Wheeljack (G1)
| The name or term "Wheeljack" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Wheeljack (disambiguation). |
- Wheeljack is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Wheeljack is his own worst enemy. Something of a crackpot inventor, a good half of his creations blow up in his face, and that's just if he's lucky. He's simultaneously one of the Autobots' greatest assets and problems; for every successful gadget he builds, there's one which requires Ratchet or Hoist to put him (and his lab) back together. But once in a while he strikes gold, which has won him respect from even the Decepticons.
He is, however, not a complete nerd. As good as he is in the lab, Wheeljack is just as amazing on the road: there are few stunts he can't pull off, and he loves to show off his driving skills as much as he does his inventions. He is, however, a little less confident when it comes to flying, which he accomplishes using solid-fuel rocket jets in his forearms.
| “ | It sure is nice when one of my inventions actually works! | ” |
—Wheeljack on his track record, "Fire on the Mountain" | ||
- French-Canadian name: Invento, Cric ("Jack", Action Master)
- Hungarian name: Kerék ("Wheel"), sometimes Kormányos Jack ("Steering-wheel Jack", Yoho!)
- Italian name: Saetta ("Bolt")
- Portuguese name: Auto-Roda ("Auto-Motor", Portuguese comic), Motriz ("Wheel", Brazilian comic)
- Russian name: Gonsheek ("Racer", cartoon dub)
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
Wheeljack was one of Optimus Prime's crew who crashed to Earth 4,000,000 years ago and laid dormant until 1984. The Transformers
Following the almost total defeat of the Autobots by Shockwave, Ratchet returned to the Ark and began to reactivate the fallen warriors. Wheeljack was the second Autobot after Prowl to be brought back on-line, so that he could aid Ratchet with his technical skills. He saved the Autobots from total destruction by remote-controlling Optimus Prime's deactivated body and using it to intervene in Grimlock's attempted execution of Guardian, who had been booby-trapped with a nuclear bomb. The Wrath of Guardian!
Wheeljack accompanied Jazz on a mission to secure a fuel supply for the Autobots. He stayed in the background while Jazz forged an alliance with the human G.B. Blackrock. But when Starscream and Frenzy showed up at the unveiling of Blackrock's new anti-robot cannon, Wheeljack couldn't just sit around. He transformed and blasted Frenzy with magnetic powder, which buried the Decepticon in an avalanche of ferrous materials. Wheeljack was saved from an attack by Starscream when Circuit Breaker brought the Decepticon crashing to the ground. The save was unintentional, however; when Wheeljack thanked the human for her help, she turned her fury on him, blasting him into unconsciousness. DIS-Integrated Circuits!
To help boost the Autobots' fallen forces, Wheeljack installed the minds of Grapple, Skids, Hoist, Smokescreen, and Tracks into bodies that were created by the Ark. The minds were stored on the Ark for such an occasion. Rock and Roll-Out!
Wheeljack was later an early casualty of a disastrous attack on Galvatron led by acting Autobot Commander Jetfire, though he was not seriously damaged. Target: 2006
To give the Autobots some air (and combiner) power, Wheeljack designed the Aerialbots, though all but Silverbolt's minds were incomplete and they almost killed a human. Aerialbots over America! Wheeljack later had to erase their minds and unfortunately, by this time, Bombshell had implanted a cerebro-shell in Optimus that, while not controlling him, allowed the Decepticons to tap into the Creation Matrix to create the Stunticons. Heavy Traffic! It was not directly referenced, but it is assumed that he helped build the Protectobots as well (which allowed Megatron to create the Combaticons).
Later, he aided Optimus Prime in a plan to temporarily fake his own death, in order to teach the Earth-bound Autobots to learn to cope without him. Wheeljack was the only Autobot Prime told of his plan, probably since Prime needed him to build a Facsimile Construct in his likeness to be destroyed. When Megatron did destroy the facsimile, even Wheeljack mistakenly believed Prime had been killed. Prey!
After Optimus Prime died, the Autobots chose Grimlock as their new leader. Like Prime before him, Grimlock relied heavily on Wheeljack's skills. Wheeljack tracked down the missing Power Booster Rod, Mechanical Difficulties! and supervised the construction of the Geothermal Generator. By the time the device was complete, Wheeljack was beginning to have serious doubts about Grimlock's leadership, noting to himself that their leader wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. Used Autobots By the time the Ark was repaired and ready for launching, Wheeljack was wondering if he shouldn't be helping Blaster out, rather than assisting Grimlock's efforts to capture him. Child's Play
These doubts soon grew into a covert rebellion, as he called in his old friend Sky Lynx to help deal with the situation. Wheeljack acted as the Ark's pilot, once it was spaceborne. He enabled the craft to overtake and capture the Decepticon Blast Off, who was under Blaster's control. When Blast-Off's passengers turned out to be nothing more than four human children, he advised the other Autobots that they could probably lower their weapons.
Wheeljack did his best to make the four humans welcome and comfortable, fitting them with customized space suits, but soon ran up against Grimlock's monomaniacal quest to bring Blaster to "justice". When Grimlock ordered the humans cast into space in hopes of drawing out Blaster, Wheeljack had Skylynx save them. Though the humans were safe, Grimlock captured Blaster anyway, and Wheeljack's attempt at subversion ultimately failed. Spacehikers!
Wheeljack was among the dozens of Autobots who gathered on the moon to watch Blaster and Grimlock battle for Autobot leadership, and subsequently came under Decepticon attack. Totaled!
Although it wasn't depicted, he was assumed destroyed by the Underbase-powered Starscream; like most of his compatriots, he was not seen in action until the battle with Unicron. Dark Star
Grimlock eventually revived him with Nucleon, along with the rest of the Autobots' deactivated roster. Wheeljack questioned Grimlock on the wisdom of ramming Unicron with the Ark and of charging into battle so soon after being reactivated, but Grimlock just told him to be quiet and fight, before shoving him out the airlock. On the Edge of Extinction!
After the defeat of Unicron, Wheeljack was with a handful of Transformers who found Optimus Prime's dessicated remains. He theorized that the Matrix energy unleashed by Unicron's destruction was somehow, just barely, keeping him alive. He mourned Prime's death alongside Prowl, Kup and others. Still Life!
Wheeljack had a short altercation with Quake, which was symptomatic of the growing unrest between the two factions. He subsequently discovered the betrayal of the Decepticons, who had sabotaged the Autobot spacecraft before leaving the dying Cybertron. Exodus!
