Depth Charge is the name of several fictional characters in the various
Transformers universesThe Transformers are alien robots of a popular Hasbro toy line and its spin-offs.Transformers: G1, includes both the animated television series The Transformers and the Marvel Comics comic-book series of the same name, which is further divided into Japanese and British spin-offs, respectively...
.
Depth Charge was originally a
MaximalMaximals are a faction in the Transformers toyline by Hasbro and the accompanying animated television series Beast Wars. They respect all life and follow a path of peace before war. They follow the tenets of the Pax Cybertronia. The Maximals are opposed by the Predacons...
Security Commander on Colony Omicron, when
Protoform XRampage is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Rampage was a member of the Predacons, the other members being Razorclaw, Divebomb, Headstrong, and Tantrum. He can combine with them to form Predaking, becoming the right arm...
suddenly escaped custody. The colony was wiped out - with Depth Charge being the sole survivor. This left Depth Charge with a deep hatred for Protoform X, along with a large amount of resentment towards himself for failing to save Omicron and his troops.
Depth Charge is the name of several fictional characters in the various
Transformers universesThe Transformers are alien robots of a popular Hasbro toy line and its spin-offs.Transformers: G1, includes both the animated television series The Transformers and the Marvel Comics comic-book series of the same name, which is further divided into Japanese and British spin-offs, respectively...
.
Beast Wars
Depth Charge was originally a
MaximalMaximals are a faction in the Transformers toyline by Hasbro and the accompanying animated television series Beast Wars. They respect all life and follow a path of peace before war. They follow the tenets of the Pax Cybertronia. The Maximals are opposed by the Predacons...
Security Commander on Colony Omicron, when
Protoform XRampage is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Rampage was a member of the Predacons, the other members being Razorclaw, Divebomb, Headstrong, and Tantrum. He can combine with them to form Predaking, becoming the right arm...
suddenly escaped custody. The colony was wiped out - with Depth Charge being the sole survivor. This left Depth Charge with a deep hatred for Protoform X, along with a large amount of resentment towards himself for failing to save Omicron and his troops.
Animated series
For four stellar cycles, Depth Charge chased Protoform X, encountering him and suffering defeat at many locations, including "Starbase Rugby" (this is an
inside jokeAn in-joke is a joke whose humor is clear only to those people who are "inside" a social group, occupation or other community of common understanding; an esoteric joke. It is only humorous to those who know the situation behind it...
, referring to an online Transformers store called Rugby's Starbase). Eventually, Depth Charge recaptured Protoform X and requested that X be terminated for his crimes. Instead, Protoform X was taken by the starship
Axalon and sentenced to be abandoned in space (as at the time there was no known way to kill him).
Depth Charge was not satisfied with this ruling. He decided to find Protoform X on his own, and finish what had been started. His search led him through an anomaly in space, and landed on prehistoric Earth in the middle of the
Beast Wars (specifically, just at the start of Season Three). He became a
transmetalTransmetals are a subgroup of Beast Wars in the fictional Transformers Universe, featuring toys with mechanical animal modes and techno-organic robot modes...
in the process, and scanned the beast form of a
manta rayThe manta ray , is the largest of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout tropical waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
, which could also be converted into a flight mode.
Protoform X (now known as
RampageRampage is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Rampage was a member of the Predacons, the other members being Razorclaw, Divebomb, Headstrong, and Tantrum. He can combine with them to form Predaking, becoming the right arm...
) was indeed on prehistoric Earth. Depth Charge was surprised to find the crew of the
AxalonThe Axalon is the name of the fictional Maximal ship in the Beast Wars cartoon and comic books. In addition, in the Transformers: Armada cartoon, the Autobots constructed a space ship that was also named the Axalon, possibly in reference to the original Maximal ship...
(who had long since been thought lost) on Earth as well, but did not care about the war they were involved in. He still held a deep resentment of the other Maximals for not destroying Rampage when they had the chance, and chose to operate solo in pursuit of Rampage, much to the regret of
Optimus PrimalOptimus Primal is a fictional character from the Transformers toyline, and the leader of the Maximal forces and the main protagonist in the Beast Wars television series...
. Unfortunately Rampage promptly stranded him on Earth by blowing up his ship.
Depth Charge proved to be both an ally and a liability during this time. He saved Rattrap from Rampage while the Maximal was on a mission to retrieve the defense computer Sentinel, keeping the psychotic Predacon busy. However, when he (eventually) decided to aid Rattrap and
SilverboltThe second Silverbolt is a character in Beast Wars . This Silverbolt seemingly had no connection to the original Aerialbot Silverbolt, and is a completely new character.-Beast Wars:...
after a Predacon ambush he was responsible for losing the computer as well after a mid-air collision with Silverbolt. He eventually accepted Optimus' offer to join the Maximals, single-handedly defeating an attack on
The ArkThe Ark is an Autobot spacecraft in the fictional Transformers Universe. Transformers: The Ultimate Guide by Simon Furman classifies it as a Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor, with a crew complement of 300.-Crew of the Ark:...
