Definitions by ANDY
Scorponok
Large Decepticon Headmaster who has three modes: a giant scorpion, a robot and a city or fortress. He is partnered with Lord Zarak and also has a drone called Fast-Track.
The toy version was one of the largest TransFormers ever made, perhaps second only to Fortress Maximus.
Scorponok played an important role in the US version of the comic, where he was at the forefront in the final battle with Unicron.
He is portrayed as having a noble side which belies his Decepticon cruelty.
The toy version was one of the largest TransFormers ever made, perhaps second only to Fortress Maximus.
Scorponok played an important role in the US version of the comic, where he was at the forefront in the final battle with Unicron.
He is portrayed as having a noble side which belies his Decepticon cruelty.
Scorponok also appeared in the Japanese Headmasters series and in the UK comics. In both of these, he was the leader of the Decepticon Headmasters on Nebulon.
Powerglide
An Autobot - one of the Generation 1 Series 2 mini-Autobots. He transforms into a microlight aircraft of some sort. His personality is confident and cocky, and in the cartoons this sometimes gets him into trouble.
He has a starring role in an episode called "The Girl who Loved Powerglide".
He also appears in the comics. He makes his debut as one of Blaster's team who are fighting Lord Straxus near Polyhex.
He also appears in the comics. He makes his debut as one of Blaster's team who are fighting Lord Straxus near Polyhex.
Powerglide by Andy May 1, 2004
Laserbeak
A Decepticon cassette, one of the original Generation 1 Series 1 TransFormers. Laserbeak transforms from a bird (buzzard or eagle) mode into a cassette mode, and can be placed inside Soundwave as a cassette.
In various formats (TV series, movie, children's books, US and UK comics) he is used mainly as an espionage agent who finds out secrets while perched on various roofs and ledges. Although his tech spec says that he is too afraid to make a good spy and that he really specialises in interrogation, he is never shown this way in his various appearances in print and on screen.
In various formats (TV series, movie, children's books, US and UK comics) he is used mainly as an espionage agent who finds out secrets while perched on various roofs and ledges. Although his tech spec says that he is too afraid to make a good spy and that he really specialises in interrogation, he is never shown this way in his various appearances in print and on screen.
"Well done, Laserbeak. Unlike some of my other warriors, you never fail me" (Megatron, in TransFormers: The Movie).
Newspeak
In George Orwell's dystopia "Nineteen Eighty-Four", Newspeak was the corrupted/purged language everyone was supposed to speak according to the totalitarian dictatorship which ran everything. Words with subversive potential and those which had unclear meanings were eliminated, along with references to the past. The attempt was to bring language, and therefore thought, into line with the wishes of the rulers.
It is also used to refer to any instance of politically-invented language put out through apparatuses of propaganda and social control or by spindoctors.
Words like people-trafficker, collateral damage and downsizing are examples of real-world Newspeak.
It is also used to refer to any instance of politically-invented language put out through apparatuses of propaganda and social control or by spindoctors.
Words like people-trafficker, collateral damage and downsizing are examples of real-world Newspeak.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't make up new words. Nor does it mean that every political or invented word should be suspect. The point is that new words should expand meaning, not contract it. If a word is used to cover up abuses by the powerful or to manipulate people in favour of the existing regime, it's Newspeak.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad
The fourth battle of the Wars of Beleriand and the most disastrous for the Noldor. The name means Battle of the Unnumbered Tears in Sindarin.
The battle was initiated by the sons of Feanor in an attempt to reclaim the Silmarils from Morgoth and to defeat the evil forces which were steadily creeping into Beleriand from Angband. The forces sent against Morgoth were formidable: the host of the sons of Feanor was joined by Turgon's forces from Mithrim, humans from Ossiriand, Hithlum and Brethil and small companies from elsewhere, including a company led by Gwindor from Nargothrond. Turgon also sent a host forth from Gondolin after hearing of the situation. However, the elves were weakened by the absence of larger contingents from Doriath and Nargothrond, as a result of preceding events in which Elwe of Doriath had obtained a Silmaril and in which the sons of Feanor had made a bid for power in Nargothrond.
