Ratchet (Movie)

2007-07-04T00:50:18Z

210.49.121.202:

{{disambig3|Ratchet}}

:''Ratchet is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie (franchise)|Movie]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Ratchetmovie.jpg|right|thumb|250px|He's not a vanette with a siren slapped on.]]

'''Ratchet''', the Autobots' medic, is probably the bravest of them all. He'll risk his life to pull any wounded comrade from the battlefield. Indeed, he did not join [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s team to be a soldier; rather, he's there to save lives, and thinks Prime is the best chance the universe has for peace.

He discovers that [[Sam Witwicky]]'s pheromone levels suggests he wants to mate with [[Mikaela Banes]].

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Prime Directives'' prequel comic===

===''Ghosts of Yesterday'' prequel novel===

===''Transformers'' (2007 film)===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Robert Foxworth]] (English)

==Toys==
===Transformers (2007)===
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Voyager, 2007)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''MA-02'''

[[Image:Movie_Voyager_Ratchet_toy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|This green is both [[Neon|NEON]] and [[Playskool|PLAYSKOOL]].]]

:Voyager ''Movie'' Ratchet transforms into a [[wikipedia:Hummer_H2|AM General Hummer H2]] customised as a fire seach and rescue vehicle. Mostly accurate to the prop vehicle (though the wheels are rather incorrect), Ratchet is missing sculpted detailing for the rear doors and lights on the back of the vehicle, owing to the fact this is where his knee joints are situated. Ratchet is also missing significant amounts of paint applications, with unpainted wheels, emergency tool and light details as well as a underpainted face, resulting in a rather monochromatic toy.

:During transforming, unfolding his legs will activate his [[Automorph]]ing feature, which folds out his kneepads, feet and 'bulge'-out two small panels along the inner calf. In robot mode, Ratchet is bulkier than his CGI movie design, with larger, blockier limbs evoking a more 'traditional' Transformers appearance. He features a reasonable amount of articulation, though his windshield halves and the rear brush guards may occassionally interfere with his arms and legs.

:The only Autobot to not feature a ranged weapon, Ratchet's right forearm unfolds into an axe, and the removable rollbar/roof rack can either be mounted on his left arm or stored on his back.

{{-}}

*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Legends, 2007)

:An inexpensive, small-scale version of Ratchet, he remains relatively faithful to his vehicle mode (though highly simplified), but transforms very differently due to his simplicity. In robot mode he has a faux truck-front chest that's more faithful to the CGI design than the Voyager toy's chest, but the rest of his robot mode is understably inaccurate and limited in articulation.

:For some reason he's the wrong shade of green.

*'''Rescue Ratchet''' (Voyager, 2007)

:G1-accurate colored repaint.

====Fast Action Battlers====
*'''Axe Attack Autobot Ratchet''' (2007)
:''Japanese ID number:'' '''QC-03'''

====Cyber Slammers====
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (2007)

{{stub}}
[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Medics]]
[[Category: Movie characters]]
[[Category: Robot Heroes]]<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>

Fire in the Sky

2007-06-26T10:26:35Z

210.49.121.202: /* Continuity Errors */

[[Image:Fire_in_the_sky.jpg|right|thumb|350px|"If I talk to you for two minutes, I consider you my friend."]]
'''[[Generation 1 (cartoon)|Generation One]] > [[Generation 1 (cartoon)#Season 1|Season 1]]'''

While siphoning the [[Earth]] of its energy, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] discovers a long-lost [[Decepticon]] colleague of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]].

==Detailed synopsis==

'''Act One:''' What’s this? A blanket of snow over the [[Ark]]’s volcano? The Autobots and [[Spike]] engaged in a snowball fight? In July? In the middle of the desert? Something is amiss with the world’s weather. According to [[Teletraan-1]]’s scans, temperatures are 40 degrees below normal and falling rapidly.

The Decepticons have tapped a crystal shaft leading directly to the [[Earth’s core]] to siphon the planet’s heat energy into [[Energon Cube]]s. While excavating the icy caverns surrounding the crystal, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] uncovers a Transformer frozen in the ice. Starscream recognizes it as his old colleague Skyfire.

The Autobots finally pinpoint the source of the Earth’s energy drain, and Teletraan-1 confirms Decepticon activity surrounding a crystal outgrowth in the Arctic Circle. Optimus Prime hastily assembles an assault team, and they roll out, with Spike and [[Sparkplug]] accompanying.

The Decepticons have hauled the frozen titan out of the ice and proceed to repair it. Starscream explains his past: millions of years ago, before the final falling out between the Autobots and Decepticons, Starscream and [[Skyfire]] were both explorers. They were charting an unknown planet, Earth, when a storm separated the two and Skyfire was lost.

