Emerging as a rookie Autobot soldier on Cybertron after the Unicron Battles, Ironhide trained toward full Autobot status. During a spar with Optimus Prime, he volunteered to investigate Mars City disturbances, leading him directly into the Terrorcon invasion of Earth at Ocean City. There, he first met the energon-sensitive human Kicker Jones. Optimus Prime permanently paired Ironhide with Kicker for battlefield coordination—a partnership both initially resisted but which fostered genuine mutual care over time. Eager to prove his worth, Ironhide often acted recklessly. He rushed alone into a Terrorcon assault at Lunar City, carelessly mishandled volatile raw energon causing self-damage, and allowed Terrorcons to escape with stolen resources. This failure plunged him into self-blame, though Optimus Prime noted Kicker's absence as a key factor. Later, at Desert City, he battled the Terrorcon general Scorponok to shield the injured Hot Shot and Misha’s Omnicon research team. Using a refined energon star intended for Hot Shot, Ironhide held Scorponok off long enough for their escape, an act of valor that earned him a Combination Spark and official Team Prime membership. Ironhide blended boundless enthusiasm with intense hero worship, idolizing figures like Hot Shot, Rodimus, and even Scorponok, reacting defensively to any criticism of them. His central partnership with Kicker evolved from friction into deep loyalty. On an expedition to Blizzard City, he helped Kicker confront a fear of the dark by leaving him alone in energon mines while secretly providing backup, strengthening their trust. His skepticism toward Decepticons persisted even toward allies like Demolishor, straining snowy mountain field operations. Combat and mentorship drove his development. Mastering his Combination Spark proved difficult, but he eventually synchronized with Jetfire to rescue Optimus Prime from Scorponok. Inferno later taught him tactical efficiency during Jungle City’s defense; initially firing blindly at Terrorcons, Ironhide later applied precision aiming to trigger the base’s destruction with one long-range shot. His feud with Scorponok evolved dramatically: after initial admiration, he later led a rookie team against the Decepticon to protect Dr. Jones. When Scorponok slaughtered the entire team, Ironhide retaliated with a near-fatal blow, channeling power from his fallen comrades to penetrate Scorponok’s armor. The brutal confrontation left both severely damaged, forcing Ironhide to evacuate. Leadership trials marked his later arc. After his team’s deaths, he delivered energon to Primus alongside Kicker and Omnicons, weeping for his losses. Kicker acknowledged his emerging leadership potential. Ironhide’s resilience faced further tests witnessing Hot Shot’s near-fatal dismantling by Megatron and Demolishor’s betrayal, fueling his vow for vengeance. Despite setbacks, he remained vital in key missions, defending Ocean City until Dr. Jones’ energon tower prototype activated and investigating energon signals at Lunar City with Kicker. His abilities included wielding the Energon Saber and powerlinking with other Autobots via his Combination Spark. After reformatting into a new form to combat Unicron, he was last documented on Ocean Planet with Kicker, signaling his enduring role in the conflict.