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Tarantulas (BW)

2010-05-06T14:45:05Z

72.10.120.229: /* Notes */

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:''Tarantulas is a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] from the [[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]]. He is sometimes known as '''Tarantulus'''.''

[[Image:Tarantulasbw.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[BotCon 2000|"And fries! Lots of FRIES!"]]]]

'''Tarantulas''' is the scheming mad scientist of the Predacon crew. He's the type of mad scientist who experiments on living beings, cackling in his [[Trademark|trademarked]] laugh all the while, and then if things go wrong, happily eats what's left as his midday snack. The eating is what he was really looking forward to, anyway. It's this focused perversity that turns off even his fellow Predacons. Tarantulas's emotional detachment from their war also rubs his peers the wrong way. Fighting Maximals and following orders is just a required chore; his real passion is the unmentionable projects stashed in [[Tarantulas's lair|his "secret" lair]].

Nominally, Tarantulas was one of the Predacons to join [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] during his theft of the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]] and the search for [[Earth]]. In addition to being an utterly psychotic, sadistic sociopath, Tarantulas has a record for treachery rivaled by few other Transformers. Tarantulas is actually an agent of the [[Tripredacus Council]], which is trying to coax the Beast Wars toward an unspecified goal, where neither Autobot or Decepticon won the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]]. Who knows what other [[Unicron|dark secrets]] lie in his past.

If anything upsets Tarantulas, other than losing a potential meal, it's those pompous aliens who call themselves the [[Vok]]. He harbors a hatred for them strong enough to make him work to eliminate them by any means.

{{bigquote|You're ''insane.''|[[Tigerhawk]]}}
{{bigquote|So they ''saa''-aay! Wbrrwbrrbbppth!|Tarantulas|"[[Other Victories]]"}}

:''Japanese name:'' '''Tarans''' (タランス ''Taransu'')
:''Chinese name (Taiwan):'' '''Jr-jū''' (蜘蛛, "Spider"), '''Húng Jr-jū''' (紅蜘蛛, "Red Spider")
:''Italian name:'' '''Metal Tarantulas''' (Transmetal)
:''Polish name:'' '''Tarantulator'''

==Fiction==
===First wave toy bios===
[[Image:PrimalVSMegs-Tarantulas.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Why Megatron, I do believe you're trying to seduce m-- oh, hey, [[Razorbeast]].]]
Tarantulas is a sneaky, mysterious ninja feared across the galaxy. A master of the martial arts, he's suspected in the disappearances of many [[Human|Earthlings]], and rumors swirl of giant cocoons where he stores his prey.{{storylink|Tarantulas#Toys|Tarantulas bio}}

Later, Tarantulas was guarding the Predacons' jungle-based genetics lab along with Megatron and Waspinator. When the Maximals discovered them, he engaged [[Razorbeast]] in combat briefly before Megatron called retreat and destroyed the lab. {{storylink|Optimus Primal vs Megatron!}}

{{note|This comic, along with the on-package [[Bio|bios]] of the first wave of Beast Wars toys, predate the development of the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon and its backstory. They seem to present the characters as a direct continuation of the previous Autobot/Decepticon conflict, with Optimus Primal actually being a new form of Optimus Prime and Megatron being his Generation 1 counterpart, and their battles taking place on present day, [[human]]-inhabited Earth, rather than in the distant past. Once the cartoon launched, the toyline adjusted itself to match that continuity instead, relegating this one to an aborted [[micro-continuity]].}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====Theft of the Golden Disk====
[[Image:TheftOfGoldenDisk-Tarantulas.jpg|left|thumb|300px|What y'wanna do? Wanna be hackers? Code crackers? Slackers? Wastin' time with all the chatroom yakkers? WHAT?]]
Tarantulas decoded the information on the Golden Disk, freshly stolen by Megatron. He thought this was quite hilarious, but then, he thinks that about everything. {{storylink|Theft of the Golden Disk}}

====Dawn of Future's Past====
[[Image:Tarantulasdawn.jpg|right|180px|thumb|See? A Planet X key in the corner of the pic. He's working for Unicron! Get him!]]
As [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and his rogue band of Predacons escaped [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in their stolen ship, the ''[[Darksyde]]'', Tarantulas was in charge of scanning the disk for a desired set of coordinates. While Megatron was not watching, he was in secret communication with a member of the [[Tripredacus Council]]. (The reflections in his helmet show the silhouette of [[Cicadacon|General Cicadacon]].)

Using the decoded coordinates, the ''Darksyde'' opened a [[transwarp]] portal, which it and the [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']] passed through. {{storylink|Dawn of Future's Past}}
{{-}}
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Alec Willows]] (English), [[Yūichi Nagashima]] (Japanese), [[Fabio Vilalonga]] (Portuguese), [[Riccardo Peroni]] (Italian)

[[Image:TheWeb Tarantulas beast mode.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Not arachnophobic, eh? I can fix that.]]
Tarantulas was one of the original crew on the ''Darksyde'' when it crashed on prehistoric Earth. As Megatron's technical leader, he manned the scanners to appropriate beast forms based on the most powerful local creatures, choosing the form of an oversized spider for himself. He cheerfully took part in the first battle of the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]], only to succumb to energon buildup while the Maximals were escaping. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}} The Predacons uncovered a stash of energon crystals atop a mountain, but were forced to fight in their beast modes. Tarantulas and [[Rattrap]] fought in this manner until Megatron triggered a chain reaction which caused the energon to explode. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 2)}}

[[Image:ChainofCommand Tarantulas firing.jpg|right|thumb|240px]]
It wasn't long before Tarantulas had set up his own [[Tarantulas's lair|underground lair]] to keep his experiments away from Megatron's prying eyes. After helping [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] recover a mega-cannon, Tarantulas managed to capture [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], trapping the young Maximal in a web in his lair with the intent of feeding later. Rattrap mounted a rescue, during which the cavern caved in on Tarantulas {{storylink|The Web}} Tarantulas was blasted by Rattrap during the battle at the [[Standing Stones]], and later accompanied Megatron and [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] to attack the ''Axalon'' after it appeared that [[Optimus Primal]] had perished. After the Maximals got the ship's shields back up, he suggested to Megatron that they return to the Standing Stones. Unfortunately once there, the Maximals managed to retrieve Primal from the [[Vok Probe|alien probe]] at the site, and Tarantulas was one of the first victims of the restored Maximal commander. {{storylink|Chain of Command}}

Terrorsaur, his power boosted, defeated Megatron in combat before leaving Tarantulas in charge of the other Predacons. Tarantulas promptly tailed Terrorsaur to find out what his new power source was, and discovered it was a [[flying mountain]] topped with a cache of super energon. Before he could do anything with the knowledge, he encountered Rattrap, who'd come to destroy the mountain. Their fight ended with Tarantulas falling from the side of the mountain. {{storylink|Power Surge}} He subsequently took part in an attack on the Maximal base after a [[stasis pod]] crashed. While Megatron kept [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] distracted, Tarantulas and Scorponok ambushed the Maximal from behind. Unfortunately for them, Dinobot had time to activate the base defenses, and Tarantulas was blasted into the distance by the auto-guns. {{storylink|Fallen Comrades}}

When the Predacons finally captured a stasis pod, Tarantulas made sure that the [[protoform]] was given a spider beast mode, creating [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]]. Megatron suspected he had ulterior motives. Tarantulas seemed happy to follow Terrorsaur when the Predacon again mounted a takeover attempt with the aid of Rattrap, but spent most of his time skulking around the ''Darksyde'' in search of rats to eat. He spotted Rattrap sneaking around, but the Maximal blasted him before he could do anything. He subsequently limped back to the others to find that Megatron had reasserted his leadership. {{storylink|Double Jeopardy}} After one of Scorponok's viruses turned Primal into a berserker, the Maximal leader broke into the Predacon base and, completely ignoring Tarantulas's attempts to stop him, pinned the spider to a wall using Tarantulas's own weapon. {{storylink|Gorilla Warfare}}

[[Image:Tflocklens&tarantulas.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
One of Tarantulas's many inventions, the [[transformation lock lens]] was instrumental in preventing the Maximals from contacting a [[temporal probe]] which was doing a flyby of the planet. He was able to use it to ensnare [[Tigatron]] and Cheetor, then wreaked havoc with the Maximals' attempts to build a communications array, before he was finally defeated by Primal. The damage was already done, and the probe flew by uncontacted. {{storylink|The Probe}} After the Predacons discovered a Maximal spy camera in their base, they faked a mutiny and hid in a crevice. Tarantulas spent his nights being hugged like a stuffed toy by [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], and his days eating stray rats. While the Maximals repaired the ''Axalon'', the Predacons were discovered by Dinobot, and gave chase. Though they attacked the Maximal ship in an attempt to capture it, the affair ended with the ''Axalon'' crashing back to the ground. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}} After a Maximal victory, largely due to the efforts of Rhinox, Tarantulas captured the rhino in a web on Megatron's orders, so that he could be converted into a Predacon by the [[Transmuter (BW)|Transmuter]]. {{storylink|Dark Designs (episode)|Dark Designs}}

[[Image:Spider'sGame Taratulas hauling stasis pod.jpg|thumb|right|260px]]
Tarantulas detected another stasis pod landing in [[Grid Scavos]], but Megatron refused to let him go and assist in the recovery, much to his disgust. {{storylink|The Spark}} The next time a stasis pod crashed, Tarantulas was more prepared. From his lair, he used a [[magna pulse]] to disable both the ''Darksyde'' and ''Axalon'' to allow him to investigate without interference. Unfortunately for him, Blackarachnia had found his lair, and insisted on coming along to help. At the pod, Tarantulas reprogrammed the new arrival into a Predacon, but was disappointed that a beast mode had already been chosen, and [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] would not be another spider. In the confusion that followed, he made off with the real prize — the stasis pod itself. Unfortunately for him, Tigatron destroyed the pod before he could get very far, and he was forced to retreat when Megatron arrived. Later, in his lair, he inadvertently told Blackarachnia that the planet was doomed, and she realised he was intending to build an escape ship, however he threw her out before she could work out any more of his plans. {{storylink|Spider's Game}}

Tarantulas took part in a diversionary attack while Waspinator and Terrorsaur stole the Maximals' [[rectifier coil]]. After the Maximals went feral, the Predacons mounted a hunting expedition, though Tarantulas was stuck supporting the back end of Megatron's chair. {{storylink|Call of the Wild}} On another occasion, Tarantulas detected what appeared to be walking energon. Megatron realised that an earlier battle had left four of the Maximals contaminated and blinded, and ordered Tarantulas to send Terrorsaur to investigate. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}} After Waspinator was possessed by the ghost of [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], Tarantulas took part in the attack on the ''Axalon'', and pointed out once they'd conquered it that their own base was now undefended. Megatron's answer was to leave Starscream in charge of the ''Axalon'', a decision which would come back to bite him later. {{storylink|Possession}}

[[Image:Dinobottarantulasrattrapthelowroad.jpg|thumb|left|240px|"See? I told you I was taller than Tarantulas."]]
During an attack on the Maximal base, Tarantulas was able to infect Rhinox with an [[energon discharge virus]], though he himself was injured by Dinobot during the retreat. He was tracked by Dinobot and Rattrap, but eventually turned the tables by getting the drop on them, only to be flattened by a huge boulder. After recovering, he took advantage of their incessant arguing by trying to get the drop on them again, only to be knocked unconscious by a double punch. Finally, Dinobot attempted to use Tarantulas's body as a hostage, only for Megatron to blast it aside. Perhaps his only consolation was that he avoided the indignity of the fate that befell the rest of the Predacons. {{storylink|The Low Road}}

With the return of the [[Vok|aliens]] a certainty, Tarantulas stole a [[transwarp cell]] from the ''Darksyde'', slagging Waspinator in the process. Megatron detected the theft and used Blackarachnia as a distraction while he remotely inserted his own programming into the cell. The two spiders later took part in an attempt to prevent Tigatron from escaping the Predacon base, and were squished by a boulder Dinobot had set up. They were relatively uninjured and able to haul their damaged comrades back to the ship. {{storylink|Before the Storm}} The two spiders teamed up again, infiltrating the Maximal base and disabling Rhinox and Dinobot while the other Maximals were busy with the latest alien construct to appear. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}} In the cargo hold, Tarantulas used the transwarp cell and a stasis pod to construct a ship, but was interrupted by Inferno, who torched the spider. Fortunately, Blackarachnia entered Tarantulas's mind to obtain the information to complete the escape ship, and he was able to set up
a permanent neural link between the two Predacons. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 2}}

[[Image:ComingFuzors1 Tarantulas lives.jpg|thumb|right|280px|A new look, and he didn't even have to [[Spider-Man|sell out]] to [[Iron Man|Tony Stark]] for it!]]
When the [[quantum surge]] knocked out all of the Transformers on Earth, Tarantulas's body was upgraded to a [[Transmetal]] form, and he forced Blackarachnia to drag it from the Maximal base, even getting her to ignore Megatron's command to stay and fight the Maximals. {{storylink|Aftermath}} With Blackarachnia's hard work and some serious-looking electrical arc generators, Tarantulas was restored to life. Megatron soon called him to the battlefield, so he left Blackarachnia to root around in their leader's computer files. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 1)}} Using his new cycle mode, Tarantulas quickly reached the Maximals' position. During the fight, he kept in contact with her, until a shot by Dinobot put him temporarily out of commission. After he came around, Blackarachnia reported that she'd failed to get the data he needed. The Predacons were soon routed by the resurrection of Optimus Primal, and forced to return to base. There, Megatron and Tarantulas questioned Blackarachnia, only to be told the vital data had been lost. {{storylink|Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)}}

With his old lair destroyed by the Planet Buster, Tarantulas was fortuitous in that Megatron assigned him with Blackarachnia and [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] to check out a cave filled with energon. He quickly surmised that it would make an excellent new lair, and attempted to get his two comrades interested in going it alone. Blackarachnia was more interested in getting rid of the neural link the two of them shared, and cracked an energon crystal, sending feedback through the link, to force him to sever it. By a fortunate coincidence, the three Predacons were soon attacked by [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] and Rattrap, and during the battle Tarantulas was able to convincingly fake the destruction of the cave, allowing him to utilise it as his own lair. {{storylink|Tangled Web}} When Dinobot defected to the Predacon side, Tarantulas offered to verify his programming, but Megatron decided it wouldn't be a very good idea to let Tarantulas into Dinobot's processor. {{storylink|Maximal, No More}}

[[Image:OtherVisits1 Tarantulas beast mode.jpg|left|220px|thumb]]
Back in his lair, Tarantulas's instruments detected the aliens again, and he rushed off to the site. He arrived shortly after Tigatron and [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]] had been abducted, and zapped Cheetor, but was forced to retreat when more Maximals arrived. He visited Megatron, claiming to no longer be under the tyrant's command, but willing to help. The Predacons returned to the alien site to set up equipment, during which Blackarachnia revealed that she had learned through the broken neural link that Tarantulas hated the aliens. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 1)}} Megatron, Quickstrike, and Tarantulas recovered quickly from the energy wave put out by the new [[Metal Hunter|alien construct]], and after Tarantulas's [[refractive web]] was activated, the trio ventured inside. Once Megatron had control of the construct, he terminated his alliance with Tarantulas, dropping the Predacon from a great height. Infuriated, Tarantulas helped the Maximals attack the construct, infiltrating it along with Rattrap, and sabotaging the transwarp cells which Megatron installed, causing the ship to explode. {{storylink|Other Visits (Part 2)}}

