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Ironhide (Movie)

2025-12-02T22:51:46Z

MinKantation:

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:''Ironhide is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:Movie Ironhide promorender2.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|A different kind of tooth fairy. He knocks them out for the one in the frilly dress to collect.]]
'''Ironhide''' is the Autobots' resident weapons specialist and [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s old friend. He is old because he is ''hard''. He's probably had enough replacement parts to build a small army, but Ironhide doggedly refuses to roll over and die for anyone. He'll fight to the bitter end and take down more than his fair share of [[Decepticon]]s in the process.

Ironhide doesn't always see optic to optic with Prime, despite their friendship. He's perhaps the more practical of the two, and more than a little trigger happy, so he can be more willing to push the Autobot code to the limit if he thinks it will get the job done faster.

He has more guns than [[Socialist Democratic Federated Republic of Carbombya|a smaller third-world country]], and he may or may not have blown up a [[Kyber-5|planet]] with said guns. Ironhide possesses an unusual, vaguely Oceanic [[accent]].

He was once mistaken as the "[[Tooth Fairy]]".

{{bigquote|I'm a soldier. I'm ''made'' for war. Your kind simply... are not.|Ironhide's resume for joining the Autobots|[[Defiance issue 4|''Defiance'' #4]]}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The six movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}

====''Transformers'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Gai Wenge]] (Chinese), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Duda Espinoza]] (Portuguese), [[Dafnis Fernández]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Ricky Coello]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Pascal Massix]] (European French), [[Manuel Tadros]] (Canadian French), [[Vinod Sharma]] (Hindi), [[Roberto Pedicini]] (Italian), [[Kerem Atabeyoğlu]] (Turkish), [[Lee Gwang-soo]] (Korean)}}

{{bigquote | Just kidding... I just wanted to show him my cannons.|Ironhide is eager to impress.}}

[[File:Movie Ironhide introduction.jpg|left|upright=1.2|thumb|Clint Eastbot in The Good, The Bad and The Metallic.]]

Responding to [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s call for assistance, Ironhide and the other Autobots under Optimus Prime's direct command came to [[Earth]], with the old soldier landing in a suburban pool. As he climbed out of the water, a little human girl asked him if he was (of all things) the tooth fairy before he quickly hid behind some trees when the child's parents exited the house. He scanned their GMC Topkick truck and transformed, leaving the residence. He linked up with [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], and they proceeded to the rendezvous point, where they met up with Optimus and Bumblebee. After meeting [[Sam Witwicky]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], Ironhide displayed an eagerness to show off his [[Weapon|cannons]], and made a classic {{w|Clint Eastwood}} impression to show it by saying "You feeling lucky, punk?"(which earned him an instant reproof from Optimus).

[[File:Movie Ironhide threatens Mojo.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|Don't shoot! I swear I don't feel lucky!]]

Going to the Witwicky residence, Ironhide had lubricant released upon him by [[Mojo|a rodent]]. This unpleasant situation was made worse by Sam Witwicky's frantic refusal to let him shoot it. Ironhide relented, despite the fact that it would cause rust. He also suggested shooting [[Ron Witwicky|the]] [[Judy Witwicky|parents]], as they were interfering with Sam's search for [[Archibald Witwicky|Captain Witwicky]]'s [[glasses]]. Optimus reminded him that they don't hurt humans and scolded his weapons expert, to which Ironhide meekly responded that he merely thought it should remain an option.

After Sam, Mikaela and his parents were captured by [[Sector Seven]], Ironhide got a ''real'' good chance to show off his cannons when he and the other Autobots totally outclassed the S7 agents by instantly disarming them of their weapons, then rescuing the boy and his girl. Unfortunately, their escape was to be short-lived, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] was captured by the mysterious agents after saving Sam and Mikaela's lives. The next morning, when Optimus Prime was pondering their next move, Ironhide asked why they had to save the humans, prompting Prime to go into one of his long speeches about freedom and sacrifice, concluding that the humans need not pay for the mistakes of Cybertron-kind, and if need be, he would destroy the AllSpark by fusing it with his own spark. Inspired by his words, Ironhide debated no further, and the Autobots set out for the location of the AllSpark, [[Hoover Dam]]. Halfway there, to their surprise, they saw Bumblebee leading a column of Sector Seven assault vehicles, so Ironhide and the rest of the Autobots joined the unit.

[[File:Movie Ironhide shootground.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Ironhide is a real showoff.]]

During the final battle at [[Mission City]], Ironhide realized that the F-22 Raptor that appeared to be providing [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox's]] troops with air cover was in fact his former comrade [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. Ordering the others to take cover, Ironhide and Bumblebee lifted a discarded truck full of ''[[Furby]]'' toys to protect the humans against Starscream's strafing run. It worked, but the explosion threw Ironhide back and crippled Bumblebee. Soon afterwards, [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] attacked, forcing Ironhide to do several somersaults to avoid the Decepticon's missiles, thus totally scaring the crap out of a lady sitting in the middle of the street.

[[File:Movie Prime Jazz Ironhide Ratchet battleaftermath2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Now you know why they call me Ironhide: every dirty job that comes along.]]
Ironhide and Ratchet took it upon themselves to protect Sam from [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] as he made his way to a rooftop where he could pass the [[AllSpark#Live-action movie universe|AllSpark]] to a military helicopter. Unfortunately, Starscream blocked off Sam's path, prompting the Autobot guardians to engage the more powerful Decepticon immediately. After taking several missiles in the gut, Ironhide implored Sam to keep running.

After the destruction of Megatron and the AllSpark, Ironhide cradled the body of the fallen Jazz and somberly informed Optimus Prime that there was nothing they could do. Ironhide then gave Captain Lennox a ride home and spent the remainder of the day observing Sam and Mikaela making out on the hood of Bumblebee's [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]]. {{Storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Ironhide's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers (novel)|Transformers]]," "[[Transformers: The Junior Novel]]" and "[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]"; the "[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; the activity book "[[Look and Find Transformers]]"; and the storybooks "[[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron]]," "[[Sam's New Car]]," "[[Transformers (interactive Play-a-Sound Storybook)|Transformers Play-a-Sound]]," "[[Meet the Autobots]]," "[[Meet the Decepticons]]," "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]" and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]."}}

====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Gai Wenge]] (Chinese), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Duda Espinoza]] (Portuguese), [[Dafnis Fernández]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Ricky Coello]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Gilles Morvan]] (European French), [[Manuel Tadros]] (Canadian French), [[Vinod Sharma]] (Hindi), [[Roberto Pedicini]] (Italian), [[Kerem Atabeyoğlu]] (Turkish)}}
[[File:ROTFPrimeandIronhide-Nottoday.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|We see you down there.]]
Ironhide acted as an Autobot support unit in [[Shanghai]] as [[NEST]] hunted for Decepticons. When [[William Lennox|Major Lennox]] told him that they had echoes of energy readings, Ironhide assumed robot mode and confirmed that their target was nearby, saying he could smell him. Unfortunately, the Decepticon in question turned out to be [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]]. Ironhide chased after the massive Decepticon as it roared through the streets before [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was deployed from the air and attacked Demolishor, allowing Ironhide to jump on his structure and shoot out his massive wheel, sending him crashing into a warehouse. Ironhide stood with his commander as Optimus prepared to deliver the killing blow, listening to Demolishor's warning about [[The Fallen]]'s return before he died. Ironhide returned to base, resting in his [[alternate mode]] in his hangar while Optimus conferred with [[William Lennox]], General [[Morshower]] and [[Theodore Galloway]].

[[File:ROTF Ironhide standoff.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"If you're gonna point a gun at someone, just keep it pointed away from him."]]
Later, Ironhide accompanied the Autobots to rescue [[Sam Witwicky]] from [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], but was too late, for the revived Decepticon leader had killed Optimus in combat. When Ironhide returned to an American air base with Optimus' body, he was surrounded by military forces under Galloway, who had managed to secure NEST's deactivation following multiple Decepticon attacks around the planet. Furious that the humans dared to point a weapon at him, Ironhide almost lost his temper, but Lennox convinced him to not turn on the non-NEST soldiers. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] recommended leaving [[Earth]], but Ironhide argued he believed Optimus would not want them to abandon the humans, apparently becoming leader of the Autobots in the process.

Ironhide was to retreat with the other Autobots to [[Diego Garcia]] until Lennox received a message from Witwicky and his friends to come to [[Egypt]], having figured out the Decepticons' scheme. Lennox managed to trick Galloway into jumping out of the plane carrying the soldiers and Prime's body, while the rest of the Autobots in the second plane quickly cut through the nets containing them. Ironhide then advised the crew to open the doors and let him out of the plane. NEST parachuted into a small village near the [[Pyramid]]s, but soon lost communication when Starscream released an EMP blast at them.

[[File:ROTF Ironhide retreat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|If I'm running you know its bad!]]
During the [[Operation: Firestorm|defensive operations of NEST's position]], Lennox decided to send a team to locate Sam, and Ironhide and [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] immediately announced that they would lead the team. Transforming to vehicle mode, Ironhide rolled out with a number of soldiers and Arcee. After finding the humans, they were ambushed by [[Buffalo MPV Decepticon|several Decepticons]], with both Arcee and Ironhide hit numerous times while providing cover fire for their friends, and told Sam and Mikaela to run while they drew their fire. Ironhide survived, albeit heavily damaged, and had to run for his life (ejecting his weapons in the process) when a [[United States Air Force]] B-1B Lancer bomber arrived delivering 2000-pound JDAM bombs, obliterating the remaining Decepticon troops in the area. Momentarily safe, Ironhide and the others witnessed Sam resurrect Optimus Prime with the [[Matrix of Leadership#Live-action film series|Matrix of Leadership]], and his leader's subsequent defeat of The Fallen. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Ironhide's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]," "[[Revenge of the Fallen: The Junior Novel]]" and "[[The Last Prime]]"; the "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; and the storybooks "[[I Am Optimus Prime (ROTF)|I Am Optimus Prime]]," "[[Operation Autobot]]," "[[When Robots Attack!]]," "[[Rise of the Decepticons]]," "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Electronic Voice Changer]]" and "[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match]]."}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Gai Wenge]] (Chinese), [[Dafnis Fernández]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Ricky Coello]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Gilles Morvan]] (European French), [[Manuel Tadros]] (Canadian French), [[Vinod Sharma]] (Hindi), [[Duda Espinoza]] (Portuguese), [[Roberto Pedicini]] (Italian), [[Galip Erdal]] (Turkish), [[Lee Gwang-soo]] (Korean)}}

{{bigquote|Class dismissed.|Ironhide, after destroying the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]}}

[[File:DOTM-Ironhidecrashvault.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Who's that coming up on my right?]]

In the years since the defeat of The Fallen in Egypt, and with their human allies closely watching for signs of Decepticon activity, the Autobots have now dedicated themselves to resolving human conflicts, fearing that rogue elements of humanity might spark the sort of global conflicts that devastated Cybertron.

Shortly after returning to the NEST facility from an unspecified mission, Ironhide was inspecting a new weapon that [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]] had created when NSA Director [[Charlotte Mearing]] arrived to speak with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. However, Ironhide and [[Dino]] let the human know that the Autobot leader was in a foul mood, believing that the US government had lied to the Autobots about disclosing all of their knowledge about the Cybertronians, given the discovery of an engine fuel cell from the long-lost ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' at [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant|Chernobyl]]. Mearing professed that she had not had clearance to this information until now, and introduced the Autobots to [[NASA]] administrators and famed [[Apollo 11]] astronaut [[Buzz Aldrin]], who explained the truth about their mission to the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]] was to explore the wreck of the ''Ark'', and how they suspected that the [[Soviet Union]] had been trying to generate fissionable power with the fuel cell.

After [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] had been rescued from the wreck of the ''Ark'' and brought back to Earth, Ironhide rushed into the chamber where he had been reactivated by the [[Matrix of Leadership]] after hearing of a commotion. After Sentinel realized that he was among friends, Ironhide witnessed him explain how his pillars were key to activating his [[space bridge]], a teleportation device that was crucial to the Autobot war effort.

[[File:DOTM-Mexicanstandoff.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|How did this happen?! None of us are even Mexican!]]

Soon, the human boy Sam Witwicky discovered that the Decepticons had stolen hundreds of pillars from the ''Ark'' decades earlier, and were now after Sentinel Prime and his control pillar to utilize the space bridge. As Sentinel, Bumblebee, [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] and Mirage neared the NEST base, Ironhide moved out to intercept their Decepticon pursuers, the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]]. After colliding head on with [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]] and [[Crowbar]], Ironhide and Sideswipe forced the Decepticons to drop their weapons after a tense "Mexican standoff". However, they deployed explosive spears, managing to hit Ironhide in the shoulder with one before recommencing their attack. The veteran Autobot caught a blaster tossed by Sideswipe and used it to shoot Crowbar in the face, before pulling the spear out of his shoulder, impaling it into Crankcase's face, slamming the Decepticon into an abandoned car and kicking the wreckage into a nearby auto shop as the spear exploded.

[[File:DOTM-Ironhiderust.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|You better [[:File:TFTM Ironhide dies.jpg|get used]] to [[Death|dying horribly]], buddy.]]

