Lockdown (Animated)

Lockdown is a bounty hunter commonly allied with the Decepticons from the Animated continuity family.

"Not bad, for a human."

Driven by the thrill of the chase, Lockdown is a bounty hunter by choice and a Decepticon only by necessity. He's got no real loyalty towards Megatron, but the Decepticons always pay on time, better than the Elite Guard, and allow him access to the systems upgrades he craves. Besides that, he's such a nasty piece of work that it's just easier for him to be a 'Con.

Lockdown has a grisly habit of collecting "trophies" from his victims for his own use. He has attached a number of parts that appear to be stolen, such as his hook, chainsaw weapons, and parts of his left leg. His collection of stolen gadgets include quick-hardening cement spray, smoke bombs, and Ratchet's EMP generator. The Autobots consider his actions appalling, while Lugnut views his mercenary ways an insult to the Decepticon cause, but Lockdown doesn't care. As long as Megatron and the Decepticon leadership will give him his upgrades, Lockdown will get the job done.

Fiction

Animated cartoon

Voice actor: Lance Henriksen (English), Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese), Kaspar Eichel (German), Pietro Ubaldi (Italian, "The Thrill of the Hunt" only), Marco Balbi (Italian, second voice), Julio González Littin (Latin-American Spanish, seasons 1 and 2), Leonardo Salas (Latin-American Spanish, season 3), Santiago Salorio (Castilian Spanish), Juha Paananen (Finnish), Frédéric Cerdal (French), Wellington Lima (Portuguese, season 1), Guilherme Lopes (Portuguese, season 2), Vagner Santos (Portuguese, season 3)

Lockdown was an Autobot^[1][2] student in Yoketron's Cyber-Ninja Corps, and one of the greater students at that. However, during the Great War, he somehow brought shame on the Corps and was booted out. Becoming a bounty hunter instead, his first act was to lead a Decepticon attack on Yoketron's training center and to steal the protoforms kept in storage. During the attack, he killed his former teacher and took his helmet. Five Servos of Doom

"Hnn. No cavities. Figures."

One of his other wartime jobs was to bring an intelligence officer who carried vital information in for questioning. He encountered Ratchet, broke off one of the Autobot's forehead chevrons and stole his EMP generator, turning the healing tool into a weapon. During said encounter, Lockdown's right arm was destroyed when he launched it at Ratchet, causing him to replace it with a decidedly more menacing one (namely, the hook seen above). He was also indirectly responsible for Arcee losing her memory. The Thrill of the Hunt

"They told me to never hit a woman, so I kicked her instead."

On modern-day Earth, Lockdown was hired by Blitzwing to bring in the Autobot presumed responsible for Megatron's death and was allowed to name his price—specifically, Lugnut's Punch of Kill Everything. Tracking the Nemesis to the location of its crash on the moon, Lockdown, through use of the security footage, determined that a repair crew led by Optimus Prime was responsible. Realizing he was not alone, he soon found himself face to face with Blackarachnia, who had her own reasons for being there. Being suspicious of her motives, Lockdown confronted her, only to be knocked out cold by Blackarachnia's cyber venom. Coming to and seeing her gone, he dismissed this and moved on to capture his real target Optimus Prime. A Few Loose Strands He captured Prime using the EMP generator and, impressed by Prime's own personal modifications, stole his axe and forcibly removed Optimus's grapplers, something that traumatized him later on. When the Autobots came to rescue Prime, Lockdown made short work of Bumblebee and Bulkhead. Prowl, on the other hand, proved a bigger challenge, but Lockdown came out on top (after having a tire mark smudged on his face). He was about to leave in his ship with his new trophies, when Ratchet, who had been suffering from war flashbacks, came on the scene and soundly thrashed him, partially because the stolen EMP generator didn't work on Ratchet himself. Pinning Lockdown, Ratchet painfully removed both Prime's grapplers and his own EMP generator. Lockdown was forced to watch as Ratchet crippled his ship and escaped with a weakened Optimus. The Thrill of the Hunt

After arriving on the Moon, Blitzwing remarked that the Decepticons hadn't heard anything from Lockdown since he contacted Blitzwing. Mentioning Lockdown's name made Lugnut get a little bent out of shape. Lost and Found

The robot with no name.

As it turns out, Lockdown survived the crash and his ship was repaired. Learning of a large bounty on Starscream, Lockdown headed back to Earth, expecting a serious fight to take him down. It turned out that Prowl managed to take down Starscream for him. During a fight over the Decepticon, they realized that Starscream had escaped. Heading to Earth on his ship, he discovered Prowl had stowed away. Prowl offered to help Lockdown, and the bounty hunter offered a suit of armor to assist.

