Ratchet (Transformers)

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Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as an Autobot medic who turns into an ambulance. Ratchet is sometimes referred to as "Autobot Ratchet" or "Rescue Ratchet" in the toy line due to trademark issues in the U.S. The Armada homage to Ratchet was even renamed Red Alert for this reason.

Contents 1 Transformers: Generation 1 1.1 Profile 1.2 Animated series 1.3 Transformers: Resurrection 1.4 Marvel comics 1.4.1 Transformers: Generation 2 1.4.2 Fun Publications 1.5 Audio books 1.6 Dreamwave Productions 1.7 Devil's Due Publishing 1.8 Fun Publications 1.9 IDW Publishing 1.9.1 New Avengers/Transformers 1.9.2 Evolutions: Hearts of Steel 1.10 Other Media 1.11 Toys 2 Transformers: Armada 3 Transformers: Universe 3.1 3H Enterprises 3.2 Toys 4 2007 Transformers film 4.1 Titan Books 4.2 IDW Publishing 4.3 Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday 4.4 Movie plot 4.5 Movie toys 5 Transformers Animated 5.1 Animated series 5.2 Toys 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Transformers: Generation 1

Transformers character
Ratchet
Affiliation	Autobot
Sub-Group	Autobot cars Deluxe Vehicles
Function	Medic
Motto	"You break it, I'll remake it."
Alternate Modes	Nissan Onebox Vanette Ambulance
Series	Transformers: Generation 1 Transformers: Timelines
Voiced by	Don Messick (English/Deceased in October 1997) Wally Burr (in G1 episode Masquerade) Masashi Ebara (Japanese)

Ratchet (rach-it) (Ratchet/Mécano in Canada, Racsni in Hungary and Doc in Italy) is the chief medic of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro. His vehicle mode is an ambulance. Ratchet is well-remembered by fans of the original comic series, in which he played a major role, even though the character has not been featured in the modern Transformers universe, aside from his recent featurement in the 2007 live-action film (See below).

[edit] Profile

Ratchet would transform into an ambulance (cargo van type) and was colored white with red stripes and emergency lights. Ratchet had two robot modes, though only one was usually seen in the comic run and the television cartoon. The Ratchet toy transformed into the second form. Ratchet was one of the original and the longest-lived of all Transformers in the Marvel Transformers comic series. Often a fan favorite, he was a healer first, but a soldier nonetheless. His courage and loyalty are demonstrated time and again.

[edit] Animated series

Ratchet was the Autobot medic, and therefore he seldom was ever seen in battle. He usually spent time at the Autobot base with Wheeljack creating and repairing other Autobots. The two of them were credited for creating the Dinobots in an attempt to bolster their ranks versus the Decepticons.

Ratchet was eventually killed in The Transformers: The Movie in an attack by the Decepticons on an Autobot shuttle. The Decepticons penetrated the hull of the shuttle that he, Ironhide, Prowl, and Brawn were flying in. Ironhide and Ratchet attacked the invaders together after Prowl and Brawn's death. The two suffered the same amount of fire from the Decepticons; due to Ironhide's strong armor, he survived the first strike but ultimately died. Ratchet, on the other hand, was killed easily. Luckily, his role as medic is taken by Junkion leader Wreck-Gar, who formed an alliance with the Autobots, and First Aid of the Protectobots.

[edit] Transformers: Resurrection

In an alternate universe timeline, after the attack on the Autobot shuttle by the Decepticons, the shuttle crashed into a remote mountain range, where the shuttle sat for twenty years. At this time, an alien entity reanimated Ratchet for the sole purpose of getting a proper burial for the other three deceased Autobots. Ratchet resumed his duty as the Autobot medic shortly thereafter.

[edit] Marvel comics

Ratchet made his first appearance in issue #1 of the Marvel Comics Transformers comic book series. Originally this was intended to be a 4-issue series, but became a monthly series that ultimately lasted 80 issues. In issue number 4, he transported Sparkplug Witwicky to the hospital after Witwicky had a heart attack aboard the Autobot base, the Ark. Because of this, he was not at the final battle between the few remaining Autobots (having transferred their low fuel resources into a selected group of 5 Autobots) and the fully-powered Decepticons. At that battle, the Autobots were losing when their foes suddenly began falling from fuel that had been tainted by Witwicky. Before the Autobots could celebrate their victory, the Decepticon Shockwave appeared (his first appearance in the comic series) and destroyed the remaining Autobots.

