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Skywarp
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Skywarp is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers toy line.
Transformers: Generation 1
Skywarp, like his name suggests, is able to teleport at will.
Skywarp's original tech spec bio indicated that he was a master of sneak attacks, using his teleportation abilities to cause mayhem amongst the Autobots — and his fellow Decepticons when playing malicious pranks. However, his relative lack of intelligence means he needs to be constantly monitored by his superiors Megatron and Starscream, or else he would be useless.
According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky, found at Iacon One in 2006, the tech spec numbers were swapped for Starscream and Skywarp, but Thundercracker's were correct.
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Encyclopedia
Skywarp is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers toy line.
Transformers: Generation 1
Skywarp, like his name suggests, is able to teleport at will.
Skywarp's original tech spec bio indicated that he was a master of sneak attacks, using his teleportation abilities to cause mayhem amongst the Autobots — and his fellow Decepticons when playing malicious pranks. However, his relative lack of intelligence means he needs to be constantly monitored by his superiors Megatron and Starscream, or else he would be useless.
According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky, found at Iacon One in 2006, the tech spec numbers were swapped for Starscream and Skywarp, but Thundercracker's were correct. Additionally, it was originally planned for Skywarp to have an Intelligence rating of 4 (changed to 7), but when Skywarp and Starscream's specs were swapped, Skywarp was given a rating of 9, in complete opposition to his tech spec which said he was not very smart.
Marvel Comics
Skywarp was amongst those Decepticons ordered by Megatron to greet the new Decepticon arrivals from Cybertron. However, the arrivals ended up being Blaster and his team of Autobots. Megatron was about to attack when he heard a plea from Soundwave and Shockwave who were being attacked by Optimus Prime. Ignoring their cry for aid, Megatron instead led his Decepticons to the Ark which he believed to be defenseless. It wasn't — the Autobots' "secret weapon," Omega Supreme was guarding their headquarters soundly defeated the Decepticons, destroying Skywarp first. Losing Skywarp and the other Decepticons meant nothing to Megatron, who said they could easily be replaced.
During Galvatron's first trip from the future to the year 1986 (to defeat Unicron), Skywarp played a part in the future Autobots' plans to trick Galvatron into returning: Skywarp was still deactivated from his previous battle and was lying in the Ark along with the other defeated Decepticons. However, his body was painted to resemble Starscream and set up to be operated under remote control by the Autobots to trick Galvatron into thinking that Starscream had destroyed his machinery. A furious Galvatron destroyed what he believed was Starscream in a blind rage, but because Starscream played a role in Galvatron's creation, Galvatron believed that whatever actions he performed in the past would have no effect on his or Unicron's future and subsequently returned to his own time, unaware that he was tricked.
Skywarp was presumably rebuilt at some point, placed back into cold-storage and eventually rescued, along with the other captured Decepticons, by the Constructicons, who used a distraction to break into the Ark for that purpose. Skywarp (and Thundercracker) were ultimately destroyed by the Underbase-powered Starscream and was never seen again in the G1 comic. However, the Transformers: Generation 2 comic showed a black Decepticon jet using teleportation powers. It is unknown if this jet was a repaired Skywarp.
Skywarp's expanded Transformers Universe biography describes him as having a cruel sense of humor and that he loves to play practical jokes on his fellow Decepticons, usually involving his teleportation abilities. The bio also states that he's "not too bright and would be totally useless without the supervision of Megatron."
Animated series
Skywarp was the first Transformer to awaken on Earth in 1984, and he helped bring Megatron and the other Decepticons back online. After laying dormant for four million years, he was reformatted to share the same Earthen appearance (an F-15 Eagle) as Starscream and Thundercracker, and was usually allied with them during attacks. During his first days on Earth, he soon showed his teleporting power to battle with Ironhide and Bluestreak.
Although a popular character in the Transformers universe, Skywarp seldom showed much function other than being a loyal Decepticon soldier, although he did seem to take a perverse joy in praising Megatron's brilliance as a leader in front of Starscream. Skywarp also appears to be the least-known Decepticon amongst the Autobots; while Starscream addresses him by name in "Roll for It", Optimus Prime only calls him by name in Divide and Conquer.
