Grapple (G1)
| This article is about the Autobot crane. For the ex-Constructicon crane who looks exactly like him sometimes, see Hauler. |
- Grapple is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family. His name is regrettably sometimes spelled Grappel.
Grapple is technically an architect, but in his spark he is an artist. On Cybertron, before the war, his buildings were considered great works of art, but now his constructions are limited by the realities and needs of the war effort. It is a situation he often finds stifling. Grapple takes great pride in any work he constructs, and is prone to severe bouts of depression should his "masterworks" be destroyed in the course of combat. Grapple can usually be found hanging out with his close friend Hoist who does his best to cheer Grapple up when his artistic temperament has him down.
| “ | Someday I want to build something that doesn't get trashed! | ” |
—Grapple laments his creations' constant destruction, "Auto Berserk" | ||
Fiction
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Peter Renaday (English), Kenyū Horiuchi (Japanese), Ignacio Campero (Spanish), Christoph Jablonka (German, Generation 2, "The Master Builders" and "Prime Target"), Tonio von der Meden (German, Generation 2, "Auto Berserk"), Gerd Wiedenhofen (German, Generation 2, "Masquerade")
Grapple was first seen on Earth hanging out inside the Ark on a typical day for the Autobots. This typical day including the discovery of a prehistoric island hidden inside a naturally-occurring time warp, and a rampage through the base by the Dinobots. Yup...typical day. Dinobot Island, Part 1
Grapple designed a Solar Power Tower to collect solar energy for the Autobots — even built a little model of it. When Optimus Prime wouldn't let him build it, Grapple ran off to sulk and encountered the Constructicons, and naturally told them all about his awesome tower idea that got nixed because Prime didn't want the Decepticons getting their hands on it. Brilliant.
They agreed to help Grapple and his buddy Hoist out, but then Megatron found out and decided to turn it into his latest evil plan. The Solar Power Tower was completed, but Devastator trapped Grapple and Hoist inside it, and the Autobots had to show up to save their skidplates. The Master Builders
When the Autobots' favorite mad scientist, Wheeljack, started showing off his latest super-weapon, Grapple begged him to please not point the Negavator at any of his buildings. It's like he didn't trust Wheeljack not to blow things up, or something. Inevitably, though, the Decepticons attacked and the beautiful bunker Grapple built to house the Negavator was reduced to rubble. While he worked in vehicle mode to clear away the debris, Grapple and the Autobots were caught napping by Megatron and his Seekers. They had Prime and the others in their sights but, when Red Alert caused a distraction, Grapple dropped the rubble he was carrying on top of the Decepticons, sending them scattering for cover. Auto Berserk
Like most of the Autobots, Grapple showed up in Central City for the first (and apparently last) Autobot Day celebration. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
After the Dinobots destroyed a sizeable portion of the airport battling Decepticons, Grapple and the Autobots lent a hand to repair what was damaged. After Ironhide and Powerglide reconstructed the walls of a building, Grapple was ready to add the piece de resistance by lowering the roof on top. His artistic pride took a serious blow when Grapple dropped the roof and collapsed the entire building underneath it. Mortified as he was, Grapple's mistake was only the first sign of cybertonium deficiency, which soon began to affect all the Autobots and their functions. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 He was later seen with Hoist, patching up Huffer and a group of Autobots after they tangled with the Insecticons. Quest for Survival
Grapple was also one of several Autobots captured by Lord Chumley's wildly-improbable traps; Grapple fell victim to a series of girders that magically fell into a cage configuration. Taken to Chumley's goofy-ass castle, he was used as bait to draw in Optimus Prime, "forced" to hold up a giant boulder—which did not seem to be actually supported by anything and therefore Grapple could have just dropped it or thrown it at one of the other devices keeping the Autobots prisoner.
Grapple's kind of stupid and too bad he didn't have Hoist to get him out of his "sticky situation". Prime Target
After Teletraan I located the Stunticons at large, Prime and the Autobots moved to intercept the wild Decepticons. Grapple, Hoist and Inferno confronted Breakdown and Wildrider on a deserted stretch of highway. When Breakdown dropped a line of oil behind him, Grapple took the opportunity to light him on fire. Geez, Grapple...he didn't even destroy one of your buildings. Why the hate? Masquerade When Starscream and the Combaticons kidnapped Jazz and Cliffjumper, Optimus Prime and the Autobots went after them. Powerglide located the missing 'Bots at a power plant, and alerted his comrades. Grapple and Ratchet freed the prisoners during the power struggle between Megatron and Starscream. Starscream's Brigade
Alongside Swoop's lower leg and Perceptor, Grapple valiantly defended Autobot City when it was attacked by Decepticons in the year 2005. The Transformers: The Movie
Rodimus vs. Cyclonus
Grapple escaped with Tracks in a science vessel and was hiding out in the Rayzor Nebula when they were contacted by Kup. At his request, they came out of hiding. This drew the attention of Scourge and his Sweeps. When Scourge saw Cyclonus engaged with Kup's ship, Scourge attacked Cyclonus allowing all the Autobots to escape. Rodimus vs. Cyclonus
Marvel Generation 1 comics
Prior to the Ark leaving Cybertron, Grapple (along with Smokescreen, Tracks, Hoist and Skids) had his memories recorded onto crystals in case Optimus Prime required more warriors during the Ark's mission. Four million years following the Ark's crash on Earth, Grapple and the others were revived in new bodies on Earth. While the other newly revived Autobots were sent out to learn more about their new home planet, Grapple was sidelined. Optimus Prime had a very special building project for Grapple. Rock and Roll-Out!
