Usually one of Megatron’s most trusted subordinates, in the original Transformers cartoon Shockwave was left behind by Megatron in temporary command of the Decepticon base while the rest of the group pursued the Autobots. It was a lucky break for Shockwave that this little trip ended up lasting four million years. He must not have enjoyed running things much, since he seems remarkably undisturbed when Megatron does finally show up to reclaim Decepticon leadership.
Shockwave would seem competent in theory (four million years of steady leadership can’t be easy, even for a robot), except when he’s actually on screen. Then he’s prone to the same bone-headed mistakes as the rest of the Decepticons.
Despite the fact that he has a relatively small part in the original cartoon, the older Shockwave models are surprisingly popular collectors items. This is probably due to the fact that he turns into a cool ray gun. He even makes cool blaster noises if powered with a 9-volt battery, assuming dry-rot hasn’t long since ruined the insulation of his wiring.
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