Despite having very few functions, those few were a key part in those episodes. Examples include when he lost self control because of Chip Chase while holding super energized Megatron ("Roll for it"); When guarding the Andes Mountain he left to aid the other Decepticons in stealing the steel they needed, leaving Starscream and Thundercracker alone to guard the mountain ("Fire in the Sky"); he used his teleporting ability to teleport over the Autobots when racing in the Autobot Run and successfully hit them with the laser, forcing them to remain in vehicle mode ("The Autobot Run"); and when he was forced by Starscream to teleport him to Cybertron with the spacebridge, so that he could steal imprisoned personalities to create the Combaticons ("Starscream's Brigade").
In multiple episodes Skywarp is seen along with Thundercracker and Starscream to successfully attack Earth military in dogfights while in jet mode.
In the episode, "The Immobilizer", Skywarp attacked the Autobots with his "Bouncer Bomb," but it went wild and had to be destroyed by Megatron in pistol mode. This is the only time this ability has ever been seen in Transformers fiction.
In 2005, Skywarp was among those whom were thrown into space after being wounded during the battle for Autobot City. Adrift with Megatron and other wounded Decepticons, Skywarp encountered Unicron. Unicron used Skywarp's battered body to create one of Galvatron's new warriors. Skywarp arguably became Cyclonus, the loyal second in command of Galvatron, although there is controversy about this due to animation inconsistencies.
Skywarp made a cameo in the pilot of the Transformers: Animated series on a historical video being viewed by Optimus Prime. This historical video was stock footage from the original animated series.
Dreamwave Productions
In the re-imagining of the Generation 1 universe by Dreamwave Productions, Skywarp was recruited as a Decepticon, under the leadership of Megatron, in his war against the Autobots on the planet Cybertron. Skywarp became a member of the elite Seekers under Aerospace Commander Starscream.
Early in the Autobot-Decepticon war, Skywarp and Thundercracker launched an attack against the city of Altihex, where they routed Grimlock and his Autobots. Later, Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker attacked the city of Protihex, under the orders of Megatron. Knowing that Grimlock joined with the Autobots, but was dissatisfied with them, Starscream offered Grimlock the chance to join the attack on Protihex. Grimlock rejected the offer and not only evacuated the Autobot outpost before the attack could occur, but he left an explosive trap for Starscream and company. If not for Skywarp's ability to teleport them all to safety, the Decepticons may have not escaped alive.
When Megatron and Autobot leader Optimus Prime disappeared in an accident with a space bridge, the Autobot and Decepticon forces splintered into smaller factions. Skywarp stayed with the Decepticons, under the leadership of Shockwave, attacking Bludgeon of the Chaos Trinity at one point. After Megatron's return, Skywarp was chosen as a member of the crew of the Nemesis when Megatron launched it to attack the Ark, an Autobot ship. Both ships fought, and after the Decepticons boarded the Ark, it crashed on the planet Earth. All on board went into emergency stasis lock for millions of years.
In the Earth year 1984, a volcanic explosion awakened the Ark and the Arks computer, Teletraan I, reformatted all on board to be able to assume the forms of Earth machines. Skywarp was given the form of an F-15 Eagle fighter jet. After many battles, the combined forces of the Autobots on Earth and their human allies were able to capture the Decepticons. A ship designated the Ark II was built to take the Cybertronians back to Cybertron, along with some human companions, but the ship exploded shortly after takeoff. The human allies were killed, but the Cybertronians were lost in the Arctic ocean, again in stasis lock.
Skywarp and others were recovered by a rogue military unit and reprogrammed as slave war machines, but Megatron broke free and then freed his fellow Decepticons, including Skywarp. He participated in the attack on San Francisco, and was one of those who attacked Superion, causing him to separate.
After returning to Cybertron with Shockwave, Skywarp returned to Earth under the command of Starscream. However, but he was captured by the Autobots along with Soundwave and Thundercracker and locked in cells on board the Ark. They escaped when the Ark was attacked by Bruticus.
