Ratbat (G1)

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

Ratbat is a Decepticon from the Generation 1 continuity family. He is usually a Mini-Cassette.

Listen to them—children of the night. What spreadsheets they make.

Cold-blooded and obsessed with efficiency, Ratbat's primary concern is looking out for himself. He treats his responsibilities, whether as a fuel auditor or as leader of Decepticons, as a business. In his book, everything comes down to profit and loss.

In his role as fuel scout, Ratbat carries sensors that allow him to detect and evaluate the quality of fuels of various types, from primitive hydrocarbons to Energon. He can process any number of these different fuels to power himself.

Although obsessed with efficiency, like any good CEO, Ratbat allows himself a small indulgence: He enjoys sinking his fangs into the fuel tanks of Terran automobiles, the more expensive the better. He enjoys nothing more than savoring high-test gasoline siphoned from a hapless yuppie's Mercedes or BMW.

Ratbat is also the best Decepticon leader ever. True, that's what every other leader says, but he's got the victories to back it up.

Hungarian name: Féreg ("Worm")

Italian name: Stridek

French-Canadian name: Vampiro

Fiction

Cartoon continuity

Madman The Transformers comic

Dracula vs. King of the Roadkill.

In the year 2001, Ratbat was one of several tapes that accompanied Soundwave when they were spying on the construction of Autobot City. Soundwave had managed to record a meeting between Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus where the two Autobots leaders discussed hiding the Autobot Matrix of Leadership in a bunker at the building site. Ratbat was deployed along with Overkill, Slugfest, Beastbox and Squawktalk to oversee the retrieval of the powerful Autobot artifact. As Ratbat happily reported the minimal usage of fuel in the successful operation, the Autobot Hot Rod rammed Squawkbox and Slugfest, scaring the crap out of the bat. The Transformers

Despite the fact that this comic is set firmly within the cartoon continuity of Generation 1, Ratbat's sole line of dialogue (and the fact that he speaks at all) is based on Ratbat's various comic book appearances, and not his beast-like cartoon depiction.

Generation 1 cartoon

Voice actor: Frank Welker (English), Yoshitada Ōtsuka (Japanese)

Squeak! Squeak I tell you! Squeak!

Ratbat was among several cassettes deployed by Soundwave during the Battle of Autobot City in an effort to stop Blaster from broadcasting a distress signal to Optimus Prime. After successfully destroying the transmitter, the cassettes broke into the glass dome of the communications tower and attacked Perceptor until Blaster deployed his own cassette squad. Ratbat was then attacked by Ramhorn. The Transformers: The Movie

While the Decepticons were searching space for isidrite to repair their weaponry, Soundwave ejected Ratbat to hunt for the mineral in an asteroid field. Although the scout was successful in his mission, the isidrite deposit he discovered was already being mined by the Autobots, leading to the inevitable conflict. Webworld

The paw that refreshes.

When Galvatron hired the Skuxxoid and Slizardo to attack the Autobots with anti-electrons, the spying Ratbat recorded their failure and raced back to Chaar to inform Galvatron, replaying his footage of the Autobots' recovery for the two would-be saboteurs to see. Grimlock's New Brain

During a battle on Earth's Moon, Ratbat was among several "primitive" Transformers called away by a mysterious being known as Primacron's assistant to do battle with Primacron's creation, Tornedron. As the primitives made their escape from the seemingly unstoppable creature, Ratbat was grabbed by Tornedron's tiger form and eaten. Call of the Primitives He got better, though, and was later around to overhear the Autobots' conversation with Jessica Morgan about the discovery of the lifeless body of Optimus Prime. However, this resulted in most of the Decepticons being infected with the Hate Plague. Some days, a bat can't win. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1

Japanese cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic

Ratbat's fallen off the ugly tree a few times.

Under the direction of Soundwave, Ratbat and his fellow cassettes ambushed Bumblebee in Japan shortly after his companion Kenji had flown off in Powerglide. Bumblebee was able to leap over them and run off, which prompted Soundwave to have the cassettes give chase. Rumble shortly ordered the group to split up to cover more ground.

However, they instead (as a group, oddly) ran into Ironhide and Cliffjumper, which sent them into retreat. Unfortunately, their attempt to re-enter Soundwave's chest was foiled by the fact that Bumblebee had shattered it with a kick, causing them all (including Ratbat) to bounce off the mangled cassette door. Cliffjumper then picked them all up and proceeded to pull out their magnetic tape, wrapping it around his fingers. That meanie. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2

What happened to Soundwave and the cassettes next is never explained, but Soundwave is recuperating with the Decepticons in the next issue. The Autobots may have just left them lying in the street...

