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Persuasion

2013-07-15T12:39:50Z

ThePhantomLibrarian: /* Transformers references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 63
|prev=Minus One
|next=Synthesis
|image=Persuasion-Ratchetalone.jpg
|caption= "Now would probably be a bad time to mention that I have a phobia of cliche lighting..."
|title="Persuasion"
|airdate=[[July 12]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Michael G. Stern]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Megatron appeals to Ratchet; Optimus takes on Predaking.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] struggles to his feet after having been knocked out of the sky by [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]], who transforms to robot mode and lands nearby. The [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] charges up his blaster, but Optimus rebounds with a flurry of punches.

Inside the Solaris building, a firefight between [[Autobot]]s and [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s is brought to a swift end by one of [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]'s grenades. The Autobots make their way into the next room, where [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] is overseeing the theft of the particle collider, and begin fighting the [[Decepticon]] forces there.

Outside, Optimus continues to hammer away at Predaking, temporarily keeping him on the defensive, but the Predacon lashes out with a savage kick that sends Optimus sprawling. Predaking transforms back to beast mode and is about to unleash a blast of flame at the prone Autobot when [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] contacts him over the comm, ordering him to help secure the collider. Frustrated, Predaking fires his flame into the night sky.

Inside, the Autobots finish mopping up the Vehicons as [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] beats Shockwave to his knees. He offers the Decepticon a chance to surrender before Predaking bursts in, makes short work of the Autobots, and flees with Shockwave and the collider. Outside, Optimus Prime rises shakily to his feet, just in time to see Predaking [[GroundBridge]] out.

[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] radios [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] to return them to base. [[William Fowler|Fowler]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] are just coming to after being knocked out by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], and Bulkhead reports that Ratchet is gone.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron informs the captive Ratchet that he requires his assistance. Ratchet defiantly refuses to cooperate. Megatron says that cooperation isn't required, as Shockwave approaches the Autobot with a [[cortical psychic patch]].

At the Autobot base, Arcee examines the piece of [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]'s wing that Smokescreen shot off while the young Autobot laments his poor aim. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead confirm that Ratchet is nowhere on the premises, and that he didn't leave via the Autobot GroundBridge. Because there have been no ransom demands, Optimus reasons that Ratchet has something the Decepticons want.

Predaking learns that an Autobot is aboard the ship, and states that he's going to do to him what he failed to do to [[Prime (rank)|the Prime]]. Megatron explains that the captive is necessary for the restoration of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but once that's no longer the case, he will be turned over to the Predacon.

While Fowler barks orders for increased surveillance and satellite monitoring into the phone, Wheeljack theorizes that the Decepticons took Ratchet for his [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] formula. Smokescreen asks why that would be necessary when the Decepticons already control most of the planet's [[Energon]]. Optimus remembers Ratchet's belief that Megatron is attempting to rebuild the [[Omega Lock]], and deduces that Synth En could be a necessary component. Fowler, now off the phone, relays his concern to the Autobots; if the Decepticons found Ratchet, it means they know the location of their base.

Shockwave reports that the psychic patch only confirms Ratchet has not yet stabilized the synthetic energon formula. Megatron tries a different tactic, waiting for Ratchet to revive and telling the Autobot directly that he wants to help him complete the formula. Ratchet rejects the idea outright, until Megatron reveals his intentions; that the Synth En, when combined with [[CNA]], forms the basis for an alternative [[Cyber Matter]] that can be used to restore Cybertron. Ratchet refuses to collaborate with Megatron, calling him a barbarian responsible for destroying Cybertron in the first place and crushing [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s [[voice box]]. Megatron offers him a choice: the first option is to complete the formula. The second option is represented by an image of [[Jack Darby|Jack]], [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]], and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] displayed on [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s visor. Ratchet tries to feign disinterest in the humans, but the image on Soundwave's visor changes to that of the Autobot base. Megatron tells Ratchet that if he agrees to cooperate, the humans and the Autobots will not be harmed. The Decepticons leave him to ponder the offer, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] asks if Megatron was being serious. Megatron says of course he wasn't, and tells Starscream to assemble his armada and destroy the Autobots' base once again.

At the base, Fowler and the Autobots are uneasy about the lack of Decepticon activity. Optimus notes that since the Cons aren't stealing Predacon bones or [[Earth]] technology anymore, there's no way to track them. Ultra Magnus suggests splitting into teams for some "old school" searching, but is interrupted by alarms signaling an incoming attack. As Starscream and a fleet of Vehicons emerge from the skies, soldiers rush to their jets to prepare a defense. Starscream commands his troops to concentrate their attack on [[Hangar E]] as the military jets open fire. Starscream evades the humans' artillery and lets loose a volley of missiles that hit Hangar E and reduce it to a fiery ruin. He reports to Megatron that the mission has been accomplished, and the Decepticons depart.

[[File:Persuation attack afterman n.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Anyone got marshmallows?]]

The Autobots watch as soldiers put out the flames amidst the rubble that used to be the mess hall, and Ultra Magnus muses that the Decepticons were fooled by a simple paint job. The actual Hangar E, now repainted to say F, is still in one piece.

Back on the ''Nemesis'', Megatron has Ratchet released to give him a tour of the ship. Ratchet's first instinct is to attack, but he finds himself reluctantly impressed by the Decepticon technology. Megatron uses the opportunity to convince him that Autobots and Decepticons share a common goal in the restoration of Cybertron. Ratchet says that bringing back Cybertron would not stop Megatron's ambitions, which the Decepticon leader doesn't deny, but at least they would have a world worth fighting over. Ratchet asks what assurance he would have that Megatron would leave Earth alone. Megatron simply replies that no assurance is being offered, confident that Ratchet's desire to restore Cybertron will overpower his reservations.

At their base, the Autobots have realized that the piece of Laserbeak which Smokescreen shot off is his transponder. Raf hooks it up to his laptop and says that it's trying to communicate with the Decepticon warship. Jack asks how Raf can understand [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian code]], and Raf says that Ratchet used to teach him in his free time. Fowler asks if they can triangulate the signal, but Ultra Magnus reminds him it's going to a shielded ship. Arcee notes that if the transponder was still attached to Laserbeak, they could follow it. Wheeljack proposes giving it wings, and he and Raf start putting the idea into action.

