The
Ark is an
AutobotAutobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...
spacecraft in the fictional Transformers Universe.
Transformers: The Ultimate Guide by
Simon FurmanSimon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
classifies it as a Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor, with a crew complement of 300.
Crew of the Ark
Which Autobots were on board the
Ark varies with different tellings of the story. In all storylines the following Autobots are among the crew:
- Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Leader
- Autobot Cars
- Bluestreak
Silverstreak is the name given to the Transformers character once known as Bluestreak, but for trademark reasons it had to be changed in 2003.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Hound
Hound is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. He is sometimes referred to as "Autobot Hound" for trademark purposes...
- Ironhide
Ironhide is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the television series Ironside.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Jazz
Jazz is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, Jazz is sometimes referred to as Autobot Jazz or Meister, his Japanese name.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Mirage
Mirage is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. After Optimus Prime and Megatron, and along with Prowl, Mirage is one of the single most re-used names in the Transformers series, and is almost entirely synonymous with characters possessing Formula One...
- Prowl
Prowl is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. After Optimus Prime and Megatron, and along with Mirage, Starscream, and Ironhide, "Prowl" is one of the most re-used American names in the assorted Transformers series, and its use has become almost syonymous with...
- Ratchet
Ratchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...
- Sideswipe
Sideswipe is the name of several different characters in the Transformers universes. Because of trademark restrictions they sometimes use the spelling "Side Swipe."-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Sunstreaker
Sunstreaker is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Sunstreaker was one of the first generation of Autobots in the original Transformers television series...
- Trailbreaker
Trailbreaker is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers toy line and animated television series.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Wheeljack
Wheeljack is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Wheeljack is the scientist of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic series based on the popular toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro...
- Autobot Mini-Vehicles
- Brawn
Brawn is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. Brawn is not to be confused with X-Brawn, a very similar character from Transformers: Robots in Disguise.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
- Bumblebee
Bumblebee is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. In all incarnations, Bumblebee is a small, yellow Autobot with the altmode of a compact car.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
- Cliffjumper
Cliffjumper is the name of several characters from the Transformers line of toys. His name is usually associated with an Autobot who's toys are almost always red repaints of Bumblebee toys.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
- Gears
Gears is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Gears is anti-social, a self-proclaimed misfit. His tech spec indicated he acted this way to cheer others up as they attempted to cheer him up. However, his portrayal in the...
- Huffer
Huffer is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:The toy version of Huffer was released from 1984 through 1985 as a Mini-Bot, placing him in the same general size category as Bumblebee, Beachcomber and Powerglide...
- Windcharger
Windcharger was one of the original toys in the Transformers line when Hasbro started producing them in 1984.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
In the television series the
Ark was crewed by:
- Hauler (Only appeared in one early episode)
In the Marvel Comics series the
Ark was crewed by:
- Dinobots
The Dinobots are several teams of characters in the fictional Transformers Universe. The groups are made up of several robots, each of whose alternate mode are those of dinosaurs or similar prehistoric animal. -Transformers: Generation One:...
- Grimlock
Grimlock is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Grimlock is the most fearsome and powerful member of the Dinobots...
- Slag
Slag is a fictional character in Transformers toy line.-Transformers: Generation 1:Slag is very tough, strong and possesses impressive firepower. In dinosaur mode, Slag can spew from his mouth a bolt of 3,000 degrees Celsius flame up to 80 feet...
- Sludge
Sludge is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformer toy line and fictional series.-Transformers: Generation 1:Sludge is the Brontosaurus Dinobot. Sludge's strength is considered by some to be second only to Grimlock's in the Dinobot faction...
- Snarl
Snarl is the name of several different fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Snarl is one of the members of the Autobot sub-group called the Dinobots lead by Grimlock...
- Swoop
Swoop is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers fictional series and toy line.-Transformers: Generation 1:Swoop is the Pteranodon Dinobot...
Animated Series
Although it is universally referred to as "the
Ark" in all other media, the Autobot spacecraft is never actually named in
The Transformers animated series - it is simply referred to as "Autobot Headquarters."
