Devastator (Transformers)

Devastator
Decepticon
Information
Sub-group Action Masters, Combiners, Constructicons
Function Warrior
Rank 6
Partner Scorpulator
Motto "Thinking and winning do not mix."
Alternate modes 5 or 6 Decepticons
Series Transformers: Generation 1
Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Classics
English voice actor Arthur Burghardt (Television Series)
David Boat (Transformers: Devastation)
Patrick Seitz (Transformers: Combiner Wars)
Japanese voice actor Seizō Katō (Television Series)
Yū Shimaka (Animated Movie)

The Constructicons are a group of fictional characters from the various Transformers continuities. Although they vary from depiction to depiction, they are usually Decepticons who turn into construction vehicles and combine into a larger robot,[1] Devastator. For legal-political reasons, Hasbro now adds a modifier to the character's name on newer toy packages, such as Constructicon Devastator.

Membership

The Constructicons (known as Buildrons in Japan), so named for their group job of design, engineering and construction for the Decepticon forces, are particularly notable for their status as the very first combining sub-group of Transformers, able to merge their bodies and minds together to form the gigantic Devastator.[2][3]

The individual members of the team include:[4]

In Transformers: Energon, a combining team of five robots similar to the Constructicons exists, who form the giant robot known as Constructicon Maximus (Buildron in Japan). The animated series does not refer to any of the components by name - in it, only the central body is intelligent, and the limbs are drones. The five robots transform only from vehicle mode into combined mode, never into their individual robot forms (apart from one out-of-continuity episode). The team consists of:

The Constructicons appear in the Transformers Animated. Composed of Mixmaster (Jeff Bennett) & Scrapper (Tom Kenny), and Dirt Boss (John Mariano), they are construction vehicles brought to life by Allspark fragments, along with a one-time unnamed Constructicon shown only in the form of a crane. Unlike the classic versions, the Constructions do not combine and are not official Decepticons at first, though bribed into their service. Prior to becoming official Decepticons, they have yellow and black color schemes like the Generation 2 Constructicons (with the exception of Dirt Boss who was created later). Once branded, they gain a green and purple color scheme. Their personalities resemble that of New York City construction workers, complete with Brooklyn accents. The monster that appears in the episode "Nature Calls" was possibly a tribute to Devastator. In some episodes we see some construction vehicles and mining vehicles colored green and purple like the classic Constructicons.

The Constructicons featured in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen are:

There are two other Constructicons seen in the movie who are not acknowledged in any other media. They are a yellow Caterpillar D9T bulldozer bearing model M930 that forms the left wrist and hand combining with Hightower & a yellow Caterpillar 769D dump truck that forms the left leg with Yellow Rampage. Bumblebee faces a red version of Rampage, misnamed in credited as Skipjack. And Despite the appearance in the film Second bulldozer and Yellow dump truck. Hasbro did not recognize their existence in the film. Saying that in film there were only seven Constructicons forming Devastator. And six non-combiner Constructicons:

Mixmaster, Scavenger, Overload and others are presumably destroyed as Devastator in the battle. Other versions of Long Haul, Scrapper, Mixmaster and Rampage are seen separate from Devastator, presumably to serve as the Decepticon military forces. They are killed by the military, Bumblebee and Jetfire.

Devastator/Sixbuilder
Decepticon
Information
Sub-group Combiners, Constructicons, Micromasters
Alternate modes 6 robots and a jet
Series Transformers: Universe

A redeco of Generation 1 Sixbuilder was released in 2004 done as a homage to Generation 1 Devastator. In 1992, a combining Autobot Transformer named SixBuilder was released exclusively in Japan, composed of six Autobot Micromasters, who, by coincidence or design, shared alternate modes with the six original Constructicons. When this figure was reissued in 2003, a chase Destron (Decepticon) variant was available in a green and purple color scheme intended to evoke the Constructicons. Eventually, the individual components were released in the USA in 2004 as part of the multi-universe-spanning Transformers: Universe toy line, exclusively available from KB Toys stores, with improved paint applications to even closer match the original Constructicons' colors. In Europe, the Micromaster Constructicons were released in Energon rather than in Universe packaging. The members included:

As Hasbro had lost the rights to the names Scrapper, Mixmaster and Hook, the above substitutions were applied, respectively. While "Buckethead" is a new Transformers name, "Quickmix" was the name of a 1988 Autobot concrete mixer, and "Hightower" the name of a 2001 Autobot crane. The individual pieces required to combine the figures together (fists, feet, chestpiece, etc.) can be linked together to form a jet that the figures can pilot.

Steamhammer
Decepticon
Information
Sub-group Constructicons, Power Core Combiners, Scouts
Partner Dump truck drone with plow attachment, Excavator drone with drill attachment, Steamroller drone, and Front end Loader drone with excavator attachment
Alternate modes Bulldozer
Series Transformers: Power Core Combiners

In the 2010 Transformers: Power Core Combiners toy line, the Decepticon Steamhammer leads a Constructicon team, which consists of four construction vehicle drones. These drones can combine with Steamhammer to become a larger robot by forming his limbs.[10][11]

Publication history

Marvel Comics

Scavenger, Bonecrusher, Longhaul, Scrapper & Mixmaster - five of the original six Constructicons (Constructicon Hook not shown).

