Sparkplug Witwicky
From Transformers Wiki
| This subject of this article goes by multiple names that apply to other articles as well. See Sparkplug (disambiguation), Daniel Witwicky (disambiguation). |
- Sparkplug Witwicky is a human from the Generation 1 continuity family.
Sparkplug Witwicky is many things, but first and foremost a father. He's gruff and no-nonsense in a working-class manner, but he loves his son(s) dearly—a sentiment very much reciprocated. His experiences with the Transformers aren't always smooth, but his down-to-earth approach serves him well. He is very mechanically inclined, which is an obvious asset when dealing with robots.
His several incarnations throughout the multiverse have a varying number of sons with names like "Spike", "Buster", "Butch", and "Jimmy".
Sometimes his real first name is William, Irving, or Daniel. Sometimes his nickname is just Sparky.
| “ | I'm a mechanic! I know what I'm doing! | ” |
| —A mind-controlled Sparkplug states his credentials, "The Ultimate Doom, Part 1" | ||
Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
In his younger days, "Sparkplug" Witwicky was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. A P.O.W. during the Korean War, Sparkplug was forced to repair the North Koreans' equipment. However, he secretly sabotaged that same equipment, leading to personnel and material losses for the North Koreans. The Last Stand
Later in life, he was a mechanic who owned S. Witwicky Auto Repairs & Tow Service, his own auto service shop in Portland, Oregon. He had a teenage son, Buster, who didn't share his interest in auto repair. Buster was more interested in reading, learning, and his work in the literary scholarship program, which he hoped would help pay for his college. This caused Sparkplug to worry, because this wouldn't "lead to a job one day"? What?
Sparkplug was rudely awoken one night by noise in his garage, and when he rushed down there to investigate, he was incredibly pleased to see Buster inspecting a damaged Volkswagen Beetle. Finally his son had begun carrying on his father's work! Buster explained that Sparkplug was mistaken, and that this car was alive. The Transformers
Buster told his dad that while he, Jessie, and "O" were at the drive-in movie that night, they were attacked by three jet fighters and during the confusion that followed, Buster ended up driving the Volkswagen home. Sparkplug, though he disbelieved Buster's story, nonetheless began working on repairing the car. Hours later, what repairs Sparkplug could manage were finished, and the car transformed into the alien robot, Bumblebee! He explained to the two humans that he was an Autobot who had crash landed on Earth along with several others, and that they were in the middle of a civil war. When Buster asked to return with Bumblebee to the Autobots' spaceship, at first Sparkplug refused, but then Buster reminded him that Sparkplug had always wanted Buster to stop reading and start living. Sparkplug let his son leave.
But the two quickly returned when Bumblebee realized his damage was more widespread than he realized. Using some materials from Sparkplugs garage, they constructed a communicator. Soon the rest of the Autobots arrived, and their leader, Optimus Prime, introduced himself to them and addressed their group's dire fuel needs. Their introductions were interrupted by an attack by the Decepticons, the Autobots' enemies. As the battlefield consumed the neighborhood, Sparkplug hid with his son in the cab of a wreck in the lot's junkyard. However, the Decepticon leader, Megatron located Sparkplug and grabbed him, intent on getting the human to make fuel for the Decepticons. Megatron dropped him ("Geronimo!") momentarily to fight Optimus Prime, only for Sparkplug to be scooped up again by Starscream. The Decepticons immediately fled with their prize. Power Play! Cold Comfort and Joy!
After being kidnapped by the Decepticons, he was instructed by Megatron to develop a process that would convert Earthen gasoline into fuel they could consume. Sparkplug drew on his memories of his time as a mechanic in the Korean War, recalling an instance where he had sabotaged the enemy vehicles' fuel and brake lines, and did the same to the Decepticons, poisoning their fuel and hopefully allowing the Autobots to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Finally, Sparkplug was rescued from the Decepticons' fortress by the Autobot Gears and the mysterious Spider-Man. Prisoner of War!
However, before Sparkplug's heroic act could come to light, many of the Autobots believed that Sparkplug had betrayed them by making fuel for the Decepticons, and an over-reactive Jazz let loose with his flamethrower. Although Sparkplug wasn't injured by the weapon itself, he did suffer a mild heart attack. Startled, the Autobots allowed Ratchet to drive Sparkplug and his son to the nearest hospital. Much later, Sparkplug's condition was stabilised, and he woke up in the hospital surrounded by Buster, Jessie, and "O". He smiled, knowing that ultimately, his plan to poison the Decepticons' fuel would spell their doom. The Last Stand
The alien history student Dicet Alpha-zero traveled through time to witness key moments in the Autobot/Decepticon civil war, and thus he observed Sparkplug poison the Decepticons' fuel and suffer his heart attack. The Quest!
From his hospital bed, he asked Buster to promise to cut his ties with the Autobots, as an alien civil war was no place for a high school teenager. The New Order As Sparkplug was kept in the hospital, his customers grew irate with his disappearance and threatened to take their business to Scarpatoni's Garage. DIS-Integrated Circuits! Finally, Sparkplug was sent home, muttering about how the doctors demanded to keep him there a week for "only a little" heart attack. He couldn't wait to get back to fixing cars, but amazingly, when he opened the garage, there were none inside. Buster explained that he had somehow fixed them all. Ecstatic, Sparkplug noted that it wasn't too late to change the sign to say "Witwicky and Son." The Next Best Thing to Being There!
Convinced his son enjoyed auto repairs as much as he did, Sparkplug asked Buster to accompany him in the tow-truck when he learned about a breakdown on the interstate. They returned to their service shop to find Buster's girlfriend Jessie. Sparkplug told Buster to forget about the car repairs and have fun with Jessie on their bicycles, so long as they returned in time for dinner. But the repairs were interrupted when Bumblebee arrived and told Sparkplug that his son was in grave danger, for Buster had broken his promise to avoid the Transformers and had somehow come into possession of the Creation Matrix. The Decepticons would stop at nothing to take it for themselves. Despite Bumblebee's warning, Sparkplug shooed the Autobot away, insisting that he didn't need help taking care of his son. Once Bumblebee left, Sparkplug left the shop in his tow truck, hoping to find Buster before the Autobots did. Though Sparkplug was able to notice Bumblebee tailing him and subsequently lose him, he didn't notice Bumblebee's colleague Bluestreak. And thankfully so, because once Buster and Jessie were spotted, the group was under attack first by Laserbeak and then the mindless Decepticon creation, Jetfire. Both Bumblebee and Bluestreak were damaged in the battle, so it fell to Buster Witwicky and his command of the Creation Matrix to save them. After Sparkplug watched Buster take apart Jetfire with his mind, he realized that Buster was becoming an adult and didn't need him to tell him what to do anymore - his son could decide what was best for himself. Brainstorm! Prime Time!
Buster eventually returned the Creation Matrix to Optimus Prime, but residual energy persisted within his mind. Late one night, Sparkplug rushed into Buster's room when he heard his son screaming from nightmares. During his sleep, Buster had somehow carved an image of a strange Transformer into his bedroom door. Righfully so, the next day Sparkplug insisted Buster join Jessie to a local demolition derby to help clear his head. After they left, Sparkplug detached the door and brought it to the Autobots in the hope that they could diagnose Buster's problem. Worried that Shockwave would come after Buster, Sparkplug and Smokescreen followed Buster and Jessie to the derby. After the Decepticons attacked as suspected and Buster was knocked into a coma, Sparkplug's misgivings about interacting with the Transformers were strengthened. Devastation Derby! Against his father's wishes, Buster and Optimus Prime traveled into Buster's dreams in order to decipher the meaning of them. After learning about the Second Generation of Transformers known as the "Special Teams," Buster and Optimus came to, and Buster's nightmares were excised. Sparkplug was left thoroughly confused by his son's babbling on about the Transformers he had seen in his dream however. Second Generation!
