Ratchet (G1)
| The name or term "Ratchet" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ratchet (disambiguation). |
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- Ratchet is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
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.
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
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
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.
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!
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!
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!
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 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
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!
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.[1] 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
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. New Dawn
Classics
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
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
Subsequently, Ratchet was stationed with several other Autobots in Canada within the Ark II. He was present one day when Rad reported from the Ironworks base in Oregon about a foiled attack by Gigatron and his Decepticons. Soon thereafter, due to the actions of an evil Ultra Magnus from another dimension, a rift of space time opened over Earth, causing catastrophes worldwide. Ratchet assisted his peers in evacuating a devastated city block. Invasion
Regeneration One
Template:Noterg1 In 2012, twenty-one years after the Ark crashed into Northern Canada with Megatron aboard, Ratchet still lived, but in a horrible existence — as a disembodied head adorning Megatron's battle sled. Loose Ends #2 After Optimus Prime and the Autobots arrived to battle Megatron, the zombified Starscream struggled to tell the Scraplet-infected Kup the secret to stopping Megatron — to kill Ratchet! Loose Ends #4
Kup struggled over to Ratchet and with a borrowed gun from First Aid, finally ended Ratchet's suffering, which in turn immobilized Megatron and allowed Prime to destroy his mortal enemy once and for all. Loose Ends #5
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Don Messick (English), Wally Burr (English, "Masquerade"), Masashi Ebara (Japanese), Zhang Bin (Chinese), Garcia Neto (Portuguese), Roberto Alexander (Latin American), 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")
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
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
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 alligaticon. 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
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
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
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
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
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 on a secret mission to Autobot City in order to gather a stockpile of energon from Earth, Ratchet and his crewmates were attacked by Megatron, Starscream and the Constructicons. After Brawn and Prowl fell to the Decepticons' firepower, Ratchet and Ironhide returned fire, and were able to get the bulk of the invading Decepticons to withdrawal. However, Starscream was able to get Scrapper and Mixmaster to resume firing at the Autobots with him, and they were able to get a shot at Ironhide. His attention briefly turned to his injured comrade, Ratchet left himself open to attack, and was soon taken down by Starscream. 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
Cloud
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga
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
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages
Ratchet was a participant in a battle in New York City, early in the Autobot/Decepticon war taking place on Earth. The Autobots were victorious that day. Broadcasting on TV! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers
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
Story of 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
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
Mars Attacks: The Transformers
Ratchet took part in a battle which resulted in the Decepticons being defeated and captured. When the city was attacked by Martians, he and the other Autobots were forced to make a temporary alliance with the Decepticons to destroy the invaders. Mars Attacks: The Transformers
The Special Teams
After crashing on Earth in the Ark and remaining dormant for millions of years, Ratchet, along with Sideswipe and Optimus, were the first Autobots to awaken after the Decepticons’ own resurrection. These three helped the other Autobots repair themselves with the aid of the Ark’s computer. The Special Teams
Deadly Paradise
