Thunderwing (Prime)

Thunderwing is a minion of Unicron from the Prime - The Game portion of the Aligned continuity family.

Insert your "Matrix obsession" jokes here.

Thunderwing was created eons ago by his master Unicron to search out the Matrix of Leadership and destroy it. His loyalties lie firmly with his master and will do his bidding and will, even if said master no longer functions. He will use all resources possible to complete said mission, whether it be using the Decepticons or hunting down every single Autobot in his way.

Games

Transformers: Prime - The Game

Voice actor: Robin Atkin Downes (English), Thierry Mercier (French), Adolfo Pastor (Castilian Spanish)

If only Megatron knew that Thunderwing was using him the whole time to continue his goal. Poor guy.

Thunderwing was created by Unicron many eons ago to serve him and to destroy the Matrix of Leadership, and is composed of technology which is thought to be extremely rare. At some point Thunderwing was encased in a meteor loaded with Dark Energon and fell into a deep sleep.

Megatron found that same meteor and attempted to bring it to Earth, but the Autobots detected the signal and proceeded to try to stop him. However, during the resulting battle, the meteor began to crack open and Thunderwing was awakened. He accidentally caused the meteor to break apart and the Dark Energon, as well as some of his own components, to fall down to the Earth. Thunderwing reawakened on Earth, only to find the very holder of the Matrix, Optimus Prime, right in front of him. The servant of Unicron, however, was still mostly sealed in Dark Energon and was only able to move his right arm. Not long afterwards, Optimus and Thunderwing were interrupted by the arrival of the Nemesis and Thunderwing proceeded to attack the ship instead. He was eventually forced into stasis and taken on board the Nemesis.

On the Nemesis, Knock Out revived an incomplete Thunderwing. Megatron offered to repair Thunderwing, if he swore loyalty to Megatron. Thunderwing scoffed at the notion that Megatron could make good on his promise, but nonetheless reluctantly agreed.

The Decepticons finished repairing Thunderwing with help from a coerced Ratchet. As an expression of "gratitude," Thunderwing unleashed an assault on Megatron, who used Starscream as a shield. Thunderwing then broke out of the Nemesis.

Unsurprisingly the only named character in the game that dies.

The Autobots aimed to intercept Thunderwing while Ratchet built a weapon to combat him, using knowledge he obtained while imprisoned by the Decepticons. Optimus Prime seemingly had Thunderwing beaten, but Thunderwing used the power of Dark Energon to revitalize himself.

Ratchet was able to build a device that would drain Thunderwing's energy, but it had to be detonated from within Thunderwing. As none of the Autobots were small enough to fit in Thunderwing's only known opening, Jack Darby volunteered to deploy the device. Arcee raced him to the opening, and Jack was able to set off the weapon. With Thunderwing weakened, Optimus Prime was able to destroy the reactors within Thunderwing's shoulders.

Refusing to give up, Thunderwing prepared to expend all his remaining energy to destroy the Matrix. Optimus Prime charged his weapons using the power of the Matrix and finished off Thunderwing. Thunderwing fell into a magma pit, seemingly to his death, causing a volcanic eruption of Dark Energon. Transformers: Prime - The Game

Notes

• Thunderwing's design is an homage to Generation 1 Thunderwing, lightly resembling the look of his Generation 1 namesake's Pretender shell. His massive stature and flame breath are likely drawn from his portrayal in IDW Publishing's comics, specifically the mini-series Stormbringer.
• His connections to Unicron and the Matrix in this continuity seems mostly inspired by Thunderwing's Marvel Comics and Armada Dreamwave comic portrayals. In the former, Thunderwing had a natural affinity towards the Matrix and sought its power for himself (rather than wanting to destroy it like this Thunderwing). In the latter, he was portrayed as a Herald of Unicron. Combining and modifying the two portrayals gives us the Thunderwing we have here.
• Thunderwing was among the "world bosses" planned to appear in Transformers Universe.^[1]

References