Sparkplug Witwicky
| The name or term "Sparkplug" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sparkplug (disambiguation). |
- Sparkplug Witwicky is a human from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Sparkplug Witwicky is many things, but first and foremost a father. He's gruff and no-nonsense in a working-class manner, but he loves his son(s) dearly—a sentiment very much reciprocated. His experiences with the Transformers aren't always smooth, but his down-to-earth approach serves him well. He is very mechanically inclined, which is an obvious asset when dealing with robots.
His several incarnations throughout the multiverse have a varying number of sons with names like "Spike", "Buster", and "Butch".
| “ | I'm a mechanic! I know what I'm doing! | ” |
—A mind-controlled Sparkplug states his credentials, "The Ultimate Doom, Part 1" | ||
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
In his younger days, "Sparkplug" Witwicky was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. A P.O.W. during the Korean War, Sparkplug was forced to repair the North Koreans' equipment. However, he secretly sabotaged that same equipment, leading to personnel and material losses for the North Koreans. The Last Stand
Later in life, he was a mechanic who owned S. Witwicky Auto Repairs & Tow Service, his own auto service shop in Portland, Oregon. He had a teenage son, Buster, who didn't share his interest in auto repair. Buster was more interested in reading, learning, and his work in the literary scholarship program, which he hoped would help pay for his college. This caused Sparkplug to worry, because this wouldn't "lead to a job one day"? What?
Sparkplug was rudely awoken one night by noise in his garage, and when he rushed down there to investigate, he was incredibly pleased to see Buster inspecting a damaged Volkswagen Beetle. Finally his son had begun carrying on his father's work! Buster explained that Sparkplug was mistaken, and that this car was alive. The Transformers
Buster told his dad that while he, Jessie, and "O" were at the drive-in movie that night, they were attacked by three jet fighters and during the confusion that followed, Buster ended up driving the Volkswagen home. Sparkplug, though he disbelieved Buster's story, nonetheless began working on repairing the car. Hours later, what repairs Sparkplug could manage were finished, and the car transformed into the alien robot, Bumblebee! He explained to the two humans that he was an Autobot who had crash landed on Earth along with several others, and that they were in the middle of a civil war. When Buster asked to return with Bumblebee to the Autobots' spaceship, at first Sparkplug refused, but then Buster reminded him that Sparkplug had always wanted Buster to stop reading and start living. Sparkplug let his son leave.
But the two quickly returned when Bumblebee realized his damage was more widespread than he realized. Using some materials from Sparkplugs garage, they constructed a communicator. Soon the rest of the Autobots arrived, and their leader, Optimus Prime, introduced himself to them and addressed their group's dire fuel needs. Their introductions were interrupted by an attack by the Decepticons, the Autobots' enemies. As the battlefield consumed the neighborhood, Sparkplug hid with his son in the cab of a wreck in the lot's junkyard. However, the Decepticon leader, Megatron located Sparkplug and grabbed him, intent on getting the human to make fuel for the Decepticons. Megatron dropped him ("Geronimo!") momentarily to fight Optimus Prime, only for Sparkplug to be scooped up again by Starscream. The Decepticons immediately fled with their prize. Power Play!
After being kidnapped by the Decepticons, he was instructed by Megatron to develop a process that would convert Earthen gasoline into fuel they could consume. Sparkplug drew on his memories of his time as a mechanic in the Korean War, recalling an instance where he had sabotaged the enemy vehicles' fuel and brake lines, and did the same to the Decepticons, poisoning their fuel and hopefully allowing the Autobots to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Finally, Sparkplug was rescued from the Decepticons' fortress by the Autobot Gears and the mysterious Spider-Man.
However, before Sparkplug's heroic act could come to light, many of the Autobots believed that Sparkplug had betrayed them by making fuel for the Decepticons, and an over-reactive Jazz let loose with his flamethrower. Although Sparkplug wasn't injured by the weapon itself, he did suffer a mild heart attack. Startled, the Autobots allowed Ratchet to drive Sparkplug and his son to the nearest hospital. Much later, Sparkplug's condition was stablized, and he woke up in the hospital surrounded by Buster, Jessie, and "O". He smiled, knowing that ultimately, his plan to poison the Decepticons' fuel would spell their doom. The Last Stand
The alien history student Dicet Alpha-zero traveled through time to witness key moments in the Autobot/Decepticon civil war, and thus he observed Sparkplug poison the Decepticons' fuel and suffer his heart attack. The Quest!
