Ratchet (WFC)
| The name or term "Ratchet" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Ratchet (disambiguation). |
- Ratchet is an Autobot from the Aligned continuity family.
The Autobots' medical officer, Ratchet has a dry wit, often giving his wounded comrades a hard time for taking hits he somehow avoids. With the Energon supplies becoming less and less, he works to find new ways to make do, and he'd really prefer if the Autobots didn't risk injury (or worse) to protect humans. He'd also prefer the humans weren't brought back to Autobot Central Command but since he is unfamiliar with human tech, he needs Rafael Esquivel to help him out. However, for all his views on humans, deep down Ratchet admires what the tiny fleshies bring to the fight.
Fiction
Exodus
Ratchet made his name during the Praxian stalemate. He and Bumblebee fought in a few battles together, during which he taught the younger Autobot how to apply first aid. He repaired his throat after Megatron destroyed it in revenge for ejecting the AllSpark into space, enabling Bumblebee to speak from time to time.
After Megatron invaded Iacon and took the Plasma Energy Chamber, Ratchet welded Ironhide's face and stabilized Omega Supreme's condition. When Optimus Prime asked Ratchet if Omega was ready to fight again, the offended medic responded that if Optimus wanted Omega to fight after the Seekers blew him out of the sky, Dark Energon-infused gladiators attacked him and Megatron tore out the Chamber out of his chest, then he wanted another surgeon. Optimus knew he had to apologize but was too preoccupied with rescuing Sentinel Prime.
When the Autobots left Cybertron on the Ark, Ratchet informed Optimus and Ultra Magnus that Omega was repaired and ready to distract Trypticon. Transformers: Exodus
Exiles
Prime comic
Ratchet was stationed at the Autobot base on Earth, opening the GroundBridge for Optimus to retrieve Arcee and Cliffjumper. He reattached her arm after Starscream had blown it off. Transformers: Prime (comic)
Prime cartoon
- Voice actor: Jeffrey Combs (English), José María Carrero (Spain-Spanish), Seong-yong Ha (Korean), Claudio Moneta (Italian), Jan Spitzer (German)
Ratchet was on patrol in a snowy region when news came in that Cliffjumper was battling a platoon of Decepticons solo. Ratchet and the other Autobots returned to base to GroundBridge to his location, but they were too late: Cliffjumper was nowhere to be found, and Ratchet confirmed that his lifesigns had ceased. It was Ratchet's belief that continuing to operate on Earth and aid humans would only result in more tragedy, and as such, it was no surprise that he vehemently objected to the Autobots becoming protectors for Jack Darby, Miko Nakadai and [[Raf Esquivel] soon after—though the kids' incessant questions didn't help their case, either. Darkness Rising, Part 1 Ratchet's mood was not improved when Bulkhead accidentally crushed an important piece of lab equipment, and things got even worse when he was instructed to stay at base and watch the children while the other Autobots investigated the reappearance of Cliffjumper's lifesign. He did, however, start to see the value in the kids' presence when Raf helped him in his continuing struggle to master the inferior human computer systems the Autobot base ran on. Darkness Rising, Part 2
The other Autobots returned from their mission with the news that Cliffjumper had been revived by the Decepticons as a zombie, and when Arcee began feeling dizzy, Ratchet examined her and discovered a trace of the mysterious substance that had reanimated Cliffjumper. While examining it, Ratchet inadvertently dripped some on the equipment Bulkhead had broken, transforming it into a vicious little monster. Darkness Rising, Part 2 Optimus Prime helped him destroy it, and both realized that they were dealing with Dark Energon. Realizing that Megatron planned to raise an undead army, Optimus took Ratchet to the site of an ancient Transformer battle on Earth, but they arrived too late to prevent Megatron from using Dark Energon to raise the buried corpses of the warriors as a legion of Terrorcons. Darkness Rising, Part 3 Ratchet quickly deduced that the best way to stop them was dismemberment, and he and Prime managed to cut down the entire army despite the debilitating effects of the Dark Energon, though Ratchet sustained a wounded arm in the process, and Megatron was able to escape. Returning to base, Ratchet examined some plans that Miko had obtained from the Decepticons in his absence, and realized that the villains were building a space bridge so they could use Dark Energon to raise a zombie army from Cybertron. Darkness Rising, Part 4 Given his injuries, Ratchet stayed behind at the base to man the GroundBridge, sending the other Autobots to the orbiting space bridge for battle, and the kids to a radio dish array in Texas to cut off the Decepticons' targeting systems. While the kids failed in their endeavour, they did succeed in obtaining schematics for the space bridge, which Ratchet used to determine a means of destroying it. He instructed Arcee's team on sabotaging the space bridge, and bridged everyone back to base before the inevitable explosion. Darkness Rising, Part 5