Sideswipe was convicted of destroying the Nova Suspension Bridge and deactivated, despite his pleas of innoncence, in order to ease the strain on human/Autobot relations. Prowl became suspicious of the Decepticons being somehow involved, and discovered evidence that lead to the remote Carob Island. Ratchet accompanied Prowl, Windcharger, Hound, Bumblebee and Brawn and headed to said island. Upon landfall, Prowl discovered a cave from where suspicious sounds were coming from. Leaving Bumblebee and Hound behind to guard the entrance, Prowl, Windcharger, Brawn and Ratchet went inside. The Autobots exploring the cave came upon several Decepticon gophers and drilling machines gathering a rare ore for their evil masters. Working together, Ratchet and the others made short work of the Decepticon machines. When they exited the cave, however, they discovered that Bumblebee and Hound were missing. They were instead greeted by Madame Cee and her army of pig-robots. Madame Cee insisted that their friends were fine and brought the Autobots to her home, where she told them to rest and enjoy themselves. Prowl eventually discovered that Madame Cee was working for the Decepticons, and reactivated the captive Bumblebee and Hound. The Autobots learned that the Decepticons were forcing Cee to help build Autobot duplicates. After learning of the location of Megatron's temporary base on the island, Ratchet and the rest of the group entered it, finding themselves wandering in a vast, underground labyrinth. They finally came upon an open area, only to be captured in force cages by the Decepticons. Prowl managed to free the rest of the group, and Ratchet helped Brawn defeat Skywarp while the others dealt with Starscream and Megatron. Through a stroke of luck, the Autobots managed to escape Megatron's megamaze when they discovered that Ratchet's lubricant container had been leaking all day, thus leaving them a trail that led out of the facility. The Autobots returned to their headquarters where they were able to clear Sideswipes name, and presumably reactivated him. Deadly Paradise
Kid Stuff Talking Story Books
Ratchet retro-fitted Skyfire with external fuel tanks in order to allow the Autobot superset from reaching a Decepticon satellite in Earth orbit that was beaming down heat and destruction thanks to a gigantic diamond lens. When Skyfire failed to destroyed his satellite and burned up on reentry upon falling back to Earth, Optimus ordered Ratchet to weld together a square-mile sheet of polished metal. This would be used in the Autobot’s plan “B” in taking out the satellite. Satellite of Doom
When a boarding party encountered a time-delay booby-trap inside a Decepticon transport ship, two of its members were sent to Ratchet for repairs. When Continents Collide
Ratchet was busy fixing up Slag inside the Dinobots’ secret base when Megatron’s Thermo-borer burst through the wall of the medical room, activating the base’s alarms. Though Megatron and Soundwave retreated immediately, Ratchet managed to plant a Memory Scrambler Mine on the Thermo-borer’s hull. he then returned to fixing Slag, though he drew increasingly annoyed that repairs were taking too long, and distracting from his duty of reactivating the other Dinobots from their tar cocoons so they could join the Autobot ranks. Just as Rathet finished up his repairs on Slag, the Dinobots’ headquarters began to tremble as the Crusher forced its way inside. Ratchet and Slag both ran to a safer spot. But the vibrations caused by the Crusher’s entrance had inadvertently freed hundreds of Dinobots from their tar cocoons. Joining the newly activated robots, Ratchet beat back Megatron and Soundwave. Jaws of Terror
Marvel Storybooks continuity
Ratchet was among the Autobots active on Earth. When Prowl started having a fit right in the middle of a stand-off with the Decepticons, Ratchet moved over to see if he was alright. Later, after the Autobots had been blasted out of Decepticons headquarters, Ratchet pathed up their minor injuries to be sure they would be in top-condition for the battle to come. Battle for Earth
Marvel coloring books
When Mirage had been damaged by Ravage, Ratchet drove over to the battlefield to fix his friend. Decepticon Patrol
Either Ratchet or Ironhide helped the Autobots in protecting Hoover Dam from the Decepticons. The Deadly Fuel Shortage
Ratchet was one of the many Autobots who followed Optimus into battle when it was discovered that the Decepticons were stealing fuel from all across the globe with the help of a molecular transfer device. He tended to Windcharger after their first battle against the Decepticons that day, and noted that the Autobots were running low on fuel, while the Decepticons' reserves were still plentiful. Ratchet helped Ironhide transfer some of his fuel to Windcharger and Jazz so that the more fuel-efficient Autobots could continue fighting. When the Autobots succeeded in capturing the molecular transfer device and turned its power on the Decepticons, Optimus trasked Ratchet with dismantling the machine afterwards, so that the Decepticons would never be able to use its power again. Summertime Coloring Book
When Gears had fallen for a dastardly Decepticon trap and gotten himself crushed, Ratchet, Sideswipe and Mirage somehow knew about it instantly. They came to Gears's rescue, and once Mirage and Sideswipe had beaten the Decepticons back, Ratchet fixed Gears right up. The Autobot Smasher!
