So, we all know that one of Shockwaves defining features is the cannon he has in place of one of his hands. However there is one thing regarding it that I don't think has ever been touched upon in TF fiction. In the first episode of G1 (More Than Meets the Eye part 1), we see Shockwave back on Cybertron with the other Decepticons. Unlike every other appearance of his, he has both hands in this scene. When we next see Shockwave again in the series, he has the cannon.

This is probably nothing more than an animation error, I realize that. But I've always liked the implication that Shockwave lost one of his hands at some point during that 4 million year time period. This is something I wouldn't mind seeing implimented as part of a future Shockwaves backstory. Present day scenes depicting him as having the cannon hand, while flashbacks show two functioning hands. Would anyone else like to see this as well?

 

Pretty sure it's been the same thing with guys like Hoist & Inferno, so for all we know, they can interchange them.

 

Shockwaves one cannon arm makes me think kinda of Edward Scissorhands. Poor Shockwave got built with only one hand, so he used a gun for the other.  

 

He lost his hand, and then SG Ratchet "repaired" him and gave him something better.  

 

Pftt, we all know the reverse is true. Shockwave used to have a cannon on his other arm, too, and when that got irreparably damaged, he replaced it with a five-fingered hand.  

 

Cool idea, but couldn't he have just made another hand?

I think there's gotta be more to it than that...

 

I had never noticed the two hands on Shockwave before. I like the idea and think it could provide a good story or two in what ever show would decide to go there.

I have a similar story I gave to a custom classic seeker I did a couple of years ago. I replaced his right hand with a flamethrower and built up a story in my head about why it's there.

 

It was only logical for him to have a gun arm, rather than a weapon he would have to pick up and put down, or risk disarmament.

 

This makes me think he would cut off his left hand and replace it with the cannon, FOR SCIENCE!

 

My rule of thumb while watching G1 transformers: Never rationalise animation error.

 

Seeing how he can't shoot for $#!+, perhaps his gun hand serves as a constant reminder of that and is also meant to improve his aim—point and shoot.

 

Well I'll be. I never noticed that. That's interesting.

I agree, but this one is one of the more interesting ones.

 

Lil Formers Strips by MattMoylan on deviantART

I found this on DA.

 

I always imagined it would be like $*%£ This I want a cannon hand, someone get me a saw.

 

I guess it just seems a tiny bit odd to me that "two hands" wouldn't be a default fixture in the design blueprints for new Transformer bodies.

 

I tend to like the self-mod idea myself. But I would love a Shockwave that could have the cannon in place of either hand, or have the cannon completely cover a hand (or retracting hand makes a spot for it, whatever). Then again, I love G1 Galvatron's ability to put his big gun on either bicep and WfC Megs can do something similar.

+-MWG-+

 

As far as I'm concerned he cut out his own arm so he could mount a cannon to it!

 

Self modification/mutilation for sure. upon a deep thought process, Shockwave realized having to draw his weapon and always having two, non-firing hands was illogical. so he severed his own hand, replacing it with a more efficient cannon/surgical tool.


Mwahahahahahahahaha