Ratchet (G1)

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

This article is a featured article, and considered to be one of the most informative on this wiki.

Ratchet is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

All aboard the party ambulance!

Ratchet is the Autobots' Chief Medical Officer. If something's broke, he can fix it. Ratchet is known for his irreverent bedside manner; He loves having a good time, and his party-loving nature has given him a dry wit. He is not a particularly mighty warrior, which sometimes leads him to believe that he is expendable. Optimus Prime has trouble convincing Ratchet that this is far from the truth.

Although he's a healer, Ratchet often finds himself on the front lines of combat and, on occasion, the last hope the Autobots have. These pressures are sometimes too much for him to handle, but Ratchet ultimately never gives up. His vehicle mode sometimes splits into his robot and a separate component.

His nicknames are Cool Hand Lube and Greasefinger.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

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

This look didn't last long.

Ratchet was one of the select Autobots chosen by Optimus Prime to travel aboard the Ark, and ended up in stasis lock for four million years at the base of Mount St. Hilary with the rest of the crew. Once the volcano exploded and the Transformers reactivated, Ratchet was rebuilt to transform into an ambulance. He responded to Gears's complaining by telling him that at least he didn't have to fix everyone all the time! Ratchet would rather be partying. The Transformers

What a comfortable-looking repair sled they're dragging Gears into.

As their war against the Decepticons continued on Earth, Ratchet joined the Autobots' debate about how to deal with their dwindling fuel resources. Thankfully, Bumblebee had located a human, Sparkplug Witwicky, who could help them convert fuel to a form usable by them, so the Ark was left in Ratchet's hands as the others left to meet with Bumblebee and his new human friends. Ratchet noted sadly that without fuel, even his considerable skills were useless. Power Play! While they were gone, Ratchet attended to the Ark. During his attempts at repairs, he uncovered something interesting in its memory databanks, but Optimus Prime cut him off before he could explain. Gears was badly damaged in the battle that followed, and his body was brought back to Ratchet for repairs. After working on him for a short period of time, Ratchet was amazed that he could already speak. Unfortunately, Gears had bad news; Sparkplug Witwicky had converted fuel for the Decepticons while he had been their prisoner! Prisoner of War!

The Autobots were outraged at this, which upset Sparkplug so much that he suffered a heart attack. Ratchet volunteered to drive Sparkplug and his son Buster to the hospital. The Last Stand While Buster stayed at the hospital with his ailing father, Ratchet held fast to his oath to preserve life, an oath which made no distinction between organic or mechanical life, and helped two paramedics to get to their emergency. Upon their return to the hospital, Ratchet was happy to learn that Sparkplug, now able to speak, had told Buster that he'd poisoned the Decepticons' fuel. While this conversation was taking place, his drivers, alarmed their ambulance could talk, were poking around his ambulance mode, trying to discover the tape deck they suspected to be there. After an angry, annoyed outburst, the humans fled.

Staring also works.

Despite Buster's good news, Ratchet felt he should return to the Ark as swiftly as possible; no one there was responding to his communications. Buster accompanied him, and en route tried to explain to Ratchet that the traffic signals were non-sentient and would not respond to his pleas. When a red light turned green, eventually, after Ratchet's attempts at persuasion, the Autobot admonished the child for his lack of communication skills. But when Ratchet and Buster arrived at the Ark, they were horrified to discover Rumble and Frenzy standing sentry outside. Buster, who was small enough to slip in unnoticed, snuck inside to investigate. The New Order Buster later returned to Ratchet, looking like a fright, and told the Autobot that the Decepticons had taken over the Ark, and that their bodies were hung like meat from the ceiling! Even crazier still was when Shockwave was seen carrying the defeated body of Megatron back into the Ark. Ratchet began to worry that he was the last Autobot alive. The Worse of Two Evils!

Ratchet soon discovered, to his horror, that he was the last Autobot still functional on Earth, up against the entire Decepticon army. Covertly invading the Ark, he learned that even the mighty Optimus Prime had fallen. However, Prime's head, though detached, still functioned, and the Autobot Commander told Ratchet that he must rise up to meet this challenge. Ratchet did not believe he could; he was a doctor, not a warrior (damnit, Jim). Warrior School!

The more you know!™

Ratchet was no warrior, and he doubted what he could do to topple this new status quo, but still, Ratchet tried. In his weakened state, Megatron could not hope to defeat Shockwave and reclaim his leadership, but Ratchet approached him with a possible solution. Ratchet knew how Shockwave had fallen 4 million years ago (having discovered this earlier within the Ark's memory databanks), and struck a deal, sealed by the Rite of Oneness: If Ratchet could defeat Shockwave, Megatron would relinquish Decepticon control of the Ark and its wrecked Autobot inhabitants.

Ratchet journeyed to the Savage Land, where the Dinobots had fought Shockwave to a stalemate, leaving all dormant in a tar pit prison. He dug up the Dinobots and repaired them. Soon after, he met with Megatron on a snowy ski slope and announced that he had fulfilled his half of the bargain; Shockwave was defeated. Megatron, of course, went back on his part of the deal and threatened to kill Ratchet. Ratchet declared that he knew all along Megatron would not hold up his end of the bargain and admitted that he had not, in fact, defeated Shockwave. The Dinobots sprung up out of the snow surrounding Megatron and fought him, but did not succeed. Megatron now stood alone, triumphant, mocking Ratchet and his lack of a warrior's edge. With nothing to lose, Ratchet charged Megatron, but he was ineffectual. However, the charge had loosened the ground on which Megatron stood, and the Decepticon leader fell off the cliff side and disappeared. Repeat Performance!

On their return trip to the Ark, Ratchet helped educate the Dinobots about human/Autobot relations by telling them the story of a recent battle with the Decepticons at a hydroelectric dam. Decepticon Dam-Busters! When they arrived, Ratchet and the Dinobots found the Ark defended by Guardian, an Autobot combat drone which had been reprogrammed by Shockwave. Ratchet rescued the Dinobots from the powerful drone by remembering and exploiting one of its few weaknesses, an access port which could admit a fine laser. Ratchet then began the task of repairing the Autobots, placing priority on those whose command skills would be useful. This put him at odds with Dinobot leader Grimlock, who felt that the fallen Dinobot Swoop should be repaired first. The Wrath of Grimlock!

When Prowl devised a plan to use the Matrix to create an army of monstrous Autobot warriors, debate over the plan's ethics threatened to divide the Autobots. Ratchet remained neutral and asked Optimus Prime to step in and provide guidance. Crisis of Command!

Ratchet and Wheeljack collaborated on a Transformer-sized robotic suit, to be used by Buster Witwicky in battle. Optimus Prime was unamused. Robot Buster!

Such irony.

After the destruction of Optimus Prime, Ratchet was not able to repair him. Unable to deal with his failure, Ratchet wandered off on his own during Optimus's funeral. Ratchet decided that rather than moping, he should concern himself with the other damaged Autobots under his care, so he headed towards a junkyard to look for spare parts he could use. However, he was abducted in vehicle mode by the Mechanic and his accomplice Juan when the two thieves were found by the police. Ratchet revealed himself when they arrived at the Mechanic's hideout, but the Mechanic froze Ratchet with his own surgical weapon and hid outside. When he had unfrozen, Ratchet presumed the humans had fled and went back to the Ark, unaware that this was what the humans had been waiting for as they intended to follow him to his hideout and steal even more of his weapons. Inside the Ark, Ratchet was again defeated by his own surgical tools. But using pieces he took from the junkyard, he repaired Prowl, and the appearance of the police car frightened the Mechanic away. The Mechanic escaped with Ratchet's tools and the power booster rod. Funeral for a Friend!

Shortly after Optimus Prime's funeral, Ratchet stood with Omega Supreme, Blaster, and the others, and an incoming fleet of aircraft piloted by the terrorist organization Cobra was detected. Ashes, Ashes... After the Autobots teamed up with the human counter-terrorist organization G.I. Joe, Ratchet worked with Mainframe, who had already begun to rebuild Bumblebee. Ratchet was surprised to see that Bumblebee had been upgraded by Mainframe into a more-powerful body, and after the process was completed (despite Doctor Mindbender's bickering), Bumblebee decided to rename himself Goldbug. ...All Fall Down!

Paging Dr. Smartass.

With Optimus Prime dead, Ratchet and a few other high-ranking Autobots assembled to nominate a new leader. Ratchet stressed that their nominee must be kind, just as Optimus Prime had been, someone who would be willing to give everything he had. After a surprise attack on the Ark by Trypticon, Ratchet had his answer. Ratchet's new patients, those that had suffered during the attack, had told him of Grimlock's selflessness in battle. The other Autobots agreed, and Grimlock was declared Autobot leader. King of the Hill! However, Grimlock's leadership quickly turned sour, and Ratchet became the voice of sarcasm behind Grimlock's decisions. When a second group of Autobots led by Fortress Maximus met Grimlock's Earth-bound Autobots, they brought with them a floppy disk containing the mind of the dead Optimus Prime. Ratchet couldn't contain his joy, and so Grimlock struck him down and told him to shut up. Ratchet was told to shut up again when he belittled Grimlock's disbelief that Fortress Maximus was part human. Grimlock set up a battle for Autobot supremacy between him and Blaster (who fought in Fortress Maximus' stead), so Ratchet and all of both Autobot groups stepped out onto the surface of Earth's moon to watch the fight. Ratchet cheered relentlessly for Blaster, but the spectators were cut short by a surprise Decepticon attack. After the Decepticons had fled, Ratchet was glad to see that Blaster and Grimlock had, for the moment, set aside their differences, because they would need all the cooperation they could muster to repair the fallen and the heavily-damaged Ark. Totaled!

