#Pharma and Flatline get into an argument and short little Ratchet squeezes himself between them and yells at them both 😂

[novafire-is-thinking]

I admire Desmond Doss for his moral courage, but yeah—he’s the exception. Not the rule.

Medics are soldiers till somebody gets hurt.

Exactly.

I think some people have trouble reconciling how a person can be committed to saving lives while also being okay with taking them. But it’s possible to be committed to treating the wounded—no matter the side—and still be part of a greater fight that means shooting at the enemy to kill, with little to no hesitation. People are complex, and like you said, if a medic believes in the cause they’re fighting for, they’re likely to be willing to fight alongside their comrades.

Anyway, back to medic characters being threats on the battlefield: time to talk about my favorite medics.

Pharma

There’s no doubt Alex Milne was primarily inspired by military fighter aircraft when designing Pharma’s alt mode:

Pharma isn’t some fancy little aerobatic plane or even a surveillance aircraft. He’s a military fighter jet that packs a good amount of firepower, and any good military recruiter would look at him and decide he could use aerial warfare training in addition to his combat medic training.

It’s not like he doesn’t know how to use his guns and targeting system:

And unless Fixit has something up his proverbial sleeve, Pharma is the only Autobot medic with integrated weaponry, which is…interesting. (Gotta talk to Prowl about that one)

Glit

Glit is built almost identically to Ravage. He has the rocket launchers, claws, and tail—and I doubt he’d hesitate to use them. Unless someone wants their face shredded or a rocket to the chest, they’ll leave Glit (and/or his patients) alone.

Flatline

Unlike most Autobot medics, Flatline looks like he’s built for combat. He has guns on his back/shoulders, and even though he’s bigger and heavier, his points of articulation and the way his armor fits him tell me he has an advantage over medics like Ratchet and First Aid when it comes to maneuverability and agility.

I mean, look at him—he’s a beast. I would think twice about taking a swing at him, and I’m sure he’s a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield:

Without context, Flatline and Ratchet look like dads watching their daughter show off. lol

Also, I love that Flatline has his hand on Ratchet’s shoulder, and Ratchet’s body language shows he’s totally comfortable with it and with Flatline’s closeness in general. This says so much: respect on Flatline’s end, and trust on Ratchet’s.

somebody please tell me WHY being a medic and being okay with shooting people is mutually exclusive IN A WAR