Editing Chip Chase

:''Chip Chase is a [[human]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:RollForIt Chip Chase at the mike.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's a cartoon from the '80s. By law, ''Transformers'' has to have at least one character in a wheelchair.]]

'''Chip Chase''' is [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s best friend and a staunch ally to the [[Autobot]]s. Despite their high level of technology, the Autobots will often consult Chip, benefiting from his genius-level IQ and skills in computer programming and electronics, in addition to several other fields of science. He will often be found hanging out with distinguished scientists and academics, as well as developing new technology with [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] for use in the fight against the [[Decepticon]]s. For Chip, the fact he's confined to a wheelchair is barely an impediment.

{{quote|No one's ever really disabled so long as he has courage.|Chip Chase|"[[Divide and Conquer]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Transformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor:'' [[Michael Horton]] (English), [[Keiichi Nanba]] (Japanese)

[[Image:RollForIt TheInternets.jpg|left|200px|thumb|In 1984, the Internet was only used by nerds to complain about how terrible Transformers was.[http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/1cdaf7df610e0376?dmode=source&hl=en]]]

Chip Chase came to the attention of the Autobots as a friend of Spike Witwicky and the whiz behind [[Alcazar|Dr. Alcazar]]'s [[antimatter]] formula project. He, Spike and [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]] paid a visit to Alcazar's desert laboratory to pick up a disk which would allow Chip's home computer to interface with the more powerful computer at the lab. On the way home, they were alerted to an imminent Decepticon attack, and Chip rushed inside to alert Dr. Alcazar by computer. The warning allowed Alcazar to upload the antimatter formula to Chip's PC. Meanwhile, [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s [[battle computer]] had been disabled during a skirmish, and he contacted Chip's computer in search of help.  Chip was able to help him chase off the Decepticons.

[[Image:RollForIt FloppyDisk destruction.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Holy crap, man.]]
Unfortunately, the Decepticons had traced the formula to Chip's computer. He memorized the formula and ''tore up'' the floppy disk containing it. The Decepticons proceeded to kidnap him, and [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] plucked the formula from his mind anyway. As the Decepticons began manufacturing antimatter, Chip was rescued by Spike, Bumblebee, [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] and [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]. The Decepticons turned up at [[Ark (G1)|Autobot Headquarters]], with [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] transforming into a powerful antimatter gun, but Chip was able to attach Wheeljack's remote control device to [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], turning the Decepticons' own weapon against them. [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] pronounced Chip a hero. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

Chip was attempting to help a weapons factory increase their productivity when the Decepticon [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]s attacked it. He was able to transmit a distress signal to the Autobots, and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] swiftly arrived to take on the three Decepticons. Chip warned him of a heat-seeking missile, seemingly before it did anything to indicate it was heat-seeking. Weird. A stray blast hit the computer, but Chip's life was saved by Optimus shielding him from the resulting explosion. Prime was badly damaged, necessitating a trip to Wheeljack's lab on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to collect a vital component, the [[Cosmitron]]. Chip used [[Teletraan I (G1)|Teletraan I]] to predict the next location of the Decepticon [[space bridge]] and tagged along on the mission on the basis that they needed a computer genius to get through the lock the Decepticons had placed on the door of the lab. They quickly gained entrance to the lab and located the necessary part Optimus needed, but a [[Rainmaker|group of Seekers]] created [[acid rain]], to which Chip was strangely immune. He was able to rally the Autobots, encouraging them to overcome their vulnerability to the acid rain. They rushed the Cosmitron back to Optimus, arriving in time to save his life. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

[[Image:WarDinobots Chip warning Autobots.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"So then I took that floppy, and I was like 'BAYM!' and Ravage was all like, 'Dayuumn, son!'"]]
Late one night at an observatory, Chip spotted a strange meteor headed for [[Earth]] and alerted the Autobots, accompanying them to the location he had calculated the meteor would touch down. Spike suggested that they dub it [[Meteorini Chipperoni]] in his honor. After the meteor became a meteorite, Optimus obtained a sample, and they returned to headquarters. Wheeljack's analysis of the meteorite fragment revealed it was highly unstable, sending Optimus on a mission back to the crash site. Meanwhile the Autobots set about building two more [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s based on Chip's suggestions of a stegosaurus and a pteranodon. [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] were completed in time to fly to Optimus Prime's aid, the other three Dinobots having been turned against him by Megatron. Chip and the others arrived to find [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] and Optimus already making up. {{storylink|War of the Dinobots}}