The armies were split into two forces. The eastern force, led by Maedhros, was to draw Morgoth's forces out, after which the western force, led by Fingon, was to attack Angband. However, treachery by humans of the house of Ulfang waylaid the eastern force, and the western force was drawn into battle early by a force of Orcs under orders to bring them to Angband. They believed they were fighting the whole army and were drawn into a tactically undesirable position, chasing the Orcs across Anfauglith. But they were ambushed outside Angband and mostly slain.
Turgon's arrival and the eventual appearance of Maedhros's forces turned the tide, but the elves were defeated when the house of Ulfang turned coat and attacked Maedhros in the rear. In the resulting debacle, Fingon was slain, the sons of Feanor lost their armies and were put to flight, Turgon fled back to Gondolin under a rearguard action and Morgoth's forces overran northern Beleriand, and total defeat was prevented only by a valiant defensive fight by the humans of Hithlum along the river Sirion. Eventually they were defeated; Hurin, lord of the humans of Hithlum, was captured and tortured; the people of Hithlum were killed or subjugated.
Morgoth's forces then besieged and ultimately broke the fortresses at Eglarest and Vinyamar, overrunning all of Beleriand save Doriath, Balar, Nargothrond and Gondolin.
The battle was initiated by the sons of Feanor in an attempt to reclaim the Silmarils from Morgoth and to defeat the evil forces which were steadily creeping into Beleriand from Angband. The forces sent against Morgoth were formidable: the host of the sons of Feanor was joined by Turgon's forces from Mithrim, humans from Ossiriand, Hithlum and Brethil and small companies from elsewhere, including a company led by Gwindor from Nargothrond. Turgon also sent a host forth from Gondolin after hearing of the situation. However, the elves were weakened by the absence of larger contingents from Doriath and Nargothrond, as a result of preceding events in which Elwe of Doriath had obtained a Silmaril and in which the sons of Feanor had made a bid for power in Nargothrond.
The armies were split into two forces. The eastern force, led by Maedhros, was to draw Morgoth's forces out, after which the western force, led by Fingon, was to attack Angband. However, treachery by humans of the house of Ulfang waylaid the eastern force, and the western force was drawn into battle early by a force of Orcs under orders to bring them to Angband. They believed they were fighting the whole army and were drawn into a tactically undesirable position, chasing the Orcs across Anfauglith. But they were ambushed outside Angband and mostly slain.
Turgon's arrival and the eventual appearance of Maedhros's forces turned the tide, but the elves were defeated when the house of Ulfang turned coat and attacked Maedhros in the rear. In the resulting debacle, Fingon was slain, the sons of Feanor lost their armies and were put to flight, Turgon fled back to Gondolin under a rearguard action and Morgoth's forces overran northern Beleriand, and total defeat was prevented only by a valiant defensive fight by the humans of Hithlum along the river Sirion. Eventually they were defeated; Hurin, lord of the humans of Hithlum, was captured and tortured; the people of Hithlum were killed or subjugated.
Morgoth's forces then besieged and ultimately broke the fortresses at Eglarest and Vinyamar, overrunning all of Beleriand save Doriath, Balar, Nargothrond and Gondolin.
The battle is recounted in JRR Tolkien's The Silmarillion.
Nirnaeth Arnoediad by Andy April 28, 2004
Fingon
One of the Kings of the Noldor in JRR Tolkien's Silmarillion; he was not of the house of Feanor but fell under the Doom of the Noldor. His realm was in Hithlum, especially Mithrim; he later shared his realm with humans also. He was slain while leading a host of elves and humans against the armies of Morgoth in Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
Not to be confused with Finrod and Turgon. Tolkien's rhyming-couplet names can make his works a minefield for anyone who doesn't have a good memory of who's who (although it doesn't matter much in Fingon's case, because he appears only very rarely).