From his hospital bed, he asked Buster to promise to cut his ties with the Autobots, as an alien civil war was no place for a high school teenager. The New Order As Sparkplug was kept in the hospital, his customers grew irate with his disappearance and threatened to take their business to Scarpatoni's Garage. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Finally, Sparkplug was sent home, muttering about how the doctors demanded to keep him there a week for "only a little" heart attack. He couldn't wait to get back to fixing cars, but amazingly, when he opened the garage, there were none inside. Buster explained that he had somehow fixed them all. Ecstatic, Sparkplug noted that it wasn't too late to change the sign to say "Witwicky and Son." The Next Best Thing to Being There!
Convinced his son enjoyed auto repairs as much as he did, Sparkplug asked Buster to accompany him in the tow-truck when he learned about a breakdown on the interstate. They returned to their service shop to find Buster's girlfriend Jessie. Sparkplug told Buster to forget about the car repairs and have fun with Jessie on their bicycles, so long as they returned in time for dinner. But the repairs were interrupted when Bumblebee arrived and told Sparkplug that his son was in grave danger, for Buster had broken his promise to avoid the Transformers and had somehow come into possession of the Creation Matrix. The Decepticons would stop at nothing to take it for themselves. Despite Bumblebee's warning, Sparkplug shooed the Autobot away, insisting that he didn't need help taking care of his son. Once Bumblebee left, Sparkplug left the shop in his tow truck, hoping to find Buster before the Autobots did. Though Sparkplug was able to notice Bumblebee tailing him and subsequently lose him, he didn't notice Bumblebee's colleague Bluestreak. And thankfully so, because once Buster and Jessie were spotted, the group was under attack first by Laserbeak and then the mindless Decepticon creation, Jetfire. Both Bumblebee and Bluestreak were damaged in the battle, so it fell to Buster Witwicky and his command of the Creation Matrix to save them. After Sparkplug watched Buster take apart Jetfire with his mind, he realized that Buster was becoming an adult and didn't need him to tell him what to do anymore - his son could decide what was best for himself. Brainstorm!
Buster eventually returned the Creation Matrix to Optimus Prime, but residual energy persisted within his mind. Late one night, Sparkplug rushed into Buster's room when he heard his son screaming from nightmares. During his sleep, Buster had somehow carved an image of a strange Transformer into his bedroom door. Righfully so, the next day Sparkplug insisted Buster join Jessie to a local demolition derby to help clear his head. After they left, Sparkplug detached the door and brought it to the Autobots in the hope that they could diagnose Buster's problem. Worried that Shockwave would come after Buster, Sparkplug and Smokescreen followed Buster and Jessie to the derby. After the Decepticons attacked as suspected and Buster was knocked into a coma, Sparkplug's misgivings about interacting with the Transformers were strengthened. Devastation Derby! Against his father's wishes, Buster and Optimus Prime traveled into Buster's dreams in order to decipher the meaning of them. After learning about the Second Generation of Transformers known as the "Special Teams," Buster and Optimus came to, and Buster's nightmares were excised. Second Generation!
Years later, Sparkplug had opened up a Wash and Roll car wash franchise adjacent to his service shop. Nothing pleased Sparkplug more than filling up cars, except maybe all the extra money that was coming in. It was later revealed that the car wash had put Sparkplug and countless other humans under hypnotic suggestion to surrender their fuel to Ratbat's Decepticons and become their slaves. While under Decepticon control, Sparkplug and an angry mob attacked Buster while the teenager was attempting to defeat Ratbat. Once the source of the hypnotic control was destroyed by Buster, Sparkplug and the other slaves were mentally released, and Ratbat and Laserbeak were attacked by their former slaves. Sparkplug promised his son that he'd have more free time from then on, as the Wash and Roll franchise had until then swallowed their lives whole. Sure, he was out half his business, but it beat being a "rich zombie." Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom
Some months later, Sparkplug received a letter from his other son, Spike, who had been away at college "back east" and was going to come visit his family for break. Sparkplug went to tell Buster the great news, but Buster was too busy thinking about the Autobots he recently saw executed on the news; one of them looked like Bumblebee. Sparkplug reminded Buster that there wasn't anything ordinary folks like them could do. The next morning, the Witwickies received a surprise visit from Walter Barnett, who carried a briefcase containing the brains of the executed Autobots attached to remote control cars. When Barnett said Buster must come with him on a matter of national security, Sparkplug happily handed over the keys to the pickup. But unfortunately for Sparkplug, once Barnett and Buster had departed, he was confronted by Ratbat and the Predacons. When Sparkplug refused to give up their location, the Decepticons tore the Witwicky service garage apart, collapsing it on top of the mechanic. Toy Soldiers!
