Ironhide (G1)
| The name or term "Ironhide" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ironhide (disambiguation). |
- Ironhide is an Autobot and a Maximal from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Ironhide is one of the oldest and toughest Autobots, and has been on Optimus Prime's team for a long time. "They don't make them like they used to" is an apt description of Ironhide—he's yesterday's model, but he's built to last.
Gruff and ornery, he prefers actions to words, and dislikes talk for talk's sake. (He wouldn't enjoy being paired up with Bluestreak.) But though he may be rough around the edges, he's still optimistic and upbeat. The upside to being through more than your share of trouble means trouble ain't so big a scare anymore.
Ironhide's most distinctive ability is the water gun, a weapon which can generate and shoot a liquid of virtually any type. Liquid nitrogen is historically a favorite, but there have been acids, mortar, and more.
His vehicle mode sometimes splits into his robot and a separate component.
- French-Canadian name: Rhino
- Hungarian name: Acélfej ("Steel-head")
- Hungarian name (Movie): Vaskezű ("Ironhand")
- Italian name: Falco ("Hawk")
- Portuguese name (Brazil comics): Couraça ("Armor")
- Portuguese name (Portugal comics): Arma-de-Ferro ("Iron Weapon")
- Chinese name (Taiwan): Tzáng Tǐeh (藏鐵, "Iron hiding")
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Generation 1
Four million years ago, when the war was still young, Optimus Prime fought an uphill battle against the Decepticons. Ironhide was beside him when Optimus Prime, despite being wounded, refused to raise the white flag, and due to their courage, the tide of the war was turned. Surrender!
Ironhide was chosen to join the Ark mission to save Cybertron from an asteroid belt—a mission that saw him stranded on Earth for four million years. Upon reactivation in 1984, Ironhide immediately began bickering with Huffer. The Transformers
This rivalry continued when it was discovered that the human Sparkplug Witwicky had created useable fuel for the Decepticons during his kidnapping. Huffer demanded Sparkplug pay for his treason, while Ironhide suggested sympathy. However, this argument only provided a distraction for Sparkplug and his son, Buster Witwicky to escape; this attempt was aborted when Sparkplug suffered a heart attack. Soon, the Decepticons, fully refueled, came for the Ark, and Ironhide was one of just five Autobots selected to fight the invasion, using pooled fuel from his comrades. Their near-victory was robbed from them when Shockwave arrived, surprising everyone, and blasted the surviving Autobots into spare parts. The Last Stand
Ironhide was next seen being hung from the ceiling of the Ark, prepared by Shockwave to be used as spare parts for the next generation of Decepticons. The New Order Ratchet, the only surviving Autobot, returned to the Ark in secret to see this for himself; indeed, Ironhide and the others still hung deactivated. Warrior School! Ratchet managed to re-secure the Ark, and Ironhide was subsequently rebuilt. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Ironhide would be one of the first Autobots to battle the Constructicons when his team attempted to destroy a transmission from Soundwave to his Decepticon comrades back on Cybertron. The Next Best Thing to Being There! Ironhide also suffered damage at the hands of a Decepticon-controlled Optimus Prime body shortly before their fallen leader was restored to them. Prime Time!
Once repaired, he worked alongside Jetfire in the Dinobot Hunt, initially distrusting and clashing with him because of his Decepticon origins. He learnt to trust him during the mission. Dinobot Hunt! He at one point broke protocol to single-handedly break a terrorist siege, only to become frustrated when the police almost ruined it. Perchance to Dream Later on, he would be dispatched as a bodyguard for Buster Witwicky to prevent any reprisal attacks from the Decepticons—he had a more successful rematch against the Constructicons, and was also happily introduced to the wonders of demolition derbies. Devastation Derby!
When the time-travelling Galvatron arrived in 1986 and Optimus Prime, Ratchet, and Prowl were both lost in Limbo, Ironhide was one of the Autobots who battled the Decepticon. It went so poorly that the beaten and humiliated Ironhide was desperate enough to salvage the similarly-defeated Megatron and Soundwave to temporarily take command of the Autobots. Target: 2006
Ironhide would go on to fight against Ratbat's forces on the moon shortly before the crews of the Ark and the Steelhaven joined under one banner. Totaled! He was also briefly seen fighting alongside the Transformers of two eras against Galvatron during the Time Wars. Time Wars
Although not explicitly named as being among those who were taken offline by the Underbase-powered Starscream, Ironhide probably fell victim to this fate since, when he was next heard from, he was offline in a stasis aboard the Ark. In 1990, Grimlock revived him and all the other invalid Autobots with Nucleon in time to participate in the climactic battle with Unicron on Cybertron. On the Edge of Extinction! Shortly after the planet-eater's destruction, Ironhide was seen loading supplies onto one of the ships the Autobots were about to use to depart Cybertron. A Savage Circle
Earthforce
While in stasis aboard the Ark, Ironhide was hacked into by an alternate Galvatron, who was looking for potential soldiers with dark sides he could corrupt. As a result, Ironhide was reactivated and helped stop Galvatron. Perchance to Dream He went on to be a founding member of Earthforce, fighting against Megatron & Shockwave's rival Decepticon armies. Break-Away!
In his first mission, alongside Bumblebee, he used his knowledge of Decepticon automated defense rings & riddles to get into a Decepticon facility and end their attempts at creating a new Devastator. Desert Island Risks! Later, he was present at the Decepticon Enclave, and came up with a devious plan to stop Megatron & Shockwave from uniting their two factions. Knocking out Headstrong and using him as a patsy, Ironhide and the other Autobots faked a sniper attack on Megatron, prompting the Decepticons to shoot back at the rock cropping where they were hiding. The Autobots then dropped Headstrong off the ledge as if he'd been hit, framing him and Shockwave's army for trying to assassinate Megatron. The Enclave quickly turned into a ruckus. A brawl. A mixmas—no, wait. That one doesn't work. The Bad Guy's Ball!
