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This subject of this article goes by multiple names that apply to other articles as well. SeeBombshell (disambiguation),Hardshell.

Bombshell is aDecepticonInsecticon from theGeneration 1continuity family.

A master of mind-controlling "cerebro-shells", the twistedBombshell (akaHardshell) plays with the minds of others as a child would a new toy, enthusiastically and recklessly. But there is nothing childlike about the gleeful malice he exposes in forcing his victims into more and more humiliating and destructive acts. Bombshell takes such sadistic joy in the destruction of his victims that even the other Decepticons can be put off, wondering if he wouldn't be just as pleased to play those same "games" with them...

“	I love warping minds for you, Megatron...love it!	”
—Bombshell, "Enter the Nightbird"

Contents 1Fiction 1.1Generation 1 cartoon continuity 1.1.1The Transformers cartoon 1.1.2Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity 1.1.2.1Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers cartoon 1.1.2.2Story of Binaltech 1.1.3Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic 1.1.4Mars Attacks: The Transformers 1.1.5Ask Vector Prime 1.1.6Deviations 1.2Marvel Comics continuity 1.2.1MarvelThe Transformers comics 1.2.1.1Transformers Annual 1985 1.2.1.2Movie future timeline 1.2.1.3Earthforce 1.2.2Transformers '84 1.3Kid Stuff Talking Story Books 1.4Marvel coloring books 1.5Big Looker storybooks 1.6Listen 'n Play audiobooks continuity 1.7Peril from the Stars 1.8Find Your Fate Junior 1.8.1Dinobots Strike Back 1.8.2Battle Drive 1.8.3Attack of the Insecticons 1.8.4The Invisibility Factor 1.9DreamwaveGeneration One continuity 1.10G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers 1.11The Beast Within 1.122005 IDW continuity 1.13Hearts of Steel 1.14Lil Formers 1.15Mini Mayhem! 1.16Transformers vs. G.I. Joe 1.172019 IDW continuity 1.18Transformers vs. The Terminator 1.19My Little Pony/Transformers 1.20War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material 2Commercial appearances 3Games 3.1The Transformers (PS2) 3.2Transformers Legends 3.3Transformers: Battle Tactics 3.4Transformers: Devastation 3.5Transformers: Earth Wars 3.6Transformers Roleplaying Game 4Toys 4.1The Transformers 4.2The Transformers Collection 4.3Universe (2008) 4.4Kre-O 4.5Combiner Wars 4.6Platinum Edition 4.7Legacy 4.8Transformers Retro 4.9Dramatic Capture Series 5Merchandise 5.1Decoy 5.2Hard Hero 5.3Robot Heroes 5.4Transformers Trading Card Game 5.5ULTIMATES! 5.6Blokees 5.7Auldey 6Notes 6.1Foreign names 7References

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor:Michael Bell (English),Ken Shiroyama (Japanese),Gu Guoyi (Chinese),Edgar Wald (American Spanish),Gianluca Crisafi (Italian, second dub),Georges Atlas (European French, "A Plague of Insecticons"),Henry Djanik (European French, "Enter the Nightbird"),Francis Lax (European French, "The Insecticon Syndrome"), Unknown (European French, "Quest for Survival"),Carlos Marques (Portuguese),Paulo Flores (Portuguese, "Enter the Nightbird"),Francisco José (Portuguese, "The Insecticon Syndrome"),Hélio Ribeiro (Portuguese, "Quest for Survival")

Bombshell and the rest of the Insecticons jettisoned themselves out theDecepticon cruiser when it and theAutobot ship crashed onPrehistoric Earth. Landing in what would become modernBali off ofIndonesia, the Insecticons were altered by theiridento-computers to possess insectoidbeast modes, and had the ability to convert organic matter intoenergon.

Reactivating around the same time as those aboard the Ark, the Insecticons formed a small nest for themselves inDemon Swamp before being tracked down byMegatron and the Decepticons. They formed an alliance for the purpose of collecting energon and vanquishing the Autobots. In their first encounter with the enemy, Bombshell demonstrated one of the most unique of the trio's abilities—after firing an "insecti-shell" at a farming machine to blow it into pieces, he and the other Insecticons used "clone beams" to somehow convert those fragments of metal intoduplicates of the Insecticons in their insect modes, a virtual swarm of Insecticlones created nearly out of thin air.

The initial alliance between Decepticons and Insecticons broke down after the greedy insects attempted to gorge themselves on the cache of energon cubes Megatron had created, and then abandoned the Decepticons to the Autobots. After that, the two groups operated independently, only joining forces as a matter on convenience on rare occasions.A Plague of Insecticons

Bombshell and the Insecticons next hired out their services to Megatron during his experimentation with theelectro-cells as on-call guards, in exchange for a share of the profits. The AutobotMirage attempted to turn them against each other, however, by stealing the Insecticons' reward and framing the Decepticons for it. Bombshell and the others staged an assault on the electro cell station and their Decepticon "comrades". During a spray of one of Shrapnel's grenades, Mirage was inadvertently caught in the blast while invisible. Bombshell seized upon the opportunity to implant one of his cerebro-shells in the fallen Autobot and turn him into a slave. What he DIDN'T do, however, is question what an Autobot counter-intelligence agent was doing sneaking around Decepticon camp just then. Megatron had to force Bombshell to think at gunpoint before he realized that Megatron wouldn't rob them whileOptimus Prime and the Autobots still lived. Maybe after, but not before. The united Decepticons then attempted to set a trap for the Autobots using Mirage, but ultimately Mirage was set free and the electro-cells were destroyed.Traitor

Next, Bombshell's aid was commissioned to upgrade the human-built female ninja robot known asNightbird for Megatron, converting her into a functional assassin. His engineering skills shown here were rather remarkable for someone with no table manners.Enter the Nightbird

On their next joint venture, Megatron arranged for Bombshell and the Insecticons to have access to theNova Power Core, a meal that filled them with raw energy and caused them to increase in size dramatically. In exchange, they aided the Decepticons in raiding the armored installation known asIron Mountain to gain control of the defense computer being housed there. Their new power went to their heads, however, and the Insecticons were overheard plotting against Megatron by his spySoundwave. Soundwave didn't get far, however, before Bombshell captured the Decepticon and turned him with the help of a cerebro-shell.

He then systematically "bugged" the rest of Megatron's troops; by the time Iron Mountain was successfully infiltrated, Megatron was the only Decepticon left. The nova power proved to be too unstable for the Insecticons to synthesize, however, and an antidote was administered to rob Bombshell and Kickback of their additional mass and power. Shrapnel, however, exploded into pieces before the antidote could be properly administered. Somehow, though, Bombshell was able to completely reconstruct his fallen comrade in a matter of seconds, using a special shell to reunify the pieces and the Insecticons fled the scene with the Decepticons in hot pursuit.The Insecticon Syndrome They eventually patched things up, as Bombshell marched in the "Decepticon Day" parade.Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

In another scheme, Megatron convinced the Insecticons that he had a new energon processing system that could draw power from their organic-conversion process far more efficiently than their bodies normally could. The Insecticons would gather vast amounts of power through their clone armies, and then return to Decepticon headquarters to refine their amassed energies into energon cubes. Little did they know that the refinement process was far more effective than Megatron presented—Bombshell and the others were given scraps while dozens of cubes were being produced by their efforts. They slowly began to wise up to Megatron's duplicity and, when his henchmanThrust attempted to warn them away from a certain valley, the Insecticons took it as a sign there was something valuable there. In fact there was: a can ofrobotic insecticide the Autobots had planned to use against the Insecticlones, and an ever-growing number ofMorphobots, techno-organic plants that fed on robot insects. Bombshell and the Insecticons attempted to feed on the plants, only to have their food "bite back" and their entire clone army destroyed in a matter of minutes.Quest for Survival

During theCombaticons' attempt at destroying Earth by sending it into the sun, the Insecticons were seen in large numbers again and were responsible for taking apart theSpace Bridge controls. They would later be tracked by the combined Autobots and Decepticons after which they relinquished the controls.The Revenge of Bruticus

Bombshell would ultimately be mortally wounded during the battle ofAutobot City and was ejected alongside many other fallen Decepticon warriors (Megatron included) into deep space. This would not be the final note of Bombshell's story, however; his body was used byUnicron to create eitherCyclonus orthe other guy.The Transformers: The Movie

Either he got better or that was an identical clone, because all three Insecticons, along with theCombaticons andSoundwave, were later seen on Earth trying to stopWheelie,Blurr,Marissa Faireborn andSky Lynx from delivering thetransformation cog toMetroplex. They were trampled by Sky Lynx.Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers cartoon

The Insecticons arrived onEarth via their vessel long before the other Decepticons and the Autobots arrived.The Mystery of the Insectrons^[1]