. He also developed a certain friendship with some of the team, appearing deeply affected at
Cheetor- Beast Wars :Cheetor's original industrial spec indicated he was a seasoned and confident warrior always in search of battle with the Predacons, seemingly in contrast to his youthful and impulsive portrayal in the original show. The tech spec released with his Tenth Anniversary Toy would be much...
's apparent death at one point, although he tried to conceal how much the loss affected him. However, Depth Charge still disobeyed orders when other matters took priority, such as the hunt for Rampage - something that nearly caused his doom when he was attacked by the Dinobot clone, who shared Rampage's Spark.
Depth Charge would meet his archenemy one last time in the series finale
Nemesis. When
MegatronThe Beast Wars and Beast Machines version of Megatron is the main antagonist from the aforementioned parts of the Transformers animated series, toy lines, and multiverse...
's plan to raise the
NemesisThe Nemesis is a Decepticon spaceship in the fictional Transformers universe. It was built by Megatron as the flagship of his Decepticon space fleet, and was described by Optimus Primal as the most powerful Decepticon battleship ever. The ship was never named in the original series, only being...
to destroy
The Ark was realized, Depth Charge, being the only water based Maximal, was sent to stop him. He ran straight into Rampage, who had been ordered to see off any threats (ironically, this was the one time Depth Charge did not want to fight Rampage, as his priority was to stop the
Nemesis). The two engaged in battle for the last time, with Depth Charge eventually impaling Rampage's Spark core with a shard of raw Energon Crystal. Laughing, the evil Predacon exploded, setting off the raw Energon nearby and taking Depth Charge with him. Some fans believe that because he succeeded in destroying Rampage, either Dinobot II's spark was made whole or a rift was opened that allowed the original Dinobot to at least partially return in his clone's body, thus allowing him to betray Megatron, subsequently making Depth Charge largely responsible for the Maximal victory in the Beast Wars.
3H Enterprises
In the
Transformers: Universe toy line and comic series, Depth Charge was brought back to life to aid in the battle against Unicron. With any two Transformers from past or present to choose from, Primus revived Depth Charge and
RhinoxRhinox is the name of three fictional characters from various Transformers universes.-Beast Wars:Rhinox's character in the Beast Wars television series is very different from how the toy was depicted. As one of the first year toys, the toy of Rhinox was created before the television series came...
to assist
Optimus PrimalOptimus Primal is a fictional character from the Transformers toyline, and the leader of the Maximal forces and the main protagonist in the Beast Wars television series...
in battle against the Decepticons. However, Depth Charge was initially angry at having been revived, no doubt believing that without Rampage to hunt his life was pointless. Leaving, Depth Charge encountered Rattrap, who was being attacked by
BlackarachniaBlackarachnia is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Beast Wars:Originally, this character was intended to be a quick retool of the Tarantulas toy, but the animators ended up giving Blackarachnia a very feminine design and shapely figure.- Season 1...
(brainwashed into the service of Unicron). Depth Charge saved him, but was then set upon by Blackarachnia's servants - the Piranacons.
Although
Universe ended at issue three, a bio printed at the end of the issue indicated that Depth Charge would have gone on to assist Autobot Leader King Atlas in establishing a refugee network for those escaping Unicron's gladiatorial games, using his experience as Colony Omicron's security officer to maintain the efficiency and secrecy of the network.
IDW Publishing
Depth Charge had a biography printed in the
Beast Wars Sourcebook by
IDW PublishingIDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American comic book company owned by IDT Corp.. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic Distributors...
.
Toys
- Many fans consider Depth Charge to be a Triple Changer
Triple Changers are Transformers that can transform from robot into two different alternate modes.-Transformers: Generation 1:No particular origin was given to the Triple Changers in most storylines...
(having three distinct modes), but he is not officially a member of this class anymore then any other transmetal and since the term was never used in Beast Wars or Universe toys by Hasbro. His box did state that he features "three mode conversion" however. The commercial for Rampage and Depth Charge even stated they had "triple changing action."
- Universe Depthcharge (2004)
- The Universe toy was a 2004 recoloring of the Beast Wars
Beast Wars: Transformers was a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 1999, and a full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
version. Hasbro designer Aaron ArcherAaron C. Archer is a toy designer for the Hasbro toy company from 1995 onwards. Archer has worked on toy lines including Batman, Star Wars, and Alien Resurrection, amongst others. Archer's earliest Transformers work were designs for the later Beast Wars toys, including Transmetal 2 Megatron,...
claimed at BotConBotCon, briefly known as "The Official Transformers Collectors' Convention" , is an annual convention for Transformers fans and collectors. The convention has been held, in one form or another, annually since 1994...
2004 that this toy's color scheme was meant to resemble Boba FettBoba Fett is a character in the Star Wars fictional universe. A bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to track down the Millennium Falcon, he is the "next major villain" after Vader in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
's Slave ISlave I is a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe. It first appears in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back under the command of bounty hunter Boba Fett , and then in the prequel film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones commanded by Jango Fett...
