Power chip rectifier

Power chip rectifiers are a piece of Transformer anatomy which gives its possessor special powers that other Transformers do not have.

Fiction

The Transformers cartoon

In a plot to defeat Optimus Prime in a one-on-one battle, Megatron had the Constructicons build a Rectifier Machine [1] that would siphon off all the unique special powers of his Decepticon warriors and transfer them into his own body. In order for the machine to work, each Decepticon had to remove their power chip rectifier and place it within the machine. Starscream lamented that without his power chip rectifier he could not perform any of his special abilities, including his cluster bombs and his null-ray. Heavy Metal War

Shattered Glass

When Sephie Beller had Cybertronian technology grafted onto herself, her additions included a blank power chip rectifier, which she could use to duplicate the powers of any Transformer. Elita-One was surprised, as she believed power chip rectifiers could only be bestowed by the Omega Terminus on those who possessed an ember. Transhuman

Notes

• After his enhancement, Megatron was able to manifest all of the Decepticons' skills without having the physical features typically associated with them—for instance, he was able to cause a blinding flash of light to appear despite lacking Reflector's flash attachment, camera aperture, and lenses. This calls into question whether these physical features have any inherent function at all. It is explicitly stated in "Transhuman" that at least Groove's cannon serves as a focusing mechanism for the energy from his power chip rectifier, it is possible that the equipment on other Transformers has a similar role.
• In Transformers: Decepticons for Nintendo DS, reference is made to "Weapon chips", and, in one mission, Blackout must retrieve Megatron's Weapon chip. When Megatron integrated his chip into himself, his arm transformed into a HUGE cannon. In addition, Barricade's hand was shown as a cannon along with Optimus Prime's arm. Barricade made a threat to Brawl that if he didn't settle down he would "confiscate his weapon chip." What relations (if any) weapon chips have to power chip rectifiers is unknown.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Power chip seiryūki (パワーチップ整流器 pawā chippu seiryūki, "power chip rectifier")
• French: Rectificateur alternatif (Europe, "alternative rectifier")