Starscream (Shattered Glass)

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Transformers character
Starscream-shatteredglasstoy.jpg
Timelines Voyager Starscream toy
Name Starscream
Decepticon
Series Transformers: Timelines
Transformers: Generations
First appearance Shattered Expectations by Fun Publications
Information
Alternate modes Cybertronian jet, jet/arm/leg
Function Lieutenant Commander
Gender Male
Motto "Among the mysteries of science lies the key to victory." (Timelines)
"Ambition comes from within." (Generations)
Partner Counterpunch, Razorclaw, Toxitron
Rank 9
Sub-group Convention Exclusives, Voyagers

Starscream is a fictional character in the Transformers series. He is a high ranking Decepticon in the Shattered Glass story.

Shattered Glass

This Starscream is a heroic version of the Generation 1 character from the BotCon exclusive "Shattered Glass" stories, in which the Decepticons are on the side of good and the Autobots on the side of evil.

According to his tech specs Starscream was a brilliant young scientist who graduated at the Crystal City Science Institute. When the war between the Autobots and Decepticons broke out Optimus Prime tried to recruit him, but he refused. After joining the Decepticons he helped refine the Transformation process Megatron invented. He turns into a Cybertronian jet.

This version is loyal to Megatron, as opposed to his normally treacherous portrayal. He longs to return to his life as a scientist, finding it much more exciting than war. To makes things better, whenever Starscream comes up with a wise idea that works, Megatron calls him a genius in return.

Starscream is sometimes part of the combiners Modulus and Soundbreaker.

Development

When Fun Publications designed their fifth Transformers Subscription Service wave it was initially to include Shattered Glass Sunstorm from the Unite Warriors Ghost Starscream mold. When they learned Hasbro was ending their license Fun Publications decided they wanted a more memorable figure for their last release. Hasbro would not allow them to change the mold to make Shattered Glass Rodimus Prime from Generations Springer, so Shattered Glass Sunstorm was changed to Shattered Glass Starscream.

Hasbro Pulse put up preorders for Voyager Starscream on their web site in May 2021.

Fictional biography

Kind, humble, and with an incredible scientific mind, Starscream is well liked by all of his comrades. As the first lieutenant and personal medic to Megatron, Starscream's leadership and technical skills are put to good use. Despite being a charismatic and effective commander, Starscream feels Megatron is the bot most suited to lead the Decepticons. Albeit he will be the first to protest, Starscream is considered by many to be the most sophisticated and handsome of the Decepticons. He believes that straight-forwardness and open discussions are the key to ending the war with the Autobots. Though he strives for peace, Starscream is a willing and capable warrior. He carriers a dual energy beam cannon that overcharges an opponent's circuitry, causing malfunctions. Starscream's twin Atari-Scream projectile launcher fires missiles capable of leveling an Autobot stronghold. He converts into a modified Earth fighter jet reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.8 with an altitude of 83 miles. In an effort to aid in versatility, Starscream has refitted himself for Scramble Combination. He is able to function in either limb mode independently or as a combination. In arm mode, his combined mode first burns red with power, which produces an attack dubbed the Null Fist. This attack can disrupt the electrical flow in his target, causing his opponent to short circuit. In leg mode, Starscream traverses up to 5 miles in a single leap.
Starscream is Megatron’s most trusted lieutenant and the voice of the Decepticon rebellion. He’s converted countless bots to the Decepticon cause. But before the war he was an academic at his core with dreams of bringing back Cybertron’s past and sharing it with the world. He believed his research would unlock long-forgotten knowledge and history that would help them to forge a better future. But he feared the tyrants who wished to control that knowledge. After his distrust of the Autobots reached its tipping point, Starscream joined Megatron, whom he’d long-admired, in the fight against the Autobots. Starscream sees the cities of Cybertron that were once bastions of philosophy and government and creativity have become nothing more than back alleys and camps run by warlords and tyrants. Only he has the power to unbury the past that could save the future. And he won’t give up the fight until he does.

Reception

The Botcon 2008 set was chosen as the "Action Figure Digest Hot Pick."[1]

Comics

Fun Publications

Starscream appears in the 2008 April Fool's comic Shattered Expectations by Fun Publications. He and Razorclaw confront his world's Goldbug, Grimlock and Jazz. When the Autobots refuse to surrender the Decepticons call in the Mayhem Suppression Squad.