.
Transformers: Timelines
Depth Charge was among the characters originally proposed for the Transtech line up.
After the
Beast MachinesBeast Machines was an animated television series produced by Mainframe Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was a direct sequel to Beast Wars taking place within the continuity of the original Transformers series. The cause of much controversy among the fanbase, the show ran for...
line ended, HasbroHasbro is a U.S.-based, multinational toy and boardgame company. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States. The majority of its products, however, are manufactured overseas.-History:In 1923, two brothers—Henry...
planned a follow-up series called TranstechTranstech is an unreleased line of toys under the Transformers umbrella.-History:After the Beast Machines line ended, Hasbro planned a follow-up series called Transtech. The Transtech concept was a line intended to take Transformers to their most futuristic. Hasbro commissioned sets of designs from...
. The Transtech concept was a line intended to take Transformers to their most futuristic. Hasbro commissioned sets of designs from Draxhall Jump. The series was supposedly to bring back some of the characters who died in Beast WarsBeast Wars: Transformers was a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 1999, and a full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
along with some characters from the original eighties cartoon series, all in new, techno-organic bodies, though with vehicle alternate modes instead of the animals used in Beast Machines
. Many concept sketches and even a few toy prototypes were made, but Hasbro scrapped the idea in favor of bringing Car RobotsTransformers: Robots in Disguise is the title of the 2001 English-dubbed version of the Japanese television series Transformers: Car Robot and serves as a self-contained universe separate from any of the other existing Transformers Universes...
to their markets as Transformers: Robots in DisguiseTransformers: Robots in Disguise is the title of the 2001 English-dubbed version of the Japanese television series Transformers: Car Robot and serves as a self-contained universe separate from any of the other existing Transformers Universes...
.
Concept sketches or prototype toys have been seen for
BlackarachniaBlackarachnia is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Beast Wars:Originally, this character was intended to be a quick retool of the Tarantulas toy, but the animators ended up giving Blackarachnia a very feminine design and shapely figure.- Season 1...
,
Cheetor- Beast Wars :Cheetor's original industrial spec indicated he was a seasoned and confident warrior always in search of battle with the Predacons, seemingly in contrast to his youthful and impulsive portrayal in the original show. The tech spec released with his Tenth Anniversary Toy would be much...
, Depth Charge,
MegatronMegatron is a character from the Transformers franchise, created by toy companies Hasbro and Takara. He is the primary antagonist and leader of the "evil" faction in most of the various Transformers universes....
, Nightscream,
Optimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
,
ScavengerScavenger is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Scavenger is a member of the Constructicons who turns into an excavator. He combines with the other Constructicons to form the combiner robot Devastator.Scavenger is an unashamedly...
,
ShockwaveShockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Due to issues with Hasbro's trademark of the name Shockwave, some products were also released under the name Shockblast.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
,
SilverboltThe second Silverbolt is a character in Beast Wars . This Silverbolt seemingly had no connection to the original Aerialbot Silverbolt, and is a completely new character.-Beast Wars:...
,
SoundwaveSoundwave is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Soundwave is one of the most recognizable characters from the original Transformers line due to his unique alternate mode, a microcassette recorder, and his distinctive, monotone,...
,
StarscreamStarscream is the name of several fictional characters in the various series Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Due to his treachery and personality, he has had many future characters within the franchise to bear his name, most of which share his desire to become leader of the...
and a new character called Immorticon. There were also rumors of a Transtech
DinobotDinobot is a fictional character from the Beast Wars Transformers universe.-Beast Wars:He originally debuts in the series' premiere as a subordinate of Megatron, leader of the villainous Predacons. However, Dinobot challenges Megatron's leadership, and is shortly expelled from his crew. He...
.
Fun Publications
Transtech Depth Charge appeared among the Guards of
ShockwaveShockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Due to issues with Hasbro's trademark of the name Shockwave, some products were also released under the name Shockblast.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
in the story Transcendent by Fun Publications. He was attacked the raid by Alpha Trion on Shockwave's lab to free
BreakawayBreakaway is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Timelines:Breakaway is an OFTCC club exclusive. He is an ancient Transformer with gaps in his memory. He had the ability to heal other Transformers using energon...
.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Depthcharge (this time a single word) turns into a stealth boat. He is described as a shrewd military strategist who spies on the Decepticons.
He has a third "battle mode" which changes his robot mode legs into pontoons which allow him to travel over water in robot mode.
Toys
- Revenge of the Fallen Scout Depthcharge (2009)
- A new mold. This toy was redecoed into the Decepticon called Sonar
Sonar is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Beast Wars:Sonar's tech spec biography does not use pronouns, leaving the character's gender rather ambiguous. 3H Enterprises, the people behind Botcon, chose to make the character into a female, which IDW...
.
- With a real Visby measuring 7260 centimeters long and this toy measuring 11.5 centimeters, the toy has a scale of about 1:631. This would also mean with the toy robot standing 11 centimeters tall, the real robot would stand around 6944 centimeters (227.8 feet) tall.