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Transformers: Alternators

2021-05-20T09:57:48Z

Midboss: /* Binaltech */

[[File:AlternatorsLogo.jpg|center]]
{{-}}
'''''Transformers: Alternators''''', known as '''''Transformers Binaltech''''' (トランスフォーマーバイナルテック) in Japan, is a line of ''Transformers'' toys that started in late 2003. The toys in this series transform into [[Licensed vehicle alternate modes|licensed]], 1:24-[[scale]] accurate representations of real cars from automobile manufacturers around the globe, complete with opening doors, hoods, trunks, either connected front wheel "steering" or individual wheel suspension, plus "realistic" detailed driver/passenger compartments. Essentially, ''Transformers'' toys that turn into model cars.

Over the course of its run, it turned from a neat well-received idea to a pure production nightmare for both American and Japanese versions.

==Car licenses and character selection==
[[File:BTSmokescreenRakuten.jpg|left|upright=0.85|thumb|This photo resulted in collective drooling.]]
At one point in 2003, [[Hasbro]] stated that the ''Alternators'' line would consist of "six 'hot' contemporary cars".<ref>[http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/3305.html Report about Hasbro's statements regarding the Alternators line from Wizard World Chicago 2003, at Internal Correspondence version 2]</ref> The first six models were based on a {{w|Subaru Impreza}}, a {{w|Dodge Viper|Dodge Viper}}, a {{w|Jeep Wrangler}}, a {{w|Chevrolet Corvette|C5 Chevrolet Corvette}}, a {{w|Mazda RX-8}}, and a {{w|Ford Mustang}}. Even before the line was launched, though, new licenses were already pursued by Hasbro and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], with the first new sculpt that was not part of the "original six" anymore being based on a {{w|Honda S2000}}. More and more models and manufacturers joined the line over its run. Nearly all of these models are from either American or Japanese manufacturers, with the only exception being the {{w|Jaguar XK}}, which is originally a European car.

Character-wise, Hasbro and Takara initially started out with better-known [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]] characters from the 1984-85 era that had originally transformed into cars. [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] started the line, with his extensive [[paint operation]]s and [[tampograph]]ed sponsor logos meant to show the level of detail put into the line. For budget reasons, Hasbro and Takara decided very early on that [[redeco]]s/[[retool]]s were necessary even more than they were in other lines, thus retools of the first three sculpts were already available by the time the last of the "original six" sculpts came out. Initially, Hasbro and Takara intended to keep the retools rooted in Generation 1 whenever possible, thus the retool of Smokescreen became [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys|Bluestreak]] (renamed into "Silverstreak" for [[trademark]] reasons). Though the line was originally meant to be just [[Autobot]]s, it was later decided to release [[Decepticon]]s as part of the line, which took the form of retools of existing Autobot toys, hence the [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys|Side Swipe]] retool ended up as [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] rather than [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys|Sunstreaker]], and the intended [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] retool of [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] ultimately became [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] instead.

Over the time, the selection was expanded to include characters which had not originally transformed into vehicles (such as [[Grimlock (G1)/toys|Grimlock]], [[Shockwave (G1)/toys|Shockwave]] aka "Shockblast", or [[Ravage (G1)/toys|Ravage]] aka "Battle Ravage"). The first [[character]] difference between the ''Alternators'' and ''Binaltech'' versions of the line occurred when Hasbro named a toy that was designed to resemble the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]] [[Overdrive]] (who the toy was released as in Japan) after the [[Mini Vehicle]] [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] instead, presumably due to trademark reasons (a constant thorn in the side). As the two lines progressed, they diverged more, both in terms of different decos and the addition of third-stringer characters (mostly on Hasbro's end). Even characters that had no root in Generation 1 at all would eventually be added, namely [[Decepticharge]] and [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]. Interestingly, the first sculpts to ''start out'' as Decepticons rather than Autobots, [[Rumble (G1)/toys#Alternators|Rumble]] and a second [[Ravage (G1)/toys|Ravage]] toy, would ultimately also be the last new sculpts of the line released by Hasbro.

==Alternators==
[[File:WindchargerOverdrive.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Windcharger feels incomplete.]]
In the USA, the ''Alternators'' line was launched in December 2003, with the toys being made entirely out of plastic (with the exception of the rubber tires). The first [[wave]] consisted ''only'' of Smokescreen, who shipped in a case all by himself. The second wave mixed Smokescreen and Side Swipe in a 50:50 ratio, with new toys being introduced in the following waves (but Smokescreen choked shelves like crazy). Over the time of its original run, the ''Alternators'' line was particularly notorious for including toys that were extremely hard to find due to only shipping in one or two waves (Meister, Tracks, Decepticharge, Swerve), whereas others shipped for multiple waves, despite having already been [[shelfwarmer]]s (Swindle, in particular).

In 2005, [[Walmart]] decided to drop the ''Alternators'' assortment due to poor sales. As a result, Hasbro relaunched the line with a new assortment in late 2005, featuring completely new packaging, a mix of new sculpts, redecos of older toys and re-releases of highly sought-after rarities such as Tracks or Meister, prompting Walmart to pick the line up again. In an ironic twist of fate, those once "rare" toys re-released ended up as shelfwarmers this time around.

As sales for the second assortment were not particularly stellar either, Hasbro eventually decided to drop the ''Alternators'' as a mass retail line altogether. A [[Nemesis Prime (G1)#Alternators|Nemesis Prime]] redeco of the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Optimus Prime]] sculpt was released as a [[Hasbro Toy Shop]] [[exclusive]] that was originally offered at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2006, with poor handling and limited availability resulting in a lot of frustrated fans. Meanwhile, the toy was warming shelves in Asia, where it had been released at general retail. Following Nemesis Prime, the last two new sculpts that had been far into development at the time it was decided to discontinue the line, [[Rumble (G1)/toys#Alternators|Rumble]] and [[Ravage (G1)/toys#AltJaguar|Ravage]], were released as Walmart exclusives in Spring 2007. The last new release after that was [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Alternators|Rodimus]], a retool of [[Mirage (G1)#Alternators|Mirage]], again available as a Hasbro Toy Shop/San Diego Comic-Con exclusive.

[[File:Alt Decepticharge toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|And you are...?]]Distribution in other countries was oftentimes even worse: Canadian stores already dropped the line after the first four or five waves and didn't really pick it up again until the launch of the second assortment; in New Zealand, Meister shipped in a solid case assortment (similar to Smokescreen before him), thereby almost killing the line there; Australian stores dropped the line during its second year, making it effectively an online retailer exclusive for the most part there from that point on (on the upside, Australia also got Nemesis Prime and Rodimus, albeit only as store-initiated imports); and Europe got a borderline random selection of toys, with different toys being available in different countries (and some toys not being released ''anywhere'' in Europe): For example, [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Meister]] was ''only'' available in Italy, whereas [[Swindle (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Swindle]] was available in various markets, but ''not'' in Italy. However, as if Jaguar-Ravage wasn't already exceptional enough, the toy was also available in various European countries several months ''before'' he came out in the USA.

At [[BotCon 2007]], Hasbro staffers (notably [[Greg Lombardo]]) said that many of the licenses they had acquired to make ''Alternators'' had expired. They said further that they were hoping to make a few more exclusive redecoes using the remaining licenses (like Rodimus) before those expired in 2008, but were unsure of the available venues, noting that future retail releases—even as exclusives—were unlikely even back then.

With the [[live-action film series]] toy lines, the 2008-onwards ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' line, ''[[Reveal the Shield]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' filling the gap for "realistic vehicles" at a smaller [[scale]] and a more budget-friendly price point, mostly featuring unlicensed approximations of vehicles (with some of the movies' main characters having [[licensed vehicle alternate modes]]), the ''Alternators'' line has long since lost its novelty, and became a footnote in the brand's history (although it still has a cult following among several [[Fandom|Transformers fans]]).

The [[Human Alliance]] assortment, launched with the 2009 [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|''Revenge of the Fallen'' toy line]] and continued through [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|''Transformers'' (2010)]] and expanded with ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (toyline)|Dark of the Moon]]'', can be considered as a spiritual successor of the ''Alternators'' line: Licensed [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]s roughly at a 1:24 scale (but taking more liberties compared to the ''Alternators'' toys) with interiors that can even hold (included) figures of human characters.

==Binaltech==
[[File:Binaltech Smokescreen Toy.jpg|left|thumb|[[Completist]]s had a love–hate relationship with the line.]]
In Japan, the line started three months earlier than its Hasbro counterpart and was known as ''Binaltech'', with the primary difference being that ''Binaltech'' figures are more "collector"-oriented, featuring fully-painted car bodies and [[die-cast]] metal parts, in comparison to ''Alternators''' color-molded plastic construction. Additionally, various ''Binaltech'' figures have same-[[character]] [[variant]]s, usually released concurrently with the "regular" version in a 50:50 ratio per [[case]] (as Japanese toys usually ship in solid cases), that Hasbro did not release (though there are numerous redecos and retools in ''Alternators'' that never saw release in ''Binaltech'').

The mass retail ''Binaltech'' line was officially canceled (or, to put it politely, put on "indefinite hiatus") in early 2006 after the release of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], apparently due to slow sales. Reportedly two more releases were cancelled: "[[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackwidow]]" (a silver and purple redeco of [[Decepticharge]] as the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' femme fatale, better known as Blackarachnia outside Japan) and [[Ginrai (human)|Ginrai]] ([[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]'s ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' look-alike) had been solicited, but only the first was shown in any capacity. The latter would ultimately end up as the first release of Takara's short-lived replacement for the ''Binaltech'' line, ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|Convoy]], whereas the Blackarachnia concept eventually evolved into ''Binaltech'' [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Binaltech|Arcee]] much, much later (see below).

In 2007, the ''Binaltech'' line got resurrected in a way similar to the state Hasbro's version was in at that point. The two new sculpts that had previously been intended to be released prior to the cancellation of the mass retail line were now released as redecos of the ''Kiss Players'' toys, with [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Black Convoy]] ([[exclusive]]ly available at the Wonder Festival 2007 Winter convention, and later at [[e-HOBBY]]) being Takara's counterpart of the [[Hasbro Toy Shop]]/San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Nemesis Prime redeco of Optimus Prime/Convoy, whereas "[[Mirage (G1)|Rijie]]" (Mirage), a redeco of the Ford GT sculpt which Takara had previously released as ''Kiss Players'' [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys|Hot Rodimus]], was only released as a clear e-Hobby exclusive version, using the same head sculpt as Hasbro's Alternators Mirage version. Therefore, Rijie was the only ''Binaltech'' toy that didn't contain any die-cast parts. Takara never released the new [[Rumble (G1)/toys#Alternators|Rumble]] or [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Alternators.2FBinaltech|Ravage]] sculpts; however, four new [[redeco]]es of older toys were released in 2008, all of them once again available at mass retail. Convoy was released as the latest addition to this resurrected ''Binaltech'' line, featuring slightly different coloring from its previous Kiss Player Convoy counterpart.

Following this, Takara replaced ''Binaltech'' with a new toy line following a similar overall concept (licensed [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], diecast parts) at a smaller scale (1/32), under the new name ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]''. Four sculpts were released, all of them based on Japanese car models, each of them in multiple color variants, some even as different characters.