Years later, Sparkplug had opened up a Wash and Roll car wash franchise adjacent to his service shop. Nothing pleased Sparkplug more than filling up cars, except maybe all the extra money that was coming in. It was later revealed that the car wash had put Sparkplug and countless other humans under hypnotic suggestion to surrender their fuel to Ratbat's Decepticons and become their slaves. While under Decepticon control, Sparkplug and an angry mob attacked Buster while the teenager was attempting to defeat Ratbat. Once Buster managed to snap Sparkplug and the other slaves out of their trances, the humans turned on Ratbat and Laserbeak, their former controllers, en-masse. Sparkplug promised his son that he'd have more free time from then on, as the Wash and Roll franchise had until then swallowed their lives whole. Sure, he was out half his business, but it beat being a "rich zombie." Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom
Some months later, Sparkplug received a letter from his other son, Spike, who had been away at college "back east" and was going to come visit his family for break. Sparkplug went to tell Buster the great news, but Buster was too busy thinking about the Autobots he recently saw executed on the news; one of them looked like Bumblebee. Sparkplug reminded Buster that there wasn't anything ordinary folks like them could do. The next morning, the Witwickys received a surprise visit from Walter Barnett, who carried a briefcase containing the brains of the executed Autobots attached to remote control cars. When Barnett said Buster must come with him on a matter of national security, Sparkplug happily handed over the keys to the pickup. But unfortunately for Sparkplug, once Barnett and Buster had departed, he was confronted by Ratbat and the Predacons. When Sparkplug refused to give up their location, the Decepticons tore the Witwicky service garage apart, collapsing it on top of the mechanic. Toy Soldiers!
Needless to say, a day or two later when Spike arrived from college and saw the collapsed building, he feared for his father's life. Sparkplug appeared behind him, laughing, saying that it "takes more than a garage collapsing on top of him to keep old Sparkplug Witwicky down!" It had taken over a day for the authorities to dig him out, but he was no worse for wear. Once Sparkplug told Spike that his younger brother Buster was last seen heading off to the Ark, Spike worried for Buster as well, and left Sparkplug to go find him. Trial by Fire!
With his home demolished, Sparkplug took up residence in the Cascade Vista Motel. Several days later, Spike returned, telling his father that he was going to go find Buster. Their conversation was interrupted by a phone call from Walter Barnett, who said that he had located Buster and was keeping an eye on him, but couldn't tell them where he was. When Spike ran his fingers over the phone cord to track the call, Sparkplug's eldest son was forced to admit the cause of his recent departure: he had become an Autobot Headmaster, binary bonded to Fortress Maximus. Sparkplug was understandably shocked, and when Spike combined with Cerebros and then combined with Fortress Maximus, the mechanic wondered audibly what the Autobots had done to his son. After being introduced to the Autobot Targetmasters, Fortress Maximus bid farewell to his father, and the Autobots left him. The Desert Island of Space!
Ethan Zachary, trying to help his digital copy of the dead Optimus Prime get through some personality issues, called every Witwicky in Portland, hoping to get in contact with one of Prime's former human friends. By then, Sparkplug was living in a boarding house in a run-down section of the city. When Zachary told Sparkplug that he was calling on behalf of Optimus Prime, Sparkplug fumed.
Sparkplug slammed the phone. "Some game players are sorer losers than others," Prime observed. Pretender to the Throne!
Since his auto repair business had been destroyed, Sparkplug didn't get much practice fixing cars, so he was grateful when Jessie stopped by to have her car's transmission looked at. He bemoaned the loss of his business and both of his sons to the Autobots. Suddenly, an egg-like capsule landed, shot from orbit, and opened to reveal the Autobot Blaster. Blaster offered to help them get Buster back... if one of them snuck him onto the Decepticons' island resort, Club Con, in his stereo mode. Jessie noted that Sparkplug was too old and might be too conspicuous and volunteered herself. Sparkplug forbade it, not wishing harm to befall Jessie as well, but Jessie insisted, mentioning that with Buster back, she wouldn't be around to annoy him so much anymore. Club Con!
Though Blaster failed, Buster was rescued from the Decepticons via other means, and Sparkplug was happy to have both of his sons back home with him. Spike was off to pick up his friend Cliff Dietz in San Francisco to go skiing, and Sparkplug told his eldest son to be careful, as he would be returning to college soon. The Man in the Machine!
Regeneration One
Sparkplug died sometime after the supposed end of the Great War, most likely during Megatron's zombie-powered devastation of Earth in the mid-1990s. Later, as the Dark Matrix creature tortured Spike Witwicky in Zero Space, it manifested as Sparkplug in order to fuel Spike's guilt over abandoning his family (and most of the population of Earth) to their fates. This caused multiple fissures to tear in the membranes of reality itself so that the Dark Matrix could infect the rest of the multiverse, though its plan was ultimately foiled by Rodimus Prime and an army of alternate versions of himself. The War to End All Wars, Part 5
Generation 1 cartoon continuity
The Transformers cartoon
- Voice actor: Chris Latta (English), Toshiro Ishii (Japanese), Frank Todaro (English, "Transformers 40th Anniversary Event"), Zhan Che (Chinese), Edgar Fruitier (Canadian French), Jacques Ferrière (European French), Albert Augier (European French, "Microbots", "Desertion of the Dinobots" episodes & "Blaster Blues"), Unknown (European French, "Autobot Spike", "Attack of the Autobots" & "The Immobilizer"), François Leccia (European French, "Make Tracks"), Georges Atlas (European French, "Kremzeek!"), Serge Lhorca (European French, "The Girl who loved Powerglide"), Unknown (European French, "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2"), Gerd Wiedenhofen (German), Gerd Rigauer (German, Generation 2), Giovanni Petrucci (Italian, first and second dub), Ambrogio Colombo (Italian, 40th Anniversary Event dub), Juan Cuadra (Latin-American Spanish), Ariel Abadi (Latin-American Spanish, 40th Anniversary Event dub), Sergio Capelo (Spain Spanish, 40th Anniversary Event dub), Amaury Costa (Portuguese), Ayrton Cardoso (Portuguese, "Transport to Oblivion"), Márcio Marconato (Portuguese, DVD dub), Ronaldo Júlio (Portuguese, "Generation 2", Audio News Dub), Jaroslav Kuneš (Czech)
At some unspecified point in the past, Sparkplug Witwicky worked as a ruby crystal miner in Burma, of all things. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
In 1984, he and his son Spike were working on an offshore oil rig. The day was like any other day, with Sparkplug asking his son to help him flush out a drill bit. Before they could carry out their task, giant robots descended from the sky and landed on the oil rig, and with no provocation, were almost immediately attacked by Sparkplug's coworkers. Regardless, their intentions became clear when Sparkplug himself was pinned against a wall by a small purple robot, who then threw Spike overboard when he tried to help his father. Freeing himself from the robot's clutches, Sparkplug dived into the water after his son. While the rig workers hid in the ocean, another group of giant robots arrived and fought with the group of robots who were stealing oil from the rig. The leader of the evil robots destroyed the rig and set fire to the oil tanks as a diversion while he escaped. More than Meets the Eye, Part 1
The good robots, calling themselves the Autobots, saved the oil rig workers from a fate exactly the same as death. Grateful, Sparkplug and Spike happily latched on to the friendly alien robots, offering up their expertise and knowledge about planet Earth in exchange for joining the team. After the Autobots failed to stop the evil Decepticons at Sherman Dam, Sparkplug, Spike and Trailbreaker had a tea party in the woods, ostensibly so they could eavesdrop on the nearby Decepticon base. After finding out that the evil robots intended to attack the Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma, Sparkplug opined that he preferred being a spy to his old job at the oil rig, which was just as well, given the fact he was now unemployed. Later, Sparkplug's prior experience in the Burma mines came in handy when the Autobots needed to plant an explosive device inside the mine. As he left with Bumblebee, Sparkplug declared that their mission was for both the fortunes of Cybertron and Earth. Moments later, they were caught in the explosion and buried alive. Oops. More than Meets the Eye, Part 2