Story of Binaltech

Bombshell's cerebro-shell technology was combined withDoctor Arkeville'shypno-chip to create a new form of brainwashing. Using this technique, Starscream's Decepticons and their human allies theConcurrence infiltrated the Binaltech Project to steal the advanced bodies planned for the Autobots for themselves.Arise! Evil Binaltechs

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic

Bombshell along with the other Insecticons took part in an attack onKyushu that attracted the attention of the Autobots. TheFour-Wheel Drive Corps responded, but the attack turned out to be an ambush as the Insecticons trapped the Autobots in a volcanic crater. Luckily, the Four-Wheel Drive Corps was able to "combine" and perform the fearsome "Four-Wheel Drive Robo Combination Scrumbuster" attack. The blast of energy was so powerful that it sent the Insecticons fleeing in terror.Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #3

Mars Attacks: The Transformers

The three Insecticons were among Decepticon forces who formed an alliance with the Autobots during aMartian invasion. They savedIronhide andJazz from some of the Martians' giant ants.Mars Attacks: The Transformers

Ask Vector Prime

InPrimax 1185.04 Alpha, the Insecticons were among the few alliesMegatron found in his campaign againstCobra-controlled Earth.Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/13

In an unstableIocus reality engineered by the machinations ofSideways andGong, Bombshell and Skywarp were replaced byCrasher andSlicks as the villains thrown out of Astrotrain and reformatted by Unicron intoa warrior andher armada.Echoes and Fragments

Deviations

In an alternate timeline whereOptimus Prime killedMegatron in theBattle of Autobot City, Bombshell was thrown out ofAstrotrain with other weakened Decepticons in the aftermath of the battle. They drifted through space till they were consumed byUnicron.Deviations

Marvel Comics continuity

MarvelThe Transformers comics

Bombshell was one of LordStraxus's warriors operating out ofPolyhex.The Smelting Pool! At some point during the war, he encounteredSky Lynx in battle, but he was unable to get the better of his opponent.Spacehikers! Along with his fellow Insecticons and theconeheads, he pursued another sextet of Autobots who had just carried out some sort of raid on thesmelting pool, only to be forced to retreat by a torrent of liquid metal that had just been siphoned off of it.The Smelting Pool! He later attended Straxus's trial run of his newly constructed Space Bridge.The Bridge to Nowhere!

Bombshell was one of theDecepticon warriors targeted for termination by theWreckers inOperation: Volcano. A last minute change in orders prevented Bombshell and his cronies from walking into the Autobot trap, though.Target: 2006 After Straxus began an alliance withMegatron and the Decepticons of Earth, Bombshell was transported to our solar system by way of thespace bridge. He, Kickback, and Shrapnel were then reformatted into the Insecticons, and granted impressivemass shifting powers that enabled them to shrink down to the size of actual insects when transforming.

The Insecticons' first mission on Earth was to set up a conduit between Cybertron and Hoover Dam, stealing the hydro-electrical power. Bombshell tracked down the assistant chief engineer,Ricky Vasquez, and implanted him with a cerebro-shell so that the Decepticons could infiltrate the plant clandestinely. With Megatron and the Insecticons riding shotgun, Vasquez snuck them into the control room where Shrapnel was able to take electronic control of the dam. Vasquez eventually managed to reassert his free will however and, with the interference of theAerialbots, the Decepticon operation proved ineffective.

Still, Bombshell took advantage of the opportunity to infiltrate the Ark by riding atop Silverbolt back to the Autobot base.Aerialbots over America! While inside, he seized a chance to fire one of his cerebro-shell insideOptimus Prime during a medical exam where Ratchet was cleaning a recent wound. He was unable to actually control Prime, but managed something almost as good—by piping in a radio connection to Megatron through Soundwave, Bombshell's implant was able to divert some of the Creation Matrix to the Decepticons, bringing life to theStunticons just as Prime was finalizing the life-sparks of the Aerialbots. Bombshell's implant was eventually discovered, but the damage was done.Heavy Traffic!

Just beforeChristmas1986, Bombshell accompaniedThrust in a raid on aBlackrockchemical plant asJetfire andJazz were taking delivery of a consignment offuel. Though Bombshell managed to incapacitate Jazz easily, Thrust did not do such a good job with Jetfire as the Autobot quickly recovered and shot Bombshell down. Only the threat of an impending explosion allowed the Decepticons to retreat.The Gift

Later, Megatron commissioned Bombshell andDirge to take control of the human creation known asPower Station Alpha. SightingBumblebee casing the installation, Bombshell blasted a human boy with a cerebro-shell as a distraction, sending him off into danger while the Decepticon infiltrated Alpha and placed a specially-modified shell inside.Blood on the Tracks Things were too hot to retrieve it then, with theG.I. Joe team taking hostile action against Bumblebee and then being confronted themselves bySuperion, but later that night the remote control was triggered and Power Station Alpha sprung to life. Surprisingly for the Decepticons, though, it did NOT come to their base as programmed—Doctor Mindbender ofCobra was able to lock onto the electronic frequency of Bombshell's shell and bring Alpha toCobra Island instead. Dirge and Bombshell were therefore forced into the position of emissaries for the Decepticon cause, proposing an alliance between them and Cobra in order to share Power Station Alpha's potential.Power Struggle

Bombshell was privy to Shockwave's plan of using Command Station Alpha to syphon tremendous amount of energy from the Earth, effectively destroying the planet in the process. When Serpentor and his troops arrived at the Decepticon base to deliver the device, Bombshell and his fellow Cybertronians maintained a facade of camaraderie with their human "allies." While Mindbender was acting as Cobra's "ambassador", he uncovered the severity of their plans for Alpha, and the devastating effect it would have on the Earth. As Bombshell was giving the doctor a tour of the Decepticons' base, the Decepticon suddenly began to convulse and transform involuntarily... the result of one of his Cerebro-Shells being probed elsewhere. Bombshell excused himself to check his systems over.Ashes, Ashes...

Once Cobra switched sides and joined in an alliance with the Joes and the Autobots, Mindbender was deemed "surplus parts" and Bombshell attempted to execute him. Instead, the Insecticon was disabled by a blast from one of theBaroness's cannon weapons. As the two Cobra agents left to joinSerpentor in conference with their new "friends", Mindbender scooped up the unconscious Bombshell (who had reverted to his tiny insect mode) in the hopes of dissecting his circuitry later. Only after arriving at the Joe base did they discover the connection between Bombshell and his cerebro-shells, as the Joe technical expertMainframe prodded the shell which had been surgically retrieved from the boy Bombshell blasted days earlier, causing the still-inactive Insecticon to spontaneously transform out of his own control....All Fall Down!

How Bombshell eventually regained control of his systems and returned to the Decepticons is unknown, but he did and was later seen participating in a raid on anoil tanker. He used his cerebro-shells to quickly locate the vessel's control room. Unfortunately, the tanker turned out to be dry.Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom When Decepticon leadership eventually passed toRatbat, Bombshell was seen among his troops, and participated on an attack against the crews of both theSteelhaven and the Ark, at the time parked on Earth'smoon. Bombshell was blasted byFortress Maximus early in the assault.Totaled!

Transformers Annual 1985

Upon learning that the Autobots were secretly planning to open a dialogue with thePresident of the United States,Megatron awakened the Insecticons to undermine the potential alliance. The trio were too new to be in full control of themselves, and needed to be remote-controlled to be of any use on the battlefield. To this end,Ravage was selected to guide them on their test-run.

The Insecticons interrupted the peace talk, Bombshell making his presence known by ordering his teammates to "KILL THE HUMANS!" The Insecticons then proclaimed themselves to be Autobots working under Optimus, and blasted their surroundings with abandon, leading the humans to believe the Autobots had always planned on betraying them. Having put on enough of a show for the President himself, Bombshell and his teammates then zoomed off to unleash further firepower on downtownWashington, D.C.. Warpath and Prowl both tried to put an end to the Insecticons' rampage, but found it difficult to get a bead on their flying opponents. Optimus, however, had deduced that the Insecticons were being controlled by someone else, and tracked down Ravage in short order. The cat ordered Bombshell to double back and come to his aid. Bombshell launched acerebro-shell towards the Autobot leader, just asKickback destroyed hisRoller drone. The drone's destruction caused Optimus to keel over in pain at just the right moment, making the cerebro-shell miss its mark and imbed itself into Ravage instead. Bombshell gained control of Ravage mind, but since Ravage was already in control of Bombshell's mind, the result was two Decepticons left mindless and immobile.Plague of the Insecticons!

Movie future timeline

When Megatron launched a major offensive againstAutobot City in the year2005, Bombshell was among the troops who attacked the fortress.The Planet-Eater!

