I love how it's an unspoken rule in the shows that Soundwave almost always gets the better of the Autobots. Even the times he was defeated it took an entire team against just him.
My headmasters soundwave I had managed to keep in the box for years was basically my kids first 'teddy bearing tried to offer him all my others even my way overpriced springer remake which I loved. But no soundwave 😂 p.s waking with him sticking into my spine did not waver my love for him... or my son 😅
"Soundwave superior." Yes, yes he is. Amazing that for 40 years, he's remained one of the most popular and integral characters in the franchise. Every version is amazing, but my personal favorite is the Prime version. Cold, ruthless, fiercely loyal to Megatron, and always two steps ahead of the Autobots. Plus his sleek, faceless design is awesome.
Soundwave is really the only Decepticon who got the better of the Autobots on more than one occasion, and he's the only Decepticon that Megatron consistently relies on across most media. Everytime Megatron needs something done, Soundwave has either already done it, or, he's already in the process of doing it.
@@dubuyajay9964 Shockwave's motives and his personality vary depending on the continuity. In some versions, Shockwave is loyal to Megatron, while in others, his loyalty is dubious at best, and he has usurped control on more than one occasion. In the Prime continuity, Shockwave is a pragmatic scientist, loyal to Megatron, reliable, and whose ends always justify his methods.
@@dubuyajay9964 That is a fair assessment about Shockwave. As long as we're not talking about the animated version of Shockwave from the 1980's, then yes - Shockwave has beaten the Autobots, Megatron, and various Decepticons too.
@@shanewright344 I was talking about the first part of your statement. That he one-upped the Autobots more than once. Not the latter parts about loyalty and such. Should have mentioned that sooner. Sorry.
There was a point in the development of the original toyline and its mythology where Soundwave was planned to be the leader of the Decepticons. This is why his head was used as the model for the Decepticon insignia, and why the earlier version of Megatron's character model (the one that made it into the earliest commercial) looks so different.
To the best of my knowledge, that's simply fan speculation based on the fact the insignia is designed after Soundwave. It might feel like it makes sense in isolation, but it doesn't really scan when you take into account the Autobot symbol being based on Prowl/Bluestreak - it's extremely unlikely either of them was ever considered for the role of Autobot leader over the big expensive truck toy, so there's no reason to think the symbols were designed based on who was going to be leader. Megatron's early character model is just different because it's based on a prototype of the toy.
I've been on board with Soundwave since day one in 1984. I'm 50 now and as I write this, I've got a shelf full or Soundwaves looking at me. He's still superior after all these years. Thank you for this video Chris, sure brings back a lot of great memories! 🙂
Prime Soundwave is my favorite incarnation of him! Though his silence was a fun one-time gimmick, his actions of loyalty and sheer competence are the traits that made him lovable to me. Cyberverse's incarnation did start him off as a bit of a jerk, but later developments in that series made him great like he always was. I also do like the new angle in IDW and Cyberverse that show that Soundwave isn't inherently evil, but just happens to be extremely loyal to the Decepticon's first principles of equality.
This video has all the TF The Basics tropes we've all come to love. Cosmically Empowered Starscream, the Headmasters, dated G1 Alt Modes, the Aligned Continuity, etc. Perfection all around.
Prime Soundwave was really good, but Cyberverse Soundwave is definitely my favorite. His personality was pretty unique among Soundwaves, and despite being a loyal Decepticon throughout the entire series, was willing to ally with the Autobots against a common foe. He was even able to lead the Decepticons to make peace with the Autobots and bring and end to the war. His sacrifice at the end of the series was really sad too, but had a ton of impact due to how important the character had been throughout the show. I also really liked his relationship with Laserbeak.
I love that its almost an unspoken rule at this point that if Soundwave is in a Transformers show he HAS TO look cool and/or at least be a serious enough threat that it takes effort from all the Autobots to fully defeat him.
For my fan art of Soundwave, I gave him the ability to generate floating speakers (that was inspired from Ultimate Echo Echo of the Ben 10 franchise). This ability was also used for my versions of Jazz and Blaster.
For my version, I thought it would be a fun idea to have him constantly switch out his alt-mode, not only to adapt to any given situation, but to also help him hide during stealth missions or quick escapes. He switches between a Cybertronion ship, a satellite, a stealth bomber, a news van, and at one point, Megatron’s cybertonion tank mode.
Soundwave has always been my favorite transformer ever since I rediscovered G1. His Voice, his design, his loyalty to Megatron, his skills. Everything about this master of stealth, song, and subterfuge makes him truly Superior in my eyes. Hence my username and Icon mention him. I also love how dammed near consistent he has been over the years and I cannot wait to see more of him in the future.
You said it. I was about to type nearly the same thing. Not only was he loyal to Megatron but there are times in the G1 show where Megatron warns Soundwave to get out of the way before he fires and things like that. Any other Decepticon would've just been blown away by Megatron without a care.
@@MDestron2282 Right I think that is what sets Soundwave apart from other loyal cons like say Cyclonus. Most cons are loyal to Megs because A their scared of him, B their too stupid not to revolt against the guy, C they are just bootlicking followers who just want to be around the big guy, or D is brainwashed to do so. However, soundwave is one of the few Cons who genuinely follows Megatron out of loyalty and duty. The only other cons I can say do that are Shockwave or Shadowstriker. Honestly, that is the biggest reason I love him so much He gets shit done but still looks out for Megatron back, and visa versa with Megatron.
