Sparkplug Witwicky

"If I can't fix it, it can't be fixed."

William Irving "SPARKPLUG" WITWICKY is a widower and a natural born mechanic who loves to take things apart or put them back together, and can fix just about anything. A rough, rowdy guy, Sparkplug has a deep, unspoken affection for his sons, but cannot understand why his boys don't share his interest for the practical things in life. Sparkplug sees the Autobots as ultimate machines and is amazed by their abilities. He supports them in their battle against the Decepticons, although he is just as impressed by the evil robots' technical structures. Never formally educated, Sparkplug relies on his instincts and basic mechanical know-how to survive.

More than Meets the Eye
Born in 1936, Sparkplug lied about his age and joined the Marines in 1952 during the Korean War, where he attained the rank of Sergeant while working as a mechanic on military vehicles. Captured by the North Koreans and detained as a POW, Sparkplug was forced to repair enemy equipment. However, he secretly sabotaged that same equipment, leading to personnel and material losses for the North Koreans. He was released after the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.

Leaving the Army in 1957, Sparkplug worked many different jobs around the world, including a stint as a ruby crystal miner in Burma.

In 1969, Sparkplug married a lovely woman named Susan, and a year later his first son, Spike, was born. In 1975, five years later, their second son Buster Witwicky was born. Unfortunately, in 1981, Sparkplug's wife Susan died unexpectedly in a car crash, leaving Sparkplug a widower and single father. When Spike got older, Sparkplug worked out special arrangements to bring his teen son to job sites with him. Buster, however, too young to safely spend six months on an oil rig, stayed behind with Sparkplug's brother Ron and Ron's wife Judy.

In 1984, he and his son Spike were working on an offshore oil rig. The day was like any other day, with Sparkplug asking his son to help him flush out a drill bit. Before they could carry out their task, giant robots descended from the sky and landed on the oil rig, and with no provocation, were almost immediately attacked by Sparkplug's coworkers. Regardless, their intentions became clear when Sparkplug himself was pinned against a wall by a small purple robot, who then threw Spike overboard when he tried to help his father. Freeing himself from the robot's clutches, Sparkplug dived into the water after his son. While the rig workers hid in the ocean, another group of giant robots arrived and fought with the group of robots who were stealing oil from the rig. The leader of the evil robots destroyed the rig and set fire to the oil tanks as a diversion while he escaped. The good robots, calling themselves the Autobots, saved the oil rig workers from a fate exactly the same as death. Grateful, Sparkplug and Spike happily latched on to the friendly alien robots, offering up their expertise and knowledge about planet Earth in exchange for joining the team. After the Autobots failed to stop the evil Decepticons at Sherman Dam, Sparkplug, Spike and Trailbreaker had a tea party in the woods, ostensibly so they could eavesdrop on the nearby Decepticon base. After finding out that the evil robots intended to attack the Ruby Crystal Mines of Burma, Sparkplug opined that he preferred being a spy to his old job at the oil rig, which was just as well, given the fact he was now unemployed. Later, Sparkplug's prior experience in the Burma mines came in handy when the Autobots needed to plant an explosive device inside the mine. As he left with Bumblebee, Sparkplug declared that their mission was for both the fortunes of Cybertron and Earth. Moments later, they were caught in the explosion and buried alive. Oops.

Fortunately, they were saved. Later, both father and son volunteered for the Autobot attack on the Decepticon space cruiser. After Optimus Prime failed to stop the cruiser, Sparkplug tried to reassure the Autobot leader that he'd done all that anybody could do. Subsequently, the Decepticons were apparently defeated when their ship crashed into the sea, so Sparkplug and Spike were to join the Autobots as they went home to Cybertron, with fuel from the grateful nations of Earth.

Transport to Oblivion
For some reason, this did not pan out, and neither the Autobots nor Sparkplug and his son went anywhere. As their livelihoods had been destroyed, the Witwickys seemed to move into the Ark and were almost constantly hanging out with the Autobots. After the Autobots failed to stop the Decepticons at the local solar power station, Sparkplug helped Ratchet repair the stubborn old Ironhide. Later, Sparkplug stopped the trigger-happy Ironhide from blowing up a shuttle full of Decepticon energon cubes, as he was the only one who bothered to remember the fact that Spike had been captured to pilot the shuttle through the space bridge.

The Ultimate Doom
Sparkplug was kidnapped by the Decepticons as a test subject for Doctor Arkeville and turned to their side by the doctor's mind control chips. The Decepticons allowed the Autobots to free Sparkplug so he could sabotage Teletraan I, which gave them an easy means to attack the Autobot headquarters. Spike confronted his father over the apparent betrayal, and Sparkplug appealed to his son to join the Decepticons. When Spike refused, Sparkplug declared that the next time they met, it would be as enemies.

This caused Spike much emotional pain, until the Autobots found a way to use sound waves to counter the chips and bring the true Sparkplug back.