As the sole surviving Autobot, Ratchet sought some way to resurrect his comrades to defeat the Decepticons. An initial foray revealed that Megatron had been humiliatingly defeated by Shockwave and relegated to second-in-command status. Megatron made a deal - Ratchet would destroy Shockwave, and Megatron would free his comrades. Knowing Megatron would betray him, Ratchet searched for some way to get out of it. To this end, he came across information from The Ark's initial search for "life" on the planet when the craft first crashed. While in the "present" (1984), the probes read moving metallic objects as life (as it would expect, being from a mechanical-life based world), accounting for the recreation of the Transformers as vehicles, aircraft, etc.), in a prehistoric attempt it had found none and instead determined the only moving, seemingly-sentient objects of similar size to the Transformers, dinosaurs, to be life. The Ark thus created the Dinobots based on these beings. Finding information on the Dinobots, Ratchet sought out their location, finding them and fixing them back up. (It was his first probe for the Dinobots that had awoken Shockwave, dooming his comrades.) When he had completed this task, he confronted Megatron and ambushed the enemy robot with the five Dinobots (Grimlock, Slag, Sludge, Snarl and Swoop). Megatron quickly dispatched them and laughed at the weak medic. As a final resort, Ratchet flung himself into Megatron, hoping to throw them both off the tall cliff, destroying them both, but instead bounced off. Megatron laughed at him again, though commending him for his courage. While laughing, the cliff edge Megatron was standing on collapsed and he fell to his deactivation. To this end Ratchet was a hero, though he didn't feel particularly victorious. He later returned to the Ark with the Dinobots and repaired his fellow Autobots, with the exception of Optimus Prime, whose head was mysteriously missing (kept by Shockwave to tap the powers of the Matrix).

His workload increased drastically as the Autobots suffered casualties brought on by Circuit Breaker (a woman with electromagnetic powers and a searing hatred of all robots), the Constructicons (as Devastator), a Shockwave-controlled Jetfire, and even a Decepticon doppelganger of Optimus Prime.

In issue #27, "King of the Hill!", Perceptor summoned his fellow Autobots Blaster, Hot Spot, Jetfire, Omega Supreme, Ratchet and Silverbolt in order to decide who should take leadership of the Autobots. After an attack by the giant Decepticon Trypticon the leader was chosen - Grimlock.

Ratchet later ran afoul of the presumed-dead Megatron once again. Megatron abducted him via the Space Bridge and set him to work on a top secret project - resurrecting Starscream as a Pretender and sending him to attack both Prime's forces and the Decepticons under Scorponok, who he considered a usurper. Ratchet double-crossed him, as he reprogrammed Starscream's mind so that his original personality re-emerged, and the traitor ended up begging for mercy from Scorponok. Ratchet also restored Grimlock, Jazz, and Bumblebee, as Megatron tasked him to create Decepticon Pretenders. Ratchet chose these three Autobots of the many deactivated ones based on his experience and loyalty to them; he only had three Pretender shells that he could use. Though Bumblebee had previously been upgraded in size and strength with a new name of Goldbug, Ratchet restored him to his original Bumblebee configuration because he "always liked [it] better". The three battled Megatron's troops, although he defeated them all. Ratchet then revealed the base had been set to self-destruct. Megatron tried to escape through the Space Bridge, but Ratchet sacrificed himself to keep him from escaping. Something that affected Optimus Prime deeply.

Near the end of the original comic run, it was revealed the explosion had knocked both of them into the Space Bridge, fusing them into a nightmarish hybrid. Located by the Autobot detective Nightbeat, the hybrid rampaged around the Autobot ship before Prime stopped it. Against the wishes of Prime's crew, who knew that saving Ratchet meant saving Megatron, the two were surgically separated and put in stasis to keep him alive. Later he was infused with Nucleon along with other Autobots. His final action in the series was causing The Ark to crash-land on Earth to prevent its Decepticon stowaways - Megatron, Galvatron, Shockwave and Starscream - from landing and plundering Earth, presumably being killed in the process. Many times over, Ratchet was a hero, but he never gained nor sought such recognition.