I'm really surprised that communication trucks aren't the go-to for every Soundwave depiction lately. They're perfectly boxy and fit his role as communications officer. Just make his "cassettes" turn into the spare tires and it would be perfect
It felt like they *were* for a hot second, after the "evergreen" designs came in and standardized his appearance across toys, comics, and cartoons - much like Megatron settling into a grey-and-black tank for the back half of the 2010s. EarthSpark was an unexpected shakeup!
@@ChrisMcFeelySoundwave should consider of taking the transformation into any vehicle as he pleased I mean what if he could take the form of any vehicles he look up at.
Soundwave is pretty much always in my top three favorite Decepticons (the other two being Megs and Shockwave), but the IDW incarnation is easily my favorite for so many reasons. Even aside from just being a perfectly-written character, the thing that endears me to IDW Soundwave the most is that he feels extremely autism-coded, which makes him so much more relatable to me. Him basically suffering from chronic sensory overload until a cat helped him focus and grow is… more or less my own story if I’m being honest. Actually feeling represented by seeing a character get overloaded like I do just means the world to me, and add his more heroic characterization on top of that, and you’ve got one of my favorite characters in anything ever. IDW Soundwave just inspires me a lot, not gonna lie. Soundwave superior!
My first transformer my mom and step dad got me...will always be my favorite out of all of them. My 2nd is star scream because he was my second. Megatron will always be my favorite when it comes to personality tho.
A return to one of the great. I opt to call a group of Soundwaves a Decibel. A fun Radio Shack fact. Audio cassettes served as an early storage medium for programs and software. Right after Punch cards and reels of magnetic tape and before pizza sized floppy disks. I found it cool. This was right when personal computers took off tying Transformers to cutting edge technology.
My sister and I aren't the closest, but I'll always remember Soundwave as being her favorite Decepticon. She's the music person in my family, so Soundwave's sound abilities and alt mode won her over. I'm more of a Thundercracker person (IDW at least, come on, I want to see TC used more as a character and not just a Starscream redeco), but Soundwave's pretty cool in his own right.
Thundercracker from the Transformers Cybertron Series in the Unicron Trilogy of Shows might be what you want. Granted he's just comic relief, but he's very powerful as well.
Just wanna make two comments: 2:25 I'm sure most of us already know this, but the famous voice begins with Frank Welker doing the voice he does for Doctor Claw, the main antagonist of the Inspector Gadget series, which is then modulated through a vocoder, resulting in an electronic, "synthesized" voice, you can say. Apparently, the reason Frank did this was to help himself distinguish Soundwave from Megatron during the recording sessions, since he was voicing two characters who converse with each other pretty regularly, meaning that every now and then, he might be basically recording a scene by himself in the booth. That said, there have been times in the cartoon where, due to mistakes by the sound editing team, the vocoder was not applied, allowing you to clearly hear the Doctor Claw voice. In addition, the Bay movies did away with the vocoder altogether, and Prime Soundwave's one line downplayed the vocoder to emphasize the natural Claw voice instead; in Robots in Disguise '15, the vocoder is back in the spotlight. 8:11 On the topic of Soundwave's cassette player mode, there is one redeco of his G1 toy that has always been of great interest to me. In 2013, there was this limited edition redeco that was made in collaboration with Linkin Park, who did the theme songs of the first three Bay movies (and a trailer for the Rise of the Dark Spark game). This "Linkin Park Soundwave" was gold and black, coming with gold versions of four of his cassette minions (Ratbat, Ravage, and the completely identical Laserbeak and Buzzsaw). This Soundwave didn't have any stickers, factory-applied or otherwise, but it did have a tampographed Decepticon symbol that you can see beside the tape deck when he's in tape player mode, and the Minutes to Midnight-era Linkin Park logo (the one that has the circle) was tampographed on his chest. The box was basically stylized to look like a black-with-gold-accent Soundwave in cassette player mode, with this stylized "tape" that says "Linkin Park / Transformers Mix" at the "tape deck". I think it was sold on this specific music store, that was (at least at the time, since I have no idea of its current status) owned by Linkin Park turntablist Joe Hahn. I've always felt that redeco was awesome. EDIT: I thought the LP Soundwave toy had a tampographed insignia in his shoulder (think of Optimus Prime), but upon recheck, I was mistaken. Correction has been made.
I was 11 in '84. I spent all year wanting a Soundwave toy. I drew pictures of him, watched the clock waiting for the show to start. Christmas Eve, my dad hid one last present behind the tree. When i got to the last one and was happy yet disappointed, he pulled it out from behind the tree. Ever have a moment when everything around you seems to slow to a stop, all you can hear is your own thoughts or the lack there of? That's what happened when I opened that last package. And I still have that same soundwave today 39 years later.
Honestly... I think my favorite version of Soundwave is the Cyberverse version. He had a lot of personality being sort cold on the surface, but was actually a bit of a sass master and surprisingly cooperative and even friendly. In his own way, anyway. Plus he would often provide background music and soundbytes for himself or for comedic effect. He's the type of character who, upon first glance, you wouldn't expect to have a sense of humor.