Though a bug planted on Megatron's chair, Tarantulas learned that Blackarachnia had been sent to recover a new protoform, and took the opportunity to threaten her to try and extract the information he suspected she'd gained from Megatron's computers. Unfortunately for him, Silverbolt stepped in and defended Blackarachnia, shortly before an energon explosion separated everyone. Though Tarantulas found the stasis pod, [[Rampage (BW)|its contents]] found him, and his body parts were spread liberally over a wide area. {{storylink|Bad Spark}} Dinobot later tracked down Tarantulas in an attempt to find out what Megatron's latest scheme was. Though Tarantulas didn't know, Dinobot forced him to act as transport, and they soon found Megatron preparing to torch a valley fill of [[Protohuman]]s. Tarantulas took advantage of Dinobot's distraction to shoot the Maximal, only for Dinobot to drop a boulder on him. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}

[[Image:Agenda3 Tarantulas button push.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Tarantulas presses the History Eraser Button.]]
Alerted by the [[transwarp wavefront]], the [[Tripredacus Council]] sent covert agent [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] to capture Megatron. The former Decepticon led the Maximals to apprehend Megatron, and Tarantulas assisted by taking down the ''Darksyde''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> defense system. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}} Megatron was later informed by Ravage that the spider was in reality Lieutenant Tarantulas, of the [[Predacon Secret Police]] and an agent of the [[Tripredacus Council]]. Tarantulas was able to instruct the Maximals in the location of a stash of energon crystals that Megatron had hidden. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 2)}} When Ravage was persuaded to change sides by the Predacon leader, Tarantulas appeared to come too, manning the [[transwarp cruiser]]'s weapons systems for an attack on the ''Axalon''. Alas, Rattrap chewed his way into the ship and tossed a couple of bombs at Tarantulas, which stuck to his hands before exploding. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}}

Tarantulas survived, though, and was quickly put back together by his [[arachnoid]]s. He was repaired in time to witness the destruction of the ''Axalon''. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}} He was soon seen back at the Predacon base, taking part in field missions for Megatron. He battled the Maximals alongside Megatron's [[cyber raptor]]s, taking the opportunity to try out his new Transmetal [[cyber venom]] to great success, though he was stomped on by a cyber raptor once the Maximals worked out how to destroy their controls. {{storylink|Cutting Edge}} He assisted in the construction of Megatron's [[disruptor cannon]], suggesting that they abduct an early human to complete the device when the other Predacons were unable to get too close to it due to the unstable power source. While the cannon was completed by [[Una]], she managed to use her knowledge of levers to tip a piece of heavy equipment on him. Though he survived that, Una had taken the cannon's stablizer crystal, and it exploded in the Predacons' faces when they tried to use it. {{storylink|Go with the Flow}}

[[Image:CrossingRubicon Tarantulas fires on Silverbolt.jpg|thumb|left|260px]]
When the Maximals attempted to remove Blackarachnia's shell program, he revealed to Megatron that he had included "certain safeguards" that guaranteed she would not survive, and joined the other Predacons in an attack on the Maximals that was meant to disrupt the attempted shell removal. He fired the missile which knocked the Maximals' power off-line at a crucial instant, seemingly bringing an end to his "treacherous creation". Enraged by the death of his beloved, [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]] attempted to kill the scientist, but was thwarted by [[Rampage (BW)|Rampage]], who was later defeated by a revived—and [[Transmetal|Transmetalized]]—Blackarachnia. {{storylink|Crossing the Rubicon}}

Tarantulas participated in the Predacons' next attempt to retake the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], utilising his latest invention to allow Quickstrike to take control of Optimus Primal. He manipulated [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] into throwing Megatron into the nearby lava while he himself set the Ark's engines to overload. At this point, he claimed to be descended from neither the Autobots nor the Decepticons, which was why he was willing to destroy the core members of both factions then present (in stasis lock) in the Ark. Megatron survived his lava-dunking, gaining a new body in the process. However, he had lost his patience. While he'd tolerated Tarantulas's treachery, he could not tolerate incompetence. Tarantulas survived his punishment and fled back to his lair. {{storylink|Master Blaster}}

[[Image:Tarantulas death.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Oh, yeah, he [[Primeval Dawn Part 1|meant to do this]]. Right. Sure, he did.]]
When the [[Vok]] emissary [[Tigerhawk]] arrived on Earth shortly afterwards, Tarantulas managed to disable and capture him. Tarantulas intended to force the all-powerful being into his servitude by drawing the Vok influences out of his body and reprogramming him. The scheme backfired, however, as his energy beam device expelled two actual Vok out of Tigerhawk. The formless spectres attempted to take over Tarantulas' body. Panicking, he opened fire on them—a futile gesture that merely served to spin the energy device around 'til its rays were blasting him and his lab equipment. Overloaded by the beams, Tarantulas exploded, leaving nothing behind but his boots. The remainder of his equipment detonated seconds later, blowing the lair to rubble. Cheetor managed to rescue the inert Tigerhawk, and Tarantulas was presumed dead. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

While searching the ruins of Tarantulas's lair, Megatron offhandedly referred to him as "[[Unicron]]'s spawn". They discovered that at some point, Tarantulas had uncovered the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', the flagship of the [[Decepticon]] fleet, lying at the bottom of the ocean and restored it to working status, as well as installing a transwarp cell. {{storylink|Nemesis Part 1}}
{{-}}

====''Beast Wars Diorama Story''====
[[Image:BWDiorama Motorarm Tarantulas.jpg|thumb|]]
Sometime after Starscream's arrival to prehistoric Earth, Tarantulas was confronted in battle by a time-displaced [[Motorarm (BWII)|Motorarm]], who fended off the Predacon with his Beetle Claw attack. Tarantulas was not present when the Autobots from [[Movie (franchise)|another universe]] and Maximals combined all of their energies to attack a team of Predacons and Decepticons. {{storylink|Beast Wars Diorama Story|Motorarm Chapter}}
{{-}}

====3H comics====
Tarantulas is the inventor of the [[mind-drill]]. [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] "borrowed" it from him to get information out of [[Antagony]]. {{storylink|Herald, Covenant, Schism, Paradox|Herald}}

[[Image:PrimevalDawn2-TarantulasMatrix.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Further proving the maxim: "If you want to steal the Matrix, you basically can."]]
Following the Beast Wars, Tarantulas's body returned to life, reanimated by the Vok powers he'd previously absorbed. The undead Tarantulas, along with a rebuilt Ravage (as [[Ravage (G1)|Tripredacus Agent]]), nurtured new troops to life through enigmatic means, growing [[Razorclaw (BW)|Razorclaw]] and [[Iguanus (BW)|Iguanus]] in tubes. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 1}}

The remaining Vok anticipated Tarantulas's plan to destroy the rest of them, take their power, and fashion the timestream to his desires, and so they assembled an army of their own consisting of [[Primal Prime]], [[Airazor (BW)|Airazor]], and [[Tigatron]]. Tarantulas met this opposition in battle, overwhelmed them, and triumphantly ripped the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from Primal Prime's chest. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 2}}

Wounded critically, the Maximals withdrew to the Ark, while Tarantulas and his Predacons returned to his lair, where he directed them in the construction of a transwarp portal. Upon completion, Tarantulas planned to bring his stolen prize to his master, Unicron. Since his troops were getting restless, he promised them they could assault the Ark once they finished construction. Tarantulas was true to his word, and as Ravage led the Predacons against the Maximals, Unicron's spawn tried to stabilize the portal and prepared the Matrix for transport. {{storylink|Primeval Dawn Part 3}}

{{note|[[3H Productions]] dissolved before this storyline could be completed. Based on the subsequent ''Wreckers'' and ''[[Universe (2003 comic)|Universe]]'' storylines, it can be assumed that the Matrix of Leadership was restored to Optimus Prime's body at the end of this altercation, the Maximals were triumphant and used Tarantulas's portal to return home to Cybertron, and that Tarantulas somehow fled to Unicron.}}

[[Image:Escape-Tarantulas.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Basically I just never die.]]

A year after the [[Great Reformatting]], the influence of [[Unicron]] swayed [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] to the side of darkness. As she was escorted by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and [[Reptilion]] into the heart of the Chaos Bringer, she was surprised to see Tarantulas (still in his undead body) greet her as she joined the ranks of the [[Minion of Unicron|Minions of Unicron]]. She hissed with disgust, while Tarantulas noted that it was just like old times. {{storylink|Escape (issue)|Escape}}

Tarantulas had learned that [[Alpha Trion]] had been assembling the [[Children of Primus]] to counter Unicron's Minions, and so he sent Blackarachnia on a mission to Cybertron to sever the link between the Transformers and [[Primus]] by invading [[Vector Sigma]]'s chamber and destroying Alpha Trion. He gave Blackarachnia a swarm of [[Piranacon]]s and directions to the chamber through a structural weakpoint near the [[Rust Sea]]. {{storylink|Homecoming (issue)|Homecoming}}
{{-}}

====A Meeting of Minds====
{{note|This story takes place immediately after "[[Master Blaster]]."}}

The [[Megatron (G1)|original Megatron]], now inside the mind of [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], berated the Predacon leader's failures—in particular, being led astray time and again by such treacherous subordinates as Tarantulas. {{storylink|A Meeting of Minds}}

===''Beast Wars Metals'' comic===
Following the [[Quantum surge]], Tarantulas was upgraded into a [[Transmetal]]. Scheming with [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] within their floating island base, the ''[[Hindenburg]]'', Tarantulas developed a plan to revive the deceased [[Optimus Primal]] as a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] slave. Recovering Primal's mindless, raging body, Tarantulas staged a strange voodoo ceremony (complete with boiling cauldron). As Megatron pricked his finger and prepared to use his mutated blood to turn Primal's rampaging body into his slave, the spark of Optimus Primal returned to it just in the nick of time. As Primal turned into a Transmetal, Tarantulas began to celebrate, convinced that his plan had worked out better than he had thought, unaware of what was really going on. An angry Optimus Primal then proceeded to knock Tarantulas's block off. {{storylink|Raise the Curtain for Beast Wars Metals!!}}

===Fire in the Dark===
When [[human]] archaeologists uncovered a cave filled with primitive language, [[Mini-Con]] [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] translated it for them. The markings told of a time when the Maximals and Predacons crashlanded on prehistoric Earth, though the stranded Transformers were seen by the protohumans as gods. The "spider-god" and the "[[Waspinator (BW)|wasp-god]]," under instruction from their leader, enslaved the humans for the purposes of excavating "glowing rose crystals." Eventually, the Maximals came and freed the humans. {{storylink|Fire in the Dark}}

==Games==
===''Beast Wars: Transformers'' video game===
:''Voice actor'': ?
{{note|This game takes place in an alternate version of the first season of the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]] cartoon.}}
[[Image:BWgameUK-Tarantulas.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Some great dialog there, Tarry.]]
Upon arriving on prehistoric Earth, the dangers of Energon radiation forced the Maximals and Predacons to take on beast alternate forms. Tarantulas picked up a tarantula in his palm and scanned it. Soon, Tarantulas spotted [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] moving in on the Predacons' crash site. Swearing revenge, Tarantulas transformed and attacked, and threatened to skin the Maximal alive. {{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers video game advertising comic}}
{{Note|Tarantulas is a playable character in the Predacon mode of this game for normal gameplay.}}
[[Image:BeastWarsPSX-Tarantulasstats.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Sadly, there's no Eat Cheetor level.]]

All of the Beast Wars combatants had managed to construct personal bases, customized to their personal tastes, due to the extended duration of the war. Tarantulas overtook Rhinox's base and reprogrammed its defenses, prompting the Maximals to retake it.Tarantulas warred against both the Maximals and the evil extra-dimensional aliens dubbed the [[Skriix]].
{{storylink|Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)}}
{{Note|Due to the nature of this game, a player may select various individual characters to perform the feats required in every level, and complete the game's narrative. Thus, any playable Maximal can fill the role of protagonist in Maximal Mode, and any playable Predacon can fill the role of protagonist in Predacon Mode. As such, each character's page only lists said character's actions when they fill the role of antagonist during gameplay. To view the various feats Tarantulas can accomplish throughout gameplay in Predacon Mode, it is told on the pages of the [[Optimus Primal|several]] [[Cheetor (BW)|Maximals]] [[Rattrap|included]] [[Dinobot (BW)|as]] [[Rhinox|opponents]] in this game, as well as the game's main antagonists, the [[Skriix]], wherein Tarantulas fills the role of the nameless Predacon. To view the plot as a whole view the [[Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)]] page.}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals''===
[[Image:N64Tarantulas.jpg|thumb|200px|Arboreal Camouflage Tarantulas? Blue Crusader Tarantulas?]]
{{note|This game takes place in an alternate version of the second season of the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]] cartoon.}}
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Alec Willows]] (English), ??? (Japanese)

Tarantulas found a way to escape prehistoric Earth and return to Cybertron. The Beast Wars progressed in his absence for a time...

Then he came back, newly promoted and with an armada of Transwarp battleships under his command, out to end the Beast Wars and enforce the Tripredacus Council's will... {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals}}
{{note|Each character possessed an alternate ending, displayed if the Nintendo 64 game was beaten with said character. Each character has only their own ending listed on their pages, see the other characters' pages for Tarantulas's fate in those outcomes.}}
{{-}}

===''Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars''===
[[Image:DuelFight_Tarantulas.gif|thumb|left|200px|]]
Megatron was capable of summoning Tarantulas forth to the battlefield during his attempts to acquire the super-powerful [[energon crystal]]. {{storylink|Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle|Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars}}
{{--}}

{{-}}
==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BWtoy-Tarantulas.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Hey, guess who's going to be [[redeco]]ed into a hot girl?]]
*'''Tarantulas''' (Deluxe, 1996/1997)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-4'''
**''Accessories'': Launcher, 4 spider-leg missiles

: Part of the first wave of [[Beast Wars (toyline)|''Beast Wars'' product]], Tarantulas transforms into an organic generic spider (''not'' a tarantula). His abdomen contains a spring-loaded missile launcher, which fires the anchor-missile kept in his spider-butt. This missile is attached by a string so he can hang from things like a real spider. The launcher can be removed and used as a robot-mode weapon, using any of his front four spider-legs as missiles. Like all early Deluxe-and-up ''Beast Wars'' toys, he has two different robot-mode "heads"; a robotic face and a "mutant" face. He is almost always depicted using the mutant face.

: There is a variation of this toy in the [[Hasbro]] line: Later releases (the smooth bubble) lack the yellow paint on his elbows.

: The [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] release of Tarantulas was originally identical to the Hasbro release. Later, a slightly color-altered version was released, using a brighter shade of green and a slightly darker gray. The color-altered version also replaced the blue eyes on the "robot" head and the black eyes of the "mutant" head with gold.

: This mold was used to make the first [[Blackarachnia (BW)#Toys|Blackarachnia toy]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1996/Predacon/Tarantulas/tarantulas.htm More information on Tarantulas at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|VsDinobot}}
[[Image:VS4-DinobotTarantuas.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The classic battle of dino vs spider. We've all heard the tale.]]
*'''Brutal Showdown: Dinobot VS Tarans''' (VS pack, 1997)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''VS-4'''
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, 4 spider-leg missiles

: In Japan, "Tarans" was available both as an individual and in a two-pack with "[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]". Both toys in this set were identical to their individual releases.

: Currently, it is unknown if the latter "more show-like" redeco of Tarantulas was ever released in a VS set.

{{-}}{{anchor|Transmetal}}
[[Image:BWtoy-TarantulasTransmetal.jpg|right|thumb|300px|I'm-a spawn of-a Unicron! I-a slice-a ya pizza!]]
*'''Tarantulas''' (Deluxe Transmetal, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-44'''
**''Accessories'': Sawblade weapon

: Part of the first assortment of Deluxe [[Transmetal]]s, Tarantulas transforms into a robotic spider. He also has a third "transport" mode, flipping down a wheel from his abdomen and a saw-blade from under his beast-head, making a spidey-cycle. The saw detaches for robot mode to become a hand-held weapon.

