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TF: Earthspark Shockwave

Alright, here we go! The long overdue analysis of Earthspark's portrayal of Shockwave!

TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT!

So, right off the bat, the first thing I noticed about Earthspark's version of Shockwave, much like their Soundwave, is MUCH more emotional than previous iterations of Shockwave (MTMTE or Prime) and is maybe even much more in line with his G1 or TF:A iterations. This seems to be a recurring theme within Earthspark with some of the more historically "stoic" characters, but I'm wondering if that's intentional because it still works so well - that is to say, the representations are not inherently out-of-character, but rather moreso show off how these characters would react in specific circumstances that... previous generations have never explored before. It's FASCINATING. More on that later.

One thing that stands out to me regarding Shockwave that... does strike me as maybe a little bit odd is that in Earthspark he seems far more dedicated to the cause than to Megatron. This is Unusual in terms of how he's usually written, but also not surprising. It seems a little bit MTMTE-y because it does give off the vibes that he has his own underlying motives, which is very Shockwave-y in the sense that he almost always seems like... one step ahead of everything. But... I think Megatron switching sides was like. NOT something he planned for, and it threw him off quite badly. We can see this in the flashback scene wherein Megatron steals the Allspark from him. He doesn't, like, initially seem angry with Megatron at all, rather, he moreso expresses excitement for plans, and talks like he hopes to regain Megatron's alliance and sway him back to the Decepticons.

Megatron calls him "old friend" and says it doesn't have to be like this (obviously trying to get Shockwave to switch sides as he has with everyone so far), and Shockwave doesn't refute it he just seems very calm and also seems like he's... trying to remind Megatron of his own goals? The "you made it like this" (notice, does NOT initially call him a traitor like others have so far) and when Megatron asks why he responds, quote, "For our glory! We will conquer this planet, and resurrect our own, under Decepticon rule. With this, the Autobots will kneel before us!" The way he says these lines... it doesn't sound like they're coming from him. It literally sounds like he's using Megatron's own words and logic against him, especially the way he says "For our glory!". It just sounds like he's trying to remind Megatron of what HE himself had said in the past... kind of like "isn't it obvious? This is what you've been telling us the entire time."

I think he was halfway expecting to be able to sway Megatron back to his side by excitedly revealing his project. The way he says "It will end" almost sounds, like... comforting? Like he's trying to reassure Megatron like, I understand! You're tired of fighting! But look what I made for you, we won't have to fight anymore. He doesn't attack Megatron, he doesn't seem aggressive with the reveal beyond raising his voice - but it doesn't sound angry it sounds like. Triumphant! It sounds almost like he wanted Megatron to be proud of him? Of what he had accomplished in the name of the Decepticons, of giving them a tool to end the war... and he seemed genuinely surprised when Megatron betrayed him by hitting him. Like he genuinely wasn't... expecting that. Listen to the way he says Megatron's name after being shoved in the cryo-chamber... he's confused, desperate. Doesn't understand why Megatron isn't... listening to reason? He calls him a traitor only after Megatron approaches and activates the cryo chamber - once it's obvious what Megatron is going to do. And THIS is where you can hear anger in his voice - a tone/bitterness that just wasn't present before. And he's even MORE angry after being woken up later because he expected Megatron - his friend - to listen to reason... (but more on that later.)

The storyboards honestly give a much better view of Shockwave's expressions before being frozen and I'm actually so disappointed this wasn't portrayed as well in the final cut... He is SO expressive here and actually looks SO GENUINELY SAD. He does end in that same position, though, and it's just... it's so obvious he was meant to look and feel... surprised and sad and betrayed. The way they speak to each other during this entire scene, Shockwave's reactions to everything... I think they were very close at one point. I think their relationship may have been similar to TF:A Shockwave's sort of "anything for you, my liege" kind of deal, but switching sides? It just went against everything he knew and he truly felt like he could bring Megatron back to his senses... but when that didn't work? Shockwave was trying, but Megatron wouldn't have it. Only then did Shockwave kinda... realize that it was over. (Megatron divorced TWO people??? DAMN.)

Trust is broken. Later once he wakes up, one of the first things he does is ACCUSES Megatron of lying when he says the war is over/he's been offline for years. "Back off" is said very aggressively and angrily as he threatens moreso Megatron than anyone else with the immobilizer. It kinda looks like he didn't even... notice the Terrans are there until he accidentally grabs one (looks like he was aiming for Megs, and looks a little bit surprised and curious about what the fuck he just grabbed with the way he kinda. Tilts his head and looks at Thrash), and until Megatron explicitly brings them up. And then he's like, "Them? Just who exactly is them?" (The voice acting in this line KILLS ME!!!) He's like morbidly curious about the Terrans but also... like, jealous? And ANGRY with the way he fucking throws Thrash like he's PERSONALLY offended him. It feels like he almost deliberately harms the Terrans just to piss off Megatron, and also seems offended that Megatron not only tried to replace him, but their entire species with the Terrans. Unfortunately, Shockwave… definitely seems to think of cybertronians as superior to all other lifeforms, lmfao.