Transformers/G.I. Joe
Skywarp also appeared in Dreamwave's Transformers/G.I. Joe series as one of the Decepticons allied with Cobra during an alternate reality World War II, transforming into a P-51 Mustang. He was killed by Optimus Prime.
Devil's Due Publishing
In this re-imagining of the Generation One story, the Ark was discovered by the terrorist Cobra Organization, and all the Transformers inside were reformatted into Cobra vehicles, remotely controlled by the Televipers. In this storyline, Skywarp's alternate mode was a COBRA Rattler jet. When the Transformers broke free, Skywarp killed his pilot, Major Bludd, by transforming while Major Bludd was in his chest cockpit area, crushing him. This was supported previously in the comic when Doctor Mindbender informed Destro that the results of attempts to modify the transformers so that soldiers could remain in the cockpits during transformation were "messy" and that Major Bludd was seen in the cockpit as the controls and seat begin to fold into their positions during robot mode. Also, the cockpit was closed in the next panel and Major Bludd's final scream came from inside. Skywarp battled the Autobots, but was eventually killed by a malfunctioning satellite system.
IDW Publishing
After Dreamwave's closure, the rights to the Transformers comics were awarded to IDW Publishing. The rebooted Generation One continuity borrowed from many previous sources, included the animated series, as well as the Marvel and Dreamwave comic books, but also featured many new and unexplored ideas and origins. Chronologically, Skywarp made his first appearance in The Transformers: Megatron Origin, joining the criminal gladiator, Megatron. He, along with his fellow Seekers, played a role in Megatron's plan to cause a rash of terror throughout Cybertron. Skywarp soon became a member of the Decepticons. Much later, chronologically, in The Transformers: Infiltration, Starscream appears to be in command of a small group of Decepticons on Earth, including Skywarp, Thundercracker, Blitzwing, Astrotrain and the Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. Starscream had discovered an ore on Earth that was the Transformer equivalent of steroids, making him bold enough to advance their infiltration phase ahead of schedule. However, it seems that humans have somehow obtained evidence of the Transformers' existence, which would derail Starscream's plans. Skywarp has thus far appeared as part of Starscream's elimination squad, disposing of any evidence of their operation on Earth. While bombing the Decepticons' abandoned base on Earth to destroy evidence of it, Skywarp battled Bumblebee, using his teleportation ability to stay a step ahead of the Autobot. However, Bumblebee managed to predict where he would emerge next and shot him down temporarily. Unfortunately for Skywarp though, after the destruction of the base was complete, Megatron had learned of Starscream's attempts for power on Earth and arrived, seriously wounding him before making off to destroy Starscream. Skywarp survived, though, as Megatron placed him and Blitzwing in CR chambers, as revealed in The Transformers: Escalation. He submitted to Megatron's authority, accepting no further mistakes would be tolerated. He and Thundercracker were sent to bomb a desert power plant, escalating tensions amongst the humans in the area. Accompanying Megatron to the disputed Soviet border state of Brasnya, Skywarp was sent to wait in case back-up was needed — and it was as Optimus Prime appeared leading a team of Autobots to stop the Decepticons. Skywarp and Astrotrain attacked using Skywarp's teleporting power, running interference for the human facsimile they were using. Despite his teleporting powers Jazz and Wheeljack quickly cottoned on and anticipated his moves. Skywarp then disappeared, promising to return with reinforcements. He returned with Thundercracker, damaging Hot Rod severely and killing the facsimile. However, they were forced to flee when Megatron called for pickup after his Ore-13 was expended. His alternate mode here is that of an F-22 Raptor, the successor to his original Generation One F-15 alternate jet mode.
Evolutions: Hearts of Steel
Skywarp and the other Seekers also appeared in the mini-series, The Transformers: Evolutions: Hearts of Steel. Skywarp was the first Decepticon to appear, seemingly wakened by Muldoon's sunken submarine. Sent to scout ahead of the Decepticon Astrotrain, he was presumably destroyed when Bumblebee and John Henry managed to send the entire Decepticon rail convoy into a chasm.
