Storm Cloud is a Decepticon Micromaster from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Accept that handshake so he can punch you.

Storm Cloud is like Starscream, except with less brains, talent, self-control, or chance of success. He always announces his plans, including such brilliance as: "I'm going to replace Whisper as leader of the Air Strike Patrol!" In front of Whisper. Sigh.^[1]

However, he is an expert in electronic warfare, using electromagnetic interference to confuse enemy scanners, from a safe point high up in the sky. He's also apparently skilled as a hacker (or at least acquired some very good hacking scripts) as he is able to slip corrupted data into Autobot transmissions to disrupt them.^[2]

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

And in the red corner...

Storm Cloud and his patrolmates were the first Decepticon Micromasters to be created after Thunderwing's scientists reverse engineered the process from the captive Autobot Battle Patrol. When the Race Car Patrol infiltrated Thunderwing's base to rescue the Battle Patrol, the Air Strike Patrol were sent out to meet them as a field-test. Roadhandler was able to trick them into thinking that a deactivated bomb he was carrying was still live, allowing his team to rush the Decepticons and beat them down. The Autobots afterwards fled with their rescued comrades. A Small War!

When Roadhandler became an overnight wrestling sensation on Earth, Scorponok requested new warriors from Cybertron to counter the Autobot Micromasters' building public adulation. The Micromaster Air Strike Patrol, including Storm Cloud, subsequently arrived on Earth, donated by a Decepticon on Cybertron with an unknown, mysterious identity. Storm Cloud challenged Roadhandler in the ring, with the stipulation that if Roadhandler didn't demonstrate Autobot inferiority by throwing the match, Roadhandler's fan club would be in danger. Once the threat had been removed, Roadhandler clobbered Storm Cloud easily. The Decepticons' plan foiled, Storm Cloud acted as Zarak's transport so they could both escape the wrestling arena. The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!

"Big whoop, want to fight about it!"

Unknown to Scorponok, Storm Cloud's secret employer was Megatron, who then sent Storm Cloud and his teammates on a mission to MacDill Air Force Base. En route to the base, Nightflight and Storm Cloud indulged in some showy aerobatics, nearly crashing in the process. Admonished by Whisper, they reached the base and captured the B-204 refueling plane. Storm Cloud interrupted Whisper's ultimatum to the humans, issuing... basically the same ultimatum. When the Autobots inevitably arrived, the team contacted Scorponok to tell him that they were under attack. Back from the Dead During a brief confrontation with Optimus Prime, Storm Cloud disabled Optimus's attempt to contact the Ark and accidentally let slip part of his team's plans. With the arrival of Scorponok's Decepticons, Storm Cloud and his teammates fled, their mission completed. The Resurrection Gambit! Skin Deep

Storm Cloud, Nightflight, and Tailwind came to the aid of Whisper, after he had become a freelance assassin, when he was chased into an Earthen jungle by the Autobot Rescue Patrol. This battle ended with the Autobots breaking off their pursuit in order to prevent further damage being dealt to the surrounding forest. The Greatest Gift of All!

A news team followed the Air Strike Patrol across the southern United States, where finally the group descended on an oil refinery. When they attacked, the human civilians were defended by Hector Dialonzo, a human with extraordinary powers. While on film, Storm Cloud colorfully threatened Hector for his destruction of Tailwind, only to be destroyed himself by an explosion of underground lava caused by the human. The Human Factor!

Marvel UK future timelines

The Air Strike Patrol took Megatron's side in a Decepticon Civil War against factions led by Scorponok and Shockwave. Near the end of that war, the Patrol chased Scorponok, alone, into a human settlement, where Storm Cloud mused that the infighting between the other three members of his team would allow him to prove himself. Scorponok manoeuvered a team of Autobots into combatting the Patrol for him, with the Autobot unit leader Hot Rod shielding Scorponok from one of Storm Cloud's strikes. The Autobot interference enabled Scorponok to escape. Aspects of Evil!

Transformers Comic-Magazin

As the Decepticons arrived on Earth, Storm Cloud and the Air Strike Patrol were among the first to engage their Autobot enemies. New York — A City Sinking in Terror

When a dimension bridge opened up connecting several points in time and space, the Autobots and Decepticons fought over control of the bridge. The Air Strike Patrol engaged the Autobot Pretender, Skyhammer. The Transformers' Grand Hour: Headmaster of the Dimensions

Classics

At some point, Storm Cloud rejoined the Decepticons while they were under Bludgeon's command. He was summoned by Crankcase for waste disposal after Piranacon deactivated the alleged traitor, Abominus. At Fight's End

2005 IDW continuity

Storm Cloud was among the legion of pint-sized soldiers employed by Jhiaxus on Gorlam Prime. He, along with other flyers, attacked Hardhead and Nightbeat as they probed deeper into the planet. Spotlight: Hardhead

Beast Wars: Uprising

Storm Cloud of the Air Strike Patrol fought for the Builders in the Grand Uprising until he was captured by the Resistance. In Protihex, he was forced to fight in a new Games until a Vehicon nano-virus hidden among his fellow troops awakened. Micromasters and protoformers alike were assimilated into new Vehicon drone soldiers, and Whisper and Storm Cloud were brought down by the first wave of Aero Drones, with Storm Cloud himself being turned into one of their numbers. Safe Spaces

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

During the war for Cybertron, Storm Cloud was an Air Force Infantry Raider. Siege toy packaging

On a flame-wreathed battlefield, Storm Cloud and Visper arrived with Megatron to back Skytread up against Sideswipe and Cog. Storm Cloud connected with Visper to form a sword for their leader, but once Optimus Prime showed up to clash with Megatron, he hit them so hard they de-combined. Autobots vs. Decepticons stop motion