Why, yes Prowl, I have all this Samurai armor that not only fits you and matches your color scheme, but can also turn into a sidecar that attaches to your vehicle mode!

Oh, and by the way, I killed your sensei.

Upon landing on Earth, Lockdown and Prowl discovered Starscream (both purple and more cowardly than usual) and Prowl managed to take him down. Lockdown contacted Megatron to set up a meet, but Prowl wanted to turn him over to the Elite Guard. Lockdown subdued Prowl and took Starscream. At the warehouse, the Autobots arrived with another Starscream. Lockdown tried to take his leave, but Megatron commanded him to stay. Then the two Starscreams revealed that they were clones with bombs in their chests. Lockdown managed to get away in the chaos, then contacted Prowl with an offer of a partnership. Prowl rejected his offer, saying that all the mods were for weak processors, and warned Lockdown never to contact him again, or he'd turn him over to the Elite Guard. A Fistful of Energon

At some point after he left Earth, Lockdown traded information to Swindle in exchange for weapons. SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy

I'm gonna carve you a new cake hole!

He later came back to Earth, hired by Sentinel Prime to capture Decepticons for him so he could look good. Lockdown happily complied until one of the prisoners made a better deal, causing Lockdown to happily turn on the Autobots. He was able to defeat Prowl through his ninja skills and trickery, taking him away to steal his jump-jets and holo-projector so he could replicate the armour Prowl once wore. Shockingly, putting one of the heroes next to a load of kit that said hero could use backfired, and Lockdown found himself fighting a stronger Prowl—especially once the Autobot realised Lockdown had been the one to murder Yoketron.

While beaten, Lockdown was able to escape once again. Five Servos of Doom Although his whereabouts remained at large, Ratchet would proceed to recall his history with Lockdown some while later. This Is Why I Hate Machines

Toy bios

Don't touch that please, your primitive intellect wouldn't understand alloys and compositions and things with... molecular structures.

In the past, Lockdown stole an "active camo" mod from a member of the Autobot Elite Guard. As it renders him nearly invisible, he uses it to do reconnaissance on his targets, learning everything he needs to know about them before striking. Unfortunately, it shorts out in the rain. Stealth Lockdown

Lockdown realizes that half the game is psychological, no matter what that game is. If it's bounty hunting, and you have to paint yourself blue with skeletons and a missing optic to give your target a case of the glitches, well, sometimes it's what you have to do. They'll certainly know he's coming—and that nothing is going to stop him. Bandit Lockdown

At some point, Lockdown was exposed to exotic energy that supercharged his systems, causing his body to give off a fiery glow. This enhancement went so far as to change his mode of operations; he no longer seeks payment for his actions, and instead simply lives to see the terror coming from the Autobots he destroys. With his chainsaw and a body that now gives off so much heat that it can melt or burn through whatever he comes in contact with, that's a lot of terror... for however long the condition lasts. Blazing Lockdown

Web of Deception

Blackarachnia hired Lockdown to get her revenge on Optimus Prime, sending the bounty hunter to Archa Seven to pick up one of the giant spiders there and bring it back to Earth. Using Sparkseeker EMP torpedoes, he was able to abduct Optimus Prime right off the Autobot ship and tie him to a bomb next to the spider as part of Blackarachnia's plan. A short time later the rest of the Autobots caused problems for him, and he opted to leave them to it. Web of Deception

The Cool comics

I'm the dog, the big bad dog...

Upon arriving on Earth, Lockdown joined Starscream and Blackarachnia in attacking Detroit. Transforming from vehicle to robot mode, he faced off against Ratchet in an attempt to seize the AllSpark. The Cool Episode 1

Lockdown later joined up with Prowl (giving him a set of power-boosting armor) in hunting down what he thought was Starscream. Lockdown then doublecrossed Prowl when the Autobot began to have doubts and hauled the bounty off to Megatron by himself. The Starscream he had captured turned out to be nothing more than a clone, rigged to explode by the real Starscream. Prowl launched the clone into the sky, where it detonated harmlessly, though Lockdown disappeared in the confusion. The Cool Episode 6

Kre-O online comic

Lockdown was with the Decepticons when they showed the "Metrotitan" form of their newly-repainted Decepticon City. Two Giant Bases! Everybody Getting Along, Come On, Fight!

