Wake Application

[wheeljackofalltrades]

Personal Information
Name: RC
Age: 24
Personal Journal: rceus
Email / AIM / MSN / Plurk: RCeus @ Plurk
Current Character(s): Mirage, Kay, Duke

Character Information
Character Name: Wheeljack
Fandom: Transformers Prime
Source:
Wheeljack on the Transformers Wiki*

*Everything under the ‘Prime Cartoon’ section

Character History:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

In a distant galaxy there was a planet called Cybertron, where a race of Autonomous Robotic Organisms lived. They were called Cybertronians, and had the ability to shapshift themselves to adapt to their environment. They were a militaristic, yet prosperous race. But there was always a downside. They seemed to exist under a caste system. Where those of higher class would have benefits that someone of lower class would be denied. Many problems stemmed from this, and equality was somewhat beyond reach.

Those of the lower classes tried to rise up, to demand equality. To fight for the oppressed against the oppressors. One such leader was a gladiator named Megatronus, who fought for equality, hoping to become a Prime. His actions were self-serving, however, and was immediately denied. Only when his friend, Orion Pax talked about a peaceful way--a way to have everyone be equal, and bring them to another Golden Age--was another Prime nominated. And it was none other than Orion Pax himself.

Megatronus was furious, and sent the world into a war, feeling his friend had betrayed their initial agreement--that they would find peace for Cybertron together. His anger corrupted him, and turned him into the very thing he originally fought against. He became a Warlord. Those who agreed with him, those who wanted power….or those who just feared him joined his side. But there were others. Others who wanted to stand up, and fight for true peace, true equality. The former were the Decepticons. The latter, Autobots.

Wheeljack joined the Wreckers, a group of warriors who operated outside the Autobots normal chain of command. To put it in human terms, they were the Autobot’s ‘Black Ops’ units. Some missions were too dangerous to go into--a commander would be crazy to let his men go in and do some of these missions. That’s where the Wreckers come in. They take on those missions, and obviously, not many walk away from those with a limb--or their life. For awhile, the Wreckers were a chaotic group of misfits, doing whatever they wanted, whenever. Wheeljack and Bulkhead were some of the first to join. That is, until Bulkhead recieved a message from Optimus Prime himself, to go help him. And despite Bulkhead’s ‘desertion’, as Wheeljack would have thought it as, things remained the same. The Wreckers fought hard against the Decepticon force, experiencing many casualties, but turning the tide of the war in some places like Darkmount Pass. It wasn’t until Optimus Prime put Ultra Magnus in charge of the Wreckers that things came to order. And in turn, ruined things for many of the Wreckers.

Wheeljack was one of them.

He didn’t take too kindly to Ultra Magnus’s command. To put it in plains-terms, he was ‘The rust setting in’. Magnus’s personality, which dealt with strict protocol, was too much for the wild and free spirit of Wheeljack, and some of the other Wreckers. This eventually led to Wheeljack leaving the Wreckers, deserting them. Taking his ship, the Jackhammer, he took off to the Cosmos, preferring to be a drifter, searching for Autobot refugees in the stars. It wasn’t until he happened to pass by Earth that he caught contact with some Autobots.

None other than Optimus Prime himself, with Bulkhead in tow.

They rendezvoused, Wheeljack eventually reuniting with his old time buddy. After centuries of being in a ship, you can bet he was excited. That is, if it was really Wheeljack. The Decepticons found him first, and took him prisoner. The ‘Wheeljack’ that the Autobots met up with was none other than an imposter. Makeshift, sent by Starscream to find out the Autobot’s secret base. However, not even exact copies will be as good as the original, and thanks to Bulkhead’s stubbornness, the imposter was revealed, just in time for Wheeljack to escape Starscream’s clutches.

Soon after Makeshift was taken care of, Wheeljack stated that instead of remaining on Earth, he’d continue to search for more Autobot refugees, even Wreckers. With a sad smile, he left, continuing to roam the galaxy. It wasn’t long until he picked up a signal from a fellow Wrecker--Seaspray. They arranged to meet up in the Dramadan system, only to find Seaspray blown to smithereens before his eyes.