Skyfire awakens and Megatron welcomes him to the Decepticon cause. Though Skyfire is grateful for having been thawed out, shows doubts about being a warrior rather than a scientist. He commits to the cause out of loyalty to Starscream. When the Autobots arrive in the Arctic, Skyfire targets them for destruction.

'''Act Two:''' Skyfire opens fire, scattering the Autobots. Spike tumbles through the ice into the arctic waters. Sparkplug pulls him out, but they are trapped on an ice floe. They cry out for help. Skyfire is intrigued by the new lifeforms and tries to befriend them, not realizing that they are terrified by Decepticons. Spike and Sparkplug tries to explain that it’s the Decepticons that are the true monsters. The naïve Skyfire takes the humans to Megatron to prove the Decepticons’ good intentions. Megatron and Starscream promptly imprison Spike and Sparkplug behind bars of ice, and plan their execution, leaving Skyfire troubled.

Optimus leads his Autobot team into the icy caverns, but a cave-in splits the team in two. Prime’s group finds the humans and frees them, while the other team – including [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Gears (G1)|Gears]] – find the crystal shaft tap. Megatron discovers this second group and has his soldiers capture them. To test Skyfire’s loyalty, Starscream orders Skyfire to execute the captives. Skyfire refuses, and in a fit of rage, Starscream blasts his old friend. Starscream then blasts the prisoners to pieces.

'''Act Three:''' Well, not really. Once again, one of Hound’s holograms have saved the day, creating the illusion of blasted Autobot parts. When Starscream departs, Hound drops the illusion. An ailing Skyfire awakens and is pleased to see the Autobots functioning. The disparate Autobots teams unite as Ratchet repairs the fallen titan. [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] spies Ratchet’s work and reports to Megatron. The Decepticon leader chews out Starscream for failing to kill the prisoners. Megatron orders his soldiers to attack.

As the battle progresses, Prime and Megatron each grab shards of crystals and engage in a duel. Skyfire appears on the battlefield, and Megatron orders him to attack Prime. Skyfire refuses, and proudly declares himself an Autobot, attacking Megatron and his Decepticons instead.

The battle takes to the air as Starscream and Skyfire engage in an aerial dogfight. A midair collision sends Skyfire out of control. In a last ditch effort, his blasts bury the crystal, but Skyfire crashes into the ice. The Autobots mourn Skyfire’s heroic sacrifice.

==Stats==
'''Original airdate:''' December 8, 1984

'''Production number:''' #700-04

'''Written by:''' [[Alfred A. Pegal]]

===Featured Characters===
(''Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobots]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticons]]
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human|Humans]]
! style="background:#FFEEB8" | Others
|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]](2)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]](3)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]](4)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]](5)
*[[Ratchet]](6)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]](7)
*[[Gears]](8)
*[[Skyfire]](14)

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]](9)
*[[Reflector]](10)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]](11)
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]])(12)
*[[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]](13)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]](16)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]](17)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]](18)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]](19)

| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" | '''Regulars'''
*[[Spike Witwicky]](1)
*[[Sparkplug Witwicky]](15)

'''Guests'''

| style="background:#FFEEB8" valign="top" |

|}

==Notable Quotes==

“Not snowman, Spike. Snowbot!” – Jazz

“Okay, Spike. You rat on me, I’ll splat on you!” – Bumblebee

“Why are you standing around like lumps at a smelter? There’s work to do!” – Starscream

“Ironhide’s carrying too much lead in his caboose!” – Gears, predating the “junk in the trunk” standard.

“Well, I’ll be reprogrammed with a rivet-roller.” – Ironhide

“But I’m a scientist, not an executioner.” - Skyfire

==Other notes==

===Animation and/or technical glitches===
* In a rather odd shot set up, Skyfire is too big to fit into a cave that Megatron and Starscream stand in. He’s forced to peer through the cave’s opening.

* Megatron’s order to Skyfire to destroy Optimus Prime is voiced, oddly enough, by Optimus Prime.

===Continuity Errors===
* Starscream transforms into an F-15 millions of years before his arrival on Earth, or the invention of jets.

* In the flashback sequence, the Earth appears to be going through an Ice Age. This cannot be the Ice Age of Pleistocene, since the Ark would have been buried for a million years when this Ice Age began.

* It’s never adequately explained where Skyfire got an Autobot badge from.

===Transformers References===
* Reference

===Real-World References===
* Reference

===Miscellaneous trivia===

* Soundwave can transform his right forearm into a cylindrical electricity firing module capable of generating a million volts.