Jack sees Fowler staring thoughtfully at the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] and asks if anything's wrong. Fowler admits he's been thinking of humanity's close calls at the hands of the Decepticons, and that technology like the armor could give their military agents a fighting chance even when the Autobots aren't around to protect them. He also suggests that Jack could be one of those agents himself someday, an idea he's apparently discussed with [[June Darby|Jack's mother]]. Jack isn't thrilled to hear they've been talking about him, but his protest is interrupted by the result of Raf's work: [[Chip (Prime)|Chip]], a small flying device built to house Laserbeak's transponder, which will lead them straight to the Decepticon warship.

Ratchet posits that even if the Omega Lock could be reconstructed, there's no way to scientifically replicate the device's mystical properties. Megatron says they won't know until they try, and shows Ratchet their progress: an almost-completed Omega Lock, attached to the underbelly of the ''Nemesis''. Realizing just how close they really are to being able to restore Cybertron, Ratchet agrees to complete the Synth En formula.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (10)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (11)
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] (12)

|c2=
*[[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] (2)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (3)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] (8)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (13)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (14)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (15)

|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (9)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (16)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (17)
*[[Jack Darby]] (18)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is no place for a one-handed Autobot." 
"I'll take one bum hand over one good eye any day."
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' trade politically incorrect barbs.

"Humans. Always the weak link."
:—'''Starscream''' showing that he still doesn't quite get it.

"Ratchet didn't think this new hand he built for me was good enough. But I'll tell you what truly isn't good enough: giving up."
:—Keep practicing those speeches, '''Ultra Magnus''', profundity will come someday.

'''Ratchet''': Megatron, you would just try to conquer Cybertron all over again, and enslave anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance to you. 
'''Megatron''': Of course I would!
:—Decepticon or not, '''Megatron''' has little use for guile.

'''Ratchet''': What assurance do I have that you would leave humankind be, and that you wouldn't instantly terminate me once you get what you need? 
'''Megatron''': None whatsoever. After all, we both know that as a Decepticon, any assurances I might offer would be worthless.
:—Seriously, '''Megatron''' is crazy honest about lying.

"Miko, I needed that!"
:—'''Raf''' hangs around Ratchet entirely too much.

'''Megatron''': It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drives to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cybermatter to launch through it. 
'''Ratchet''': Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon. 
'''Megatron''': I have every confidence in you, doctor. 
'''Ratchet''': I'll do it. But then you already knew that, didn't you? 
:—Ratchet makes a deal with the [[The Fallen|aptly named]] Megatron, after which one can only hope that he has [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_and_Daniel_Webster Daniel Webster] on speed dial.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus are shown to be the same height when standing behind the hanger after the Decepticon attack. Previously it was shown in "[[Rebellion (Prime)|Rebellion]]" and every episode since that Optimus was at least a head and shoulders taller than Ultra Magnus.

===Continuity notes===
* Megatron tearing out Bumblebee's vocoder is again referenced, this time explicitly. It was first detailed in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
* Soundwave's picture of the children was taken way back in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]".
* Starscream has previously described humans as "the weak link" in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* The Decepticons already destroyed [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|one Autobot base]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]".
* Miko obtained the Apex Armor in "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Fowler mentions being stuck in [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out's]] trunk with June Darby, which occurred in "[[Plus One]]".

===Transformers references===
* Raf imitating Ratchet was influenced by Sari Sumdac imitating Ratchet back in Transformers Animated episode [[Lost and Found]].
* Starscream being the sole Decepticon sent to destroy the Autobots yet the Autobots surviving using the power of deception is a reference to [[Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]].
* Megatron is in great need of an Autobot's skills in engineering [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|yet]] [[A Bridge Too Close, Part I|again]].
* Wheeljack refers to Megatron as Buckethead. YEEE
* Wheeljack is seen using his various engineering skills [[Wheeljack (G1)|yet again]].
* 'CHIP' the flying drone is of course a reference to Chip Chase of G1 fame.

===Real-world references===
* Fowler's dazed ramblings about there being "a man on the wing of this plane" refers to the famous ''[[Twilight Zone|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_at_20,000_Feet "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"].

===Trivia===
* Though Predaking named himself in "[[Evolution]]", this episode marks the first instance of him giving it to the Autobots.
* Shockwave mocks Ultra Magnus's bad hand during their fight, even though he likewise only has one functional hand and a permanently affixed cannon.
* This is the first episode to lack a title sequence since [[Darkness Rising, Part 5]].
* When visiting the laboratory aboard the ship with Megatron, Ratchet notices and picks up a device, called Quantum Cyro Inducer. The design features of this device bear some resemblance to Shockwave himself. The sides look like they're stacked with rough mini versions of his head, while the top has something that could be interpreted as a big red eye.
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2013-06-17T14:41:22Z

ThePhantomLibrarian: /* Notes */

{{suite}}
[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet gets poked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]

From a wannabe hero to a crotchety old 'Bot looking forward to retirement, '''Ratchet''' has come a long way.

{{quote|Why are we '''''here''''', on this planet? We're here to '''''save lives'''''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''''one life at a time'''''.|Ratchet earns his permanent place on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl's]] crap list.|[[Infiltration issue 3|''The Transformers: Infiltration'' #3]]}}

==IDW Generation 1 comics==
{{ongoing}}
Long before the war, Ratchet and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] (the future Optimus Prime) met at the Iaconian Academy of Science and Technology. They stayed friends afterwards. When Ratchet became the Autobot's Chief Medical Officer, he found he was unsatisfied and Orion encouraged to open a free clinic in [[Rodion]]'s [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]] for the derelicts (He kept this secret in case the [[Senate]] disapproved). Ratchet once repaired a destitute robot named Drift who was crashing on circuit boosters, an encounter both would recall millions of years later. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet would distinguish himself over the millennia as the only Autobot who personally saved the life of every Prime since Nominus. His hands possessed a naturally unique skill and dexterity which made them almost hypnotic while in motion.

