Gutcruncher (G1)

Gutcruncher is a Decepticon from the Generation 1 continuity family.

If I sell Starscream for scrap, Megatron would need a new Air Commander. Hmm...

Gutcruncher is a very ambitious mechanoid. He's bartered a deal to sell Autobot remains as scrap metal on various interstellar markets (including to the Junkions!), and there are rumors that some of those parts were from fellow Decepticons who stood in Gutcruncher's way up the ranks. He's incredibly cold and calculating, and even without his Stratotronic Jet vehicle, he's got the muscle and firepower to back up his plans. Autobots fear him because he's a ruthless force of nature on the battlefield. Decepticons fear him because he may have already calculated their net worth to some shady black-market metal-monger, and is merely awaiting the right opportunity to cash in.

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance: Spotlight: Hot Rod

Prior to open hostilities breaking out on Cybertron, Gutcruncher worked as a bartender in a Decepticon-only establishment. He refused to serve Jetfire after the scientist began working for the Autobots. What It's Really Like

During the Great War, Gutcruncher and Stratotronic massacred Cybertronian refugees under the Wreckers' protection—just to prove nobody was safe. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

No gut goes uncrunched on MY watch.

Later, Gutcruncher was monitoring the central security hub at the Decepticon Penal Colony Styx when Hot Rod introduced a virus to the system to cover his break-in. Eventually the virus popped all the cell doors, forcing Gutcruncher to call a "Code-Nine" alert, which instructed all officers (likely including himself) to immediately evacuate to an orbital platform to await a clean-up squad. Spotlight: Hot Rod

At some point afterwards, Gutcruncher served the Decepticon Secret Service aboard Banzai-Tron's flagship during the attack on the Autobot penitentiary of Garrus-9. Spotlight: Arcee He soon began to regret liberating the "gestalt" transformers when agents of the ancient scientist Jhiaxus razed Banzai-Tron's fortress in the Orcibe Cluster and activated Monstructor with predictable results. Spotlight: Hardhead

After a deal was worked out between Banzai-Tron and Arcee, Gutcruncher, Axer and the Combaticons attacked Monstructor with the intent of recapturing the rampaging monster. Spotlight: Sideswipe

Gutcruncher eventually made his way to the planet Earth. Isolated from his fellow Decepticons, he was relatively easy pickings for Bumblebee and his squad of Autobots once they allied themselves with Skywatch. The Hanging Sword

After the war ended, Gutcruncher joined his fellow Decepticons on Cybertron, returning to his old profession by opening a bar with a side engex bootlegging operation, with Heavy Barrel, Ransack, and Stratotronic as part of it. In the meantime, Sandstorm became a regular at the bar, befriending Gutcruncher and the other patrons. When all three bootlegging employees were killed while trying to steal an engex distiller, Optimus Prime informed Gutcruncher of the sad news, and the Decepticon swore vengeance. He didn't get much of a chance, as his bar exploded into flames Fight or Flee with himself inside. Quest for Fire Sandstorm had killed Gutcruncher for his crimes during the war. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

TransTech

You're going to love my nuts.

A rabble-rouser and local big spender, Gutcruncher took Hubcap for a sizeable amount of money at The Blue Deployer's gambling tables. He was impressed by Hubcap and decided to invite him and Jackpot to a gathering of the city's various criminal gangs.

The rally was Gutcruncher's attempt at uniting the various gangs and offworlder criminals of Axiom Nexus against the TransTech. His assassination by Black Shadow prevented the uprising, and led to Jackpot and Hubcap's flight from both the law and the gangs as they had been set up to take the blame for the killing. Gone Too Far

Another Gutcruncher later debated Beachcomber on a television segment about internship practices on Axiom Nexus. Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist

Classics

Gutcruncher was a member of Bludgeon's splinter faction at the time they were warring with Megatron. He was summoned by Crankcase to help cart away the "traitor" Abominus. At Fight's End

Wings Universe

"There's these guys going around to all of these frat houses, pretending to be real cops. But they're not real cops! They're fake cops!"