Scramble City

Detecting some strange electromagnetic emanations coming from a mountain range, Megatron had Soundwave deploy Ratbat, Ravage and Laserbeak to investigate. When they met resistance from Blaster and his own cassette warriors, it became apparent that the mountain concealed an Autobot operation. While Ravage and Laserbeak occupied Ramhorn and Steeljaw, Ratbat was able to evade laser fire from Blaster and penetrated the mountain, discovering that it housed the construction site for the Autobots' Scramble City. Scramble City

The Great Transformer War comic

This story takes place toward the end of season 3 of the Generation 1 cartoon.

After infiltrating Scramble City, Ratbat watched from a hidden perch as the alien scientist Doctor Dalton assisted the Autobots in increasing the power of the nascent Technobots. The Great Transformer War issue 1

The Headmasters cartoon

In the year 2011, as Vector Sigma was in the process of destabilizing, Soundwave and his cassettes invaded Autobot City in an attempt to learn what the Autobots' strategy for resolving the situation was. While listening in on the Autobots' discussion, which involved locating the missing Matrix of Leadership, Ratbat was detected by Blaster, leading to a battle between the two communications officers. Soundwave and his troops fled, but the battle was renewed soon after in the Arctic, where both combatants ultimately destroyed each other. Ratbat, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw gathered up the broken fragments of Soundwave's body and made an airborne escape. The Mystery of Planet Master Subsequently, the information Ratbat had gathered on the Autobots' search was replayed for Galvatron. Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime

Thanks to the super-science of planet Master, Decepticon Headmaster leader Scorponok was able to use the fragments of Soundwave's body Ratbat and the others had recovered to restore him to life as Soundblaster. He was joyfully received by Ratbat and the other cassettes, who soon found themselves again battling Blaster - likewise reborn as Twincast - and his cassettes while Soundblaster attacked Cybertron with the Decepticons' new Madmachine. The Great Cassette Operation

When a shadowy figure began blackmailing different nations around the world, Ratbat snuck into Autobot City to observe the Autobots' response. He was, however, spotted by Trainbot leader Shōki in the reflection in his glass of energon, and fled. Terror! The Six Shadows

The Headmasters comic

Ratbat post-"adorableness" surgery.

After Soundblaster crash-landed following his encounter with Chromedome's "Master Chrome Hurricane-Throw to the End of Hell" attack, Ratbat and the other animal cassettes (minus Slugfest and Overkill) stood over his groggy form while Rumble and Frenzy panicked at the approach of Sixshot. The Headmasters issue 8

Marvel Comics continuity

Generation 1

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

Future Decepticon leaders are quick to realize that Megatron was a terrible one.

Ratbat was one of the many Decepticons left on Cybertron, where he rose to the critical post of fuel auditor. With a drive towards extreme efficiency, he would rarely countenance unnecessary risks. He was one of the key figures in Lord Straxus' court, and so when Straxus' attempted possession of Megatron saw Straxus dead and Megatron mentally unstable, Ratbat was able to exploit it. Convincing the others that Megatron and Straxus were a liability, he had Straxus' troops open the Space Bridge in front of Megatron, Optimus and Ultra Magnus, which sent them back to Earth. Resurrection!

Ratbat emerged as the most powerful Decepticon in Polyhex. Ratbat grew increasingly dissatisfied with the inefficient use of fuel by the Decepticons based on Earth under the command of Shockwave, a practice he planned to alleviate by shutting down the Space Bridge between Earth and Cybertron. The amount of fuel the Earthbound Decepticons had gathered was not remotely equal to the energy required to run the bridge. Regardless, Shockwave appealed for one more use of the Space Bridge, and blamed the Earthbound Autobots for their lack of progress. To the ends of eliminating them from the equation, Ratbat opened up the Space Bridge in front of the Ark and sent Trypticon through it to destroy them. Though many injuries were inflicted, the arrival of the Dinobots rapidly turned the tide. Trypticon's energy expenses exceeded the budget allowed for the mission, and Ratbat ordered him back. King of the Hill!

"That... that's your fist, Astrotrain."