: The Japanese version is slightly different, replacing the "TARANTULAS" [[tampograph]] with "DESTRON" and the Predacon sigil, plus his robot-mode eyes are painted as a single visor to match the show look better.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Predacon/Tarantulas/tarantulas.htm More information on Transmetal Tarantulas at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|FKTransmetal}}
[[Image:Tarantulas-FKTM.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's like Eight Legged Freaks, but classier, and with a pizza slicer.]]
*'''Tarantulas''' (Deluxe "Fox Kids" Transmetal, 1999)
**''Accessories'': Sawblade weapon

: A [[redeco]] of the Transmetal Tarantulas toy in grays, silver and black. He and a Transmetal [[Cheetor (BW)/toys|Cheetor]] redeco were part of the little-seen second wave of [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] "[[Fox Kids]]" toys, so called for the advertisements for the Fox channel on the packaging (as the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] had moved there from syndication). Internal Hasbro documents have listed this toy as "'''Steel Force Tarantulas'''", a name that did not make it to final packaging.

: These colors were used to depict Tarantulas in the ''[[Primeval Dawn]]'' and [[Universe (2003 comic)|''Universe'' comics]]. With the toy's limited availability, secondary-market pricing for this item due to its fictional use has gone up.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1999/Predacon/FKTMTarantulas/tarantulas.htm More information on Fox Kids Tarantulas at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===MicroVerse===
[[Image:Tarantulas-Microverse.jpg|right|100px|thumb|I'm not [[Fantastic Four|The Thing]], I swear!]]
*'''Orcanoch''' ([[MicroVerse]], 1997)

: A small, non-transforming micro-figure of Tarantulas came with the [[MicroVerse]] [[Orcanoch]] playset. It was presumably painted based on the original design, as its upper body is copper rather than purple. Its only articulation is at the waist, letting it sit in any of the MicroVerse mini-vehicles or playset stations.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1997/Maximal/Orcanoch/orcanoch.htm More information on MicroVerse Tarantulas (via Orchanoch) at TFU.info]

{{-}}
===Beast Wars 10th Anniversary===
[[Image:BWXtoy-Tarantulas.jpg|right|thumb|300px|He's not here to help assemble [[Transmutate]]. That leg's his dinner.]]
*'''Predacon Tarantulus''' (Deluxe, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, 4 spider-leg missiles

:This toy is a slight [[redeco]] of the original Tarantulas toy, more closely resembling Tarantulas's appearance in the cartoon (save the big Predacon faction sigil tampograph). Part of the second wave of [[Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|''Beast Wars'' 10th Anniversary product]], he came with a DVD of the episode "[[Spider's Game]]," plus the left leg to [[Trans-Mutate]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Predacon/PredaconTarantulas/predacontarantulas.htm More information on 10th Anniversary Tarantulas at TFU.info]''

{{--}}

==Merchandise==
* '''Beast Wars Transformers Mutating Card Game''' (1997)
:Tarantulas was one of the 24 beast warriors to receive a battle card representation for the Beast Wars [[Beast Wars Transformers Mutating Card Game|card game]].

===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Robotheroestarantulasprimal.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Don't take your eyes off your mech fluid, Primal.]]
*'''Optimus Primal vs Predacon Tarantulas''' (2008)

: Part of the second wave of ''[[Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'', this PVC figurine of Tarantulas' original body has articulation in the shoulders and neck. He was available only in a "Beast Wars Series" two-pack with [[Optimus Primal/toys|Optimus Primal]] (amusingly enough, the [[Maximal]] he also came with in the ''[[MicroVerse]]'' [[Orcanoch]] playset).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Predacon/RHTarantulas/tarantulas.htm More information on Robot Heroes Tarantulas at TFU.info]''

{{--}}

==Notes==
[[Image:BWcommercial-Tarantulas.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Not terribly appealing.]]
* Tarantulas is referred to as simply "Tarantula" in the [[commercial]] advertising his toy. This commercial and also early promotional pictures showed the original Tarantulas toy as being transparent orange, but the final toy was a clear deep purple instead. Presumably, this was for a little visual variety in the early line, which already had a largely tan toy ([[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]]) and a largely yellow toy ([[Cheetor (BW)/toys|Cheetor]]) in the Deluxe range, plus a Mega-sized Predacon arachnid then planned to be orange ([[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]]), and [[Tigatron]], who was at one point slated to be a traditional orange tiger.

[[Image:TarantulasArm.jpg|right|150px|thumb|He tastes everything he holds.]]

* In the original control art for Tarantulas, the claws are shown in the same configuration as used in the show. In other words, the claws were somehow swapped during the assembly process and have remained as such on every version of the mold thereafter.

* The original Tarantulas toy has ''nine'' eyes in beast mode, as does the show model. This makes characters' references to him as "eight-eyes" rather... interesting.

* Tarantulas's toy bios paint him as a really dumb ninja-like stealth assassin. Both of his [[Tech Spec]]s give him an intelligence of 4, even the numbers that accompany his ''Transmetals'' bio which mentions the cartoon's [[quantum surge]].

* In the first season, Tarantulas is characterized more as a cannibalistic, psychotic gourmand who happens to be the Predacons' Science Officer than as the mad scientist and master plotter he becomes from "[[Spider's Game]]" onwards. This is to the extent that his official season one profile makes several mentions of his eating habits, describes his sole interest as being "food", and summarizes his relationship with the other Predacons as simple disdain, as he considers them to all be potential meals.

* In the Japanese dub of ''Beast Wars'', Tarantulas retained his trademark cackle, but it was a little ''different''. His voice was very high-pitched and he shrieked almost constantly. His trademark laugh more closely resembled a wicked witch of sorts.

[[Image:OptimalSituation Tarantulas insignia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Tarantulas is one of Reprolabels's best customers.]]
* From "[[Optimal Situation]]" onwards, the [[Arachnoid]]s sport a Tarantulas-themed insignia.

* Tarantulas's origins are a bit complicated. He declares in "[[Other Victories]]" that he and the [[Tripredacus Council]] have origins other than Autobot and Decepticon, such that they would not be affected by the destruction of the Ark. Megatron's line about "Unicron's spawn" was apparently not intended by [[Bob Forward]] to be taken literally; it was to have been a generic insult rather than a statement of fact.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/f06828ec523295c1?dmode=source&output=gplain Larry DiTillio's take on Tarantulas origins! at alt.toys.transformers]</ref> (Forward's own inkling, albeit never realized, was that they might be descended from [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]]'s Cybertronian Empire.) A Unicronian origin also creates potential canonical issues, as Tarantulas says that "under our rule, Cybertron will conquer the universe" ("[[Other Victories]]"), whereas Unicron's goal would have been to eat Cybertron. But, much like [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]'s line about "[[Darksyde|the dark side]]", this line developed a life of its own. Eventually this connection was reasserted in [[3H Productions]]' ''[[Primeval Dawn]]'' storyline, initially written by... Bob Forward.

* Tarantulas's body in "[[Theft of the Golden Disk]]" is based on [[Ransack (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Ransack]].

* Tarantulas is probably the only [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Minion of Unicron]] who avoided being labeled a [[Decepticon]].

*In [[Along Came a Spider]], the fake spider is based on his original beast mode.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]
[[Category:Double agents]]
[[Category:Ninjas]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Security officers]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Toys "R" Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers with three modes]]
[[Category:Transmetals]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Universe (2008)]]

Scissor Boy

2009-06-09T11:43:53Z

72.10.120.229:

:''Scissor Boy is an [[Insectron]] from the [[Beast Wars II (franchise)|Beast Wars II]] portion of the [[Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:BWII_ScissorBoy_model.JPG|right|250px|thumb|DON'T RUN WITH ME!]]

The youngest member of the [[Insectron|Insectrons]], '''Scissor Boy''' is very talkative and quick-witted. He is good friends with the [[Maximal]] [[Tasmania Kid]] and spends much of his time hanging out with him. While the two share the same love of adventure, Scissor Boy joined the Insectrons to escape the reborn war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. He prefers to relax and take it easy, but still have fun while doing so. He can tend to be a little stingy when it comes to money, though.

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars II'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Norihisa Mori]] (Japanese)
[[Image:Scissorboy1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Scissors beats rock!]]
{{charstubfiction}}

====''Beast Wars Neo'' cartoon====
{{charstubfiction}}

===''Beast Wars II'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars===
[[Image:BW-toy Powerpinch.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Dogs don't know it's not Scissor Boy!]]
*'''Scissor Boy''' (Basic, 1998)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-22'''

: Scissor Boy is virtually identical to the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Powerpinch]], transforming into an earwig. His insect-mode tail detaches to form a hand-held claw-weapon. The only notable difference between Scissor Boy and Powerpinch is Scissor Boy's Maximal [[rubsign]] decal.

: This mold was also used to make [[Vice Grip]].

{{-}}
==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1998/Cybertron/Scissorboy/scissorboy.htm Scissor Boy at TFU.info]

{{charstub}}

[[Category:Beast Wars II characters]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Neo characters]]
[[Category:Maximals]]
[[Category:Strategists]]

Obsidian (BM)

2009-05-20T18:11:07Z

72.10.120.229: /* Beast Machines */

{{factions|vehicon|decepticon|unicron|autobot|predacon}}
{{disambig2|the Beast Machines Vehicon and the Universe Decepticon|the Robots in Disguise Decepticon|Obsidian (RID)}}
:''Obsidian is a [[Vehicon (BM)|Vehicon]] from the [[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:ObsidianDJart.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"I love the smell of napalm in the morning."]]
'''Obsidian''' and his consort [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] have fought for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] in countless battles... and won them all. Though he is sophisticated and canny, able to concoct strategies with layers upon layers, his purpose is single-minded. He defends Cybertron.

There is some fine print. Whoever happens to be in charge, whether a benevolent or malevolent force, in his reasoning, ''is'' Cybertron. Once power changes hands, so does he. He is loyal only to the planet, and perhaps his consort Strika, not to any moral ideals. As his fellow [[Vehicon general]] [[Thrust (BM)|Thrust]] has remarked, "If you're loyal to everybody, can you really be loyal to anybody?"... a question that has given Obsidian pause.

While he was pretending to be dumber-even-than-[[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], his [[activation code]] (and, indeed, his entire vocabulary) was "obliterate". He dropped the word when the ruse was over.

In an alternate universe, Obsidian was a former [[Autobot]] who rose to overthrow [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and take over Cybertron, only to be abducted by [[Unicron]] to serve as his [[Minion of Unicron|Minion]].

{{note|Obsidian has been variously credited as a former [[Autobot]] or as a former [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]].<ref>While most other sources hint at or outright declare him having once been an Autobot, ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'' calls Obsidian "one of the most feared and deadly Predacon warrior-generals from Cybertron's past."</ref>}}

==Fiction==
===Intimidation Game===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Paul Dobson]] (English)

The Tripredacus agent [[Flamewar]] was held prisoner and interrogated by a group of [[Autobot|Autobots]] and [[Maximal|Maximals]] which included Obsidian. However, it transpired that the questioning was merely a test of suitability by the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] insurrectionist [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]], and the entity appearing to be Obsidian was in fact a disguised [[Buzz Saw]]. {{storylink|Intimidation Game}}

{{note|This story, if it is meant to be part of ''Beast Wars'' continuity, would be somewhere around the beginning of the [[Pax Cybertronia]]. However, it is tied directly to "[[Descent into Evil]]", which has been declared out-of-continuity by [[Pete Sinclair|one of its creators]]. Take that [[Authorial intent|as you will]].}}

===''Beast Machines'' cartoon continuity===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Paul Dobson]] (English), [[Masaya Onosaka]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Obsidianbm.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Obsidian, LA Nails spokes-bot.]]
Tired of the Maximals using his world as a playground and getting fed up with Thrust's inability to handle them, Megatron selected two Sparks to be his new generals. When Thrust first saw Obsidian and Strika, he remarked "Very nice, boss. Very very nice." However, the feeling wasn't mutual, as Thrust discovered when he started to inform the new guys of their enemies - and was batted away by Obsidian, bouncing off the wall and sliding to a halt at his "feet".

Obsidian was quick to act against the Maximals, ambushing Silverbolt and Nightscream with Strika. Screaming "Obliterate!" repeatedly, he pursued Silverbolt but was tackled by Optimus Primal, sending both crashing into the ground. When Optimus tried to reason with him, Obsidian merely fired at him and transformed, escaping into the city. He rendezvoused with Strika and let the Maximals into a trap, as hundred of drones modeled after the two generals surrounded them. Transforming to robot mode, Obsidian remarked "Although he took his name from a great leader, Optimus Primal never learned the first rule of warfare: NEVER underestimate your opponent." The Maximals were able to escape the trap, but found all of their escape routes blocked by drones, Rattrap surprised at the number of drones and Optimus realizing that it wasn't number but tactics; their new opponents were master strategists. Forced to barricade themselves inside the Counsel Citadel, Primal realized that they had been herded there, at which point Obsidian contacted him and offered the Maximals the chance to surrender themselves. Revealing who he and Strika were, Obsidian informed Optimus that "Megatron IS Cybertron. To defend one is to defend the other. And to betray Megatron is to invite death." Despite their advantage, Obsidian and Strika were unable to capture the Maximals due to Botanica's timely arrival, disrupting the drones' targeting systems and allowing the Maximals to escape. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike|Sparkwar Pt. I: The Strike}}

Obsidian's next major move was against Cheetor, Blackarachnia and Silverbolt. Sent to a shell yard by Megatron and told to wait for the Maximals (as Megatron had sent Optimus a flash about the Sparks and their possible locations, which of course was a trap), Obsidian attacked the trio, outgunning and outflanking them easily. However, a power core thrown by Cheetor was hit by a shot from one of Obsidian's drones even as he was desperately telling them to cease fire, causing a huge explosion that sent him and his drones flying away in a fiery shockwave. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search|Sparkwar Pt. II: The Search}}

When Megatron began to enact his plan for the Sparks, Obsidian and Strika were stationed to watch over the ground and air around the BFH. While he didn't get to do much personally, Obsidian attempted to engage Savage/Noble in single combat, only to have one of his own drones smacked into him and then Strika thrown into him. Ouch. {{storylink|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege|Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege}}

After Megatron's seeming destruction, the generals were at a loss. Without a leader they had no purpose, and when Cheetor and Nightscream approached them with an offer to join the Maximals they accepted, much to Thrust's annoyance. A possessed Jet Drone suddenly attacked both the generals and the Maximals, destroying the drones that were present. Obsidian and Strika did not join Cheetor and Nightscream in the fight against the Jet Drone (wusses). Later, Optimus welcomed the two to the group and sent them to patrol the inside of the Gran Mal, where they unsuccessfully tried to stop Megatron's depolarized Spark from entering. After Megatron was re-polarized and bonded to a Diagnostic Drone, Obsidian and Strika seized him and made their escape, pledging their loyalty to evil once again. {{storylink|Spark of Darkness|Spark of Darkness}}

The conflict came to a head when Megatron began an all-out attack on his former base, seeking to reclaim the Sparks. Obsidian fell victim to Rattrap's identity scrambler, destroying several of his own troops before realizing his mistake. He later returned to his main fleet that was attacking the BFH, but they were unable to penetrate the shields. That changed when Megatron found a device Rattrap used to send Botanica back to the surface - a shield harmonic device synchronized to the base's shields. Obsidian and Strika were then able to fire through the shields and destroy the base's drive units, sending it plummeting into the Citadel. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral}}