When [[Nominus Prime]] fell victim to a terrorist attack, Ratchet was the one who performed life-saving surgery. Orion, now a "supercop" in Rodion, trusted the medic enough to reveal that he had a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|friend]] in the Senate who knew members of ''the Senate itself'' had done the deed; Ratchet was not a full believer until Nominus died from a "long-standing rust infection" that he knew for a fact the Prime didn't have. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Investigating this, Orion uncovered a Senate plot to plant a bomb in Nominus's body and blame it on the new Decepticon movement, and so Ratchet joined him in putting a stop to it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} He came with Orion and some [[outlier]]s to the [[Primal Basilica]], where his precise fingers were required to pick the locks holding the bomb in place. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

When the Decepticon insurgency went on the rise, Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in [[Kaon]]. He was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} His skills as a doctor were such that he worked for both [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Under Zeta's rule, Ratchet became Chief Medical Officer of the new Autobot army, only to be kidnapped by the Decepticons and held at the [[Rust Spot]] as a ploy to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] during a hostage exchange. Fortunately the hostage exchanger was Orion Pax, who managed to save both Ratchet and Trion. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

Ratchet participated in Orion Pax's uprising against an increasingly corrupt Zeta Prime, and would have repaired Orion after the battle if not for an sudden betrayal by their Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Overthrown}} He was working at the [[technoversity]] of [[Ultirex]] when Orion Pax, now Optimus Prime, broadcast a rallying call for support against [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s dictatorship. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

In the earliest days of his leadership, Optimus Prime sent a team of scientists including Ratchet to the remains of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] to search for traces of energon. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Indeed they did find some in the form of a pool in the caverns beneath the crater, but when an earthquake sent Ratchet falling into the liquid, he went berserk and started attacking his comrades. He quickly regained his composure, but before they could study why the energon had turned him into a mindless beast, the scientists were attacked by monsters living in the caves. As they fled, Ratchet used his alt-mode to bust into another cavern, where the team found a [[Trypticon (G1)|gigantic sleeping dragon]]. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} They reported their findings to Optimus Prime, who told them to find a way to neutralize the creature so the Autobots could make use of the energon. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}}

As well as many Autobots, Ratchet had been the one who'd saved [[Drift (G1)|Drift's]] life back when the lad was a wounded drug addict. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Drift would go on to become one of the Decepticon's worst killers, something that long rankled the medic.

Ratchet repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at [[Sherma Bridge]], a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find them all and put them back together. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.]]
In [[2006]], Ratchet was part of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Although a loyal warrior, Ratchet's conscience got the better of him when he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, he encountered two more—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Ratchet broke cover to save their lives, subjecting himself to the wrath of [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], who threatened disciplinary action. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

Ratchet was seemingly alone in his convictions, until [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate an abandoned Decepticon bunker in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

[[File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|100px|thumb|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]
The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery of Blitzwing and Skywarp, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to ''[[Ark-17]]'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Ratchet went with the Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]]. There they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} There they skirmished with the humans that were assembled outside who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]]. [[Ms. Marvel]] smashed through Ratchet's window and Ratchet subdued her with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]] which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism. He gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism. They began attacking the array's defenses which caused the Decepticons to attack. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}}

During the fight, [[Luke Cage]] and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests, but the human [[Spider-Man]] was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by [[Doctor Doom]]. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' [[mirror response mode]] equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!]]
After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was apparently destroyed by [[Machination|a mysterious human organisation]], Ratchet determined that the wreckage the Autobots recovered was a fake. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Later, Ratchet and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], against orders, accompanied Verity Carlo and [[Jimmy Pink]] to find clues on the missing Sunstreaker's and Hunter's whereabouts while Optimus Prime and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

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

[[File:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|200px|thumb|CLEAR!]]
The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

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

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a [[space bridge]] leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "[[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]" would eat them. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After listening to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s tale about how the ''[[Trion]]'' and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} Ratchet mingled with him and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] as they fled elsewhere. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a [[CR chamber]] to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the battle in [[New York City]], and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Later, Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

At some point, Ratchet had become a fan of "[[Fisitron]]'s" ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogues. Several years after the fall of Megatron, "Fisitron" (real name Ironfist) died from a severe gunshot. Ratchet would often think afterwards that he could have saved Ironfist's life. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Around the same time, Ratchet and the Autobots were still operating on Earth. It served as a meeting point for all Autobots who had survived the great purge the Decepticons had orchestrated throughout the galaxy. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into, however, especially with the human organization known as [[Skywatch]] hunting them and Decepticons alike. Ratchet was present when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when HE turned out to be the new chosen leader. Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second, helping shepherd him into his new role. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]], who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and the other Decepticons still loose on Earth. Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to vehicle mode at his command. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader. At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate [[Serena Bharwaney|Bharwaney's young daughter]] into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}}

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more war-like, combat ready body to fit his new duties. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the [[Tyrest Accord]] to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], activated a new Decepticon combiner and unleashed it on the Autobots. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} After several Autobots were damaged fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}} Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. {{storylink|All His Engines}}

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to [[Las Vegas]] once [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] showed up with an army of [[zombie]]s in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, [[Britt]], to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in [[North Korea]]. They accepted, but due to pressure from the [[President of the United States]], they were going to have to do it in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]'s rotor blades. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near [[Albuquerque]], but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back to his normal self, though he was left relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state only to be have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode and leaving Earth to liberate their home. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon [[antimatter]] from [[black hole]]s, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 [[Shanix]] richer. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Believing that the Matrix might cloud his judgement regarding how to punish Megatron, Optimus temporarily left Ratchet in charge of the relic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

After arriving on Cybertron, Ratchet participated in the battle against Galvatron's [[Sweep]] army. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Then Megatron broke loose and summoned his Decepticons, and the Autobots had to fight ''them'' as well. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The battle ended with Cybertron restored to a living, "primordial" state and [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] returning home from all across the galaxy. Ratchet repaired [[Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", when he was injured during a NAIL riot against the Autobots being in command. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

After proving unable to save a NAIL from transforming himself to death in protest, Ratchet confided in Bumblebee that he was worried about getting old and losing his touch as a doctor. In hopes that he could help some more people and maybe find himself a successor, he joined the crew of Rodimus's ''[[Lost Light]]'' which left Cybertron in search of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately for him, ''Drift'' was on the crew too, having reformed and joined the Autobots. Ratchet almost immediately started to insult the ex-Decepticon to whoever would listen, {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} and imply he only had a third-in-command role because he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear.

