Laserbeak
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Laserbeak is the name given to four fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Generation 1 (1984)
| Transformers character | |
 The Decepticon Laserbeak |
|
| Lazerbeak | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Decepticon  |
| Sub-Group | Communications |
| Function | Interrogation |
| Partner | Frenzy |
| Motto | "The only point I like in Autobots: melting point." |
| Alternate Modes | Mechanical Condor/Cassette Mechanical Eagle |
| Series | Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Timelines |
The toy that became Laserbeak was original part of the Takara Microman line. His toy, when in microcassette form, could fit inside Soundwave, a microcassette player. He was packaged with fellow cassette Frenzy.
Laserbeak was used countless times as a reconnaissance platform, uncovering key plans of the Autobots throughout the war. Originally transforming into something that resembled a flying disk, he was also used to pursue and take out individuals attempting to escape (eg. Hound and Cliffjumper, who were discovered after Cliffjumper tried to snipe Megatron. On that occasion, Laserbeak made use of a self-guided cannon to take care of Cliffjumper while he shot Hound and caused him to crash). He has also captured several humans during his stay on Earth.
Laserbeak, along with Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw, and Ratbat, works in tandem with Soundwave. Laserbeak is exceptionally loyal to Soundwave and thus Megatron. Laserbeak's name is derived from his back mounted lasers, which are powered by ruby crystals. While these powerful weapons are a great strength, they are a weakness because they are dependent on a supply of the rare crystals. Laserbeak is very cowardly and will only fight from afar, or in situations in which he has the advantage of overwhelming odds. Buzzsaw is identical in appearance to Laserbeak, but not related.
According to original tech spec notes written by Bob Budiansky found at Iacon One in 2006 the original name for Laserbeak was Slazer.
[edit] Animated series
Prior to the Transformers' arrival on Earth, Laserbeak worked with Soundwave on Cybertron. His alternate mode was still a cassette, but his robot mode was a much more futuristic type of bird. It was Laserbeak who discovered the Autobot plan to launch the Ark. After the reactivation of both sides on Earth Laserbeak was given the Earth mode of a condor, quicky coming into combat with Hound. He served as the Decepticons' chief spy, infiltrating the Ark on numerous occasions, spying on their human allies and even knocking out Optimus Prime so that Megatron could make a copy of him.
Laserbeak's appearances in season three were diminished, mostly due to the introduction of Ratbat, who, as a bat, could fit into crevices Laserbeak couldn't, making him a more effective spy (and was still being sold in stores).
[edit] Marvel Comics
Laserbeak was one of the original ten Decepticons that fell to Earth in the Ark. Being reactivated and given the Earthen mode of a condor, Laserbeak would participate in many of the early battles against the Autobots - until a disastrous raid by Megatron led to Buzzsaw, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Rumble and Frenzy, getting deactivated by Omega Supreme. Laserbeak and Megatron managed to escape, but Laserbeak would play a lesser role, serving Shockwave and then Ratbat before participating in the battles against Scorponok's Decepticons and then against the Autobots using their united force. None realised, however, that it was all a ruse by Starscream to gain the power of the Underbase for himself. The Autobots and Decepticons would then unite to stop him, but Starscream's power was too great, and Laserbeak was one of those deactivated. He was not seen again, apart from an alternate universe appearance as part of Galvatron's forces in a nightmare alternate universe where Unicron had destroyed Cybertron, and Galvatron and the Decepticons ruled Earth. It is noticeable that Laserbeak is often shown to be capable of speech in the Marvel comics, as opposed to his mute cartoons rendition.