===Binaltech Asterisk===
[[File:SunstreakerComparison.jpg|right|thumb]]
{{main|The Transformers: Binaltech Asterisk}}

In late 2005 (not too long before it went on "indefinite hiatus"), ''Binaltech'' gained a sub-series called '''''Binaltech Asterisk''''', using old sculpts in new decos as previously-unreleased Autobots, but also including small PVC figurines of human girls, each one based on a female human character from a previous ''Transformers'' series. This series only had three releases before it was canceled and ultimately replaced by ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (toyline)|Kiss Players]]'', which used a similar concept (though at a very poor fan reception).
{{-}}

==Fiction==
===Binaltech===
[[File:Binaltech shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|right|Things eventually get ''really'' complicated.]]{{main|Story of Binaltech}}
''Binaltech'' has its own storyline written by [[Hirofumi Ichikawa]] called simply ''[[Story of Binaltech]]'', though it is only told in small text chunks within each toy's instruction booklet (during the original run of the series) or on the toys' packaging itself (for the toys released in 2007 and 2008). Supplemental information was also included in the characters' [[bio]]s and [[Tech Spec]]s, also included in the books and on the packaging. The story of ''Binaltech'' later continued with the advent of the ''[[Transformers: Alternity|Alternity]]'' toyline.
{{-}}

===Alternators===
[[File:ZoomZoom MazdaRX-8.jpg|left|upright=0.95|thumb|Who is the Mazda RX-8 Transformer? Who? WHO?]]
Unlike ''Binaltech'', there was never any fully-fledged actual fiction for the ''Alternators'' line. According to [[Hasbro]] representatives, they never pursued the licensing rights for "2D" representations of the car models. Though the reasons were never stated, it is not hard to extrapolate numerous reasons not to; additional costs for securing rights for an indefinite period, debatable ability to utilize those rights in a timely manner, plus clearing whatever fictional portrayal is made with every car company involved (see [[Windcharger (G1)#Alternators|Windcharger]]'s page for more on ''that''), which would have massively bogged down any publication.

However, a few chunks of Takara's ''Binaltech'' story have made it to the Western market nonetheless: A promotional website set up by Mazda's USA branch in early 2004, offering the first hint at what would ultimately end up as the Alternators Meister toy, featured a brief summary of the original setting for the Binaltech story, including mention of the Cosmic Rust. More than two years later, a bio for the Hasbro Toy Shop/San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Nemesis Prime toy, written by [[Forest Lee]], directly referred to the Binaltech story, including the names of Doctor Arkeville and his employer, the "[[Concurrence]]". For reasons unknown, though, the story was never officially released, and only found its way to the public through websites with access to Hasbro's official library for promotional material intended for retailers, later also to be featured by [[Ben Yee]] in his review for the toy. Interestingly enough, the story for Takara's Black Convoy version of Nemesis Prime, as well as a related revelation from the subsequent chapter that came with the e-Hobby exclusive Rijie toy, appear to be based around the bio for the Alternators toy.

{{--}}

==Toys==
===Hasbro ''Alternators''===

<big>'''Retail releases</big>'''
;Assortment 1 (2003-2005)
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 1'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|1 [[Smokescreen (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Subaru Impreza WRC—Smokescreen]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 2'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|2 [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Dodge Viper—Side Swipe]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 3'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|4 [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Subaru Impreza WRX—Silverstreak]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 4'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|3 [[Hound (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Jeep Wrangler—Autobot Hound]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 5'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|6 [[Dead End (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Dodge Viper—Dead End]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 6'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|5 [[Tracks (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Chevrolet Corvette Z06—Autobot Tracks]]}}
{{Bp-a1|7 [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Mazda RX-8—Meister]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 7'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|8 [[Swindle (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Jeep Wrangler—Swindle]]}}
{{Bp-a1|9 [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Ford Mustang GT—Grimlock]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 8'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|10 [[Windcharger (G1)#Alternators|Honda S2000—Windcharger]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 9'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|11 [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Chevrolet Corvette—Battle Ravage]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 10'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|12 [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Mazda RX-8—Shockblast]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 11'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|13 [[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Ford Mustang GT—Wheeljack]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 12'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|14 [[Decepticharge#Toys|Honda S2000—Decepticharge]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 13'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|15 [[Swerve (G1)#Alternators|Chevrolet Corvette Z06—Swerve]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 14'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|16 [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Acura RSX—Prowl]]}}
|}
;Assortment 2 (2005-2006)
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 1'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|5 [[Tracks (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Chevrolet Corvette Z06—Autobot Tracks]] (re-release)}}
{{Bp-a1|16 [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Acura RSX—Prowl]] (re-release)}}
{{Bp-a1|17 [[Skids (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Scion xB—Autobot Skids]]}}
{{Bp-a1|18 [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys#Alternators|Dodge Viper—Sunstreaker]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 2'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|19 [[Rollbar (G1)#Alternators|Jeep Wrangler—Rollbar]]}}
{{Bp-a1|20 [[Ricochet (Headmasters)#Alternators|Subaru Impreza WRX—Ricochet]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 3'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|21 [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Dodge Ram SRT-10—Optimus Prime]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 4'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|7 [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Mazda RX-8—Meister]] (re-release)}}
{{Bp-a1|22 [[Mirage (G1)/toys#Alternators|Ford GT—Mirage]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 5'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|23 [[Camshaft (G1)#Alternators|Acura RSX—Autobot Camshaft]]}}
|}

{{note|European ''Alternators'' releases, meanwhile, were a lot more complicated (if not to say outright confusing). Notably, Swindle and Silverstreak were also re-released in the second US assortment's "bubble-style" packaging in some European countries, while Decepticharge, Shockblast, and Dead End were ''only'' ever officially released in European markets in that packaging style. Also, aside from Smokescreen, no European ''Alternators'' toy sported a number on its packaging, as a lot of the toys were never released ''anywhere'' in Europe ''at all'', starting as early as Side Swipe.}}

{{-}}
<big>'''Exclusives</big>'''
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[San Diego Comic-Con]] / [[Hasbro Toy Shop]]'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|24<ref group="A" name="rumblenemesis">Both the San Diego Comic-Con / Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive Nemesis Prime figure and the Walmart exclusive Decepticon Rumble figure sport the number 24, whereas no figure sports the number 25.</ref> [[Nemesis Prime (G1)#Alternators|Dodge Ram SRT-10—Nemesis Prime]] (2006)}}
{{Bp-a1|27 [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Alternators|Ford GT—Rodimus]] (2007)}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[Walmart]]'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|24<ref group="A" name="rumblenemesis"/> [[Rumble (G1)/toys#Alternators|Honda Civic Si—Decepticon Rumble]]}}
{{Bp-d1|26 [[Ravage (G1)/toys#AltJaguar|Jaguar XK—Ravage]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|}
{{-}}
<big>'''Notes'''</big>
<references group="A" />

===Takara ''Binaltech''===
''Binaltech'' toys usually shipped in solid cases all by themselves. Toys with official [[variant]]s typically shipped in mixed cases in equal numbers, containing three of each.

<big>'''Retail releases'''</big>
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 1''' ([[September 25|9-25]]-[[2003]])
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-01 [[Smokescreen (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Smokescreen]] ("#7" version)}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-01 Smokescreen ("#8" version)}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 2''' ([[December 11|12-11]]-2003)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-02 [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Lambor]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 3''' ([[March 25|3-25]]-[[2004]])
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-04 [[Hound (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Hound]]}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-03 [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Streak]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 4''' ([[July 16|7-16]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|BT-05 [[Dead End (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Dead End]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 5''' ([[August 5|8-5]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-06 [[Tracks (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Tracks]] (yellow)}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 6''' ([[August 26|8-26]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-07 [[Smokescreen (G1)/toys#GT|Smokescreen GT]] ("#1" version)}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-07 Smokescreen GT ("#2" version)}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 7''' ([[September 30|9-30]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-08 [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Meister]] (white)}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-08 [[Jazz (G1)/toys#ZoomZoom|Meister "Velocity Red Mica Edition"]] (aka [[Zoom-Zoom#Toys|Zoom-Zoom]])}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 8''' ([[November 11|11-11]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-06 [[Tracks (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Tracks]] (blue)}}
{{Bp-d1|BT-09 [[Swindle (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Swindle]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 9''' ([[December 9|12-9]]-2004)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-10 [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Grimlock]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 10''' ([[February 24|2-24]]-[[2005]])
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|BT-11 [[Ravage (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Ravage]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 11''' ([[March 31|3-31]]-2005)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-12 [[Overdrive#Binaltech|Overdrive]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 12''' ([[April 21|4-21]]-2005)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|BT-13 [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Laserwave]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 13''' ([[May 26|5-26]]-2005)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-14 [[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Wheeljack]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 14''' ([[July 28|7-26]]-2005)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-15 [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Prowl]] "Patrol Type"}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-15 [[Prowl (G1)/toys#BinaltechBlue|Prowl "Vivid Blue Pearl Edition"]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 15''' ([[November 17|11-17]]-2005)
{{Bp-a1|BT-16 [[Skids (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Skids]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 16''' ([[June 26|6-26]]-[[2008]])
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-19 [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys#BinaltechBlue|Bluestreak]]}}
{{Bp-a1|BT-20 [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Argent|Argent Meister]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 17''' ([[July 17|7-17]]-2008)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-21 [[Arcee (G1)/toys#Binaltech|Arcee]]}}
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wave 18''' ([[October 2|10-2]]-2008)
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-22 [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Convoy]]}}
|}

{{-}}
<big>'''Exclusives'''</big>
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|'''Wonder Festival 2007'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-d1|BT-17 [[Nemesis Prime (G1)#Binaltech|Black Convoy]]}}
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|width="20%" valign="top"|'''[[e-HOBBY]]'''
<ul class="iconlist">
{{Bp-a1|BT-18 [[Mirage (G1)/toys#Binaltech|Rijie]] "Electro Disrupter Mode"}}
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==Pre-release development==
[[File:PorscheMiniSubaru.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|You'll never ever find us in stores.]]It's not certain what exactly originally led Hasbro and Takara to the concept of a line of Transformers based on licensed vehicles. An interview with Takara's development team<ref>[http://tfarchive.com/fandom/interviews/alternators_binaltech/takara_binaltech_interview_translation.php interview with Takara's Binaltech development team, English translation at TF Archive]</ref> confirmed that both companies initially had different ideas (for example, a different intended scale for the toys) that ultimately resulted in a compromise. It's possible that Hasbro's motivation stemmed from the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] line, where they were required to alter [[X-Brawn]]'s headlights in order to avoid legal trouble with [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]], and had to acquire a license from Dodge for all iterations of the [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] mold beginning with the "Super Side Burn" redeco. The earliest known concepts for the line imply that the initial idea was to give each character a direct update of his respective Generation 1 [[alternate mode]], i.e. keeping the car manufacturer consistent and simply using the then-recent successor model. With many a car manufacturer being hesitant or even outright refusing to cooperate, however, these plans were ultimately put aside, allowing for more creative options.

*The first toy planned for the line was [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Notes|Jazz]] (probably to be named "Autobot Jazz" for [[trademark]] reasons) as a Porsche 986. A prototype was made, but Porsche refused to grant Hasbro and Takara the license, stating that "Transformers are not worthy [of] carrying the Porsche trademark. They are war machines and the toyline in no way represents the lifestyle and ideas which Porsche represents."<ref>[http://www.tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24622 Former Porsche employee Addl recounting an informal inquiry with Porsche's licensing department at TF Archive]</ref> As a consequence, the toy ultimately never went into production. Photos of the prototype were first depicted in the Japanese book ''[[The Transformers: Binaltech & TF Collection Complete Guide]]''. Hasbro later displayed the prototype during the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour; TakaraTomy subsequently displayed it as part of Transformers Expo in 2014.

*The second prototype produced was [[Tracks (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Tracks]] as a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Although the toy eventually came out, Chevrolet initially denied Hasbro and Takara the license as well, presumably fearing that "having these car panels that separate apart conveys an image of being broken".<ref>[http://toyboxdx.com/phorum/read.php?3,97799,97800 interview with Binaltech designer Hironori Kobayashi, English translation at the Toybox DX forums]</ref> This led Hasbro and Takara to conceive an alternate concept for Tracks as another "well-known American sports car", namely a Dodge Viper. Ultimately, though, Chevrolet would later have a change of mind, which allowed Hasbro and Takara to start production on Corvette-Tracks after all, whereas the Viper ended up as [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Side Swipe]] instead. The head sculpt originally designed for Viper-Tracks ended up being used for Corvette-Tracks, though.

