physically larger than Megatron in terms of height.
  • In the Dark of the Moon comic, Shockwave has a far bigger part than in the film. He has a lot more things to say as well, like when Optimus kills Driller: "That was a magnificent creature, Prime. Now join it in extinction!". Optimus later kills him by slicing him right down the middle with his sword.
  • His vehicle mode is never seen in Dark of the Moon, mostly because he uses Driller as transport most of the time.
    • This makes him similar to the Fallen who also does not show his alternate mode through the duration of his movie. (because the fallen can teleport, so there really is no point for him to transform)
  • Shockwave is featured on Linkin Park's music video for Iridescent, probably because of his former state as the main antagonist for Dark of the Moon.
  • Shockwave is the second cycloptic Decepticon in the live-action films, the other being Ravage.
  • Shockwave's Commander class toy with the weapons mount is strange compared to the other commanders toys line that come with trailers as it does not have a mode that Shockwave can attach to as a backpack.
  • In tie-in comics leading up to the events of Dark of the Moon, it was explained that Shockwave is the reason why the Autobots barring Bumblebee, Ironhide, and Optimus were absent in Dark of the Moon, having killed them in a raid at NEST Headquarters.
  • Shockwave has a scar on his right cheek.
    • The film tie in's prequel Rising Storm also explains that he received this scar during a fight in Philadelphia with Optimus Prime.


  • In Chernobyl (in deleted scene) Optimus, say Shockwave's "I'll vever accapt your surrender, murdered!" and in Chicago when Optimus kills Shockwave, he say "You die."
    • This is a clear reference to the Rising Storm comic, where Shockwave killed many of Optimus' friends and Elite 1 in particular.
  • There was difficulty on finding a voice actor for Shockwave. David Warner and Corey Burton declined, so Frank Welker, who never denies a voice role in either a movie or animated cartoon, was chosen. However, Shockwave only had five words of dialogue in the film. He said, "Optimus" at the Chernobyl scene and before the scene with Driller tipping over the skyscraper, "Drill Bot is thirsty". [citation needed]
    • When the Wreckers, in vehicle mode, were firing at Shockwave, he said "Ow!".
    • The sentence "Drill Bot is thirsty" is almost completely inaudible. Even in a translated version, this was unchanged, possibly because translators didn't hear it due to the sounds of battle.
      • If one decides to turn them on, you'll find that the line does appear in the subtitles.
    • When he sends the Driller to topple the skyscraper, he says "Commence", after a sentence of Cybertronian.
  • In most of the Dark of the Moon media, Shockwave uses a particle or laser cannon, while it appears to be some sort of cluster missile launcher in the film.
  • Some fans think that Shockwave survived the battle of Chicago, because if one looks closely, they can see Prime didn't completely cut his head off.
    • Although his eye was ripped out, so if he did survive, he'd be blind.
  • Bryan Alexander of the Chicago Sun Times rated Shockwave 3rd of the top 12 most sinister movie villains in film for summer of 2011, being topped only by the Red Skull and Lord Voldemort.[Source needed]
  • It can be argued that Shockwave was the most effective Decepticon in the movie. He and his Driller left the fuel rod behind in Chernobyl which set up the events of the whole movie. In the Chicago battle, Shockwave disables Prime and traps him in cables which takes him out of most of the battle. Also it takes many NEST troops (including Lennox and Epps), the Wreckers, Dino, Sideswipe and Ratchet to damage and blind him.
  • In a scene somewhere near the one in which he says "Driller Bot is thirsty", a cup from the building in which Robert Epps and Sam are in falls on his head — and he does not look at where the cup came from. He surely needs a sense of touch. And when he has it, he would be singing a song about it.
  • In Age Of Extinction Film : Several drones that resemble Shockwave were built by KSI, these drones had two heads rather than one, and had two arm blades rather than an arm cannon. One two-headed Shockwave drone was seen fighting Hound, the drone pinned him to the ground but was destroyed when Hound shot both heads with a single shot from his cigar.
  • Ironically one year before Age of Extinction came out, a youtuber called Emgo 316 made a skit for Shockwave's Transformers Prime incarnation when he learned that the next season which was Beast Hunters was going to be the final season. Shockwave sulked and Megatron attempted to cheer him up by saying: Hey, who knows bay might put you in the next movie with four seconds of screen time, only for shockwave to say: SHUT UP!

External links[]

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