Fortunately, they were saved. Later, both father and son volunteered for the Autobot attack on the Decepticon space cruiser. After Optimus Prime failed to stop the cruiser, Sparkplug tried to reassure the Autobot leader that he'd done all that anybody could do. Subsequently, the Decepticons were apparently defeated when their ship crashed into the sea, so Sparkplug and Spike were to join the Autobots as they went home to Cybertron, with fuel from the grateful nations of Earth. More than Meets the Eye, Part 3
For some reason, this did not pan out, and neither the Autobots nor Sparkplug and his son went anywhere. As their livelihoods had been destroyed, the Witwickys seemed to move into the Ark and were almost constantly hanging out with the Autobots. After the Autobots failed to stop the Decepticons at the local solar power station, Sparkplug helped Ratchet repair the stubborn old Ironhide. Later, Sparkplug stopped the trigger-happy Ironhide from blowing up a shuttle full of Decepticon energon cubes, as he was the only one who bothered to remember the fact that Spike had been captured to pilot the shuttle through the space bridge. Transport to Oblivion Shortly afterward, Sparkplug was present at Autobot Headquarters when it was attacked by the antimatter-powered Megatron. Roll for It
After Optimus Prime was mortally wounded in battle, Sparkplug watched Ratchet and Wheeljack attempt repairs, but couldn't lend much more than moral support. Though a team was sent to Cybertron to pick up a replacement Cosmitron provided some hope, Sparkplug cautioned Spike that sometimes things just don't turn out like you'd hope. Spike continued to hope and, despite his father's wishes, went to help the Autobot defend headquarters against a Decepticon attack. Sparkplug's earlier caution was proved unnecessary when Chip Chase and the Autobots returned with a new Cosmitron. Divide and Conquer
Spike and Sparkplug accompanied the Autobots to the Arctic, to investigate Decepticon activity there. They couldn't do much more than run for cover when the giant Decepticon Skyfire fired on them. After Sparkplug rescued his son from the water, the pair became stranded on a chuck of ice, and captured by Skyfire. Megatron's treatment of the two humans, imprisoning them in an ice case, clued Skyfire in that the Decepticons weren't what they seemed. Spike and Sparkplug were soon rescued by the Autobots, and cheered on Skyfire as he dealt with Starscream. Fire in the Sky
Sparkplug helped out with the construction of the Dinobots, and was present for their unveiling and subsequent rampage. Fortunately neither him nor his son were injured, but he was concerned when Spike and Bumblebee went after Grimlock. S.O.S. Dinobots When Chip came up with two more Dinobots to build, Sparkplug professed his ignorance of the prehistoric beasts, but helped build them anyway. The Autobots lost contact with Optimus, who had gone to check on a potentially explosive meteorite, and Wheeljack informed the humans that the meteorite had been moved. The two new Dinobots were sent to investigate, and by the time Sparkplug and the others arrived, Grimlock and Optimus were making up after an earlier falling out. War of the Dinobots
Sparkplug was kidnapped by the Decepticons as a test subject for Doctor Arkeville and turned to their side by the doctor's hypno-chips. The Decepticons allowed the Autobots to free Sparkplug so he could sabotage Teletraan I, which gave them an easy means to attack the Autobot headquarters. Spike confronted his father over the apparent betrayal, and Sparkplug appealed to his son to join the Decepticons. When Spike refused, Sparkplug declared that the next time they met, it would be as enemies. Sparkplug and a number of other controlled humans were used as a shield by the Decepticons, while they set up a huge space bridge. During the battle, Spike was able to momentarily reach his father, before Arkeville increased the power of the hypno-chip, once again overriding Sparkplug's will. Sparkplug later activated one of the massive pylons, bringing Cybertron into Earth's orbit and imperiling both worlds. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1
In the aftermath, a celebratory Sparkplug left aboard Skywarp. When the Decepticons started using the slaves as human shields for their energon shipments, Sparkplug ended up on Cybertron. Spike mounted a rescue mission, eventually stumbling on the hypno-chip control center. There he encountered Sparkplug, who immediately trigged an alarm. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2 On Shockwave's orders, Sparkplug prevented Spike from escaping, but with the arrival of more Autobots, Spike got away. Once Wheeljack had rigged up disruption device to disable the hypno-chips, they returned to Decepticon HQ and used it to free Sparkplug. The reunited family returned to Earth in Skyfire to help defeat Megatron and remove Cybertron from orbit. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
Sparkplug listened in on a distress call from Bali about giant monster insects. While Spike and several of the Autobots went to investigate, Sparkplug contacted Optimus Prime and alerted him to the problem. A Plague of Insecticons After Megatron challenged Optimus to a one-on-one duel, Sparkplug, Spike, Chip and the Autobots all turned out to watch and cheer Optimus on. To their horror, Megatron bested Prime, meaning the Autobots would have to leave Earth. Fortunately, when they got back to Headquarters, they discovered that Megatron had cheated, rendering the result void. Heavy Metal War
In an effort to show his friend Wheeljack that the Autobot wasn't the only inventor in the Ark, Sparkplug once managed to take spare Autobot parts and put them together to make a functioning robot called Autobot X. Once activated, the mindless robot immediately bashed in everything and everyone in sight. After Spike was injured in a battle with the Decepticons, they formulated a plan to transfer Spike's mind into Autobot X while his human body was worked upon by surgeons. Sparkplug regretted this decision, as it drove Spike insane. Spike was on the verge of joining the Decepticons when his own actions sent his father plummeting from a clifftop. The threat to Sparkplug caused Spike to regain his senses, and he was later restored to his own body. Autobot Spike
Sparkplug was at Autobot HQ when new reports indicated Decepticon activity in New York City. As he left, Optimus told Sparkplug to tell the other Autobots to head there. City of Steel After "enjoying" a test of Jazz's new speaker system, Spike and Sparkplug returned to HQ with the Autobot, to find Bluestreak acting strangely. Once Sparkplug had patched up Teletraan I, they discovered that Megatron had modified the recharging chambers to turn the Autobots evil. Sparkplug created an attitude exchanger and, after testing it on Bluestreak, built enough to cure the rest of the Autobots as well. He and Jazz daringly rescued Doctor Harding from Ratchet and Hound, then headed to an air field to hunt down everyone else. Later there was a brief argument over who should claim the credit, before Spike reminded them that there were a bunch of planes busted by the Autobots that needed fixing. Attack of the Autobots
Sparkplug alerted Ironhide after Sky Spy witnessed Carly being captured by the Decepticons. Though Ironhide figured Spike would handle it, Sparkplug talked him into lending a hand. Sparkplug was pleased as punch when his son went out with Carly, because she was clearly out of Spike's league. The Immobilizer When the Autobots were called to Quantum Laboratories to fight out-of-control machinery, Sparkplug found a Remote Control Circuit Linker card on one of the devices. He accompanied the Autobots on a hydrofoil to the oil platform which the Decepticons were using to steal energy from oil tankers. He was useful in alerting the Autobots when he spotted the Decepticons making a swift retreat, and everyone evacuated before it exploded. Day of the Machines
Sparkplug joined his son for the unveiling of Nightbird and fled the hall when the Decepticons attacked. Enter the Nightbird During a demonstration of the training Wheeljack had given the Dinobots, Sparkplug was impressed with their progress, but it turned out he'd spoken too soon, as the Dinobots began another rampage. He and Ratchet made the mistake of starting to try to fix thing before the Dinobots had been reigned in. Dinobot Island, Part 1 Repairs were completed in record time, however the repaired Teletraan alerted them to strange energy readings in town, which Sparkplug realised were near where Spike had gone. Dinobot Island, Part 2 He helped out with one of the stranger plans by loading a box containing Perceptor, Brawn and Bumblebee onto Powerglide. Microbots
Sparkplug, Spike and Chip were part of the cheering crowds that greeted the Autobots on Autobot Day. Unfortunately the crowd turned nasty after incriminating video was played of the Autobots raiding oil refineries, but the trio stuck by their Autobot friends, returning to Headquarters with them. To Sparkplug's bewilderment, the Autobots were rapidly found guilty and commanded to leave the planet. As they did so, Sparkplug wondered where Spike had gone. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 The humans put on Decepticon Day, a celebration that Sparkplug found sickening. Spike turned up with evidence exonerating the Autobots, but as he, Sparkplug and Chip tried to present it, the other shoe dropped — the Decepticons revealed their true intent and took over the city. The trio was put to work with other humans in a power plant. Just when all hope seemed lost, the Autobots returned and freed everyone. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