Needless to say, a day or two later when Spike arrived from college and saw the collapsed building, he feared for his father's life. Sparkplug appeared behind him, laughing, saying that it "takes more than a garage collapsing on top of him to keep old Sparkplug Witwicky down!" It had taken over a day for the authorities to dig him out, but he was no worse for wear. Once Sparkplug told Spike that his younger brother Buster was last seen heading off to the Ark, Spike worried for Buster as well, and left Sparkplug to go find him. Trial by Fire!
With his home demolished, Sparkplug took up residence in the Cascade Vista Motel. Several days later, Spike returned, telling his father that he was going to go find Buster. Their conversation was interrupted by a phone call from Walter Barnett, who said that he had located Buster and was keeping an eye on him, but couldn't tell them where he was. When Spike ran his fingers over the phone cord to track the call, Sparkplug's eldest son was forced to admit the cause of his recent departure: he had become an Autobot Headmaster, binary bonded to Fortress Maximus. Sparkplug was understandably shocked, and when Spike combined with Cerebros and then combined with Fortress Maximus, the mechanic wondered audibly what the Autobots had done to his son. After being introduced to the Autobot Targetmasters, Fortress Maximus bid farewell to his father, and the Autobots left him. The Desert Island of Space!
Ethan Zachary, trying to help his digital copy of the dead Optimus Prime get through some personality issues, called every Witwicky in Portland, hoping to get in contact with one of Prime's former human friends. By then, Sparkplug was living in a boarding house in a run-down section of the city. When Zachary told Sparkplug that he was calling on behalf of Optimus Prime, Sparkplug fumed.
Sparkplug slammed the phone. "Some game players are sorer losers than others," Prime observed. Pretender to the Throne!
Since his auto repair business had been destroyed, Sparkplug didn't get much practice fixing cars, so he was grateful when Jessie stopped by to have her car's transmission looked at. He bemoaned the loss of his business and both of his sons to the Autobots. Suddenly, an egg landed, shot from orbit, and opened to reveal the Autobot Blaster. Blaster offered to help them get Buster back... if one of them snuck him onto the Decepticons' island resort, Club Con, in his stereo mode. Jessie noted that Sparkplug was too old and might be too conspicuous and volunteered herself. Sparkplug forbade it, not wishing harm to befall Jessie as well, but Jessie insisted, mentioning that with Buster back, she wouldn't be around to annoy him so much anymore. Club Con!
Though Blaster failed, Buster was rescued from the Decepticons via other means, and Sparkplug was happy to have both of his sons back home with him. Spike was off to pick up his friend Cliff Dietz in San Francisco to go skiing, and Sparkplug told his eldest son to be careful, as he would be returning to college soon. The Man in the Machine!