[edit] Audio books
Laserbeak was featured in the 1985 Transformers audio book Autobots' Lightning Strike. In this story the Autobots are amazed by the power of a thunder storm and Optimus Prime orders Huffer to build a collector to store the energy given off by the next storm. The Decepticon Laserbeak discovers the lightning rod and informs the Decepticons, but Soundwave mistakes it for giant transmission antenna. Although Starscream and Rumble attempt to destroy the object, Megatron stops them and leads the Decepticons to the object in hopes of learning what message the Autobots are sending, and who they are contacting. Once inside the base the Decepticons are caught in the energy of a storm and are forced to retreat. The Autobot plan to use the energy to help them repair their ship and eventually return to Cybertron, leaving humanity with the technology to collect energy from lightning.
In the 1986 audio adventure Laserbeak's Fury Megatron had Soundwave send Laserbeak to learn more about the humans, despite Starscream's protests that humans were weak and insignificant. Observing a windmill, Laserbeak came into contact with power lines, became trapped in cassette form and was found by some humans. Both the Decepticons and Autobots monitored Laserbeak's radio report. Hound and Spike were sent to investigate. When they discovered the Decepticons observing the windmill, they called for backup. Optimus Prime assembled a battle unite of Ironhide, Sunstreaker, Windcharger and Cliffjumper, leaving Ratchet in charge of their headquarters. Meanwhile, Laserbeak was taken to a disco, where playing him re-energized his circuits and he flew off to rejoin the Decepticons. Sparkplug explained to the Autobots the windmill's technology, as Megatron was interested in a mechanical device that didn't generate a magnetic field. A battle broke out over the windmill, in which Starscream panicked when he learned the windmill was immune to his null rays. Rumble destroyed the windmill during the battle and the Decepticons retreated, with no new technology to take. Optimus Prime expressed his regrets over the destruction that occurred.
[edit] Dreamwave Productions
Laserbeak appeared first in the War Within comics under the command of Soundwave. His robot mode here was identical to that seen in the original animated series episode More Than Meets the Eye part 1.
Laserbeak was among the Transformers who briefly fell under the control of the terrorist, Lazarus. Bumblebee, Frenzy, Grimlock, Laserbeak, Prowl, Ravage, Soundwave and Starscream were forced at attack the Smitco oil refinery in the Arctic to display their power for sale to the highest bidder (Transformer: Generation One #2).
He was among the Deceptions freed by Megatron and was seen perched on his shoulder during the attack on San Francisco.
[edit] Transformers/G.I. Joe
Laserbeak was also seen in Dreamwave's Transformers/G.I. Joe series, and was the first Transformer seen by the Joe team after being caught spying on them. He was not seen again, but it is likely that he was deactivated when Snake-Eyes opened the Matrix.
[edit] Devil's Due Publishing
In the first G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover Laserbeak, along with Soundwave and the other cassettes were recovered from the Ark and used as weapons by the terrorist organisation Cobra. Attacking an energy centre to gain the technology needed to create Energon, the attack force met G.I. Joe, who were waiting for them. During the battle, Laserbeak injured Gung-Ho and Clutch before being decapitated by Snake-Eyes.
[edit] Transformers: Timelines
Laserbeak was recast as a repaint of Energon Divebomb as a Botcon 2006 exclusive figure. This Laserbeak was supposed to be a Predacon upgrade of the original Decepticon.
In the 2006 BotCon story and the accompanying tech spec for the Laserbeak toy released there it was revealed that after the end of The Great War Divebomb of the original Predacons had rebuilt Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage into Predacons as part of a secret project to overthrow the Maximals. Ravage swiftly grew discontented and left to work for the Tripredacus Council. When Megatron and his crew stole the Golden Disc, Divebomb, knowing of his plans to alter history, ordered Laserbeak and Buzzsaw's ship to assist them. They badly damaged the Axalon, but were distracted by the Maximal ship Chromia 10 long enough for the Axalon to find their weak spot and destroy them, ending Laserbeak's career at last.
