Ironhide (G1)

The name or term "Ironhide" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ironhide (disambiguation).

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Ironhide is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Properly pronounced "Arn-hahhhd".

Ironhide is one of the oldest and toughest Autobots, and has been on Optimus Prime's team for a long time. "They don't make them like they used to" is an apt description of Ironhide—he's yesterday's model, but he's built to last.

Gruff and ornery, he prefers actions to words, and dislikes talk for talk's sake. (He wouldn't enjoy being paired up with Bluestreak.) But though he may be rough around the edges, he's still optimistic and upbeat. The upside to being through more than your share of trouble means trouble ain't so big a scare anymore.

Ironhide's most distinctive ability is the water gun, a weapon which can generate and shoot a liquid of virtually any type. Liquid nitrogen is historically a favorite, but there have been acids, mortar, and more.

His vehicle mode sometimes splits into his robot and a separate component.

When are we gonna start bustin' Deceptichops?Ironhide's version of diplomacy, The Transformers: The Movie

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

Events from the UK-only comic stories are in italics.

HAY GUYS CAN I HAVE A CHARACTER MODEL PLEASE KTHANX

Four million years ago, when the war was still young, Optimus Prime fought an uphill battle against the Decepticons. Ironhide was beside him when Optimus Prime, despite being wounded, refused to raise the white flag, and due to their courage, the tide of the war was turned. Surrender!

Ironhide was chosen to join the Ark mission to save Cybertron from an asteroid belt—a mission that saw him stranded on Earth for four million years. Upon reactivation in 1984, Ironhide immediately began bickering with Huffer. The Transformers

Phew. There we go.

This rivalry continued when it was discovered that the human Sparkplug Witwicky had created useable fuel for the Decepticons during his kidnapping. Huffer demanded Sparkplug pay for his treason, while Ironhide suggested sympathy. However, this argument only provided a distraction for Sparkplug and his son, Buster Witwicky to escape; this attempt was aborted when Sparkplug suffered a heart attack. Soon, the Decepticons, fully refueled, came for the Ark, and Ironhide was one of just five Autobots selected to fight the invasion, using pooled fuel from his comrades. Their near-victory was robbed from them when Shockwave arrived, surprising everyone, and blasted the surviving Autobots into spare parts. The Last Stand

Ironhide was next seen being hung from the ceiling of the Ark, prepared by Shockwave to be used as spare parts for the next generation of Decepticons. The New Order Ratchet, the only surviving Autobot, returned to the Ark in secret to see this for himself; indeed, Ironhide and the others still hung deactivated. Warrior School! Ratchet managed to re-secure the Ark, and Ironhide was subsequently rebuilt. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Ironhide would be one of the first Autobots to battle the Constructicons when his team attempted to destroy a transmission from Soundwave to his Decepticon comrades back on Cybertron. The Next Best Thing to Being There! Ironhide also suffered damage at the hands of a Decepticon-controlled Optimus Prime body shortly before their fallen leader was restored to them. Prime Time!

When Ironhide's in charge, he nominates Megatron to take over. Scary, huh?

Once repaired, he worked alongside Jetfire in the Dinobot Hunt, initially distrusting and clashing with him because of his Decepticon origins. He learnt to trust him during the mission. Dinobot Hunt! He at one point broke protocol to single-handedly break a terrorist siege in Los Angeles, only to become frustrated when the police almost ruined it. ...Perchance to Dream Later on, he would be dispatched as a bodyguard for Buster Witwicky to prevent any reprisal attacks from the Decepticons—he had a more successful rematch against the Constructicons, and was also happily introduced to the wonders of demolition derbies. Devastation Derby!

When the time-travelling Galvatron arrived in 1986 and Optimus Prime, Ratchet, and Prowl were both lost in Limbo, Ironhide was one of the Autobots who battled the Decepticon. It went so poorly that the beaten and humiliated Ironhide was desperate enough to salvage the similarly-defeated Megatron and Soundwave to temporarily take command of the Autobots. Target: 2006

Ironhide would go on to fight against Ratbat's forces on the moon shortly before the crews of the Ark and the Steelhaven joined under one banner. Totaled! He was also briefly seen fighting alongside the Transformers of two eras against Galvatron during the Time Wars. Time Wars

Although not explicitly named as being among those who were taken offline by the Underbase-powered Starscream, Ironhide probably fell victim to this fate since, when he was next heard from, he was offline in a stasis aboard the Ark. In 1990, Grimlock revived him and all the other invalid Autobots with Nucleon in time to participate in the climactic battle with Unicron on Cybertron. On the Edge of Extinction! Shortly after the planet-eater's destruction, Ironhide was seen loading supplies onto one of the ships the Autobots were about to use to depart Cybertron. A Savage Circle

Earthforce

These stories do not fit into the normal Marvel continuity. See Earthforce for details.

While in stasis aboard the Ark, Ironhide was hacked into by an alternate Galvatron, who was looking for potential soldiers with dark sides he could corrupt. As a result, Ironhide was reactivated and helped stop Galvatron. ...Perchance to Dream He went on to be a founding member of Earthforce, fighting against Megatron and Shockwave's rival Decepticon armies. Break-Away!

In his first mission, alongside Bumblebee, he used his knowledge of Decepticon automated defence rings and riddles to get into a Decepticon facility and end their attempts at creating a new Devastator. Desert Island Risks! Later, he was present at the Decepticon Enclave, and came up with a devious plan to stop Megatron & Shockwave from uniting their two factions. Knocking out Headstrong and using him as a patsy, Ironhide and the other Autobots faked a sniper attack on Megatron, prompting the Decepticons to shoot back at the rock cropping where they were hiding. The Autobots then dropped Headstrong off the ledge as if he'd been hit, framing him and Shockwave's army for trying to assassinate Megatron. The Enclave quickly turned into a ruckus. A brawl. A mixmas—no, wait. That one doesn't work. The Bad Guy's Ball!

Ironhide also joined Earthforce and the Survivors in taking down the Mayhem Attack Squad. Where Wolf? While fighting to protect Starscream from Decepticon assassins, in order to get a systems boost for Snarl's fading health, Ironhide had to fight against Megatron. He took several hits from the fusion cannon, going down and leaving the fight to the Dinobots. The Lesser Evil! Perhaps looking to sharpen his skills, Ironhide was next seen working out with Jazz in the Combat Room against a robot drone. Front Line!

Another Time & Place

Ironhide was part of a commando unit sent to Hydrus Four after the Dinobots. He and a small group of Autobots surprised Fangry and tore him limb from limb. Another Time & Place

Marvel Generation 2 comic

When Optimus Prime and Grimlock discovered the threat of the Cybertronian Empire, they called in Autobots scattered across the galaxy, including Ironhide. And, when Grimlock chose to disobey Prime's directives and make a tactical first strike against Jhiaxus's ships, Ironhide went with him. They were quickly found out and captured, though, leaving it to Optimus to bail them out of trouble. Devices and Desires!

Later, when Prime had the brilliant idea that Megatron would be willing to "just talk" after laying waste to much of the planet Earth, Ironhide joined the rescue party Grimlock threw together to bail him out. The Gathering Darkness He was also involved in the defense of Ethos against the Cybertronians. Ironhide took several shots to the chest while protecting that world. Escalation!

Classics

Classics continues from the Marvel US series, and does not include the UK stories or any subsequently published stories.