Earthforce

Bombshell and the Insecticons were allied with Megatron during theDecepticon Civil War against Shockwave. He attended theEnclave held by the two factions, but it didn't go well and Bombshell was later seen among the massive melee between the Decepticon armies.The Bad Guy's Ball! Bombshell and the Insecticons were later tasked by Megatron to infiltrate Shockwave's base and spy on his war room to gain secret intelligence. Bombshell had tapped into the room with a listening prong right beforeStarscream arrived, and caught the tiny intruders with arustbug hoop. Forced to submit, the Insecticons were surprised that Starscream wasn't going to torture or kill them: instead, he offered them a juicy bit of gossip that Shockwave would be off alone on a mission soon. Bombshell realized that Starscream was setting his leader up for a fall, arranging for both Megatron and Shockwave to be disposed of in one felt swoop. He seemed okay with it.Bugged!

Sure enough, Megatron and Shockwave were soon excommunicated from their respective armies, and the Decepticons united under the command of Starscream andSoundwave. Bombshell was present at the latter two's public announcement of their takeover,Internal Affairs! and for the united Decepticons' first major military action, an attack on Autobot Earthbase. The Decepticons' goal was to kill some Autobots, while also distracting them as Starscream looted a human oil tanker in theGulf of Mexico. Both goals proved fruitless, and the Decepticons were driven off.Divide and Conquer!

Soon, however, Bombshell turned his talents to less overt and more deceitful activities. At his leaders' request, Bombshell implanted the mighty warriorSuperion with one of his cerebro-shells, turning the giant against the human populace in order to smear the Autobots' image. A human reporter namedIrwin Spoon managed to get inside Superion at the Autobots' request, however, and remove the shell before any permanent damage was done.Inside Story! Bombshell's follow-up surveillance revealed that the Autobots had offered the reporter an exclusive interview in exchange for his assistance. Such a positive "puff-piece" would go a long way towards improving the Autobots' image among the humans, and could not be allowed by the Decepticons. So, Soundwave and Starscream arranged for theStunticons to kidnap Spoon.Front Line! Trapping him insideMotormaster's cabin, the Stunticons led the Autobots on a merry chase through the highways until they finally forced Motormaster off the road and recovered Spoon. The damage had been done, however; unknown to the Autobots, Bombshell had been hiding inside Motormaster's cab, and implanted the reporter with a cerebro-shell before losing custody of the human. Irwin Spoon therefore wrote exactly the piece the Decepticons wanted, painting the Autobots as evil kidnappers set to destroy mankind.End of the Road!

Transformers '84

In the early days of thewar on Cybertron, Bombshell was part ofStraxus's forces who assaulted an Autobot fort inIacon'sBorder Regions. When Autobots led byUltra Magnus arrived to defend the fort, Straxus ordered his troops to seize as many prisoners as they could and retreat.Secrets & Lies #2 Upon returning toDarkmount, Bombshell was privileged to join Straxus as he watched those Autobot prisoners being tortured to death in thesmelting pool.Secrets & Lies #3

Kid Stuff Talking Story Books

Bombshell and the rest of the Insecticons had enslaved the people of the island ofBuru when the Decepticons had discovered that within the island was a plentiful supply of oil. He and the other Insecticons were eventually beaten back by the Dinobots.Slaves of the Insecticons

Marvel coloring books

Bombshell implanted a cerebro-shell inSpringer and made him cause havoc inAutobot City. Bombshell gloated about his achievement to his fellow Decepticons but was bashed by Galvatron for drawing the Autobots' attention to them. In the ensuing battle,Wreck-Gar trapped Bombshell in agiant super-strong trash bag and the Autobots forced him to remove the shell from Springer.The Invasion of the Decepticon Camp

Big Looker storybooks

Megatron's plan to steal an oil truck involved Bombshell using cerebro-shells on the drivers. However, the Autobots interrupted the plan, foiling the theft.Decepticon Hijack

Kickback and Bombshell were looking for a way to gain favor withMegatron when they came acrossGrapple, the Autobots' architect. Bombshell infected him with a cerebro-shell to use the Autobots for his own evil deeds. After the mind-controlled Grapple chased off his friendBeachcomber, Bombshell brought his new toy back to Megatron. When the Autobots attacked Decepticon headquarters to get Grapple back, the diminutive Bombshell was too frazzled by the explosions to keep focus on Grapple, and the Autobots managed to rescue him.Insecticon Attack!

Listen 'n Play audiobooks continuity

Voice actor: ? (English)

Bombshell aided Starscream in enacting Megatron's plan to abduct humans for ransom. When they reachedPhoenix International, they found the airport deserted, so instead went to check on the already-obtained hostages. Unfortunately the Autobots had found the warehouse already and liberated the prisoners, so Starscream's squad instead found an Autobot welcoming committee. With Starscream unable to transform and Bombshell injured, the Decepticons retreated.Sun Raid (Listen 'n Play)

Peril from the Stars

Bombshell was recruited by Starscream, behind the backs of the other Decepticons, to help him capture theLos Palmos observatory and its staffJack andSue Richards in order to track a weapons pod that had been launched from Cybertron. After implanting Sue Richards with a cerebro-shell and tangling withyou and the AutobotJazz, Bombshell ultimately retreated after Starscream left him to face Jazz alone.Peril from the Stars

Find Your Fate Junior

Dinobots Strike Back

With his buddy Kickback, Bombshell snuck intoHidden Valley, where theDinobots were supposed to be on lookout duty. Seeing their inattentiveness, he was able to get close enough to launch amortar which knocked them all out except Swoop, who dodged but got a wing injured in the explosion. Bombshell quickly transformed into insect mode and injected the four unconscious Dinobots with cerebro-shells, ordered them to transform, and sent Kickback back to Megatron to report his triumph.

What happened next depended on Swoop's actions: if Swoop stayed and fought Bombshell, the Insecticon responded by hovering over the other Dinobots, making it too risky for him to take a shot from his position. If Swoop flew below him, it opened up two paths with basically the same result for Bombshell: hit with a missile, then threatened until he removed the four cerebro-shells. He flew off in defeat, apparently not damaged too badly in either outcome.

If Swoop tried to lure him higher, Bombshell ordered the other Dinobots to attack the Ark and level everything in their path, raising a dust cloud that obscured Swoop's vision. Bombshell saw his opportunity to sneak up on Swoop, and injected him with a poison that shrank him down to the size of a hummingbird, then flew off and left the Dinobot bombardier to his fate. The poison eventually wore off, allowing Swoop to go down the same path as if he'd just flown back to the Ark instead of trying to fight Bombshell in the first place.

Either way, Bombshell never figured back into this micro-continuity-nexus save for one path in which Windcharger popped the cerebro-shells off with his magnetism, allowingGrimlock to remember picking up a careless thought from Bombshell about his actions merely being a distraction from Operation Black Coral, spurring the Autobots to investigateDolphin's Bay. One possible subsequent outcome involved the Dinobots foiling this plan by pretending to still be under the cerebro-shells' influence, indicating that Bombshell wasn't actively controlling their actions at all after giving the initial order, and that the mind-link with his victims is only one-way.Dinobots Strike Back

Battle Drive

In one possible scenario, when Starscream believed himself ambushed by a whole squadron of Autobots, he radioed Bombshell for back-up. Upon his arrival, the Decepticons realized they were only up against Bumblebee, and the pair ganged up on the little Autobot. If Bumblebee attempted to flee from this battle through a nearby cornfield, Bombshell would put the little Autobot out of commission by puncturing his tires after Starscream used hisnull-rays on Bumblebee. In another possible sequence of events, Bumblebee is able to lose Bombshell through a smokescreen produced by a nearby burning field.

In another possible version of these events, Bombshell was amongst a squadron of Decepticons attacking Sparkplug as the human attempted to hide in a cave in the mountains. Bombshell and the rest of the Decepticons were defeated if Swoop managed to take out Megatron subsequently. Otherwise, he was amongst the Decepticons who stayed at the cave entrance after Swoop headed back to Autobot headquarters after the Dinobot's initial assault. In one of the possible following events, Bombshell has his wings blasted off when Prowl makes a mad dash back for Autobot headquarters, leaving him unable to pursue.

In a completely different version of these events, Bombshell is amongst the fleet of Decepticons who attack Optimus Prime and his small squad of Autobots when they are lured out in the open farmland. Whether or not the Decepticons triumphed depended on which decisions Optimus Prime made from that point on. In one possible scenario, Bombshell was scorched by Jazz's flamethrower after he and at least nine other Decepticons attempted to gang up on Optimus Prime.Battle Drive

Attack of the Insecticons

In one possible adventure, Bombshell was complicit in one of Starscream's schemes of overthrowing Megatron. Holding the recently kidnapped Sparkplug in his custody for the Seeker, Bombshell was instructed to use his Cerebro-Shells on the human in order to force him into creating a Sun-Pak for them, a device that would provide them with great energy reserves. Unknown to the duo, Buster and Blaster were hiding nearby.