With the Space Bridge no longer an option, Ratbat sent things to Earth via low-energy cost space freighters. However, a particularly important cargo went missing en route to Earth, so he dispatched the Triple Changers through the Space Bridge to investigate. Crater Critters When the source of the problem turned out to be a deadly plague of Scraplets, he captured the Throttlebots and sent them to Earth to remove the infection with corrosives. He warned them that if they did not succeed with ten hours, he would destroy the Earth to prevent the plague from spreading. Thankfully, water was discovered to be an effective cure. The Cure!

So once again, Jones, what was briefly yours is now mine.

Ratbat traveled to Earth to oversee his designs for Earth. He continued to be outraged at Shockwave's excessive fuel use, particularly when he revealed that Shockwave's Decepticons had recently stolen a fuel tanker after it had unloaded its cargo! Meanwhile, Ratbat's plans proceeded well. He had placed industrialist G.B. Blackrock under his control, and had him open a chain of car washes that featured rock and roll music and flashing lights, dubbed the "Wash and Roll Car Wash". These car washes hypnotized humans into delivering the fuel they'd pumped back to the Decepticons. However, this plan was discovered by the Autobots' ally Buster Witwicky. After a quick fight inside one of the car washes, Buster was able to awaken the hypnotized masses outside. Ratbat was forced to flee. Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom

The United States government later captured the Throttlebots and executed them live on television. The Predacons carried Ratbat to the execution location afterwards so that he could ensure that they had indeed been killed. He discovered that their brain modules were missing, and once he had the scent, he tracked down the Throttlebots inside a nearby mall. Here he battled Buster Witwicky once again, who with Walter Barnett had snuck the Throttlebots' brains away inside remote control cars. Ratbat cornered Buster and kidnapped him. Toy Soldiers!

He brought Buster back to the Decepticons' island headquarters, where he was used as a human shield against military retaliation. The Autobot Targetmasters besieged the base, commanded by Fortress Maximus and Buster's older brother Spike Witwicky, so the Decepticons were forced to flee by deploying the island base's space-travel capabilities. In the process of departure, Shockwave was shot down in space and seen spiraling towards Earth, apparently dying during reentry. Ratbat declared it would be inefficient to rescue him and seized command of the Decepticons for himself. The Desert Island of Space!

Ratbat breaks through the Mini-Cassette glass ceiling.

Of all the leaders of the Decepticons on Earth few came closer to outright victory than Ratbat. He followed the Autobots under Fortress Maximus when they set out to unite with those under Grimlock and launched an all-out attack that resulted in huge casualties and the Autobots being briefly stranded on the Moon. He retreated only when Grimlock and Blaster returned from their duel and turned the tide. Totaled!

Three in one shot? Even Ratbat would concede this was an efficient death.

Later, Ratbat promoted the newly recovered Starscream to the position of second-in-command and set out to learn the truth about the legendary Underbase, which could seemingly make a Transformer supremely powerful. Club Con! Ratbat was determined to attain its power for himself but this ambition was shared by Starscream. The latter lured the separate Decepticon faction led by Scorponok to a meeting with Ratbat's forces, which soon resulted in conflict between the two, allowing Starscream to seek the Underbase for himself. Cold War! Both Decepticon factions allied with the Autobots in fighting against Starscream, suffering huge casualties in the process. However, both Ratbat and Scorponok independently suspected that the Autobot leader Optimus Prime had plans to seize the power of the Underbase for himself, and they set out to stop him. They confronted him aboard the Ark and Ratbat declared he would have the power of the Underbase for himself. Seconds later, Ratbat was dead, shot in the back by Scorponok. Dark Star

Generation 2

Years later, Grimlock would invoke Buster Witwicky's fight with Ratbat inside the Wash and Roll Car Wash. Optimus Prime needed to be reminded that no matter how small, life struggles to carry on, and if protecting it was good once, why would they stop now? War Without End!

Transformers in 3-D

Ratbat watches over his loyal pet Galvatron

Ratbat was a sentient entity capable of talking, but pretended to be an obedient mute animal in order to get out of doing any real work. He ended up as the mentally unstable Galvatron's witless pet and sole confidant. This embarrasses him, but rather that than do work!

Cyclonus worried about Galvatron's unhealthy attachment to Ratbat. When Searchlight foiled Ratbat's search for mysterious energon-producing aliens by causing Galvatron to accidentally step on him using Scorponok, Galvatron stopped fighting to rush to Ratbat's side, distraught over his actions. The Test

For reasons known only to Ratbat, he was later showing off his sentience and joining in on Decepticon raids. It's almost as if he was being written inconsistently... Transformers in 3-D issue 2

Blackthorne Ratbat appeared to have the ability to change size from his parrot-like perch on Galvatron's shoulder (at right) to a giant bat large enough for a Throttlebot to ride on.) This fits in with his abilities as described in his expanded Marvel comics profile. Also, Blackthorne's Ratbat was absolutely adorable. He is love.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Finally! It's Ratbat's time to shine!

