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Dirge (G1)

2008-05-12T11:40:23Z

124.168.124.223:

{{disambig3|Dirge}}
:''Dirge is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:G1Dirge_MTMTE.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Death comes to he who-- wait, no, death comes to ME. I've been saying that wrong this whole time."]]

'''Dirge''' is a master of using fear as a weapon. Mournful, morose, and silent, his behavior gives even close comrades like [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]] the creeps. Dirge actively cultivates this atmosphere; his engines are even tuned to generate fear in all who hear them. Few realize, however, that this need to instill fear is part of an overwhelming need for control over his own situation. Should things spiral out of control, Dirge falls victim to paralyzing fear himself and his usefulness as a warrior vanishes.

True to his name, he tends to die a lot. But not [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|that much]].

{{quote|Death comes to he who crosses me.|A confused Dirge|"[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]"}}

:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Funébro'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Sparviero'''

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}

Dirge was on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] serving under [[Straxus]] when contact was first made with the long-lost [[Earth]]bound Decepticons. {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}} ''He was one of the Decepticon's greatest killers, with [[Macabre]] desperately wanting acknowledgement from him. After [[Shrapnel]] received some information about a major meeting of the Autobot resistance chiefs, Dirge led his fellow elite killers to the meeting, hoping to capture the infamous [[Xaaron|Emirate Xaaron]] and siphon some information from his old cranial cavity. Mere yards from their goal, however, the Decepticons were halted by a communique from Megatron, demanding they return to [[Polyhex]] at once and ready the Insecticons for an Earth-bound mission. Pissed about missing their chance, but not foolish enough to disobey Megatron, Dirge turned the troops around, little realizing how close they came to being ambushed by the [[Wreckers]]. {{storylink|Target 2006}}''

[[image:Dirge_DeathSerpentor.jpg|thumb|left|200px|He couldn't even kill Duke, but he wasted ''you?'']]

After Straxus's death, Dirge and his fellow "coneheads" were the second team of Decepticons to travel to Earth via the [[space bridge]]. [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] had instructed that their jet modes be altered to resemble "Terran craft". Their mission was to defend a giant drill that would bore through [[Hoover Dam]] and siphon the Colorado River through the space bridge to the waterless Cybertron, where Decepticon turbines would generate "enough energy to power Cybertron for years." But just as the drill began its work, the [[Aerialbot|Aerialbots]] intervened. Dirge found his fear-inducing ability was particularly effective against the acrophobic [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], but the other Decepticons fared poorly enough that a retreat was eventually called. {{storylink|Aerialbots over America!}}

When the Decepticons later allied with [[Cobra]], Dirge was assigned to be an emissary among the humans. This would be unfortunate for the luckless [[Seeker]]. When [[Serpentor]] realized the Decepticons were going to destroy the Earth, he needed a token of conciliation to show the [[Autobot|Autobots]]. So in the middle of a battle against [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Serpentor goaded Dirge into attacking the giant with everything he had. Serpentor then pressed a button in the cockpit of his own jet, "jamming" Dirge's "frequencies," which caused the Seeker's weapons to lock up and explode when he tried to fire.

The explosion tore Dirge apart, and he wouldn't be seen again for years. {{storylink|Ashes, Ashes...}}

=====Earthforce=====
{{earthforcefiction}}

With [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] in command, Dirge joined a massive Decepticon offensive against the Autobot Earthbase. Their goal was to kill some Autobots, while also distracting them as Starscream looted a human oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico. Both goals proved fruitless, and the Decepticons were driven off. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer!}}

{{Note|First depicted rather late in the series, it is unknown whether Dirge served Megatron or Shockwave before the coup merged the Decepticon factions.}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====

''In 2008, Dirge was serving Soundwave while on Cybertron. He went into battle alongside [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] and the other flyers, fighting the [[Quintesson]] [[Trident]] assault craft. {{storylink|Space Pirates!}}''

====Generation 2====
[[image:Dirge_DeathSwarm.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Death by [[Furmanism]].]]

