Siege Ratchet

Prelude: For all that Ratchet and Ironhide were among the most beloved and enduring G1 characters, they have not had much luck when it comes to good toys. The original G1 toys were strange, to say the least, and while we did see both of them receive a Deluxe-class figure in the 2008 Universe series, those weren’t really anyone’s favorite toys, either. Now, though, we have received a truly excellent Ironhide figure in Siege, so absolutely no one was surprised that we’re getting a Ratchet out of it, too.

Seeing as Ratchet is a remold of Siege Ironhide, this review will focus mainly on the differences between the two figures.

Robot Mode: Siege Ironhide was excellent in robot mode and Ratchet is no different. Naturally he has gotten a new paintjob, mostly white with red highlights, and a new head, too, featuring his trademark forehead-crest. Some parts of his body have been remolded as well. His shoulder pieces are a bit different, as are the panels forming his shins. The differences are subtle, but work well to make Ratchet look slightly different. Also, the chest window that was transparent on Ironhide is tinted blue here, making it less obvious that there is a big empty space in his chest.

The biggest difference is in the weapons, of course. Instead of the hammer / rifle that Ironhide had, Ratchet carries a wrench, a gun, and a module on a posable arm that harkens back to his G1 toy. Back then Ratchet’s trailer / medbay had a module capable of firing missiles. Either the wrench or the gun can be mounted on the module (or both if you want) and it can be plugged into his back or into any of the many other 5mm ports on his body. Very nicely done and a great homage to the original toy.

Bottom line: still an excellent robot mode and the subtle changes and different weapons / tools easily make this the best CHUG-sized Ratchet robot ever.

Alternate Mode: Naturally Ratchet transforms into the same kind of slightly futuristic-looking ground transport vehicle as Ironhide. The changed shoulder pieces make it look as if he’s got a light bar on top and the front bumper has been remolded as well, giving him a slightly different look. Again, the slightly tinted window is an improvement, somewhat hiding the robot had that was clearly visible in Ironhide’s vehicle mode. The weapons / tools can be mounted on top, no problems here.

As a homage to the original G1 toy’s repair bay module, Siege Ratchet can also transform into... well, it’s supposed to be a repair bay, but really it’s just the robot lying on his back with the head folded in. That said, it works surprisingly well and Legends-class figures or smaller can lie down on Ratchet and be repaired. Of course Ironhide can transform into this mode as well, but the big war hammer doesn’t really lend itself to the image of a repair bay. Anyway, a nice homage. Not really something I needed or plan to use often, but it’s not hurting the figure any, either.

Remarks: I don’t really need to write much about Ratchet, do I? He has appeared in every single incarnation of Generation 1 and also showed up in the live-action movies, Animated, Prime, and Cyberverse. Since Animated he has mostly been portrayed as the grumpy old medic, but whenever a bot needs fixing, it’s usually Ratchet they go to.

As mentioned above it was hardly a surprise that we’d get a Ratchet out of the excellent Siege Ironhide mold and the changes done to it are top notch and easily make this my favorite version of the mold. The only slight downside is that Ratchet is not part of the main Siege line, but rather a store exclusive at Walgreen’s in the US. You can, of course, get him online, but unless you got a Walgreen’s nearby, you won’t be able to buy him in stores. Still, an excellent figure, best CHUG Ratchet ever, and definitely worth getting.

Rating: A

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