Ratchet was part of a small strike team of Autobots assembled by Ultra Magnus to help the Dinobots, who were currently engaged in battle against the Decepticons, just outside of Autobot City. Upon arriving at Oil Valley, Ratchet tended to the injured Slag. After they defeated the Decepticons, Ratchet and the others were cheered on by the nearby oil rig workers as they drove back to Autobot City. Battle at Oil Valley
Big Looker storybooks continuity
Upon awakening on Earth after being offline for about 65 million years, Ratchet met Sparkplug and his son Spike. With the Decepticons still not in the know of what forms the Autobots had taken, Ratchet was one of the troops that Optimus led into the desert in order to ambush their enemies. Though they successfully took by surprise a squadron of Decepticons, the Autobots had not anticipated a second group flying in from the opposite direction. Thanks to a warning from Spike and Sparkplug, the Autobots managed to fend off the Decepticons, and came to accept Earth as their new home. Battle for Cybertron
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
The Battle for Planet Earth
Ratchet was part of an Autobot expedition to South America to search for energy, but split from the rest of the group some time before they found Mount Sheelah. Terror of Mount Sheelah
Ladybird Books continuity
Ratchet gave Jazz a good tune up before he participated in a car rally / recon mission. Autobots Fight Back
Optimus Prime placed Ratchet in command of Autobot headquarters when he led a battle unit to confront the Decepticons. Laserbeak's Fury
While performing repairs on the Autobots, Ratchet became concerned by the lack of cybernite and other Cybertronian materials necessary for his work. Fortunately, Kup and the Autobots used radio transmitters to simulate the Northern Lights and trick a trio of Decepticon space stations into blowing each other up, causing cybernite to fall from the skies. (Long story.) Galvatron's Air Attack
Listen 'n Play audiobooks continuity
- Voice actor: ? (English)
When Jazz brought Steve Guymo to the Autobot base, Optimus asked Ratchet to treat the delirious man. Though Ratchet was no expert on carbon forms, he provided Guymo with some water while grousing about Jazz's joy rides. The Autobots learned from Steve that the Decepticons were abducting humans from airports, and helped him rescue Megatron's hostages. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Play)
S.T.A.R.S. continuity
When Johnny spotted Thundercracker stealing energy, he called his Autobot allies through his S.T.A.R.S. control center. Ratchet was amongst those who responded to Johnny's call. Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all? Ratchet and the other Autobots struggled against Thundercracker energy-syphoning powers. Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons? What happened afterwards is not known.
Later, Ultra Magnus pleaded for you to "requisition" Ratchet and other Autobots in order to combat the Decepticon threat. Using the human power known as "imagination," S.T.A.R.S. recruits could perceive what it was like to be Ratchet. You Have Been Chosen.
Before the construction of Autobot City on Earth, Optimus led a convoy of Autobots to find the ideal location for their new base's construction. Ratchet was amongst the troops accompanying Optimus. As they drove along, the Autobots were ambushed by the Decepticons. The battle that ensued later came to be known as "Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction." Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers greatest battle on Earth. The Autobots Are Under Attack!
Find Your Fate Junior
Dinobots Strike Back
In the path where Mirage used a hologram of Optimus Prime to lure the four cerebro-shell-controlled Dinobots over the edge of Bandit's Bluff and into the ocean, Ratchet was one of the Autobots crewing Seaspray's destroyer mode. He helped haul the unconscious quartet aboard for safe transport back to the Ark, then dried them off, chuckling, "This is one Decepticon plan that was all wet!" (The Autobots never learn about Operation Black Coral in this path)
In an alternate path, Bumblebee and Skids were exploring Dolphin's Bay in search of Decepticon activity when the former was paralyzed and left in an underwater cave by Frenzy. This leads to four possible endings, two of which involve Ratchet rescuing Bumblebee. In one, he first repairs a waterlogged and injured Skids on the deck of Seaspray after Sludge hauled his disabled mini-sub off the ocean floor. Skids then told his three teammates about Operation Black Coral, prompting a full-scale Autobot assault, during which Ratchet and Skids used the repaired sub to rescue Bumblebee. Another ending saw a similar assault in which Ratchet was part of the land-force and rescued Bumblebee on his own. Dinobots Strike Back
Attack of the Insecticons
Ratchet was a minor player in many possible adventures centred around the Sun-Pak, a device created by Sparkplug to solve the Autobots' energy woes. The Autobot medic was present to tend to depowered Autobots should the situation allow it, as well as ribbing his friend Ironhide about the later's old age. Attack of the Insecticons
Decepticon Poison
In one possible scenario, where a squad of Autobots recently cured from a Decepticon poison lead the charge against the Decepticons only to be overpowered by Megatron, Ratchet was quick to jump into action and tend to the wounded. His first patient was Sunstreaker, who had been struck down by a blast of Megatron’s fusion cannon. Though the Decepticons were eventually forced to retreat, Ratchet would undoubtedly have his hands full repairing all the Autobots severely injured that day.