Ask Vector Prime

Vector Prime had speculated that Ben 10's universe, located somewhere beyond the multiverse, may have interacted with a Malgus Cluster universe at some point, allowing the alien bounty hunter Khyber to collect a number of Cybertronian artifacts, including Lockdown's hook. Ask Vector Prime

Games

Transformers Animated: The Game

Voice actor: Lance Henriksen (English)

Lockdown was hired by Megatron to find AllSpark fragments in exchange for some sweet upgrades. Lockdown, always the consummate professional, delivered the goods. He later lucked into some more fragments, which had been gathered by Bumblebee, and swiped them from the Autobot. Bumblebee furiously chased him along Detroit's streets, bumping into him until he had to reboot and the Autobot pinched the fragments back. To add insult to injury, Lockdown was subsequently hunted down and captured by Prowl. Transformers Animated: The Game

Transformers Animated: Action Packs

Toys

Animated

Deluxe Class

Arrr, matey...

• Lockdown (Deluxe, 2008)

• Takara ID number: TA-08
• Accessories: Hook attachment, engine block/EMP generator
• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro), Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Part of the first wave of Transformers Animated Deluxes, Lockdown transforms into an amalgam of a 1980s Corvette and a 1960s Cougar, with lots of spikes and a cow-catcher on his bumper. In car mode, pressing down on his engine block/EMP generator flips out twin cannon barrels. A hook can also be flipped from the center of his bumper.

In robot mode, the entire engine block/center hood assembly pops off to form a "replacement" hook-hand gauntlet that can be used on either arm (though for animation model accuracy, it would go on his right arm). The engine block can be removed and attached to the deluxe Ratchet's left arm via the "war wound" socket. Despite being "normal" size in car mode for a Deluxe, due to his transformation Lockdown towers over most Deluxes in robot mode.

His wrists are susceptible to breaking off if too much pressure is applied when trying to force his wrists into a more natural "straight down" position, so don't do it. The earliest releases of the toy had issues with the EMP generator; it was hard to trigger the barrel release, plus it didn't lock onto Ratchet's arm too well. Later releases fixed these issues.

Takara also released Lockdown in the first wave of their Animated toyline years later. This version uses much more saturated colors and metallic paint, plus his Decepticon symbols are now purple with white outlines rather than simple gold as on the Hasbro releases.

This mold was also used to make Adventure Lockdown.

• More information on Lockdown at TFU.info

This is what happens when he takes "trophies" from a Ford Pinto. (Hasbro version pictured)

• Blazing Lockdown (Deluxe, 2008)

• Takara ID number: TA-46
• Takara release date: November 20, 2010
• Accessories: Chainsaw attachment, engine block/EMP generator
• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro)

Part of the fifth wave of Hasbro's Animated Deluxes, this fiery-themed redeco and retooling of the original Lockdown toy replaces the hook in his hood-attachment with his chainsaw weapon, which is removable, but cannot flip back out of sight like the hook can. Which can look pretty vicious in car mode, admittedly. He retains all of the other gimmickry from the previous versions of the mold, as well as the same issues with the wrists.

(Takara version pictured)

Due to the fact that the hood-chunk that mounts the hook and chainsaw can go on either arm, if you have both releases of the deluxe toy, it is possible to recreate his appearance the flashback scene from in "The Thrill of the Hunt" by attaching the hook-block to the right arm and the chainsaw-block to the left one of the original figure. Enjoy!

The much-later TakaraTomy release of this toy, in the tenth and final wave of Takara Animated product, has slight paint differences from the Hasbro version. The most instantly-noticeable is that his flame paint is a much paler metallic gold rather than the Hasbro version's richer, yellower metallic gold. The Decepticon symbol on his chest is now purple with a white border, instead of the borderless gold of the Hasbro version; the black symbol on the roof of the car mode is unchanged.

Blazing Lockdown was retooled into BotCon 2011 Wildrider.

• More information on Blazing Lockdown at TFU.info

"No doubt you want a Starscream redeco instead of this. Hnn, figures."

• Stealth Lockdown (Multi-pack, 2008)

• Accessories: Hook attachment, engine block/EMP generator
• Known designers: Joe Kyde (deco artist)

Part of a Target-exclusive multi-pack, this version of the original Deluxe toy is mostly smoky-clear plastic with light gray PVC plastic for joint tolerances, and only a small number of paint applications. He retains his gimmicks... and unfortunately his wrists have the same breakage issues as the normal version.

He comes with the Legends-class versions of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. These two are almost identical to their individually carded Universe mass-retail versions, having mostly minor deco differences.

His packaging stock photography depicts a very different version of the toy, being completely transparent as opposed to the final toy's translucent-but-smokey coloration.

• More information on Stealth Lockdown at TFU.info

• Fated Showdown: Ratchet / Lockdown (Vs pack, 2010)

• Release date: March 27, 2010
• Accessories: Hammer, wrench, screwdriver, can opener

In the Takara Animated line, Lockdown was also available in a "Fated Showdown" (因縁の対決 in'nen no taiketsu, also called "Sworn Enemies" in English on the box-back) two-pack with Ratchet. Released in the first wave of Animated product, both toys are identical to their individual releases.

