Armored Robot Hunters

The name or term Wheeljack refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Wheeljack (disambiguation).

Wheeljack is an Autobot in the Generation 1 continuity family.

Optimus Prime! I built a machine that builds machines that build catapults!

Wheeljack is his own worst enemy. Something of a crackpot inventor, a good half of his creations blow up in his face. He's simultaneously one of the Autobots' greatest assets and problems; for every successful gadget he builds, there's one which requires Ratchet to put him (and his lab) back together. But once in a while he strikes gold, which has won him respect from even the Decepticons.

He is, however, not a complete nerd. As good as he is in the lab, Wheeljack is just as amazing on the road, since there're few stunts he can't pull off. He enjoys showing off both on the design table and on the streets.

French-Canadian name: Invento, Cric (as Action Master)

Italian name: Saetta

Hungarian name: Kerék (Wheel)

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

(Events from the UK-only comics are in italics.)

In the Marvel UK Universe, Wheeljack survived the Battle of Autobot City, as seen by being strung up by Quintessons in 2008. He wasn't seen after that, though Blaster survived the same treatment.

Animated continuity

Voice actor: Chris Latta (US), Osamu Saka (Japan) Katsumi Suzuki (Attack of the Autobots and Day of the Machines only) Shinobu Satouchi (Victory)

Boxy but safe.

Wheeljack was one of the original crew of Autobots aboard the Ark when it crashed into the Earth four million years ago. Originally a boxy-shaped transport affixed with retractable bumper-mounted cutting blades, Wheeljack was reformatted in 1984 to be a speedy and rare Lancia Stratos Turbo custom racing car. More Than Meets the Eye, Part 1

Wheeljack was part of the battle unit organized by Jazz to first challenge the re-awakened Decepticons on Earth. He was involved in the battle at an off-shore oil rig, where the Autobots would meet the Witwickys, human workers that would befriend the Autobots. Wheeljack developed an especially close friendship with Sparkplug Witwicky, as the two were both gifted mechanics. Wheeljack was next part of the team that attempted to stop the Decepticon plot to overload Sherman Dam.

Truly, a look can be deceiving, but a touch can be lethal.

A restless engineer, Wheeljack has developed all manner of contraptions and equipment for his personal use and for use by his fellow Autobots, often with catastrophic results. He designed the compact yet extremely powerful explosive that nearly trapped the Decepticons in the ruby crystal mines of Burma, a magnetic inducer device capable of stopping Transformers cold in their tracks, and a gyro-inhibitor shell that could incapacitate even Megatron for short spans.

Upon discovery of dinosaur bones in caverns within the Ark's volcano, Wheeljack and Ratchet were inspired to construct robotic version of dinosaurs. The Dinobots were originally too dangerous and too primitive to control, leading to Optimus Prime commanding that the project be abandoned, but Wheeljack secretly persisted. He developed memory components that increased the Dinobots' intelligence, turning them into valuable, if sometimes unpredictable, members of the Autobot forces. S.O.S. Dinobots

Concealed in Wheeljack's left wrist is a fire suppression system, which no doubt came in handy when one of his devices would blow up in his face.

Perhaps it was because Wheeljack was portrayed with an Italian American accent, that he was ultimately "whacked" in the feature film (see The Sopranos)..

(Note: Wheeljack has the distinction of being the first Transformer to appear in an episode of the animated series.)

Victory

Um, that was my brother Jackwheel .

Wheeljack, Perceptor and Minerva were summoned by Star Saber to save the life of the fallen Ginrai. They succeeded, transforming the former transtector into the mighty Victory Leo.

(Note: Wheeljack's not-being-deadness is never addressed. Though to Japanese viewers during the original airings, this was not a noticeable discrepancy, as the movie where he died had not been shown in Japan until after Victory had aired. However, the original Movie storyboards show Smokescreen as the dead Autobot next to Windcharger). It is also possible that if Skids was successful with Operation: Distant Thunder then Wheeljack could have survived his apparent demise in the movie via Project Bodyshop.