* Aside from astroseconds, Transformers also use astrominutes as units of time.

* Prime’s combat deck cannons make a rare appearance in this episode, emerging from a non-transformed trailer.

* Megatron can rotate his lower torso 180 degrees, which makes for some cool hand-to-hand combat maneuvers.

* Spike and Sparkplug have fashionable fur-lined cold-weather hardhats with ear flaps.

* This episode was produced as the seventh in the season, though it aired after the eighth produced episode, [[S.O.S. Dinobots]].

* The chapter stops for this episode on the Rhino DVD are Opening / Snowbot / At the Arctic Circle / "Destruction to Autobots" / An Illusion / Skyfire is Gone

==External Links==
* [http://cybertronchronicle.freewebspace.com/cartoon-dossier/synopses/fire_in_the_sky.html Dossier at the Cybertron Chronicle]

[[Category: Generation 1 episodes]]<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>

Transformers (film)

2007-06-22T10:52:04Z

210.49.121.202: /* Storyline */

:''Transformers is an elaborate coverup in the [[Movie (franchise)|movie]] [[continuity family]].

{{Nav-movie}}

'''''Transformers''''' will be a live-action movie released by [[Dreamworks]], with Executive Producer [[Steven Spielberg]] and Director [[Michael Bay]]. Its principle stars are [[Shia LaBeouf]], [[Jon Voight]], and [[Megan Fox]]. Character designs and special effects are being done by [[Industrial Light and Magic]], the effects-wizards behind the ''[[Star Wars]]'' films.

Originally slated to release in the summer of 2006, the film will arrive in US theatres on July 3, 2007 and UK theaters on July 27. The Australian release date is June 28, 2007 and premiered there on June 12, 2007. Take that, everywhere else.

{{coming soon}}
{{-}}

==Prequel Material==
[[Image:Transformers2007teaserposter.jpg|right|thumb|200px|How's this for a sequel: Unicron's back, but this time he's a hard-boiled private eye...]]

Prior to the movie's release IDW Publishing released a four issue limited comic series entitled [[Prime Directives]] which chronicles the events which bring the Transformers to Earth. A novel, [[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]], is about the truth behind humankind's first venture into space and how that event is related to the Transformers' presence on Earth, both past and present.

Since the movie's plot brings the audience into things from Sam's POV, as he learns of not only the Transfomers' war but mankind's past history with Cybertronians, the prequel material provides a better handle on the intricate storyline.

==Storyline==
[[Image:Transformersnewpic1.jpg |right|thumb|My tummy glows for Justice!]]

The movie features a small, yellow Autobot named Bumblebee, who befriends the teenage human, S. Witwicky. He and his fellow Autobots, the medic Ratchet, the rough-and-tumble cowboy Ironhide, and the smooth and super-cool Jazz (who has a car hood for a chest and a visor for eyes) are led by Optimus Prime, a red and blue robot with a distinctive mouthplate, windows in his chest and a grill in his stomach who transforms into a truck. Optimus Prime's nemesis is an evil, silver, robot named Megatron[who has lost his bucket-head design for a more menacing look.], leader of the Decepticons. The Decepticons' ranks include a pissed-off tank named Brawl, a mechanical scorpion named Scorponok, a hatefilled bulldozer named Bonecrusher, and a jet fighter named Starscream, who schemes to take command of the Decepticons from Megatron, as both sides battle over the legendary object that can grant new Transformer life.

{{sarcasm}}

This, of course, is ''nothing'' like Transformers. Most G1 fans seem to be unable to swallow this though. To any who are reading - get over it, and try getting laid or something, it's been 20 years too long. No more putting it off.

{{-}}

==Known characters==

{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobots]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticons]]
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human|Humans]]
|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] {[[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] ([[Darius McCrary]])
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]
*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charles Adler]])

| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" |
*[[Mikaela Banes]] ([[Megan Fox]])
*[[Bobby Bolivia]] ([[Bernie Mac]])
*[[Glenn Ross Dygert]] ([[Anthony Anderson]])
*[[Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Secretary of State Keller]] ([[Jon Voight]])
*[[Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Maggie Madsen]] ([[Rachael Taylor]])
*[[Reggie Simmons|Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Ronald Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Samuel James Witwicky|Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
|}

==Soundtrack==

[[Image:Big_fight.jpg|right|thumb|Have some of this, punk!]]

On July 3, 2007, Warner Bros Records will release a ''Transformers'' soundtrack full of songs from or inspired by the motion picture.