Later, Sparkplug left on a mysterious trip that required him to wear a suit. Upon his arrival at the airport, he was greeted by Spike, Carly and Bumblebee. The three humans were remarkably unharmed after Megatron blew up a nearby plane, though the Dinobots were badly damaged, and Sparkplug helped repair them, only for the ingrates to leave the Autobots. When the Autobots suffered from Cybertonium depletion, Sparkplug managed to persuade the Dinobots to steal some from the Decepticon space bridge. Instead they went to Cybertron. Spike and Carly opted to follow them, so Sparkplug supplied Spike with a two-way radio. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1 He monitored the pair as they explored Cybertron, providing guidance until they went too deep into the planet to communicate with. He somehow set up a space bridge platform right outside Headquarters, and was waiting by it when Spike, Carly and the Dinobots returned with a supply of Cybertonium. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
Blaster's broadcast of a human concert managed to annoy Sparkplug as well as the Autobots when it came through the comms system at Headquarters. When Megatron subsequently stole the Voltronic Galaxer and blocked radio transmissions worldwide, Sparkplug wondered what they could do and quickly got an answer. Blaster Blues As the Autobots expanded their operations, they installed a small urban base in New York City, concealed behind an auto-repair garage operated by Sparkplug. In the aftermath of the failed Decepticon plan to use stolen cars as robot drones, Sparkplug bemoaned the fact it would take weeks for himself, Hoist, Ratchet and Wheeljack to return the cars to normal functionality. Make Tracks
When Megatron unleashed Kremzeek onto the Autobots, Sparkplug was the first to realize the electrically based creature scrambled Autobot circuits and would thus be repelled by an insulating compound sprayed on the remaining Autobots. While those few left for Japan to chase after the creature, the hapless Sparkplug was left with the unenviable task of reactivating the other Autobots left behind. Kremzeek! Spike and Sparkplug were running a workshop when Powerglide was assigned to protect Astoria Carlton-Ritz. Sparkplug observed with amusement that Powerglide appeared to have fallen in love with Astoria, provoking laughter from Ratchet and Ironhide, and a threat of violence from Powerglide. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide After Omega Supreme was critically damaged, Sparkplug worked hard to help repair him. His toiling and support of Ratchet helped to show the Aerialbots that the Autobot cause was worthier than the Decepticon one. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2 Sparkplug got all gussied up again for a National Scientific Achievement ceremony during which Perceptor was presented with an award. Cosmic Rust
Scramble City: Mobilization
Sparkplug worked alongside Spike, Chip Chase and Carly to help to construct Autobot City. Scramble City: Mobilization
Legends comic
Sparkplug was at the Autobot base when Wheeljack unveiled his latest invention. Slugslinger's Ambition
Find Your Fate Junior
Battle Drive
Sparkplug discovered a critical weakness in the Decepticons' circuits that would allow the Autobots to destroy them once and for all. However, the Decepticons discovered this and came after Sparkplug, who fled to the hills to hide. This eventually led to an Alamo-like standoff with a small group of Autobots holding off the Decepticon army from the shelter of a cave for two days while they waited for relief to arrive, with Sparkplug performing the makeshift repair work to keep them running. In one possible scenario that ensued, Sparkplug and Prowl attempted to make a mad dash back to Autobots headquarters in order to get the schematics to safety. But this turned out to be one of your dreams. In another possible sequence of events, Sparkplug, Buster and the Autobots trapped in the cave tried to escape by going farther down inside the cavern. They only plummeted to their doom for their trouble, as they couldn't see the chasm before them in the dark.
The paper on which Sparkplug had the specifics of the weakness was ruined in the battle. He could re-create the research, but the Decepticons would be able to change the design of their circuits while he did so. Still, at least it would keep them out of trouble for a while! Battle Drive
Attack of the Insecticons
While tinkering in his lab, Sparkplug invented the Sun-Pak, a powerful solar battery that threatened to change the balance of power between the Autobots and the Decepticons. Observing Ironhide testing the device in an underground cave, Sparkplug alongside his son, Buster, and the Autobots became excited at the prospect of never needing to worry about their energy supplies running low ever again. Optimus Prime was quick to praise Sparkplug, calling him a genius for his new invention, though the ever-humble Sparkplug was happy enough with the simple title of "mechanic." Celebrations are short lived, however, as the Decepticons discover the Autobot's testing grounds just as the device is waning in power, and Sparkplug is pushed aside to safety by Optimus when a firefight breaks out between the two factions.
One of the possible outcomes of the firefight leads to Sparkplug being kidnapped by Starscream, hellbent on acquiring the Sun-Pak for himself. Later finding himself before Starscream and Bombshell in a museum after-hours, the two Decepticons attempt to browbeat the human into building another Sun-Pak for them. He is given the choice of building one out of his own free will, or being subjected to Bombshell's Cerebro-shells, and being made a slave to the Decepticons' whims. Sparkplug insists that nothing will make him cooperate with the evil robots, and so Bombshell prepares to administer the mind-control device. Depending one what choices Buster makes, who observed the whole drama develop while hiding nearby, Sparkplug's fate differs.
If Buster decides to contact Megatron and provide him with a recording proving that Starscream intends to overthrow him as leader of the Decepticons, Megatron is shortly on-scene. The Decepticon leader orders Sparkplug's release, and allows the humans and their Autobot allies to leave the museum safely while he deals out disciplinary actions towards his troops. Though Sparkplug is worried that the Decepticons may seek out to steal his invention again, Buster informs him that circumstances are so either all Decepticons who know about the Sun-Pak will be unable or unwilling to divulge the information to Megatron.
If Buster decides to contact Megatron but refuses to provide him with proof of Starscream's treachery, Megatron appears nonetheless, but allows the Cerebro-shell to be administered onto Sparkplug. Though it appears at first as though the Decepticons have secured themselves victory over the Autobots, the mind-control process leaves Sparkplug's memory damaged, and he is unable to recreate the Sun-Pak for the Decepticons. He is later released from Decepticon custody, the effects of the Cerebro-Shell having worn off, and informs his Autobot allies that the only invention he could provide for the Decepticons while under their spell was a laser-toothbrush!
If Buster decides to formulate a plan with Bumblebee and Blaster to rescue his father, the Autobots use a combination of speed and Electro-scramblers to have Bombshell miss his target, and hit Starscream instead of Sparkplug. Sparkplug is ordered to be release by the newly mentally malleable Decepticons, and father, son and Autobots allies ride off safely as Starscream and Bombshell bicker over allegiances.
In another possible outcome of the previously mentioned firefight, if the Autobots attempt to flee and confuse their escape route with another passage, they find themselves in the Insecticons' underground nest. The heroic Cybertronians find themselves under the effect of an Electro-Scramblers, and are unable to fight back against their captors. Sparkplug and Buster are however unaffected by the device. Sparkplug proposes that he can rewire the Sun-Pak to provide for a short time a source of energy for all the Autobots, if the manage to recharge it.
If Beachcomber is tasked with sneaking off with the Sun-Pak to the surface, and manages to make his way there, the Autobot comes face to face with Kickback. Thankfully, Sparkplug and Buster find their way to the surface too, and take the Insecticon by surprise with a blaster. Father, son and Beachcomber make their way back to the rest of the Autobots, and enable them to escape the Insecticon's trap with the now-charge Sun-Pak.
If the Autobots instead attempt to use the Sun-Pak as a bargaining chip against the Insecticons, the Insecticons turn down their offer, leaving Sparkplug and Buster to rescue the lot of them. The duo sneak up on the Insecticons, and turn the power of the Electro-Disrupter onto them, allowing the Autobots to flee safely out of the cavern.
