Ruckus (G1)

Ruckus is a Decepticon Triggercon from the Generation 1 continuity family.

"Name's Ruckus, Uncle Ruckus; no relation."

RUCKUS IS A SHOUTING, FIGHTING, CLAMOROUS COLLECTION OF COLLECTED JUNK AND LOOSE BOLTS. A BOLD AND DARING WARRIOR, HE IS TOTALLY DEVOTED TO WINNING AND MAKING A LOT OF LOUD, LOUD NOISE WHILE DOING IT, ESPECIALLY THE NOISY BIT. HE LOVES TO PLUNGE INTO THE THICK OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAUSES A GREAT BIG CRASH, AND CARES VERY LITTLE HOW INTACT HIS CHASSIS IS WHEN THE COMMOTION IS OVER. HE MAY BE CRAZY OR JUST ADDICTED TO THE TRANSFORMER EQUIVALENT OF ADRENALINE, BUT WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT HE IS TOTALLY LOYAL TO THE DECEPTICON CAUSE, AND EVEN IF HE WERE SMASHED INTO LITTLE PIECES THEY'D EACH BE LOYAL LITTLE PIECES. SURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGE!

YOU CAN ALSO CALL HIM GRABUGE OR RUKUS!

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

Marvel The Transformers comics

Ruckus was merely an errand droid until he proved his worth during the battle of Valvolux where, despite being shattered by a proton missile, he used his still-functioning voice module to warn his comrades of an Autobot ambush. As reward, Megatron had him upgraded into a larger, stronger form. Ruckus's Universe profile

Ruckus was one of Megatron's minions since the early days of the war, working with him along with his fellow Triggercons in an attempt to acquire the knowledge and power of the Underbase. Ultimately, a young Optimus Prime destroyed the Underbase so that the Decepticons couldn't have it for themselves. The Flames of Boltax!

Many millions of years later, Ruckus and the Triggercons were serving a rather unfulfilling duty under the Triumverate on Cybertron. When Megatron arrived and offered them a better way, they quickly agreed and executed their current leaders. The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire. After Megatron was disposed of by his predecessor, the original Megatron, Ruckus began working for the Decepticon High Council. Leading a team of Quake, Flamefeather, and his fellow Triggercons to Earth, Ruckus was meant to retrieve Thunderwing, an ambitious Decepticon looking to be crowned new leader of the armies. Having been defeated by a small party of Autobots in his previous bid, however, Thunderwing was in no mood to meekly return to the council for instructions. He commandeered Ruckus and his crew for a direct assault on the Ark in order to get revenge for his humiliating defeat. Rage! It was suicide—a half-dozen Decepticons in a shuttle against dozens of Autobots aboard their flagship, but Ruckus and his crew were forced to go along. After Thunderwing confronted Optimus Prime directly, only to be blasted off by a group of Targetmasters, Ruckus managed to convince him to put the vendetta on hold, at least for a little while. (And Decepticon politics being what they are, Thunderwing ended up being promoted for his lunacy, anyway). Assault on the Ark!

After three Decepticons were killed, Ruckus, Windsweeper, Sparkstalker, and Cindersaur went looking to take revenge against the Autobots, unaware that the real culprits were Demons, recently released from beneath the surface of Cybertron. Chancing across Jazz, Grimlock, and Bumblebee, they attacked before the Autobots could explain. Demons! Making their presence known, the Demons reduced the cocksure Cindersaur to a pile of rubble and then advanced on the Autobots while Windsweeper and Ruckus debated whether to help them or not. They joined the battle against the Demons only to find that their weaponsfire only made the creatures stronger, but were saved by the arrival of Emirate Xaaron and Red Hot who fed the Demons pure Energon, causing them to explode. Dawn of Darkness

When Lord Thunderwing learned of a series of Autobot teams being launched into one small cluster of the universe, Thunderwing brought Ruckus, Windsweeper, Spinister, and Needlenose to investigate. Their pursuit brought them to Pz-Zazz, where Ruckus's team became known as the "Robot Mob." After quickly subduing and capturing Nightbeat, Siren, and Hosehead, Bird of Prey! and then turned their attentions towards an Autobot search team on the planet Cheyne. En route to Cheyne, Thunderwing angrily interrogated the Autobots and learned of their quest for the lost Creation Matrix, and Ruckus noted that Thunderwing was becoming more agitated and obsessive. Ruckus was happy nonetheless for the opportunity to destroy the Matrix once and for all, not knowing that Thunderwing actually wanted to possess the Matrix, not destroy it. Upon arriving at Cheyne, Ruckus accompanied the others to the planet's surface, where they discovered the Autobot team there had fallen victim to a family of psychic vampires. Kings of the Wild Frontier.

