Characters / Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

Movie Autobots

Optimus Prime (Movie)

The heroic leader of the Autobots.

• A Father to His Men: When Drift is captured by Lockdown's mercenaries, Optimus' priorities shift to getting him out before facing Lockdown.
• Tranquil Fury: Optimus isn't happy when he learns the full extent of Lockdown's opportunistic plan.

Bumblebee (Movie)

A scout who lost his voice.

• Combat Medic: Has the Repair skill in the 3DS version.
• The Voiceless: Doesn't speak.

Drift

A reformed Decepticon mercenary who used to work for Lockdown.

• Heel–Face Turn: Something that isn't mentioned in Age of Extinction, though it could be true.
• Honor Before Reason: The number of chapters where Drift doesn't say the word "honor" could be counted in one hand.

Crosshairs (3DS only)

Autobot weapons expert.

• Smug Super: One of his pre-battle quotes is "Our victory is assured! Crosshairs is here!"

Ratchet (3DS only) (Major unmarked spoilers)

• Combat Medic: Has Repair and Healing Wave as his actions and special move and is also capable of dishing out good damage.
• Lampshade Hanging: One of his pre-battle quotes is "You're about to be beat by the medic!"
• Mighty Glacier: Is a Heavy-class Transformer which means that he has a small range but heavy-hitting attacks.
• Spared by the Adaptation
• Walking Spoiler: Considering he died in the film, this would mean a whole lot of white spaces.

Aligned Autobots

Optimus Prime (Aligned)

The heroic leader of the Autobots. Unlike his Movie counterpart, he is currently commanding the Autobot army in their struggle to defeat the Decepticons. Thanks to the Matrix, he realises what a threat the Dark Spark is.

• A Father to His Men: He goes out of his way by calling off a raid and infiltrating Megatron's fortress to rescue Cliffjumper rather than continuing the battle against the Decepticons.

Grimlock

Ironhide

An Autobot warrior who is a hardened war veteran from a conflict prior to the Autobot-Decepticon war.

• Blood Knight: He wanted to fight Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave during their attempt to steal the Dark Spark. His partner, Sideswipe, had him sneak past them and lock the Decepticons in the vault instead.
• Old Soldier: He is old enough to be Bumblebee's grandfather and he still participates on dangerous missions, putting his combat experience to good use.
• Walking Techbane: He causes an airlock to malfunction, separating him from his partner Sidwswipe and forcing the young Autobot to take the long way around through a ravine in order to rendezvous with him.

Cliffjumper

An Autobot who boasts a personal cloaking device. He's known to throw strategy out of the window in favor of fighting with his fists. Because of his impulsive nature, he failed to stop Shockwave from reaching Kaon with the Dark Spark, despite having a battalion at his disposal. He later attempted to redeem himself by attacking Bruticus by himself, who promptly took him hostage to halt Jazz's forces.

• Honor Before Reason: He wanted to redeem his failure to prevent Shockwave from escaping into Kaon. His failed attempt at ambushing the much larger Bruticus resulted in his capture.
• Hostage Situation: After a failed attempt to take out Bruticus, the Decepticons used him as a bargaining chip to halt the Autobot's assault on Kaon.
• Leeroy Jenkins: He doesn't thinks things through. he attacks the first chance he gets.
• Red Is Heroic: With his crimson paint and brick red chest insignia, he fights alongside the heroic Autobots.
• *Twang* Hello: He introduced himself to Shockwave and Swindle with a near-miss from his sniper rifle and claims that was their only warning shot.

Hound (3DS only)

An Autobot reconnaissance soldier who is armed with the most sophisticated tracking technology. With it, he can effortlessly detect just about any Decepticon.

• Army Scout: His talent in the Autobots ranks is locating and chasing the enemy.
• Ascended Extra: He's promoted from appearing as a background character who is only shown when his specific talents are needed to fighting alongside Optimus in the 3DS version.
• Blood Knight: Loves a good brawl.
• No Indoor Voice: Shouts every single word.
• Target Spotter: Due to his powerful sensors, he can find just about any Deecepticon.

Jetfire

Former Seeker who now fights for the Autobots. He and Perceptor were members of a pre-conceived contingency plan in case the Autobots were captured in Decepticon territory.