Ironhide also joined Earthforce and the Survivors in taking down the Mayhem Attack Squad. Where Wolf? While fighting to protect Starscream from Decepticon assassins, in order to get a systems boost for Snarl's fading health, Ironhide had to fight against Megatron. He took several hits from the fusion cannon, going down and leaving the fight to the Dinobots. The Lesser Evil Perhaps looking to sharpen his skills, Ironhide was next seen working out with Jazz in the Combat Room against a robot drone. Front Line!
Another Time and Place
Ironhide was part of a commando unit sent to Hydrus Four after the Dinobots. He and a small group of Autobots surprised Fangry and tore him limb from limb. Another Time and Place
Generation 2
When Optimus Prime and Grimlock discovered the threat of the Cybertronian Empire, they called in Autobots scattered across the galaxy, including Ironhide. And, when Grimlock chose to disobey Prime's directives and make a tactical first strike against Jhiaxus's ships, Ironhide went with him. They were quickly found out and captured, though, leaving it to Optimus to bail them out of trouble. Devices and Desires!
Later, when Prime had the brilliant idea that Megatron would be willing to "just talk" after laying waste to much of the planet Earth, Ironhide joined the rescue party Grimlock threw together to bail him out. The Gathering Darkness He was also involved in the defense of Ethos. Ironhide took several shots to the chest while protecting that world, and was apparently killed. Escalation!
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Peter Cullen (English), Show Hayami (Japanese), Pierluigi Astore (Italian, second dub)
Ironhide was part of the bridge crew of the Autobots' spacecraft when it embarked on its fateful voyage to seek out new sources of energy beyond Cybertron four million years ago. When the ship was caught in a meteor shower, Ironhide was flung into a console and began leaking lubricants from his a wound in his shoulder, but he quickly recovered and leaped to man the craft's laser gun, blasting a path through the asteroids. No sooner had the Autobots made it to safety, however, than their ship was attacked and boarded Decepticons in mid-flight. Ironhide struck a dirty blow against Soundwave, sneaking up behind the Decepticon communications officer while he was fighting a trio of other Autobots and downing him with a flying kick to his back. As the battle raged, the ship was caught in the gravity of the nearby prehistoric Earth and crashed, knocking all the Transformers aboard offline.
In 1984, a volcanic eruption awakened the dormant Transformers, and Ironhide was reformatted by Teletraan I with the alternate mode of a terrestrial Nissan van. In addition to his role in maintaining the security of the Autobot headquarters on Earth, Ironhide would embark on numerous missions to stop the Decepticons on their energy-raiding strikes around the planet, starting with a battle on an offshore oil rig during which he and Starscream duelled with metal pipes. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
Soon after, when the Decepticons churned the currents of the river blocked by Sherman Dam to raise its energy output, Ironhide quelled the resultant tidal wave with the help of Bumblebee, using his built-in laser cannon in van mode to cut a new series of tributaries for the raging river to flow into. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
Later, when the Decepticons escaped being buried in the Burma ruby mines, a furious Ironhide took to the air in pursuit. Prime fruitlessly tried to call him back, and Bluestreak took off after Ol' Red to talk him out of any rash action. Still, Ironhide did manage to score a rocket strike against Skywarp, but that only earned him a similar strike in return, thanks to the Decepticon's teleporting ability. Ironhide crash-landed into a lake, where he suffered back-end damage to his linkages. The immobilized Ironhide was fished out of the lake by Bluestreak and Jazz, and he recovered under the ministrations of Doc Ratchet. He was hale and hearty enough to take part in the final strike on the Decepticon space cruiser. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
After the Decepticons resurfaced, Ironhide joined a team of Autobots to confront them at the solar power station. During the battle, he took a heavy hit shielding Optimus Prime from a blast from Megatron's gun mode, but pulled through the damage he took to his terminal just fine. He then took part in a rescue mission for Spike, who was caught snooping around the new space bridge. When Soundwave started popping out cassettes left and right, Ironhide did the rare but logical thing and grabbed the Decepticon's arm to keep him from pushing his eject button. While those two were struggling, however, Megatron took aim to finish the job he started earlier at the power station. Prime returned the favor, though, knocking his bodyguard buddy out of the line of fire.Transport to Oblivion During the battle for the antimatter formula, Ironhide was caught in the blast of one of the explosive cubes but, as always, Ratchet managed to piece him back together. Roll for It
While Optimus Prime was out scouting for the Decepticon space bridge, the Autobots received reports of a Decepticon attack at the power plant. Ironhide led a squad to rendezvous with Prime at the plant, but they arrived too late -- Optimus had already suffered serious damage while trying to battle four Decepticons and keep the humans safe at the same time. After Ratchet and Wheeljack determined Prime needed a new cosmotron from Cybertron to survive, Ironhide led the team to recover the missing part. With Chip Chase in tow, he, Bluestreak, Trailbreaker, and Bumblebee hijacked the Decepticon space bridge and made their way to Cybertron. Ironhide even got to put the quick freeze on Starscream with his liquid nitrogen spray. Once they got to Cybertron, Ironhide again used liquid nitrogen to blast their way out of Shockwave's lair, only this time he...grabbed a spray nozzle off the wall? Apparently he didn't have enough freezy stuff for two blasts. Braving acid rain, Ironhide's team recovered the cosmotron and returned to Earth in time to save Prime's life. Divide and Conquer
Next, Ironhide joined the Autobots on a trip to the Arctic Circle, to prevent the Decepticons from draining the heat energy out of Earth's core. Ironhide and some buddies got separated from the others, and met up with the Decepticons first. They were taken off-guard by Thundercracker and Skywarp, and would have been executed by Starscream without Hound's holograms. The new Decepticon Skyfire was blasted while trying to stop their execution, and so Ironhide brought him back to Ratchet for repairs. Fire in the Sky When Autobot Headquarters started tremoring again, Ironhide suspecting it to be the work of Rumble until his sonadar sensors located a hidden cavern inside the volcano itself. The dinosaur bones discovered in the cave inspired the creation of the Dinobots, who saved Ironhide and the other Autobots when they were beaten by the Decepticons in a battle at the Great Falls. S.O.S. Dinobots