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Chris Latta (English), Toshio Ishii (Japanese), Edgar Fruitier (Canadian French), Gerd Wiedenhofen (German)
At some unspecified point in the past, Sparkplug Witwicky worked as a ruby crystal miner in Burma, of all things. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
In 1984, he and his son Spike were working on an offshore oil rig. The day was like any other day, with Sparkplug asking his son to help him flush out a drill bit. Before they could carry out their task, giant robots descended from the sky and landed on the oil rig, and with no provocation, were almost immediately attacked by Sparkplug's coworkers. Regardless, their intentions became clear when Sparkplug himself was pinned against a wall by a small purple robot, who then threw Spike overboard when he tried to help his father. Freeing himself from the robot's clutches, Sparkplug dived into the water after his son. While the rig workers hid in the ocean, another group of giant robots arrived and fought with the group of robots who were stealing oil from the rig. The leader of the evil robots destroyed the rig and set fire to the oil tanks as a diversion while he escaped. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
The good robots, calling themselves the Autobots, saved the oil rig workers from a fate exactly the same as death. Grateful, Sparkplug and Spike happily latched on to the friendly alien robots, offering up their expertise and knowledge about planet Earth in exchange for joining the team. After the Autobots failed to stop the evil Decepticons at Sherman Dam, Sparkplug, Spike and Trailbreaker had a tea party in the woods, ostensibly so they could eavesdrop on the nearby Decepticon base. After finding out that the evil robots intended to attack the Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma, Sparkplug opined that he preferred being a spy to his old job at the oil rig, which was just as well, given the fact he was now unemployed. Later, Sparkplug's prior experience in the Burma mines came in handy when the Autobots needed to plant an explosive device inside the mine. As he left with Bumblebee, Sparkplug declared that their mission was for both the fortunes of Cybertron and Earth. Moments later, they were caught in the explosion and buried alive. Oops. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
Fortunately, they were saved. Later, both father and son volunteered for the Autobot attack on the Decepticon space cruiser. After Optimus Prime failed to stop the cruiser, Sparkplug tried to reassure the Autobot leader that he'd done all that anybody could do. Subsequently, the Decepticons were apparently defeated when their ship crashed into the sea, so Sparkplug and Spike were to join the Autobots as they went home to Cybertron, with fuel from the grateful nations of Earth. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
For some reason, this did not pan out, and neither the Autobots nor Sparkplug and his son went anywhere. As their livelihoods had been destroyed, the Witwickys seemed to move into the Ark and were almost constantly hanging out with the Autobots. After the Autobots failed to stop the Decepticons at the local solar power station, Sparkplug helped Ratchet repair the stubborn old Ironhide. Later, Sparkplug stopped the trigger-happy Ironhide from blowing up a shuttle full of Decepticon energon cubes, as he was the only one who bothered to remember the fact that Spike had been captured to pilot the shuttle through the space bridge. Transport to Oblivion
After Optimus Prime was mortally wounded in battle, Sparkplug watched Ratchet and Wheeljack attempt repairs, but couldn't lend much more than moral support. Though a team was sent to Cybertron to pick up a replacement Cosmitron provided some hope, Sparkplug cautioned Spike that sometimes things just don't turn out like you'd hope. Spike continued to hope and, despite his father's wishes, went to help the Autobot defend headquarters against a Decepticon attack. Sparkplug's earlier caution was proved unnecessary when Chip Chase and the Autobots returned with a new Cosmitron. Divide and Conquer
Spike and Sparkplug accompanied the Autobots to the Arctic, to investigate Decepticon activity there. They couldn't do much more than run for cover when the giant Decepticon Skyfire fired on them. After Sparkplug rescued his son from the water, the pair became stranded on a chuck of ice, and captured by Skyfire. Megatron's treatment of the two humans, imprisoning them in an ice case, clued Skyfire in that the Decepticons weren't what they seemed. Spike and Sparkplug were soon rescued by the Autobots, and cheered on Skyfire as he dealt with Starscream. Fire in the Sky
Sparkplug helped out with the construction of the Dinobots, and was present for their unveiling and subsequent rampage. Fortunately neither him nor his son were injured, but he was concerned when Spike and Bumblebee went after Grimlock. S.O.S. Dinobots When Chip came up with two more Dinobots to build, Sparkplug professed his ignorance of the prehistoric beasts, but helped build them anyway. The Autobots lost contact with Optimus, who had gone to check on a potentially explosive meteorite, and Wheeljack informed the humans that the meteorite had been moved. The two new Dinobots were sent to investigate, and by the time Sparkplug and the others arrived, Grimlock and Optimus were making up after an earlier falling out. War of the Dinobots