Soundwave is awesome! No matter how much updates we get for his basic s videos... He will always be an all time favorite! My favorite versions are the G1 and Cybertron versions!
Hey Chris, I absolutely love your videos. You do such a great job telling us about these Transformers and the media that they aopear in. I don't know how long I have been subscribed to your channel but its veen for a few years. You deserve more views for your videos and more recognition for your great work. Keep up the great work and stay safe. Chris McFeely superior.
I’m gonna say right out of the gate, Soundwave talking like a DJ was easily the most awesome modern-day quirk for him aside from the synthesizer modulation. His presence in the Cybertron television show plus that voice quirk had me floored as a little kid, and coupling those with a deep story like IDW’s 2005-2019 comics would be the best thing ever.
Watching Revenge of the Fallen in the theater, when THAT scene came up, I leaned over to my spouse to try to whisper "I've seen enough hentai to know where this is going"... they punched me in the arm on word 3 so I shut up.
Soundwave has always been one of the most loved pop culture icons in history, I have never met a single person who hates or dislikes Soundwave for any reason. There are so many variations of the character that everyone can find the one they love the most. Soundwave will always and forever be superior
Definitely prefer him as a Boombox, but him as an alien ship or satellite really works. I did love his design in Cybertron, but nowadays standard Jets are so stealthy it feels more out of place to see the Stealth Bombers they give him than it is to see a boom box with cassette tapes. Basically a modern updated Seeker (an F22 or F35) would be stealthier than just about any of Soundwave's "Stealth Bomber" alt modes.
i think you mean, cassette player. boombox is reserved for blaster. i kinda dig the stealth bomber idea or communications truck if we can't get cassette player soundwave.
The B2 Spirit and the coming B21 Raider would like a word with you. Stealth bombers are very much still viable in modern militaries and offer better RCS than fighters that need to remain maneuverable. Soundwave being one still fits the roll as a force multiplier better than just another seeker interpretation.
@@cybersilver5816 yeah, this one would definitely be the perfect form for soundwave. luckily, no one remembers dreadwing who also transform to something similar
Soundwave is by far one of my most favorite characters. The appeal of the toy as a kid that could hold smaller cool Transformers is what did it for me. That voice though from the OG series in 84' was another cool feature I digged.
It's amazing how one gimmick & a cool-sounding voice can make a character so iconic! Soundwave has become my favorite Decepticon too. He's one of those Transformers who can't be mistaken for nor replaced. Also, never give him a mouth please.
I remember in the original basics on Soundwave, you said, and I quote, “And if you’re thinking ‘that doesn’t sound like the sound wave I know’ you’re not exactly wrong.” And I was like “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. No version of Soundwave I know of was a backstabbing opportunist, that sounds more like a Starscream thing.”
0:44 I have an original Soundwave toy. Fun fact about his feet and hip joints: They're not made of plastic. They're made of actual metal. I assume for the sake of durability since his legs have to move in multiple axes when transforming, and to give him more stability when standing.
What an awesome video. Soundwave is my favorite character I'm glad he has lasted so many ways. Your information was on point for everything soundwave.🎉
One of the 1st toys of mine G1 Soundwave is still one of the coolest looking, best voice, and overall badass from G1. Not so sure that nobody would follow an uncharismatic boor after all!!
Here’s a new alternate mode pitch: A news van which both records intel for the Deceptions as well as broadcasts misinformation to human networks which shows the Deceptions as the good guys. The cassettes could be the equipment inside the van.
First Decepticon seen in the G1 cartoon, and his Alt Mode was a T-Pose. (Ok, it was supposed to be a cybertronian streetlamp, but c'mon, this madlad was T-Posing back when Dinosaurs were roaming the Earth.)
In Generation 2, another Soundwave toy, a recolor of Laser Cycle Road Pig, was planned for release but was cancelled. I love this 'Con and everything about him. My favorite incarnations are his Generation 1 and IDW versions. In my Transformers roleplay, me and a friend play Soundwave as a peace-loving 'Bot who switched sides after growing restless with Galvatron's leadership, now leading a group of Decepticons into abandoning violence and accepting peace to become Deceptibots.
Cybertron/Galaxy Force Soundwave is probably the most underrated version of the character. He’s 100% my favorite. His design is god tier, and I love his personality.
as can be seen in the flashback of this scene (11:31), Soundwave's body was more compact and this, considering that Laserbeak is attached to him, means that the other minicons are dead
Soundwave is no minion. By all accounts, Soundwave is the true leader of the Decepticons. He leads from behind the scenes and operates in the shadows. Yet, when he is needed to lead from the front. He is quite an effective leader. After all his short time, he did lead the Decepticons. He brought the Autobots to their knees in short order. Also, his cassettes are not minions. They are his friends.
Soundwave and Shockwave. my top 2 deceptions, i can never get those two out of my mind. gotta love the fact that Soundwave has stayed very consitant his entire life.
It's hard to choose a favorite line from this show but one of my top five is "eject eject eject" the voice is just so amazing amd its fun to listen to.
I really like the alt-mode for the figure from the Bumblebee movie. I think it looks appropriately alien and futuristic for a giant robot from another world.
Soundwave's toy was really cool as a concept, if you're bored with having a robot figure on your shelf his alt mode works well as a decoration and you don't have to put him away, a true robot in disguise
I always loved Soundwave growing up. I really liked his ability to deploy smaller bots like that. Although seeing him with a mouth was just weird to me.