When an Underbase-powered Starscream and a time-traveling Galvatron decimated the Earthbound Autobot forces, Optimus Prime no longer possessed the life-giving powers of the Creation Matrix, so Ratchet was left with the monumental task of repairing them. Deathbringer During a period of work-induced stress, he began to hallucinate visions of his patients attacking him and accusing him of being worthless. It was during this time that the Decepticon Sports Car Patrol, posing as Autobots, offered to help transport Ratchet to Cybertron, where he could have access to new medical technology that had been created during his 4-million-year absence on Earth. He and three of the Sports Car Patrol took the bodies of Grimlock, Jazz, and Goldbug with him, though Ratchet was curious why Blackjack stayed behind on the Ark. Ratchet's concerns were answered when, upon arrival on Cybertron, he saw standing before him the believed-to-be-deceased Megatron, who had orchestrated the entire scheme. Back from the Dead

Megatron inadvertently activated Ratchet's dormant "evil genius" gene.

Megatron brought Ratchet the remains of Starscream, demanding Ratchet repair the Air Commander while Blackjack held the Ark and its medical bay inhabitants hostage. Ratchet agreed, and he used Pretender technology to repair Starscream while secretly repairing Grimlock, Jazz, and Goldbug as well. After Pretender Starscream was sent to Earth, Megatron sought out Ratchet to kill him, but Ratchet had his own Pretenders ready. The Resurrection Gambit! Ratchet sprung Grimlock, Jazz, and Bumblebee (Ratchet preferred Bumblebee's original form) on Megatron, but Megatron and his Micromasters were too powerful for them. The Pretenders and Micromasters' battle wandered outside Megatron's base, and Ratchet was left alone. Sacrificing his life, Ratchet warped the bombs Blackjack had put on the Ark into the Decepticon base in an attempt to kill both himself and Megatron. Megatron tried to escape through the warp portal, but Ratchet tackled him, and the base exploded. Skin Deep

Ratchet to the left of me, Megatron to the right—Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.

Optimus Prime was devastated by the loss of Ratchet. Yesterday's Heroes! He assigned the detective Nightbeat to investigate Ratchet's death, and Nightbeat hypothesized that Ratchet could possibly still be alive. There was an initial blast which could have knocked Ratchet into the portal and into unspace, a netherworld between the warp portal's starting and ending points. A probe was sent to retrieve him, and it succeeded—but it also brought back Megatron, who was fused with Ratchet as a single, monstrous being. Eye of the Storm The Ratchet/Megatron creature rampaged through the Ark, wounding several Autobots, but Optimus Prime would not let them harm it. This put Optimus Prime in an awkward position: Was the life of Ratchet worth the possible loss of his other troops? The creature fought his way into the engine rooms and began tearing stuff apart, and Prime's choice was made for him: The creature must be stopped. Prime fought Ratchet/Megatron to a standstill, and, alarmingly, the part that was Ratchet took control and pulled Prime's gun to his own forehead, pleading for the Autobot Commander to put him out of his misery. In an unpopular decision, Optimus Prime ordered Fixit to separate Megatron and Ratchet, even if it meant saving Megatron. Bonded at a molecular level, neither could survive without the other, even when separated. The Pri¢e of Life!

Holy crap.

Separated by Fixit, they remained in stasis on the Ark until Grimlock and his Nucleon-revived Dinobots found the Ark abandoned during the Transformers' battle with Unicron. They filled the entire medical bay chambers with Nucleon, not aware that Megatron lay there in storage. The Void! Shockwave and Starscream stole the Ark after Unicron was defeated, in an attempt to return to Earth and conquer it. Still Life! However, just as Megatron awoke, Starscream and Shockwave were interrupted by Galvatron II, who had snuck on board before launch. While Galvatron and Megatron teamed up on Shockwave, Starscream went to check on any other possible survivors in the medical bay. He found Ratchet, whose mind was still connected to Megatron's, and Starscream fought the confused Autobot easily. However, when Starscream mused that Ratchet was no fun to kill, Ratchet became enraged and defeated him in a berserker state. Determined to end what he had started, Ratchet blew up the Ark as it was approaching Earth's orbit, sending all four Decepticons and himself to a supposed death. A Savage Circle

Marvel UK future timelines

Ratchet was present at the Ark in 2003 when Ultra Magnus announced his plans for a fully-functional transforming fortress known as Autobot City. Ark Duty

Marvel Generation 2 comic

Megatron's molecular-level link with Ratchet was entirely ignored in Generation 2. Megatron returned and was rebuilt by Cobra, while Ratchet's fate was not mentioned at all.

As Optimus Prime was being repaired after a catastrophic battle with Megatron, he recalled the events of the Transformer civil war thus far, including two of Megatron's encounters with Ratchet. Tales of Earth Part Four

Classics

The Classics comics take place after the end of the original Marvel Comic, but in a splinter timeline that does not include the events of the Marvel UK-exclusive stories or Generation 2.

Fifteen years after Ratchet seemingly perished with Megatron, Starscream, and Shockwave when the Ark crashed into the Yukon, Megatron had returned to power. Starscream had been fully rebuilt, Shockwave's disembodied head was rigged to exist only in a tortured advisory role, and Ratchet's body was stashed, seemingly lifeless, in a dark corner of Megatron's new throne room within the Ark's remains. Games of Deception

From martyr to furniture.

Megatron kept Ratchet there for his own amusement, able to talk but not to move, because the Decepticon leader had begun to consider his unlikely nemesis a friend. The Decepticon leader enjoyed toying with Ratchet's doubts; he asked Ratchet why Optimus Prime hadn't come to rescue him in all these years. Megatron also enjoyed hearing Ratchet's measured responses, many of which genuinely took him by surprise, though some Megatron didn't think Ratchet truly believed.

Megatron wanted Ratchet to know the real reason why the Transformers fight. After they watched Megatron's plan to assassinate Bludgeon (and end the Decepticon civil war) culminate in success, he told Ratchet why. It's not to win or to lose, but because of who they were. The Transformers were born to fight. Megatron picked up Ratchet's motionless body, set it inside a bubbling tank, and left him there. As Ratchet felt his body begin to dissolve, Megatron asked him to give Prime his regards.

Later, the Autobots secured the abandoned Ark and found Ratchet inside the tank, reformatted into a new body. However, Ratchet noted that his new surgical tools looked suspiciously like weapons. He recalled Megatron's words about why the Transformers fight. Did he truly have no choice? At Fight's End

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: Don Messick (English), Wally Burr (English, "Masquerade" only), Masashi Ebara (Japanese), Garcia Neto (Portuguese), Roberto Alexander (Spanish), Peter Musäus (German, "Transport to Oblivion"), Gerd Wiedenhofen (German, "Roll for It" and "The Autobot Run"), Ulrich Bernsdorff (German, "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide"), Christian Weygand (German, Generation 2), Claus Brockmeyer (German, Generation 2, "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"), Kai Taschner (German, Generation 2, "Masquerade", "Transport to Oblivion", and "Roll for It")

Ruh-roh. Rooby-rooby-roo!

Ratchet served as chief medical officer of the Ark on its mission to seek out new energy sources to fuel the Autobot struggle against the Decepticons. When the Ark was boarded by the crew of the Nemesis, Ratchet attempted to defend his ship by attacking Soundwave, but was thrown into a computer console for his trouble. Ratchet and the other Transformers were forced into emergency stasis lock when the out-of-control Ark crashed into a volcano on a primitive planet. Four million years later, the volcano erupted, activating Teletraan I to rebuild the Autobots and Decepticons. Ratchet was rebuilt into a human-scaled ambulance. After Hound and Cliffjumper's failed scouting mission ended in a counterattack by Laserbeak, Ratchet arrived with Hauler to pull the damaged Hound out of a ravine. Once he finished repairing Hound, Ratchet was part of the battlegroup sent to stop the Decepticons stealing the oil from an off-shore oil rig. However, he did not fare well in this battle. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1

After the Autobots saved their new human friends, Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky, from the oil rig fire, Ratchet repaired Huffer's damaged arm in the repair bay outside the Ark. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 When Optimus Prime was caught in the explosion of the ruby crystal mines of Burma, Ratchet helped the Autobot leader recover, but evidently his skills as a medic were not required, as Prime was totally fine after transforming back into robot mode. Soon afterwards, Ironhide was shot by Skywarp, so Ratchet carried the old-timer back to base for repairs. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3

During an ill-fated Autobot attempt to defend the local solar power plant, Starscream managed to shoot the guns out of Ratchet and Prowl's hands. Smarting from the concussion blast, Ratchet called for the Autobots to fall back. However, Ironhide once again managed to get himself damaged while saving Optimus Prime. Ironhide objected to Ratchet and Sparkplug's diagnosis of his damage, but Ratchet warned him against backtalk or the medic would short out Ironhide's mouth circuit. To prevent further argument, he shut down Ironhide, cutting off the warrior in mid-sentence. After the Autobots were led into a trap by a reprogrammed Bumblebee, Ratchet discovered the tampering done by the Decepticons and restored the little Autobot. Transport to Oblivion

"…But I'm still alive!" — "No matter, Optimus. Doctor knows better!"

