Rung (G1)

Rung is an Autobot from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

File:Rung Ongoing 22.jpg

Rung is having a bad day.

Rung is a psy-ops specialist for the Autobot army. His reports are added to the Autopedia entries for each Autobot. He transforms into a communications maintenance vehicle with a long ladder-like repair arm.

It might be he is the standard guy to do the mental assessments of potential Wreckers-to-be.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

While hanging out at Macadam's Old Oil House, Rung spilled a cadet's drink. After refusing to clean up the spill, the poor bot was tossed across the bar, right onto Impactor and Megatron's table. Chaos Theory Part 1

Rung did a psychological evaluation of Impactor before his trial for unlawful executions. He ended up being physically assaulted and threatened with extreme violence if he tried 'putting ideas' in Impactor's head, but managed to calm the situation down. In the end, Rung was left questioning whether Autobot High Command shared the blame for Impactor's crimes for turning a blind eye to the robot's growing psychopathy. Impactor's Autopedia entry

Rung later performed a pre-mission psych-screening on new Wreckers Rotorstorm, Ironfist, Pyro, and Guzzle to estimate if they were suited to be put on the Garrus-9 case. Rung was unimpressed by Rotorstorm's unrelenting bragging and joking, and found himself cutting through the charade when he mentioned Simanzi. Taking note of his dual personality, Rung declared him cleared for mission. Rotorstorm's Autopedia entry With Pyro, he diagnosed the robot as an extreme sufferer of Primus apotheosis and noted with sadness that the robot was suppressing his own engaging personality for a copy of another's. He cleared Pyro with reservations, noting that apotheosis sufferers were known for sacrificing themselves. Pyro's Autopedia entry With Guzzle, he cleared the 'bot as having personality flaws but no real psychological flaws, though he was unnerved by his disturbing habit of playing with his gun's safety. Guzzle's Autopedia entry

When screening Ironfist, he was impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge, but not so much by his actual combat experience and mentality. Rung advised against Ironfist's participation, but retracted his negative conclusion when he received 'unsolicited advice' from an undisclosed party. Ironfist's Autopedia entry

Rung treated the shell-shocked Autobot Flattop. He discovered Flattop was a survivor of the Babu Yar atrocity, but that was not his immediate problem. What pushed him over the edge this time was an encounter with the Shimmer. Rung tried to give rational explanations for the appearance of Shimmer, but Flattop died right there in his office. Bullets

Rung was among the survivors of Cyclonus's attack on Kimia Facility. He and the others drifted in a cramped escape pod for some time until they were rescued by Arcee. Chaos Part Three: Kings

After peace had been restored on Cybertron he joined Rodimus's crew of Crusadacons on their quest for the lost Knights of Cybertron.

Notes

• A psychoanalyst named Rung was referenced in the unofficial Transformers novel Eugenesis, written by Wreckers co-author James Roberts.
• The name "Rung" may be a reference to Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology. The mention of "Rungian analysis" in "How to Say Goodbye and Mean It" could support this.
• Or maybe it's because he transforms into a communications tower maintenance vehicle with a long ladder arm.

External links

• Rung concept art at Alex Milne's deviantART
• Another Rung concept art featuring his altmode