Blitzwing

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Blitzwing (Le Blitz in France and Triplex 2 in Italy) is the name given to a fictional character in the Transformers Universes. He is a triple changer.

Contents

1 Transformers: Generation One (1986)

1.1 Animated Series
1.2 Marvel Comics
1.3 Dreamwave Comics
1.4 IDW comics
1.5 Toy

Transformers: Generation One (1986)

"Destroy first, think later."
Transformers character

Allegiance	Decepticon
Subgroup	Triple Changer
Function	Ground and Air Commando*
Alternate mode	MiG-25/Type 74 Main Battle Tank
Series	Marvel Comics, cartoon, Dreamwave comics, IDW comics
Voiced by	Ed Gilbert (English) Keiichi Nanba, Yutaka Shimaka (Japanese)

Blitzwing is the name of a Decepticon Type 74 main battle tank/MiG-25 jet fighter Transformer from the fictional Transformers universe. His fellow Decepticon Triple Changers were Astrotrain and Octane.

A battle-loving Decepticon warrior, Blitzwing frequently uses his jet mode to strafe land-bound Autobots, then quickly transforms to tank mode to finish them off with his powerful energy mortar. In robot mode, he prefers to use his electron scimitar to fight foes one on one.

Blitzwing's function was confused by the toy's profile (found on the back of his box) classifying as a "Ground & Air Commander", whereas Marvel's comic and the cartoon series (also written by Marvel) lists Blitzwing as a "Ground and Air Commando". Considering nothing other than his abilities make him stand out as officer material (alongside Starscream and Shockwave), "commando" seems more appropriate.

Animated Series

Blitzwing was a minor character who appeared in the second and third seasons of the show; very rarely did he stand out other than as a fierce warrior, known more for his strength and abilities than his intelligence. On one occasion he and Astrotrain managed to take command of the Decepticons by freezing Megatron and Starscream - but defeated by the Autobots Megatron forcibly assumed command at gunpoint. He had a somewhat significant part to play in "the Five Faces of Darkness". When the defeated Decepticons were accosted by the Quintessons to launch an attack on Cybertron, Blitzwing stayed behind, awaiting the return of Galvatron. Later, when Galvatron and the Quintessons joined forces to defeat the Autobots, Galvatron sent Blitzwing to report back to the Quintessons; it was then that Blitzwing discovered the Quintessons' treachery, and their plan to paralyze all the Transformers and take Cybertron for themselves. When Blitzwing tried to warn Galvatron, he didn't believe it, and knocked Blitzwing down, telling him to "tell it to the Autobots"; with little option, that's what he did. Blitzwing told Rodimus Prime about the Quintessons' plan, and stopped a group of Sharkticons sent to trigger the shut down mechanism. Galvatron followed them, thinking Blitzwing a traitor, and triggered the shut down himself, causing all the Transformers to freeze. The Quintessons came down to claim Cybertron for themselves, but Spike Witwicky destroyed the fail safe device, unfreezing the Transformers; Galvatron, now realizing their treachery, chases after the Quintessons, who barely escape. Galvatron was about to restart the fighting between the Decepticons and the Autobots, but Blitzwing stood in the way, threatening him; backing down, Galvatron left with the other Decepticons, telling Blitzwing that he was no longer welcome in their ranks, and would suffer for his betrayal.

Blitzwing would appear twice more, as a part of the Decepticon forces in later episodes, but it is unclear if these were animation errors or not. The episode Starscream's Ghost was originally written for Blitzwing, but was hastily rewritten to star Octane (who was a new toy at the time). He is clearly shown fighting alongside his fellow Decepticon Triple Changers again in the Japanese anime, The Headmasters.

