Dreadwing (Movie)

Dreadwing is a Decepticon from the Transformers portion of the movie continuity family.

"He's behind you!"
"Oh no he isn't!"
"Oh yes he is!"

Dreadwing is a born thief who isn't particularly smart, which makes people wonder where he got the technology that allows him to teleport. He obviously didn't invent it himself, and no one else on either side of the war has the ability, so all signs point toward him having stolen it. Sneaky and greedy, he's not really liked by his fellow Decepticons, because of his penchant to perform nasty pranks on them as often as he does on Autobots. As such, most of his time is spent alone, plotting his nasty schemes and spiking other robots' gas tanks with sugar.^[1] He's not the first one to pull off stunts like that.

Originally a Class Alpha drone unit, Dreadwing eventually became a sentient warrior himself before being placed in command of the rest of the Decepticons' drone army, thereby giving him a lot of pull with the Decepticons thanks to the sheer number of warriors he can call in. Never one to question his leaders, he follows their orders eagerly. Dreadwing wants to contribute more to the Decepticon cause but feels that the higher ups are unwilling to give him a chance to really prove himself. Feeling frustrated and betrayed over his services not being needed in the search for the AllSpark (or even journeying to Earth along with his comrades), Dreadwing is taking it really hard. But with the war coming to an eventual end, he believes his personal army can do more than hunt Autobot survivors on Cybertron and perform mundane tasks.^[2]

Fiction

IDW movie comics

Many years ago, Dreadwing was a member of the Cybertronian Defense Force under the command of Protector Megatron. After the discovery of a mysterious relic and a devastating attack by aliens, Defiance #1 Megatron declared his military dictatorship of the planet and led the flight-capable soldiers into a counter-attack on the invaders. Dreadwing commanded the Class Alpha drones, but bungled the job, managing to lose half of their attack force in seconds. Defiance #2 Later, when Megatron branded Optimus Prime's followers as traitors, Dreadwing joined the new "Decepticons" faction. Defiance #3 He was present for Megatron's speech at the dawn of the faction. Two of him, in fact. Foundation #3

During the ensuing civil war, Dreadwing led drones of similar body-type to his own in battle, Movie Prequel #2 and eventually joined Megatron's attack on Simfur. There the Decepticons attempted to torture a small squad of Autobots into revealing the Allspark's location. The Autobots soon thereafter launched the Allspark to keep it out of Decepticon hands. Movie Prequel #1

Dreadwing spotted the AllSpark and Megatron pursuing it, and reported it to Starscream. Starscream began to follow in his own ship, but the Autobot Ark appeared and released an explosive concussion chain, which badly damaged both Dreadwing and the Decepticon ship. The Reign of Starscream #1 With the AllSpark lost, the warring factions fought over whatever energy was left on the dying world. Under the command of Shockwave, Dreadwing and several other Decepticons ambushed and drove off a team of Autobots as they attempted to steal Energon from Trypticon. Moments after the battle concluded, Shockwave chose to leave Cybertron in search of the AllSpark, and put Dreadwing in charge of the troops in his absence. Rising Storm #2

About a hundred years later, Dreadwing was among those present to welcome Starscream on his return to Cybertron. Dreadwing offered to transfer the data from Frenzy's databanks and deliver it to Starscream, and also checked on Starscream's well-being after hearing an explosion. The Reign of Starscream #2 The Reign of Starscream #3

You rip the spark out of me
Rip the spark out of me
You make it look easy

When Starscream's Allspark failed, Dreadwing revealed he had used his massive drone army to take over the Cybertronian Decepticons, and, seemingly resentful of having been left behind when the Nemesis was launched, tried to use his troops to take down Starscream's team. However, Starscream and his loyal soldiers proved a challenge, and when the Autobots managed to deactivate the drones, Dreadwing made a run for his ship. Starscream followed, and Dreadwing tried to kill him using the transwarp energy from the space bridge. The ship arrived at the Mars terminal, destroyed, but with Dreadwing still intact. Unfortunately, so was Starscream, who ripped out his spark and crushed it. The Reign of Starscream #4 The Reign of Starscream #5

Starscream kept Dreadwing's head as a trophy. Alliance #1 Upon arriving on Mars, Soundwave examined his head before tossing it aside. Alliance #2 Convergence chapter 4

Transformers: Beginnings

Transformers: Beginnings

Titan movie comics

In a divergent timeline, the Decepticons succeeded at Mission City and conquered the United States. The non-drone Dreadwing sported a blue-grey camo pattern to distinguish himself from similarly-molded drones.

