JHIAXUS
Appearances:
US Transformers Generation 2
#1 (War Without End)
#3 (Primal Fear + Old Evils)
#4 + 5 (Devices and Desires, The Power and the Glory)
#7 - 10 (New Dawn, Escalation, Swarm, Total War)
#11 (Dark Shadows, Tales of Earth, pt 8)
#12 (A Rage in Heaven, books 1 - 4, Jhiaxus's death.)
Quote:
"Welcome. I am Jhiaxus. And as you are no doubt aware, your lives are in my hands. Had I wished, could have simply pulverised you all from space."
Alt-Mode:
Thunderjet.
Description:
Jhiaxus. Know fear, know terror, know the Liege Centuro of the Decepticon Empire, commander of her armed forces. Know Jhiaxus.
Geez. That was a bit, I dunno exactly how to say it but, "dribbling bullshi..." err the phrase "dribbling bull" comes to mind.
Jhiaxus (pronounced 'gee-ax-us', a reference to what Furman thought was going to be the fate of the TF: Gen2 comics, he was right) was a massive Decepticon leader introduced in Transformers: Generation2. He played a central role in that series, as the main antagonist. His clinical, almost emotionless evil was an excellent foil not only to Optimus Prime's nauseating goodness, but also to Megatron's passionate, angry form of evil. In the end, even together, the two great leaders were no match for Jhiaxus. Only his own inner demons were capable of killing him.
Jhiaxus' descent into madness was very interesting. He slowly became more and more insane as his contact with his "ancestors" played on his nerves. It caused him to slowly lose his icy veneer of control and distance. It's interestingly similar to the destruction of the Zentradi in Robotech when they come into contact with human "culture".
Jhiaxus was a VERY powerful character. He also, at least in my opinion, rates among the best Decepticon leaders.
Of course, let's face it, in the comics the Decepticon leaders kicked butt. Megatron was crazy-but-fun and he even got to have a sense of humour in Gen2. Shockwave was cold and efficient (Issue #5: The Transformers ARE ALL DEAD!). Ratbat was... well, he was just funky-weird, but somehow appealing. Soundwave acquitted himself well in Dinobot Hunt and later in Earthforce. Scorponok was a very evil beast who became a tragically flawed beast. Straxus?... well, we all know that I love Straxus. Bludgeon was a wildcard entry, but he was cool as a member of the Mayhem Attack Squad, and cool as leader of the Decepticons. Thunderwing was crazy, but kicked some serious butt. Ahh, the comics were a glorious place for Decepticon leaders. Jhiaxus was up there with the best of them. In fact he may have even outdone the others. After all, how many of the others were in charge of a galaxy-spanning empire? Not a single one.
No wonder I use this guy for my online name.
Biography:
Jhiaxus was one the first "Cybertronian" Decepticons. He was part of their "First Generation" or close to it. He rose to power, and deservedly so, he was a cunning and deadly, and overall POWERFUL character.
Jhiaxus first
came into our view when the hit-and-run tactics of Grimlock and
his band of Autobots (along with Optimus Prime and several others) forced him to
reveal himself to the Autobots.
Jhiaxus knocked out Optimus Prime, Grimlock and their troops from his massive flagship the Twilight. The Autobots and their ships were then scooped up and brought aboard Twilight. Rather than simply destroy them he informed them that they had no hope, that their war was a thousand times bigger than they believed it to be. This was a crushing revelation to Optimus Prime, but luckily Grimlock talked him out of his depression.
The Autobots busted out of their prisons and escaped Jhiaxus' clutches, but like a good Decepticon leader Jhi gave chase.
Both Cybertronians and Autobots flew into a nebula where a strange alien parasite infected them. The parasite brought out the deep, dark, vindictive nature of both Autobots and Cybertronians. In the end they were forced to choose between ending their battle, or being consumed (this all happened in issue #2). This allowed Optimus Prime to escape, for the moment. Rather than accept the alien-induced insanity's revelations (that he was nothing more than a butchering tyrant), Jhiaxus targeted the planet for colonisation and moved on. However, he knew that as long as the Autobots continued to live, some doubt would remain in his mind.