Arriving at the NEST base, Ironhide assured Sam and Colonel Lennox that he would protect Sentinel Prime from the Decepticons. However, the former Autobot leader had other ideas, explaining that he knew that they would never win the war, and to save Cybertron from destruction, a deal was made with Megatron. Before anybody could react, Sentinel shot Ironhide in the back with his hidden [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|cosmic rust]] cannon. Succumbing to the effects of the rust, Ironhide demanded to know what Sentinel had done, but the Prime callously stated that he was merely "discharging" the soldier from duty, and dealt the finishing blow. As the traitor disappeared into the NEST base to retrieve his pillars, Ironhide died, crumbling into dust. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{note|Ironhide's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]" and "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]"; the "[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]" and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; and the storybooks "[[Autobots Versus Decepticons]]," "[[Optimus Prime's Friends and Foes]]," "[[Dark of the Moon: Action Pop-ups!]]" and "[[Bumblebee's Best Friend]]."}}
{{--}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
Five years after the Battle of Chicago, Ironhide was listed as "deceased" by the CIA taskforce, [[Cemetery Wind]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}
{{--}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
[[File:TLK-history-Ironhide.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|left]]
Ironhide was active during the {{w|Battle of Trafalgar}} in 1805 and the [[World War I|First World War]] in 1914, where his exploits were documented and covered up by the [[Order of the Witwiccans]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{--}}

====''Bumblebee'' film====
Ironhide was among the Autobots fending off a wave of Decepticon forces led by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and was eventually ordered to retreat by Optimus Prime. Tasked with finding other Autobots scattered throughout the galaxy and rendezvous on [[Earth]], they left Cybertron in various escape pods. {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}

===IDW movie comics===
Thousands of years ago, with Cybertron's energy reserves dwindling and the Transformer race splintering into warring factions, Ironhide was part of the [[Thetacon (tribe)|Thetacons]], violent militants who rejected the teachings of [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. He was part of the battle to seize the retrieved [[AllSpark]] from Sentinel's band, but when that group used the AllSpark to revitalise Cybertron (proving Sentinel was right all along), the Thetacons lay down their arms. Ironhide did not understand what the Cube was going to be used ''for'' if not for subjugation, and Optimus informed him it was to spread "freedom". In gratitude, Ironhide spoke to his commanders about building a temple to house the AllSpark. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}}

In the unified Cybertron, Ironhide became a captain in [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s Cybertronian [[Defense Force]]. He grumbled about working with inexperienced recruits like [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]], though he and Chromia shared a more merciful attitude than the rest of the force towards [[malcontent]]s opposing Sentinel's new order. He visited Optimus during an archaeological expedition by his [[Science Division]], expressing delight at how they were proving many beliefs Ironhide had deemed invalid after Sentinel proved he was a Prime. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

[[File:Defiance1 Ironhide Starscream.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Sorry, we can't take you on in the Decepticons if you insist on having good-guy eyes."]]

Later, when Megatron had usurped leadership of Cybertron with Optimus to become [[High Protector]], Ironhide and commander Starscream were to report to him, but Starscream was late due to an encounter with [[Ejoornian|hostile aliens]] from the [[Eshems Nebula]]. Later, during an attack by the same aliens, Ironhide commanded the ground defense units in the city of [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]], near the [[Simfur Temple]]. When [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] were pinned down inside the temple, they considered contacting Ironhide for suggestions on what to do. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}}

After the aliens were driven out and Megatron assumed his dictatorship of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Ironhide found himself belonging to an increasingly violent and unstable military. He was present when Megatron ordered Starscream to conduct some clandestine operation of which Ironhide did not take part in. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}} He and Chromia later saw Optimus Prime and his team leaving after setting up a bomb after defeating Starscream. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} The disenchanted Ironhide turned his back on the military after Megatron's declared Optimus's followers to be traitors, and that the army now flew under the banner of the [[Decepticon]]s. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}

[[File:Defiance4 Ironhide madeforwar.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Ironhide '''''REALLY''''' wants to join the Autobots.]]

Disillusioned with what the military had become, Ironhide wandered far from [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]] to search for answers, and so preoccupied was his thoughts that he was captured by forces loyal to Optimus Prime in [[Burthov]]. Brought before the rebel leader, Ironhide pledged his allegiance to Optimus's Autobots, stating that he had no desire to destroy the innocent, and he knew the Autobots to be innocent of what Megatron charged them with. Besides, they needed somebody with his experience as a soldier. When the Autobots discovered that Megatron was building [[Nemesis (ROTF)|a massive warship]], they thought it would be best to build one of their own, though they lacked the means to do so. Ironhide, however, knew of [[Ark (Movie)|a fix-er-upper]] that they could repair in secret. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

As more gathered to Optimus Prime's cause, a young Autobot named [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] came to train under Ironhide. After Ironhide showed him the ropes, he went on to be assigned to a settlement of displaced Autobots. That assignment went disastrously, as [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] massacred the entire settlement, leaving Ironhide's student for dead. Sideswipe returned to the same unit as his former mentor embittered, suffering from survivor's guilt. Noting the new recklessness and ruthlessness that Sideswipe displayed, Ironhide attempted to reach out to his old student. Angrily, Sideswipe declared that he had grown beyond Ironhide's tutelage. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}}

As the war raged, Sentinel revealed he had constructed a [[pillar|torch]] that would end the war and prevent more deaths. It required the AllSpark to be activated, and Ironhide led the Autobot charge on Simfur Temple. [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] successfully activated the torch and delivered it to Sentinel, who boarded the [[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]. The ship arrived at Simfur, but Starscream destroyed it. Ironhide carried Arcee and Chromia off the battlefield during the retreat. A vengeful Optimus led an attack on [[Lord High Protector citadel|Megatron's citadel]], and Ironhide stood by his side, sustaining heavy damage when he pushed Optimus out of the way of the [[smelting pool]]. Optimus entered the citadel to confront Megatron alone, while Starscream and [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] attacked Ironhide. Optimus revealed the attack was a distraction from the theft of the AllSpark by [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]]'s Autobots aboard the second [[Ark (Movie)|Ark]], and opted to rescue his best friend instead of killing Megatron. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}} {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}}

Optimus claimed they would take the AllSpark aboard the Ark as they left Cybertron, but what he didn't reveal to all but a select few was that they were really going to blast the AllSpark into deep space to both distract the Decepticons and to buy them valuable time. Ironhide was one of those who followed Prime on the ''Ark'' to chase after the AllSpark, which, unbeknownst to the Autobots, had locked onto the position of a [[Star Harvester]] in a distant star system. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

As the Autobots and their human allies made their way to Mission City, Ironhide rammed [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] into a support pylon on the freeway, putting the Decepticon out of commission. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

[[File:Alliance1 Ironhide Lennox realfirepower.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|"I'm not impressed by someone who blows up JUST ONE CAR."]]
In the immediate aftermath of the battle in Mission City, Ironhide accompanied Captain Lennox and his soldiers, hunting for [[AllSpark Mutation|creatures created by the AllSpark energies]]. They had already destroyed three of the creatures when [[Xbox 360 robot|another one]] fled into a red minivan, which Lennox's men peppered with small arms fire. Ironhide decided to show them what ''real'' firepower was and blew up the van with one shot. As the Autobots prepared to move out and flee the approaching Sector Seven and government forces, Ironhide placed Jazz's remains into a trailer [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] had found, and together the soldiers had a moment of silence for their fallen comrade. A month later, after he was approached by [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]], Lennox requested the Autobots help escort the human convoy transporting the remains of the fallen Decepticons. However, the Autobots had been shadowed on their way to the meeting place by a police car, whom both Lennox and Ironhide guessed was Barricade. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}}

[[File:Alliance1 Ironhide-Jazz momentofsilence.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|At least [[Human|they're]] more emotional about this than Prime, and ''they never knew him''.]]
Ironhide and the other Autobots arrived at Sector Seven's secret [[Nevada]] desert installation to participate in the convoy that would transport the Decepticon bodies to San Francisco. He disagreed with Optimus Prime's decision to leave the AllSpark fragment in the custody of Sector Seven while they were away, but nevertheless respected his commander's decision. On the freeway, Optimus Prime had a change of heart and sent Ironhide and Bumblebee back to retrieve the AllSpark fragment. Unfortunately, Ironhide, being the slower of the two Autobots, didn't reach the base until after [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] and Starscream had caused significant death and destruction. During the cleanup, he could be seen comforting the injured Bumblebee. {{storylink|Alliance issue 2|Alliance #2}}

[[File:Alliance3 Ironhide Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Amidst the scene of devastation at Sector Seven's Nevada base, Ironhide praised Bumblebee for his courage in attempting to defend the humans, but Bumblebee regretted that he could not save them all. After Jazz's burial two weeks later, Optimus Prime accepted a proposal from Captain Lennox that the humans and the Autobots form [[NEST|a special unit]] tasked with defending their mutual home. The Autobots began training with their human allies on the island of [[Diego Garcia]], however, the lack of coordination meant even Bumblebee showed up the humans. Ironhide opined that Bumblebee's shot was "awesome". Regardless of some teething issues, the team rolled out when the Decepticon [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] was spotted in [[San Francisco]]. {{storylink|Alliance issue 3|Alliance #3}}

On the plane trip to the city, Ironhide commented on the likelihood of Swindle and [[Jolt (Movie)|Dead End]] putting up a fight, and how he hated flying. On the safe, stable ground, Lennox gave orders, Ratchet and Epps were assigned to team two, who would set the trap. En route to the Decepticons, Ratchet and Ironhide bantered about how the former's vehicle mode was more suited to [[NEST]]'s cover story of a chemical spill, while the latter asserted that he was the more stylish of the pair. After the Decepticons were disposed of, Major Lennox and Optimus Prime decided to send Bumblebee back to the United States to once again assume the role of Sam's guardian. Ironhide reminded his little buddy to stay out of trouble, at least until the larger Autobot arrived to take over the protector role. Soon, more Decepticons were spotted on Earth, and Ironhide was deployed to [[Italy]] to deal with [[Fracture (Movie)|Fracture]]'s team. After [[Reverb (Movie)|Reverb]] and [[Gunbarrel (Movie)|Gunbarrel]] had been destroyed, NEST forces led Fracture to Ironhide, who rammed the [[Female Transformer|female Decepticon]] off the cliff road she was racing upon. Somewhere in the United States, Barricade managed to evade capture or destruction, forcing Ironhide to give Bumblebee warning. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}}

Ironhide was reunited with Sideswipe at [[Diego Garcia]] after the younger bot had answered Optimus Prime's homing beacon and joined [[NEST]]. He found that Sideswipe had changed little, and if anything had become even more of a loose cannon in his pursuit of Demolishor. Unable to reach his former trainee with words, Ironhide was reduced to performing damage control in the skirmish at [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]. However, in the aftermath, Sideswipe saw the destruction he had wrought and the fear it engendered in the humans, begrudgingly admitting that Ironhide had been right all along. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 2|Tales of the Fallen #2}}

[[File:Ironhidehitnefarious2.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.65]]
Ironhide was part of the team that halted [[Alice (ROTF)|Alice]]'s rampage after the Decepticon stole an RV. He didn't contribute much to the battle, possibly because subtlety was called for. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 1|Nefarious #1}} He joined Sideswipe in stopping three Decepticons fleeing a site in [[Utah]]. He warned Sideswipe of the possible effects of hubris, and rammed [[Reverb (ROTF)|Reverb]]. When [[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] seemed to surrender, Ironhide prevented Sideswipe from doing anything fatal to the Decepticon so they could have an interrogation, but Dirt Boss's surrender was merely to allow time for [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to attack. Ironhide was pounced on by [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and then shot at by Soundwave, but luckily [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] chose that point to come to their rescue and Soundwave was captured. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 2|Nefarious #2}}

Ironhide began preparing an old nuclear shelter in [[Texas]] to house Soundwave, though he was sceptical that the Decepticon would reach it. As it turned out, he was right, and Soundwave escaped en route. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 3|Nefarious #3}} When he heard Galloway was under Decepticon attack, Ironhide put forward the opinion that the man was a "pain in the aft", but Optimus reminded him they should still help. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 4|Nefarious #4}}

Soundwave led the Autobots to the location of the [[Initiative base]] in [[California]], but it was gone. Ironhide figured that it must have had something to do with the recent mysterious activities. Soundwave's research relocated the base in [[Utah]], so the Autobots drove there and attacked, only to find themselves facing brainwashed [[Transformer]]s. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 5|Nefarious #5}} Ironhide and Ratchet fought on, ramming a bunch of the brainwashed 'bots in their vehicle modes. They felt the effects when [[Carter Newell]] attempted to destroy all Cybertronian life on the planet using the [[AllSpark]] constructed by the Initiative, however the battle turned in the Autobots' favor and they eventually triumphed. {{storylink|Nefarious issue 6|Nefarious #6}}

[[File:Sideswipesandrfriendsparachuterisingstorm4.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]
Ironhide was part of a human-Autobot joint strike team that took out a group of Decepticons dealing weapons to Earth's human populace. When Divebomb attempted to use Lennox, Galloway and another NEST soldier as a hostage to extricate himself from the situation, Ironhide blew a hole through the Decepticon, telling him not to threaten humans. This display of power was enough to make the remaining Decepticon, Fearswoop, surrender unconditionally. Ironhide escorted Fearswoop back to NEST headquarters, keeping his cannons locked on the 'con at all times. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}} When Sam called in that he was being attacked by a group of Decepticons, after the [[Brains|Brain Unit]] that he had stumbled onto, Ironhide was deployed to help with the situation. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} Ironhide's group arrived in Philadelphia just in time to rescue Sam from being killed by Starscream's hand. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}} But Ironhide noticed something odd about the battle. The Decepticons weren't fighting back, merely trying to make their getaway. The battle had turned out to be a diversion orchestrated by Shockwave in order to get to several Autobot refugees left behind at the NEST headquarters. Shockwave himself soon joined the battle, turning the tide in the Decepticons' favour. The Autobots managed to send Shockwave fleeing with his pet Driller, but only just barely. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}
{{-}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:Titan Ironhidetranisition.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Okay, when even your ''transition form'' has eff-off great weapons...]]
That mega-bazooka of his has been with him since he was a proto-chip. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

During the war, Ironhide ran training missions for the younger Autobot recruits. These missions would often have the recruits thrown into the sharp end: one, involving [[Signal Flare (Movie)|Signal Flare]], [[Strongarm (Movie)|Strongarm]] and [[Skyblast (Movie)|Skyblast]], abruptly turned into a raid on a [[Deserted Decepticon outpost|Decepticon base]] and rescuing [[Longview (Movie)|a prisoner]]. He also developed skills at resisting psychic interrogation techniques. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}}

He would later be one of three Autobots who tried to prevent [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] from reaching the [[AllSpark#Live-action movie universe|AllSpark]]. They hadn't, however, expected for [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] to be demented enough to set off a [[foldspace warhead]] at pointblank range - a weapon that warped everyone to different parts of the galaxy. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|Prelude: Megatron}}

After spending some time planet-hopping, Ironhide detected [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s homing signal and headed for it. En route, he was captured by an alien spacecraft, one that appeared to belong to immense entities that created the AllSpark and wanted it back. Ironhide, shrugging off a psychic probe, worked out these entities were an illusion - the ship was a derelict that had been salvaged by a group of aquatic aliens who wanted to find & exploit the AllSpark. Ironhide removed their ability to do so by taking the derelict's device that tracked down AllSpark energy. While he then went on his way, he was left wondering what race had originally owned this vessel and what their connection to the AllSpark was... {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}}

[[File:Movie TitanTransformers6 Ironhide.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|[[War Machine|HERE'S MY SUNDAY BEST!!!]]]]
After meeting up with Ratchet, the two began searching for Jazz. They found he was the prisoner of a living, predatory planet; Ironhide reasoned with the planet to let their friend go (i.e. shot it repeatedly with his slag-off great cannon) and they took him back to Cybertron with them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 6|Lost In Space Part 4: Jazz}}

Following the [[Mission City]] battle, he got into ''another'' battle with [[zombie]] Decepticons. Already injured and exhausted from the last fight, he almost fell before Ratchet found a solution. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

[[File:Movie TitanTransformers8 ScorpieIronhide1.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Ratchet was right. That tingles!]]
After that, he worked with a [[United States Marine Corps]] team to track down [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]. The Decepticon led them into a trap and took control of Ironhide's motor functions, causing him to attack the humans. They attempted to fight back - oh, you know those sabot rounds that are supposed to harm Transformers? They had no effect. Luckily, one of the soldiers was able to sever Scorponok's connection before he killed them all, and Ironhide killed the Decepticon the old-fashioned way: ''brutally''. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 8|Scorpion Sting}}

[[File:Ironhidetwins KLUNNG.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|You may now kiss the bride.]]