Japanese G2

Umm... would you believe it was my identical cousin?

Wheeljack along with Perceptor and Jetfire discovered new properties of the matrix which allowed Optimus Prime to revive himself as Laser-Rod Optimus Prime after a crushing defeat by Megatron.

Binaltech

HEAVY METAL RULES!!!

When the Dinobots were injured in a Decepticon attack in the year 2005, Wheeljack headed to Earth to arrange the transplantation of Grimlock's mind into a new Binaltech body. On his return journey to the Autobot's moonbase, however, his shuttle was hijacked by time-tossed Decepticon Ravage, who had begun a plan to alter the course of history. Wheeljack was shown a brief glimpse of the near future - including the deaths of himself and many of his comrades - but managed to escape Ravage's clutches; Ravage himself promptly returned to Cybertron and exhumed the Kronosphere, using it to tip the balance of the decisive battle occurring at that time. Whereas the outcome would have originally favored the Decepticons, leading to their total conquest of Cybertron, Ravage ensured an Autobot victory, altering history and leaving the heroes to face the looming threat of Unicron alone.

Aware that history had been altered, Wheeljack was faced with a dilemma - should he stop Ravage's plan and restore the timestream, even though it would mean the death of many Autobots, including himself? His salvation, he hoped, lay in the GT System, a device that allowed a singular spark to simultaneously control many duplicate bodies. Dubbing his original body the "Alpha Unit," he constructed the "Beta Unit" based on Grimlock's Ford Mustang body, as well as the ominous third "Omega Unit," a mysterious body about which nothing is known.

The subsequent arrival of Unicron prompted the Autobots to initiate "Operation: Distant Thunder," which saw Skids use the chronal warp on Dinobot Island to send Wheeljack's memory data back in time, in hopes of alerting the Autobots in the past and preventing alteration to the timestream. The plan didn't go very well and only wound up throwing the timestream into a severe state of whack, until a mysterious black Optimus Prime appeared and sealed the time portals that had been created. Operation: Distant Thuner had succeeded in preventing the mainline timestream's operation, but had also preserved the Binaltech timeline as its own, distinct divergent universe.

Dreamwave comics continuity

Wheeljack calms a group of panicked humans by charging at them while brandishing a weapon.

Wheeljack suffers from a mild form of mode attachment, feeling more comfortable in his vehicle mode than robot mode. As a consequence he does his best thinking in vehicle mode, often while attempting something insanely dangerous.

Wheeljack was one of the engineers that designed and constructed the Ark, and part of the ship's original crew.

In 1986, Ironhide and Ratchet discovered Wheeljack in pieces but functional after an explosion while bug-testing his neutron detonator shell.

(Note: A version of the events of the Sunbow cartoon episode Autobot Spike appear to have taken place in the time between 1984 and 1998.)

Wheeljack was among the Transformers involved in the Ark II disaster. He survived the explosion of their spacecraft, crashing back to Earth where he and Trailbreaker lay deactivated and frozen within an iceberg until awakened by Optimus Prime. Prime Directive, Part 2

Wheeljack participated in the assault on Lazarus's Canadian Headquarters. When General Hallo's attempt to bomb the Autobots and the Decepticons out of existence instead caused a violent expansion of Megatron's cyber-virus, Wheeljack and Mirage were the first Autobots to free themselves. Prime Directive, Part 4

While Prime took some of the Autobots after Megatron, Wheeljack diagnosed the nature of the cyber-virus, and created a set of anti-viral blasters that used the Autobots' energy to return the converted matter to normal. The intervention of Canada's military force scuttled that plan when they fired into the virus, expanding it beyond the point the Autobots could contain. Prime Directive, Part 5

In response, Wheeljack converted a nearby satellite dish into a giant anti-viral weapon, channeling all of his remaining energy into it. He succeeded in destroying the virus, but was left near death. Prime Directive, Part 6

Six months later, Wheeljack came back online just in time to participate in the short-lived truce with the Deceptions and the assault on Las Vegas to destroy the Keepers. Keepers Trilogy

Later, when Shockwave and Ultra Magnus came to arrest the Autobots as war criminals, Wheeljack was one of the Autobots secretly left behind by Optimus Prime. War and Peace Like most of the rest of that group of Autobots, Wheeljack was beaten to the point of stasis lock by Bruticus some time later and dumped into a nearby swamp. He was dredged out by an EDC task force and repaired.

