Decepticon Mini-Cassette
From Transformers Wiki
| This article is about the subgroup sometimes referred to as Recordicons. For the comic strip about them, see Recordicons. |
The Decepticon Mini-Cassettes (also known as Spy Cassettes, Recordicons, the Soundwave Spy Patrol) are Decepticons who, on Earth, transform into analog audio cassettes. They can fit into Soundwave's chest compartment, though their apparent relationship to Soundwave varies depending on continuity.
Many of these troops have communication or espionage roles. Recycling of body designs is common among them as well. Their counterparts amongst the Autobots are the Autobot Mini-Cassettes.
Contents
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Known Decepticon Mini-Cassettes
Generation 1
Shattered Glass
Live-action film series
EarthSpark
Fiction
Marvel The Transformers comics
For the most part, the Decepticon Mini-Cassettes did not appear to have a particularly special or unique relationship with Soundwave. Soundwave occasionally carried Laserbeak within his chest compartment, releasing him for surprise attacks. Warrior School!
More often, the Mini-Cassette troops used their small alternate modes for stealth, disguise and transportation by other characters. Rumble and Frenzy frequently hitched rides in the cockpit of the Decepticon jets, for example. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Ravage used his cassette form on several occasions to spy on humans. Power Play! Three of the cassette troops were taken out of play by Omega Supreme Command Performances! and remained inoperative for quite some time, while Ravage was dropped into a mine shaft by the Autobot Skids, Showdown! taking him out of play for even longer. Only Laserbeak remained operative, acting as a sort of totem of Decepticon leadership. Command Performances!
Ratbat assumed a cassette form upon traveling to Earth, and used this disguise to monitor his human accomplices. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
The Mini-Cassettes acted as a sort of special-missions force, under the command of their host Soundwave. Soundwave could store numerous cassettes within his chest, at times ejecting as many as four at once. The Transformers: The Movie Call of the Primitives
Laserbeak was frequently sent to spy on the Autobots at Autobot Headquarters, once using his cassette form to sneak in. Divide and Conquer Ravage likewise used his cassette mode to infiltrate Teletraan I and steal information about Earth's resources. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 Rumble was used more often to destroy stuff, though all three frequently engaged in battle.
The less-seen Buzzsaw and Frenzy also appeared on occasion, usually acting in conjunction with Laserbeak and Rumble, respectively. Countdown to Extinction Atlantis, Arise! The Immobilizer
Years later, Ratbat joined the cassette forces; like Laserbeak, he specialized in spy work and reconnaissance, particularly in tight quarters inaccessible to Laserbeak. Secret Files of Teletraan II
Some time after that, Overkill and Slugfest also joined Soundwave's troops. Call of the Primitives
Madman The Transformers comic
In the year 2001, Soundwave unleashed his army of new Mini-Cassettes to steal the Autobot Matrix of Leadership from a secure bunker at the construction site of Autobot City on Earth. They were interrupted during their excavation by Hot Rod, who successfully disabled Soundwave and his various helpers, retrieving the Matrix. The Transformers
Japanese cartoon continuity
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga
Ravage attacked Kenji and Bumblebee in Tokyo while the rest of the Autobots were occupied by Megatron's forces. Powerglide managed to sweep Kenji to safety, but Bumblebee was then confronted by Rumble, Laserbeak and Ratbat as well. Bumblebee managed to evade the Cassettes long enough for Ironhide and Cliffjumper to arrive as back-up. Using a patented Bumble Kick, the small Autobot damaged Soundwave's chest compartment, so that when Ravage and the others attempted to hide from the Autobots inside their master, they bounced fruitlessly off of Soundwave. Cliffjumper was able to grab them while they were still in their cassette forms, pulling out their magnetic tape. Harsh. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2
When the Stunticons attempted to frame the Autobots for their evil deeds, Rumble and Frenzy appealed directly to the human race for Decepticon support. Disguised in full-body cloaks and masks, they staged rallys against the Autobots and convince mankind that the Decepticons were their true friends. Their ruse was soon uncovered by Eject and Rewind, who ripped off the Decepticons' robes to reveal their true selves. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #7
Scramble City cartoon
The Headmasters cartoon
The Headmasters manga
As the Autobots prepared to leave Earth and pursue Scorponok's forces into space, Soundblaster of all the Decepticons stayed behind to continue tormenting humanity. He dispatched Overkill and Slugfest to attack the Witwickys but they were, um...overpowered by Daniel Witwicky. After Chromedome blasted Soundblaster into the distance, his remaining Cassettes crowded around the Decepticon tapedeck as he shook the stars from his eyes. The Headmasters #8
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
The origin of the Mini-Cassettes as a whole is unknown. Warriors like Laserbeak and Ravage were seen working with Soundwave in their standard capacity since the beginning of the war. The War Within The sole exception is Ratbat, who was once a high-ranking Decepticon, and the leader of his own independent faction during the Dark Ages. War Within: The Dark Ages At an unknown point in history, Ratbat was apparently converted into a Mini-Cassette as punishment for some unknown offense. Countdown to Extinction
Besides Ratbat, the Mini-Cassettes were sent into stasis lock with Soundwave and the rest of the Nemesis' crew for four million years on the planet Earth. They reawakened in 1984 to battle Optimus Prime and the crew of the Ark. Prime Directive When the Transformers eventually returned to Cybertron, the Mini-Cassettes went with Soundwave under the new command of Shockwave. After Starscream made a proposal to strike out on their own, however, they turned against Shockwave. Part of the deal was Starscream reuniting Soundwave with Ratbat, whom he had apparently already used as a Mini-Cassette in the past. The Mini-Cassettes returned to Earth with Soundwave and the Seekers. War and Peace Megatron eventually returned, reclaiming leadership from Starscream, with the help of Soundwave and the Mini-Cassettes. The Route of All Evil
2005 IDW continuity
In Cybertron's pre-war functionist society, Ravage, Laserbeak, and Buzzsaw were targets of oppression because of their beastly forms. When their friend Soundwave was employed by Senator Ratbat, the three came with him and were modified into the Cybertronian equivalent of mini-cassettes. Soundwaves
Frenzy and Rumble were originally energon miners like Megatron. They were the first pre-Decepticons to hitch their wagons to the rising star of Megatron. Once Soundwave joined the Decepticons, Megatron had them both reformatted into cassettes in order to participate in Soundwave's surprise attack on the Senate. They weren't entirely happy about it, but agreed out of fear and loyalty to Megatron. Squawkbox also participated in that operation, possibly being reformatted alongside Rumble and Frenzy.