Sparkplug was kidnapped by the Decepticons as a test subject for Doctor Arkeville and turned to their side by the doctor's hypno-chips. The Decepticons allowed the Autobots to free Sparkplug so he could sabotage Teletraan I, which gave them an easy means to attack the Autobot headquarters. Spike confronted his father over the apparent betrayal, and Sparkplug appealed to his son to join the Decepticons. When Spike refused, Sparkplug declared that the next time they met, it would be as enemies. Sparkplug and a number of other controlled humans were used as a shield by the Decepticons, while they set up a huge space bridge. During the battle, Spike was able to momentarily reach his father, before Arkeville increased the power of the hypno-chip, once again overriding Sparkplug's will. Sparkplug later activated one of the massive pylons, bringing Cybertron into Earth's orbit and imperiling both worlds. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1
In the aftermath, a celebratory Sparkplug left aboard Skywarp. When the Decepticons started using the slaves as human shields for their energon shipments, Sparkplug ended up on Cybertron. Spike mounted a rescue mission, eventually stumbling on the hypno-chip control center. There he encountered Sparkplug, who immediately trigged an alarm. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2 On Shockwave's orders, Sparkplug prevented Spike from escaping, but with the arrival of more Autobots, Spike got away. Once Wheeljack had rigged up disruption device to disable the hypno-chips, they returned to Decepticon HQ and used it to free Sparkplug. The reunited family returned to Earth in Skyfire to help defeat Megatron and remove Cybertron from orbit. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
Sparkplug listened in on a distress call from Bali about giant monster insects. While Spike and several of the Autobots went to investigate, Sparkplug contacted Optimus Prime and alerted him to the problem. A Plague of Insecticons After Megatron challenged Optimus to a one-on-one duel, Sparkplug, Spike, Chip and the Autobots all turned out to watch and cheer Optimus on. To their horror, Megatron bested Prime, meaning the Autobots would have to leave Earth. Fortunately, when they got back to Headquarters, they discovered that Megatron had cheated, rendering the result void. Heavy Metal War
In an effort to show his friend Wheeljack that the Autobot wasn't the only inventor in the Ark, Sparkplug once managed to take spare Autobot parts and put them together to make a functioning robot called Autobot X. Once activated, the mindless robot immediately bashed in everything and everyone in sight. After Spike was injured in a battle with the Decepticons, they formulated a plan to transfer Spike's mind into Autobot X while his human body was worked upon by surgeons. Sparkplug regretted this decision, as it drove Spike insane. Spike was on the verge of joining the Decepticons when his own actions sent his father plummeting from a clifftop. The threat to Sparkplug caused Spike to regain his senses, and he was later restored to his own body. Autobot Spike
Sparkplug was at Autobot HQ when new reports indicated Decepticon activity in New York City. As he left, Optimus told Sparkplug to tell the other Autobots to head there. City of Steel After "enjoying" a test of Jazz's new speaker system, Spike and Sparkplug returned to HQ with the Autobot, to find Bluestreak acting strangely. Once Sparkplug had patched up Teletraan I, they discovered that Megatron had modified the recharging chambers to turn the Autobots evil. Sparkplug created an attitude exchanger and, after testing it on Bluestreak, built enough to cure the rest of the Autobots as well. He and Jazz daringly rescued Doctor Harding from Ratchet and Hound, then headed to an air field to hunt down everyone else. Later there was a brief argument over who should claim the credit, before Spike reminded them that there were a bunch of planes busted by the Autobots that needed fixing. Attack of the Autobots
Sparkplug alerted Ironhide after Sky Spy witnessed Carly being captured by the Decepticons. Though Ironhide figured Spike would handle it, Sparkplug talked him into lending a hand. Sparkplug was pleased as punch when his son went out with Carly, because she was clearly out of Spike's league. The Immobilizer When the Autobots were called to Quantum Laboratories to fight out-of-control machinery, Sparkplug found a Remote Control Circuit Linker card on one of the devices. He accompanied the Autobots on a hydrofoil to the oil platform which the Decepticons were using to steal energy from oil tankers. He was useful in alerting the Autobots when he spotted the Decepticons making a swift retreat, and everyone evacuated before it exploded. Day of the Machines