*1. "What I've Done" - [[Linkin Park]]
*2. "Doomsday Clock" - [[Smashing Pumpkins]]
*3. "This Moment" - [[Disturbed]]
*4. "Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)" aka "Fiction" - [[Goo Goo Dolls]]
*5. "Pretty Handsome Awkward" - [[The Used]]
*6. "Passion's Killing Floor" - [[HIM]]
*7. "What It Feels Like To Be A Ghost?" - [[Taking Back Sunday]]
*8. "Second To None" - [[Styles Of Beyond]]
*9. "End Of The World" - [[Armor For Sleep]]
*10. "Retina and the Sky" - [[Idiot Pilot]]
*11. "Technical Difficulties" - [[Julien-K]]
*12. "Transformers Theme" - [[Mute Math]]

==External links==
* [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/ ''Transformers'' at IMDB.com]

{{stub}}

[[Category: Films]]
[[Category: Movie|*]]<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>

For safety reasons

2007-06-22T07:56:45Z

210.49.121.202: /* Trivia */

[[Image:G1Megatron_toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|In your dreams, American fans.]]

The United States is a very litigious society. If a child is injured, or heaven forbid, killed by use or abuse of a toy, that child's parents are very likely to sue the toy manufacturer. As such, [[Hasbro]] puts its toys through rigorous safety testing. Sometimes, a toy has to be altered from the original design in order to maintain safety standards, which vary from country to country.

==Safety testing==
Hasbro has several tests that come up frequently. One of the more famous ones is the "drop test." As its name implies, this involves dropping a toy from great heights in order to ascertain whether or not said toy will break, and if any of the parts which may have broken loose could potentially injure a child (sharp edges, swallowable/chokeable bits, etc.). This is often cited as the reason [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]] has not been reissued in the United States, as well as the shortened smokestacks on the shoulders of various [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] toys (which actuallly started in 1988 with the [[Powermaster]] version).

Other tests have similar goals, generally concerned with breakage issues. Hence, the Japanese version of [[Vector Prime]] has hard plastic wings, but the U.S. version uses a rubbery material less likely to accidentally snap off or gouge out the eye of a child (or particularly clumsy adult). Even as early as 1985, [[Jetfire]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] were altered to have blunted nosecones, and the [[Seeker]] jets had rubber nosecones instead of hard plastic. Again, this was likely to prevent trauma from a thrown or jabbed toy.

==Safety standards==
Besides the safety testing, Hasbro (and other toy manufacturers) try to make sure their products conform to certain standards. Some of these standards are self-imposed, while others are mandated at the state or national level. Most notably, these laws include choke laws, which are designed to prevent small parts (''especially'' projectiles) from being lodged in a child's windpipe; the use of toxic materials like lead-based paints; and toy gun laws, which are designed to prevent scenarios where law enforcement officials accidentally shoot children or adults who are not armed, but carrying "realistic" toy guns; like say, [[Megatron (G1)|G1 Megatron]]. U.S. law requires that toy guns have either an orange plug in the barrel, or a coat of orange paint on the barrel. Some states have even more stringent laws, which requires that toy guns must be brightly colored and must not resemble real-world firearms. (Some retailers won't ''carry'' realistic toy guns anyway, so that's a double-whammy some places.)

Note that the major federal toy gun law was enacted in 1988, and applies to all toy guns manufactured after May 1989. As such, it is entirely legal for dealers to sell original G1 Megatron figures, as they are grandfathered in; but any later American release of the toy WOULD have to meet these standards, hence the "Safety/Lava Bath Megatron" toy, which STILL failed to meet these guidelines, as the entire external surface was not (and likely could not be) made from a single color of plastic.

==Trivia==
* According to Hasbro, toys that represent flying characters are given more stringent drop tests and rounded/collapsable bits, as children (and the kind of adults who buy Transformers, actually) are more prone to throwing these figures around or ramming them into things (or people).

* In Italy's ''Trasformers'' line, the missile launchers didn't have their springs removed, but the missiles ''did'' have comically-huge giant rubber balls attached to the tips. Makes those [[Commemorative Series]] missiles not seem so bad, huh?

* Despite the United States having the most lax gun laws in the world, they seem to care quite a bit about the safety of their toys. Pretty ironic huh?

==External links==
* [http://theswca.com/textf/toydeath.html Page featuring articles on the genesis of the choke-gate test, due to a missile-firing ''Battlestar Galactica'' toy.]
* [http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/cfr/title15/part1150.html CFR Title 15, Part 1150, the official federal law on "realistic" toy guns and the markings thereof.]
* [http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/toypremguid04.pdf Pages five and six of this article give a brief summary of the federal safety guidelines regarding breakability testing.] (PDF format.)
* [http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28331 The Onion's slightly snarkier take on the subject, for those who like their snarky snark snarkiness.]

[[Category:Toys]]<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>