Ratchet patched up the Autobots quick smart after they were caught in an explosion at a hi-tech lab. Of course, he immediately afterwards had to alert them to incoming Decepticons, and probably had to put them back together again after the ensuing battle. Roll for It With Optimus critically injured after a Decepticon attack, Ratchet and Wheeljack worked to repair their leader, only for Laserbeak to sneak into the base and inflict more damage on Optimus. Ratchet and Wheeljack continued to work, eventually succeeding in saving Prime's life using a Cosmitron retrieved from Cybertron by Chip Chase and a team of Autobots. Divide and Conquer

A group of Autobots including Ratchet enjoyed hijinks in the snow when abnormal weather conditions were caused by the Decepticons tapping a crystal in the Arctic. The Autobots went to the Arctic, where Ratchet was part of Ironhide's team, which was separated from the main Autobot force and captured by the Decepticons. After the group faked their own destruction, Ratchet repaired Skyfire, who had been shot by Starscream after refusing to terminate the Autobots. Fire in the Sky Inspired by the discovery of dinosaur bones, Ratchet and Wheeljack designed and built the Dinobots. Unfortunately the new warriors were difficult to control, and Ratchet was soon patching up Teletraan I. After the rest of the Autobots fell foul of the Decepticons, Wheeljack had the idea of reactivating the Dinobots, and he and Ratchet installed new brain modules, allowing the Dinobots to be successfully used in battle. S.O.S. Dinobots

Ratchet was one of the Autobots who went to Peru when the Decepticons discovered the Crystal of Power there, and built a cannon to utilise it. Fire on the Mountain Ratchet was on hand for the impact of Meteorini Chipperoni and Optimus subsequently ordered him and Wheeljack to construct two more Dinobots to bolster the Autobots' ranks. Once Swoop and Snarl were constructed, Ratchet and Wheeljack held a demonstration. The two new additions quickly proved themselves and were dispatched to aid Optimus Prime, who'd run afoul of the other three Dinobots after Megatron turned them against the Autobots. By the time Ratchet and the other Autobots got there, Optimus had persuaded Grimlock to defect back. War of the Dinobots

Following a rescue mission to retrieve Sparkplug from the Decepticon base, Ratchet was again repairing the Autobots when Sparkplug started trying to repair him, despite him being undamaged. Sparkplug then started working on Prime, despite Ratchet pointing out that Prime had already been fixed. Sparkplug was under the control of the Decepticons, and had sabotaged the Autobots weapons and Teletraan I, so the Decepticons could attack. After the attack was repelled, Ratchet repaired Teletraan I, which alerted the Autobots to the giant space bridge which the Decepticons were building. The Autobots rolled out, but were unable to prevent Cybertron being dragged into Earth's orbit. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1

Retreating to headquarters, the Autobots sent out the Dinobots to battle the disasters caused by the nearby Cybertron. The volcano which the Ark was embedded in became active, erupting and spewing Ratchet, Windcharger and Huffer into the air, necessitating a rescue on the part of Skyfire. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2 Ratchet surfed with Optimus Prime and the others to where the Decepticons were building a generator, though they were unable to prevent the Decepticons getting away with a shuttle full of energon and saved a bunch of humans instead. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3

Once Cybertron was blasted out of orbit, Ratchet and the other Autobots set about repairing the devastation it had wrought on Earth. They were subsequently occupied preventing Starscream's plan to destroy the planet using an Exponential Generator. Countdown to Extinction After Megatron challenged Optimus to a one-on-one duel, the Autobots watched in horror as the Autobot leader was defeated. They later discovered that Megatron had cheated, rendering the results of the contest void, and allowed them to legally blast the Decepticons into a lava-filled crevasse. Heavy Metal War

Now COUGH!

After Spike was injured during a battle with the Decepticons, Ratchet carried their injured human friend to the metro hospital. While Spike's mind was transferred into the Autobot X experimental body Sparkplug had made earlier, Ratchet repaired the battle-damaged Bumblebee, but was forced to cut short his repairs after Spike went on a rampage in his new body. After Spike's mind was returned to his real body, Ratchet theorised that he could probably fix the problems in the mind-transfer process, but thought it was better left alone. Autobot Spike When Megatron captured Gears and unwittingly threatened the destruction of the Earth with his Solar Needle, Ratchet totally fly-kicked Thundercracker. After the Decepticons retreated, Ratchet and Wheeljack argued over which wire they had to disconnect to stabilize the Sun. However, nobody seemed to notice that he and Gears sounded exactly the same. Changing Gears

Part of a mission to New York City to investigate the disappearance of the Empire State Building, Ratchet joined Spike, Hound, Bumblebee and Mirage in entering the city via the sewers in an attempt to recover Optimus Prime. When they finally found their leader, he had been disassembled by Hook, and Ratchet had a heck of a job putting him back together again, including having to wrangle an alligatorcon. During a battle on the streets of the city, Ratchet and Ironhide ended up in the Decepticon's new skyscraper, and were again able to rescue Prime from a nasty fall. City of Steel

"I can see my house from here!"

Ratchet was one of the Autobots affected by Megatron's personality destabilizer device and was compelled to attempt to get some blueprints from Doctor Harding. After being de-evilled by one of Sparkplug's attitude exchangers, Ratchet and Optimus jumped aboard a rocket in mid-air and Ratchet detached a solar satellite even as the rocket blasted towards space. The pair were able to get the satellite into space on Skyfire's back. Afterwards, Ratchet and Sparkplug realised they had to repair all of the jets the Autobots had trashed while under Decepticon control. Attack of the Autobots He patched up Mirage after another battle, and told the other Autobot to rest, but Mirage instead rushed off to prove he wasn't a traitor as Cliffjumper had suggested. After Mirage led the Autobots into a trap, Ratchet found one of Bombshell's cerebro-shells on Mirage's forehead. After the inevitable battle, Ratchet patched Mirage up once more. Traitor

Ratchet attended the demonstration of Wheeljack's latest invention, the Immobilizer. It didn't go well, with Wheeljack being accidentally immobilized and the Decepticons stealing his device. Wheeljack was loaded into the back of Ratchet's ambulance mode, and they returned to base where Ratchet repaired Ironhide, telling him to STFU when he blamed himself for the attack. The Autobots were eventually able to get the Immobilizer back. The Immobilizer Ratchet was one of those who didn't take part in a charity race and was thus spared from being affected by the Decepticon's Transfixatron ray and captured. He and Wheeljack constructed an anti-transfixation grenade and mounted an attack with a small group to rescue the other Autobots. Afterwards, Ratcher realised that he was going to be repairing for days. The Autobot Run

He took part in the defence of Washington, D.C. against the combined forces of the Decepticons and Sub-Atlanticans. Atlantis, Arise! Ordered to guard Nightbird, he an Wheeljack cracked jokes at the robot's expense, until Optimus told them off. They were unable to prevent the robot's capture by the Decepticons and returned to base, where Ratchet repaired Brawn. A stealth attack by the reprogrammed ninja resulted in the loss of power to the base, and Ratchet soon discovered that the World Energy Chip had been stolen. Enter the Nightbird

Ratchet, like the other Autobots, was taken in by Megatron's Optimus Prime clone, at least until Windcharger revealed the truth. A Prime Problem He also took part in an attempt to stop one of Megatron's plans using Devastator, The Core and helped Wheeljack whipped up an antidote to prevent the Insecticons exploding after they consumed the Nova Power Core. The Insecticon Syndrome After another Dinobot rampage at Autobot Headquarters, Ratchet sighed and started the repairs once again. The Dinobots were subsequently banished to Dinobot Island, no doubt to his relief. Dinobot Island, Part 1 With Sparkplug's help, repairs were soon complete. When Teletraan I detected a disturbance near the library Spike was visiting, Ratchet reassured Sparkplug as the rest of the Autobots rolled out. Dinobot Island, Part 2

When Megatron found the Heart of Cybertron, Ratchet was among the group of Autobots who were first to feel his wrath and had to limp back to base. While Perceptor put a bizarre plan into operation, Ratchet and Wheeljack set up a forcefield to hold back the Decepticon leader until Perceptor's plan could succeed. Microbots Ratchet attended the Autobot Day celebration, during which Megatron managed to frame the Autobots. The Autobots were subsequently banished from Earth. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 They almost perished in the Sun, but made it back to Earth in time to overthrow the Decepticons. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2

After the Dinobots were damaged in a Decepticon attack, Ratchet repaired them, only for them to desert the Autobot forces. There's gratitude for you. A short time later, the Autobots were all disabled by Cybertonium depletion. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 With Spike and Carly's help, the Dinobot retrieved more Cybertonium from Cybertron, and the Autobots were able to repair themselves. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2 Ratchet was among the Autobots who turned up too late to prevent Megatron from stealing the Voltronic Galaxer. After the Decepticons used it to jam Earth's radio signals, Ratchet helped some humans who'd become trapped in a blizzard. Blaster Blues He was also part of the group who coated themselves in electrum to defeat the Decepticons. The Golden Lagoon

- Are you an elf? - No, I'm delirium tremens!