Ironhide was later the commanding officer at the [[NEST]] base at Edwards [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] Base, [[California]]. To his intense annoyance, [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] had turned up, claiming to have a message for Optimus Prime and ''only'' him. Since they'd cried wolf before and Optimus was busy on another mission, Ironhide refused. So the twins ''ambushed him with piles of crates'' so they could reach NEST's ops room and send in a call. Ironhide hurt them for this.

He grew more frustrated when, after NEST picked up a Decepticon signal heading for [[Las Vegas]] and Ironhide headed up a strike team, the twins pleaded to come along. He bluntly stated they couldn't be trusted ''not'' to screw up the way they were going, and if they wanted his trust they'd have to earn it.

Once in Las Vegas, Ironhide led his team to capture [[Grindor (ROTF)|the Decepticon Grindor]]. The target used his rotors to blast cars at everyone, knocking Ironhide over, though the human soldiers under [[Dundee|Sergeant Dundee]] completed the mission. Then the twins turned up to earn his trust and show their skills! ...which caused Grindor to be accidentally freed. This time, seeming to notice his way of dealing with the twins wasn't helping matters, Ironhide calmly pointed out that they'd made a mistake, but so does everyone: the trick is to ''learn'' from them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.3|Learning Curve}}

He had them sent to be trained by [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], but didn't act on their claims of important info {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.4|New Tricks}} as he still doesn't trust them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Previously...}} Soon after that, they turned traitor ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|or so it seemed]]) and Ironhide worked with Optimus to capture them. When an anonymous tip-off came in that the twins were abducting [[Sam Witwicky]], Ironhide stated that the call seemed dodgy but they couldn't afford to not follow it up. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|Outlaw Blues}}

Later, after being alerted to the twins' position and while in a NEST carrier plane, Ironhide (with Sideswipe) watched the fugitives battle the very Decepticons they thought the twins had been aiding and abetting. With the plane unable to land, Ironhide continued to monitor the situation {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.7|Turnabout}} and would track the twins to the Decepticons' [[Mars (planet)|Phobos]] base. As a result, the Autobots cleared out a whole nest of [[Purple generic drone|drones]]. Finally realising that the twins ''had'' been innocent all along, Ironhide apologised to them and officially welcomed them into the Autobot's Earth division. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.8|Back-to-Back}}

[[File:Titan11 cleaningupHoist.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|"I think we've [[Hoist (Movie)|made a mistake]] here."]]

After the Fallen's defeat, Ironhide led clean-up operations against the Decepticon stragglers on Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.11|Spare Parts!}}

[[File:Titan17 ironhideUGH.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|[[Ironfist (disambiguation)|Iron's fist!]]]]

In one different mission, he, [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], and [[William Lennox]] were investigating strange clearances in [[Peru]] alongside [[Redway|Doctor Redway]]'s ecological survey team. They found several statues of [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] in the jungle, while Ironhide was ''really'' eager to burn, but warned them the Decepticon was in the area. Ironhide identified blast damage as being caused by Starscream's Vulcan cannon, but before they could withdraw with the evidence the robot himself attack! Ironhide took him on, using his guns to clear the treeline and then engaging in hand-to-hand combat (and taking some major whacks to the face!), and eventually the Decepticon fled. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.17|The Kingdom of Starscream}}

As open battles were turning humans against the Transformers, Prime and Ironhide oversaw the creation of a secret covert unit that would monitor the Decepticons, wait for windows of opportunity out of the public eye, and then hit hard and fast. Ironhide was quite happy with the unit's performance, not knowing why Optimus was left disquiet about the tactics used.{{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.18|Shadow War}} When preparing for an assault on [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]]'s base, Wheelie offered to help out. Unfotunately, Ironhide made the tragic mistake of declining the offer, as it lead to Wheelie turning on the Autobots. During the battle, Ironhide used himself as a human shield while Optimus and Bumblebee opened fire on [[Tankor (ROTF)|Tankor]] and [[Dead End (ROTF)|Dead End]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.20|Divided Loyalties}}

Sent on a mission with Ratchet, Ironhide confided in his companion that he would rather be on a suicide mission than where they were now—running public relations at an anti-[[Transformer|Cybertronian]] rally outside the [[Tech Museum of Innovation]]. After Ratchet's attempts to mollify the crowd failed, Ironhide tried his hand, but only managed to panic them further. Then, Starscream and Barricade arrived, and Ironhide boldly charged at them. Though he deftly disabled Barricade, Starscream threw a tanker truck at Ratchet and the humans. Ironhide body-slammed it out of the way and was promptly caught in the explosion. As the Decepticons prepared to finish him off, they were besieged by the protesters, who were now adamantly pro-Autobot. He was later well enough to request one of Castor's anti-Decepticon T-shirts. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.4|Automatic for the People}}

====Alternate timeline====
[[File:Titan11_Bonecrusher.jpg|left|250px|thumb]]

In a [[Tyran 208.28 Gamma|divergent timeline]], the Decepticons succeeded at Mission City and conquered the United States. Ironhide was part of the Autobot resistance on [[Earth]] and was in contact with reinforcements from Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 9|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}} He and Ratchet were in a mission in Savannah, Georgia, the site of the Decepticon's [[cyberforming]] process. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2}} Using [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] disguises, they sneaked in and Ironhide worked out how to destroy the facility and save the planet, only to find [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] let them in to kill them! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 11|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}} Ironhide got the slag kicked out of him until Ratchet saved him, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}} but he made up for it in keeping the Decepticons distracted while Ratchet finally took out the AllSpark. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5}}

He was stationed near a refugee shelter in Savannah following the liberation of America. When Decepticons attacked the shelter, a position with no strategic value, Ironhide suspected it was a trap—which it was, an attempt to keep the Autobots in a position where a manipulated [[NATO]] could kill them all. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 14|Aftermath Part 1}} Ironhide showed annoyance that the humans couldn't see the Autobots were just trying to help, and he replied with a curt "fine" when he was ordered not to return fire on any human tanks. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|Aftermath Part 2}}

Alongside [[Longarm (Movie)|Longarm]], he protected San Diego from a Decepticon raid, talking the younger Autobot through how to best drive off the attackers. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}}

[[File:AutobotsVehiclemodes-ReturntoCybertronpart1.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67]]

When Optimus wanted [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] to be secretly brought from the long-dead Cybertron to Earth, Ironhide was the one chosen to lead the mission (Bumblebee, Arcee and Armorhide with him). Ironhide warned his team to be on their guard, trust nothing, and that they'd die if they got misty-eyed about being home. Soon after landing, they ran into [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]]'s Decepticons, and Ironhide was challenged to hand-to-hand combat to resolve the situation. The look on Ironhide's face as Stockade shrugged off his strongest blow was a joy to behold (but not for Ironhide cos he got battered). {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Return to Cybertron: Part 1}}

[[File:StockadeVsIronhide.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|left|...Well, ''that's'' never happened before.]]
Ironhide absolutely refused to back down or surrender, leading to Stockade beating him up a few more times. When it became clear the Decepticons were going to use all the Nucleon to summon an alien entity into Cybertron's core, Ironhide decided to provide the "distraction" so the other Autobots could stop the plan: that distraction being to run over [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]] and smash into things, which ended when Stockade smashed him up one last time. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}}

When [[Unicron]] entered Cybertron's core and began reshaping the planet, Ironhide ordered Bumblebee to flee from falling rubble and not wait for him... and got squished. The other Autobots pulled him out, and he decided the only logical response to Unicron's invasion was to ''blow up the planet''. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}} Luckily, a newly arrived Optimus had a better plan: Cut off the Nucleon that Unicron was using to power his physical form. Ironhide was part of this mission and led the defensive action against Unicron's internal defender drones, but lost his mega-bazooka in the process. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

Upon returning to Earth and being fired on by Decepticons (who had seized Autobase and the six hundred square miles around it), he said he's the last guy to run from a firefight but they should... run from a firefight. He was both respectful of the fact the Autobots had not been around to stop the Decepticons and recognised the President was a blatant Decepticon slave. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Hard Target}}

He was part of the raid to get [[Mikaela Banes]] back from the Decepticons, noting the Decepticons were letting them enter Savannah. His big contribution to the mission was to get thwacked by [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself}}

Optimus and Ironhide both realised Allen would be used against them, and so two weeks before he ''was'', Ironhide covertly contatced [[Tom Banachek]] and set him up to identify ''every'' Decepticon cerebro-strip puppet in the US government. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part 3}} When it became clear Allen was going to order the Autobots off American soil, Ironhide headed off to do something ''mysteeeeerious'' with Bumblebee, which turned out to be setting things up so they could fake their own deaths. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution Part 1}} This gave the Autobots the freedom to rig up the means to forcibly exile the Decepticons on Cybertron, and once Banachek was done the Autobots returned to hit the [[Decepticon Heartland]].

Ironhide was in the spearhead, acting as Prime's second-in-command and having his dialogue stolen by [[Strongarm (Movie)|Strongarm]]. He forcibly teleported Starscream to Cybertron, helping finally win a lasting peace for Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part 3}}

====Law and Disorder====
[[File:Lawanddisorder logo.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb]]

[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] was meant to be a solo letters page host, but Ironhide forcibly took co-ownership of the section. He spends his time undermining and dissing Barricade. Particularly, he used to seem focused on the fact Barricade was beaten by Bumblebee, viewing this as laughable and Bumblebee as a weak fighter (#2). ([[:File:Titan17 Bumblebeehandlesthis.jpg|Maybe he's trying to cover something...]]) He later began to admit Bumblebee is hardcore (#3, #7), and started switching tactics to taunting Barricade for his absence from the new video games (#4, #12) and the awesome popularity of [[Live-action film series|the Autobot propaganda films]]. (#5) He did try once to get on with Barricade but the Decepticon was having none of it. (#6)

While he's happy to dish it, he's not so happy when the Decepticon wins out. When a [[Female Transformer]] wrote in and engaged in heavy flirting with Barricade, Ironhide got grumpy and abruptly decided that was all the letters they had time for and ran reader's photos instead. (#5) At other times, he's tried to shame readers for being too pro-Decepticon (#7, #8) and dissed their creative work. (#11, #12) He's even menaced ''[[Simon Furman|Furman himself]]'' into writing more pro-Autobot scripts! (#12)

From #9, he started offering Barricade the opportunity to defect to the Autobots. And he ''will not stop''. He's even admitted that the Decepticon has grown on him and he's becoming fond of him, something Barricade considers an act of psychological warfare. (#11)

Barricade likes and admires ''your'' anal-retentive knowledge of Transformers trivia! (#1) Very soon after announcing this, he turned against it (fans must've kept emailing him). (#7) Despite this, he often encourages and defends the younger Autobot fans, encouraging young kids to dress as Transformers and send in pictures; he's also a supporter of [[unofficial conventions|fan conventions]]! (#7) We're not just his fans, we're his "biological insurgents"! (#9)

Ironhide is in talk with some producers about the third film being focused on ''him'', but is disgruntled that they're insisting on Bumblebee being in it as his sidekick. (#8)

He's a big fan of video games, especially the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Xbox 360 ROTF game]] (#4) and ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' (#12), and always loves playing against people in multiplayer! (#4)(#7) His other favourite things are [[Michael Bay]]'s explosive directing style (#5), and both heavy metal music and DJ Shadow. (#7) He also admires [[Batman]] cos his car has ''lots'' of weapons (#2).

