Ravage (Transformers) - Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers: Generation 1

Ravage is one of a very small number of Transformers to have featured in both the original Transformers series and its 1990s CGI successor, Beast Wars: Transformers. His history within both series is intertwined back and forth in a unique fashion.

The original Ravage toy was packaged along with the Decepticon Rumble. When Soundblaster was reissued in Japan, and his repaint as the original Soundwave in the US, Ravage was included.

In the audio books Autobots' Lightning Strike and Autobots Fight Back, Ravage is referred to as a hound.

The stealthy, shadowy Ravage operates best alone. A creature of the night, Ravage performs most of his actions in the darkness, both literally and figuratively—there are times when he will cloak himself in such shadow and subterfuge that not even his fellow Decepticons know where he is or what he's doing ... but since whatever he's up to is sure to be bad news for the Autobots, they do not really mind. Ravage is aloof, but his craftiness and deadliness mean that his actions command respect from his comrades.

Not in possession of a conventional humanoid form, Ravage's robot mode resembles an Earth Panther. He is capable of masking himself from many forms of detection: he walks without a sound, becomes virtually invisible in subdued light or shadow, and he can shield his internal electromagnetic radiation from monitoring devices. Superior sensors in his nose module give him highly advanced senses of smell, hearing and electromagnetic wave detection, and he is armed with two low-radiation one-megaton proton bombs mounted on his rear hips. Ravage's greatest weakness is the light - in addition to robbing him of his invisibility powers, he is simply particularly sensitive to it, and can be blinded by especially bright bursts.

Like the other Decepticon cassettes ("Cassettrons" in Japan), Ravage is connected to Soundwave, although the strength of this link varies from continuity to continuity, appearing at its strongest in the original animated series. Although presented by the toy line to be a microcassette, the fiction presented Ravage's alternate mode as a standard-sized cassette.

Although never fully explored, it is safe to assume that Ravage, along with his other fellow cassette tapes share some sort of close bond to Soundwave, whether this be as a leader or as a parental-type figure. Whatever the relationship is, the cassettes must coexist with Soundwave for both protection and possibly regeneration, after all they stand more chance of survival housed in his compartment than on their own due to sheer size and power output. As Soundwave's loyalties ultimately rest with Megatron, the cassettes follow suit, obeying their leader's orders without question. Ravage would most likely come to Soundwave's defense or protection in battle, much like a dog and its owner, and portrayals in various continuities would show him to be almost fanatically loyal to Megatron.