Autobot Spike
In an effort to show his friend Wheeljack that the Autobot wasn't the only inventor in the Ark, Sparkplug once managed to take spare Autobot parts and put them together to make a functioning robot called Autobot X. Once activated, the mindless robot immediately bashed in everything and everyone in sight. After Spike was injured in a battle with the Decepticons, they formulated a plan to transfer Spike's mind into Autobot X while his human body was worked upon by surgeons. Sparkplug regretted this decision, as it drove Spike insane. Only the love Sparkplug had for his son prevented "Autobot Spike" from joining the Decepticons.

The Immobilizer
Sparkplug was pleased as punch when his son went out with Carly, because she was clearly out of Spike's league.

Desertion of the Dinobots
Later, Sparkplug left on a mysterious trip that required him to wear a suit. Upon his arrival at the airport, he was greeted by Spike, Carly and Bumblebee. The suit was never seen again. His canny spy skills were called into use again when he ego-stroked the arrogant Dinobots into helping the Autobots secure their much-needed Cybertonium from the Decepticons.

Make Tracks
As the Autobots expanded their operations, they installed a small urban base in New York City, concealed behind an auto-repair garage operated by Sparkplug. In the aftermath of the failed Decepticon plan to use stolen cars as robot drones, Sparkplug bemoaned the fact it would take weeks for himself, Hoist, Ratchet and Wheeljack to return the cars to normal functionality.

Kremzeek!
When Megatron unleashed Kremzeek onto the Autobots, Sparkplug was the first to realize the electrically based creature scrambled Autobot circuits and would thus be repelled by an insulating compound sprayed on the remaining Autobots. While those few left for Japan to chase after the creature, the hapless Sparkplug was left with the unenviable task of reactivating the other Autobots left behind. Kremzeek!

MUX History:
Since the 80s, Sparkplus has continued to help the Autobots. However, as he's gotten older, his son Spike has become concerned about his ability to keep working in a dangerous environment like the Ark and Autobot City. In 1994, at age 58, Sparkplug suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized. Subsequently, Spike got his way and Sparkplug was forced to limit his work with the Autobots. His other son, Buster, went into the military.

Sparkplug was eventually committed to a hospital full-time, partially against his wishes. Sparkplug makes the staff miserable and yearns to return to working for a living.

In September of 2009, Sparkplug disappeared from his hospital residence without a trace... However, it was discovered he'd just taken a day trip with Slipstream and is fine.

OOC Notes
Sparkplug's real name is William Irving Witwicky. Right now, being playerless, he's assumed to be in a nursing home, recovering from illness. Whether or not he recovers may depend on whether or not anyone ever apps for him again.

2009

 * November 26th - An Autobot City Thanksgiving

2010

 * March 18 - B-Boys: While Buster tends to Spike's injuries, the site of a basketball hoop brings back ugly memories of a one-on-one game.
 * March 22 - Choices: Buster's stressin'. First, a flashback to when his dad finally offered him a chance to live with him and Spike at the Ark. Then, he is chosen to deliver a speech in front of thousands for his class.
 * May 31 - Memorial Day - Spike and Buster tag along as their father attends a Korean War Memorial ceremony on Memorial day.
 * June 7 - Graduation Day : While visiting his father, Buster relives his not-so memorable high school graduation party.

Players
Sparkplug is currently available for application. In the meantime, he's alternately temped by BZero and SpikeWitwicky.

Shattered Glass

 * Main article at Sparkplug Witwicky (SG)

"Git my belt" 

In the Shattered Glass universe, Sparkplug ruled his sons with terror and a belt. A raging, violent drunk, his wife left him for another man (a recurrence in their family). In his later years, he was finally sent to a state-run nursing home. His sons occasionally visited to steal from him. After years of physical and verbal abuse on his sons and years more of physical abuse on his own body, Sparkplug met his maker in the most anticlimactic of ways. Much to Buster's disappointment, Sparkplug died peacefully in his sleep on January 23, 2011 after a lengthy battle with heart disease and chronic liver disease. So far no family and friends seem to miss him.

Per Sparkplug's wishes, Buster was left out of his will, citing his repeated disappointments with him as well as his inability to produce an offspring. After his debts were paid and the nursing home settled for taking his house, the paltry sum of $5,000 was left to his sole benefactor, Spike. Ironically enough, Sparkplug didn't change his will in time, so the money went to the now-departed estate of Spike Witwicky, which has yet to be settled. In Spike's will, all remaining assets (which at the time, is just his dad's $5,000) were to be split evenly between his son Daniel and Buster. As Daniel's a minor, Buster opted to "oversee" Daniel's share until he reaches the age of 18.

Alias: "You fat sum' bitch" - from a younger Spike Witwicky (SG)



Undated photo

1990

 * April 27 - "Basement Dwellings" - Wettin' the bed and interrupting dad's wrestling programs? Oh, you bet that's a paddlin'...

2011
January 23, 2011 - Sparkplug Witwicky dies in his sleep in a nursing home. His will states his meager life savings is to be donated soley to his son, Spike Witwicky while nothing going to his other son, Buster, citing his repeated disappointment that his younger son couldn't hold his own in a fight. As cruel ironies go, however, Sparkplug's power of attorney never got around to changing the will after Spike died. And in Spike's will, half of his savings and possessions (including Sparkplug's inheritance) are tasked to go to Buster while the other half are promised to his son, once (and if) he reaches the age of 16.