[SIDE NOTE: This story is VERY similar to the story in issue 100 of the UK Transformers comics. Three Autobots and three Decepticons trapped in a limbo dimension were almost consumed by parasites who made them believe they were involved in a situation that forced them into battle. Optimus Prime realised what was going on, and stopped the parasites by refusing the fight.]
Later, Grimlock launched an attack on Jhiaxus' flagship, using one of Jhiaxus' own shuttles. However, not fooled by the simple ploy, Jhiaxus easily trapped Grimlock and his men. Rather than just kill them (as he wanted to) Jhiaxus was ordered to send the captives to the Liege Maximo himself. This was a fate, at least Jhiaxus thought, worse than death.
[SIDE NOTE: Grimlock and his band never actually MADE it to the Liege Maximo. They were freed by Optimus and another group of 'bots.]
The next one to attack Jhiaxus was Megatron. Incited by an attack on his men, and the Cybertronians' use of the name "Decepticon", Megatron launched a full scale attack. It was an attack, which was rather simply repelled. Both leaders came into conflict, a duel. Megatron didn't stand a CHANCE. Jhiaxus tore him apart in only a couple of blows, then dropped him from orbit by blasting him into the atmosphere of a planet. In other words, he kicked aft.
Again we saw a slightly more thuggish side of Jhiaxus. Even though he ranted about Megatron being a dead stage in evolution, he definitely seemed to enjoy the hands-on approach to stopping his enemy.
As the Autobots and Decepticons formed an alliance, and started to prove themselves more than just a nuisance, Jhiaxus began to lose his icy control. He ordered a campaign of genocide throughout the known universe. ALL life that was not Transformer would be destroyed. He did this simply to get the attention of the Autobots and to draw them into conflict. Talk about evil!! The plan worked, and the Autobots were drawn out, however they were saved, by the Decepticons.
Jhiaxus' temporary setback was set straight when Starscream showed up. The traitorous Decepticon offered Jhiaxus a chance to get inside Optimus and Megatron's defences. In exchange for a position of power in the Cybertronian empire, Starscream would give Jhiaxus free pass to capture the Decepticon Warworld and Autobase, Earth. Almost stupidly, Jhiaxus agreed. He led an attack on the Autobots and Decepticons, and ordered ALL his forces to come to Earth and see to the destruction of the first generation Transformers. This was to be his downfall.
Jhiaxus' order was received by more than just his Decepticons, but also the Swarm! Fortunately, it would take the Swarm a little while to arrive, giving Jhiaxus to a chance to go a bit more crazy in the meantime.
On Earth the Decepticons and Autobots were outfighting the Cybertronian forces. No matter how many warriors Jhiaxus threw into the battle, the Con/Bot alliance just slaughtered them. He was pissed. He was like a kid who had just been beaten by his grandparents in a network game of Quake. He couldn't understand how these old has-beens could constantly outdo him. Pretty much the final straw came when Jhiaxus received word that the Cybertronians had lost the Warworld.
Starscream, it seemed had been on the team sent to capture the Warworld. Once inside he used the Matrix to merge with the Warworld and to become a living weapon. He blew up tonnes of Cybertronian battle ships, tortured Megatron and Optimus Prime by putting them through the wringer inside his new 'expanded' body, and changed almost randomly from badly-drawn Manny Gallan merged Starscream, to awesome Geoff Senior merged Starscream.
Jhiaxus headed up to the Twilight to try and handle Starscream. However no matter what he threw at the Warworld, no matter how much damage he did, Starscream would just regenerate himself, and the Warworld. Inside the Warworld, Optimus Prime found his way to the command centre (helped by the Matrix), and radioed Jhiaxus, asking him for an alliance against the coming of the Swarm. Jhiaxus refused, then, out of spite, blew up San Francisco (all of it and MORE), just to hurt Prime. He then ordered his gunners to target Earth again and blow it apart; even the parts where Jhiaxus' own troops still fought.