While defending New York against Decepticons drones, Ratchet realised that the drones didn't have brains, meaning they were remote controlled. Once Blaster had broadcast a jamming signal, the Autobots were able to attack the Decepticon base in the Pine Barrens. Ratchet, Wheeljack and Hoist joined Sparkplug and Raoul in turning the drones back into cars. Make Tracks After Optimus Prime's team of Autobots went missing, Ratchet and the others attempted fruitlessly to find out where they'd gone. Child's Play Ratchet also took part in the operation to rescue Cosmos from a horde of Morphobots. Quest for Survival He was one of the first Autobots to be disabled by Kremzeek, which didn't bode well for the Autobots' chances of getting repaired. Kremzeek!

After Optimus beat Lord Chumley's death traps, Ratchet and the other Autobots provided Prime with reinforcements. Prime Target He and Wheeljack picked up Powerglide after the Autobot plane was defeated by the Coneheads. Ratchet started patching him up, but Powerglide refused further treatment until he could rescue Astoria, the spunky heiress he'd been charged with protecting. Once Astoria was safe, Powerglide returned for more repairs, and Ratchet joined in mocking him for his apparent romantic feelings for the girl. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide

Did I prescribe him a soporific or purgative? Or both?

Although Ratchet was puzzled by Megatron's sudden interest in stealing cars, Optimus knew what the Decepticons were up to, and led a team, including Ratchet, to Cybertron. There, they found Alpha Trion badly damaged. Once Ratchet and Wheeljack had repaired him, he explained that Megatron had taken the Key to Vector Sigma, and the Autobots journeyed underground. Encountering Centurions left by Megatron to guard the way, Ratchet and Wheeljack repaired Maintenance drones to send against them in battle. Unfortunately they reached Vector Sigma too late, and Optimus ordered that some shuttles be rebuilt into the Aerialbots. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 The Autobots returned to Earth with the new additions, and Omega Supreme promptly blew up on landing, resulting in Ratchet, Wheeljack and Sparkplug working feverishly to save the giant Autobot's life and repair his body. They ultimately succeeded. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2

'Cause this is thriller, thriller night!

The Aerialbots, much to Ratchet's disgust, seemed to admire the Decepticon Seekers. When the Autobot team was plunged millions of years back in time Ratchet worked with Wheeljack to repair the Decepticon time machine to get them back. They managed to, but wouldn't tell Ratchet what had happened, leaving the story telling to Optimus. War Dawn Ratchet helped apply corrostop to the Statue of Liberty, and was later affected by the Cosmic Rust that Megatron brought back from space. Cosmic Rust

Seen here suffering from a unique condition known as "Dying Ratchet Syndrome".

After Jazz and Cliffjumper were kidnapped by Starscream and the Combaticons to provide energy absorbers, the Autobots launched an attack while the Combaticons were busy fighting Megatron's forces. Ratchet and Grapple managed to rescue the two prisoners during the distraction. Starscream's Brigade Ratchet was also a part of the team which came to the Aerialbots' aid, after they fell into a trap laid by the Combaticons. Aerial Assault During another of Megatron's plans, the Autobots captured the Stunticons, and Ratchet customised some of the Autobots using camouflage paint to disguise them as the Decepticon team. Somehow this worked, and after Megatron's plan was foiled, Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots provided reinforcements. Masquerade

In the year 2005, while piloting a secret mission to Autobot City in order to gather a stockpile of energon from Earth, Ratchet and his allies were attacked by Megatron. Ratchet and Ironhide returned fire, but they were both shot repeatedly and left for dead on the floor of the shuttle as the Decepticons continued with their attack on Autobot City. The Transformers: The Movie

Ratchet's body was evidently recovered for interment, as his grave was housed in the interstellar Autobot Mausoleum. Sadly, it was not Ratchet's fate to rest in peace; along with the mausoleum itself, Ratchet's remains were later plunged into a star as a side-effect of a Quintesson plot. Dark Awakening

Japanese cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic

Amidst a massive battle against the Decepticons at the Autobot base in Arizona, Ratchet was one of the first to notice that Soundwave and his cassette forces were nowhere to be found. Now suspicious, Optimus Prime immediately alerted all his units in Japan to be on the lookout for the Decepticon. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2

Later, as Kenji was enjoying a tour of a secret Autobot facility in Japan, Ratchet was alerted to an attack by Megatron, Blitzwing and Starscream in Yokohama. The Autobots immediately rolled out to meet the threat. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #4

Full Throttle Scramble Power!

Ratchet was one of about a kajillion Autobots who arrived on Metroplex to provide reinforcements for Optimus Prime after the Decepticon's Omega Whip weapon was destroyed. Full Throttle Scramble Power!

The Battle of the Star Gate

In the 1990s, Ratchet used Cybertronian technology to save the lives of human scientist Professor Adle and his daughter Katua when they were both badly injured in an explosion during a field test of one of the professor's creations. The professor's right arm was blown off and Katua lost her right leg, but Ratchet was able to fit them with cybernetic prosthetics so advanced that they were even able to experience pain and warmth through them as if they were their real limbs. This convinced Professor Adle of the Autobots' nobility, while Katua developed a fondness for Ratchet. Divided Views

About six months later, Ratchet was part of a delegation of Autobots who accompanied Optimus Prime to a press conference in America. The conference announced the construction of the "Trigger", an interstellar teleportation system jointly developed between the Autobots and the United States government, and Ratchet helped Wheeljack write the speech that Prime proceeded to recite to the assembled human masses. Ignoring Jazz's attempts to keep them quiet while the conference was going on, Ratchet and Wheeljack muttered to each other that they didn't like the Trigger's gun-shaped design, as it reminded them entirely too much of Megatron. First Contact

A little later, when human protesters gathered to object to the presence of the Autobots on Earth, Katua Adle was able to prove that they were not emotionless metal monsters by revealing her prosthetic leg to the irate crowd and explained that she could feel through it. After all, how could Ratchet have replicated those sensations if he did not know them himself? The shamed crowd relented, and Optimus Prime told Katua that he would pass her kind words on to Ratchet himself. Divided Views

Binaltech

Along with Wheeljack, Ratchet helped implant Chip Chase's consciousness into the lifeless Prowl-2 shell when Prowl's spark was lost in subspace. Prowl & Chase

Big Looker storybooks continuity

"You sure are a jerk when you repair me, Ratchet!"

You sure go all to pieces when a missile hits you, Hound.

While Hound was taking part in a cross-country Car Rally, he was attacked by Thundercracker's missiles. Ratchet raced onto the scene to repair Hound, and joked that his patient sure falls apart when a missile hits him! Also, Hound complained that Ratchet was screwing him together too tightly, causing him pain.

Ratchet is kind of a jerk. The Great Car Rally

Following a battle with the Decepticons that resulted in many Autobot injuries, Ratchet and Huffer were busy trying to fix them. Optimus Prime asked them about their progress, but they both sighed. Ratchet noted that even the mighty Dinobots were out of commission, for they had suffered the heaviest losses. But suddenly, the Decepticons attacked, having repaired their warriors in record time! Optimus Prime called his remaining functional warriors to the highways while Ratchet and Huffer returned to their repairs. Decepticon Hijack

Beast Wars cartoon

He's fallen and he's not getting up.

Four million years ago, Ratchet, Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ironhide, and Jazz were on the bridge of the Ark when it was suddenly attacked by the Nemesis. It crashed in a dormant volcano for untold years until it was disturbed by the Predacon Megatron, who had traveled from the far future. Ratchet's body was sprawled across a pile of boxes. Frozen in stasis lock as he was, Ratchet was unable to stop the Predacon from assassinating the equally comatose Optimus Prime. The Agenda (Part III) This act would have rewritten history from that moment forward, but the ensuing time storm was stopped by Blackarachnia and some time-traveling Maximals. Optimal Situation

Dreamwave Generation 1 comics

Events from The Transformers Trilogy novels are in italics.

"OW! I should blast you to atoms! You did that on purpose!"
"Tone down your audio amplifiers, will ya? That didn't hurt... much."Starscream and Ratchet, "Skyfire"

The Cybertronian red cross is Pac-Man.