In other possible adventures where the Autobots are forced to destroy the Sun-Pak to keep it out of Decepticon hands, Optimus is confident that Sparkplug can construct a new Sun-Pak if the situation calls for him to do so. Attack of the Insecticons
Earthquake
In one possible sequence of events, after the Autobots had uncovered a Decepticon plot to destroy Center City, a lead team, including Optimus and his strongest Autobots, headed for the city to defend it. On route, Optimus picked up Sparkplug to help the Autobots better communicate with the humans. Stopping outside of Center City, Prime asked Sparkplug on which course of action would best... To enter Center City in their vehicle modes, or in their robot modes?
If Sparkplug suggested that the Autobots not worry about subtlety, the entire squad transformed and began prowling the streets in search of Decepticons. Though Sparkplug and the Autobots attempted to find the mayor of the city to restore order, they were unable to do so amidst the chaos. Having lost too much time, Sparkplug was presumably killed when the Decepticons’ earthquake successfully destroyed Center City.
If Sparkplug suggested that the Autobots not risk causing a panic and remain in their vehicle modes, he asked the Autobots to drive him to the mayor's office. As an old friend of his, the mayor would listen to his pleas for an evacuation. The Autobots would serve as the means for the evacuation in their vehicle modes. Sparkplug's plan was carried out smoothly. Earthquake
Decepticon Poison
Sparkplug was dispensing the Autobots’ newest batch of fuel, only to discover once he had topped up about half of the Autobots that the fuel had been poisoned by the Decepticons.
If Optimus decided in light of these events to stay on the defensive while the Autobots attempted to devise a cure, he sent Sparkplug out to fetch the Autobots’ emergency stash of fuel, in case the Decepticons attacked while the Autobots were in a weakened state.
In one possible scenario, Sparkplug returned to the Autobot headquarters with the fuel in tow just in time to refuel Optimus, Mirage, Prowl and Bumblebee as the group took off on an espionage mission against the Decepticons.
In several possible versions of the events that followed, Sparkplug then returned to the Autobot headquarters with more fuel, just in time to see the Autobots having been cured from the poison. Decepticon Poison
Project Brain Drain
Sparkplug was fiddling around with a new invention, a new type of high-tech radio when Spike came about to inform his father that he was off to a rock concert at Heywood Heights. Just as Spike was leaving, Sparkplug managed to get his radio to work, only for him to stumble upon a secret Decepticon frequency. Overhearing their plans, Sparkplug learned that the Decepticons were planning to drain the brain powers of the attendees of the very rock concert his son was going to attend later in the day. Though Sparkplug attempted to warn Spike, the boy had already left with his friends. Realizing that he needed to radio the Autobots, Sparkplug needed to decide whether he would try contacting them over his radio, or if he should set out for the Autobot city Metroplex.
If Sparkplugs set out immediately for Metroplex, he managed to make it most of the way there, only for his old beat-up car to get a flat a few miles from the Autobot base and swerve out of control. The car was demolished after crashing into a telephone pole, but Sparkplug emerged unharmed from the wreckage. Knowing that time was still of the essence, he pressed on towards Metroplex.
If Sparkplug continued to follow the road towards Metroplex, he soon crossed paths with Bumblebee, who gave him a ride to the Autobot headquarters. The both of them then rushed to Ultra Magnus to inform him of what Sparkplug had previously learned.
In one possible scenario that ensued, Sparkplug joined the Autobots as they headed to the Decepticons’ headquarters, hoping to create enough trouble there that the Decepticons would be forced to abandon their scheme. Upon arrival, Sparkplug checked his watch to realize they had only a few minutes left before the Decepticons were scheduled to begin their attack. Sparkplug didn't participate further in the conflict from this point forward, and whether or not the Autobots won depended on what choices Ultra Magnus made.
In another possible scenario, Sparkplug accompanied the Autobots as they moved to intercept the Decepticons at the concert itself. He was mostly uninvolved in the ensuing battle, and whether or not the Autobots succeeded depended on choices his allies made.
Alternatively, if instead of continuing on the road to Metroplex, Sparkplug attempted to take a shortcut, he accidentally tumbled into a raving en route, falling into a hole from which there was no escape. Oops.
In a completely different sequence of events, where Sparkplug attempted to contact the Autobots through his radio instead of setting out for Metroplex himself, he came into communication with Wreck-Gar. Unable to hail anyone else, Sparkplug agreed to have the Junkion motorcycle drive him to Ultra Magnus. En route, the pair noticed an old abandoned building guarded by Decepticons. Realizing that the Brain Drain device might be held within, Sparkplug considered sneaking into the lab and taking care of it himself.
If Sparkplug decided to keep on pushing Wreck-Gar to head for Metroplex, the strain caused the Junkion to break down. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, without any spare parts to repair Wreck-Gar, the pair were unable to reach the Autobots in time to warn them of the Decepticons’ plot.
If Sparkplug decided to sneak into the lab, he and Wreck-Gar circled the building until they came upon an unguarded backdoor. They two of them made a dash for the entrance, only to run into Soundwave exiting the building. Spotting them immediately, Soundwave opened fire on the pair, forcing them to retreat. But Sparkplug soon found his and Wreck-Gar's escape route being blocked off by a detachment of Decepticons. Surrounded by Decepticons on all sides, Sparkplug was instructed to surrender by Soundwave, who further told him that no harm would come to him if he did so.
If Sparkplug did surrender, he was immediately blown to smithereens by the lying Decepticons.
If instead, Sparkplug and Wreck-Gar made a mad dash to escape, the two of them managed to get past the Decepticons surrounding them, but were then chased down by Thrust and Laserbeak, who managed to send them skidding into a nearby lake. As the Decepticons moved in for the kill, Hot Rod, Kup and Jazz showed up, shifting the odds and rescuing Sparkplug and Wreck-Gar. With Thrust and Laserbeak retreating, Sparkplug explained to his rescuers the situation as it were. The Autobots then decided whether they would try a counter-attack on the Decepticons’ lab, or if they would send Hot Rod off to Metroplex for reinforcements while the rest of them headed for the rock concert.
If the Autobots decided to storm the Decepticons’ lab, Sparkplug loaded Kup up with some hefty rock, so that he too could participate in the battle that ensued. Sparkplug managed to knock out Thrust with one of his rocks, which demoralized the rest of the Decepticons, and led to them being further beaten back. The Autobots winning, Soundwave attempted to escape with the Brain Drain device in hand.
If Hot Rod attempted to stop Soundwave, Laserbeak managed to grab hold of the device and flew off to meet Galvatron. The Autobots being too low on power to pursue meant that the Decepticons would ultimately be victorious. If Jazz attempted to stop him however, he was successful in doing so and the Autobots successfully destroyed the Brain Drain device.
Alternatively, if Sparkplug, Wreck-Gar, Kup and Jazz headed towards the concert while Hot Rod headed back to Metroplex for reinforcements, the small group found themselves wondering how they could defend the huge sea of people by themselves upon their arrival. Hearing the Decepticons approaching, but uncertain from which direction they were coming from, the Autobots and Sparkplug had to decide whether they would station themselves on the west side of the concert, or at its south.
If the Autobots decided to head for the west side of the concert, Sparkplug and the others positioned themselves just in time to see a whole squadron of Decepticons coming into view. As the Autobots fought the Decepticons off, Sparkplug stood at the ready to perform any repairs needed to help his friends. After Wreck-Gar was blown apart, Sparkplug help reassemble him, so that the Junkion could continue fighting. But Wreck-Gar was blown apart once more. As Sparkplug scramble to bring back together the Junkion's parts, he spied a cloud of dust coming towards them from the horizon. Unsure whether it was more Decepticons or Autobot reinforcements, Sparkplug needed to decide whether to continue reassembling Wreck-Gar or to try and signal the newcomers.
If Sparkplug went off to wave the newcomers over, he was relieved to see Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus, and numerous other Decepticons drive up to meet them. Thanks to Sparkplug directing the reinforcements to his position, the Autobots were successful in foiling Galvatron's plans.
If Sparkplug instead continued to fix Wreck-Gar, the reassembled Junkion was able to himself destroy the Brain Drain device.