Details about his past have been revealed: When Ironhide was four years old, he lived in [[Tyger Pax]] and assembled his first high yield plasma accelerator. He was often told off for hanging around the primary heat exchangers downtown. (#7) He's encountered the [[Combaticon (ROTF)|Combaticons]] before, along with Optimus, and warns readers to be careful around them! (#3) He has some awareness of [[Unicron]] too, describing him as being "as mad as his mouth is big, so pretty mad". (#6) More surprisingly, he was once active in the ''1980s'', [[Starscream (Movie)#Star Screams|similar to Starscream]], when he took the form of a [[Ironhide (G1)/toys|red version of Ratchet]]. He fought Barricade during this time, and still has disgust for mullets. (#12)

[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] annoys him. A ''lot''. (#9) Enough so that, upon hearing the punishment given to Decepticons who defect, he pleaded with Barricade to send someone to "collect" Wheelie... (#10)

Sometimes, he wistfully wonders what it must be like to have [[relatives|a son]]... (#10)

===Novels===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
During their long search for the AllSpark, the crew of the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'' encountered a strange ship in an abandoned star system. Ironhide identified it as Decepticon, but on second glance wasn't so sure. Though he was all in favor of destroying the mystery craft in case it was a Decepticon trap, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] disagreed, believing it to be of alien construction. As [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] followed the ship down to a planet, Ironhide appeared to express concern for his fellow, though he later dismissed this as not wanting their numbers depleted. Ironhide and [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] backed up Optimus when the Decepticons sprang an attack on them, though Ironhide was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the passive tactics they were employing. He and Jazz ejected [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] from the ''Ark''{{'}}s hangar. After the fight, Optimus departed to help Bumblebee, and left Ironhide in charge.

During a subsequent Decepticon attack, Ironhide and Jazz employed a new plan wherein Jazz distracted the foe, and Ironhide attempted to approach the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' from a sensor blind-spot. The plan might have succeeded had [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] not chosen that moment to return from the nearby planet. Jazz was badly damaged as a result, and Ironhide had to work with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] to return them both safely to the ''Ark''. The return of Optimus and Bumblebee meant another battle, and Ironhide was matched up against Bonecrusher. He managed to avoid getting hit for the most part, though he did suffer some damage to his armor. Following the Decepticon retreat, and Optimus's news that [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and possibly the AllSpark were located on Earth, Ironhide opined that Starscream would be reluctant to go there because he wanted Megatron to stay lost. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

====''The Veiled Threat''====
{{Note|The events of ''The Veiled Threat'' take place during [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Alliance|Alliance]]'' comic.}}

During a trip back to Diego Garcia, Ironhide's ship was stopped by Somali pirates. Although the crew could have taken them, they decided to let Ironhide handle it. Transforming into [[robot mode]], Ironhide instructed the pirates to "walk the plank". Most of the pirates opted to instead jump off the ship at running speed.

Following reports that Starscream was operating in [[Zambia]], Ironhide accompanied Optimus, Ratchet, [[Salvage (Movie)|Salvage]], and [[Beachbreak]] to Africa with Captain Lennox, Sergeant Epps, [[Petr Andronov]], and [[Kaminari Ishihara]]. They confronted [[Macerator (ROTF)|Macerator]], [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]], and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] on the Zambezi, where the Decepticons fought in the river, pulling the Autobots downstream. Optimus nearly fell over the falls, but was saved by Beackbreak, at the cost of his life. Ironhide got some payback at a dam down the river, which the Decepticons were trying to destroy. Macerator was killed and Payload swept away when they opened the flood gates rather than allow him to destroy the dam, but Ironhide was forced to let Dropkick escape since he was heading toward the humans.

Following this, two separate signals of Decepticon activity were detected, in [[Peru]] and the [[Australia]]n outback. Ironhide accompanied Optimus, Salvage, Lennox, and Kaminara to Australia. As they reached the outback close to dark, they decided to begin searching in the day, with Lennox taking Ironhide's cab, a situation the old Autobot preferred, as he would have turned one of his lesser weapons on Kami's music devices (stop looking at him like that, he wouldn't have hurt her). The next day, Lennox realized that the Decepticons were interested in the two regions because of energy sources, uranium in Australia's case, and Lennox theorized that it might the Decepticons might hope to use the energy to reactivate a depleted Spark. Considering the situation, Ironhide conceded that a spark could be restored via a focused energy blast, but doubted that human resources could do the trick, and the individual in question would be only partially revived at best. Two days later, the NEST team discovered the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s [[Kickback (ROTF)|Kickback]], [[Tread]], and [[Trample]]. Ironhide wailed on Trample for a while before he grabbed Kami, but she used her weapon to disorient him and allow Ironhide to move in for the kill.

After their return to Diego Garcia, reports came in of [[Jolt (Movie)|Deadend]] and [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] racing around in [[Rome]]. Ironhide went along as part of the NEST team, but found himself unable to enter the narrower streets that the two Decepticons were using to get around. Though [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knockout]] managed to deal with the two cars on his own, Starscream arrived and challenged Prime to one-on-one combat. It was a ruse to lure Optimus into a trap, leaving Ironhide, Ratchet and Knockout to fight Starscream themselves. They managed to hold their own against the much larger Decepticon, largely thanks to Ironhide's might, until Optimus got free of the trap and joined them, at which point Starscream fled. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

====''Classified'' novels====
Ironhide took part in several [[Battle of Polyhex|battles]] in [[Polyhex]] with Optimus Prime during the war.

On [[Earth]], he and Optimus later used the same tactics while dealing with a trio of Decepticons who attacked the [[Nevada Test and Training Range]]. Also he killed [[Tracer (Classified)|Tracer]] by shooting the Decepticon in the face. Afterwards, Ironhide wondered if the humans might give them medals, but Optimus revealed that the trio had been communicating with an unidentified third party. Ironhide was annoyed when the humans later kept them out of the loop. Optimus and Ironhide later traveled to [[Hawthorne Army Depot]], where [[Reverb (ROTF)|Reverb]] had uncovered an ancient cache of weapons, including a personal [[force field]]. This made it difficult for Ironhide to use his guns on the Decepticon, and even trying to punch Reverb resulted in Ironhide being knocked backwards and being hit by Reverb's sonic cannon. He was too injured to do much for the rest of the battle, though a missile he later fired proved that Reverb's force field had failed. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Switching Gears|Switching Gears}}

Ironhide was back up to fighting strength a month later, and helped [[Hyperdynamix]] test their new prototype tank, though he almost lost the battle with it. When Decepticons later attacked Hyperdynamix, he, Optimus and Ratchet went to defend the location, but had trouble locating the Decepticons in question. The game of hide and seek ended for Ironhide when he was sent by helicopter to [[Battle Mountain]] to pick up [[Gears (ROTF)|Gears]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Kevin Bowman]], who had left the base without permission. To his disappointment, he arrived back at Hyperdynamix to find the three attacking Decepticons had already been finished off. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Battle Mountain|Battle Mountain}}

During a visit to Hyperdynamix Aerospace to learn about the [[Hyperdynamix Orbital Debris Disposal Initiative Station|HODDIS]] station intended to track incoming Cybertronians, and the satellite with which [[Alexander Porter|Dr. Porter]] intended to wipe out the Decepticons, incoming meteoroids were detected. Optimus, Ironhide and Ratchet and his team went to the crash site in [[Idaho]], and found themselves having to fight the giant robot centipedes which came out of the meteoroids. Dubbing them "[[robo-pede]]s", Ironhide teamed up with Ratchet to take down two of them before they could reach a human town, and had to follow one into a lake to catch it. {{storylink|Transformers Classified: Satellite of Doom|Satellite of Doom}}

===Toy bios===
Even before the war began, Ironhide loved weapons. Nothing made him happier than travelling to some remote asteroid field where he could let loose and blast rocks to his spark's content. These days, Ironhide's targets are all mobile, and the length of the war has started to take the fun out of heavy weaponry for him. {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Titanium Series|Titanium Series Ironhide}} Nonetheless, he found time between fights to train Arcee in combat. {{storylink|Arcee (Movie)#Scout Class toys|Arcee (Scout)}}

Just before coming to Earth, Jazz was badly hurt in a battle with Brawl. As part of his recovery, Ironhide helped upgrade Jazz's endoskeleton reinforcements. {{storylink|Jazz (Movie)#Premium|Premium Series Jazz}}

When Ironhide got himself a new pulse cannon, he couldn't wait to test it out on the Decepticons. {{storylink|#Fast Action Battlers|Pulse Cannon Ironhide}} At some point, he had a knock-down, drag-out fight with Blackout, possibly in a desert. {{storylink|#Legends Class toys|Ironhide Vs Desert Blackout}}

With the war over, and infused with the power of the AllSpark, Ironhide felt like a young 'bot again and decided to spend his new spare time exploring Earth. Together with his new human friends, he's having the time of his life conquering the most challenging trails on the planet, from Death Valley to the darkest Amazon basin! {{storylink|#Voyager Class toys|Offroad Ironhide}} He does this with William Lennox, who he stays with; when the soldier's away, Ironhide watches his family for him. And he also gets to play with [[Sector Seven]] experimental weaponry! Yay peace! {{storylink|#Voyager Class toys|Premium Series Ironhide}}

During this relatively quiet period, Ironhide also began mentoring [[Landmine (Movie)|Landmine]] in the ways of battle. {{storylink|Landmine (Movie)|Landmine (Deluxe)}}

With Megatron dead, the Autobots are able to go on the offensive. Hunting down and killing Decepticons is the most fun Ironhide ever had! {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Voyager Class toys 2|''Revenge of the Fallen'' Voyager Ironhide}} As part of this mission, he got spiffy new red armor, making him far tougher. {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers 2|Cannon Force Ironhide}}

Ironhide took on specific missions against especially dangerous Decepticons, such as leading a team consisting of himself, Mudflap, and [[Swerve (Movie)|Swerve]] against the infamous and ferocious [[Sparkcrusher]] and [[Runamuck (ROTF)|Runamuck]] {{storylink|Straightaway Shootout}} and using stealth tactics to hunt down the murderous [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]] in Southeast Asian jungles alongside [[Armorhide (Movie)|Armorhide]]. {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Recon|Recon Ironhide}} {{storylink|Armorhide (Movie)#Revenge of the Fallen|Armorhide (Deluxe)}}

Ironhide volunteered for a solo op against weapons specialist [[Hailstorm (TF 2010)|Hailstorm]], as the two used to belong to the same gun club on Cybertron. Knowing how dangerous Hailstorm is, he was eager to test ''his'' guns against him! {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys|''Hunt for the Decepticons'' Deluxe Ironhide}}

Somewhat disturbingly, Ironhide feels ''nothing'' matches the thrill of establishing a target lock, and the world slows down around him as he heads into battle. Part of him hopes he ''never'' runs out of Decepticons to kill... {{storylink|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Robot Replicas|Robot Replicas Ironhide}}

Ironhide spent months training Skids on how to effectively handle himself in a fight. {{storylink|Skids (ROTF)#Cyberverse|Cyberverse Autobot Skids}}

===''Beast Wars Diorama Story''===
At some point, Ironhide and multiple Autobots and Decepticons traversed dimensions and found themselves on a different [[Earth]], in the distant past. They crossed paths with new Transformer factions, the [[Maximal]]s and the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, who were engaged in a conflict called the [[Beast Wars (event)|Beast Wars]]. A battle broke out between the four factions. The Autobots and the Decepticons eventually returned to their home dimension, leaving the Maximals and Predacons behind to settle the Beast Wars. {{storylink|Transformers: Beast Wars Diorama Story|Beast Wars Diorama Story}}

===''Mini Mayhem!''===
Sam asked Ironhide and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] whether either of them ever thought of defeating [[The Fallen]] with water, him always being on fire and all. Ironhide responded that they had instead tried to "fight fire with fire" in the most literal sense, though the results were less than desirable. {{storylink|Mini Mayhem!}}

===''Cyber Missions''===
{{voiceactor|[[Bronco D. Jackson]] (English)|[[Germán Fabregat]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Luiz Carlos Persy]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:Ironhide Cyber Missions.JPG‎|thumb|upright=1.67|left|About to get a fright.]]

While reviewing some [[Datatrax|data tracks]] with [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], an explosion was detected outside of [[NEST]] HQ. Ironhide told Bumblebee to lock down the most important data tracks while he went to investigate the explosion. As it turned out, it was [[Bludgeon (ROTF)|Bludgeon]], whom Ironhide had been hoping for a rematch. After a brief struggle, Bludgeon lured Ironhide into the jungle, and hit him with a tree. Bumblebee then contacted Ironhide (to inform him that Bludgeon was a feint to allow [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] to break into the base) but Ironhide told Bumblebee that this was between him and Bludgeon. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 1}} Optimus Prime, however, disagreed, and by morning, told Ironhide to not engage Bludgeon. The Decepticon made that difficult, but Ironhide eventually gained the upper hand, cornering him at a cliff. Deciding to extend the olive branch, Ironhide offered to ensure Bludgeon would receive amnesty if he joined the Autobots (and people say Ironhide is too aggressive). Bludgeon rejected the offer out of fear of Megatron's wrath and jumped off the cliff, escaping. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 2}}

Lost in the jungle, Ironhide stumbled onto a cave. There he was hypnotised by [[Mindwipe (ROTF)|Mindwipe]] and commanded to gather up the deposits of [[energon]] scattered around the cave floor. He remained that way until Optimus Prime was able to defeat Mindwipe, at which point he wondered what the heck had been going on. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 5}} Some time later, he took Bumblebee to train in some snowy wastes. While he was somewhat aggressive with his training methods, he suddenly stopped when he saw that they had almost crushed a flower growing in the snow. Bumblebee wondered what the fuss was, until Ironhide pointed out that the flower was giving off sentient life readings, and swore the smaller bot to secrecy, as the revelation might have weirded out the humans. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 8}}

[[File:CyberMissions11 Ironhide pursued.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
While speeding down [[Interstate 95]], Ironhide was pulled over by a police car. He was just contemplating Optimus's reaction to him having been pulled over by the Earth authorities, when he realised that he'd been ambushed by [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]. While he was holding them at bay with his bravado, Lockdown grabbed the missile right out of his launcher, only for the missile to explode and knock the Decepticon down. Ironhide followed this up by picking up a nearby dump truck and emptying its contents on Barricade, before chasing the two Decepticons off. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 11}}