The
Ark left Cybertron when constant battles between the Autobots and Decepticons had left the planet in an energy crisis, with
Optimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and a contingent of Autobots 4 million years ago in search of the fuel
EnergonIn the fictional universe of the Transformers, Energon is the primary source of power for Transformers. Using Energon, Transformers live, power their machinery, and even craft weapons.-Generation 1/Beast Wars:...
. Shortly after launch, it was attacked by the
DecepticonThe Decepticons are usually depicted as the Antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers toyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots. The villains take many forms, and have many different origins and stories across the numerous different Transformers...
s on the
NemesisThe Nemesis is a Decepticon spaceship in the fictional Transformers universe. It was built by Megatron as the flagship of his Decepticon space fleet, and was described by Optimus Primal as the most powerful Decepticon battleship ever. The ship was never named in the original series, only being...
(another spaceship that was not named as such in the original series). The
Nemesis attached itself to the
Ark using tractor beams. The Decepticons, including their leader
MegatronMegatron is a character from the Transformers franchise, created by toy companies Hasbro and Takara. He is the primary antagonist and leader of the "evil" faction in most of the various Transformers universes....
, boarded the
Ark and attacked. During the battle, the
Ark was damaged and crash landed on Earth, into the side of a volcano in what one day would be called
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
(according to the Marvel comic book).
In the Earth year 1984, the volcano erupted, jarring
Teletraan ITeletraan I is the name of the Autobots' computer on board the Ark.-Generation One:Teletraan I is the supercomputer that is stored upon the Autobot's spacecraft, the Ark...
back to life. Sending out a Sky Spy satellite, the computer scanned assorted Earthly vehicles and machinery to form alternate modes for the Transformers.
SkywarpSkywarp is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers toy line.-Transformers: Generation 1:Skywarp, like his name suggests, is able to teleport at will....
happened to be in the path of Teletraan's reconfiguration beam, and once reactivated, dragged the other Decepticons into the beam, allowing them to be reconstructed. As they departed the
Ark,
StarscreamStarscream is the name of several fictional characters in the various series Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Due to his treachery and personality, he has had many future characters within the franchise to bear his name, most of which share his desire to become leader of the...
opened fire on it, disobeying Megatron's orders, who cautiously opted to have the Decepticons save their energy until further sources were found. The blast dislodged some of the rock face above the
Ark, and the resulting collapse knocked Optimus Prime's body into the path of the beam. The Autobots lived again.
Although the
Ark was severely damaged in the crash, preparations were made to launch it again following the apparent destruction of the Decepticons. When the ship was nearly ready, the Decepticons re-emerged, prompting the Autobots to stay on Earth, using the buried hulk of the
Ark as their base of operations. Following the construction of Autobot City in the early 21st century, the
Ark shared duties as the home base for the Earthbound Autobots, but it's clear that Autobot City was regarded as the bigger threat to the Decepticons. In 2006, the
Ark was destroyed by
TrypticonTrypticon is a fictional character in the Transformers toyline.-Transformers: Generation 1:Trypticon is the Decepticons' principal command base. He has three modes: a city, a mobile battle station, and a Tyrannosaurus rex. In each mode, he has a variety of weapons...
.
Marvel Comics
Cybertron, having become a
rogue planetRogue Planet may refer to:In literature:* Rogue Planet , a Dan Dare story that ran in the original Eagle comic from Volume 6, Issue 48 to Volume 8, Issue 7* Rogue Planet , a novel set in the Star Wars galaxy...
, was headed into the path of the
asteroid beltThe asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
.
Optimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
led a specially selected group of
AutobotAutobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...
s on board the
Ark to clear a path through the asteroids so that the planet could pass safely. The
Ark was specially constructed for this mission. The Autobots successfully cleared a path for Cybertron, but were attacked by the
DecepticonThe Decepticons are usually depicted as the Antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers toyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots. The villains take many forms, and have many different origins and stories across the numerous different Transformers...
s, and were too low in energy after clearing the asteroids to fight back effectively. Prime instead chose to order the
Ark to crash into what was then the lifeless third planet in our
solar systemThe Solar System consists of the Sun and those celestial objects bound to it by gravity, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago...
