Thunderwing

ALLEGIANCE: Decepticon
FUNCTION: Regional Warlord
MOST SIGNIFICANT APPEARANCES: US G1 comic issues 60, 62-66; UK 1990 Annual story "The Magnificent Six"

MOTTO: "Empires are gained and lost on a moment of opportunity."

APPEARANCE: Unlike the typical Transformer who is put together in angles and planes, Thunderwing seems to be all rippling muscle cables and sleek curved armor. Predominantly colored in glistening green and gold, with an obligatory purple Decepticon symbol decorating each shoulder, his form indicates great power as well as considerable agility. His completely colorless optics are traced in a heavy outline of pure black, enhancing their brilliant white luminescence. Long jagged sharp teeth are apparent when he speaks, giving him a quality of feral menace, but his presence is regal and commanding, as though this is an individual very much accustomed to being obeyed. There is something in his expression that hints at boundless hunger for some goal well beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals. His wings disappear in robot mode, and only the gun ports on his shoulders give a faint clue to his alternate mode.

In gunship mode, Thunderwing is a heavily-armed futuristic skycraft, adorned in gold, green, and blue with multiple swept-back wings and stabilizing fins, and veritably bristling with weaponry. Impressively powerful and very maneuverable for its size, this mode presents an exceptional combination of firepower and speed.

PROFILE: Quite literally created to command, Thunderwing is supremely confident in his ability to do so - a confidence that automatically inspires others to trust in him as well. Convinced that he has an important role to play in history, to provide a benefit that only he can offer the Decepticons, he seeks to take his place among the great leaders of the past and future. Physically swift and powerful in both robot and gunship modes, highly educated in history and the arts and sciences of war, and always open to the innovative, he presents a fine balance of self-controlled discipline and passionate inspiration. Possessed of an infinite patience and keen observational skills, he will lurk in wait for the single perfect opportunity, then strike with blinding speed, willing to commit the entirety of his resources to the pursuit of a vital goal - a strategy that has won him many struggles just on the overwhelming unexpectedness of his attack, but one that may leave little in reserve for a fallback position at some future time. He has an uncanny ability to sense "energy readings", be they from inanimate phenomena or living beings - something that gives him both a potential edge in the form of a warning signal, and a potential vulnerability to be drawn to that which he may not be able to handle.

HISTORY: Unlike so many Decepticon leaders who had to battle their way to the forefront, Thunderwing was literally born and bred for command. He comes out of a lineage of Cybertron's old-style aristocracy, historically based not in Polyhex or Tarn but in the much older semi-subterranean city-state of Valckasta. Rulers from the province did in times past assume overall Decepticon leadership, and at other times, when other leaders ruled, they remained in command of their own territory, secure in the knowledge that the day would come when one of their lineage would again assume command as was their destiny. Never would a Valckasta ruler attempt to wrest command from a competent leader in a manner that would destabilize the Decepticon cause, for the twin cornerstones of personal destiny and Decepticon superiority were equally well-entrenched in the history that was passed down through the generations; there was simply always the certainty that when the time was right, during a critical moment that would forever after be marked in history, a leader of the Valckasta line would assume command and lead the Decepticons to greatness.

Thus is Thunderwing the latest of the line, where each new leader is given an element of the previous one's name: from Shatterbolt to Thunderbolt to Thunderwing, for instance - and so the genealogy can always be traced back at least one step at a time through its names. Valckasta heirs are created out of a tradition halfway between "factory creation" (being given a full-fledged adult personality by a Vector Sigma-type creation factory) and "private creation" (being endowed with a personality provided by one's creator(s) and yet having to mentally and emotionally develop from an immature, childlike state). The Valckasta heirs were always given life and personality by the previous territorial rulers and their chosen mates, but then enclosed in a "sensory chamber" in a state of semi-conscious accelerated learning. In such a manner the "childhood" stage is provided through neural stimulation, and the individual can be kept in stasis until needed, to emerge as a full-fledged adult personality with a full knowledge of his/her background, history, and destiny. (It is in effect a more personalized version of that which Vector Sigma would do on a much more instantaneous time-scale.) Seldom did the rulers activate their offspring before their own death, because the offspring was already so conditioned to assume leadership upon emergence, that there would have been tension between the current and future leader almost from the beginning, which would have negatively affected the rulership of the province. Or such was the logic that had solidified into tradition after many generations.