Ratchet was initially dismayed to learn that the kids were working on their school science projects in the Autobot base, but changed his tune in short order and actually turned down combat duty in order to stay and help them. Unfortunately for the kids, he completely took over their projects, building a large volcano for Raf, a model of Cybertron for Miko, and an advanced engine for Jack, none of the projects went down well at school, much to Ratchet's disappointment. Masters & Students
Ratchet found another reason to be grateful to have the kids around when a Scraplet infestation in the base left the GroundBridge disabled, and Ratchet at the mercy of the metal-eating monsters. Jack used a fire extinguisher to freeze the creatures off, saving Ratchet's life, but the medic remained too badly wounded to effect repairs to the GroundBridge, and had to entrust the job to the humans. They succeeded, and Ratchet was able to patch up himself and his fellow Autobots. Scrapheap Problems with the GroundBridge lingered, however, and Ratchet continued working on it during a visit by Bulkhead's old buddy Wheeljack, while trying to ignore the distractions caused by the other Autobots partying and Wheeljack and Bulkhead Lobbing. The delays caused by Ratchet's repairs resulted in "Wheeljack" being exposed as a Decepticon imposter. Unfortunately this also meant that when the real Wheeljack turned up, Ratchet was subjected to another round of partying. Con Job
Ratchet continued to play the role of tech support over the Autobots next few missions. He remained in the base to monitor the Autobot convoy as they transported Dynamic Nuclear Generation System across country, alerting them to an incoming Decepticon attack and—under protest—working with Raf to GroundBride Miko and Jack onto a moving track so they could stop the forces of MECH from stealing the device.
Convoy The episode burnt Raf's laptop out, but Ratchet later helped fix it. Raf's Notes #5 When the Decepticons stole an Energon Harvester from a human museum, Ratchet manufactured a replica to replace it, despite Bulkhead breaking his frame welder. Deus ex Machina
When Ratchet and Optimus Prime investigated a crashed Autobot vessel, they discovered that it was a plague ship carrying deceased victims of Cybonic plague, a pathogen created by Megatron himself. Optimus contracted the disease, which was beyond even Ratchet's ability to cure, so he GroundBridged Arcee and Bumblebee to the Nemesis so they could obtain the cure from Megatron's mind via cortical psychic patch. By watching the link, Ratchet recorded the hologram of the antidote Megatron showed to Bumblebee, and was able to cure Optimus. Sick Mind
<Raf looks at him>
Ratchet:What, too corny?
Raf: JUST PULL IT!!!
While Optimus was given a clean bill of health, Ratchet was more concerned about Bumblebee; learning that the scout was seeing visions of Megatron following their psychic link-up, Ratchet induced a shutdown to give his systems time to recover. The other Autobots soon left the base on a mission, and Ratchet was left with Raf, who was sitting by the unconscious Bumblebee's beside. Trying to explain to the boy that this was unnecessary only resulted in Ratchet being subjected to pictures of Raf's family, but the discussion was cut off when Bumblebee suddenly reactivated, leading Ratchet to realize that Megatron had taken over their comrade's body. Unable to stop the Decepticon leader from escaped through the GroundBridge, Ratchet and Raf were forced to follow Bumblebee to the Decepticon ship. There, they tried fruitlessly to stop Bumblebee from restoring Megatron to life, and had to retreat under Vehicon fire after Megatron's resurrection. They found Optimus's team on the ground below and returned to base where Ratchet checked over Bumblebee's processor for any lingering traces of Megatron's influence. Out of His Head
When Ratchet detected a swiftly-moving Dark Energon signature, the Autobots assumed that it was Megatron. He was surprised when Optimus wanted him on the team to investigate because of his knowledge of Dark Energon. Instead of Megatron, the Autobots found Starscream making an attempt to resurrect Skyquake with Dark Energon and also found that the kids had followed them through the GroundBridge. Ratchet ordered the trio to go back to base, however a Decepticon GroundBridge interfered with their journey, and both portals exploded. In the aftermath, Ratchet theorized that the two portals had fed back on each other, potentially depositing the kids at a random location. Back at base, he worked on a way to locate them, but the breakthrough came when Jack sent a text message to Miko's phone, revealing they were trapped in an alternate dimension with Skyquake. With this knowledge, Ratchet was able to recreate the original feedback loop and create a portal the kids could escape through. Shadowzone
After patching up Bulkhead following a skirmish with Breakdown in which the 'Con was captured by MECH, Ratchet joined the mission to rescue the Decepticon. Once they arrived in Kamchatka Peninsula, Ratchet told Bumblebee to ignore the obvious vehicle tracks, as he'd detected an energon signature. They found Breakdown's eye, which Ratchet hooked up to his scanner to attempt to extract images it had seen. It turned out to have been rigged into a two-way communications device by Silas. The team narrowly avoided being blown up by a MECH bomb, and later tracked down Bulkhead in time to rescue him from Starscream and Breakdown. Operation: Breakdown