In the process of killing the Senate, Soundwave also attacked his former boss Ratbat, but preserved his spark in a Cybertronian mini-cassette. Megatron Origin
During an Autobot manhunt for Soundwave early in the war, the information officer released his cassettes to distract his pursuers whenever they closed in. The Hunt for Soundwave
Much later, Squawkbox served on the same space station as Sixshot. Spotlight: Sixshot
Ravage and Laserbeak traveled with Soundwave to Earth while keeping an eye on Bludgeon. Buzzsaw, Frenzy, and Rumble were not seen during this period, but the possibility that Soundwave was keeping one or more of them in reserve cannot be ruled out. (You never really know who he has hidden in there.) It was at this time that Soundwave and at least Ravage and Laserbeak picked up 1984-era Earth alternate modes. Spotlight: Soundwave
Ratbat spent some time as a regular member of Earth's infiltration unit doing reconnaissance work. Devastation issue 1 He had a non-mini-cassette alternate mode.
Laserbeak, Ravage, Frenzy, Rumble, and Ratbat all participated in Megatron's full-scale invasion of Earth as Soundwave's mini-cassette minions. All Hail Megatron
After the war, Ratbat lead the Decepticons for a time before his assassination by Arcee. The World & Everything in It
When Megatron defected to the Autobots and joined the crew of the Lost Light, Soundwave sent Ravage to monitor him. Slaughterhouse
Hearts of Steel
Soundwave, Ravage, Squawkbox, and Rumble and/or Frenzy were among the Decepticons who were awakened on nineteenth century Earth and took on alternate modes from that era. Hearts of Steel
It was not revealed what those alternate modes were, but textual notes in Squawkbox's concept art included in the trade paperback indicate that his "upper body transforms into a mechanical gorilla" and his "lower part transforms into mechanical eagle."
Shattered Glass
After Wheeljack's disastrous demonstration of his new Dinobots, the Decepticons managed to retrieve a handful. Shortly afterwards, a newly intelligent Grimlock surreptitiously took them on a trip to the Omega Terminus, which gave them embers and alternate modes. Dungeons & Dinobots In the case of the smaller ones, such as Slugfest, these took the form of octoidal data-cassettes. Once the Decepticons got over their surprise, Slugfest and Overkill were added to Soundwave's gang. Do Over
2019 IDW continuity
Among the Infiltration Troopers, a large population supported Ascenticon Senator Ratbat. Wheeljack: Orbital Decay A group of Troopers followed him as the faction became the Decepticons. Rise of the Decepticons: We Have Deceived You
War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material
Cassette troops were one of Soundwave's powers and weapons. Kingdom webpage[1]
EarthSpark cartoon
Toys
| The Transformers Frenzy mold |
| The Transformers Laserbeak mold |
| The Transformers Ratbat mold |
| The Transformers Ravage mold |
| The Transformers Slugfest mold |
| Universe Ravage mold |
| Masterpiece Laserbeak mold |
| Masterpiece Rumble mold |
| Masterpiece Ratbat mold |
| War for Cybertron: Siege Rumble mold |
| War for Cybertron: Siege Ratbat mold |
| War for Cybertron: Siege Laserbeak mold |
| War for Cybertron Trilogy Laserbeak mold |
| War for Cybertron: Siege Ravage mold |
| Studio Series Rumble mold |
Other molds
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(Squawktalk + Beastbox) |
Notes
- This sub-group was called Decepticon Cassettes in the 1984 toy catalog, but Decepticon Mini-Cassettes in all subsequent catalogs.
- The term "Spy Cassettes" was used in advertisements and the Who's Who featured in the Marvel UK comics, while "Recordicon" was used in a 1986 Diamond Transformers: The Movie stickerbook to describe Laserbeak. "Recordicon" has seen recent use in the Shattered Glass profiles for Ravage and Ratbat as well as in the Energon Universe.
- The term "Cassetticon" is an unofficial term that crops up amongst the fanbase.
- The San Diego Comic-Con 2009 reissue of Soundwave refers to the cassettes as "Deployer" figures. The term "Deployer" had previously been used for the small animal-to-weapon figures from the Beast Machines toyline.
- In "The Agenda", Ravage still has his cassette alternate mode, despite undergoing a complete rebuilding. He fits into a compartment on his ship.
- In addition to being retconned as Deployers, Soundwave's Transformers Hall of Fame bio also presented Ravage, Laserbeak, and all of Soundwave's other partners as Mini-Cons. That'll rattle a few cages.[2]
- The Hall of Fame bio also revealed that Laserbeak and Ravage are Soundwave's favorite partners. It's okay, Wingthing, we still love you.
- In 2019 during Siege, the Decepticons Mini-Cassettes become part of another group when Laserbeak & Ravage, and later Rumble & Ratbat, are sold as Micromasters!
Foreign names
- Japanese: Cassettron (カセットロン Kasettoron)