[edit] Transformers: Generation 2

Although there was no Ratchet toy for Generation Two, Ratchet did make several appearances in the memories of Optimus Prime in the Generation Two comic book series by Marvel Comics. Despite being dead, he would make two flashback appearances - one in his fused form with Megatron, and the other showing him protecting two humans, likely Buster Witwicky and his girlfriend Jesse.

[edit] Fun Publications

The Transformers Classics comics published in the Official Transformers Collectors Club magazine is set in the Marvel Comics continuity, but in a timeline where the events of Generation 2 did not occur. Ratchet's seemingly lifeless appears behind Megatron's throne.

[edit] Audio books

Ratchet was featured in the 1985 Transformers audio books Autobots' Lightning Strike, Autobots Fight Back, Laserbeak's Fury and Satellite of Doom.

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[edit] Dreamwave Productions

Ratchet appeared in much the same capacity as he did in the TV series, acting as the Autobots' chief medic. Joining the Autobot faction at the outbreak of the civil war, Ratchet accompanied Optimus Prime to search for survivors in part of Iacon city after Megatron had activated the planetary engines. He later remained with the Autobots under Prowl after Optimus Prime's disappearance in a Space Bridge accident.

Prime returned, and four million years ago, Ratchet was one of the Autobots aboard the Ark when it crashed on Earth, entombing all aboard in stasis until they were reawakened in 1984.

Subsequently, after nearly twenty years of war on Earth, the Autobots defeated the Decepticons and headed back to Cybertron aboard the new spaceship, the Ark II, only for it to explode as it left Earth's atmosphere in 2001.

Later, Ratchet and many of the other Transformers presumed lost in the explosion were recovered by the terrorist Lazarus, a former U.S. Army officer who had developed a means of controlling the Transformers. When Megatron and the Decepticons predictably broke free, they hooked Ratchet and many of the other Autobots up to a machine that drained their energy to power Megatron's technorganic virus. He was later rescued by Prime.

After battling the Decepticons in the Arctic over a mysterious pod (unbeknownst to all containing Scourge), Ratchet and all the other Transformers were taken prisoner when Shockwave arrived to brand them all as war criminals. Ratchet was one of the few Autobots under Jazz that managed to escape to the original Ark. They subsequently battled Soundwave and the Seekers, capturing most except Starscream. The giant Combiner Bruticus was another matter, however, and all the Autobots save Ratchet and Brawn, who were forced to self-destruct the Ark to stop the giant Decepticon. Later, after the arrival of Sunstorm, Ratchet was forced to save Starscream to help stop the rampaging clone. Later, after Sunstorm's defeat, Ratchet was one of the Autobots who helped Prowl to begin building Autobot City on Earth. Dreamwave's closure meant that any further tales of Ratchet would go untold.

[edit] Devil's Due Publishing

In this reimagining of the Generation One story, the Ark was discovered by the terrorist Cobra organization, and all the Transformers inside were reformatted into Cobra vehicles remotely controlled by the Televipers. In this storyline Ratchet turned into a Cobra HISS tank.

In the second series, he appeared as "The Autobot", the sole Autobot guardian of a future Earth over-run by Decepticons. This Ratchet had been changed by his experiences, ruthlessly gunning down several Decepticons and even destroying one in hand-to-hand-combat. He is located by a team of G.I Joes trying to repair the damage done by the time-displaced Transformers. They forcibly teleported him back to Cybertron - where he was promptly gunned down by Shockwave. This Ratchet had reverted to his traditional ambulance-themed body.

He evidently survived, as he appeared again in the third series as part of the combined Autobot/G.I. Joe force attempting to rescue Optimus Prime.

[edit] Fun Publications

Ratchet also appeared as a remold of Energon Towline for the Transformers: Timelines series. His function is Chief Medical Officer and his motto is "You break it, I'll remake it."