During an assault on the Incan temple, Ironhide was shot by the Crystal of Power energy weapon during his first charge up the temple steps. After the second charge, he made it to the top, tackled Megatron, and pounded him in the face. Megatron overpowered Ironhide and threw him off the temple, right into the waiting arms of Optimus Prime. Fire on the Mountain
As a dangerous meteorite hit Earth, Ironhide once again demonstrated his selflessness when he saved Chip and Spike from a rain of meteorite debris. Later, Ironhide helped in the construction of two new Dinobots, Snarl and Swoop, and then tried to fight them during the first test of their abilities. His attempt to overpower Snarl by hanging on to his tail was not successful. Outsmarted by a dino-dodo...how embarassing. War of the Dinobots
When Rumble infiltrated Autobot Headquarters to cause some tremors, Ironhide showed off another of his many sensors by plugging a seismograph into the ground to pinpoint the junk-punk's location. Later, he joined the Autobots as they attempted to stop a massive space bridge from bringing Cybertron into Earth's orbit, but failed. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1 Ironhide comforted Optimus Prime after the battle, telling him he did all he could do. When the Autobots' volcano erupted due to Cybertron’s proximity to earth, they had to evacuate their base, but once they had done so, Ironhide turned right around and drove back inside looking for the volcano's off-switch. He plugged the eruption by causing an avalanche in the core with his laser rifle. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2 Ironhide later surfed into battle against the Decepticons, but the resulting tidal wave allowed Megatron to escape before the fight even started. A small contingent of Autobots eventually tracked the Decepticon energon shuttle to a tropical coast, and engaged them in battle. The fully charged Decepticons soon began to overpower the Autobots, however, driving them back to the safety of some convenient trenches. Ironhide and Prowl both advocated regrouping and reinforcements to Prime, but luckily Skyfire soon arrived with a team of Autobots from Cybertron to even the odds. Cybertron was pushed out of Earth's orbit, and the planet was saved. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3 Hunting down the Decepticons after the destruction, Ironhide and the Autobots were led into the Valley of No Return, and were caught in quicksand. Ironhide used his liquid nitrogen spray to freeze the sand solid, stopping the sinking and letting the Autobots climb out to safety. Countdown to Extinction
After hearing about giant robot insects running amok in Bali, Ironhide and the Autobots drove down to investigate. This led to a battle with the Decepticons and Insecticons at an oil refinery. Once Thundercracker set fire to some of the oil, Ironhide used his fire retardant spray to keep the whole place from going up in flames. A Plague of Insecticons Soon after, Ironhide's security signals alerted him to Megatron's imminent arrival at the Ark. Surprisingly, the Decepticon leader was there to talk, not to fight. He suggested a trial by combat between himself and Optimus Prime for control of the Earth, and Prime agreed. Unbeknownst to the Autobots, Megatron rigged the deck in his favor by hording the power chip rectifiers of his fellow Decepticons. Prime inevitably fell before the combined might of the entire Decepticon army. Ironhide was ready to strike back at the Decepticons anyway, regardless of their agreement, but Optimus decreed that personal honor and Cybertron law mandated that they respect the agreement. Smashin' Decepti-creeps is hardwired into his programming, though, and Ironhide again attempted to violate the law when he saw the Dinobots engaged in battle with Devastator. No 'Bot was happier than Ironhide when Teletraan I uncovered Megatron's cheating ways, giving the Autobots a reason to ignore the agreement with him, and strike back. Heavy Metal War
When Autobot X went berserk, Ironhide vowed to teach the pile of parts some manners. With the help of Prowl and Trailbreaker, Ironhide put the mismatched robot down by force using his "water gun". Later, during battle at the Air Force rocket base, Spike was targeted by Megatron and injured by a fusion cannon blast. Ironhide pulled Spike from Bumblebee’s damaged form and put him inside Ratchet for transport to the hospital. Autobot Spike
As the Autobots rushed to answer a distress call, Gears was squawking about his squeaking. Ironhide stopped for a moment to remind Gears of his personal credo, "Action first, maintenance later." Later on, in Africa and out of options, Optimus volunteered himself to penetrate the force field around Megatron's solar needle. Ironhide volunteered to go in Prime’s place, declaring himself to be more expendable than the Autobot leader. He later called Megatron a "monster" for changing Gears’ personality from a cranky hypochondriac into a happy-go-lucky pushover. Apparently, Ironhide knows the value of a good grumbling. Changing Gears
When the Decepticons hit New York, Ironhide was part of the team that found Optimus Prime’s missing arm and weapon on top of the rebuilt Empire State Building. Ironhide used a grappling hook inside his arm so he, Prime, and Ratchet could scale the outside of the building. Devastator swatted Ironhide and Ratchet into the building interior, and the duo used the opportunity to shoot out the floor under Megatron and Soundwave. When Optimus and Devastator fell and were plummeting to the ground, Ironhide saved Prime from hitting the pavement. City of Steel Ironhide also aided the Autobots in the search for the missing electro-cells. Traitor