Activators

Bounty-hunting goodness, now in pocket size.

• Lockdown (Activators, 2008)

• Known designers: Bill Rawley (Hasbro), Andrew Scribner (deco artist)

Part of the second wave of Activators, this very simplified Scout-class version of Lockdown features a button-activated auto-transformation from vehicle to robot. He lacks the right-arm hook attachment. He's also really squat, even for an Activators toy.

The cardback refers to his car mode as a "Prowler", for what it's worth.

• More information on Activators Lockdown at TFU.info

Ooga booga!

• Bandit Lockdown (Activators, 2008)

• Known designers: Bill Rawley (Hasbro)

Part of the fourth wave of Activators, Lockdown gets a creeeeeepy black and blue redeco with skeletons on the hood, somewhat evoking Cybertron's skeleton-bedecked pirate Cannonball. He even has a blacked-out left optic! Arr! Pity he lacks the hook-hand, or the whole pirate thing would be complete.

The cardback refers to his car mode as a "Bandit Prowler." Which is pretty sweet-sounding, whatever it means.

• More information on Bandit Lockdown at TFU.info

Ain't no escaping, your love has got me doing time.

• Animated Super Collection Vol. 1 (Multi-pack, 2010)

Released in October 2010 in Japan, the "Animated Super Collection Vol. 1" giftset contained slight redecos of Activators Lockdown, Optimus Prime, Megatron and Ratchet. The only change from the Hasbro release is his insignia went from silver to a more traditional purple-with-white-outline.

While the stock photography of the individual toys showed Animated Super Collection Lockdown's green plastic is molded in a more mint green than its American counterpart, this seems to have been a trick of the lighting, as the released toy remained its standard green.

Bumper Battlers

Lockdown on his day off

• Lockdown (Bumper Battlers, 2009)

• Known designers: Vickie Stratford (Hasbro)

Part of the fourth wave of Bumper Battlers toys, this extremely simplified toy features electronic sounds when the Decepticon symbol on his hood is pressed. Pressing in on his bumper flips up the roof of the car, revealing his robot mode.

• More information on Bumper Battlers Lockdown at TFU.info

Notes

• Derrick Wyatt's original concept for Lockdown was as a freakish Frankenstein-like monster. It was altered to better fit Lockdown's more business-like nature.^[3] Lockdown's final model is "reminiscent of a skull like head and an undertaker's tux"[sic]—hey, he even has coat-tails!^[4]
• Lockdown was created as a replacement for Death's Head,^[5] a robotic body hunter seen in the Marvel UK The Transformers comics; despite his prominent role, Marvel owned the character, and Hasbro wished to have their own version (though Wyatt indicates that he didn't base Lockdown's design on the character at all). The older bounty hunter's name was later used for Lockdown's starship.
• The cartoon model for Lockdown shows an amusing homage to the older toys. Instead of the ordinary Decepticon symbol seen on the toy the animated version's chest carries what appears to be a rubsign, presumably to symbolize the character's lack of allegiance to any faction.
• In the original production bible for the series, Lockdown was stated to transform into a "Stealth Fighter Jet".
• According to the Decepticon character descriptions sent out in the original Cartoon Network press release for Transformers Animated, Lockdown "can go into a Predator-like stealth mode for brief periods". While he never used this power in any Animated fiction, the idea seems to have been the basis for the Stealth Lockdown toy, whose bio further cemented the Predator connection by saying his "active camo shorts out in rain".
• All three episodes Lockdown appeared in were written by Andrew Robinson, and were the only episodes he wrote for the show.
• In his debut episode, Lockdown's original arm (the one currently outfitted with his hook) came equipped with a rocket powered fist. This weapon was destroyed by Ratchet during the episode, and was not ever seen afterwards, either on the show or in toy form.
• Despite having lost the EMP generator, Lockdown retains the external engine it comprises in his vehicle mode as seen in "A Fistful of Energon". Perhaps he found a substitute or a replacement?
• The interior of Lockdown's vehicle mode sports a chain-steering wheel and a skull on the gear stick. Now that's hardcore. The skull gear stick was even immortalized in toy form: It's molded on the interior of the Bumper Battles figure.

• The Ask Vector Prime entry is a nod to how Derrick J. Wyatt would move on to produce Ben 10 Omniverse, which features Lockdown's hook as an Easter egg in several episodes.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Lockdown (ロックダウン Rokkudaun)
• Mandarin: Hēi Yù Lièrén (Taiwan, 黑獄獵人, "Black Jail Hunter"), Fēng Suǒ (China, 封锁, "Lockdown")

References