3H Enterprises
In the BotCon Wreckers comic series by 3H Enterprises, Skywarp returned after tricking the second Megatron into giving him a new body. Strangely, Skywarp joins the Wreckers alongside Cyclonus. This may indicate that the Transformers: Universe comics believe that it was the Insecticon Bombshell, not Skywarp, who became Cyclonus (according to artist Dan Khanna). This may, in fact be a continuity error: even if Skywarp did not become Cyclonus, he was transformed into a Cyclonus-type robot and his personality lost. However, as there is no explanation in the comic, the relationship between the two remains unclear. This toy was a recolor of Beast Machines Deluxe Jetstorm.
After the end of the Great War 300 years in the future, a Predacon named Megatron conquered Cybertron with his Vehicon army. Megatron attempted to use Skywarp's spark to create a Vehicon to use against the few Maximals who opposed him, but Skywarp broke free and joined up with the Wreckers under the command of Primal Prime, along with several other Generation One survivors, such as Cyclonus, Arcee and Devcon, staying with the Wreckers after Cyclonus' betrayal.
According to the script for the unreleased issue #4 of Transformers: Universe - The Wreckers the Wreckers returned to Cybertron where they helped repel the an invasion by the Quintessons. Skywarp was then thought to have been left by Cyclonus as an agent to turn against the Wreckers, but Skywarp then revealed that he had hated Cyclonus ever since the two of them had been reformatted by Unicron and turned on his former commander.
Fun Publications
Based on the Transformers Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics continuity, though ignoring all events of the Marvel U.K. and Generation 2 comics. Megatron survived the crash of the Ark on Earth, reformatted himself into a new form and now leads Skywarp, along with Ramjet, Soundwave, Starscream and the Constructicons. Optimus Prime has also returned to Earth, commanding Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Mirage and Rodimus (formerly Hot Rod).
In the first story, Crossing Over, when the Cybertronians Skyfall and Landquake arrive on Earth unexpectedly, Megatron attempts to destroy them, but Optimus Prime and his Autobots are able to drive Megatron away.
In Transformers: Timelines volume 2 #2, "Games of Deception", Megatron detects the arrival of Bug-Bite's ship on Earth and sends Starscream, Skywarp and Ramjet to investigate.
Snarl, Skywarp, Tap-Out and Triceratron appeared in the story Wreckers: Finale Part 2 by the Transformers Collectors Club in 2007. Despite his dislike for the other Wreckers Skywarp remained loyal to them in order to take out vengeance on Cyclonus. During the invasion of Cybertron by the Quintessons all four vanished, taken captive by Unicron's transport beam.
Skywarp was seen in the service of Unicron as part of the Chaos-Bringer's army during Optimus Prime's recollections in issue #8 of the Cybertron Club comic.
Toys
- Generation 1 Skywarp (1984)
- The mold used for the Skywarp toy was originally part of the Japanese Diaclone toy line, and was imported to become part of the Transformers toy line by Hasbro in 1984. In jet mode, the toy is 21cm long (a scale of 1:93, suggesting that Skywarp 14cm robot mode would be about 13m tall). In what is considered to be a major drawback to the toy, the majority of its parts must be removed for transformation, and it is rare to find a totally complete one, since no single mode can hold all the parts.
- Skywarp shared a mold with Starscream and Thundercracker, and later Sunstorm. The same mold with some wing modifications was used for Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust.
Machine Wars Skywarp (1997)
- Skywarp was one of the six Decepticons which appeared in this sub-line. Sharing the same mold as Thundercracker, Skywarp is now a white jet. His Machine Wars appearance is considered to be set in an alternate reality which replaces the entire G1 storyline, although no official story has been released. Skywarp's is based on an unused
Generation Two flip-changing jet mold. It was later used for Beast Wars Second Dirge.His bio is much the same as his G1 bio, indicating he loves using his teleporting for practical jokes — but lacks the intelligence to really exploit it, resulting in mid-air collisions. He can convert between alternate modes instantly.