8.2 million years ago, Ratchet accompanied Optimus Prime, Prowl, and Red Alert to the Sub-Orbital District of Iacon, which had been devastated after Megatron activated the planetary engines. He found no life signs in the entire blast radius. The War Within #2 600,000 years later, Ratchet remained with the Prowl-led Autobots after Optimus Prime disappeared in a space bridge explosion. He repaired Skids after the theoretician was damaged in a battle with Trypticon. Confrontation

Ratchet was among the crew of the Ark when it crashed on Earth, and awoke in 1984 to battle the Decepticons. After years of fighting, Ratchet and the other Autobots took part in Operation Liberation in 1998, a joint human/Autobot operation that defeated and captured the Earth-bound Decepticons. However, the Ark II, which was meant to convey the Autobots, the captured Decepticons, and a number of humans back to Cybertron, was sabotaged by General Robert Hallo, sending Ratchet and his comrades to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean. Years later, Ratchet was brought back by the sinister Lazarus, who had recovered and reprogrammed a number of Transformers for his nefarious ends. However, when Megatron broke free of Lazarus's control, he hooked up Ratchet and a number of other Autobots to a device that generated a deadly "metal virus". Prime Directive #3 Soon after, Optimus Prime detached Ratchet and the others from the doomsday device, Prime Directive #4 and he eventually recovered.

When the alien Keepers took over Las Vegas, Ratchet was among the Autobots assembled by Optimus Prime to invade the occupied area. While the others engaged in battle, Ratchet was tasked with dealing with the collateral damage, and leading the human residents of Las Vegas to safety. He returned to the protection of Optimus Prime and his Matrix augmented power before a nuclear strike hit the city, and lent his skills to repairing the Autobots who had given their energon to power up Prime's "Finishing Move". Annihilation

Over the next few days, Ratchet brought all the Autobots back on-line, including Bluestreak, Bumblebee and Sideswipe, who had each been drastically injured over the course of the preceding events. No sooner had Bluestreak been reactivated, though, that he was drawn back into the Keepers' control by their pawn, Franklin Townsend. Franklin's status as an "augment" — a human specially engineered using Cybertronian technology — allowed him to bypass Teletraan I's security and infiltrate the Ark. Ratchet blamed himself for allowed that loophole in the security system. Later, Ratchet diagnosed the effects of the deconstructionites — reverse-engineered nanotechnology used by the government against the Transformers to drain away their processing power. Fusion

Ratchet took part in a battle in the Canadian Arctic with the Decepticons over possession of a crashed spacecraft containing Scourge. As the Autobots overwhelmed their foes, Shockwave arrived on the planet and gave them an ultimatum: Surrender and return to a newly unified Cybertron, or be destroyed. New World Order The Autobots returned to the Ark, where Optimus Prime assigned Ratchet to a Jazz-led team that was to remain on Earth. Brothers' Burden After Shockwave's lieutenant, Ultra Magnus, took Prime and others back to Cybertron, Ratchet and Wheeljack remained at the Ark as Jazz, Brawn, and Windcharger attempted to locate Scourge and his ship. Cold War

My crotch is my stomach.

When Starscream and a team of Decepticons arrived on Earth, they attacked the Ark's inhabitants, wanting the starship for themselves. In the initial assault, the Autobots managed to take Soundwave, his cassettes, Thundercracker, and Skywarp prisoner, but eventually all the Autobots but Ratchet and Brawn were defeated by the mighty Bruticus. Expecting a supply ship from Cybertron later that day, Ratchet and Brawn slipped past the Ark's berserk defense systems in order to contact the ship and warn them. Unfortunately, Bruticus arrived soon after, and they were forced to destroy the Ark rather than let the Decepticons have access to Teletraan I. Night of the Combaticons Before the battle could escalate further, it was interrupted by the arrival of Sunstorm, a Seeker seemingly powered by supernatural forces. An uneasy truce was formed between the small group of Autobots and Decepticons, and Ratchet begrudgingly put his medic skills to work on Starscream. Skyfire However, after Jetfire left the Orion to go after Sunstorm, Starscream used his null-ray on the remaining Autobots, including Ratchet. The Omega Effect

Ratchet later aided in the construction of Autobot City. The Route of All Evil

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

Physician, arm thyself.

In an alternate timeline, a newly formed human terrorist organization named Cobra uncovered the Ark buried in a dormant volcano. Finding two armies of giant, transformable robots, they repurposed these aliens for their own use, rebuilding them so they could reconfigure into various Cobra-designed vehicles. Ratchet was reprogrammed and rebuilt into a Cobra HISS tank. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1 Optimus Prime was able to break free from his reprogramming and awaken the other Transformers, G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4 and, with the help of the human anti-terrorist task-force G.I. Joe, he defeated Megatron and Cobra. An alliance between the Autobots and the United States government was formed. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5

Two years later, a malfunction in Teletran 3 sent dozens of Transformers into various points in history, an act which, if not reversed, would result in a perpetual holocaust being unleashed across Earth. To retrieve one Transformer and bring him home, a team of Cobra and G.I. Joe agents were sent 15 years into an apocalyptic future where Shockwave and his Decepticons ruled. The remaining cyborged humans had formed a resistance which had only one Autobot warrior who stood between them and utter annihilation. The last Autobot alive, Ratchet had grown bitter and battle-hardened after years of guerrilla warfare, and he demanded the team sent to bring him back to the present day help him complete one more mission. Ratchet, the Joes, and the Cobra agents were successful in freeing a factory nearby that was manned by enslaved humans, but Ratchet refused to go home with them and abandon his calling. Barbecue returned Ratchet home against his wishes, and as Ratchet cursed the stupid little creature, the Shockwave of the present day shot Ratchet in the back, putting him out of commission. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #3

Later, when Serpent O.R. took Optimus Prime prisoner, Ratchet (still in his post-apocalyptic body) was part of Hot Rod's rescue team. The Art of War #4

Transformers/G.I. Joe

Ratchet was among the Autobots who were awakened by G.I. Joe in 1939, and joined their war on Cobra and the Decepticons. During the assault on the Cobra Terrordrome, he wondered why the Decepticons were so easy to defeat now, after having been such a pain in the neck back on Cybertron. Ratchet most likely perished when the Matrix of Leadership was smashed to pieces shortly afterwards. The Iron Fist

Transformers Legends

Ratchet was happy enough to repair a badly-damaged Starscream, when the latter was brought in to the Ark. He agreed with Wheeljack that they should take the opportunity to take a look at Starscream's logic circuits, and maybe see if there was anything untoward which was making him such a disagreeable fellow, and Optimus was eventually talked around. It wasn't long before Ratchet had Starscream back online, amnesiac and surprisingly benign (it didn't last). Redemption Center

While on a mission to retrieve Sky Spy, Ratchet encountered Stitch, a veteran army medic, and helped him save a woman trapped in a swollen creek. The woman needed emergency medical treatment, so Ratchet used Sky Spy to scan the necessary information from Stitch's mind in order to complete surgery on the woman. Sometime later, Ratchet checked on Stitch and presented him with a new cybernetic arm to replace the one he used to repair Sky Spy. Healers, Fighters, and Transformers

Timelines

Amazingly not dead.

Years after the Decepticon and Autobot Wars had ended, Ratchet 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, Ratchet and Ironhide 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.

Ratchet managed to gather the victims but was captured by Deathsaurus along with Ironhide. Both were restrained inside the lab, which was set to detonate. Before this happened, Ricochet snuck in and freed them, allowing them to gather the wounded and escape as the clone lab was destroyed. Descent into Evil

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.

Watch, my headgear will flip colours as you scroll down.

Ratchet's holo-matter avatar has no mouth, and he must snark.

Before the war with the Decepticons Ratchet served with the Security Forces stationed in Kaon. He was present at the funeral of Bumper and Fastback. Megatron Origin #3 Once the war began, he joined the Autobots. He repaired Optimus Prime after his first confrontation with Megatron at Sherma Bridge, a duel which left Prime in so many pieces it took Ratchet over two months to find them all and put them back together. Chaos Theory Part 1

In 2006, Ratchet was part of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Although a loyal warrior, Ratchet's conscience got the better of him when he intercepted a Decepticon pulsewave ordering the elimination of a human being. While he was too late to save that human, he encountered two more—Verity Carlo and Hunter O'Nion—who had stumbled upon the Decepticon plot. Infiltration #0 Ratchet broke cover to save their lives, subjecting himself to the wrath of Prowl, who threatened disciplinary action. Infiltration #3

Ratchet was seemingly alone in his convictions, until Bumblebee agreed to help him and the humans investigate an abandoned Decepticon bunker in Nebraska. Blitzwing and Skywarp arrived while the humans were reconnoitering and began an aerial bombardment of the bunker, intending to destroy it. Bumblebee and Ratchet engaged the Decepticons in order to buy the humans time to escape the collapsing bunker. Infiltration #4

The Autobots and humans were leaving the Decepticons to finish their work when an enraged Megatron burst from the buried ruins of the bunker. Thankfully for them, Megatron was more concerned with the treachery of Blitzwing and Skywarp, allowing Ratchet and the others to escape with their lives. Infiltration #5 Unwilling to risk their safety further, Ratchet subsequently returned the humans to Ark-17, where they met the newly arrived Optimus Prime. Infiltration #6