Grimlock saved the day again though, providing some stolen Decepticon cruisers. However, when they followed the Decepticons to Klo, the Autobots were ambushed and nearly wiped out. Bludgeon was about to dismember the crippled Wheeljack when he was saved by the timely arrival of the reborn Optimus Prime and the Neo-Knights. End of the Road!
Marvel UK future timelines
Wheeljack survived the battle of Autobot City in this timeline, but was later strung up by Quintessons there in 2008, anyway. He wasn't seen after that, though Blaster survived the same treatment, so Wheeljack may have survived. Space Pirates!
Earthforce
When Galvatron infiltrated the Ark to brainwash some new troops, Wheeljack was one of the deactivated Autobots he attempted to control. Wheeljack and the others turned the tables on Galvatron, subjecting him to his own dream bug technology. Perchance to Dream Back in action, Wheeljack felt somewhat out of place among the various Headmasters, Targetmasters and Powermasters wandering around the Ark now. On a scouting mission, he and Prowl grumbled to one another about how they just wanted some good ol' fashioned Decepticons to beat up on. Obligingly, the Constructicons Mixmaster and Long Haul showed up right then to stop the Autobots from finding out about their evil plans. Thrilled about fighting bad guys who weren't "MicroHeadTargetmasters with a Pretender shell", Wheeljack and Prowl tracked down the Constructicons' leader, Megatron, nearby, and learned of his plans to destroy Earth's atmosphere. Starting Over! While Wheeljack distracted Soundwave and the Stunticons, Prowl leapt aboard the "atmo rocket" and knocked it off course, saving the planet. Desert Island Risks!
Fresh from their adventure with old, familiar enemies, Wheeljack and Prowl both joined the new Earthforce team Optimus Prime set up under Grimlock's command. Operating out of a shuttle in the Canadian wilderness, the Autobots began constructing a larger Earthbase on site. Although the location of their base was unknown, the construction-in-progress was open to attack, and so a 24-hour guard watch was arranged. One dark and stormy night, Wheeljack was trying to keep warm on guard duty using a thermo-heating unit from the ship, but it overheated and started smoking on him. He knocked over a table and lamp while trying to shut off the device and attracted the attention of a polar bear, which ended up chasing him back towards the shuttle. To top it all off, he was jumped from behind by Skydive, who had seen all the mess and mistaken Wheeljack for an attacking Decepticon. It was not Wheeljack's best night ever. Mystery!
When a new thought-activated set of nightlights called Sleepfast was released to human buyers, Wheeljack got suspicious and tested the little items. He found not only the presence of Cybertronian technology in the devices, but also evidence that the thought-sensitive nightlights would eventually turn on their owners, allowing them to manipulate the humans' minds as well as read them. Wheeljack took Snarl to investigate the Sleepfast warehouse, and they ran into the mastermind behind the scheme, Mindwipe. The Autobots used the thought-activation effect of the Sleepfasts to will all several hundred nightlights on at once, temporarily blinding Mindwipe. The Living Nightlights!
Finally, Autobot Earthbase was completed, and Wheeljack called the entire team outside to witness his defense grid in action. Prowl was dubious at the lack of obvious protection, and so Wheeljack handed him the activation remote. Once Prowl hit the button, Wheeljack tossed a rock towards the base, where it was instantly obliterated by the retractable laser cannons. When Prowl expressed concern that someone could knock the defense system offline, Wheeljack assured him that once the defense system was activated, it could only be deactivated from a console inside the base. Prowl paused for a minute, took a head count, then turned hesitantly to Wheeljack and asked, "So who's inside with the console NOW...?"
The response? "Oh..."
While Prowl and the other Autobots braved the defenses in order to reach the console and turn off the security system, Grimlock grabbed Wheeljack by the ankle and shook him out upside-down over the snow for good measure. The House that Wheeljack Built!
When Optimus Prime returned to Earth for an inspection of the new operation, he also brought back Tracks's body for Wheeljack to reactivate in his Bodyshop. Grimlock was hardly impressed with the idea of bringing the vain and complaining Tracks back to life, and he tried to derail the process. Despite his efforts, though, Wheeljack not only revived Tracks, but Optimus Prime decreed that Tracks would remain with Earthforce instead of going back on the Ark with him. Makin' Tracks! Later, Wheeljack diagnosed Snarl with Corrodia Gravis, prompting the Autobots to seek out the only compatible Transformer who could give him a systems boost: Starscream. Assassins
Wheeljack was last seen during the Autobot chase of Motormaster, who had kidnapped their ally, Irwin Spoon. He abandoned the chase to check on Prowl after Motormaster ran him off the highway. End of the Road!
Generation 2
While investigating an apparent planet-wide genocide on J'asik, Wheeljack joined Perceptor and First Aid on a science team in attempting to find out just what had destroyed all life on the planet so utterly. Their findings were so surprising, the team double-checked 50 times before confirming the results: A Cybertronian biological by-product had somehow achieved quasi-sentience and motivation, and was prowling the galaxy as the entity known as the Swarm. The full impact of their discovery was cut short, however, by the arriving armada of Jhiaxus and his second generation Cybertronians, the accidental harbingers of the Swarm. Swarm The battle with Jhiaxus kept the Transformers occupied long enough for the Swarm to find them on Earth. Presenting a united front, the Autobots and Decepticons desperately attempted to drive back the creature. Wheeljack cooked up a method of dramatically augmenting Frenzy's sonic powers, but while the Decepticon was consumed by the excess power pumping through his system, it seemed to do little good against the Swarm. Wheeljack's final fate is unknown. A Rage in Heaven!
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Chris Latta (English), Osamu Saka (Japanese), Katsumi Suzuki (Japanese, "Attack of the Autobots" and "Day of the Machines" only)
Four million years ago, on Cybertron, Wheeljack was sent on a mission with Bumblebee to search for any available energy that could be found on the drained planet. The pair located some energy conductors, and Wheeljack transformed into his boxy vehicle mode so that Bumblebee could load them up, even though he didn't believe they would last a quartex. On the return trip to Iacon, the pair were attacked by a team of Decepticons, but Wheeljack was able to break through their barricade of fire using his bumper-mounted cutting blades and then eluded their pursuers by heading underground. Despite their successful return with the conductors, Optimus Prime decided to expand the search for energy to other planets. Wheeljack was among the Autobots selected to embark on this mission, but in mid-flight, the Autobots' spacecraft was attacked by the Decepticons and crashed on prehistoric Earth, entombing all aboard in stasis.