[edit] IDW Publishing
Laserbeak made his first IDW appearance in a Spotlight issue on Soundwave. Here, he was once again serving under Soundwave, being used by him to tail Bomb-Burst back to his base. He then spied on them until they left to harvest Ultra Energon, then picked up Soundwave. Once Soundwave realised their true intentions - to reanimate Thunderwing - Soundwave and the cassettes attempted to stop him, with Laserbeak attacking Bludgeon. However, the warrior Decepticon took him out with one slash of his sabre. One year later, after Mount St. Helens' eruption, Laserbeak's body was discovered by humans. Whether he will appear again is unknown.
[edit] Repaints
In 2005, the on-line Japanese store E-Hobby released an exclusive recolor of Laserbeak named Garboil. Along with Howlback (a repaint of Ravage), he forms one half of the "Cobalt Sentries", an arm of the Decepticon secret police. His name means " a state of commotion and noise and confusion," and his function is information control.
[edit] Beast Wars
| Transformers character | |
 The Predacon Lazorbeak |
|
| Lazorbeak | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Predacon  |
| Sub-Group | Basic Beasts |
| Function | Aerial Attacks |
| Alternate Modes | Pterodactyl |
| Series | Beast Wars |
With Hasbro not having the license to the name "Laserbeak" at the time the red and purple recolor of the basic Predacon, Terrorsaur, was known as Lazorbeak. Unlike Terrorsaur however, Lazorbeak did not feature in the animated series. The toy was later released in Japan with a slightly different color scheme but now called Hydra.
[edit] Animated series
Laserbeak's stasis pod was presumably among those who were launched into orbit around prehistoric Earth in the series pilot.
[edit] IDW Publishing
Lazorbeak finally appeared in the IDW Beast Wars: The Gathering comic series as a Maximal protoform who was turned into a Predacon by Magmatron's shell program. He was one of five aerial Predacons assigned by Ravage to find the Maximal lair. When they found it, Lazorbeak was one of those who attacked - only to be blasted when Maximal reinforcements under Torca arrived. It is unclear if he will appear again. Although his biography mentions that he has the same motto as the original Laserbeak, this was done as a homage to the original.
[edit] Toys
Oddly enough, in the second year of the toy line Terrorsaur was recast as a transmetal in the toy line (not in the television series), while Lazorbeak was not made into a transmetal toy, but the transmetal Terrorsaur toy was closer in colors to Lazorbeak, being mostly purple. Some fan go so far as to consider it a transmetal version of that character, despite the name "Terrorsaur" printed on the model.
[edit] Transformers Armada (2002)
| Transformers character | |
 The Autobot Lazerbeak |
|
| Lazerbeak | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Autobot  |
| Sub-Group | Triple Changer |
| Function | Aid |
| Alternate Modes | Mechanical Bird/ Laser Gun/Recorder |
| Series | Transformers: Armada |
Laserbeak is the name of a small Transforming robot given to Rad, Carlos, and Alexis by Red Alert to help them aid the Autobots during their mission to recover the Mini-Cons from planet Earth. In terms of his role, Laserbeak was regulated to performing aerial reconnaissance for the Autobots, delivering messages to them when the children were in need of help, and acting as a method for the humans to defend themselves. In addition to his cybernetic bird mode, he can transform into a camera and a stun weapon. In Armada's Japanese equivalent, Micron Legend, his name is "Cyberhawk".
In the Armada comic published by Dreamwave, Laserbeak is a sentient, though minor character. He is most often seen spying on the Decepticons (particularly Demolishor) for the Autobots.
[edit] Transformers Cybertron (2006)
| Transformers character | |
 The Decepticon Lazerbeak |
|
| Lazerbeak | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Decepticon |
| Partner | Soundwave |
| Alternate Modes | Mechanical Bird/Bomb |
| Series | Transformers: Cybertron |
One of the later characters in the series, Laserbeak is a drone that transforms into a battery bomb that can be stored within Soundwave. He seems to be an extension of Soundwave, and like his Decepticon predecessor was used for spying. His Japanese name is "Killer Condor".