The origins of the Constructicons in Marvel Comics' Transformers series was not nearly so complicated. Seeking to bolster the size of his forces on Earth in 1985, Decepticon Commander Shockwave arranged for the construction of six new Decepticon bodies, which were then infused with life by the power of the Creation Matrix, tapped from the head of the imprisoned Optimus Prime. Thus, the Constructicons were born, and were immediately put to work building a massive radio transmission dish that Soundwave used to beam a message to Cybertron. When the Autobots attempted to interfere, the Constructicons revealed their hidden power and merged into Devastator to fight them off, allowing the message to successfully go through.

The Autobots, intrigued by Devastator's unique combining power, attempting to replicate it with the construction of Omega Supreme. But Omega was composed of only three (non-sentient) components, unlike the six Constructicons that made up Devastator. The Autobots conducted a raid on the Decepticon base, luring out Devastator so that they could gather data on him. This allowed them to accomplish the construction of the new combiner team, the Aerialbots, capable of forming Superion, whom Devastator battled during the Transformers' adventure alongside G.I. Joe.

Although the United Kingdom's exclusive Transformers comic series shone the spotlight on the Constructicons when they were charged with hunting down Buster Witwicky, and again when the time-travelling Galvatron co-opted their services to build a gigantic laser cannon, the team's special talents were not required in the US title again until they and the Predacons stole large amounts of rocket fuel and raw materials, with which the Constructicons rebuilt the Decepticons' mobile island headquarters as a spaceship. With the entire Earth-based Decepticon army aboard the ship, under the command of Ratbat, they attacked an Autobot congregation on the moon, and while the battle raged, the Constructicons penetrated the Ark and recovered the deactivated bodies of several Decepticons defeated in an earlier clash with Omega Supreme.

Although the Constructicons did not appear again in the US Transformers title, they were not among the Transformers deactivated by the Underbase-empowered Starscream, and briefly appeared as part of the Autobot-Decepticon Alliance, both in group shots and as part of their last stand against Jhiaxus' forces. In the alternate future universe of 2008 featured in the UK Transformers comic, Mixmaster was briefly indicated to have ascended to leadership of the Constructicons. (This had, in fact, already been implied in the present day UK story "Second Generation", in which Mixmaster is seen viewing the transmissions from Buster Witwicky's mind alongside Shockwave and Soundwave.)

In 1990, the final year of the Transformers toyline in the US, an Action Master figure of Devastator was released, with a transforming partner named Scorpulator. Two years later, in 1992, the Constructicons' toys were re-released (exclusive to Europe), now in a yellow, purple and grey color scheme, with no individual names for the individual toys and lacking the additional pieces that allowed their original releases to combine into Devastator. A story published in issue 264 of the UK's Transformers comic is often cited as an attempt to explain both releases, but since the "new" Constructicons would not be released for another two years, the only toy the story could actually be based upon would be the Action Master version of Devastator. In the story, it was revealed that the Constructicons had lost the ability to combine and were attempting to rebuild Devastator as a singular, separate entity. The Autobots Ironhide and Bumblebee arrived on the island to investigate, and Ironhide was able to bypass the security grid and plant explosives to destroy the site, and Devastator with it.

When the Transformers: Generation 2 toy line began a few years later, the Constructicons were again released in a yellow and purple color scheme, this time all over the world, and including the combining pieces (although for their sparing appearances in Marvel's Generation 2 comic, they retained their original green and purple appearances). Rare orange and purple variants were also released and sold in Walgreens stores. While these Constructicons were included with elements allowing them to form Devastator, various connection points and launchers were sealed and made inactive (such as the missile launcher found in the rear of Mixmaster's drum and the purple boxes that made up Devastator's lower arms). Such changes made their transformations more difficult than their bright green predecessors. (This is probably due to Hasbro using the modified British Constructicon tooling for the Generation 2 variants.)

Despite Generation 2's usage of the yellow and orange Constructicons, a pair of "Construction Green" Decepticons were released in 1995. These two were called Auto-Rollers. (Autobot military vehicles named after Optimus Prime and Hound were planned, but never released.) The Auto-Rollers (which transformed by rolling forward into robot mode, and reversely into vehicle mode—once a safety switch was released) were named Roadblock and Dirtbag, and due to their forms as green construction vehicles (Dirtbag a dump truck; Roadblock a scoop loader), both were considered by fans to be "honorary Constructicons".

Following the same logic, seeing as they are green construction vehicles with no other connection to the Constructicons whatsoever, some fans have declared Crush-Bull and Mixing from the 1992 Japanese Micromaster combiner Sixbuilder to be "honorary Constructicons". The other four are not, though - they are the wrong colour and so cannot possibly be "honorary Constructicons".

Manga

In the Transformers Manga #5 Galvatron and his Decepticons attacked the Prime Energy Tower. Galvatron ordered the Decepticons to form Menasor, Devastator and Bruticus and attack. Rodimus Prime countered this move by ordering in Superion, Omega Supreme and Defensor. Galvatron then ordered in Predaking, knowing that Sky Lynx was elsewhere and could not counter them. Rodimus ordered the Omnibots to attack Predaking's legs. Tripping up the giant he fell into the other Decepticon giants, winning the day for the Autobots.[12]

Fun Publications

Based on the Transformers Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel U.K. and Transformers: Generation 2 comics). Megatron survived the crash of the Ark on Earth, reformatted himself into a new form and now leads Ramjet, Skywarp, Soundwave, Starscream and the Constructicons. Optimus Prime has also returned to Earth commanding Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Mirage and Rodimus (formerly Hot Rod).

