Depth Charge

Depth Charge is a character in the "Beast Wars": Transformers universe.

Beast Wars

Transformers character
name = Depth Charge


caption =
affiliation =Maximal, later Autobot
subgroup = Transmetals
function = Aquatic Forces Commander
rank = 10 ("Beast Wars")
8 ("Universe")
partner =
motto = "”Follow my orders or get out of my face!”"
alternatemodes = Transmetal Manta Ray/
Cybertronian Skyhopper
Cybertronian Submarine (Transtech concept art)
series = Beast Wars
Transtech

voiceby = David Sobolov (English)
Kiyoyuki Yanada (Japanese)Depth Charge was originally a Maximal Security Commander on Colony Omicron, when Protoform X suddenly escaped custody. The colony was wiped out - with Depth Charge being the sole survivor. This left Depth Charge with a deep hatred for Protoform X, along with a large amount of resentment towards himself for failing to save Omicron and his troops. [ [http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mathewignash/csdepthcharge.html Depth Charge for Champions ] ]

Animated series

For four stellar cycles, Depth Charge chased Protoform X, encountering him and suffering defeat at many locations, including "Starbase Rugby" (this is an inside joke, referring to an online Transformers store called Rugby's Starbase). Eventually, Depth Charge recaptured Protoform X and requested that X be terminated for his crimes. Instead, Protoform X was taken by the starship "Axalon" and sentenced to be abandoned in space.

Depth Charge was not satisfied with this ruling. He decided to find Protoform X on his own, and finish what had been started. His search led him through an anomaly in space, and landed on prehistoric Earth in the middle of the "Beast Wars" (specifically, just at the start of Season Three). He became a transmetal in the process, and scanned the beast form of a manta ray, which could also be converted into a flight mode.

Protoform X (now known as Rampage) was indeed on prehistoric Earth. Depth Charge was surprised to find the crew of the "Axalon " (who had long since been thought lost) on Earth as well, but did not care about the war they were involved in. He still held a deep resentment of the other Maximals for not destroying Rampage when they had the chance, and chose to operate solo in pursuit of Rampage, much to the regret of Optimus Primal. Unfortunately Rampage promptly stranded him on Earth by blowing up his ship.

Depth Charge proved to be both an ally and a liability during this time. He saved Rattrap from Rampage while the Maximal was on a mission to retrieve the defense computer Sentinel, keeping the psychotic Predacon busy. However, when he (eventually) decided to aid Rattrap and Silverbolt after a Predacon ambush he was responsible for losing the computer as well after a mid-air collision with Silverbolt. He eventually accepted Primal's offer to join the Maximals, single-handedly defeating an attack on "The Ark". He also developed a certain friendship with some of the team, appearing deeply affected at Cheetor's apparent death at one point, although he tried to conceal how much the loss affected him. However, Depth Charge still disobeyed orders when other matters took priority, such as the hunt for Rampage - something that nearly caused his doom when he was attacked by the Dinobot clone, who shared Rampage's Spark.

Depth Charge would meet his archenemy one last time in the series finale "Nemesis". When Megatron's plan to raise the Nemesis to destroy "The Ark" was realized, Depth Charge, being the only water based Maximal, was sent to stop him. He ran straight into Rampage, who had been ordered to see off any threats (ironically, this was the one time Depth Charge did not want to fight Rampage, as his priority was to stop the "Nemesis"). The two engaged in battle for the last time, with Depth Charge eventually impaling Rampage's Spark core with a shard of raw Energon Crystal. Laughing, the evil Predacon exploded, setting off the raw Energon nearby and taking Depth Charge with him. Some fans believe that because he succeeded in destroying Rampage, either Dinobot II's spark was made whole or a rift was opened that allowed the original Dinobot to at least partially return in his clone's body, thus allowing him to betray Megatron, subsequently making Depth Charge largely responsible for the Maximal victory in the Beast Wars.

Transtech

After the "Beast Machines" line ended, Hasbro planned a follow-up series called Transtech. The Transtech concept was a line intended to take Transformers to their most futuristic. Hasbro commissioned sets of designs from Draxhall Jump. The series was supposedly to bring back some of the characters who died in "Beast Wars" along with some characters from the original cartoon series, all in new, more organic-looking bodies, though with vehicle alternate modes instead of the animals used in "Beast Machines". Many concept sketches and even a few toy prototypes were made, but Hasbro scrapped the idea in favor of bringing ' to their markets as '.

Concept sketches or prototype toys have been seen for Blackarachnia, Cheetor, Depth Charge, Megatron, Nightscream, Optimus Prime, Scavenger, Shockwave, Silverbolt, Soundwave, Starscream and a new character called Immorticon (possibly another name for protoform X). There were also rumors of a Transtech Dinobot.

The "Transtech" incarnation of Depth Charge turned into a Cybertronian submarine.

3H Enterprises

In the "Transformers: Universe" toy line and comic series, Depth Charge was brought back to life to aid in the battle against Unicron. With any two Transformers from past or present to choose from, Primus revived Depth Charge and Rhinox to assist Optimus Primal in battle against the Decepticons. However, Depth Charge was initially angry at having been revived, no doubt believing that without Rampage to hunt his life was pointless. Leaving, Depth Charge encountered Rattrap, who was being attacked by Blackarachnia (brainwashed into the service of Unicron). Depth Charge saved him, but was then set upon by Blackarachnia's servants - the Piranacons.

Although "Universe" ended at issue three, a bio printed at the end of the issue indicated that Depth Charge would have gone on to assist Autobot Leader King Atlas in establishing a refugee network for those escaping Unicron's gladiatorial games, using his experience as Colony Omicron's security officer to maintain the efficiency and secrecy of the network.

Toys

*Beast Wars Depth Charge:Many fans consider Depth Charge to be a Triple Changer (having three distinct modes), but he is not officially a member of this class anymore then any other transmetal and since the term was never used in "Beast Wars" or "Universe" toys by Hasbro. His box did state that he features "three mode conversion" however. The commercial for Rampage and Depth Charge even stated they had "triple changing action." [http://www.unicron.us/tf1998/characterpages/depthcharge.htm]

*Universe Depthcharge (2004):The Universe toy was a 2004 recoloring of the "Beast Wars" version. Hasbro designer Aaron Archer claimed at BotCon 2004 that this toy's color scheme was meant to resemble Boba Fett's Slave I. [http://www.tfu.info/2003/Autobot/Depthcharge/depthcharge.htm ]

References