Ratchet went with the Autobots to investigate Decepticon activity in the country of Latveria. There they discovered a heavily shielded "array" that the Decepticons were using as a base. Man and Machine, Part One There they skirmished with the humans that were assembled outside who were under the influence of the Decepticons' mind-altering Psycho-Prism. Ms. Marvel smashed through Ratchet's window and Ratchet subdued her with his driver-side airbag. After throwing off Ms. Marvel, Ratchet was able to attach an inhibitor device to Captain America which nullified the effects of the Psycho-Prism. He gave Captain America enough devices for everyone on his team. Now calmed down, the two groups teamed up to destroy the Psycho-Prism. They began attacking the array's defenses which caused the Decepticons to attack. Man and Machine, Part Two

During the fight, Luke Cage and Ratchet discovered a weak spot in the array's defenses and went in. Prowl followed to make sure Ratchet didn't put human interests ahead of Autobot interests, but the human Spider-Man was held captive inside, so Prowl gave in and let Ratchet and Luke Cage attempt a rescue. The two were surprised by a powered-up Megatron who blasted Ratchet and took Luke Cage hostage. Man and Machine, Part Three Ratchet awoke next to Prowl to find Spider-Man had been freed by Doctor Doom. Prowl and Ratchet decided to use the Decepticons' mirror response mode equipment to boost their power with Spider-Man's superhuman abilities. Wolverine arrived with Jazz and Bumblebee and suggested they use his abilities instead. They did, then orbital bounced with Spider-Man back to the battle outside, where their added strength helped defeat Megatron. Wolverine, Jazz, and Bumblebee stayed to destroy the Psycho-Prism. Man and Machine, Part Four

I have no idea where that pot came from! I SWEAR!

After Sunstreaker was apparently destroyed by a mysterious human organisation, Ratchet determined that the wreckage the Autobots recovered was a fake. Escalation #2 Later, Ratchet and Ironhide, against orders, accompanied Verity Carlo and Jimmy Pink to find clues on the missing Sunstreaker's and Hunter's whereabouts while Optimus Prime and the other Autobots went to Brasnya. Escalation #4 When the humans set off a trap, the Autobots saved them, though Ironhide was critically injured and Ratchet was forced to abandon him to bring the humans to safety. Escalation #6

When the Autobots decided to relocate the Ark-17, they were attacked by Sixshot, who downed the ship in mid-flight. Devastation #1 Ratchet was ordered to take Verity and Jimmy into an escape pod while the rest of the crew piloted the ship into the ocean. Devastation #2 Sixshot soon found Ratchet and pursued him relentlessly. Ratchet used the distraction provided by some human jet fighters to escape, hiding among an ambulance pool in Pensacola, Florida. Sixshot soon flushed him out, however, and pursued him out of town, forcing Ratchet to abandon Verity and Jimmy for their own safety. When cornered at the water's edge, Ratchet prepared to make a last stand, but was saved by the timely arrival of the other Autobots. Devastation #3

CLEAR!

The humans made their way back to the Autobots to warn them about an air attack by the military, and Ratchet took them with him on an orbital bounce to the Ark-32. Unfortunately, this killed Verity and Jimmy. Devastation #4

Guilt-stricken, Ratchet managed to restart their hearts after more than 5 minutes, though he feared they suffered brain damage. Devastation #5 Some time later, however, Ratchet was present as the pair were reunited with Hunter. Maximum Dinobots #5

A year later, Ratchet and a number of other Autobots were led by Optimus Prime in an attempt to rid Earth of the Decepticons once and for all. Unfortunately, they fell right into a trap, and Ratchet was injured by a shot to the chest. The Autobots were then thrown into a space bridge leading to the ruins of Cybertron, where the Decepticons hoped the "swarm" would eat them. All Hail Megatron #7 Whilst hiding from the swarm, Ratchet tended to the critically-damaged Optimus Prime. All Hail Megatron #1 After listening to Hot Rod's tale about how the Trion and its crew had crashed on the planet as well, All Hail Megatron #5 Ratchet mingled with him and Blurr. All Hail Megatron #6

Ratchet later checked up on Sunstreaker, telling him that his separation from Hunter had been a complete success, although the human would never be "fully human" again. Their base soon came under attack from the swarm, however, so the other Autobots formed a perimeter around Ratchet and Roadbuster as they fled elsewhere. All Hail Megatron #8 At their new base, Ratchet managed to use a CR chamber to heal his damaged comrades, although he reported to Kup that the chamber could do nothing to improve their declining morale. In addition, he and Wheeljack were still having trouble repairing Optimus Prime, and Ratchet cursed that Perceptor had turned into just another "clown with a gun". Thankfully, they eventually came through and brought Prime back from the brink of death. All Hail Megatron #9

Ratchet and the others finally managed to get off Cybertron thanks to Omega Supreme, and returned to Earth to continue their fight against the Decepticons. All Hail Megatron #11 He survived the battle in New York City, and cheered with his comrades as the Decepticons fled the planet. All Hail Megatron #12

Later, Ratchet was part of the rescue party that saved Bumblebee from a military attack after the yellow guy abandoned his cover to save some refugees. After repairing Bumblebee, Ratchet told the mini-bot that they found him by monitoring human radio signals. Hidden

Several years after the fall of Megatron, Ratchet and the Autobots were still operating on Earth. It served as a meeting point for all Autobots who had survived the great purge the Decepticons had orchestrated throughout the galaxy. Spotlight: Prowl Not all Autobots were content with the virtually directionless existence Optimus Prime had led them into, however, especially with the human organization known as Skywatch hunting them and Decepticons alike. Ratchet was present when Hot Rod demanded Prime allow him to stage a rescue operation to recover Prowl after he was captured... and afterwards, when Ironhide came back from the mission as a corpse. He witnessed Optimus Prime abdicate his role as leader, and leave the Autobots to surrender to Skywatch. ...For All Mankind

In the aftermath of Prime's decision, and the subsequent departure of a splinter faction under Hot Rod's command, Ratchet and the others were left in a state of shock. With the war effectively over and the Matrix missing, the line of succession was no longer clear. The Autobots decided to hold an election to see who their new leader would be. No one was more surprised than Bumblebee when HE turned out to be the new chosen leader. Ratchet quickly stepped up as Bumblebee's second, helping shepherd him into his new role. New Arrivals, Old Encounters Bumblebee's authority was challenged almost immediately by the arrival of Ultra Magnus, but Ratchet did his best to support 'Bee before Magnus took off on a mission of his own. A Rude Awakening

Ratchet had his work cut out for him, though. Not only was Wheeljack undermining Bumblebee's authority from the start, Bumblebee himself just couldn't adjust to the role quickly. Still, he supported Bumblebee's decision to form a clandestine alliance with Skywatch through Colonel Gordon Horiuchi, who was acting outside his mandate in the hopes of using the Autobots to stop Skywarp and the other Decepticons still loose on Earth. Working in secret with Horiuchi, the Autobots hoped to prove their value and good intentions to Skywatch's higher ups by racking up an impressive number of Decepticon captures. They even began wearing specially-designed Skywatch insignia badges for communication and to mask their activities from Skywatch operatives who weren't "in the loop". After five successful bag-and-tags, however, Horiuchi threw them the first curveball. The Autobots' next target was Blurr, one of their own who had left after Ultra Magnus's arrival. As Ratchet and the others refused to hunt one of their own, Horiuchi demonstrated a hidden feature of the badges — the ability to forcibly revert the Autobots to vehicle mode at his command. The Hanging Sword

Left with no choice, Ratchet and Bumblebee led the Autobots in capturing Blurr. The whole situation was a fiasco, however, and Blurr even fired on Bumblebee during the encounter, damaging his badge. Bumblebee found the courage to defy Horiuchi and refused to turn over Blurr to Skywatch later that day. The colonel tried to mode-lock Bumblebee for his insubordination, but the shot to Bumblebee's badge had rendered it useless. Quick on the uptake, Ratchet whispered to Bumblebee to fake it so Horiuchi didn't realize he'd lost his edge over the Autobot leader. At Ratchet's prompting, the Autobots pretended the damaged badge had left Bumblebee trapped in vehicle mode permanently, despite Horiuchi's attempts to reverse the mode-lock. With Blurr's help, they recovered another Volkswagen Beetle to use as a ringer, allowing Bumblebee to leave the base and seek a solution for their predicament. Because Skywatch was constantly monitoring their vocal output using the badges, Ratchet and the others couldn't even speak a word of encouragement to 'Bee as he set off on his mission. The Impossible Knot

With Bumblebee on the loose, Ratchet continued the ruse of pretending to cooperate with Colonel Horiuchi and his staff, showing them the malfunctioning "Bumblebee" for examination. Meanwhile, he and Wheeljack kept in touch with the real Bumblebee using a text-only comm signal that wouldn't show up on Skywatch's monitoring. Ratchet was named acting leader of the Autobots while "Bumblebee" was off-line, as he and Wheeljack secretly led the real Bumblebee to Sanjay Bharwaney, creator of the badges' control board. Bumblebee needed access to the board's schematics in order to free his friends, but had to manipulate Bharwaney's young daughter into helping him. Ratchet had to comfort Bumblebee through "using" the girl for his own purposes. The Gift Horse