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. The Constructicons merged into Devastator to stop the Autobots from gaining an energy source the Decepticons were attempting to find, but were defeated by Grimlock.

Devastator appears in "A Flash Forward" by Fun Publications. In the year 2005 Devastator attacks Autobot City. He is opposed by Ultra Magnus, Sideswipe, Red Alert and Tracks. Firing every weapon they have, the Autobots are able to force Devastator to break apart into the individual Constructicons. Now outnumbered the Autobots retreated. Red Alert is killed covering the withdrawal, as Megatron watches. These events and others are related to Jhaixus by Runabout and Runamuck in 2013.[13]

Dreamwave Productions

In Dreamwave Productions's 21st Century re-imagining of the Generation One universe, it was revealed gradually that the Constructicons were responsible for pioneering the Combining process through a series of experiments on themselves, thus creating Devastator. The plans to Devastator's combining process were eventually stolen by the Autobots and refined, resulting in Superion as a counter. This in turn led to more Special Teams being built by both sides.

In the initial Transformers: The War Within series, the Constructicons were responsible for activating Cybertron's planetary engines, under the command of Megatron eight million years ago. When Megatron disappeared into the depths of the planet fighting Optimus Prime, Starscream temporarily took command and had Scrapper prepare a process for the resurfacing of Cybertron, which would transform it into a mobile war-world. Scrapper cautioned against such an action, but Starscream ignored him, and prevented him from stopping it when the process was underway. 1.5 million years later, when Megatron and Optimus Prime were thought to have died in an early test of the Space Bridge transport system, and the Autobots and Decepticons splintered into several smaller factions, the Constructicons broke the treaty that had downgraded the combining teams to non-combat status by siding with Ratbat's Ultracons and battling Defensor. The various War Within series showed that the Constructicons' alternate modes were the Cybertronian variants of their Earth designs.

It is apparent that the Constructicons were not aboard the Ark when it crashed on Earth four million years ago, but they did eventually find their way to Earth and joined Megatron's forces there after they awoke in 1984. All the Transformers were rendered inactive in the explosion of the Ark II in 1999, but when they reactivated in 2001, Devastator was the main weapon in Megatron's attack on San Francisco. Rampaging through the city, he battled and defeated Superion, but was defeated by Optimus Prime through a point-blank blast to the face, which toppled the giant. His remains were recovered by the Earth Defense Command, and dissected and studied in their underground base. The ultimate fate of Devastator was not revealed, however, as a result of Dreamwave's closure.

The Constructicons also featured prominently in the iBooks trilogy set in the Dreamwave universe. Siding with Starscream after Megatron's disappearance, Devastator acted as Starscream's muscle, destroying Sideswipe at one point, and helping his new leader to take over Las Vegas. When Megatron returned, Devastator helped Starscream to force him into submission, but subsequent battles against the Keepers, a powerful race of aliens responsible for Megatron's disappearance, left the Constructicons unable to separate from their combined form. Eventually Devastator was taken out for good when Megatron's reprogrammed Omega Sentinel, turned good by exposure to the Matrix, sacrificed both itself and Devastator to close the Keepers' warp gate. Later, Devastator's body was found floating in space by the humans—setting up the events seen in Dreamwave's Generation One ongoing series.

Devil's Due Publishing

The Constructicons would also put in an appearance in the pages of Devil's Due Publishing's G.I. Joe vs the Transformers crossover. They were seen as part of the force of Transformers under the control of the terrorist organization Cobra and were used for labor on the Cobra Island base. However, when they broke free they began to manufacture energon cubes for Megatron. When the Autobots and G.I. Joe attacked the Constructicons merged to form Devastator and killed Hound. He was then mobbed and taken down by Wheeljack, Bumblebee and various members of G.I. Joe. Unlike many of the other Transformers, the Constructicons were not reformatted into Cobra vehicles.

IDW Publishing

After Dreamwave's bankruptcy, IDW Publishing was awarded the Transformers comic book license. In their rebooted Generation One universe, the Constructicons would first be seen in The Transformers: Megatron Origin prequel miniseries. Set long before the Transformers arrived on earth, they possess Cybertronian modes very similar to the designs used in the War Within series. The Constructicons are tasked with building the gladiatorial stadiums in which Megatron and others battle. According to The Transformers: Spotlight issue featuring Optimus Prime, the only Transformers gestalt is currently Monstructor, meaning the Constructicons cannot combine into Devastator at this point.

Spotlight Ramjet introduced the Mini-Constructicons, robotic bubble headed helpers to Ramjet in the colors of the actual Constructicons. These had become infected by human radio transmissions, causing them to talk like rappers. Two were killed by Ramjet after they asked for a reward. Ramjet also talked of Micro-Constructicons, nanobots that would be used to subjugate Earth by injection into human bloodstreams - but Ramjet was killed by Megatron before this could go any further. The final Mini-Constructicon was killed years later by Spike Witwicky.

The Constructicons eventually joined Megatron on Earth, during the full scale Decepticon invasion of the planet. They now possessed the power to combine into Devastator, thanks to the Decepticons getting their hands on Monstructor and Bombshell's own experimentation. Their first fight as Devastator left the Autobots at the Decepticons mercy, who exiled them to the dead Cybertron. The Constructicons were put in charge of building the new Decepticon citadel in the heart of New York. When the Autobots returned, Omega Supreme was able to best Devastator in combat. Following the battle, the Constructicons were scattered across Earth, and eventually their leader Scrapper was killed by Spike Witwicky in the hope that doing so would keep the Constructicons from being able to combine again. However the remaining Constructicons later revealed that they were still able to use Scrapper's corpse to combine into a complete Devastator, though he was unable to walk due to his right leg being completely unusable.