In another possible turn of events, Ratchet helped Perceptor dispense his cure to the ailing Autobots. Unfortunately, Perceptor miscalculated how much of his antidote to give to each Autobot. The Autobots who received the antidote soon found themselves falling apart, and though Ratchet attempted to fix them as quickly as possible, the Autobots were left outmatched against the greater number of Decepticons, and quickly defeated.
In another possible sequence of events, Optimus successfully retrieved the antidote to the poison from the Decepticons’ poison lab, and with Ratchet’s help, brought the poisoned Autobots back from the precipice of death.
If Optimus later decided to bring a squadron of Autobots to the nearby water reservoir, in order to present the Decepticons from poisoning the nearby human population, Ratchet was amongst the Autobots who came along.
In one possible scenario, Ratchet was tasked with attempting once more with reassembling the many Autobots who had fallen on the battlefield. Decepticon Poison
Autobot Alert!
In one possible scenario, Ratchet was ordered by Ultra Magnus to prep the Autobots’ shuttle; the Decepticons were in the middle of taking over Earth’s communication satellites. After a few technical difficulties, Ratchet was able to have the shuttle ready for take-off, allowing Ultra Magnus’s team to head into space and attempt to foil the Decepticons’ ploy.
In another possible scenario, wherein Ultra Magnus agreed to prioritize theft of a coded message, Ratchet was part of the captive audience that listened to Kup divulge information about an ancient Autobot formula. Ratchet took off towards the Autobots’ desert research centre along with a number of other Autobots. Once there, he was tasked with fixing Springer.
With Springer fixed, Ratchet and the Autobots learned that the cybertite sphere containing the formula was discovered by humans during the 16th century. If the Decepticons had decoded Springer's message, they would be searching off the coast of California, where the ship containing the sphere had sunk. If they hadn’t decoded the message, the Decepticons would still be digging in the nearby crater.
If Ultra Magnus decided to assume that the Decepticons had already decrypted the message, he ordered his forces to split up to more efficiently address the situation. Ratchet was part of the main Autobot force being led by Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus’s troops were informed by Powerglide (who had flown ahead of the land-bound group) that he had discovered the location of the sunken ship containing the cybertite sphere. Simultaneously, Blurr caught up with the group to inform them that the Decepticons were quickly approaching. The Autobots then needed to decide whether they would raise the ship themselves, or try and ambush the Decepticons after they had done so.
In one possible scenario that ensued, Grapple had been tasked to retrieve the sunken ship containing the sphere via the use of his crane, only for it to suffer a mechanical breakdown. Though Ratchet was able to fix it, the Autobots had lost valuable time. The Decepticons showed up and destroyed both the ship and sphere within, leaving the Autobots to be pummelled by superior Decepticon firepower. Autobot Alert!
The Invisibility Factor
In one possible scenario, the Decepticons gained control of an Invisibility Device. When the invisible Decepticons attacked Metroplex city, Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots were reduced to scrap metal, unable to fight the unseen enemy.
In another scenario, Rathet inspected Kup and Hot Rod’s circuits after Springer and Jazz told him they suspected the former two had a few wires loose. Ratchet gave the pair a clean bill of health, but Kup and Hot Rod’s claims of seeing spaceships with invisibility capabilities were dismissed and forgotten nonetheless. Then, Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots within Metroplex were caught by surprise by a fleet of identical ships swooping down upon them. The Autobots were all destroyed as Galvatron gloated of his victory. The Invisibility Factor
St. Michael The Transformers Sticker Book
Ratchet served on an alien spacecraft with the Autobots Hot Rod, Springer, and Sandstorm under the command of Ultra Magnus. While fighting Decepticons, their spaceship took heavy damage and crash-landed on the planet Barrenikon. There, he met you, having just emerged from the Vortex, a portal through space and time contained within the planet. Together, you went on an adventure, fighting Decepticons, braving Barrenikon's barren desert or its putrid swamp, and trying to find a way to get the Autobots space-bound once more. The Transformers Sticker Book
Beast Wars cartoon
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 as Optimus Primal held Prime's spark in trust until his troupe of Maximals, led by Rhinox, could repair Prime's body. Optimal Situation
Universe comic
When Viron 704.31 Epsilon Ratchet groused about how he was not sent back to his home universe as most of the rescued abductees of Unicron were, it was suggested that he was needed now on the local Cybertron as in the past, the local Ratchet had been a great healer.
