#skybound tf referenced

[blue-skytan]

Sparkling emergence and naming

[blueikeproductions]

The Trigger collab animation came out and it’s the best thing Transformers has done in the current decade.

Truly a love letter to Transformers from G1 to EarthSpark, it squeezes in everything it possibly can from most media. However the catch is that it’s only animated media and the live action movies, the comics (any assorted manga, Marvel, Dreamwave, IDW & Skybound) aren’t referenced, while some Japanese exclusive stuff gets a lil’ bit more attention (understandable since it’s, y’know, Japanese fans being nostalgic about the anime they grew up with).

Transformers Go, Q-Transformers, and the Beast Wars anime got particular attention.

This shot of Liger Megatron and Green Lion Lio Convoy is especially cool.

I think initially I was expecting a Trigger animated greatest hits from select moments from each show, and while they still technically do that in spots…

It’s mostly a mega crossover with different characters interacting otherwise.

And it’s all the better for it.

I mean where else are you gonna find TFA Optimus about to smash Masterforce Overlord’s face in?

There’s no real narrative, it’s just random cool shots though the closest thing to a framing device is the PV opening with Vector Prime looking down on Cybertron across all time lines.

Regarding EarthSpark’s contributions to the short, they’re minimal. The Terrans and Mandroid don’t appear at all, which is a little bizarre.

ES Megatron appears among the other Decepticon leaders instead of being with ES Optimus on the Autobot leader side.

You’d think Mandroid would be there next to BWII Galvatron instead, but I guess not. Sadly they omitted RiD15 Steeljaw too, instead using RiD15 Megatronus Prime’s floating head.

SatAM Robotnik voice: Ah well, life is not perfect.

The main ES rep are the Maltos.

This just reinforces ES needed to be 2D, because they actually look good. Roche’s style doesn’t work in 3D.

Anyway the human cast they chose for this final shot amuses me.

Love seeing my favorite Clays being included. The lack of RiD Steeljaw (G1 Steeljaw did appear with Lio Junior and RiD15 Aerobolt though) is forgiven.

Anyhow, the specific use of the Clays, the (S3) Witwickys, the Maltos and the Onishis (this is especially funny since Koji’s mom never met her universe’s Optimus) is somehow very random, but also kinda appropriate. Like I get Spike and Dot’s families, since it serves as bookends, but the Clays and Onishis still feel a bit random. Still, including both Robots in Disguise families is a nice touch in my book!

The short ends with a different bookend as mentioned.

What starts out as G1 Prime & Megs transitions to ES Prime & Megs shaking hands. The old with the current series. It works~! I admit I’m surprised they didn’t include TFONE somehow. I know it’s technically not out yet, but there’s enough material to have had Orion and D-16 have some kind of tussle. It would’ve been an interesting way to tie it into the above scene and this one:

When it comes to general rep, the stuff that gets the most focus is G1, Beast Wars, Animated, & Galaxy Force. Cyberverse doesn’t really get anything beyond the leader shot, but there is this awesome but very random shot of Croaton over looking Holi’s Rescue Patrol walking on a beach littered with the dead bodies of the generic Decepticons from “War Dawn”.

Sucks to be you guys.

It also occurs to me the Rescue Bots cartoons appear to be omitted along with BotBots, but that might partly be due to them not having Japanese releases? I’m not sure, but it’s funny how Q-Transformers is acknowledged of all things, but not Heatwave or Burgertron. Maaaaybe that’s for the best on the later…

Still the PV is a blast and is pry the most earnest passion project that GETS Transformers vs what we’ve been getting post Aligned cartoon wise.

I still hope this leads to a proper TF anime series made by Trigger, like what happened with Gridman. We need a return to good 2D animated TF shows and not more CGI slop like WFC or S2 ES. That Beast Wars and Machines are still superior despite being retro by today’s standards says something…

The catch however is the original video is region locked…

but some fans have ripped it and posted it on their YT:

So go check it out while you can! It’s pure Energon-y goodness!

[blueikeproductions]

My guess is CyberWorld will be a return to the traditional Autobot and Decepticon conflict, probably leaning more towards Skybound than IDW, since the former has proven to be a smash success. A lot of stuff has tried to replicate Optimus with Megatron’s arm, even official toys of TFONE referenced it, so it would be funny if Optimus somehow got Galvatron’s arm in this show.