The five surviving Constructicons live until after the war's "official" conclusion, but are later killed by Prowl on Cybertron as criminals. However it was part of a ploy of Bombshell's to make the Autobots believe the Constructicons had died so that he and Megatron would be able to work on refitting the five Constructicons so that they could form a new Devastator with a compatible sixth bot to form the head. The brainwashed Prowl was modified to be able to combine into Devastator, and he and the Constructicons combined as a trial to ensure the new combination worked before Megatron underwent the process himself. However they were hindered by the unexpected arrival of the Aerialbot combiner Superion, before Prowl and the five Constructicons became united in a shared hatred for Spike, and after Megatron's defeat, the Constructicons joined up with Prowl, having liked what they had seen in his mind.

Prowl soon began utilising his control of Devastator and the Constructicons for the good of the Autobot cause, however the Autobots worried that his being part of Devastator was making Prowl more reckless and dangerous to his own allies. Indeed, Prowl began keeping information from his own team in order to carry out his own plans to use Devastator to rescue Alpha Trion from the Earth Defense Command, citing that Optimus was unable to make the hard decisions like him. Later Prowl and the Constructicons began hunting Spike Witwicky in Tokyo, all of them wanting revenge for killing Scrapper and betraying Prowl, but first manipulated him into leading them to the Enigma of Combination. Indeed, it was their hatred for the human that kept Devastator from focusing on securing the Enigma, allowing Scoop to steal it, and Devastator's own mind wanted nothing more than Spike's death since Scrapper's death had effectively killed a part of his own mind.

When Prowl learned through his agent Rattrap that Starscream was starting to build an empire starting from the colony world of Caminus, he and the Constructicons formed Devastator to try and force all Cybertronians back home before attempting to destroy Metroplex's space bridge to prevent Startscream's machinations. However Superion got in Devastator's way, and so he dragged the other combiner back through the space bridge, where he was confronted by Optimus and Starscream, the former of whom tried to reason with Prowl. Ironhide and Chromia's intervention allowed Starscream the opportunity to use the Enigma of Combination to heal the Aerialbots back into Superion, and force the newly dubbed Protectobots into another combiner, Defensor, and together the two were able to bring down Devastator. However Starscream, knowing that Superion and Defensor would eventually side with Optimus, later approached the Constructicons and use the Enigma to merge them with Scoop, using Scoop's loyalty to him to control Devastator's mind. Devastator was then sent to deal with the escaping Stunticon combiner Menasor, only for them to end up tangling in a four-way brawl with Superion and Defensor.

3H Enterprises

2004 Voice actor play plot - Rhinox has built a device to deflect Unicron's attempts to pull victims from other dimensions with his tractor beam. The Autobots deflect two attempts and the victims end up on a frozen planetoid instead of with Unicron. Maximals Rattrap and Silverbolt and the Predacon Waspinator are sent to help the victims, but Reptilion, Sunstorm, Ruination and Perceptor are sent to get them for Unicron. As a side effect of the device Rhinox built, a vortex opens which sucks in an Autobot shuttle from the past piloted by Bumblebee, Tracks and Cosmos. Thrust attacks the Maximal ship, but they are saved by being transported to the Autobot shuttle. The Autobots and Maximals then go to the planet where they save the victims from the Decepticons. On the planet are two groups of Autobots. One is from the Robots in Disguise story, with Landfill (Wal-Mart recolor), Side Burn (Universe recolor) and Prowl (Universe recolor). The other is from another parallel world with Spy Changer Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Prowl and Ironhide. They all fight off the Decepticons. The Autobot shuttle is sent back to its own time. Landfill was reissued in yellow as a Wal-Mart exclusive 4-pack. The yellow Wal-Mart exclusive redecot of Landfill is considered by some fans to be an unofficial member of the Transformer: Universe line. It was the final toy released under the Robots In Disguise label before the line was changed into Transformers: Universe, and it is the form Landfill took when he appeared in the Universe story.

Animated series

Original Transformers series

According to the Autobot, Omega Supreme, millions of years ago, the Constructicons were the creators of the beautiful Crystal City on the Transformers' homeworld of Cybertron, which he was assigned the task of guarding. As a friend of the Constructicons, he was hurt the most when they were attacked by Megatron, who, seeking to bolster the forces of his then-small army, subjected the Constructicons to the Robo-Smasher, a device which reprogrammed their minds and turned them into Decepticons. In their first act as Megatron's troops, the Constructicons lured Omega away from Crystal City and demolished it, enraging Omega, who pursued the Constructicons across the planet. Eventually, he succeeded in capturing them and apparently restored their programming to its original state, but as the group returned to rebuild Crystal City, Omega learned that Megatron's reprogramming could never be undone—the Constructicons were still Decepticons, and more than that, Megatron had given them a new power: the ability to combine their bodies and minds into the giant known as Devastator. In the ensuing struggle with Devastator, the Robo-Smasher attacked Omega's mind. He was able to stop it before the reprogramming was complete, only to wind up losing his emotions. Filled with only hatred for the Constructicons, Omega relentlessly pursued them, until they finally fled Cybertron in a spacecraft, which Omega chased across the galaxy.

