Transformers Universe Decepticon

Scorponok

Allegiance: Decepticon

Sub-Group: Headmaster

Function: Headmaster Commander

First Comic Appearance: Headmasters #1

"Kindness is no virtue ... and cruelty is no vice."

Profile: Despair and isolation are all that remain in his wake. Believes the poor should be exploited, the weak oppressed, and the noble corrupted. Others' pain is his sole pleasure.

Abilities: In scorpion mode, tail shoots 100,000 volt electric bursts, has twin pulse blasters, claws can crush mountains. In defense base mode, has over-the-horizon radar, communications center, anti-aircraft sonic cannon, repair bay, construction bay; semi-autonomous armored interceptor with dual photon cannons that patrol the base perimeter. In robot mode, has fusion-powered anti-gravity gun. Binary-bonded to Lord Zarak, leader of the evil Nebulans.


Scorponok was the leader of the Decepticon/Destron Headmasters. His head became Zarak, and he transformed from a giant scorpion into a robot or a base. The Scorponoks in the various continuities vary greatly with respect to size.

Cartoon Bio (US):

Unlike his many other incarnations, the Scorponok of the US cartoon was not, in fact, a Decepticon. In fact, it's hard to tell if he was even sentient, as he was only in one full half-hour episode.

When a small band of Autobots crash-landed on the planet Nebulos, they underwent the Headmaster process thanks to the Nebulan rebels. To counter this, the Decepticons joined up with the evil rulers of Nebulos, known as the Hive, and created Targetmasters. After a while, this seemed like a stalemate, until the Hive upped the stakes. Lord Zarak, the Hive's leader, constructed the ultimate Headmaster: Scorponok. Zarak underwent the original Headmaster procedure and binary-bonded with (what appeared to be) an automaton. In turn, that robot transformed into the head of the massive Scorponok. Despite it's booming electronic voice, Scorponok didn't seem capable of any thought which Zarak didn't program. Scorponok was a quad-changer: robot mode, scorpion mode, flight mode, and fortress. In fortress mode, Scorponok was possibly as big as the Decepticon city Trypticon, easily housing over twenty Autobots and Decepticons at one time.

Scorponok quickly dealt with the Autobots and the newly-arrived Optimus Prime, kidnapped Arcee, and transported the Decepticons back to Cybertron. They arrived in the midst of a final battle, which the Decepticons appeared to be winning. Ultra Magnus was leading a last-ditch attack on Galvatron himself, and failing miserably, when Scorponok arrived and let loose the Decepticon Headmasters and Targetmasters. Although at first Galvatron refused to work with the fleshy Nebulans, the sheer power of Scorponok and ambition of Zarak changed his mind. A tenuous alliance was formed. They soon retrieved the key to the plasma energy chamber from Arcee, who was held captive within Scorponok.

Optimus Prime and the Nebulan Autobots finally reached Cybertron, only to be abandoned by their Nebulan binary partners. Headless and weaponless, the Autobots nevertheless stormed Scorponok, now serving as the Decepticon headquarters, to free Arcee. They were promptly captured, and about to be executed, when the last Headmaster arrived. Stealing Zarak's design and most of the technology from the Hive's city, Spike Witwicky and Cerebros had become Fortress Maximus. The two titanic Headmasters clashed, with Fortress Maximus clearly coming out the victor.

After the plasma energy chamber was opened, every mechanoid on Cybertron was threatened with termination. Sensing imminent destruction, Galvatron, the Combaticons, and the Nebulan Decepticons boarded Scorponok and attempted to leave the planet. A stray blast of plasma energy struck the rapidly-departing Scorponok, flinging them all into deep space. Planet side, it took the help of the flesh-and-blood Nebulans to save the planet. The plasma energy restored Cybertron to prime condition, as it was before the Great Wars. Hours later, however, the Decepticons were still aboard Scorponok, drifting aimlessly through space and swearing revenge.

Article submitted by Edmund Whitmore.

Cartoon Bio (Japan):

None submitted.

Comic Bio (US):

Searching for a group of Autobots that abandoned Cybertron in search of peace, Scorponok and his band of Decepticons stumbled upon a message sent by Lord Zarak of Nebulos. Zarak was seeking opposition to what he perceived to be a threat to the peace and stability of his home world. Scorponok used the information to locate Nebulos, and promptly proceeded to invade and conquer the planet. In order to defend themselves against the Decepticons, a group of Nebulans created the Autobot Headmasters. These Headmasters proved too much for the Decepticons to handle, and Scorponok promptly arranged to create his own Headmasters, using Zarak and his Nebulan allies as binary partners. Zarak found, to his dismay, that Scorponok's mind overpowered his own, and with his last act of free will, Zarak managed to free the Nebulan components to the Autobot Headmasters, knowing that if they left Nebulos, the Decepticons would follow.

Pursuing the Autobots to Earth, Scorponok took full control over Zarak's mind. Locating the Ark on Earth, he used Spike Witwicky as a distraction in order to mortally wound Galen, the Nebulan component of Fortress Maximus, within Mt. St. Hillary. However, before Galen died, he gave his binary bond helmet to Spike, who used Fortress Maximus to chase the Decepticons away from the Ark.

Lord Zarak took advantage of his human-like form to become a businessman ("Mr. Z"), working within American society, tricking humans into destroying the Autobots. To this end, he hired the Roadjammers, giving them devices to immobilize Transformers.

During the Underbase crisis, Scorponok took command of all of Earth's Decepticons, then called for reinforcements from Cybertron in the form of the Micromaster Air Raid Patrol. He again used his "human" form of Lord Zarak to organize an Air Raid Patrol wrestling team to combat the Autobot Race Car Patrol, who were attempting to make allies among the humans.

Unbenownst to Scorponok, the Air Raid Patrol was actually sent by Megatron, in an effort to destroy his enemies on Earth. To this end, Megatron revived the traitor Starscream, sending him to Earth in a Pretender shell, brainwashed to attack both Autobots and Decepticons. This attack failed when Starscream's true personality resurfaced, and Scorponok listened to Starscream's pleas to spare his life. This decision put Scorponok in disfavor with the other Decepticons.

While Lord Zarak's mind seemed to have been totally taken over by Scorponok, Scorponok became acutely aware of his human frailties, even fearing for his life among such "giants" as the Decepticons.

When the Autobots, having gone on a failed quest to retrieve the Autobot Matrix of Leadership in an attempt to defend against the planet-eater Unicron, surrendered to Scorponok in order to unite their forces, Scorponok took advantage of the opportunity to improve his image among his Decepticon minions by breaking his word to talk with Optimus Prime about the Unicron threat. Meanwhile, Starscream left to gather his own Decepticon rebel army with the help of Shockwave. Together, they attacked Scorponok's base, forcing Scorponok to work with the Autobots to defend themselves.

Scorponok, as well as all of Earth's Transformers, were transported to Cybertron when Galvatron tricked Primus into gathering his creations to combat Unicron. Discovering the true danger Unicron represented, Scorponok formallized his alliance with the Autobots. Sadly, Scorponok (and Zarak) were killed shortly thereafter in the battle when Unicron slagged Scorponok's body with a breath of fire.