Shadow Panther is aPredacon from theBeast Wars portion of theGeneration 1continuity family.

The kid-identification character getting ablack redeco is actually not unheard of.

Shadow Panther (シャドーパンサーShadō Pansā) is the Predacons' undercover agent, taking his role seriously to the point of remodelling himself to look like theMaximalCheetor so that he can easily lure in unsuspecting Maximal prey and kill them from within the cover of darkness. To aid him in his deception is the stealth effect from his black body that renders him invisible to radar, allowing him an easier time to fire his sense-dampening Shadow Mist or his powerful laser shotgun, the Panther Shot. Augmenting his peerless skills as a spy is his blazing speed as a black panther, granting him the nickname of "Black Bullet", and this speed extends to his ability to effortlessly assume a shooting position right from his transformation into robot mode.

Some may consider his methods cowardly, but that doesn't alleviate the fact that his terrifying qualities all combine to make Shadow Panther a truly fearsome Predacon warrior.

Fiction

2006 IDWBeast Wars continuity

While Shadow Panther's fellow Predacons saw only pain and failure in their history, Shadow Panther saw a golden age. He had spent years studying the records of hisDecepticon ancestors, and idolizedMegatron's inner circle of loyalists as the very best of their kind. He held a special fascination forRavage, with whom he felt some kind of spiritual connection.

This eccentricity didn't affect his effectiveness as a spy, however. Cloaking himself in shadows and in illusions created by hisholographic emitter, he executed his missions with grace and precision. On the rare occasions when he encountered opposition, he used aneuro-weapon to paralyze his foes. His sole weakness, which he shared with his idol, was hisoptic sensors' inability to adjust to bright light.Beast Wars Sourcebook #3

Beast Wars: Uprising

Shadow Panther was the head of thePredacon Secret Police, although rumors swirled about his origins and true allegiance, with some saying he was secretly a Builder rebuilt as a Predacon, or that his Spark had been altered by aliens. Which was, of course, ridiculous. After theGrand Uprising, he became a part of the secondTripredacus Alliance and a representative of theIndependent Predacus States at theCybertronian Parliament.Derailment

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

The Predacons traveled across time to find theAllspark and change the fate ofCybertron. While battling the Maximals on pre-Ice AgeEarth, both sides were joined by theAutobots and Decepticons, their epic battle changing their combined destinies forever.

Shadow Panther's function was a ninja, and hetrans-scanned into a black panther. His Shadow Mist and Panther Shot were his powers and weapons, and his core traits were his stealth, speed, and deviousness. Shadow Panther's message from the future was that he should stick to the shadows.Kingdom webpage^[1]

Toys

Beast Wars

Fuzzy kitty!

• Shadow Panther (Deluxe,1997)

• ID number:D-7
• Release date: October ??, 1997
• Accessories: "Panther Shot" rifle/tail, "Shadow Mist" water-squirting gun

Part of the second wave of —and exclusive to—Takara'sBeast Wars toyline, Shadow Panther is aredeco of the original Deluxe ClassCheetor toy in black, silver, and yellow, transforming into a generic big feline. His tail/flanks separate to form a non-firing "Panther Shot" blaster, while his underbelly forms a water-shooting "Shadow Mist" that can be used in either mode. His robot-mode head can also flip down to reveal a bestial "mutant head".

Much later, in early2000, this toy was offered through Hasbro's online collector service,HasbroCollectors.com. Initially, it was sold under the toy's original name and identity,^[2] but months later, the site relisted it under the name of "Tripredacus Agent",repurposing the toy as the same character asRavage (then called "Tripredacus Agent" due totrademark issues). Though the toy's online bio (a translation of the Japanese "Shadow Panther" bio) remained unchanged for the "Tripredacus Agent" listing, it was worded vaguely enough to enable it to also be used for the toy's repurposed identity.^[3] The bio for theWalmartexclusiveTransmetals 2Tripredacus Agent would mention how the "former saboteur" had taken on "several aliases while involved the Beast Wars," in an apparent attempt to further harmonize Shadow Panther with Ravage/Tripredacus Agent.

• More information on Shadow Panther at TFU.info

Hey, look at me, I'm a panther! No... I'm PANTHOR!

• Kōya no Taiketsu: Rhinox VS Shadow Panther (Vs pack, 1997)

• ID number:VS-7
• Release date: October ??, 1997
• Accessories: "Panther Shot" rifle/tail, "Shadow Mist" water-squirting gun

Shadow Panther was available both as an individual and in a "Wilderness Showdown" (荒野の対決Kōya no Taiketsu) two-pack withRhinox. Both toys are identical to their individual releases, and both variants of Rhinox were available in this set as well.

