Blitzwing
Bombshell
Cliffjumper
Cyclonus
Elita-One
Galvatron
Gears
Grimlock
Hoist
Hot Rod
Hound
Inferno
Ironhide
Jazz
Megatron
Optimus Prime
Perceptor
Prowl
Ramjet
Ratchet
Rodimus Prime
Rumble
Skyfire
Skywarp
Slag
Snarl
Starscream
Swoop
Thundercracker
Thrust
Tracks
Ultra Magnus
Wheeljack
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Function:
Quasi-Noble Triplechanger Dude
Voice Actor:
Ed Gilbert
First Appearance:
"Dinobot Island, Part 1" |
Nightwind's Words of Wisdom:
At first, the thing I liked the most about Blitzwing was...his name. :) It's just a cool name, I think, and a quite suitable one for him, as well. "Blitz" is a word most often associated with World War II, short for "blitzkrieg," which was the German...method of warfare, I guess you would call it. For me, when I think about Germans and WWII, I think about tanks. And Blitzwing, of course, is half-tank, so to speak. (OK, he's a third tank. Leave me alone. :) ) His other half, of course, is a plane, hence the "wing" part of his name. 'Tis rather nifty that his triple-changing compatriot, Astrotrain had a name that similarly described his two alternate forms. Unfortunately, they're the only triplechangers who have names like that... :( Oh well.
But, more importantly, the main reason why I like Blitzwing is "Five Faces of Darkness." Prior to that, other than in "Triple Takeover" and, to a lesser extent, "Prime Target," Blitz was your typical background Decepticon. He was there. He was bad. He blew things up. He promised death to the Autobots. He occasionally played chicken with Warpath. And that was about it. But in "FFoD" he suddenly became a Decepticon character with a mind of his own. Imagine that! He found out that the Quintessons were using the Decepticons, and that if the Decepticons did what that Quints wanted them to do, then the Quints would regain Cybertron, which would be a very bad thing for the Transformers, Autobots and Decepticons. Like a good Decepticon, Blitzwing dutifully reported what he'd found out to Galvatron, only to be...er, rebuffed. Galvie wouldn't listen to him. So Blitzwing went to the Autobots...
And it wasn't because Blitzwing was being a traitor, no, because in the end he did not defect to the Autobots' side of the war. No, he was simply acting for the greater good of Cybertron, putting that, for the moment, ahead of a desire to win the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. So what we have in Blitzwing, friends, is a noble Decepticon. Gotta love him. And I do. 'Tis a pity that this latent nobility of his never showed itself in the pre-movie cartoon. (And it doesn't show itself in his Transformers Universe thingy, either.) It would have made him a more interesting character earlier on. And it's also a pity that we never again saw Blitzwing after "FFoD." I, for one, would like to know what happened to the guy...
Then again, if we were shown what happened to Blitzwing, that would have destroyed a certain fanfic of mine... So maybe it's a good thing — for me, at least — that we never saw him again... :)
The Official Word:
Profile: As a Triple Changer, Blitzwing's ability to rapidly transform from tank mode to jet fighter mode makes him one of the most lethally effective Decepticon warriors. Not only are foes confused by his talent, but rarely are they prepared to fight him in a second form after fighting him in the first one. And Blitzwing certainly relishes changing form. His favorite tactic is to dive at a target -living or otherwise- as a jet, change at the last moment to a tank, and then smash into the target just as he lands. This hardly ever fails to defeat a foe or amuse Blitzwing. He likes to think of himself as having a sense of humor, although the things that make him laugh are typically cruel and harmful to others. He's loud-mouthed, belligerent and brash- wonderful qualities for a commando, terrible for all those who have to be around him.
Abilities: As a jet fighter, Blitzwing can fly at mach 2.7 with a range of 1500 miles. He carries heat-seeking concussion missiles. As a tank, he can traverse most terrain, however rugged, and can achieve a speed of 28 mph. His track-mounted cannon fires an explosive shell 3.5 miles that can level a 5-story brick building. In robot mode he uses an electron scimitar which can short-circuit any electrical device with a touch of its blade, and a gyro-blaster rifle, which disrupts the sense of balance of anyone it hits for 30 minutes.
Weaknesses: Blitzwing sometimes gets his circuits scrambled, which results in him getting stuck in mid-transformation between forms.
Miscellaneous:
Best Place to Blitzwing-Watch:
He's goofy in "Triple Takeover" and therefore fun to watch. But I think his shining "hour" is at the end of "Five Faces of Darkness," as I said. 'Tis a brief bit, but a good 'un. :)
Nightwind's Favorite Blitzwing Quotes:
"Tell me what's on your mind, or I'll splatter it on the wall and see for myself!"
~Threatening his "military strategist" in "Triple Takeover"
"Sometimes it's better to be known by one's enemies."
~Gettin' philosophical in "Five Faces of Darkness"
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