The culprit? Dreadwing, one of Megatron’s Seeker commanders. After tracking and chasing Dreadwing through light-years of space, he shot Dreadwing down on the nearest planet--Earth. Crazy coincidence. The Autobots meet up with him during mid pursuit of Dreadwing, and after confronting the Seeker directly (after said seeker fused a bomb to Bulkhead), Wheeljack decided that this time he would stay on Earth to see if this world suited him. He didn’t stick around the Autobot base, however, preferring to roam around.

It was during this time that he raided Decepticon Mines, either by blowing them up with his signature grenade or infiltrating them and taking over. He pretty much went under the radar until Optimus requested his ait to help Ratchet...against Ratchet’s own pleading. They were searching for Iacon artifacts, either of Decepticon or Autobot origin. Relics of their past that Alpha Trion sent to Earth (because they’re linked with destiny or something) to hide from Decepticon eyes. The medic and the Wrecker didn’t exactly get along at first--as their personalities were far from similar.

They ended up finding Laserbeak (Soundwave’s surveillance drone), and combining their heads, thought of a way to gather information from the Decepticons using it. However, Wheeljack left to buy some time for him, eventually going toe-to-toe with the communications chief himself. And he would have won if it wasn’t for that pesky arm tentacle! Soundwave was stopped only by Laserbeak coming back online, virus in it and all. Still, through this, Ratchet and Wheeljack made it through, and gained new respect for each other. Ratchet wasn’t just some stuck up medic, and Wheeljack wasn’t an ‘insubordinate ruffian’, as the medic had dubbed him before.

Character Personality:
In a word? Efficient. In two? Loose Cannon. He really stands out when it comes to his Autobot brethren, from the way he operates on the field to how he reacts when off. Needless to say, Wheeljack is a bot who wants the job done, and knows how to do it. He’s pretty much your stereotypical action hero, one-liners included. When he’s not looking to save the day by shoving his dual blades into a Decepticon, he’s building things that might help accomplish that task even better. Being a Wrecker, he’s always act first, think later, and this line of thinking has been both a strong and a weak point for him. He's not exactly the cuddliest bot, so don't expect him to snuggle or be all up on touchy-feely stuff, but he always puts the people he cares about first when it comes to a serious situation, despite his hot-headed nature.

One of the more redeeming qualities of Wheeljack is that he doesn't go into details. In fact, Wheeljack is relatively simple in what he wants/needs. Back home, he's alive, he's got a group, and he can keep them alive. Those are his main goals. He thinks like a soldier, and living in the past just leads to what-ifs and people he couldn't save. He's not one to hold grudges, at least when it comes to his teammates, or people he likes. There's just too much hurt already to really add onto that. If you're evil and/or a jerk to him, he's going to hold that grudge, though. Sorry. It's nothing personal. ...Or maybe it is. Unfortunately, the downside of this is the same as the upside--he doesn't go into details. This causes a lot of rash decisions from him, and will often act on impulse. When his friend Bulkhead got hurt in a mission, on borderline deathbed, Wheeljack immediately went out for revenge to find the goon responsible, despite everyone saying he should focus on Bulkhead's recovery.

That isn't to say Wheeljack isn't intelligent. He knows the basics of engineering, as he was a mechanic on Cybertron. He'd never admit to being called an inventor, but he has tinkered with different kinds of explosives, as well as devising new ways to put some dents into Decepticons. To the point of even being a little too eager about it. Most of his explosives? Probably handmade. But that's not all he can make! As long as it has an engine, you've got his attention like you wouldn't believe. Those blue optics of his will light up at the sight of a new piece of engineering, and the questions won't stop until he's all in the know. So if you want to be friends, he's all up for talking mechanics, willing to put his input in whenever possible. In fact, this might be the only time you won't see him with a snarky remark or some hidden inside joke awaiting. The bot knows what he's talking about, and if he thinks something's going to explode, chances are...it probably will.