This set was also available in 2000 in its original Takara box via Hasbro's now-defunct HasbroCollectors.com site to American fans. A few stickers were added to the box for hazard/safety notices.

Masterpiece

"I'mma track down anyone who'd even think about being loyal to you! And I'm gonna put their ass in the dirt, right next to Rhinox!"

• Shadow Panther (Beast Wars) (Masterpiece,2018)

• ID number:MP-34S
• Release date:August 25, 2018
• Accessories: Three cheetah heads, three cheetah eyes, three robot faces, "Panther Eye"mutant head, "Shadow Mist" gut-gun, "Panther Shot" tail-gun, comlink (beast mode), comlink (robot mode)

Masterpiece Shadow Panther is a redeco ofMasterpieceCheetus. Shadow Panther transforms from a blackcheetah panther to a robot based on Cheetor's show model, albeit taking a few shortcuts (such as using a faux cheetah head for the robot mode torso). He comes with two different guns: his traditional "gut gun" and his secondary "rump gun". Additionally, he sports three different robot faces (serious, angry and smiling), three different cheetah heads (neutral, angry and shocked) and three different pairs of cheetah eyes (looking straight, looking to his left and one with no pupils). Both weapons can stow on his backside. His hands are completely removable at the wrist, which makes it much easier for you to put his "rump gun" in his hand. This release also includes a new "Panther Eye" head (an imitation of the original toy'smutant head gimmick) and two communications devices based on the episode "The Web", that were originally planned for release withMasterpiece Cheetus but were ultimately scrapped with that release for whatever reason.^[4] In an unprecedented call-back, the art on Shadow Panther's collector card uses the original CG render from the originalBeast Wars toy rather than artwork designed specifically for theMasterpiece figure.^[5]

Shadow Panther was released in Japan viaTakaraTomy Mall, and was also scheduled for release in Australia as an onlineToys"R"Us exclusive. Unfortunately, Shadow Panther never saw release there due to the close-down of the entire Australian Toys"R"Us chain. When purchased from a seller supplied by Hasbro Asia, Shadow Panther includes acollector coin mounted on a card shaped like a panther head. Strangely, despite being aligned with the Predacons, Shadow Panther's coin and the card it is mounted on have Maximal insignias.^[5]

War for Cybertron: Kingdom

Toothy fella.

• Shadow Panther (Deluxe Class,2021)

• Hasbro ID number:WFC-K31
• TakaraTomy ID number:KD EX-16
• TakaraTomy release date:June 25,2022
• Accessories: Tail whip

Part of the fourth wave ofKingdom Deluxe Class toys, Shadow Panther is aretool ofCheetor from the same line, with a new head based on the original figure'smutant head. He transforms into a "panther" in 20 steps. Shadow Panther's tail can detach to become a bladed whip, similar toCheetor's Transmetal toy. His beast mode has fully articulated limbs and his jaw can open and close.

Shadow Panther shares the same issues regarding his beast mode neck and elbow tabs as the previous usages of the Cheetor mold.

Like most of this toyline, Shadow Panther comes with one of four possible holographicGolden Disk cards for his wave, which reveals apossible destiny of a key character. Along with his wave mateWaspinator, Shadow Panther lacks the cave painting depicting his beast mode on the back of the box. Also like his wave-mate, his metal pins are black.

Most of his stock photography used by online retailers shows a version of the toy that lacks all yellow plastic and instead shows those parts cast in black plastic.

In Japan, Shadow Panther was released as aTakaraTomy Mall exclusive.

Swapticons

• Ravage / Shadow Panther (Two-pack,2025)

• Swapticons number:5

Part of the second wave ofSwapticons two-packs, Shadow Panther is a redeco ofCheetor and transforms into the front half of a semi-organic/semi-robotic jaguar. While his nominal placement is as the front half of a full loaf-like robo-jaguar with his pack-in partnerRavage, he can attach to any other Swapticon, front or back, to make whatever silly abomination you feel like unleashing.

Merchandise

ReAction

• Shadow Panther (July 7, 2024)
  • Accessories: Gun

Released bySuper7,ReAction Shadow Panther is (naturally) a redeco ofReAction Cheetor, a non-transforming 3.75” figure with five points of articulation (swivel neck, shoulders, hips). He includes his traditional "gut-gun."

Shadow Panther wasexclusive toTarget. He comes packaged on a small cardback that mixes the design of the originalBeast Wars packaging with some nostalgic elements resemblingKenner'sStar Wars action figures from the late 1970s to early '80s.

Gallery

• 

  Kingdom art

References