Ratchet got his hands full right away on the ''Lost Light'', having to repair an ancient crippled [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], an armless [[Rung]] (who was very impressed with Ratchet's dexterity until he saw the medic smash his own hand with a hammer to loosen some joints), [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and all the Autobots who fell out of the ship during its unfortunate launch. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} When [[Shock]] was found dead, Ratchet analyzed his body, annoyed by the others blaming the death on a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] until he concluded that they were right. Once Rodimus defeated the creature at the cost of his arms, Ratchet built him new ones. He was working on Tailgate again when the little guy suddenly revealed that he wanted to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Ratchet life after the big bang.jpg|thumb|left]]
Having received a datalog detailing an unusual death rate among patients at [[Delphi]], Ratchet brought Drift and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] with him to investigate and found that the facility was infected with a deadly [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]]. While he was trying to figure out what happened by talking to the local medics, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Ambulon]] and [[Pharma]], Pipes and Drift were infected. The Autobots were then attacked by two [[Genericon]]s, but saved by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} Ratchet quickly figured out the properties of the virus, leading to the revelation that Pharma was behind the outbreak. Despite being infected himself, he pursued Pharma and learned of his plan about unleashing the virus to escape a deal he had made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. On the roof of Delphi, Ratchet battled Pharma and knocked him to the edge where Drift sliced his hands off, sending him to his doom. Ratchet then used Pharma's vaccine to cure Delphi of its virus and went back to the ''Lost Light'' with Drift, Pipes, the survivors of Delphi and... a new pair of hands. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} After Fortress Maximus went on a shooting spree inside the Lost Light, Ratchet treated the victims with First Aid's help. He noticed a strange pattern between all five casualties: they shared the same colors as Overlord. {{storylink|Interiors}}

First Aid, Ambulon, and Ratchet were instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement}} Later, Ratchet helped Ultra Magnus rid some [[Nanocon]]s inside him and attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony afterwards. He was among the crew members that were teleported down to [[Theophany]] by the [[Galactic Council]] to investigate [[Crystal City]], where they came across a [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]] and Ratchet gave Rodimus a communicator from Ultra Magnus. The Galactic Council troops attacked them after the Metrotitan shot an eye blast at their ship and Ratchet joined a team to hold them off while Rodimus attempted to free the titan. The Metrotitan was freed and teleported the crew back to their ship and quantum-jumped the ship to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

In an attempt to jump-start Rung's brain, Ratchet agreed to tell a story about pre-war events that involved him and Orion Pax; this included the story of how he saved Drift and gave him a pep talk, something both he and Drift long thought about. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet later narrated their revelation of the Senate's plans and stated to Whirl that a reason why Megatron went bad was probably due to the triggerhappy bot's past beating on Megatron. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} As the story was having no apparent effect on Rung, Ratchet rushed it along until it came to a close, at which point an alarm began ringing and everyone moved to battle stations. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following a battle with a group of Decepticons on [[Temptoria]], Ratchet operated on two of the injured, [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}

When the ''Lost Light's'' alarm system went off, Ratchet was the first to fully engage the escaped [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in combat. He and Drift held the line for the few moments necessary for Rodimus and the others to reach the battle. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} While Overlord was eventually ejected from the ship, he killed at least five crew members before the end. Ratchet did his best to repair those he could, but even the mighty Ultra Magnus was on the verge of death, counting down the number of days until his spark shrank away to nothing. After Drift came forward and claimed responsibility for bringing Overlord on board, he was exiled from the ''Lost Light''. As he departed, grieving Autobots threw trash at the spiritualist, knocking him down, but Ratchet stepped up and helped his friend to his feet before he left. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

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

==Notes==
*Ratchet was one of the characters who both [[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]] wanted for their respective books <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309188#309188 James Roberts:] As for the divvying up, we both started off with two or three characters that had been dictated – actually, that’s the wrong word – by IDW editorial, then came up with a core cast wish list. There were only a few clashes. I would have liked Prowl and Wheeljack and I think John would have liked Magnus and Ratchet. We compromised.</ref>
*James Roberts attributed Ratchet's new attitude in ''More than Meets the Eye'' almost entirely to the imminent failure of his hands<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309422#309422 James Roberts:] I know that some people think I’ve made Ratchet too crotchety, for example—although in my defense I’d argue that a lot of his grumpiness was the result of watching his hands die before his eyes</ref>
*Ratchet shows no surprise when Overlord appears on the Lost Light and turns to blind the Phase-Sixer without actually seeing him. It's possible (and probable) that he saw the Decepticon in the reflection of the datapad he was holding but still...great reflexes for an old timer with replaced hands...
*Ratchet is one of the few Autobots to face multiple Phase-Six Decepticons and survive. He survived being pursued by Sixshot (Devastation) and brutally beaten by Overlord (Under Cold Blue Stars).

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Medics]]

Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2013-06-12T15:01:47Z

ThePhantomLibrarian: /* Notes */

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[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet gets poked.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]

From a wannabe hero to a crotchety old 'Bot looking forward to retirement, '''Ratchet''' has come a long way.

{{quote|Why are we '''''here''''', on this planet? We're here to '''''save lives'''''. Now okay, maybe we're talking mass numbers, a global scale of species saved, but me, I take it '''''one life at a time'''''.|Ratchet earns his permanent place on [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl's]] crap list.|[[Infiltration issue 3|''The Transformers: Infiltration'' #3]]}}

==IDW Generation 1 comics==
{{ongoing}}
Long before the war, Ratchet and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] (the future Optimus Prime) met at the Iaconian Academy of Science and Technology. They stayed friends afterwards. When Ratchet became the Autobot's Chief Medical Officer, he found he was unsatisfied and Orion encouraged to open a free clinic in [[Rodion]]'s [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]] for the derelicts (He kept this secret in case the [[Senate]] disapproved). Ratchet once repaired a destitute robot named Drift who was crashing on circuit boosters, an encounter both would recall millions of years later. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet would distinguish himself over the millennia as the only Autobot who personally saved the life of every Prime since Nominus. His hands possessed a naturally unique skill and dexterity which made them almost hypnotic while in motion.