So Grapple built Omega Supreme. On his own.
With Omega Supreme guarding the base, the Autobots were finally able to leave the Ark in great numbers. Grapple accompanied Optimus Prime and all the rest of the available Autobots to the Decepticons' coal strip mine base in Wyoming. Here, Grapple fought the Decepticons long enough for Bumblebee to steal combiner technology from Devastator. Once this was achieved, the Autobots retreated. Command Performances!
When Optimus Prime, Ratchet and Prowl disappeared due to time-jumping Decepticons, Grapple found himself in the position of Autobot medic, repairing a damaged Hound. Led into battle with Galvatron and his goons by the new leadership triumvirate of Ironhide, Smokescreen and Jetfire, Grapple and his friends were sorely outmatched against the future Decepticons. Grapple was even part of a half-dozen or so Autobots who dogpiled on Scourge and barely managed to slow him down. In dire straits, the Autobots were actually forced to go to Megatron and forge an alliance against Galvatron. Megatron's strategy managed to capture one of the time travellers, Scourge, but not before the fiendish tracker hurled a razor bladed dart straight through Grapple's chest, putting him out of action for the remainder of the conflict. Once Ratchet returned, he managed to piece Grapple back together soon enough. Target: 2006
Grapple remained with the Ark's crew for quite some time, and was seen on the moon during the grudge match between Blaster and Grimlock. When the Decepticons attacked, Grapple engaged Wildrider in some gunplay. They appeared to exchange hits, but his fate is unknown. Totaled!
Marvel UK future timelines
In 2008, Grapple was operating out of one of the Autobot bases on Cybertron when Scourge and Cyclonus led the Decepticons into an all-out war on the base. (The base was a big honkin' mushroom in the middle of an empty field. One can only hope Grapple didn't design it himself.) Anyway, he did pretty well in battle, gunning down one Decepticon at pointblank range without looking while also firing on an approaching Blitzwing. The Legacy of Unicron!
Marvel Books Big Looker Storybook continuity
While lamenting the fact that he couldn't build beautiful buildings like he did back on Cybertron because the Decepticons would destroy them, Grapple spotted a grasshopper and a beetle. He wished life were as simple for him as it was for those insects, who promptly violated his brain. Under Bombshell's control, Grapple attacked the resident Autobot hippie. Later, at their base, the Decepticons had fun bullying Grapple before they got him to use his knowledge for anything of use to them. That's when the Autobots broke into the base. After the Autobots removed his cerebro-shell, Grapple sucker-punched Megatron and they all celebrated. Hurray! Insecticon Attack!
Dreamwave Generation 1 comics
After the Great Shutdown ended, Grapple was among a group of Autobots chosen to serve as a High Council, ruling jointly with the Decepticon Shockwave over the newly unified Cybertron. However, the Decepticon easily manipulated the council into giving him more and more power, until they were functionally impotent. Grapple and his fellow council members were among the last Autobots to truly recognize Shockwave's deceits, but did eventually join their fellow soldiers in bringing down the Decepticon's control of Cybertron. Revelation Afterwards, Grapple decided to accompany Prowl and the Ark's crew back to Earth, where he could put his skills to work on the construction of Autobot City. The Route of All Evil
IDW Generation 1 comics
While Inferno was running an emergency rescue operation in Kaon during the first major outbreak of Decepticon violence, Grapple was at his side to presumably offer engineering advice on safely evacuating trapped civilians. Their efforts became moot when a hovering elite pleasure cruiser was shot down and landed right on top of them. Megatron Origin #4
In modern times, Grapple was among the Autobots who volunteered to join Rodimus in search of the Knights of Cybertron. He was on board the Lost Light when its launch turned into a spectacular failure, blasting the crew to a far distant corner of the galaxy. Liars, A to D Part 2: Hangers On
 Spoiler warning: Plot details for Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc follow. |
Later, Rodimus discovered Red Alert's deactivated body in the oil resovoir and Grapple helped retrieve the body. Template:Storylink: Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc
Wings Universe
When the Autobots' current reserve of energies was dangerously low, Grapple joined his comrades still on Cybertron in stasis hibernation as an energy-saving measure. Battle Lines, Part 6
Toys
Generation 1
- Grapple (Autobot Car, 1985/1986)
- Japanese ID number: 47
- Accessories: Left & right fists, "Arc-Welder Rifle", 3 rockets
- Grapple transforms into an orange crane based upon the same truck design that Inferno uses, the Mitsubishi Fuso. Each of his forearms contains a spring-loaded missile launcher, so he can fire his own fists or silver missiles (though the mechanism was severely neutered in the original US releases). He is also armed with a small black Arc-Welder rifle.