Marvel Comics

Blitzwing would first appear in the Transformers comics in US Issue 29. Sent to Earth along with Astrotrain and Octane to retrieve a crashed shuttle which was carrying fuel for one of Ratbat's operations. However the shuttle was infected with Scraplets, a plague of sentient micro-robots that ate metal and the dying pilot then accidentally infected them. After battling with Blaster and Goldbug they became infected as well. Goldbug eventually found the cure - water, but Blaster refused to let Goldbug spray them, reluctant to save the Decepticons. The Scaplets took matters out of his hands, however, and formed into one huge creature. Options spent, Goldbug cured all four Transformers and let the heavily-armed Decepticons deal with it. The three Triple-Changers then escaped with the cargo. Blitzwing is portrayed as mindlessly cruel.

With the influx of new toys, like Headmasters,Targetmasters and Pretenders, older Decepticons like Blitzwing appeared less. He was part of Ratbat's forces, launching a major raid on the Autobots to recover various captured Decepticons, with Blitzwing being cleaved in half by Grimlock. Presumably repaired, he was next seen battling Scorponok's Decepticons and then the Autobots. He was then deactivated by the Underbase-powered Starscream and did not appear again in the U.S comics, although he appeared in the Earthforce stories as part of the Decepticons of Megatron and Shockwave's forces, in one notable instance leaving Octane to be blasted by the U.S army after it was revealed he had simply been chasing a car out of sheer spite - unaware that the car was actually Jazz.

Dreamwave Comics

The Triple-Changers would appear again in Dreamwave's reiterpretation of the Generation One Universe - this time with a greatly expanded origin. During the Civil War on Cybertron Shockwave envisioned a Transformer with multiple alternate modes, studying Astrotrain and Blitzwing. However, the Great Shutdown meant his plans could go no further - until Unicron's servant Scourge located Cybertron and reactivated him for study. But when Shockwave was attacked by Sharkticons Scourge saved him, only to be shot in the back by Shockwave. Shockwave then proceeded to examine and study him, using the secrets gleaned to create first the Duocons and then the Triple-Changers - Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Octane and at least two others - appearing to be the Autobots Sandstorm and Broadside (interestingly, in the Micromasters mini-series by Dreamwave, Blitzwing and Astrotrain are suffering from severe physical changes. As this is before the Great Shutdown this might imply that the change was a natural one rather than a result of experiments). The Triple-Changers then served as Shockwave's bodyguard, accompanying him to Earth to capture Optimus Prime and Megatron's troops, with Blitzwing taking down Megatron, leaving him vulnerable for a follow-up attack by Shockwave. They were unable to prevent him from being stopped by Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus back on Cybertron, but Astrotrain and Blitzwing accompanied Shockwave on his exile in the wastes of Cybertron, where his experiments resulted in Sixshot. However, the arrival of Megatron and the Predacons resulted in Shockwave having his arm severed by Megatron. The rest of Shockwave's troops surrendered, but Blitzwing was seemingly killed by Razorclaw. In a later issue a shadowy figure (presumably Sixshot) discovers his severed head.

IDW comics

After Dreamwave's closure, the rights to the Transformers comics were taken up by IDW publishing. They have begun to publish their own new material, including a miniseries called Infiltration featuring some of the Generation One Transformers. In Infiltration, Starscream appears to be in command of a small group of Decepticons on Earth, including Skywarp, Thundercracker, Blitzwing and the Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck. It seems that Starscream is up to something, but the story has not clarified what yet. However, it appears that he is sending his forces to eliminate two humans who have evidence of their presence on earth. And it seems to hint that Starscream may be about to make another bid for power. Blitzwing has thus far appeared as part of Starscream's elimination squad, disposing of any evidence of their operation on Earth. While bombing an abandoned base, Blitzwing battled Ratchet, who shot him down. However, Ratchet's inexperience in battling Triple-Changers allowed Blitzwing to change to his tank mode and blast Ratchet. Soon after Blitzwing destroyed what he had been told by Starscream was an abandoned Decepticon base which, unknown to Blitzwing, Megatron was using as a hideout. Megatron, assuming Blitzwing had betrayed him, shot him out of the sky. The story is ongoing.

Toy

In 2002 Blitzwing's toy was recolored and released as the Destron Overcharge.

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