Tonally my guess is it will be closer to both RiDs since both did really well, with a pinch of RotB due to the use of Beast Mode TFs and the surprise inclusion of Mirage. Takara keeps trying to recapture the success of Beast Wars, with Wild King as the latest example of this, so Hasbro looking to replicate RiD doesn’t shock me if that’s the case. Sky Byte sticks out due to his popular role being the cool and capable haiku spouting shark who bends over backwards to please Megatron but it blows up in his face like a Roadrunner cartoon. Cyberverse tried to play him off as more competent and serious but it stripped him of his popular foibles when they were pry better off making him a different character like how their attempt at Lugnut became Clobber.

The use of Mirage over Bumblebee might be inspired by RotB to the point Mirage might have a similar kooky teenage personality vs the slightly snobby rich guy persona the 80’s cartoon gave him (…and Tracks).

Realistically we won’t know for sure until something else leaks or Hasbro releases something formal, but after the attempts to integrate IDW into Cyberverse and EarthSpark failed to resonate with casual audiences and children, to the point EarthSpark had to largely abandon them in an attempt to save face, I just don’t see the next cartoon aiming to be anything that serious. Sometimes all you need is something like the G1 cartoon, RiD01 and RiD15, with a simple good vs evil/old timey cops & robbers type story, and not try to reinvent the wheel by making the Autobots so morally grey and the Decepticons dubiously misunderstood it completely throws off the story most people know TF for: the Decepticons are would be galactic conquers, with the Autobots as heroes of justice protecting the innocent caught up in Megatron’s nonsense.

Honestly I’m just hoping whatever comes after Earthspark is good. Cause like I think what’s so frustrating and what I keep on reiterating and getting stuck on is that season 2 and 3 are fine it’s just completely unaligned with season 1.

So whatever comes next, I hope it just sticks to whatever it wants to be. If it wants to be monster of the week smash and bashes I don’t care, I like Robots in disguise 2015, it was what it was. It never started out as some amazing thing that then was ruined in subsequent seasons.

And like Earthspark didn’t even jump the shark or anything to become bad, it literally just became a different show. And abandoned so many character arcs.

At least Rid2015 didn’t care if Sideswipe never truly learned much lessons over the series, he was in an episodic series with very little changes to the status quo.

Anyways I’ll make a wish list of what I want next I guess I dunno. I love transformers truly but gosh. I just wanna be around for amazing transformers media while it’s airing. I read idw like two years after it ended. I watched animated and prime after it ended. I was kinda there for while Rescue Bots came out I guess but I was a bit young, same with RID2015. I watched the war for Cybertron series as it came out and well. That sure was a show. Honestly quick rant about that show, did not love the rocks fall everyone died on Cybertron. Honestly the war for Cybertron show was so bad but I sure did watch it when each season came out. I could not tell you what happened beyond I was upset everyone on Cybertron died. Anyways. I was there when Cyberverse was coming out and honestly Cyberverse was pretty good. So I was hoping Earthspark would build upon it, with “it”being a bit of inspiration from the idw comics which Earthspark did kinda do tbh, especially with the post war concept. Honestly I doubt they’ll do a post war show next. But honestly I can’t complain too much. Transformers One was really good I hear, I need to watch it.

There is good transformers media out there. I also need to read the current comics too. And my favourite part of transformers is that since there has been so many iterations of the series I can revisit so many different parts and places.

Anyways, obligatory lament as to how I’ll never see main character Thundercracker but a good guy animated. And also how I’ll probably never see First Aid as a main character again. Oh and how Jazz has been missing for so long oh Jazz I miss you we got Prowl back tho so Jazz I miss you. Oh Sunstreaker and Sideswipe where art thou. Bluestreak where have you been my og fav. Ratchet you weren’t in transformers one or Earthspark please don’t make your absence a pattern.

[aesthetic-survivor-of-twd]

My thoughts on Clementine’s story in the “Skybound X” Comic

Okay, so before I jump into my opinion piece on the comic, I’m going to give a little explanation and break down of the issue, for all of you confused as to why everyone’s talking about this story.

What is it?