When the Transformers were reactivated by a volcanic eruption in 1984, Wheeljack was reformatted by Teletraan I with the alternate mode of a Lancia Stratos Turbo custom racing car. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1 Soon after their awakening, Wheeljack was part of the battle unit organized by Jazz to defend a human oil rig against an attack by the Decepticons, and used a fire-extinguishing mechanism installed in his forearm to douse the inferno that resulted from the conflict. Wheeljack next helped attempt to stop the Decepticon plot to overload Sherman Dam, and then journeyed with the other Autobots in pursuing their foes to Burma. There, he gave Bumblebee and the Autobots' new human ally Sparkplug Witwicky a bomb that would collapse the mine the Decepticons were current raiding, trapping the villainous robots for good. Alas, Wheeljack overestimated his skills, as the Decepticons were able to escape the collapsed mountain with ease. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2 Wheeljack later participated in the battle to stop the Decepticons from escaping Earth aboard their new space cruiser. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
Some months later, when an antimatter-powered Megatron attacked Autobot Headquarters, Wheeljack had just the invention to save the day: a remote control unit that would put Teletraan I in control of a Decepticons' body. Through the bravery of Spike Witwicky and Chip Chase, the unit was planted on Skywarp, and the Autobots used him to foil the Decepticons' plan. Roll for It
Wheeljack's mechanical expertise was put to the ultimate test when Optimus Prime was critically wounded by a Decepticon attack. With Ratchet's help, Wheeljack struggled to keep his leader alive, discovering that his vital cosmotron component had been damaged and needed replacing. A team of Autobots were dispatched through the Decepticons' space bridge to Cybertron, where they located Wheeljack's old laboratory and recovered a replacement cosmotron to save Prime's life. Divide and Conquer
Upon discovery of dinosaur bones in caverns within the Ark's volcano, Wheeljack and Ratchet were inspired to construct robotic version of dinosaurs, resulting in the creation of the Dinobots. Upon activation, the behemoths promptly ran out of control and badly damaged Autobot Headquarters, until Wheeljack brought them under control with his magnetic inducer. Optimus Prime deemed the Dinobots too dangerous to continue function and commanded that the project be abandoned, but Wheeljack secretly persisted, developing memory components that would increase the Dinobots' intelligence. This bout of insubordination proved fortunate when almost all of the Autobots were captured by the Decepticons at the Great Falls, prompting Wheeljack to activate the upgraded Dinobots and take them into battle to save the day. Wheeljack was willing to accept any punishment Prime would hand down for his disobedience, but Prime accepted his judgement had been hasty, and allowed the Dinobots to remain among the Autobot ranks. S.O.S. Dinobots
Learning of Decepticon activity in Peru, Optimus Prime had Wheeljack and Sideswipe head for the Arctic Circle to unearth the frozen Autobot Skyfire, so he could carry the Autobot forces to South America. Once the Decepticons' plan to use the Crystal of Power as a weapon had been stopped, Wheeljack invented a device to cap the geyser of energy that had resulted from the crystal's destruction. Spike was a little concerned over whether or not the device would function, but it went off without a hitch, even surprising Wheeljack himself a little. Fire on the Mountain
Wheeljack had his work cut out for him when the Autobots faced two simultaneous threats: a mysterious meteorite crashed on Earth, and when the Dinobots were left to guard it, they were tricked by Megatron into allying with the Decepticons. Analyzing a fragment of the meteorite, Wheeljack discovered it was wildly unstable and poised to explode at any moment. Working with Ratchet, Spike and Chip Chase, Wheeljack developed two new Dinobots, Swoop and Snarl, and sent them in to defeat their forebears. The meteorite exploded harmlessly, and the Dinobots, convinced of their mistake, returned to the Autobot side. War of the Dinobots
When the Decepticons attacked a solar power plant on the coast of India, Wheeljack outfitted the Autobots with hydrofoils so they could approach the plant from over the water. The attack was discovered to be a distraction when Wheeljack received a report from Autobot Headquarters that the Decepticons had struck there and kidnapped Sparkplug. Wheeljack was part of the Autobot team that raided Decepticon Headquarters and recovered Sparkplug, but he and Spike soon realized that there was something wrong. Sparkplug had, in fact, been made a mind-controlled Decepticon slave thanks to a hypno-chip, as part of a plan to transport Cybertron itself into Earth orbit. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1
The villains soon accomplish their terrifying goal, and the Autobots found themselves battling the natural disasters that the presence of the planet caused. Wheeljack called upon the Dinobots to aid them in their struggle, though first he had to convince them that it was worth their while to help. Seeking information about the Decepticons' hypno-chips, Wheeljack was part of an Autobot team who travelled to the orbiting Cybertron, though no sooner had they arrived on the planet than the smaller members of their party (Spike, Bumblebee and Brawn), fell through a trap door. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2 Wheeljack and the others were unable to follow directly due to their size, but soon tracked their friends down to the Decepticons' headquarters and rescued them from an attack. The team took cover in Wheeljack's old lab, where Wheeljack analyzed a computer disk containing information on the hypno-chips that Bumblebee had stolen and developed a device to negate the chips' effect. The Autobots' test-drove the device on Sparkplug, and when it proved successful, they quickly returned to Earth and Wheeljack used it to liberate all of Megatron's slaves. Finally, the world was saved when the Autobots blew up Megatron's stockpile of energon cubes, blasting Cybertorn out of orbit. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3 Wheeljack then helped repair the damage caused to Earth, directing the Dinobots as they performed some heavy lifting. Countdown to Extinction
Wheeljack was part of the Autobot unit dispatched to Bali to investigate reports of robot insects, where they faced the threat of the Decepticons' newest allies, the Insecticons. Wheeljack aided Skyfire by fixing his malfunctioning transform mechanism, and unsteadily taking to the air to back him up in an Insecticon dogfight. When Spike deduced that the Autobots' rubber tyres would protect them from the Insecticons' lightning attacks, Wheeljack rode atop Sunstreaker and Sideswipe to help sent the critters packing. To reward Spike for his bravery, Wheeljack offered to make a him a "true Autobot" by designing a motorcycle transformation for him, but Spike decided he'd better wait until he was at least old enough to drive. A Plague of Insecticons
The sudden appearance of Megatron in the airspace of Autobot Headquarters was cause enough for Wheeljack to try testing his new shock blast cannon, but the weapon simply blew up in his hands. As luck would have it, Megatron had not arrived to fight, but to challenge Optimus Prime to a one-on-one duel in accordance with Cybertron law. Wheeljack spoke out in favour of Prime accepting the challenge, as it would end the Transformers' war, but none of the Autobots expected the eventual result of the fight: Optimus lost! Wheeljack could not understand how Megatron had claimed victory, but Teletraan I soon provided the answer-Megatron had taken on the powers of all the other Decepticons, breaking the rules of the fight and invalidating its outcome. Heavy Metal War
When Spike was badly injured by Megatron and needed life-saving surgery, Wheeljack developed cybernetic attachments that allowed Spike's mind to be transferred into "Autobot X", a makeshift body constructed from spare Autobot parts by Sparkplug. Autobot Spike A little later, Wheeljack disagreed with Ratchet over which wire needed to be pulled to deactivate the Decepticons' Solar Needle device, but Optimus Prime put an end to the argument by yanking both of them. Changing Gears