An iteration of Primax Ratchet was one of several Transformers from all eras and all realities across the multiverse suggested by Alpha Trion for Optimus Primal to recruit into his Children of Primus. Optimus Primal decided to pluck Rhinox and Depth Charge back from death instead. Homecoming
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
"Tone down your audio amplifiers, will ya? That didn't hurt... much."Starscream and Ratchet, "Skyfire"
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
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 continuity
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 anthology
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
Descent into Evil
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
Universe cartoon
Ratchet was one of the many oppressed Cybertronians who sought freedom when their planet’s halls of power grew dark with corruption, greed and malice. After the war had raged for some time, he was one of the few Autobots privilieged with seeing Optimus insert the Matrix of Leadership into his chest for the first time. Ratchet was one of the first Autobots to travel to Earth, and took on an alternate form to disguise himself amongst its populace. Action Blast 1
The Beast Within
During a particularly violent battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Ratchet looked on in horror as The Beast dispensed wanton carnage onto the battlefield. He attempted to tend to Jazz, one of the many Autobots wounded during battle. The Beast Within
As Ratchet, his patient, and a small number of other surviving Autobots rode in Optimus Prime’s trailer in an effort to outrun The Beast, Ratchet warned Prime that Jazz would not make it if they didn’t slow down. Thankfully, Jetfire showed up just in time to rescue Prime’s passengers, save Skids, who was crushed moments before Jetfire’s arrival. The Beast Within Part 2, Consequences
IDW Generation 1 continuity
The Autobots' Chief Medical Officer, a close friend of Optimus Prime and someone who had treated every Prime since Nominus Prime, Ratchet somehow ended up in a bog-standard Tactical Response Unit on a tenth-rate planet called "Earth" circling around a fourth-rate star called "the Sun" populated by strange creatures known as "humans". There, after several years, he went rogue to track down a human who had somehow found his way into a Decepticon Infiltration Bunker. Finding him dead, he found his palmtop computer with photos of the base in the hands of a runaway called Verity Carlo, triggering the discovery a series of events that would bring Optimus himself to Earth after even Prowl, his unit commander, ultimately had to admit was significant despite his hatred for Ratchet's "playing hero".
After the Decepticon Surge, Ratchet was amongst those stranded first on an uninhabitable Cybertron, then Earth for an extended time. After these and Galvatron's Chaos War were over, finished, he joined the crew of the Lost Light, aiming to find a successor as CMO - and while he did so, by the name of First Aid, he also found a new pair of hands to replace his worn-out set, courtesy of the mad Pharma who would become his new arch-enemy. Groovy.