I would love to see, either in a comic or in a show, Soundwave acknowledging the human's weird bent towards nostalgia. I imagine him being a big truck, or yet another kind of drone, and then him encountering a young teenager who is fiddling with an old school boom box and some cassette tapes. The kid, who is just marveling over the cool factor of the object and what it does, mentions that sometimes simple and straightforward is just as interesting as the oblique and the complex. Soundwave, as result of this random interaction, finds some sense of nostalgia for himself and decides to take on a "superior, retro-active form." Maybe he'd even comment on how it's funny how easily people give into the idea that older tech means safer tech and how he plans to capitalize on the human's own curiosity in order to pursue his own plans.
I love watching the TFs interact with Earth culture. Tailgate and Pipes worked in IDW, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something so charming about them being “little kid who thinks Earth machines are alive” and “weird dude who collects Earth curios”.
G1 Soundwave will always be my favorite. Specifically for his synthesized voice by Frank Welker. Also, you forgot to mention his appearance in the Transformers Devastation Video game. I can still remember these lines: "We were unable to repair the leak, before Starscream took it." Meaning...? Detonation: Imminent.
I'm a fan from the start. Never had the original toy, but loved him in the G1 cartoon. As an adult fan, I've loved the Prime and Cyberverse incarnations. Soundwave superior, indeed.
Soundwave was also in the studio series toyline in both his satellite mode from revenge of the fallen and his mercedes benz car mode from dark of the moon
Soundwave is so badass that not even the Cosmically-Powered Starscream could defeat him.
"Were you offlined by a cosmically-powered Starscream?"
"Sadly, yes. But I lived!"
@@bradleyadams5252"Hello, Starscream."
Maxx from twitter jumpscare
I love how it's an unspoken rule in the shows that Soundwave almost always gets the better of the Autobots. Even the times he was defeated it took an entire team against just him.
In TFP he completed his objective, got captured then abducted Ratchet, absolute legend
I mean, he *is* superior. Meanwhile, Autobots? Inferior.
@@eskreskao yes, to the pit with the autobot oppressors
Maybe against other Autobots, but Blaster took him out all by himself. He might be superior to others, but he’s a chump next to Blaster!
@@darthpaul99 I'm 99% sure that Soundwave and blaster killed each other
40 years and soundwave manages to stay a fan favourite.
Absolutely superior
Soundwave superior, all others inferior
@@SyverReborn The future of the Decepticon
@@SyverRebornautobots inferior
My headmasters soundwave I had managed to keep in the box for years was basically my kids first 'teddy bearing tried to offer him all my others even my way overpriced springer remake which I loved. But no soundwave 😂 p.s waking with him sticking into my spine did not waver my love for him... or my son 😅
He has been my favorite Decepticon, he is my favorite Decepticon, and he shall always be my favorite Decepticon!
"Soundwave superior." Yes, yes he is. Amazing that for 40 years, he's remained one of the most popular and integral characters in the franchise. Every version is amazing, but my personal favorite is the Prime version. Cold, ruthless, fiercely loyal to Megatron, and always two steps ahead of the Autobots. Plus his sleek, faceless design is awesome.
Very much agreed
Prime and Gen 1 are the best.
Agreed
Hot take: Prime soundwave is bad Soundwave design. Good con, good villain, bad soundwave design.
he takes a UAV drone which usually imo is kinda ugly, and makes it look good
THATS impressive lol
It's surprising to me that Hasbro has never made a toy of the purple-coloured Soundwave from the Marvel comics. I know i'd buy one.
I got a guy who said the same I reminded him he's a customizer he can make one and still in progress 😆
He could easily be a Soundwave follower or even another clone made by Shockwave.
There's some speculation and a little evidence that Hasbro is planning on releasing that version. They absolutely should.
Can we also get generic purple Seeker(s)?
@@originaluddite I have 2. They came in the Tranformers Bumblebee Troop Builder Multipack.
Soundwave is really the only Decepticon who got the better of the Autobots on more than one occasion, and he's the only Decepticon that Megatron consistently relies on across most media. Everytime Megatron needs something done, Soundwave has either already done it, or, he's already in the process of doing it.
Shockwave?
@@dubuyajay9964 Shockwave's motives and his personality vary depending on the continuity. In some versions, Shockwave is loyal to Megatron, while in others, his loyalty is dubious at best, and he has usurped control on more than one occasion. In the Prime continuity, Shockwave is a pragmatic scientist, loyal to Megatron, reliable, and whose ends always justify his methods.
@@shanewright344 But he one-upped the Autobots multiple times.
@@dubuyajay9964 That is a fair assessment about Shockwave. As long as we're not talking about the animated version of Shockwave from the 1980's, then yes - Shockwave has beaten the Autobots, Megatron, and various Decepticons too.
@@shanewright344 I was talking about the first part of your statement. That he one-upped the Autobots more than once. Not the latter parts about loyalty and such. Should have mentioned that sooner. Sorry.
Everybody loves Soundwave. Even the writers. You can see it throughout the fact that he consitently gets awesome roles and designs
There was a point in the development of the original toyline and its mythology where Soundwave was planned to be the leader of the Decepticons. This is why his head was used as the model for the Decepticon insignia, and why the earlier version of Megatron's character model (the one that made it into the earliest commercial) looks so different.