Ironhide came to Earth, along with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, to bolster Optimus Prime's forces as Megatron began reassembling his army. Ironhide was seen defending a human settlement from the Seekers as Megatron and the captive Ratchet watched on. At Fight's End

Ironhide was aboard the Graviton when it was pulled into the Primax -408.24 Epsilon universe and deposited near that universe's prehistoric Earth. After being shot down by the Talon, the Autobots adopted organic alternate modes to avoid the ambient Energon radiation, and though Ironhide wasn't keen on the idea, he took the form of an elephant. Shattered Time On discovering that three stasis pods were missing from the ship, the Autobots set out to find them, but after suffering a Decepticon attack on the way, they arrived to find Megatron had already activated them as Decepticons. Prowl, Silverbolt and Ironhide were blasted by Autojetter, and it was only the arrival of Depth Charge and Ultra Magnus's subsequent recovery that saved them. Shattered Expectations

The Autobots retreated across a rock bridge, and watched as Magnus faced off against Megatron, dealing their foe a temporary defeat. Back at the Graviton, Depth Charge gave the "Maximals" more of an explanation regarding his presence, though it gave Ironhide a bit of a headache. Shattered Paths When they located their missing energy purifier, the Maximals went out to fetch it. Despite the new ability of Ironhide, Prowl and Silverbolt to merge into Magnaboss, they were trounced by God Neptune. Shattered Hope Returning to the ship, the Maximals fueled up before joining Depth Charge, who had located the Matrix he was seeking. The Maximals kept a security system occupied long enough for Magnus to retrieve the Matrix in question, however a short time later they were confronted by Megatron piloting a giant mech. Shattered Balance Ironhide again took part in merging into Magnaboss, but the combiner was soundly defeated by Megatron's Gigastorm Armor. The Maximals were moments later pulled into a dimensional rift created by Ultra Magnus. Shattered Destiny

Regeneration One

Regeneration One continues from the Marvel US series, and does not include the UK stories or any subsequently published stories.

Ironhide was part of the Autobot detachment that Optimus Prime took with him to confront Megatron on a devastated Earth in 2012. While the two leaders clashed, Ironhide and the others battled Megatron's zombie army of "Ex-Bots". Loose Ends #5

Marvel Storybooks continuity

Ironhide was one of the thrity-five Autobots rebuilt on Earth in the form of a terrestrial vehicle. Along with Hound, Windcharger and Optimus, Ironhide once cheered so loudly that it almost made a volcano erupt. Later, he was a participant in a fight that ensued between the Autobts and the Decepticons when Megatron attempted to take millions of humans hostage in order to demand Earth's unconditional surrender to the Decepticons. Battle for Earth

Marvel coloring books

Wither Ironhide or Ratchet helped the Autobots in protecting Hoover Dam from the Decepticons. The Deadly Fuel Shortage

Ironhide was part of the Autobot convoy that followed Optimus Prime into battle when it was discovered that the Decepticons were using a molecular transfer device to steal fuel from all around the globe. After the encountered Decepticon opposition en-route, Ironhide volunteered to donate some of his fuel to the more energy-efficient Autobots so that they continue fighting without him. The Autobots utlimately succeeded in turning the Decepticons' device against them, and returned the stolen fuel to its rightful owners. Summertime Coloring Book

Big Looker storybooks continuity

When the Cybertronian civil war had yet to leave the planet, Optimus asked his Autobots to join him in leaving their home world behind and travel out into space. When Bumblebee volunteered to join Optimus, Jazz and the rest of the Autobots jumped in as well. After crash-landing on Earth and being offline for about 65 millions years, Jazz and the rest of the Autobots met Sparkplug and his son Spike. With the Decepticons still not in the know of what forms the Autobots had taken, Jazz was one of the troops that Optimus led into the desert in order to ambush their enemies. Though they successfully took by surprise a squadron of Decepticons, the Autobots had not anticipated a second group flying in from the opposite direction. Thanks to a warning from Spike and Sparkplug, the Autobots managed to fend off the Decepticons, and came to accept Earth as their new home. Battle for Cybertron

Ladybird Books continuity

While stretching his suspension, Ironhide inadvertently picked up a radio contact of Decepticons in flight, and reported it to Optimus Prime. Megatron's Fight for Power

Ironhide volunteered for grocery trip duties with Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky. Apparently, the two humans ate so much it put a strain on Ironhide's suspension. Autobots Fight Back

Ironhide was part of a battle unit assembled by Optimus Prime to stop the Decepticons from seizing control of...a single windmill. (No, really.) Laserbeak's Fury

Find Your Fate Junior

As the following stories are multipath adventures, details will vary depending on the path taken. See individual pages for information on alternate paths.

Attack of the Insecticons

Ironhide was in the process of completing a trial-run with Sparkplug's newest invention, the Sun-Pak, when the Decepticons attacked the Autobots' secret underground testing track. The ensuing fight between the two factions was skewed in favour of the Decepticons, forcing the Autobots into a series of difficult choices. In the subsequent possible scenarios, Ironhide was more in favour of bargaining with the Decepticons for the Autobots' lives, and ran into difficulties in keeping the Sun-Pak out of Decepticon hands. Attack of the Insecticons

Decepticon Poison

Ironhide was amongst the Autobots about to be topped up with their latest batch of fuel when Red Alert burst into Autobot headquarters, warning everyone about Ramjet being spotted nearby. Red Alert’s warning came in just in time, as the Autobots’ fuel had been poisoned, and Ironhide would have been left unable to transform had he ingested any of it.

In one possible scenario that ensued, Ironhide was part of the Autobots’ back-up squadron, as they attempted to defend the Autobot base against the Decepticons. In one version of the ensuing events, the Autobots were able to beat back the Decepticons, though not without receiving some grievous injuries themselves.

In another possible scenario, where Optimus followed a plan courtesy of Prowl, the Autobot leader instructed his troops to transform into vehicle mode and play dead. The Decepticons, believing the Autobots’ ruse, disarmed themselves in order to carry out the Autobots’ “carcasses.” Now with the element of surprise against unarmed opponent, the Autobots Transformed and were able to easily defeat the evil robots.

In another possible turn of events, Perceptor gave out too much of his antidote to cure each poisoned Autobot. The Autobots who received the antidote soon found themselves falling apart, leaving Ironhide and the rest outmatched against the greater number of Decepticons.

In yet another possible scenario, Optimus opted to use the tainted fuel as a weapon against an encroaching Decepticon squadron. The plan went off without a hitch, and the Autobots celebrated another victory over the Decepticons.

In a completely different scenario, Optimus decided to go on the offensive and strike back at the Decepticons after they had poisoned a good number of Autobots. Prowl quickly pointed out that the mission required brains, not muscles, pointing to Ironhide. Optimus agreed, and Ironhide could only grumble while Prowl smirked. Prick.

In one possible scenario that followed, Optimus and his squadron returned to base with the antidote and cured the poisoned Autobots. The Autobots then proceeded to stop the Decepticons in their latest plot: to poison the nearby water supply.

If Optimus led his troops back to the Decepticons’ poison lab, Ironhide was amongst the Autobot convoy that drove into action. Upon seeing the Decepticons hauling out drums of poison, Ironhide suggested the Autobots go in strong and attack them directly.

If Optimus went along with Ironhide’s plan, Ironhide, Brawn, Twin Twist and Hound were called forth by Optimus to gun down the laboratory. The laboratory then caved in on itself, signalling an Autobot victory. Decepticon Poison

Autobot Alert!

Ironhide was present at the Autobot city of Metroplex when an Autobot Alert sounded.

He and the other Autobots learned of two Decepticon plots simultaneously occurring. One of which was the theft of a coded message meant for Ultra Magnus’s eyes only. If Ultra Magnus decided to prioritize theft of the coded message, Ironhide was part of the captive audience that listened to Kup divulge information about an ancient Autobot formula. Ironhide took off towards the Autobots’ desert research centre along with a number of other Autobots. Once there, they learned from Springer that the Cybertite sphere containing the formula was discovered by humans during the 16th century. If the Decepticons had decoded Springer's message, they would be searching off the coast of California, where the ship containing the sphere had sunk. If they hadn’t decoded the message, the Decepticons would still be digging in the nearby crater.