[[File:AlternatorsBumblebeeDesign.jpg|thumb|Too good to be true.]]

*The third design was for [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Bumblebee]] as a {{w|Volkswagen New Beetle}}, with [[Cliffjumper (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Cliffjumper]] as the redeco. Unfortunately, VW had similar concerns as Porsche, what with not wanting to be associated with "war toys" (though they would back-pedal [[2018|years]] [[Bumblebee (film)|later]]), therefore the design never even made it to the prototype stage. [[Control drawing]]s for both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper have been published in the aforementioned Japanese BT guide book.

*Ultimately, the only character aside from Tracks to follow the original "direct upgrades" approach would be [[Hound (G1)#Notes|Hound]], whose ''Alternators'' version became a Jeep Wrangler, although he was originally intended as a Rubicon with a slightly different transformation that would have reduced the "backback" kibble.

By the time Hasbro and Takara entered negotiations with Fuji Heavy Industries/Subaru, they had most likely abandoned the "direct upgrades" idea. The 1:24 scale Subaru Impreza mold was apparently also the first design that went without any major difficulty at any stage in its production process. [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Silverstreak]] (the WRX street model) was originally designed first, with [[Smokescreen (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Smokescreen]] (the WRC rally model) being intended as the redeco, but Takara's marketing department decided to reverse the release order of the two versions, thinking that the rally model would have "more visual impact" as the first release of the line.

Another prototype that doesn't fit into this timeline at all is a smaller version of [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]], displayed by Hasbro as part of the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour.<ref>[http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/content.php?/transformers-gallery/convention-photographs/238/convention-photographs/BotCon+2007+Hasbro+Tour.html Photos from the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour at Transformers @ The Moon]</ref> This prototype was apparently created before the final scale for the line was settled on; oddly enough, it is a different scale than the one Takara claimed having initially pursued in their interview in the ''Binaltech'' guide book. Furthermore, the small Subaru prototype was stated to be the second prototype after the Porsche version of Jazz (which was displayed next to him), which also appears to contradict the Takara interview; and lastly, the Subaru prototype mixes a Smokescreen head sculpt and a WRC (Smokescreen) front bumper with a WRX (Silverstreak) rear spoiler.

Beyond that, many other toys later down the line also went through various changes prior to being released. More details can be found on the individual pages for [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys#Binaltech Asterisk|Sunstreaker]], [[Dead End (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Dead End]], [[Camshaft (G1)#Alternators|Camshaft]], [[Bluestreak (G1)/toys#Notes|Bluestreak]], [[Trailbreaker (G1)#Other attempts|Trailbreaker]], [[Swindle (G1)#Alternators/Binaltech|Swindle]], [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Notes|Grimlock]], [[Freeway (G1)#Notes|Freeway]], [[Windcharger (G1)#Notes|Windcharger]], [[Overdrive#Binaltech|Overdrive]], [[Wheeljack (G1)/toys#Notes|Wheeljack]], [[Decepticharge#Notes|Decepticharge]], [[Wildrider (G1)#Notes|Wildrider]], [[Blackarachnia (BW)#Binaltech|Blackarachnia]], [[Prowl (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Prowl]], [[Red Alert (G1)#Notes|Red Alert]], [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Alternators/Binaltech|Optimus Prime]], [[Ginrai (human)#Notes|Ginrai]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/toys#Kiss Players|Hot Rod]] and [[Mirage (G1)#Binaltech|Mirage]].

==Legacy==
*''Alternators'' was the first line to consist primarily of newly designed toys clearly intended as new versions of classic [[character]]s from the [[The Transformers (toyline)|original series]], rather than mere design homages or new sculpts directly based on the designs of the original toys and/or the [[character model|animation models]] from the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] with modern technology. It also pioneered pre-planned [[redeco]]s and [[retool]]s with new head sculpts ("pretools"), which was later adopted by ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 toyline)|Universe]]'' ([[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys|Sunstreaker]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)/toys|Sideswipe]]) and, to a larger degree, the [[Transformers (2010 toyline)|2010 ''Transformers'' toy line's]] ''[[Hunt for the Decepticons]]'' and ''[[Reveal the Shield]]'' sub-sets, ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' and many other subsequent lines.

==Notes==
[[File:Cybertronian radial.jpg|thumb|right|Hasbro should consider branching out.]]
*Hasbro originally intended to use real branded tires such as Bridgestone, Michelin, or Goodyear (evidence can be found on early, "leaked" [[Prototype|test shots]] for Smokescreen, Side Swipe and Meister, and in the Japanese ''[[The Transformers: Binaltech & TF Collection Complete Guide]]'' book). However, all the final ''Alternators'' and ''Binaltech'' toys either use the fictitious brand [[Cybertronian Radial]] for their tires, or sport no brand markings on their tires at all.
*In early 2004, a trade publication named ''Brandweek'' reported that Hasbro was negotiating with Dodge about the licenses for a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Dodge Neon. While the former ultimately ended up as Optimus Prime much, ''much'' later, the latter vehicle was never actually turned into an Alternator.
*In mid-2004, several online stores solicited an upcoming ''Binaltech'' toy based on a MINI Cooper alongside the newly confirmed Swindle and Grimlock. The preorders were later canceled, which, coupled with conflicting statements from Hasbro and MINI prior to that, resulted in quite a lot of confusion among fans. To this day it's not certain whether the preorders were premature and solely based on an advertising campaign MINI had been running during that time, or whether such a ''Binaltech''/''Alternators'' toy was actually in the works. Rumors of an existing prototype could never be verified.
*In late 2004, store listings revealed an entry for an upcoming Alternators toy based on an unspecified Mitsubishi vehicle, listed alongside an Acura which would later turn out to be Prowl. Ultimately, the Mitsubishi would never materialize, and the only other concrete piece of information was a rumor that ''predated'' the store listing, suggesting that an Alternators toy based on a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was in the pipeline.
*Another new sculpt, a Cadillac XLR convertible, was also planned. According to Hasbro at [[BotCon 2006]], the toy would have been [[Megatron (G1)/toys|Megatron]], but when it was decided to put the Alternators line on an indefinite hiatus, the Cadillac Megatron plans never went beyond the early planning stages. It would have sported an [[Oregon]] [[license plate]].
*In early 2006, Walmart store and website listings included another release of the Scion and Mustang sculpts, in addition to mass retail releases of Rumble, Jaguar Ravage, and the aforementioned Cadillac Megatron. The Mustang and Scion never got far enough along in development to be assigned characters.
*[[Aaron Archer]] saw the [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#20th Anniversary/Masterpiece|20th anniversary Optimus Prime]] figure (more commonly known as MP-1) as "belonging with" the ''Alternators'' line.<ref>[http://www.camphortree.net/tf/tidbits/otfcc2004.txt|Steve-o's OTFCC 2004 notes]</ref> For its "Perfect Edition" re-release, Takara gave it a brand new trailer designed to accommodate a single ''Alternators'' figure in vehicle mode - which is funny, considering Archer had said "The trailer, to me, is a bit of... a box."

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.oafe.net/articulation/0602.php English translation of the Binaltech story, with images and footnotes]
*[http://tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?threadid=41133 English translation of the BT-18 chapter] (from BT-18 Rijie)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alternators}}
[[Category:Alternators| ]]
[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Toylines]]

Autorooper

2021-05-20T09:53:55Z

Midboss:

{{factions|edc|autobot|ozsa}}
{{disambig3|Autotrooper}}
:''Autoroopers are [[Earth Defense Command]]-aligned robots from the [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:AutrooperAtari.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|This is everything that's wrong with the world.]]

'''Autoroopers''' (オートルーパー ''Ōtorūpā'') are a group of [[human]]-created artificial [[Transformer]]s that serve the [[Earth Defense Command]]. 48 Autoroopers are known to exist in the [[Tokyo]] Autorooper Team, divided into 12 squads, each named after one of the signs of the {{w|Chinese zodiac}}.

Autoroopers are physically identical to one another apart from their squad markings. They are armed with rifles that fire [[Kremzeek]] bullets and can convert into the [[alternate mode]] of a police-style Mazda RX-8.

Each Autorooper is assigned a [[Kiss Player]] partner by the EDC. These young women serve a very important purpose. In times of crisis, a Kiss Player will [[kiss]] her Autorooper, activating a power that lets her merge with the much larger robot, bestowing upon it enhanced combat and regenerative abilities. If the merge's time limit expires, the Kiss Player is disgorged from her partner unconscious, naked and covered in viscous fluid. It is so far unknown what a voluntary separation entails.

Autoroopers are often dispatched to the scene of Transformers-related incidents. This usually brings them into conflict with [[Legion]] attackers, but they also sometimes find themselves battling or pursuing anti-EDC resistance fighters such as [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rodimus]], and their human partners.

Autoroopers have an as-yet undisclosed connection to the same [[ParasiTech]] fusion process that Legion units use. One Autorooper partially fused with the corpse of Optimus Prime before [[Marissa Faireborn]] interceded. This fusion caused the resurrected Prime to suffer nightmares of his old enemy [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], suggesting a link between the Autoroopers and the [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]]-derived Legion army. This link would eventually bear fruit as the Autoroopers went rogue and merged to reconstitute Galvatron's body.

==Fiction==
===Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''Kiss Players''====
{{voiceactor|[[Keiji Hirai]] (Ne-04, Japanese)}}
[[File:Kissplay1 atari fuses.jpg|left|thumb|Apparently this is a good thing! Yay!]]
One particular Autorooper is designated "Ne-04", the 4th Autorooper of [[Ne Squad]]. Ne-04 is initially partnered with [[Shaoshao Li]], acclaimed as the most powerful Kiss Player in the EDC. Shao is said to be able to enhance her Autorooper to levels far beyond those of her fellow squad members.

During an encounter with a hostile Legion, the Ne-04 Autorooper was badly damaged. With Shao unconscious and unable to re-merge, the Autorooper turned to the nearby [[Atari Hitotonari]] and demanded that she kiss him. The frightened girl complied and the two together were able to defeat their opponent. During the battle, the merged Atari took on a more violent and bloodthirsty personality.

When it was discovered that Atari was an even more powerful Kiss Player than Shao, Ne-04 was reassigned to her, and Shao left the EDC to pursue resistance activities with her new partner, Hot Rod. Atari has noted that while the giant robot initially behaved in an intimidating manner toward her, she has since found it to have a warmer personality. The Ne-04 Autorooper's compassion for Atari extends to giving her backrubs when she becomes carsick riding in it, a frequent occurrence.

Atari's Autorooper appears to have a slightly mischievous personality, as when it was inexplicably shrunken to palm size following a kiss, it sneaked inside Atari's shirt while she was distracted thinking about desserts. Extremely passive on her best days, Atari exhaustedly capitulated to the tiny robot's advances.

But this would not be the Ne-04 Autorooper's only experience with shrinking...for soon, Atari would discover that she had a Legion inside her stomach! Instructing Atari to kiss it, the Autorooper shrunk to a diminutive size, promptly forcing itself into Atari's mouth and making her swallow. As it plunged into her wet passage, it noted how warm it was inside her, while Atari pleaded for it not to move around inside her too roughly.

Yeeeeah.