Millions of years ago, before the Transformers crash-landed on Earth, Ratbat was the leader of a sub-faction of Decepticons called the Ultracons during the time when Megatron had disappeared. During the Dark Ages, Ratbat made several efforts to secure the Tagan Heights, which held forty percent of Cybertron's industrial capability. However, his efforts were constantly thwarted by Springer and the Wreckers. The War Within: The Dark Ages

Eventually, he became so frustrated that he openly violated the Crisis Intervention Accord and managed to sway the Constructicons over to the Ultracons, unleashing Devastator on the Heights. However, the Protectobots arrived and formed Defensor. Their duel resulted in the destruction of a good deal of the Tagan Heights, and Ratbat was forced to retreat. Megatron's return saw the Ultracons reintegrated into the Decepticons. The War Within: The Age of Wrath At this point in time, Ratbat possessed his original Cybertronian form, able to transform from robot mode to jet.

Wait, wait, sorry, nevermind.

When Ratbat was next seen, it was millions of years later, and he had been freed by Starscream from imprisonment and given to Soundwave as a servant/gift, implying a past connection for which Soundwave would want recompense. Countdown to Extinction Why he was rebuilt into a smaller, weaker form is unknown, but what is known is that he despises it.

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

File:Gijoevtfratbatblasted.jpg

I don't think I like these new comics...

Ratbat was one of the many Transformers recovered from the crashed Ark by Cobra. He was repaired and retrofitted by Doctor Mindbender, who proudly displayed him, Soundwave, and his fellow Mini-Cassettes to Destro. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 2 Ratbat was released by Soundwave, along with Laserbeak, Frenzy, Rumble, and Ravage, during an attack on the SPS Center. Ratbat was felled by the combined fire of Rock'n'Roll, Roadblock, and Bazooka. His body was taken into custody by G.I. Joe. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers issue 3

IDW comics 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.

Woohoo! Now I'm a Senator!

Millions of years ago, before the war, Ratbat was a member of the Senate and possessed a fairly impressive humanoid form with wing-like capes and a bat head-like helmet. His professed role was "the application of wisdom through judgment", whatever that means, but, in practicality, he simply monitored news feeds and manipulated events (including stoking conflicts) to create the most profit for himself. He was responsible for the automation of Cybertron's Energon mines, a move which prompted the miner known as Megatron to rebel and flee underground.

Interested by Megatron's early gladiatorial exploits, he sent his servant Soundwave to offer Megatron a wide variety of advanced weaponry. He was either trying to get in on the fight racket and increase the violence for profit, or was deliberately trying to create greater instability (also for profit). Megatron Origin issue 2

It's not that clear which - he starts up after hearing how much money the fights make, but in later issues says how instability is good for business.

When Megatron's forces bloomed from underground fightclub to planet-destabilizing army, Ratbat realized that he'd made a mistake and Megatron was going too far. Megatron Origin issue 3

No, no, wait. Sorry. Again.

After Megatron decisively won his first battle against Sentinel Prime and the Decepticons were established, Ratbat decided to view this as a job opportunity and simply transfer himself (and all of Kaon's city funding and government data) to Iacon and a more lucrative position. Unfortunately for him, he was betrayed by Soundwave, who thought Ratbat would be a "valuable resource" for the Decepticons. His Spark was removed and transferred into a smaller, compact form. Megatron Origin issue 4

Always on playlist: "Batdance"

Millions of years later, in the present day, Ratbat appeared to have come WAY down in the world and the former Senator served merely as a scout for the Decepticons. Now on Earth for no apparent explanation, he was able to transform into a Sony Mylo. After reporting to Megatron that he had found Ark-19, no further exploits were worth chronicling. Devastation issue 1

In a considerable step backwards, upon Soundwave's re-emergence he was not only reformatted into form subservient to his former employee once again, but given an altmode of a magnetic cassette, a technology even the fleshlings had largely abandoned. In this archaic guise, he was sent to intercept the military unit of Spike Witwicky as they attempted to cross the Hudson River. Sinking their raft, he left again for obscurity and indignity. He must hate his life so much. All Hail Megatron issue 5

When the Autobots returned to Earth and fought the Decepticons off, Ratbat retreated with the others aboard Astrotrain. All Hail Megatron issue 13

Toys

Generation 1

I'm a cassette... I'm a bat... I'm adorable!