If Ultra Magnus decided to assume that the Decepticons had already decrypted the message, he ordered his forces to split up to more efficiently address the situation. Ironhide was part of the main group of Autobot forces led by Ultra Magnus towards the California coast. Arriving at the scene, Ultra Magnus’s troops were informed by Powerglide (who had flown ahead of the land-bound group) that he had discovered the location of the sunken ship containing the cybertite sphere. Simultaneously, Blurr caught up with the group to inform them that the Decepticons were quickly approaching. The Autobots then needed to decide whether they would raise the ship themselves, or try and ambush the Decepticons after they had done so.

If Ultra Magnus decided to have his Autobots hide while the Decepticons raised the ship, Ironhide found himself in a cave with Brawn and and Grapple. The three Autobots spied Devastator retrieving the sunken ship from the water, and decided that the three of them would snatch the sphere away from the Decepticons.

If Ironhide and his team executed their plan before any other Autobots, they had Grapple reel the ship away from the Decepticons with his crane hook, while Ironhide and Brawn attempted to defend their position. The Decepticons destroyed both the ship and the cybertite sphere contained within, and then began pummelling the Autobots with their superior firepower. Trapped in their caves, the Autobts were left at the Decepticons’ mercy. Autobot Alert!

Transformers in 3-D

There's a door just to your left, Ironhide.

When a distress call from Cosmos reached Cybertron, Ironhide set off to find out why the small Autobot was so far from his assigned area. This lead him to the planet Andellor, to which Cosmos had traveled in search of the Prism of Power. Ironhide first managed to dispatch Scorponok and Cyclonus without breaking a sweat, before he, Cosmos, and the five children who needed the Prism, encountered Grogg, guardian of the ancient artifact. Though Ironhide pleaded with Grogg that they needed the Prism, Grogg insisted they answer his riddle or die. After one of the children answered the riddle, Ironhide returned with Cosmos and the children to the S.S. Exton 9 space station and defeated Razorclaw in battle. Transformers in 3-D #2

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Events from The Transformers Trilogy novels are in italics.

Before the war, Ironhide was a construction engineer, working on the bridges that connected cybertron's city states. When war broke out, he joined Grimlock's commando unit, along with Kup and Wheeljack, when they attempted to defend Altihex against the Decepticons. Though Altihex was lost, the unit survived to attend Optimus Prime's inauguration. The War Within #1 He took part in the preparations for the evacuation of Cybertron at the Central Spaceport, despite expressing his disagreement to Hound about the new Prime's decision. The pair subsequently observed Grimlock's even greater dissatisfaction and the Dinobot stormed off. The War Within #2 During a Decepticon attack, he and the rest of the unit met Grimlock on the Tri-Torus Loop, only to be surprised by Grimlock's decision to leave Iacon to the foe. Instead they traveled to the crater of the Forum of Enlightenment to look for Optimus. The War Within #4

Underground, Ironhide's sensors led the group to find the planetary turbines. Grimlock ordered him, Kup and Wheeljack to shut it down. The trio listened in on Starscream's plans, but were discovered by the Constructicons. The War Within #5 Ironhide and Kup worked to fight the Constructicons off, becoming pinned down until Grimlock arrived to lend a hand with Optimus. They kept the Decepticons distracted long enough for Wheeljack to take out the planetary engines. Though Ironhide expected Optimus to resume the evacuation, Prime announced they were staying. The War Within #6

After Prime was lost through a space bridge, and the Cybertronians fell into even more factions, Ironhide became a part of Grimlock's Lightning Strike Coalition. During an attempt by Starscream's forces to seize a couple of transporters full of energon, Ironhide and Wheeljack were able to board and fly off in the transporters while the rest of the team kept Starscream busy. Fragmentation

He was part of the Ark's original crew four million years ago, and awoke with the rest of them in 1984. After the crash of the Ark II, however, Ironhide was among the Transformers secretly acquired by Lazarus as a potential weapon of mass destruction for sale. He was tortured and heavily damaged by the Decepticons when they broke Lazarus' control over them, and was unable to immediately aid Prime and the others against Megatron. Prime Directive #3 Prime Directive #4

When Optimus Prime and Jazz returned from an alien world with the malevolent Keepers in tow, Ironhide was one of the first Autobots who joined them in the fight against the invaders. The Keepers had taken residence in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a united force of Autobots and Decepticons descended on the city in the hopes of stopping the aliens before the United States government unleashed a nuclear strike. When Optimus Prime used an energon pool to supercharge himself and the Matrix, Ironhide and the other Autobots joined their own energon with Prime to enhance his efforts. Through their combined energies, the nuclear missile was averted and the Keepers were displaced into the Void. Annihilation

Old people never stop doing it. Now try to get that out of your brain!

After the battle, Optimus Prime was forced by a debt of honor to hand over the Matrix to Megatron, a decision which didn't sit well with many of the Autobots. Ironhide did his best to defend his leader's actions against the likes of Mirage, but even he had trouble justifying the decision. Ironhide also joined the Autobots in confronting the American military in the Nevada desert, where the President attempted to have them assassinated. The military used deconstructionites, reverse-engineered Cybertronian technology in the form of tiny microchips that literally sapped away the Transformers' strength. Ironhide was the first of the Autobots to fall before this assault, and had to be hauled to safety inside Prime's trailer segment. Fusion

Sometime after Ironhide was repaired, the Autobots again confronted the Decepticons, this time over a mysterious shuttle pod that landed in Northern Canada. Skywarp got the drop on Ironhide during the fight, riddling his backside with explosive shells. The feisty security agent had to be dragged off the battlefield so that Ratchet could perform the necessary repairs back at base. New World Order In the meantime, a force of United Cybertronians arrived on Earth and demanded that Prime and his crew surrender themselves into protective custody, in order to prevent them from rekindling the war which had been over on Cybertron now for centuries. Leaving behind a skeleton crew to watch over Earth, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and the other Autobots allowed Ultra Magnus and his operatives to bring them back to their home planet. Brothers' Burden On Cybertron, Optimus Prime was separated from the other Autobots, and Ironhide's team was covertly brought by Broadside to the Autobot resistance. Many Autobots on Cybertron questioned the beneficence of their "commander", Shockwave, and had organized into several insurgency cells. Ironhide and Prowl met with Smokescreen's unit, who in turn brought them in touch with Optimus and second unit led by Hot Rod and Kup. Ironhide quickly exchanged greetings (and a few good-natured insults) with his war-buddy Kup. Passive Aggression With the Ark's crew at hand, the insurgency took to the streets, fighting back against Shockwave and his "Dark Guardians". Ironhide joined Springer and Hot Rod on the front lines during the advance. Countdown to Extinction

In the days that followed, Ironhide, Prowl and Kup attempted to coordinate things on Cybertron, but gratefully stepped aside once Ultra Magnus had finished his repair cycle. Ironhide was greatly amused when the uncharismatic Prowl attempted to make a public address at Central Hall, only to be bombarded with questions from concerned citizens. Later, he, Prowl and Kup knocked back refreshments at the Alpha Preserve and reflected upon the changing political landscape of Cybertron, and wondered if it would be best for old warriors such as themselves to leave. Skyfire With the discovery of a mysterious cloned Transformer possessing the accumulated knowledge of Vector Sigma heading towards Earth, Prowl decided that the Ark's old crew had an obligation to return there and defend their second home. Though some such as Mirage, Gears and Huffer griped, Ironhide knew that for all of their complaints, they would join the mission anyway. Atonement They returned to Earth and began construction of a new Autobot base of operations: Autobot City. The Route of All Evil