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #11

Storm Cloud, along with his comrade Visper, was a member of the terrorist organization The Rise. They joined Sixshot in an attempt to evacuate Barricade from Ascenticon Headquarters. Bumblebee attempted to stop them but failed, and Storm Cloud and Visper took Barricade away. The Cracks Beneath Your Feet Part Five

Storm Cloud and Visper were commandeered by Mindwipe for a mission to Iacon. All Fall Down During the raid on Swindle's, Storm Cloud scrambled communications before he dived into the building. No sooner had he touched down was he jumped by Sideswipe who stunned him with a thermal lance. Damaged, Storm Cloud was left behind and taken into custody by Security Operations whom Mindwipe was sure would get everything out of him. Swindle's Storm Cloud was still in custody of SecOps after the fall of the Senate. When Swindle's cronies came to spring him, he made a point of informing Storm Cloud that he owed Swindle for his roof. Hunt

Storm Cloud was eventually released after The Rise and Ascenticons conquered Iacon and forged a new united faction as the Decepticons. He was part of Strika's Decepticon army when they stormed the Autobot-controlled Crystal City. Kup and his Battle Patrol began bombarding the Decepticons with defensive fire, so Storm Cloud made a scouting flight. He spotted the Autobot position and pinged them for Strika, allowing the Decepticons to rain fire on the Autobot artillery position. A Dust of Crystals

Games

Transformers Legends

Dreadwind and the Air Strike Patrol conquered Garrus-9, though their triumph was short-lived as the Wreckers arrived a bit later and liberated it. The Wreckers

Toys

The Transformers

• Air Strike Patrol (Micromaster Patrol, 1988)

Storm Cloud transforms into a lavender and black Dassault Rafale fighter jet. He was only available as part of a four-pack with his teammates Nightflight, Tailwind and Whisper. Storm Cloud is gang-molded with Whisper, sharing plastic colors.

Together with the Off Road Patrol and the Race Car Patrol, the Air Strike Patrol was released by Hasbro in late 1988 (basically, a case of "next year product" being released at the end of the old year), in packaging that differed from the "proper" 1989 Micromasters' redesigned packaging (silver cards and boxes featuring an all-new "Transformers" logo) by retaining a variation of the faction-specific color-coded gradient background on the card and featuring a unique "Micro Transformers" title in a variation of the old, pre-1989 "Transformers" logo. This same basic packaging design was also used for Canada (albeit bilingual English/French) and parts of Europe (bilingual French/Dutch, and Italian-only packaging distributed by GiG). However, a variant of sorts featuring the later 1989 packaging design also exists, and was released (in English-only packaging) in the United Kingdom, where it was sold at Woolworth's stores.

This toy was sold without changes in Japan as the Autobot Star Cloud. This sculpt was also redecoed to make Skyhopper.

• More information on Storm Cloud at TFU.info

Universe (2008)

He'll pose at you until he's green in the face.

• Stormcloud (Ultra Class, 2008)

• Series: Classic Series
• Accessories: Spring-loaded cannon, "interceptor" missile

A redeco of Universe Powerglide, Stormcloud transforms into a genericized version of the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II assault plane.

He has electronic gimmicks triggered in plane mode by a button on his top, causing his cockpit and engines to flash, and cycling through three different sound effects: jet engines starting up, in-flight "whoosh", and machinegun fire (all the same sounds as Universe Silverbolt. Transformation to and from robot mode each activates a variation on the classic transformation sound effect, accompanied by the flashing cockpit and engines.

He also has a hidden heart in his chest. Hey, he can't be all bad... okay, it's as black as the night. Stormcloud also has "MM-89" stamped on his engine boosters, a reference to his original Micromaster status and release year.

• More information on Universe Stormcloud at TFU.info

War for Cybertron: Siege

He's back to walking small once more.

• Storm Cloud & Visper (Micromaster, 2019)

• Hasbro ID number: WFC-S5
• TakaraTomy name: Storm Cloud & Visper (ストームクラウド&ヴィスパー)
• TakaraTomy ID number: SG-10
• TakaraTomy release date: 2019 March 30

Part of the first wave of Siege Micromasters, Storm Cloud transforms from a robot into a dimly-Cybertronian jet. He can also combine with his packmate Visper to form the "Circuitstream Spyblade". As a part of the C.O.M.B.A.T. System, their weapon mode can be attached to any toy with a 5 mm post-hole. "Fire Blasts" can also be attached to his hands or the back of his jet mode.

Due to his transformation, he has great articulation compared to his first-wave contemporaries. Note that the image at the right is mistransformed, with neither Micromaster's wings folded back in robot mode.

Though designated for release in the first quarter of 2019, Storm Cloud's wave reached U.S. store shelves in late 2018.

Storm Cloud was repainted into Slyhopper and Overair. This toy was also repurposed as Star Cloud in the Legends comic.

Merchandise

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Raider Storm Cloud, Infantry-Electronic Warfare (2019)

• Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I
• Rarity: CT
• Card Number: T38/T48
• Stars: 4

Raider Storm Cloud, Infantry-Electronic Warfare is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege I. In order to represent Storm Cloud's size as a Micromaster, Raider Storm Cloud, Infantry-Electronic Warfare is the size of a battle card, about half the size of a normal character card.

The card's artwork is based on the Siege Storm Cloud toy, with the Alt Mode artwork being reused from the toy's packaging art, and with original Bot Mode artwork (line-art by Dan Khanna and colors by Volta).

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese: Storm Cloud (ストームクラウド Sutōmu Kuraudo)
• French: Nimbus (Canada)
• Italian: Eclisse

References