It would have been easy for a veteran such as Autobot Ratchet to become embittered after ages of war, death and destruction. However, even after several million years, this Autobot has retained his original cheerful disposition and tendency to look for a good time. This is not a reflection of irresponsibility. Rather, Autobot Ratchet knows that while he tends to the injuries of his patient's bodies, he must also help heal the wounds in their Sparks. Being the best tool-and-die man on Cybertron, no other Autobot is more qualified for the job. For half a century following the last Great War, Autobot Ratchet traveled the galaxy to train in various forms of combat to better save disabled comrades on the battlefield. As a result, he is now one of the most adept Autobots in hand-to-hand combat, although he prefers not to use it unless absolutely necessary. Ratchet's wrists contain a variety of welders, laser scalpels and liquid dispensers. His primary weapon is an Energon-blade that can also emit stun-blasts. Autobot Ratchet is also able to combine with his repair bay trailer for greater mobility on the battlefield. Ratchet is not very strong, but his skill often compensates for this deficiency.

[edit] IDW Publishing

Ratchet plays a significant role in IDW's new G1 continuity. His updated form is an ambulance that bears a close resemblance to a Ford Transit Van. In The Transformers: Infiltration, he picks up three humans who have evidence of their presence on Earth, protecting them from Thundercracker and the Battlechargers. He clashes with Prowl over the issue of the humans and calling in Optimus Prime. Disobeying orders alongside Bumblebee, he is wounded in battle with Skywarp and Blitzwing (at one point being run over by the Triple Changer's tank mode), but recovers before the end of the limited series.

He reappears in the subsequent series The Transformers: Escalation, discovering that the "corpse" of Sunstreaker was in fact a fake. He disobeyed orders once again to let Verity and Jimmy find the location of the decoy's manufacturer - but was interrupted by Ironhide. However, instead of stopping them, Ironhide accompanied them to find the garage that had made the fake Sunstreaker. However, when the two humans failed to reappear, Ironhide went in personally, while Ratchet warned him of approaching police. With Verity and Jimmy out cold, Ratchet assisted in cutting open the ceiling of hidden room they were in. While they saved the humans, Ironhide was too slow in getting out, and was destroyed by the blast.

[edit] New Avengers/Transformers

Bumblebee, Jazz, Optimus Prime, Prowl and Ratchet are slated to appear in the upcoming New Avengers/Transformers crossover by Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing in 2007.

[edit] Evolutions: Hearts of Steel

An alternate version of Ratchet would appear in IDW's Hearts of Steel. Here he seems to be willing to follow Prowl's lead in not contacting the humans, However, when Starscream's plan is discovered Ratchet followed Bumblebee's lead in following the Decepticon train convoy, and was present at their defeat. Following this, he and the other Autobots went back into stasis.

[edit] Other Media

• Ratchet appears in the Robot Chicken episode "Junk in the Trunk" voiced by Seth MacFarlane. In the segment he's in, he tells Optimus that he has prostate cancer and that he will die. It turns out that it was just a segment acted out by the Autobots.

[edit] Toys

• Generation 1 Ratchet (1984)

The toy that was to become the Autobot Ratchet was originally released as part of the Japanese Diaclone series. The toy of Ironhide has the same mold as Ratchet.

• Timelines Ratchet (2005)

A remold of Energon Towline.

[edit] Transformers: Armada

Ratchet was the Japanese name for the character of Red Alert. This character was an obvious homage to Ratchet, being an Autobot medic who turned into an ambulance and had a tool hand, just like Generation One Ratchet was sometimes depicted with.

[edit] Transformers: Universe

Transformers character
Ratchet
Affiliation	Autobot
Sub-Group	Deluxe Vehicles
Motto	"All life is precious."
Alternate Modes	Mercedes-Benz M-Class sports utility vehicle
Series	Transformers: Universe

Ratchet (called Autobot Ratchet) is the name of a Transformers: Universe character. He appeared in the Universe comic book, where it was established he was Ratchet from a parallel Cybertron brought to this world when captured by Unicron, but he escaped.

[edit] 3H Enterprises

This version of Ratchet appeared in the Transformers: Universe comic where it was established that he was Ratchet from a parallel Cybertron. In speaking with the Autobot Trailbreaker, it is established that in the main Cybertron continuity Ratchet was dead.