Ironhide was one of the group of Autobots who went to aid Optimus Prime in a remote area of the [[Arctic]]. They were intercepted by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], but brought the Decepticon jet down and caught up with Optimus in time to see him letting [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] go. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 12}} Ironhide took part in a gambit to trap the Decepticons. As Optimus and Megatron fought, Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee attacked the other Decepticons. Starscream tried to flee, but Ironhide fired on him, forcing the Decepticon to try and engage him in combat at ground level. Ironhide easily matched him for strength and, with the defeat of Megatron, the Decepticons fled. Bumblebee and Ironhide celebrated their victory as Optimus delivered yet another speech. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}
{{-}}

===''I Can Read!'' books===
[[File:OptimusandIronhide-TrainingDay.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
Ironhide met up with Optimus, Sideswipe and Bumblebee in a desert to train. He and Optimus tackled a rough off-road trail, only for their training to be interrupted by a nearby dam bursting open. The two Autobots sealed up the dam using rocks from a nearby quarry. They met back up with Bumblebee and Sideswipe afterwards, who admitted to have encountered their own "natural disaster." The source of the disturbances soon revealed itself to be Megatron and Starscream tunneling underground. Though the two Decepticons attempted to ambush the Autobots, Ironhide and the others were able to send them running thanks to the training they had gone through that day. {{storylink|Training Day (book)|Training Day}}

[[File:ScalpelvsIronhide-RttR.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
Ironhide and Ratchet encountered [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] and [[Scalpel (ROTF)|Scalpel]] at a sea-side dock. Ratchet was able to hold off the Decepticons with an electrical discharge, allowing both Autobots to escape safely. Ironhide later helped the Autobots defeat the Decepticons in Egypt. {{storylink|Ratchet to the Rescue}}
{{-}}

===''Hunt for the Decepticons'' storybooks===
[[File:SamwarnsAutobots-SatelliteMeltdown.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
Upon learning that [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] and [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] were causing trouble, Optimus ordered Ironhide and the rest of the Autobots to roll out to face the Decepticons. Thanks to Soundwave's tampering with their communications, however, the Autobots arrived at an abandonned warehouse instead of where the trouble was taking place. Thankfully, Sam and Bumblebee met with the Autobots, and led them to the correct location. The Decepticons were defeated and the Autobots cheered Sam for his help in the mission. {{storylink|Satellite Meltdown}}

===''Spot the 'Bots''===
Ironhide and a group of other Autobots duked it out against the Decepticons in an old warehouse in a battle that would decide the fate of the Earth! {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Spot the 'Bots}}
{{-}}

===''Unite for the Universe''===
Ironhide was aiding N.E.S.T. operatives dispose of the remains of fallen Decepticons by smelting them when [[Skystalker (ROTF)|Skystalker]] attacked the group. He was unable to stop the Decepticon from teleporting away with several Decepticon carcasses, though the humans were kept safe thanks to his efforts. {{storylink|Unite for the Universe issue 1|Unite for the Universe #1|Ambition Instigated}}

===Transformers Annual 2011===
When Decepticon activity was detected in [[Tokyo]], Ironhide headed there with Optimus, Sideswipe and Ratchet. Unfortunately for him, he was elsewhere in the city when all the fun occurred. {{storylink|Sam in Danger}}

==Games==
===''Transformers'' The Game (Console)===
{{voiceactor|[[Mark Ryan]] (English)|[[Patrice Melennec]] (French), [[Ángel Amorós]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Enrico Bertorelli]] (Italian)}}

====Autobot campaign====
Ironhide arrived on Earth alongside the other Autobots upon Bumblebee's call. As [[Sector Seven]] forces closed in on them, Jazz was given the task of drawing the human authorities' attention away from the others. When Jazz soon found himself trapped by both human agents ''and'' Decepticons, Ironhide was sent to rescue him (without, Prime ordered him, another incident like that on [[Kyber-5]]), a task that ended with his tangling with a [[Mixmaster (Movie)|Mixmaster]] unit in a construction lot.

A brief aside with Optimus Prime during the rescue revealed Ironhide's actions may have resulted in the destruction of [[Kyber-5|a small planet]] at one point. Ironhide maintained that it was going to blow up ''anyway''.

In [[Mission City]], Ironhide once again was called to the rescue, as Bumblebee was trapped by a massive swarm of [[Energon drone]]s activated by the [[AllSpark#Live-action movie universe|AllSpark]]. Ironhide waded into the thick of them and destroyed every last one. Shortly afterwards, he responded to Jazz's S.O.S. call, but was too late; the warrior had been killed by [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]. Enraged, Ironhide engaged the tank, smashing through the backup drone-units before finally taking on Brawl himself. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game (console)}}

====Decepticon campaign====
As the Decepticons closed in on the AllSpark within Mission City, [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] was tasked with bringing down the mighty Ironhide. Ironhide's powerful cannons, force shielding and hordes of backup drones made this fight ''incredibly'' difficult for Blackout, but the mammoth Decepticon was finally able to take Ironhide out. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game (console)}}

===''Transformers: The Game'' (PSP)===
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers The Game (PSP)}}

===Transformers Autobots===
Ironhide served as a mentor to the young [[Create-A-Bot (Autobot)|Create-A-Bot]] as he learned the ropes on Earth. He was a bit annoyed by the kid's spunk, but knew he had a good Spark deep down. He later accompanied him to the Arctic to find Megatron, but discovered that the Decepticon leader had been moved elsewhere. On their way out of the region, they were attacked by Starscream, but the old war horse was able to fend him off.

In Tranquility, Ironhide met up with his leader and the rest of the team, and laid low until Optimus summoned them. After revealing Sector Seven's custody of both Megatron and the AllSpark, Bumblebee was sent to create a distraction so the group could escape. However, the rookie ended up getting Bumblebee caught by trying to show off. Ironhide scolded him, but was enraged to learn that Optimus decided to leave Bumblebee behind in favor of the AllSpark. Ironhide blew up at his leader, claiming that Optimus only cared about killing his brother, a belief he'd apparently been bottling up for some time. Jazz coldly told him to leave, and Ironhide eventually joined the group on their way to Hoover Dam.

When Bumblebee was eventually found, Ironhide apologized for his attack on his leader. However, before he could finish, Optimus reassured him that no harm was done between the two old friends. When Megatron was released and the Decepticons set about to bomb the dam, Ironhide was able to halt the scheme and headed for Tranquility. In the ensuing city-wide battle, Ironhide fought off countless Decepticons with the help of the rookie, who himself fell in battle defeating Megatron. Ironhide joined the other Autobots in solidarity as Optimus called out for more to join them on Earth.

{{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons}}

===Transformers Decepticons===
Ironhide took part in the battle for Tranquility when Megatron stormed it for the AllSpark, and ran into his old nemesis Brawl. Despite his best efforts, Ironhide ultimately died defending the city.

{{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons}}

===AllSpark Wars===
After the first battle with the Decepticons on Earth, Ironhide and the other Autobots went into stasis lock, held in storage around the world. {{storylink|AllSpark Wars}}

===Allspark Highway===
The Autobots obtained the AllSpark, and needed to bring it to a secure location. Relaying it to one another, Ironhide being the third link in the chain, the Autobots kept the AllSpark out of Decepticon hands until the evil robots simply gave up the chase. {{storylink|Allspark Highway}}
===''Transformers Video Mash-Up''===
{{note|Various short clips featuring Ironhide were available for users to custom-create their own short film about the Transformers.}} {{storylink|Transformers Video Mash-Up}}

===Autobot Stronghold===
The Decepticons were invading an Autobot stronghold in the city, and Ironhide and the Autobots placed themselves at key positions to defend it from attack. {{storylink|Autobot Stronghold}}

===''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English)|[[Patrice Melennec]] (French), [[Ángel Amorós]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian)}}

====Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC====
=====Autobot campaign=====
Ironhide was the Autobots' heavy weapons specialist, armed with dual pulse cannons firing shotgun-like energy bursts, and proximity grenade launchers. He could deploy missile turrets for added firepower.

Ironhide oversaw both [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]]'s training in Tranquility, near [[Colin Banes|Mikaela's father's]] garage.

When [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] detected the presence of [[Stunticon (ROTF)|Stunticons]] in Shanghai, NEST deployed Ironhide to take them out. After fighting through numerous drones, their leader [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] appeared, leading the Ironhide in a pursuit through the winding back alleys of the city. Finally, the Decepticon was cornered on the roof of an apartment building, and with one mighty punch, Ironhide sent Sideways to the ground. Unfortunately, Ironhide was soon jumped by the [[Combaticon (ROTF)|Combaticons]] and [[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] at the nearby spiral freeway and had to wait for Ratchet to rescue him. After being repaired, Ironhide returned to the spiral freeway and paid back Long Haul for his earlier defeat.

{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

=====Decepticon Campaign=====
After taking care of Sideways, Ironhide was sent to defend the spiral freeway to help the NEST units under attack by Long Haul. After a ferocious battle, Long Haul got the best of him. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

====Wii/PS2====
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Wii/PS2)}}

====PSP====
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PSP)}}

===Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Autobots/Decepticons===
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots/Decepticons}}

===Transformers RPMs: Devastator's Demise===
[[File:Devastatorsdemise ironhide.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Ironhide was slow, but he made up for it in muscle. His 4x4 grip on the road was unequaled.

In order to defeat [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]], Bumblebee, Optimus and Ironhide drove through Cairo and avoided obstacles. {{storylink|Transformers RPMs: Devastator's Demise}}
{{-}}
===Hunt for the Decepticons===
Once [[you]] were welcomed into the Autobots, Ironhide trained you in order to improve your strength, in order to prepare you for your fight with Megatron. Once the Decepticon tyrant was defeated, Ironhide and the rest of the Autobots thanked you for your contribution to the Autobot cause. {{storylink|Hunt for the Decepticons}}

===StrikeZone Showdown===
Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee faced off against Megatron, Lockdown and Bludgeon in the middle of a forest in a battle to the death. Ironhide would launch missiles in high arcs to defeat his opponents. {{storylink|Transformers StrikeZone Showdown|StrikeZone Showdown}}

===''Web Wars''===
Ironhide battled the Decepticons across the digital frontier, defending numerous websites across the internet from their encroachment! {{storylink|Web Wars}}

===''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' - The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English)|[[Pascal Casanova]] (French), [[Ángel Amorós]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Helge Heynold]] (German Voice, Wii version), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian)}}

====(Xbox 360/PS3)====
[[File:Ironhide, Ratchet and Optimus.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
After [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] succeeded in planting a virus into the Decepticon's network, [[NEST]] major [[Reynolds]] picked up an attack on Detroit which was reported to [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]]. Ironhide was contacted and ordered to go in and assist in the evacuation effort (which would involve killing lots of Decepticons). Ironhide arrived and, as he transformed, Optimus ordered him to destroy all Decepticons with minimal environmental damage much to Ironhide's disappointment. Ironhide met up with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and pointed him in the right direction to the Decepticons. Ironhide went in to attack while Ratchet went to evacuate civilians. After fighting through many Decepticons, Ratchet sent out a distress call to Ironhide. Once Ironhide met up with Ratchet he discovered that the Decepticon, [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]], had heavily damaged him. Ironhide managed to make Mixmaster fall through the floor and saved Ratchet. Ratchet then required self repair and had Ironhide cover him until the repairs were finished. Once Ratchet finished repairs, Ironhide was informed [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]] would send a new version of Ironhide's [[Heavy Iron]] weapon to him. This Heavy Iron 2.0 would be able to penetrate Mixmaster's shield and destroy him.

[[File:Heavy Iron.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
Ironhide eventually found Mixmaster and, after a brief fight, managed to destroy him.

Much later, Starscream stole a piece of [[MechTech]] from a defeated [[Stratosphere]] and tried to use it as a new weapon for the Decepticon cause. Instead, the weapon contained a tracking system that allowed the Autobots to find the Decepticon hideout and launch a full-scale assault on it. While attacking the base, Ironhide managed to find Megatron and shot him, causing Megatron to go flying through a wall. Megatron survived and vowed that Ironhide would pay for his interference.

[[File:Ironhide and Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67]]
Ironhide assisted Ratchet in the evacuation of the wounded soldiers after the battle. They tried to get a fix on Optimus' location with no success, while at the same time failing to notice Megatron in his new vehicle mode leaving the base. Optimus however was fine but busy fighting [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his [[Driller]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)}}

====Autobots/Decepticons====
[[File:DOTMDS Ironhide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Optimus Prime alerted Ironhide to the fact that [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]] might be trying to bring the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s back online, but more importantly that [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] was hanging around a nearby industrial park. Ironhide headed for the industrial park and protected a bunch of buildings from the Decepticons. Some time later, Mirage contacted Ironhide to tell him that Lockdown had infiltrated the NEST base, and Ironhide was eventually able to chase the Decepticon down. When the Autobots tracked the Decepticons to [[Siberia]], Ironhide was selected to gain access to their base by shutting down the radar installations surrounding it. Once they got inside and worked out where Megatron was, Ironhide asked Optimus who he was taking in with him. Optimus opted to go in alone, and was overcome by Megatron and [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], leading Ironhide to go in himself. Despite the Decepticons escaping, Optimus complemented Ironhide's skills as a warrior. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons|Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' (mobile game)===
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (mobile game)}}

===''Cyberverse Battle Builder''===
Ironhide joined the rest of the Autobots in combating the Decepticons on battlefields on Earth, the Earth's Moon and on Cybertron. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Cyberverse Battle Builder}}

===''MechTech Weapons Challenge''===
When Bumblebee was sent off on missions to retrieve stolen MechTech weapons technology from the Decepticons, Ironhide could provide him with a plethora of weaponry to aid him in his trials. {{storylink|MechTech Weapons Challenge}}

===''Transformers: Age of Extinction'' (mobile game)===
Ironhide was one of the Autobots, who helped destroy the Decepticons on streets of Texas, Detroit and Chicago (Despite his death). He also get a red paintjob too.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (mobile game)}}

===''Transformers: The Ride – 3D''===
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English)}}

To his distaste, Ironhide had to try to whip some new NEST recruits into shape, and lectured them on how inferior they were to Cybertronians. He made it clear that the NEST recruits would not defeat any Decepticon on their own; rather, Ironhide promised that as a unit, they would defeat the Decepticons... as long as they stopped bringing in churros, that is. He could later be seen firing on Devastator along with Ratchet.
{{storylink|Transformers: The Ride – 3D}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Ironhide-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|300px|Are you glad to see me alive and kicking?]]
Ironhide was one of the Autobots pulled from [[Live-action film series|his universe]] by the [[Quintesson]]s and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! As a Demolitions bot, his cannons tear enemies apart with Burning missiles that deal Obliterang amounts of Critical Damage. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

{{chargamestub}}

==Toys==
{{main|Ironhide (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Ironhide (Movie)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
[[File:MovieIronhidevsLost.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|The crossover you never expected to see!]]