Ruckus, Decepticon warrior without compare! Sure, whatever.

Ruckus and the rest of Thunderwing's team set their sights next on Pequod, where Thunderwing suspected the Matrix's essence was focused inside a thought-extinct leviathan known as a Klud. As Thunderwing demanded the creature be spared so that the Matrix would not be harmed, Ruckus laughed at his commander for caring about a lowly animal. Thunderwing back-handed Ruckus across the room, sending him crashing through some machinery. Deadly Obsession

Finally, their pursuit of the Matrix came to an end on the moon VsQs. Thunderwing pointedly left Ruckus on the ship to guard the three Autobot captives, while Ruckus stewed over this menial duty. Thunderwing had already planted the seeds of his own undoing, however - the machinery damaged when he'd struck Ruckus was the same device holding the Autobots captive, and the captives were set free. Dark Creation Thunderwing was possessed by the corrupted spirit of the Matrix and returned to the Ark, attacking both the Autobots and his own Decepticons. The freed Autobots were able to remove Thunderwing from the Ark and blow him up, and Ruckus and the other Decepticons surrendered to the Autobots peacefully. All Fall Down

Trigger-Happy!

At some point, a Decepticon Civil War broke out between Megatron, Scorponok, and Shockwave on Earth. Ruckus and Crankcase found themselves on Megatron's side and had stolen Scorponok's battle plans, but the Autobots also wanted to get their hands on the plans and prepared to ambush them. Fortunately, Crankcase and Ruckus were warned of the ambush thanks to Backstreet panicking and giving away his position by firing, giving the Decepticons plenty of time to escape.

Afterwards, the Decepticons learned that Backstreet had become a fugitive from Autobot justice. Megatron saw an opportunity to recruit the wayward do-gooder to his side, and so tasked his troops with tracking him down. Ruckus served as Megatron's chariot during the search, carrying him in his gun mode atop of one of his car seat. Their target was eventually located squatting in an abandoned amusement park. Upon arrival at the fairground, Megatron instructed Ruckus and the rest of the Decepticon rank-and-file to hang back at its perimeter while he approached the Autobot alone. Ruckus became too engrossed in Megatron's recruitment pitch to notice Optimus Prime driving up behind him, and so was caught completely unawares when the Autobot leader knocked him aside to rescue his soldier. Trigger-Happy!

Marvel UK future timelines

On Cybertron in 2009, Ruckus and the Triggercons joined Galvatron in dismantling an Autobot resistance cell. Literally. The group then confronted Rodimus Prime, with Galvatron successfully goading his nemesis into a frenzied fight, hoping to corrupt the Matrix in the process. Ruckus tried to intervene, only for Galvatron to order him and Crankcase back; their interference being counter to his plans. Rodimus was talked out his mania however, and he and his remaining allies managed to escape. Aspects of Evil!

Transformers Comic-Magazin

Ruckus was an Autobot and a good friend of Optimus Prime and Backstreet! He underwent a lot of tough urban combat training under Prime. He Who Laughs Last ... "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!"

During a planet-wide Decepticon attack on oil refineries, the Triggercons were spread throughout several cities and holding off the slower Powermasters. They were taken down by the arrival of the Triggerbots, including Ruckus, who also bore with great resolve the friendly fire from panicked humans. Ruckus and his team masterfully exploited their strengths and the enemy's weakness by drawing the Triggercons into built-up urban areas (wait WHAT) where they could manoeuver faster. He Who Laughs Last ...

At another point, Ruckus was felled by Autobot friendly fire, prompting an upset Optimus Prime to berate and educate the Autobots on how to recognize the difference between Autobots and Decepticons. "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!"

Classics

"You'll see! I'm really a Mayhem! They'll make a toy of it and everything!"

Hungry for revenge, Ruckus blamed Nightbeat and friends for his capture aboard the Ark. He went to elaborate efforts to gain vengeance against the Autobots, hiring a new Mayhem Attack Squad of Needlenose, Octopunch, and Stranglehold, then kidnapping a transport pilot named Phyrion to lure the Autobots into a fight. The Autobots could barely believe Ruckus had been nursing this grudge for nearly twenty years, and Ruckus's "leadership" of the Mayhems bordered on the pathetic. It hardly mattered that Nightbeat now travelled with two Dinobot bodyguards, although it certainly didn't improve Ruckus's chances any.

