Wheeljack (ROTB)

This article is about the Rise of the Beasts Autobot. For the other movie Wheeljack, see Wheeljack (Movie). For a list of other meanings, see Wheeljack (disambiguation).

Wheeljack is an Autobot from the Rise of the Beasts portion of the Movie continuity family.

Got any cheese?

Soft-spoken and insightful, Wheeljack may lack the bombastic attitude of his fellow Autobots, but he's no less invaluable to their team. An inventor, mechanic and scientist stationed in South America, Wheeljack is enamored with Earth and its natural world, and is committed to ending the war that threatens it. To get around the tight streets of Cusco, he turns into a Volkswagen Type 2 microbus.

Despite being stationed in Peru, he's somehow unknowingly picked up a Mexican accent. Don't assume he speaks Spanish because of it, though; he thinks it's a little racist.

“	Sorry I'm late. I was taking in a harmonious moment between a serene butterfly, and an unruffled caterpillar. Such tranquility.	”
—Wheeljack, Rise of the Beasts

Fiction

Bumblebee film

You better take a good look while I'm in my prime because in about 20 7 years, that will all change.

Voice actor: Steve Blum (English), Ryūnosuke Watanuki (Japanese), Manuel Pérez (Latin-American Spanish)

Bumblebee takes place before the other films (supposedly), but was released later. As such, it is placed here after Age of Extinction.

Wheeljack was among the Autobots fending off a wave of Decepticon forces led by Shockwave and Soundwave and was eventually ordered to retreat by Optimus Prime. Tasked with finding other Autobots scattered throughout the galaxy and rendezvous on Earth, they left Cybertron in various escape pods. Bumblebee

Rise of the Beasts film

Voice actor: Cristo Fernández (English), Benjamin Pascal (European French), Marc Winslow (Latin American Spanish), Renato Novara (Italian), Karim El Kammouchi (German), Wendel Bezerra (Brazilian Portuguese)

Being locally stationed there, Wheeljack joined the Autobot forces upon their arrival in Peru to assist with their search for the other half of the Transwarp Key. After a brief chat with their new human ally Noah Diaz established that, while he may have a Spanish accent, he did not speak Spanish, he explained the lay of the land to the group, including the Festival which would prevent the Autobots easily accessing the city. During Noah and Elena Wallace's search and subsequent chase underground, he hid in the city with Arcee taking cover inside his vehicle mode. When the Terrorcons arrived in force to hunt down the humans, the pair tailed Battletrap up the mountain roads, Arcee exchanging fire while Wheeljack dodged missiles and wrecking balls thrown his way. Unfortunately, before they could get close to Battletrap, the Terrorcon attached his towline to Wheeljack's bumper, throwing him and Arcee off the cliff, which also triggered a rockslide that unwittingly broke up the battling Autobots and Terrorcons.

Recovering, he and Arcee immediately followed Mirage to assist their human allies from an unfamiliar robotic gorilla. Unfortunately for him, a massive robotic rhino bowled him over from behind. After Optimus Prime and Primal made a truce, Wheeljack accompanied the united Autobot and Maximal group to the human village which held Primal's half of the Transwarp Key. The next day, he took part in the final battle to prevent Unicron being summoned to Earth, fighting off the horde of Freezers and Scorponoks as a distraction for his allies to shut the machine down.

During the course of the battle, he and Optimus came across Battletrap again, nearly getting shot multiple times, with Primal and Prime having to assist to defeat the Terrorcon. Later on, Wheeljack regrouped with Arcee in mowing down more Freezers, eventually receiving a minor injury to his lower abdomen. He was also knocked down and briefly overwhelmed when Unicron's reinforcements arrived, but was able to recover when Bumblebee arrived to assist after his resurrection. When Optimus was forced to destroy the Transwarp bridge himself, Wheeljack was ordered to retreat to avoid the expected explosion, following Primal out of the area. Victorious and with Prime safe, he and the other Autobots and Maximals remained steadfast, ready to face Unicron's return. Rise of the Beasts

Toys

Studio Series

My head's no longer the Matrix anymore! Huzzah, I say!

• Wheeljack (Deluxe Class, 2022)
  • Movie: Bumblebee
  • Hasbro ID number: 81
  • TakaraTomy ID number: SS-84
  • TakaraTomy release date: June 25, 2022
  • Accessories: Blaster, "Cybertron Falls" backdrop (2nd version)

• Known designers: Sam Smith (Hasbro), Yūya Ōnishi (TakaraTomy), Emiliano Santalucia (concept artist)

Studio Series Wheeljack is based on his appearance in the Bumblebee movie and turns into a Cybertronian car. As with the majority of Bumblebee's Cybertronian characters, his alternate mode was created by Hasbro and TakaraTomy for the toy as the film model was not designed to transform. He comes with the blaster that he utilized in the Cybertron battle scene, which can store on his back and on top of the vehicle mode. The slot used for vehicle mode can also be used in robot mode to give Wheeljack an arm-mounted blaster.