*In the initial draft of the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], Ironhide was not present among the Autobot cast. However, he replaced female Autobot [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] in later drafts and the subsequent final script.
*According to his animation files in the [[Transformers The Game|2007 video game]], his alternate mode was going to be a GMC Dually instead of a GMC Topkick.
*In an earlier draft of the 2007 movie called the ''Prime Directive'', while introducing him, Optimus Prime adds that Ironhide was forged in the Tri-Peninsular Torus states of [[Praxus]].
*It is a common misconception that Ironhide's cannons ''each'' have a total of 10,000 CGI parts in the first movie, but Ironhide's cannons actually have a ''combined'' amount of 10,000 parts in the first movie, meaning that Ironhide's cannons ''each'' have about 5,000 CGI parts in the first movie.
*Ironhide's robot CG model in the first movie sports the [[license plate]] "4PCI382" on his chest. Despite not being visible in the movie itself, the GMC Topkick car prop used as his [[alternate mode]] sports the same plate (registered in California in January), as seen in set photos. This appears to be a license plate reserved for Hollywood productions, as it was also used for the ''{{w|Lost (TV series)|Lost}}'' season 5 episode "[[wikia:lostpedia:The Little Prince|The Little Prince]]", for the car driven by minor character Dan Norton. The ''Transformers'' version of the license plate was later auctioned off.<ref name="auction plate">[http://www.yourprops.com/Ironhide-Screen-Used-License-Plate-original---screen-used-movie-props-Transformers--2007--prop-15186.html Ironhide license plate prop for auction, YourProps.com]</ref> Oddly enough, in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide clearly sports ''no'' license plate in vehicle mode anymore, whereas on the [[Chicago]] set for ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', the GMC Topkick car prop sported a black plate with a [[NEST]] logo on it<ref name="chicago2">[http://www.seibertron.com/live-action-films/gallery.php?id=132&size=0&start=100 Dark of the Moon Chicago set (2)] at Seibertron.com.</ref>... yet his old "4PCI382" plate can still be seen on his [[robot mode]] chest in both movies.
*The GMC Topkick prop vehicle only has one vent on the right side above the front wheel well, however, Ironhide's CGI model sports one on either side of his chest. [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM animators]] had stated in the "making of" featurette for the first film that some of the parts used on the robot modes were duplicated for symmetry even if the vehicle itself only has one of those parts present.
*Ironhide has a large scar covering most of the right side of his face, including his eye, which is kinda cool.
*Ironhide's movements throughout the films indicates that he walks and runs with a slight limp.
*Apparently, he's a bit of a fan of [[Batman]]. {{Storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.2|Dogfight!}}
*The [[NEST]] "Special Programs" logo on the first ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Voyager class Ironhide's toy is based upon a shoulder patch on [[Graham]]'s uniform.
[[File:BB-Ironhide-model.jpg|thumb]]
*[[TakaraTomy]] marketing director, [[Masahiko Yamazaki]], has claimed that the Japanese version of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' takes place in the Movie continuity and that [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (renamed Ironhide in Japan) would actually ''be'' Movie Ironhide. Yamazaki's statement has come under some contradiction, as he also said that Bulkhead would have his "world view" altered in the dub to reflect Movie Ironhide's when, in fact, Japanese Bulkhead remains the same in personality as US Bulkhead. So whether Bulkhead actually ''is'' Ironhide in Japan remains uncertain at the moment.
*During Chapter Two of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game, Ironhide's old cannons can be seen on his arms with battle damage, in following with his ejection of them during the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' film and implying he retrieved them.
*Ironhide is the basis for the non-toy character [[Nagoya Prime]].
*In ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'', Ironhide is seen on the cards [[Harold Attinger]] pulls out early in the film, listed as deceased and having been last seen in Chicago. However, Ironhide was killed by Sentinel Prime in Washington, D.C., midway through ''Dark of the Moon'', and long before the final battle in Chicago.
*Ironhide's Cybertronian design in ''Bumblebee'' is heavily inspired by his Generation 1 [[Ironhide (G1)|namesake]].
*A Seibertron article on [[Jon Bailey]]'s experience shows that Bailey auditioned for Ironhide, meaning he was originally meant to speak in ''Bumblebee''.<ref>[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/bumblebee-movie-voice-actor-jon-bailey-talks-about-his-experience/42553/ Seibertron article Bailey's experience]</ref>
*Ironhide has three characters printed on his forehead from the as-yet-untranslated [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian alphabet]] designed by [[Ben Procter]] for the live-action film series. He has several other of these letters stamped on other parts of his body.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ironhide''' (アイアンハイド ''Aianhaido'')
*''Czech:'' '''Železňák''' ("Iron Guy")
*''Hungarian:'' '''Acélfej''' ("Steelhead")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tiěpí''' (Taiwan, 鐵皮, China, 铁皮, "Iron Hide")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Staleshkir''' (Сталешкір, "Steelskin")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Beast Wars Autobots]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Autobots]]
[[Category:Classified Autobots]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Autobots]]

Dark Energon

2025-09-03T21:59:21Z

MinKantation: /* Effects */

[[File:DarknessRising2-MegatronDarkEnergon.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|I'm like a chocoholic, but for Dark Energon.]]
As [[energon]] is the emanation of [[Primus]], from which all Transformer life and power is formed, '''Dark Energon''' (also known as the '''Sparks of Unicron''', the '''Blood of Unicron''', and the '''Anti-Spark''') is the polar opposite of energon and the emanation of [[Unicron]], released after his first battle with the [[Thirteen|thirteen original Transformers]]. In sufficient quantities, Dark Energon can corrupt quantities of regular energon (though its own effects can likewise be neutralized by sufficient quantities of energon). Dark Energon can be used for a number of deadly uses such as increasing one's power, reviving the dead, corrupting Transformers and even having an ambient weakening effect on them.

{{quote|No! No one can control Dark Energon! It dominates and destroys everything it touches!|[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]]|''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron]]''}}

==Effects==
[[File:Darkenergon_molecular_structure.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|It's like studying drug chemistry... while ON drugs.]]
The violet(and violently)-glowing Dark Energon supercharges any Transformer who ingests it, making them stronger, faster, more powerful... and more aggressive. It turns pain into pleasure, rendering any blows inflicted on a user futile and heals their wounds as well. However, it also acts as a powerful narcotic, filling the user with thrilling, dark sensations and causing addiction. Dark Energon withdrawal turns the user into a raving brute desperate to do anything for more. If the craving is not satisfied, the user devolves to a beast-like state and eventually dies.

Those who imbibe Dark Energon have been seen to project it from their bodies for various destructive purposes, such as attacking enemies, overloading computers, and bringing machines under their control. When a user is killed, the energy acts like a sentient thing (a worrying aspect for a force originating from Unicron) and flies from their corpse to empower any other user nearby.

Pieces of Cybertron infected by Dark Energon tend to turn purple and explode upward into twisted, sharp spikes and growths of metal. Some Dark Energon wielders have even shown the ability to detonate a cluster of these spikes in order to produce a group of mechanical spider-like creatures, which swarm anything nearby.

A Cybertronian corpse injected with Dark Energon will reanimate itself as a feral [[zombie]], intent on destroying all in its path. They are mostly mindless berserkers, but can be commanded by a living Cybertronian who has also been corrupted by the evil energy. If part of a reanimated Cybertronian corpse is cut off from the main body it loses its ability to move with two exceptions: Cliffjumper's corpse still moving even after being cut in half and Skyquake's arm moving on its own after falling off the body. (Though it should be noted that both of these were revived by a single shard plunged directly into their corpses.)

In ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'' Megatron was revived through Dark Energon without apparent ill effect, but ''Predacons Rising'' would later reveal that his overuse of the stuff prevented him from joining the Allspark after dying, instead being confined to a [[limbo]] existence. Unicron was then able to use his connection to Dark Energon to easily revive and possess Megatron. Whether the same effects can be expected for all users or just for Megatron, who was kept alive by the substance for a prolonged amount of time, is unknown.

==Fiction==
===Aligned continuity family===
====Aligned novels====
The gathering and storage of Dark Energon aboard the-then newly constructed [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] was organized by an early assembly of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] that included [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]]. The station was guarded by [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s who were mostly unaware of the nature of Dark Energon. During the civil war, [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] claimed the station for the [[Decepticon]]s, but of fear he did not let [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] know about Trypticon's significance, and despite his allies' attempts they could not find much of the information about Trypticon on the [[DataNet]], as it had been censored (by [[Alpha Trion]], who knew that knowledge of Dark Energon was dangerous).

During the last days of the war [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] found forgotten corners of the DataNet referring to "Sparks of Unicron". Megatron forgave Starscream, acknowledging his fears about Dark Energon's overly destructive use on the battlefield, and because the Air Commander had not tried to use it against him. [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] forced two of Starscream's scientists to ingest Dark Energon and the explosive result led to the Darkening of all of Megatron's soldiers. Megatron and Starscream both found the substance invigorating, but a deprivation study of the first two subjects showed they had become rabid, and Megatron vowed he would kill all his soldiers before he was deprived. The Darkened Decepticons attacked the remaining Autobot outposts on Cybertron, but to the Autobots' advantage, whenever a battle was prolonged, the Decepticons would have to flee or risk having the Dark Energon run out.

Soundwave learned of the [[Geosynchronous Energon Bridge]], which could transport vast amounts of energon from Cybertron to Trypticon to be corrupted. Starscream activated it, but it proved futile in quenching the Decepticons' thirst. Soundwave recalled the [[Plasma Energy Chamber]] within [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] and the [[Code Key]]s required to activate it. The Chamber would enable Megatron to corrupt Cybertron's [[core]] and flood the planet with Dark Energon. During the ensuing battle with [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme]] for the Chamber, the more the Autobots killed the Decepticons, the more Dark Energon left their corpses to empower Megatron, who was able to knock Omega down and tear the Chamber from his chest.

After Megatron Darkened the core, [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] and [[Prowl (WFC)|Prowl]] launched a rescue of Sentinel Prime in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. They were met with little resistance, aside from two gibbering guards. Optimus recognized the Dark Energon had taken its toll on Decepticon competence. Afterwards, he, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] and [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] ventured to the core to rid it of the poisonous Chamber. The Dark Energon briefly tempted Jetfire to try some, while it distressed Bumblebee to the point he physically tore out the corruption spikes on the core, though it allowed Optimus to remove the Chamber. The core told Optimus the Autobots would have to leave Cybertron while it healed the planet, and gave him the [[Matrix of Leadership]], which would one day act in concert with the core to restore their world. While leaving, Optimus chastised Megatron for turning his soldiers into addicts just to win the war while Starscream vowed never to use the substance again. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

After [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] discovered [[Vector Sigma]], he captured [[Alpha Trion]] for use as a substitute to the [[Key to Vector Sigma]]. Having anticipated this, the [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] had scrambled his neural net to deny Shockwave access to the computer. Undeterred, Shockwave, over Trion's warnings, pumped Dark Energon into Vector Sigma to try and override its security. Though the computer managed to hold off the infection until the [[Wreckers]] rescued Trion, the process had allowed the Quintessons to lock onto Cybertron's location. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

====''Prime'' cartoon====
The blood of [[Unicron#Aligned continuity family|Unicron]] himself, {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}} Dark Energon was so rare on Cybertron that it was practically non-existent. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}} During the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]], Megatron poisoned Cybertron's core with the substance. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

[[File:DarknessRising4-beholddarkenergon!.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Cue Vincent Price voiceover.]]
When Megatron returned to Earth after three years in deep space, he brought with him a new supply of Dark Energon using a crystal of it to reanimate [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse, turning the dead Autobot into a [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]]. A liquid sample was capable of sapping a Cybertronian's strength and animating machinery into animalistic robots. Megatron, being Megatron, thought it'd be a jolly good idea to shove some into his own [[spark]]. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}} He survived and began to gibber and rant about the power and how it was like he could hear Unicron's thoughts...

Optimus Prime recognised what Dark Energon was, surprising [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] that the substance had found its way to Earth. Suspecting Megatron's endgame, Optimus led Ratchet to the site of an old Transformer battle. When Megatron arrived, he confirmed his enemy's suspicions by using a Dark Energon crystal to revive the fallen warriors. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}} Using the substance to control the undead, Megatron sent the Terrorcons against the two Autobots, the Dark Energon sapping their strength, before he revealed that this was not his endgame. Upon discovering that the Decepticons had built a [[space bridge]], they realized Megatron intended to reawaken Cybertron's fallen soldiers, and bring them to Earth to conquer the planet. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}} While Megatron was able to throw his store of Dark Energon crystals into the space bridge and reanimate the Terrorcons, the Autobots sabotaged the space bridge, causing it to collapse on itself, taking Megatron and the Terrorcons with it before they could cross the event horizon. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

The Dark Energon infusion sustained Megatron beyond the explosion, long enough for Starscream to find him floating in space. Discovering the cause of his survival, Starscream ripped the Dark Energon crystal out and prepared to leave Megatron to die, only to have to take Megatron back to the ship when [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] discovered them. {{storylink|Masters & Students}}

After a [[cortical psychic patch]], {{storylink|Sick Mind}} Megatron escaped from his own body into [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s, using the scout to recover the Dark Energon crystal he had used to create his test batch of Terrorcons, using it to repair his own body. {{storylink|Out of His Head}}

While Megatron had revived himself, he had forgotten that Starscream possessed the original shard of Dark Energon ripped from him. Now back in a subordinate position, Starscream's previous opposition to using Dark Energon to raise an undead army vanished when he tried to raise [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] from the dead. Starscream broke the shard in half, one to raise Skyquake, the other to achieve symbiosis. While it managed to raise Skyquake, the new Terrorcon became trapped in the [[Shadowzone (dimension)|Shadowzone]], depriving Starscream of his new warrior. {{storylink|Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone}}

As a prophesied planetary alignment neared, the Dark Energon in Megatron's spark, all that remained of his stockpile, began plaguing the tyrant with visions of a volcano erupting Dark Energon. The visions led Megatron to believe that he could harvest a new supply Dark Energon from the volcano and reanimate a new army with which to conquer the galaxy. The Dark Energon also affected Megatron's weapon systems causing them to now fire Dark Energon rounds, one such blast infecting [[Raf Esquivel]] with the substance forcing Ratchet to expel it by using normal Energon to counteract its effect.