Ruckus sealed his fate when he tried taunting the Autobots with his hostage Phyrion, bringing the pilot out into the open. With that, Slag simply cut off Ruckus's arm with his energon sword, rescuing the hostage at the same time. With Phyrion free, and his heavily armed ship Amory no longer interested in holding back, the other Mayhems decided to cut their losses and leave Ruckus to his fate. Ruckus prepared to flee, and Slag made it clear the Decepticon could go, but the arm belonged to him now. Ruckus made his first wise decision of the night and didn't press the point. Cheap Shots

Regeneration One

Ruckus was one of the "Neo-Decepticons" that joined Soundwave's insurgency at Fort Scyk after twenty-one years of peace on Cybertron. He took part in the stealth assault on the Kalis Baird Beaming Transmitter, but had serious problems with the "stealth" part. Counterpoint

When the resurrected Scorponok returned to Cybertron with a Gene Key capable of turning Autobots into Decepticons, Soundwave was off-planet and the former Headmaster ordered the assembled troops at Fort Scyk to follow him instead. Ruckus readily agreed, after witnessing Misfire's summary execution for questioning those orders. Natural Selection, Part Three

Later, once Scorponok had been defeated and Soundwave had returned, Ruckus attacked one of Cybertron's communications facilities alongside Needlenose, Battletrap, and Windsweeper to blind the Autobots to the approach of Bludgeon's Warworld. Destiny, Part Two

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

This is probably me!

Ruckus was among Shockwave's forces on Cybertron, and was standing around while his commander mocked Perceptor. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #4

2005 IDW continuity

Nebulos: It's so yowzah

Ruckus was on the rampage when Megatron's gladiators broke out of Kaon's security services and lay siege to the city. Megatron Origin #4 At some point during the war, Ruckus was part of the forces that manned Grindcore. Speak, Memory: Part 1

In modern times, Ruckus was a part of the Decepticon infiltration team based on Nebulos under the command of Darkwing. He reported on the arrival of Thunderwing to this world, to the Decepticons' horror. Stormbringer #2 As Thunderwing began his mindless devastation of Nebulos, the Decepticon infiltration team moved out in a futile attempt to stop the monster. Ruckus attacked from the ground along with Crankcase and Skullcruncher, but was crushed by the giant monstrosity. His corpse was then used to destroy the airborne Roadgrabber. Stormbringer #3

The Functionist Universe

In a divergent timeline, Ruckus joined the Anti-Vocationist League and worked with Megatron against the Functionists. He later crossed over to Megatron's home universe and was present when Megatron returned to the Lost Light. Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering

TransTech

In the TransTech city of Axiom Nexus, Ruckus, Needlenose, and Crankcase assaulted what they thought was an energon refinery, but it turned out to be a waste fuel storage depot. Eyuw. Around Cybertron #1

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

Ruckus was among the Decepticons and Cobra soldiers who attacked Metroplex, where he and Flamefeather were held at bay by Scarlett. Everybody Hates Metroplex

Of Masters and Mayhem

Ruckus had a younger brother named Ground Hog.^[1]

Ruckus and the rest of the Mayhem Attack Squad were selected by Shockwave to form the ultimate combiner, Thunder Mayhem. Their power amplified and the combiner's personality solidified by the Matrix of Malice, the Mayhem Attack Squad's destructive ability proved uncontrollable. The Squad captured Optimus Prime and restrained him within their ship, forcing him to watch as Thunder Mayhem went on an apocalyptic rampage across Cybertron, nearly driving the Cybertronian race to extinction. Deadly Aim Lively Pursuit Pandora's Gift

Years later, Ruckus and the others were drawn to a cavern on Earth by a Decepticon signal, finding upon their arrival that the extra-dimensional Ramjet was the one broadcasting it. Ruckus was eager to simply off the stranger, but Bludgeon had him stand back while he spoke with Ramjet. When Ramjet suggested he and the Squad team up, Ruckus went on a tirade, asking Ramjet where he got off proclaiming himself on equal footing to the "Slaughterers of Worlds." Ramjet showed that he had the power to rival theirs by picking Ruckus up and letting some of his eldritch energies flow into him. This was enough to convince the rest of the group that Ramjet would make for a valuable ally, and together they began plotting the destruction of the universe. History

The Mayhem Attack Squad turned Thunder Mayhem loose on the city of Merida. Divination They were confronted by Metalhawk's team of Autobot Pretenders and the exiled Optimus Prime himself. Pandora's Gift Thunder Mayhem had little trouble keeping them at bay, but when the Wreckers arrived and unveiled their new combined form Wreckage, the Mayhems had a true fight on their hands. The superpowered human Elizabeth fired an energy blast that damaged Thunder Mayhem's chest, allowing Wreckage to expose the Matrix of Malice. Together, all parties focused their fire and destroyed the Matrix, causing the Squad to de-combine and ending Thunder Mayhem for good. In the aftermath, the Wreckers took the Mayhem Attack Squad into custody when they left the planet. Finale

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #1

Of course someone named "Ruckley" makes him seem edgy and cool.