The Autorooper engaged, defeated and destroyed the Legion, but lacked the power to climb back out. Unfortunately, when it ran out of power entirely, it would return to normal size inside the panicked Atari. Claiming that it would escape via [[Transwarp]], the Autorooper instead talked Atari into sticking her finger down her throat and vomiting it up. She proceeded to berate the robot for its trickery.{{storylink|Transformers: Kiss_Players (radio_drama)#CD collections and special episodes|Atari's Close Call?!}}
{{charstubfiction|Expansion, storylinks ({{storylink|Kiss Players issue 1|Kiss Players #1}}, {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 2|Kiss Players #2}}, {{storylink|Kiss Players issue 3|Kiss Players #3}}, and any other relevant storylinks)}}

====''15 Go! Go!''====
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Extra Volume?!}}}}
{{-}}

===''Wings Universe''===
[[File:HtF-StrafeandTrooper.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
Autorooper (or at least one Autorooper) was one of the Autobots stationed at the [[Galadria Space Bridge Outpost]] in the [[Delta Prysmos Sector]]. He fared poorly when confronted by the Decepticon mercenary [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]]. {{storylink|Hoist the Flag}}

===''Cloud''===
In the 15-[[OGSS World|OGSS]] Spacetime, Autoroopers were on patrol at the human/Autobot facility [[Space Bridge T.2]]. {{storylink|Transformers Cloud (issue)|Transformers Cloud}}

===''TransTech''===
[[File:HeavyweightvsAutotrooper-CMW.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.65]]
Autoroopers helped guard [[Axiom Nexus]]'s Offworlder Maximum Security Prison along with [[Blastcharge Strika Drone]]s. During a blackout, one of them attempted to stop a group of Cybertron's most wanted criminals already engaged in battle with one of the Strika drones. He was overpowered by the inmates, however. More Autoroopers continued to unsuccessfully stop the prisoners from escaping, but were trounced by the stronger (and craftier) 'bots. {{storylink|Cybertron's Most Wanted}}

===''Generations Selects'' comic===
An Autorooper was a member of the [[White Order]] and present when [[Primus]] informed [[Optimus Prime (G1)|White Gallant Convoy]] to be on his guard, as the [[Blue Order]] had been destroyed by [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Megatron]] and the [[Straxus (G1)|Straxuses]]. {{storylink|God Neptune comic 1}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Kiss Players===
{{anchor|AtariXAutorooper}}
[[File:Atari X Autorooper.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Is the Autotrooper small, or very far away?]]
*'''Atari X Autorooper''' (2006)

: The first Autorooper toy was a very small, simplified version of the ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' Mazda RX-8 mold that comes with a large PVC figurine of Atari. Its arms will pop off if you so much as look at it, let alone attempt handling it.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2006/Cybertron/Autorooper/autorooper.htm More information on Autorooper at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
{{anchor|AutorooperXAtari}}
[[File:Big Autorooper.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|]]
*'''Autorooper X Atari''' (2006)
**''Accessories:''

: A 1/24th-scale Autorooper toy was released in December 2006. It is a [[retool]] and [[redeco]] of the ''[[Binaltech]]'' [[Jazz (G1)/toys#Alternators.2FBinaltech|Meister]] Mazda RX-8 mold, with a new head, police lightbar, and police lights and an Imperial chrysanthemum emblem on the grill. The Autorooper features an opening hood with engine, opening "suicide" doors and trunk with a realistic interior. The set comes with small Atari and [[Kremzeek]] figurines along with a weapon formed from traffic cones (four are included), a sticker sheet (with options for different EDC unit designations or standard police markings) and an audio drama CD.

:Printed on the inside of the packaging is the "Transformers Kiss Players Chronological Table", a then comprehensive timeline for the Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity.

: This mold was also used to make [[Zoom-Zoom]] and [[Shockwave (G1)/toys|Shockblast]].

==Notes==
*"Autorooper" is a Japanese portmanteau of "auto" (オート ''ōto'') and "trooper" (トルーパー ''torūpā''). As such, it doesn't kindly Romanize into English.

[[Category:Earth Defense Command]]
[[Category:Kiss Players Transformers]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Man-made Transformers]]
[[Category:Mass-produced Transformers]]
[[Category:TransTech Autobots]]
[[Category:White Order]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]

Chopster

2020-08-22T20:34:09Z

Midboss:

{{faction|decepticonfilm|minicon}}
{{disambig2|the Decepticon Mini-Con from ''Power Core Combiners''|the Decepticon helicopter from ''The Last Knight''|Chopter}}
:''Chopster is a [[Decepticon]]-allied [[Mini-Con]] from the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]] (via the [[Power Core Combiners]] line).''
[[Image:CyberMissions9-Chopster.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Take a close look. 'Cause I rule, baby.]]

'''Chopster''' is the [[Decepticon]] [[Commander (PCC)|Commander]] [[Smolder|Smolder's]] [[Mini-Con]]. A very versatile Mini-Con, Chopster can transform into a robot, a "fire axe", body armor, or a flamethrower for Smolder's vehicle mode! He puts on a brave front, but when the odds tip against him, Chopster will scream and flee while screaming some more.

{{quote|Gonna chop yas inta twisted metal bits, big bots!}}

==Fiction==
===''Cyber Missions''===
{{voiceactor|[[Tony Gialluca II]] (English)|[[David Bueno]] (Latin American-Spanish)}}

[[Image:SmolderChopster-CyberMissions.jpg|left|thumb|300px|FIRE TRUCKS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY.]]

As a building burned, surrounded by fire fighters, Smolder and Chopster arrived on the scene in vehicle mode. The firefighters were horrified when the two announced their intention was not to help extinguish the fire, but to add to it. Smolder ordered Chopster to destroy the water hoses, which the Mini-Con gleefully agreed to.

[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] came to the rescue and confronted Chopster. After making his threats, however, Chopster fled, screaming, once Bumblebee revved his engines at him. Chopster returned quickly thereafter, attached to Smolder in vehicle mode. After suffering their flame attack, Ratchet knocked Chopster off Smolder's roof with an EMP blast. The blast forced Chopster to reconfigure into "fire axe" mode, which Smolder was fine with. He picked up Chopster and threw him at the Autobots, but they were able to deflect him. Ultimately, Smolder too was defeated. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 9}}

{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Power Core Combiners''===
[[Image:PCC-toy Chopster.jpg|right|thumb|300px|You're disarmed if I run away!]]
*'''Smolder with Chopster''' (Commander Class, 2010)

: Chopster was available only with his larger partner Smolder as part of the first wave of ''Power Core Combiners'' Commander Class figures. Chopster transforms from a robot into a flame-cannon that can be attached to the Commanders in vehicle mode, a hand-held double-headed axe, and "body armor" for both normal and super-mode Commanders.

: Chopster's axe mode features a two-tier handle allowing standard 5mm hole use, with a smaller size peg at the tip, allowing figures with smaller hand-holes to grip it. Unfortunately, figures with shallow holes, such as [[Bombshock (PCC)|Bombshock]] will only grasp failingly at the narrow tip. Chopster's powerlink port includes the raised center per usual Mini-cons, but is too short to activate any features on some [[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]] toys.

: This mold was also used to make [[Razorbeam]] and [[Peaceman]].

: During the period between 26 December 2010 and 31 January 2011, Hasbro ran their "Supercharge Your Holidays" promotion: for every $20 spent on Hasbro-branded product, customers could receive a free, random product from a list provided by Hasbro. Among the items on the list was "Transformers Combiners & Speed Stars Mini Vehicle". According to [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75487 this discussion thread on Allspark.com], Smolder with Chopster was one of the figures distributed.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2010/Mini-Con/Chopster/chopster.htm More information on Chopster at TFU.info]''

*'''Power Core Combiners Special Value Offer''' (2011)

: Smolder and Chopster also made available as part of a [[Walmart]]-[[exclusive]] [[Black Friday (event)|Black Friday]] "Value Pack", combining a 5-pack team with a Commander 2-pack via packaging tape and a couple of stickers, for the whopping price of ''ten bucks'', merely a third of what the two toys would normally cost.

: So far, Smolder has only been found attached to the [[Mudslinger (PCC)|Mudslinger]]/[[Destructicon (PCC)|Destructicons]] set.

{{--}}

==Notes==
* During a BotCon 2010 panel, one of the Hasbro employees revealed that a possible name for Chopster was '''[[Kick Axe|Kick-Axe]]'''.

[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Power Core Combiners Decepticons]]
[[Category:Power Core Combiners Mini-Cons]]

Sabotage

2020-08-17T09:39:10Z

Midboss:

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Transformers: Cyberverse]]'' ep 11
|image=Cyberverse - Sabotage - It's all Shockwave's fault.jpg
|caption="And that, Windblade...'''that''' is how one dominates."
|prev=Maccadam's
|next=Teletraan-X (episode)
|title="Sabotage"
|airdate=[[October 26]], [[2018]] (Xfinity X1) [[November 9]], 2018 (CN app/website) [[November 10]], 2018 (USA)
|production company=[[Allspark Animation]]
|writer=[[Dan Salgarolo]]
|animation studio=[[Boulder Media Studio]]
|director=[[Ehud Landsberg]]
}}
'''Shockwave traps Bumblebee in a false memory designed to convince him he's a Decepticon.'''

==Synopsis==
On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], [[Shockwave (Cyberverse)|Shockwave]] is able to tap into the systems of the [[Decepticon scout ship]] on [[Earth]]. As he watches [[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] and [[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] use his [[cortical psychic patch]], he informs [[Slipstream (Cyberverse)|Slipstream]] that his plan is underway, and that it's up to the [[Seeker (Cyberverse)|Seeker]] to dispose of the [[Cityspeaker]] as she sees fit; in the meantime, Shockwave announces that he will tap into Bumblebee's mind to "show him what he truly is..."

Simultaneously, in their hiding place in the [[Bumblebee Cave]], Windblade and Bumblebee search the latter's memories for any clue as to the identity of the "king of the dinosaurs", unaware that the Decepticon scientist has already invaded the connection. When Windblade realizes that something is amiss, however, she's too late to stop him, and Shockwave is able to eject her from the connection and take her place. Masquerading as Windblade, Shockwave is able to coax a hesitant Bumblebee into accessing a ''new'' memory he's never seen before, supposedly another clue to the fate of the ''[[Ark (Cyberverse)|Ark]],'' with the yellow Autobot unaware that their ship is now under Shockwave's control.

[[File:Cyberverse - Sabotage - Ratchet and Drift celebrate.jpg|thumb|left|300px|"See? We're stronger together than apart."]]

''During their long voyage, [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] gathers the crew of the ''Ark'' to announce a breakthrough in their voyage; [[Teletraan-1 (Cyberverse)|Teletraan-1]] has located the [[AllSpark]]. The assembled Autobots cheer, unaware that Bumblebee has crept off on a mission of his own: transmitting their coordinates to [[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]] through the ship's communication terminal. The Decepticon leader praises his perfect spy, instructing him to disable the ship's engines so that the Decepticons can find the ship, and Bumblebee tells the Decepticon leader that he lives to serve.''

Bumblebee recoils from the memory, unable to process the idea of him being a spy all this time. In the real world, meanwhile, Windblade attempts to salvage the connection, unaware of the peril she's in; suddenly, the ship's autopilot kicks in as it takes off, and though Windblade wrestles with the unresponsive controls she can't prevent the ship's doors sealing themselves shut and flying off. At a nearby abandoned airfield, [[Slipstream (Cyberverse)|Slipstream]] gets word from Shockwave that his plan is in motion, and readies [[Nova Storm (Cyberverse)|Nova Storm]] and [[Thundercracker (Cyberverse)|Thundercracker]] to get ready for the arrival of their ship.

''Bumblebee continues his memories with "Windblade;" after illicitly disabling the engines, he remembers, he heads off [[Rack'n'Ruin (Cyberverse)|Rack'n'Ruin]]'s concerns, but isn't able to fool [[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]], who blames him for disabling the [[energon]] filtration system. Bumblebee has no choice but to zap the Autobot engineer and dump him into space, but in doing so, he's found out by [[Ratchet (Cyberverse)|Ratchet]], who immediately takes in the traitor.''