[edit] Toys

• Transformers: Universe Autobot Ratchet (2003)

Ratchet is a repaint of Robots in Disguise X-Brawn. According to sources at BotCon Universe Ratchet was originally intended to be an upgrade of the Autobot Inferno, but when the Red Alert toy was accidentally named Inferno in a packaging error, they changed this toy to Autobot Ratchet.

[edit] 2007 Transformers film

Transformers character
Ratchet in the 2007 Transformers movie
Ratchet
Affiliation	Autobot
Sub-Group	Micro Vehicles Voyagers
Function	Medical Officer
Motto	"Peace may triumph over war."
Alternate Modes	Thraal Tank Hummer H2 Search and Rescue Sport Utility Truck
Series	Transformers movie toys
English voice actor	Robert Foxworth (film) Fred Tatasciore (game)

In the 2007 live action film, Ratchet appears as a Search and Rescue Hummer H2. As always, Ratchet is the medical officer of the Autobots. According to the official movie site, Ratchet believes the conflict can be solved peacefully, without any violence. However he still carries out Optimus Prime's orders, even if it means use of force.

His weapons include a rotary saw that emerges from his left arm, and can transform his right arm into a machine gun. Ratchet also has an assortment of other tools at his disposal; in the movie, he uses a red laser to scan and try to calibrate Bumblebee's voicebox as they are introduced to Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes. He has enhanced senses, as he reveals Sam's desire to "mate" with Mikaela by sensing his pheromone levels by using his nose. According to the book Transformers - Meet The Autobots by Jennifer Frantz, Ratchet has X-ray vision. According to the Transformers UK magazine Ratchet can produce a "chameleon" effect with his surface photo-electric cells allowing him to blend with his environment.

According to an early interview with Michael Bay Ratchet stands about 24 feet tall (8m) ^[1], but the scale of his Voyager class toy suggests he stands 19 feet tall. The official guide to the Transformers video game says he's 20 feet tall. The Transformers UK magazine states he is 20 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 6.7 tons and has a maximum speed of 230mph. It also states he can "haul/push 20 times his own weight", which is 134 tons. Another DVD interview states that Ratchet is the only car to have been built from an original model.

The vehicles used for Bumblebee, Ironhide, Jazz and Ratchet were put on display by GM at the 2007 Detroit River Walk Festival a little over a week before the U.S. release of the film.^[2]

One early concept sketch of Ratchet shown by Hasbro at BotCon 2007 had him as a red ambulance with white and black detail. ^[3]

[edit] Titan Books

A character bio on Ratchet also revealed more of his pre-war days. Apparently a politician with a flair for cutting through bureaucracy, Ratchet was appointed as go-between for Optimus Prime and the High Council of Ancients. When war broke out Ratchet tried to act as a peacemaker, but was nearly killed by Megatron for it. Rebuilt, Ratchet served as a medical officer for the Autobots.

The Titan Transformers UK. Magazine would reveal Ratchet's role in the departure of the All Spark from Cybertron. When it was jettisoned into space, Ratchet, Ironhide and Jazz hit the pursuing Megatron with a tractor beam, dragging him back to Cybertron. They were no match for his firepower, but the Decepticon leader, realizing they were just stalling him, called in Devastator (Brawl). He proved impervious to their firepower, and seemingly eliminated them all with a foldspace warhead, with Megatron commenting they were "lost in space".

Ratchet was not destroyed, but landed on a war-torn planet. Almost immediately caught in the crossfire between the warring factions of the Thraal and the Rovan, Ratchet easily defeated his attackers. Scanning a local tank as his alternate mode, Ratchet set up a locator beacon for Jazz and Ironhide. However, when the leader of the Thraal - an exo-suited warrior larger than Ratchet himself - attacked the Rovan city, Ratchet intervened to save lives. Defeating the warrior, he became the de facto warlord of the Thraal and set about negotiating a ceasefire, while waiting for the other Autobots to respond.

[edit] IDW Publishing

Ratchet attended to Bumblebee after Bumblebee was nearly killed by Megatron in the Transformers: Movie Prequel, commenting how Bumblebee was a hero for his sacrifice.

