Dangerous, wily, and cunning, Scorponok possesses both a keen mind and a great deal of raw, savage power. He is equally comfortable with maverick stratagems and brute force, though he's built more for the latter: his animalistic alternate form bristles with weapons, from multiple paired cannons and the dreaded electro-stinger in his tail, to the crushing grip of his mighty claws. These traits combine to make him both a terrifying foe on the battlefield and a serious contender for leadership of the Decepticons. Often, only his arch-foe Fortress Maximus is capable of standing against him.
He is sometimes partnered with Zarak; this often takes the form of binary bonding, where the Headmaster Zarak becomes Scorponok's head. Alternatively, Scorponok himself can be the diminutive Headmaster who bonds with a lifeless but giant transtector, in which state he is known as MegaZarak—or BlackZarak.