Dirge reappeared among the Decepticon forces just long enough to sacrifice himself futilely against the [[Swarm]], self-destructing alongside [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]]. Moments later, Megatron showed up with the [[rheanimum]] that could have saved him. {{storylink|A Rage in Heaven!}}

{{-}}
====Timelines Classics====
{{note|This series follows from Marvel G1 but disregards the UK and G2 comics.}}

[[image:Dirge_DeathTimelines.jpg|left|150px|thumb|You only get so many do-overs, pal.]]

While the war seemingly ended with [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon's]] defeat at [[Klo]], Megatron was quietly gathering the remains of forgotten Earthbound casualties and rebuilding them. Dirge was among his resurrections, but the Seeker chose to follow the exiled Bludgeon instead.<ref>[[Classics (2006)|Classics]] [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s bio card</ref> This would prove an unfortunate choice, as Dirge soon ended up in the [[Cerebro-shell|cerebro-shelled]] thrall of [[Bug Bite]].

When Bug Bite decided to try and subvert Megatron himself, Dirge was on the team accompanying him to Earth. {{storylink|Games of Deception}} As Bug Bite and Megatron confronted each other, the Autobots ambushed them, freeing many of Bug Bite's troops with a cerebro-shell jammer. It's unclear whether Dirge's shell was disabled, but the point is somewhat moot; [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] shot him in the chest, leaving him lying on the floor with extinguished optics.

{{-}}

===Cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor'': [[Bud Davis]] (US), [[Keiichi Nanba]] (Japan)

[[image:DinobotIslandPt2-Dirge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Not a good start, is it?]]

Dirge appeared without explanation on Earth under Megatron's command a year or two after the [[Ark]]-borne Transformers awoke. His first notable activity was joining in a raid on [[Dinobot Island]], where he was eventually chewed on and thrown bodily by one of the time-lost dinosaurs. {{Storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

Megatron said Dirge and the other two coneheads were "supposed to be the most powerful jets in the galaxy." {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}} But if Megatron was serious, then they certainly didn't do much to live up to that reputation. They were loyal enough troopers, participating in all the usual Decepticon mischief, but not much more than that. Dirge was once ordered to transport Megatron's latest ultimate weapon to their home base, and ended up crashing in a swamp and temporarily deactivating due to its weight, prompting the other coneheads to save him. {{storylink|Hoist Goes Hollywood}}

[[image:Dirge_DeathUnicron.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Turns out Unicron didn't have a secret weak spot in his mouth. Thanks for trying, though!]]

Dirge's first apparent death was during [[Unicron]]'s attack on Cybertron in 2005. All three coneheads (or Seekers who looked like them) were seen flying into Unicron's mouth and exploding. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie (1986)}} However, Dirge soon turned up again in [[Carbombya]], hiding with Ramjet amongst [[Abdul Fakkadi|President Fakkadi]]'s air force. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1}} Fakkadi denied their presence to the Autobots, but [[Outback]] psyched the two Decepticons out by walking around the airfield with what he claimed was a "[[Decepticon detector]]." When the coneheads tried to escape, Outback used a smoke grenade to make them crash, then tore the location of [[Chaar]] out of them with his steely gaze.

[[image:Dirge_toondeath.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Maybe he shouldn't take his nitroglycerin collection everywhere with him.]]

The two hapless Decepticons somehow escaped Autobot captivity, though, because they later participated in a full-scale assault on Cybertron. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}} They chose to strafe [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who dispatched them both with well-timed punches that sent them careening into buildings. They exploded quite utterly (even Ramjet, who you'd think would be used to it).

And yet they later appeared again on Chaar, failing to defend [[Trypticon]] against the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine}} In fact, [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] tried to execute the coneheads and the [[Battlecharger]]s for their inability to stop the wraith. But they were saved when Starscream possessed Trypticon himself and launched into space, Dirge and the others onboard. When they saw that Starscream was using Trypticon to connect Unicron's head to Cybertron, they sabotaged the dinosaur from within. It's unknown whether that got them back in Galvatron's good graces; this was their last appearance.

[[image:Dirge_AlmostDeath.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Uncharacteristically AVOIDING death somehow.]]