In 1984, the Constructicons were introduced and became the cartoon series second Decepticon sub-group after Insecticons. The Constructicons joined with Megatron's forces on Earth, and their first mission was an impressive one - Scrapper designed a machine to transfer the other Decepticons' powers to Megatron, and while he battled Optimus Prime, holding the attention of the Autobots, the Constructicons invaded the Ark to destroy Teletraan I. Unfortunately for them, the Ark was protected by the Dinobots, but by merging into Devastator, they became more than a match for their prehistoric foes. The return of the other Autobots and the discovery of Megatron's deception spelled the end of the battle, however, as Hound distracted Devastator with a gigantic hologram, and Optimus Prime blasted the giant at just the right spot to force the Constructicons to disengage. They and the other Decepticons were then forced into a river of lava.

The Constructicons survived the river of lava along with the other Decepticons and continued to assist in Megatron’s plans of conquest. In the year 2005, Devastator was the Decepticons' primary weapon in the Battle of Autobot City with the absence of Menasor and Bruticus, tearing through the defenses and walls of the city and battling the Dinobots once more. On the return trip to Cybertron, it was Bonecrusher who advocated the "survival of the fittest" policy that saw many wounded Decepticons ejected from the shuttle, among them Megatron, prompting Scrapper to nominate the Constructicons for the new leaders of the Decepticons. Hook took great offense to the notion that the unpopular Soundwave would make a better leader than they would, leading to a mass brawl to decide who would be Decepticon leader. Later, on Cybertron, the Constructicons were blowing trumpets during Starscream's coronation but were cut off due to Starscream's impatience.

In the remainder of 2005 and throughout 2006, the Constructions maintained a smaller, but still present, role in the Decepticon army, lending their talents to the Decepticon/Quintesson alliance by constructing Trypticon out of a populated human city in only one night. Later, they built a planetary engine on an asteroid and battled on the planet Eurythma, aided in the overthrow of Paradron and took part in an attack on Japan. Although brief, the Constructicons even played a part in the battle for the Plasma Energy Chamber in 2007.

The Constructicons' voices were performed by Michael Bell (Scrapper), Neil Ross (Hook, Bonecrusher), Gregg Berger (Long Haul), Frank Welker (Mixmaster), Don Messick (Scavenger) and Arthur Burghardt (Devastator). The individual Constructicons are six of only ten characters to have appeared in all four seasons of the Transformers animated series (the others being Optimus Prime, Soundwave, Bumblebee/Goldbug, and Spike Witwicky), and they would continue to make brief, token appearances throughout the Japanese-exclusive Transformers: Headmasters series. Later, in the single episode of 1990's Japanese Transformers: Zone series, Devastator was among the nine Decepticon Generals assembled by the villainous Violenjiger. The veteran Decepticon was almost immediately defeated in this series, entombed beneath the earth by a river of magma unleashed by Dai Atlas. It's unclear if Devastator was killed or only incapacitated, due to fact that the Constructicons already survived magma's effects in "Heavy Metal War".

One of the most frequent animation errors concerning Devastator is that at some points he has a visor covering his eyes: at others the eyes themselves are visible. This was due to his full-figure profile on the animation model sheet being drawn with eyes, while the close-up head profile showed the visor. Another inconsistency involves the color of Mixmaster's mixing drum, usually seen in purple on Devastator. This is due to toy models (as seen in the 1985 Transformers product catalog) showing the drum as green on vehicular-mode Mixmaster, but in a soft gray (unique only to this unreleased version of Mixmaster) on a combined Devastator.

Conflicting origins

The original Transformers animated series is infamous for its seeming slip-ups regarding the Constructicons, presenting contradictory stories that give different origins for the group. In their debut episode, the season one finale, "Heavy Metal War", Megatron professes that the Constructicons were built on Earth. Yet, in the season two episode, "The Secret of Omega Supreme", the secret history of the eponymous character and the Constructicons comes out, which reveals their past on Cybertron together, where the Constructicons were formerly not evil, though they still showed the Decepticon insignia, but were turned to evil by Megatron. Scrapper also makes a comment in "The Master Builders" that he admired the buildings of the Autobot Grapple on Cybertron, indicating a past there.

Interestingly, the official bible to the series originally describes the Constructicons as having "no explained origin".[14] Presumably, this encouraged David Wise, the writer of "The Secret of Omega Supreme", to give the characters an explained origin, unaware that it conflicted with the one-line reference to their being built on Earth from "Heavy Metal War". Nevertheless, it is not impossible to reconcile these two stories, if one simply assumes that when Megatron said the Constructicons were "built," he was referring to their new Earth bodies after their arrival from Cybertron (ironically, "The Secret of Omega Supreme" neglected to give the Constructicons redesigned Cybertronian modes, making it appear as if they always turned into Earthly construction vehicles).