Horrified by what he's done, Bumblebee breaks out of the memory once again, still unaware of his current predicament. Meanwhile, Windblade is having problems of her own as the ship arrives inside the Decepticon-controlled hangar, where Slipstream casually restrains and captures the lone [[Caminus (planet)|Camien]].

[[File:Cyberverse - Sabotage - And Optimus' Axe.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"I will remember you as you were."]]
''[[Stasis cuffs|Stasis cuffed]] and brought before the Autobots, Bumblebee stands trial for his crimes, with [[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]] acting as Wheeljack's prosecuting attorney. As Grimlock concludes his closing statement, Optimus finds Bumblebee guilty, and decrees that the penalty is deactivation. Despite his cuffs, Bumblebee is able to elude the court and flees into the depths of the ship, and Optimus prepares to give chase.''

In the hangar, Windblade is able to escape her own captors through some quick thinking, downing Thundercracker and Nova Storm. She's unable to outmaneuver the ship itself, however, which is revealed to be under Slipstream's control, pinning her down under a barrage of fire.

''Bumblebee races through the ship's empty corridors, pursued by Optimus. Before long, however, he stumbles into a dead end, and Optimus raises his axe, only to slice through Bumblebee's cuffs, revealing ''himself'' as a Decepticon. Optimus tells Bumblebee that they should initiate the second part of the plan: kill everyone else aboard the ship.'' Realizing neither Optimus nor he would ever do such a thing, Bumblebee smashes the memory to pieces and declares the entire experience a fake, prompting Shockwave to reveal himself and take a new tack: he demands the location of the AllSpark in exchange for Windblade's safety, but Bumblebee ignores him and simply disconnects himself, severing the connection.

Bumblebee reaches the bridge, and Windblade tells him to push the red button she warned him to avoid earlier; as it turns out, this is the ship's ''self-destruct'' button, and the ship flies into the hangar and explodes, blowing the abandoned airfield to nothing as the two Autobots flee in [[alternate mode]]. The pair have suffered a crucial setback, now deprived of a ship and a way to reach Bumblebee's memories, but Bumblebee is simply grateful that they're still alive.

==Featured characters==
Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in the fake memory. 
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Cyberverse)|Bumblebee]] (1)
*[[Windblade (Cyberverse)|Windblade]] (2)
*''[[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]]'' (6)
*''Autobot soldiers'' (7)
*''[[Grimlock (Cyberverse)|Grimlock]]'' (8)
*''[[Wheeljack (Cyberverse)|Wheeljack]]'' (9)
*''[[Arcee (Cyberverse)|Arcee]]'' (10)
*''[[Chromia (Cyberverse)|Chromia]]'' (11)
*''[[Rack'n'Ruin (Cyberverse)|Rack'n'Ruin]]'' (12)
*''[[Drift (Cyberverse)|Drift]]'' (13)
*''[[Ratchet (Cyberverse)|Ratchet]]'' (14)
|c2=
*[[Shockwave (Cyberverse)|Shockwave]] (3)
*[[Slipstream (Cyberverse)|Slipstream]] (4)
*[[Shockwave's drones]] (5)
*''[[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron]]'' (15)
*[[Nova Storm (Cyberverse)|Nova Storm]] (16)
*[[Thundercracker (Cyberverse)|Thundercracker]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"That looks like the face of a king!" -''Bumblebee focuses on a memory of a dog''- 
"No, no. That's... a horse."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Windblade'''

"Kings wear crowns, right? Here's [[Starscream (Cyberverse)|Starscream]] wearing a crown."
:—'''Bumblebee''' references the [[The Transformers: The Movie|obvious]].

"Bumblebee. You must access this memory now." 
"What? Why are you talking to me like that?" 
"Because we are friends. I enjoy your... company. Do not be afraid. This is a good memory." 
:—'''Shockwave''''s Windblade impersonation is good enough to fool '''Bumblebee''', at least...

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*[[Maccadam]] told Bumblebee and Windblade that they needed to find the "king of the dinosaurs" in the previous episode, "[[Maccadam's]]." The same episode saw the two Autobots take shelter in the "[[Bumblebee Cave]]" that they begin this episode in.
*[[Drift (Cyberverse)|Deadlock]], first seen defecting from the Decepticons in the same episode, is here shown as an Autobot and part of the crew of the ''Ark''; according to writer [[Gavin Hignight]], he has in fact changed his name to Drift as is traditional for the character. <ref> [https://mobile.twitter.com/gavinhignight/status/1057865243399938048?p=v Gavin Hignight on Twitter] </ref>
*The red button first appeared in "[[Whiteout]]"; this episode clarifies that it triggers the ship's self-destruct function.

===Transformers references===
[[File:Cyberverse - Sabotage - Shockwave Sees You.jpg|thumb|300px|"A single point of light against the infinite darkness."]]
* Shockwave's current base of operations on Cybertron seems to be a skyscraper of some description, evoking [[Shockwave's Tower|the tower]] that first appeared in [[Dreamwave Productions]]' [[Transformers: Generation 1 (Dreamwave)|Generation 1 comic book]] and subsequently reappeared in the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*While scouring his mind for information about kings, Bumblebee notes that he has a memory of Starscream wearing a crown — a reference to Starscream's infamous "coronation" scene from [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated film]], which has since been homaged in countless media and many, many toys.
*Shockwave refers to the cortical psychic patch as "his," implying that, as in the Aligned continuity, Shockwave is the inventor of the device.
*First appearing as a [[Wrecker]] in the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK]] comics, a new version of the classic character(s) [[Rack'n'Ruin (Cyberverse)|Rack'n'Ruin]] marks the first televised appearance of this oddball 'bot.

===Real-world references===
*Windblade uses the [[Stormfall Sword]] to deflect the scout ship's laser blasts like a [[lightsaber]] from [[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]].
*"Optimus'" pursuit of Bumblebee through the ''Ark''—strolling through the red-lit corridors of the ship while casually dragging his axe against the wall—evokes [[Freddy Krueger]]'s boiler room scene in ''{{w|A Nightmare on Elm Street}}.''

===Trivia===
*According to showrunner [[Randolph Heard]], the <s>dog</s> horse Bumblebee remembers seeing is based on Gavin Hignight's French bulldog.<ref>[https://mobile.twitter.com/RandolphHeard/status/1064567668567470080?p=v Randolph Heard on Twitter]</ref>
*This episode was originally scheduled to debut on Canadian television on [[October 21]], [[2018]], several weeks ahead of its US broadcast. A re-run of "[[Fractured]]" wound up airing instead.
*This episode was made available for YouTubeTV subscribers and OnDemand for subscribers to U.S. cable provider Comcast's Xfinity X1 service on [[October 26]], [[2018]], along with the ninth, tenth, and twelfth episodes of the series, "[[Shadowstriker (episode)|Shadowstriker]]," "[[Maccadam's]]," and "[[Teletraan-X (episode)|Teletraan-X]]," all prior to their Cartoon Network broadcast debuts. Intially, "Sabotage" was not included in this release, leaving a one-episode gap, but it was added before the end of the same day.

===Animation and technical errors===
*While these animation errors can easily be justified for being part of a fake memory, the errors during the memory are:
**In the "celebration" scene, Ratchet is missing his Autobot insignia, while his chest "windshield" piece is transparent through-and-through, letting the background behind him show through his chest!
**When Optimus stands up ordering everyone to their stations, Bumblebee is missing his insignia. It's back when the camera cuts and we see Bumblebee over Optimus' shoulder.
**Wheeljack is missing his Autobot insignia when Grimlock cross-examines Bumblebee. He gets it back once the camera cuts back to him after it shows 'Bee in handcuffs.
**As Bumblebee gets chased by Optimus, we see the hallway turn left into the dead end. This tracks as the audience sees from the dead end hallway, Bumblebee coming from the right. However, once Prime appears, the hallway pattern is flipped and he comes from the LEFT side.
**In the same scene, Prime has his axe deployed from his left hand when he is scraping it against the wall, but deployed from his right hand when he turns the corner.
*Slipstream is missing her Decepticon insignia and her cockpit framing when all three Seekers land on the ground after pulling Windblade out of the ship and when she says "I can dispose of you any way I like. So many choices!" She gets them back in the next cut both times.
*In the first scene where Windblade is deflecting laser blasts from the scout ship, none of the blasts are shown to actually hit her sword, yet alone be deflected by it, despite repeated "ricochet" sounds.
*Nova Storm is missing her cockpit framing for the entirety of the episode, even though she has had it in previous episodes.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Sabotage'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 12]], 2018

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Feind im Kopf'''" ("The Enemy inside the Head")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 16]], 2018

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Szabotázs'''" ("Sabotage")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 9]], 2018

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Sabotaggio'''" ("Sabotage")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 24]], 2018

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Shockwave no Wana'''" (ショックウェーブの罠, "Shockwave's Trap")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 22]], [[2019]]

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2019 — ''Transformers Cyberverse'' — Terminal Velocity ([[Beyond Home Entertainment]]) 

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tCwuXnLQqk "Sabotage" on YouTube] (US only)

[[Category:Cyberverse episodes]]

Ratchet (G1)

2014-06-25T16:35:45Z

Midboss: /* IDW Generation 1 continuity */

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

[[File:Ratchetg1.jpg|upright=1.66|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.
His vehicle mode sometimes splits into his robot and a [[Onebox component|separate component]].

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[File:Ratchetg1first.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|This look didn't last long.]]
Ratchet was one of the select Autobots chosen by [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 (G1)|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 (issue)|The Transformers}}

[[File:Ratchetgetstofixgears.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 drive Sparkplug and his son [[Buster Witwicky (G1)|Buster]] to the [[Greater Portland Medical Center|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 organic or mechanical life, and helped [[Gus (medic)|two]] [[Mel (medic)|paramedics]] to get to their emergency. Upon their return to the hospital, 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, alarmed their ambulance could talk, were poking around his ambulance mode, trying to discover the tape deck they suspected to be there. After an angry, annoyed outburst, the humans fled.

[[File:Ratchetfriendtrafficsignal.jpg|left|upright=1.4|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 non-sentient 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}} 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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] back into the Ark. Ratchet began to worry that he was the last Autobot alive. {{storylink|The Worse of Two Evils!}}

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 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!}}

[[File:Ratchetwarriorschool.jpg|upright=1.66|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 (Marvel)|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|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 [[battlesuit|Transformer-sized robotic suit]], to be used by Buster Witwicky in battle. Optimus Prime was unamused.'' {{storylink|Robot Buster!}}

[[File:Ratchetmechanic.jpg|left|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 (G1)|Mechanic]] and his accomplice [[Juan (thief)|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 [[Cryogenic sprayer|his own surgical weapon]] and hid outside. When he had unfrozen, Ratchet presumed the humans had fled and went back to the Ark, unaware that this was what the humans had been waiting for as they intended to follow him to his hideout and steal even more of his weapons. Inside the Ark, Ratchet was again defeated by [[Laser scalpel|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 counter-terrorist organization [[G.I. Joe (team)|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 [[Doctor Mindbender]]'s bickering), Bumblebee decided to rename himself Goldbug. {{storylink|...All Fall Down!}}

[[File:Ratchetneverisnow.jpg|upright=1.1|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)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] and a time-traveling [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] decimated the Earthbound Autobot forces, Optimus Prime no longer possessed the life-giving powers of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Creation Matrix]], so Ratchet was left with the monumental task of repairing them.'' {{storylink|Deathbringer (issue)|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, [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|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}}

[[File:Ratchetbroughtthemhere.jpg|left|upright=1.4|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 [[Megatron's 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}}

[[File:Megs ratch.jpg|upright=1.1|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 (G1)|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 Pri¢e of Life!}}

[[File:Ratchetjollies.jpg|left|upright=1.4|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 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 (G1)|Autobot City]]. {{storylink|Ark Duty}}

====''Generation 2''====
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|New Dawn#"Tales of Earth Part Four"|Tales of Earth #4}}

====''Classics''====
{{classicsnote}}
[[File:Ratchetgamesofdeception.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
Fifteen years after Ratchet seemingly perished with [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]], and [[Shockwave (G1)|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}}

[[File:Ratchet-AtFightsEnd.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|From martyr to furniture.]]
Megatron kept Ratchet there for his own amusement, able to talk but not to move, because the Decepticon leader had begun to consider his unlikely nemesis a friend. The Decepticon leader enjoyed toying with Ratchet's doubts; he asked Ratchet why Optimus Prime hadn't come to rescue him in all these years. Megatron also enjoyed hearing Ratchet's measured responses, many of which genuinely took him by surprise, though some Megatron didn't think Ratchet truly believed.