{{note|When [[Octane]] was seeking refuge in the Decepticon Crypt in "[[Starscream's Ghost]]", he paused in front of a statue and said, "I know, 'Death comes to anyone who hides behind my marker.'" This may have been intended to be a reference to Dirge, who sometimes spoke that way. But the statue bore only a very vague resemblance to him, and he would appear prominently in [[Ghost in the Machine]], which had to take place afterwards. Plus it's highly unlikely the Decepticons would've been able to - or bothered to - erect the monument on Autobot-controlled Cybertron.}}

{{-}}

===''Find Your Fate Junior''===
{{Storylink|Desert Flight}}
''This is a [[multipath adventure]] with no one fixed outcome.''

Dirge is the Decepticon defending the [[Anti-gravity base|anti-gravity base]], striking fear in the Autobots. In one outcome, he succeeds in destroying [[Optimus Prime]], only to be destroyed himself by the Autobot leader's final shot. In the end, Prime' sacrifice spurs the Autobots to fight on to victory! Some days, you just '''can't''' win.

''Dirge is the most overpowering Decepticon in this story, but he can be defeated by a surprise attack. Alternately, if both Ramjet and Thrust are defeated, Dirge will retreat.''

===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics===
Dirge participated in Shockwave's offensive against [[Iacon]] shortly after Optronix took the [[Matrix]]. During the Dark Ages, he joined up with Starscream's [[Predacon (War Within)|Predacon]] faction, and attempted to disrupt the peace treaty at [[Tyger Pax]]...only to have the combined forces of the Autobots, Decepticons, and [[Ultracon]]s brought against him. Guess death comes to he who has no common sense.

After the [[Great Shutdown]] was over, Dirge became one of Shockwave's top agents, and traveled to Earth to help collect the former crews of the [[Ark]] and [[Nemesis]]. Back on Cybertron, he helped defend Shockwave's empire when the Autobots finally rose up against him, but was defeated along with the rest of the Decepticons. Somehow he escaped detention, and joined up with Shockwave and his remaining flunkies in the wastelands, hidden in an underground bunker while planning their next move. When Megatron arrived with his new [[Predacon (G1)|Predacon]]s, though, Dirge quickly assessed his priorities and agreed to serve under the old Decepticon commander for the duration. {{Storylink|The Route of All Evil}}

{{note|Had Dreamwave comics continued, he probably would have ended up dying here too.}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' comics===
[[image:Dirge_DeathArmada.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Even in a new continuity, he can't get a break.]]

Dirge was one of Unicron's heralds, along with [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]], [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], and Galvatron. He was blown up when [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] detonated the Decepticon headquarters that they had taken over.

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
*'''Dirge'''( Decepticon Jet, 1985/2001/2004)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''97'''
**''Accessories'': Left & right fists, front landing gear, 2 "concussion missiles"

[[Image:G1Dirge_toy.jpg|left|thumb|Closet [[Conehead]] ]]

: A [[retool]] of the [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] mold, Dirge transforms into a modified F-15 fighter jet with different wings. The spring-loaded missile launchers were replaced with simplified non-firing... rifle barrels?

[[image:Commemorativeseriesdirge.jpg|thumb|right|150px|WYLD STALLYNS! deedleedleedleedleet]]

: Dirge never had a full release in Japan, where he was only available as a mail-away in 1986 (for 1980 yen and 4 [[robot points]]), and at the 20th Century Toy Museum in 2001. He was also re-released in the US as part of the Toys "R" Us [[Commemorative Series]].

: This mold was also used to make [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]], and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]].

{{-}}
===Timelines===
*'''Games of Deception''' (Multi-pack, 2007)
**''Accessories'': Left & right missile launchers, 2 missiles

[[Image:Classics_Dirge_Toy.jpg|left|thumb|Conehead uncloseted.]]

: Dirge is part of the ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]''-themed [[BotCon 2007]] box set, along with [[Bugbite]], [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] and [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]. He is a [[redeco]] of the ''Classics'' Ramjet toy, transforming into a made up fighter based upon the F-15. He also comes with two spring-loaded missile launchers that can mount on his biceps, under his wings, or be used as hand-held weapons.

:As with most ''Classics'' toys, he features a heat-sensitive [[rubsign]].

: There were 1500 ''Timelines'' Dirge figures produced.