[edit] Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday

Ratchet appeared in the prequel novel Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday, where his personality was similar to that of G1 Ratchet. He was part of Prime's Autobot team searching for the Allspark, and was left onboard the Ark to cover the Autobots' rear in the battle, stopping Bonecrusher from entering the hangar bay. He later saved Ironhide and Jazz by opening fire and distracting the Decepticons long enough for them to get aboard. He was unable to stop Scorponok from getting aboard and sabotaging the engines, although Ratchet furiously chased the insectoid Decepticon off. In the final battle, he and Bumblebee double-teamed Barricade, but were unable to stop Starscream from destroying the human ship Ghost-1.

[edit] Movie plot

Arriving on Earth at the same time as Optimus Prime, Jazz and Ironhide, Ratchet's protoform crash-lands outside a local diner. Ratchet quickly scans a yellow emergency Hummer H2 and reconfigures his protoform to a new camouflaged form before meeting up with the other Autobots at Bumblebee's location.

In the Autobots introductions, Ratchet unintentionally embarrasses Sam in front of Mikaela, as he does not fully understand human social rules yet, commenting "The boy's pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female" by using his enhanced senses.

The Autobots then return to Sam's house and retrieve his great-grandfather, Captain Archibald Witwicky's glasses (that have the location to the Cybertronian life-giving cube, "Allspark") whilst attempting to hide from Sam's parents, which results in his mother's and father's prized gardens being destroyed by Prime's massive feet. Ratchet also accidentally gets entangled in power lines, sending him spasming to the ground and causing a blackout in the neighborhood. Sam finds the glasses, but before he can hand them over to the Autobots, agents of a secret government organization called Sector 7, suddenly arrive at his home and arrest Sam and Mikaela, and later capture Bumblebee.

Ratchet also appears to be a very wise Autobot in the film. After Bumblebee's capture, when the Autobots are discussing about the location of the Allspark and their war with the Decepticons for acquiring it first, Optimus states that he intends to unite the Cube with his spark. Ratchet warns him that the Cube's raw power would destroy them both. Moreover, he also tells the Autobots - "I sense the Decepticons are getting ready to mobilize".

Ratchet plays a large role in the final battle, where he, Jazz and Ironhide first battle Devastator, and Ratchet severs one of the Decepticon's arms with his rotary saw. Later, he and Ironhide provide cover to Sam as the latter tries to escape with the Allspark and also engage in a battle with Starscream, who disables both of the Autobots, causing Sam to reach his destination building alone. Ratchet's injuries at the hands of Starcream keep him from getting to Jazz in time before the small Autobot is killed by getting torn in half by Megatron. Ratchet survives the battle and is seen along with Ironhide, Bumblebee, and Optimus Prime watching the sunset in the end of the film.

[edit] Movie toys

• Movie Legends Class Autobot Ratchet (2007)

Released as part of the first wave of movie legends toys, this 3 inch long Hummer H2 is 1/68 scale to the real vehicle. On this toy and all others in the movie line he is called Autobot Ratchet on the packages for trademark purposes.

• Movie Legends Class Rescue Ratchet (2007)

A redeco of Legends Autobot Ratchet. Sold in a 2-pack with Legends Class Decepticon Brawl. ^[4]

• Movie Cyber Slammers Autobot Ratchet (2007)

A Scout Class toy designed for younger children, with a very simple transformation and a pull back motor. The upper portion of the vehicle pops up into robot mode when it hits an object.

• Movie Fast Action Battlers Axe Attack Autobot Ratchet (2007)

A five inch tall, lime green version of Movie Legends Autobot Ratchet. This toy is 14 centimeters long in vehicle mode, while a real Hummer H2 is 482 centimeters long. This makes the toy about 1/34 scale

This toy was among the movie toys to be bootlegged by Chinese toy makers. A nearly identical toy, minus the Autobot logo, was sold under the name "Super War Horse" in 2007.

• Movie Voyager Class Autobot Ratchet (2007)

A highly detailed Voyager class toy featuring Automorph technology, Ratchet is equipped with a foldable battle axe on his right forearm and a detachable roof rack that doubles as a combat stretcher. This toy is 17.5 centimeters long in truck mode, while a real Hummer H2 is 517 centimeters long. This makes Voyager Class Ratchet about 1/30 scale. With the toy's robot mode standing 19 centimeters tall, the real robot would stand about 19 feet tall.