Thunderwing's creator Thunderbolt, however, took a different approach and activated Thunderwing somewhat early in order to instruct him personally. Going so blatantly against long tradition had both its benefits and drawbacks - for while Thunderwing was an eager student, learning much from his creator's example, he was of course endowed with an independent spirit of his own which led to much bristling under the rulership of his father. After one particularly heated arguement, Thunderwing in a burst of youthful impetuousness ran away to join the nearest army "like a rust-bitten commoner", in the contemptuous words that Thunderbolt flung after him. But Thunderwing was determined to do his own thing, and ended up in the territory of Stanix, under the command of a powerful but deranged leader named Megadeath. Thunderwing learned a great deal about being a Decepticon warrior there, and even more about what kind of commander he did not want to be. His initial admiration of Megadeath slipped slowly toward acute personal disappointment when the regional commander's insanity came more and more to the forefront. By the time Megadeath revealed his plans to "cleanse" the entire region with a series of neutronic bombs, Thunderwing was having serious thoughts of returning home and acknowledging his mistake. The decision was made for him, however, by a message that arrived from Valckasta: the territory was under attack by a neighboring warlord and he was urgently needed.

Abandoning Megadeath to his madness, Thunderwing hurried home - only to be greeted by Thunderbolt's loyal servants. His father had fallen in battle, sacrificing his life to rout the enemy, and rulership of Valckasta was now Thunderwing's. Allowing himself little time for mourning or self-recrimination, he immediately took on the task that he had been groomed for from the first moment of his consciousness.

It should not be assumed, however, that he did not have to fight for what was ostensibly already his, for in his way he faced similar challenges to those of his contemporaries, Megatron and Jhiaxus, who battled their way to prominence from the absolute lowest possible beginnings. Thunderwing, literally created for command, still had to prove that he was indeed capable, and was not just riding the coattails of an illustrious heritage. In fact, many a past Valckasta ruler was challenged for command upon ascension, and the unworthy weeded out; it is a tribute to the innate ability and mental, emotional, and physical soundness of the lineage that only very few were not up to the challenges posed them. Decepticons remain beings who must have reason to respect their leader, and a famous name alone is not enough; such a leader must prove, and prove repeatedly, that he or she is indeed worthy of the respect accorded to the name. And so Thunderwing overcame the same doubts and challenges that had been posed to all who came before him, and assumed his place securely as the ruler of Valckasta Province.

Thunderwing proved himself to be an extremely capable leader, a very focused, very self-controlled, very self-assured command figure, who by his absolute confidence inspired the willing confidence of his underlings. But his experience in Stanix had taught him a measure of balance between going his own way and heeding the wisdom of others, so as not to become so blinded by his own belief in himself that he would not consult experts and advisors where necessary. Relying first upon his father's staff, and then with time selecting his own additions, he built around himself a highly efficient command team whom he could trust to carry out his orders.
"Leave me ONE alive and able to talk!"

Thunderwing during his "sensory chamber" stage had of course been fed all the necessary information to make him a "well-read" individual in a variety of fields, but upon his emergence and even more so upon his return to Valckasta, he pursued those areas for which he had a particular affinity. For instance he was most interested in what useful clues one might sift out of old tales which had long been relegated to legend and superstition. He was not as quick as some others to dismiss legend and rumor - nor to place stock in the wildest of mysticobabble or accept strange tales as fact at face value - but to winnow out the grain of truth that could be hidden beneath, distorted through the ages, which might be the key element needed to advance the Decepticons beyond all measure.

From the beginning he was possessed of an unusual affinity for "power sources", meaning that he could sense and be drawn to anything that was outputting a great deal of energy, be that an ordinary generator or a power source as yet unknown to science. Also, but more subtly, he could often sense the proximity of another living being (perhaps the "power output" of their life functions or the intensity of their personality), and so it was found to be all-but-impossible to enter Thunderwing's presence unnoticed. On more than one occasion he sensed the presence of a fully-stealthed, fully-cloaked assassin whom he dispatched before the deed could be completed - another test of worthiness passed, another opportunity to increase his respect among those who would have doubted him.

Thunderwing also came to know a good deal about the history of Cybertron and the changing Decepticon leadership, the political interplays between the various territories and their rulers, the past successes and failures of his ancestors and contemporaries. Often he saw a glaring lack of formal education and poor basis in historical knowledge in other Decepticon leaders, and considered this a fault, though he also could not deny the raw instinctive ability and passion that drove a "nobody" such as Megatron to the highest possible ascent. Thunderwing watched the process with great interest and took mental notes, feeling that when his opportunity came around, he could be even more effective through his combination of formalized education and innate command ability. While he was inclined by his own family history to consider Megatron rather an upstart, he could not help but hold a grudging respect; so when the Decepticon leader disappeared into the depths of space, Thunderwing's reaction was to first of all sit back and watch the ensuing situation to see what developed.

As an individual in constant search of knowledge, Thunderwing did not isolate his territory as some others did, but kept himself informed of all that went on throughout the world, weighing and balancing every event with an eye toward the future, toward the opportunity for himself that he knew would come. Megatron's leaving and subsequent disappearance, Shockwave's ascent to command, Jhiaxus' exodus, he all watched with carefully focused contemplation, surprising his closest advisors in that he made no move forward during any of these events, which in their minds might have provided opportunity for him. But to Thunderwing, ultimately his own ascent could only come about in a way that would be of conclusive benefit to the Decepticon Empire as a whole, and so if he were to make a move too early, if he were to disrupt an established order and cause more harm than good, he would have violated one of his most closely-cherished principles. So he carried on the rulership of his own territory and bided his time, watching for traces of crumbling in the Decepticon power structure, which he would then have the right and the responsibility to seize by the throat and shake back into order.

