Rattrap
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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.
Rattrap had the comic habit of coming up with nicknames for several of his comrades, including Optimus Primal (fearless Leader, Boss Monkey, Optimus Pinhead), Dinobot (Chopper-face, the Irracible Raptor, lizard lips, Dinobutt), Rhinox (big-green), Tigatron (the Barbarian, Stripes, Stripey), Silverbolt (Bird-Dog, Sir drools-a-lot), Blackarachnia (Webs, Legs), Cheetor (sky-cat, pussycat, cloud kitty), Airrazor (Birdlady), Botanica (Sprouts) and Depth Charge (Captain Minnow, the tin minnow, the fish-faced crab cook).
- 0.0.1
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.
- 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.
Television Series
Rattrap transforms.
Rattrap is a Maximal from the Beast Wars Transformers universe, an infiltrator, sharpshooter, saboteur and demolitions expert. 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.
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. 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, often calling Optimus "the Boss Monkey", Cheetor "Spots", Tigatron "Tigatron the Barbarian", Dinobot "Chopperface", Depth Charge "Captain Herring" or "The Tin Minnow", Tigerhawk "thunder-butt", Blackarachnia as "Legs" or "Webs" and Silverbolt as "bird dog" (at one point he called Silverbolt "Sir Drools-a-Lot"). Dinobot often referred to Rattrap as "Vermin". 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.
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 II and his band of Predacons on the ship Dark Side 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).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.
The Axalon's cargo of Maximal protoforms in stasis pods had been launched into orbit before the crash, but eventually Tigatron's pod fell to Earth in the northern sector. Both the Maximals and Predacons observed the landing. Optimus Primal decided to fly alone in an attempt to get to it first, but Dinobot warned of an ambush. Primal insisted on going and was attacked by Waspinator and Terrorsaur who disabled Primal. Primal was placed in the cryo-regeneration chamber by Dinobot as Rhinox, Cheetor and Rattrap raced to get the pod. Realizing the Maximal base would be nearly unguarded, Megatron sent his flyers to get the pod while the rest of the Predacons attacked the Maximal base. As the Predacon flyers were outpacing the Maximals to the pod, Megatron arrived at the Axalon where he attempted to entice Dinobot into returning to the Predacons, but Dinobot refused. He used the automated defenses of the Axalon to ward off Megatron, Scorponok and Tarantulas. Using the moon to reflect a laser pulse communication, the Primal and Dinobot were able to send a signal to the pod to activate. The pod than scanned a nearby white tiger, and Tigatron emerged as a tiger himself greeted the animal. Megatron raced to get to the pod himself as Primal emerged from the cryo-regeneration chamber and placed Dinobot in it. When the Predacon flyers arrived at the pod they didn't realize it was already empty and they worked to open it. The Maximal ground party and Megatron arrived at the pod. Megatron threatened to destroy two nearby tigers if they Maximals didn't back off. Opening the pod the Predacons found it empty and one of the tigers revealed himself as Tigatron. As the fight joined by Optimus Primal the Predacons were chased off. Tigatron was invited to return to the Maximal base, but he felt with his identity circuits damaged, he preferred to be with the tigers. He agreed to act as scout for them and the Maximals returned to base (Fallen Comrads).
Blackarachnia's pod fell to Earth. Optimus Primal and Dinobot attempted to retrieve the pod, but it was taken by Scorponok, Terrorsaur and Waspinator. Captured by the Predacons, the protoform was infected with a Predacon shell program and given the alternate mode of a black widow spider by Tarantulas. Megatron welcomed the new Predacon. Noticing that the Predacons were one step ahead of them, Optimus Primal convinced Rattrap to act like he betrayed the Maximals. Rattrap was sent to scout energon in a dangerous sector. The Predacons, having broken the Maximal transmission codes with a recovered Maximal communications chip, sent Terrorsaur to attack Rattrap. Rattrap let Terrorsaur defeat him so he could ask to switch to the Predacons. Terrorsaur returned to base and attempted to take over the Predacons by having Rattrap ambush Megatron and disable his servoes. Although Scorponok remained loyal to Megatron, Blackarachnia and Tarantulas saw no loyalty to their old leader. Both Rattrap and Megatron II were placed in cells in the lowest levels of the Darkside, but they each promptly escaped. Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Dinobot and Cheetor waited outside the Predacon base to attack. Rattrap discovered the chip being used overhear the Maximal transmissions, stole it, and after a run-in with Tarantulas, signaled Optimus Primal to being the attack. During the fight Megatron allowed Terrorsaur to lead to prove what an incompetant leader he was. Rattrap joined the battle seemingly on the Predacon side but then shot Terrorsaur and left with the Maximals. Megatron firmly took back the leadership of the Predacons. At the Maximal base Optimus explained how Rattrap's ruse allowed him to gain access to the Predacons ship and recover the Maximal chip (Double Jeopardy).
