Rattrap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Transformers character | |
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| Rattrap | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Maximal |
| Sub-Group | Basic Beasts Transmetal Deluxe Beast Mega Beasts |
| Function | Spy Intelligence/Surveillance Expert |
| Motto | "My mind is my ultimate weapon!" |
| Alternate Modes | Motorcycle Giant Rat Transmetal Rat Technorganic Rat |
| Series | Beast Wars Beast Machines Transformers: Timelines |
| Voiced by | Scott McNeil (English) Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese) |
Rattrap ("Rattle" in Japan) is the name of a fictional character from the Transformers toyline that appeared in the Beast Wars and Beast Machines series. He is a Maximal and takes the beast form of a rat.
Contents |
[edit] Transformers: Beast Wars
[edit] Beast Wars Toys
- 1996 - The original basic sized grey rat.
- 1997 - The Japanese version, called Rattle, colored to more accurately reflect the TV series.
- 1998 - Transmetal Rattrap.
- 1999 - Transmetal Rattle in Japan.
- 1999 - Transmetal Rattrap in blue colors exclusive to Walmart. This toy was used to represent the transmetal form of Packrat in the comic series. According to some sources they planned to sell the toy as Packrat, but then the name had trademark problems.
- 1999 - Transmetal Rattle in white, packaged with a puzzle in Japan.
- 2000 - Red transmetal Fox Kids Rattrap.
- 2006 - The transmetal Rattrap toy was one of the toys selected for the Beast Wars 10th Anniversary toyline. He was repainted in more show-accurate colors. He came packaged with one of the six pieces used to make the Transmutate toy. It also came with a DVD with the episode "A Better Mousetrap" on it.
There have also been knockoffs of the original and Transmetal Rattrap made in China, with some variations in size and color from the originals.
[edit] Animated Series
Rattrap is a Maximal from the Beast Wars Transformers universe, an infiltrator, sharpshooter, saboteur and demolitions expert. He is famous for delivering the line "We're all gonna die." when things look grim for the Maximals (The immediate response from his fellow Maximals would be "Shut up, Rattrap"). In the episode Dark Voyage he mentioned that he used to be an energon miner. He also hints at being much older than some of his comrades realize, though his actual age is never specified. It's suggested in the show that he is a distant relative of Autobot Arcee. Although never seen in the television series, a toy of him from the 2006 Botcon says he turned into a Cybertronian motorcycle before being reformatted as a rat.
Second to Rhinox, Rattrap has some knowledge about mechanics, especially sabotage and demolition/explosives. Rattrap often criticized Cheetor's immaturity and would at times defy Optimus Primal when he felt Optimus's ideas were unreasonable, too risky or stupid. Rattrap also was very suspicious of Dinobot's loyalty throughout his time as a Maximal. The two often bickered, but for the most part were friendly rivals right up until the time of Dinobot's death in Code of Hero (although Rattrap never quite completely trusted Dinobot entirely after the events of Maximal, No More, in which Dinobot briefly returned to his original Predacon allegiance). Dinobot often made jokes about Rattrap's odor. As Dinobot lay dying, Rattrap was shown to be affected by Dinobot's bravery and passing; after Dinobot's death, Rattrap was often partnered with the fuzor Silverbolt. Rattrap was the most eager of the group to go home to Cybertron. Rattrap was constantly giving his comrades nicknames, both derogatory and buddingly friendly. Despite his tendency to give his comrades nicknames, Rattrap was in fact a capable leader, and in Primal's absence would take the mantle of leadership.
[edit] List of Nicknames
- Optimus Primal: "the boss monkey", "fearless leader", "Optimus pinhead", Rattrap called Optimus "Boss-Mobile" in the Timelines comic.
- Cheetor: "spots", "sky-cat", "pussycat", "cloud kitty"
- Rhinox: "big-green"
- Tigatron: "Tigatron the barbarian", "Stripes"
- Dinobot: "Chopperface", "irascible raptor", "lizard lips", "dinobutt", "bronto brain"
- Depth Charge: "captain minnow", "captain herring", "The Tin Minnow"
- Airazor: "birdlady",
- Tigerhawk: "thunder-butt"
- Blackarachnia: "Legs" or "Webs"
- Botanica: "sprouts"
- Silverbolt: "bird dog" or "'Bolt" (at one point he called Silverbolt "Sir Drools-a-Lot").
- Dinobot often referred to Rattrap as "Vermin".
[edit] Season One
Rattrap was the navigator of the crew of the Maximal exploration ship called the Axalon commanded by Optimus Primal. He worked along side Cheetor and Rhinox. The Axalon chased the Predacon criminal Megatron and his band of Predacons on the ship Darkside through transwarp space after the theft of the Golden Disc. The Maximals and Predacons crashed on prehistoric Earth, where high energon levels threatened to destroy the crew unless they adopted organic alternate modes. Rattrap was given the form of a rat (Beast Wars Part 1). At this point Rattrap had not developed his later loyalty, flatly disobeying Optimus Primal at several points if it contadicted his survival instincts.