To the best of my knowledge, that's simply fan speculation based on the fact the insignia is designed after Soundwave. It might feel like it makes sense in isolation, but it doesn't really scan when you take into account the Autobot symbol being based on Prowl/Bluestreak - it's extremely unlikely either of them was ever considered for the role of Autobot leader over the big expensive truck toy, so there's no reason to think the symbols were designed based on who was going to be leader. Megatron's early character model is just different because it's based on a prototype of the toy.
@@ChrisMcFeely wonder what would've happened if soundwave was leader of the Decepticons.
I've been on board with Soundwave since day one in 1984. I'm 50 now and as I write this, I've got a shelf full or Soundwaves looking at me. He's still superior after all these years. Thank you for this video Chris, sure brings back a lot of great memories! 🙂
51 and in the same boat! Soundwave is superior!
23, but grew up watching all the old shows. Soundwave remains superior.
Love how dangerous Soundwave is always treated as.
Prime Soundwave is my favorite incarnation of him! Though his silence was a fun one-time gimmick, his actions of loyalty and sheer competence are the traits that made him lovable to me.
Cyberverse's incarnation did start him off as a bit of a jerk, but later developments in that series made him great like he always was.
I also do like the new angle in IDW and Cyberverse that show that Soundwave isn't inherently evil, but just happens to be extremely loyal to the Decepticon's first principles of equality.
This video has all the TF The Basics tropes we've all come to love.
Cosmically Empowered Starscream, the Headmasters, dated G1 Alt Modes, the Aligned Continuity, etc.
Perfection all around.
Monster Planet Unicron
Prime Soundwave was really good, but Cyberverse Soundwave is definitely my favorite. His personality was pretty unique among Soundwaves, and despite being a loyal Decepticon throughout the entire series, was willing to ally with the Autobots against a common foe. He was even able to lead the Decepticons to make peace with the Autobots and bring and end to the war. His sacrifice at the end of the series was really sad too, but had a ton of impact due to how important the character had been throughout the show. I also really liked his relationship with Laserbeak.
“Soundwave superior” indeed. Great update!
I love that its almost an unspoken rule at this point that if Soundwave is in a Transformers show he HAS TO look cool and/or at least be a serious enough threat that it takes effort from all the Autobots to fully defeat him.
For my fan art of Soundwave, I gave him the ability to generate floating speakers (that was inspired from Ultimate Echo Echo of the Ben 10 franchise).
This ability was also used for my versions of Jazz and Blaster.
That sounds awesome
Echo Echo!
Now I need to hear Soundwave shout "Sonic Doom!"
For my version, I thought it would be a fun idea to have him constantly switch out his alt-mode, not only to adapt to any given situation, but to also help him hide during stealth missions or quick escapes. He switches between a Cybertronion ship, a satellite, a stealth bomber, a news van, and at one point, Megatron’s cybertonion tank mode.
@@cillianstewart9441 what about Jazz or Blaster?
Soundwave has always been my favorite transformer ever since I rediscovered G1. His Voice, his design, his loyalty to Megatron, his skills. Everything about this master of stealth, song, and subterfuge makes him truly Superior in my eyes. Hence my username and Icon mention him. I also love how dammed near consistent he has been over the years and I cannot wait to see more of him in the future.
You said it. I was about to type nearly the same thing. Not only was he loyal to Megatron but there are times in the G1 show where Megatron warns Soundwave to get out of the way before he fires and things like that. Any other Decepticon would've just been blown away by Megatron without a care.
@@MDestron2282 Right I think that is what sets Soundwave apart from other loyal cons like say Cyclonus. Most cons are loyal to Megs because A their scared of him, B their too stupid not to revolt against the guy, C they are just bootlicking followers who just want to be around the big guy, or D is brainwashed to do so. However, soundwave is one of the few Cons who genuinely follows Megatron out of loyalty and duty. The only other cons I can say do that are Shockwave or Shadowstriker. Honestly, that is the biggest reason I love him so much He gets shit done but still looks out for Megatron back, and visa versa with Megatron.
G1 Soundwave is always my favourite incarnation of Transformers history.
Same. I've looked at others, they all seem so lacking in comparison.
High Moon Games version is 2nd
One of the most iconic Transformers of all time, and my personal favourite of them all
I'm really surprised that communication trucks aren't the go-to for every Soundwave depiction lately. They're perfectly boxy and fit his role as communications officer. Just make his "cassettes" turn into the spare tires and it would be perfect
It felt like they *were* for a hot second, after the "evergreen" designs came in and standardized his appearance across toys, comics, and cartoons - much like Megatron settling into a grey-and-black tank for the back half of the 2010s. EarthSpark was an unexpected shakeup!
@@ChrisMcFeelyCan you please do Decepticon Triple-Changer Octane for this year's Obscure Characters Month... I'm begging you!🥺
@@SteamGiantsnot obscure enough.
@@ChrisMcFeelySoundwave should consider of taking the transformation into any vehicle as he pleased I mean what if he could take the form of any vehicles he look up at.
or turn them into satellites that plug into him, speakers, and stuff stuff like that.
