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Soundwave
Allegiance: Decepticon
Function: Communications
First Comic Appearance: Transformers #1
"Cries and screams are music to my ears."
Profile:
It is said that Soundwave can hear a fly sneeze. It is also said that
beneath his smooth-talking, affable surface beats the generator coil of
a blackmailer. Those who know these two facts about him are very
careful about what they say within earshot of him. Soundwave is the
ultimate opportunist and will use anything he can to advance his status
in the eyes of the Decepticon Leader Megatron. He doesn't worry about
what others think of him because he knows he is nearly indispensable.
Although they all despise him, the other Decepticons pretend to like
him rather than get on his bad side. As Rumble explains, "Soundwave
always has the last laugh."
Abilities:
Soundwave's sensors can detect radio transmissions of the lowest energy
levels. He can even "read minds" by monitoring the electrical impulses
inside someone's brain circuitry, if he's standing nearby. He serves as
the Decepticons' communications relay station- he can keep them all in
radio contact with each other within a radius of 100 miles. His
photographic memory is due to the immense information storage capacity
of the magnetic disks in his chest. He carries a high-amplification
directional radiowave sensor and a concussion blaster-gun. He also has
great physical strength.
Weaknesses: Soundwave
sometimes gets overconfident about his value to the others. At times
his hateful personality has resulted in retaliation from them, or worse
yet, his abandonment during battle with the Autobots. So far, Soundwave
has not only survived these incidents, but has seen to it that his
betrayers pay for their actions.
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Soundwave is one of the higher ranking Decepticons/Destrons during the
reign of Megatron. Generally depicted as loyal and extremely capable,
he is also valuable for his ability to carry within him the Decepticon cassette warriors (sometimes referred to by fans as "Cassetticons"). The Decepticon cassettes currently consist of Frenzy, Rumble, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ravage, Overkill, Slugfest, Ratbat, Squawktalk, and Beastbox.
Soundwave transforms into a human-scale portable cassette player
(commonly referred to as a "Walkman") and has shown the ability to hear
extremely faint noises, as well as a limited ability to read minds. He
has also displayed technical aptitude and excellent leadership
abilities.
Soundwave was a faithful right-hand man to whoever commanded the Decepticons
at that given moment. He was largely regulated to sending out transmissions.
Interesting note--he is the only Transformer to survive every from #1 of the
first series to #12 of Generation 2.
With the help of the Constructicons, Soundwave was able to send a
transmission to Cybertron alerted the Decepticons there of the Transformers
on Earth.
Soundwave devised the plan that allowed a frozen Megatron to receive fuel,
allowing him to function again.
When Shockwave and Megatron were about to fight to decide who would lead the
Decepticons, Soundwave stopped the fight by alerting them to a transmission
from Straxus.
Later, Megatron wanted to challenge prime to a duel to the death. He gave
Runamuck and Runabout orders to cause chaos to attract Prime's attention.
When Soundwave offered a direct approach, he received an engine to the face.
When the Autobots arrived to rescue Buster, Soundwave notified Scorponok and
Ratbat of their arrival. During the Hunt for Starscream, Soundwave and Fort
Max led the strike force in Buenos Aires. Although blasted by Starscream,
Soundwave survived.
When the Autobots surrendered to the Decepticons, Soundwave was assigned the
job to guard Optimus. Optimus knocked him, giving himself, Hot-Rod, and Kup
the chance to escape.
As Scorponok battled Shockwave, Soundwave acted as commander of the
Decepticons. Mindwipe then hypnotized him. Kup used this advantage to stop
the Decepticon fighting.
Soundwave was teleported to Cybertron along with the rest of the
Transformers. He fought in the Unicorn War and survived. He went with the
other Decepticons to Klo where the Autobots defeated them.
During Generation 2, he assumed his role as right-hand robot to Megatron.
His main role was to notify Megatron of robots coming and going. Soundwave
was commander when Megatron was not present. When Jhiaxus apparently
destroyed Megatron, Soundwave ordered the rest of the Decepticons to search
for Megatron until they found out if he was alive or dead. When Megatron
was on Earth with Optimus when Jhiaxus struck, Soundwave gave the orders for
the Decepticons to evacuate. When the Transformers we know were fighting
Jhaixus's warriors while worrying about the Swarm, Soundwave kept tabs on
signals from Megatron. It is safe to assume that he survived the Swarm.
All of the events in the US Comic Bio also occurred in the UK Comic continuities. The following additions are in addition to those events.
Galvatron,
the future version of Megatron, travels back from 2006 to 1987, along
with Scourge and Cyclonus. There both Megatron and Soundwave are
attacked by them and buried under a rock fall. A group of Autobots led
by Jetfire attempting to rescue Jazz, who has been captured by
Galvatron, free Soundwave and Megatron and strike a bargain with them
so that they are able to defeat Galvatron. While attacking Cyclonus
Soundwave and Megatron again are attacked but this time by Starscream.
Eventually Galvatron returns to 2006.
Sometime later Megatron and Shockwave are at odds again. The earth
based Decepticon armies were split into two factions, those loyal to
Megatron and those loyal to Shockwave. Soundwave was loyal to Megatron
or so it seemed. It was later revealed that Soundwave was in fact a
double agent for Shockwave. Megatron, releasing that there is a double
agent in his group, orders Soundwave to find him not realizing that it
is Soundwave who is the double agent. Soundwave tricks Megatron into
thinking that Stunticon Wildrider is the double agent and Megatron
destroys him. Eventually Starscream finds out about Soundwave being a
double agent and strikes a deal with him. Between them they set up
Megatron and Shockwave to fall into an Autobot ambush and take joint
control of the Decepticons.
Sometime before 2008 Soundwave takes sole control of the Decepticons.
He leads an ambush against the Autobots on Cybertron after a tip off
from the Quintessons. However they double cross him but the Autobots
come to his aid as they link up to combat a common foe. However in 2009
Soundwave's plans are once again thwarted by the Autobots. Seeking
revenge Soundwave and a group of Decepticons follow Rodimus Prime back
to 1989 where they have transported in a bid to bring Galvatron back to
his proper time. When they time jump they cause a temporal rift that
started when Shockwave destroyed Cyclonus 17 years before he was
created, to get worse. Eventually Soundwave again agrees to join
forces with the Autobots both present and future and the present day
Decepticons lead by Scorponok, to stop Galvatron. Eventually Soundwave
and his Decepticons travel back to 2009 in a bid to seal the rift that
eventually happens when Galvatron is destroyed. It is unknown what
happens to Soundwave after this event.