After repairing and placing his troops, Obsidian began a second attack on the Gran Mal with Strika and Thrust. Taking down the shields and defeating several Maximals, the trio were left with only Cheetor in their way. However, the Maximal led them into the engine room, where he brought the anti-gravity generators online and sent Obsidian and Strika into Cybertron's orbit. {{storylink|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall|Endgame Pt. II: When Legends Fall}}

====3H Wreckers comics====
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Wreckers: Finale Part II|Wreckers: Finale Part II}}

===''Universe'' CD-ROM===
[[Image:UnivCDROM TractorBeam.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Whee.]]
On an alternate Cybertron, Obsidian fought alongside the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], [[Razorclaw (Universe)|Razorclaw]], [[Reptilion|Reptillion]] {{sic}}, and [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] against [[Optimus Primal]] and his Autobots. One of these battles—the most violent of that year—was interrupted by a mysterious ship that sucked those Decepticons up on beams of light and sped away. None of the combatants realized that it was taking its captives to Unicron for use in a massive army. {{storylink|Universe CD-ROM|Universe CD-ROM}}

{{note|This comic shows no signs of being intended to mesh with other ''Universe'' fiction. There are inconsistencies in many of its elements, but given that ''Universe'' is entirely ABOUT alternate dimensions, it could still be a side note to the [[Universe war|greater storyline]]. Obsidian is one of the [[Tankor (BM)|few]] [[Razorclaw (Universe)|characters]] who could conceivably be the same ones who show up the main ''Universe'' comic, but it is up to the reader to decide if that's the case.}}

===''Universe'' comic===
[[Image:Obsidiandiedscreaming.jpg|left|200px|thumb|A universe where I cannot spell "possibilities"!]]
In a parallel universe, the Predacon Megatron "decimated" Cybertron's population by capturing their [[Spark|sparks]], including the vaunted Autobot general Obsidian. (It is unknown whether this literally means he only got one-tenth of the Cybertronians.) When Megatron gave him a new, helicopter-based body, Obsidian hid his thirst for revenge behind a feigned loyalty. He conspired with the brute Tankor, eventually using the latter's raw strength to carry out Megatron's termination. Obsidian, now an "ex-Autobot," supplanted the Predacon's rule with an iron-fisted tyranny of his own. With his enforcer Tankor at his side, he put down uprisings and held the planet in fear... until Unicron decided that such a mindset would serve his own purposes, and he pulled them out of their universe entirely.<ref>Obsidian's [[bio]] in [[Escape (Universe comic)|''Transformers Universe'' #2]]</ref>

Unicron, his ruined form trapped between dimensions, sought to revitalize himself by pitting abducted [[Transformer|Transformers]] against each other within his own body, absorbing their [[energon radiation]] and, eventually, sparks. But Obsidian was spared this fate, instead overseeing the [[Cauldron|deathmatch arena]] along with Tankor, Razorclaw, Reptilion, and [[Striker]]. [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], one of the intended victims, recognized Obsidian. Obsidian confirmed the familiarity, but noted that in his and Tankor's own timeline, Silverbolt had "[[Furmanism|died screaming]]." {{storylink|Abduction|Abduction}}

[[Image:Optimusprimaluniverseend.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Dunk tank!]]
For all his boasting and accomplishments, though, Obsidian still did a pretty crappy job of keeping [[Optimus Primal]] from freeing Silverbolt and dozens of other captives. {{storylink|Escape (Universe comic)|Escape}} Notably, by this time Obsidian's allegiance had fully switched to "Decepticon,"<ref>Tankor's bio, ibid.</ref> though it's unclear if this was before or after his coming under the thrall of Unicron.

{{note|[[3H Productions]] lost the license, and so this story was never finished as intended. However, look into the end of ''Universe'' was shown in a comic published by the next licensee, [[Fun Publications]].}}
Much later, Optimus Primal waged one last desperate assault against Unicron, and his [[Children of Primus]] were able to defeat the [[Minions of Unicron]]. As Unicron himself seemed to dissolve below them, Obsidian and [[Nemesis Strika]] were left to their doom. {{storylink|Revelations Part 2}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===Beast Machines===
[[Image:BM Obsidian-Hasbrotoy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]
* '''Obsidian''' (Basic, 2000)
**''Accessories'': 2 rotors

:A Basic-price point toy in the ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Machines]]'' line, Obsidian transforms into a twin-rotor assault helicopter vaguely similar to an Osprey. His cockpit in helicopter mode is multi-jointed to allow it movement to look around, the Vehicons' toy aesthetic being "living vehicles". The cockpit's "eyes" further enhance the effect. The two rotor blades are pressure-launch projectiles. His nominal robot "flight" mode keeps his tail section together but curled up below him (as in the show), but the tail section can split up to form a pair of "normal" legs as well.

:The same mold is used by ''[[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Obsidian (RID)|Obsidian]]. A hand-painted mock-up of the mold was presented as a proposed [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] [[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]] as a future [[BotCon]] exclusive, but was never produced.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2000/Vehicon/Obsidian/obsidian.htm More information on Beast Machines Obsidian at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
[[Image:BM Obsidian-BWRtoy.jpg|right|250px|" Before..."|thumb|]]
*'''Vehicon Obsidian''' (Basic, 2005)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''BR-14'''
**''Accessories:'' 2 rotors

:In 2005 the toy was [[Redeco|redecoed]] and released as part of the Japanese Toys 'R' Us [[exclusive]] ''[[Beast Machines (toyline)|Beast Wars Returns]]'' series, the Japanese version of ''Beast Machines''. Having been produced several years after the cartoon was, this version had a deco considerably more [[Show-accuracy|show-accurate]] than the original, but still not quite there, physical differences between the mold and show model regardless.

{{-}}

===Universe===
*'''Tankor & Obsidian''' (Ultra, 2003)
**''Accessories'': 2 rotors

: Part of the second wave of ''[[Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' Ultras, this [[redeco]] of the ''Beast Machines'' Obsidian toy was only available with his larger partner [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]]. The toy features the "energon surge" paint deco most of the early ''Universe'' toys featured.

: This toy's coloration is not ''too'' far from the proposed colors for the unmade [[Wrecker]] [[Rotorbolt (Universe)|Rotorbolt]] (save the "energon surge" deco, of course). As such, many fans use him as a substitute for the haughty Predacon.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/Obsidian/obsidian.htm More information on Universe Obsidian at TFU.info]''

==Trivia==
* At one point Obsidian was planned to have a deluxe toy that would be more [[Show accuracy|show-accurate]]. Sadly, this toy never made it past pre-production. (Rotorbolt was originally going to be a BotCon exclusive redeco of this mold, explaining why he was drawn to match Obsidian's show appearance in the Wreckers comics rather than the Basic toy.)

* Story editor [[Bob Skir]] wanted to depict Obsidian and Strika's return to Cybertron after the reformatting wave hit in the last episode, making them the only two purely mechanical beings remaining. They would refuse reformatting into techno-organic forms, seeing being in their normal bodies as punishment for their misguided actions. However, this never made it into the series.

==References==
<references />

{{Popularmode-osprey}}

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Machines characters]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Minions of Unicron]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]
[[Category:Universe characters]]
[[Category:Vehicons]]

Ratchet (G1)

2009-05-15T11:55:35Z

72.10.120.229: /* IDW comics continuity */

{{factions|autobot|autobotg2}}{{disambig3|Ratchet}}
{{featured}}
:''Ratchet is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Ratchetg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|All aboard the party ambulance!]]
'''Ratchet''' is the Autobots' Chief Medical Officer. If something's broke, he can fix it. Ratchet is known for his irreverent bedside manner; he loves having a good time, and his party-loving nature has given him a dry wit. He is not a particularly mighty warrior, which sometimes leads him to believe that he is expendable. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] has trouble convincing Ratchet that this is far from the truth.

Although he's a healer, Ratchet often finds himself on the front lines of combat and, on occasion, the last hope the Autobots have. These pressures are sometimes too much for him to handle, but Ratchet ultimately never gives up.

:''Nicknames'': '''Cool Hand Lube''', '''Greasefinger'''<ref>Nicknames found in early ''[[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Universe]]''-style profiles published in [[The Transformers Comics Magazine]].</ref>
:''Portuguese name (Portugal comics):'' '''Alavanca'''
:''Italian name:'' '''Doc'''
:''French-Canadian name:'' '''Mécano'''
:''Hungarian name:'' '''Racsni'''
:''Portuguese name (Brazil comics):'' '''Trinco'''
:''Czech name:'' '''Zdravotník'''
:''Russian name (TV):'' '''Chrapovick''' ("Ratchet")

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|UK-only]] comic stories are in italics.}}
[[Image:Ratchetg1first.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This look didn't last long.]]
Ratchet was one of the select Autobots chosen by [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] to travel aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], and ended up in stasis lock for four million years at the base of [[Mount St. Hilary]] with the rest of the crew. Once the volcano exploded and the Transformers reactivated, Ratchet was rebuilt to transform into an ambulance. He responded to [[Gears]]'s complaining by telling him that at least he didn't have to fix everyone all the time! Ratchet would rather be partying. {{storylink|The Transformers (comic issue)|The Transformers}}

[[Image:Ratchetgetstofixgears.jpg|right|200px|thumb|What a comfortable-looking repair sled they're dragging Gears into.]]

As their war against the Decepticons continued on Earth, Ratchet joined the Autobots' debate about how to deal with their dwindling fuel resources. Thankfully, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] had located a human, [[Sparkplug Witwicky]], who could help them convert fuel to a form usable by them, so the Ark was left in Ratchet's hands as the others left to meet with Bumblebee and his new human friends. Ratchet noted sadly that without fuel, even his considerable skills were useless. {{storylink|Power Play!}} While they were gone, Ratchet attended to the Ark. During his attempts at repairs, he uncovered something interesting in its memory databanks, but Optimus Prime cut him off before he could explain. Gears was badly damaged in the battle that followed, and his body was brought back to Ratchet for repairs. After working on him for a short period of time, Ratchet was amazed that he could already speak. Unfortunately, Gears had bad news; Sparkplug Witwicky had converted fuel for the Decepticons while he had been their prisoner! {{storylink|Prisoner of War!}}

The Autobots were outraged at this, which upset Sparkplug so much that he suffered a heart attack. Ratchet volunteered to driv Sparkplug and his son [[Buster Witwicky|Buster]] to the hospital. {{storylink|The Last Stand}} While Buster stayed at the hospital with his ailing father, Ratchet held fast to his oath to preserve life, an oath which made no distinction between organical or mechanical life, and spent long hours helping to ferry injured humans to and from the hospital. His human drivers were alarmed to find this out after the fact. Ratchet was happy to learn that Sparkplug, now able to speak, had told Buster that he'd poisoned the Decepticons' fuel. While this conversation was taking place, his drivers were poking around his ambulance mode, trying to discover how he was talking. After an angry, annoyed outburst, the humans fled.

[[Image:Ratchetfriendtrafficsignal.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Staring also works.]]

Despite Buster's good news, Ratchet felt he should return to the Ark as swiftly as possible; no one there was responding to his communications. Buster accompanied him, and en route tried to explain to Ratchet that the traffic signals were nonsentient and would not respond to his pleas. When a red light turned green, eventually, after Ratchet's attempts at persuasion, the Autobot admonished the child for his lack of communication skills. But when Ratchet and Buster arrived at the Ark, they were horrified to discover [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] standing sentry outside. Buster, who was small enough to slip in unnoticed, snuck inside to investigate. {{storylink|The New Order}}

Ratchet soon discovered, to his horror, that he was the last Autobot still functional on Earth, up against the entire Decepticon army. Covertly invading the ''Ark'', he learned that even the mighty [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] had fallen. However, Prime's head, though detached, still functioned, and the Autobot Commander told Ratchet that he must rise up to meet this challenge. Ratchet did not believe he could; he was a doctor, not a warrior (damnit, Jim). {{storylink|Warrior School!}} Buster later returned to Ratchet, looking like a fright, and told the Autobot that the Decepticons had taken over the Ark, and that their bodies were hung like meat from the ceiling! Even crazier still was when [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was seen carrying the defeated body of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] back into the Ark. Ratchet began to worry that he was the last Autobot alive. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}}

[[Image:Ratchetwarriorschool.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The more you know!™]]

Ratchet was no warrior, and he doubted what he could do to topple this new status quo, but still, Ratchet tried. In his weakened state, Megatron could not hope to defeat Shockwave and reclaim his leadership, but Ratchet approached him with a possible solution. Ratchet knew how Shockwave had fallen 4 million years ago (having discovered this earlier within the Ark's memory databanks), and struck a deal, sealed by the [[Rite of Oneness]]: If Ratchet could defeat Shockwave, Megatron would relinquish Decepticon control of the ''Ark'' and its wrecked Autobot inhabitants.

Ratchet journeyed to the [[Savage Land]], where the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] had fought Shockwave to a stalemate, leaving all dormant in a tar pit prison. He dug up the Dinobots and repaired them. Soon after, he met with Megatron on a snowy ski slope and announced that he had fulfilled his half of the bargain; Shockwave was defeated. Megatron, of course, went back on his part of the deal and threatened to kill Ratchet. Ratchet declared that he knew all along Megatron would not hold up his end of the bargain and admitted that he had not, in fact, defeated Shockwave. The Dinobots sprung up out of the snow surrounding Megatron and fought him, but did not succeed. Megatron now stood alone, triumphant, mocking Ratchet and his lack of a warrior's edge. With nothing to lose, Ratchet charged Megatron, but he was ineffectual. However, the charge had loosened the ground on which Megatron stood, and the Decepticon leader fell off the cliff side and disappeared. {{storylink|Repeat Performance!}}

''On their return trip to the ''Ark'', Ratchet helped educate the Dinobots about human/Autobot relations by telling them the story of a recent battle with the Decepticons at a hydroelectric dam. {{storylink|Decepticon Dam-Busters!}} When they arrived, Ratchet and the Dinobots found the ''Ark'' defended by [[Guardian]], an Autobot combat drone which had been reprogrammed by Shockwave. Ratchet rescued the Dinobots from the powerful drone by remembering and exploiting one of its few weaknesses, an access port which could admit a fine laser. Ratchet then began the task of repairing the Autobots, placing priority on those whose command skills would be useful. This put him at odds with Dinobot leader [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], who felt that the fallen Dinobot [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] should be repaired first. {{storylink|The Wrath of Grimlock!}}''

''When Prowl devised a plan to use the Matrix to create an army of monstrous Autobot warriors, debate over the plan's ethics threatened to divide the Autobots. Ratchet remained neutral and asked Optimus Prime to step in and provide guidance. {{storylink|Crisis of Command!}}''

''Ratchet and Wheeljack collaborated on a Transformer-sized robotic suit, to be used by Buster Witwicky in battle. Optimus Prime was unamused. {{storylink|Robot Buster!}}''

[[Image:Ratchetmechanic.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Such irony.]]