Soundwave is pretty much always in my top three favorite Decepticons (the other two being Megs and Shockwave), but the IDW incarnation is easily my favorite for so many reasons. Even aside from just being a perfectly-written character, the thing that endears me to IDW Soundwave the most is that he feels extremely autism-coded, which makes him so much more relatable to me. Him basically suffering from chronic sensory overload until a cat helped him focus and grow is… more or less my own story if I’m being honest. Actually feeling represented by seeing a character get overloaded like I do just means the world to me, and add his more heroic characterization on top of that, and you’ve got one of my favorite characters in anything ever. IDW Soundwave just inspires me a lot, not gonna lie.
Soundwave superior!
My first transformer my mom and step dad got me...will always be my favorite out of all of them. My 2nd is star scream because he was my second. Megatron will always be my favorite when it comes to personality tho.
A return to one of the great.
I opt to call a group of Soundwaves a Decibel.
A fun Radio Shack fact. Audio cassettes served as an early storage medium for programs and software. Right after Punch cards and reels of magnetic tape and before pizza sized floppy disks. I found it cool. This was right when personal computers took off tying Transformers to cutting edge technology.
That's way many, if not all, of the cassettes shared a data storage function. Although it was, at best, a secondary function.
That voice in 1984 sounded like nothing else on TV... it was amazing
My sister and I aren't the closest, but I'll always remember Soundwave as being her favorite Decepticon. She's the music person in my family, so Soundwave's sound abilities and alt mode won her over. I'm more of a Thundercracker person (IDW at least, come on, I want to see TC used more as a character and not just a Starscream redeco), but Soundwave's pretty cool in his own right.
Thundercracker from the Transformers Cybertron Series in the Unicron Trilogy of Shows might be what you want. Granted he's just comic relief, but he's very powerful as well.
Just wanna make two comments:
2:25 I'm sure most of us already know this, but the famous voice begins with Frank Welker doing the voice he does for Doctor Claw, the main antagonist of the Inspector Gadget series, which is then modulated through a vocoder, resulting in an electronic, "synthesized" voice, you can say. Apparently, the reason Frank did this was to help himself distinguish Soundwave from Megatron during the recording sessions, since he was voicing two characters who converse with each other pretty regularly, meaning that every now and then, he might be basically recording a scene by himself in the booth. That said, there have been times in the cartoon where, due to mistakes by the sound editing team, the vocoder was not applied, allowing you to clearly hear the Doctor Claw voice. In addition, the Bay movies did away with the vocoder altogether, and Prime Soundwave's one line downplayed the vocoder to emphasize the natural Claw voice instead; in Robots in Disguise '15, the vocoder is back in the spotlight.
8:11 On the topic of Soundwave's cassette player mode, there is one redeco of his G1 toy that has always been of great interest to me. In 2013, there was this limited edition redeco that was made in collaboration with Linkin Park, who did the theme songs of the first three Bay movies (and a trailer for the Rise of the Dark Spark game). This "Linkin Park Soundwave" was gold and black, coming with gold versions of four of his cassette minions (Ratbat, Ravage, and the completely identical Laserbeak and Buzzsaw). This Soundwave didn't have any stickers, factory-applied or otherwise, but it did have a tampographed Decepticon symbol that you can see beside the tape deck when he's in tape player mode, and the Minutes to Midnight-era Linkin Park logo (the one that has the circle) was tampographed on his chest. The box was basically stylized to look like a black-with-gold-accent Soundwave in cassette player mode, with this stylized "tape" that says "Linkin Park / Transformers Mix" at the "tape deck". I think it was sold on this specific music store, that was (at least at the time, since I have no idea of its current status) owned by Linkin Park turntablist Joe Hahn. I've always felt that redeco was awesome.
EDIT: I thought the LP Soundwave toy had a tampographed insignia in his shoulder (think of Optimus Prime), but upon recheck, I was mistaken. Correction has been made.
I was 11 in '84. I spent all year wanting a Soundwave toy. I drew pictures of him, watched the clock waiting for the show to start. Christmas Eve, my dad hid one last present behind the tree. When i got to the last one and was happy yet disappointed, he pulled it out from behind the tree. Ever have a moment when everything around you seems to slow to a stop, all you can hear is your own thoughts or the lack there of? That's what happened when I opened that last package. And I still have that same soundwave today 39 years later.
Exact same story except I didn't get the toy .
A most auspicious day! One of the greatest G1 bots gets his day in the sun!
Honestly... I think my favorite version of Soundwave is the Cyberverse version. He had a lot of personality being sort cold on the surface, but was actually a bit of a sass master and surprisingly cooperative and even friendly. In his own way, anyway. Plus he would often provide background music and soundbytes for himself or for comedic effect. He's the type of character who, upon first glance, you wouldn't expect to have a sense of humor.
Soundwave is awesome! No matter how much updates we get for his basic s videos... He will always be an all time favorite! My favorite versions are the G1 and Cybertron versions!
Hey Chris, I absolutely love your videos. You do such a great job telling us about these Transformers and the media that they aopear in. I don't know how long I have been subscribed to your channel but its veen for a few years. You deserve more views for your videos and more recognition for your great work. Keep up the great work and stay safe. Chris McFeely superior.