Wheeljack was among the Autobots who travelled to New York City to defend it against an attempted Decepticon takeover. The sight of Devastator climbing the Empire State Building reminded Wheeljack of King Kong, and he took a leaf of the movie's book by sending remote-controlled helicopters against the combiner. Devastator easily swatted the craft out of the air, and Hound consoled Wheeljack with the fact that Devastator had probably seen the movie too. City of Steel
The first tests of Wheeljack's newest invention, the paralytic "Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer", did not go very well: first, the device's polarizer was damaged by an over-enthusiastic Ironhide, and once it was replaced, Spike accidentally stepped on the Immobilizer's remote, immobilizing Wheeljack himself! Luckily the effects of the device proved temporary, and Wheeljack soon returned to normal. The Immobilizer His next invention, an anti-transfixation grenade developed to restore the other Autobots when they were frozen in their vehicle modes by the Decepticons' new Transfixatron, proved much more successful. The Autobot Run
When Wheeljack was captured by the Decepticons' new sea-dwelling Sub-Atlantican allies, their treacherous king, Nergill, studied his systems and developed magnetic dysfunction ray that could disable Transformers based on them. When Starscream was blasted with the ray, he tried to use energy from Wheeljack's systems to restore himself, but was caught in the act and stopped by Bumblebee and Spike. The duo proceeded to repair Wheeljack, who then called in the Dinobots to sent the Sub-Atlanticans packing. Atlantis, Arise!
After helping to free Quantum Laboratories from the control of TORQ III, Day of the Machines Wheeljack attended the unveiling of the human-made ninja-robot, Nightbird. Wheeljack did not have a high opinion of the comparatively primitive robot, but once the Decepticons stole and reprogrammed it to serve them, Nightbird made Wheeljack eat crow by outsmarting all the new security systems he had installed in Autobot Headquarters. Enter the Nightbird Later, Wheeljack was among the Autobots fooled by Megatron's clone of Optimus Prime. A Prime Problem
To stop the Decepticons from drilling into the Earth's core and destroying the planet, Wheeljack invented dominator discs that the Autobots planted on the individual Constructicons, placing their combined form of Devastator under Wheeljack's control. The Decepticons were able to disrupt the disks, but this resulted in Devastator running amok, forcing the Decepticons to hand their device over to Wheeljack so he could combine it with his disks to restore Devatator to normal. The Core Soon after, Wheeljack and Ratchet had to work fast to develop an antidote that would negate the destructive energy of the Nova Power Core, which had been consumed by the Insecticons and was threatening to cause them to explode.The Insecticon Syndrome
Having spent some time trying to teach the Dinobots finesse, Wheeljack held a demonstration of his creations' newest abilities for the other Autobots, but unsurprisingly, it all went wrong. Optimus Prime decided that the Dinobots should train elsewhere, and they were sent to the recently-discovered "Dinobot Island". Dinobot Island, Part 1 Unfortunately, the Decepticons followed the Dinobots to the time-lost island and began draining its energy, causing time warps all across the Earth that Wheeljack worked with Chip and Teletraan I to track. Dinobot Island, Part 2
Wheeljack approved of Grapple's Solar Power Tower, but sadly, Optimus Prime didn't. The Master Builders Prime did approve of Wheeljack's own next invention, the Negavator, but so did the Decepticons, who made a few attempts at stealing it that ultimately required it to be destroyed. Auto Berserk Later, when a Heart of Cybertron-empowered Megatron badly injured many of the Autobots, Optimus Prime had Ratchet repair Wheeljack first, so the scientist could build a forcefield to hold Megatron off. Microbots
When the Decepticons framed the Autobots for energy thefts, they covered for their own past villainy by claiming Wheeljack had invented a device that drove them to evil. The deception fooled the people of Earth, and the Autobots were exiled from the planet, Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 but they soon returned to clear their names. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
Instructed by Optimus Prime to dispatch an Autobot team to deal with a Decepticon incursion at an airfield, Wheeljack again had to convince the Dinobots to lend a hand. Soon after, Wheeljack and the other Autobots began to malfunction as a result of cybertonium degradation, necessitating that Spike and Carly travel to Cybertron to get more. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 Wheeljack supplied them with a photon light and a two-way thumb radio and set them on course for his old laboratory. Despite some Decepticon trouble along the way, the two humans eventually succeeded in their mission with the help of the Dinobots, and Wheeljack and the Autobots were restored. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
Wheeljack was among the Autobots who stood by as reports on the search for the stolen Voltronic Galaxer came in, Blaster Blues, then later temporarily received the power of an invulnerable electrum coating The Golden Lagoon. Shortly thereafter, he had to help Sparkplug, Ratchet and Hoist repair and restore a fleet of cars turned into war machines by the Decepticons, Make Tracks but was powerless to do anything when a space bridge accident hurled Optimus Prime and a small group of other Autobots and Decepticons to a world of alien giants. Child's Play Later still, when Powerglide was injured attempting to protect heiress Astoria Carlton-Ritz, Wheeljack and Ratchet recovered and repared him. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
When Wheeljack's lab on Cybertron was raided by the Decepticons, a mysterious piece of old technology he had kept stored there was carried back to Earth by Dirge, who wound up crashing in a movie lot. The Decepticon fought hard to recover footage the movie studio took of Dirge and the device, but it turned out the joke was on them: after the battle was done, Wheeljack revealed that whatever the machine was supposed to be, it had never worked anyway! Hoist Goes Hollywood
Wheeljack was part of the Autobot team that traveled to Cybertron to stop Megatron from using the mega-computer Vector Sigma to bring his new Stunticons to life, but they failed. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 To combat the Stunticons, Wheeljack helped Alpha Trion rebuild some aircraft into the Aerialbots. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2 Only a few weeks later, Wheeljack had to returned to Cyberton to repair the damaged Kronosphere time machine and rescue the Aerialbots when the Decepticons attempted to trap them in the past. War Dawn
Learning that racing driver Auggie Cahnay would be test-driving a car made from a new experimental alloy in the upcoming Europa 2000 race, Optimus Prime sent a contingent of Autobots, including Wheeljack, to participate in the race and protect Augie from any possible Decepticon interference. Wheeljack was thoroughly enjoying himself until the Stunticons joined the race, and he was crushed under Motormaster's wheels in Turkey. Trans-Europe Express
When the Cosmic Rust plague threatened the Autobots, Wheeljack proposed using the matter duplicator to create more of Perceptor's anti-corrosive corrostop. Two problems faced the scientific duo, however: the matter duplicator didn't work, and they were out of corrostop! Working tirelessly (and with a few swift kicks to the machine for good measure), the pair got the matter duplicator functioning, and the Autobots recovered some corrostop from the Statue of Liberty to duplicate and save themselves. Cosmic Rust
During the Stunticons' latest rampage, Wheeljack used Teletraan I to pinpoint the location of the five Decepticons, and the Autobots quickly rounded them up. Examining the components the Stunticons had stolen, Wheeljack speculated that Megatron was making yet another super-weapon. A team of five Autobots disguised themselves as the Stunticons, and delivered a substitute ruby modified by Wheeljack to Megatron, which caused the new laser cannon is was installed within to explode. Masquerade
For his final recorded adventure in the 20th century, Wheeljack helped defend Autobot Headquarters against an attack from the Decepticons' orbit disruptor cannon, using his gyro-inhibitor to prematurely detontate missiles launched by Onslaught. B.O.T.
