Shrapnel (Transformers)

Shrapnel is a male character who features in Transformers.

Biography

Marvel Comics

Shrapnel

Shrapnel was one of the top lieutenants of Lord Straxus at Darkmount on Cybertron, acting as his Executive Officer and supervising both the technicians that translated Soundwave's message from Earth and assisting on the Space Bridge project. He was also was responsible for capturing Autobot spy Scrounge before he could report back on the whereabouts of Spanner, a neutral whose expertise on Space Bridge travel was sought out by the Decepticons. Despite his rank, Straxus used Shrapnel's face as a stress ball when things went wrong and was willing to send him on a suicidal janitorial mission during the initial tests of his Space Bridge. Shrapnel managed to talk his way out of it by contacting Spanner instead, and found that the Space Bridge had a faulty fuel line without endangering himself in the process. After the bridge was made operational, an Autobot attack came to Darkmount. Shrapnel was quick to discover that this offensive was only a distraction from another on the Space Bridge itself. He warned Straxus of this, and joined him in defending the inter-planetary teleportation device. Though the bridge wasn't destroyed, it was left inoperable for a time, and the Autobots managed to pass through it to Earth, leaving the Decepticons stranded on Cybertron.

Shrapnel arrived on Earth to play a key role in Megatron's plot to take control of the Hoover Dam. Using a mind-controlled dam employee, the Decepticons held several humans hostage within the structure, allowing Shrapnel time to link up to its computer systems and begin systematically shutting it down. A massive drill was then brought over from Cybertron, which the Decepticons planed to use in funneling the dam's water to their homeworld, where it would provide a plenty of energy. Interference came in the shape of the Aerialbots, and the Insecticons were sent out to deal with the do-gooders. Shrapnel fell victim to Air Raid's torque rifle during the battle, which twisted his pincers all out of shape. Afterwards, the Insecticons' mind-slave managed to break free of his cerebro-shell's control, and used Megatron's gun mode to destroy the drill. The plan a failure, Shrapnel grabbed Megatron and retreated.

Shrapnel then he served under Ratbat, participating in a raid on an oil tanker. After Bombshell located the vessel's control room, Shrapnel used his mastery of electricity to take command of the ship's systems and piloted it to the Decepticons' island headquarters. Though the heist was successful, the Decepticons discovered afterwards that the ship had already dispensed its cargo, leaving them with no fuel for their efforts.

When the Autobots launched an attack on the Decepticons' island headquarters to rescue a recently captured Buster Witwicky, Shockwave converted the landmass into its rocket-ship mode and had it blast off into space. Shrapnel was standing at the ready, within the ship's control room, as this took place. He was soon deployed into action when both the Steelhaven and the Ark were detected on the Moon, prompting Ratbat to attempt to eradicate all of his foes in one fell swoop. However, upon taking notice that the Decepticon spaceship had taken severe damage in the attack, Shrapnel and his teammates retreated.

IDW

2005

Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback were created by Deluge, under supervision by Megatron. The Insecticons joined Megatron's forces on Earth, where they helped defeat and capture the local Autobots. The Decepticons then shipped their prisoners off to Cybertron via space bridge, intending to feed them to the failed Insecticon creations known as the swarm. The Insecticons then participated in the attack on New York City, during which Shrapnel took part in destroying some human jets. One of the humans caught in the devastation was Marissa Faireborn, who witnessed the Insecticons' battle with the jets. Detonation Boulevard After listening to Megatron's victory speech, the Insecticons traveled to China and helped wreck Beijing. There, Shrapnel and Kickback sided with Bombshell when he picked a fight with Skywarp and Thundercracker, but the three bugs decided to drop the subject and run away when faced with Skywarp's teleportation ability. After returning to New York, the Insecticons were approached by Starscream, and Shrapnel demanded to know what the Seeker wanted with them, so Starscream chastised him for being rude to a superior officer. Starscream apologized to the three for their treatment at Skywarp and Thundercracker's hands, then decided it was time to tell them about his vision of the future. The Insecticons subsequently joined Starscream as he rebelled against Megatron, and Shrapnel blasted his former leader with lightning. Unfortunately, this did minimal damage to Megatron, who responded by shooting Shrapnel with his fusion cannon. The revolt was cut short when human jets from Europe attacked and the Autobots returned from Cybertron unharmed, leading to the Decepticons' defeat. As they fled the planet aboard Astrotrain, Shrapnel showed Starscream that Megatron was still functioning, which did not please the Seeker in the least. Shrapnel volunteered to stealthily kill Megatron by siphoning his energon, but Starscream felt assassination wouldn't work in his favor. When he saw that Starscream was going to throw the Autobot Matrix of Leadership down a garbage chute, Shrapnel was shocked and convinced him to keep the artifact as a symbol of leadership.