• Big Damn Heroes: The backup plan has him flying into the ruins of Trypticon to fire the main laser cannon to save his comrades.
• Flight: He's one of the few Autobots that can fly.
• Heel–Face Turn: He once worked for Starscream before siding with the Autobots.
• Wild Card: He had a history of insubordination while he was working for Starscream.

Arcee (3DS only)

A scout who's loyal to Optimus Prime.

• Action Girl: Tough, fearless and always ready to fight Decepticons or aid her fellow Autobots.
• Fragile Speedster: As a Recon-class Transformer, she can't take many hits but is skilled at crossing big distances on the map.

Perceptor

An Autobot scientist who worked with Jetfire to put 'Operation Longshot' into action.

• Deadpan Snarker: Has this line when Jetfire brags he used be stationed on Trypticon and knows his way around:

Your knowledge is based on the erroneous notion that Trypticon's layout was not altered during his conversion from space station to smoldering wreck.

• Demoted to Extra: In the 3DS version, he is one of the support units that can be equipped to the WFC Autobots, increasing the effectiveness of the Hack ability.
• Mission Control: To Jetfire in the console versions.

Movie Decepticons

The Decepticons from the Movie portions of the game are a force of mercenaries under the command of Lockdown, who seeks the Dark Spark for his own purposes.

Lockdown

The leader of the Decepticon mercenaries invading Earth.

• Final Boss: Of the movie portions of the game, and the last fight of the game itself.
• Opportunistic Bastard: What Lockdown plans for the Dark Spark. Long ago, the bounty hunter used to be well paid to supply weapons to both sides of the war. In order to gain a cashflow again, Lockdown wants to use the Dark Spark to bring the war into the present, essentially allowing it to restart. Even then, while Lockdown intends to give Optimus Prime to past Megatron, the bounty hunter will secretly keep the Matrix of Leadership for himself.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Doesn't get killed here, and flees to fight another day.

Stinger

A member of Lockdown's mercenaries.

• Ascended Extra: One of the playable characters in the 3DS version.
• Continuity Snarl: Has no business being part of Lockdown's mercenaries when he was a KSI creation in the film.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: His 3DS bio describes him as "mysterious" indicating his differing origin from the film.

Aligned Decepticons

The Decepticons hailing from the War For Cybertron/ Fall Of Cybertron/ Transformers Prime universe. The Dark Spark is hidden on their Cybertron, and Megatron wants it for the power it will grant him.

Megatron

He was once an enslaved gladiator, whose strength was unmatched. His belief that only the strongest survive has sparked a civil war on Cybertron. Serving as the Decepticons' warlord, he seeks the Dark Spark to supplement his power.

• Arc Villain: He's only relevant to the plot during the Cybertron portions of the game.
• Continuity Snarl: He's depicted in his rebuilt form from Transformers: Fall of Cybertron—despite this game taking place between Transformers: War for Cybertron and FoC and only getting that form partway through the latter.
• Final Boss: Of the Cybertron portions of the game
• Jerkass: He may be a villain, but even for that he's an asshole, killing a number of Autobots and reviving them with the Dark Spark just to make Optimus fight them.

Shockwave

The Decepticon scientist who discovered the existence of the Dark Spark: a relic of unspeakable power.

• Co-Dragons: One of the most dangerous scientists in the Decepticon ranks was chosen to leads the expedition for the Dark Spark with Starscream and Soundwave as insurance.
• Cyber Cyclops: His "face" consists of a sole, purple eye.
• Dragon-in-Chief:Between the three of them (Starscream, Soundwave, and himself), he’s the one who displays the most authority.
• Took a Level in Badass: This game would make this trope an inversion with the previous game since it's a prequel. Compared with Fall of Cybertron where his only fight with somebody his own size, Cliffjumper, was evenly matched before Jazz inadvertently ended the fight by shooting the console to the energon refinery, and the rest of the time he's avoiding fights against Grimlock, here he's kicking ass left and right.

Soundwave

A Decepticon intelligence/communications officer who's undyingly loyal to Megatron. As a result of his near-perfect service record, Megatron usually turns to him when for a high-priority mission He uses his small army of Mini-Con Deployers to gather information. Because of this, his own allies are afraid of him on the basis that he secretly uses them to report their insubordination to Megatron.

He was sent along with Starscream and Shockwave on a expedition to unearth the Dark Spark. He later accompanies Shockwave to ensure that their MacGuffin falls safely in his master's hands.