Wheeljack's relationship with the Autobots is...strained at best. Yes, he's aligned with Optimus Prime and his followers, but that doesn't mean he agrees with everything the old bot preaches. Autobots tend to lean towards peaceful negotiations (not that Decepticons ever accept those terms) and as little fighting as possible. Peace and diplomacy? That stuff's boring. Can't he just go slice up a Con's face while you guys handle the talking? This extreme difference in opinion makes for slight ripples in the Autobot teamwork, but rest assured, he would never side with anyone other than the Prime's forces. One of these days he'll learn that it's not so easy to just go after someone; at least that's what Optimus hopes...before it's too late. He's also a bit of a drifter, bouncing from rock to rock, so he doesn't tend to take staying in one place too well, which can put a strain on his Autobot comrades when they're so desperately short of soldiers as it is.

And then there's Wheeljack's sarcasm. Boy is it fun to deal with. Pretty much every other sentence of his is a one-liner of some sort. He cracks jokes whenever he feels the situation is too tense, which may or may not be deemed appropriate for the matter at hand. It's sort of a self defense mechanism, especially when he's in a strange environment, or as a way of chilling nerves on the battlefield. Not that they weren't steeled to start with.

Underneath all that scarcasm, however, is a bot who is pretty low in self esteem. When the war started, everyone took up arms to fight, as most do when their planet's future is in danger. Wheeljack joined the Wreckers, which were--in simple terms--the Black Ops. The suicide squad. They took missions that no one else would take, and a good percentage of the ones who joined in on missions did not come back. That says a lot about what was left back home for Wheeljack. You don't join a group like that if you have something back home for you. That being said, his self-esteem probably isn't the greatest, but it's masked under the veil of sarcasm and one liners. Good luck cracking that shell to get to it too.

Loyalty is everything to Wheeljack. The one guy he would follow no matter what is his his fellow Wrecker and best bud, Bulkhead. They've had quite a history together, battling Decepticons all over the galaxy, pounding their afts into mere sand. It's honestly the ultimate bromance, as they'll hug, chest bump, fist pound, you name it. Bulkhead is probably the only bot he'd ever be open with, letting down that wall of sarcasm and even possibly getting intimate. Don't get the wrong idea, though. While he's got a soft spot for the big lug, it's nothing cuddly. They're rough and tumble, and feelings just aren't his thing. There is the ever-rare remorse or sadness, but good luck cracking that egg. It's pretty solid.

If you're looking for someone who's going to comfort you when you're down, Wheeljack probably isn't the best guy to go to. He's been in the war, and he's seen some serious stuff. Probably done a lot worse too. He knows what it's like to experience loss, and no matter what you say, that it doesn't make the pain any less. He'll throw in a few condolences out of common courtesy, but don't expect him to actually sit down and talk about your problems. For one, as cold as it is, he's got better things to do. There's always the next thing that has to get done, and sitting around crying won't help anyone. Granted, if you manage to get closer to him...say, like a good friend, he'll be more inclined to listen, but he's definitely not in his comfort zone when it comes to dealing with feelings. It's got a lot to do with how he can barely handle his own feelings of loss and depression.

And that's just for other robots. Wheeljack is still new to the concept of humans. All he knows is they're something he has to make sure to protect from the Decepticons, because they're not only smaller, but lack a protective shell. He's never really spent much time with them, but at least knows they're intelligent enough to have a conversation with. He seems to find them pretty enjoyable for the most part, as long as they don't expect too much out of him. Who knows? He might even take to having a human to look after, if he found one that really appealed to him. Or if he just got really protective over. Still, he's a free spirit, so he's not quite ready to settle down with his own little squishy friend just yet. But anything can happen...

Powers and Abilities:
Probably the most obvious of Wheeljack’s powers is his ability to change into a vehicle. This is not really special to just him--it’s a Cybertronian specialty. As for what Wheeljack can turn into...well, that’s a little more fuzzy. It seems to be based on a 2012 Lancia New Stratos, although some sources have indicated it a mixture of a Ferrari and a Ford. It seems to grasp the Stratos more as a whole, so that’ll be technically his appearance in Nautilus. In vehicle form, speed is his main ally. He doesn’t have much shielding compared to other bots like Optimus and Bulkhead, going for a more streamlined appearance. In order for him to attack at all, he has to transform completely out of his vehicle mode. No guns in car mode.