During a demonstration of the training Wheeljack had given the Dinobots, Sparkplug was impressed with their progress, but it turned out he'd spoken too soon, as the Dinobots began another rampage. He and Ratchet made the mistake of starting to try to fix thing before the Dinobots had been reigned in. Dinobot Island, Part 1 Repairs were completed in record time, however the repaired Teletraan alerted them to strange energy readings in town, which Sparkplug realised were near where Spike had gone. Dinobot Island, Part 2 He helped out with one of the stranger plans by loading a box containing Perceptor, Brawn and Bumblebee onto Powerglide. Microbots
Sparkplug, Spike and Chip were part of the cheering crowds that greeted the Autobots on Autobot Day. Unfortunately the crowd turned nasty after incriminating video was played of the Autobots raiding oil refineries, but the trio stuck by their Autobot friends, returning to Headquarters with them. To Sparkplug's bewilderment, the Autobots were rapidly found guilty and commanded to leave the planet. As they did so, Sparkplug wondered where Spike had gone. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 The humans put on Decepticon Day, a celebration that Sparkplug found sickening. Spike turned up with evidence exonerating the Autobots, but as he, Sparkplug and Chip tried to present it, the other shoe dropped — the Decepticons revealed their true intent and took over the city. The trio was put to work with other humans in a power plant. Just when all hope seemed lost, the Autobots returned and freed everyone. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
Later, Sparkplug left on a mysterious trip that required him to wear a suit. Upon his arrival at the airport, he was greeted by Spike, Carly and Bumblebee. The three humans were remarkably unharmed after Megatron blew up a nearby plane, though the Dinobots were badly damaged, and Sparkplug helped repair them, only for the ingrates to leave the Autobots. When the Autobots suffered from Cybertonium depletion, Sparkplug managed to persuade the Dinobots to steal some from the Decepticon space bridge. Instead they went to Cybertron. Spike and Carly opted to follow them, so Sparkplug supplied Spike with a two-way radio. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 He monitored the pair as they explored Cybertron, providing guidance until they went too deep into the planet to communicate with. He somehow set up a space bridge platform right outside Headquarters, and was waiting by it when Spike, Carly and the Dinobots returned with a supply of Cybertonium. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
Blaster's broadcast of a human concert managed to annoy Sparkplug as well as the Autobots when it came through the comms system at Headquarters. When Megatron subsequently stole the Voltronic Galaxer and blocked radio transmissions worldwide, Sparkplug wondered what they could do and quickly got an answer. Blaster Blues As the Autobots expanded their operations, they installed a small urban base in New York City, concealed behind an auto-repair garage operated by Sparkplug. In the aftermath of the failed Decepticon plan to use stolen cars as robot drones, Sparkplug bemoaned the fact it would take weeks for himself, Hoist, Ratchet and Wheeljack to return the cars to normal functionality. Make Tracks
When Megatron unleashed Kremzeek onto the Autobots, Sparkplug was the first to realize the electrically based creature scrambled Autobot circuits and would thus be repelled by an insulating compound sprayed on the remaining Autobots. While those few left for Japan to chase after the creature, the hapless Sparkplug was left with the unenviable task of reactivating the other Autobots left behind. Kremzeek! Spike and Sparkplug were running a workshop when Powerglide was assigned to protect Astoria Carlton-Ritz. Sparkplug observed with amusement that Powerglide appeared to have fallen in love with Astoria, provoking laughter from Ratchet and Ironhide, and a threat of violence from Powerglide. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide After Omega Supreme was critically damaged, Sparkplug worked hard to help repair him. His toiling and support of Ratchet helped to show the Aerialbots that the Autobot cause was worthier than the Decepticon one. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2 Sparkplug got all gussied up again for a National Scientific Achievement ceremony during which Perceptor was presented with an award. Cosmic Rust
Japanese cartoon continuity
Sparkplug worked alongside Spike, Chip Chase and Carly to help to construct Autobot City. Scramble City: Mobilization
Find Your Fate Junior novels
Sparkplug discovered a critical weakness in the Decepticons' circuits that would allow the Autobots to destroy them once and for all. However, the Decepticons discovered this and came after Sparkplug, who fled to the hills to hide. This eventually led to an Alamo-like standoff with a small group of Autobots holding off the Decepticon army from the shelter of a cave for two days while they waited for relief to arrive, with Sparkplug performing the makeshift repair work to keep them running.