The third seeming contradiction emerges in the third season, with the episode "Five Faces of Darkness, Part Four", in which Rodimus Prime witnesses Megatron's creation in a flashback, and the animation shows the Constructicons surrounding him, however later fiction reveals that there were many Constructicons on Cybertron, and the ones who made Megatron need not have been the ones who formed Devastator.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Landfill/Constructicon Devastator
Autobot
Information
Sub-group Build Team/Constructicons
Function Steel Sovereign
Rank 8
Alternate modes Four Robots
Series Transformers: Robots in Disguise
English voice actor Michael Reisz[15]

The 2001 series, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, featured the Build Team (Build Masters)—four Autobot construction vehicles that could combine to form Landfill (Build King). With an official height of 12 meters in and the toy standing 20 cm tall, that makes the scale of Landfill 1:60. Landfill was also repainted in green and purple as a Decepticon called Devastator in the Universe line, a homage to Generation One Devastator.[16]

As the engineers who built the Global Spacebridge tunnel system that transports the Autobots around Earth, the Build Team always wanted to see action on the front lines, and thanks to Optimus Prime, they got their chance. It is hard to imagine that personalities like the powerful Heavy Load (Build Typhoon), the alert, seasoned Hightower (Build Cyclone) and the calm, rational Grimlock (Build Hurricane) could be led by such a young hothead as Wedge (Build Boy), but his compassion and caring for his teammates mean that they respect and stick by him. The team is capable of combining into Landfill (Build King) in various configurations.

Landfill is the 12-meter tall super robot formed of the four members of the Build Team. Thanks to his unique Tornado Fusion System, he can optimize his configuration for any combat situation. Landfill has three different modes, each in which Wedge remains at the center while the other three members rotate around his hub. The Hurricane Mode, in which Grimlock forms the back and arms, is a superb multi-purpose type formation, balancing offense and defense with a shield and rifle; the Cyclone Mode, with Hightower in the upper body, is a power type form excelling in close-quarters combat, wielding a melee shovel, and shield; and the Typhoon Mode, with Heavy Load in the topmost position, is his battle type formation, which has high offensive power, with a rifle and shovel.

A redeco of the Build Team, a quartet of construction vehicles from the Transformers: Robots in Disguise series, was released in 2006 in the form of two Target exclusive two-packs, namely Bonecrusher/Scavenger and Long Haul/Hightower. These four also have the ability to combine into Devastator (just as the Build Team could combine into Landfill), and the change of "Hook" to "Hightower" is consistent with this release as well. With this set, Hightower retains his name, while his teammates Wedge, Heavy Load, and Grimlock become Bonecrusher, Long Haul, and Scavenger. The Micromaster Constructicons were initially a Kaybee store exclusive, but later on were found in other online stores.[17] After a decade, the official Facebook blog called "Ask Vector Prime" confirmed that Devastator is actually an evil version of Landfill from an alternate universe where they were corrupted by Megazarak into Decepticons.

Unicron Trilogy

Constructicon Maximus
Decepticon
Information
Sub-group Combiners
Alternate modes 5 Decepticons
Series Transformers: Energon

Devastor, originally the Japanese name of Devastator, was the Japanese for Scavenger in Transformers: Armada. In addition to being named after one of the G1 Constructicons, he sported their familiar green and purple color scheme. The most striking difference between Scavenger and his G1 counterpart was the fact that, even though he was thought to be a Decepticon at first, he was later revealed to be an Autobot and was spying on the Decepticons when he first arrived on Earth.

In Transformers: Energon, Constructicon Maximus was one of four combining Transformers sealed away in stasis beneath the surface of Cybertron to guard a hidden reservoir of Super Energon. Megatron, guided by Unicron, set out to search for it, and destroyed one of the immobile robots in his rage, only for the reservoir to then reveal itself. As the guardians awakened, Megatron immersed himself in the Super Energon to upgrade himself into Galvatron, and Constructicon Maximus and Bruticus Maximus immediately swore fealty to Galvatron as the one who had awoken them. However, their "brother," Superion Maximus, refused, recognising Galvatron's evil and siding with the Autobots.

Constructicon Maximus added plenty of firepower to the Decepticons' side, and he and Bruticus Maximus had several clashes with the "traitorous" Superion Maximus, until the time for their final battle came, set against the backdrop of the struggle to stop the Unicron-possessed Galvatron out in space. Constructicon Maximus was deactivated by Superion Maximus, who then had his limbs destroyed by Bruticus Maximus, but transferred Constructicon Maximus's limbs to himself and used them to defeat Bruticus, along with a little help from the ghost of the "brother" Megatron had destroyed. Constructicon Maximus was voiced by Don Brown.

The name "Steamhammer" was later recycled as the name of a Mini-Con in Transformers Cybertron. Also, another homage to the original Constructicons was seen when Demolishor was reformatted into a new form by Megatron. His new alternate mode was that of a massive dump truck colored dark green.

The molds of Constructicon Maximus have been reissued as a Wal-Mart Exclusive gift set sometime late 2006/2007 under the Classics Line. The combined form is be named Constructicon Devastator for trademark reasons, and the individual names are Duststorm, Wideload, Bonecrusher, Sledge, Divebomb and Steamhammer. It has a bright green and purple deco similar to the original G1 Constructicons.

Transformers Animated

The Constructicons appear in the Transformers Animated. In their first appearance, "Rise of The Constructicons", the Constructicons initially befriend Bulkhead, but decide to join the Decepticons because they have better tasting oil. After getting the All-Spark from the Autobots, as ordered, a still friendly Bulkhead gives them some oil for the road. However, it turns out to be a trick; it was laced with an explosive. After the explosion, which seems to not have affected them physically, they loses their memories and run away. They return in "Sari, No One's Home", following a trail of oil spilled by Bumblebee to the Autobot's base, thinking it where the "good oil" is. They are eventually scared off by Sari, and run into Blitzwing, who offers them Decepticon oil, and tells them "There's more where that came from." Tasting it, Mixmaster tells Scapper that they've found the delicious oil thye've been searching for.