If the two of them decided to contact Megatron, two possible outcomes were possible. First, if Buster provided Megatron proof that Starscream was planning to usurp the Decepticon leader, Megatron would arrive shortly and threaten Starscream for his duplicity. Not wanting to share Starscream's fate, Bombshell refused to collaborate Starscream's lies to Megatron. Though Bombshell managed to avoid punishment, this came at the cost of having to release Sparkplug, and keeping the existence of the Sun-Pak a secret. Second, if Buster refused to provide Megatron with proof of Starscream's treachery, Megatron turned up anyways, but allowed Bombshell to use his mind control device on Sparkplug. Unfrotunately for the Decepticons, the device caused memory damage in the human, rendering Sparkplug unable to create more Sun-Paks for the Decepticons.

If Blaster and Buster decided to seek Bumblebee's aid in confronting the Decepticons, the three of them would hatch a plan, which ultimately led to Bombshell accidentally hitting Starscream with his Cerebro-Shell in-lieu of Sparkplug. A fuming Bombshell was then forced to deal with the Seeker who was convinced by the Autobots that they were his masters, and was prevented from stopping both humans and both Autobots from escaping by the newly brainwashed Starscream.

In another possible adventure, the Autobots had become Bombshell and Shrapnel's prisoners, thanks to the Insecticons' Electro-Disrupter. While the Autobots are paralyzed by the device, Bombshell prepared Cerebro-Shell to make slaves of all do-gooders present. Little did the Decepticons know that the disrupter left the humans unaffected, giving them the opportunity to turn the device on the Insecticons, allowing the Autobots to escape.

In yet another possible adventure, Bombshell and Kickback were present when Shrapnel, in possession of the Sun-Pak, gloated that using the device's power they would overthrow Megatron as leader of the Decepticons. However, nearby hid Buster and Mirage spying on the trio. If Buster and Mirage decided to confront the Insecticons themselves, Mirage used his holographic powers to disorient the Insecticons, allowing Buster the opening to steal the device from the Insecticons. If Buster and Mirage decided to call for reinforcements, Bombshell and the other two Insecticons would be around long enough for Megatron, himself having found out about Shrapnel's ploy, to arrive in the rotting forest where the Insecticons were hiding, and blast Shrapnel for his treachery, warning the other two Insecticons that a similar punish would await them should they try to betray him as well. Bombshell was subsequently sprayed byIronhide's acid spray, alongside the other Decepticons, when Megatron's plan to ambush the Autobot reinforcements backfired.Attack of the Insecticons

The Invisibility Factor

Bombshell was stationed in the Decepticons' secret desert base. In one possible scenario, the Decepticons capturedSarah Sanders, a scientist who had discovered a way to make machinery invisible with herInvisibility Device. When she would not give up her secrets willingly, Galvatron ordered Bombshell to use his Cerebro-Shells to control her mind. Bombshell stepped forth from the shadows and greedily anticipated taking over a fresh mind. In one possible scenario, Bombshell succeeded despite the Autobots’ brief interference, and the Decepticons conquered the Earth. In another possible scenario, Bombshell was dazzled at the last second by a series of holographic projections, giving the Autobots the time to scoop up Sarah and run. Whether Bombshell recaptured Sarah or if she escaped the Insecticon's clutches was a matter of chance from this point forward.The Invisibility Factor

DreamwaveGeneration One continuity

Bombshell, sporting a spiffy tank mode, was on Cybertron millions of years ago as part of a commando group being directed by Soundwave, sent to track down Optimus while the bulk of the Decepticon forces participated in a raid onIacon.The War Within #2 But the newly inaugurated Prime proved to be more trouble that Bombshell's team initially anticipated. The Autobot leader lost his pursuers in Cybertron's labyrinthine underground, and then ambushed them by using the environment to his advantage. Optimus knocked out Bombshell after delivering a solid right-hook to his face.The War Within #3Grimlock came across Bombshell's sputtering, sparking body while on his own search for the Prime.The War Within #5

During the Dark Ages, Bombshell and his fellow future Insecticons served underShockwave as part of the primary Decepticon faction. At one point, they assaultedBludgeon and theChaos Trinity inAltihex to stop the chaos unleashed bythe Fallen.Conflagration Bombshell was also present atTyger Pax during the aborted peace treaty between the Autobots, Decepticons andUltracons. Megatron's sudden arrival with theAerospace Extermination Squadron put a quick stop to those peace talks.The Age of Wrath After Megatron took control of the planet, Bombshell got to guard Autobot prisoners withinInternment Camp Pi.The Age of Wrath #2

Prior to theGreat Shutdown, Shockwave uncovered the crash location of the missing ships the Ark andNemesis: Earth. He sent Kickback, Shrapnel and Bombshell to the planet as part of some vast, incomprehensible scheme he'd been perfecting for millennia. They initially encountered resistance from theDynobots, but gave them the slip and went undercover on Earth for 48 thousandvorns.The Rules of ExtinctionExtermination

In modern times, however, Bombshell seemed to have developed a few loose screws and begun operating outside his mission parameters. Having taken over a small town in rural America, Bombshell had begun mass production of techno-organic Insecticlones being grown from special pods.Infestation He also went about abducting cattle and their human handlers in order to feed his larvae and build a mind-controlled army. His actions drew the attention ofEarth Defense Command andJazz's Autobot faction, leading to an investigation of the town. Shockwave contacted the Insecticons, berating them for allowing to be found out, though Bombshell thought the Autobots to be of little concern; he had already captured one of them,Bumper, and begun tinkering about with the Autobot's head. He ended Shockwave's call, and his experiment, to go feed his hatchlings... only to find Sunstreaker and Sideswipe already running amok in the hatchery. These two were captured as well, only for Bumper to turn up missing by the time the brothers were brought back to Bombshell's lab. Heading up to the surface in the hopes of finding him, Bombshell observed from a distance as the rest of his squad took on Jazz and his troops. As the Autobots gained the advantage on the battlefield, Bombshell sent the mind-controlled townspeople against them, knowing they would hesitate to harm the fleshlings. While his attentions was focused on this, Bumper managed to sneak up on Bombshell and took him out, signaling an Autobot victory... though this victory seemed to have come about easily. Perhaps, too much so...?Extermination In any case, Bombshell was taken into Autobot custody after his defeat.The Route of All Evil

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

Bombshell-type Insecticons were part of the dreaded Insecticon swarms on an alternate future Earth ruled by the Decepticons.G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3

The Beast Within

Bombshell participated in a savage all-out Decepticon offensive against the Autobots. With the Decepticons maintaining the advantage throughout the battle, Bombshell was amongst those who approached a crippled Optimus Prime, ready to dispatch the Autobot leader. Before they could deliver the finishing blow, the Dinobots combined intoThe Beast, shifting the Decepticons’ priorities.The Beast Within

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance:All Hail Megatron #1

Shortly afterThunderwing's apocalyptic assault across Cybertron, a tiny mechanoid insect called Bombshell injected a cerebro-shell intoBeachcomber onSoundwave's behalf. The shell enabled Soundwave to make Beachcomber into an assassin, sending him afterBlaster, the inspirational broadcaster for the Autobots.Spotlight: Blaster

Several hundred years later, Bombshell was created on Cybertron as the firstnon-insane Insecticon.All Hail Megatron #7 Soundwave would later refer to him as a "different Bombshell", separate from the one he had used against Blaster. One of this new Bombshell's first tasks was to finishShockwave's research oncombiners, resulting in the creation ofDevastator.ShockpointBefore the Dawn After Devastator had defeated the Autobots onEarth, Bombshell constructed aspace bridge between Cybertron and Earth, which the Decepticons used to dump their defeated enemies in.All Hail Megatron #7 After using the bridge to get rid of the Autobots on Earth, the Decepticons attackedNew York City. During the assault, Bombshell tore apartAir Force jets in his giant beetle mode.All Hail Megatron #1Marissa Faireborn watched this in horror.Detonation Boulevard He later attendedMegatron's glorious victory speech in the ruins of the city, but the line about the Decepticons being "united in our cause" clearly wasn't quite true.All Hail Megatron #3All Hail Megatron #4

Battle lines started being drawn between the Insecticons and theSeekers. InBeijing, Bombshell began openly mockingSkywarp and the Seekers as "Yesterday's news", ignored by their flight commander and cast aside by Megatron in favor of theConstructicons. Despite his mind games, though, Bombshell and the united Insecticons quickly scurried off when both Skywarp andThundercracker stood up against them.All Hail Megatron #6 After returning to New York, Bombshell was approached byStarscream, who apologized for the behavior of his fellow Seekers, and told the Insecticons about how he envisioned the future of the Decepticon Empire—a vision which incidentally included Starscream as the leader. At some point during the conquest of Earth, Bombshell also captured formerHeadmasterHunter O'Nion and started performing twisted experiments on him.All Hail Megatron #8