Wheeljack was also instrumental in the planning and construction of Autobot City.

IDW comics continuity

Wheeljack is part of a detachment of Autobots that has operated covertly on Earth for at least four years, attempting to foil a Decepticon insurgency. He appears to be continuing in his role of technical scientist and gadgeteer for the Autobot detachment; he builds a device that can interface the SM-40 palmtop computer with the systems aboard the Autobots' Ark-17 spacecraft.

Toys

Generation 1

• Wheeljack (1984, 1991)

Japanese ID number: C-03

Do your arms hang low? Do they wobble to and fro?

The original Wheeljack toy, released as part of the 1984 series of Autobots, was based on a Diaclone Lancia Stratos Turbo. He comes with two rocket launchers that can fire four projectiles and two clear wings. In robot mode, the rocket launchers and the wings mount onto his shoulder and back respectively. For some reason, Wheeljack's lower arms/hands cannot lock into his upper arms, leaving them hanging at an angle.

In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction flier packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $8 and two robot points.

• Wheeljack (Action Master, 1990)

At least I come with the Miami Vice car.

Action Master Wheeljack is a non-transforming action figure sculpted based upon his cartoon appearances. He comes with the Turbo Racer, a large red sports car based upon the Ferrari Testarossa that can seat two Action Master figures. The Turbo Racer has an 'attack mode' where it transforms into something vaguely resembling an aircraft made from car parts.

The Wheeljack figure was later repainted into Slicer.

Universe

• Wheeljack (Spychanger, 2004)

Where's your head at, at?

This version of Wheeljack transforms into a Le Mans racing car. He is cast in white plastic with mostly black paint. The toy has several stickers to represent Wheeljack's earlier Lancia Stratos colours, including his racing number 539. He comes with a small black rifle that can be stored between his legs in vehicle mode.

Universe Wheeljack is a redeco of Spychanger Daytonus.

Alternators

• Wheeljack (2005)

Alternator ID number: 13

Japanese ID number: BT-14

Mustang Wheeljack! You better slow your Mustang down!

Alternators Wheeljack is a retool of Alternators Grimlock. He transforms into a 2004 model Ford Mustang GT, painted white with blue stripes. In vehicle mode, he features highly realistic styling, opening doors, hood and trunk, as well as a detailed car interior. In robot mode his removable engine becomes a double-barreled laser.

Alternator Wheeljack worked out so much he lost his neck.

The Japanese Binaltech release has a slightly retooled head, different paint applications, and is partially constructed of die-cast metal.

Merchandise

• Wheeljack Bust (2003)

Optimus Prime! I built a machine that will remove our legs and replace them with small pedestals. I call it the Immobilizer Mark II!

Hard Hero released a polystone bust of Wheeljack, based upon his appearance in the Generation 1 television series.

• Wheeljack (2004)

Small, expensive, and puffy.

Palisades released a 6-inch polystone statue of Wheeljack, based upon Pat Lee's rendition of him in the Dreamwave comics.

Trivia

• The remold of Alternators Grimlock was originally planned to be Windcharger (presumably in red), but ultimately ended up as Wheeljack instead, with a new head sculpt. Meanwhile, the head sculpt originally intended for Ford-Windcharger ended up being used for the remold of Windcharger (the Honda S2000 mold) instead, now named "Decepticharge".

External links

• Wheeljack at TFU.info

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