Ratchet (Universe)

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 an unknown continuity drawn into the Universe portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

"Now cough."

Unlike his alternate universe counterpart, Ratchet's patients have a problem relating to him outside of his role as a doctor. Quiet and modest, he's not much of a social being. However, he's the best there is at what he does. You'd have to look long and hard to find a better surgeon than Ratchet. He often performs this duty at the risk of his own personal exhaustion. Ratchet is dedicated solely to his work.

Fiction

Universe comic

Why did I invite everyone to come in and watch?

Ratchet is one of countless Transformers who had been pulled from his timestream and imprisoned within the Cauldron arena inside the shattered remains of Unicron. When Trailbreaker and Silverbolt managed to arrange a prison break, Ratchet was part of the group that managed to flee. For uncertain reasons, he was not automatically returned to his own universe as were most of the freed prisoners. Rather, he found himself on the technorganic Cybertron that Silverbolt, Trailbreaker, and their rescuer Optimus Primal called home. It was suggested that he may have been needed in this new timeline for a reason, as this universe's Ratchet was, in the past, a great healer.

Though distressed and confused at this turn of events, Ratchet quickly got to work on Sideswipe, attempting to find a way to remove the Unicron virus that had infected the Transformers who had been sent into combat within the Cauldron. However, the virus was proving tougher and quicker than he was. Homecoming

Toys

Universe (2003)

Understandably, many of Ratchet's patients find his hacksaw arm somewhat... unsettling.

• Autobot Ratchet (Deluxe, 2003)
  • Accessories: Blade-missile, cannon-missile, bumper-knuckleduster

Ratchet is a redeco of the 2001 Robots in Disguise Deluxe X-Brawn toy, transforming into an emergency-response Mercedes-Benz ML320 SUV with opening doors and hood. He has a spring-loaded missile launcher in his right arm; the running boards on each side of his vehicle mode are attached to his missiles. These missiles can peg onto his backpack or biceps for storage purposes in robot mode, or be held in his over-sized left hand by the rails. His front bumper-guard detaches to become a knuckleduster he can hold as well. All of the emergency equipment (including his sirens) are merely tampographed onto his roof instead of being newly sculpted parts.

Hasbro stock photography of the toy shows him with white "Emergency" lettering, but the final retail release uses black letters.

• More information on Ratchet at TFU.info

Notes

• Ratchet and Inferno were released with the "sub-line" name "Machine Robot Rescue" printed on their cards in a fairly blatant attempt by Hasbro to prevent rival toy company Bandai from marketing one of their Japanese transforming robot toy lines in the US under that name. Whether this was ultimately necessary is debatable, as the contested line was never brought to the US.
• Glen Hallit has said that this Ratchet was from a 2001 Robots in Disguise universe, but there's nothing in published fiction to support it.
• The Ratchet toy was apparently originally intended as an upgrade for Trailbreaker, explaining Trailbreaker's presence in the Universe comics alongside Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. However, possibly due to trademark reasons, the plans for "Trailbreaker" were dropped, and the X-Brawn redeco became a different character with a different deco.