Wheeljack is a well rounded fighter, skilled in almost every form of melee and long range combat. Obviously he has some strengths and weaknesses when it comes to this, but he has knowledge of almost every type of weapon he can get his hands on. A jack of all trades, if you will. While most would think he's pretty much unstoppable, his skill does vary with each weapon.

When it comes to his dual katanas, he's a master. They're what he relies on the most, and perfect for close combat of any kind. It's a lot more satisfying to shove a blade through your enemy than from afar with a blaster cannon. They're his weapon of choice, and takes quite a bit of pride in his swordsmanship. His blades are forged probably by himself, so he knows just what they can handle, how to use em, and is confident that he's the only one who can wield them with ease (Makeshift's impersonation of him doesn't count!).

He is also equipped with a blaster cannon on his arm, although he's not as reliant on it as most Autobots are. Sure, it gets the job done, but aiming takes time, and time is not something that Wheeljack really wants to waste. He'll usually only fire when things are at point blank range, or at least close enough to see the whites in their eyes (you get the picture). Overall, he prefers his swords, but he's no stranger to a blaster shot if the situation calls for it.

And then there's Jackie's signature move: his grenade. He's always equipped with a grenade on his hip, which he uses when all other options have been spent. Bulkhead has described it as "One grenade, one shot", and it's always been a successful way to deal with things (although a bit rash). But hey, wrecking things is what a Wrecker does, so to Wheeljack it's just another part of the job...it just happens to be a bit more fun than the others. It's safe to say he makes these grenades himself.

Samples
Network:

[Hey Nautilus, ever see a giant robot? Yes? Well, good, then this next part won’t be so awkward. Because here one is, face all up in the screen. At least until he pulls away. Weird little contraption they’ve got here. Now, he’s probably going to ask where he is, what he’s doing here...who can help…]

So. Anybody wanna fess up where my ship’s at?

[Or that. Wheeljack never was one that had proper placement or timing with these things. Priorities, man. Priorities.]

Fine, I get it. I could probably use a vacation, anyway. I’ll have to tell the Boss I said thanks when I meet up.

[But there’s a pause, his eyes darting to the side to glance at his surroundings.]

Guess that leaves only one question: Where the scrap am I, cause this don’t look like the place the Doc and I were at. I’m not too fond of surprises, so ya better come out with it.

If ya can do that, we’ll get along juuuust fine.

[And just as rapidly as it clicked on, it’s off. Isn’t he just such a charmer?]

Third Person:

Being alone in deep space...it could do things to you. Your mind often wandered, much like the ship you were traveling. No real destination in mind, but you kept going further anyway. The direction was just as pointless. That was what it felt like the Wheelack as he continued his journey in the Jackhammer. Things seemed so much more solid--concrete back then. Back when he was a Wrecker. A part of him blamed Ultra Magnus. It was his fault that the Wreckers split up, after all. His command style, trying to bring order to the ranks...it was nothing but poison in their solid structure.

At least, that’s what he felt.

But it wasn’t all. A part of him blamed Bulkhead too, as much as he’d deny it to himself. If Bulkhead were there, he wouldn’t feel so alone. So deserted. The Wreckers were a strong brotherhood, and to have it split apart and scatter into space was more hurtful to Wheeljack than anything. They’d already lost a lot of good men. Losing more, figuratively or literally only deepened the wound. Twisted the knife.

But all of that...he’d like to think that was behind him now. He’d like to think he could look past that, and do his job. Search the galaxies to bring the Wreckers together again, if Ultra Magnus wasn’t going to. To him, the Wreckers died at that moment, but they could always be reborn.

A brotherhood like that was immortal.

There’s a beeping on his radar as he snaps out of his trance, looking down. And as his eyes cast up from being lost in thought, they set sights on a planet. A marble of blue and emerald.

Earth.

His thoughts changed immediately. The daze left the Wrecker, and all thoughts of doubt or crippling self-depreciation. Of abandonment and ‘betrayal’. None of that mattered. All that counted right now was the mission. And from his readings, this planet had Autobot life signals. And a boatload of Energon. In fact, the only way this could be even better was if a Wrecker was there...someone he could relate to...anyone.

”Wheeljack?”

...Maybe, that time would come sooner than he thought.