Over the course of the next twenty years, the Decepticons turned away from Earth and focused on entirely conquering Cybertron. The Autobots were forced off the planet, and constructed Autobot City on Earth to serve as their new home. Wheeljack ultimately met his end defending this city in the year 2005, when the Decepticons launched an overwhelming attack on it. His body was seen lying alongside a missile launcher as Arcee laid Windcharger's equally-lifeless shell alongside him. The Transformers: The Movie
Although his name was not specifically listed among those interred there, Wheeljack's body was presumably laid to rest on the deep-space mausoleum the Autobots created to serve as the final resting place for their fallen. If so, Wheeljack's body would have been lost for good when the mausoleum was destroyed in 2006 as part of a Quintesson plot. Dark Awakening
Japanese cartoon continuity
e-Hobby pack-in comic
During a Decepticon assault on Autobot Headquarters, Wheeljack co-ordinated the Autobot counterattack from inside the base, instructing Brawn to back up Hound. When the other Decepticons were defeated, Brawn and Hound ran to back up Optimus Prime, who was battling Megatron and had just landed a powerful blow on the Decepticon leader. Wheeljack scanned Megatron's damage, and discovered that his interal balancer had gone offline...but he could never have predicted that this would result in Megatron's systems releasing a sudden surge of quantum energy that restored and super-charged him! Decepticon Leader Megatron Black Ver.
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic
When the Decepticons began turning their attention towards Japan in the late 1980s, Wheeljack was part of an Autobot team who traveled to Tokyo to defend it against an attack by the Decepticon jets and the Stunticons. Following the advice of a local boy that they befriended name Kenji, the Autobots were able to take out the Decepticons by using a broken section of freeway as a ramp to gain height and on their enemies; Wheeljack landed a good hit on Skywarp in the process. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #1
In response to the increasing number of Decepticons attacks on Japan, the Autobots set up a secondary headquarters in the country. Wheeljack was among the Autobots later seen staffing the base and welcoming Kenji on his first visit there. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #4
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers story pages
Along with his fellow Autobots who could turn into sport and race cars, Wheeljack participated in a race across the desert. Little did he know, Soundwave was aware of the race and ambushed the Autobots inside a narrow gorge. Wheeljack and the other race car Transformers were unable to retaliate because their vehicle modes could not brave the rough, desert terrain. Luckily for them, Hound arrived in his rugged Jeep mode and smashed Soundwave's chest window. Anime Theater 2: Sic 'em, Hound!
Full Throttle Scramble Power!
Wheeljack was stationed at Scramble City when the Decepticons began terrorizing the world with their Omega Whip. To make matters worse, the Stunticons began a fierce rampage, and Wheeljack was among the Autobots who advised against the Aerialbots battling them alone. Optimus Prime disagreed, and off they went. Soon after, Wheeljack joined in an attack on the Decepticons' headquarters, but was clobbered by a Decepticon jet. Full Throttle Scramble Power!
The Stargate Battles
In the 1990s, continued interaction between the Autobots and the government of the United States led to the development of an interstellar teleportation system known as "the Trigger". Wheeljack joined Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Jazz and Hound in a press conference to announce the Trigger to the world, and even wrote the stirring speech that Prime delivered to the masses. Ignoring Jazz as he tried to keep them quiet during the broadcast, Wheeljack and Ratchet both agreed that the gun-like design of the Trigger reminded them entirely too much of Megatron. First Contact
A few months later, Wheeljack, Bluestreak and Bumblebee observed as Optimus Prime helped human scientist Professor Adle test his new C-X battle drone. Wheeljack offered some technical advice on how to increase the drone's attack speed, but that only meant more trouble when C-X started to run amok thanks to Decepticon interference. Wheeljack and his comrades tried to aid Prime, but he and Bluestreak were flattened by a single kick from the huge drone. Prime proved his might by defeating C-X single-handedly, and Wheeljack helped hold up his battered leader as he limped from the battlefield. Divided Views
Binaltech
When the Dinobots were injured in a Decepticon attack in the year 2005, Wheeljack headed to Earth to arrange the transplantation of Grimlock's mind into a new body created from the "Binaltech" technology that had recently been developed in conjunction between the Autobots and the Earth Defense Command. On his return journey to the Autobots' moonbase, however, his shuttle was hijacked by time-tossed Decepticon Ravage, who had begun a plan to alter the course of history. Wheeljack was shown a brief glimpse of the near future by Ravage, and bore witness to his own death, and those of many of his comrades, in the upcoming Battle of Autobot Ciy. Wheeljack managed to escape, while Ravage himself promptly returned to Cybertron and exhumed the Kronosphere, using it to tip the balance of the decisive battle occurring at that time. Whereas the outcome would have originally favored the Decepticons, leading to their total conquest of Cybertron, Ravage ensured an Autobot victory, altering history and leaving the heroes to face the looming threat of Unicron alone.