One day, Wheeljack planned a demonstration for his latest gadget, the immobilizer, with Hound's holographic copy of Laserbeak as the guinea pig. Unfortunately, Ironhide showed up late to the demo, saw Laserbeak, and immediately started blasting away at the "intruder". He very nearly buried Wheeljack alive in debris, and took a serious blow to his confidence as a result. Ironhide was assigned guard duty while the rest of the Autobots tested the immobilizer a safe distance away from the Ark. Distracted by a visit from Carly, Ironhide soon learned that the Decepticons had ambushed Optimus Prime and the Autobots while his guard was down. He tried to intervene but, despite his best efforts, the Decepticons stole the immobilizer right out of Ironhide's grasp. Blaming himself, Ironhide resigned from active duty, a resignation Prime accepted with some trepidation. While still "retired" Ironhide swam down to Decepticon headquarters to rescue the captured Carly, was immobilized, then re-mobilized, recovered the immobilizer from Megatron, helped save the Autobots, then destroyed the device. His request to be put on active duty again was wholeheartedly received by his friends. Ironhide, together with Sparkplug, proudly watched as Spike went on a date with Carly. The Immobilizer
Spike and Chip suggested the Autobots participate in a race for charity, and Ironhide voiced his approval of the idea. He and Trailbreaker got to compete to see which of them was bigger and slower. During the race, he and the other Autobots were subjected to Megatron’s Transfixatron and were trapped in vehicle mode. Taken prisoner by Megatron, Ironhide was the first to be subjected to a crushing machine built by the Constructicons, but he was saved when Optimus Prime rammed it. After the Transfixatron effect was reversed, Ironhide and Trailbreaker pounded the device into pieces. The Autobot Run Ironhide was part of the Autobot strike unit dispatched to Washington, D.C. when it came under attack by the Decepticons and Sub-Atlanticans. He kept clear of the main battle on the Great Lawn, but later helped repair the damage done to the city. He and Ratchet reattached the statute of Lincoln to the memorial, after Megatron had removed it to use the throne. Atlantis, Arise!
Next, the Autobots responded to an SOS when the super-computer called TORQ III ran amok. Unfortunately, they discovered Torq was capable of controlling other simple machines in the area, and so Ironhide and the others found themselves facing a horde of angry droids. Ironhide apparently didn't think much of the threat -- he calmly walked up to a droid firing a highly pressurized spray at his chest and stuck his finger in the hose. The pent up pressure blew out the back of the machine, destroying it completely. Day of the Machines Ironhide was on the scene for the unveiling of Nightbird, Doctor Fujiyama's new ninja robot, when the Decepticons attacked. He was trying to shoot down Laserbeak when a stray blast dropped some girders on his backside. His injuries left him inactive during the search for Nightbird. Enter the Nightbird
Ironhide's experience and wisdom often came in handy. After Optimus Prime mistakenly called him "Bumblebee", and a second Optimus Prime showed up on the Autobots' doorstep, it was Ironhide who thought twice about his orders to obliterate the new Prime on sight. When the Autobots' tests proved inconclusive, Ironhide also assumed full command of the team, overruling BOTH Primes until they could prove their veracity. A Prime Problem
Faced with the threat of a Decepticon deep-drilling scheme and its nigh-unbeatable sentry, Devastator, the Autobots orchestrated a plan to take control of the mighty gestalt by placing dominator discs on each of his Constructicon components. Ironhide helped arrange a diversion at the Decepticons' temporary drilling base in order to draw the Constructicons out. He used a liquid nitrogen spray to freeze the waterfall the Constructicons were using as a natural coolant for their drill. The Core Ironhide accompanied Prime and the other Autobots to the Nova Power Plant, where they attempted to stop the Insecticons from lunching on the nova power. They failed. A high-voltage blast from the hyper-charged Shrapnel nearly overloaded Ironhide's circuits. Inferno sprayed the still-sparking Ironhide with insulating foam and loaded him into the back of Prime's trailer. He was brought back to Ratchet at Autobot Headquarters for repairs. Ironhide recovered enough to join the Autobots in the final battle with the augmented Insecticons at Iron Mountain. The Insecticon Syndrome
Ironhide was normally good-natured, but even he couldn't stand Blaster's taste in music. It almost made him lose his temper with the Dinobots during their "training". Lucky for him, Prime kept Ironhide from leaping headfirst into a fray he couldn't get himself out of. Dinobot Island, Part 1 When a chronal disturbance opened up near the library, Ironhide joined the Autobots in investigating. They found a horde of woolly mammoths and barbarians parading down Main Street. Ironhide corralled some of the barbarians with an adhesive spray, then helped send all the mammoths back into the time warp before it closed. He also joined the Autobots in driving the Deceptions off of Dinobot Island, ending the source of the time warps. Dinobot Island, Part 2
Ironhide battled Devastator once again after the Constructicons tricked Grapple and Hoist into helping them build a Solar Power Tower. The Master Builders Next, Ironhide worked with Red Alert and Wheeljack on the Negavator project, designing a new super-weapon for use against the Decepticons. The project bunker soon came under attack by Soundwave and his entire Cassette army. Although they failed to grab the Negavator, Optimus decided the weapon needed to be moved. This gave the Decepticons another shot at the Negavator, though, and Ironhide was buried with Prime under an avalanche triggered by Rumble's pile drivers. They had to be dug out by Grapple and Hoist. When it became clear their security expert, Red Alert, was malfunctioning, the Autobots tried to confront him, but he ran away into the nearest city. Ironhide inadvertently assaulted a real fire chief's car while looking for his buddy. Auto Berserk
Being the old fogey that he is, Ironhide burned out one of his memory chips and suffered some mild amnesia. He relied on Perceptor to repair the broken chip and get the ol' noggin processing again. He soon joined the Autobots in South America to fight Megatron for the Heart of Cybertron. Microbots
Ironhide could be a hothead at times. Duped by Megatron’s hoax, Shawn Berger brought his private army to arrest the Autobots. Ironhide was ready to trash tanks, but Optimus Prime stopped him and surrendered to the humans—a move with which Ironhide did not agree. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 Later, when humans banned the Autobots from Earth for crimes they didn't commit, the Autobots ended up on a spaceship heading to parts unknown. Ironhide blamed Optimus Prime for their predicament and almost led a mutiny. Prime changed his mind shortly thereafter, so the question of whether Ironhide would have actually tried to overthrow Optimus was rendered academic. They returned to Earth to disrupt the illusion of Megatron's little scheme and, as Ironhide put it, "show 'em a little reality." Several hundred laser-charged rounds of reality later, the Decepticons staggered away in defeat, and the Autobots' reputations were restored. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