There have been a few notable quality control issues on some copies of this figure. The front windshield doesn't always tab in properly, leaving a small gap in the front of the car. In robot mode, his shoulders may have a tendency to detach from the torso when handling. The ball joints on his feet can be extremely tight, to the point it doesn't feel like they can move. Also, as the feet are completely painted over, paint-chipping may occur, especially since they rub against other parts during transformation.

Like other Studio Series toys, the interior of the package forms a display backdrop, this backdrop being a war-torn Cybertron as it appears in the beginning of the film.

Buzzworthy Bumblebee

What's that? One of those 'Led Zeppelins' I've heard so much about?

• Jungle Mission 3-pack: Cheetor, Nightbird, and Wheeljack (Multipack, 2023)
  • Accessories: Blaster

Released in a Target-exclusive Buzzworthy Bumblebee Jungle Mission 3-pack, Wheeljack is a Deluxe Class figure based on his appearance in Rise of the Beasts. He transforms from a bespectacled robot into an unlicensed approximation of a Volkswagen Minibus with "TV Pablo" livery on the side. He includes a blaster that he can hold, or store on the roof of his vehicle mode.

Wheeljack comes packaged with Cheetor and Nightbird.

Rise of the Beasts

Ehrm.. Ackshually..

• Wheeljack (Deluxe Class, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Deluxe Class Wheeljack
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BD-05
  • TakaraTomy release date: July 15, 2023
  • Accessories: Blaster

The Wheeljack from the Buzzworthy Bumblebee Jungle Mission 3-pack was also available individually at general retail under Rise of the Beasts packaging.

He was first sighted at Australian retail, before any of his wave mates.

"Stop hitting my child in the head with a lead pipe!"

• Wheeljack & Rhinox (Beast Weaponizer, 2023)
  • TakaraTomy name: Kakusei Change Set Wheeljack & Rhinox
  • TakaraTomy ID number: BCS-03
  • TakaraTomy release date: July 15, 2023

• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Beast Weaponizer Wheeljack is a simplified toy that converts from a robot to an unlicensed approximation of a Volkswagen Minibus in 11 steps. He comes with a redecoed Beast Battle Master Rhinox, who transforms into a minigun for Wheeljack to wield.

Like much of this toyline, this set was found at retail before any official announcement, this time in Canada.

Merchandise

Jada Toys

Hollywood Rides

It's a Frank, Frank. A Frank that shoots Franks.

• Volkswagen Bus Wheeljack (Scale 1/24 Die Cast Vehicle, 2023)
  • Accessories: Autobot badge standee

Released by Jada Toys, this 1/24 scaled non-transforming die-cast licensed Volkswagen Type 2 with rubber tires features opening doors and trunk with detailed interiors. Similar to the Robot Powered Machines, the car features a sculpted robot mode underneath.

Presumably thanks to production lead time, Wheeljack features both the "TV Pablo" markings from the movie itself and the "Frank's TV" branding from footage that went unused in the film.

The 1/24 Wheeljack comes with a small chrome Autobot badge on a display stand.

• Volkswagen Bus Wheeljack (Scale 1/32 Die Cast Vehicle, 2023)

A smaller replica of Wheeljack much similar to the version above. The opening gimmick is limited to the doors only.

Notes

• The promotional render of Wheeljack seen at the top of this page sports some differences from his character model as seen in the film; most notably, it lacks the Autobot badge (a modified Volkswagen logo) on his chest, leaving it blank.
• Rise of the Beasts Wheeljack was conceived as a distinct character from Dark of the Moon Que/Wheeljack. Rather than take the more Generation 1-inspired design of the Wheeljack seen in Bumblebee, either Hasbro or Paramount wanted to lean more into the idea of the character as a nerdy scientist, as they felt the "tough guy" seen in the previous movie was too similar to other characters among the Autobots.
• Behind-the-scenes photos of Wheeljack's vehicle mode suggest that he was originally intended to appear in the New York-set segments of the film, with his vehicle mode belonging to "Frank's TV" rather than "TV Pablo". This ended up influencing the Jada Toys die-cast vehicles of Wheeljack, both of which sport "Frank's TV" on their left side and "TV Pablo" on their right.
• Due to the "TV Pablo" branding on his vehicle mode, many fans took to jokingly calling this iteration 'Pablo', as both a shot at him daring not to look like the original, and an affectionate nickname. Even director Steven Caple Jr. and Cristo Fernández (his voice actor) support it!
• During the sequence where the Autobots and Maximals line up ready for battle, a pair of ear-like fins based on those of "Generation 1" Wheeljack pop out of the sides of his head; this was apparently a last-minute addition, as some promotional material (notably, the trailers released by Paramount Pictures UK) show the same footage without the fins. Either way, it's very easy to miss, as the fins have vanished by the next shot that Wheeljack appears in and never show up again!

Foreign names

• Japanese: Wheeljack (ホイルジャック Hoirujakku)
• Mandarin: Qiānjīndǐng (China, 千斤顶, "Wheeljack" or "Hoisting Jack")