Aware that history had been altered, Wheeljack was faced with a dilemma: Should he stop Ravage's plan and restore the timestream, even though it would mean the death of many Autobots, including himself? His salvation, he hoped, lay in the GT System, a device that allowed a singular spark to control many duplicate bodies simultaneously—if history could be set to rights and his "death" were to come to pass, he could still live on in another body using the GT System. Dubbing his original body the "Alpha Unit," he constructed the "Beta Unit" based on Grimlock's Ford Mustang body, as well as the mysterious third "Omega Unit," whose capabilities were kept a closely guarded secret.
The subsequent arrival of Unicron prompted the Autobots to initiate "Operation: Distant Thunder," which saw Skids use the chronal warp on Dinobot Island to send Wheeljack's memory data back in time, in hopes of alerting the Autobots in the past and preventing alteration to the timestream. The plan didn't go as expected, and reality started to go into a severe state of whack, until a mysterious black Optimus Prime appeared and sealed the time portals that had been created. Operation: Distant Thunder had succeeded in preventing the mainline timestream's alteration, but the Binaltech timeline, first destined to be replaced and erased, had been saved by the newcomer and was now its own distinct, divergent universe.
Alternate "BT World" timeline
In this new universe, Wheeljack and the Binaltech warriors began facing new threats as the Binaltech project was declassified, and derivative technlogy began showing up around the globe. The Autobots battled the human criminal organization called the Concurrence and the Binaltech Decepticon named Swindle, who had created a living electrum giant. Soon, Wheeljack helped bring an end to the Binaltech wars by unleashing his Omega Unit. The BT-14 Omega Unit functioned by connecting the laser-core of Wheeljack's spark to the power network of the entire globe, linking him to the living datastream of information running the planet. Through this link, Wheeljack tracked down all the splinter projects misusing Binaltech data, allowing Prowl and Earth Defense Command to seek them out and terminate the research programs.
Victory cartoon
- Voice actor: Shinobu Satouchi (Japanese)
In the year 2025, Wheeljack, Perceptor and Minerva were summoned to Earth by the new Autobot Supreme Commander Star Saber to save the life of the fallen God Ginrai. Despite their best efforts, there was nothing they could do to save Ginrai's body, but it would be possible to transplant all his internal systems into a new body. As he would no longer truly be the same being, Ginrai turned down their offer, but then Wheeljack accidentally blurted out that there was a pre-existing design that they could use, piquing Ginrai's curiosity. The design was a combination power-up created by Star Saber, and Ginrai insisted on being reborn in this new body. Ginrai Dies!! Perceptor, Wheeljack and Minerva brought Ginrai's life functions to an end, and resurrected him in his new body as Victory Leo. As Victory Leo cut his teeth in battle, Wheeljack and Perceptor put their technical skills to use tending to Star Saber's own wounds. Fight!! Victory Leo and then installed a combination circuit in Star Saber's body. Awaken! Victory Leo This circuit allowed him to combine with Victory Leo to form Victory Saber. The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification
Generation 2 story pages
Wheeljack, along with Perceptor and Jetfire, discovered new properties of the Matrix which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as "Battle Convoy" after a crushing defeat by Megatron. G-2 Part 4
eHobby Generation 2 storyline
To combat the Decepticons' increasingly aggressive energy raids, Wheeljack and Ga'mede worked together to examine Optimus Prime's new "blackbody" form, and duplicated it to create twenty-one new battle droids cast in the Autobot leader's image. These Eldedroids were placed under the remote control of Flip Sides and sent out onto the battlefield.
Masterpiece Convoy Black Version
Dreamwave comics continuity
Wheeljack suffers from a mild form of mode attachment, feeling more comfortable in his vehicle mode than robot mode. As a consequence he does his best thinking in vehicle mode, often while attempting something insanely dangerous.[1]
Wheeljack was part of Grimlock's unit, along with Kup and Ironhide, at the time when Sentinel Prime died and Optimus Prime rose to command the Autobots. When the Decepticons placed Iacon under siege, Grimlock took his group to Kaon to look for Optimus Prime, who had gone seeking Megatron. While there, they discovered planetary engine turbines that were providing power to a mechaforming process that was destroying Iacon. Arriving, Prime instructed Wheeljack to shut down the engines in a... creative way (it blowed up real good). Wheeljack grumbled a bit that all his education and mechanical engineering skill had led up to just blowing things up. The group managed to return to Iacon, where Prime halted his order to abandon the planet. The War Within
When Prime and Megatron disappeared during a space bridge explosion, Grimlock broke off from the Autobot army and formed the Lightning Strike Coalition, taking his former squad members with him. While Kup and the Dynobots attacked the Predacons, Wheeljack and Ironhide hijacked some shuttles carrying raw Energon, making Starscream very angry. That's always a plus. War Within: The Dark Ages
Wheeljack was one of the engineers that designed and constructed the Ark, and part of the ship's original crew. In 1986, Ironhide and Ratchet discovered Wheeljack in pieces but functional after an explosion while bug-testing his neutron detonator shell.[2] At an unconfirmed point in time, he was also responsible for temporarily transferring the consciousness of Spike Witwicky into a Cybertronian body, though the full story remains untold. Hardwired
Wheeljack was among the Transformers involved in the Ark II disaster. He survived the explosion of their spacecraft, crashing back to Earth where he and several others lay deactivated and frozen within an iceberg until awakened by Optimus Prime in 2002. Prime Directive #2
Wheeljack participated in the assault on Lazarus's Canadian headquarters. When General Hallo's attempt to bomb the Autobots and the Decepticons out of existence instead caused a violent expansion of Megatron's cyber-virus, Wheeljack and Mirage were the first Autobots to free themselves. Prime Directive #4 While Prime took some of the Autobots after Megatron, Wheeljack diagnosed the nature of the cyber-virus, and created a set of anti-viral blasters that used the Autobots' energy to return the converted matter to normal. The intervention of Canada's military force scuttled that plan when they fired into the virus, expanding it beyond the point the Autobots could contain. Prime Directive #5 In response, Wheeljack converted a nearby satellite dish into a giant anti-viral weapon, channeling all of his remaining energy into it. He succeeded in destroying the virus, but was left in deep stasis lock as a result. Prime Directive #6