Ratchet was at the Autobot base when Jack and Arcee brought Jack's mom in to introduce her to everyone. Crisscross On another occasion, he detected an incoming vehicle which just turned out to be June Darby again. While telling her that Optimus was out on a mission, he detected a magnetic anomaly, and dispatched Bulkhead and Arcee to find it. When the anomaly turned out to be a magnetic weapon that resulted in the pair becoming stuck together, Ratchet identified it as a polarity gauntlet, and stressed to June that it would be extremely dangerous in Megatron's hands. Bulkhead and Arcee were eventually able to retrieve the device and present it to Ratchet back at base. Metal Attraction
Ratchet picked up the activation of the Harbinger's computer system, and informed Optimus. When Bumblebee and Arcee returned with two frozen comrades and the pieces of a Decepticon weapon, Ratchet was able to repair the weapon and use it to restore Prime and Bulkhead. Also he fixed Arcee's injuries. Partners
While most of the other Autobots went out to retrieve a Cybertronian data cylinder, Ratchet stayed at base to monitor them and annoy Bulkhead and Miko by interrupting their monster truck footage. After Bulkhead was called out to the field, Ratchet assigned Miko cleaning duties, only for her to rush off to the battlefield. She attempted to coordinate a GroundBridge pickup of the target device, but was unable to coordinate with Ratchet properly. After Bulkhead was zapped in the noggin by the cylinder, Ratchet initially gave him a clean bill of health, but when Bulkhead started painting complex formulas, Ratchet discovered that the energy from the cylinder was slowly destroying Bulkhead's mind. While Optimus attempted to get the cylinder back from Megatron, Ratchet found that Miko and Bulkhead had left the base, and alerted Prime. When they returned with Bulkhead in a comatose state, Ratchet was unable to do anything to revive him, but his suggestion that a familiar sound might rouse the Autobot led Miko to wake Bulkhead with her guitar playing. T.M.I.
Ratchet endeavored to complete the synthetic energon formula and finally seemed to succeed, running a test engine on the stuff. Wanting to do more for the Autobot cause, he injected the substance into himself as a test. Perhaps almost to his surprise, it worked. In fact, it worked so well that when Arcee got into trouble on a mission, he went out into the field himself and trashed an entire squad of Vehicons on his own. He excitedly showed the other Autobots what he had done, though Optimus was disappointed in his actions. Ratchet still felt strong, even accidentally throwing Bulkhead through a wall. He went on to inject himself with more synthetic energon, before inviting himself along on the Autobots' next mission. His vigorous interrogation of a miner and subsequent attempt to extinguish the Decepticon led to Optimus giving him a lecture. He accused Optimus of not being pro-active enough in their campaign against the Decepticons, and went off to confront Megatron on his own. Reaching the Decepticon energon mine, Ratchet made short work of Breakdown, but Megatron proved more formidable than expected, and Ratchet was seriously injured and left to Knock Out's tender mercies. After Knock Out took a sample of the synthetic energon, Ratchet managed to raise enough strength to fight back, and managed to destroy the sample. The other Autobots rescued him, though he had lost a lot of energon and had to be hooked up to a drip. Ratchet apologized for his behavior, though at least they'd gained a supply of real energon out of it. Stronger, Faster
When Optimus became interested in a prophecy from the Covenant of Primus, Ratchet worked out that the planetary alignment mentioned was mere days away. Ratchet realized that the components that the Decepticons had been stealing were space bridge components. When Raf was injured during a mission to stop the Decepticons, Ratchet went to treat the boy, but discovered he didn't know enough about human physiology. Jack called in June Darby to help. She wanted to take him to an emergency room, but Ratchet pointed out the doctors wouldn't have any experience with energon contamination. However when he looked at the readings, he saw that Raf had been infected with Dark Energon. He applied an infusion of regular energon, which neutralized the dark stuff, and Raf recovered. While trying to reach Optimus to give him the good news, Ratchet discovered that the area their leader was in was swimming in Dark Energon readings. One Shall Fall
He accompanied Arcee and Bulkhead into the field to retrieve Optimus, though he had to verbally nudge Arcee at one point. After they returned to base, Ratchet set about trying to work out the cause of the natural disasters that began plaguing the planet. He soon discovered the truth—the tremors coming from Earth's core were the heartbeat of Unicron. He coordinated with the other Autobots as they investigated the sites of the quakes, and warned Optimus of a increase in Unicron's spark activity shortly before his leader was attacked. One Shall Rise, Part 1