Bombshell would go on to create another space bridge in New York and use Hunter to create a "hub" of some sort, which the Decepticons used to find Autobots all across the galaxy and deactivate their defenses. When Megatron complimented his work, Bombshell explained that human minds intrigued him, and that he found experimenting on them to be quite "delicious". He then promptly betrayed Megatron, as he had been sucked in by Starscream's words earlier and took the Seeker's side in his rebellion. In response, Megatron threw Kickback at him.All Hail Megatron #10 Not long afterwards, the Autobots returned to Earth, and a massive battle broke out in New York. Bombshell jumpedSideswipe and taunted the Autobot by claiming to have toyed withhis brother's mind with information he had extracted from Hunter. He was punched out byKup before he could kill Sideswipe, however, and the Decepticons soon found themselves defeated.All Hail Megatron #12 As the Decepticons fled the planet aboardAstrotrain, Bombshell cheered for Starscream when he revealed that he was in possession of theMatrix of Leadership.Uneasy Lies the Head

Despite Starscream's "ascension", however, the Decepticon army began to crumble without clear direction. Bombshell and the rest of Starscream's followers eventually retreated to a lifeless planetoid in a distant solar system. Refugees from the broken Decepticon war machine began to trickle in over the next three years until nearly 100 were cowering together in the dark. Starscream ordered Bombshell to find some way to strengthen their meager energon reserves and keep what remained of the army properly fueled. Bombshell regarded this as a fool's errand, and left the Decepticons to reach "population saturation" on their own, as the strong cannibalized the weak for resources. Instead, he chose to work on perfecting cerebro-shell technology, and cobbled together a prototype to present to Starscream. It proved highly effective against the dissidentQuake, who attacked Starscream at that moment for reasons of his own. Bombshell's little toy incapacitated Quake long enough for Starscream to eliminate the mutineer. Intrigued, Starscream requested Bombshell begin production ofmore cerebro-shells.All His Engines Later, Bombshell reported to an uninterested Starscream that an approaching Autobot ship had crashed into their defenses. Tempted by the Matrix, he made an offer to take care of the relic, but Starscream violently repulsed him. Together with Shrapnel andAcid Storm, he went to scavenge the ship's wreckage for anything useful, only to be attacked by the pilot,Rodimus. Bombshell tried to fire one of his new cerebro-shells at the intruder, who blocked it with a piece of metal and defeated him.Heart Like a Wheel

Megatron would later use space bridge technology built into in his new body to summon Bombshell and the rest of the Decepticons to him on Cybertron. At first they did battle with the Autobots, but were soon mind-controlled byD-Void into combining withGalvatron'sSweep army and forming ahuge monster.Kings Once this monster was defeated, all Decepticons but Megatron were left weakened and easily captured by the Autobots, but Bombshell, Soundwave and Shockwave secretly remained in contact with their leader in preparation for his return. Bombshell's task was to perfect combiner technology, granting Megatron a warrior powerful enough to conquer the newly restored Cybertron.Shockpoint After three weeks in captivity, the Decepticons were released to help the Autobots beat down aNAIL riot, though withI/D chip implants to keep them from going overboard.The Death of Optimus Prime

Needlenose, unaware of their machinations and fed up with working as an enforcer for the Autobots, accused Bombshell, Soundwave and Shockwave of just sitting around instead of doing something about the Decepticons' situation.The Autonomy Lesson The three aidedRatbat's plan to take control of the I/D chips, assassinate theAutobot leader and rise up against their captors, but only because it served as a good distraction from their own activities.ShockpointThe World & Everything in It When Ratbat was then mysteriously found dead, the Autobots claimed it was suicide, but Bombshell and the other Decepticons didn't believe them.Stick Together

Following Ratbat's death, Bombshell began experimenting with using cerebro-shells to repress the wills of individuals and turn them into components of the perfect combiner, a concept he referred to as "all-who-are-one". Among his test subjects wereSunstorm andSkydive, but he was forced to murder the latter after he proved "divisive" and unsuitable for the experiments. AsDirge found the body, Bombshell placed another cerebro-shell on him to prevent him from telling anyone he was responsible, butProwl found the device and tracked him back to his lair. Ordering Sunstorm to keep Prowl andArcee busy, he fled into thereclamation tunnels and recruited theConstructicons' help, but it was all in vain as Prowl eventually cornered him and demanded to know what he was doing and who he was working with. When Bombshell refused to answer, Prowl prepared to execute him on the spot by shooting him in the head.Devisive However, using a tiny cerebro-shell masked by the larger one Prowl had found, Bombshell took control of his mind and made him miss at the last second.Before the Dawn

Now believed dead, Bombshell was able to go into hiding and use Prowl to manipulate events in anticipation of Megatron's return. This way, he was able to spirit away the Constructicons and modify them into a new Devastator, as well as take outOmega Supreme, the only Autobot capable of defeating a combiner.Before the Dawn Starscream expressed great shock at seeing Bombshell and other believed dead Decepticons alive when he was taken into theBlack Room.The Verge When Megatron finally returned, they enacted the final part of their plan by having Prowl form Devastator's head, causing the giant to be completely under Bombshell's control.Before the Dawn However, the Decepticons were betrayed by Arcee who, knowing the only way of defeating the new Devastator would be to take out one controlling him, killed Bombshell by stabbing him in the head.Plan for Everything

Hearts of Steel

Along with several other Decepticons, Bombshell awoke in the late 19th century when a sunken human submarine crashed onto their submerged ship.Hearts of Steel #1 He spent some time helping his comrades construct things underwater before being ordered byStarscream to obtain "money" for their human ally,Tobias Muldoon. Taking on a newalternate mode alongside Kickback and Shrapnel, Bombshell transformed into the middle portion of the "Insectrain", which used his head-mounted cannon as a turret. The Insecticons attacked a train carrying money and gold from the Denver Mint, shrugging off the primitive weaponry of its human guards. Although he didn't see the value in tiny sheets of paper, Bombshell followed orders and delivered the loot to Starscream and Muldoon by the next morning.Hearts of Steel #2 He was later present when Starscream announced to his troops that the Autobots had awakened as well.Hearts of Steel #3

Lil Formers

Bombshell was interviewed and claimed, to put all debates to rest, that it was indeed him who became Cyclonus after being reformatted by Unicron. Skywarp made exactly the same claim.Lil Formers

Mini Mayhem!

Bombshell askedBludgeon what was the point of hisPretender shell, since he couldn't blend in human society as a skeleton. Bludgeon explained that his Pretender shell once looked human, but its face was melted off after witnessingthe opening of the Ark of the Covenant.Mini Mayhem!

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

Bombshell, Shrapnel, and Kickback acted as bounty hunters for Megatron. The Insecticon trio brought their king four of the human invaders that had recently been pestering him, after picking them up in the middle of a firefight between G.I. Joe and the Decepticons. The fleshlings escaped, along with a couple of Autobot captives, whenMirage tricked Megatron with a holographic projection of Optimus Prime.Targetmasters The Insecticons were among the Decepticons who gathered underTrypticon for the final battle with the Autobots and G.I. Joe.Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance:Galaxies #1

Bombshell, Kickback, and Skrapnel emerged from theForge Pyramid inIacon at the same time. The trio were born with a ravenous, nigh-insatiable hunger; when they consumed raw materials, they found that they could metabolize whatever they consumed into a particularly powerful form of "ultra-energon". Scientists at the time tried to understand this strange mutation, but when they proved unable to crack the secret behind this miraculous ability the three were turned loose on Cybertron's waste processing industry to recycle garbage and industrial waste into cheap, efficient fuel.Constructicons Rising, Part 2

When theWar of the Threefold Spark swept the planet, the war forced theAutobot government to focus on other priorities, leaving Bombshell and his compatriots without any oversight.Constructicons Rising, Part 2 Bombshell and the other Insecticons approachedExarchon's minionShockwave, who had begun a series ofcloning experiments, and cut a deal with the scientist: in exchange for producing the volatile energon required to fuel his cloning machines, Shockwave would clone them as well.Escape Part Three Shockwave ran some preliminary tests and discovered that the three were well-suited for the rigorous cloning process, but ultimately withheld this information from them, for fear that the Insecticons had only just begun testing the limits of their destructive potential.Escape Part Two After the end of the war, the trio were banished from Cybertron and eventually wound up on the planetMayalx. Bombshell claimed that the Cybertronian government had grown wary of their powers and wondered if they would ever develop a taste for living Cybertronians; because of this, the government rebranded them as the lowly "Insecticons" and put them to work far from Cybertron.Constructicons Rising, Part 2

In the years before theGreat War, the Insecticons joinedThe Rise, a radical splinter group led byShockwave, and worked to recruit disaffected Cybertronians from the colonies to theAscenticon movement.Constructicons Rising, Part 2 Bombshell eventually discovered theConstructicons, and realized that they could be manipulated to help the Insecticons gather energon for the cause.Constructicons Rising, Part 1 After first feasting on a dead workerHook killed by accident, Bombshell and the other three Insecticons confronted the builders during one ofScrapper's regular sparring matches; Bombshell explained their own history and encouragedScrapper and his friends to embrace their full potential by taking revenge on the society that had scorned their talents.Constructicons Rising, Part 2