Several months later, Ratchet had successfully restored Wheeljack to operating status. He was one of the first Autobots Optimus Prime met back up with after escaping the Keepers' world and Las Vegas. While on patrol of the area, Wheeljack passed Soundwave travelling up the road towards the Autobots' location. He buzzed the Decepticon's position, and was surprised when Soundwave asked for a parlay. He claimed Megatron wanted a favor from Prime. Bemused, Wheeljack reported back to Optimus about the bizarre encounter, only to have his amusement turn to astonishment when Optimus Prime actually responded to Megatron's "summons". The two old enemies forged an alliance against the Keepers, and united their forces for battle in Las Vegas. During the fight, Wheeljack used his solid-fuel rockets to fly with the Decepticons Thundercracker and Laserbeak in the skies, acting as air support for the others. He returned to Prime's side in the final battle, when the Autobot leader used the power of the Matrix to divert the Keepers and the power of a nuclear explosion into another dimension. Annihilation
Later, when Shockwave and Ultra Magnus came to arrest the Autobots as war criminals, Wheeljack was one of the Autobots secretly left behind by Optimus Prime under Jazz's command. Brothers' Burden Like most of the rest of that group of Autobots, Wheeljack was beaten to the point of stasis lock by Bruticus some time later and dumped into a nearby swamp. Night of the Combaticons He was dredged out by an EDC task force and repaired, in time to rejoin the other Autobots when they started construction of Autobot City. Lost and Found
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
When the Ark crashed on Earth millions of years ago, Wheeljack and Bumblebee were sealed off from the other passengers, saving them from Cobra when they found the craft in 2003 and reprogrammed the dormant robots for their own needs. Cobra's break-in activated Teletran-One, who in turn brought back Wheeljack and Bumblebee. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4
Disguising themselves as cars, the two Autobots worked for months to find and rescue the other Autobots from Cobra. After noting several attacks on energy plants, Wheeljack figured that the humans were gathering ingredients for energon, and had an idea on where their next attack would take place. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #2 During Cobra's subsequent assault on the SPS Research Facility, the Autobots intervened directly, with Wheeljack ramming the brainwashed duo of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker (and apologizing). He then confronted Soundwave, but the reprogrammed Decepticon fled as soon as Cobra had stolen what they came for. Having revealed themselves to G.I. Joe during the battle, Wheeljack and Bumblebee offered an alliance with the humans, who in return showed the Autobots an mysterious image of Soundwave they had found. Wheeljack recognized the text in the picture as Cybertronian, and that it contained directions to Cobra Island as well as instructions on how to free the Transformers. It took him only a few seconds to hack into Cobra's computers and undo their primitive human reprogramming. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3
Wheeljack and Bumblebee then boarded a plane to participate in G.I. Joe's attack on Cobra Island, but the humans' higher-ups disagreed, planning to nuke the island and send the two Autobots to Area 51 to be disassembled and studied instead. Duke regretfully incapacitated the robots with a magnetic pulse, but Wheeljack stayed conscious enough to overhear their plans and warn Duke that a nuclear impact on Cobra's energon stockpile would cause a chain reaction and send half the planet into a nuclear winter. With this revelation, Duke broke orders and went with the original strategy, taking Wheeljack and Bumblebee with him to Cobra Island. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4
Upon arriving at the island, Wheeljack witnessed Megatron using the SPS Satellite to create more energon, and was enraged when Devastator killed Hound. After helping take down the giant, Wheeljack patched through a message to all Autobots that the United States had decided to nuke Cobra Island despite having their own troops located there. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5 Wheeljack quickly improvised a plan to avoid a nuclear holocaust; using the SPS Satellite's solar-powered energy beams to shoot down the nuclear warheads before they arrived. After menacing Doctor Mindbender into overriding the satellite controls, Wheeljack helped G.I. Joe fight off a bunch of Cobra troops led by Storm Shadow. The plan was ultimately a success, and with the Decepticons defeated in the process, the Autobots returned to Cybertron aboard a new Ark. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6
Two years later, Wheeljack was zapped by a malfunctioning Teletran 3 and transported into a random point in Earth's timeline. He was never seen again. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1
IDW comics continuity
In the time preceding the war, Wheeljack was a mechanoid as touched by the sacrifice of others as one could expect from this kindly future Autobot. It comes as no surprise then that he was front row at the state funeral of Kaon Security Service officers Fastback and Bumper. Megatron Origin #3
Wheeljack was part of a detachment of Autobots that has operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. In his role as technical scientist and gadgeteer for the Autobot detachment, he built a device that could interface the SM-40 palmtop computer with the systems aboard the Autobots' Ark-19 spacecraft. Infiltration #3 Wheeljack, like his fellow Autobots, would come to watch the showdown between Megatron and the Ore-13-powered Starscream. Infiltration #6
Later, after the incident outside Lebanon, Illinois, he and Jazz were sent to investigate a Springfield police impound lot which supposedly held Sunstreaker's remains. Unfortunately, members of the Machination had already arrived with the same purpose in mind, and attacked the bots wielding advanced weaponry eerily similar to their own. Wheeljack escaped mostly unharmed, probably because Jazz took a direct hit from a mortar meant for him. Escalation #2 Wheeljack would get his first taste of real damage in Brasnya facing down Skywarp and Astrotrain, Escalation #4 and eventually the drained form of Megatron. Escalation #6
Wheeljack was assigned to work with Hot Rod in rescuing Ironhide, but yet again the Machination decided to interfere—this time in a confrontation with their army of experimental Headmaster clones. Devastation #2 Wheeljack's constant tinkering paid off when he was able to escape the Headmasters using a gyro-inhibitor shell. Devastation #3 The Headmasters eventually caught up with them, however, and incapacitated Wheeljack by knocking a pile of junk cars on him. Devastation #5 Hardhead arrived to retrieve Hot Rod and the others, blowing up a Headmaster that was attacking Hot Rod. Hot Rod refused to leave Earth though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took Wheeljack and Ironhide back with him. Devastation #6
A year later, Wheeljack had returned to Earth and joined Optimus Prime's forces. After getting lured into a Decepticon trap and defeated, they were all dumped on the abandoned Cybertron to be finished off by the Insecticon swarm. All Hail Megatron #7 When Wheeljack and Bumblebee were sent to try and find energon, the pair discovered their Earth modes couldn't handle the terrain. Wheeljack came up with an idea for a polymer to solve the problem, but Bumblebee (rather rudely) pointed out he lacked any equipment. A moment later, Wheeljack spotted someone following them. In a desperate but sure-to-work attempt to call in back-up, Wheeljack signaled their base with a pulse that would last only 1/100th of a second. Confident help was on the way, he cautioned Bumblebee against going after the stranger on their own, but the young bot, lacking faith in Wheeljack's rather brilliant idea, ignored him. The scientist was proven right, however, when Ironhide and Cliffjumper arrived! All Hail Megatron #4 It turned out their follower was Hot Rod, who told Wheeljack and the others that he was part of an Autobot team that had recently crash-landed on the planet. All Hail Megatron #5