PERSONAL GOALS: Thunderwing shares with Megatron the Decepticon dream of expansion - a galactic empire that stretches far beyond Cybertron, with the homeworld at its heart - a never-ending outward quest to claim all that can be seen, a consuming and re-fabricating of resources to turn them into that which is useful to the Decepticons as a species and will heighten the standard of living for each individual.

On a more personal level, however, Thunderwing is a being in search of immortality. He wants history to look back and mark him as a great leader who made the necessary inroads that led to a clean-swept victory over the Autobots. He feels that he is one of the few individuals with the clear capacity to craft the future into a better one, and so he envisions himself turning the vast reserves of energy of the cosmos into the scathing fire that will annihilate his enemies. To that end he seeks power, of any kind, from any source, anything that will give him an edge -- not strictly for his own glorification, but for the sake of the Decepticons as a whole ... though he does of course want history to attach his name to his anticipated triumph. If he has any significant fear, it would be to die forgotten without a grand accomplishment that would be spoken of for millennia to come.

LEADERSHIP STYLE: Thunderwing prefers a regimented, structured style of discipline and organization. His goal is a series of efficient units, from the smallest infiltration team to the largest division, all coming together into a smoothly-functioning and coherent whole, like a vast machine with all its parts moving in synchrony, dedicated to a single cause.

With Thunderwing it must always be apparent that he is the leader, and proper respect must be shown him. He expects his underlings to address him by his proper title ("Lord High Commander Thunderwing", or at the very least the abbreviated version, "Lord Thunderwing"), for instance. Given that, he will place great value on loyalty and dedication, and his incisive mind and sharp instincts are quick to determine who is best suited for which tasks. He is very much aware that fear is no more than a temporary motivator, while a sense of personal pride and the promise of grand things to come are dreams that all Decepticons can share in. Though he can come across as overly controlling, he is in fact willing to grant a good deal of autonomy to those who have proven themselves, as long as he is kept informed of their activities.

While he dislikes failure and will express his displeasure, a willing heart and mind is worth more to him than a task flawlessly executed; momentary setbacks are, after all, only a minor ripple on the path to the inevitable end result. This long-range vision leads him to react less harshly to failures that might bring severe disciplinary action from other commanders - though he does expect obedience, order, and the absolute best effort from his troops. Laziness and disrespect will bring swifter punishment than an honest mistake.

ABILITIES: Thunderwing attacks in both robot and gunship modes with a double set of particle rifles and an additional smaller laser gun, a triple set of weapons which attach themselves to his wings when flying. In robot mode he can strike with great speed and agility in hand-to-hand combat, and in gunship mode he tempers raw power with a good deal of maneuverability. He can rain artillery from multiple gun ports, as well as fire rockets and carry moderately-sized bombs. While he is not a qualified expert with any one particular weapon, he is entirely adept at using almost anything available, letting his own speed and strength carry him through. His armor is unique among Transformers in that it is simultaneously light and strong - an alloy which is both tremendously durable and extremely flexible, and has long been a closely-guarded secret of the Valckasta ruling class. His high intelligence and thorough knowledge of history, politics, and mythology make him an extremely adaptable Decepticon - much to the surprise of those enemies and detractors who expect to encounter a tradition-bound aristocrat. The aforementioned ability to detect energy output, whether from animate or inanimate sources, has several times saved him from ambush or led him to a useful source of power.

Thunderwing's inherrent combat skills are exceeded only by the force of his personality - his capacity to focus on a goal and direct the entire immense energies at his command (intellectual, creative, organizational, physical) in pursuit of that goal -- no matter how long it takes, no matter what hardships and setbacks he may have to face along the way. He has the absolute sense of entitlement that any victory which he envisions for himself, will be his in due time, and more often than not he has been correct.

WEAKNESSES: Thunderwing does not blindly plunge toward reckless action, but once he is committed to a particular course, no matter how crazy or risky it may seem, then almost nothing can dissuade him. This is fine on the many occasions when he has proven to gamble correctly, but holds the potential for disaster when circumstances turn against him and he refuses to realize it. His borderline-empathic affinity for strange energy readings leads him to be susceptible to outside mental control despite his own great strength of will, and his desire for historical immortality can sometimes override his cautious, calculating side and lead him to take dangerous risks in the name of his ultimate goals.

Strength 8, Intelligence 9, Speed 8, Endurance 9, Rank 8, Courage 8, Firepower 8, Skill 7