. The spaceship crashed into what is today called Mount St. Hilary, where the Autobots and Decepticons on the
Ark lay dormant for four million years, until in 1984 the volcano erupted and activated the shipboard computer which then revived the Transformers on board. (Mount St. Hilary is fictional, although it was presumably modeled on the real-life
Mount St. HelensMount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a friend of...
, which erupted in 1980).
The Autobots then used the
Ark as their base on Earth until, under the command of
GrimlockGrimlock is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Grimlock is the most fearsome and powerful member of the Dinobots...
, the
Ark was repaired and launched back into space. It served as the Autobot's base until the battle against
UnicronUnicron is a fictional character from the Transformers universe and toyline. Created by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie as the film's main antagonist...
, when Grimlock drove it into the Chaos-Bringer's head. The craft was repaired and stolen by
ShockwaveShockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Due to issues with Hasbro's trademark of the name Shockwave, some products were also released under the name Shockblast.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and
StarscreamStarscream is the name of several fictional characters in the various series Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Due to his treachery and personality, he has had many future characters within the franchise to bear his name, most of which share his desire to become leader of the...
. However, they had a few stowaways: Megatron, Ratchet and Galvatron from an alternate future. In the ensuing fight, a stray shot hit the highly volatile nucleon stored on the ship causing a massive explosion, forcing it to once again, crash into the Earth; this time somewhere in northern
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The specific design of the
Ark changes throughout the run of the Marvel series, the variation usually attributed to different artists' ideas of what it should look like. However, the
Ark always maintained a thickened, spade-like shape with three or more massive, circular engine ports.
Generation 2
The
Ark was repaired and relaunched with Megatron at the helm. This time Spike Witwicky and Sky Dive stowed away before the launch. Spike merged with
Fortress MaximusFortress Maximus is the name of several fictional characters from several of the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Fortress Maximus is a warrior without compare – courageous, valiant, powerful... and yet a fervent pacifist who wishes that he will never have to fight again...
who had been stored in the
Ark during Spike’s absence, and in the ensuing fight with Megatron, Maximus threw himself into the anti-matter conversion chamber, causing the ship to explode. Both Megatron and Sky Dive escaped.
Dreamwave Productions
In the
DreamwaveDreamwave Productions is a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher, best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
comics it is assumed that the
Arks history is roughly similar to that of the animated version, crashing on Earth with Optimus Prime, Megatron and their forces on board. After the defeat of the Decepticons a second Ark
vessel was built, with the Autobots, the captive Decepticons and several human representatives on board. It was destroyed by rogue elements of the military being indirectly manipulated by ShockwaveShockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Due to issues with Hasbro's trademark of the name Shockwave, some products were also released under the name Shockblast.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
. The original Ark
was destroyed when the Autobots RatchetRatchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...
and BrawnBrawn is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. Brawn is not to be confused with X-Brawn, a very similar character from Transformers: Robots in Disguise.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
set it to self destruct when it was attacked by BruticusThe Combaticons are a group of Decepticon military vehicles in the assorted fictional universes of the Transformers.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
.
The
Ark II
A second Ark
ship appeared in Dreamwave's G1 backstory. Following a mass defeat of the Decepticons, all the Transformers were to return to Cybertron on the newly-constructed Ark II, but when it was launched, it promptly exploded, as a result of
ShockwaveShockwave is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. Due to issues with Hasbro's trademark of the name Shockwave, some products were also released under the name Shockblast.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
's machinations. A group of seven human ambassadors known as the Magnificent Seven (including Sparkplug Witwicky) were casualties of the explosion.
IDW Publishing
Although the Transformers Comics by
IDW PublishingIDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American comic book company owned by IDT Corp.. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic Distributors...
would discard the traditional story of the Ark
crashlanding on Earth with the deactivated Autobots and Decepticons inside in favor of having both sides already having infiltration units on Earth, the Ark
would still appear. Here it was not the name of one ship, but a series of them, with Ark-19
being the name of ProwlProwl is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers universes. After Optimus Prime and Megatron, and along with Mirage, Starscream, and Ironhide, "Prowl" is one of the most re-used American names in the assorted Transformers series, and its use has become almost syonymous with...
