Skullcruncher is a Decepticon Headmaster and an antagonist in the Transformers G1 cartoon. He also appears as a major antagonist in the Japanese sequel anime The Headmasters.
History[]
The Transformers[]
Skullcruncher 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. Skullcruncher 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". Skullcruncher 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. Skullcruncher's head was thus re-engineered to become an exo-suit for the Hive member Grax.
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, Skullcruncher and the Decepticons escaped aboard Scorponok, only for a plasma energy shot to knock them into the depths of space.
Transformers: The Headmaster[]
Four million years ago, Skullcruncher was among a group of Cybertronians who left Cybertron under the leadership of Fortress to escape the eternal war that had consumed the planet. After crash landing on the planet Master, the Cybertronians made several technological quantum leaps to survive in the planet's inhospitable atmosphere and rapidly-changing environments, including the creation of larger, lifeless Transformer bodies called transtectors that would allow them to become "Headmasters". However, Skullcruncher and several others ended up rebelling against Fortress and siding with a traitor named Scorponok.
The traitorous Headmasters later pledged their allegiance to the Decepticon leader Galvatron and joined the Decepticons to assist them in defeating the Autobots.
After the death of Scorponok, Skullcruncher and the other Decepticon Headmasters were forced to flee Earth.
Marvel Comics[]
Skullcruncher first appeared in the Headmasters miniseries where he was among the Decepticons serving Scorponok on Cybertron. He joined him in travelling to Nebulos in pursuit of Fortress Maximus' Autobot faction, but their initial attack was beaten back by the new Autobot Headmasters. Scorponok had Skullcruncher and several others upgraded to Headmasters as well, with Skullcruncher bonded with the Nebulan scientist Grax. He was again bested by Fortress Maximus when they fought their counterparts but joined in gunning down the Autobots when they were distracted saving a group of Nebulans.
In the UK-exclusive story "Worlds Apart", Skullcruncher took part in an ambush of the Autobot Headmasters and came close to defeating Hardhead before being taken out of the battle by Highbrow and Chromedome.
Skullcruncher made his first appearance in the regular Marvel US comic in Issue #38, as the Headmasters arrived on Earth, with Skullcruncher taking part in the first battle between the two factions on the new planet. In "Time Wars", he was part of the team led by Misfire who recovered Scorponok's head from Highbrow. He was subsequently shunted into limbo by the arrival of Blot and the other future Decepticons, missing out on the battle that followed.
During the Underbase Saga, he was part of Scorponok's entourage when he first made contact with the Earth Decepticons led by Ratbat. In the process, they learned that Ratbat was seeking the fabled Underbase, sparking off a battle between the two groups. In the subsequent Return of Megatron arc, Skullcruncher accompanied Scorponok to the MacDill Air Force Base to confront Optimus Prime and the Autobots, but ended up being gunned down by Starscream, who had been transformed into a Pretender and brainwashed to serve Megatron.
Skullcruncher continued to make occasional background appearances and was seen among the still-active Decepticons on Klo in the final issue.
