Grapple

Grapple is technically an architect, but in his spark he is an artist. On Cybertron, before the war, his buildings were considered great works of art, but now his constructions are limited by the realities and needs of the war effort. It is a situation he often finds stifling. Grapple takes great pride in any work he constructs, and is prone to severe bouts of depression should his "masterworks" be destroyed in the course of combat. Grapple can usually be found hanging out with his close friend Hoist who does his best to cheer Grapple up when his artistic temperament has him down.

The Transformers cartoon
Grapple was first seen on Earth hanging out inside the Ark on a typical day for the Autobots. This typical day including the discovery of a prehistoric island hidden inside a naturally-occurring time warp, and a rampage through the base by the Dinobots. Yup...typical day. Grapple designed a Solar Power Tower to collect solar energy for the Autobots — even built a little model of it. When Optimus Prime wouldn't let him build it, Grapple ran off to sulk and encountered the Constructicons, and naturally told them all about his awesome tower idea that got nixed because Prime didn't want the Decepticons getting their hands on it. Brilliant.

They agreed to help Grapple and his buddy Hoist out, but then Megatron found out and decided to turn it into his latest evil plan. The Solar Power Tower was completed, but Devastator trapped Grapple and Hoist inside it, and the Autobots had to show up to save their skidplates.

When the Autobots' favorite mad scientist, Wheeljack, started showing off his latest super-weapon, Grapple begged him to please not point the Negavator at any of his buildings. It's like he didn't trust Wheeljack not to blow things up, or something. Inevitably, though, the Decepticons attacked and the beautiful bunker Grapple built to house the Negavator was reduced to rubble. While he worked in vehicle mode to clear away the debris, Grapple and the Autobots were caught napping by Megatron and his Seekers. They had Prime and the others in their sights but, when Red Alert caused a distraction, Grapple dropped the rubble he was carrying on top of the Decepticons, sending them scattering for cover. ike most of the Autobots, Grapple showed up in Central City for the first (and apparently last) Autobot Day celebration. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1 After the Dinobots destroyed a sizeable portion of the airport battling Decepticons, Grapple and the Autobots lent a hand to repair what was damaged. After Ironhide and Powerglide reconstructed the walls of a building, Grapple was ready to add the piece de resistance by lowering the roof on top. His artistic pride took a serious blow when Grapple dropped the roof and collapsed the entire building underneath it. Mortified as he was, Grapple's mistake was only the first sign of cybertonium deficiency, which soon began to affect all the Autobots and their functions. He was later seen with Hoist, patching up Huffer and a group of Autobots after they tangled with the Insecticons.

Grapple was also one of several Autobots captured by Lord Chumley's wildly-improbable traps; Grapple fell victim to a series of girders that magically fell into a cage configuration. Taken to Chumley's goofy-ass castle, he was used as bait to draw in Optimus Prime, "forced" to hold up a giant boulder—which did not seem to be actually supported by anything and therefore Grapple could have just dropped it or thrown it at one of the other devices keeping the Autobots prisoner.

Grapple's kind of stupid.

After Teletraan I located the Stunticons at large, Prime and the Autobots moved to intercept the wild Decepticons. Grapple, Hoist and Inferno confronted Breakdown and Wildrider on a deserted stretch of highway. When Breakdown dropped a line of oil behind him, Grapple took the opportunity to light him on fire. Geez, Grapple...he didn't even destroy one of your buildings. Why the hate? Masquerade When Starscream and the Combaticons kidnapped Jazz and Cliffjumper, Optimus Prime and the Autobots went after them. Powerglide located the missing 'Bots at a power plant, and alerted his comrades. Grapple and Ratchet freed the prisoners during the power struggle between Megatron and Starscream. Alongside Swoop's lower leg and Perceptor, Grapple valiantly defended Autobot City when it was attacked by Decepticons in the year 2005.