The Constructicons eventually agreed to attack, using theircombined form; to overcharge the Constructicons, the Insecticons killed and ate three workers, their livingsparks giving the Insecticons the extra juice to produce a particularly volatile variety of energon. Once the Constructicons had over-fuelled on their energon cubes and ravaged the colony as the newly christened Devastator, Bombshell delivered a grisly, ironic toast to Nominus Prime: the bot who'd made this all possible. Many cycles later, after the Insecticons had devoured and processed everything—andeveryone—Devastator had destroyed,Onslaught's unit arrived to take them and their harvest back to Cybertron.Constructicons Rising, Part 4 While Bombshell and the others were in exile, Shockwave began working on a legion ofclones in their image.Storm Horizon Part 3Sea of Rust I

At some point during their exile, the three Insecticons had developed a taste for organic life, and not long after Megatron finally staged a coup instituted martial law acrossIacon, the three got the chance to sate their hunger by rampaging through the city'sXeno-Quarter and attacking theA'ovan habitat. The three killed many of the endangered animals inside the facility beforeHound,Nautica, andRoad Rage arrived and successfully chased them off. As the three retreated back to Shockwave's base, Bombshell told his subordinates it was time to make Shockwave deliver on his promises.Escape Part One Upon arriving, however, Shockwave informed them that the cloning process would take more time before dismissing them. Unwilling to wait, Bombshell used his cerebro-shells to enthrall his fellow RiserSkystalker, then set out with his fellows to ambush a refugee convoy heading toDarkmount.Escape Part Two

In the ensuing battle, the Insecticons made off with a pair ofA'ovan refugees and the AutobotScrambler; after they'd eaten their victims, they reunited with their mind-controlled minion Skystalker as he flew the stolen shuttleThunder Arrow and a load of Shockwave's stolen equipment to a remote location in theCybertronian Mountains. The three soon set up a crude cloning lab and powered Shockwave's stolen machinery with their own energon. Using the Cybertronian strata as raw material, the trio began mass-producing an army of mindless, sparklessclones;Escape Part Four after Shockwave unsuccessfully tried to assassinate the three, their clones swarmed over the city of Darkmount and caused mass destruction before they were finally repelled.Escape Part Four As the wounded remnants of the swarm returned to Darkmount, Bombshell explained the glorious simplicity of his plan: by "harvesting" the swarm and turning them into energon, they could power up the machine to create even more clones.Escape Part Five

Over the next forty cycles, Bombshell and the other Insecticons agreed to a truce with Shockwave under the stipulation that they would cooperate with the new Decepticon regime and send their soldiers when needed. As such, Shockwave contacted Bombshell and ordered him to send his clones to eliminateTermagax'sHouse.Lord of Misrule: Sea of Rust I

In time, the Insecticons gave in to their appetites like never before, experiencing exponential predatory growth. The Insecticlones became an existential threat to the very fabric of Cybertron.The Landscape of Fear Bombshell even began to turn on Kickback and Skrapnel, badgering them to eat even more to feed his cloning machines. A plan was concocted by Termagax to remove the Insecticons as a threat. A strike team of Autobots infiltrated the Insecticons' hive, and planted a receiver on Bombshell. A complexdata-bomb was implanted in a captive Insecticlone at Darkmount, fed back to the receiver on Bombshell and, through him, transmitted to the entire swarm. The Insecticlones were reprogrammed to eat only therust worms, two major threats to Cybertron repurposed to eliminate each other.End of Time

Transformers vs. The Terminator

Bombshell and the other two Insecticons awoke aboard theArk in 1984 once Megatron had killed the still-dormant Optimus Prime; without the Autobots to stop them, the Decepticons began a destructive campaign against humanity that ended with mankind's extinction and the apparent subjugation of theirSkynet defense network.Enemy of My Enemy Part Two In the year2029, the Insecticons joinedStarscream'sSeekers in an attack on Skynet'sOmega Base and emerged triumphant, failing to notice that their enemy had sent aT-800 Terminator back in time to stop this future from ever coming to pass.Enemy of My Enemy Part One

In the altered timeline created as a result of the Terminator's interference, the remaining Decepticons reactivated the Insecticons moments before Optimus himself awoke, and fled with Megatron onceSarah Connor broughtBumblebee back online. While the villains regrouped on the Oregon coastline, Megatron sentRefraktor and the Insecticons to search for potential energy sources. The group returned shortly afterwards, bringing news of a robotics company with an apparent connection to their mysterious cybernetic attacker.Enemy of My Enemy Part Two After successfully invading the headquarters ofCyberdyne Systems, Megatron ordered the three Insecticons to tear the building apart to find any information relating to the Terminator, but they didn't get far before Optimus Prime and the other Autobots intervened.Enemy of My Enemy Part Three In the ensuing battle, the Insecticons teamed up against Bumblebee,Velocity, andArcee; the pink Autobot killed Kickback, however, and the remaining pair found themselves outmaneuvered and incapacitated by their foes. The battle ended with the deaths of both Megatron and the T-800, but when the Autobots took their new prisoners back to theArk they discovered that the time-travelling cyborg had double-crossed the aliens by destroyingMount St. Hilary and their only way home. With no clear way back to Cybertron, Prime suggested a truce, one which Bombshell and the other remaining Decepticons agreed to.Enemy of My Enemy Part Four

My Little Pony/Transformers

Bombshell was among the many Transformers transported toEquestria through a malfunctioningspacebridge.Transformation Is Magic The Insecticons set aboutcloning themselves, and the combined swarm attacked theSweet Apple Acres farm and began devouring everything in sight. A horrifiedApplejack managed to oust the invaders from her farm with the assistance ofDiscord and her extended family.Strength in Numbers Bombshell joined the attack on theCrystal Empire but was eventually banished back to Cybertron with the other Decepticons.Finale

Later, Bombshell was one of the many Cybertronians mind-controlled byKing Sombra, and helped excavateScorponok before Optimus Prime and his Autobots attacked. After Sombra's defeat, Bombshell and the others were returned to normal.Finale

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

Bombshell,Skywarp, both, orneither of them were reformatted into theHerald of UnicronCyclonus.Kingdom Cyclonus product description^[2]

Commercial appearances

Bombshell, Shrapnel, and Kickback led an enormous swarm of Insecticons to attack a farm.Insecticons commercial

Games

The Transformers (PS2)

The Transformers (PS2)

Transformers Legends

Hardshell and his Insecticons once capturedSnarl andSlug of the Lightning Strike Coalition, and delivered the prisoners toShockwave's lab, for the Decepticon scientist to experiment on them.Rescue the King

Chafing under Megatron's rule, Hardshell and his fellow Insecticons began raiding energy storage and high-energy research facilities worldwide. The energy gave them increased size and power, and it was only when the Autobots and Decepticons formed an alliance that they were able to be stopped.Harvest of the Insecticons WhenUltra Magnus returned to Earth with new troops in the form ofWreck-Gar andWheelie, the Insecticons managed to ambush them.Junkion Reunion The Decepticons managed to stealNightbird, and Megatron had Hardshell reprogram her to serve the Decepticon cause. Though she succeeded in stealing theWorld Energy Chip from Autobot HQ, the Decepticons were forced to come to her aid and failed to prevent her falling back into Autobot hands.Enter the Nightbird Bombshell was among the Decepticons who attacked Cybertron during an alliance with the Quintessons.Five Faces of Darkness: Part 3

At some point he was reformatted intoCyclonus.The Coronation of Starscream

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Bombshell participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was a Super Rare character who could be acquired as a reward in the "Insecticons HUNGER!" event.Transformers: Battle Tactics

Transformers: Devastation

The Game Full of Death and Suffering...! This character article is astub and is missing information on theirvideo game appearances. You can helpTransformers Wiki byexpanding it. Transformers: Devastation

Transformers: Earth Wars

Bombshell is one of the more elite warriors that arrived on Earth at the same time withHuffer.Transformers: Earth Wars

• Class: Special
• Lowest Star Rating: 2 star (was 3 star)
• Weapons: Bombshell dual wields plasma-emitting pistols. Like Skrapnel, he can also dodge cannon and mortar fire.
• Ability: Defense Attack- Bombshell can hack enemy defense for a given amount of time (depending on upgraded ability) making it attack other defenses at double speed but at 75% damage.
  • Cost:4 ability points +3 reuses.
  • Range: 16

Bombshell at Transformers: Earth Wars Wiki

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Bombshell was a sadistic Insecticon with the power to control minds.Decepticon Directive He and his Targetmaster partnerNeedler once attempted to study the origin ofcombiner technology; Bombshell came to the dark conclusion that the secrets of combination likely predated Cybertron itself, and that Cybertronian combiners were tapping dark forces beyond their comprehension.The Enigma of Combination

Toys

The Transformers

• Bombshell (Insecticon,1985)

• Takara ID number:41
• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster"
• Known designers:Takashi Matsuda (TakaraTomy)

Released early in the second year ofHasbro'sThe Transformers toyline (and in the first year of theEuropean toyline and Takara'sFight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers line), Bombshell is a redeco of theDiaclone Waruder Insecter Robo "Kabutron" toy, transforming into a robotic rhinoceros beetle. As aDiaclone mold he has a "pilot compartment" revealed by opening his clear-yellow chest, but on its own there's not much you can do with it.