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers continuity

Many years after the Ark had crashed on Earth, the human terrorist organization Cobra discovered it and its dormant crew. The Transformers were reprogrammed to be under Cobra's control and given new alternate modes, with Ironhide, Ratchet and Optimus Prime now turning into HISS tanks. Along with Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, the three Autobots were forced to attack a peace summit in Washington, D.C. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1 The reprogrammed Transformers were eventually freed thanks to Wheeljack, and despite Cobra's efforts to regain control of Ironhide, the Autobot got away when Ratchet ripped their control cables out of his head. Along with Jazz and Mirage, the two then joined Optimus Prime in fighting back against both the freed Decepticons and Cobra. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4 During the battle, Ironhide didn't do much but liken the density of Decepticons on Cobra Island to that of astro ticks on Ravage's behind. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5

After defeating the Decepticons on Earth, the Autobots returned to Cybertron, which Shockwave had conquered in their absence. With the Autobots reduced to a small resistance band, Ironhide helped Optimus Prime and Jazz steal a pile of energon cubes from the Decepticons. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1 He was understandably surprised when his two friends suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2

Much later, when Optimus Prime was captured by Serpent O.R., Ironhide joined a team of Autobots who were waiting for a chance to free him. The Art of War #4 When Serpent O.R.'s hostages were freed and reinforcements arrived from Earth, the team attacked and ultimately defeated the Decepticon army. The Art of War #5

Transformers/G.I. Joe

Along with the other Autobots, Iron Hide [sic] lay deactivated among the Fera Islands for four million years, until one day in 1939 when G.I. Joe arrived on the archipelago to defeat Cobra. Roadblock accidentally activated the Autobots' repair drone, which awakened the Autobots and reformatted them, starting with Iron Hide, who was given the form of a human tank. The spooked humans opened fire on the metal giant, but their bullets merely bounced off, and Iron Hide politely asked them to cut it out before the ricochets hurt anyone. After things had settled down, Iron Hide supported the idea of the Autobots helping G.I. Joe, as he needed some workout after that little nap they took. Transformed

On behalf of Bumblebee, Iron Hide later asked Scarlett what she was brooding about. The human cryptically said that someone important was missing, but wouldn't explain who. Shortly afterwards, Iron Hide was shipped out on a barge to attack the Terrordrome along with Optimus Prime and Hound. Trenches During the ensuing battle, he punched out Laserbeak and offered to help Grimlock in his duel with Soundwave, but it turned out Grimlock didn't need any help. Iron Hide presumably perished when the life-giving Matrix of Leadership was shattered in order to stop Bruticus. The Iron Fist

But apparently he was intended to get better if Dreamwave hadn't folded.

Transformers Legends anthology

When a badly-damaged Starscream was brought to the Ark, Ironhide agreed with Jazz that it was probably a trap. When Starscream turned out to be amnesiac and amenable to the Autobot cause, Ironhide and Cliffjumper were assigned to him as escorts, just in case. Ironhide would later join Optimus in shielding Starscream from the Decepticons, when they turned up to retrieve their comrade, noting that as Starscream was weaponless, it would hardly seem fair to not protect him. Redemption Center

The Beast Within

Ironhide participated in a savage battle against the Decepticons, though he did not fare too well, and got tossed around like a ragdoll by Megatron. He later looked on in horror as the Dinobots merged into The Beast and began rampaging across the battlefield. The Beast Within

Later, Ironhide was carried inside Optimus Prime’s trailer as the Autobots attempted to outrun The Beast. Ironhide successfully managed to get through to Jetfire, who picked up all of the passengers within Prime’s trailer, save Skids, who was killed moments before Jetfire managed to show up. The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences

IDW Generation 1 continuity

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

Back before the war, Ironhide was part of the Security Services. Megatron Origin #2 He performed both public and private security work, keeping the streets safe while also overseeing specific businesses and events. Ironhide was working the crowds at the Cybertronian raceway when a small 'bot burst through the line and attempted to shoot Drag Strip, one of the star racers. Ironhide stopped the shooting and turned the little guy over to the authorities, paying little heed to his warnings about Megatron and the growing Decepticon movement. Iron in the Blood

"Get over here you—you—what the frag are you?"

Ironhide attended the funeral of Bumper and Fastback with a familiar fembot, and listened to Sentinel Prime's eulogy/rally call. Megatron Origin #3 He was on the streets with Sentinel Prime and Prowl during the Battle of Kaon, when the security forces tried to halt the rebel Decepticons. Ironhide was dishing out justice the old fashioned way—with his fists. He was with the security officers that contacted Iacon when Sentinel's body was deposited in front of them, and Prowl ordered an evacuation. Megatron Origin #4

Experienced from once serving in the Cybertronian Civil Militia, Ironhide joined the Autobot army formed by Zeta Prime to combat the Decepticon insurgency. Placed under the command of Orion Pax, he was skeptical of the former police officer's ability to fight a war, but Orion proved willing to take advice from the more experienced soldier. Old Ways During a mission to prevent an assassination attempt on Zeta Prime, Ironhide was part of an Autobot unit led by Kup and saved the confused racer Blurr from wandering right into their crossfire. Spotlight: Blurr

Some time after that, Ironhide became a member of Orion Pax's counter-terrorism team and helped stop Swindle from selling weapons to insurgents in Nyon. Law and Disorder He and Bumblebee were doing target practice when Orion ordered them to get ready to roll out. Parasites Minutes later, Zeta Prime sent the team to hunt down the Decepticon spy Soundwave, but Ironhide and Prowl's attempt to arrest him only resulted in Rumble dropping a bridge on them. The Hunt for Soundwave The mission ended with Orion Pax and Bumblebee taken to Kaon for a talk with Megatron, but Ironhide and the rest of the team busted into the meeting place and rescued them. Cause and Effect

Zeta Prime's next mission for Orion Pax's team was to capture the insurgent Hot Rod, whom they tracked to the Acropolex in Nyon. Ironhide didn't at all care for the spiritual theme of the building, doubting inscriptions claiming that all would be one and calling the Matrix of Leadership "superstitious mumbo-jumbo" and propaganda to make the Primes look big. In the end, the Autobots found that Hot Rod only wanted to enlighten them to Zeta Prime's horrible treatment of civilians. Ruins With this revelation, they turned on the Prime and tried to protect Nyon from his Omega Destructors, but even Ironhide's cyclone launcher failed to scratch the giants. Orion's team was soon defeated by Zeta himself and his vamparc ribbon. Purge Surprisingly, the Autobots were saved from certain death by Megatron, who wanted them to join forces with him against Zeta Prime's tyranny. Ironhide didn't get along with Thundercracker. Choices

While Orion and Megatron confronted Zeta himself, Ironhide led the attack on his Citadel and joined up with Ultra Magnus's unit when they also turned on the Prime. Overthrown As soon as Zeta Prime was dead, however, Megatron betrayed the Autobots and Ironhide was forced to go into hiding in Ultrix with Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus. He wanted to get out there and fight back against Megatron's rule, but before they could do much the Decepticons found the Autobots' safe-house and captured them. Transformation They were taken to the Citadel and prepared for execution, but fortunately Hot Rod decided to become an Autobot around that time and bailed them out of prison. Ironhide and the others then followed Orion's ID signal to Nyon, where they learned of his transformation into Optimus Prime and the awakening of the city robot Metroplex who had been the Acropolex the entire time. Rise Led by the new Prime, the Autobots marched on Megatron's Citadel where they would fight for control of Cybertron. Broadcast Though they won, driving the Decepticons out of Iacon, Ironhide knew they'd be back soon enough. Endgame