In the "A Bridge Too Close" two-parter, the Constructicons recite the Decepticon oath of allegiance, and are branded with the Decepticon symbol. When the Decepticon base starts to collapse, the Constructicons stay behind, in an attempt to save their oil supply and end up being buried under tons of rock for their troubles. In "Three's a Crowd", Bulkhead accidentally created another Constructicon called Dirt Boss from an Allspark fragment, a forklift, and a damaged Headmaster Unit while repairing a space bridge. Dirt Boss got into Decepticon business and led the other Constructicons into stealing the oil supply. However, the Autobots stopped them and sent them to the coast of Dinobot Island.

In the episode "Human Error, Part 2" we see Scrapper on Dinobot island, he befriends the Dinobot Snarl, Scrapper was the only Constructicon who survived the Explosion, the fates of Dirt Boss and Mixmaster have been left unknown. In the All-Spark Almaniac, which acts like a Season 4 since the series was cancelled after Season 3, it is revealed that Dirt Boss and Mixmaster survived and find Scrapper. Dirt Boss tells Scrapper and Mixmaster that he has planned to build something called "Devastator".

Transformers: Prime

Devastator appears in the novel Transformers: Exodus, where he fights Defensor. He appears to be based on the Revenge of the Fallen version of Devastator, in that there can be more than one Devastator at a time because any set of the many Constructicons can form a Devastator. Devastator doesn't appear in Transformers: Prime, but the Constructicons are briefly referenced by Smokescreen in "New Recruit", when he and Jack go out to scan a vehicle mode for him and a construction vehicle was among the vehicles passing by on the highway.

Kre-O: Transformers

Devastator appeared in the animated short "Quest for Energon".[18]

Transformers: Combiner Wars

Devastator appears in Transformers: Combiner Wars, where three of his individual components battle Megatron before learning of the Enigma of Combination from Windblade. United, Devastator attacks the ruling Council, ripping off one of Rodimus Prime's arms.

Transformers Cinematic Universe

Devastator
Decepticon
Information
Sub-group Constructicons, Legends, Supreme
Function Ultimate Weapon, Combiner
Rank 9
Motto "Prepare for devastation!",[19] "I am DEVASTATOR!"
Alternate modes Hightower (Left Arm), Second Bulldozer (Left Hand), Long Haul (Right Leg), Mixmaster (Head), Overload (Lower Torso), Yellow Dump Truck (Left Leg), Rampage (Left Foot), Scavenger (Upper Torso) and Scrapper (Right Arm)
Series Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
English voice actor Frank Welker (film)
Fred Tatasciore (video game)

In the 2007 live-action film, Devastator appears as an individual character that transforms into a heavily modified M1 Abrams tank. Although the character was supposed to be named Brawl and he goes by that name in the merchandising, the Decepticon clearly identifies himself as Devastator in an on-screen subtitle (even though another character in the sequel is named Devastator). Movie writers Roberto Orci and Hasbro's Transformers team acknowledge this as an error. When queried, director Michael Bay has stated that he has always preferred Devastator, as it "sounded more destructive and dangerous for a Decepticon".[20] The second Transformers film, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen featured the Constructicons and their combined form. The name "Devastator" was previously used in the first film incorrectly for the Decepticon Brawl, and Bonecrusher was also featured; both characters were killed. Unlike previous incarnations of the team, the Constructicon team features a vast amount of members like the Seacons in Masterforce. As a result, Devastator is composed of any Constructicon models that are present among the group, rather than having only one set in-fiction composition.[21]

On the Transformers website, it was confirmed that several new Decepticons would form Devastator in the 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, as well that he would have powerful upper body strength, similar to a gorilla, and have the ability to widen his mouth, creating a powerful turbine that sucks anything in like a wood chipper. Nothing is currently known of any effort to reconcile the naming disparities between the two Devastators, though the tank in the 2007 film is officially dubbed "Brawl". There were conflicting reports as to the number and name of the Constructicons who will form Devastator, due to Demolishor and Scavenger being of the same model. However, the movie reveals that Devastator can be formed by a member from each of the eight Constructicon models in a present area. Unlike the red eyes of most Decepticons, Devastator has green eyes. He is also shown to have turrets on his arms and missile launchers on his shoulders which he uses to try to destroy Mudflap. Like in previous incarnations, Devastator's intelligence is much less than the other Decepticons due to the need for all the Constructicons making up Devastator having to agree on a thought or action. This results in Devastator being personified as a savage beast with Megatron as his master.[22]

Devastator would stand about 100–120 feet tall if erect, but due to his large upper body mass, he is unable to stand upright. This restricts his movement to walking slowly on all four limbs. When climbing the pyramid, his awkward form required his use of several grappling hooks so that he would not lose his footing. His toy, Revenge of the Fallen Supreme Constructicon Devastator, released in 2009, is a set of the Constructicon vehicles that combine to form Devastator. While the vehicles form Devastator's body parts, they do not have individual robot modes due to the complexity of the robot's design. The six-pack comes with Scavenger, Mixmaster, Long Haul, Rampage, Hightower and Scrapper. His head can turn into a vortex with light-up eyes, in order to emulate the construction site scene. Devastator also emits sound effects as well. Notably, this set does not come with the seventh Constructicon known as Overload. Priced at US$99.99/£99.99 at the time of release, this surpasses Bumblebee and G1 Fortress Maximus (both having been priced at US$89.99 at release) as the most expensive Transformers toy sold by Hasbro.[23] The Japanese release version features red paint applications on Devastator's face, which matches his on-screen appearance.[24]

In Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Devastator is formed by the merger of several Constructicon vehicles in Egypt initiated by Scavenger. Once formed, he begins to suck up all of the structures and vehicles within the construction site in an attempt to destroy Mudflap and Skids. Mudflap is then sucked into Devastator's mouth, but he manages to break free by blasting a hole in the side of his face. Shortly after Devastator defeats the Autobot twins, Megatron commands him to climb the pyramid concealing the Sun Harvester. Once at the top, Devastator exposes the Sun Harvester but is hit by an experimental ship-mounted railgun round that was called in by former Sector 7 Agent Simmons. The shot shatters Devastator, destroying him.

