- This article is about the Generation One version of Scourge, for other characters bearing the name of Scourge, go to the disambiguation page.
| “ | The Matrix... is working! I have... the power in me! Of a hundred Decepticons! No - a HUNDRED THOUSAND! | „ |
| ~ Scourge as he tries on the Matrix of Leadership. |
Scourge is an antagonist from the Transformers franchise. He is a Decepticon serving as second-in-command of Galvatron in the Transformers: Generation 1 series. Scourge is a merciless hunter and tracker who was created from the body of Thundercracker. He leads the Sweeps, a group of Decepticon hunter-trackers. His main weakness is his arrogance.
He was voiced by Stan Jones.
Biography[]
Cartoon[]
The Movie[]
Scourge was created from the body of Thundercracker by Unicron, after he and several other critically wounded Decepticons were cast into space. Created as one of Galvatron's new troops, as part of a quest to destroy the Matrix of Leadership, Scourge led the Sweeps, a group of hunters identical to him in appearance. Scourge did not immediately display any overt personality traits after his creation, beyond his unswerving loyalty to Unicron and Galvatron.
Season 3[]
Scourge began to come into his own after the apparent destruction of both. Less willing to take orders from Cyclonus, but doing so all the same, Scourge used his scanners to locate Galvatron's body, seeing across the galaxy into the Hydran system, where Galvatron lay in a pool of plasma lava on the planet Thrull. Upon arrival on the planet, Scourge was the one to pull Galvatron from the lava, but he and the Sweeps were then attacked by the deranged Galvatron, who only stopped his assault when Scourge professed his loyalty.
Scourge became one of Galvatron's most prominent minions, despite his lack of any real hierarchical weight, and would regularly lead the Sweeps on missions, often with Cyclonus, with whom he discovered the paradise planet of Paradron, which they quickly overthrew for Galvatron.
A short time later, Scourge was possessed by Starscream's ghost and brought to the decapitated head of Unicron. Thought a traitor by the Decepticons, Scourge had no option but to accompany Starscream on the tasks Unicron appointed him, stealing the eyes of Metroplex and the transformation cog of Trypticon Before Unicron's head could be connected to Cybertron to form a new body for him, however, Scourge set aside his pride and contacted the Autobots, warning them of Unicron's scheme and enabling them to stop it. Returning to the ranks of the Decepticons, Scourge opposed the institutionalisation of Galvatron on the therapeutic planet of Torkulon, and was among those affected by the Quintessons mind control and turned into an energy vampire by the Trans-Organic "Dweller."
When the Decepticons finally succeeded in obtaining the Matrix of Leadership, Galvatron could not make the talisman function for him, and, threatened by the spirits of the ancient Autobots within it, told Scourge to destroy it, but Scourge thought Galvatron a fool, knowing that the Matrix was no mere energy source, and saw it as a source of greater power. Somehow, Scourge was able to temporarily absorb the Matrix's energies, his body mutating into a monstrous, deformed state in the process, and he used his enhanced powers to depose Galvatron as Decepticon commander and lead an attack on Earth, where he was defeated by Hot Rod, who reclaimed the Matrix. Scourge's power play was not without repercussions for him, but after a beating from Galvatron in traditional Decepticon style, he was allowed to remain in their ranks, unlike Blitzwing and Octane who were both exiled from the Decepticons.
Season 4: The Rebirth[]
In the year 2007, Scourge was among the Decepticons who attacked Autobot City and stole the key to the Plasma Energy Chamber, which Scourge himself then used to open the legendary forge. The released energy overloaded his system, and blasted the group of Autobots who had recovered the key across the galaxy to the planet of Nebulos. Recharged by Cyclonus, a furious Scourge co-led a team of Decepticons in pursuit of the Autobots, but after an initial victory in battle, they were soon overcome and defeated by the newly-formed Autobot Headmasters, a merging of the Autobots and a group of Nebulon rebels. The Decepticons were then approached by the Hive - the evil ruling council of Nebulos - to reproduce the Headmasters process with them, but Cyclonus bargained them down to using half of the Decepticons' heads, and the other half, their weapons. Consequently, Scourge became a Targetmaster when his gun was transformed into an exo-suit for the Nebulon Hive member Fracas, who transformed into a high-frequency incendiary cannon. In the battle that ensued, the Decepticons reclaimed the key, which was held by Scourge until Arcee stole it back from him, but was then herself captured by Scorponok, who returned all the Decepticons to Cybertron. Galvatron's plan to use the Plasma Energy Chamber to drive the Sun supernova, destroying Earth and Cybertron, was then stopped by Fortress Maximus and Spike Witwicky, and Scourge and the Decepticons were last seen being blasted across the universe by a stray tendril of plasma energy.