{{-}}

===Universe (2008)===
*'''Dirge v. Autobot Roadbuster''' (Voyager Deluxe Comic 2-Pack)
[[Image:Universe 2008 Dirge toy.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Wait...if Dirge dies in the past, doesn't that create a Time Paradox?]]
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, missile, key
:A Target exclusive redeco of ''Galaxy Force'' [[Starscream (Armada)#Galaxy Force|Starscream]], Dirge transforms into a Cybertronic starfighter. In both modes, plugging a [[Cyber Planet Key]] into his back end flips out a spring-loaded blade from each arm. His spring-loaded missile launcher can be used as either a hand-held weapon, or mounted under his jet-mode nosecone.

===Merchandise===
{{charstubtoys}}

*'''Dirge''' (SCF/Heroes of Cybertron)

*'''Dirge''' (Myclone)

{{-}}
==Trivia==
* [[Simon Furman]] originally planned for Dirge and the other "coneheads" to appear and defend the ''[[Nemesis]]'' in the [[Nemesis Part 2|conclusion]] to ''[[Beast Wars]]'', but this plot point was dropped due to time and budget constraints. Furman was so disappointed at his missed chance to use Dirge (whom he appreciated because he has a "...a cool doom-laden name"), that he chose the character to be one of Unicron's heralds in the ''[[Armada]]'' comic's "[[Worlds Collide]]" arc.

* The day after final colors were applied to the ''Timelines'' comic where Dirge apparently falls dead, colorist [[Drew Eiden]] found this article and noted to editor [[Pete Sinclair]] how ironic it was. Whether the comic was actually <i>intended</i> to continue Dirge's death-trend is unknown. ''(This was revealed by Eiden during the [[Transformers Collectors' Club|Collector's Club]] panel at [[BotCon 2007]].)''

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://tfu.info/1985/Decepticon/Dirge/dirge.htm Dirge at TFU.info]

*[http://ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Dirge Dirge's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

*[http://bwtf.com/cbreviews/dw/arm14/ Review of DW's Armada: Worlds Collide #14]

*[http://bwtf.com/bw/tvshow/episodes/seasonthree/nem2/ Review of Beast Wars' final episode Nemesis, Part 2]

[[Category: Classics characters]]
[[Category: Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category: Convention exclusives]]
[[Category: Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category: Headmasters characters]]
[[Category: Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category: MyClone]]
[[Category: Predacons]]
[[Category: Pretenders]]
[[Category: Seekers]]
[[Category: Target exclusives]]
[[Category: Timelines characters]]
[[Category: Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category: Universe (2008)]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Jesus

2008-05-12T11:39:03Z

124.168.124.223:

'''Jesus''' would ''definitely'' want [[Sam Witwicky]] to have a car. {{storylink|Transformers (2007)|Transformers}}

If his last name is Christ, his birth might have something to do with [[Christmas]]. {{storylink|Stargazing}}

Considering that he died then came back to life, he's probably a metaphor for [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime]].

==External links==
* [http://www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org/ What Would Jesus Drive?]

[[Category:Gods]]
[[Category:Humans]]
[[Category: Movie characters]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Ratchet (Animated)

2008-05-12T11:23:10Z

124.168.124.223:

{{disambig3|Ratchet}}
:''Ratchet is an [[Autobot]] in the [[Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:AniRatchetPromoModel.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Rassa-frassa [[Bumblebee (Animated)|KIDS with their loud music]] and their [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|rocket-powered axes]]...]]

'''Ratchet''' is the oldest Autobot on [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]]'s team. He's also [[second-in-command]]. Though sporting a bit of paunch, he's a true veteran. Having served as a [[medibot]] millions of years ago in the Great War, he's the only one of the group to have seen real combat before. Old wounds, both physical and mental, have made him bitter, mostly in regards to heroism. A leader figure for his comrades, he's got a bit of a military drill sergeant aura to him. He also likes bashing [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] on the head when 'Bee's being a smart-ass.

His special power is based on magnetism; he can move metal-based objects and create shields. He enjoys grumbling about almost everything, being sarcastic, and having war flashbacks, just like any old man.

He's not [[Kup]]. Honestly.