Traveling alone to the volcano, Megatron believed it to be the site where he should place his new space bridge before he confronted by Optimus Prime. Challenged to a final battle, Megatron was ultimately defeated before the planetary alignment struck leading to a surge in Dark Energon levels, the power-boost allowing Megatron to turn the tide seconds before he could be executed. Before Megatron could himself execute Optimus, the volcano erupted Dark Energon. {{storylink|One Shall Fall}} The [[Decepticon Miner|miners]] were quickly tasked to mine the substance, filling the hold of the ''Nemesis'' with it. As chaos continued to mount on Earth, it was discovered that the Dark Energon had come directly from Unicron himself, the physical remains of the Chaos Bringer being [[Earth's core]]. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}} When the Autobots infiltrated Unicron's body to unleash the [[Matrix of Leadership]] on him, the Dark Energon began to disorient [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

After the ''Nemesis'' crashed, {{storylink|Armada (episode)|Armada}} Megatron inserted a Dark Energon cube into the ship's power core, quickly repairing it but also reawakening the ship's intelligence, leading it to mutiny against the crew. The intelligence only returned to dormancy when the Dark Energon was extracted from the power core. {{storylink|Flying Mind}}

Megatron used a chunk of Dark Energon to forge the [[Dark Star Saber]], a counterpart to the [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]]. The dark version of the Saber ultimately proved stronger than the original, shattering Prima's weapon in their first duel. {{storylink|Alpha/Omega}}

During Knock Out's experiments with [[Synthetic Energon]], Starscream had the bright idea of adding some Dark Energon into the mix, so that Megatron would be able to control the resulting troopers. Unfortunately the mix instead altered those it was infused into, causing them to burn through their energon reserves and turning them into energon-sucking zombies. {{storylink|Thirst}}

A revived Unicron, possessing Megatron's corpse, was able to create numerous weapons out of his own Dark Energon powers such as cannons, hammers, spears and hooks, the cannons of which were capable of forcing even a Predacon into stasis lock with just a few hits. Unicron would later use his own Dark Energon powers to create a Terrorcon legion from Predacon remains and use them to attack the Autobots, Decepticons and Predacons before having them go for Primus himself, only to be destroyed when Unicron was sealed away. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Prime)|Predacons Rising}}

===Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base===
{{stub|{{storylink|Yokohama Decepticon Secret Base}}}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Aurex 503.21 Gamma]], [[Alpha Q's universe]] was lit by a [[Super Energon]]/Dark Energon star. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/06/03}}

In [[Primax 509.28 Epsilon]], a hyper-intelligent [[Grimlock (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Grimlock]] used the Dark Energon in Unicron's head to grant life to the [[Technobot (G1)|Technobot]]s, a feat that should have been thousands of years ahead of its time. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/07/23}}

One universe's [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] was addicted to dark energon. Thunderwing became a [[Herald of Unicron]] after the Lord of Chaos offered an endless supply of his own lifeblood to quench Thunderwing's thirst for angolmois energy. {{storylink|ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/19}}

===''Transformers vs. G.I. Joe''===
Disillusioned with [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] under [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s control, the [[Junkion (species)|Junkion]] [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] took a self-destructive path, ingesting substances such as Dark Energon and [[Nucleon Nail]]s, before a resurgent [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] inspired him back into action. {{storylink|Pax Megatronus}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
The [[G-Virus]] utilized Dark Energon to replicate the process which [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] used to remake Megatron into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]. {{storylink|Micro-Aggressions}}

===''Transformers I.Q.''===
When explaining Angolmois Energy, [[I-QUEUE]] compared it to Dark Energon. {{storylink|Transformers I.Q. issue 7|Transformers I.Q. #7}}

===''War for Cybertron Trilogy'' marketing material===
Dark Energon was one of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]]'s powers and weapons. {{storylink|War for Cybertron: Kingdom|''Kingdom'' webpage}}<ref>[https://transformers.hasbro.com/en-us/brands/kingdom ''Kingdom'' webpage]</ref>

==Games==
===''Transformers: War for Cybertron''===
[[File:MegatronDarkEnergon-WFC.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Grape; the traditional evil god blood flavor.]]
Dark Energon was discovered over ten thousand years ago. When the [[Transformer]] race learned of its powerful yet volatile nature, it was sealed away in an orbital space station and placed under the watchful eye of the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], including the scientific Jetfire and the former [[Sky Commander]], Starscream. At some point, experimentation on Dark Energon began, and a small quantity of the substance became unstable. The resulting explosion ripped apart an entire section of the space station; a level of destruction beyond any weapon known to the Cybertronians. The horrors of Dark Energon were noted by many, such as Jetfire, and it was deemed that it must remain sealed for the rest of time. This continued to be the case for centuries, causing the existence of Dark Energon to become a myth that few believed.

After learning the existence of this substance, Megatron took a fleet of cruisers to lay siege to the station, crashing his own ship into it to gain entrance. Once inside, he had to battle the forces of Starscream and Jetfire, both of whom attempted to dissuade him, claiming that Dark Energon was impossible to control. As Megatron drew closer to the storage chamber, Starscream attempted to destroy the last remnants of Dark Energon, but Megatron was able to breach the core before the Sky Commander could complete the destruction. When the dark substance was finally revealed, Megatron, believing himself to be worthy of such a weapon, confidently immersed himself in it.

Despite Starscream's insistence that Dark Energon destroyed everything it touched, the Decepticon leader managed to control it, emerging more powerful than ever. His first act was to infuse [[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] and [[Barricade (WFC)|Barricade]] with Dark Energon; claiming it was their birthright. His second act was to cut through the final defenses between himself and the Seekers in a matter of seconds, thanks to his new power. Seeing Dark Energon being tamed, Starscream offered his services to Megatron, claiming he knew of an Energon Bridge that could produce more of the substance. Seeing this as an act of betrayal, Jetfire escaped the station in order to inform [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]] of this treachery.

[[File:DarkEnergonProduction-WFC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Perfect backdrop for a lightsaber duel.]]
Shortly after this, Starscream, [[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]], and [[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]] travelled into the depths of Cybertron in order to reactivate the Energon Bridge. Facing many defenses and enemy [[Autobot]]s, they managed to corrupt the central generator of the Energon Bridge. Fending off the initial infection, the core attempted to defend itself and purge the Seekers, but the evil planes quickly brought it down. This allowed the Energon Bridge to activate and beam its contents to the orbital station, allowing mass production of Dark Energon.

With mass quantities of Dark Energon in his possession, Megatron sought to corrupt the whole of Cybertron by infesting the [[Core]] itself. To do so, he needed the [[Omega Key]] in order to get past the [[Omega Gate]] that barred entry to the centre of the Transformer homeworld. Thus, he assaulted [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] in order to claim it from the [[Stellar Galleries]]. However, Zeta Prime learnt of this and spirited the key to his [[Vaults]]. During his journey to claim the Key, Megatron used his personal store of Dark Energon to corrupt doorways that blocked his entry, and his army made use of bombers carrying payloads tainted with the stuff. By this time, the Autobots had developed defenses against the Dark Energon (including auto-purging turrets and doors resistant to the energy), but the Decepticons were able to cut through them in short order.

Megatron eventually claimed the Omega Key, but this simply activated Omega Supreme: the true key to the Core of Cybertron. During the battle with the giant Autobot, Megatron made liberal use of Dark Energon to corrupt the Guardian of Iacon: first by tainting the Energon batteries he used to repair himself, and then by blasting a huge beam of Dark Energon straight into his damaged chest. Using him to open the Omega Gate, the Decepticons placed Corruptors into position and infected the Core itself, spreading Dark Energon all across the planet.

The effects were immediate as Dark Energon crystals began sprouting all around the planet. Megatron made frequent announcements to the remaining Cybertronian population, urging them to accept the "gift" of Dark Energon. Cybertron itself began to fighting back against the corruption, spawning repair arrays to try and shatter the crystals while the [[space slug]]s ate away at the underground corruption but the spread proved too rapid to counter. In fact, the Dark Energon even corrupted one such beast, transforming it into a ghastly abomination that spread Dark Energon and fed on the corrupted Core.

Upon his appointment to the position of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus]] led the Autobots to free Omega Supreme from the Decepticons, curing him of his Dark Energon infection. Gaining entry past the Omega Gate, they went into the depths of Cybertron in order to reach the Core, where they aided the space slugs in clearing Dark Energon crystals and Decepticons alike. Eventually, they reached the Core and killed the corrupted slug, but the corruption had already taken its toll on the Core. In order to preserve itself, it had to enter into a hibernation mode that would last for millions of years, rendering the planet uninhabitable. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron}}

===''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''===
The Dark Energon infection on Cybertron caused the planet's production of life-giving Energon to shut down, forcing the Autobots and Decepticons to stock pile every last drop they had. Megatron blamed Optimus Prime's interference for this turn of events. The infection of Cybertron's core also forced the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]] who lived near Cybertron's core to rise further to the surface to search for Energon. This allowed [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] to recruit them into the Decepticon ranks. After Shockwave had found an ancient space bridge tower in the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]], he used it to harvest energy from other worlds. The conversion of these resources into energon caused a toxic by-product to be released, which some Autobot scouts initially suspected was Dark Energon. When rebuilding Megatron after his defeat at the hands of [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]], Soundwave used Dark Energon to revive the Decepticon leader. The infusion made him stronger, faster and a much deadlier foe than he was before. {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}

===''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense''===
Dark Energon was the main point of struggle in the game as the selected Autobot had to keep away Vehicon forces from retrieving them and returning with Terrorcon reinforcements. {{storylink|Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense}}

===''Transformers Prime: Battle For Energon''===
Bulkhead infiltrated the Decepticons' Dark Energon mines to snatch away several Dark Energon shards before the Decepticons could use them to raise an army of Terrorcons. {{storylink|Transformers Prime: Battle For Energon}}

===''Transformers: Prime - The Game''===
[[File:Transformers prime the game dark energon meteor.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
When a gigantic asteroid composed entirely of Dark Energon hurtled towards Earth, the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'' intercepted it and towed it into Earth's orbit. Once the Autobots became aware of this development, Ratchet sent [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]], [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] onto the surface of the ''Nemesis'' via [[GroundBridge]] to stop them. As the other Autobots take care of incoming [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon Jets]], Optimus fought his way to the flight deck and severed the anchor. Having planned for this, a backup towing system, this one on the warship's underbelly, switched on. Unable to target the anchor points, the Autobots leapt to the asteroid, being able to destroy the anchors before a battle with Megatron and several drones caused the asteroid to become unstable, splintering into several pieces, falling to Earth along with the Autobots, unable to fly off and to safety as the Decepticons could. When Megatron touched down on the ''Nemesis'', he ordered Starscream to recover as many of the meteorites as possible.

When Ratchet located Optimus, he found him under the claw of the monstrously huge robot half-buried in the Dark Energon meteorite, whom Optimus horrifyingly recognized as [[Thunderwing (Prime)|Thunderwing]], the herald of Unicron. Though the Prime and the herald fought, Thunderwing was downed by the artillery of the ''Nemesis'', being brought aboard the warship for examination. Aboard ship, it was found that a good chunk of Thunderwing's internals were missing, likely embedded within the Dark Energon chunks of the meteor, before he was reactivated. Thunderwing bargained with the Decepticons to repair him, with the group indeed finding his missing parts within the Dark Energon, with the captive Ratchet fixing him. When Thunderwing was well enough however, he escaped on his own, raining down a trail of Dark Energon induced destruction to lure out Optimus Prime. When the Prime finally emerged, the herald attacked him with various Dark Energon weapons before Ratchet, who'd had a good look at Thunderwing's internal hardware, constructed an energon bomb that, if detonated internally, would disrupt Thunderwing's internal Dark Energon flow. While the device weakened the giant, Optimus finished him off with the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]], causing him to fall into a magma pit, triggering an eruption of Dark Energon. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime - The Game}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''===
After Megatron had lured Optimus into a trap, he used a chunk of Dark Energon crystals to reanimate several fallen Autobot warriors. Hinting at some truth to the theory that the [[Dark Spark]] was connected to Unicron, the relic was not only able to control the Terrorcons but use Dark Energon to refuel itself. Despite this, its raw power proved insufficient to counter Optimus's mastery and skill over the Matrix of Leadership's abilities. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
When the [[Quintesson]]s dosed Windblade with Dark Energon, she began to have hallucinations that the [[Titan (group)|titans]] {{Sic}} were demanding her to destroy her comrades. {{storylink|Voices}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers Beyond Reality''===
{{stub}}{{storylink|Transformers Beyond Reality}}

===''Transformers Roleplaying Game''===
Dark Energon was said to have been created by Unicron. While powerful, Cybertronians who imbibed the substance quickly grew addicted and ran the risk of losing all compunctions and lashing out in a berserker rage. {{storylink|Decepticon Directive}}

===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{stub|{{Storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Prime''===
{{anchor|RustInPeace}}
[[File:Primetoy-CliffjumperRIP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|''It's Terror(con) Time Again!'']]
*'''Rust In Peace Terrorcon Cliffjumper''' (Deluxe, [[2012]])

