Soundwave is a member of the Decepticons in Michael Bay's Transformers film series. He is Megatron's most trusted lieutenant and serves as the Decepticons' foremost spy and communications expert. In Revenge of the Fallen, he takes on the form of a Cybertronian stealth satellite, tapping into Earth's communications networks to gather information. When he joins the Decepticon ranks on the ground in Dark of the Moon, he assumes the form of a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. He is voiced by Frank Welker who also voiced his Generation 1 counterpart in the 1984 Transformers cartoon series.
History[]
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen[]
In the late 2000's, Soundwave was coordinating Decepticon activity on Earth on behalf of The Fallen. He had dispatched the Minicon spy Wheelie to observe Mikaela Banes and gather information pertaining to Sam Witwicky and the AllSpark, which had supposedly been destroyed after Sam had used it to kill Megatron during the Battle of Mission City. After hacking into a U.S. satellite to listen in on government communications, Soundwave deployed Ravage to retrieve a fragment of the AllSpark that was sealed within an electromagnetic vault at the Diego Garcia military base. After successfully obtaining the cube shard, Ravage would lead the Constructicons to the Laurentian Abyss where Megatron's body had been entombed. Using spare parts from one of their own and the shard, the Constructicons resurrected the fallen Decepticon leader.
Soundwave remained in space, tapping into the satellite he had found. When Megatron decided to reveal the Transformers presence on Earth after killing Optimus Prime, Soundwave issued the mobilization order to the waiting troops on the Nemesis. As the Decepticons streaked toward Earth, Soundwave tracked down Ron and Judy Witwicky in Paris. He called Judy on her cellphone, demanding to know where Sam was, which the human dismissed as a prank call by a pervert. This allowed the Decepticons to track them down and capture them to use as bait for Sam. When the CIA discovered that Sam was in Egypt, Soundwave relayed the information to the Decepticons. During Operation: Firestorm, Soundwave blocked the satellites covering the Egyptian area, making things appear normal. General Morshower was unconvinced though and got other local informants to know what was happening at the pyramids.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon[]
Soundwave with Laserbeak
With the failure of the schemes of The Fallen and Megatron, the Decepticons now planned to alert Optimus Prime to the Ark's existence so he could revive Sentinel Prime with the Matrix of Leadership for them.
Soundwave went undercover on Earth as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. He and his winged minion Laserbeak visited the incapicitated Megatron in Africa, and informed the ex-tyrant that Optimus had discovered an Ark fuel cell at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and had recovered the body of Sentinel Prime and five of his Space Bridge pillars. Megatron decided it was time to eliminate loose ends in their plan, so Soundwave sent Laserbeak to further draw out the Autobots by killing many of their human contacts, including Jerry Wang.
Meanwhile, the disguised Soundwave was "given" by their human ally Dylan Gould, the one human they did not kill, as a gift to Sam Witwicky's new girlfriend Carly Spencer. He was used as a car to transport Carly to Dylan's party. During the party, Sam and Carly tried to leave, only for Soundwave and Laserbeak to reveal themselves, and the sonic warrior took Carly hostage. Gould explained his relationship with the two Decepticons while Soundwave used his tentacles to threaten Carly, and the pair forced Sam into finding out the Autobot's plan for a counter-attack.
During the Decepticon occupation of Chicago, Soundwave took several Autobots prisoner until Gould stated that things had gotten personal and the Autobots needed a lesson in respect, and Soundwave happily concurred: "No prisoners, only trophies". He and Barricade began by executing Que. He then selected Bumblebee to be his victim and dragged him forward, pushing him onto the body of his fallen comrade. He then told the Autobot to turn around as was about to execute him, but he was distracted by Wheelie and Brains's sabotage of a Decepticon aircraft carrier, raining fighters onto the battlefield. The Autobot scout took advantage of this small slip of opportunity and punched Soundwave as they battled through the chaos, causing him to drop one of his guns. Evading Soundwave's sonic cannon blasts, Bumblebee eventually blasted part of Soundwave's leg, causing him to drop his remaining gun, and he lunged at the Autobot. Bumblebee then delivered the final blow by throwing an uppercut to Soundwave's torso and shooting upwards, disintegrating the Decepticon's head and killing him.