Finally!! And update on my favorite decepticon ever 😊 (also love to see more comically powered starscream)
I’m gonna say right out of the gate, Soundwave talking like a DJ was easily the most awesome modern-day quirk for him aside from the synthesizer modulation. His presence in the Cybertron television show plus that voice quirk had me floored as a little kid, and coupling those with a deep story like IDW’s 2005-2019 comics would be the best thing ever.
I just opened up my shiny new Legacy Soundwave yesterday, guess I had good timing!
Finally, a long awaited video remake of the basics of Soundwave.
The Marvel UK version of Soundwave is my favourite especially in stories like Dinobot Hunt and Space Pirates.
My favorite Soundwave is the one from IDW. He would redeem himself and choose peace and equality after he led the Decepticons.
Soundwave and Blaster with all their minions were my favorites. I also have Sound Blaster and Twin Cast
I love how desgins for Soundwave throughout Transformers ranged from a cassete player to a tentacles freak.
Watching Revenge of the Fallen in the theater, when THAT scene came up, I leaned over to my spouse to try to whisper "I've seen enough hentai to know where this is going"... they punched me in the arm on word 3 so I shut up.
My favourite Transformer by a mile. So cool that even the Autobots wanted their own version of him!
Love the updated episodes, especially ones from the early days of the channel. Transformers is ever-growing and ever-evolving.
My absolute favorite Decepticon. Even in Transformers Prime, where there's many memorable Decepticons, he still stands out.
I love the idea of Soundwave being a true believer of the Decepticon cause above all else, ready to turn against even Megatron if need be.
Soundwave has always been one of the most loved pop culture icons in history, I have never met a single person who hates or dislikes Soundwave for any reason. There are so many variations of the character that everyone can find the one they love the most.
Soundwave will always and forever be superior
Soundwave was perhaps (difficult to recall) my first Transformer. I thought at first he was the leader, before a kid at school told me about Megatron.
I still wish I owned the Masterpiece version of Soundwave. Still, solid update to this classic video for the Basics
Definitely prefer him as a Boombox, but him as an alien ship or satellite really works.
I did love his design in Cybertron, but nowadays standard Jets are so stealthy it feels more out of place to see the Stealth Bombers they give him than it is to see a boom box with cassette tapes. Basically a modern updated Seeker (an F22 or F35) would be stealthier than just about any of Soundwave's "Stealth Bomber" alt modes.
I really liked the "Predator drone" mode from Prime.
i think you mean, cassette player. boombox is reserved for blaster. i kinda dig the stealth bomber idea or communications truck if we can't get cassette player soundwave.
The B2 Spirit and the coming B21 Raider would like a word with you. Stealth bombers are very much still viable in modern militaries and offer better RCS than fighters that need to remain maneuverable. Soundwave being one still fits the roll as a force multiplier better than just another seeker interpretation.
@@cybersilver5816 yeah, this one would definitely be the perfect form for soundwave. luckily, no one remembers dreadwing who also transform to something similar
@@pat1r1ck that just sounds like a decent remold opportunity.
Soundwave is by far one of my most favorite characters. The appeal of the toy as a kid that could hold smaller cool Transformers is what did it for me. That voice though from the OG series in 84' was another cool feature I digged.
I just ordered the 40th anniversary G1 Soundwave reissue yesterday and I'm saving it for myself on Christmas.
It's amazing how one gimmick & a cool-sounding voice can make a character so iconic! Soundwave has become my favorite Decepticon too. He's one of those Transformers who can't be mistaken for nor replaced. Also, never give him a mouth please.
I remember in the original basics on Soundwave, you said, and I quote, “And if you’re thinking ‘that doesn’t sound like the sound wave I know’ you’re not exactly wrong.” And I was like “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. No version of Soundwave I know of was a backstabbing opportunist, that sounds more like a Starscream thing.”
G1 soundwave’s voice still gives me goosebumps in the best way
I love Soundwave so much. Hes not even one of my favorite decepticons but one of my all time favorite transformers characters.
0:44 I have an original Soundwave toy. Fun fact about his feet and hip joints: They're not made of plastic. They're made of actual metal. I assume for the sake of durability since his legs have to move in multiple axes when transforming, and to give him more stability when standing.
What an awesome video. Soundwave is my favorite character I'm glad he has lasted so many ways. Your information was on point for everything soundwave.🎉
One of the 1st toys of mine G1 Soundwave is still one of the coolest looking, best voice, and overall badass from G1. Not so sure that nobody would follow an uncharismatic boor after all!!
That classic idw look in one of those last screenshots is probably my most favorite look he has
Excellent, Soundwave is my favorite Transformer character.
1:47
Huh, that part actually kinda made it into Transformers One, though his abilities acted more as a lie detector.👍
4:36 its been a hot minute, but its good to have that back
1:32 Yeah, realy good advertising layout: A white tyrannosaurus against a white background.
Soundwave is my all time favorite character ever, and this episode really showed his superiority!
Truly superior, thanks for updating the original video!
TFP Soundwave will always remain as my beloved, and by far one of the best iterations of the comms officer to date.
Here’s a new alternate mode pitch: A news van which both records intel for the Deceptions as well as broadcasts misinformation to human networks which shows the Deceptions as the good guys. The cassettes could be the equipment inside the van.