In Transformers: Dark of the Moon, there is another Long Haul which has a minor role in with the same name and same appearance, transforming into a Waste Management truck and later in the green Caterpillar 773B dump truck, and Long Haul himself makes an ever-so-brief appearance in Chicago. "Igor" has also been confirmed as being composed of the head a deceased Long Haul in Revenge of the Fallen. In DOTM there is another Long Haul and another Scrapper, with the same name and same appearance which appears in the Battle of Chicago as well.

Video games

Scrapper and Mixmaster names returned again for two transformable battle droids in Transformers: The Game. Scrapper becomes a forklift and Mixmaster remains a cement mixer truck. All this because of the results from the poll for name the Transformers from official game website. Hook is thought to be one of the droids in that game that turns into a tow truck. Bonecrusher is not a droid or a playable character, but is in the game and film. Overload, a Constructicon in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is not a playable character but is a decepticon droid that turns into a van. Long Haul and Devastator appear in the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game.

Devastator is one of the Decepticons featured in Transformers: The Ride at Universal Studios theme parks. In the ride, Devastator uses his turbine mouth to suck in and shred the Autobot Evac, but Evac escapes by engaging his shields and shooting himself through Devastator's head.


Reception

Wired magazine named Devastator and the Constructions one of the reasons to go see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.[25] Devastator was picked as the 52nd "Coolest Movie Robot" by Matt Patches of UGO.com.[26] IGN described the appearance of Devastator's wrecking balls as one of the worst moments of the Transformers movies.[27] In 2007, USA Today polled people as to which Transformer they want to appear in the next Transformers film. Devastator came in tied for second with Grimlock.[28] The WTF@TFW podcast for April 19, 2012 selected Kre-O Devastator as one of the New Picture Picks.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "A brief history of the Transformers". Malaysia Star. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  2. ↑ "Screening Room". GameAxis Unwired. Hardware Zone: 99–100. July 2007.
  3. ↑ Alvarez, J.E. (2001). The Unofficial Guide to Transformers 1980s Through 1990s Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 24. ISBN 0-7643-1364-9.
  4. ↑ Transformers: the fantasy, the fun, the future by Erin Brereton
  5. 1 2 "Transformers at Toy Fair 2009". Transformers Collectors Club. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
  6. ↑ Peter Sciretta (2009-02-03). "Transformers 2: Super Bowl Teaser is Only The Beginning; Constructicon Details Revealed". /Film. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Revenge of the Fallen Devastator Revealed". TFW2005. 2009-02-11. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Toy Fair 2009 - Live Shots Of Revenge of the Fallen Devastator, Skids & More". TFormers. 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  9. ↑ "Devastator Confirmed for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen". TFW2005. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  10. ↑ TFW2005.com - Steamhammer with Constructicons
  11. ↑ Hasbro Showcases its Iconic Brands at San Diego Comic-Con. Business Wire; July 20, 2010
  12. ↑ "Transformers comics, cartoons, toys and everything else!". TFArchive. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  13. ↑ Flint Dille, Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Matt Frank & Josh Warner (p), Matt Frank (i), Thomas Deer (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "A Flash Forward Part 1" The Transformers Collectors Club 44 (February–March 2012), Fun Publications
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Third Edition. Infobase Publishing. p. 657. ISBN 978-0-8160-6599-8.
  16. ↑ Landfill (Autobot Build Team, Transformers: Robots In Disguise)
  17. ↑ "Constructicon Devastator (2004) - Decepticon". www.tfu.info. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  18. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jucj9IJFKYU
  19. ↑ "Battle Bios". Hasbro.com. 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  20. ↑ "Transformers Discussion - TFW2005 - The 2005 Boards". TFW2005. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  21. ↑ http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/botcon-2009-hasbro-review-and-qa-panel/16014/
  22. ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-04-01-transformers-first-look_N.htm First look: Robo-brawlers big, small in new 'Transformers' By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY
  23. ↑ Hasbro.com - Constructicon Devastator
  24. ↑ "Takara Tomy Revenge Supreme Devastator Image Gallery". Tfw2005.com. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  25. ↑ Top 10 Reasons to Skip Work and Go See Transformers 2, By Curtis Silver, June 23, 2009
  26. ↑ Matt Patches (January 20, 2011). "Who is the Coolest Movie Robot?".
  27. ↑ http://movies.ign.com/articles/117/1177006p1.html
  28. ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-07-18-Transformers_N.htm 'Transformers' fans make some noise for Soundwave, By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY, 7/23/2007
  29. ↑ Vangelus (April 19, 2012). "WTF@TFW". www.tfw2005.com (Podcast). TFW2005.
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