Gutcruncher's life prior to the rise of the Decepticon movement is unknown, but he rose to prominence during the first decade of the Civil War, becoming one of fourteen Decepticon Warlords active on Cybertron. Although he had a seat at the Decepticon War Council, he found the meetings less than fulfilling as the other Warlords squabbled with one another. When one of his troopers, Charger, discovered a meteor of incalculable energy heading towards Cybertron, Gutcruncher saw fit to withhold the information from his fellow Warlords.

All Gutcruncher and his troops needed was a ship. Unfortunately, the task of retrieving a vessel was entrusted to Gutcruncher's catastrophically bumbling aid Take-Off. After scaring off one possible source with his complete lack of discretion, Take-Off managed to secure a second vessel for the journey...without bothering to inquire if the ship could even fly, much less if it contained the equipment Charger needed to work. Still, a ship was a ship, and Gutcruncher begrudgingly accepted Take-Off's acquisition.

As it turned out, Take-Off's work was even less satisfying that expected. In mid-flight, the presumably disreputable crew of the Darklon revealed themselves to be none other than Powerflash and Tap-Out of the Autobot Elite Guard's Stealth Team. Gutcruncher was taken prisoner by the Autobots, using old gen stasis cuffs which rendered him completely pacified. The rest of the Decepticons were soon captured as well, but Charger managed to free his lord and the others. They re-seized control of the ship, and Gutcruncher planted an explosive "failsafe" on board, just in case.

Out on the surface of the asteroid, Gutcruncher found his prize—a massive crystalline monolith jutting out from the rocky surface. He made contact with the crystal, waves of yellow energy racing up his superstructure as he did so. This contact triggered some kind of chain reaction, however, shooting out rays of energy that struck all Transformers present, Autobot and Decepticon alike. Seizing the opportunity, the Autobots struck back against the Decepticons, with each side discovering they possessed increased physical power, but could no longer transform. Gutcruncher's allies fell one by one, and he retreated into the ship in a vain attempt to activate the auto-defense turrets for help. Faced with defeat, he made a last ditch suicidal effort to detonate his explosives on the ship...only to discover Tap-Out had removed them earlier.

Gutcruncher was imprisoned by the Elite Guard, and one less Decepticon Warlord remained to vie for power. A Team Effort

Regeneration One

Gutcruncher was on Cybertron just before the rise of the Anti-Matrix's shadow-leeches. The War to End All Wars, Part 4

Ask Sideways

After hijacking Vector Prime's Axiom Nexus News column, known liar Sideways claimed to have lost a bet with Gutcruncher, ending up on prehistoric Earth and helping Primal Prime's team. Ask Sideways, 2015/07/06

2019 IDW continuity

First appearance: Transformers #18

Gutcruncher and Singe worked for Swindle and helped their employer illegally procure energon. When the Tether fell from orbit, causing chaos in the streets, Swindle sent the pair to loot a destroyed energon storage yard to gather supplies for his newest trading partner, Mindwipe. Swindle's However, when Gauge approached them, one of them shot the little Transformer, and her mentor Arcee stormed their position and took down Singe. Gutcruncher could not outfight the ex-soldier and fled out the back, leaving his partner behind. Arcee/Greenlight: Run Gutcruncher returned to his employer and when Security raided the joint a short time later, Gutcruncher feigned innocence alongside his boss. Swindle's

Crunched guts are his specialty, but he can do cracked jaws too.

When Megatron overthrew the Senate and declared martial law in Iacon, Gutcruncher abandoned Swindle and joined the Decepticons. Hunt While out on a patrol with Refraktor and Airwave they decided to harass Ratchet's clinic and intimidate the medics who worked there into surrendering any Autobot sympathizers. However, Ratchet was less compliant than they had hoped and Hoist eventually scared them into leaving when he threatened to turn a swarm of diagnostic drones upon the three. Escape Part One Gutcruncher returned to Decepticon Headquarters in time to witness Termagax make a speech condemning Megatron and how he'd corrupted her peaceful movement. Awakenings