Unfortunately, the rogue Decepticon Skywarp had also learned of the board, and was coming to Bharwaney's to steal it. Ratchet and the other Autobots were forced to blow their cover to rush to Bumblebee's aid. They were too late, however, and Bumblebee was forced to set off an EMP, knocking him and Skywarp off-line while disabling the control board and the badges as well. As Ratchet brought Bumblebee in for repairs, he reluctantly agreed to upgrade his new commander into a more war-like, combat ready body to fit his new duties. Wings of Wax

Soon, Ultra Magnus returned from his scouting mission to challenge Bumblebee's authority again, gathering Ratchet and several other Autobots in the name of the Tyrest Accord to arrest Hot Rod for colluding with the enemy. Hot Rod's mistake became clear when his "ally", Swindle, activated a new Decepticon combiner and unleashed it on the Autobots. Enemies of the System After several Autobots were damaged fighting Menasor, Ratchet began patching them up as best he could, with the help of Skywatch personnel. He barely finished working on Ultra Magnus before the enforcer stomped off to search for Swindle. Earthworks Following this, the Autobots entered a formal alliance with Skywatch. All His Engines

Ratchet was part of an Autobot-Skywatch team sent to Las Vegas once Galvatron showed up with an army of zombies in tow. They fought with him until he managed to calm them down and explain that they needed to combine their strength in order to destroy the zombie plague. The Transformers: Infestation #1 Together with Galvatron and his minions, the Autobots banished the undead hordes and their leader, Britt, to the Dead Universe. The Transformers: Infestation #2

Ratchet was helping a human technician repair Cliffjumper when Spike Witwicky showed up and asked for the Autobots' help with defeating the Combaticons in North Korea. They accepted, but due to pressure from the President of the United States, they were going to have to do it in disguise. International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads" Their initial clash with the Combaticons ended in failure, and Ratchet ended up having to repair Jetfire and Broadside. International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze" He took to the front lines in their next attack, during which he attempted to saw off Vortex's rotor blades. International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows" The Combaticons were ultimately defeated, but the Autobots' cover had been blown in the process. Sitting over an unconscious Vortex, Ratchet wondered aloud what would happen to the Autobots now that their alliance with Skywatch was public knowledge. International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"

On the way back from Korea, the plane carrying the Autobots was shot down over the ocean by a returning Megatron. The occupants survived, however, and made it ashore. Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies They rolled out to confront the Decepticon leader near Albuquerque, but Optimus Prime ordered Ratchet and the others to stay back while he went ahead alone to confirm what was going on. Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome Most of the Autobots remaining in America had been injured by Megatron, or in Bumblebee's case, rioting humans who still mistrusted the Transformers, and so Ratchet had his hands full repairing them all. Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine

After some six weeks of repairs, Ratchet managed to get Bumblebee back to his normal self, though he was left relying on a cane. That same day, the Autobots learned that Cybertron had been restored to a habitable state only to be have fallen under Galvatron's control. They wasted no time in boarding Omega Supreme's rocket mode and leaving Earth to liberate their home. Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix

During the trip, Ratchet aided Perceptor in searching the captured Megatron's body for hidden weapons. He was annoyed by those pesky "laws" that prevented them from just executing their prisoner and also feared his purported ability to syphon antimatter from black holes, but Perceptor dismissed that myth. Later, Ratchet and Wheeljack bet over whether or not Optimus Prime would let them overhear his questioning of Megatron. He wouldn't, and Ratchet walked away 50 Shanix richer. Chaos Theory Part 1

Chaos Theory Part 2 Chaos Part Two: Numbers Chaos Part Three: Kings The Death of Optimus Prime Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It

The events of Spotlight: Mirage possibly take place in an alternate/unknown continuity.

Ratchet was with the Autobots hiding out in the Pegasus Star Cluster, with most of the Autobot forces having been defeated. He tended to the seriously wounded Jetfire injuries, and suggested surrender to the Decepticons to save their fellow Autobot's life. When Mirage (disguised as Bumblebee) and the Decepticons attacked, he attempted to reason with the Decepticon mercenary about Jetfire's condition, only to be attacked for his trouble. After the Autobots surrendered, he was furious when Mirage betrayed his word and prepared to carry out Megatron's order to execute the Autobots. Spotlight: Mirage

Hearts of Steel

Ratchet fought in the "Ice Age Wars" on ancient Earth, transforming into an unidentified animal with scales and spikes. As the increasingly colder climate began to threaten the Autobots and Decepticons, they powered down underground to finish their conflict at a later date, and were eventually awoken by humans in the mid-19th century. Ratchet and Prowl agreed that it was too early to awaken Optimus Prime and interfere with humanity, but they were disregarded by Bumblebee who wanted to help the humans reach their goals. Hearts of Steel #1

Upon learning from the humans that the Decepticons were also awake, Bumblebee reported this to Ratchet and Prowl, who were seemingly in charge while Prime was asleep. Now that he knew Decepticons were involved, Ratchet felt it necessary for the Autobots to do something. Hearts of Steel #2 Taking on a medical boxcar altmode, he joined the other Autobots in forming a train and pursuing the Decepticons' Astrotrain as it headed towards New York. Hearts of Steel #3 They were briefly held back when the Decepticons collapsed a tunnel entrance on them, forcing Ratchet and the others to stop and dig their comrades and human allies out of the rubble. Once the Astrotrain was stopped and the Decepticons were defeated, the Autobots went back underground to continue fighting another day. Hearts of Steel #4

In 1888, the Elder Gods began threatening Earth, causing the Autobots to resurface. Seeking the energy needed to reactivate Optimus Prime, Ratchet and several other Autobots brought inventors Tobias Muldoon and Nikola Tesla to their deep-frozen leader. Infestation 2: The Transformers #1

Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic

"Ma'am, I'm just an SUV—oh, fine."

Despite rescuing a girl from a burning building, she had fallen unconscious, so he offered to drive her and her mother to the hospital. Unfortunately, Starscream was tailing them from above. He would have blasted Ratchet, but Inferno blocked the shot with his fire truck mode, transformed, and then knocked Starscream out of the sky with his water cannon. Thanks to Inferno's help, Ratchet was able to successfully deliver the girl to the hospital.

But Ratchet's work wasn't done, as he had taken note of Inferno's heavy injuries. Henkei! Henkei! #10

Wings Universe

Ratchet and a Paradron Medic tended to Dion's injuries following Bruticus's rampage. Battle Lines, Part 1 As casualties continued to mount, he and the other medics lamented that they were running out of space to put the patients. Battle Lines, Part 6

Games

Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons

When Optimus embarked on his mission to rescue the Autobots' Minicar troops from the Decepticons, Ratchet could come to his aid when Optimus was broken down. Adventure Game: Defeat the Decepticons packaging blurb and game

The Transformers (PS2)

Autobot story

Ratchet was available as a playable character in the Autobot campaign during the second playthrough.

Decepticon story

During the search for the Gem of Mystery, the Decepticons needed a key to proceed through the ruins. While searching for Chromedome and the key, they came across Ratchet. Ratchet delayed the Decepticons for a short time before they continued their pursuit of Chromedome. The Transformers

Transformers G1: Awakening

Transformers G1: Awakening

Toys

Generation 1

Why's everything so dark in here?

• Ratchet (1984/1986/1990/2001/2007)
  • Japanese ID number: 99
  • Accessories: "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles

Ratchet was originally a Onebox Ambulance Type toy from Takara's Diaclone line before Hasbro brought Transformers to North America. The toy transforms from an ambulance to a robot and gun-station. A variant of the toy includes red crosses on the top and sides of the vehicle. Ratchet and his retool/redeco buddy Ironhide, like all Diaclones, were designed to be piloted mecha, which is why he has a seat instead of a head. The Transformers version applied a face sticker to the back of the seat in lieu of a real sculpted noggin.

In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including the Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction flier packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $8 and two Robot Points.

In Japan, Ratchet was originally only available as a S.T.A.R.S. mail-away, costing 1700 yen and 4 robot points. In 2001, he was reissued in Japan as an e-HOBBY exclusive, paired with Ironhide.

This looks... better?

In mid-December 2007, he was reissued again as part of Takara's Transformers Encore line. This particular version came with an illustration on one box flap depicting Ratchet's cartoon-design head and chest windshield. By punching out the image along the perforated edges, folding it just so and tucking it in behind the toy's windshield, one could give the toy a "real" head, just like in the TV series, instead of using the Diaclone-original windshield face sticker. Sort of. This version of the toy was retooled to add a pair of "clips" to the mobile platform's gun-base, designed to keep Ratchet more securely attached when riding it. However, these clips are right where a pair of decals normally go.

• More information on Ratchet at TFU.info

To the Mystery Machine, gang!