Megatron had Scorponok create a viral-mine in the form of one of his cyber-bees. The virus in it was intended to reduce the courage of its victim, making him afraid of everything. The bee also kept the target from transforming and was set to kill its victim and explode if removed. Scorponok ambushed Optimus Primal and Dinobot while they were on a scientific mission and used it on Primal. Although Dinobot returned Primal to the base where Rhinox placed Primal in a cryo-regeneration chamber and diagnosed the damage. Rhinox discovered the virus was flawed and it made Primal hyper-aggressive instead of cowardly. Primal bashed his way out of the C.R. chamber, but was subdued and locked in a holding cell. Dinobot hoped to use Primal as a weapon, but Rattrap worried this would get him killed. Believing Primal had his rage under control, Cheetor freed him from the cell, but soon the rage took over and Primal blasted his way out of the base intent on destroying the Predacons. Cheetor attempted to negotiate for the cure with the Predacons, but failed. Upon arriving at the Darkside, Primal penetrated the hull and defeated Tarantulas, then Waspinator. Rhinox, Rattrap, Cheetor and Dinobot attacked the Predacon base in an attempt to help distract the Predacons as Optimus attacked, while Terrorsaur and Blackarachnia mounted a defense. In Scorponok's lab Primal found Megatron holding the anti-virus, and offering to allow Primal to join the Predacons, but Primal refused. Ripping the bee off his chest, he threw it at Megatron, just as Cheetor made it in time to inject Primal with the anti-virus and save him from shutting down. The bee then exploded, damaging Megatron, Scorponok and the ship as the Maximals made their escape. Back to the Axalon, Primal healed from his wounds (Gorilla Warfare).
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, but eventually Rattrap was able to take Sentinel down. After that Sentinel worked properly (A Better Mousetrap).
Maximal group portrait; Rattrap is on the far rightRhinox conducted tidal research on the planet and discovered that one of the moons seemed to have too low a mass, as if it was hollow. Tigatron made his weekly radio report to Rattrap at the Maximal base when he was attacked by Terrorsaur and Waspinator. During the battle the three stumbled across a flying island with a weapons system tower which nearly destroyed the Predacons. Optimus Primal checked out the scene of the fight, but found nothing. Terrorsaur and Waspinator limped back to base where they reported on the island to Megatron. Airazor then reported to the Maximals that she saw the Predacons flyers return to base severely wounded. As Megatron sent Scorponok and Blackarachnia to find the island, Airazor followed them. Tigatron discovered the island had traps and that the weapons system fired at any use of energy weapons. Scorponok found the island using one of his cyber-bees, although Tigatron captured it. Blackarachnia used her grapple-gun to get them up to the island. Discovering they were being watched, Scorponok shot Airazor out of the sky. Tigatron found Airazor and reprogrammed the cyber-bee to return to the Maximal base with a message. Cheetor found the cyber-bee. In the message he warned the Maximals of the island and its potential power to destroy them if it fell into Predacon hands (The Trigger Part 1).
As Blackarachnia and Scorponok discovered the secrets of the island, Airazor and Tigatron worked to get to the weapons system first. Optimus Primal took Rattrap and flew to the island, but they were intercepted by Terrorsaur and Waspinator. During the battle Rattrap was able to capture Terrorsaur and ride him to the island. Tigatron and Airazor triggered a booby trap on the island, but narrowly escaped. The Predacons got to the weapons system first. Blackarachnia used Terrorsaur to distract the weapons system and blast her way in. She planned to use the weapons system to destroy the Maximals and rule the Predacons. As Scorponok attempted to subdue her he fell victim to another booby trap. Blackarachnia took control of the island from its command center and set course for the Maximal base. Optimus Primal ordered Cheetor, Rhinox and Dinobot to evacuate the base. Before she was able to bring the island within range, Tigatron fought his way into the weapons system and fired on its power-core, causing the island to crash. After being destroyed, the weapons system tower sent a signal a similar tower on the moon, which sent another message into deep space. This turn of events worried the Maximals, as they wondered who built the island and how they would react to its destruction (The Trigger Part 2).
After they were all blinded in an exergon explosion, Rhinox guided the blinded Maximals Dinobot, Rattrap and Cheetor back to base while being hunted by the Predacons (Dark Voyage).
Season Two
rightIn 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
Cheetor, Dinobot and Rattrap - ready for battle.When it appeared that Megatron was going to triumph, Dinobot briefly changed sides. He proved himself in combat with the Predacons by defeating Quickstrike. He gave Megatron II the golden disk, but was unable to kill Rattrap when he was presented with the opportunity. He rededicated himself to helping the Maximals win (Maximal, No More).
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.
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)(this episode 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, Rattrap spoke with a Brooklyn accent and was voiced by Scott McNeil. In the Japanese version, he was voiced by Kappei Yamaguchi.
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).
Beast Machines Television 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 Techno-Organic form (BM). In Beast Machines, he was reformatted into a techno-organic rat. 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 hatred for Beast Machines. However, Rattrap has never been depicted in the predicament he was placed in during the start of Beast Machines and to say his actions were out-of-character would be no short of a popular 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. 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.
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.
Plot of the Botcon 2004 voice actor play - 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, Thrust, 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. 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.
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