's ship and Ark-27
being the ship Optimus Prime takes to Earth. A vessel named Ark-17
was also mentioned by Oprimus Prime. Also the Spotlight
issue on Nightbeat-Transformers: Generation 1:Nightbeat is described as a tough, street-hardened detective who is not above resorting to dirty tricks in order to further his investigations. His Headmaster partner is a detective named Muzzle.-Marvel Comics:...
reveals the ancestry of the name. The original Ark
was a vessel launched to try and chart space around Cybertron. It disappeared with all hands. Spotlight:
GalvatronGalvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon Supreme Commander.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
revealed it had actually been investigating an anomaly believed to lead to a dark mirror of the Matrix; Galvatron flew it into this anomaly and the crew were "claimed" by the Dead Universe. It is suggested that the crew of the Ark
were turned into zombie-like monsters similar to Galvatron.
IDW Publishing also published a design collection titled The ArkThe Ark is a compendium of Transformers animation models, released by IDW Publishing on 5/31/2007. Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster authored the volume. It is a 208 page trade paperback, ISBN 978-1-60010080-2...
. This 208 page book features the animation models from the original 1980s cartoon and was created by Jim Sorenson and Bill Forster.
Beast Wars
The Beast WarsBeast Wars: Transformers was a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 1999, and a full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
series, taking place in prehistoric Earth, references the Ark
towards the end of the series. The Predacon MegatronThe Beast Wars and Beast Machines version of Megatron is the main antagonist from the aforementioned parts of the Transformers animated series, toy lines, and multiverse...
discovers it, and hijacks Teletraan I using access codes he found on the Voyager Golden RecordThe Voyager Golden Record is a phonograph record included in the two Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. It contains sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. It is intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or far future humans, that may find it...
, left behind by the original Decepticon MegatronMegatron is a character from the Transformers franchise, created by toy companies Hasbro and Takara. He is the primary antagonist and leader of the "evil" faction in most of the various Transformers universes....
.
BlackarachniaBlackarachnia is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes.-Beast Wars:Originally, this character was intended to be a quick retool of the Tarantulas toy, but the animators ended up giving Blackarachnia a very feminine design and shapely figure.- Season 1...
(To SilverboltThe second Silverbolt is a character in Beast Wars . This Silverbolt seemingly had no connection to the original Aerialbot Silverbolt, and is a completely new character.-Beast Wars:...
): "Oh, it's no legend, Jo-Jo. Eons before Maximal or Predacon even existed, your ancestors, the Autobots, launched this ship containing their finest heroes. It was attacked by Decepticons and crashed here on Earth. When it
(the volcano the Ark
was lying in) explodes in 1984, our ancestors will awaken and start the Great War. "
While Megatron's ancestors, the Decepticons, and those of the
MaximalsMaximals are a faction in the Transformers toyline by Hasbro and the accompanying animated television series Beast Wars. They respect all life and follow a path of peace before war. They follow the tenets of the Pax Cybertronia. The Maximals are opposed by the Predacons...
, the Autobots, slept in stasis lock, he fired his weapon upon the face of Optimus Prime, disrupting the time flow in the universe. The Maximals foiled his plan, by placing the spark of Prime within
Optimus PrimalOptimus Primal is a fictional character from the Transformers toyline, and the leader of the Maximal forces and the main protagonist in the Beast Wars television series...
, once again changing his body. Repairs were made on Prime, and the Maximals used the Ark
as their own base, both to safeguard the Transformers within from Megatron, and because their own ship had recently been lost. However, Megatron later penetrated the Ark
once more, absorbing the spark of his ancestor just before mutating into his dragon form.
The Ark
was nearly destroyed again by Megatron when he discovered and reactivated the Nemesis.
The Maximals were able to activate (with the help of Dinobot II on the Nemesis
) a shuttle found on board (that according to Blackarachnia, "The history records never mentioned a shuttle!
" with Rhinox replying "History's still being made!
"), and used it to both stop the Nemesis
and return home, after re-sealing the cave. They also returned the spark of the original Megatron to its rightful place.
The Ark would remain until its emergence in 1984.
