Ratchet is not and never was a Decepticon
Today, we’re doing something a little different. Instead exploring how an obscure fan theory can possibly hold water, I am going to discuss how one is complete nonsense. It is one that was started back in the day when Transformers was still a new thing and characters only had bare bones backgrounds so we had to go by their words in conversation, very special episodes or behaviour as a means of putting together their story. Basically, people started to theorise that the iconic Autobot medic Ratchet was once a Decepticon. Why? Because he was an old grump who didn’t seem to like people. Because Ratchet is a fan favourite and deserves his own movie just like Bumblebee had his, I want to stand up for our favourite medic by clearing his name by debunking this outlandish theory.
Number one, Ratchet is not grumpy because he is mean spirited or sadistic. He’s grumpy because underneath it all, he is hurting and is in mourning for everything he lost during the war. And he also lives with tons of regrets because he’s not actually a warrior at all. He is a doctor and deep down, a pacifist. He actually abhors violence and wants to heal the sick and wounded, but he was cheated out of that career due to the war. And if that wasn’t enough, he lost his home, his life and who knows how many friends and family he lost. All of the Autobots are in fact mourning, but they don’t show it. Ratchet just happens to be the guy that does show that he’s hurting especially in the Prime continuity. Yet, even still, he is the most compassionate and really does care about everyone’s well being. I mean, he was firmly against the kids in Prime being part of the team and when you stop and think about it, he has a point. Kids shouldn’t be involved in war. Yes, sometimes, he takes this grouchiness too far especially in Animated where that version was at times outright mean, but even though I don’t condone it, it was never personal. Ratchet hates no one except the Decepticons and even then, he doesn’t have it in them to hit them back. In other words, his grouchiness is not because of some Decepticon programming (which might I add is phooey within itself because an “evil gene” doesn’t exist). He’s depressed. If anything, he is the guy that needs kindness most of all not these wild accusations of being a Decepticon.
Number two, Ratchet’s past has been established by his age and life experiences. Ratchet is older than Optimus who might I add is an older mech himself who is the equivalent of a human man in his early fifties. This makes Ratchet the equivalent of being in the mid sixties. It was stated that Ratchet received training in the Autobot way from way back when and has lived as an Autobot peacefully before the war. In some versions, he is either married with grown children or had a girlfriend (further proof that Ratchet is loving at spark). Plus, he has a lot of deep knowledge of Autobot culture which one would only have if they had lived their whole life as Autobot. So unless he was secretly adopted by his parents and was converted without his knowledge, it’s safe to say he was an Autobot his whole life.
Number three, it has been established that Ratchet has Autobot biology. You can tell by just looking at him. He looks like a harmless blue collar type of guy rather than a fighter.
Yes, he is a perpetual frowner, but even then, he looks docile and blocky. It has been confirmed that Decepticon biology works in such a way that they always look like warriors of some kind with pointy and edgy features. Ratchet has none of those. He has the standard Autobot features which are friendly, docile and made for work. Plus, even when Ratchet does look mad, he’s not scary and not all that aggressive looking. Just unfriendly. I have never once looked at Ratchet even when he was at his most livid and felt afraid of him. The most one version of Ratchet ever did was be unlikable which was the Animated version. The only time this medic ever scared me was when he was high on the artificial energon in Prime and in his defence, anyone’s personality can be warped to become scary when they’re on drugs. Decepticons (even good ones) will look scary when angry because that is just how their faces are put together. Animated Scrapper even looked threatening when angry and we all know he wouldn’t punch a dent in a wall when angry. Ratchet’s features are all Autobot and not one bit Decepticon in both body and personality.
So there you have it. Myth busted. Ratchet is an Autobot, he always was an Autobot and he always will be an Autobot. The only long shot, blue moon, one in a million possibility I could think of Ratchet ever having been a Decepticon was that he was born one, but underwent full surgical conversion as a sparkling. And even then, there is not one spec of evidence that suggests this happened to him. The only way I think Ratchet could have ever been a Decepticon is if someday in the future, Hasbro creates on specific version that is like that and even then, he would be exception not the standard kind of like Armada Starscream.
So let’s leave the poor old bot alone and not tarnish his good name, ok? While I am one of the few that believes there is nothing wrong with being a Decepticon, I don’t think it’s nice to suggest Ratchet is hiding such a thing. He’s not that type of guy. He may be grumpy, but he doesn’t have any skeletons in his any of his closets.
Ratchet is not secretly a Decepticon. This theory is just a baseless rumour.