Megatron wanted Ratchet to know the real reason why the Transformers fight. After they watched Megatron's plan to assassinate [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (and end the Decepticon civil war) culminate in success, he told Ratchet why. It's not to win or to lose, but because of who they were. The Transformers were born to fight. Megatron picked up Ratchet's motionless body, set it inside a [[CR chamber|bubbling tank]], and left him there. As Ratchet felt his body begin to dissolve, Megatron asked him to give Prime his regards.

[[File:Invasion-Radcontrolroom.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Ratchet's happy? This can't be the Marvelverse.]]
Later, the Autobots secured the abandoned Ark and found Ratchet inside the tank, reformatted into a new body. However, Ratchet noted that his new surgical tools looked suspiciously like weapons. He recalled Megatron's words about why the Transformers fight. Did he truly have no choice? {{storylink|At Fight's End}}

Subsequently, Ratchet was stationed with several other Autobots in [[Canada]] within the ''[[Ark II]]''. He was present one day when [[Rad]] reported from the [[Ironworks]] base in [[Oregon]] about a foiled attack by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Gigatron]] and his Decepticons. Soon thereafter, due to the actions of an evil [[Ultra Magnus (SG)|Ultra Magnus]] from [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|another dimension]], a rift of space time opened over Earth, causing catastrophes worldwide. Ratchet assisted his peers in evacuating a devastated city block. {{storylink|Invasion (issue)|Invasion}}
{{-}}

====''Regeneration One''====
{{noterg1}}
In [[2012]], twenty-one years after the Ark crashed into Northern Canada with [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] aboard, Ratchet still lived, but in a horrible existence — as a disembodied head adorning Megatron's [[battle sled]]. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 2|Loose Ends #2}} After [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] and the [[Autobot]]s arrived to battle Megatron, the [[zombie|zombified]] [[Starscream (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Starscream]] struggled to tell the [[Scraplet]]-infected [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] the secret to stopping Megatron — to kill Ratchet! {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 4|Loose Ends #4}}

Kup struggled over to Ratchet and with a borrowed gun from [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], finally ended Ratchet's suffering, which in turn immobilized Megatron and allowed Prime to destroy his mortal enemy once and for all. {{storylink|Loose Ends, Part 5|Loose Ends #5}}
{{-}}

===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Don Messick]] (English), [[Wally Burr]] (English, "[[Masquerade]]"), [[Masashi Ebara]] (Japanese)|[[Garcia Neto]] (Portuguese), [[Roberto Alexander]] (Latin American), [[Peter Musäus]] (German, "Transport to Oblivion"), [[Gerd Wiedenhofen]] (German, "Roll for It" and "The Autobot Run"), [[Ulrich Bernsdorff]] (German, "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide"), [[Christian Weygand]] (German, ''Generation 2''), [[Claus Brockmeyer]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"), [[Kai Taschner]] (German, ''Generation 2'', "Masquerade", "Transport to Oblivion", and "Roll for It")}}

[[File:Ratchetg1cartoon.jpg|upright=1.34|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)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 Witwicky (G1)|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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 (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]], Ratchet discovered the tampering done by the Decepticons and restored the little Autobot. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion}}

[[File:DivideandConquer Ratchet at work.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.34|"…But I'm still alive!" — "No matter, Optimus. Doctor knows better!"]]
Ratchet patched up the Autobots quick smart after they were caught in an explosion at a hi-tech lab. Of course, he immediately afterwards had to alert them to incoming Decepticons, and probably had to put them back together again after the ensuing battle. {{storylink|Roll for It}} With Optimus critically injured after a Decepticon attack, Ratchet and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] worked to repair their leader, only for Laserbeak to sneak into the base and inflict more damage on Optimus. Ratchet and Wheeljack continued to work, eventually succeeding in saving Prime's life using a [[Cosmitron]] retrieved from Cybertron by [[Chip Chase]] and a team of Autobots. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

A group of Autobots including Ratchet enjoyed hijinks in the snow when abnormal weather conditions were caused by the Decepticons tapping a crystal in the Arctic. The Autobots went to the Arctic, where Ratchet was part of Ironhide's team, which was separated from the main Autobot force and captured by the Decepticons. After the group faked their own destruction, Ratchet repaired [[Jetfire (G1)|Skyfire]], who had been shot by Starscream after refusing to terminate the Autobots. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}} Inspired by the discovery of dinosaur bones, Ratchet and Wheeljack designed and built the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]]. Unfortunately the new warriors were difficult to control, and Ratchet was soon patching up [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]]. After the rest of the Autobots fell foul of the Decepticons, Wheeljack had the idea of reactivating the Dinobots, and he and Ratchet installed new brain modules, allowing the Dinobots to be successfully used in battle. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

Ratchet was one of the Autobots who went to [[Peru]] when the Decepticons discovered the [[Crystal of Power]] there, and built a cannon to utilise it. {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain}} Ratchet was on hand for the impact of [[Meteorini Chipperoni]] and Optimus subsequently ordered him and Wheeljack to construct two more Dinobots to bolster the Autobots' ranks. Once [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] and [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] were constructed, Ratchet and Wheeljack held a demonstration. The two new additions quickly proved themselves and were dispatched to aid Optimus Prime, who'd run afoul of the other three Dinobots after [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] turned them against the Autobots. By the time Ratchet and the other Autobots got there, Optimus had persuaded [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] to defect back. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

Following a rescue mission to retrieve Sparkplug from the Decepticon base, Ratchet was again repairing the Autobots when Sparkplug started trying to repair him, despite him being undamaged. Sparkplug then started working on Prime, despite Ratchet pointing out that Prime had already been fixed. Sparkplug was under the control of the Decepticons, and had sabotaged the Autobots weapons and Teletraan I, so the Decepticons could attack. After the attack was repelled, Ratchet repaired Teletraan I, which alerted the Autobots to the giant [[space bridge]] which the Decepticons were building. The Autobots rolled out, but were unable to prevent Cybertron being dragged into [[Earth]]'s orbit. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}}

[[File:UltimateDoom2 Autobot volcano.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Retreating to headquarters, the Autobots sent out the Dinobots to battle the disasters caused by the nearby Cybertron. The [[Mount St. Hilary|volcano]] which the Ark was embedded in became active, erupting and spewing Ratchet, [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] and Huffer into the air, necessitating a rescue on the part of Skyfire. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} Ratchet surfed with Optimus Prime and the others to where the Decepticons were building a generator, though they were unable to prevent the Decepticons getting away with a shuttle full of energon and saved a bunch of humans instead. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 3}}

Once Cybertron was blasted out of orbit, Ratchet and the other Autobots set about repairing the devastation it had wrought on Earth. They were subsequently occupied preventing Starscream's plan to destroy the planet using an [[Exponential Generator]]. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}} After Megatron challenged Optimus to a one-on-one duel, the Autobots watched in horror as the Autobot leader was defeated. They later discovered that Megatron had cheated, rendering the results of the contest void, and allowed them to legally blast the Decepticons into a lava-filled crevasse. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[File:G1 ChangingGears Ratchet karate.jpg|left|upright=1.45|thumb|Now COUGH!]]
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 (G1)|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 (G1)|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}}

Part of a mission to [[New York City]] to investigate the disappearance of the [[Empire State Building]], Ratchet joined Spike, Hound, Bumblebee and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] in entering the city via the sewers in an attempt to recover Optimus Prime. When they finally found their leader, he had been disassembled by [[Hook (G1)|Hook]], and Ratchet had a heck of a job putting him back together again, including having to wrangle an [[alligatorcon (G1)|alligatorcon]]. During a battle on the streets of the city, Ratchet and Ironhide ended up in the Decepticon's new skyscraper, and were again able to rescue Prime from a nasty fall. {{storylink|City of Steel}}

[[File:AttackoftheAutobots Prime and Ratchet on rocket.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"I can see my house from here!"]]
Ratchet was one of the Autobots affected by Megatron's [[personality destabilizer device]] and was compelled to attempt to get some blueprints from [[Harding|Doctor Harding]]. After being de-evilled by one of Sparkplug's [[attitude exchanger]]s, Ratchet and Optimus jumped aboard a rocket in mid-air and Ratchet detached a solar satellite even as the rocket blasted towards space. The pair were able to get the satellite into space on Skyfire's back. Afterwards, Ratchet and Sparkplug realised they had to repair all of the jets the Autobots had trashed while under Decepticon control. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}} He patched up Mirage after another battle, and told the other Autobot to rest, but Mirage instead rushed off to prove he wasn't a traitor as Cliffjumper had suggested. After Mirage led the Autobots into a trap, Ratchet found one of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s [[cerebro-shell]]s on Mirage's forehead. After the inevitable battle, Ratchet patched Mirage up once more. {{storylink|Traitor}}

[[File:Immobilizer Ratchet ambulance mode.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Ratchet attended the demonstration of Wheeljack's latest invention, the [[Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer|Immobilizer]]. It didn't go well, with Wheeljack being accidentally immobilized and the Decepticons stealing his device. Wheeljack was loaded into the back of Ratchet's ambulance mode, and they returned to base where Ratchet repaired Ironhide, telling him to STFU when he blamed himself for the attack. The Autobots were eventually able to get the Immobilizer back. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} Ratchet was one of those who didn't take part in a charity race and was thus spared from being affected by the Decepticon's [[Transfixatron]] ray and captured. He and Wheeljack constructed an [[anti-transfixation grenade]] and mounted an attack with a small group to rescue the other Autobots. Afterwards, Ratcher realised that he was going to be repairing for days. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

He took part in the defence of [[Washington, D.C.]] against the combined forces of the Decepticons and [[Sub-Atlantica]]ns. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}} Ordered to guard [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], he an Wheeljack cracked jokes at the robot's expense, until Optimus told them off. They were unable to prevent the robot's capture by the Decepticons and returned to base, where Ratchet repaired Brawn. A stealth attack by the reprogrammed ninja resulted in the loss of power to the base, and Ratchet soon discovered that the [[World Energy Chip]] had been stolen. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

[[File:Dinobotislandratch&spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Ratchet, like the other Autobots, was taken in by Megatron's [[Optimus Prime clone]], at least until Windcharger revealed the truth. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}} He also took part in an attempt to stop one of Megatron's plans using [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], {{storylink|The Core}} and helped Wheeljack whipped up an antidote to prevent the [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]] exploding after they consumed the [[Nova Power Core]]. {{storylink|The Insecticon Syndrome}} After another Dinobot rampage at Autobot Headquarters, Ratchet sighed and started the repairs once again. The Dinobots were subsequently banished to [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]], no doubt to his relief. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} With Sparkplug's help, repairs were soon complete. When Teletraan I detected a disturbance near the library Spike was visiting, Ratchet reassured Sparkplug as the rest of the Autobots rolled out. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