Wheeljack and Ratchet worked together to repair Optimus Prime, who had been heavily injured by the Decepticons. All Hail Megatron #9 When the Autobots were organizing a defense line against the Insecticon swarm, Wheeljack removed a cannon from the other team's crashed spaceship and modified it to be used as a mounted turret. However, since the cannon wasn't meant to be used like that, he warned Roadbuster that its power relay would probably burn out after only a few shots. All Hail Megatron #10 After hitching a ride back to Earth on Omega Supreme, Wheeljack and the others battled Megatron's forces in New York City. All Hail Megatron #11
Three years after the defeat of the Decepticons, Wheeljack and the other Autobots remained on Earth, just in case the Decepticons returned. Skywatch had figured out a way to lock Transformers in vehicle mode stasis for capture, but Wheeljack devised a way to counter the inhibitors. ...For All Mankind
Commercial appearances
Wheeljack was among the Autobots gathered around Optimus Prime when Prime decided it would be a good idea to not transform anymore. Action Master commercial
Toys
Generation 1
- Wheeljack (1984, 1991)
- Japanese ID number: C-03
Do your arms hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? - Accessories: 2 shoulder cannons, 4 rockets, 2 wings
- Japanese ID number: C-03
- The original Wheeljack toy, released as part of the 1984 series of Autobots, was based on a Diaclone Lancia Stratos Turbo. He comes with two rocket launchers that can fire four projectiles and two clear wings. In robot mode, the rocket launchers and the wings mount onto his shoulder and back respectively. For some reason, Wheeljack's lower arms/hands cannot lock into his upper arms, leaving them hanging at an angle.
- In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction fliers packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $8 and two Robot Points.
- Unfortunately for many collectors, Wheeljack's mold has been damaged or destroyed, meaning his chances of future reissue looks bleak. The closest version of the figure to currency is the European Classics reissue.
- A retooled and redecoed version of the Diaclone toy was the basis for the obscure Decepticon "Marlboor Wheeljack".
- Wheeljack (Action Master, 1990)
- Accessories: 2 missiles
- Action Master Wheeljack is a non-transforming action figure sculpted based upon his cartoon appearances. He comes with the Turbo Racer, a large red sports car based upon the Ferrari Testarossa that can seat two Action Master figures. The Turbo Racer has an 'attack mode' where it transforms into something vaguely resembling an aircraft made from car parts.
- The Wheeljack figure was later repainted into Slicer.
Universe (2003)
- Wheeljack (Spychanger, 2004)
- Accessories: Gun
- This version of Wheeljack is a redeco of Spy Changer Daytonus, transforming into a Le Mans racing car. He is cast in white plastic with mostly black paint. The toy has several stickers to represent Wheeljack's earlier Lancia Stratos colours, including his racing number 539. He comes with a small black rifle that can be stored between his legs in vehicle mode.
Alternators
- Wheeljack (2005)
- Alternator ID number: 13
- Japanese ID number: BT-14
- Accessories: Engine/gun, energo sword[citation needed]
- Alternators Wheeljack is a retool of Alternators Grimlock. He transforms into a 2005 (S197 chassis) model Ford Mustang GT, painted white with blue stripes. In vehicle mode, he features highly realistic styling, opening doors, hood and trunk, as well as a detailed car interior. In robot mode his removable engine becomes a double-barreled laser.
- The Japanese Binaltech release of the figure has a slightly retooled head (see image inset), different paint applications, and is partially constructed of die-cast metal.
Merchandise
Decoy
- Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)
- This small red rubber figurine of Wheeljack was released in Japan as part of a large multi-pack of similar figures, which were used as playing pieces for Transformers board games. The figure features a number etched into its back which is the sum total of Wheeljack's Tech Spec ratings, which served some function in the gameplay the figures were used for.what?no paint?
- Wheeljack (1987)
- Decoy number: 22
- The Wheeljack figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number (22, in Wheeljack's case). Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots and Technobots.
Super Collection Figure
- Wheeljack (2002)
- A three-inch tall PVC figurine of Wheeljack was available in the seventh Victory-centric wave of Takara's Super Collection Figure line. 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 Wheeljack came packaged with right "boot" piece needed to transform the wave's Star Saber figure into Victory Saber.
Heroes of Cybertron
- Wheeljack (2003)
- Wheeljack'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, Wheeljack 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. Unlike the Japanese version, he was sold separate on a blister card and came packaged with the right arm of the Fortress Maximus "build-a-figure".
Hard Hero
- Wheeljack (Hard Hero, 2003)
- Hard Hero released a polystone bust of Wheeljack, based upon his appearance in the Generation 1 television series. The tenth bust in their main Transformers series, Wheeljack is some six inches tall and was limited to 2500 normal copies and an additional 100 exclusively signed by the sculptor.
Palisades
- Wheeljack (Palisades, 2004)
- Palisades released a 6-inch polystone statue of Wheeljack, based upon Pat Lee's rendition of him in the Dreamwave comics.
Trivia
- Wheeljack has the distinction of being the first Transformer to appear in the original Generation 1 cartoon.
- The retool of Alternators Grimlock was originally planned to be Windcharger (presumably in red), but ultimately ended up as Wheeljack instead, with a new head sculpt. Meanwhile, the head sculpt originally intended for Ford-Windcharger ended up being used for the retool of Windcharger (the Honda S2000 mold) instead, now named "Decepticharge".
- Wheeljack was given an homage in the form of Energon Downshift. Downshift has Wheeljack's colors, face, and even feet modeled after the Lancia grill.
- According to the Japanese Transformers: Call of the Future, Wheeljack is significantly older than Jazz, old enough to tell him to "respect your elders".
References
- ↑ Transformers: The Ultimate Guide
- ↑ Dreamwave's More Than Meets The Eye profile for Wheeljack
External links
- Pages with image sizes containing extra px
- Character stubs missing fiction
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles needing citations
- Action Masters
- Alternators
- Autobots
- Engineers
- Generation 1 characters
- Generation 2 characters
- Headmasters characters
- Mail order items
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- Universe characters
- Victory characters
- Spy Changers