When [[Nominus Prime]] fell victim to a terrorist attack, Ratchet was the one who performed life-saving surgery. Orion, now a "supercop" in Rodion, trusted the medic enough to reveal that he had a [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|friend]] in the Senate who knew members of ''the Senate itself'' had done the deed; Ratchet was not a full believer until Nominus died from a "long-standing rust infection" that he knew for a fact the Prime didn't have. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Investigating this, Orion uncovered a Senate plot to plant a bomb in Nominus's body and blame it on the new Decepticon movement, and so Ratchet joined him in putting a stop to it. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} He came with Orion and some [[outlier]]s to the [[Primal Basilica]], where his precise fingers were required to pick the locks holding the bomb in place. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

When the Decepticon insurgency went on the rise, Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in [[Kaon]]. He was present at the funeral of [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} His skills as a doctor were such that he worked for both [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]]. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} Under Zeta's rule, Ratchet became Chief Medical Officer of the new Autobot army, only to be kidnapped by the Decepticons and held at the [[Rust Spot]] as a ploy to capture [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] during a hostage exchange. Fortunately the hostage exchanger was Orion Pax, who managed to save both Ratchet and Trion. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

Ratchet participated in Orion Pax's uprising against an increasingly corrupt Zeta Prime, and would have repaired Orion after the battle if not for an sudden betrayal by their Decepticon allies. {{storylink|Overthrown}} He was working at the [[technoversity]] of [[Ultirex]] when Orion Pax, now Optimus Prime, broadcast a rallying call for support against [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]]'s dictatorship. {{storylink|Broadcast}}

In the earliest days of his leadership, Optimus Prime sent a team of scientists including Ratchet to the remains of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] to search for traces of energon. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Indeed they did find some in the form of a pool in the caverns beneath the crater, but when an earthquake sent Ratchet falling into the liquid, he went berserk and started attacking his comrades. He quickly regained his composure, but before they could study why the energon had turned him into a mindless beast, the scientists were attacked by monsters living in the caves. As they fled, Ratchet used his alt-mode to bust into another cavern, where the team found a [[Trypticon (G1)|gigantic sleeping dragon]]. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} They reported their findings to Optimus Prime, who told them to find a way to neutralize the creature so the Autobots could make use of the energon. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}}

As well as many Autobots, Ratchet had been the one who'd saved [[Drift (G1)|Drift's]] life back when the lad was a wounded drug addict. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Drift would go on to become one of the Decepticon's worst killers, something that long rankled the medic.

Ratchet repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at [[Sherma Bridge]], a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find them all and put them back together. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:Infiltration3 Ratchet.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.]]
In [[2006]], Ratchet was part of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Although a loyal warrior, Ratchet's conscience got the better of him when he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of [[Stoker|a human being]]. While he was too late to save that human, he encountered two more—[[Verity Carlo]] and [[Hunter O'Nion]]—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 0|Infiltration #0}} Ratchet broke cover to save their lives, subjecting himself to the wrath of [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]], who threatened disciplinary action. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}

Ratchet was seemingly alone in his convictions, until [[Bumblebee (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Bumblebee]] agreed to help him and the humans investigate an abandoned Decepticon bunker in [[Nebraska]]. [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}}

[[File:Ratchetholomatter.jpg|100px|thumb|Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.]]
The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery of Blitzwing and Skywarp, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to ''[[Ark-17]]'', where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Ratchet went with the Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of [[Latveria]]. There they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} There they skirmished with the humans that were assembled outside who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering [[Psycho-Prism]]. [[Ms. Marvel]] smashed through Ratchet's window and Ratchet subdued her with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to [[Captain America]] which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism. He gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism. They began attacking the array's defenses which caused the Decepticons to attack. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}}

During the fight, [[Luke Cage]] and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests, but the human [[Spider-Man]] was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by [[Doctor Doom]]. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' [[mirror response mode]] equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities. [[Wolverine (superhero)|Wolverine]] arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then [[orbital jump|orbital bounced]] with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Sixshot-devastation3a.jpg|thumb|left|200px|I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!]]
After [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] was apparently destroyed by [[Machination|a mysterious human organisation]], Ratchet determined that the wreckage the Autobots recovered was a fake. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Later, Ratchet and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], against orders, accompanied Verity Carlo and [[Jimmy Pink]] to find clues on the missing Sunstreaker's and Hunter's whereabouts while Optimus Prime and the other Autobots went to [[Brasnya]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

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

[[File:Devastation5 Ratchet Jazz.jpg|200px|thumb|CLEAR!]]
The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the ''[[Ark-32]]''. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}}

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

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a [[space bridge]] leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "[[Insecticon swarm|swarm]]" would eat them. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} After listening to [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]]'s tale about how the ''[[Trion]]'' and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}} Ratchet mingled with him and [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] as they fled elsewhere. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a [[CR chamber]] to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}}

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} He survived the battle in [[New York City]], and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Later, Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 16|Hidden}}

At some point, Ratchet had become a fan of "[[Fisitron]]'s" ''[[Wreckers: Declassified]]'' datalogues. Several years after the fall of Megatron, "Fisitron" (real name Ironfist) died from a severe gunshot. Ratchet would often think afterwards that he could have saved Ironfist's life. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}}

Around the same time, Ratchet and the Autobots were still operating on Earth. It served as a meeting point for all Autobots who had survived the great purge the Decepticons had orchestrated throughout the galaxy. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into, however, especially with the human organization known as [[Skywatch]] hunting them and Decepticons alike. Ratchet was present when [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Hot Rod]] demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when HE turned out to be the new chosen leader. Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second, helping shepherd him into his new role. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]], but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel [[Gordon Horiuchi]], who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] and the other Decepticons still loose on Earth. Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to vehicle mode at his command. {{storylink|The Hanging Sword}}

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader. At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. {{storylink|The Impossible Knot}}

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to [[Sanjay Bharwaney]], creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate [[Serena Bharwaney|Bharwaney's young daughter]] into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. {{storylink|The Gift Horse}}