Chip was present when Megatron challenged Optimus to a duel, and he accompanied the Autobots to watch the fight, musing to [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] that it reminded him of ancient Roman gladiatorial combat. Despite all their cheering, and much to Chip's disbelief, Optimus was soundly defeated. However, when they got back to HQ, Chip was able to use Teletraan I to analyse Optimus's damaged parts and determine that Megatron had cheated, rendering the result of the contest void under Cybertronian law. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[Image:Chipchase.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Mein Führer, I can valk!]]
After watching a Formula 1 race with Spike, Chip came up with the idea of the Autobots holding a race for charity.  The pair took the idea to Optimus Prime, and the race was soon set up. Megatron used the opportunity to test his new [[Transfixatron]] on the Autobots, and the two boys were forced to make their escape in Bumblebee. Returning to HQ, Chip consulted Teletraan I, revealing the nature of Megatron's new invention, and Wheeljack and [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] were able to construct a [[Anti-transfixation grenade|grenade]] to reverse the effects of the device. They headed out to where the Autobots had been taken and immediately engaged the Decepticons. Spike passed the grenade to Chip, who ''stood up in his wheelchair'' to catch it, then managed to get close enough to throw it into the Autobots' midst before [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] intercepted him. The Autobot forces regained the ability to transform and battled the Decepticons into a retreat. Ratchet bemoaned the resulting repair work he was going to have to do, much to Spike and Chip's amusement. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

[[Image:TheCore Chip in Wheeljack.jpg|left|200px|thumb|All Autobots are Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant.]]
Chip and Wheeljack developed the [[dominator disc]]s, intended to bring [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] under Autobot control. Once the discs were placed on the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] and they formed Devastator, Chip activated the discs, and the combiner promptly turned on the other Decepticons. Chip was overjoyed at the success of their invention, but the next time they faced the Decepticons, Megatron was able to use an electronic disruptor to override the dominator discs. Wheeljack and Chip worked frantically to get the now-wild Devastator back under their control, as the Decepticons' giant drill neared the center of the Earth, but it was only with the addition of Megatron's disruptor that they were able to succeed.  Although Devastator stopped the drill, he was firmly a Decepticon again.  Chip was greatly disappointed, but Optimus told him to hang on to his dreams. {{storylink|The Core}}

[[Image:DinobotIsland2 Spike Chip and Beachcomber.jpg|right|200px|thumb|]]
Perplexed at the appearance of strange time warps, the Autobots consulted Chip, who was able to use Teletraan I to locate two more warps. With [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]'s help, he soon traced the source of the temporal disturbances to [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]]. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 2}}

When the Mayor of [[Central City (Earth)|Central City]] organised [[Autobot Day]], Chip turned out with Spike and Sparkplug to join the cheering crowd. They then reacted with disbelief when a recording produced by [[Shawn Berger]] appeared to incriminate the Autobots in stealing energy, but joined in solidarity with their friends, even as the rest of the crowd turned hostile. Optimus and the others were put on trial. Chip attempted unsuccessfully to stall things while Spike looked for evidence to prove the Autobots' innocence, but he and Sparkplug were soon forced to give their farewells, as the Autobots were launched into space aboard a rocket. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} With mounting disbelief and horror, Chip and Sparkplug witnessed [[Decepticon Day]], though Chip still held out hope that Spike would find some evidence to exonerate the Autobots. Naturally, it wasn't long before the other shoe dropped, and Megatron proclaimed himself ruler of Earth.

[[Image:MegatronsMasterPlan2 Thrust holding Chip.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Maybe if I squeeze you hard enough, I'll fix your body.]]
Chip was put to work with the rest of the humans at a power station, but he quickly came up with a plan. During a diversion engineered by Spike, Chip stowed away on a truck which passed near Autobot Headquarters. There he consulted Teletraan I, only to discover that the Autobot ship had hurtled into the [[Sun]] and exploded. Before he could check up on [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]], [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] burst through the ceiling and blasted the computer. Chip furiously turned on the Decepticon, who simply laughed and took him back to the power station. A despondent Chip returned to work, but his trip had inadvertently benefited the Autobots: With Teletraan I's control over Cosmos's guidance systems severed, they were able to return to Earth to confront the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