- Smallest Transformers Skywarp (2003)
- This redeco of Smallest Transformers Starscream was only released in limited numbers as a chase item in the blind packed Smallest Transformers line. Third party reproductions of this toy were made in greater numbers, but they had a slightly different deco to the official toy.
Universe Deluxe Skywarp (2004)
- The Skywarp repaint of the Deluxe Jetstorm mold was originally intended to be a BotCon exclusive. Painted mockups were seen, but it was never released. When the
Transformers: Universe toy line came out, a nearly identical Skywarp was released to the general public.
- Robot Masters Skywarp (2005)
- Skywarp was sold in a two-pack with Thundercracker by the Japanese online store e-Hobby; both Decepticons are repaints of the Transformers: Robot Masters Starscream toy in their classic color schemes. A Decepticon pin-badge was also included.
*Universe Legends Skywarp (2006)
- A promotional toy called Skywarp was given away at the San Diego ComicCon; it was a black and purple recolor of the micro-sized
Cybertron Starscream toy. Oddly this toy had no Decepticon symbol and included a black Autobot Cyber Planet Key. However, the manufacturer stated that he was indeed a Decepticon, and that the key was a separate promotional item placed in the same bag. Note that although seemingly a part of the Transformers: Cybertron line, according to the Hasbro web site this toy was actually in the Universe line.
- Generation One Skywarp returned as part of the Transformers Classics toy line. The toy, a direct repaint of Classics Starscream, was released in a two-pack with Ultra Magnus(a repaint of Classics Optimus Prime) in a set titled "Battle for Autobot City." The two-pack was exclusive to Target stores nationwide (US) and at Woolworths in the UK. It was available at retail in early 2007. Classic Skywarp's biography was featured in Transformers Club Magazine #14.
Masterpiece Skywarp (2007)
- A black and purple recolor of the MP-03 Masterpiece Starscream has been released with the title of MP-06 Skywarp. Masterpiece Skywarp has a different alternate face from Starscream, one with a normal expression (the lips and nose are different from Starscream) and the other face with a snarling expression (opposed to Starscream's smirk).
- Transformers 3D Battle-Card Game Skywarp (2007)
- A redeco of 3D Battle Cards Starscream in the colors of Generation 1 Skywarp.
Titanium War Within Skywarp (2008)
- A redeco of 6 inch Titanium Thundercracker. This toy was initially announced then canceled. It was later made an SDCC 2008 convention exclusive, later sold on the Hasbro Toy Shop web site.
- A Japanese release of the same mold as the Classic toy, but with a slightly different deco.
Beast Wars II
The second character to be named Skywarp is a Maximal who is able to transform into a bald eagle, and along with his team-mates Santon and Lio Junior, can combine to form Magnaboss. He provided the brains of the group, balancing Lio Junior's immaturity.
In the story, Skywarp is an aerial combat instructor dispatched from Seibertron as a reinforcement for Leo Prime's troops. While strict, he has more consideration than anyone else for young Cybertron warriors. Part of his wings become Wing Caliber Swords and he has super-oscillation generators in his wing tips. Combining these with his sonic booms, he clears the ground around him. In addition, he can fold over his wings and fire his Sky Missiles.
Animated series
Lio Junior, Santon and Skywarp were regulars in the Beast Wars Second series after their introduction in episode #26 "Enter Lio Junior!" In this episode Santon and Skywarp arrive from Cybertron in time to combine with Lio Junior, who confronts Galvatron. The fight continues into episode #27, "Megastorm Reborn", where Galvatron is injured and escapes Magnaboss. Megastorm, enhanced into his new Gigastorm form attacks the Maximals, but the combined missiles of Magnaboss and Leo Prime are able to defeat him by blowing the rocks out from under him and dumping the Predacon into a pool of angolmois energy.
Skywarp appeared in the Beast Wars Second movie, "Lio Convoy Crisis".
IDW Publishing
Skywarp had a biography printed in the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW Publishing.
Toys
Beast Wars Second Skywarp (1998)
- Skywarp is a slight repaint of
Beast Wars Silverbolt.
Transformers: Armada
Skywarp was a Hasbro exclusive in the Transformers: Armada toy line that did not receive a biography, but was later expanded upon by Dreamwave Productions.