During the early days of Optimus's leadership, Ironhide aided him in the defense of the Toraxxis mega-refinery. Rage After the battle ended with the destruction of the refinery, he attended a memorial service dedicated to the lost lives. Fallout During the battle with Trypticon, he led a heavy weapons unit charged with distracting the monster with a fusion-borer assault. The Illusion of Control However, once he moved in to confirm that their target was down, Ironhide was attacked by Trypticon's dragon-like minions and trapped beneath rubble. Annihilation When the beast was finally brought down, Ironhide was not happy that the Autobots happy had to leave it in the hands of Megatron, but they had little choice and returned home to repair an injured Optimus Prime. Belly of the Beast

Ironhide accompanied Optimus Prime on his sabbatical journey to the Grav-Haraan glacier, where they encountered the long lost Omega Supreme and brought him back to civilization. Primacy #1 After then bearing witness to the battle between Metroplex and a returned Trypticon, he stood in defense of Iacon against a massive Decepticon attack. Primacy #3 The Autobots came out victorious, and Ironhide watched as Prime held a speech asking the Decepticons to stand down and look at the chaos they'd wrought. Primacy #4

Over the course of the war, the student-and-teacher relationship between Optimus Prime and Ironhide evolved. Prime grew willing to go against Ironhide's counsel, once doing so to save the Autobots from Trypticon waiting in ambush, while also learning the benefit of sticking to your guns like the stubborn old soldier did, once insisting on saving Ironhide's life after a booby-trap left them badly damaging and hanging over a cliff-edge. Old Ways

He's looking for the man who shot his pa.

Early during the war, Ironhide participated in a battle on Varas Centralus where he began a rivalry with Sky-Byte. A Better Tomorrow At another point he led a rescue team to extract Jazz and Tracks, whom Jazz was originally assigned to evacuate. They arrived just in the nick of time to ward off the Predacons and save their comrades. On the trip back to Iacon, Jazz told Ironhide what had happened and what to tell the blinded Tracks. After Jazz had left, Tracks asked Ironhide who had saved him. Ironhide said simply that he was just an Autobot like Tracks was, and that he should never forget what that meant. Spotlight: Jazz

In one of the war's countless battles, Ironhide witnessed a yellow Autobot get destroyed in a Decepticon-Autobot crossfire. Drift #2

Four million years ago, Ironhide and Prime were defending a city from the Decepticon advance. They broke off from the other Autobots to intercept a Decepticon fuel convoy headed for Megatron's troops. Through grit and determination, the duo managed to capture the entire convoy without firing a single shot. The Autobots won the day and were eager to celebrate their victory that night by over-energizing a tad. Ironhide remained resolute, however, constantly scanning the crowd for trouble even amidst the festivities. Lucky that he did, because a Decepticon assassin named Axer had infiltrated the party, and pulled a concealed blaster to execute Optimus Prime from behind. True to his duty, Ironhide flung himself into the path of Axer's shot, taking the full blast for his friend and commander. Although he eventually recovered from his injuries, this incident would have long term consequences for Ironhide. The Iron Age 500,000 years ago Ironhide helped defend Metroplex during the city-bot's last stand, a battle that ended with Metroplex leaving Cybertron. Hello Cruel World

In the modern era, Ironhide was second-in-command (under Prowl) of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Infiltration #2 Although more bound to the regulations than Ratchet, he was still willing to bend the chain of command for the right reasons, and sent a pulsewave to Optimus Prime behind Prowl's back. Infiltration #3 When Ratchet and Bumblebee's unauthorized recce uncovered evidence of the Decepticons' previous operations and reported Megatron's appearance, Prowl turned to the experienced Ironhide for tactical advice. Infiltration #5 Infiltration #6

Ironhide's holomatter avatar is a pissed-off old man. Fitting.

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Ironhide was assigned the task of escorting a trio of humans back from the Autobots to their homes alongside Sunstreaker who was carrying Hunter, while he transported Jimmy and Verity. He became separated from Sunstreaker, who was immobilized and seemingly destroyed in an ambush by the a mysterious human organization. Escalation #1 Once it was revealed that the debris recovered from the Machination was not that of Sunstreaker, Escalation #2 Ironhide suggested himself for the search mission to find Sunstreaker's whereabouts, as he felt he owed it to him, but his wishes were dismissed by Optimus Prime. Prowl was mondo-pissed that Ironhide went around the chain of command and banished him to base duty while the other Autobots who had not (yet) pissed Prowl off left for Brasnya to confront the Decepticons. Escalation #3 Proving his willingness to break the rules if needed, Ironhide disobeyed his orders to remain and monitor Decepticon activity, joining Ratchet, Verity and Jimmy in their attempts to uncover the fate of Sunstreaker and Hunter. Escalation #4 Escalation #5 However, while removing Verity and Jimmy from a building that was due to explode, Ironhide was caught in the explosion and went M.I.A. Escalation #6

After Optimus Prime returned from his meeting with Omega Supreme, Wheeljack and Hot Rod learned that Ironhide was due to be crushed and compacted at a human dump and went to rescue him. Devastation #1 They ran into some problems on the way there, however. Devastation #3 They prevailed, and after Optimus Prime received word of the incident on Garrus-9, he ordered Hardhead to retrieve Hot Rod and the others. Hot Rod refused to go though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took Wheeljack and Ironhide back with him. Devastation #6

And he's not done yet!

Over the next year, the Decepticons went quiet and intel dried up. Prowl advised to do nothing, but Ironhide, able to speak more to the warrior inside of Optimus, advised action. Everything in its Right Place Whoops, action led the Autobots into a Decepticon trap! All Hail Megatron #5 All Hail Megatron #7 As a result, Ironhide was among the battered Autobots trapped on Cybertron. All Hail Megatron #1 As frustrations boiled over in the Autobot camp, Tracks attempted to lift their spirits by telling the story of the time he was saved by a mysterious Autobot. Though Ironhide knew it was Jazz who had saved Tracks that day, the old story gave them hope, and he thanked him for it. Spotlight: Jazz

Ironhide was aboard the Ark-32 when he witnessed Hunter O'Nion being reunited with Jimmy Pink and Verity once their part in the Machination plot had come to an end. Maximum Dinobots #5

Holding a deep suspicion that Mirage had sold them out to the Decepticons and knowing that Prowl and Jazz were shutting him out All Hail Megatron #8, Ironhide came to blows (or really, blow) with Prowl over the issue before Jazz told him to walk it off. Later, Jazz talked to Ironhide about it, and the latter revealed his deep regret at Optimus Prime's current condition. Cliffjumper soon asked Ironhide to accompany him to check out an emergency message from Wheeljack and Bumblebee, who were out on a scouting patrol. The two ran across Hot Rod, (well really, Ironhide's fist ran across Hot Rod's face), who seemed delighted to find other Autobots on Cybertron, having thought the planet was deserted. All Hail Megatron #4

Not long after Kup and his Autobot squad joined up with Prime's battered unit, Ironhide met with Roadbuster and tried to attempt to tell him the truth about why they got here, but the appearance of the Insecticon swarm rendered it moot. All Hail Megatron #6 After getting Energon from the Trion and taking a rest, Ironhide noticed Sunstreaker storming out of a building. When Sunstreaker told him about his brother complaining about being a jerk toward Mirage along with, Ironhide couldn't take it anymore. Cornering Mirage, Ironhide proceeded to beat him senseless, leaving him in serious condition. All Hail Megatron #7 After being chewed out by Kup and being reminded of his past troubles, the conversation ended when the Swarm caught up to them. When the Autobots drove to a bridge to lure the Swarm there, so that they could blow it up and prevent them from advancing, Ironhide noticed Sunstreaker standing on the bridge. When Ironhide asked him what he was doing, Sunstreaker revealed to him that he was the real traitor, having made a deal with Starscream that would supposedly have resulted in Megatron's demise. Before more could be said, both were taken down by the Swarm. Drift came and rescued Ironhide just as Sunstreaker blew up the bridge, killing himself and taking a large portion of the Swarm with him. Upset, Ironhide went to rest and recover. All Hail Megatron #8

Seen shortly before being reminded of how he used to hate Op's guts.