Unfortunately, Starscream turned out to be a less-than-competent leader, stranding his troops on a desolate asteroid where they had to resort to strict rations or even cannibalism to survive. Upon learning that Dreadwind had been stealing precious fuel for himself, Shrapnel, Kickback and Needlenose hunted him down and executed him for his crime. As they proceeded to loot their victim's corpse, Shrapnel was particularly interested in getting his hands on an afterburner. All His Engines Shockwave watched their behavior with curiosity from a nearby building. Shrapnel was controlling the base's defenses with Acid Storm when the latter detected an incoming Autobot vessel. While Acid Storm was busy panicking, Shrapnel calmly fired missiles at the intruder... not realizing that the wreckage of the ship would come crashing down on top of them afterward. After getting to safety, he returned to scavenge the remains of the ship, and found a weapons locker. An empty weapons locker. Then Hot Rod shot him in the back with its contents. Heart Like a Wheel He survived and was present when a repaired Megatron took back control of the Decepticons.

Overview

Powers and abilities

In insect mode can use antennae to control almost any electrical device. In robot mode can attract lightning bolts to antennae and shoot them out hands. Grenade launcher shoots 30 pound steel balls that splinter into razor-sharp spikes. Insulation can stop his electrical blasts.

Notes

• Shrapnel was created by Hasbro where he featured in the setting of the Transformers universe.

In other media

Television

• In The Transformers, Shrapnel appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Hal Rayle. The Insecticons landed on Earth in a space pod ejected from the Decepticon ship before it crashed on the planet. They found themselves in the region that would become known as "Demon Swamp" and their idento-computers adapted them to transform into insects and eat organic food to survive. Though they were largely communal, Shrapnel was a leader among then, usually alternating with Bombshell. The Insecticons apparently lived in the swamp for millions of years until discovered by Megatron's Decepticons. They formed an uneasy alliance with Megatron, never coming fully under his command but working with the Decepticons when they could be convinced there was something in it for them. When the Autobots were attacking the Decepticons, the Insecticons were conveniently in the same area, and helped the Decepticon cause during the battle. Shrapnel fought Cliffjumper, but failed to hit him and instead damaged the buffer where Megatron was keeping the electro-cells. Still, they were given a reward of only a few Energon cubes. Though Kickback was optimistic, Shrapnel and Bombshell were understandably disappointed considering Megatron had so many more. They were even more enraged when Mirage stole the cubes and framed the Decepticons for it. When Starscream showed up and got in a fight with Cliffjumper, Shrapnel thought that the Decepticons had ambushed them and a huge fight broke out, with Shrapnel grazing and exposing the invisible Mirage. Shrapnel wanted to kill Mirage, but Bombshell decided it would be better if they made the Autobot into their slave. When Megatron saw Bombshell controlling Mirage, he revealed to the Insecticons that no Decepticon stole the cubes; it was Mirage after all. During an Autobot attack, Megatron destroyed the electro-cells in frustration, and Shrapnel commanded the Insecticons to retreat.

Appearances

• Transformers:

External Links

• TFWiki Entry

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