When it appeared that Optimus Primal was killed by an alien probe Dinobot attempted to seize command of the Maximals, but Rattrap was appointed second in command by Primal when he contacted the Maximals from inside the probe (Chain of Command). This is Rattrap's only stint as a command, after which he informs Optimus that he does not wish to command again. Indeed, ever afterward, he is seen defering to Rhinox.
Rattrap had a short-lived rivalry of sorts with Tarantulas, ever since Rattrap defeated him in his own lair to rescue Cheetor from the spider's clutches. However, after being beaten by Rattrap on several occasions, Tarantulas seemed to get over his grudge, turning his attention to other targets (most notably Blackarachnia). By the end of the first season and onward, Tarantulus shows little sign of any particular animosity towards Rattrap, even though it is apparent in quite a few of their previous encounters.
One of Rattrap's most notable misadventures came when he pretended to switch sides to the Predacons as part of a plan to discover how the Predacons were tapping their communications, forming an alliance with Terrorsaur. He attacked Megatron and disabled him, allowing Terrorsaur to take over the Predacons. Terrorsaur predictably betrayed him and had him locked up. Escaping, Rattrap discovered the chip used to access their communications and retrieved it. During the subsequent Maximal attack, Rattrap repaid Terrorsaur by shooting him in the back (Double Jeopardy).
In order to better protect the Axalon from Predacon attack, Rhinox created Sentinel, a security computer. Due to damage taken to the computer when Dinobot and Rattrap were fighting, Sentinel went haywire and attacked the Maximals, chasing them from their ship. To make up for the incident, Rattrap demonstrated his talents as an infiltrator by making his way into the base despite countless deadly traps, and deactivating the system. The other Maximals were convinced Rattrap was destroyed in the process, until the somber moment was broken by Rattrap himself (A Better Mousetrap).
After they were all blinded in an energon explosion, Rhinox guided the blinded Maximals Dinobot, Rattrap and Cheetor back to base while being hunted by the Predacons (Dark Voyage).
[edit] Season Two
In season 2, Rattrap was reformatted into a Transmetal rat with the additional mechanical attributes of a dragster (wheels and an engine) by the quantum wave (Aftermath).
"I'm a rat with wheels. Cool." - Rattrap
Following the (temporary) death of Optimus Primal, Rattrap took the initiative, leading the remaining Maximals in defending the base from overwhelming Predacon forces. In the fight, he became the first Maximal to face the newly Transmetal Megatron in a brief one on one showdown. Though no match for Megatron's raw might, he still managed to score a rather embarrassing hit against the giant by taking out his legs when Megatron charged at him. This would be the first and last time Rattrap confronted Megatron in such fashion - once Optimus returned, Rattrap seemed more than content to leave any future duels with the Predacon leader to other Maximals. He also tried to move into Optimus's quarters.
Rattrap's friendship with Dinobot would be sorely tested when the warrior Transformer returned to the Predacon fold. Captured by the Predacons, Megatron ordered Dinobot to kill the helpless Maximal - but Dinobot refused and turned on the Predacons once again. After this Rattrap never fully trusted Dinobot again (Maximal, No More). However, events would be taken out of his hands. After an argument with Rattrap Dinobot set out to redeem himself in the eyes of his friends - and he did. Single-handedly driving off a full-scale Predacon attempt to wipe out the early humans, Rattrap and the other Maximals arrived just in time to hear Dinobot's last words. Tellingly, Rattrap was the first to salute the fallen warrior's Spark as it joined the Matrix.
In the second-season episode "Transmutate", Rattrap makes an off-hand remark about his "great-aunt Arcee". Because of this, Rattrap is believed to be related to Arcee, the female Autobot from the original Transformers series and the animated film. This is also in "in-joke" to Susan Blu, who was not only voice director on Beast Wars, but the voice of Arcee in the movie and Transmutate in this episode.
[edit] Season Three
Rattrap helped recover Sentinel from the remains of the Axalon, only to have it stolen by the Predacons and installed in the Darkside (Changing of the Guard).
When Rattrap was under attack by the Dinobot Clone, he was saved by Bonecrusher, Optimus Minor and Wolfang. Although Rattrap was happy to discover new Maximals, the three refused to go with him back to Maximal base (Transformers: Summer Special 2004).
As Silverbolt and Cheetor continued to clash over their attraction to Blackarachnia, Rattrap discovered a copy of Dinobot's personal datatracks. Deciding to attempt to use them to bring Dinobot back to life in the body of the clone Dinobot, Rattrap recruited Depth Charge to hunt down Dinobot. Although successful in finding Dinobot and uploading the datatracks, Dinobot resisted being taken over by the new personality. Dinobot would have killed Rattrap and Depth Charge if it wasn't for the timely help of Rhinox (Dark Glass, which was never aired).