(Side note, the way he says "Abominations. Accidents of the Ember Stone." seems to imply that he like... at the very least understood what was happening, how it happened, and why it happened?? Does he know more about Terran biology and how the Ember Stone works than Megatron or the Terrans themselves? He seems to recognize what had happened and seems angry about it.)

I'm also fucking losing my mind at the way he says "You think you can just START OVER?" And "Except that you'll eventually betray them. Just like you did ME." HE'S SO FUCKING BITTER. Notice the wording, he doesn't say "Us" or "The Decepticons" he says "ME". He's 100% taking this personal. I... actually think he might not REALLY think as lowly of the Terrans as he makes it seem tbh... Shockwave should normally be fascinated by these kinds of things and see them as an opportunity, not an affront. He's a scientist, after all. I think he's actually just taking his anger out on them because he views Megatron as having replaced him with something new and better, or something he considers "experimental". The Ember Stone could have been very useful to the Decepticon cause - instead Megatron is using it against him (unintentionally but Shockwave views it as just another betrayal).

He almost seems to hesitate after shooting Megatron at first like. Oh man. Did I really do that? Like he moreso shot him impulsively out of anger... Then tries to use the immobilizer when Megatron starts to get up to avoid fighting him altogether, but misses and hits the Terrans instead (again...). Which, seems to make him realize that, okay, Megatron is definitely gonna retaliate now... so he keeps attacking until Megatron hits him. If he were actually trying to fight/hurt Megatron, he wouldn't just stand there and wait for Megatron to catch up - he knows how Megatron fights, and taking a full force punch by the dude is not wise. If he wanted to fight at first, he would've blown up his lab as his first point of order. Instead, he only does it after Megatron hits him and he loses the immobilizer. Now it's serious. Now we're fighting.

"The war continues so long as I stand to oppose you." Makes it sound like he's aiming for a new leadership position, or to continue the war? But at the same time, "Let's go out with fireworks" seems to imply that he's going to take both of them down. The like "I know I'm going down but I'm taking you with me" mindset? Like he's not confident in his own abilities as a fighter? But at the same time he totally whoops Megatron's ass and displays some extremely intuitive and skilled fighting - like he's confidently on par with Megs in terms of combat ability. (Also wtf is his alt mode? It looks like a really weird mobile anti-aircraft weapon.)

The way he talks and fights almost makes it seem like he had a sudden change of heart and realized - after Megs punched him - that he's so angry he wants nothing more than to hurt Megatron, even at his own expense and destruction. Does he feel like he has nothing left to lose with the war gone, Megatron on a different side, the space bridge destroyed, and the Terrans to replace him? This doesn't feel like it's about the war, otherwise he wouldn't be so self destructive. This feels like it's JUST about Megatron. Which is even more backed up by the fact that he keeps shooting Megatron when he's already down and laughs about it, later saying "You brought this on yourself Megatron." He just wants to hurt Megatron as much and as badly as Megatron hurt him. He's on a revenge trip. He doesn't even care about the humans or Terrans anymore, otherwise he'd have shot Mo on sight. Instead he actually gives her a choice, telling her to leave, "or perish with the traitor." He doesn't really care about destroying the humans. Just Megatron... and then he gets fucking frozen so... rip!! He was so angry he hadn't even realized that Megs had grabbed the immobilizer - which is a convenient way to end the fight from, you know, a plot-perspective, but it also seems slightly OOC unless he was just... extremely distracted by his own anger/destructive motivations. (And Mo.)

I think, given the massive breakout in Hashtag's episode (in which it isn't... explicitly clear whether they got everyone back in their cells), he might eventually reunite with/get saved by Starscream and/or Soundwave... which is just gonna lead to chaoooss. I also think... Soundwave and Shockwave will end up getting along super well and lowkey bond over their mutual breakup with Megatron skdhjssjms... They're both expressing far more emotions than in previous iterations, both obviously hurt and bitter and taking the betrayal super personally... and they're just... alike in mind and motivation. I'd like to see them team up in future episodes. (The wavewave in me is SCREAMING)

Aaanyways, that's all I've got for you!! This post got WAY too long way too fast, but I'm really excited to see what's coming next!! I absolutely LOVE this portrayal of Shockwave, tbh, and I have so many questions. What happens from here? Is he going to get unfrozen? Rebuild the space bridge? Restart the war? Rise to a leadership position to oppose Megatron? He feels so driven by anger than by his usual motivations, I'd love to see him struggle with himself and his own feelings given everything that's happened... he's usually so sure of himself, and plans everything perfectly to a T. But how could he ever plan for something like this? Will he let himself pick up the pieces and move on, or is he going to be consumed by his own self-perceived failures?

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