After the destruction of Optimus Prime, Ratchet was not able to repair him. Unable to deal with his failure, Ratchet wandered off on his own during Optimus's funeral. Ratchet decided that rather than moping, he should concern himself with the other damaged Autobots under his care, so he headed towards a junkyard to look for spare parts he could use. However, he was abducted in vehicle mode by the [[Mechanic]] and his accomplice [[Juan]] when the two thieves were found by the police. Ratchet revealed himself when they arrived at the Mechanic's hideout, but the Mechanic froze Ratchet with his own surgical weapons and headed for the ''Ark'', intent on finding technology that would ensure he would never be threatened by the police again. When he had unfrozen, Ratchet followed the human back to the ''Ark'', but was defeated by his own surgical tools. But using pieces he took from the junkyard, he repaired [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and the appearance of the police car frightened the Mechanic away. The Mechanic escaped with Ratchet's tools and the [[Power Booster Rod]]. {{storylink|Funeral for a Friend!}}

Shortly after Optimus Prime's funeral, Ratchet stood with Omega Supreme, Blaster, and the others, and an incoming fleet of aircraft piloted by the terrorist organization [[Cobra]] was detected. {{storylink|Ashes, Ashes...}} After the Autobots teamed up with the human counterterrorist organization [[G.I. Joe]], Ratchet worked with [[Mainframe (G.I. Joe)|Mainframe]], who had already begun to rebuild Bumblebee. Ratchet was surprised to see that Bumblebee had been upgraded by Mainframe into a more-powerful body, and after the process was completed (despite [[Dr. Mindbender]]'s bickering), Bumblebee decided to rename himself Goldbug. {{storylink|...All Fall Down!}}

[[Image:Ratchetneverisnow.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Paging Dr. Smartass.]]

With Optimus Prime dead, Ratchet and a few other high-ranking Autobots assembled to nominate a new leader. Ratchet stressed that their nominee must be kind, just as Optimus Prime had been, someone who would be willing to give everything he had. After a surprise attack on the Ark by [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], Ratchet had his answer. Ratchet's new patients, those that had suffered during the attack, had told him of Grimlock's selflessness in battle. The other Autobots agreed, and Grimlock was declared Autobot leader. {{storylink|King of the Hill!}} However, Grimlock's leadership quickly turned sour, and Ratchet became the voice of sarcasm behind Grimlock's decisions. When a second group of Autobots led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] met Grimlock's Earth-bound Autobots, they brought with them a [[floppy disk]] containing the mind of the dead Optimus Prime. Ratchet couldn't contain his joy, and so Grimlock struck him down and told him to shut up. Ratchet was told to shut up again when he belittled Grimlock's disbelief that Fortress Maximus was part [[human]]. Grimlock set up a battle for Autobot supremacy between him and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (who fought in Fortress Maximus' stead), so Ratchet and all of both Autobot groups stepped out onto the surface of Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to watch the fight. Ratchet cheered relentlessly for Blaster, but the spectators were cut short by a surprise Decepticon attack. After the Decepticons had fled, Ratchet was glad to see that Blaster and Grimlock had, for the moment, set aside their differences, because they would need all the cooperation they could muster to repair the fallen and the heavily-damaged Ark. {{storylink|Totaled!}}

''When an [[Underbase]]-powered [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and a time-traveling [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] decimated the Earthbound Autobot forces, Optimus Prime no longer possessed the life-giving powers of the [[Creation Matrix]], so Ratchet was left with the monumental task of repairing them. {{storylink|Deathbringer}}'' During a period of work-induced stress, he began to hallucinate visions of his patients attacking him and accusing him of being worthless. It was during this time that the Decepticon [[Sports Car Patrol]], posing as Autobots, offered to help transport Ratchet to Cybertron, where he could have access to new medical technology that had been created during his 4-million-year absence on Earth. He and three of the Sports Car Patrol took the bodies of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]], [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Goldbug]] with him, though Ratchet was curious why [[Blackjack]] stayed behind on the ''Ark''. Ratchet's concerns were answered when, upon arrival on Cybertron, he saw standing before him the believed-to-be-deceased Megatron, who had orchestrated the entire scheme. {{storylink|Back from the Dead}}

[[Image:Ratchetbroughtthemhere.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Megatron inadvertently activated Ratchet's dormant "evil genius" gene.]]

Megatron brought Ratchet the remains of Starscream, demanding Ratchet repair the Air Commander while Blackjack held the ''Ark'' and its medical bay inhabitants hostage. Ratchet agreed, and he used [[Pretender]] technology to repair Starscream while secretly repairing Grimlock, Jazz, and Goldbug as well. After Pretender Starscream was sent to Earth, Megatron sought out Ratchet to kill him, but Ratchet had his own Pretenders ready. {{storylink|The Resurrection Gambit!}} Ratchet sprung Grimlock, Jazz, and Bumblebee (Ratchet preferred Bumblebee's original form) on Megatron, but Megatron and his Micromasters were too powerful for them. The Pretenders and Micromasters' battle wandered outside the Decepticon base, and Ratchet was left alone. Sacrificing his life, Ratchet warped the bombs Blackjack had put on the ''Ark'' into the Decepticon base in an attempt to kill both himself and Megatron. Megatron tried to escape through the warp portal, but Ratchet tackled him, and the base exploded. {{storylink|Skin Deep}}

[[Image:Megs ratch.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ratchet to the left of me, Megatron to the right—Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.]]

Optimus Prime was devastated by the loss of Ratchet. {{storylink|Yesterday's Heroes!}} He assigned the detective [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] to investigate Ratchet's death, and Nightbeat hypothesized that Ratchet could possibly still be alive. There was an initial blast which could have knocked Ratchet into the portal and into [[unspace]], a netherworld between the warp portal's starting and ending points. A probe was sent to retrieve him, and it succeeded—but it also brought back Megatron, who was fused with Ratchet as a single, monstrous being. {{storylink|Eye of the Storm}} The Ratchet/Megatron creature rampaged through the ''Ark'', wounding several Autobots, but Optimus Prime would not let them harm it. This put Optimus Prime in an awkward position: Was the life of Ratchet worth the possible loss of his other troops? The creature fought his way into the engine rooms and began tearing stuff apart, and Prime's choice was made for him: The creature must be stopped. Prime fought Ratchet/Megatron to a standstill, and, alarmingly, the part that was Ratchet took control and pulled Prime's gun to his own forehead, pleading for the Autobot Commander to put him out of his misery. In an unpopular decision, Optimus Prime ordered [[Fixit]] to separate Megatron and Ratchet, even if it meant saving Megatron. Bonded at a molecular level, neither could survive without the other, even when separated. {{storylink|The Price of Life!}}

[[Image:Ratchetjollies.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Holy crap.]]

Separated by Fixit, they remained in stasis on the ''Ark'' until Grimlock and his [[Nucleon]]-revived Dinobots found the ''Ark'' abandoned during the Transformers' battle with [[Unicron]]. They filled the entire medical bay chambers with Nucleon, not aware that Megatron lay there in storage. {{storylink|The Void! (US)|The Void!}} Shockwave and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] stole the ''Ark'' after Unicron was defeated, in an attempt to return to Earth and conquer it. {{storylink|Still Life!}} However, just as Megatron awoke, Starscream and Shockwave were interrupted by [[Galvatron II]], who had snuck on board before launch. While Galvatron and Megatron teamed up on Shockwave, Starscream went to check on any other possible survivors in the medical bay. He found Ratchet, whose mind was still connected to Megatron's, and Starscream fought the confused Autobot easily. However, when Starscream mused that Ratchet was no fun to kill, Ratchet became enraged and defeated him in a berserker state. Determined to end what he had started, Ratchet blew up the ''Ark'' as it was approaching Earth's orbit, sending all four Decepticons and himself to a supposed death.<ref>Except all the Decepticons eventually turn up alive.</ref> {{storylink|A Savage Circle}}

====Marvel UK future timelines====
''Ratchet was present at the Ark in 2003 when [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] announced his plans for a fully-functional transforming fortress known as [[Autobot City]]. {{storylink|Ark Duty}}''

====''Generation 2''====
{{note|Megatron's molecular-level link with Ratchet was entirely ignored in ''Generation 2''. Megatron returned and was rebuilt by Cobra, while Ratchet's fate was not mentioned at all.}}
As Optimus Prime was being repaired after a catastrophic battle with Megatron, he recalled the events of the Transformer civil war thus far, including two of Megatron's encounters with Ratchet.
{{storylink|Tales of Earth Part Four}}

{{-}}

====''Classics''====
[[Image:Ratchetgamesofdeception.jpg|left|250px|thumb|From martyr to furniture.]]
{{note|The ''Classics'' comics take place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a [[splinter timeline]] that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or ''Generation 2''.}}
Fifteen years after Ratchet seemingly perished with Megatron, Starscream, and Shockwave when the Ark crashed into the [[Yukon]], Megatron had returned to power. Starscream had been fully rebuilt, Shockwave's disembodied head was rigged to exist only in a tortured advisory role, and Ratchet's body was stashed, seemingly lifeless, in a dark corner of Megatron's new throne room within the Ark's remains. {{storylink|Games of Deception}}
{{-}}

===Cartoon continuity===
====Generation 1 cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Don Messick]], [[Wally Burr]] (English), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Ratchetg1cartoon.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Ruh-roh. Rooby-rooby-roo!]]
Ratchet served as chief medical officer of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' on its mission to seek out new energy sources to fuel the Autobot struggle against the Decepticons. When the ''Ark'' was boarded by the crew of the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]'', Ratchet attempted to defend his ship by attacking [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], but was thrown into a computer console for his trouble. Ratchet and the other Transformers were forced into emergency [[stasis lock]] when the out-of-control ''Ark'' crashed into a volcano on a [[Earth|primitive planet]]. Four million years later, the volcano erupted, activating [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to rebuild the Autobots and Decepticons. Ratchet was rebuilt into a human-scaled ambulance. After [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper's]] failed scouting mission ended in a counterattack by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]], Ratchet arrived with [[Hauler]] to pull the damaged Hound out of a ravine. Once he finished repairing Hound, Ratchet was part of the battlegroup sent to stop the Decepticons stealing the oil from an off-shore oil rig. However, he did not fare well in this battle. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}}

After the Autobots saved their new human friends, Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky, from the oil rig fire, Ratchet repaired [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]]'s damaged arm in the repair bay outside the ''Ark.'' {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 2}} When Optimus Prime was caught in the explosion of the [[Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma]], Ratchet helped the Autobot leader recover, but evidently his skills as a medic were not required, as Prime was totally fine after transforming back into robot mode. Soon afterwards, Ironhide was shot by Skywarp, so Ratchet carried the old-timer back to base for repairs. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

During an ill-fated Autobot attempt to defend the local solar power plant, Starscream managed to shoot the guns out of Ratchet and Prowl's hands. Smarting from the concussion blast, Ratchet called for the Autobots to fall back. However, Ironhide once again managed to get himself damaged while saving Optimus Prime. Ironhide objected to Ratchet and Sparkplug's diagnosis of his damage, but Ratchet warned him against backtalk or the medic would short out Ironhide's mouth circuit. To prevent further argument, he shut down Ironhide, cutting off the warrior in mid-sentence. After the Autobots were led into a trap by a reprogrammed Bumblebee, Ratchet discovered the tampering done by the Decepticons and restored the little Autobot. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}

In addition to patching up his fellow warriors whenever someone (usually [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]) had roughed them up a little, Ratchet was also in charge of helping whenever [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] had another invention in the making. Working together, the two Autobots designed and built the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] more or less from scratch—and did a pretty good job, considering they were working with substandard materials. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}} Ratchet was also responsible for saving [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime's]] life, performing a daring surgery on the Autobot leader while subjected to attacks by [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]]. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}} When [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]] refused to assassinate the Autobots and was gunned down by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], it was Ratchet who reconstructed the giant Decepticon scientist and gave him the chance to reform. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}}

[[Image:G1 ChangingGears Ratchet karate.jpg|left|170px|thumb|Now COUGH!]]
In 1985, after Spike was injured during a battle with the Decepticons, Ratchet carried their injured human friend to the metro hospital. While Spike's mind was transferred into the [[Autobot X]] experimental body Sparkplug had made earlier, Ratchet repaired the battle-damaged Bumblebee, but was forced to cut short his repairs after Spike went on a rampage in his new body. After Spike's mind was returned to his real body, Ratchet theorised that he could probably fix the problems in the mind-transfer process, but thought it was better left alone. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} When Megatron captured [[Gears]] and unwittingly threatened the destruction of the Earth with his [[Solar Needle]], Ratchet totally fly-kicked Thundercracker. After the Decepticons retreated, Ratchet and Wheeljack argued over which wire they had to disconnect to stabilize the [[Sun]]. However, nobody seemed to notice that he and Gears sounded exactly the same. {{storylink|Changing Gears}}

[[Image:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Seen here suffering from a unique condition known as "Dying Ratchet Syndrome".]]
In the year 2005, while piloting a secret mission to [[Autobot City]] in order to gather a stockpile of [[Energon (G1)|energon]] from Earth, Ratchet and his allies were attacked by Megatron. Ratchet and Ironhide returned fire, but they were both shot repeatedly and left for dead on the floor of the shuttle as the Decepticons continued with their attack on Autobot City. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

Ratchet's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar [[Autobot Mausoleum]]. Sadly, it was not Ratchet's fate to rest in peace; along with the mausoleum itself, Ratchet's remains were later plunged into a sun as a side-effect of a [[Quintesson]] plot. {{storylink|Dark Awakening}}

====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic====
Amidst a massave battle against the Decepticons at the Autobot base in Arizona, Ratchet was one of the first to notice that [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his cassette forces were nowhere to be found. Now suspicious, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] immediately alerted all his units in Japan to be on the lookout for the Decepticon. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2}}

Later, as [[Kenji]] was enjoying a tour of a secret Autobot facility in Japan, Ratchet was alerted to an attack by [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] in Yokohama. The Autobots immediately rolled out to meet the threat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4}}

====''Binaltech''====
Along with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], Ratchet helped implant [[Chip Chase]]'s consciousness into the lifeless Prowl-2 shell when Prowl's spark was lost in [[subspace]].

===Big Looker storybooks continuity===
[[Image:Ratchetgreatcarrally.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"You sure are a jerk when you repair me, Ratchet!"]]
{{quote|You sure go all to pieces when a missile hits you, Hound.}}

While [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] was taking part in a cross-country Car Rally, he was attacked by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]]'s missiles. Ratchet raced onto the scene to repair Hound, and joked that his patient sure falls apart when a missile hits him! Also, Hound complained that Ratchet was screwing him together too tightly, causing him pain.