A Best Buy exclusive version, released simultaneously with the DVD/HD-DVD versions of the film, featured a metallic paint finish.

• Movie Voyager Class Rescue Ratchet (2007)

A redeco of the Voyager toy in white with red detail. The concept artwork for Ratchet during pre-production had him dressed in white and red in homage to his G1 origins; however, the neon green coloring was chosen instead for the film.

• 3D Battle Card Game Autobot Ratchet (2007)

Autobot Ratchet among the characters which appeared in the 1st wave of Transformers 3D Battle Card Game by Wizards of the Coast.

[edit] Transformers Animated

Transformers character
Ratchet
Affiliation	Autobot
Sub-Group	Activators Deluxe Vehicles
Function	Medic
Motto	"Hold still. This won’t hurt a bit."
Alternate Modes	Cybertronian ambulance Earth ambulance
Series	Transformers: Animated
English voice actor	Corey Burton

Ratchet appears in the Transformers Animated series as an Autobot ambulance and a seasoned warrior. ^[5]

Ratchet has retractable magnets in his arms which can attract or repel metal, as well as projecting a protective wall of magnetic force, and, as of episode 7, Thrill of the Hunt, has an EMP Generator that can overload a Transformer's systems to enable him to patch them up without causing them pain. His personality appears more based on G1's Kup than the original Ratchet. He is the oldest of the main Autobot cast of the series and the only one who fought against Decepticons in the Great War.

[edit] Animated series

As revealed in "Thrill of the Hunt", Ratchet was assigned by Ultra Magnus to rescue an intelligence officer, Arcee, and retrieve access codes vital to the war effort, when he ran into a Decepticon bounty hunter, Lockdown. Lockdown captured both of them, and took Ratchet's EMP Generator as a trophy. Arcee requested that Ratchet use the generator at full blast to wipe her memory, erasing the access codes in the process. Ratchet did so, but Lockdown's interference overloaded it, completely erasing Arcee's memory. From then on, Ratchet became the bitter war veteran that he is today. Many years later, Optimus Prime and his band of Autobots on Earth ran into Lockdown again, which gave Ratchet painful memories of the incident which caused Arcee to lose her memory. During the events that transpired, Ratchet retrieved his EMP Generator from Lockdown, giving him some closure.

In "Megatron Rising Pt.1", Ratchet was forced by Prime to take away Sari's key, then was ordered to head to the ship and protect the Allspark, but before he could get there, he was ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut. After Blitzwing wanted Ratchet to "hand over the key", Ratchet countered with, "You'll have to pry it from my cold offline servos", then Blitzwing froze him. After that Blitzwing tore off most of Ratchet's right arm and flew away with the key. Then Ratchet freed himself, told Optimus what happened, and was told just to go to the ship and protect the Allspark anyway.

In "Garbage In, Garbage Out", Ratchet encountered the newly created Transformer, Wreck-Gar. Initially rebuffing the scatterbrained machine, when it became clear that the trash-eating nanobots he was carrying would destroy the entire city, Ratchet was forced to do that which, in his own words, "requires more courage then anything I've ever done in my entire Autobot career": apologising. Ratchet convinced Wreck-Gar that he could be anything he wanted, even a hero, and the junk-bot removed the nanobots, only to sink into the river.

[edit] Toys

• Animated Battle Bumpers Ratchet (2008/unreleased)

A simple push and go toy for small children with lights and sounds. Transformers when it hits something. ^[6]

• Animated Activators Ratchet (2008/unreleased)

A simple scout-class version of the character with a push-button transformation. ^[7]

• Animated Deluxe Ratchet (2008/unreleased)

A picture of an unpainted prototype of Deluxe Animated Ratchet was shown by Hasbro at Botcon 2007. Comes with a load of tools for play-factor.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ratchet Papercraft Build your own Ratchet
• Toybin G1 Toy Ratchet Gallery
• G1 Ratchet at Teletraan-I: The Transformers Wiki
• TFU Ratchet at Teletraan-I: The Transformers Wiki
• Ratchet toy galleries
• Transformers Animated Ratchet Profile at TransformersAnimated.com
• Ratchet galleries at Seibertron.com