Evidently, Ironhide doesn’t pay close attention to his passengers, since both Soundwave and Ravage once hid inside him. Maybe he was taking a nap. He only realized the subterfuge when Blaster and Ravage started fighting in his back end. Later, Ironhide gave Jazz a literal kick start when cybertonium depletion kept Jazz from transforming. The effects of the depletion affected Ironhide himself during the next fight as he tried to shoot liquid nitrogen at the Decepticons. When his hand wouldn’t retract, Ironhide froze himself solid. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 The lack of cybertonium left the Autobots virtually lifeless, but Ironhide and his friends were eventually revived when Spike, Carly and the Dinobots brought back a full stock of cybertonium from Cybertron. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
Ironhide got another dose of Blaster's music being piped through by Teletraan 1. The serenade was worse than the first, and the Autobots nearly missed a distress call because of it. Blaster Blues He was among the Autobots temporarily rendered invulnerable by electrum, and fought the Decepticons for control of the golden lagoon. The Golden Lagoon He also helped stop Megatron from taking over New York City with an army of robot car drones. Make Tracks Ironhide went with Prime and a group of Autobots to the baseball stadium where the Decepticons were interrupting the game with their new space bridge. He got a grand slam with a stadium lighting pole against Thrust. When Prime and several other Autobots were launched into space by the malfunctioning bridge, Ironhide took command of the Autobots until Optimus managed to find his way back. Child's Play
When the Morphobots took root on Earth, Ironhide and the team attempted to free their comrade Cosmos from behind the plants' indestructible vines. Ironhide tried a variety of liquid sprays on the Morphobots -- the plants briefly crusted over, but cracked free from the chemical resin a moment later. After the Autobots discovered the plants were repelled by Blaster's music, he and Ironhide worked together to clear a path to Cosmos. Once the plants pushed back from Blaster, Ironhide used liquid nitrogen to hold them frozen in place long enough to free their friend. Quest for Survival
Ironhide led Tracks and Beachcomber in protecting San Francisco when it was being attacked by a giant alien creature. Although severely outmatched, they held out long enough for Omega Supreme to arrive and lead the alien back out into space. The Secret of Omega Supreme When the Decepticons began squabbling amongst themselves for leadership, Ironhide was ready to jump right into the thick of things. Optimus restrained him, however; instead Prime pitted Megatron against the also-rans, leading to a disasterous fight that left all the Decepticons spent. Even Ironhide had to admit it was fun watching the Decepticons beat themselves up for a change. Triple Takeover After Lord Chumley began swiping Autobots off the street, Ironhide was present when the big game hunter declared his terms to Optimus Prime over Teletraan I. Prime Target
Ironhide led Inferno and Powerglide to Cybertron to follow and find Optimus Prime after he left, without telling anyone, to rescue Elita One. When his team arrived via the space bridge, Starscream announced that he had killed Prime by melting him down in a vat of acid. Ironhide angrily ordered the Autobots to attack and avenge their fallen leader. During the battle, they met up with Elita One's squad, which gave Ironhide a chance to reunite with his old gal Chromia. The Search for Alpha Trion He was briefly seen at Sparkplug's garage after Powerglide's adventure with Astoria Carlton-Ritz. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
When Megatron took his new Stunticon group to Cybertron in the hopes of giving them life, Ironhide was among the Autobots who went after them in Omega Supreme. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1 When they failed to stop Megatron, the Autobots instead decided to counter him, creating a team of Autobot Jets known as the Aerialbots through the power of Vector Sigma. Unfortunately, the Aerialbots were, well...jerks. Slingshot in particular rubbed Ironhide the wrong way, after the Aerialbots "saved" the Autobots by intervening during their first battle with the Stunticons. The Aerialbots eventually learned their lesson, and Ironhide made peace with Slingshot. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2 Then they were jerks again. Once again, Ironhide was at odds with the little twerps, as they sat in awe of the Decepticons for their ace flying abilities. The Aerialbots learned their lesson (again), and Ironhide made peace with the punks...again. It seemed to stick this time. War Dawn
Ironhide was grumbling about the Stunticons during an appointment with Ratchet when those psychos turned up for real on Teletraan I's sensors. After the Autobots captured the Stunticons in the field, Prime had an idea to disguise themselves as the Stunticons using camouflage paint in order to infiltrate the Decepticons. Ironhide and several others stayed behind to keep an eye on the prisoners, but Breakdown soon shattered the bars and freed his fellow Stunticons, who then sent the Autobots packing as Menasor. Ironhide and the Autobots chased after Menasor to warn Prime that the jig was up, and they ended up arriving at the battle just in time to drive off the Decepticons. Masquerade Ironhide was also seen applying Corrostop to the Statue of Liberty, and later helped rescue Perceptor from Fox Creek Canyon. Cosmic Rust
When Jazz and Cliffjumper were kidnapped by Starscream's Combaticons, Ironhide traveled to the Amalgamated Water & Power Plant with the other Autobots to rescue them. Wisely, the Autobots completely avoided the war between the Decepticons and Combaticons taking place immediately to their left -- they just grabbed their pals and split. Starscream's Brigade After the Autobots received a curious SOS from Benjamin Franklin Pierce High School, Ironhide, Gears and Bumblebee responded. They discovered a science project gone awry -- a homemade robot brought to life using the personality component of the Combaticon named Brawl. The Autobots seriously underestimated their opponent, and Ironhide ended up sunk in the floor thanks to his own corrosive spray. B.O.T.