Ratchet was ready to lead the other Autobots through the GroundBridge to help, but Optimus ordered them to stay at base. Despite this, Ratchet monitored from base while Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead went out to help Optimus. Ratchet was shocked when none other than Megatron came to the aid of the Autobots in the field. He scoffed when the Decepticon leader offered to help them against Unicron and experienced growing disbelief at the whole endeavor, especially when it turned out he was going to be called upon to GroundBridge the others into the Earth's very core. When the kids wondered about siphoning out Unicron from Earth somehow, Ratchet pointed out that Unicron was the Earth's core and not really removable. Once the other Autobots arrived back, and Megatron was let into the base, Ratchet obtained the coordinates to Unicron off the Decepticon leader, and GroundBridged everyone to the Earth's core. One Shall Rise, Part 2
Titan Magazines Prime strips
Games
Transformers: War for Cybertron (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)
- Voice actor: Fred Tatasciore (English), Stefano Albertini (Italian)
During the Decepticons' siege of Iacon, Ratchet was assigned to Optimus, and helped him rescue a courier named Bumblebee, who informed Optimus that with the presumed death of Zeta Prime, the Council was putting him in command. The three of them headed back to the command center, receiving a message from Jetfire that the Aerialbots were being overwhelmed and needed support. It was decided that the planetary guns, disabled earlier by Megatron's forces, needed to be brought back online. Informing Jetfire that he was taking temporary command, Optimus took Ratchet and Bumblebee with him on the mission, though when Ratchet questioned the "temporary" part, Optimus brushed it aside.
When that mission was completed, they decided their next stop was the Decagon, in order to re-establish communications and coordinate Iacon's defense. Hitting serious resistance, including several Decepticon war machines and more than a few damaged lifts which Ratchet puzzled out a way around, they nonetheless prevailed with help from Jetfire and Ironhide, before reaching the Decagon itself, where they encountered the former Autobot Sky Commander, Starscream. They managed to defeat him as well and retook the Decagon.
After Optimus was named the new Prime, he went on a mission to free Cybertron's core of Megatron's Dark Energon corruption. In order to do so, however, he needed to open the Omega Gate, which would require freeing Omega Supreme from Decepticon captivity. Omega was still badly damaged from his battle with Megatron's forces, so Optimus called in Ratchet, whom Prime, Warpath, and Ironhide protected during his operation to repair Omega Supreme. After the Omega Gate was opened, Ratchet returned to base with Omega, as field repairs could only do so much.
When Trypticon fell to the surface from orbit, Ratchet organized the rescue effort. After Trypticon was defeated, he praised Optimus on his success, but was the price paid was costly - many Autobots were lost, and those remaining were now forced to abandon Cybertron while the planetary Core repaired the damage. Ratchet was one of those who stayed behind with Optimus to resist Megatron's schemes, and to build an Ark to carry them from their home when the time came. Transformers: War for Cybertron
Transformers: War for Cybertron — Autobots
When the Decepticons started poking around an Autobot base, Ratchet tracked their search patterns and instructed a rookie on where to go to find whatever it was they were looking for. Ratchet was in the control room to greet the rookie on arrival, and hand him over to Air Raid for basic training. Unfortunately the Decepticons destroyed the rookie and found the intel they were after. Following Zeta Prime's capture, the Autobot leader managed to contact Ironhide and Ratchet, but the data links powering the communications grid were severed. Ratchet greeted another rookie, who managed to repair the data links.
Ratchet would go on to become a member of Optimus' inner circle. Following the retaking of Iacon, he reported that the Data-net was back online and Zeta Prime could contact them again. He later worked with Jetfire to analyse core samples, and discovered that the core would be healing itself if it weren't for the influence of the Dark Energon corruptors. Optimus's team successfully freed the core, but the planet was no longer able to sustain them. When Ratchet asked what they'd do, Optimus responded that their new mission was to leave the planet. Ratchet was among the Autobots who defeated Megatron's secret weapon, the monstrous titan Trypticon. Upon Trypticon's defeat, Ratchet left the planet along with Optimus's team. Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)
Transformers: Cybertron Adventures
Transformers: Cybertron Adventures
Toys
Prime
- Ratchet (Cyberverse Legion, 2012)
- Accessories:
- Ratchet (Deluxe, 2012)
- Accessories: Attachable blades
Notes
- Transformers alumnus Michael Bell originally auditioned for the part of Ratchet in Transformers: Prime, but ultimately lost the role to Jeffrey Combs.
- In a number of episodes, mostly written by Nicole Dubuc, Ratchet's equipment gets damaged by a fellow Autobot, prompting him to utter "I NEEDED THAT!" each time.