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave's Transformers Armada: More Than Meets the Eye series established that Skywarp is related to Starscream and is a grim and dangerous combatant with a near-perfect aim and an array of martial techniques. However, unlike his treacherous relative, he is loyal to Megatron; in fact the snide remarks from the other Decepticons about him getting his rank through his loyalty are the only thing that genuinely angers Skywarp. Also, Skywarp is friends with Scavenger — a friendship complicated by the fact that, unbeknownst to Skywarp, Scavenger is actually a spy for the Autobots.
Skywarp would be briefly seen in issue #12 of the Armada comic, guarding Megatron's latest secret weapon alongside Wheeljack and Sideways. He would later be seen at the end of the Armada comic celebrating Unicron's defeat.
Armada Skywarp made his only Energon appearance in a flashback in Transformers: Energon #30, where we would see Scorponok leading Wheeljack, Predacon, Terrorsaur and Skywarp against the Autobots in an unidentified battle on Cybertron. Skywarp also was set to appear in the unreleased issue #31 of the Energon comic series.
Toys
Armada Skywarp (2003)
- The Armada version of Skywarp is an homage to the G1 character with his familiar black and purple color scheme. However, unlike the original Skywarp, the toy is a remold of Armada Starscream, rather than being a mere repaint. His Mini-Con partner was Thunderclash.
- Armada Skywarp was later redecoed into Transformers: Universe Ramjet, and included a redeco of Thunderclash along with and three additional Mini-Cons — the Air Military Team.
Transformers: Cybertron
It is unknown if Hasbro intended this character to be an upgrade of Armada Skywarp or a different character, as his biography indicated that his personality and abilities are closer to that of his Generation 1 namesake — using his teleportation activities to cause mayhem, although his stupidity required him to be closely monitored by his commander, Starscream.
Animated series
Because Skywarp was a U.S.-exclusive toy and the television series was produced in Japan prior to the toy's conception, the character made no appearances in the Cybertron animated series.
Fun Publications
Skywarp, along with the Cybertron versions of Runamuck, Brushguard and Buzzsaw appeared among Cannonball's troops in the exclusive story The Dark Heart of Sandokan, written by Benson Yee.
Toys
Cybertron Deluxe Skywarp (2006)
- A redeco of
Cybertron Thundercracker.Cybertron Deluxe Skywarp is 18 centimeters long, but a real Su-37 Terminator is 2218 centimeters long. This gives us a scale of 1/123. Since his robot mode stands 13.5 centimeters tall, this means Cybertron Skywarp should stand 54 feet tall.
2007 Transformers film
According to an interview with producer Tom DeSanto published in issue #15 of the Transformers Collectors' Club magazine, the original lineup pitched for the Decepticons in the live action Transformers film was Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble, Skywarp and Shockwave.
IDW Publishing
In Transformers: Defiance the planet Cybertron is invaded by aliens from the Eshems Nebula and Skywarp is among the defenders in the city of Metrotitan, near the temple at Simfur.
Toys
- Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Skywarp (2009, not released yet)
- In December of 2008 the first images of a Revenge of the Fallen Skywarp toy were leaked to the internet. He is a redeco of the first film's Voyager Starscream Generation 1 redeco and Thundercracker toy in Generation 1 Skywarp colors.
Transformers: Animated
Skywarp is a clone of Starscream who embodies his cowardice. According to his biography on the toy box he can teleport.
Animated Series
Using the Allspark fragment embedded in his forehead, Starscream brought life to numerous clones, who took distinct aspects of his personality. Skywarp received the coward side of Starscream.
Unfortunately, he was ambushed by Blurr and put in stasis cuffs. Thundercracker, who was in cement, accidentally hit them and were sent through the Space Bridge to an unknown part of the galaxy. Bulkhead tried to bring them back, but to no avail, as he never set the target cooridinates.
Animated toys
Animated Voyager Skywarp (2008)
- A Voyager sized mold. This figure is a redeco of
Animated Voyager Starscream. He is just a repaint. He doesn't have any other improvements or upgrades.
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