Alternatively, if the Autobots decided to head for the south side of the concerts, Sparkplug split from the group to search the crowd for his son. As they were facing in the wrong direction, the Autobots were surprised and immediately destroyed by the Decepticons. With no one to stop him, Galvatron used the Brain Drain device on the crowd before him. Sparkplug found his son too late to save him from having all of his brain power stolen from him. Project Brain Drain
Big Looker storybooks continuity
When Sparkplug and Spike were inspecting the damage wrought by a volcano's eruption, they spotted an ancient buried spacecraft from which came giant robots. The pair hid, and after the Decepticons left, they approached the ship and encountered Bumblebee. After helping the Autobots get back on their feet, Sparkplug suggested they tap into the volcano's thermal energy as a power supply. On their way back to their home city of Kimball in Hound, Spike and Sparkplug spotted the Decepticons attacking the nuclear power plant and alerted the Autobots. During the ensuing battle, Optimus Prime was hit, and it was only Sparkplug's quick work that got him functioning again, ensuring an Autobot victory. Battle for Cybertron The Autobots entered a car rally to win free gas and Sparkplug and Spike turned out as spectators to cheer them on. Despite Decepticon interference, Cliffjumper got to the finishing line first, to cheers from the two humans. The Great Car Rally
Marvel Storybooks continuity
Shortly after the Autobots arrived on Earth, they met Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky, who befriended them. One morning Buster pointed out to his father the new Freedom Sports Arena being built in Beacon, and Sparkplug said the company building it was well known for its great buildings. He wasn't to know that the reason for that was because Global Building Corporation was a front for the Constructicons, and the buildings it had created were all cunning traps! Battle for Earth
Marvel coloring books
Sparkplug and Buster Witwicky spied on the Autobots from behind rocks, but were grabbed by the Decepticons. Fortunately the Autobots noticed their predicament and came to their aid. In return, Sparkplug repaired all the damaged Autobots and declared his intent to help the Autobots defend Earth. When the Decepticons attacked Hoover Dam, Sparkplug went along and, with Cliffjumper's help, carried out battlefield repairs on Sunstreaker. The Deadly Fuel Shortage Sparkplug was serving as referee for a race between Sideswipe and Bluestreak when Decepticon Seekers trapped them with Sleep Nets. When all of the Autobots except Bumblebee were captured by the enemy, a plan was devised and implemented — Sparkplug and Spike constructed a giant cut-out Autobot which was placed outside Decepticon headquarters as a diversion while Bumblebee slipped in and freed everyone. Bumblebee to the Rescue!
Sparkplug and Spike accompanied the Autobots on a ship Wheeljack built, when the Decepticons were searching for undersea treasure. The humans were safe inside Brawn when the missiles started flying. Search for Treasure Under the Sea Sparkplug and Butch went fishing in the forest with the Autobots, or at least Butch fished while Sparkplug polished Bumblebee. During a battle with the Decepticons, Megatron made a grab for Sparkplug and Butch... but came up empty-handed because he'd been fooled by one of Hound's holograms. Afterwards, the Autobots fixed the forest, and Sparkplug and Butch thanked them. Forest Rescue Mission
Sticker Adventures books
While Optimus and Prowl prepared a one-bot ship for launch to Cybertron, Sparkplug put together a device to track the ship's journey, though he didn't see why they needed to leave a lovely planet like Earth. Optimus patiently explained that they needed to see what had been happening there in their absence. The Decepticons picked that point to attack. After Optimus recovered, he related the dream of returning to Cybertron he'd had, and Sparkplug said he was glad Optimus was still with them, for now. Return to Cybertron Optimus and Sparkplug went on a road trip together to find parts for the Autobot spaceship. When they returned, they found that the Decepticons had stolen the Autobots' fuel supply and were attacking. Luckily the pair had picked up lots of fuel on their way back, and the Autobots used it to recharge and chase the Decepticons off. Revenge of the Decepticons
Ladybird Books continuity
- Voice actor: Blain Fairman (English)
Spike's father had seen lightning damage all sorts of things, which is why he wasn't surprised to see it had made half of a mountain disappear. After he explained the phenomenon to the Autobots, they build a machine to try to harness the power of lightning, and he joined them in watching the initial test from a safe distance. Autobots' Lightning Strike Spike's father helped the Autobots repair their space cruiser, but lamented the lack of a power source for the ship. He and Spike accompanied Optimus Prime to a solar research plant, and he was able to decipher Spike's morse code when the boy scouted out the Decepticon activities. Megatron's Fight for Power
When the Decepticons were found to be at work on a space cruiser of their own, Spike's father noted that the area they were building in was once famous for its quarries, and the Decepticons were probably using one of those. After Spike discovered that there was a convenient road rally in the area, he and his father entered with the Autobots as vehicles, so they could search for the Decepticons without raising suspicion. Autobots Fight Back During a search for Laserbeak, Spike's father filled the Autobots in on the technical aspects of windmills. He and Spike manage to avoid being flattened when the Decepticons accidentally destroyed the windmill in question. Laserbeak's Fury Spike's father offered advice to the Autobots when they found a Decepticon base dangerously near a human estate. He and his son were able to talk to the office and factory workers, and establish that the place would soon be empty and it would be safe for the Autobots to attack the Decepticons. During the ensuing battle, the pair proved themselves useful by distracting the Decepticons with a piece of machinery. Decepticon Hideout
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
Though he believed the alien robots to all be dangerous at first, Prime Directive #3 Sparkplug, along with his sons Spike and Buster, befriended the Autobots shortly after the Transformers re-awoke in 1984. After Operation Liberation and the defeat of the Decepticons, Sparkplug was one of the humans chosen to accompany the Autobots back to Cybertron. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the Magnificent Seven were killed in 1999 when the Ark II exploded.