:A [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2012 [[exclusive]], "Rust In Peace" Terrorcon Cliffjumper comes with two Dark Energon accessories; a long shard of the stuff, and a shorter, more rubbery one ending in an "energy splash" that can grasp around the edges of his chest to represent, well, him being stabbed with Dark Energon to bring him back to "life."
{{--}}

===''R.E.D. [Robot Enhanced Design]''===
[[File:TF-R.E.D.-Arcee.jpg|upright=1.30|thumb]]
*'''Arcee''' (March [[2021]])

: ''[[Transformers R.E.D.]]'' Arcee includes a cuboid Dark Energon crystal accessory.
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Dark Energon shares several aspects of its nature with [[Angolmois Energy]]; both are powerful, corrupting energies described as the life force of Unicron and buried in Earth. At [[BotCon 2011]], the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' staff stated the similarity was a coincidence brought about by the staff having simply been unaware of Angolmois Energy, lacking any real knowledge or familiarity with the Japanese side of ''Transformers'' fiction. [[Ask Vector Prime]] had once upon a time equated the two terms before the ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic|Generations Selects]]'' comic expanded on the nature of Angolmois Energy.
*Dark Energon was one proposal to explain the red markings on both [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s faces in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'', due to its mind-control abilities and the presence of [[Unicron]] in the film.<ref name="MegatronScar">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mke7biooPA4&ab_channel=TFcon The Explanation for Megatron's Red Face Paint in Transformers The Last Knight Discussion at TFcon]</ref>
**Wanting to add red markings to their faces, Director [[Michael Bay]] asked the animators at [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM]] to come up with an explanation for it. A related idea that visual effects artist [[Chris Zammit]] came up with was that a canister of normal [[Energon]] would be tossed onto Optimus/Nemesis Prime to free him from [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]]'s control.<ref name="MegatronScar" /> The idea was scrapped, leaving the red markings as some kind of "paint" and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s voice used as the device to restore Optimus Prime.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Dark Energon''' (ダークエネルゴン ''Dāku Enerugon'')
*''French:'' '''L'Énergon Noire''' ("Black Energon")
*''Indonesian:'' '''Energon Jahat''' ("Evil Energon")
*''Italian:'' '''Energon Oscuro'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Hēi'àn Néngliàng Jīngtǐ''' (黑暗能量晶体, "Dark Energy Crystal")
*''Polish:'' '''Mroczny Energon'''
*''Russian:'' '''Tjomnyy Energon''' (Темный Энергон)
*''Spanish:'' '''Energon Oscuro'''
*''Turkish:'' '''Kara Energon''' ("Dark Energon")

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Beast Wars: Uprising substances]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[Category:Energon]]
[[Category:Generation 1 substances]]
[[Category:Intoxicants]]
[[Category:Power sources]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Substances]]
[[Category:Unicron]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Trilogy]]
[[Category:Wings Universe]]

Darkness Rising, Part 2

2025-09-03T21:54:43Z

MinKantation: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 2
|prev=Darkness Rising, Part 1
|next=Darkness Rising, Part 3
|image=DarknessRising2-letsgetyouhome.jpg
|caption=Ohh, Dark Energon brings back the dead, so ''that's'' how they're getting out of killiOH GOD ARRRRGGG!
|season=1
|season ep=2
|title="Darkness Rising, Part 2"
|airdate=[[November 26]], [[2010]] (preview) [[November 30]], 2010 (official premiere)
|written by=[[Nicole Dubuc]]
|directed by=[[Dave Hartman|David Hartman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Allspark (company)|Hasbro Studios]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDmZzhwbGkE
|videosite=YouTube}}
'''The Autobots try to get Cliffjumper back, unaware of what the Decepticons have done to him.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] shows off the massive [[energon]] deposit that the [[Decepticon]]s have located. After [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] reminds his subordinate who's boss, he shows off what ''he's'' found — [[Dark Energon]], the blood of [[Unicron]], which Starscream claims is said to have the power to resurrect the dead. Megatron inquires if Starscream is willing to volunteer to try it out, but it turns out they still have [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse handy.

[[Image:DarknessRising2-Fowler.jpg|left|thumb|200px|He's not taking the words of a group of unaccountable aliens with their own agenda as gospel. ''Scrapheads!'']]
At [[Autobot]] HQ, [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] tells the kids that the Autobots will have to protect them, as the Decepticons will likely be interested in the Autobots' new allies. A proximity alert lets the Autobots know that [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]], their liaison with the US government, is paying them a visit. Fowler is not happy with the Autobots' antics during the recent freeway chase, but [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] points out no humans were hurt. After Prime's assurances that the Autobots will take care of things, Fowler leaves.

Megatron uses the Dark Energon on Cliffjumper, who revives as a snarling, savage beast and immediately attacks a couple of Decepticon soldiers. The thing that was Cliffjumper then turns on Megatron, who effortlessly slices him in two and announces that the Dark Energon is the key to a vast, indestructible army.

[[Image:Autobots Battle Darkness Rising 2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Starscream, this is the police! We have you surrounded!" "Oh scrud!"]]

Ratchet reports that he's detected Cliffjumper's signal, and the chance that Cliffjumper's alive is too much for the Autobots to resist. Leaving the kids with Ratchet, they take the [[GroundBridge]] out. Ratchet explains the ground bridge to the amazed kids and threatens to send them to Tokyo. Meanwhile, the rest of the Autobots arrive in the energon mine and start fighting Decepticon drones. Starscream alerts Megatron, who feels he needs more time to prepare to face Optimus and orders the ship made ready for departure. He also orders Starscream to blow up the mine. As the battle rages, [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] spots Cliffjumper. The other Autobots cover her, and she reaches her fellow Autobot, or what's left of him, only to discover what the Decepticons have done. Starscream stops by to drop off a bomb before making a rapid exit. The Autobots race through the mine ahead of the explosion, back to their entry point, as Optimus radios Ratchet to order the opening of the ground bridge.

[[Image:DarknessRising2-girltrouble.jpg|thumb|250px|left|"That ''better'' not be Barry White you're playing, Jack."]]

After the team arrives back at base, Arcee tells the others what she saw. She becomes dizzy, and Ratchet scans her and finds contamination on her wrist. While Arcee goes and gets cleaned up, the kids explain to Optimus that they really need to get home, or their relatives will send the cops out looking for them. Prime assigns Bulkhead to take [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] home, [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] to take care of [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]], and Arcee to [[Jack Darby|Jack]]. Arcee and Jack arrive home shortly before [[June Darby|Jack's mother]] hauls up in her car. Mom's less than impressed that Jack appears to have bought a motorcycle, but Jack talks her around. The next morning, despite Jack's protests that it's a Saturday, Arcee insists that they need to get to HQ.

On the Decepticon ship, Megatron is skeptical that Optimus perished in the destruction of the energon mine. Starscream is concerned that Megatron is being affected by too much exposure to the Dark Energon, but Megatron responds by taking a sliver of the substance and plunging it into his own spark.

Ratchet's analysis of the Dark Energon sample he retrieved from Arcee is incomplete due to his lack of the necessary technology. As he moves the sample to another part of the lab, some of it drips on the [[manipulator arm]] Bulkhead broke earlier. Unseen by Ratchet, the arm twitches into life, turning into a one-eyed, spider-like creature.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=

*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (6)
*[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] (8)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (9)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Decepticon Miner]]s (2)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (3)

|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (10)
*[[Jack Darby]] (11)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (12)
*[[William Fowler]] (13)
*[[June Darby]] (14)

|c4=
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==
"Then, as your humble servant, shall I ready the space bridge to bring forth the Decepticon army you have ''surely'' gathered during your three years in space?"
:—'''Starscream''' drips with sarcasm.

"They have no protective shell! If they get underfoot, they will go...squish."
:—'''Ratchet''' on humans.

"Team Prime knows ''when'' to use force, and how ''much'' to use!" 
"Bulkhead, I ''NEEDED THAT''!"
:—'''Bulkhead''' destroys '''Ratchet'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s medical claw and starts a running gag.

"Blood of Unicron, how I might fathom the depths of your mystery, become worthy of wielding your astonishing power!"
:—'''Megatron''' in a private moment with his prize.

"Robots who get dizzy?" 
"Robots with emotions." 
"Robots who can [[death|die]]."
:—'''Miko''', '''Raf''' and '''Jack''' recognize the lasting appeal of Transformers.

"Well, if I don't call my mom, like, now, I'm pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me." 
"Have you broken a law?"
:—'''Jack''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

"You can watch cartoons back at base with Bumblebee." 
"Cartoons? I'm sixteen."
:—'''Arcee'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s suggestion of weekend entertainment meets '''Jack'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s disapproval.

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* Dark Energon is an all-encompassing goal for Megatron in this continuity, first being used in the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' games, as well as in the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel. Megatron and Starscream's introductory conversation about the substance is ''very'' expository for the benefit of viewers who haven't read the book or played the game, to the extent that it sounds like neither of them has encountered it before, and neither Arcee nor Ratchet is indicated to have any familiarity with the substance, despite having seen it first-hand back during the war. And yet, Arcee does compare Decepticon experiments during the war on Cybertron to the substance's effect on Cliffjumper, without explicitly naming the stuff (though previously it didn't make anyone crazed zombies.... On the other hand, it was never used on a dead guy before (that we know of) - in fact, it always left deceased users and sought for living ones, which is kinda weird for a substance which could merely rise the user from the dead. Sorry, Cliff, them's the breaks). It's all a bit wobbly; while the cartoon almost certainly seems to have been written as if it is the characters' first encounter with Dark Energon, the dialogue does have enough wiggle room if you're obstinate, like us!
** It's never actually explained where Megatron got the giant Dark Energon crystal seen aboard the ''Nemesis''; he [[Darkness Rising, Part 1|returned]] without any massive objects in tow. Unless he has a [[subspace storage pocket]].

===Transformers references===
* The purple goo shares the property of changing ordinary machines into Transformers with the [[AllSpark]].

===Errors===
* The Autobots have no shadows when they walk into the main mine.
* June parks her car in the driveway and goes to bed. In the morning it is moved. It could be explained by her going to work except that Jack says that she is still sleeping.
* When Megatron revives Cliffjumper, his arm cannon is gone, reappears when he sheathes his sword, disappears again when he walks over to Cliffjumper's corpse, and reappears one final time after he kicks Cliff off the ledge.
* When the Autobots reach the energon mine and Bulkhead says, "Energon mine" whilst his blaster transforms back to his hand, part of the blaster remains floating over his hand.
* Fowler rebukes Optimus Prime over recent Autobot-Decepticon activities, specifically [[Darkness Rising, Part 1|Arcee's incursion with the Vehicons]]. His tally of the damage does not line up with the animation: "7 wrecks, 34 fender-benders, a three hour traffic jam." The streets of Jasper are shown to be remarkably empty, devoid of any other cars - or humans for that matter, after Sierra and her friend scatter - and barely a half-dozen vehicles shown on the highway... which inexplicably ended in a closed road anyway, which is what necessitated Arcee's jump into the drainage canal.

===Trivia===
* The energon mine is in Nebraska, as Fowler will point out in the next episode.
* When this episode premiered on the [[Vortexx]] block, Jack's line about "robots who can die" was cut.
* Adaptations of this episode include a prose version as part of ''[[Megatron Returns]]'', and a screen-capture-style comic as part of ''[[Transformers Prime: A Rising Darkness|A Rising Darkness]]''.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le Retour de Megatron'''" ("Megatron Returns")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 5|5 November]] [[2011]]

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die dunkle Macht erhebt sicht, Teil 2'''" ("The Dark Force Rises, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[September 30|30 September]] [[2011]]

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Közeleg a sötétség, 2. rész'''" ("The Darkness Is Nearing, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 10|10 January]] [[2012]]

'''Indonesian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Kegelapan Bangkit, Bagian 2'''" ("Darkness Rising, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' 4 September [[2012]]

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La rimonta delle tenebre, seconda parte'''" ("Darkness Rising, Second Part"), "'''L'Ascesa dell'Oscurità, Parte 2'''" ("The Arisal of Darkness, Part 2", 2017 airing)
:*''Original airdate:'' [[September 17|17 September]] [[2011]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Ankoku Henkei!? Dark Energon'''" (暗黒変形!? ダークエネルゴン, "Dark Transformation!? Dark Energon")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[April 14|14 April]] [[2012]]
:**At the end of the episode, when the manipulator arm turns into the spider-like creature and begins crawling around, a self-aware joke was added to the script: Ratchet mentions that he thinks he hears the kids in the audience telling him to watch his back, but brushes their concerns off as unimportant.

'''Korean'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Ak ui Buhwal 2'''" (악의 부활 2, "Return of the Evil, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[August 30|30 August]] [[2011]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' ?
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 6|6 December]] [[2011]]

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''A Ascenção do Mal - Parte 2'''" ("The Rise of Evil - Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 7|7 November]] [[2011]]

'''Spanish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''El regreso del mal, Parte 2'''" ("The Return of Evil, Part 2")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[November 7|7 November]] [[2011]]

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Darkness Rising ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Folge 1: Die dunkle Macht erhebt sich ([[EDEL:kids]]) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One Collection ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Volume 1: Darkness Rising (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Vol. 1 ([[Avex Trax]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One: Darkness Rising ([[Universal|Universal Pictures UK]]) 
[[File:Flag of France.png|20px|France]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Saison 1 Vol. 1: Le retour des Decepticons ([[Universal|Universal Pictures France]]) — English, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Staffel 1 - Das Bündnis (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of Italy.png|20px|Italy]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Stagione 1 Vol. 1: La rimonta delle tenebre ([[Universal|Universal Pictures IT]]) — English, Italian, Dutch, French and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of France.png|20px|France]] 2014 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Saison 1: L'intégrale (Universal Pictures France) — English, French, Italian, Dutch and Spanish audio. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2015 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One (Universal Pictures UK)
;Blu-ray
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Season One Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2012 — ''Transformers Prime'' — Staffel 1 - Das Bündnis (EDEL:kids) — English and German audio. 

[[Category:Prime episodes]]