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 After sacrificing their energy to awaken Optimus Prime with Tesla's invention, Optimus Prime granted his soldiers some of his personal energon reserves. Soon, the Autobots set out to save Port Cenotaph; there, they found Ironhide, who had been infected by the Elder God. While Ratchet handled Ironhide, Optimus Prime defeated the Elder God and it retreated to the ocean depths, releasing its hold on its thralls on the surface. Infestation 2: The Transformers #2
The Autobots continued to protect humanity for many years, keeping an eye out for the reappearance of Decepticons. In the 21st century Ratchet investigated a possible Decepticon signal, but it turned out to be a trap set by the human organization Skylogic Systems, who captured him. The humans extracted Ratchet's DNA and combined it with mutated human genes to engineer a deadly virus, mistakenly believing it was the key to preventing a supposed invasion of human-alien hybrids. He was eventually rescued from the Skylogic labs by Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and a trio of heroic humans known as the Lone Gunmen. The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers
Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic
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
Henkei! Henkei! Transformers -Visualize-
Robot Heroes
Transformers United
Cloud
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
Transformers: All Spark
To Earth Reunion and Parting Plans of the Emperor of Destruction Revenge (All Spark) The False Power Ray of Hope
Transformers Legends comic
Ask Vector Prime
After Galvatron ravaged the galaxy with his Zod army, he intended to transfer his gargantuan Spark into Cybertron in order to become Grand Galvatron. However, Ratchet, by now known simply as The Autobot, alongside the Dreadnoks, destroyed his Spark at the cost of their own lives. Ask Vector Prime
Grimlock is sad that Ratchet never got to meet his 'grandchildren', the Technobots, and hopes he and Wheeljack would be proud that Grimlock made such important Autobots. (Fanart of him telling the 'bots about Ratchet made him sad) Ask Grim Grams
e-HOBBY comics
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)
- Voice actor: Jack Merluzzi (English)
Autobot story
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
Ratchet was among the Autobots who left Cybertron aboard the Ark, and spent four million years in stasis after it was shot down over Earth by the Decepticons. He was among the first of the Autobots to recover, and sent Bumblebee on a series of energy gathering missions while he attempted to repair Optimus and the others. Ratchet worried about involving the humans in their war, but Optimus awoke in time to announce they had no choice. During a battle at Dyson Dam, the Autobots captured Jetfire, whom Ratchet repaired after it turned out Jetfire wasn't a Decepticon after all. Discovering that the Decepticons had built a space bridge, the Autobots used it to return to Cybertron, onto to find that their home world had been conquered by Shockwave during their four million year nap.
By rewiring the circuitry in his embedded tool set, Ratchet was able to free himself and Bumblebee and the pair liberated Optimus and Metroplex before the Autobot team retreated back to Earth. They arrived back in time to help Grimlock in battle against the Decepticons. When the Autobots detected a distress call, Ratchet thought it might be Grimlock, but as it turned out, it was a trap. They managed to survive that, and hurried back to the Ark, where they had to repel a Decepticon assault on their ship. Transformers G1: Awakening
Bot Shots Battle Game!
Ratchet participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! Bot Shots Battle Game!
Transformers Legends
When Megatron challenged Optimus Prime to a duel, Ratchet was one of the few Autobots left at HQ to defend it from an attack by the Constructicons. He joined Ironhide, Wheeljack and Brawn in mounting a defense, but they were no match for the Decepticon team. Heavy Metal War - Part 1 During a Decepticon attack on a major human city, Ratchet, Inferno and the Protectobots launched rescue operations. Unfortunately their efforts were hampered by Thundercracker and Dirge, who unleashed all manner of sonic attacks on them. To the Rescue He was among the Autobots affected by Megatron's sabotage of the Autobot recharging chamber, and on Megatron's orders attacked Rutter Military Base. He and the other Autobots were returned to normal by Sparkplug's attitude exchanger. Attack of the Autobots
Ratchet went missing, and somehow became fused to Megatron. The other Autobots located him in inter-dimensional space, where he had come under attack by a time-displaced Galvatron. The Autobots were able to rescue him, taking him back to their base where he was successfully separated from Megatron. Savage Circle
After Optimus Prime's defeat at the hand of Megatron, Ratchet was involved in the skirmishes in Autobot city that ensued. The Omega Corps
Transformers: Battle Tactics
Ratchet participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! Transformers: Battle Tactics
Transformers: Frontiers
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Notes
- 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."[2]
- 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.[3]
- 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.
- 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
- Mandarin: Chìh-luén-chī (Taiwan, 制輪機 "Ratchet"), Jiùhù Chē (China, 救护车 "Ambulance")
- Portuguese: Alavanca (Portugal comics), Trinco (Brazil comics, "Lock")
- Russian: Khrapovik (cartoon, Храповик, "Ratchet")
References
- ↑ Except all the Decepticons eventually turn up alive.
- ↑ Budiansky interview at Metal Machine
- ↑ Nicknames in profiles published in The Transformers Comics Magazine.
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