Wheeljack (Cyberverse)
From Transformers Wiki
| 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 from the Cyberverse continuity family.
Wheeljack is indispensable to the Autobot cause, inventing weapons, armor, explosives and everything else you could want to battle Decepticons. It's just a pity that he gets so enthusiastic about his work that he sometimes ends up just blowing stuff up.[1] On the other hand, he loves blowing up alien technology.
Contents |
Fiction
Cyberverse cartoon
- Voice actor: Billy Bob Thompson (English), Yōji Ueda (Japanese), Olivier Cuvellier (French), Frank Schröder (German), Lorenzo Scattorin (Italian), Emilio García (Castilian Spanish), Ricardo Méndez (Latin-American Spanish), Digão Vicente (Brazilian Portuguese)
Before the Great War, Wheeljack worked closely with Shockwave, helping his colleague build his helper drones and showing off the prototype to a crowd at Maccadam's. Maccadam's Wheeljack was present at Maccadam's when the Iacon City Cube team won. The Citizen
During the Great War, Wheeljack fled across a battlefield alongside Bumblebee and Prowl only to realize they had become separated from the latter. As Wheeljack attempted to deter Bumblebee from going back for their wounded friend, Optimus Prime arrived, carrying Prowl on his shoulders whereupon he ordered Wheeljack to go find Ratchet. Matrix of Leadership
Part of the Ark crew, Wheeljack devoted his time to improving the ship's systems to speed up their search for the AllSpark though his results were mostly met with explosions and a quick consumption of the ship's increasingly limited energon reserves. By the time that Optimus had ordered everyone into stasis pods, Wheeljack had managed to boost the power of the Ark's scanners by a power of 10. With these modifications, Teletraan-1 was able to pick up the AllSpark... a second after the crew had entered stasis. The Journey
After Shockwave had hacked into Bumblebee's cortical psychic patch, he trapped the scout in a false memory that painted him as a Decepticon spy. Within the memory, Bumblebee had sabotaged the energon filtration systems of engines five and seven, an act witnessed by Wheeljack. When the engineer confronted Bumblebee about this, the scout stunned him and threw him out an airlock only for Ratchet to catch him in the act. Brought back aboard, Wheeljack attended Bumblebee's court martial where he dramatically pointed Bumblebee out to the viewing gallery. Sabotage
Teletraan-1 eventually tracked the AllSpark to Earth only for the Ark to suffer a hull breach and crash land in Mount St. Hilary. Some 66 million years later, Wheeljack, along with the rest of the crew, was reawakened by Bumblebee and Teletraan-X in time to see the Decepticon fleet invade Earth. Eruption
Wheeljack constructed a device to penetrate the force field protecting the Decepticons’ Planet Smasher on the Moon. Sea of Tranquility
Wheeljack then used the same device to attempt to breach the doors of the elevator the Decepticons had used to escape. The activation of the planetary engines installed by the Decepticons caused the beam to tip over, scattering the Autobots. Wheeljack observed that something was moving the Moon. He accompanied Prowl and Hot Rod to the planetary engines, reversing their direction of thrust to save the Earth and the Moon from destruction. He later stood with the triumphant Autobots as Optimus addressed the people of Earth. Bad Moon Rising
Wheeljack gleefully (and chaotically) demonstrated several new inventions to Optimus, a Force Shield Blaster, a Mega Magnetizer, something he had no idea what it did, and his latest creation, Hyperfuel, assuring Optimus that using it to fuel the Ark would allow them to break free of the volcano. He later denied Grimlock the use of his drone, when Bumblebee came in search of information about the “moon cheetah”. Wheeljack could only watch in horror as Grimlock drank all the Hyperfuel and began to sprint through the Ark. He used the Mega Magnetizer to stick Grimlock to the wall, which failed to restrain him for long. Wheeljack watched in further horror as Bumblebee used the device of unknown function, which turned out to be a black hole gun. After Optimus contained Windblade and Grimlock in a Force Shield, Wheeljack assured him that the Hyperfuel would wear off by the next day, to Windblade's discontent. The Visitor
Wheeljack explained that the AllSpark created a network of GroundBridge portals across Earth, and that the mapping of the portal network was almost complete, then announced that the AllSpark had been located. As the Autobots congratulated him, Wheeljack opened a portal to the Allspark's location. Optimus went through the portal, but none of the other Autobots could follow, and Wheeljack determined that something had shut the portal down from the other side. Trials
Wheeljack constructed a neutral meeting space for the negotiations between the Autobots and Decepticons. He later talked with Shockwave, and was very amused by Shockwave's drones and their dancing. When the negotiations broke down, the same drones swarmed Wheeljack, who repelled them with a Force Shield and was saved from Shockwave by Grimlock. Parley