When a group of Autobots, including Optimus Prime, disappeared through a space bridge to unknown coordinates, Chip tried unsuccessfully to use Teletraan I to locate them. {{storylink|Child's Play (episode)|Child's Play}}
{{--}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====Scramble City=====
[[Image:ScrambleCarlyChip01.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Chip can't stand (ha ha) to face the badly drawn Carly.]]
Chip can be seen alongside Spike, Sparkplug and [[Carly]], helping to construct [[Autobot City]]. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

=====Binaltech=====
When [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl's]] [[laser core]] was lost to [[subspace]] in a [[Genetronic Translink System|GT]] Transfer accident (a technology he himself helped to create), Chip Chase volunteered to sacrifice his very own soul in order to breathe life into the now-lifeless Prowl-2, stating, "Twenty years ago, we met thanks to an online message from you. Your [[battle computer]] was down, and in its place, I—"  {{storylink|Roll for It}} while something flashed in the back of his mind: "Your intelligence and personality are already in this frame. In which case..." With the help of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]], Chip's consciousness was transported into Prowl's frame. The new entity created in this fusion was virtually indistinguishable from Prowl's old persona, thanks to copies of the original Prowl's [[memory core]] and [[Datatrax]], while a separate neurocomputer handles Chip's thought processes. Meanwhile, Chip's real body was stored in stasis in an [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] medical facility.

{{note|At least one [[Beast Wars Sourcebook|continuity]] had this new spark used for [[Prowl II]], which makes no sense, since Binaltech is separate from [[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]].}}

==Notes==
[[Image:RollForIt Chip Chase banners.jpg|thumb|right|200px|That's a lot of tuition fees!]]
* The idea for Chip's character grew out of very early plans for the series, which involved two human allies for the Autobots named "[[Eddie Fairchild and Matt Conroy|Eddie Fairchild]]" and "[[Eddie Fairchild and Matt Conroy|Matt Conroy]]". Eddie was the prototypical version of Spike, but when the Matt character was conceived as an "elder brother figure" for Eddie, the idea to make the younger boy handicapped, and hence more dependent on the Autobots, was briefly considered. Evidently, this idea went in a slightly different direction and wound up inspiring Chip. [http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/bible/#149]
* Chip was originally named "Billy" Chase, as seen in the original script for "Roll For It".
* In "Roll for It", Chip has a remarkably advanced (or at least ridiculously expensive) desktop computer for 1984. It contains, among other things, a 16-million-color monitor (Chip's view of the Decepticons was no different than Prowl's), a microphone, dial-up networking, speakers, and a sound card that could interpret Prowl's speech. Maybe he's friends with [[Ethan Zachary]].
* Also in "Roll for It", Chip has no fewer than four pennants displayed on his wall: "PIERCE" (probably referring to [[wikipedia:Franklin Pierce University|Franklin Pierce University]]), "[[Wikipedia:University of Southern California|USC]]", "[[wikipedia:California State University, Northridge|CSUN]]" and "YAL", commonly assumed to be a reference to [[Wikipedia:Yale_University|Yale University]].
[[Image:Ark II Chip Chase.jpg|200px|right|thumb|]]
* Chip and [[Carly]] never appeared in the same episode during the entire US run. Coincidence!?  '''''Shocking dual identity!?''''' (Or maybe the two of them just can't stand to be in the same room for whatever reason...) The only time they're both seen on screen is near the beginning of "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]". Blink twice and you'll miss 'em.
*Although he was last seen in "[[Scramble City: Mobilization]]" and was absent through the entirety of the series' [[The Transformers (cartoon)#Season_3|third season]], the producers of the Japanese-exclusive ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' apparently had plans to include an adult version of Chip in that series' first episode. A character design of an adult Chip can be seen in the ''[[Transformers Generations]]'' reference book and ''[[Transformers: The Ark II|The Ark II]]'' Japanese character models book.
* In the [[Transformers The Game (console)|2007 live-action movie console game]], there is a fast food place called [[Chip Chase's]]. The restaurant's logo features Chip's grinning mug. Wonder if the TV ads are as scary as the ones featuring the [[Burger King]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Chip Chase''' (チップ・チェイス ''Chippu Cheisu'')

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chase, Chip}}
[[Category:Alternators humans]]
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Scientists]]