Ratchet is kind of a jerk. {{storylink|The Great Car Rally}}

Following a battle with the Decepticons that resulted in many Autobot injuries, Ratchet and [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] were busy trying to fix them. Optimus Prime asked them about their progress, but they both sighed. Ratchet noted that even the mighty Dinobots were out of commission, for they had suffered the heaviest losses. But suddenly, the Decepticons attacked, having repaired their warriors in record time! Optimus Prime called his remaining functional warriors to the highways while Ratchet and Huffer returned to their repairs. {{storylink|Decepticon Hijack}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
{{note|Events from the [[Keepers Trilogy]] novels are in italics.}}
{{quote|"OW! I should blast you to atoms! You did that ''on purpose''!" 
"Tone down your audio amplifiers, will ya? That ''didn't'' hurt... ''much''."|Starscream and Ratchet, [[Skyfire (comic issue)|Skyfire]]|style=2}}

[[Image:Ratchettww.jpg|left|180px|thumb|The Cybertronian red cross is Pac-Man.]]
8.2 million years ago, Ratchet accompanied [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], and [[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] to the Sub-Orbital District of [[Iacon]], which had been devastated after [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] activated the planetary engines. He found no life signs in the entire blast radius. {{storylink|The War Within}} 600,000 years later, Ratchet remained with the Prowl-led Autobots after Optimus Prime disappeared in a [[space bridge]] explosion. He repaired [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] after the theoretician was damaged in a battle with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. {{storylink|The War Within: The Dark Ages}}

Ratchet was among the crew of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' when it crashed on [[Earth]], and awoke in 1984 to battle the [[Decepticon]]s. After years of fighting, Ratchet and the other Autobots took part in [[Operation Liberation]] in 1998, a joint human/Autobot operation that defeated and captured the Earth-bound Decepticons. However, the ''[[Ark II]]'', which was meant to convey the Autobots, the captured Decepticons, and a number of humans back to Cybertron, was sabotaged by General [[Robert Hallo]], sending Ratchet and his comrades to the bottom of the [[Arctic Ocean]]. Years later, Ratchet was brought back by the sinister [[Lazarus]], who had recovered and reprogrammed a number of Transformers for his nefarious ends. However, when [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] broke free of Lazarus's control, he hooked up Ratchet and a number of other Autobots to a device that generated a deadly "metal virus". Soon after, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] detached Ratchet and the others from the doomsday device, and he eventually recovered. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

''When the alien [[Keepers]] took over [[Las Vegas]], Ratchet was among the Autobots assembled by Optimus Prime to invade the occupied area. While the others engaged in battle, Ratchet was tasked with dealing with the collateral damage, and leading the human residents of Las Vegas to safety. He returned to the protection of Optimus Prime and his [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] augmented power before a nuclear strike hit the city, and lent his skills to repairing the Autobots who had given their energon to power up Prime's "Finishing Move". {{storylink|Annihilation|Annihilation}}''

''Over the next few days, Ratchet brought all the Autobots back on-line, including [[Bluestreak]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]], who had each been drastically injured over the course of the preceding events. No sooner had Bluestreak been reactivated, though, that he was drawn back into the Keepers' control by their pawn, [[Franklin Townsend]]. Franklin's status as an "[[augment]]" -- a human specially engineered using Cybertronian technology -- allowed him to bypass [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I's]] security and infiltrate the ''Ark''. Ratchet blamed himself for allowed that loophole in the security system. Later, Ratchet diagnosed the effects of the [[deconstructionite]]s -- reverse-engineered nanotechnology used by the government against the Transformers to drain away their processing power. {{storylink|Fusion (novel)|Fusion}}''

Ratchet took part in a battle in the [[Canada|Canadian]] Arctic with the Decepticons over possession of a crashed spacecraft containing [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. As the Autobots overwhelmed their foes, [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] arrived on the planet and gave them an ultimatum: Surrender and return to a newly unified Cybertron, or be destroyed. {{storylink|New World Order}} The Autobots returned to the ''Ark'', where Optimus Prime assigned Ratchet to a [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]]-led team that was to remain on Earth. {{storylink|Brothers' Burden}} After Shockwave's lieutenant, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], took Prime and others back to Cybertron, Ratchet and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] remained at the ''Ark'' as Jazz, [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]], and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] attempted to locate Scourge and his ship. {{storylink|Cold War}}

[[Image:DWSkyfire Starscream Ratchet.jpg|right|300px|thumb|My crotch is my stomach.]]
When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and a team of Decepticons arrived on Earth, they attacked the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s inhabitants, wanting the starship for themselves. In the initial assault, the Autobots managed to take [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], his cassettes, [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]], and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] prisoner, but eventually all the Autobots but Ratchet and Brawn were defeated by the mighty [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]. Expecting a supply ship from Cybertron later that day, Ratchet and Brawn slipped past the ''Ark''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s berserk defense systems in order to contact the ship and warn them. Unfortunately, Bruticus arrived soon after, and they were forced to destroy the ''Ark'' rather than let the Decepticons have access to [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}} Before the battle could escalate further, it was interrupted by the arrival of [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]], a [[Seeker]] seemingly powered by supernatural forces. An uneasy truce was formed between the small group of Autobots and Decepticons, and Ratchet begrudgingly put his medic skills to work on Starscream. {{storylink|Skyfire (comic issue)|Skyfire}} However, after Jetfire left the ''[[Orion]]'' to go after Sunstorm, Starscream used his [[Null-ray]] on the remaining Autobots, including Ratchet. {{storylink|The Omega Effect}}

Ratchet later aided in the construction of Autobot City. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===''G.I.Joe vs Transformers''===
[[Image:Ratchetjoetf2.jpg|left|140px|thumb|Physician, arm thyself.]]
In an alternate timeline, a newly formed [[human]] terrorist organization named [[Cobra]] uncovered the ''Ark'' buried in a dormant volcano. Finding two armies of giant, transformable robots, they repurposed these aliens for their own use, rebuilding them so they could reconfigure into various Cobra-designed vehicles. Ratchet was reprogrammed and rebuilt into a Cobra HISS tank. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was able to break free from his reprogramming and awaken the other Transformers, and, with the help of the human anti-terrorist task-force [[G.I.Joe]], he defeated Megatron and Cobra. An alliance between the Autobots and the United States government was formed. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers}}

A malfunction in [[Teletran 3]] sent dozens of Transformers into various points in history, an act which, if not reversed, would result in a perpetual holocaust being unleashed across [[Earth]]. To retrieve one Transformer and bring him home, a team of Cobra and G.I. Joe agents were sent 15 years into an apocalyptic future where [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and his Decepticons ruled. The remaining cyborged humans had formed a resistance which had only one Autobot warrior who stood between them and utter annihilation. The last Autobot alive, Ratchet had grown bitter and battle-hardened after years of guerrilla warfare, and he demanded the team sent to bring him back to the present day help him complete one more mission. Ratchet, the Joes, and the Cobra agents were successful in freeing a factory nearby that was manned by enslaved humans, but Ratchet refused to go home with them and abandon his calling. [[Barbecue]] returned Ratchet home against his wishes, and as Ratchet cursed the stupid little creature, the [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] of the present day shot Ratchet in the back, putting him out of commission. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II issue 3}}

Later, when [[Serpent O.R.]] took Optimus Prime prisoner, Ratchet (still in his post-apocalyptic body) was part of [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]'s rescue team. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4}}
{{-}}

===''Timelines''===
[[Image:Ratchetironhidedescent.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Amazingly not dead.]]
Years after the Decepticon and Autobot Wars had ended, Ratchet and five other Autobots were sent to [[Ceti Alpha Seven]] to destroy [[Deathsaurus|General Deathsaurus's]] Insecticon clone lab and stop his planned Decepticon uprising. After a team of four (consisting of [[Outback|Fallback]], [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], [[Flareup (Timelines)|Flareup]], and [[Ricochet (Descent into Evil)|Ricochet]]) failed, Ratchet and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] followed to help. After battling swarms of [[Virulent Clones]] and [[Buzzclaw (Timelines)|Buzzclaw]], they finally met up with Deathsaurus himself. Ironhide stayed to fight the general, and Ratchet separated to find their fallen friends.

Ratchet managed to gather the victims but was captured by Deathsaurus along with Ironhide. Both were restrained inside the lab, which was set to detonate. Before this happened, Ricochet snuck in and freed them, allowing them to gather the wounded and escape as the clone lab was destroyed. {{storylink|Descent Into Evil}}
{{-}}

=== IDW comics continuity ===
{{ongoing}}[[Image:Ratchetidw.jpg|left|180px|thumb|IDW's Ratchet, design and art by E.J. Su. Apparently, he got a "telling Prowl off" upgrade, too.]]
[[Image:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]
Before the war with the Decepticons Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in Kaon. He was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3}}

Ratchet was part of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Although a loyal warrior, Ratchet's conscience got the better of him when he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, he encountered two more—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0}} Ratchet broke cover to save their lives, subjecting himself to the wrath of [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]], who threatened disciplinary action. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3}}

Ratchet was seemingly alone in his convictions, until [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate an abandoned Decepticon bunker in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4}}

The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery of Blitzwing and Skywarp, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to ''[[Ark-17]]'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6}}

[[Image:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|right|200px|RUN AWAY!]]

After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was apparently destroyed by [[Machination|a mysterious human organisation]], Ratchet determined that the wreckage the Autobots recovered was a fake. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2}} Later, Ratchet and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], against orders, accompanied Verity Carlo and [[Jimmy Pink]] to find clues on the missing Sunstreaker's and Hunter's whereabouts while Optimus Prime and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6}}

When the Autobots decided to relocate the ''Ark-17'', they were attacked by [[Sixshot]], who downed the ship in mid-flight. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1}} Ratchet was ordered to take Verity and Jimmy into an escape pod while the rest of the crew piloted the ship into the ocean. {{storylink|Devastation issue 2}} Sixshot soon found Ratchet and pursued him relentlessly. Ratchet used the distraction provided by some human jet fighters to escape, hiding among an ambulance pool in [[Pensacola]], Florida. Sixshot soon flushed him out, however, and pursued him out of town, forcing Ratchet to abandon Verity and Jimmy for their own safety. When cornered at the water's edge, Ratchet prepared to make a last stand, but was saved by the timely arrival of the other Autobots. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3}}

[[Image:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|left|200px|thumb|CLEAR!]]

The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4}}

Guilt-stricken, Ratchet managed to restart their hearts after more than 5 minutes, though he feared they suffered brain damage. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5}} Some time later, however, Ratchet was present as the pair were reunited with Hunter. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5}}

A year later, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime while the Autobots were hiding out on Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1}}

{{note|The events of ''Spotlight: Mirage'' possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.}}
Ratchet was with the Autobots hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]], with most of the Autobot forces having been defeated. He tended to the seriously wounded [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire's]] injuries, and suggested surrender to the Decepticons to save their fellow Autobot's life. When [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (disguised as Bumblebee) and the Decepticons attacked, he attempted to reason with the Decepticon mercenary about Jetfire's condition, only to be attacked for his trouble. After the Autobots surrendered, he was furious when Mirage betrayed his word and prepared to carry out Megatron's order to execute the Autobots. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}

===''Hearts of Steel''===
With Optimus Prime in stasis lock, Ratchet and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] appeared to be the co-leaders of the Autobots in the 19th century. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1}} Despite [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee's]] pleading, he was reluctant to interfere with the humans, but nevertheless participated in the pursuit of the [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] as it headed to [[New York City|New York]]. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4}}

His "Ice Age Wars" altmode is uncertain, but it clearly has scales and spikes. His 19th-century altmode is a medical boxcar. He may be the very first Transformer depicted with a boxcar altmode, as prior to this, all train-based Transformers were locomotives.

{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[Image:RatchetHenkeiTsushima.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"Ma'am, I'm just an SUV—oh, fine."]]
Despite rescuing a girl from a burning building, she had fallen unconscious, so he offered to drive her and her mother to the hospital. Unfortunately, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] was tailing them from above. He would have blasted Ratchet, but Inferno blocked the shot with his fire truck mode, transformed, and then knocked Starscream out of the sky with his water cannon. Thanks to Inferno's help, Ratchet was able to successfully deliver the girl to the hospital.

But Ratchet's work wasn't done, as he had taken note of Inferno's heavy injuries. {{storylink|Henkei! Henkei! (pack-in comic)|Henkei! Henkei! #10}}

{{-}}
==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:Ratchettoyg1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Why's everything so dark in here?]]
* '''Ratchet''' (1984/1986/1990/2001/2007)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''99'''
**''Accessories'': "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles

: Ratchet was originally a Onebox Ambulance Type toy from [[Takara]]'s ''[[Diaclone]]'' line before [[Hasbro]] brought ''Transformers'' to North America. The toy transforms from an ambulance to a robot and gun-station. A variant of the toy includes red crosses on the top and sides of the vehicle. Ratchet and his [[retool]]/[[redeco]] buddy [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], like all Diaclones, were designed to be piloted mecha, which is why he has a seat instead of a head. The Transformers version applied a face sticker to the back of the seat in lieu of a real sculpted noggin.

: In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including the [[Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction]] flier packed with most boxed ''Transformers'' toys. He cost $8 and two [[robot points]].

: In Japan, Ratchet was originally only available as a [[S.T.A.R.S.]] mail-away, costing 1700 yen and 4 robot points. In 2001, he was reissued in Japan as an [[e-Hobby]] [[exclusive]], paired with Ironhide.

:[[Image:Encoretoy-Ratchetwithhead.jpg|left|thumb|100px|This looks ... better?]]

: In mid-December 2007, he was reissued again as part of Takara's Transformers Encore line. This particular version came with an illustration on one box flap depicting Ratchet's cartoon-design head and chest windshield. By punching out the image along the perforated edges, folding it just so and tucking it in behind the toy's windshield, one could obscure the circuit-board "face" on the driver's seat and give the toy a "real" head, just like in the TV series. Sort of. This version of the toy was [[retool]]ed to add a pair of "clips" to the mobile platform's gun-base, designed to keep Ratchet more securely attached when riding it. However, these clips are right where a pair of decals normally go.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Ratchet/ratchet.htm More information on Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
{{anchor|EmergencyGreen}}

[[Image:Encoreratchetemergencygreen.jpg|right|250px|thumb|To the Mystery Machine, gang!]]
* '''Ratchet Emergency Green''' (2008)
**''Accessories'': "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles

: A [[redeco]] of the original toy (well, the retooled Encore version) which [[homage]]s [[Ratchet (Movie)|the live-action movie Ratchet]], Ratchet Emergency Green is a Japanese mail-away exclusive available with a purchase of the book ''[[Transformers Visualworks]]''. After the book release on December 4, 2007, purchasers could mail in a ticket from the book and purchase either one (5200yen) or two (10,000 yen) of the item. Ratchet shipped to customers in April 2008.

: He's totally awesome.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Cybertron/EmergencyGreenRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on Emergency Green Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

===Timelines===
[[Image:Timelinestoy-RatchetDiE.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Maybe photographing him against a white backdrop wasn't such a great idea.]]
* '''Autobot Ratchet & Flareup''' (2005)
**''Accessories'': Lightbar/blaster

: One of two "souvenir" packages [[exclusive]] to [[BotCon 2005]], Ratchet is a retooling of the ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' Autobot [[Tow-Line (Energon)|Tow-Line]] with a new head, transforming into a large utility van. In robot mode, his lower vehicle portion becomes a mobile battle/repair platform. Ratchet can fold his legs back and up over his shoulders (wow!) and re-attach to this platform for a "battle mode". In this, ahem, ''position'', Ratchet can also form the top half of a two-robot "Powerlinx combiner" with any ''Energon'' Deluxe Autobot, and any of them can also use his platform for their own combination.

: The mold's standard "receiver dish" weapon was not produced; instead, he came with a new "light bar" that pegged onto his roof in much the same manner.

: He could only be purchased in an at-show "souvenir" two-pack along with [[Flareup (Timelines)|Flareup]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Autobot/BCRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on BotCon Ratchet at TFU.info]''

===Henkei! Henkei!===
[[Image:Henkeitoy-Ratchet.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Surprise, I'm colored like the cartoon!]]
*'''Ratchet''' (Deluxe, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-14'''
**''Accessories:'' Converting Cannon

: A redeco and retooling of the [[Universe (2008 franchise)|2008 ''Universe'']] [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide toy]], ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (toyline)|Henkei! Henkei!]]'' Ratchet transforms into an "emergency" SUV. He has a red Japanese-style emergency lightbar, is cast in bright white plastic and has a deco resembling Ratchet's appearance in the original cartoon series, down to his dark gray head crest. Like all ''Henkei'' toys, he features [[Vacuum metallizing|vacuum metalized]] plastic, specifically his headlights and taillights, as well as his "Converting Cannon" weapon.

{{-}}
===Universe (2008)===
====Generation 1 Series====
[[Image:Ratchet25toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|No, not that [[Ratchet (Universe)|Universe Ratchet]].]]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Deluxe, 2009)
**''Accessories:'' Medical Dispenser/Combat Blade

: Like ''Henkei'' Ratchet, ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' Ratchet is a redeco and retooling of the ''Universe'' Ironhide toy, and transforms into an "emergency" SUV. He has a blue American-style emergency lightbar (as opposed to Henkei Ratchet's different tooled red Japanese-style emergency lightbar), is cast in pearlescent white plastic and has a rather generic "Ratchety" colour/paint scheme. His license plate also reads [[The Price of Life!|H3L PU2]].