Wheeljack was in his lab, studying a dead Scraplet when Cheetor came to ask if he could help, startling Wheeljack. Wheeljack showed Cheetor his power paralyzer, and suggested Cheetor go help Rack’n’Ruin. He was later provided with a live Scraplet specimen to study, which excited him greatly. Spotted
In the desert, Wheeljack released his Scraplet, which had been affixed with a tracking device to locate Starscream. He was approached by Shockwave, who had devised the same scheme. Shockwave suggested combining their efforts, but Wheeljack refused, and was stunned by Shockwave. Wheeljack came to on the Nemesis, and was thoroughly impressed by the scientific majesty present in Shockwave's lab. Wheeljack again refused to help Shockwave, but Shockwave revealed he had captured Bumblebee, in reality merely a hologram of the scout. Intimidated into working, and supervised by ”Lefty”, Shockwave's hand, Wheeljack tricked the hand into giving him the blaster it was holding. After a brief scuffle, Wheeljack took control of the hand and freed himself, discovering the holographic deception. Wheeljack then used the same deception on Shockwave, and used the momentary distraction to escape through the ship, pursued by Shockwave. Wheeljack sent Lefty off to cause havoc on the ship, then crept through the ventilation system to the ship's hangar, where he was cornered by Shockwave just as Megatron summoned him to the bridge to deal with the rampaging extremity. Shockwave let him go, and Wheeljack left the Nemesis, arriving in the nick of time to save Windblade from Bludgeon. Secret Science
Wheeljack excitedly demonstrated his “Seeker Seeker” to Optimus before Sky-Byte attacked the Ark. Infinite Vendetta
At the party in one of the Ark’s hangars, Wheeljack distributed AllSpark emitter badges that he created to commemorate their time on Earth. The badges were designed to filter AllSpark energy directly into the Autobots, feeling like “energon, times ten.” He later noticed his badge flicker red, but before he could investigate, everyone's badge began to flicker, sabotaged by Starscream, driving the crew into a frenzy. Party Down
When an electromagnetic storm hit the Ark, Wheeljack was frozen with the rest of the crew. Perfect Storm
Wheeljack supervised repairs on a derelict space bridge, which malfunctioned, sending the Ark into unspace. When the Ark encountered a duplicate Ark from a parallel universe, Wheeljack went aboard with Optimus and Grimlock. He investigated the duplicate Ark’s science lab, found a machine of unknown purpose, and commented that it looked like his work. When the duplicate Ark began to disappear, Wheeljack and the others fled the disintegrating vessel, only to be left floating in unspace. Returning to their own Ark, Wheeljack explained the disintegration as the effects of unspace, and that their Ark would suffer the same fate if they stayed in unspace too long. When a second Ark appeared, Wheeljack and his duplicate insisted on the two crews meeting. The accounts of the second Ark’s crew confirmed the Wheeljacks’ suspicions that unspace is where the multiverses meet, concluding the two Arks were from alternate realities. In Wheeljack's lab, the Wheeljacks (including from a third ‘’Ark’’) determine the function of the unknown machine, to escape unspace with the power of the AllSpark. They hypothesize that with three Allsparks they could create a space bridge out of the dimension. Three AllSparks are not enough, and when dozens of Arks appear, dozens of Wheeljacks agree that using the power of every AllSpark, they might be successful, returning each Ark and crew to their own dimension. The Crossroads
As the Ark entered Cybertron's atmosphere, Wheeljack eagerly awaited to return home. Battle For Cybertron I
However, along with the rest of the crew, he bailed out of the ship when Optimus suspected a Decepticon trap. He took part in the fight with the amassed Decepticon forces, during which he fought Shadow Striker and was saved from an execution at the hands of Megatron by Optimus. Battle For Cybertron II
Wheeljack participated in the battle outside the Well of the AllSpark, and witnessed Megatron unleash huge versions of Shockwave’s Drones. Windblade later contacted him and proposed something to really “stick it to Megatron”. She asked Wheeljack how to destroy Vector Sigma, and he said he had some ideas. Battle For Cybertron III
Wheeljack arrived at Vector Sigma, and encountered Windblade under attack by Bludgeon, and Teletraan-X in need of repairs. He used a spray bottle of liquid unspace to strand Vector Sigma (and Bludgeon) in unspace, safely out of Megatron's reach. He later watched in awe as the AllSpark restored Cybertron. Battle For Cybertron IV