That was pretty cold o' him.
Jhiaxus was prevented from blowed up Earth when Starscream directly attacked Twilight. It seemed that the Matrix was making him turn... well... GOOD. Before Twilight and Warworld could start a knock-down drag-out space battle, the Swarm arrived.
The Swarm attacked Warworld and Twilight, and Jhiaxus' other ships, decimating them. After Starscream had given him back the Matrix (Screamer didn't want to be good!), Optimus Prime headed over to Jhiaxus' ship to chat.
With the Swarm decimating his flagship, and his world crumbling around him, the already insane Jhiaxus lost all coherent thought. He was now completely insane, admittedly, not an unusual state for a Decepticon leader. When Optimus Prime came to plead with Jhiaxus to join forces, Jhiaxus didn't listen. Instead he simply started tearing Optimus Prime limb from limb. He'd almost killed Prime when the Swarm broke through the flagship's defences and blew the two away from each other.
In a final moment of defiance, Jhiaxus actually challenged the Swarm to combat. He was Jhiaxus! He would not be defeated by some freak! His last words, as the swarm consumed his body, were: "I AM JHIAX...." It was a very fitting end to an incredibly interesting and fun villain.
Oh, and for those of you sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering what happened with the Swarm, and all the old Autobots and Decepticons... Optimus saved them using the Matrix. Betcha didn't see THAT one coming.
Tech Specs/TFU:
I expect, had he had tech specs, his attributes would have all been tens. Except perhaps speed (probably a nine or an eight). After all, this is the guy who was a better tactician than Optimus Prime, and who regularly out-fought Megatron! His only problem was a slight susceptibility to going insane.
Not too major a flaw for a Decepticon leader, after all.
Here I'd like to make a note about his title or, in the case of Tech Specs, his function. Jhiaxus referred to himself as 'Liege Centuro' of the Decepticon empire. It seems, based on this, that the Cybertronian Decepticons had rank-titles based on the pattern of 'Liege (blah)'. Like, say, 'Liege Decado' or some such thing, denoting their importance. The most important of all, of course, being the Liege Maximo, who didn't even HAVE another name.
Toy:
Jhiaxus was never made into a toy, but would have made a good one. Unlike many comic-exclusive or generic Transformers, Jhiaxus has a LOT of potential. He has two modes, jet and robot. This in itself is fairly impressive. But he also has something FEW other obscure characters have. He has alt-mode features on his robot mode!!
Jhiaxus would have been a bulky toy, most probably. About the size of Gen2 Megatron, an Ultra toy, or possibly Skyquake (I imagine). However, I think he would have had nice poseability, like all the later Gen2 toys. His head had a lot of pipes and things coming off of it, so I'm not sure if it would translate well into a toy. It really annoys me when a toy's head can't move. Oh well, I'm sure they would have found a way.
SOB, I want my Jhiaxus toy!! They've made show-accurate Beast Machines toys, where's my comic-accurate Jhiaxus toy?! (Or Straxus while I'm on the subject...)
Over All:
Jhiaxus was the stand out "new" character of Generation2. He out-performed everyone else and was almost as prominent as Megatron and Optimus. Some might complain that he didn't quite have the "look" of the old guys, but I don't think he was meant to. I think all the Cybertronians were designed to look "different" because of their "evil" method of reproduction.
Ahhh well.
Jhiaxus is my online nick-name. At least it's my self-styled one. I love the name (even if it is a stupid pun on 'gee-ax-us'), I love his look (even if he DID get drawn by Manny Gallan a hell of a lot) and I love his power. His power, I tell you!! BWHAHAHA!!
Sigh, I'm not Jhiaxus. I suck.