Starscream then appears in the BotCon 2008 Timelines comic Transformers: Timelines story "Shattered Glass" as one of the troops of the heroic Decepticon Megatron. Starscream, Divebomb and Whisper drop "glass gas" bombs on the Autobot's Ark launch platform to make it vulnerable to attack.[2]

Starscream appears in the fiction Dungeons & Dinobots, a text based story from Fun Publications. He defends the Arch-Ayr fuel dump from an Autobot attack.[3]

Starscream appears in the story Do Over. He is the first to discover that the Dinocons Slugfest and Overkill have gained the ability to transform. When Megatron is captured by the Autobot Targetmasters he wants to order a full scale rescue effort, but Cliffjumper talks him into only sending a small team of Micromasters to rescue Megatron, so that the Decepticons efforts in finishing the Nemesis won't be compromised. Starscream was later commands the Nemesis, which follows the Autobot's Ark to Earth before being shot down and ordering the crew to escape in life pods. Among his troops on the Nemesis are Cliffjumper, Demolishor, Heatwave and Soundwave.[4]

Starscream appears in Eye in the Sky, where it is revealed that he survived the crash of the Nemesis. Because he lacks a stasis pod to reformat himself, he maintains a Cybertronian style alternate mode. He becomes good friends with the human scientist Doctor Arkeville and his assistants. Starscream felt it was the Decepticon duty to make sure the supposedly deactivated Autobots posed no threat to Earth before the Decepticon returned to Cybertron. Sadly the Autobot threat surfaces shortly when Rodimus Prime's band take possession of a military base controlling an orbital defense system. Starscream sends a team of Decepticons and their human allies to destroy the defense system and defeat the Autobots.

Starscream defeated the human villain called the Arachnolord.[5]

Starscream appears in a flashback in Transformers: The Coming Storm.

Starscream appeared in Solar Requiem, where he is seen working with the positive universe Autobots.[6]

Starscream appeared in Another Light where he was among Galvatron's shuttle crew when Gaia teleported the humans and human shaped Pretenders from Classicverse Earth. The shuttles were attacked by Shattered Glass Primus, but survived.[7]

Games

Shattered Glass Starscream appeared in the 2016 mobile game Transformers: Earth Wars.

Shattered Glass Starscream in Forged To Fight

Shattered Glass Starscream appeared in the 2017 Forged to Fight game. He is depicted as the Power of the Primes Starscream toy with blue eyes and red Decepticon symbols.

Both Generation 1 and Shattered Glass Starscream had cards in the Magic: The Gathering Brothers' War card game in 2022.

Toys

  • Hasbro Transformers Robots in Disguise Deluxe Storm Jet (2002)
Storm Jet first appeared as an Autobot recolor of the Beast Machines deluxe Vehicon Jetstorm. His color scheme was solely red, white and black and was an intentional homage to the original Generation 1 character Jetfire.[8]
This toy was repurposed as a future version of Shattered Glass Starscream.
  • Hasbro Transformers: Timelines Shattered Glass (2008)
A five-pack of figures available only at the 2008 BotCon.
Goldbug is a remold and recolor of Cybertron Deluxe Hot Shot.
Grimlock is a recolor of the Robots in Disguise Classic Deluxe Grimlock figure in the colors of Generation 1 Trypticon.
Jazz is a remold and recolor of Cybertron Deluxe Crosswise.
Optimus Prime is a recolor of Robots in Disguise Classic Voyager Optimus Prime.
Starscream is recolor of the Cybertron Voyager Starscream. His color scheme is an homage to the Generation 1 Autobot Jetfire.
  • Hasbro Transformers: Generations Combiner Wars Deluxe Starscream (2017)
A recolor of Unite Warriors Ghost Starscream. Starscream shipped with Generations Toxitron and Counterpunch.
  • Hasbro Transformers Power of the Primes Voyager Starscream (2018)
Turns from robot to jet or becomes a torso of a combiner.
This toy was remolded into Power of the Primes Elita-1.
This toy was repurposed as Shattered Glass Starscream in the Forged to Fight game.
  • Hasbro Transformers: Generations Shattered Glass Voyager Starscream (2021)
A recolor of Siege Voyager Starscream with a added two-piece sword. A Hasbro Pulse store exclusive.


Shattered Glass Transformers: Prime

Shattered Glass Transformers: Prime concept art by ehobby

A proposed but unrealized release by ehobby was Transformers: Prime Starscream and Guru recolored like Smokescrean and S.S. for Shattered Glass Transformers: Prime.

References

  1. "Botcon 2008 Transformers... Unite". Tomart's Action Figure Digest (Tomart Publications) 1 (164): 32–35. 2008. 
  2. Pete Sinclair & Benson Yee (w), Don Figueroa (p), Don Figueroa (i), Espen Grundetjern (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair & Brian Savage (ed). "Shattered Glass" Transformers Timelines v2, 3 (Botcon 2008), Fun Publications
  3. S. Trent Troop and Greg Sepelak (2008). Dungeons & Dinobots. Illustrator Evan Gauntt. Fun Publications. 
  4. S. Trent Troop and Greg Sepelak (2009). Do Over. Illustrator Yuki Oshima. Fun Publications. 
  5. Blitzwing Bop by Fun Publications
  6. Jesse Wittenrich (2013). Solar Requiem. Illustrator Hidetsugu Yoshioka. Fun Publications. 
  7. Jesse Wittenrich & Pete Sinclair (w), Eryck Webb (p), Eryck Webb (i), Evan Gauntt (col), Jesse Wittenrich (let), Pete Sinclair (ed). "Another Light Part 6 - The Future Buried" The Transformers Collectors Club 66 (December/January 2016), Fun Publications
  8. TFU.info - Storm Jet

External links