{{quote|Young bots—can't live with 'em, can't melt 'em down for spare parts.|Ratchet, grumbling and moaning|"[[Transform and Roll Out!]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{ongoing}}
:''Voice actor:'' [[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Horst Lampe]] (German)

[[Image:Ratchetanimatedthrill.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Before the gut.]]
Ratchet suffered constant flashbacks of a mission during the war in which he was sent by [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] to recover Autobot intelligence officer [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]], who was carrying important security codes in her memory. Shortly after finding her, the pair were captured by the [[Decepticon]]-affiliated bounty hunter [[Lockdown]]. The hunter made a habit of collecting the powers of defeated enemies as trophies and did so with Ratchet's medical [[EMP]] device. Before he could attach it, Arcee was able to pass the device to Ratchet and begged him to use it on herself to wipe the codes and preserve their safety. In the ensuing skirmish with Lockdown, the device accidentally produced a wider blast, erasing Arcee's entire memory.

In the present, Lockdown captured Optimus Prime and intended to hand him over to the vengeful remaining Decepticons for the bounty offered against him. The Autobots attempted a rescue, with Ratchet initially absent due to haunting flashbacks over his last encounter with the bounty hunter. He was forced to intervene after Lockdown eliminated [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]. Ratchet was able to free his commanding officer and retrieve his EMP device, using it to send Lockdown's ship crashing back to Earth. After reinstalling Prime's stolen gadgets, the veteran finally opened up to the younger soldier. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

[[Image:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Hey! I'm still using that!]]After receiving a report on increased Decepticon activity from [[Teletran 1]], [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] ordered Ratchet to forcibly remove the [[Sari Sumdac's key|Allspark key]] from [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] possession, as it was no longer safe in the hands of a [[human|dumb stubby]]. Ratchet was hesitant to take the object from the girl, but followed his superior's orders with a gruff, professional "Yessir." After Sari fled the base in tears, Optimus then told Ratchet to get the key to the Autobots' ship, under [[Lake Erie]], in order to protect the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] from the Decepticons. Unfortunately, the medibot was intercepted by Decepticons [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut]], who demanded that he hand over the key. He stoically refused, challenging them to take it from his "cold, offline servo." Calm Blitzwing complied by blasting Ratchet and the surrounding scenery with an ice beam. He switched to Crazy Blitzwing, made a smart remark, and wrenched the key (and the arm holding it) from Ratchet.

Despite this handicap, the mechanic was able to break free from his icy prison, report the key's theft to Optimus, single-handedly bring the ship online (pun intended), and still participate later in the [[Megatron Rising - Part 2|final battle]] against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and his forces. If nothing else, Ratchet sure is determined. That or senile. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}}
{{charstubfiction}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===Animated===
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Deluxe, 2008)
[[Image:Ratchetanimatedeluxe.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gut doesn't fold down as well as it used to...]]
This toy is fairly accurate to the show model, right down to the chopped-off head-crest horn and the dents in the chin. It also features a veritable arsenal of fixit tools for Ratchet to hold, so you too can experience the glee of having the old coot savagely beat someone with a servo-wrench. Most notably, the "war wound" on his arm is actually a socket into which one may peg the EMP generator included with the deluxe Lockdown toy.
{{comingsoontoy}}

*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Activators, 2008)
[[Image:Ratchetanimatedactivators.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Hey, he fixed his crest!]]
{{comingsoontoy}}

{{-}}

==Trivia==
* He's not Kup.

* The "war wound" on his left arm (seen in his main picture, above) was briefly gone after "The Thrill of the Hunt", apparently representing the replacement of his arm-mounted EMP generator. However, it has since returned in several instances. The "real world" reason is probably the animators sticking to the original animation model. Within story context, he could be leaving off the EMP generator so he continues to remember (on behalf of [[Arcee (Animated)|those who can't]]) how he originally lost it.

* The Autobot medical officer was originally conceived as a female robot named Red Alert.[http://tformers.com/transformers-interview-transformers-animated/8992/news.html] The reason for the rather drastic change is unrevealed although it may have something to do with his [[Ratchet (Movie)|slightly more vigorous relative]] as was the case with that [[Bumblebee (Movie)|yellow]] [[Bumblebee (Animated)|speedster]].

* He can pinch with his magnet things.

* He is ''honestly'' not Kup.

[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Animated characters]]
[[Category: Medics]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>