Comics[]
Scourge mostly made appearances in the UK exclusive comics of Marvel's the Transformers, aside from the adaptation of the Movie, and The Headmasters miniseries.
Creation[]
Just like in the Movie, in The Planet Eater, Scourge was created from the body of a dead Decepticon by Unicron to serve as leader of the Sweeps under Galvatron's command. In Judgement Day, Scourge, Galvatron and Cyclonus headed to Starscream's coronation so Galvatron could execute him, and take command of the Decepticons. Unicron began devouring Cybertron's moons, enraging Galvatron. Galvatron claimed that Cybertron and all its moons belonged to him, though Scourge retorted that they, in turn, belonged to Unicron.
Target: 2006[]
Undaunted, Galvatron had Scourge and Cyclonus travel back 20 years in time to 1986, as part of a scheme to create a mighty cannon to destroy Unicron in the 21st century. The three time travellers were almost invincible in the face of the Autobots' attacks. Scourge was sent to steal raw materials from the Portland Iron and Steel Foundry. Scourge grumbled about how he had no decent opponents to fight, but quickly detected Trailbreaker, Brawn and Tracks. Scourge incapcitated Trailbreaker, but a lucky shot destroyed his weapon. Scorge managed to collapse a shelf of sheet metal onto Smokescreen and Ironhide, and imaled Grapple with one of the sheets. While trying to flee he was captured by Megatron, who used him as a bargaining chip. The future Decepticons were finally defeated when Galvatron was duped into believing he was trapped in a temporal paradox, and returned to 2006.
Back in the Future[]
Following the defeat of Galvatron and destruction of Unicron, Scourge and Cyclonus found themselves somewhat aimless. They were confronted by Death's Head, who was after information on Galvatron's whereabouts for a reward. Scourge enraged Death's Head by calling him a bounty hunter, prompting Death's Head to blow a hole in him. Scourge and Cyclonus were furious when new Decepticon leader Shockwave hired Death's Head to kill Rodimus Prime and set out to prove they could kill the Autobot leader themselves. However, Scourge's desire to settle a score got in the way, as he ended up shooting Death's Head just as he was about to kill Rodimus Prime. The result was both Death's Head and Rodimus Prime surviving, and Scourge and Cyclonus fleeing for their lives.
They ended up being pursued by Death's Head, who had been hired by Rodimus Prime. The three of them ended up on the planet Junk, where they came under the control of the head of Unicron. He sent them back to Cybertron, where Death's Head killed Shockwave and installed Cyclonus and Scourge as the new leaders. As per Unicron's instructions, they led the Decepticons in a mass attack on the Autobots to keep them busy. When a group of Autobots made it to Junk anyway, Scourge and Cyclonus left the battlefield to assist Unicron, only to be pushed through a time portal by Death's Head.
Trapped in the Past[]
Ending up on Cybertron in the past, Scourge and Cyclonus joined the Decepticon group led by Scorponok, following him to Nebulos where they were upgraded as Targetmasters. Heading to Earth, they learned Galvatron was also there in that time period and may possess a trigger device that could return them to their own time. Confronting him in a human city, they were interrupted by the arrival of the Autobot Wreckers, with Scourge battling Topspin and Twin Twist. Springer tricked Cyclonus and Scourge into chasing him away from the city by claiming he had the trigger device, and they ended up fleeing empty-handed on finding themselves outnumbered.
With their plans in tatters, Scourge and Cyclonus sought sanctuary with that era's Shockwave. However, when Cyclonus mentioned they had killed him in the future, Shockwave set a brainwashed Megatron on them. Scourge had a clear shot at Megatron, but worried that if he killed him, he would never be turned into Galvatron in the future and thus Scourge himself would never be created to serve him and would cease to exist. Scourge fled the scene, abandoning Cyclonus to be killed.
After Galvatron and Megatron joined forces, Scourge teamed up with them as they came under attack from both the Wreckers and the Decepticon Mayhem Squad. However, when Springer informed him that his presence in the past, coupled with Cyclonus' death before he was created, had caused a time rift which threatened to wreck both time periods, Scourge headed off to Shockwave's fortress, aiming to recover Cyclonus' body and return to the future with it. By now though, Shockwave had gone completely insane and ended up shooting Scourge. Leaving Ravage to try and get through to Shockwave, Scourge sacrificed himself to the time rift in the hope of slowing it down.
Rhythms of Darkness[]
In an alternate 2009 where Unicron destroyed Cybertron and the Decepticons conquered North America, Scourge served as one of Galvatron's main lieutenants. He and Cyclonus accepted Galvatron's plan to let the human military attempt to nuke them and absorb the energy, but were uncomfortable with sitting around and not fighting back. They got their wish when they come under attack from three of the handful of surviving Autobots - Getaway, Guzzle and Chainclaw - with Scourge perishing during the resulting battle.