The paper on which Sparkplug had the specifics of the weakness was ruined in the battle. He could re-create the research, but the Decepticons would be able to change the design of their circuits while he did so. Still, at least it would keep them out of trouble for a while! Battle Drive
While tinkering in his lab, Sparkplug invented the Sun-Pak, a powerful solar battery that threatened to change the balance of power between the Autobots and the Decepticons. Insecticon spies forced them to flee the testing range through a series of caves, and Sparkplug later rescued Beachcomber from Kickback, using a gun that caused Kickback to short out and return to tiny size.
Sparkplug suffered memory damage and was unable to re-create the Sun-Pak after the prototype was destroyed. Attack of the Insecticons
Marvel Books
When Sparkplug and Spike were inspecting the damage wrought by a volcano's eruption, they spotted an ancient buried spacecraft from which came giant robots. The pair hid, and after the Decepticons left, they approached the ship and encountered Bumblebee. After helping the Autobots get back on their feet, Sparkplug suggested they tap into the volcano's thermal energy as a power supply. On their way back to their home city of Kimball in Hound, Spike and Sparkplug spotted the Decepticons attacking the nuclear power plant and alerted the Autobots. During the ensuing battle, Optimus Prime was hit, and it was only Sparkplug's quick work that got him functioning again, ensuring an Autobot victory. Battle for Cybertron The Autobots entered a car rally to win free gas and Sparkplug and Spike turned out as spectators to cheer them on. Despite Decepticon interference, Cliffjumper got to the finishing line first, to cheers from the two humans. The Great Car Rally
Shortly after the Autobots arrived on Earth, they met Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky, who befriended them. One morning Buster pointed out to his father the new Freedom Sports Arena being built in Beacon, and Sparkplug said the company building it was well known for its great buildings. He wasn't to know that the reason for that was because Global Building Corporation was a front for the Constructicons, and the buildings it had created were all cunning traps! Battle for Earth
Marvel coloring books
Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky spied on the Autobots from behind rocks, but were grabbed by the Decepticons. Fortunately the Autobots noticed their predicament and came to their aid. In return, Sparkplug repaired all the damaged Autobots and declared his intent to help the Autobots defend Earth. When the Decepticons attacked Hoover Dam, Sparkplug went along and, with Cliffjumper's help, carried out battlefield repairs on Sunstreaker. The Deadly Fuel Shortage Sparkplug was serving as referee for a race between Sideswipe and Bluestreak when Decepticon Seekers trapped them with Sleep Nets. When all of the Autobots except Bumblebee were captured by the foe, a plan was devised and implemented — Sparkplug and Spike constructed a giant cut-out Autobot which was placed outside Decepticon headquarters as a diversion while Bumblebee slipped in and freed everyone. Bumblebee to the Rescue!
Sparkplug and Spike accompanied the Autobots on a ship Wheeljack built, when the Decepticons were searching for undersea treasure. The humans were safe inside Brawn when the missiles started flying. Search for Treasure Under the Sea Sparkplug and Butch went fishing in the forest with the Autobots, or at least Butch fished while Sparkplug polished Bumblebee. During a battle with the Decepticons, Megatron made a grab for Sparkplug and Butch... but came up empty-handed because he'd been fooled by one of Hound's holograms. Afterwards, the Autobots fixed the forest, and Sparkplug and Butch thanked them. Forest Rescue Mission
While Optimus and Prowl prepared a one-bot ship for launch to Cybertron, Sparkplug put together a device to track the ship's journey, though he didn't see why they needed to leave a lovely planet like Earth. Optimus patiently explained that they needed to see what had been happening there in their absence. The Decepticons picked that point to attack. After Optimus recovered, he related the dream of returning to Cybertron he'd had, and Sparkplug said he was glad Optimus was still with them, for now. Return to Cybertron Optimus and Sparkplug went on a road trip together to find parts for the Autobot spaceship. When they returned, they found that the Decepticons had stolen the Autobots' fuel supply and were attacking. Luckily the pair had picked up lots of fuel on their way back, and the Autobots used it to recharge and chase the Decepticons off. Revenge of the Decepticons
Ladybird Books
Autobots' Lightning Strike Megatron's Fight for Power Autobots Fight Back Laserbeak's Fury Decepticon Hideout
Dreamwave comics
Sparkplug, along with his sons Spike and Buster, befriended the Autobots shortly after the Transformers reawoke in 1984. After Operation: Liberation and the defeat of the Decepticons, Sparkplug was one of the humans chosen to accompany the Autobots back to Cybertron. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the Magnificent Seven was killed in 1999 when the Ark II exploded.
