Why do people like Soundwave?

[Velvet Glove]

This might sound like a loaded or trick question, but it's not. I genuinely want to know what the appeal is of the *character* for you. (If you like the toy and you like fiction-Soundwave because of that, well, that's different.) I'm talking about the G1 version, but this seems to be true of other incarnations as well.

Personally, I've never been able to get a feel for Soundwave. He's a largely malevolent form of set dressing or plot device, but I don't know what drives him and I don't really understand his relationships with other characters (the consensus seems to be that he genuinely cares about Megatron and his cassettes... but why? Both why do we think that and what reason does he have to care about them?) I've read some well-written fanfics about Soundwave, but it still doesn't click in for me.

I usually avoid writing Soundwave because of my lack of sympathy, but sometimes (OK, a lot of the time) it would be useful to include him effectively.

Velvet Glove (who is finally writing Decepticons, but only because she said 'screw it' and threw together a largely random cast of secondary characters)

[Zobovor]

On Monday, August 21, 2023 at 4:14:21 AM UTC-6, Velvet Glove wrote:

> This might sound like a loaded or trick question, but it's not. I genuinely want to know what the appeal is of the *character* for you. (If you like the toy and you like fiction-Soundwave because of that, well, that's different.) I'm talking about the G1 version, but this seems to be true of other incarnations as well.

Well, he's devoutly loyal. He's sort of the opposite of Starscream in that regard—where Starscream will question Megatron even when it doesn't really benefit him (just to make Megatron's position seem weaker), Soundwave has got Megatron's back at all times. He's highly capable, so that makes him super useful in a wide variety of situations. He does his job without being asked. He's dispassionate, and doesn't have an issue with emotions clouding his judgment (which is a problem that Starscream and Megatron both suffer from in the extreme). He's kind of the perfect soldier.

Just about the only thing he doesn't seem to do well is act in a leadership role. The Constructicons were kind of right about him—he lacks the charisma and the ability to inspire others that a true leader would need. So, he tends to function best in a support role, carrying out Megatron's orders.

> I don't know what drives him and I don't really understand his relationships with other characters (the consensus seems to be that he genuinely cares about Megatron and his cassettes... but why? Both why do we think that and what reason does he have to care about them?)

I would say what drives him is his devotion to the Decepticon ideals, and secondary to that, service to Megatron. He is Megatron's star pupil and wants to retain that role, being a useful and supportive underling. He'll throw other Decepticons under the bus if they threaten that. He clearly doesn't care for Starscream and his antics much, but like a good trooper, he'll follow Starscream's orders if he's placed in command of the unit.

He obviously cares about his tapes. He was deeply concerned when Ravage was captured in the pilot episode, but he had to put the success of the mission before his fondness for his kitty friend. As for why he cares about them, some have postulated that he created them himself. Even if that's not the case, he's clearly in charge of them all, and he's almost always the one to send them into battle or give them orders. So, he's responsible for their safety and well-being.

I think he's like Omega Supreme—he's got feelings, but he doesn't show them. They both speak in a clipped, truncated sentence structure that makes them both seem emotionless and detached. But, in the case of Omega, we know he's got feelings and he just chooses to push them way down. Soundwave lets his mask slip on occasion, like when he burst out laughing along with Megatron after Starscream got what was coming to him in "Quest for Survival," or his deeply impassioned reaction upon the discovery of the Eurhythman harmony in "Carnage in C-Minor." But, most of the time he doesn't let it show.

And, also, he's got a super cool voice.


Zob (not in "The Return of Optimus Prime," though... that sounded absolutely dreadful)

[Velvet Glove]

Hmm... yeah. I get it, it's just not enough for me to click into. At least with Omega Supreme, he *has* a backstory on which I can anchor my take on the character... Soundwave's really tricky. I think a better access point for me might be through his cassettes. I'll think on that a bit, see if any plot hooks come up.

Velvet Glove (weirdly enough, I'm less intimidated by the idea of doing a Laserbeak or Ravage POV...)

[Joseph Bardsley]

On Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 11:45:05 AM UTC-7, Velvet Glove wrote:
> Hmm... yeah. I get it, it's just not enough for me to click into. At least with Omega Supreme, he *has* a backstory on which I can anchor my take on the character... Soundwave's really tricky. I think a better access point for me might be through his cassettes. I'll think on that a bit, see if any plot hooks come up.
>
> Velvet Glove (weirdly enough, I'm less intimidated by the idea of doing a Laserbeak or Ravage POV...)

Well, if you want to go back many years to the early 1990s, ATT's own Raksha was - for decades - was a deep advocate for Soundwave, specifically, as a character. Beyond playing him on TF:2k5, and originating him at TF:DD, she also wrote prolifically about him - fanfics, essays, discussion pieces, and other items.

In the late 90s, she even produced a special one-shot fanzine - a 'Tribute to Soundwave' that captured all of her thoughts, reflections, and ideas about Soundwave, his relationships, interconnections, and histories, with a healthy degree of personal canon thrown into the mix. There also were many other submissions and contributions from fellow fanfic readers and writers. Many of them celebrated the same elements of the character that Zob mentioned: his loyalty, his effectiveness, and his unique connections to his cassette subordinates.

The Tribute to Soundwave has been backed up on the Web:

http://web.archive.org/web/20031203133401/http://www.plumed-serpent.com/soundwave.html

Raksha's fanfics, Con-Quest essays, and other writing also make a strong and creative case for Soundwave on a whole, and many continue to agree that her fanfic, in particular, is very strong.

One of my favourites - The 2005 Chronicles - follows Soundwave's experiences immediately after TFTM, and progressing throughout Season 3, in journal/log form. It is haunting and powerful, and gives a real insight into one take on the character:

http://web.archive.org/web/20031002184908/http://www.plumed-serpent.com/2005.html

Lastly, Raksha also rewrote Soundwave's character bio:

Soundwave is a Decepticon of many talents. His highly tuned sensors can intercept enemy transmissions and detect the faintest whisper of a sound; his scientific background was the basis for his largely self-taught repair skills (his area of particular expertise is cerebral neurocircuitry); his unique telepathic powers let him extract information from an enemy or assess the cause, and often the cure, for problems in a comrade. He is a skilled and ruthless fighter when necessary, though not a warrior by nature. He is calm, patient, and composed, often to the point of seeming emotionless - but in truth he is deeply dedicated to his cause, protective of the other Decepticons, and unfailingly loyal to those who have earned his friendship. The only thing that can really rattle his composure is a threat to his cassette creations.

Motto:

"The Secrets of the Universe reveal themselves to those who listen."

Hope this helps provide some insight into other perspectives on the character, Velvet Glove!

Joseph
Joe.ba...@gmail.com