• Ratchet Emergency Green (2008)
  • Accessories: "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles

A redeco of the original toy (well, the retooled Encore version) which homages the live-action movie Ratchet, Ratchet Emergency Green is a Japanese mail-away exclusive available with a purchase of the book Transformers Visualworks. After the book release on December 4, 2007, purchasers could mail in a ticket from the book and purchase either one (5200yen) or two (10,000 yen) of the item. Ratchet shipped to customers in April 2008. He comes in the same packaging as the regular Encore release, including packaging images, instructions, and the same white-headed cardboard torso punch-out.

He's totally awesome.

• More information on Emergency Green Ratchet at TFU.info

Timelines

Maybe photographing him against a white backdrop wasn't such a great idea.

• Autobot Ratchet & Flareup (2005)
  • Accessories: Lightbar/blaster

One of two "souvenir" packages exclusive to BotCon 2005, Ratchet is a retooling of the Energon Autobot Tow-Line with a new head, transforming into a large utility van. In robot mode, his lower vehicle portion becomes a mobile battle/repair platform. Ratchet can fold his legs back and up over his shoulders (wow!) and re-attach to this platform for a "battle mode". In this, ahem, position, Ratchet can also form the top half of a two-robot "Powerlinx combiner" with any Energon Deluxe Autobot, and any of them can also use his platform for their own combination.

The mold's standard "receiver dish" weapon was not produced; instead, he came with a new "light bar" that pegged onto his roof in much the same manner.

He could only be purchased in an at-show "souvenir" two-pack along with Flareup. This mold was also used to make Ironhide for the same convention.

• More information on BotCon Ratchet at TFU.info

Henkei! Henkei!

Surprise, I'm colored like the cartoon!

• Ratchet (Deluxe, 2009)
  • Japanese ID number: C-14
  • Accessories: Converting Cannon

A redeco and retool of the 2008 Universe Ironhide toy, Henkei! Henkei! Ratchet transforms into an "emergency" SUV. He has a red Japanese-style emergency lightbar, is cast in bright white plastic and has a deco resembling Ratchet's appearance in the original cartoon series, down to his dark gray head crest. Like all Henkei toys, he features vacuum metalized plastic, specifically his headlights and taillights, as well as his "Converting Cannon" weapon. Unlike his Universe counterpart, the license plate is blank. The lightbar was also used for Henkei! Henkei! Alert.

Universe (2008)

No, not that Universe Ratchet.

• Autobot Ratchet (Deluxe, 2009)
  • Series: Generation 1 Series
  • Accessories: Medical Dispenser/Combat Blade

Like Henkei Ratchet, Universe Ratchet is a redeco and retooling of the Universe Ironhide toy, and transforms into an "emergency" SUV, cast in pearlescent white plastic with a rather generic "Ratchet" deco. He sports the American-style emergency lightbar previously used for Universe Prowl (and later used again for Generations Red Alert) cast in translucent blue plastic (as opposed to Henkei! Henkei! Ratchet's differently sculpted red Japanese-style emergency lightbar).

While similar in execution, there are a great many changes from Henkei Ratchet to Universe Ratchet. The red paint detailing on Universe Ratchet is different than that of Henkei Ratchet in color and layout. The Henkei version's stripes resemble that more of his original counterpart, while the Universe version resemble that of his Animated version. Henkei Ratchet uses chrome paint on his weapon and both sets of lights while the Universe version leaves them unpainted. Gray paint covers Henkei Ratchet's gun barrel and silver on his upper chest (behind the chest window), these parts remain unpainted on Universe Ratchet. The paint used for the windows of Universe Ratchet is a light blue while Henkei Ratchet uses a deeper metallic blue paint. Universe Ratchet has black forearms and upper thighs, while the Japanese version uses a pure white (different from the white used throughout the rest of the figure). Universe Ratchet has a yellow license plate (which reads H3L PU2) and red head crest, while Henkei Ratchet has a blank gray plate and gray head crest. Universe Ratchet features a blue blade on his weapon, while Henkei Ratchet features a red blade. Universe Ratchet also features a lighter red plastic than the Henkei version.

Like Universe Ironhide, the blue paint used for his opaque windows matches really, really badly with his translucent blue plastic windows.

This mold was also retooled into BotCon 2012 Sir Soundwave.

• More information on Universe Ratchet at TFU.info

Merchandise

Ratchet cosplaying as Ironhide, or Ironhide cosplaying as Ratchet? You, the viewer, decides!

• Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)

In Japan, a red rubber mini-figure of Ratchet was available in part of a massive multi-pack of similar mini-figurines. The number etched into his back is the sum total of his tech spec ratings, as these figurines were used as game pieces for a variety of Transformers board games in which this number had some meaning to how the game was played or something.

• Ratchet (Decoy, 1987)
  • Decoy number: 6

The Hasbro Decoy release of the Ratchet game piece is almost identical to the Japanese version, except the number on his back is a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots and Technobots.

• More information on Decoy Ratchet at TFU.info

Super Collection Figure

File:SCF-Act6-Ratchet.jpg

Super-action pose doctor!

• Ratchet (2002)

A three-inch tall PVC figurine of Ratchet was available in "Act 6" of Takara's Super Collection Figure line, a slight retooling of the Ironhide figurine with a new head and "gun"-hand (despite the fact that their two character models are not quite identical). Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve blindpacked figures. Additionally, the pewter version of Ratchet came packaged with the left leg of the wave's Grand Maximus collectable "build-a-figure".

Heroes of Cybertron

• Ratchet (2003)

Ratchet's Super Collection Figure PVC was released the following year by Hasbro as part of their Heroes of Cybertron line. Like all the figures in the series, Ratchet was given a light-piping gimmick by being cast entirely in translucent blue plastic then painted everywhere except on his eyes and the back of his head. Part of the fifth and final wave of Heroes of Cybertron, Ratchet was, unlike the Japanese figure, sold on an indivudual blister card and came packaged with the right leg of the Metroplex "build-a-figure".

Transformers Mini-Bust

Your choice of head! His choice of medical tools.

• Ratchet (2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Ratchet was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1000 pieces. The bust continues the tradition of giving all Ratchet merchandise (but not toys) the red cross insignia on their shoulders to better match the Animation model. Ratchet's Bio credits him and Wheeljack with creating the Dinobots; effectively making him the cartoon version but he comes packaged with two heads for do-it-yourself retconning. Comic accurate red helmet with white chevron, or the cartoon accurate white helmet with grey chevron. Fans of the Universe 2.0 version (white helmet, red chevron) will have to buy some red paint when they pick their bust up. Three tools are also included with the Bust. One slightly resembling the power booster rod, the other a Cybertronian version of an otoscope and the third is some sort of medical gear shaft. They are not sculpted on nor do they possess a magnet and are simply lodged in his hands for display.

Notes

So Ratchet basically avoided becoming part of the Girls Gone Wild cast. Good on her. Er, him.

Bork bork bork - wait, no, that's Sweden...

• Bob Budiansky has said that he named Ratchet after the less-friendly medic Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
• Ratchet never really showed his party animal spirit in Marvel, outside of the start of "Warrior School". Budiansky gives two answers for why: "1) in the comic book stories, he always found himself in situations too serious to allow his party personality to emerge. 2) I screwed up and forgot I had written that as part of his profile. I prefer to go with answer number 1."
• In the Shout! Factory Matrix of Leadership Special Edition DVD set, an interview with Bob Budiansky features close-ups of his original character notes for several characters, Ratchet being one of them. Oddly, his handwritten notes refer to Ratchet as "her" and the Autobots' "go-to gal" for repairs. While this obviously was not the final direction the character took, it is an odd coincidence... and a fact that makes the early nicknames "Cool Hand Lube" and "Greasefinger" even more embarrassing.
• In a different gender-related coincidence, the French Diaclone release of Ratchet, "Ambulance", was referred to as female in one of Joustra's pack-in minicomics.
• In later years, toys sporting the name "Ratchet" require an additional "Autobot" prefix for trademark reasons, hence making the official name "Autobot Ratchet".
• Ratchet's original toy is part of a matrix of cross-referencing redecos:
  • In 2008, the original 1984 Ratchet mold got a green redeco as "Ratchet Emergency Green" in obvious reference to his movie counterpart.
  • Meanwhile, the movie counterpart's toys got a red and white "Rescue Ratchet" redeco... based on the original colors of the 1984 toy.
  • Elsewhere, Animated Ratchet includes elements from both characters, including Generation 1 Ratchet's chevron crest and coloration. (Animated Ratchet later got a movie-based "Rescue Ratchet" redeco, to boot.)
• The Hall of Fame banner that was outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium during BotCon 2011 depicted Ratchet with inverted shoulder colors. While ostensibly done to avoid the legal wrath of the Red Cross organization, it suggests that Ratchet has either suddenly become Christian and/or decided to align himself with Switzerland.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Ratchet (ラチェット Rachetto)
• Czech: Zdravotník
• French: Mécano (Canada)
• Hungarian: Racsni
• Italian: Doc
• Portuguese: Alavanca (Portugal comics), Trinco (Brazil comics, "Lock")
• Russian: Khrapovik (cartoon, Храповик, "Ratchet")

External links

• Ratchet's Universe profile at NTFA.net