Apeface is one of the two Horrocon Triple-Changers a Decepticon Headmaster who appears as an antagonist in the Transformers G1 cartoon as well as its Japanese sequel anime The Headmasters.
History[]
The Transformers[]
Apeface was part of the team of Decepticons who participated in an operation to seize the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber from the Autobots. During the battle, the key was briefly used to open the Plasma Energy Chamber, causing it to throw both the key and several Autobots across the galaxy to the planet Nebulos. Apeface and several other Decepticons were then sent to Nebulos to retrieve the key.
In the initial scuffle on the planet, the Decepticons managed to capture several of the Autobots, but the Autobots managed to rescue their allies by becoming binary bonded to a group of Nebulan rebels, turning them into powerful "Headmasters". Apeface and the Decepticons later encountered Nebulos' corrupt ruling council, the Hive, and became binary-bonded with the members of the Hive to combat the Autobot Headmasters. Apeface's head was thus re-engineered to become an exo-suit for the Hive member Spasma.
The Decepticon Headmasters then launched an attack the Autobots to retrieve the key. After stealing it from the Autobot Brainstorm, the Decepticon Headmasters all returned to Cybertron with their new Hive allies to help Galvatron fight off the Autobots on the planet. After pushing back the Autobot forces, Galvatron used the key to open the chamber, planning to use it to destroy Cybertron and Earth. After Galvatron's plan was foiled, Apeface and the Decepticons escaped aboard Scorponok, only for a plasma energy shot to knock them into the depths of space.
Transformers: The Headmaster[]
Apeface and his fellow Horrorcon Snapdragon were originally followers of the Headmaster Scorponok before they were banished by Fortress to the farthest reaches of space for their crimes.
Some time later, the two were found by Galvatron and recruited into the Decepticons, who had also already been joined by the rest of Scorponok's Headmasters.
Marvel Comics[]
Apeface was introduced in the Headmasters miniseries as one of the Decepticon group led by Scorponok. They followed Fortress Maximus' Autobot faction to Nebulos and attacked the Nebulan city where Fortress Maximus and his senior officers were being held, only to be beaten back by the Autobots, who had been upgraded to Headmasters. Apeface, Snapdragon and the Terrorcons later took part in an attack on the Nebulan gardens but the two Horrorcons were defeated by Hardhead and Brainstorm. Apeface told Scorponok the new Headmaster process made the Autobots more powerful, prompting Scorponok to agree to creating his own Headmasters, with Apeface being bonded to Spasma, an ally of Lord Zarak. In the subsequent battle with the Autobot Headmasters, Apeface tried to tackle Fortress Maximus himself and managed to damage a craft carrying Nebulan observers, allowing the Decepticons to overcome the Autobots when they stopped to rescue them.
In the UK-exclusive story "Worlds Apart", Apeface was among the Decepticon Headmasters who ambushed a group of Autobot Headmasters sent out to rescue their Targetmaster comrades. Apeface was taken down by Highbrow and Chromedome but had done his job in distracting the Autobots from realising they were heading into a trap. He made his first appearance in the main Marvel US comic in Issue #38, accompanying Scorponok in his first trip down to Earth and battling the Autobot Headmasters again.
He reappeared during the Underbase Saga in Issue #49, accompanying Scorponok to his first meeting with Ratbat's Earth Decepticons. Starscream manipulated the two groups into fighting each other by letting slip Ratbat was after the fabled Underbase. In the subsequent melee, Apeface had his arm bitten off by Rampage but responded by picking up the arm and beating Rampage with it. In the following issue, he was present when the two groups called a truce to ambush the Autobots, battling Fortress Maximus and Blaster.
Apeface continued to make occasional appearances among Scorponok's troops, objecting to Scorponok allowing Starscream to join them in Issue #61 and mocking the surrendering Autobots (and getting punched by Kup for his troubles) in Issue #71. He was among the Earth Transformers summoned back to Cybertron to help defend it from Unicron and among those who fled at the beginning of the battle. At the beginning of Issue #76, he was seen lying destroyed in the aftermath of the battle.