There is a variation on the mold's insect mode horn; some versions have a rounded indent on the chromed part near the base-joint, allowing it to fold down further inrobot mode (pictured at right).

In Japan, Bombshell and the other "Insectrons" were part of the first year ofTakara'sFight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers series. The trio were subsequently "re-released" as mail-order items from 1987 through 1990, a the cost of 880 yen (their normal retail price) and twoRobot Points; it seems (but has not been confirmed) that the Insecticons offered through mail-away offers were Hasbro-packaged releases, thus it's possible the later indented-horn version might have been made available in Japan that way.

This mold was used to make theSalvo drones.

• Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Bombshell at Transformerland.com
• More information on Bombshell at TFU.info

• Bombshell with Needler (Action Master,1991)

• Accessories: "Needler" partner, "short burst stinger rifle"
• Known designers:Andy Couzens (Hasbro),Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy),Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Released in the seventh year of theEuropean-marketTransformers toyline (the first year following the end of the US line),Action Master Bombshell is a non-transforming 3¾-inch action figure that combines the cartoon model with a few toy-based elements, feauturing a swivel neck, shoulders, knees and steel-ball-jointed hips. Interestingly enough, his distinctive head-cannon is no longer on his skull, but his hand-held blaster bears a similar design. He is designed to be compatible with any other Action Master vehicle or accessory.

He comes with his robot scarabpartnerNeedler, who forms a backpack/battle helmet for Bombshell.

Bombshell was part of the fourth assortment of individually-carded Action Masters, which was only available in European markets. As such, he commands a pretty hefty price tag on the secondary market (as do all the European-exclusive Action Masters).

• More information on Action Master Bombshell at tfu.info.

The Transformers Collection

• Insectrons (multi-pack,2004)

• ID number:16
• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster"
• Known designers:Pat Lee (packaging artist)

The original Bombshell toy was released as part of Takara'sThe Transformers Collection, in a set withKickback andShrapnel. This set also included three soft-plasticenergon cube accessories that fit inside their chest compartments.

The Bombshell in this set not only lacks the horn-indent of later variations, but has a couple other minor mold-differences to boot, with the horn lacking the "bumps" near the tip and base.

Universe (2008)

• Insecticons (Multi-pack,2009)

• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster"

The original Bombshell was also released in Hasbro's markets as part of theUniverse line, as aToys"R"Usexclusive, in a set with his Insecticon pals. Like with his 2008Robot Heroes incarnation (see below), Bombshell has been renamed "Hardshell" fortrademark reasons.

This Bombshell uses the slightlyretooledTransformers Collection version of the horn. The tiny insect mode legs on the middle of his arms have also been retooled to be detachable, owing to breakage issues.

• More information on Hardshell at TFU.info.

Kre-O

• Hardshell (Kreon Micro-Changer,2013)

• Collection:2
• Bag number:***** 67
• Accessories: Logo brick (or plate), large rifle
• Known designers:Ed Masiello (Hasbro)

As part of the second Collection ofblindpackedKre-OMicro-Changers, Hardshell is aKreon that can be rebuilt from robot mode into a rhinoceros beetle of some sort. He uses theMegatron style helmet.

This Collection was still in circulation at "dollar" stores and drug stores up through 2015. They eventually lost the individual-identifying bag codes, but other changes were hidden inside the bag. The 2015 releases replaced the 2x4 logo stand-brick with a new 3x4 logo plate. The Kreon was also given the slightretooling to the arm seen in the 2014 Kreons, making the "cuff" parts more sharp-cornered and better adapted to being used as studs. Some of the add-on pieces may also be slightly off-color, possibly due to a change in factories in mid-production.

• More information on Hardshell at TFU.info

• Kreon Class of 1985 (Kreon figure set,2015)

• Set number:B5152
• Voted: Best at Convincing Someone Else to Do His Homework
• Accessories: Blaster

TheKreon Class of '85 "Insecticon Bombshell" Kreon has a deco much more heavily based on theoriginal Bombshell toy. Like the rest of the set, he uses the almost-totally-retooled 2015 style of Kreon body.

This box set of thirty Kreons was aSan Diego Comic-Con 2015exclusive, with leftovers being sold onHasbro Toy Shop online after the show.

• More information on Class of 1985 Bombshell at TFU.info

• Hardshell (Kreon Micro-Changer,2016)

• Collection:2
• Accessories: Logo plate, large rifle

In 2016, Collection 2 was re-released in a whole new production run for Dollar General stores in the U.S. as part of a large collection of re-releasedKre-O sets. But where most of the re-releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Hardshell'stampographs are almost totally unchanged, basically his Decepticon symbol now has a white outline and that's it.

Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.

Combiner Wars

• Bombshell (Legends Class,2015)

• Known designers:John Warden (Hasbro)

Released in the first wave ofCombiner Wars Legends Class toys, this version of Bombshell (he finally got his name back!) is based once more on his cartoon character model, still transforming into a robotic rhinoceros beetle. His hand holes are sized for 5 mm accessories. The lower pair of arthropod legs mounted on his robot-mode legs can fold in further than the upper pair, but this causes them to interfere and prevents him from standing fully.

Bombshell wasprobably meant to have a third "weapon" mode like the rest of the new-moldCombiner Wars Legends Class figures, as his forearms end in blaster/thruster details, and his knees/beetle-butt have5 mm posts on them. However, instructions for this mode have never been released. There's nothing stopping you from working it out for yourself—a stable configuration probably involves pegging his arms together to form the barrels of the gun, then rotating his waist and flipping one of his knee pegs to form a handle.

Bombshell includes a collector card featuring art from the "Junkion Reunion" episode ofTransformers Legends.

This mold was redecoed intoAdventureBombshell, and served as the model forShattered Glass Bombshell in "Epilogue Two".

• More information onGenerations Bombshell at TFU.info

Platinum Edition

• Insecticons (Platinum Edition 3-pack, 2015)

• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster", Energon cube

Part of thePlatinum Edition Insecticon 3-pack along with Shrapnel and Kickback, this Bombshell figure is yet another reissue of the original toy. He also includes an Energon cube accessory fromThe Transformers Collection release. It is uncertain if there are any physical differences between this release and the prior one.

This set was released as aKmart exclusive in the United States. However, it was also stocked by US-based online retailersBigBadToyStore and TFSource, who supposedly obtained it as an import from Asia. It was available in several of Hasbro's Asian markets (namely Singapore, the Philippines and China; it's currently unknown whether it was exclusive to any particular stores there or not). In Canada and Australia, it was sold atToys"R"Us stores, whereas in the United Kingdom, it was officially available via the UK division ofAmazon and A1Toys. In Germany, it was originally available via Bankroft, an online retailer that otherwise specializes inNerf blasters and accessories, as part of a special "Fan Edition" arrangement through Hasbro Germany, with the help of several Germanfan sites. Due to low sales, the unsold stock was later sold to Actionfiguren24, a German online retailer that specializes in imported toys, who was able to lower its price for its existing stock of imported Insecticon sets as a result.

Legacy

• Insecticon Bombshell (Deluxe Class,2023)

• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster", 2 insect back legs/blasters
• Known designers:Mark Maher (Hasbro),Shuhei Umezu (TakaraTomy)^[3]

Released in the seventh wave ofLegacy Deluxes, under theEvolutionsubline imprint, "Insecticon Bombshell" is anextensiveretooling of the line'sShrapnel, utilizing previously unused tabs from him, (though curiously, not the square holes in his shin panels which he didn't use either) and with everything from the waist up being totally new, except the forearms and hands. Once again he turns into a rhinoceros beetle, and in a fit of cartoon-accuracy, his horn is ridiculously short, as is his gun. This weapon can store on the back of his insect mode with no choice but to go off on one side in one of the two ports on top of his abdomen. Unlike Kickback and Shrapnel, the weapon cannot be alternatively stored away on his underside in bug mode. Unmentioned by the instructions, the beast mode has an articulated jaw on a hinge.

While any vestigial engineering in his lower body can be attributed to the simultaneous design of both his and Shrapnel's legs, his newly tooled back also sports additional unused features. Instead of a 5 mm port in the center of his back like mostLegacy toys have, there is only a shallow rectangular slot which would be used later forBarrage's chest to peg into place.