Dreadwing was one of Megatron's main troops: on equal rank with Starscream, and able to command Decepticon drone units in battle. Alongside Starscream, he was dispatched to prevent a NATO nuclear strike. Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1 They and their Thundercracker troops managed to wipe out the NATO fleet within ten minutes, and then Dreadwing carried out his primary goal - the obliteration of the French government and NATO chiefs in Paris. Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2

When Starscream assumed power, Dreadwing assisted him in bombing valuable infrastructure in the liberated United States Aftermath Part 1 and later with another jet in trying to secure an energon field. Dark Spark

Dreadwing aided Starscream in his take-over of the Autobots' headquarters in their absence. Return to Cybertron: Part 3

Dreadwing got to help bomb Optimus! It was great fun for all (except Optimus) until an Autobot sonic attack knocked everyone out of the sky. The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself

Later, when the Decepticons massed for a major assault, Dreadwing took part in it. Revolution Part 1

Games

Battle for the Allspark

Battle for the Allspark

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)

Rise of the Dark Spark

Toys

Transformers (2007)

Not Frankenstein.

• Dreadwing (Deluxe Class, 2007)

• Japanese ID number: MD-15
• Accessories: 2 "flame" missiles
• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Released in the fourth wave of Transformers Deluxes, Dreadwing transforms into a modified MiG-29 "Fulcrum" fighter jet. Dreadwing is based on the mono-eyed Decepticon jet drone type from Transformers The Game.

His exhaust flames serve dual purpose as firing missiles in both modes. In robot mode, these represent the flamethrower attack from the video game. His chest also has a spring-loaded Automorph gimmick, opening up and revealing more robot parts.

This mold was later used to make Overcast and Revenge of the Fallen Fearswoop and can be repurposed as the Class Alpha drone units.

• More information on Dreadwing at TFU.info

Merchandise

3D Battle-Card Game

Flatwing

• Dreadwing (3D Battle Card, 2007)

Dreadwing's card uses the same layout as Starscream, Thundercracker, and Jetfire, but is grey. He "transforms" into a jet by disassembling then re-assembling the punch-out pieces. His card art was done by Lucio Parrillo. This card layout was later used for Classic Starscream, Skywarp and Ramjet in the "Energon Wars" expansion.

Notes

• Artist Ken Christiansen designed Dreadwing, along with the other new characters in the Transformers - The Game and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The Game video games.
• Dreadwing's design appears to be inspired by the G1 Coneheads, with a spring-up faux part being used to evoke their cockpit chests, shoulder pylons and chest vents, and of course head-mounted nosecone kibble. Furthermore, there are strong similarities to Armada Thrust (himself based on the conehead of the same name), such as a centrally-mounted VTOL turbine, the classic Seeker-like placement of the wings, and rear thrusters with tailfins in place of hands.
• The subtle differences between Dreadwing and the Class Alpha drone units are an appearance of purple bits on the drone commander, more spiky head chevrons, and something resembling eyebrow articulation that is absent in the drones. One must be able to express all those emotions when thinking and independent, apparently.
• Exactly how Dreadwing managed to achieve sentience from being a mindless drone isn't made clear.
• According to one of the variant covers of The Reign of Starscream #4, Dreadwing (or a drone) has a standard face under his visor.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Dreadwing (ドレッドウイング Doreddouingu)

References

External links

• Dreadwing concepts and final rendering on Ken Christiansen's blog.