Sparkplug Witwicky
| This article is about the human Generation 1 character. For the Armada Mini-Con, see Sparkplug (UT). |
William (or Irving, possibly William Irving or Irving William) "Sparkplug" Witwicky led a very very interesting life for a working-class guy from Oregon.
He has an indeterminate number of sons (Spike, Buster and "Butch") which varies depending on the continuity. No mention ever seems to be made of him ever having had a wife.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
William "Sparkplug" Witwicky was a Sergeant in the US Marines. He was a P.O.W. during the Korean War, where he was forced to repair the Koreans' equipment. However, he secretly sabotaged that same equipment, leading to personnel and materiel losses for the North Koreans. He is a mechanic, and owned his own service station, until it was destroyed by Ratbat and the Predacons. It is never established whether or not he rebuilds the station.
Sparkplug suffered a heart attack as a result of the Autobots [1], and was much less friendly with them thereafter.
Sometimes, Sparkplug identifies himself as William Witwicky, but other times he identifies himself as Irving Witwicky. The most likely answer here is that his full name is William Irving Witwicky (or Irving William Witwicky).
Animated continuity
Both he and and his son Spike seem to be oil rig workers. The rig is destroyed [2] and later he is seen operating a garage in New York. In the past he had worked as a ruby crystal miner in Burma, of all things.
Dreamwave Comics continuity
Sparkplug was one of the humans chosen to accompany the Autobots back to Cybertron, but was presumed dead in 1999 when the Ark II exploded.