Feeling like a complete prat, Ironhide attempted to apologize to Mirage, but was angrily rebuffed. All Hail Megatron #9 Once Optimus Prime was back on his feet, Ironhide asked him why the others hadn't told him that Megatron had stolen the Matrix, but was told not to hold it against them. After thinking about this, Ironhide called Prime the "greatest bot I've ever known," which Prime found amusing, considering how they clashed when they first met. When the Swarm assaulted the Autobot base, Ironhide found himself side by side with Mirage at the front line defenses. Mirage told Ironhide to run for it while he distracted the enemy, but Ironhide threw himself into the fray, refusing to let his comrade sacrifice himself. All Hail Megatron #10 When Omega Supreme saved them and took them to Earth, Ironhide participated in the battle against the Decepticons. However he worried that Devastator and the others would be on the Autobots in seconds. His worry, fortunately, was unfounded, as Omega subsequently stepped in and slagged Devastator. All Hail Megatron #11 Later, after Spike sniped Megatron, Ironhide called Starscream a coward because he and the Decepticons were leaving. All Hail Megatron #12

In the aftermath of the Decepticons' retreat, Ironhide admitted to Optimus Prime that he was tired of the neverending war and was considering retiring from the Autobot army. He changed his mind following some reminiscing over the many bonds he and Prime had forged over the years. Old Ways When Bumblebee went missing in one of the human disaster areas in a ruined New York, Ironhide was part of an Autobot squad who managed to retrieve him. Hidden

Either Hot Rod's jinxed or he secretly wants the entire 1984 cast dead.

Two years later, the Autobots were still on Earth. Optimus Prime's guilt over the devastation their war brought to the world prevented the Autobot army from leaving the humans behind. Even worse, the humans weren't at all interested in Prime's guilt, but were actively hunting Autobot and Decepticon alike. Several Autobots were taken prisoner by Skywatch, the American robot-hunting organization. Events reached an apex when Prowl was captured while trying to prevent the execution of a wandering Decepticon. Optimus Prime finally relented on his hands-off policy, and sent Hot Rod and a squad into the Skywatch holding facility to rescue Prowl. Ironhide went with him to keep an eye on the kid, and promised Optimus nothing would happen to Hot Rod. The situation escalated horribly, however, and the humans began responding with lethal force against the Autobots during the breakout. Ironhide spotted a particle cannon turret being leveled against Hot Rod and Prowl, and threw himself into the weapon's path, taking a fatal shot through the chest to protect his field leader and keep his promise to Prime. Prowl brought Ironhide's body back to the Autobots' hidden base after the battle.

Optimus blamed himself for his old friend's demise, which served as a catalyst for his resignation from the Autobots. ...For All Mankind A Rude Awakening

But Ironhide wasn't dead at all. At least...not completely. One year later, he awoke on Cybertron fully repaired, yet unable to recall anything from after his ill-fated confrontation with Axer four million years before. The Iron Age Unaware of how Cybertron had fallen into ruin since Thunderhead Pass, Ironhide wandered Iacon in shock, unable to comprehend why the whole planet seemed to be abandoned and in disrepair. He also wasn't familiar with the three thousand strong Insecticon swarm that now inhabited the planet, but that quickly changed. The bugs got in his face, so Ironhide smashed in theirs, enjoying the chance to vent his frustrations. On the verge of succumbing to grief and isolation, Ironhide was finally found by a small drone who asked him to simply "Follow." With nothing better to do, Ironhide accompanied the little robot until he reached their destination — a brightly lit and functioning complex, the only signs of life and power on the whole planet. Iron in the Blood

Inside, Ironhide met the legendary sage Alpha Trion... whom he had never heard of before. While Trion's self-important attitude got on his nerves, he was able to learn that Cybertron had been abandoned for the four million years he had been "dead". An incredulous Ironhide accepted these facts, but soon turned his attention towards a nearby screen, which was detecting Sunstreaker's life signal on the planet. Having no memory of Sunstreaker's betrayal, Ironhide ignored Alpha Trion's warnings and headed out to save his friend. He found the heavily damaged Sunstreaker in a pile of swarm corpses and couldn't understand what he kept apologizing about, then fought his way through even more swarm members to bring him back to Alpha Trion. Upon arriving, Ironhide demanded to know what Sunstreaker just was talking about, and Trion explained to him how he had actually kept living after Axer's attack and only died just recently. Alpha Trion himself had managed to revive Ironhide, though with only a few of his memories intact, so that he could exterminate the Insecticon swarm and make Cybertron habitable again. Ironing Out the Details

Ironhide accepted the task given to him, strapping himself with as many weapons as he could carry and going head-to-head with hundreds of swarm members. He also stumbled upon the wreckage of the starship Trion and managed to use its guns to destroy a portion of the swarm, though he was forced to self-destruct it when the monsters got too close for comfort. In the end, he was fighting an estimated 200 of the creatures with his bare hands, and was forced to call Alpha Trion for help. His call was heeded, and Trion revealed that his base of operations was actually the gigantic Autobot Metroplex, who smashed the remaining members of the swarm with one hand. This got Ironhide rather angry, as Metroplex could've done the work instead of him, and it didn't help that Alpha Trion just dismissed his worries and prepared to leave him on the planet to exterminate the last few swarm monsters. He finally snapped and socked the old guy in the face. Though surprised, Alpha Trion shrugged off his act of assault and explained that he was only a small piece in a large game, and he didn't need to know everything. Before Trion left into space, Ironhide faced him with one last question: how did he know Ironhide was going to die? The answer gave him something to think about: he was going to sacrifice himself sooner or later, it was just in his nature. Soon, Ironhide and Sunstreaker were left as the only Autobots on Cybertron, with a lot of stuff to catch up on and a lot of things to think about... Any Old Iron

As time passed, Ironhide and Sunstreaker exterminated what was left of the swarm, even managing to domesticate one, only for another threat to reach Cybertron: an army led by Galvatron. After a first wave of attacks, a ship landed nearby, and Ironhide smashed his way into it, assuming it to be a Decepticon vessel he could use. As a pleasant surprise, he instead found it crewed by Hot Rod (now going by "Rodimus") and Wheelie (plus an alien who mistakenly attacked him). After some catching-up, they were attacked by Sweeps, but managed to escape on Rodimus's ship and head to Earth for reinforcements. Out of the Silent Planet

Upon arriving on Earth for the "first time", Ironhide commented that it smelled bad. Needless to say, the Autobots there were confused to see him alive, but their new leader, Bumblebee, had them refrain from asking him questions. Ironhide himself was mostly confused as to how Bumblebee managed to become leader and why they had stayed on Earth for so long, but Bumblebee couldn't respond to that very well. Led by Optimus Prime, Ironhide and most of the other Autobots boarded Omega Supreme and left for Cybertron the next day. Orphans of the Helix During the journey, Ironhide talked to Prime about Megatron's boggling decision to surrender himself, and suggested he sit down and talk to the captured Decepticon leader. Chaos Theory #1 After several interrogations of Megatron failed to shed any light on his decision, Ironhide warned Optimus Prime against letting it get to him. Appreciating the sentiment, Prime told him it was nice to see him so young again, but Ironhide only responded that he didn't feel young.