Transformers: Cybertron (2005-2006)
The Transformer's scour the universe for 4 sources of power left over from Primus in order to save Cybertron and the rest of the universe from a massive black hole left over from the battle against Unicron. The four cyber planet keys (Japan: Force Chips) are located on 4 different planets Earth, Velocitron, Jungle, and Gigantion (Japan: Earth, Speedia, Animalia, Gigalonia) each with native Transformers that migrated when the cyber keys were scattered. However, the Decepticons wish to obtain the 4 cyber keys in order to rule the universe. The cyber keys in combination with the Omega Lock would be used to awaken Primus' full potential. With Primus' power merged the four Cybertronian ships: Atlantis, Ogygia, Lumeria and Hyperborea (Japan: Atlantis, Mu, Lemuria, Pangaea) into an ancient ship of legend. It is used by a reawakened Primus to destroy the black hole. It is then separated into the four ships, so the Autobots could connect the universe with space bridges. This ship was known as Noah in the Japanese version of Transformers: Cybertron, Transformers: Galaxy Force and the Ark
in the English version.
2007 Movie
The Ark
would reappear in Transformers fiction in Transformers: Ghosts of YesterdayTransformers: Ghosts of Yesterday, is a prequel novel to the Michael Bay Transformers film. It was written by Alan Dean Foster, based on a story by David Cian.-Plot summary:...
, the prequel novel to the 2007 live-action film. Here, it was the vessel bearing
Optimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
,
IronhideIronhide is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the television series Ironside.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
,
BumblebeeBumblebee is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. In all incarnations, Bumblebee is a small, yellow Autobot with the altmode of a compact car.- Transformers: Generation 1 :...
,
RatchetRatchet is the name of several characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ratchet was named after the character of Nurse Ratched from the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The name Ratchet is almost always portrayed as...
and
JazzJazz is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. For trademark reasons, Jazz is sometimes referred to as Autobot Jazz or Meister, his Japanese name.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
in their search for the Allspark. It is described as being spherical in shape, and its weapons systems and shields are superior to its Decepticon counterparts. It was also said to be able to hold approximately 350 transformers.
According to a post by
Roberto OrciRoberto Gaston Orci is a Mexican film and television producer and screenwriter. His credits include Star Trek, The Legend of Zorro, Mission: Impossible III, Transformers, and Alias. He is the creator alongside with J.J...
the Autobots traveled to across interstellar space in a large spacecraft (presumably the Ark
), then traveled to Earth in protoform mode.
Transformers: Animated
The Ark
makes a return for the 2008 Cartoon Network TV Series. The Decepticon ship Nemesis
is much bigger and powerful in this series.
Nemesis
chases the Ark
to Earth where it shoots the ship down. Nemesis
also crash lands.
The Ark
was once a powerful warship during the Cybertronian Wars. When they were over, all of the Arks weaponry was stripped except for one cannon. It then served as a cargo ship for
Optimus PrimeOptimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is the main protagonist and leader of the "heroic" faction in most of the various Transformers continuities.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and his maintenance crew. While being chased by Decepticons, the
AllsparkThe All Spark is a term for two different objects within the Transformers media franchise:* In the Beast Machines: Transformers television series, it is a term for the Transformers' afterlife....
sent the
Ark pummeling through the space bridge where it ended up above Earth. It then fell right into
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the thirteenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, which laid for fifty years before its crew reactivated. After making friends with humans, the Autobots decided to leave the
Ark and settle on a surface base.
When Lugnut and
BlitzwingBlitzwing is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Blitzwing is a Decepticon triple changer, capable of transforming into a Type 74 main battle tank and a MiG-25 jet fighter...
arrived on Earth to find the
AllsparkThe All Spark is a term for two different objects within the Transformers media franchise:* In the Beast Machines: Transformers television series, it is a term for the Transformers' afterlife....
, the Autobots decided to repair the
Ark and leave the planet. But they instead up its remaining cannon on the Decepticons.
When Megatron was fully revived, Ratchet managed to reactivate the
Ark and the Autobots were prepared to leave Earth until a missile took out the engines, causing the ship to crash into a volcano crater.
Later in the series, the Ark is revealed to be the vehicle mode of the giant Autobot
Omega SupremeOmega Supreme is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. He is often depicted as a gigantic transformer with vast strength and/or overwhelming firepower.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
.