After Megatron was captured, Rattrap returned with the other surviving Maximals to Cybertron on board the Autobot shuttle Omega Delta (Nemesis Part 2).
In the English version of the show, Rattrap spoke with a Brooklyn accent.
[edit] Manga
In the Japanese manga, Rattrap/Rattle's beast mode was designed to resemble Pikachu.
[edit] Beast Machines
Wisecracking Rattrap always has something snide to say, and is known as a chronic complainer. Recon and surveillance expert. Fits into the tightest of places. Although weaponless in beast mode, his tail is a major asset - tacticle capabilities grab objects and act as an electro-whip weapon. In robot mode, weapon serves multiple tasks - can tap into computer systems, break codes and pick locks. His resourcefulness and intelligence are major assets to the Maximal cause.
[edit] Beast Machines toys
- 2000 - Beast Machines Rattrap.
- 2000 - Beast Machines Rattrap, smaller version packaged with fast food as a promoptional item (released in green in the US, but in several other colors in some countries).
[edit] Animated Series
Rattrap was among the few characters to appear throughout all three seasons of Beast Wars, and both seasons of its spin-off, Beast Machines. He had three forms; his original form (BW Season One), Transmetal form (BW Seasons Two and Three), and technorganic form (BM).
In Beast Machines, he was reformatted into a technorganic rat (oddly enough, sporting a feline-esque face in his transformed form). This reformatting resulted in the loss of all of his weapons, making him almost useless in combat. It also took a little while before he could transform, leaving him stuck in beast mode. These issues, as well as him being the smallest Maximal, made him depressed as he felt that he was a liability for the Maximals. However, the revelation of his technical and computer hacking abilities having been greatly enhanced by his new form eventually made him an indispensable member of the team in their mission to discover the reasons behind their lost memories and Megatron's takeover of a virtually abandoned Cybertron.
Many fans reacted poorly to Rattrap's portrayal in Beast Machines. At one point during his depression, he nearly became a traitor and approached Megatron for a suit of artillery. This action/characterization was unlike anything seen before in Rattrap's character, and is one of the main sources of dislike for Beast Machines. However, many fans of Beast Machines argue that Rattrap had never been depicted in the predicament he was placed in during the start of Beast Machines, therefore they believe that to say his actions were out-of-character would be misconception. Oddly, the toy of Beast Machines Rattrap came with a laser whip and wheel blade weapons.
Eventually, Rattrap broke away from the mold of "useless member" and became Beast Machines' computer expert. His new body let him hack into any console on the planet Cybertron.
Rattrap invented a device which combined a spark extractor with a DNA scanner he planned to use to restore transformers into their bodies. Blackarachnia stole this device and together with the organic core of Cybertron and a nearby fossil reformatted Jetstorm into Silverbolt, now a techno-organic Maximal (Darknest Knight).
He also invented grenades which created fast-growing plants and devices which could interfere with Vehicon sensors. Towards the end of the series, Rattrap began forming a romantic relationship with fellow Maximal Botanica.
[edit] Transformers: Universe
Although there was no new toy for Rattrap in the Transformers: Universe line which followed the story after Beast Machines, Rattrap did appear in the comic book series in the same form he had in Beast Machines.
Rattrap also appeared in the Botcon 2004 voice actor play.
2004 Voice actor play plot - Rhinox has built a device to deflect Unicron's attempts to pull victims from other dimensions with his tractor beam. The Autobots deflect two attempts and the victims end up on a frozen planetoid instead of with Unicron. Maximals Rattrap and Silverbolt and the Predacon Waspinator are sent to help the victims, but Reptilion, Sunstorm, Ruination and Perceptor are sent to get them for Unicron. As a side effect of the device Rhinox built, a vortex opens which sucks in an Autobot shuttle from the past piloted by Bumblebee, Tracks and Cosmos. Thrust attacks the Maximal ship, but they are saved by being transported to the Autobot shuttle. The Autobots and Maximals then go to the planet where they save the victims from the Decepticons. On the planet are two groups of Autobots. One is from the Robots in Disguise story, with Landfill (Walmart recolor), Side Burn (Universe recolor) and Prowl (Universe recolor). The other is from another parallel world with Spychanger Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Prowl and Ironhide. They all fight off the Decepticons. The Autobot shuttle is sent back to its own time.
[edit] Transformers: Timelines
One of the Botcon 2006 exclusive figures is a repaint of Cybertron Ransack which is a homage to Beast Wars Rattrap. This figures is supposed to represent Rattrap before he was reformatted into an animal form. He turns into a motorcycle.