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more war-like, combat ready body to fit his new duties. {{storylink|Wings of Wax}}

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the [[Tyrest Accord]] to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], activated a new Decepticon combiner and unleashed it on the Autobots. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} After several Autobots were damaged fighting [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]], Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]]. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}} Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. {{storylink|All His Engines}}

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to [[Las Vegas]] once [[Galvatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Galvatron]] showed up with an army of [[zombie]]s in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, [[Britt]], to the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] when [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] in [[North Korea]]. They accepted, but due to pressure from the [[President of the United States]], they were going to have to do it in disguise. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off [[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]]'s rotor blades. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk Among the Sparrows}} The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near [[Albuquerque]], but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back to his normal self, though he was left relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state only to be have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode and leaving Earth to liberate their home. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}}

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon [[antimatter]] from [[black hole]]s, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 [[Shanix]] richer. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Believing that the Matrix might cloud his judgement regarding how to punish Megatron, Optimus temporarily left Ratchet in charge of the relic. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

After arriving on Cybertron, Ratchet participated in the battle against Galvatron's [[Sweep]] army. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Then Megatron broke loose and summoned his Decepticons, and the Autobots had to fight ''them'' as well. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} The battle ended with Cybertron restored to a living, "primordial" state and [[NAIL|neutral Transformers]] returning home from all across the galaxy. Ratchet repaired [[Metalhawk]], the spokesman of the "NAILs", when he was injured during a NAIL riot against the Autobots being in command. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

After proving unable to save a NAIL from transforming himself to death in protest, Ratchet confided in Bumblebee that he was worried about getting old and losing his touch as a doctor. In hopes that he could help some more people and maybe find himself a successor, he joined the crew of Rodimus's ''[[Lost Light]]'' which left Cybertron in search of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Unfortunately for him, ''Drift'' was on the crew too, having reformed and joined the Autobots. Ratchet almost immediately started to insult the ex-Decepticon to whoever would listen, {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|How to Say Goodbye and Mean It}} and imply he only had a third-in-command role because he told Rodimus what he wanted to hear.

Ratchet got his hands full right away on the ''Lost Light'', having to repair an ancient crippled [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]], an armless [[Rung]] (who was very impressed with Ratchet's dexterity until he saw the medic smash his own hand with a hammer to loosen some joints), [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and all the Autobots who fell out of the ship during its unfortunate launch. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On|Hangers On}} When [[Shock]] was found dead, Ratchet analyzed his body, annoyed by the others blaming the death on a [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] until he concluded that they were right. Once Rodimus defeated the creature at the cost of his arms, Ratchet built him new ones. He was working on Tailgate again when the little guy suddenly revealed that he wanted to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Ratchet life after the big bang.jpg|thumb|left]]
Having received a datalog detailing an unusual death rate among patients at [[Delphi]], Ratchet brought Drift and [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] with him to investigate and found that the facility was infected with a deadly [[Red Rust|Red Rust virus]]. While he was trying to figure out what happened by talking to the local medics, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]], [[Ambulon]] and [[Pharma]], Pipes and Drift were infected. The Autobots were then attacked by two [[Genericon]]s, but saved by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. {{storylink|Life After the Big Bang}} Ratchet quickly figured out the properties of the virus, leading to the revelation that Pharma was behind the outbreak. Despite being infected himself, he pursued Pharma and learned of his plan about unleashing the virus to escape a deal he had made with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]. On the roof of Delphi, Ratchet battled Pharma and knocked him to the edge where Drift sliced his hands off, sending him to his doom. Ratchet then used Pharma's vaccine to cure Delphi of its virus and went back to the ''Lost Light'' with Drift, Pipes, the survivors of Delphi and... a new pair of hands. {{storylink|How Ratchet Got His Hands Back}} After Fortress Maximus went on a shooting spree inside the Lost Light, Ratchet treated the victims with First Aid's help. He noticed a strange pattern between all five casualties: they shared the same colors as Overlord. {{storylink|Interiors}}

First Aid, Ambulon, and Ratchet were instrumental in saving Rung's life after he was accidentally shot in the head by [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement}} Later, Ratchet helped Ultra Magnus rid some [[Nanocon]]s inside him and attended Tailgate's Autobot Initiation Ceremony afterwards. He was among the crew members that were teleported down to [[Theophany]] by the [[Galactic Council]] to investigate [[Crystal City]], where they came across a [[Metrotitan (body-type)|Metrotitan]] and Ratchet gave Rodimus a communicator from Ultra Magnus. The Galactic Council troops attacked them after the Metrotitan shot an eye blast at their ship and Ratchet joined a team to hold them off while Rodimus attempted to free the titan. The Metrotitan was freed and teleported the crew back to their ship and quantum-jumped the ship to safety. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}}

In an attempt to jump-start Rung's brain, Ratchet agreed to tell a story about pre-war events that involved him and Orion Pax; this included the story of how he saved Drift and gave him a pep talk, something both he and Drift long thought about. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} Ratchet later narrated their revelation of the Senate's plans and stated to Whirl that a reason why Megatron went bad was probably due to the triggerhappy bot's past beating on Megatron. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}} As the story was having no apparent effect on Rung, Ratchet rushed it along until it came to a close, at which point an alarm began ringing and everyone moved to battle stations. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

Following a battle with a group of Decepticons on [[Temptoria]], Ratchet operated on two of the injured, [[Spoke]] and [[Lockstock]]. {{storylink|Before & After}}

When the ''Lost Light's'' alarm system went off, Ratchet was the first to fully engage the escaped [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in combat. He and Drift held the line for the few moments necessary for Rodimus and the others to reach the battle. {{storylink|Under Cold Blue Stars}} While Overlord was eventually ejected from the ship, he killed at least five crew members before the end. Ratchet did his best to repair those he could, but even the mighty Ultra Magnus was on the verge of death, counting down the number of days until his spark shrank away to nothing. After Drift came forward and claimed responsibility for bringing Overlord on board, he was exiled from the ''Lost Light''. As he departed, grieving Autobots threw trash at the spiritualist, knocking him down, but Ratchet stepped up and helped his friend to his feet before he left. {{storylink|The Gloaming}}