WhileLegacy generally strives for cartoon accuracy as much as possible in its "G1" offerings, Bombshell's torso going from purple in bug mode to gray in robot mode was pretty much impossible to replicate, thus it's purple in both modes. Promo images such as the one featured here show the bug mode's "eyes" painted in a pearlescent yellow, while the actual figure instead features flat yellow paint.

Bombshell's head-scoop is painted silver, and in insect mode it pegs snugly inside a purple-painted slot on his collar. Beware of scraping the paint off during transformation.

He includes his impulse blaster, and his rear insect legs are removable to serve as hand-held guns. The three can combine into a triple-barreled blaster accessory with the unbridled power ofEvo-Fusion.

Bombshell would be further retooled into bothBarrage andChop Shop.

Transformers Retro

• Bombshell & Ramhorn (2024)

• Accessories: Twin ion impulse blaster; six energon cubes

Released as part of theTransformers Retro line, exclusive toWalmart, this reissue of G1 Bombshell has a more cartoon-accurate paint scheme (in robot mode, at least), and all of the formerly chromed parts and accessories now feature metallic paint instead. It is packaged in a reproduction of the original Bombshell box which, as it happens, was big enough to include a similarly cartoon-deco reissue of G1Ramhorn.

Oddly, the instruction sheet shows the final robot mode for Bombshell as having his blaster inserted into the wheel on his forearm - this is impossible as there's no actual hole there and you cannot make one without, presumably, breaking the toy.

Dramatic Capture Series

• Decepticons Part 2 (Multi-pack, 2026)

• Release date:February 28, 2026
• Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster", 2 insect back legs/blasters
• Known designers:Mark Maher (Hasbro),Shuhei Umezu (TakaraTomy)

The TakaraTomyDramatic Capture Series representation of Bombshell is a redeco of theLegacy version above, aiming for greater show-accuracy. Primarily, this means he has a grey robot torso like in the cartoon (which results in a grey beetle thorax hedidn't have in the cartoon, oh well), but also means he loses his sticker-style detail paint, and his arms are now solid black.

He was only available in a giftset withSkywarp,Kickback, andShrapnel, as well as handheld accessory versions ofMegatron,Shockwave,Soundwave, andReflector.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Merchandise

Decoy

• Bombshell (Decoy,1987)

Bombshell was one of the DecepticonDecoys packed in with smaller cardedTransformers toys. While the normal purple version could come on any Decepticon toy, the rarer red version was availableonly onThrottlebot cards and only for a short while before the switch to purple.

• More information on Decoy Bombshell at TFU.info.

• Destron Hero Collection-22 Set (Decoy multi-pack, 1987)

The entire run of twenty-two Decepticon Decoys were sold as a single boxed set in Japan, only in purple.

Hard Hero

• Bombshell (Hard Hero statue,2003)

Number 3 inHard Hero's "Insecticon Series", Bombshell is a 9-inch cold-cast porcelain statue sculpted byJason Ray. Only a thousand pieces of the statue were produced.

Robot Heroes

• Perceptor & Hardshell (Two-pack,2008)

• Known designers:Bill Rawley (Hasbro),Marcelo Matere (concept artist)

Another victim of trademark losses, Bombshell'sRobot Heroes figurine goes by the name "Hardshell". Part of the fourth wave ofUniverse Robot Heroes, he's packed versusPerceptor as part of the "Generation 1 Series". His sculpt and colors are based mostly on hischaracter model.

• More information on Robot Heroes Hardshell at tfu.info.

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Bombshell, Insecticon Mind-Controller (2018)
  • Wave 1
  • Rarity:CT
  • Card Number:T07/T40
  • Stars:8

Bombshell, Insecticon Mind-Controller is one of forty double-sided character cards available in Wave 1 of theTransformers Trading Card Game.

The artwork for the card is reused from theTransformers Legends mobile game.

• Bombshell, Decepticon Psy Ops (2019)
  • Wave 2: Rise of the Combiners
  • Rarity:RT
  • Card Number:T12/T46
  • Stars:11

Bombshell, Decepticon Psy Ops is one of forty-six character cards released in Wave 2 of theTransformers Trading Card Game, Rise of the Combiners.

The artwork for the card is reused from theTransformers Legends mobile game.

ULTIMATES!

• Bombshell (ULTIMATES!, 2021)
  • Accessories: "Twin ion impulse blaster", "short burst stinger rifle", Needler partner, closed fists (L & R), gripping hands (L & R), open hands (L & R)

Part of the first wave ofTransformers ULTIMATES! fromSuper7, Bombshell is a 7-inch-tall action figure based on his Action Master toy. Despite his retro look, he hasway more articulation than the original, including multi-directional joints at the neck, shoulders (though the outward swivel is heavily restricted by the shoulder armor), wrists, hips, and ankles; plus swivel biceps, elbows, knees, and a bit of ab crunch. His hands pop out at the wrists so they can be replaced with his additional spare hands in different poses; however, the "gripping" hands are actually too small to hold either of his blasters (one based on the Action Master's accessory, one based on the original toy's) by their very thick, cylindrical handles, leaving that job to the open hands, which are not the most secure grip.

He also comes with his Action Master partnerNeedler. Needler's "head" can pop off and replace Bombshell's, emulating the Action Master's "mask" gimmick.

Preorders for Bombshell (and the rest of Wave 1) opened onJanuary 29 2021, and closed onFebruary 28. The wave was originally scheduled for shipping in winter of that year, but due to ongoing worldwide shipping delays, did not reach US shores until May of 2022, properly reaching buyers in early June.

Blokees

• Shrapnel (2025)

• Series:Galaxy Version 08 - One Shall Fall

The Shrapnel kit from the eighth wave ofBlokees'Galaxy Version blindbox kits comes with an additional small kit of Bombshell in his alternate mode.

• Bombshell (2025)

• Series:Galaxy Version 09 - ???
• Accessories: Twin ion impulse blaster

First teased on theBlokees official site's listing of the eighthGalaxy Version kits and fully revealed at the China Toy Expo 2025, Bombshell is one of the last three major Insecticons confirmed for release in the ninth wave. He is a roughly 4-inch-tall, highly articulated, and non-transforming snap-on model kit of the Insecticon's Psychological Warfare. He is built on a "Standard Body" skeleton shared with otherBlokees figures in the line, but with different body pieces to make them distinct. As advertised in the box, Bombshell has a pull rate of 1 in every 9 boxes, or three times across four cases. Aside from the 2 pairs of hands, he comes with his Twin ion impulse blaster. Bombshell features numerous upgraded parts since the line's 5th wave, including pre-assembled single-hinge elbow joints and double-jointed knees, along with updated articulation such as ball-jointed wrists, a slide-down hip joint axis, and rotating upper thigh joints, similar to his wavemates.

Because the newly designed knee joints are made to fit the narrow gaps in the thighs and lower legs, they are incompatible with joints from previous releases, including those used for the elbows. If you're a speed builder, be careful when attaching the pre-assembled joints; Unlike the symmetrical joints from earlier waves, the pegs on both ends of these joints are designed to connect to specific pieces; The tabs with slightly smaller holes are meant for the upper arms and thighs, while the regular tabs are intended for the forearms and lower legs. However, doing it incorrectly still won't affect the articulation.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail. December 2025 release

Auldey

• Bombshell (Alpha Action Elite, 2025)

• Series:The Demon Star Approaches
• ID Number:
• Accessories::
• Known designers:Lam Ahtek

Sold as part ofAuldey's "Alpha Action Elite (AAE)" series of blindboxes, this Bombshell is a roughly 2-inch non-transforming but highly articulated action figure.

WithKickback andShrapnel released in previous waves, the Insecticons are as the first complete subgroup in the AAE series.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Notes

• Bombshell was initially to have been shot from behind by Mirage in the Battle of Autobot City, and would have been shown as dead before being thrown out of the shuttle in the movie; early storyboards show Thundercracker carrying Bombshell's corpse into Astrotrain, explaining why Bombshell was one of the ones thrown out of Astrotrain.
• A proposedFun PublicationsBotConexclusive was a redeco ofGenerations Deluxe ClassDarkmount into Generation 1 Bombshell/Hardshell.^[4]
• Combiner Wars Legends ClassBombshell had an alternate "pretooled" head designed by Hasbro forVenom (presumably for the trademark-friendly modern name "Venin"), but this tooling was never used.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Bombshell (ボンブシェルBonbusheru, ボムシェルBomusheru)
• Hungarian:Szilánk (Marvel Comics, "Shard")
• French:Obus (Canada)
• Italian:Prudox
• Mandarin:Zhàdàn (炸弹, "Bomb")
• Portuguese:Granada (Portugal comic),Bomba (Brazil comic)
• Russian:Bombomjot (cartoon, Бомбомёт, "Bomber")
• Ukrainian:Hranata (ICTV, Граната, "Grenade")

References

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