Ironhide was telling his fellow Autobots of his time with Alpha Trion when Omega Supreme arrived at Cybertron, at which point he and several other Autobots went down to the planet and met with Galvatron. When they refused to join his army, Galvatron decided to destroy them, but Ironhide stopped him from shooting Optimus Prime and beat on him until he retreated. Lamentations Alongside the rest of the Autobots, he then fought in a huge battle with Galvatron's army of Sweeps. Numbers Optimus Prime took Ironhide, Rodimus and Drift and broke away from battle to chase Galvatron himself as he moved towards the core of Cybertron, but halted when Drift stabbed himself in order to not be brainwashed by the Heart of Darkness. Kings When ordered to bring the injured Autobot to safety, Ironhide protested that Optimus needed him as a bodyguard, but relented when Rodimus asked him to save one more life. Genesis

Following Optimus Prime's defeat of Galvatron in Vector Sigma's chamber, Cybertron was reborn in a flash of white light. Ironhide had a vision of the distant future in which he found himself the last veteran on a prosperous and peaceful Gorlam Prime. As the last remnant of a bygone era, he was revered by the young Transformers, but he struggled with finding his place in the new civilization. He was accompanied by Alpha Trion, who would comfort his friend with his importance to the history of the race. Pax Cybertronia A Better Tomorrow

After Ironhide awoke from his vision, Megatron's Decepticons were captured, and neutral Cybertronians began returning home. Unfortunately they didn't like having the Autobots in charge and started a riot which Ironhide had to help beat down. The Death of Optimus Prime The mysterious rebirth of Cybertron had also made the planet's terrain alive and very hostile, so Ironhide spent his time testing how far from civilization he could get before being forced to turn back. The Autonomy Lesson He was present during the memorial service for the crew of the Lost Light, a ship captained by Rodimus which seemingly exploded on launch. The World & Everything in It

Ironhide and Wheeljack later constructed a rocket to lead a mysterious explosion to detonate harmlessly off planet. Stick Together Ironhide greeted Sky-Byte back to Cybertron and learned of his old rival's defection from Decepticons and departure from the Great War. During Ironhide's tour, the Autobot filled Sky-Byte in on recent events, resulting in Sky-Byte becoming suspicious of the Autobots' motives. Ironhide suggested he go see if the Decepticons were any better, but when that resulted in Sky-Byte being captured with Needlenose and in danger of being lynched by an angry mob, Ironhide calmed the crowd by telling them they needed to pursue a peaceful future of equality between Autobot and Decepticon and. The next day, Prowl questioned Ironhide about how his actions had led to Bumblebee's deactivation of the I/D chips, so Ironhide told him of his vision of the future on Gorlam Prime where the war was long over and every other Autobot and Decepticon were dead. A Better Tomorrow

Realizing that everyone thought his circuits were a bit sizzled from that vision story, Ironhide decided he needed to get out of Iacon for a while and accepted a mission to search for the missing Aerialbots. Together with the Dinobots he traveled into the Cybertronian wilderness, where they discovered signs of battle and a strange signal that was messing with their minds, causing them to suspect Megatron was out there. He also told the Dinobots of his vision, which to his surprise they believed in, but expressed worry that the "Pax Cybertronia" he had witnessed was still made up of a universe conquered by the Cybertronians just like Megatron or Nova Prime had wanted. After they set up camp for the night, the Dinobots were driven crazy by the signal and turned on each other, with Ironhide caught in the middle. Dinobot Hunt While escaping, he discovered a recorded message left by Silverbolt, who revealed that the same thing had happened to the Aerialbots and warned that Ironhide's comrades would soon team up against him. Ironhide tracked down the source of the transmission, all the while fending off the combined attacks of the Dinobots, but what he found at the end wasn't the Aerialbots, but a combination of them calling itself Superion. Night and the City

With Ironhide, Superion and the Dinobots all in the same place, the mind-bending signal ceased to affect them and the Dinobots calmed down. Second Exodus As they made their way back to Iacon, Ironhide caught a news transmission in which Metalhawk tried to suppress the Decepticon riots breaking out in the city. The Verge They arrived just in time to witness Megatron gather his army and unleash Devastator in an attempt to conquer the planet once more. Before the Dawn While Superion challenged Devastator, Ironhide and the Dinobots took to the streets to do lead their fellow Autobots in the battle with the Decepticon forces. Plan for Everything After Superion failed, Ironhide took it upon himself to take down Devastator, whose head was now made up of a brainwashed Prowl. He belted the giant straight in the face and told him that his time in the wilderness had made him realize the future wasn't as set as his vision has made it seem—they could change themselves and change the future, and so could Prowl. His words reached his fellow Autobot, enabling him to remove himself from Devastator. The Autobots were able to defeat Megatron once again, but the NAILs had had enough of their war and, under Starscream's leadership, banished both factions from the city. Heavy Is the Head

Knowing the dangers of the wilderness, Ironhide questioned Starscream's decision, but like most Autobots he relented with the knowledge that staying would only cause more conflicts. Soon after they set up camp, he had to break up a fight between Arcee and their surprising new allies, the Constructicons. Worried that the signal that drove the Dinobots into their frenzy and created Superion might still be active and able to affect lone Transformers during the night, he then tried talk Arcee into being more of a team player. Second Exodus As a light lit up on the horizon, the Autobots went to investigate and got front row seats to witness the arrival of Shockwave's Necrotitan. Dark Dawn Confused, Ironhide and the others could do little but point their guns at the giant at the mysterious, immobile giant and wait for something to happen. Black Metal The standoff was interrupted by the arrival of Decepticons, but the ensuing battle was short as the Necrotitan unleashed a deadly energy wave, Winners & Losers causing damage on both sides but leaving a fortunate Ironhide unscathed. Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4

Putting their differences aside, the Autobots and Decepticons joined forces to stop Shockwave's plan to summon Nova Prime and Galvatron from the Dead Universe. Ironhide was charged with preventing the ancient Transformers' transition through a portal in Megatron's chest, and was able to beat Nova back into the Dead Universe before the Necrotitan struck. Injured in the attack, he was carried to safety by Megatron before the Decepticon leader got ambushed by Galvatron. Finest Hour The Autobots returned to Iacon to defend the city from the advancing Necrotitan, but their efforts had no effect and Ironhide and Arcee ended up caught in an explosion. Burning Bright They turned out to be fine and met up with the rest of the Cybertronians, including the returning crew of the Lost Light, to celebrate the Necrotitan's defeat at the hands of Metroplex. The Becoming Their troubles didn't end there though, as Shockwave summoned an army of Ammonites to keep Autobots and Decepticons from interfering with his master plan, forcing Ironhide and his comrades back into battle. Black Planet Once Shockwave was finally defeated, Ironhide witnessed the emergence of Megatron as an Autobot. ...And the Damage Done

Ironhide attended the trial for the surrendered Megatron at Raskol Arena, Towards Peace where he witnessed a group of Decepticons unsuccessfully attempt to free their leader. Predestination: A Beginner's Guide After the trial was over, Ironhide remained on Cybertron to keep an eye on Starscream and aid Cityspeaker Windblade in taking care of Metroplex. Hello Cruel World

As it turned out, Shockwave's machinations had led to the destruction of Gorlam Prime, contradicting Ironhide's vision of the future and shaking the conviction he had in it. He spent the next six months wandering the insides of the ancient Metroplex in hopes of finding answers to what it all meant. Because of his intimate knowledge of the city-bot's layout, Windblade went to him for help as she searched for the location of junction T134. A 'Bot and Her City Ironhide also assisted her by protecting Metroplex's brain in her absence and helping Chromia investigate an attempt at the Cityspeaker's life. Windblade #2 When Wheeljack recovered from injuries sustained during the battle of Iacon, Ironhide met him in the remains of the Crystal City and confided in him about feeling lost and uncertain about everything ever since his vision was proven untrue. Wheeljack tried to cheer him up by telling him no one knows what the future holds: that sense of uncertainty is just called "being alive". The World of Tomorrow

IDW Beast Wars comics

Ironhide served on the Maximal Imperium, alongside Prowl and Silverbolt. Leadership seemed to have robbed him of a bit of his gusto, although according to Big Convoy he was 'right honorable'. Ironhide, Prowl and Silverbolt sent Ikard to request a report from Big Convoy, but he refused, citing his need to investigate the Angolmois-fueled murders. The Ascending #2