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

==Notes==
*Ratchet was one of the characters who both [[James Roberts]] and [[John Barber]] wanted for their respective books <ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309188#309188 James Roberts:] As for the divvying up, we both started off with two or three characters that had been dictated – actually, that’s the wrong word – by IDW editorial, then came up with a core cast wish list. There were only a few clashes. I would have liked Prowl and Wheeljack and I think John would have liked Magnus and Ratchet. We compromised.</ref>
*James Roberts attributed Ratchet's new attitude in ''More than Meets the Eye'' almost entirely to the imminent failure of his hands<ref>[http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?p=309422#309422 James Roberts:] I know that some people think I’ve made Ratchet too crotchety, for example—although in my defense I’d argue that a lot of his grumpiness was the result of watching his hands die before his eyes</ref>
*Ratchet shows no surprise when Overlord appears on the Lost Light and turns to blind the Phase-Sixer without actually seeing him. It's possible (and probable) that he saw the Decepticon in the reflection of the datapad he was holding but still...great reflexes for an old timer with replaced hands...

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Generation 1 Autobots]]
[[Category:Medics]]

Loose Ends, Part 1

2013-05-29T15:14:03Z

ThePhantomLibrarian: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: Regeneration One]]'' #81
|prev=Counterpoint
|next=Loose Ends, Part 2
|title="Loose Ends" Part 1
|image=RG1 81 cvrA.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 11]], [[2012]]
|coverdate=July 2012
|writer=[[Simon Furman]]
|penciler=[[Andrew Wildman]]
|inker=[[Stephen Baskerville]]
|colorist=[[John-Paul Bove]]
|letterer=[[Chris Mowry]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[Marvel Comics continuity]]
}}

'''Frustrated by Optimus Prime's pacifism, Kup goes rogue in order to tie up as many loose ends as he can.'''

==Synopsis==
At the [[Wrecker]]s' headquarters, [[Debris]], [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] runs through a holographic training session in which he takes down two of the biggest unresolved threats left over from the war—[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] and [[Galvatron II|Galvatron]]—but the session is stopped by [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] just before the third and final holo-opponent, [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]], takes Kup down from behind. Springer brings news that a group of Neo-[[Decepticon]]s have holed up in a weapons-decommissioning depot in [[Kalis]], and are threatening to detonate a clutch of reclaimed warheads. The Wreckers get ready for action, only to have [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] inform them that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]]'s refusal to permit hostile action against insurgents is still in effect.

Meanwhile, inside the facility, the insurgents in question—the [[Skyscorcher]]s—are arguing amongst themselves over their raid going wrong. [[Windrazor (G2)|Windrazor]] contacts Ultra Magnus in order to arrange a surrender, intending to then trigger a small explosion using a warhead detonator cap that will cover their escape, but before terms can be arranged, [[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]], [[Chop Shop]] and [[Venom (G1)|Venom]] infiltrate the depot and take all four of them down. The three [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticon]]s have been sent into action by [[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] with the order to make martyrs of the Skyscorchers by detonating one of the warheads, but the Wreckers suddenly burst into the room in defiance of orders, restrain the Insecticons in a [[detention sphere]], and with a little off-site help from [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]], disarm the ticking warhead.

Presently, Ultra Magnus and Kup visit [[Nova Point]], where Optimus Prime grudgingly admits that the Wreckers' actions saved countless lives, leading him to refrain from handing down punishment. Magnus presses the issue, concerned about the influence of the Wreckers' war-hero reputation is having on his cadets, but Prime does not hear him, his mind consumed by a vision of [[Unicron]], threatening to return and kill him again. Outside Prime's chambers, Kup and [[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] argue about over Prime's new outlook, with Kup angrily concluding that Prime's decision to mentor Hot Rod is a case of him looking for someone to take over leadership so that he can forget about the war entirely. Deciding that a more proactive attitude—like that displayed by the currently-absent [[Grimlock (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Grimlock]], off looking for a cure for [[Nucleon]]—is needed to deal with the threats that still exist, Kup returns to Debris and gathers up the other Wreckers. He announces his intent to visit [[Earth]], [[Nebulos]] and the other worlds touched by the war to try and actually make a difference, and the whole team elects to join him.

Kup is not the only one going proactive—at [[Fort Scyk]], Soundwave receives a communication from Bludgeon, off in the depths of space, who announces that he has gathered together the means to take revenge on the Autobots for his defeat on [[Klo]]. Only one element remains, and if Soundwave can acquire it for him, Bludgeon promises him all the firepower he will need to wage his campaign...

Kup and the Wreckers hitch a lift with the [[Cosmic Carnival]] to Earth's [[Solar System]] in return for a favour to be collected on later, and once at their destination, quickly release surveillance drones to scan Earth. The images the drones beam back are nothing short of horrifying: the entire planet has been devastated, great cities laid to waste, bodies of water boiled dry. And amidst the devastation, on a throne of rubble... sits Megatron! Remotely taking control of one of the drones in order to address the Autobots, Megatron mockingly wonders why it took so long for his actions to be noticed before launching a volley of nuclear missiles at the Wreckers and blowing their ship out of the sky!

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] (2)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (5)
*[[Topspin (G1)|Topspin]] (6)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (7)
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (8)
*[[Rack'n'Ruin|Rack 'n' Ruin]] (9)
*[[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] (10)
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (11)
*[[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] (12)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] (13)
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (22)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Optimus Prime]] (23)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Hot Rod]] (25)
|c2=
*[[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] (1)
*[[Galvatron II]] (3)
*[[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Soundwave (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Soundwave]] (14)
*[[Venom (G1)|Venom]] (15)
*[[Ransack (G1)|Ransack]] (16)
*[[Chop Shop]] (17)
*[[Windrazor (G2)|Windrazor]] (18)
*[[Afterburner (G2)|Afterburner]] (19)
*[[Terradive (G2)|Terradive]] (20)
*[[Eagle Eye (G2)|Eagle Eye]] (21)
|c3=
*[[Berko]] (26)
|c4=
*[[Unicron]] (24)
}}