:While similar in execution, there are a great many changes from Henkei Ratchet to Universe Ratchet. The red paint detailing on Universe Ratchet is different than that of Henkei Ratchet in color and layout. The Henkei version's stripes resemble that more of his original counterpart, while the Universe version resemble that of his ''[[Ratchet (Animated)|Animated]]'' version. Henkei Ratchet uses chrome paint on his weapon and both sets of lights while the Universe version leaves them unpainted. Gray paint covers Henkei Ratchet's gun barrel and silver on his upper chest (behind the chest window), these parts remain unpainted on Universe Ratchet. The paint used for the windows of Universe Ratchet is a light blue while Henkei Ratchet uses a deeper metallic blue paint. Henkei Ratchet has black forearms and upper thighs, while the Japanese version uses a pure white (different from the white used through out the rest of the figure). Universe Ratchet has a yellow vanity plate and red head crest while Henkei Ratchet has a blank gray plate and gray head crest. Universe Ratchet features a blue blade on his weapon, while Henkei Ratchet features a red blade. Universe Ratchet also features a lighter red plastic than the Henkei version.

:Like ''Universe'' Ironhide, the blue paint used for his opaque windows matches ''really'', '''''really''''' badly with his translucent blue plastic windows.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
{{anchor|TakaraDecoy}}
[[Image:G1-toy DecoyRatchet.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ratchet cosplaying as Ironhide, or Ironhide cosplaying as Ratchet? You, the viewer, decides!]]
* '''Cybertron Hero Collection 22''' (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)

: In Japan, a red rubber mini-figure of Ratchet was available in part of a [[Decoy|massive multi-pack of similar mini-figurines]]. The number etched into his back is the sum total of his [[tech spec]] ratings, as these figurines were used as game pieces for a variety of ''Transformers'' board games in which this number had some meaning to how the game was played or something.

{{anchor|HasbroDecoy}}

*'''Ratchet''' (Decoy, 1987)
**''Decoy number'': '''6'''

: The [[Hasbro]] [[Decoy]] release of the Ratchetgame piece is almost identical to the Japanese version, except the number on his back is a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded [[Throttlebot]]s, [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]] and [[Technobot]]s.

{{-}}
===Super Collection Figure===
[[Image:SCF-Act6-Ratchet.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Super-action pose doctor!]]
*'''Ratchet''' (2002)

: A non-transformable PVC figurine of Ratchet was made for "Act 6" of Takara's [[Super Collection Figure]] line, a slight retooling of the Ironhide PVC with a new head and "gun"-hand (even though Ironhide's pelvis in animation was not the same as Ratchet's). He was placed in blind-packed boxes, and both full-color and all-pewter-finish versions were made in equal numbers.

===Heroes of Cybertron===
*'''Ratchet''' (2003)

: For the Hasbro ''[[Heroes of Cybertron]]'' version of SCF, Ratchet was cast entirely in clear-blue plastics, then painted over completely, so a patch of unpainted plastic at the back of his head would emulate the [[Lightpipe|light piping]] effect of previous toys. He was part of the fifth and final wave of ''Heroes of Cybertron'' and came with the right leg to the "build-a-bot" large PVC of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]].

{{-}}
===Transformers Mini-Bust===
[[Image:Ratchet-DiamondSelectstatue.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Your choice of head! His choice of medical tools.]]
*'''Ratchet''' (2009)

: Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Ratchet was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1000 pieces. The bust continues the tradition of giving all Ratchet merchandise (but not toys) the [[wikipedia:International_Committee_of_the_Red_Cross|red cross]] insignia on their shoulders to better match the Animation model. Ratchet's Bio credits him and Wheeljack with creating the [[Dinobot_(G1)#Cartoon_continuity|Dinobots]]; effectively making him the cartoon version but he comes packaged with two heads for do-it-yourself retconning. Comic accurate red helmet with white chevron, or the cartoon accurate white helmet with grey chevron. Fans of the Universe 2.0 version (white helmet, red chevron) will have to buy some red paint when they pick their bust up. Three tools are also included with the Bust. One slightly resembling the [[Power_Booster_Rod|Power Booster Rod.]] The other a Cybertronian version of an [[wikipedia:otoscope|otoscope]] and the third is some sort of medical gear shaft. They are not sculpted on nor do they possess a magnet and are simply lodged in his hands for display.

{{-}}

==Trivia==
*[[Bob Budiansky]] has said that he named Ratchet after the less-friendly medic Nurse ''Ratched'' from ''[[wikipedia:Ratched|One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]''.
*In later years, toys sporting the name "Ratchet" require an additional "Autobot" prefix for [[trademark]] reasons, hence making the official name "'''Autobot Ratchet'''".
*In the ''Energon'' cartoon, several possible [[retool]]s of Ratchet were seen in a crowd shot.
* Ratchet's original toy is part of a matrix of cross-referencing [[redeco]]s:
** In 2008, the original 1984 Ratchet mold got a green redeco as "Ratchet Emergency Green" in obvious reference to [[Ratchet (Movie)|his movie counterpart]].
** Meanwhile, the movie counterpart's toys got a red and white "Rescue Ratchet" redeco... based on the original colors of the 1984 toy.
** Elsewhere, [[Ratchet (Animated)|''Animated'' Ratchet]] includes elements from both characters, including Generation 1 Ratchet's chevron crest and coloration. (''Animated'' Ratchet later got a movie-based "Rescue Ratchet" redeco, to boot.)

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/1984/Autobot/Ratchet/ratchet.htm Ratchet at TFU.info]
* [http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Ratchet Ratchet's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Autobots]]
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:E-Hobby]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]

Dark Scream

2009-05-15T11:47:38Z

72.10.120.229: /* Robots in Disguise cartoon */

{{faction|predaconrid}}

{{picsneeded|Comic}}
:''Dark Scream is a [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] from the [[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:DarkScreamAnime.jpg|right|230px|thumb|Someone's in the kitchen with Daaaaaaaaaark Screeeeeeeeeam!]]
Like the rest of the Predacon Trio, '''Dark Scream''' is a bumbling oaf. And of course, he's evil. But apart from that, he's really not so bad. He has an almost innocent sense of humor, enjoys singing, and actually attempts to help out his commander, [[Sky-Byte]] (though he'll join [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]] and [[Gas Skunk]] in heckling him from time to time).

Dark Scream tries to help his teammates in battle with his sword and central freeze ray—but he's not strong enough to be a real threat to most opponents. He's basically useful for aerial transport and reconnaissance—but even there, his flight skills are rather poor. If it weren't for his willingness to obey orders to attack shipping vehicles and plant bombs in major civilian centers, he'd be about as inoffensive as a Predacon can get.

:''Japanese name:'' '''Gildo''' (ギルドー ''Girudō'')

==Fiction==
===''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Steve Blum]] (English), [[Hiroki Takahashi]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Battle Protocol Dark Scream.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]
[[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] invited the Predacon trio to the battlefield in New York, where they fought over who was going to defeat [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]]. When the [[Autobot Brothers]] arrived, Dark Scream managed to scratch [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]]'s paintwork and was rewarded with a missile, which chased him until Megatron made off with [[Doctor Kenneth Onishi|Doctor Onishi]]. The missile finally exploded, sending the three Predacons into the sky. {{storylink|Battle Protocol!|Battle Protocol!}}

When the Predacons brought back a pile of small batteries to use as energy, Megatron was not impressed. He placed put Sky-Byte in charge of them on a mission to retrieve an explosive device. The trio found the car and prepared to take it to Megatron, but Sky-Byte destroyed the car and took the bomb. The shark was then himself intercepted by X-Brawn, who inadvertently activated the device, causing the three Predacons to flee. Back at base, they observed Sky-Byte trying to work out how to understand humans by reading their literature. {{storylink|An Explosive Situation|An Explosive Situation}}

As part of a plan to attack the Linear RFG train, Dark Scream destroyed the control systems for the bullet train before joining his Predacon cohorts at a bridge they were attempting to destroy. Although they were eventually chased off, they succeed in destroying the bridge, forcing the Autobots to save the train. {{storylink|Bullet Train to the Rescue|Bullet Train to the Rescue}}

After a failed attempt to steal a plutonium energy generator from a building, the Predacon trio tried again while the generator was being transported by truck. After chasing off the truck drivers, Dark Scream jumped on top of it, leaving Slapper and Gas Skunk to pick it and him up. They ended up on the beach where the [[Spy Changers]] ran rings around them. Sky-Byte turned up and managed to blast the Spy Changers, allowing the Predacons to flee with the generator. Unfortunately when they got back to base, it turned out that the generator had been switched for a statue. {{storylink|Spychangers to the Rescue|Spychangers to the Rescue}}

[[Image:Secret of the Ruins Darkscream.jpg|right|200px|thumb|UNI-BEAM!!!]]
When a civilian ship turned up while the ''[[Megastar]]'' was underwater at the Black Pyramid, Dark Scream and Sky-Byte attacked it. Autobot ally [[Koji Onishi]] was on board to call in the Autobots. Optimus made short of Dark Scream shortly after arriving. {{storylink|The Hunt for Black Pyramid|The Hunt for Black Pyramid}} To distract the Autobots from Megatron's real plan, the Predacon trio attacked [[Metro City]] and kept [[Team Bullet Train]] busy. Dark Scream found himself fried by Gas Skunk's acid breath, which had been ignited by [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]], and then frozen by his own freeze beam which [[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]] deflected back at him. {{storylink|The Secret of the Ruins|The Secret of the Ruins}}

After [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] was captured by Megatron, Sky-Byte and the Predacon trio ended up guarding the Autobot. Dark Scream practised his supervillain gloating on their captive. After the inevitable failure of the plan, Sky-Byte managed to deflect the blame onto Gas Skunk and Dark Scream, and Megatron announced the pair would be punished severely. {{storylink|Sideburn's Obsession|Sideburn's Obsession}}

[[Image:Secret Weapon D5 Dark Scream coal.jpg|left|200px|thumb|I've been working on the railroad, all the live long day!]]
The three Predacons investigated a laboratory pointed to by information extracted from Doctor Onishi and Slapper stole a disk with his tongue. The disk contained information which the Predacons interpreted to indicate that a steam train was some sort of weapon and set about trying to steal the train. After landing on "Grandpa", Dark Scream was subjected to a smoky ride through a tunnel before falling off and subsequently being flattened by Team Bullet Train. Once the train had disgorged its passengers, Dark Scream simply hopped aboard and began stoking the furnace, successfully stealing the locomotive. {{storylink|Secret Weapon: D-5|Secret Weapon: D-5}}

Although the Spy Changers managed to foil the Predacons' attempted theft of a ruby, Gas Skunk managed to sneak a bug onto [[Mirage (RID)|Mirage]]. The Predacons listened keenly as Mirage appeared to fall out with the other Autobots and convinced Megatron that they should let Mirage join them, although to Gas Skunk's annoyance, Sky-Byte managed to take the credit again. Unfortunately for them, the defection turned out to be a ruse anyway. {{storylink|Mirage's Betrayal|Mirage's Betrayal}}

The Autobots entered the Great Race to locate one of their comrades who'd gone missing. The Predacon trio attempted to drop a rock-slide on the Autobot forces, and were taken aback when Optimus leapt from boulder to boulder to reach the clifftop they were on. The trio swiftly fled. {{storylink|Skid Z's Choice|Skid Z's Choice}}

After spying new Autobot [[Tow-Line (RID)|Tow-Line]] and his overzealousness in towing illegally parked vehicles, the Predacon trio captured the Autobot and set about trying to brainwash him. After some failed attempts at hypnotism, they managed to brainwash Tow-Line with a disc, and sat back while he began abducting Autobots from around the city. Unfortunately a malfunction meant Tow-Line dropped off the captives at the wrong location, and by the time the Predacons located him, Optimus Prime and Prowl had already cured him of the rogue programming. {{storylink|Tow-Line Goes Haywire|Tow-Line Goes Haywire}}

The Predacons were again mislead by information obtained from Doctor Onishi, leading them to think there was a transforming statue in the [[Cave of the Dragon]]. Sky-Byte and the Predacon trio found the cave eventually, and were frightened off by the Autobots disguised as the statue. {{storylink|The Ultimate Robot Warrior|The Ultimate Robot Warrior}}

[[Image:Optimus Darkscream03.JPG|right|180px|thumb|I AM OPTIMUS PRIME!]]
Not all of Doctor Onishi's information was unhelpful. The Predacons were sent to [[Castle Peak]] in America, where they began digging and unearthed a crashed Autobot spaceship. After Megatron retrieved the six [[Protoform|protoforms]] from inside it, the Predacons began scanning new vehicle modes for the protoforms, creating the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Decepticons|The Decepticons}} Unfortunately this development left the Predacons as second-stringers to the new troops. Sky-Byte came up with the idea to disguise themselves to get the Decepticons and Autobots to destroy each other. With typical finesse all four of them picked Optimus Prime to dress up as, but the Decepticons and Autobots ended up fighting anyway. {{storylink|Commandos|Commandos}}

Digging under the volcano on [[Montrose Island]], the three Predacons were first assaulted by some bats, then chased by molten lava ("It's alive!". Once they reached the open, Dark Scream was able to glide above the lava, which chased his two companions into the ocean. {{storylink|Volcano|Volcano}} On a later mission, Sky-Byte had the trio attempt to draw Megatron's face in the ground to indicate a rendezvous point. They did get to fight X-Brawn though. {{storylink|Attack from Outer Space|Attack from Outer Space}}

[[Image:The Fish Test Dark Scream X-Brawn.jpg|left|170px|thumb|Wait, no, I'm X-Brawn! I'm so confused.]]
Dark Scream managed to discover what the Decepticons were up to - raiding power plants, which gave Sky-Byte the idea for another plan. This resulted in Dark Scream getting dressed up as X-Brawn. The plan failed anyway, and Dark Scream's subsequent information about which power plant was going to be attacked next turned out to be incorrect, leading to problems when Sky-Byte leaked the information to the Autobots. {{storylink|The Fish Test|The Fish Test}}

Sky-Byte and the three Predacons raided a diamond mine in Antarctica in order to lure the Autobots into a trap. The [[Build Team]] turned up instead of the expected [[Autobot Brothers]], but Sky-Byte took their leader, [[Wedge]] captive. The Build Team tried to exchange him for a disk with a map of the [[Global Space Bridge]] and, after a chase with a penguin, the Predacons obtained their prize. Unfortunately it turned out to just be a map of some sewers. {{storylink|Wedge's Short Fuse|Wedge's Short Fuse}}

[[Image:Sky-Byte Saves the Day Dark Scream.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[wikipedia:Mazinger_Z|BURESTO FAIYAA!!!]]]]
Sucked into another of Sky-Byte's plans to attack the [[CGA Tower]], the Predacon trio instead found themselves holding the building up after the shark had an abrupt change of plans and insisted everyone save the hostages. Much complaining ensued. In the end the tower was saved, but the Predacons realised they still hadn't gotten the [[O-Part|O-Parts]] Sky-Byte was after. {{storylink|Sky-Byte Saves the Day|Sky-Byte Saves the Day}}

The Predacon trio were put in charge of guarding the Autobot Brothers after their capture. They didn't last very long when the newly-arrived [[Ultra Magnus (RID)|Ultra Magnus]] came to the Autobots' rescue. {{storylink|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus|The Two Faces of Ultra Magnus}}

Hiding in some bushes, the Predacons observed the failure of one of [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]'s plans and observed that he was still Megatron's favourite. They attempted to join the battle only to flee when Optimus and Ultra Magnus merged to become [[Omega Prime]]. {{storylink|Power to Burn!|Power to Burn!}}

[[Image:Maximus Emerges Dark Scream beast.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]
The Predacon trio accompanied Megatron and the Decepticons to the Sahara to recover the [[Orb of Sigma]]. Their main contribution was to attempt to flee when the cavern in which the Orb was located began to collapse, and subsequently became buried under rubble. They were able to dig themselves out, only to find their energy being drained by a mysterious force. {{storylink|Peril from the Past|Peril from the Past}} This didn't seem to slow them down, as they were hanging out with Sky-Byte again soon after the Autobots found [[Cerebros (RID)|Cerebros]], and were able to snatch the 'bot while the Decepticons kept the Autobots busy. Although they turned up to the battle in Metro City to claim [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]], their contribution to the fight was minimal. {{storylink|Maximus Emerges|Maximus Emerges}}

With the Decepticons' treachery taking them out of favour with Galvatron (as Megatron had become), the Predacons found themselves moving up in the hierarchy finally. They took part in the attack on the Autobot base, and were lured into a trap by Optimus Prime. The trio wisely took shelter once the ''Megastar'' turned up to add its firepower to the fight, but the battle station was soon destroyed by Fortress Maximus. {{storylink|Surprise Attack!|Surprise Attack!}} They continued to contribute little to the ongoing battle, and ended up following Sky-Byte into the Global Space Bridge when he and the Decepticons pursued the retreating Autobots in. Thus they were subsequently also trapped when Galvatron flooded the tunnel with molten lava. {{storylink|Galvatron's Revenge|Galvatron's Revenge}} Fortunately for them, they survived and went on to face the Autobots again (and were swiftly trampled into the dirt).