In the year 2005, Ironhide was stationed on Moonbase One as part of the Autobots' ongoing mission to retake Cybertron. Unfortunately for the action-oriented Ironhide, Optimus Prime felt the Autobots needed more time to gather forces and supplies before attempting to retake their home planet. He sent Ironhide on a shuttle along with a group of other Autobots headed for Earth, bringing energon to Autobot City. When the shuttle was attacked by a Decepticon strike force en route, Ironhide bravely fought back against the hijackers, but was not powerful enough to drive off the numerous foes. He was shot several times before going down, but was still determined to defeat the enemy by whatever means possible. Lacking the power to stand on his own, Ironhide crawled to Megatron's feet in a vain attempt to continue fighting. He was mercilessly executed by Megatron's fusion cannon at point blank range, for indulging in "heroic nonsense". The Transformers: The Movie
Ironhide's grave was later mentioned aboard the interstellar Autobot Mausoleum amongst those of the other Autobots who died during the attack on Autobot City. Along with the mausoleum itself, Ironhide's remains were later plunged into a red sun as a side-effect of a Quintesson plot. Dark Awakening
Japanese cartoon continuity
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers comic
While the Autobots were busy defending Autobot headquarters from a Decepticon attack in Arizona, they realized that Soundwave was not present and likely loose in Japan. Ironhide was dispatched to track down the villain, though the lone Bumblebee found him first. Bumblebee defeated Soundwave with his mighty "Bumble Kick" just as Ironhide and Cliffjumper arrived to back him up. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2
Scramble City cartoon
Full Throttle Scramble Power!
The Stargate Battles
First Contact The Stargate Battles
The Headmasters cartoon
In 2011, a robot resembling Ironhide was seen amongst the crowds of Autobots going about their daily business in Autobot City. Given that Ironhide was dead by that point, though, it prrrrooobably wasn't him. Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)
Dreamwave comics continuity
Ironhide and Kup go way back, having served together with Wheeljack under Grimlock as a commando unit as far back as Sentinel Prime's service. The War Within They even broke off from the main Autobot faction during Prime's absence in the Dark Ages, choosing to serve Grimlock and his Lightning Strike Coalition rather than work under Prowl.
Nobody likes Prowl. The War Within: The Dark Ages
He was part of the Ark's original crew four million years ago, and awoke with the rest of them in 1984. After the crash of the Ark II, however, Ironhide was among the Transformers secretly acquired by Lazarus as a potential weapon of mass destruction for sale. He was tortured and heavily damaged by the Decepticons when they broke Lazarus' control over them, and was unable to immediately aid Prime and the others against Megatron. Prime Directive issue 4
When Optimus Prime and Jazz returned from an alien world with the malevolent Keepers in tow, Ironhide was one of the first Autobots who joined them in the fight against the invaders. The Keepers had taken residence in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a united force of Autobots and Decepticons descended on the city in the hopes of stopping the aliens before the United States government unleashed a nuclear strike. When Optimus Prime used an energon pool to supercharge himself and the Matrix, Ironhide and the other Autobots joined their own energon with Prime to enhance his efforts. Through their combined energies, the nuclear missile was averted and the Keepers were displaced into the Void. Annihilation
After the battle, Optimus Prime was forced by a debt of honor to hand over the Matrix to Megatron, a decision which didn't sit well with many of the Autobots. Ironhide did his best to defend his leader's actions against the likes of Mirage, but even he had trouble justifying the decision. Ironhide also joined the Autobots in confronting the American military in the Nevada desert, where the President attempted to have them assassinated. The military used deconstructionites, reverse-engineered Cybertronian technology in the form of tiny microchips that literally sapped away the Transformers' strength. Ironhide was the first of the Autobots to fall before this assault, and had to be hauled to safety inside Prime's trailer segment. Fusion
Sometime after Ironhide was repaired, the Autobots again confronted the Decepticons, this time over a mysterious shuttle pod that landed in Northern Canada. Skywarp got the drop on Ironhide during the fight, riddling his backside with explosive shells. The feisty security agent had to be dragged off the battlefield so that Ratchet could perform the necessary repairs back at base. New World Order In the meantime, a force of United Cybertronians arrived on Earth and demanded that Prime and his crew surrender themselves into protective custody, in order to prevent them from rekindling the war which had been over on Cybertron now for centuries. Leaving behind a skeleton crew to watch over Earth, Optimus Prime, Ironhide and the other Autobots allowed Ultra Magnus and his operatives to bring them back to their home planet. Brothers' Burden On Cybertron, Optimus Prime was separated from the other Autobots, and Ironhide's team was covertly brought by Broadside to the Autobot resistance. Many Autobots on Cybertron questioned the beneficence of their "commander", Shockwave, and had organized into several insurgency cells. Ironhide and Prowl met with Smokescreen's unit, who in turn brought them in touch with Optimus and second unit led by Hot Rod and Kup. Ironhide quickly exchanged greetings (and a few good-natured insults) with his war-buddy Kup. Passive Aggression With the Ark's crew at hand, the insurgency took to the streets, fighting back against Shockwave and his "Dark Guardians". Ironhide joined Springer and Hot Rod on the front lines during the advance. Countdown to Extinction
In the days that followed, Ironhide, Prowl and Kup attempted to coordinate things on Cybertron, but gratefully stepped aside once Ultra Magnus had finished his repair cycle. Skyfire The Ark's old crew then made plans to return to Earth and construct a new Autobot City as their base of operations on that planet. The Route of All Evil
