ASTROTRAIN AND BLITZWINGThe very first of the Triple Changers - the robots who could assume two Earthen vehicle modes in addition to their robot mode - Blitzwing and Astrotrain are unquestionably the most powerful and cunning.
ASTROTRAIN
Astrotrain made his first appearance along with most of the various other new Decepticon arrivals at the time of the Dinobot Island imbroglio, although his involvement was limited to merely being seen in the background of various scenes.
Astrotrain, like all Triple Changers, can transform into two Earthly modes - a locomotive train, and a space shuttle. However, it is unknown how he and the other new Decepticons were programmed with these modes, seeing as the original Decepticons would not have access to Teletran One to reconfigure their new allies, as the Autobots would. He has been seen to grow to immense size in both of these modes (Ref: Transformers: The Movie) - big enough to contain all his Decepticon allies - presumably by drawing mass from subspace. In train mode, Astrotrain can run without tracks, but how is not clear. In shuttle mode, Astrotrain can achieve flight to and from Cybertron (although how great this distance is, is unknown). He appears to have a high fuel consumption rate in this mode, particularly when carrying passengers. In robot mode, he is armed with a standard blaster.
Once, Astrotrain conspired with Blitzwing and Starscream to overthrow Megatron, but the Triple Changers double-crossed Starscream, and trapped him alongside Megatron. Following an argument, the two traitors went their own ways in their attempts to conquer the city. Astrotrain commandeered and reprogrammed a group of trains to obey his commands, but his work was unsuccessful, and the uncontrollabe trains ruptured a high pressure water main, flooding the city. The Autobots helped the human inhabitants while Megatron and Starscream, freed by the tidal wave that had been created, beat Blitzwing and Astrotrain into submission. Megatron allowed them to rejoin the Decepticon ranks.
Astrotrain was present at the Autobot City Massacre of 2005, and was the Decepticons' means of escape when Optimus Prime defeated Megatron in battle. On the journey into space, Astrotrain instructed the Decepticons to "jettision some weight or I'll never make it to Cybertron!". Megatron and several others were cast off into space, and later recovered by the planet eater, Unicron. Astrotrain continued to serve the Decepticons, and their new leader, Galvatron, throughout 2006, but his fate following the restoration of Cybertron's Golden Age is unknown.BLITZWING
Blitzwing's first appearance was alongside the other new Decepticons on Dinobot Island. The war-loving Triple Changer engaged in frontal combat with the Autobot Warpath, only to emerge the loser.Blitzwing transforms into two Earthen vehicles - a tank, and a jet plane. In tank mode, his turret fires bolts of energy, as well as explosive shells. In jet mode, he is armed with two wing-mounted guns which fire energy blasts. He can achieve flight at Mach 2.7. In robot mode, Blitzwing is armed with a standard blaster, and a flaming energy sword.As noted above, Blitzwing once aided Astrotrain and Starscream in overthrowing Megatron, but the Triple Changers turned against Starscream and dispensesd with him also. When he and Astrotrain split up, Blitzwing took command of a football stadium, believing the coach to be a military tactician (Blitzwing is noted for several things, but intelligence was never one of them). He actually succeeded in inflicting some damage to the city, and captured several Autobots when he bribed the Constructicons into working for him, having them turn the stadium into a death trap. Blitzwing and Astrotrain both rejoind the Decepticons when Megatron broke free and beat them into submission.Blitzwing was present at the Autobot City Massacre, and made the first strike against the Autobots, attacking Hot Rod and Kup. Kup dispensed with the unintelligible Triple Changer, who suffered minor injuries, and only just managed to survive Optimus Prime's wrath as the Autobot leader rolled into the besieged city. During his service with the Decepticons in 2006, Blitzwing tried to shoot Galvatron (whom he had been loyal to previously) in an attempt to break up a pointless argument. Enraged, Galvatron exiled Blitzwing from the Decepticons. After aiding the Autobots in battle against his former comrades, Blitzwing turned down Rodimus Prime's offer to join them. His fate after the restoration of Cybertron's Glden Age is unknown, but it is likely that he was granted leniency. If so, he is most likely in retirement, or wandering the universe.