When Sky-Byte and Jetfire gathered data on the Quintesson ship, Wheeljack expressed his love of alien technology, and of blowing it up. Afterwards, he explained the presence of a multiverse drive on the Quintesson ship, and that they could use it to send the Quintessons into a different universe. Wheeljack led Optimus, Megatron, Dead End and Bumblebee to the Quintesson ship. Arriving at the multiverse drive, Wheeljack was amazed at the alien technology. The Quintesson Scientist attacked the group, and Megatron and Dead End cleared the way for Wheeljack to sabotage the drive. Wheeljack reprogrammed the drive, but Dead End shot him, and he and Megatron commandeered the drive for themselves. The Judge
Thought destroyed with the Quintesson ship, Wheeljack was, in reality, carried through the multiverse portal by Optimus and Bumblebee. They arrived in a strange universe of shifting stone platforms and staircases. The End Of The Universe I
Wheeljack awoke as Optimus and Bumblebee tried to reach him through the strange, shifting universe. The End Of The Universe II
Wheeljack further recovered and easily navigated his way to Optimus and Bumblebee with a grappling gun. The three Autobots reactivated the portal and exited the topsy-turvy universe, arriving back in their universe to witness Croaton and Iaconus clashing. They were attacked by the Scientist's clones, and Wheeljack discovered the true form of the Scientist, hiding beneath the floor, and squished him. The End Of The Universe III
Wheeljack drove with Optimus and Bumblebee to regroup with the other Cybertronian forces, pursued by Prosecutors. Following Starscream's destruction, Wheeljack was present as Optimus and Megatron established a ceasefire between Autobots and Decepticons. The End Of The Universe IV
Wheeljack reported the progress of the rebuilding effort to Optimus, and admired a newly crafted statue of Prima. He and Arcee later asked Optimus about the materials to use for the “Gygax comm array”. When Bumblebee failed to report in, Wheeljack accompanied Optimus and Hot Rod to the wall between the Autobot and Decepticon halves of the planet, and confronted the Decepticons who had cornered Bumblebee and Whirl. Enemy Line
Wheeljack was part of the strategy meeting where Optimus froze, experiencing a vision within the Matrix. Dweller In The Depths
When Optimus set out to destroy Megatron's Matrix of Leadership, Wheeljack opened a gap in the shield wall, allowing Optimus and his team covert access to Croaton city. Silent Strike
Following Windblade's recovery, Wheeljack was among the Autobots who cheerfully welcomed her back. The Other One
Wheeljack celebrated the signing of the peace treaty, remarking that he never thought he would see the day. He was frozen in time with the rest of Cybertron by Trypticon's Mercenaries. Once Volcanicus defeated the Mercenaries and Trypticon, the Dinobots returned Wheeljack to normal, and he built a machine to unfreeze the entire planet in a single blast. He was somewhat taken aback when the Dinobots formed Volcanicus, but continued to celebrate undeterred. The Immobilizers
Following Astrotrain's arrival and warning of an approaching threat, Wheeljack raised the planetary shields on the Autobot half of the planet. When Tarn arrived and explained the conflict between the Decepticon supersoldiers, Optimus summoned Wheeljack, who supplied the Autobots and Decepticons with gadgets and weapons to quell the battle. The gadgets were effective, but the supersoldiers merely teleported away and continued their conflict. When Tarn reprogrammed the supersoldiers, Wheeljack, Clobber and Arcee were attacked, but held off the supersoldiers with Lockdown's help. As they fled, Wheeljack stopped to collect a piece of technology from one of the fallen supersoldiers. When the Autobot forces assembled underground and formed a plan to stop Tarn, Wheeljack presented the trinket he'd collected earlier, the teleportation technology the supersoldiers used, and provided all the Autobots with it. He participated in the battle against Tarn's forces, and was shocked when he realized that Soundwave had sacrificed himself to destroy Tarn. The Perfect Decepticon
Alternate universes
Games
Transformers: Battlegrounds
- Voice actor: Billy Bob Thompson (English), Loïc Houdré (French), Frank Schröder (German), Francesco De Francesco (Italian), Julio Lorenzo (Spanish)
Toys
Cyberverse
- Wheeljack (1-Step Changer, 2019–2021)
- Released as part of the fourth wave of Cyberverse 1-Step Changers, Wheeljack transforms from vehicle to robot by peeling off his roof and windscreen section (and folding down his feet). In robot mode he features the "Gravity Cannon" Action Attack, a launcher on his shoulder that extends a grey blast effect via pressure launch. This piece does not actually leave the barrel of the cannon as in previous conventional projectile launchers, but merely shoots forward and stops. The cannon itself can detach from Wheeljack's shoulder and be held in either of his 5mm compatible hands. His face is sculpted in an attempt to resemble his bearded mouth on-screen look but fails by not actually sculpting or painting a beard on there.
