Scraplet

Scraplets is an alien disease from the Generation 1 continuity family.

This is the face of genital herpes.

Scraplets is alleged to be the deadliest disease known to mechanical lifeforms in the entire galaxy. It is a complicated form of alien parasite, which lives solely to eat, reproduce, and eat some more.

Scraplets have evolved to resemble pink and blue nuts and bolts, washers and screws. However, when brought in contact with mechanical life, Scraplets instantly and painfully embed themselves into the skin of said creature and rapidly begin to self-replicate. The living metal around a Scraplet quickly corrodes, decaying and cracking away as the embedded Scraplet feasts. This process is painful and inevitably fatal for the infected robot. In a matter of hours, a single Scraplet can reproduce enough to completely infest an average-sized Cybertronian to the point of physical breakdown.

Scraplets are capable of transforming into vaguely humanoid robotic configurations, each capable of elementary speech and reasoning abilities. There are many different forms of humanoid Scraplet; the number of limbs, eyes, fangs and claws vary, though they are all quite tiny by Transformer standards. They use the locomotion afforded by this mode to spread out from a dead or dying host and infect mechanoids whom they might not otherwise be able to come in contact with.

A mass of Scraplets can also merge together into a combined humanoid form. In this form they have enormous strength and agility and a primitive group consciousness. However, this form also carries with it some limitations, as they present a larger target and become vulnerable to conventional assault.

It is said that there is a rare chemical of legend that can kill a Scraplet, but this is doubtful.

Fiction

Marvel Generation 1 comics

So... just how long have these things been hanging out in the infinite void of deep space, waiting for a living robot to pass by that exact spot?

When Ratbat needed to transport the first prototype Wash & Roll to Earth, he hired a freighter pilot to fly the cargo there. Emerging from warp space in Earth's solar system, the pilot exited the craft to perform some necessary repairs. As he did, the ship passed through what seemed to be a cloud of space dust. The "dust" rapidly infected the pilot, who lost control of the ship as it crashed on Earth.

Not hearing back from the pilot, Ratbat sent the Decepticon Triple Changers to investigate. They found the stricken pilot near the crashed ship, but didn't get very far in interrogating him about his failure before they too were infected. When Blaster and Goldbug arrived, Blaster landed in the crater and was soon infected as well. The freighter pilot survived long enough to warn Goldbug about the infection, just before his head fell off. The Scraplets charged toward the tasty-looking Goldbug, who was defended by his human friend Charlie Fong. But as the two headed off to try and find a cure, Goldbug hestitated, reluctant to abandon Blaster, and he too was infected. Hours later, the infection was so wide-spread that Goldbug couldn't continue driving. Crater Critters

Scraplet reproduction. Woo!

Made aware of the infection by Astrotrain, Ratbat decided to take decisive action to contain it. Rather than risk more Decepticon lives, he captured five Autobots and sent them to Earth. His mission for them: use vats of acid spray to destroy all infected Transformers on the planet, Autobot and Decepticon alike!

Charlie Fong pushed Goldbug through the desert to a service station, where the appalled attendants offered him a glass of water. Charlie was shocked when he spilled some on Goldbug to see the Scraplets die and fall off. Holy crap, pinball wizard and a miracle cure: water!!

And you thought girls had cooties...

Before Charlie could grab a hose to "wash his car", the attendants restrained him, thinking he was delusional. Two of the Throttlebots arrived just then, regretfully attempting to destroy Goldbug; only Charlie's interence saved him, as he demonstrated the miracle cure. Satisfied, Rollbar and Wideload stood by while Charlie hosed down Goldbug, curing him.

"NOBODY steps on a church in my town!"

Goldbug and company returned to the crash site with two tankers of water to save Blaster, but couldn't do so without also curing the three Decepticons. Before they could take action, thousands of the Scraplets combined into a muscular muave giant, bashing the weaponless Throttlebots around. Goldbug cured the Decepticons, who used their firepower to bring down the giant, which Blaster then destroyed with one of the acid vats. The remaining water was used to remove the Scraplets which infected the Throttlebots during the battle, and the outbreak on Earth was at an end. The Cure!

When he returned four missing children to their parents on Earth, Sky Lynx likened the humans' outraged reactions to what he'd expect if he had been infected with Scraplets. Monstercon from Mars!

Shattered Glass

Scraplets are a potion desinged to heal damaged Transformers. They feast on dead metal, leaving healthy metal untouched . They are usually contained in vials.

Notes

• While using round dialogue bubbles for humans and square dialogue bubbles for robots, letterer Janice Chiang used various polygons for Scraplet-speak.