Later, Gutcruncher joined Skytread as they tried to ambush a refugee convoy leaving the city, but fled when Dai Atlas arrived. Escape Part Two After the Titans fell from orbit, Gutcruncher and Roadtrap made a survey of Cargohold's landing on the Memorial Crater. They discovered the body of Provoke, buried but alive apparently since the final battle of the War of the Threefold Spark. Titans Later on, he and Windsweeper were manning a remote energon facility when Skywarp made a surprise appearance and made off with some of their fuel. Swindle's II

Sixshot deployed the entire Decepticon Guard to enter the Sea of Rust in search of Termagax and the Enigma of Combination. Gutcruncher was among those who assembled for the mission, and fought against the Autobots who dug in to defend the position. Sea of Rust II He fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Sixshot and Offroad to try and reach Termagax's tower. Skywarp intervened on the fighting, however, and the Enigma was lost to the Sea. Enigmatic

When a group of Autobots infiltrated Iacon to rescue the captured Ultra Magnus, Gutcruncher was among the Decepticons who cornered them inside Swindle's. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Two Gutcruncher cheerfully greeted his old boss Swindle as they breached the place and attacked the Autobots within. Darkness, Once Gazed Upon: Part Three

Later, Gutcruncher was assigned to guard duty outside Decepticon HQ alongside Roughstuff, and the two former Swindle employees commiserated over their shabby treatment (and lack of pay) while working for the hustler. Cyclonus arrived, intent on seeing Megatron, and the two tried to bar his path, but were easily put on their butts by the more skilled warrior. War's End Part One

Gutcruncher was part of the Decepticon infantry during the final push against the Autobots at Darkmount. Fate of Cybertron

Commercial appearances

Voice actor: ??? (English)

Get off my lawn!

Flying in his Stratotronic Jet on what may be Cybertron, Gutcruncher yelled "destroy them!" to no one in particular and proceeded to fly straight up.

When Wheeljack and Sprocket drove out of a tunnel in their own Action Master vehicles, Gutcruncher strafed them but did not seem to score any hits. Action Master vehicles commercial

Games

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Gutcruncher was a guard at the Styx penal colony. Decepticon Directive

Toys

The Transformers

I considered selling off my own kibble, but decided the rate of return was too low.

• Stratotronic Jet with Gutcruncher (Action Master Attack Vehicle, 1990)

• Accessories: "Stratotronic Jet" vehicle, twin laser gun, 2 laser cannons, left & right rear stabilizer fins, 4 missiles
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Released in the seventh and final year of The Transformers in the US (sixth and non-final in Europe), Gutcruncher is a non-transforming 3¾-inch action figure of a robot with hints of some kind of tank alternate mode. His construction is broadly similar to that used by the G.I. Joe figures of the time, having a swivel neck, shoulders and knees, plus ball-jointed hips attached via a steel rod internally secured by a rubber "o-ring". His hands have standard 3 mm holes which allow him to hold any other accessory in the Action Master line, plus his feet have holes in the bottom to secure him to larger vehicles. On top of that, the hole in his back is compatible with 5 mm posts.

He was only available with his large Stratotronic Jet vehicle.

• More information on Gutcruncher at TFU.info

Merchandise

Transformers Character Card

• Catilla & Gutcruncher Set (December, 2023)
  • ID number: 73 & 74

Released as part of the tenth wave of the e-HOBBY exclusive Transformers Character Card series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of Catilla and Gutcruncher along with character profiles and tech specs.

• Translation of Gutcruncher's Transformers Character Card

Notes

• Gutcruncher is one of very few Transformers to hold a rank of 10 without being a faction leader. (Possibly due to his status as an outside contractor.)
• Gutcruncher was given an homage in the character Sparkcrusher from the Revenge of the Fallen toyline.
• Gutcruncher's design was used by Hasbro as the "pretooled" alternate head for Thrilling 30 Voyager Class Roadbuster, but this tooling was never used.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Gutcruncher (ガットクランチャー Gattokuranchā)
• French: Fricoteur (Canada)
• Mandarin: Kǎn Jià Kè (China, 砍价客, "Haggle Man")