Tidal Wave, reformatted as Mirage, emerges from the *Unicron Trilogy* continuity as a Decepticon of immense power and evolving identity. Introduced in *Transformers: Armada* as a hulking battleship, he functioned as Megatron’s loyal enforcer, wielding overwhelming strength offset by rudimentary cognition. His tripartite alternate mode—an aircraft carrier, gunboat, and troop transport—could merge into a singular warship or fuse with Megatron to create "Burning Megatron," amplifying his leader’s destructive potential. Tidal Wave’s childlike demeanor manifested in stilted speech patterns and persistent third-person self-references. During *Transformers: Energon*, he briefly allied with the Autobots to guard an energon mine, only to be deceived by Scorponok and Alpha Q into serving their fabricated plot to revive Megatron. Rejoining Megatron post-resurrection, Tidal Wave sustained critical injuries battling Shockblast, prompting a reconstruction via Unicron’s energy. This rebirth birthed Mirage—a sleeker, intellectually enhanced warrior with newfound verbal fluency, though his third-person quirk endured. Post-reformatting, Mirage exhibited sharpened vanity and fanatical loyalty to Megatron. The Japanese *Energon* iteration exaggerated this devotion through flirtatious antics, such as conjuring pink hearts and striking coy poses, toned down in Western adaptations. Armed with a high-velocity gunboat mode, spring-loaded missiles, and electronic sound weaponry, his combat prowess echoed his maritime-mecha hybrid design, inspired by the G.I. Joe Cobra Moray and a customized Gundam model. Dreamwave’s *Energon* comics reimagined Tidal Wave as a disgruntled Terrorcon opposing Autobot-Decepticon truces. After clashing with Scorponok, his near-fatal injuries led to a Mirage rebuild retaining short-term invisibility—a homage to G1 Mirage. Unresolved rivalry with Shockblast lingered, though the series’ abrupt end left his arc unresolved. Mirage’s narrative climaxed during Unicron’s defeat, where he followed Megatron into an energon sun, seemingly perishing. *Transformers: Cybertron* later hinted at their survival. Toy releases sparked regional contradictions: Hasbro framed Mirage as a new entity, while Takara’s *Super Link* labeled him "Shockfleet," aligning with Tidal Wave’s Japanese moniker, "Shockwave." Legacy toys include the *Energon* Mirage figure with intricate transformation sequences, redecos like Dreadwing, and a 2024 *Legacy United* Titan Class revival of his *Armada* form, emphasizing modular combinations and screen-accurate detailing.