When Megatron found the [[Heart of Cybertron]], Ratchet was among the group of Autobots who were first to feel his wrath and had to limp back to base. While [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] put a bizarre plan into operation, Ratchet and Wheeljack set up a forcefield to hold back the Decepticon leader until Perceptor's plan could succeed. {{storylink|Microbots}} Ratchet attended the [[Autobot Day]] celebration, during which Megatron managed to frame the Autobots. The Autobots were subsequently banished from Earth. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} They almost perished in the [[Sun]], but made it back to Earth in time to overthrow the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

After the Dinobots were damaged in a Decepticon attack, Ratchet repaired them, only for them to desert the Autobot forces. There's gratitude for you. A short time later, the Autobots were all disabled by [[Cybertonium]] depletion. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1}} With Spike and [[Carly]]'s help, the Dinobot retrieved more Cybertonium from Cybertron, and the Autobots were able to repair themselves. {{storylink|Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2}} Ratchet was among the Autobots who turned up too late to prevent Megatron from stealing the [[Voltronic Galaxer]]. After the Decepticons used it to jam Earth's radio signals, Ratchet helped some humans who'd become trapped in a blizzard. {{storylink|Blaster Blues}} He was also part of the group who coated themselves in [[electrum]] to defeat the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Golden Lagoon (episode)|The Golden Lagoon}}

[[File:Kremzeek! Ratchet with Kremzeek.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|- Are you an elf? - No, I'm delirium tremens!]]
While defending New York against Decepticons drones, Ratchet realised that the drones didn't have brains, meaning they were remote controlled. Once [[Blaster (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blaster]] had broadcast a jamming signal, the Autobots were able to attack the Decepticon base in the [[Pine Barrens]]. Ratchet, Wheeljack and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] joined Sparkplug and [[Raoul]] in turning the drones back into cars. {{storylink|Make Tracks}} After Optimus Prime's team of Autobots went missing, Ratchet and the others attempted fruitlessly to find out where they'd gone. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}} Ratchet also took part in the operation to rescue [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] from a horde of [[Morphobot]]s. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} He was one of the first Autobots to be disabled by [[Kremzeek]], which didn't bode well for the Autobots' chances of getting repaired. {{storylink|Kremzeek!}}

After Optimus beat [[Chumley|Lord Chumley]]'s death traps, Ratchet and the other Autobots provided Prime with reinforcements. {{storylink|Prime Target (episode)|Prime Target}} He and Wheeljack picked up [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] after the Autobot plane was defeated by the [[Conehead]]s. Ratchet started patching him up, but Powerglide refused further treatment until he could rescue [[Astoria Carlton-Ritz|Astoria]], the spunky heiress he'd been charged with protecting. Once Astoria was safe, Powerglide returned for more repairs, and Ratchet joined in mocking him for his apparent [[Transformer romance|romantic feelings]] for the girl. {{storylink|The Girl Who Loved Powerglide}}

[[File:KeyVectorSigma1 Ratchet thoughtful.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1| Did I prescribe him a soporific or purgative? Or both?]]
Although Ratchet was puzzled by Megatron's sudden interest in stealing cars, Optimus knew what the Decepticons were up to, and led a team, including Ratchet, to Cybertron. There, they found [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] badly damaged. Once Ratchet and Wheeljack had repaired him, he explained that Megatron had taken the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], and the Autobots journeyed underground. Encountering [[Centurion droid|Centurions]] left by Megatron to guard the way, Ratchet and Wheeljack repaired Maintenance drones to send against them in battle. Unfortunately they reached [[Vector Sigma]] too late, and Optimus ordered that some shuttles be rebuilt into the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1}} The Autobots returned to Earth with the new additions, and [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] promptly blew up on landing, resulting in Ratchet, Wheeljack and Sparkplug working feverishly to save the giant Autobot's life and repair his body. They ultimately succeeded. {{storylink|The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2}}

[[File:CosmicRust Ratchet and Blaster infected.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|'Cause this is thriller, thriller night!]]
The Aerialbots, much to Ratchet's disgust, seemed to admire the Decepticon [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]]. When the Autobot team was plunged millions of years back in time Ratchet worked with Wheeljack to repair the Decepticon time machine to get them back. They managed to, but wouldn't tell Ratchet what had happened, leaving the story telling to Optimus. {{storylink|War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn}} Ratchet helped apply [[corrostop]] to the [[Statue of Liberty]], and was later affected by the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] that Megatron brought back from space. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}

[[File:TFTM Ratchet dies.jpg|upright=1.05|thumb|Seen here suffering from a unique condition known as "Dying Ratchet Syndrome".]]
After [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] and Cliffjumper were kidnapped by Starscream and the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] to provide [[energy absorber]]s, the Autobots launched an attack while the Combaticons were busy fighting Megatron's forces. Ratchet and Grapple managed to rescue the two prisoners during the distraction. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}} Ratchet was also a part of the team which came to the Aerialbots' aid, after they fell into a trap laid by the Combaticons. {{storylink|Aerial Assault}} During another of Megatron's plans, the Autobots captured the Stunticons, and Ratchet customised some of the Autobots using [[camouflage paint]] to disguise them as the Decepticon team. Somehow this worked, and after Megatron's plan was foiled, Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots provided reinforcements. {{storylink|Masquerade}}

In the year [[2005]], while piloting a secret mission to [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]] in order to gather a stockpile of [[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 star as a side-effect of a [[Quintesson]] plot. {{storylink|Dark Awakening (episode)|Dark Awakening}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga=====
Amidst a massive battle against the Decepticons at the Autobot base in [[Arizona]], Ratchet was one of the first to notice that [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] and his cassette forces were nowhere to be found. Now suspicious, [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|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|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

Later, as [[Kenji]] was enjoying a tour of a secret Autobot facility in Japan, Ratchet was alerted to an attack by [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]], [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] in Yokohama. The Autobots immediately rolled out to meet the threat. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #4}}

=====Full Throttle Scramble Power!=====
Ratchet was one of about a kajillion Autobots who arrived on Metroplex to provide reinforcements for Optimus Prime after the Decepticon's [[Omega Whip]] weapon was destroyed. {{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}

=====''The Battle of the Star Gate''=====
[[File:Stargatebattles ratchet.jpg|left|thumb|220px|...We can get blotto like nobody's business!]]
In the 1990s, Ratchet used Cybertronian technology to save the lives of human scientist [[Adle|Professor Adle]] and his daughter [[Katua Adle|Katua]] when they were both badly injured in an explosion during a field test of one of the professor's creations. The professor's right arm was blown off and Katua lost her right leg, but Ratchet was able to fit them with cybernetic prosthetics so advanced that they were even able to experience pain and warmth through them as if they were their real limbs. This convinced Professor Adle of the Autobots' nobility, while Katua developed a fondness for Ratchet. {{storylink|Divided Views}}

About six months later, Ratchet was part of a delegation of Autobots who accompanied Optimus Prime to a press conference in America. The conference announced the construction of the "[[Trigger]]", an interstellar teleportation system jointly developed between the Autobots and the United States government, and Ratchet helped Wheeljack write the speech that Prime proceeded to recite to the assembled human masses. Ignoring [[Jazz (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]]'s attempts to keep them quiet while the conference was going on, Ratchet and Wheeljack muttered to each other that they didn't like the Trigger's gun-shaped design, as it reminded them entirely too much of Megatron. {{storylink|First Contact}}

A little later, when human protesters gathered to object to the presence of the Autobots on Earth, Katua Adle was able to prove that they were not emotionless metal monsters by revealing her prosthetic leg to the irate crowd and explained that she could feel through it. After all, how could Ratchet have replicated those sensations if he did not know them himself? The shamed crowd relented, and Optimus Prime told Katua that he would pass her kind words on to Ratchet himself. {{storylink|Divided Views}}

====''Story of 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]]. {{storylink|Prowl & Chase}}

====''Wings Universe''====
{{Wingsnote}}
Ratchet and a [[Paradron Medic]] tended to [[Dion]]'s injuries following [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]]'s rampage. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 1}} As casualties continued to mount, he and the other medics lamented that they were running out of space to put the patients. {{storylink|Battle Lines, Part 6}}

===Big Looker storybooks continuity===
[[File:Ratchetgreatcarrally.jpg|left|upright=1.1|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}}
{{-}}

===The Battle for Planet Earth===
Ratchet was part of an Autobot expedition to [[South America]] to search for energy, but split from the rest of the group some time before they found [[Mount Sheelah]]. {{storylink|Terror of Mount Sheelah}}

===Find Your Fate Junior===
{{Note|As the following stories are [[multipath adventure]]s, details will vary depending on the path taken. See individual pages for information on alternate paths.}}
====Dinobots Strike Back====
In the path where Mirage used a hologram of Optimus Prime to lure the four [[cerebro-shell]]-controlled [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] over the edge of [[Bandit's Bluff]] and into the ocean, Ratchet was one of the Autobots crewing [[Seaspray (G1)|Seaspray's]] destroyer mode. He helped haul the unconscious quartet aboard for safe transport back to the Ark, then dried them off, chuckling, "This is one Decepticon plan that was all wet!" (''The Autobots never learn about Operation Black Coral in this path'')

In an alternate path, [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] were exploring [[Dolphin's Bay]] in search of Decepticon activity when the former was paralyzed and left in an underwater cave by [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]. This leads to four possible endings, two of which involve Ratchet rescuing Bumblebee. In one, he first repairs a waterlogged and injured Skids on the deck of Seaspray after [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] hauled his disabled [[Star mini-submarine|mini-sub]] off the ocean floor. Skids then told his three teammates about Operation Black Coral, prompting a full-scale Autobot assault, during which Ratchet and Skids used the repaired sub to rescue Bumblebee. Another ending saw a similar assault in which Ratchet was part of the land-force and rescued Bumblebee on his own. {{storylink|Dinobots Strike Back}}
====Attack of the Insecticons====
Ratchet was a minor player in many possible adventures centred around the Sun-Pak, a device created by Sparkplug to solve the Autobots' energy woes. The Autobot medic was present to tend to depowered Autobots should the situation allow it, as well as ribbing his friend Ironhide about the later's old age. {{storylink|Attack of the Insecticons}}

===''Beast Wars'' cartoon===
[[File:Agenda3-AutobotsonArkattack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|He's fallen and he's not getting up.]]
Four million years ago, Ratchet, Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ironhide, and Jazz were on the bridge of the Ark when it was suddenly attacked by the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. It crashed in a dormant volcano for untold years until it was disturbed by the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]], who had traveled from the far future. Ratchet's body was sprawled across a pile of boxes. Frozen in [[stasis lock]] as he was, Ratchet was unable to stop the Predacon from assassinating the equally comatose Optimus Prime. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part III)}} This act would have rewritten history from that moment forward, but the ensuing time storm was stopped as [[Optimus Primal/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] held Prime's spark in trust until his troupe of [[Maximal]]s, led by [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]], could repair Prime's body. {{storylink|Optimal Situation}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
{{notekeepers}}
{{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 (issue)|Skyfire]]"|style=2}}

[[File:Ratchettww.jpg|left|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 [[Border Regions|Sub-Orbital District]] of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]], which had been devastated after [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] activated the [[planetary engine]]s. He found no life signs in the entire blast radius. {{storylink|The War Within issue 2|The War Within #2}} 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|Confrontation (issue)|Confrontation}}

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 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". {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 3|Prime Directive #3}} Soon after, Optimus Prime detached Ratchet and the others from the doomsday device, {{storylink|Prime Directive issue 4|Prime Directive #4}} and he eventually recovered.