After the defeat of Galvatron and his Decepticons, Slapper, Gas Skunk and Dark Scream were rounded up and shipped off to an asteroid prison colony on board Fortress Maximus. As all the other villains argued and shrieked vengeance from within their ''Phantom Zone''-like prison cells, the Predacon trio lamented that Sky-Byte had been left stranded on Earth; a fate they considered worse than incarceration. {{storylink|The Final Battle (RID)|The Final Battle}}

===Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?===
{{charstubfiction}}

==Toys==
===Robots in Disguise===
[[Image:RID Dark Scream Toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Nuts to ME! Please.]]
*'''Guildo''' (Basic, 2000)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-003'''
**''Accessories'': "Dark Sword"
: A [[redeco]] of the ''[[Beast Wars (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Transmetal|Transmetal 2]] [[Maximal]] [[Night Glider]], Dark Scream transforms into a techno-organic monstrous flying squirrel. His tail acts as a scabbard for his sword accessory.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2001/Predacon/DarkScream/darkscream.htm More information on Dark Scream at TFU.info]''



*'''Dark Scream / Gas Skunk / Slapper''' (Mega 3-pack, 2001)
**''Accessories'': Sword
: For his [[Hasbro]] release, Dark Scream was only available in a Mega-level 3-pack with his fellow stooges [[Gas Skunk]] and [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]]. There are no noteworthy differences between the Hasbro and [[Takara]] versions.

==Trivia==
*According to the ''Car Robots'' toy catalog, Dark Scream, [[Gas Skunk]] and [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]] make up a subgroup known as the "3 Metal Beast Brothers" (メタルビースト３兄弟 ''Metaru Bīsuto 3 Kyōdai''). Apparently [[Takara]]'s intent was to have them parallel the deluxe "Three Car Robot Brothers" (as [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]], [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], and [[X-Brawn]] were called in Japan), but both the Japanese and American versions of the cartoon ignored them having any sort of familial relationship.

*According to [[Fox Kids]]' (now defunct) website, the name of Dark Scream's, Gas Skunk's and Slapper's three-member team is the "Predacon Field Squadron" [http://web.archive.org/web/20020124195705/http://www.foxkids.com/tvshows/transformers/characters.asp] Where this name came from is unknown, as it wasn't used in the the ''Robots in Disguise'' TV series dub at all. All that's known about it is that Slapper is its third member, meaning Gas Skunk and Dark Scream are the first and second (but exactly who is the first and who is the second is not known).

[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise characters]]

20th Anniversary Lithograph

2009-05-01T12:26:16Z

72.10.120.229: /* Trivia */

[[Image:DW 20th Anniversary Lithograph image.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Where's Weir-aldo-(wolf)?!?!??]]
This lithograph was released in late 2004 by the then still (almost) solvent [[Dreamwave Productions]] to commemorate the Transformers 20th anniversary.

It easily features more Transformers than any other poster on Earth, all hanging suspended in mid-air with no readily apparent sense of relative scale.

It was pencilled by [[Don Figueroa]] who was realistically Dreamwave's premier artist of the time ([[Pat Lee]] does not, and cannot, count). Let's hope that Don got paid for this one!
{{-}}

==Trivia==
* [[Weirdwolf]] is nowhere to be found.
* A number of cartoon continuity characters make an appearance, including [[Kremzeek]], [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], and the [[Female Autobots]].
* [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] features prominently due to his appearance in the DW comics of the time. Why on Earth ''[[Octane]]'', of all 'bots, is so large, though, we may never know.
* Some characters with two versions ([[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Powermaster]]ed [[Godbomber]] version, [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]/[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee/Goldbug]], [[Pretender]]s and their shells, etc) are featured twice. Others ([[Action Master]]s, [[Classic Pretender]]s' robot bodies) are not.
* Some [[Nebulos|Nebulans]] appear in humanoid mode, such as [[Hi-Test]], [[Throttle (G1)|Throttle]], [[Hi-Q]], and [[Muzzle]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] is also there.
* Action Masters partners with animal or robot modes make an appearance, but not ones that only transform into weapons.
* And [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] is shown assembled next to the Constucticons that he is comprised of.

[[Category:Dreamwave]]

The Quintesson Journal

2009-04-29T13:12:09Z

72.10.120.229: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=G1toon
|series2=2010
|ep=83
|ep2=19
|image=Quintesson Journal Autobots journal.JPG
|caption=Look, I just found a [[Food|big golden ham]]! Don't worry, I'm sure it's not a bomb.
|title="The Quintesson Journal"
|production code=700-103
|airdate=[[November 11]], 1986
|written by=[[Richard Merwin]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
}}

'''A Quintesson device may just be the key to peace between two worlds.'''

:''Japanese title:'' 死の商人クインテッサ (''Shi no Shōnin Quintessa'', "The Quintessons, the Merchants of Death")
:''German title:'' "'''Das Geheimnis der Quintessons'''" ("The Secret of the Quintessons")

==Synopsis==
[[Image:QuintessonJournal Delegate struggle.jpg|left|200px|thumb|]]

On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], the [[Autobot|Autobots]] are hosting a peace conference for two neighboring planets, [[Xetaxxis]] and [[Lanarq]], which have been at war for centuries and will wipe each other out within a generation, as explained by [[Melkorr]]. [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] asks the leaders of the two delegations to shake hands. They take the opportunity to grapple with each other. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] remarks that it's going well so far.

Elsewhere, [[Predaking]] detects a strange signal of [[Quintesson]] origin. He contacts [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], who intends to meet him at the coordinates. However, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] has also detected the signal, and he sends [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], who is carrying [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] and [[Outback]], to investigate. The foliage is too thick for Sky Lynx to land, so Blaster and Outback head out on foot. Blaster ejects [[Steeljaw]] and [[Ramhorn]] to help in the search. Meanwhile, Predaking separates into the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to cover more ground. The Autobots are suddenly attacked by vines, but are able to free themselves and find the source of the signal, a strange golden cylinder. Just then, a tree nearly falls on the device, and Outback blasts it, causing the device to activate. The Autobots learn that the cylinder is a [[Quintesson Journal]], a record of their commercial activities on various planets. The Predacons then arrive and attack. Sky Lynx arrives to rescue the Autobots, and the Predacons unite. The Autobots are able to board Sky Lynx and escape, only to be attacked by Cyclonus and the [[Sweep]]s. Suddenly, an energy field grabs Sky Lynx through an unseen [[warp gate]], which closes.

[[Image:QuintessonJournal Outback sharkticon energon.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

On the other side of the warp gate, a Quintesson ship captures Sky Lynx, disabling his ability to [[Transformation|transform]]. The Quintessons reclaim the journal and take Outback, Blaster, and the cassettes prisoner. Outback is able to trick a [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]] into opening the cell for some [[Energon (G1)|energon]], and Blaster then...uh, blasts the Sharkticon. Outback grabs the journal, and the Autobots escape aboard Sky Lynx, only to discover that [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], Cyclonus, the Sweeps, and Predaking have located them. The [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] manage to steal the journal and flee. At the peace conference, the two delegations leave, intending to purchase doomsday weapons from their suppliers...the Quintessons.

[[Image:QuintessonJournal Galvatron watching journal.jpg|left|200px|thumb|G-g-g-GHOSTS!]]

On an unnamed planet, the Decepticons begin to examine the journal. Upon discovering it is economic in nature, Galvatron is angry—well, angrier than usual. However, the Autobots have tracked the Decepticons down, and they learn that the war between Xettaxis and Lanarq is among the journal's archives. Knowing that this could end the war, the Autobots attempt to steal the journal back, only for the Quintessons to steal it back ''again''. On Cybertron, the delegations begin fighting each other. Rodimus is so frustrated that the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] fires his weapon and orders the two delegations to sit down. Furious, the Xettaxin and Lanarqen leaders request the Quintessons to bring their [[Omega bomb|omega bombs]]. The Quintessons decide that they will deliver ''both'' bombs once they have been paid. However, the Autobots manage to break into their ship and steal back the journal.

[[Image:QuintessonJournal Outback journal conference.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]

Arriving on Cybertron, Blaster and Outback show the recordings to the delegations, who are horrified to discover that their worlds have suffered to finance the Quintessons. Having been found out, the Quintessons contact the peace conference, announcing that they will deliver the omega bombs—right into Xettaxis and Lanarq. This is a big mistake on the Quintessons' part, for they're passing right by Cybertron at that moment. Rodimus and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] jump aboard Sky Lynx and follow the Quintessons, destroying their ship before the bombs can be launched. On Cybertron, a peace is negotiated between Xettaxis and Lanarq. However, Rodimus notes that the only real winners of the conflict were the Quintessons.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] (3)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (4)
* [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (7)
* [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (8)
* [[Outback]] (9)
* [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (10)
* [[Ramhorn]] (11)
* [[Steeljaw]] (12)

|c2=
* [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (5)
* [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (6)
* [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] (13)
* [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]] (14)
* [[Headstrong (G1)|Headstrong]] (15)
* [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] (16)
* [[Tantrum (G1)|Tantrum]] (17)
* [[Sweep|Sweeps]] (19)
* [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] (21)

|c3=
* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] (2)

|c4=
* [[Melkorr]] (1)
* [[Quintesson]]s (18)
* [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]] (20)
* [[Allicon]] (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"I don't think this is how a peace process is supposed to begin."
:—'''Rodimus Prime''' as the delegates begin struggling with each other.

"But you said no mercy, Galvatron!" 
"Very true! So I shall show none!" ''[hits Predaking]''
:—'''Predaking''' just wants to break something, and '''Galvatron''' is psychotic, as usual.

"Don't you know any gentler games?"
:—'''Ultra Magnus''' to the rambunctious delegates.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
* At the beginning of the episode, the Quintesson capsule falls from space, bumps into a tree and lands on the ground. It should have made a huge meteor impact.
* Predaking fires at Sky Lynx from within a planet's atmosphere, while Sky Lynx is still in deep space.
* Divebomb detatches from Predaking, but Predaking still has all his limbs.
* Sky Lynx ''grows'' his Lynx part when escaping from Predaking. Later, the Lynx part grows the bird part when transforming.
* Because of a layer error, a Sharkticon's arm is sticking into a prison cell.
* When running towards Sky-Lynx, Outback's legs don't reach the bottom of the cel. Neither do Cyclonus's a couple of scenes later after he's grabbed the journal.
* When one of the Quintessons picks up the container with his ray gun, the "beam" does not appear until the door is closing.
* When Galvatron fires at the Quintesson ship, he fires with his blaster off-screen, but the ray appears below him.
* This episode features an intelligent [[Allicon]]! He is on the bridge of a Quintesson ship talking strategy with a judge-type Quintesson. This is either an error, or the Allicon has a rather unusual backstory.

===Continuity errors===
* Assuming this is the same journal from "[[The Big Broadcast of 2006]]", it's a completely different color.

===Transformers references===
* Predaking is hungry for revenge against Sky Lynx after his previous defeats in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5]]" and "[[Chaos (episode)|Chaos]]". Sky Lynx evidently didn't rate the latter face-off, though, as he specifically refers to only "one thorough drubbing".

===Real-world references===
* Rodimus Prime says that the fight between the Xetaxxis and Lanarqs reminds him of pro-wrestling, but Spike corrects him by telling him that those are at least faked.
* The Quintessons are depicted as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_profiteering war profiteers].

===Trivia===
* Now why would the Quintessons let the capsule float just outside the prison cells?
* Blaster is introduced riding inside Sky Lynx in boombox mode. He doesn't seem to have size-changed, as he is very large compared to Outback. Ramhorn and Steeljaw are both in mini-cassette mode resting against Blaster. The three of them sort of bounce towards Sky Lynx's exit and freefall to a planet surface before finally transforming. Later on, Blaster rides in Sky Lynx in robot mode with no problem.

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quintesson Journal}}
[[Category:Generation 1 episodes]]

Maccadam's bartenders

2009-04-06T18:28:19Z

72.10.120.229: /* The moustachioed bartender */

{{noname}}
:''Maccadam's bartenders are [[Neutral|neutralists]] in the [[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)|Marvel Comics]] portion of the [[Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Maccadams bartender marvel uk 240.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Spit and polish, that's the way.]]
War is hell, which is why the weary [[Transformer|mechs]] of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] sometimes need to take a break from it. Down on sub-level six of Cybertron's lower-east quadrant, [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] is the perfect retreat, offering black market fuel — available to everyone, regardless of allegiance — served by one of his famous '''bartenders'''. Aided by [[Rocky]] the doorman (and presumably sometimes by [[Maccadam]] himself), working at Maccadam's can sometimes be dangerous, but it is rarely dull.

==The female bartender==
[[Image:Maccadams bartender marvel uk 82.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Why does no-one ever suggest that the guy in the framed picture on the wall is Maccadam?]]
When [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], [[Twin Twist]] and [[Roadbuster]] took a drink at Maccadam's during the preparations for [[Operation: Volcano]], the bartender was apparently a [[Female Transformer|fembot]] - possibly the only one apart from [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] seen in the Marvel continuity. Whilst clearly mechanical, it's possible that she's an offworld mech or a constructed serving [[drone]]. {{storylink|Target: 2006|Target: 2006}}

==The moustachioed bartender==
[[Image:Rocky mecannibal bartender marvel uk 240.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Drinking kills?]]
The moustachioed bartender was working the night [[Quickswitch]] was meant to meet his [[Decepticon]] contact to receive information vital to the [[Autobot]] resistance. Unfortunately the party was crashed by a pair of [[Mecannibals]] (on the trail of [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]]) who had eaten Rocky. Quickswitch fought off the Mecannibals, levelling the building in the process, but it it unknown if the bartender escaped unhurt. {{storylink|Out to Lunch!|Out to Lunch!}}

{{note|This bartender is often identified as Maccadam himself, though there is nothing in the story to suggest this.}}

==The ''Legends'' bartender==
The Old Oil House is a kind of refuge for the sparks of offline Autobot and [[Maximal]] leaders. They are served by a bartender who may or may not be Maccadam. {{storylink|Prime Spark|Prime Spark}}

[[Category:Nameless nickname]]
[[Category:Comic-only characters]]
[[Category:European-original characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Neutrals]]