• Co-Dragons: One of Megatron's trusted warriors and espionage officers was sent to retrieve the Dark Spark with Starscream and Megatron.
• Combat Medic: He can hold his own in a fight, but he's one of the only two Decepticons with the ability to repair their allies in the 3DS release.
• Demoted to Extra: He essentially disappears from the story after Shockwave derails the Autobots' escape train, and the 3DS port only keeps around after this event as a Combat Medic with hardly any characterization.
• Drone Deployer: Well they're not exactly mindless drones, but smaller than average Transformers. He uses Laserbeak as a Attack Drone during combat and Rumble to drain a pit of acid.
• Machine Monotone: His voice never strays away from it's iconic robotic tone.
• The Medic: His ability in the 3DS version allows him to heal his comrades.
• The Stoic: It's extremely rare for him to show any form of emotion.
• Robo Speak: Both his grammar and mannerisms are identical to a robot.

Starscream

One of Megatron's lieutenants, and the Air Commander of the Decepticons' Seekers. He, Soundwave, and Shockwave were sent to the ruins of Crystal City to uncover the Dark.

• Arbitrary Skepticism: He doesn't believe that the Dark Spark that he, Soundwave, and Shockwave were sent to retrieve doesn't exist and he openly mocks Shockwave about this.
• Co-Dragons: The head of the Decepticon Seekers was sent along with Soundwave and Shockwave to locate and retrieve the Dark Spark for Megatron
• Commanding Coolness: His rank/title is Air Commander of the Seekers.
• Deadpan Snarker: He has a sarcastic remark to most of Shockwave's statements and he takes a free jabs against Soundwave's Robo Speak as well.
• Fantastic Racism: He finds the Insecticon drones to be disgusting, primitive, revolting, hideous creatures.
• Flunky Boss: Rather than fighting Jetfire directly, he flies off and uses the nearest squad of Decepticon Mooks to fight him.
• It's All About Me: Well illustrated in this exchange:

  Starscream: Ugh! These Crystal Guardians should have stayed in the past where they belong!

  Shockwave: You are not the only one having problems, Starscream.

  Starscream: I'm the only one whose problems are of any significance!

• Pride: He's arrogant to just about everyone he talks too, insults Megatron via radio (prompting a death threat from the Big Bad), and he calls the Autobots worthless just before the Insecticons try to eat him alive.
• Pointy-Haired Boss: Where Soundwave helps derail the Autobots' Escape Train and Shockwave retrieving the Dark park to Megatron. Starscream not only fails to prevent the Autobots from escaping (though to be fair, he was defending himself from an Insecticon swarm at the time) he fails to stop Jetfire from executing Optimus's and Wheeljack's contingency plan.
• We Meet Again: He has a "kill on sight" grudge against Jetfire, and they cross paths in the ruins of Trypticon, fueling their conflict.
• You Have Failed Me: He berates his men for failing to kill Jetfire: a fight that they could hardly win in the first place.

Onslaught

The leader of the Combaticons, the Decepticons' premier combat unit. He and his team are sent by Megatron to locate and escort Shockwave to Kaon after radio contact was lost. He's capable of quickly fabricating a successful strategy in the heat of combat, turning the unruly Combaticons into an elite military unit.

• A Father to His Men: He keeps his unruly teammates alive and obedient with his orders.
• Combining Mecha: He's Bruticus's head and torso.
• Frontline General: While not as high up the totem pole as the likes of Starscream or Soundwave, Onslaught is in command of the Decepticon forces both escorting Shockwave and the Dark Spark as well as the forces defending Kaon against the Autobots. Even Shockwave is compelled to follow his orders and hang back until a path has been cleared.
• The Leader: The leader of the Combaticon team, and also the one commanding the defense of Kaon. He discusses strategy with Shockwave and the other Combaticons while under fire.
• Leader Forms the Head: When the Combaticons combine, Onsluaght is the head and torso of Bruticus since he's the only one keeping his team together in the first place.
• Out of Focus: In the 3DS version, he shows up soley to combine into Bruticus.
• Sergeant Rock: He fights alongside his squad on the front lines and assertively forces his orders on his teammates and they listen.
• Xanatos Speed Chess: He quickly adapts and discards plans as more information comes in. Throughout the defense of Kaon, he issues new orders to his team as their options become limited (e.g. bombing runs no longer an option because both Vortex and Blast-Off need time to make another run, Autobots calling in a force of Titans).

