Bulkhead (G1)

Bulkhead is anAutobotfrom the2005 IDW portionof theGeneration 1continuity family.

"You shouldn't have drank my Swedish protein powder, little buddy!"

AlthoughBulkheadis a soft-spoken 'bot of few words, he's no gentle giant—he's a stubborn warrior who's happiest when he's throwing his substantial weight around on the front lines or using his wrecking ball fists to crack open an enemy's chassis. With ties toOptimus Prime's inner circle and the eliteWreckers,Bulkhead's a tough and pragmatic fighter with little patience for fancy talk.

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

Bulkhead was among the leadership ofCybertron'sEngineering Guild,and an early supporter ofOptimus Prime.During the inaugural meeting of theGrand Convocation,he was unimpressed by the grandstanding of theCircle of Light's representative,Dai Atlas,and told him to stifle his objections.DerelictsWhen theExodusbegan, Dai Atlas prepared to leave the planet and invited the other members of the Convocation to do the same. Unwilling to abandon the many Cybertronians who couldn't afford a way off-world, Bulkhead declined the offer and remained on Cybertron.Massacre

Attending an Autobot security meeting in response toTrypticon's collision course withIacon,Bulkhead rejectedHot Rod's suggestion to shoot the beast out of the sky, citing the danger of falling debris.Primacy #2

Centuries later, Bulkhead was trained bySpringerfor possible inclusion in the next incarnation of theWreckers.He was present with the other "Wrookies" when Springer appeared as theShimmerfor the last time and told them not to repeat the Wreckers' past mistakes.Requiem of the Wreckers

The Functionist Universe

Inan altered timelinein which the war was averted, Bulkhead bore witness to themass recallof all Cybertronians with data slug altmodes.The Custom-Made Now

2019 IDW continuity

Bulkhead was considered to be brave and loyal byThunderclash,being counted among his potential recruits for theWreckers.Tread & Circuits Part 4

Last Bot Standing

Bulkhead was among the many Autobots who fought against the Decepticons as both sides drained the universe of its resources.Last Bot Standing #2

Games

Transformers Roleplaying Game

During the early days of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict, Bulkhead adjusted to wartime life faster than many of his fellow Autobots; when he wasn't on guard duty, he was fighting in some of the first skirmishes of the Great War.Cobra/Con FusionDuring the war, Bulkhead joined the Wreckers, and developed a special enmity with the DecepticonBreakdown.Decepticon Directive

Although Bulkhead wasn't originally meant to join the crew of theArk,he soon came to enjoy life onEarth.Roleplaying Game Core RulebookOn one mission in southernFrance,Bulkhead,Minerva,andBumblebeeattempted to ambushSwindleand theBaroness,only for all fiveCombaticonsto launch a counter-ambush. In the ensuing fight,Onslaughtcritically damaged Bumblebee; the enraged Bulkhead charged their foes, which created an exit and distracted them long enough for Minerva to stabilize Bumblebee. The two Autobots and their gravely wounded compatriot spent days trying to escape their pursuers, and eventually stumbled on aG.I. Joecamp inLa Grande Dune du Pilat.After making contact with team leaderStalker,the heroes of G.I. Joe agreed to bring in a group of specialists to repair Bumblebee.

OnceDoc,Mainframe,andCover Girlarrived, the Autobots and their new allies successfully rebuilt Bumblebee into a new, war-ready configuration and rolled out to capture Swindle and his new associate. After a brief chase through the streets ofSaint-Bertrand-de-Comminges,the team successfully captured Swindle... but realized that "Baroness" was really her body double,Chameleon.However, the intel she provided led them to asecret cybernetics labin thePyrenees,where they discovered that the villains had pooled their resources to constructFusion,an experimental warrior who incorporated a mixture ofCobraand Cybertronian technology.Cobra/Con Fusion

Transformers: Earth Wars

• Class:Warrior
• Lowest Star Rating:2 Star
• Ability: Inhibitor Charge-Adds to max heath and damage absorption for multiple seconds, then rush into combat dealing damage to buildings and walls along the way. Nearby enemies are slowed for the duration of the effect.
  • Cost:4 Ability points +2 cost increase

Toys

Prime

See:Bulkhead (Prime)#Toys

In the 2005-2018 IDW comics, Bulkhead is, of course, a straightrepurposingof the character model ofPrimeBulkhead,so we'll just link you to that dude's toy page, rather than reproduce it all here.

Legacy

• Prime Universe Bulkhead(Voyager Class,2022)
  • TakaraTomy ID number:TL-03
  • TakaraTomy release date:July 30,2022
  • Accessories:Energonmachine gun, battle mace, tarp cover

Part of the first wave ofLegacyVoyager Class toys, "Prime Universe Bulkhead" is aGenerations-styled version of the character that transforms into an squished version of aRábaH18 military truck, which echoesAge of ExtinctionHound's vehicle mode, in 30 steps.

He comes with a mace that opens up to wrap around his fist; a tarp that forms the rear of his vehicle mode, which can be used as a shield in robot mode; and a clear-blue Energon rotary machine gun that can mount on his left or right shoulder via 3 mm peg.

In a rarity forGenerationstoys of the last few years, he features fully-concealed weapon storage in alternate mode, with both his mace and gun stowing inside his truck bed, under the tarp. The sides of the tarp also feature twoPowerlinxports. The tarp does not need to be removed for transformation, but doing so provides additional clearance.

The instructions omit rotating the small black 'tummy' piece a further 90° in order to fit in vehicle mode. This should be done sometime before step 17.

Excluding his fists, he has a whopping 17(!) 5 mm ports throughout his body in robot mode, but 6 of them are in his wheel hubs, so if you peg aweaponizerpart in it will droop down.

Due to the new windowless packaging featured in the Legacy Line, it is not uncommon to find Bulkhead with his head forced down into his chest cavity, making it appear as though the figure is missing his head.

This figure was revealed by IGN as a teaser for theLegacyline onOctober 20,2021,^[1]ahead ofPulse Con 2021.Bulkhead was discovered on shelves inFrancein late January.

Notes

• InRequiem of the Wreckers,Bulkhead is depicted with a body very similar toAnimatedBulkhead,though still retaining the head of hisAlignedcounterpart.

References