His death caused Spike and Buster to turn into jerks towards the Autobots. Prime Directive #1
IDW Generation 1 comics
Colonel Daniel "Sparkplug" Witwicky was grinning and bearing a cocktail party with his wife's environmentally-conscious associates, fantasizing about killing them with his toothpick, when an army helicopter suddenly landed on the lawn. At the president's request, Sparkplug was whisked to New York City to lead troops against a Decepticon onslaught. On the way, he repeatedly mouthed off at CIA Agent Grant and later had him assaulted by another soldier because the member of the CIA was big on secrecy. Once in New York, he gathered all the senior officers for a briefing, but when the Decepticons began targeting the city's bridges and tunnels, he just stood there open-mouthed and said, "Good God." All Hail Megatron #2
As the Decepticons overtook New York City, the now-General Witwicky had his troops pulled back into the residential areas, given that the last batch was annihilated by one robot, to better protect them from raids. He sat in his command tent powerless as he got updates on the death toll, the flooding of the tunnels, and how the Decepticons had begun invasions of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. He was then informed of how the Decepticons had completely wasted the US Navy, and that Air Force One had been destroyed. The president dead, Witwicky was left as speechless as the "snooty elite" he'd harped on earlier. All Hail Megatron #3
Witwicky would later send his son, Spike on a special mission to take out Megatron, but was disheartened when Spike's team was attacked by Ratbat and thought dead. All Hail Megatron #5
Later, when the Autobots returned to Earth and Omega Supreme battled Devastator, Witwicky was astounded but continued to lead an evacuation. Unfortunately one of his vehicles happened to be Dropshot, who transformed and started mowing down his men. The colonel was not amused. All Hail Megatron #11 Sparkplug fired a bazooka at Dropshot, but only slightly injured him. Luckily Kup showed up. Afterwards, Sparkplug and Kup had a chat about outer space and Kup's "cigar" while sitting on the fallen body of Dropshot. All Hail Megatron #12
In the aftermath of the invasion, the covert alien investigation organization Skywatch was reworked into a Transformer-hunting military force working under the United Nations. General Witwicky was put in charge of the organization, replacing the very ineffective Agent Red. The Man of Steel
New Arrivals, Old Encounters
A Rude Awakening
Earthworks
All His Engines
Scrapper
Notes
- Although the Sunbow cartoon production bible states that Sparkplug is a widower,[2] the cartoon itself never mentions him having a wife - or anything whatsoever about Spike's mom.
- Speaking of love interests, in addition to revealing Sparkplug's real name to be Stanislas Piotr Witwicky, Marvel Comics' original treatment mentions Sparkplug's "ladyfriend", "Toots". She's kept out of the loop on the Transformers' arrival from Cybertron and wonders why Sparkplug's suddenly so busy all the time.[1]
- Sparkplug is mentioned in the Sunbow cast list for "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1" - and the relevant dialogue script for the episode reveals that he was indeed supposed to make an appearance! He would have been with Outback and Blaster aboard the E.D.C. shuttle sent to investigate reports of Decepticon activity in Carbombya. His one line - "How're we gonna find the Decepticons? It's like a needle in a haystack." - was reassigned to Blaster in the final cut of the episode.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Sparkplug Witwicky (スパークプラグ・ウィトウィッキー Supākupuragu Witowikkī)
- French: Malabar (Canada)
- Hungarian: William "Gyertya" Witwicky
- Portuguese: Vela-de-Ignição Witwicky (Portugal comics), Bob Centelha (Brazil comics)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 griffin's 2010 BotCon report
- ↑ Sparkplug's bio in the G1 cartoon bible.