Ruckus walked on a street past a dejected Tap-Out. Valentine's Day Special He later attended an Ascenticon rally in Tarn. The World In Your Eyes Part One

As a member of The Rise, Ruckus went off the grid after Brainstorm's death stirred up Security Operations. When the Rise's base under the Memorial Crater was discovered, energon reserves were low. Shockwave sent out Ruckus, Wirespike, Kaskade, and Lowload to raid a substation near Crystal City. They set off an alarm and were accosted by Springer and Sideswipe. The quartet fled, falling back to the body of an immersant Titan for cover. Ruckus was able to use a railgun hidden in the Titan to hold off security forces from pursuing them inside, but the Risers were trapped. The Change In Your Nature Part One

Under the guise of peaceful negotiation, Senator Soundwave arrived at the scene and offered to parley with the Risers. Ruckus and the others were happy to see an Ascenticon face, but didn't realize how compromised they were. After Ruckus thoughtlessly babbled about Barricade and Shockwave and other Rise secrets, Soundwave realized the quartet couldn't be allowed to live. Soundwave left his electromagnetic suppressor behind to return to security, then detonated it inside the Titan, an act of blasphemy and extremism for all of Cybertron to notice "from the Rise". The Change In Your Nature Part Two Lowload and Wirespike died in the blast, but with Security Operations recovering Ruckus and Kaskade alive. Ratchet confirmed, however, that their sparks only flickered, leaving them in deep coma-like states. All Fall Down They remained as such long after the Autobots abandoned Iacon, with Flatline continuing to monitor them. Test Flight I

Perfect Wreckers material, he's brave, scrappy and even comes pre-killed!

Doubtlessly unaware of Ruckus' current status and affiliation, Thunderclash considered him a potential recruit for the Wreckers. Tread & Circuits Part 4

When Exarchon—inside the body of Provoke—awoke, the ancient Transformer reactivated Ruckus, stole his body, and turned him into a mindless puppet of Exarchon's latest iteration. Enigmatic Codexa was able to sense this and told Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus that Ruckus' spark had been supplanted by Exarchon. Exarchon-as-Ruckus quickly got himself a Decepticon badge and went to Swindle's to learn more about Cybertron's current state. Cyclonus, suspecting foul play, went to question "Ruckus" but was unable to get any meaningful answers from the disguised Exarchon before being asked to leave the establishment. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part One A captured Ultra Magnus tried to warn Megatron about Exarchon's return but was ignored, even though Megatron's lieutenants suggested that they locate Ruckus just to be safe. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two Ruckus' frame was eventually abandoned by Exarchon after he discovered a sleeping Deathsaurus in the basement of Swindle's and transferred his spark into the more powerful body. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three After discovering that Exarchon still lived, Cyclonus went searching for Ruckus, discovering him dead. When he reported this to the Decepticons, Sixshot took Ruckus' miraculous revival and sudden death as proof of Cyclonus' warnings. War's End Part One

My Little Pony/Transformers

Ruckus was one of the many Transformers brainwashed by King Sombra and sent to excavate the ancient Titan Scorponok. When the Autobots attacked, Elita-1 punched his lights out, although he was later returned to normal after the Cybertronians and their pony allies combined forces to defeat Sombra. Finale

Games

Transformers Legends

Ruckus was part of a Decepticon raiding party who scoured a human military base in order to retrieve the MacGuffin Generator. Though the Autobots showed up to interfere, Ruckus was ultimately able to find the generator, and handed it to Blitzwing. The Decepticons activated the device, and though it supercharged them at first, the MacGuffin Generator proved to be more volatile than they anticipated. It exploded, sending Ruckus and the rest of the Decepticons flying off into the distance. Raiding Party

Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive

Ruckus was among the Decepticons defending their multiple bases against Autobot invasors. Transformers: Bumblebee Overdrive

Toys

The Transformers

I didn't know Decepticons had uncles!