His death caused Spike and Buster to turn into jerks towards the Autobots. Prime Directive #1 Buster, now a Colonel working at the Pentagon, kept a photo of his father on his desk. The Route of All Evil
Transformers Legends anthology
When Ratchet began feeling lost and disillusioned while on Earth, he began going on more and more combat missions, increasingly leaving his medical duties in the hands of Sparkplug, Wheeljack, and Perceptor. This presumably stopped after he had a perception-changing experience in a chance meeting with a disabled war veteran. Healers, Fighters, and Transformers
2005 IDW continuity
Daniel "Sparkplug" Witwicky had a wife All Hail Megatron #2 and a daughter. Burning Chrome He frequently used to take his son, Spike, out camping in the woods when he was young, but these trips came to an end when he became a colonel in the United States military. Scrapper When his son went to West Point, he was able to get away with being a complete prat because of who his dad was. Only Forward Sparkplug had met General Joe Colton at some point. Colton did not consider Sparkplug Adventure Team material but did know him to understand the chain of command. White Light
Sparkplug was grinning and bearing a cocktail party with his wife's environmentally-conscious associates, fantasizing about killing them with his toothpick, when an army helicopter suddenly landed on the lawn. At the president's request, Sparkplug was whisked to New York City to lead troops against a Decepticon onslaught. On the way, he repeatedly mouthed off at CIA Agent Grant and later had him assaulted by another soldier because the member of the CIA was big on secrecy. Once in New York, he gathered all the senior officers for a briefing, but when the Decepticons began targeting the city's bridges and tunnels, he just stood there open-mouthed and said, "Good God." All Hail Megatron #2
As the Decepticons overtook New York City, the now-General Witwicky had his troops pulled back into the residential areas, given that the last batch was annihilated by one robot, to better protect them from raids. He sat in his command tent powerless as he got updates on the death toll, the flooding of the tunnels, and how the Decepticons had begun invasions of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. He was then informed of how the Decepticons had completely wasted the US Navy, and that Air Force One had been destroyed. The president dead, Witwicky was left as speechless as the "snooty elite" he'd harped on earlier. All Hail Megatron #3 All Hail Megatron #4
Witwicky would later send Spike on a special mission to take out Megatron, but was disheartened when his son's team was attacked by Ratbat and thought dead. All Hail Megatron #5 In truth, Spike alone survived and called his dad from within New York after the Decepticon radio blackout was taken down. Sparkplug told him that the other nations were planning to nuke the city with him and all other survivors still there. All Hail Megatron #9
Later, when the Autobots returned to Earth and Omega Supreme battled Devastator, Witwicky was astounded but continued to lead an evacuation. Unfortunately one of his vehicles happened to be Dropshot, who transformed and started mowing down his men. The colonel was not amused. All Hail Megatron #11 Sparkplug fired a bazooka at Dropshot, but only slightly injured him. Luckily Kup showed up. Afterwards, Sparkplug and Kup had a chat about outer space and Kup's "cigar" while sitting on the fallen body of Dropshot. All Hail Megatron #12
In the aftermath of the invasion, the covert alien investigation organization Skywatch was reworked into a Transformer-hunting military force working under the United Nations. General Witwicky was put in charge of the organization, replacing the very ineffective Agent Red. Spike also became a Major of Skywatch. The Man of Steel
Two years later, Autobot leader Optimus Prime surrendered himself to Skywatch and was put into custody at Spike's base. Once General Witwicky heard of this, he contacted his son and ordered him to keep Prime there while he conferred with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on what to do. He was unimpressed with how Spike had been off-site during two important events: the Autobots attacking and saved a prisoner, and Prime's surrender. New Arrivals, Old Encounters Wanting to show his dad and the other generals that he could be a good leader and not just a grunt, Spike struggled to get any information at all out of Optimus Prime. A Rude Awakening Seasons in Flight Just hours before General Witwicky arrived, Spike temporarily released Optimus Prime so he could fight Menasor and didn't care if anyone reported him to his father. Earthworks
When Sparkplug finally did arrive, he was outraged about the release of the prisoner, but Spike argued that the Autobots weren't a threat to humans and that forming an alliance with them would be for the best. Sparkplug reluctantly agreed with his idea, as long as the much stricter General Allenby didn't find out he let Optimus Prime go and they kept certain Skywatch activities secret from the Autobots. All His Engines Together with Allenby and the Joint Chiefs, he later participated in a video conference with Spike, helping his son's cover story by lying to Allenby that Optimus Prime had actually escaped on his own. When they got some time alone, he warned Spike against getting sloppy as he feared what might happen if the Autobots stopped trusting him. Scrapper
As it turned out, the Autobots did indeed stop trusting him because he'd been cutting deals with Decepticons for weaponry. Spike became an international fugitive as a result... and Sparkplug aided him in this, sending him covert emails. Vs
Years later, following the apparent dissolution of Skywatch after their alliance with the Autobots was made public, General Witwicky had come to lead its replacement, Earth Defense Command. Together with Director Marissa Faireborn he traveled to the South Pole to meet with Galvatron and Soundwave when the Decepticons returned to Earth with a peace offer. Detonation Boulevard In return for the Decepticons' help in preventing the return of the Autobots, the EDC would build them a haven in the form of a space station near Jupiter. Full Fathom Five
When the Decepticons ambushed the Autobots, Witwicky monitored the situation and ordered Faireborn to keep the number of civilian witnesses to a minimum, but was cut off when Soundwave began blocking all communications. The Mind Bomb As the battle risked revealing their alliance to the public, the EDC used their mindbomb weapon to neutralize the Decepticons, prompting a vengeful Galvatron to confront General Witwicky at their Bikini Atoll base. Keeping his composure, Witwicky defended himself by accusing the Decepticons of not sticking to their agreement and updating them on the progress of the EDC's part of the bargain. Full Fathom Five Interrupted by an Autobot attack on the base, Witwicky tried to organize an evacuation, only to learn that Galvatron had not been placated when he found himself staring down the barrel of the Decepticon leader's cannon. For his last words, Witwicky tried to pass on a message to his son, Spike, but Galvatron didn't hear him out and killed him on the spot. When Marissa Faireborn arrived at the scene, the Decepticon upheld the alliance by telling her the general had been killed by Prowl. I Dream of Wires
After his death, Prowl used General Witwicky's emails to track down Spike. Vs Miles Mayhem later recalled being present when the general and the EDC made their alliance with Galvatron and Soundwave. Secret Raiders
All Spark comic
Energon Universe
"Sparky" Witwicky lived in Farmingham with his wife and two children, Jimmy and Spike Transformers #1, moving there to protect his family from his own past Transformers #4. Following the death of his wife and, much later, Jimmy, Sparky spent his days in the local VFW bar attempting to drown his memories of his former military service and his son before his night shift at the local power plant.
During one such drinking session, he was interrupted by Spike, who had come looking for him. Sparky asked Spike where he was going with Jimmy's old telescope, with Spike reminding him of his and Carly's trip to Hanger's Rock that night and how it let the young man feel closer to Jimmy. In response, Sparky said that Jimmy's memory was better left forgotten than remembered. The two were interrupted by Sparky's co-worker Davey who offered Sparky a ride to work.
At work, Davey attempted to politely confront Sparky about his treatment of Spike. Sparky then told him to keep his naïve opinions to himself. Suddenly, the two watched as a giant robot touched down at the plant and began tearing apart the machinery. Davey dashed for his car while Sparky told him to wait. He then watched as the robot grabbed his friend and crushed him with its bare hands. Transformers #1
The next day, Sparky went over the attack with a police officer, demanding that he ditch protocol and call up the army. It was then that another robot touched down, followed by two others. Sparky watched in horror as the robots began collecting the plant's energy. He commandeered an abandoned police car in an attempt to escape and was almost caught by the black jet robot, but a crashing fighter jet allowed him to drive away. Sparky drove home and armed himself. He then met up with Carly, informing her that the robots had killed her father, Davey. Transformers #2
He comforted Carly as she cried, only to realize she and Spike had already encountered these robots. Suddenly, a bird-like robot burst through the wall and attacked them. Sparky opened fire with his assault rifle, but the robot was unfazed and threw him across the room. As it advanced on Carly, a new, red robot entered the fray and attacked the bird robot. Sparky, in turn, shot the newcomer in the face with his shotgun, then took Carly away in the police car. The two drove to the bar, where local townsfolk had the same idea as Sparky and armed up and assembled there. Carly protested, saying some of the robots seemed to fight for good. However, to Sparky, allegiance and ideology don't matter in war: "When the shooting starts, people die."
The shooting started almost immediately, as when the red robot poked its head into the bar to talk to them, Sparky began shooting at it. The group was then met with the arrival of the black jet robot, who shrugged off their bullets and attacked them. Sparky and Danny dashed for some heavier artillery: a rocket launcher. The battle evolved as a red truck robot appeared with Spike and began to battle the jet. The truck claimed the upper hand and prepared to finish off the jet with an axe weapon, so Sparky took the opportunity and ordered Danny to fire the rocket right into the truck's elbow. The jet seized the advantage and began firing into the wound, prompting Spike to attempt to rush in. At the same time, Sparky ordered his men to open fire on the robots.
A stray bullet struck Spike in the abdomen, leaving him unconscious and bleeding. Horrified, Sparky ordered everyone to stop firing and ran to his son. The truck robot picked up the wounded boy, and a tearful Sparky demanded it drop his son. Instead, the truck transformed and promised to save the boy. Transformers #3
The truck – Optimus Prime – raced to the nearby hospital. The jet robot from the plant nearly stopped them, but the red car and Carly swept its feet out from under it, allowing Optimus to run it over. Upon arrival at the hospital Sparky raced inside with the doctors and Spike as the robots battled outside. During the fight, the jet robot opened fire on the building, damaging the generator and cutting power to the hospital. Once the battle concluded, the doctor informed Sparky that without power, they couldn't power the machinery keeping Spike and the other patients alive. Sparky held his son, assuring him that he was with him, prompting Optimus Prime to use a powerful device to restore the hospital's power.
Spike fell into a coma, and while sitting in his hospital room, Sparky lamented his desire to keep Spike safe from his past and his inability to see the good in the world after the war and Jimmy's death. His monologue was interrupted as he saw another young patient ask Optimus Prime to transform into truck mode. Sparky asked Optimus if he could use his power to bring Spike out of his coma, but Optimus informed him that he had used up the last of his device's energy and that Spike's fate would be left up to the "Great Spark." Sparky was surprised he would refer to a god; didn't Optimus fall into the god category? Optimus laughed and said he could say the same for humans; they were small but mighty.