Devil's Due G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers comics
Many years after the Ark had crashed on Earth, the human terrorist organization Cobra discovered it and its dormant crew. The Transformers were reprogrammed to be under Cobra's control and given new alternate modes, with Ironhide, Ratchet and Optimus Prime now turning into H.I.S.S. tanks. Along with Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker, the three Autobots were forced to attack a peace summit in Washington, D.C. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #1 The reprogrammed Transformers were eventually freed thanks to Wheeljack, and despite Cobra's efforts to regain control of Ironhide, the Autobot got away when Ratchet ripped their control cables out of his head. Along with Jazz and Mirage, the two then joined Optimus Prime in fighting back against both the freed Decepticons and Cobra. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #4 During the battle, Ironhide didn't do much but liken the density of Decepticons on Cobra Island to that of astro ticks on Ravage's behind. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5
After defeating the Decepticons on Earth, the Autobots returned to Cybertron, which Shockwave had conquered in their absence. With the Autobots reduced to a small resistance band, Ironhide helped Optimus Prime and Jazz steal a pile of energon cubes from the Decepticons. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1 He was understandably surprised when his two friends suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #2
Much later, when Optimus Prime was captured by Serpent O.R., Ironhide joined a team of Autobots who were waiting for a chance to free him. The Art of War #4 When Serpent O.R.'s hostages were freed and reinforcements arrived from Earth, the team attacked and ultimately defeated the Decepticon army. The Art of War #5
IDW G1 comics continuity
Back before the war, Ironhide was part of the Security Services. He attended the funeral of Bumper and Fastback with a familiar fembot, and listened to Sentinel Prime's eulogy/rally call. Megatron Origin issue 3 He was on the streets with Sentinel Prime and Prowl during the Battle of Kaon, when the Autobots tried to halt the rebel Decepticons. Ironhide was dishing out justice the old fashioned way—with his fists. He was with the Autobots that contacted Iacon when Sentinel's body was deposited in front of them, and Prowl ordered an evacuation. Megatron Origin issue 4
In the early days of the Great War, Ironhide served first in the Cybertronian Civil Militia and then in a more formal Autobot army. He was initially skeptical of Optimus Prime's ability to win the war, but Optimus proved willing to take advice from the more experienced soldier. Optimus believes Ironhide made him the leader he is today, and they saw many battles together (including one where Optimus would not leave him behind to save himself). Old Ways At the same time, people were, erm, ignoring Ironhide and passing him over for promotion (?); Ironhide deliberately let this go on, preferring to stay with the masses in the belief he could see things coming that Prime wouldn't. All Hail Megatron issue 8
In the modern era, Ironhide was second-in-command (under Prowl) of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. Although more bound to the regulations than Ratchet, he was still willing to bend the chain of command for the right reasons, and sent a pulsewave to Optimus Prime behind Prowl's back. Infiltration issue 3 When Ratchet and Bumblebee's unauthorized recce uncovered evidence of the Decepticons' previous operations and reported Megatron's appearance, Prowl turned to the experienced Ironhide for tactical advice. Infiltration issue 5
After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Ironhide was assigned the task of escorting a trio of humans back from the Autobots to their homes alongside Sunstreaker who was carrying Hunter, while he transported Jimmy and Verity. He became separated from Sunstreaker, who was immobilized and seemingly destroyed in an ambush by the a mysterious human organization. Escalation issue 1 Once it was revealed that the debris recovered from the Machination was not that of Sunstreaker, Ironhide suggested himself for the search mission to find Sunstreaker's whereabouts, as he felt he owed it to him, but his wishes were dismissed by Optimus Prime. Prowl was mondo-pissed that Ironhide went around the chain of command and banished him to base duty while the other Autobots who had not (yet) pissed Prowl off left for Brasnya to confront the Decepticons. Escalation issue 3 Proving his willingness to break the rules if needed, Ironhide disobeyed his orders to remain and monitor Decepticon activity, joining Ratchet, Verity and Jimmy in their attempts to uncover the fate of Sunstreaker and Hunter. Escalation issue 4 However, while removing Verity and Jimmy from a building that was due to explode, Ironhide was caught in the explosion and went M.I.A. Escalation issue 6
After Optimus Prime returned from his meeting with Omega Supreme, Wheeljack and Hot Rod learned that Ironhide was due to be crushed and compacted at a human dump and went to rescue him. Devastation issue 1 They ran into some problems on the way there, however. They prevailed, and after Optimus Prime received word of the incident on Garrus-9, he ordered Hardhead to retrieve Hot Rod and the others. Hot Rod refused to go though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end. Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took Wheeljack and Ironhide back with him. Devastation issue 6
Over the next year, the Decepticons went quiet and intell dried up. Prowl advised to do nothing, but Ironhide, able to speak more to the warrior inside of Optimus, advised action. Everything in its Right Place. Whoops, action led the Autobots into a Decepticon trap! All Hail Megatron issue 7 As a result, Ironhide was among the battered Autobots trapped on Cybertron. All Hail Megatron issue 1
Holding a deep suspicion that Mirage had sold them out to the Decepticons and knowing that Prowl and Jazz were shutting him out All Hail Megatron issue 8, Ironhide came to blows (or really, blow) with Prowl over the issue before Jazz told him to walk it off. Later, Jazz talked to Ironhide about it, and the latter revealed his deep regret at Optimus Prime's current condition. Cliffjumper soon asked Ironhide to accompany him to check out an emergency message from Wheeljack and Bumblebee, who were out on a scouting patrol. The two ran across Hot Rod, (well really, Ironhide's fist ran across Hot Rod's face), who seemed delighted to find other Autobots on Cybertron, having thought the planet was deserted. All Hail Megatron issue 4
