Decepticon

For other uses, see Decepticon (disambiguation).

"Deceptacon" redirects here. For other uses, see Deceptacon (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Deception (disambiguation).

Decepticon
Decepticon insignia
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics, IDW Publishing, Dreamwave Productions, Devil's Due Publishing, Fun Publications
First appearance	The Transformers #1 (September 1984)
In-story information
Base(s)	Homeworld: Kaon, Cybertron Other: Chaar, the Victory (G1), the Megastar (RID), Decepticon City (G1), the Nemesis (G1, ROTF, Animated, SG, Prime).
Leader(s)	Megatron/Galvatron (stated in exodus and the cartoon), Starscream, Steeljaw, Liege Maximo, Unicron, The Fallen/Megatronus (in the movie series)

The Decepticons are a fictional villainous faction of sentient robots in the Transformers multimedia franchise. They are typically concerned with such things as conquering Cybertron, defeating the Autobots, amassing large quantities of energon, developing powerful weaponry, and causing global havoc.

Description

They are depicted as a faction of sentient robotic lifeforms led by Megatron, identified by a purple face-like insignia. Capable of transforming into alternate forms, these are often high tech vehicles; including aircraft, military vehicles, heavy equipment, ground combat vehicles, expensive luxury cars, sports cars and even smaller-than-human-sized objects.

In the Japanese version of the franchise, the Decepticons are called Destron or Deathtron (Japanese: デストロン Desutoron). The only exception to this naming convention is Car Robots, where the sub-group referred to as "Decepticons" in the Robots in Disguise adaptation, is known in Japan as the Combatrons (the Japanese name of the G1 subgroup known as the Combaticons).

As opposed to the Autobots' Supreme Commander, the Primes, the Decepticons' highest ranking leader is often given the title Emperor of Destruction in Japan. Beginning with the original Generation 1 cartoon, the Decepticon rallying cry has been "Decepticons attack!", as well as "Transform and rise up!" in Transformers: Animated as a play on the Autobots' "Transform and roll out!" rallying cry.

Factions

There are different factions of the Decepticons:

• Insecticons - A group of Decepticons who have insect forms and reproduce through cloning.
• Constructicons - A group of Decepticons who have construction vehicle forms. They are often shown combining into Devastator.
• Stunticons - A group of Decepticons who are made up of Cybertronians who can assume car form and one who can assume a truck form. They are often shown combining into Menasor.
• Combaticons - A group of Decepticons who have military vehicle forms. They are often shown combining into Bruticus.
• Predacons - A group of Decepticons who have animal forms. They are often shown combining into Predaking. The Predacon name was used for the main villains in Beast Wars: Transformers and Transformers: Robots in Disguise.
• Terrorcons - A group of Decepticons with monster forms. They are often shown combining into Abominus.
• Seacons - A group of Decepticons with aquatic forms. They are often shown combining into Piranhacon.
• Horrorcons - A pair of triple-changing Decepticons with jet and beast alternate modes, both of which have Headmaster partners.
• Vehicons - The foot soldiers of the Decepticons.

Transformers: Generation 1

The original animated series depicts the Decepticons as a malevolent faction of robots dedicated to the conquest of their home planet Cybertron. A war that lasted millions of years and soon that drained the planet of energy. The Autobots, the Decepticons' heroic rivals, chose to flee Cybertron in hopes of finding more resources aboard their flagship the Ark, but were pursued by the Decepticons aboard their own warship, the Nemesis. The two vessels clashed and the Decepticons boarded the Ark. In the ensuing struggle, control over the ship was lost and the Ark crashed on prehistoric Earth. Four million years passed before a tremor in 1984 reactivated the Decepticons, who assumed alternate modes based on Earth vehicles and technology and set out to conquer the planet and plunder its resources. However, the Autobots were also reactivated and resolved to defend the planet and its inhabitants from the Decepticons' ill intent.

Transformers: EarthSpark

Main article: Transformers: EarthSpark

Under Megatron, the Decepticons originally fought the war on the ideals of creating a more equal Cybertron. With the war's expansion to Earth however, Megatron soon came to realize how far his faction had strayed from his original vision and joined the Autobots in hopes of ending the conflict. When Megatron seemingly destroyed the AllSpark in the final battle of the war on Earth, the Decepticons found themselves stranded on Earth as the SpaceBridge to Cybertron was destroyed along with it. For his actions Megatron was branded a traitor by many of his former soldiers such as Shockwave and Soundwave.

Stranded on Earth, Decepticons were forced to go on the run to evade imprisonment by G.H.O.S.T. and had to resort to stealing Energon. Even high ranking commanders such as Starscream found themselves becoming the prisoners of the Autobot-Human alliance. Many hapless Decepticons though found themselves working for the anti-Cybertronian scientist, Mandroid, as usually either mind-controlled slaves or as part of a deal to protect them from G.H.O.S.T.

While as prisoners of G.H.O.S.T., Decepticons such as Skullcruncher found themselves being unwilling experiments that left them severely weakened. When the Terran, Hashtag, inadvertently hacked G.H.O.S.T.'s security systems she ended up disabling the shields of the prison cells containing their Decepticon prisoners, leading to a short-lived prison uprising.

Many Decepticons found themselves participating in underground fighting rings known as "Bot Brawls" done for the amusement of their human audiences, the losers in these fighting bouts being chained to the ceiling and left to die. One of these being run by Mandroid who salvaged Cybertronian body parts from the losers for his own body modifications. Following another defeat by the Terrans, Mandroid rendezvoused with G.H.O.S.T. director, Karen Croft, where she formalized a partnership between them to begin constructing more Cybertronian control badges to use at her disposal, offering Mandroid the Decepticon prisoners under her watch as his test subjects.

Transformers One (2024)

Main article: Transformers One

In animation film, the Decepticons were formerly known as the High Guard, working for the original Primes. Led by their leader, Starscream, they know that they witnessed Sentinel Prime's betrayal long ago and have been seeking revenge ever since while remaining in hiding. After D-16 defeats Starscream in a fight, he becomes the new leader of the High Guard, after he and some of them are captured by Sentinel and his guards. Some of the remaining High Guard are led by Orion Pax and Elita-1 to confront Sentinel and expose him for his crimes. In the face of this rebellion and Sentinel's death, the High Guard are led by D-16, now renamed Megatron, who orders them to destroy all Iacon. However, after their leader is defeated by Orion and renamed Optimus Prime, Megatron and the High Guard are exiled from Iacon for their war crimes and returned to their hidden location in the desert.

In the end, the High Guard are now renamed the Decepticons by Megatron, in order to take control of Cybertron, starting the war against Optimus and the Autobots.

See also

• Autobot
• Maximal
• Predacon