First Decepticon seen in the G1 cartoon, and his Alt Mode was a T-Pose. (Ok, it was supposed to be a cybertronian streetlamp, but c'mon, this madlad was T-Posing back when Dinosaurs were roaming the Earth.)
In Generation 2, another Soundwave toy, a recolor of Laser Cycle Road Pig, was planned for release but was cancelled. I love this 'Con and everything about him. My favorite incarnations are his Generation 1 and IDW versions. In my Transformers roleplay, me and a friend play Soundwave as a peace-loving 'Bot who switched sides after growing restless with Galvatron's leadership, now leading a group of Decepticons into abandoning violence and accepting peace to become Deceptibots.
I find it interesting that more recent iterations of Soundwave come across as loyal to what he deems the Decepticon Cause first, Megatron second.
I like how Soundwaves actually pretty chill all things considered. He’s just fiercely loyal to a tyrant.
TFP Soundwave was definitely my favorite decepticon by far. It really gave me chills when he finally spoke
Cybertron/Galaxy Force Soundwave is probably the most underrated version of the character. He’s 100% my favorite. His design is god tier, and I love his personality.
Thank you for this update on my all time favourite character. Soundwave will always be Superior!
My favorite bot, thanks for doing an updated video for him! Also that quote at the end was great.
as can be seen in the flashback of this scene (11:31), Soundwave's body was more compact and this, considering that Laserbeak is attached to him, means that the other minicons are dead
Dont leave me, Soundwave
As you command, Megatron
What’s better than having a loyal minion? Having a loyal minion with their own loyal minions! Love Soundwave hands down my fav decepticon.
Soundwave is no minion. By all accounts, Soundwave is the true leader of the Decepticons. He leads from behind the scenes and operates in the shadows. Yet, when he is needed to lead from the front. He is quite an effective leader. After all his short time, he did lead the Decepticons. He brought the Autobots to their knees in short order.
Also, his cassettes are not minions. They are his friends.
"Soundwave Superior, Autobots Inferior."
- Prime Soundwave, the best Soundwave
I still remember how my mind was overwhelmed by Soundwave talking in Prime.
Soundwave and Shockwave. my top 2 deceptions, i can never get those two out of my mind. gotta love the fact that Soundwave has stayed very consitant his entire life.
Thank u for making one for Soundwave. Absolutely my fave Decepticon!!!!
“Soundwave Superior!!”
It's hard to choose a favorite line from this show but one of my top five is "eject eject eject" the voice is just so amazing amd its fun to listen to.
Me: Were you offlined by a cosmically-powered Starscream?
Shockwave: Sadly, yes. BUT I LIVED!
I love the ending of the video. Thanks for the updated version of this character. I can't wait to see what new intel you will have in your next video.
My new favorite ending of this show. “Soundwave, superior.”
G1 is always my favorite version due to the tapes in him, but big honorable mention to his faceless Prime version.
I really like the alt-mode for the figure from the Bumblebee movie. I think it looks appropriately alien and futuristic for a giant robot from another world.
Ever since I saw the 1986 movie, this guy has always been my favorite Decepticon.
Soundwave's toy was really cool as a concept, if you're bored with having a robot figure on your shelf his alt mode works well as a decoration and you don't have to put him away, a true robot in disguise
Ooo an updated video of my fave character just in time for my birthday 🥳
Happy birthday my friend! 🎉
Basics on Soundwave: SUPERIOR.
Brilliant as always
I think that Soundwave being a Satellite is a really cool idea that should be considered one of his alt modes
This is why no one calls Soundwave uncrasamatic!!!
I always loved Soundwave growing up. I really liked his ability to deploy smaller bots like that. Although seeing him with a mouth was just weird to me.
I would love to see, either in a comic or in a show, Soundwave acknowledging the human's weird bent towards nostalgia. I imagine him being a big truck, or yet another kind of drone, and then him encountering a young teenager who is fiddling with an old school boom box and some cassette tapes. The kid, who is just marveling over the cool factor of the object and what it does, mentions that sometimes simple and straightforward is just as interesting as the oblique and the complex. Soundwave, as result of this random interaction, finds some sense of nostalgia for himself and decides to take on a "superior, retro-active form." Maybe he'd even comment on how it's funny how easily people give into the idea that older tech means safer tech and how he plans to capitalize on the human's own curiosity in order to pursue his own plans.
I love watching the TFs interact with Earth culture. Tailgate and Pipes worked in IDW, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something so charming about them being “little kid who thinks Earth machines are alive” and “weird dude who collects Earth curios”.
It is fascinating how some Transformers are highly consistent... but Soundwave has adapted and changed in major ways.
G1 Soundwave will always be my favorite.
Specifically for his synthesized voice by Frank Welker.
Also, you forgot to mention his appearance in the Transformers Devastation Video game.
I can still remember these lines: "We were unable to repair the leak, before Starscream took it." Meaning...? Detonation: Imminent.
Gen one is my favorite. I always kind of viewed the gen one toon version as a science officer along with his other duties and responsibilities.
I'm a fan from the start. Never had the original toy, but loved him in the G1 cartoon. As an adult fan, I've loved the Prime and Cyberverse incarnations.
Soundwave superior, indeed.
Soundwave was also in the studio series toyline in both his satellite mode from revenge of the fallen and his mercedes benz car mode from dark of the moon
Soundwave is my favorite Transformers Character