- This version of this mold was also used to make e-HOBBY RoadHauler. The fire engine version of the mold was released as Inferno and Headmasters Artfire.
- Autobot Grapple (Commemorative Series, 2004)
- Accessories: Left & right fists, "Arc-Welder Rifle", 3 rockets
- Grapple was reissued by Hasbro in 2004 as part of the Generation One Commemorative Series. The spring-loaded firing mechanisms in his arms were completely removed due to safety reasons.
- Additionally, the hook on his crane as well as the hydraulics in the crane arm were changed to plastic painted silver, rather than using the more brittle (but authentic to the original release) vacuum-metalized plastic. He also gained a new Autobot sigil tampograph on his chest/cab, and his eyes were changed from yellow to blue.
- Interestingly enough, Grapple was not released as part of Takara's "The Transformers Collection" reissue series.
Transformers (2010)
- Solar Storm Grappel (Voyager, 2011)
- Transformers "Grappel" (likely named such due to trademark reasons) is a redeco/retool of Universe Inferno, transforming into a fictional crane truck, a hybrid of a 2002-2007 Pierce Contender "pumper" and 2008 Pierce Velocity "Heavy Rescue". It also has some characteristics from the Pierce Dash 2000 "midmount" with a crane arm instead of a "bucket/cherry-picker" (see Pierce Manufacturing). He is fairly extensively retooled, with new parts for the crane, head, forearms, hands and feet, with the new hands now being molded with the forearms, as well as lacking wrist joints and peg-holes. The bars on top of his shoulders have also been enlarged so that they work with C joint weaponry. As part of the "Reveal the Shield" subline imprint, he has a rubsign on his left shoulder pad.
- This toy and all Reveal the Shield Voyager Class toys saw very limited distribution in the USA. Even though they were sold by US-based online retailers in early 2011 and showed up in various international Hasbro markets around the same time, top toy sellers such as Walmart, Toys"R"Us, Target or Kmart never stocked them. Instead, they only showed up at stores such as Ross, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls several months after first being made available online.
- The original version of this sculpt was also used to make Timelines Spark, and it was separately retooled to make Generations Protectobot Hot Spot. It was then redecoed into United Artfire, using tooling from both the original Inferno version and this version of the mold.
United
- Autobot Grapple (Voyager, 2011)
- Japanese ID number: UN-11
- This Japanese version of Solar Storm Grappel is sold as part of the United toyline. It features several changes in color layout and details, such as an orange head to better resemble most of Grapple's appearances in the Generation 1 cartoon.
- Unlike most United figures, the United version of Grapple was released weeks before Solar Storm Grappel was first made available via US-based online retailers.
Merchandise
Decoy Collection
- Grapple (Decoy, 1986)
- Decoy Grapple is a tiny red soft-rubber figurine randomly packaged with various carded toys in 1986.
Attacktix
- Grapple (2007)
| ID number: | Unknown |
| Rarity: | |
| Faction: | Autobot |
| Class: | Warrior |
| Special: | Unknown |
| Point Cost: | 30 |
| Base Speed: | Unknown |
| Attack Type: | Rammer |
- One of many Generation 1 characters slated to appear in Attacktix, Grapple would have been a "rammer"-type piece, with a spring-loaded boom-crane attack. A presumed wave-3 Booster, this piece was ultimately never released.
 Game over. |
Notes
- An Autobot vehicle matching Grapple's vehicle mode and referred to as "Hauler" appears in a quick scene in the three-part mini-series pilot for the original cartoon series. Though later retconned into a unique character via an e-HOBBY-exclusive redeco, it is likely that this was originally intended as the toy and character that eventually became Grapple.
- In the original cartoon, Grapple's head is colored orange most of the time. In "Auto Berserk", however, it's consistently colored black, matching the toy and his appearances in the Marvel comics. Much like Red Alert's red head in the cartoon and the whole Rumble/Frenzy FIRRIB/FIBRIR mess, opinions among the fans on which is to be considered the "correct" coloration differ.
- According to his Tech Spec and The Transformers Universe profile, Grapple shoots rockets out of his forearms. When depicted in fiction, this weapon is usually interpreted as a laser gun or welding torch.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Grapple (グラップル Gurappuru)
- French: Grappin (Canada)
- Hungarian: Csáklya
- Italian: Gancio
- Portuguese: Lutador (Portugal comic), Chave (Brazil comic)
- Russian: Granit (Гранит, "Granite")
