Tappet

Tappet is a Transformer from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Tappet is a NAIL. He just wants to be heard.

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

First appearance: The Death of Optimus Prime

Tappet was friends with a freight hauler called Hefter, who joined the Decepticons and sprayed their slogans on walls. When policeman Outback allegedly killed Hefter in custody, Tappet demanded justice from Orion Pax and was discontented with Pax's attempts to calm him. He assumed it would all get swept under the carpet. To Walk Among the Chosen

Tappet, along with the rest of the crew of a ship, left Cybertron to escape the war. The Death of Optimus Prime They eventually reached somewhere where they dealt with Cassanian quadrocheques as currency for two million years. Stick Together

When Optimus Prime returned from his disappearance at the beginning of the rebirth of Cybertron, Tappet angrily confronted "Orion Pax", berating him for the war that lasted the last four million years. He was soon set upon by Whirl and Sideswipe, but Optimus defused the situation. Later, when a NAIL riot began against the Autobots, the Decepticons were released to help with crowd control, and Tappet was attacked by Blitzwing. The riot ended when Optimus Prime made a speech expressing his decision to leave the planet, which Tappet listened to. The Death of Optimus Prime

Tappet still did not care for the Autobot government, taking to graffiti to express his displeasure. The Decepticons Needlenose and Horri-Bull, acting as "enforcers", caught the NAIL in the act. A group of Autobots soon noticed the two beating up Tappet and defused the situation before it could escalate further. Nevertheless, Tappet was arrested for vandalism. He was soon released on Metalhawk's behalf. The Autonomy Lesson Tappet soon got in an argument with Hipotank about his refusal to accept Cassanian quadrocheques in exchange for a Betelgusian sputtle-prog. Stick Together He later almost got hit by Blurr during the latter's pursuit of Bombshell. Devisive

Tappet was hanging out with Hipotank and Zetca when Metalhawk introduced them to a new NAIL, Sky-Byte, and later had a drink at a reopened Maccadam's Old Oil House. A Better Tomorrow He was later seen again in exactly the same place. Interference Patterns Later, Tappet was among a Cybertronian crowd recruited by Starscream to pressure Prowl into revealing one of his secret discoveries below ground on Cybertron. It turned out to be an ancient Titan who declared in front of the crowd that Starscream was the Cybertronian destined to unite their whole race. He and the other Cybertronians celebrated afterwards with Starscream. All Good Things Like many, Tappet was interested in hearing what Omega Supreme had to say about the Titan's claim. The End of the Beginning of the World

As Decepticons began rioting in the streets in celebration of Megatron's return, Tappet and several others holed up in Maccadam's to avoid the violence. City on Fire They were forced to abandon the bar once it was set on fire, after which Tappet and Zetca were seen on the streets trying to help a fellow injured neutral. The Verge The neutrals eventually regrouped at Fixit's med-center, Before the Dawn where Tappet was awaiting medical attention when Devastator tore his way into the building, forcing them to evacuate. Plan for Everything Together with some other NAILs and deserted Decepticons, he then caught Needlenose threatening Swindle and chased him off. After the Decepticons were defeated, Tappet was incensed to hear that Bumblebee thought they could just return to how things were. Plus Bumblebee got his name wrong, which never helps. Heavy Is the Head

Following Starscream's rise to leadership of the neutrals, Tappet helped repair Maccadam's Old Oil House. Three Monologues

Tappet was interviewed for his opinion following a human attack on Iacon and said he didn't even know what a human was. Primeless, Part 1

Following the Iron Ring's invasion, Onyx Prime returned to Cybertron and began sowing discontent against Optimus Prime. Tappet raised the first voice against Optimus, still viewing him as nothing more than a corrupt police officer. The Ground

Beast Wars: Uprising

Tappet was one of the Empties originally hired by Gnashteeth and Scorponok to peddle their energon on the street. Tappet took advantage of the product, however, ran off with four cubes instead of selling them. At Gnashteeth's demand, Scorponok took out a hit on Tappet at the Scourge of Athenia bar, and soon a 'bot named Gauntlet provided holo evidence of Tappet's brutal demise. Identity Politics

Notes

• Tappet is based on the famous British children's book character Noddy, sporting his conical blue "hat" topped in a bell, red torso, blue "shorts" and coloured cheeks. Moreover, his visible alternate mode components, including a chest grill and large red wheel wells on his shoulders, indicate that he transforms into Noddy's car, itself one of the most well-known aspects of the character. He also shares the same character model (with the exception of his head) as Dipstick.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Tappet (タペット Tapetto)