After an argument between Optimus and another robot, Sparky offered to help them with their energy problem. Transformers #4 Prime and Sparky then commiserated some more, finding that they had both been shaped by war.
Sparky's idea was basically to set up a scratchbuilt turbine at the dam that provided power to the plant, and generate the energy the Autobots needed themselves. To assist them, another robot, Wheeljack, was partially rebuilt. Wheeljack was impressed with Sparky's technical knowledge, and remarked that if the operation was successful, they could produce enough energy to fuel Farmingham for at least ten years, which left Sparky awed. The project was a success, and soon a female robot was revived using the turbine. Just then, however, the Decepticons showed up, and Sparky joined in defending the turbine with his machine gun. Another robot was revived, but the turbine was damaged in the fight.
As the dust settled from this latest skirmish, Optimus decided that now was the time to launch an offensive to recapture the spaceship the Autobots had arrived in. Carly wanted to come along, but, not wanting a repeat of Spike, Optimus and Sparky both vetoed the idea.
Seeing the Ark was enough to give Sparky uncomfortable reminders of Jimmy. Prime expressed concern, but before Sparky could elaborate, the Autobots came under attack from a bunch of green robots, and Sparky looked on as they combined into the gigantic Devastator. Transformers #5 As memories of Jimmy's death flashed through Sparky's head once again, Prime ordered the Autobots to force their way into the Ark, and then shielded Sparky from a blitz from Thundercracker, only for Devastator to throw the Autobot leader around like a toy, badly wounding him.
Carrying Prime with them, Sparky and the Autobots made it into the Ark, but Devastator began pounding his way in. Ratchet then revealed that Prime's wounds were fatal. Anticipating his end, Prime removed the Matrix of Leadership from his chest, and it clattered to the floor. Looking at the talisman, Sparky mused on how often he'd seen people close to him killed or wounded in both war and peace, and how often he'd wished it was him instead, and decided now was his chance to prove he meant that. Asking Optimus to take care of Spike and the Earth, Sparky stepped into the Matrix, his life force re-energizing the artifact and healing the Prime.
Optimus vowed to honour Sparky's request and that the human wouldn't be forgotten, and used his renewed strength to topple Devastator and send the Decepticons packing. Later, when Spike regained consciousness, his first question was where his father was. Transformers #6
The fact that Sparky had willingly sacrificed himself for the Autobots would weigh on Spike's mind, and he found that looking at the Autobots only reminded him of what he'd lost. Transformers #7 Furthermore, Optimus Prime would be troubled by visions of an infant Spike that seemed to be derived from Sparky's memories. Transformers #7 Transformers #8
Much later, the infection from Megatron's arm and an attempt by Spike to sacrifice himself like Sparky had resulted in Optimus Prime falling comatose and finding himself in a vision of the Hall of the Primes. After Optimus was attacked by the infection, Prime was surprised to see Sparky, who had no memory since sacrificing himself. It wasn't long before Sparky realized that Prime's visions were mingled with his memories. While fleeing the infection, they noticed it was corrupting even the Matrix, but Sparky, for reasons even he didn't know, was unaffected.
Soon, they happened upon a giant statue of Sparky. Inside its plinth, they found a comatose Spike, trapped halfway into the Matrix after his attempted sacrifice. Optimus realized that Spike's presence was tethering him to Sparky. Sparky then explained that the infection wanted to wear Prime's spirit down, forcing him to put up walls like Sparky had. But Sparky remarked that thanks to Optimus, he wasn't that person anymore. Asking Optimus to be there for his son, Sparky pushed Spike back out of the Matrix, releasing a wave of energy that dispelled the infection and allowing Optimus to come out of his coma. Transformers #23
Games
Transformers Legends
Sparkplug spent a night out with Bumblebee and Jazz, testing the latter's new sound system. When they returned to base, they found Megatron had sabotaged the recharging chamber, turning the other Autobots evil. Sparkplug created an attitude exchanger to repair the damage to the Autobots' circuits. Attack of the Autobots After Spike's mind was placed in a robot body and the boy turned against the Autobots, Sparkplug's injury in the ensuing battle resulted in Spike coming back to his senses. Autobot X
Toys
Kre-O
- Ripclaw Strike (2013)
- Set number: A2201
- Pieces: 199
- Kreons: Ripclaw, Colonel Daniel Witwicky
- Accessories: Missile launcher, flak jacket
- The first toy of Sparkplug came from the Kre-O line, and is based on the IDW military-man incarnation to boot. Part of the "Ripclaw Strike" set, he comes with a pressure-firing missile launcher.
- In this set, he faces off alone against two different versions of Ripclaw, one as a giant brick-built dragon-like creature that can be rebuilt into a robot, and Ripclaw Kreon. Good luck with that, Sparky!
- As part of the Beast Hunters series of Kre-O sets, "Ripclaw Strike" was pretty much only sold at Toys"R"Us stores in the US... not because it was an intentional exclusive, but because by that point the other major retailers had stopped carrying Kre-O Transformers outside of the Micro-Changer items. It and the other large sets eventually ended up in clearance-sale chains.
- Predacon Attack (2016)
- Set number: B6192
- Pieces: 199
- Kreons: Ripclaw, Colonel Daniel Witwicky
- Accessories: Missile launcher, flak jacket
- Re-packaged and re-released through budget chains like Dollar General and Family Dollar in the US, this is a seemingly-unchanged version of the "Ripclaw Strike" set, only with the packaging and instructions omitting any mention or visuals of the kit's large robot build. The set still has all the parts for the large robot build, there's just no instructions for said build so you get to puzzle it out yourself (or look them up online).
Masterpiece
- After years of not having any normal figure, Sparkplug finally has one of his own! Sparkplug is scaled to fit inside Prime's cab mode. He is about two inches tall and has ball-jointed articulation at the head, arms, hips, and torso, as well as swing-jointed knees. In a reference to the classic Diaclone pilot figures, he also has tiny magnets in the soles of his feet, allowing him to stand on several magnetized panels scattered around Prime's Combat Deck. He can also pilot Roller or the Auto-Launcher mounted on the deck. However, like his other human friends packaged with Prime, the tiny size of his ball joints make them rather weak, and he is prone to falling apart when his limbs are moved.
Notes
- Although the Sunbow cartoon production bible states that Sparkplug is a widower,[2] the cartoon itself never mentions him having a wife—or anything whatsoever about Spike's mom. In fact, no published story ever acknowledged a Mrs. Witwicky to exist until 2008 in IDW Publishing's All Hail Megatron #2.
- Speaking of love interests, in addition to revealing Sparkplug's real name to be "Stanislas Piotr Witwicky", Marvel Comics' original treatment mentions Sparkplug's "ladyfriend", "Toots". She's kept out of the loop on the Transformers' arrival from Cybertron and wonders why Sparkplug's suddenly so busy all the time.[1]
- Sparkplug is mentioned in the Sunbow cast list for "Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1"—and the relevant dialogue script for the episode reveals that he was indeed supposed to make an appearance! He would have been with Outback and Blaster aboard the E.D.C. shuttle sent to investigate reports of Decepticon activity in Carbombya. His one line—"How're we gonna find the Decepticons? It's like a needle in a haystack."—was reassigned to Blaster in the final cut of the episode.
Foreign names
- Japanese: Sparkplug Witwicky (スパークプラグ・ウィトウィッキー Supākupuragu Witowikkī)
- French: Malabar (Canada)
- Hungarian: William "Gyertya" Witwicky
- Mandarin: Spikeplug (斯派克普拉 Sīpàikèpǔlā)
- Portuguese: Vela-de-Ignição Witwicky (Portugal comics), Bob Centelha (Brazil comics)
- Russian: Fakel (Факел, "Torch")
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 griffin's 2010 BotCon report
- ↑ Sparkplug's bio in the G1 cartoon bible.