• Ruckus (Triggercon, 1988)

• Known designers: Takashi Kunihiro (TakaraTomy)

Released in the fifth year of the original Transformers toyline, Ruckus transforms into an indigo and tan Baja buggy. Like the other Triggercons, Ruckus has a pair of twin flip-out cannons as his focal gimmick. The cannons are the unchromed gear-deploying style, like those of Crankcase and the Autobot Triggerbot Dogfight. In vehicle mode, the cannons deploy either side of the driver's cabin, while in his robot form they're mounted atop his shoulders. That said the mechanism seems to be designed more for the latter, as the trigger switch more often than not causes the guns to flip to that position even in vehicle mode as opposed to the vehicle configuration mentioned here. In both cases, they point up at an angle instead of straight forward.

• More information on Ruckus at TFU.info.

Combiner Wars

First bot who calls me Garbage instead of Grabuge gets an axe to the face!

• Grabuge (Deluxe, 2016)

• Accessories: Axe, Weapon/Combiner extremity
• Known designers: Marcelo Matere (packaging artist)

Part of the Figure Subscription Service 4.0, Combiner Wars Grabuge (using his French Canadian name for trademark reasons) is a redeco of Deluxe Class Decepticon Offroad (whose head was based on Ruckus!), transforming into a 4x4 double-cab pickup truck of undetermined, probably-made-up model. He includes a 5 mm handle axe weapon that can be a side-mounted exhaust pipe in truck mode, and a larger accessory that can form a hand or foot in combiner limb mode, a gun for robot mode, and can be mounted on a tab in the vehicle mode's truck bed to form a giant engine block.

Grabuge can also form either an arm or a leg for any standard-issue Combiner Wars-style gestalt (or into one of Legends Godbomber's legs), though he was intended to combine with Bludgeon to form Thunder Mayhem. While the front hood/windshields are needed to be folded as kneecaps for his leg mode, the piece also had a tendency to dislodge if he collides with Optimus Prime/Motormaster's and Hot Spot's protruding foot while the legs are being swiveled in his standing position, unless the leg joints are bent down to lessen the problem.

This mold was also redecoed to make Unite Warriors Zombie War Breakdown and was retooled to create First Aid, Ironhide, and Trailbreaker. This mold also served as the model for the non-toy Shattered Glass versions of Checkpoint and the Autotroopers.

The figure was also available for purchase in the Transformers Collector's Club Online Store.

Legacy

What's with the go-go boots?

• Decepticon Bludgeon/Decepticon Rukus (Multi-pack, 2024)

• Accessories: Gun
• Known designers: Mark Maher (Hasbro), Shuhei Umezu (TakaraTomy)^[2]

Legacy: United "Decepticon Rukus" is an extensive retooling of Legacy: Evolution Deluxe Class Beachcomber, retaining the pelvis, hips, shoulders, and wheels, with most other parts being new and Rukus' robot mode being significantly taller than Beachcomber. He gains his Triggercon flip-out cannons, which can also detach to be hand-held guns.

His robot deco choices are upside-down or out of position compared to those of the G1 toy, suggesting the designers relied on a sample that had its stickers incorrectly applied.

Rukus is packaged with the Voyager-sized Decepticon Bludgeon, and was first officially sighted at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 on July 25, 2024. It was designated as an Amazon exclusive in the "Doom 'n Destruction" capsule subline. Unlike other figures in the Doom 'n Destruction line, Rukus lacks a Mayhem Attack Squad insignia.

• Designer commentary on Legacy Rukus from Mark Maher on Instagram

Merchandise

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Ruckus, Combat Assault (2019)
  • Wave 2: Rise of the Combiners
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: T37/T46
  • Stars: 11

Ruckus, Combat Assault is one of forty character cards released in Wave 2 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, Rise of the Combiners.

The artwork for the card is reused from the Transformers Legends mobile game, with line-art for both Bot and Alt Mode by Dan Khanna.

Notes

Could you describe the ruckus, sir?

• Mystifyingly, Ruckus was featured in a character lineup on Hubworld.com's original The Transformers cartoon page, visually represented by his Dreamwave More than Meets the Eye art.^[3]
• Ruckus nearly got a new Generations toy as one the Combiner Wars Stunticons; however, name unavailability and doubt as to whether he actually made sense as a member of that team led to the toy getting a new deco and identity as Offroad.^[4] Whilst the final toy transforms into a relatively straightforward pickup truck, early design sketches suggest that buggy-type vehicles, closer to Ruckus's alt mode, were initially considered. Fun Publications would later make a redeco of the toy available as the character it was originally designed as, using his French Canadian name "Grabuge" for trademark reasons.

Foreign names

• French: Grabuge (Canada, "Ruckus"), Rallye (France, "Rally")
• Hungarian: Zörej ("Noise")

References