• Ratbat / Frenzy (Cassette 2-pack, 1986)
  • Accessories: 2 thrusters

Ratbat transforms from a robot bat into a microcassette that can fit in the chest compartment of the Soundwave and Blaster molds. He was released in a two-pack with Frenzy in 1986 in the US and European markets. The toy had either gold or silver weapons and painted or sticker cassette detail. It is unknown if the color of the weapons corresponded to the detailing types.

Ratbat's tiny "ears" are among the more easily lost parts in the original Generation 1 line.

• Ratbat (Cassettron, 1986/1987)
  • Japanese ID number: D-61, D-107
  • Accessories: 2 thrusters

In Japan, Ratbat was released as an individual toy. He came with a clear-plastic cassette storage case, like all other Japanese releases of the cassettes. It is unknown what weapon/tape-detail variants were available in Japan.

• Cassette Big Mission 2 (2009)
  • Encore number: 17

As part of the Encore Generation 1 reissue line, Ratbat was released along with Slugfest, Ramhorn and Steeljaw.

Universe (2008)

War Within Series

Batman always did need a space ship.

• Standoff Beneath the Streets (Voyager Deluxe Comic 2-Pack, 2008)
  • Accessories: Left & right wing-swords, Cyber key

A Target exclusive redeco of Cybertron Sideways, Ratbat is a purple, alien spacefighter with Cyber Planet Key-activated faction-switching ability (switching from Decepticon to Ultracon) and pop-out blades built into his battle shield.

This mold was also used to make the Noisemaze Mass-Production Version, and remolded into Timelines Scourge and Sweeps Two, Six, and Seven.

Despite being a redeco of a Cybertron mold, Universe Ratbat is a remarkable homage to his Dark Ages robot mode and altmode. This is further enhanced by packaging him with Springer, with whom Ratbat had a rivalry in the story. See above.

In its first release in Canada, the set did not include a comic (in spite of the INCLUDES COMIC! marking on the package), and in its first reported US sighting, included the wrong comic. The right comic was to be The War Within: The Dark Ages issue "Escalation". The comic that was included was a reprint of "Target: 2006" parts 5 & 6.

• Soundwave (2009)

In 2009, Ratbat was included with yet another reissue of Soundwave as part of the Universe line, this time as a Hasbro Toy Shop exclusive that was prominently offered at San Diego Comic-Con 2009. Included were his weapons and his own cassette case.

Surprisingly for a reissue, the US San Diego Comic-Con release and the Encore release were near simultaneous, both occurring on the same weekend.

Merchandise

Sorry, Soundblaster, but you having legs was JUST NOT in the budget. Squeak.

• Sound Blaster (Diamond Select, 2008)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2008, the Sound Blaster bust was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum, limited to 1,000 pieces. It includes a new sculpt of Ratbat perching on Sound Blaster's shoulder.

• Rumble (Diamond Select, 2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Rumble was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1000 pieces. Ratbat is seen blazing over his shoulder and decoed in a deeper purple then he is usually depicted in.

Trivia

• Ratbat's two manga appearances use wildly different character models. The first appears to be based more closely on his box art, and thus may in fact be his Studio Ox model, while the second seems to simply be his standard animation model.

• While Ratbat in the original cartoon was a voiceless beast who was ordered around by Soundwave, in the Marvel Comics stories, Ratbat was an independent, intelligent character who could speak and held a prestigious rank, even commanding the Earthbound Decepticons for a period, despite transforming into a tiny audio cassette. Both of the "postmodern" continuities established by Dreamwave and IDW have tried to harmonize these two disparate roles by portraying Ratbat as a previously-important individual who was humbled and forced into a lowly form. Remember, kids, if you're not humanoid, you can't possibly have held a real rank. There must be some explanation.

• Ratbat's cassette form in All Hail Megatron was part of a deliberate decision to have everyone looking recognisable to new readers. This is logical until you realise that EJ Su's redesign had the same basic shape and colour as the old Ratbat, and that no other Transformer (nay, any robot anywhere in fiction) is a purple-and-black bat. He stands out a tad.

External links

• Ratbat at TFU.info
• Ratbat's Universe profile at NTFA.net