Blast Off

Combaticon air soldier, who is known for his arrogance towards those who can't fly. He aided his allies during the battle at the gates of Kaon by providing air support for his teammates. He eventually combines with the other Combaticons to form Bruticus.

• Combining Mecha: He transforms himself into Bruticus' right arm.
• Lightning Bruiser: He's the fastest of the five in his space shuttle form, and his vehicle mode arguably has the most firepower of the Combaticons.
• Out of Focus: In the 3DS version, he shows up soley to merge into Bruticus.
• Troll: He refuses to provide air support for his teammate because his chrome will be scratched and Swindle is impolite by his standards. He quickly changes his tune when he discovers that Shockwave was listening to his belligerence.

Swindle

The Combaticon who was ordered by Onslaught to escort Shockwave to Kaon. He's the first to profit off the misfortune of others. Either by selling weapons that he's found during his missions or stripping his victims for their parts: he's a capitalist first, a warrior second.

• Arms Dealer: His side business is selling weapons that he scavenged from the Autobots he kills on his missions and sells them to just about anyone under the guise of a shady arms merchant.
• Combat Medic: In addition to healing members of his faction, he can also be used to fight at the same proficiency of his comrades
• Combining Mecha: He's transforms himself into the right leg of Bruticus.
• Meaningful Name: And there's no guarantee if his wares actually works or if they're really worth the price...
• The Medic: His ability in the 3DS release enables him to heal his teammates.
• Victory Quote: In a merchant's vocabulary.
  • "Time to Close this deal!"
  • "Yet another satisfied Customer!"
• War for Fun and Profit: Strips his victims for their parts and indiscriminately sells them like a used-car salesman.

Bruticus

The Combaticons's gestalt form. His raw strength was used as a last resort by the Combaticons.

• The Brute: He's nearly three times taller than the average Transformer, and proportionally stronger as well. But he isn't known for his brains.
• Combining Mecha: He only exists when the five Combaticons are fused together.
• Fire-Breathing Weapon: His right-handed attack turns Blast Off's alternate mode into a flamethrower.
• Helicopter Blender: He rotates the helicopter blades on his left arm to not only Spin to Deflect Stuff, but it doubles as this trope for enemies who get too close.
• Mighty Glacier: He walks slowly, but he's got an array of lethal attacks.
• Shockwave Stomp: His special attack punches the ground to create a powerful shockwave that eventually explodes.
• Tactical Suicide Boss: The second battle against him in the 3DS version features Bruticus standing on a unreachable platform and in between a deactivated electric fence. And he doesn't attempts to relocate after the first two shocks, resulting in his downfall.

Slipstream (3DS only)

A female Seeker who pledged her loyalty to Megatron.

• Action Girl: She's just as tough the rest of the Decepticons, and she isn't afraid to fight on the front lines.
• Deadpan Snarker: Her sarcastic remarks and insults are enough to irritate even Megatron.

Insecticons

Primitive Transformers who live underground and act as a sort of natural garbage disposal, consuming the refuse that falls from above. Since the War For Cybertron began, they've started plaguing the surface as well.

Sharpshot is the psychotic leader of the Insecticons who was drafted into the Decepticon ranks by Shockwave. He is cruel, sadistic, and arrogant, which perfectly suits the faction he's serving. Ambushing his victims with using his cloaking device, many Autobots have fallen to this twisted recruit. His alternate mode is a robotic stag beetle, granting him flight in the heat of combat. Assisted by fellow Insecticons Hardshell and Kickback, they are a threat to anyone who enters their lair.

• Ax-Crazy: Sharpshot's sadistic nature, diet of slain Transformers, and his shameless desire to kill an army of Autobots
• Blood Knight: Sharpshot's thirst for combat is unrivaled, eagerly anticipating the next fighting and prone to complaining when the current fight comes to a untimely end.
• Extreme Omnivore: Like the majority of the Insecticons, they can eat and digest just about anything,
• Insectoid Alien: They can transform their humanoid forms into a robotic insects that are about the size of a tank.
• Life Drain: Kickback's and Sharpshot's special ability allows them to recover some health as they damage their victims in the 3DS version of the game.
• Marathon Boss: Shockwave fights Hardshell, Kickback, and Sharpshot in rapid succession when he first encounters them
• Out of Focus: Hardshell is mentioned as one of the Insection leaders in the 3DS version but doesn't appear.