Crankcase (Movie)

This article is about the non-screen Decepticon from the 2007 movie franchise. For the on-screen Dark of the Moon Dread, see Crankcase (DOTM). For a list of other meanings, see Crankcase (disambiguation).

Crankcase is a Decepticon from the live-action film continuity family.

Crankcase hates everything and everyone. He hates Autobot and Decepticon alike, hates his job, and hates that he works with the Decepticons because he was feeling really mad at the Autobots the day he signed up. Sound familiar at all?

What he doesn't realize is, the feeling is pretty well mutual among his own allies. His attitude doesn't lend itself for making fast friends, and he's usually too busy complaining about his orders to effectively follow them. And that's assuming he even feels like following them. Needless to say, his superiors' patience has worn thinner by the astro-second as they try to find a job where he's actually useful for a change.

Much as is the case with Over-Run, Crankcase's assignment as Destron commander may be in lieu of having to locate non-drone Decepticons willing to work with him.

“	Hey, I'm not built for that kind of work. If it's heavy lifting that you want me to do, then I need an upgrade, or a thank you...or more.	”
—Crankcase, just before Starscream shuts him up permanently, The Reign of Starscream #4

Fiction

IDW Transformers movie comics

Yeah, tell the guy with the identity crisis everything is his fault.

Many years in the past, Crankcase was a member of Cybertron's Defense Force, under the command of Protector Megatron. After the discovery of a mysterious relic and an alien attack, Defiance #1 Megatron changed significantly, altering the military's mission from one of protection of Cybertron to making war upon the hostile aliens and anybody who would stand in their way. Crankcase was present at Megatron's war rally in Trypticon, where the military leader demanded the control of all of Cybertron's forces in his vengeful attack on the aliens from the Eshems Nebula. Defiance #2

Crankcase was sent on a mission to capture science division leader (and thorn in Megatron's side) Optimus and eliminate his fellow scientists and the unwitting security team sent to arrest him. He and Barricade observed Brawl nailing the "traitors" with an explosive round, and Crankcase was eager to get into the fight. He was ordered back by the glory-hound Starscream, but Crankcase had the last laugh when the wily Optimus managed to bury the aerial forces under a mountain of rubble. After they were dug out, they all joined the rest of Megatron's new "Decepticon" faction. Defiance #3

Many years later, after Megatron had been killed on the distant world of Earth and the AllSpark destroyed, Crankcase helped deliver a massive generator to Starscream's replica AllSpark at Simfur as part of Payload's work detail. He made the mistake of complaining about this in front of Starscream, who promptly smashed his vocal processor and had him thrown in with the Autobot prisoners. The Reign of Starscream #4 Not long after, he was strapped to the cube, and his Spark was extinguished to bring the new AllSpark to life. The Reign of Starscream #5

Titan Magazines Transformers movie comics

The following events occur in a splinter timeline where Megatron won the battle of Mission City.

He's the blue one in the lower right that you can't see.

Crankcase's illustrious career in the Decepticons included:

• Standing around in Savannah.
• Getting weirded out by Starscream talking to people who weren't there, along with his mate Swindle.
• Optimus Prime in protoform form landing on him. The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself
• Being one guy in a big gathering-of-forces pose. Revolution Part 1

We can't all be major characters.

Power Core Combiners

The Power Core process came along and gave Crankcase power and the Destrons. The predictable result was a classic schoolyard bully, using his newfound power to take out his own misery on those all around him. The high is short-lived however, and the burst of happiness he feels in using his new might against the helpless quickly fades and leaves him his old miserable self once more.

Toys

Transformers (2007)

Ridin' dirty.

• Crankcase (Deluxe, 2008)
  • Accessories: Clamp attachment, hammer attachment, key

A Wal-Mart exclusive redeco of Cybertron Red Alert, Crankcase transforms into a Dodge Magnum "haz-mat operations" emergency vehicle. Plugging a Cyber Planet Key into the back of his car mode causes two rear side-panels to pop out and reveal two spring-forward non-firing blasters. This gimmick is retained in robot mode, where they become over-shoulder blasters. He features an unusual transformation sequence in which both the front and rear halves of the vehicle mode come together to form his legs. His hood halves open to reveal storage space for extra tools (a hammer head and an opening claw) that can be attached onto his left arm blaster.

This mold was also used to make Cybertron Cannonball and was retooled to make Timelines Kup.

• More info on Crankcase at TFU.info

Power Core Combiners

Why do I look more like a dead guy than a black repaint?

• Crankcase with Destrons (Commander Class, 2010)

Crankcase is a black redeco of Power Core Combiners Huffer, transforming into a long-nose truck. He comes with his team of four Destrons (redecos of two Aerialbots and two Combaticons) that automatically transform from vehicles to limbs using Automorph Technology when clipped onto Crankcase's torso mode. When detached, they transform back to vehicle mode. Like all Commanders, Crankcase is also compatible with Mini-Cons.

• More information on Crankcase at TFU.info

• Power Core Combiners Special Value Offer (2011)

Crankcase and the Destrons were also released as part of a Walmart-exclusive Black Friday value pack, combining a 5-pack team with a Commander 2-pack via packaging tape and a couple of stickers, and costing all of ten dollars. Wow.

Crankcase has been found packed with the Salvage/Bomb-Burst, Skyhammer/Airlift, Sledge/Throttler, and Undertow/Waterlog 2-packs.

Notes

• Movie Crankcase was originally designed to be part of the 2008 Universe line as a new version of Generation 1 Crankcase.
• Movie Crankcase's "hazmat" deco scheme was designed as an homage to his Generation 1 counterpart's Transformers Universe profile, which gave him an origin as a fuel-spill janitor.
• Due to the vague continuity of the Power Core Combiners line, the case for Movie Crankcase and Power Core Combiners Crankcase being the same guy is not airtight. In fact, it's not entirely out of the question that Power Core Combiners Crankcase is a new body for Generation 1 Crankcase, upon whom both Crankcases' bios are heavily based. TFWiki.net has gone with the simplest explanation.