''When the alien [[Keeper (species)|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|Transformers: Annihilation|Annihilation}}

''Over the next few days, Ratchet brought all the Autobots back on-line, including [[Bluestreak (G1)|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|Transformers: Fusion|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 (issue)|Cold War}}

[[File:DWSkyfire Starscream Ratchet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|My crotch is my stomach.]]
When [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] and a team of Decepticons arrived on Earth, they attacked the Ark'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'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 (body-type)|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 (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. the Transformers'' continuity===
[[File:Ratchetjoetf2.jpg|left|upright=0.8|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]]. {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 1|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1}} [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] was able to break free from his reprogramming and awaken the other Transformers, {{storylink|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 4|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4}} and, with the help of the human anti-terrorist task-force [[G.I. Joe (team)|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 issue 5|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5}}

Two years later, 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|G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3}}

Later, when [[Serpentor|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|The Art of War #4}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers/G.I. Joe''===
Ratchet was among the Autobots who were awakened by [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] in [[1939]], and joined their war on [[Cobra]] and the Decepticons. During the assault on the Cobra [[Terrordrome]], he wondered why the Decepticons were so easy to defeat ''now'', after having been such a pain in the neck back on Cybertron. Ratchet most likely perished when the [[Matrix of Leadership]] was smashed to pieces shortly afterwards. {{storylink|The Iron Fist}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
Ratchet was happy enough to repair a badly-damaged Starscream, when the latter was brought in to the Ark. He agreed with Wheeljack that they should take the opportunity to take a look at Starscream's logic circuits, and maybe see if there was anything untoward which was making him such a disagreeable fellow, and Optimus was eventually talked around. It wasn't long before Ratchet had Starscream back online, amnesiac and surprisingly benign (it didn't last). {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

While on a mission to retrieve [[Sky Spy]], Ratchet encountered [[Stitch]], a veteran army medic, and helped him save a woman trapped in a swollen creek. The woman needed emergency medical treatment, so Ratchet used Sky Spy to scan the necessary information from Stitch's mind in order to complete surgery on the woman. Sometime later, Ratchet checked on Stitch and presented him with a new cybernetic arm to replace the one he used to repair Sky Spy. {{storylink|Healers, Fighters, and Transformers}}

===Descent into Evil===
[[File:Ratchetironhidedescent.jpg|left|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 (Victory)|General Deathsaurus's]] Insecticon clone lab and stop his planned Decepticon uprising. After a team of four (consisting of [[Outback (G1)|Fallback]], [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], [[Flareup (G1)|Flareup]], and [[Ricochet (Timelines)|Ricochet]]) failed, Ratchet and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] followed to help. After battling swarms of [[Virulent Clone]]s and [[Buzzclaw (G1)|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 Generation 1 continuity===
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
{{main|Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity}}
The Autobots' Chief Medical Officer, a close friend of [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Optimus Prime]] and someone who had treated every [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] since [[Nominus Prime]], Ratchet somehow ended up in a bog-standard Tactical Response Unit on a tenth-rate planet called "Earth" circling around a fourth-rate star called "the Sun" populated by strange creatures known as "humans". There, after several years, he went rogue to track down a human who had somehow found his way into a Decepticon Infiltration Bunker. Finding him dead, he found his palmtop computer with photos of the base in the hands of a runaway called [[Verity Carlo]], triggering the discovery a series of events that would bring Optimus himself to Earth after even [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], his unit commander, ultimately had to admit was significant despite his hatred for Ratchet's "playing hero".

After the Decepticon [[Surge (event)|Surge]], Ratchet was amongst those stranded first on an uninhabitable Cybertron, then Earth for an extended time. After these and [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]]'s Chaos War were over, finished, he joined the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', aiming to find a successor as CMO - and while he did so, by the name of [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], he also found a new pair of hands to replace his worn-out set, courtesy of the mad [[Pharma (G1)|Pharma]] who would become his new arch-enemy. Groovy.

===''Hearts of Steel''===
{{picsneeded|Ice Age Wars, Victorian, modern bodies}}
Ratchet fought in the "[[Ice Age Wars]]" on ancient Earth, transforming into an unidentified animal with scales and spikes. As the increasingly colder climate began to threaten the Autobots and Decepticons, they powered down underground to finish their conflict at a later date, and were eventually awoken by humans in the mid-19th century. Ratchet and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] agreed that it was too early to awaken [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and interfere with humanity, but they were disregarded by [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] who wanted to help the humans reach their goals. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 1|Hearts of Steel #1}}

Upon learning from the humans that the Decepticons were also awake, Bumblebee reported this to Ratchet and Prowl, who were seemingly in charge while Prime was asleep. Now that he knew Decepticons were involved, Ratchet felt it necessary for the Autobots to do something. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 2|Hearts of Steel #2}} Taking on a medical boxcar altmode, he joined the other Autobots in forming a train and pursuing the Decepticons' [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] as it headed towards [[New York City|New York]]. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 3|Hearts of Steel #3}} They were briefly held back when the Decepticons collapsed a tunnel entrance on them, forcing Ratchet and the others to stop and dig their comrades and human allies out of the rubble. Once the Astrotrain was stopped and the Decepticons were defeated, the Autobots went back underground to continue fighting another day. {{storylink|Hearts of Steel issue 4|Hearts of Steel #4}}

In [[1888]], the [[Elder God]]s began threatening Earth, causing the Autobots to resurface. Seeking the energy needed to reactivate Optimus Prime, Ratchet and several other Autobots brought inventors [[Tobias Muldoon]] and [[Nikola Tesla]] to their deep-frozen leader. {{storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 1|Infestation 2: The Transformers #1}} After sacrificing their energy to awaken Optimus Prime with [[Tesla tower|Tesla's invention]], Optimus Prime granted his soldiers some of his personal energon reserves. Soon, the Autobots set out to save [[Port Cenotaph]]; there, they found [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], who had been infected by the Elder God. While Ratchet handled Ironhide, Optimus Prime defeated the Elder God and it retreated to the ocean depths, releasing its hold on its thralls on the surface. {{storylink|Infestation 2: The Transformers issue 2|Infestation 2: The Transformers #2}}

{{charstubfiction|X-Files Conspiracy: The Transformers}}
{{-}}

===''Henkei! Henkei!'' pack-in comic===
[[File:RatchetHenkeiTsushima.jpg|left|upright=0.85|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! volume 10|Henkei! Henkei! #10}}
{{-}}

===''Mars Attacks: The Transformers''===
Ratchet took part in a battle which resulted in the Decepticons being defeated and captured. When the city was attacked by [[Martian]]s, he and the other Autobots were forced to make a temporary alliance with the Decepticons to destroy the invaders. {{storylink|Mars Attacks: The Transformers}}

==Games==
===Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons===
When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' [[Mini Vehicle|Minicar]] troops from the Decepticons, Ratchet could come to his aid when Optimus was broken down. {{storylink|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons|Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game}}

===''The Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Jack Merluzzi]] (English)}}
====Autobot story====
{{Note|Ratchet was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.}}

====Decepticon story====
During the search for the [[Gem of Mystery]], the Decepticons needed a key to proceed through the ruins. While searching for [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and the key, they came across Ratchet. Ratchet delayed the Decepticons for a short time before they continued their pursuit of Chromedome. {{storylink|The Transformers (PS2)|The Transformers}}

===''Transformers G1: Awakening''===
[[File:Gluawakening ratchet.jpg|thumb|150px]]
Ratchet was among the Autobots who left [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], and spent four million years in stasis after it was shot down over [[Earth]] by the Decepticons. He was among the first of the Autobots to recover, and sent Bumblebee on a series of energy gathering missions while he attempted to repair Optimus and the others. Ratchet worried about involving the [[human]]s in their war, but Optimus awoke in time to announce they had no choice. During a battle at [[Dyson Dam]], the Autobots captured [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]], whom Ratchet repaired after it turned out Jetfire wasn't a Decepticon after all. Discovering that the Decepticons had built a [[space bridge]], the Autobots used it to return to Cybertron, onto to find that their home world had been conquered by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] during their four million year nap.

By rewiring the circuitry in his embedded tool set, Ratchet was able to free himself and [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] and the pair liberated Optimus and [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] before the Autobot team retreated back to Earth. They arrived back in time to help [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] in battle against the Decepticons. When the Autobots detected a distress call, Ratchet thought it might be Grimlock, but as it turned out, it was a trap. They managed to survive that, and hurried back to the Ark, where they had to repel a Decepticon assault on their ship. {{storylink|Transformers G1: Awakening}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers Legends''===
When Megatron challenged Optimus Prime to a duel, Ratchet was one of the few Autobots left at HQ to defend it from an attack by the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. He joined [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] in mounting a defense, but they were no match for the Decepticon team. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War - Part 1}} During a Decepticon attack on a major human city, Ratchet, [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and the [[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobot]]s launched rescue operations. Unfortunately their efforts were hampered by [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Dirge (G1)|Dirge]], who unleashed all manner of sonic attacks on them. {{storylink|To the Rescue}} He was among the Autobots affected by Megatron's sabotage of the Autobot [[recharging chamber]], and on Megatron's orders attacked [[Rutter U.S. Military Base|Rutter Military Base]]. He and the other Autobots were returned to normal by [[Sparkplug Witwicky|Sparkplug]]'s [[attitude exchanger]]. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (Legends)|Attack of the Autobots}}

After Optimus Prime's defeat at the hand of Megatron, Ratchet was involved in the skirmishes in Autobot city that ensued. {{storylink|The Omega Corps}}

==Toys==
{{main|Ratchet (G1)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Ratchet (G1)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:G1RatchetSexchange.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|So Ratchet basically avoided becoming part of the ''Girls Gone Wild'' cast. Good on her. Er, him.]]
[[File:BC2011HoFRatchetArt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Bork bork bork - wait, no, that's Sweden...]]
*[[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]]''.
*Ratchet never really showed his party animal spirit in Marvel, outside of the start of "Warrior School". Budiansky gives two answers for why: "1) in the comic book stories, he always found himself in situations too serious to allow his party personality to emerge. 2) I screwed up and forgot I had written that as part of his profile. I prefer to go with answer number 1."<ref>[http://www.metalmachine.net/blog/2009/11/21/todds-take-with-bob-budiansky-the-architect-of-the-transformers/ Budiansky interview at Metal Machine]</ref>
*In the Shout! Factory Matrix of Leadership Special Edition DVD set, an interview with Bob Budiansky features close-ups of his original character notes for several characters, Ratchet being one of them. Oddly, his handwritten notes refer to Ratchet as "her" and the Autobots' "go-to gal" for repairs. While this obviously was not the final direction the character took, it is an odd [[Ratchet (Animated)#Notes|coincidence]]... and a fact that makes the early nicknames "Cool Hand Lube" and "Greasefinger" ''even more embarrassing''.<ref>Nicknames in profiles published in ''[[The Transformers Comics Magazine]]''.</ref>
*In a '''different''' gender-related coincidence, the French [[Diaclone]] release of Ratchet, "Ambulance", was referred to as female in one of [[Joustra]]'s [http://www.tf-1.com/articles/pretf/joustraamb_template.html pack-in minicomics].
*The Hall of Fame banner that was outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium during [[BotCon 2011]] depicted Ratchet with inverted shoulder colors. While ostensibly done to avoid the legal wrath of the Red Cross organization, it suggests that Ratchet has either suddenly become Christian and/or decided to align himself with Switzerland.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ratchet''' (ラチェット ''Rachetto'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Jiù hù chē''' (China, 救护车, "Ambulance")
*''Czech:'' '''Zdravotník'''
*''French:'' '''Mécano''' (Canada)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Racsni'''
*''Italian:'' '''Doc'''
*''Portuguese:'' '''Alavanca''' (Portugal comics), '''Trinco''' (Brazil comics, "Lock")
*''Russian:'' '''Khrapovik''' (cartoon, Храповик, "Ratchet")

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Cloud Autobots]]
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Henkei! Henkei! Autobots]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:Timelines characters]]
[[Category:Wings Universe Autobots]]
[[Category:Zombies]]
[[Category:Ladybird Books Autobots]]