==Quotes==
"What do '''I''' think? I think Prime's '''lost''' his edge. His death and subsequent rebirth have turned a visionary leader into a '''blinkered, unrealistic optimist.''' And those years spent "mentoring" you are just symptomatic... of him '''passing the buck!'''"
:—'''Kup''' gives Hot Rod a talking-to

==Notes==
[[File:Soundwave Insecticons.jpeg|200px|thumb|Surprise! We've been hiding in here since 1985!]]
*Kup's hologram version of Bludgeon is missing the left prong of its helmet-crest, just as Bludgeon was when he was last seen at the end of the original Marvel run.
*Kup's apparently been watching 80's-era Earth horror movies, his first words to Springer ("So thrill me, what's the play?") are more than reminiscent of Detective Cameron's catch-phrase in Fred Dekker's Night of the Creeps (1986). Like Kup, Cameron is a crusty, almost-retired cop pulled out for one last mission against an evil he previously defeated.
*We get to see the Wreckers' base, [[Debris]], for the first time—up until now, it's only been mentioned in passing, or appeared in prose stories.
*[[Twin Twist]] is conspicuous by his absence from the ranks of the Wreckers. He ''did'' die during the [[Time Wars]], but we know that the UK stories don't count for ''Regeneration One'',<ref name="nouk">[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/rg1-81-is-here/#comment-6607 Simon Furman]: "There are no direct follow-ons from UK stories in RG1."</ref> as evidenced by the fact that Topspin, Roadbuster, Rack 'n' Ruin and Sandstorm all died during that conflict as well and appear alive here.
*Taking Twin Twist's place on the Wreckers is Leadfoot, which is a combined reference to [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|''Dark of the Moon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Leadfoot]], the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' comic (elements of which are part of this series), and his appearance in ''[[Spotlight: Galvatron]]''.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/10436/16/ Allspark:Simon Furman Answers Your Questions about ReGeneration One!]</ref> Whether he has the same origin as the G2 comic Leadfoot is unknown.
*The provincial term "[[Polities of Cybertron#Orbital Torus State|Orbital Torus State]]", which originated with [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]'s comics, makes its Marvel continuity debut here.
*Kup refers to Ultra Magnus as (formerly) "Cybertron's greatest warrior", the appellation he bore in the Marvel UK series.
*The [[Dark Ages]] get a mention, a portion of Cybertronian history that also originates with the Dreamwave comics.
*Ransack makes his Marvel continuity debut with this issue; Chop Shop and Venom previously appeared during the Time Wars, and like a chunk of the Wreckers, died. Just as the more famous Insecticon trio were able to do in the Marvel comic, these three are able to shrink to the size of actual insects, an ability Soundwave exploits to smuggle them around in his chest compartment!
*Hot Rod's color scheme has been changed since issue #80.5, and he now sports an orange chest and silver fists, more in-line with his cartoon appearance. Below the waist, he's still rocking the Marvel-originated silver thighs and magenta boots.
*Kup notes that instead of inhibiting transformation across the board, Nucleon left other Transformers "mental or physical wrecks". The idea that Nucleon would have various different effects on those dosed with it was a story hook Furman was intending to explore back in the 90s before the Marvel series was cancelled, and he's obviously returning to it here.
*Some kind of mold-thingy is mounted on the wall behind Bludgeon, and is pretty clearly cast in the shape of [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. The idea of Bludgeon attempting to resurrect a former Decepticon leader as part of his revenge scheme isn't new, as he did the same thing with Megatron in the original post-#80 continuation, "[[Another Time & Place]]". But Megatron isn't dead in this timeline! This is also a nod to IDW's [[The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer]] in which Bludgeon resurrects Thunderwing.
*Seems that Berko returned to the Cosmic Carnival and took control of the whole shebang since his last appearance in "[[Recipe for Disaster!]]".
*That the first ruined city we see in this issue is [[San Francisco]] seems intended to echo the Marvel ''Generation 2'' comic, where Frisco was blown to atoms in [[Dark Shadows!|issue #11]].
*Megatron still has a black helmet! Woooooooooooo!
*A few elements from IDW's own [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|Generation 1 continuity]] have evidently filtered into this universe in the intervening twenty-one years, including Kup as a member of the Wreckers, Ultra Magnus as an officious bureaucrat and Bludgeon engineering the return of Thunderwing.

===Errors===
*The shape and design of Springer's chest constantly changes throughout the whole issue.
*As Terradive and Afterburner argue, either their speech bubbles are mixed up or Wildman has drawn in the wrong characters, as their names are swapped. The speech bubbles were corrected for the TPB.
*On the penultimate page of the story, poking between Kup and Springer, is the entirely grey face of some dude. He sorta maybe ''kinda'' looks like Sandstorm’s toy? But if it's him, it's got a bunch of details he wouldn't normally have and is missing its entire over-head propeller rig.
*It's not clear how Kup can know anything about Galvatron, as up until this point in continuity the only Autobots to have gotten so much as a clear look at that character were Fortress Maximus{{storylink|The Last Autobot?}} and Xaaron. The former never learned Galvatron's name or role, and the latter died soon thereafter.

===Cover===
* '''Cover A:''' Megatron on his throne amid the ruins, asking the audience "What kept you?", by Andrew Wildman and [[Jason Cardy]].
* '''Cover B:''' Hot Rod, Kup and Ultra Magnus by [[Guido Guidi]], in authentic retro-Marvel style, and featuring the Optimus Prime "corner box" that was a staple of the original Marvel run.
* '''Cover RIA:''' Optimus Prime charges into action, by [[Geoff Senior]] and [[Josh Burcham]], in a retro-''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|Generation 2]]'' style.
* '''Cover RIB:''' Blank white cover featuring unique hand-drawn sketches by [[Dan Khanna]].
<gallery>
Image:RG1 81 cvrA.jpg|Well, being cancelled for one.
Image:RG1 81 cvrB.jpg|It's 1986 again.
Image:RG1 81 cvrRIA.jpg|"I hope Geico covers this!"
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*''[[The Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' #8
*''[[The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye]]'' #8
*''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series: Casey Jones''
*''[[G.I. Joe (franchise)|G.I. Joe]]/Danger Girl''
*IDW ''Mars Attacks'' comic
*IDW ''Popeye'' comic

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Regeneration One issues]]