- Wheeljack has seen four releases in the Cyberverse line: First in early 2019 in the original Cyberverse packaging design, then in mid-2019 in the Power of the Spark subline imprint packaging refresh, then again in late 2019/early 2020 in the Battle for Cybertron subline imprint packaging refresh, and then again in 2021 in line's final Dinobots Unite subline imprint packaging refresh.
- Wheeljack (Scout Class, 2019)
- Action Attack: "Gravity Cannon"
- Released in the sixth wave of Scout Class toys, under the Battle for Cybertron banner, this version of Wheeljack features a more show-accurate design than the One-Step Changer. Like the first toy, both of his arms have 5 mm-compatible fists. Unlike the aforementioned figure, this Wheeljack doesn't fully convert into a vehicle, just a most-of-a-car with his robot-mode torso sticking out of it.
- His "Gravity Cannon" Action Attack now simply deploys twin (non-firing) missile pods over his shoulders.
- Wheeljack (Tiny Turbo Changer, 2020)
- Series: 4, 5
- Bag code: L (Series 4), K (Series 5)
- Released in the fourth series of Cyberverse Tiny Turbo Changers, Wheeljack is a recolor of Hot Rod from Series 1, transforming into a futuristic sports car. In robot mode, his shoulder-pipes have flames shooting upwards, which don't have enough clearance to not bump into his back-spoiler, limiting his "useful" arm articulation. He obviously lacks a sculpted goatee, but his face is painted to resemble one.
- Wheeljack was re-released without changes in Series 5.
- This mold was also used to make Sideswipe.
- Wheeljack / Grimlock (Roll & Combine, 2021)
- Roll & Combine Wheeljack is a simple toy, transforming from robot mode to car mode mainly by splitting apart most of the way his along his length and standing him upright.
- In robot mode, he can also form the lower half of a Roll & Combine super robot. While he is interchangeable with any upper-body bot, his nominal form is as the legs of Wheelgrim, combined with his pack-in partner Grimlock.
Buzzworthy Bumblebee
- Wheeljack (1-Step Changer, 2022)
- Series: Cyberverse
- The 1-Step Changer Wheeljack was re-released without any changes again in Buzzworthy Bumblebee packaging. Counting all the packaging variants under the Cyberverse banner, this marks the fifth release of the figure without any deco changes.
Notes
- As many others of the Cyberverse cast, Wheeljack's design is based on an evergreen design inspired by his Generation 1 counterpart, complete with translucent "bandages" (energy? glass?) where he has blown himself up.
- What makes this version of Wheeljack stand out from most other is that he drops the traditional ridged faceplate for a mustache-and-beard combo inspired by Animated Wheeljack, which was previously homaged as a hidden feature on his Generation 1 counterpart's Masterpiece toy.
- Wheeljack's hunched stature, meanwhile, is derived from "Aligned" Wheeljack.
- The nervous bot that carries the Plague of Rust to Velocitron in "Terminal Velocity" reuses Wheeljack's animation model.
- Concept art showed that like his Prime counterpart, Wheeljack has a retractable facemask. Unlike most versions of the character, his "ear" wings were retractable.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Wheeljack (ホイルジャック Hoirujakku)
See also
References
- ↑ Character bios at the official Hasbro USA Cyberverse website