Hearts of Steel

Ironhide was part of the Autobot forces who fought the Decepticons on Earth in the distant past until an incoming ice age threatened to deactivate them all. Both sides went into hiding underground, remaining in stasis until the 1860's, at which point they were accidentally awakened by humans. Hearts of Steel #1 As they resumed their war with the Decepticons, Ironhide and the others took on train modes and allied themselves with John Henry in order to pursue the Astrotrain. Hearts of Steel #3 Ironhide was the second car in the Autobot train, an artillery boxcar with his name on it. When Scourge began to attack the Autobot train from above, he partially transformed to robot mode in order to shoot him down. After the Decepticons were defeated, the Autobots went back to sleep underground. Hearts of Steel #4

By 1888, Ironhide had gotten involved with humanity again, hiding on the USS Miskatonic in the form of an gun turret. On the way to Ireland the ship was attacked by a tentacled monster from underneath the waves, forcing Ironhide to abandon it and report to the other Autobots. A week later at Port Cenotaph, he ran into additional creatures and Bonecrusher, who revealed that he and the Decepticons were now following the Elder Gods instead of Megatron. Ironhide tried to fight the empowered Decepticon, but was overcome by his eldritch tentacles. Infestation 2: The Transformers #1 As a servant of the Elder Gods, Ironhide stood guard at Port Cenotaph with the Decepticons, protecting it against an international fleet when they came to investigate the disappearance of multiple ships. Ironhide was freed from the Elder Gods' control when Optimus Prime injured the attending Elder God enough to force it back into the depths of the ocean. Infestation 2: The Transformers #2Infestation 2 #1

Descent into Evil

Amazingly not dead.

Ironhide was severely injured during a battle on Moon Base Four, but Optimus Prime used his Reconfiguration Matrix to create a new body for his old friend. Ironhide's Timelines toy bio

Years after the Autobot-Decepticon Wars ended, Ironhide and five other Autobots were sent to Ceti Alpha Seven to destroy General Deathsaurus's Insecticon clone lab and stop his planned Decepticon uprising. After a team of four (consisting of Fallback, Chromia, Flareup, and Ricochet) failed, Ironhide and Ratchet followed to help. After battling swarms of Virulent Clones and Buzzclaw, they finally met up with Deathsaurus himself. Ironhide stayed to fight the general, and Ratchet separated to find their fallen friends. However, Ironhide was shot in the back by Flamewar and he went into stasis lock. Ironhide woke up restrained inside Deathsaurus' lab with Ratchet, while Deathsaurus appeared to them on a monitor and told them he planned to destroy the lab by remote. Before the lab could detonate, Ricochet snuck in and freed them, allowing them to gather their fallen and escape. Descent into Evil

Encore toy bio

Ironhide acquired a new protective black coating to disguise himself from both Decepticons and members of the human criminal underworld, to better allow him to do his job as Optimus Prime's bodyguard. The other Autobots joke that he looks like a stereotypical "Men in Black" vehicle, but Ironhide insists he got the idea from black pickups trucks he saw around town. The coating, a composite gel metal, has made his trithyllium steel skin even more durable, allowing him to self-repair minor injuries right away, and his robot and mobile artillery forms are now 25% more maneuverable than before. 'Protect Black Ironhide' toy bio

Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic

Henkei! Henkei! #7

Ironhide, Mirage and Rodimus tracked Nightstick to a volcanic region of the planet where Cyclonus was about to unveil the awe-inspiring Galvatron to Starscream. Engaging the jets in battle, Ironhide and the Autobots successfully blocked the lava pool Galvatron was too emerge from. Their satisfaction turned to horror, however, when Galvatron blasted free from the rubble anyhow. Luckily, Galvatron was not a morning person, and was more interested in berating Cyclonus and Starscream for interrupting his nap than attacking the Autobots. Henkei! Henkei! #9

Ironhide was taking a pounding from the uncharacteristically-aggressive Octane when Mirage stepped in, meutralizing the 'Con before he was even aware of the invisible Autobot's presence. Both Ironhide and Mirage were shocked when Octane continued moving despite having his circuits disrupted, and were downright beside themselves when the ghost of Starscream emerged from within the Triple Changer. Mirage's Rebirth

Henkei! Henkei! Bun Bun manga

To the Sea of Stars

Transformers: All Spark

Another Episode, Part 2 The Fated Rival, Once Again... To Earth Plans of the Emperor of Destruction Revenge (All Spark) The False Power Ray of Hope Great Aspirations Conclusion

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

Games

Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons

When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' Minicar troops from the Decepticons, Ironhide could come to Optimus Prime's aid, acting as a bodyguard against Decepticon attacks. Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game

The Transformers (PS2)

Voice actor: Russ Veillard (English)

Ironhide is a non-playable character. He appears among the legion of Autobot duplicates in the Decepticon campaign.

The Transformers

Transformers G1: Awakening

Ironhide was among the Autobots who left Cybertron aboard the Ark, and spent four million years in stasis after it was shot down over Earth by the Decepticons. As one of the more badly injured, he was placed in Metroplex until the Autobots had gathered enough energon to revive him. He was well enough to take part in a battle when the Autobots saved Grimlock from a bunch of Decepticons, and took part in the defense of the Ark when the Decepticons attempted to assault it. Transformers G1: Awakening

Transformers Legends

When Megatron challenged Optimus Prime to a duel, Ironhide was one of the few Autobots left at HQ to defend it from an attack by the Constructicons. Taking command, he attempted to organize the defense, but they were no match for the Decepticon team. Heavy Metal War - Part 1

When the Decepticons discovered a pool of Electrum and plotted to use this new discovery to annihilate the Autobots, Ironhide and the rest of Optimus's forces sneakily located the lagoon themselves and coated themselves with the substance. In the end, they Autobots forced the Decepticons to retreat, but the miraculous Electrum lagoon was destroyed. The Golden Lagoon

Ironhide took part in the defense of Autobot City during a Decepticon assault, but was unable to prevent their advance. One Shall Fall... He had better luck during an assault by Trypticon — he and Fireflight managed to retrieve Metroplex's transformation cog and fight their way through the Decepticon ranks to get Metroplex back on his feet. Monstrosity

Notes

• Bob Budiansky named Ironhide after the TV detective show, Ironside, whose titular protagonist was also a grizzled veteran of his profession.
• It has been speculated by some fans that, in cartoon continuity, Ironhide may have been created from Orion Pax's friend Dion, the same way and at the same time Prime and Elita One were rebuilt by Alpha Trion.

For further elaboration, see Who is Dion?.

• A 1986 Panini stickerbook sold in Belgium and the Netherlands gave Ironhide the alternate French language name "Ferro Métal". Whether this name was used in any other media made for French-speaking regions is unknown.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Ironhide (アイアンハイド Aianhaido)
• Cantonese: Tei-Paid (鐵皮, "Iron Skin", "Iron Hide")
• French: Rhino (Canada)
• Hebrew: Ór Pladá (עור פלדה, "Steel Hide")
• Hungarian: Acélfej ("Steel-head"), Vasököl (Movie, "Ironfist")
• Italian: Falco ("Hawk")
• Mandarin: Zàng Tiě (Taiwan, 藏鐵, "Hiding Iron"), Tiěpí (China, 鐵皮, "Iron Skin")
• Portuguese: Couraça (Brazil comics, "Hide"), Arma-de-Ferro (Portugal comics, "Iron Weapon")
• Russian: Bronevik (Броневик, "Armored Car")
• Ukrainian: Zaliznyak (Залізняк, "Ironer")

External links

• Ironhide's Universe profile at NTFA.net
• e-Hobby's page for Black Protect Ironhide