Not long after Kup and his Autobot squad joined up with Prime's battered unit, Ironhide met with Roadbuster and tried to attempt to tell him the truth about why they got here, but the appearance of the Insecticon swarm rendered it moot. All Hail Megatron issue 6 After getting Energon from the Trion and taking a rest, Ironhide noticed Sunstreaker storming out of a building. When Sunstreaker told him about his brother complaining about being a jerk toward Mirage along with, Ironhide couldn't take it anymore. Cornering Mirage, Ironhide proceeded to beat him senseless, leaving him in serious condition. All Hail Megatron issue 7 After being chewed out by Kup and being reminded of his past troubles, the conversation ended when the Swarm caught up to them. When the Autobots drove to a bridge to lure the Swarm there, so that they could blow it up and prevent them from advancing, Ironhide noticed Sunstreaker standing on the bridge. When Ironhide asked him what he was doing, Sunstreaker revealed to him that he was the real traitor, having made a deal with Starscream that would supposedly have resulted in Megatron's demise. Before more could be said, both were taken down by the Swarm. Drift came and rescued Ironhide just as Sunstreaker blew up the bridge, killing himself and taking a large portion of the Swarm with him. Upset, Ironhide went to rest and recover.All Hail Megatron issue 8
Feeling like a complete twat, Ironhide attempted to apologize to Mirage, but was angrily rebuffed. All Hail Megatron issue 9 Once Optimus Prime was back on his feet, Ironhide asked him why the others hadn't told him that Megatron had stolen the Matrix, but was told not to hold it against them. After thinking about this, Ironhide called Prime the "greatest bot I've ever known," which Prime found amusing, considering how they clashed when they first met. When the Swarm assaulted the Autobot base, Ironhide found himself side by side with Mirage at the front line defenses. Mirage told Ironhide to run for it while he distracted the enemy, but Ironhide threw himself into the fray, refusing to let his comrade sacrifice himself. All Hail Megatron issue 10 When Omega Supreme saved them and took them to Earth, Ironhide participated in the battle against the Decepticons. However he worried that Devastator and the others would be on the Autobots in seconds. His worry, fortuately, was unfounded, as Omega subsequently stepped in and slagged Devastator. All Hail Megatron issue 11 Later, after Spike sniped Megatron, Ironhide called Starscream a coward because he and the Decepticons were leaving. All Hail Megatron issue 12 When Bumblebee went missing in one of the human disaster areas after the Decepticons evacuated, Ironhide was part of an Autobot squad who managed to retrieve him. Hidden
 Plot details for ...For All Mankind follow. |
Two years later, the Autobots were still on Earth. Optimus Prime's guilt over the devastation their war brought to the world prevented the Autobot army from leaving the humans behind. Even worse, the humans weren't at all interested in Prime's guilt, but were actively hunting Autobot and Decepticon alike. Several Autobots were taken prisoner by Skywatch, the American robot-hunting organization. Events reached an apex when Prowl was captured while trying to prevent the execution of a wandering Decepticon. Optimus Prime finally relented on his hands-off policy, and sent Hot Rod and a squad into the Skywatch holding facility to rescue Prowl. Ironhide went with him to keep an eye on the kid, and promised Optimus nothing would happen to Hot Rod. The situation escalated horribly, however, and the humans began responding with lethal force against the Autobots during the breakout. Ironhide spotted a particle cannon turret being leveled against Hot Rod and Prowl, and threw himself into the weapon's path, taking a fatal shot through the chest to protect his field leader and keep his promise to Prime. Prowl brought Ironhide's body back to the Autobots' hidden base after the battle.
Optimus blamed himself for his old friend's demise, which served as a catalyst for his resignation from the Autobots....For All Mankind
IDW Beast Wars comics
Ironhide served on the Maximal Imperium, alongside Prowl and Silverbolt. Leadership seemed to have robbed him of a bit of his gusto, although according to Big Convoy he was 'right honorable'. Ironhide, Prowl and Silverbolt sent Ikard to request a report from Big Convoy, but he refused, citing his need to investigate the Angolmois-fueled murders. The Ascending issue 2
IDW Hearts of Steel continuity
Ironhide participated in the pursuit of Astrotrain (his name is written on the side of his altmode, a military boxcar), and partially transformed from artillery boxcar mode to robot mode in order to shoot down Scourge. He is the only Autobot other than Bumblebee, Prowl, and Ratchet to speak in the whole story, and he only gets one line: "The name is Ironhide." Hearts of Steel issue 4
Timelines
Ironhide was severely injured during a battle on Moon Base Four, but Optimus Prime used his Reconfiguration Matrix to create a new body for his old friend.[1]
Years after the Autobot-Decepticon Wars ended, Ironhide 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, Ironhide and Ratchet 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. However, Ironhide was shot in the back by Flamewar and he went into stasis lock. Ironhide woke up restrained inside Deathsaurus' lab with Ratchet, while Deathsaurus appeared to them on a monitor and told them he planned to destroy the lab by remote. Before the lab could detonate, Ricochet snuck in and freed them, allowing them to gather their fallen and escape. Descent into Evil
Henkei! Henkei! pack-in comic
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Notes
- It has been speculated by some fans that, in cartoon continuity, Ironhide may have been created from Orion Pax's friend Dion, the same way and at the same time Prime and Elita One were rebuilt by Alpha Trion.
- For further elaboration, see Who is Dion?.
References
- ↑ Ironhide's Timelines toy bio
External links
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