A while ago, Skybound announced that they would be continuing Clementine’s story via comic. It is supposed to be a trilogy taken place in the same universe as both the game and TWD comic series (with Rick Grimes). It is intended to be a continuation of The Final Season.

Why is everyone yelling about it?

Back when the comic was first announced, the reception was mixed with some people excited to see Clementine again, some who expressed scepticism on how Skybound would treat our beloved characters (and the ending of TFS which seemed like a perfect end note to Clem’s journey and arc) and wanted nothing to do with it, and some who were “cautiously optimistic” - shall we say, to what a sequel comic would entail for Clementine.

How would Skybound handle the choices? does this mean half of the playthroughs will no longer be canon? how can you even continue Clem’s story at this point without messing with the characterization or the playthroughs? 

Well, the comic finally released and people read it and...yeah, our hesitance was justified. 

So, it’s impossible to describe this comic without spoilers, so for anyone who wishes to read the comic themselves and form their own opinion beforehand - do not read below this cut as I will be going through the entire comic plot. You’ve been warned!

The Story

So, the story starts off early in the morning, with Clementine gearing up to leave the school.

We follow her as she leaves the school grounds (alone), goes to the hut to pack supplies and finds a map. She hears a noise outside, which turns out to be a walker so she leaves the hut and kills it. Then goes back to looking at the map.

So far, so good right? like it seems odd that Clementine’s leaving the school in crutches alone with no back up, but hey, maybe she’s just trying to regain some independence and get in some early morning hunting for the group or something, right?

Well this is when shit starts to go South...

Clementine hears another noise, and thinking it’s a walker she opens the hut door wielding a knife, only for it to be AJ.

(Also I think it’s been a couple of years since TFS, because AJ’s looking pretty tall for a 5 year old and apparently they’ve got new settlements to trade with).

It turns out, that Clementine was planning on ditching the school and setting off on her own. Without even a single goodbye or bothering to tell anyone about it. AJ is rightfully confused by this (fucking same, little buddy). And it leads to this exchange:

Yup. So Clementine, not only was planning on ditching her new family and home, but she was also going to leave AJ without a single goodbye and just vanish from his life. Breaking any promises or teachings she told him from their time spent together.

And you know what the worst part is?

She’s doing it because she’s “not happy” (and no, she doesn’t elaborate on this, we’re just supposed to accept it). AJ just tries in earnest to convince her to stay and that he can make her happy and all Clem says is “you can’t”.

If I were to analyse this short scene, I would say that perhaps it’s an internal war Clem’s got going on in her head, where there IS no rational reason for her leaving, but rather it’s something mentally that she can’t get over (possibly depression) and she feels like she has to leave to deal with it better. Honestly, in any other story this would be an incredibly interesting character complexity to witness.

BUT

The issue here is that it does NOT at all match Clem’s characterization from the game.

Clem was happy with the school. All she ever wanted in her life was for somewhere safe to call home and spend the rest of her days without constant fear and having to be on the move. She wanted to belong somewhere after losing Lee and her family. 

Clem’s character has never been about this badass who’s always on the move for thrills or looking for adventure or excitement. Does it happen to her? yes. But her character has always wanted to settle down somewhere with people and to have a family. She’s a homebody at heart, and the ending of TFS even plays with this by having her be the leader (which is what the series was building her up for) who strategizes and sends other people out while she stays in the middle of it all. The reason that ep4 was so beautiful was it came full circle with Season 1 in that Clementine can finally rest and LIVE her life now, without fear of being on the run or having to feel alone anymore, knowing everyone around her is safe and happy.

You mean to tell me, that Clementine would risk her life to save a community of people and protect “a home” only to up and abandon it because “idk it’s not for me” - fucking bullshit, Skybound. Clementine loves the Ericson kids and AJ, even if she didn’t form a romance with Louis or Violet. Those people meant something to her, and even if she did feel like it was safe to leave them, she wouldn’t. Because she enjoys being with them and loves them.

Clem did not go through hell for these people and spend years hunting down AJ only to up and ditch them - WITHOUT EVEN A GOODBYE, mind you.

She has plenty of opportunities to leave them, and she didn’t. Not even when there was a risk to her life.

Also, the best part about this? after Clem gives us her pity me tears, a walker sneaks up behind her and AJ shoots it before it gets her. 

It’s supposed to represent how well Clem has taught him throughout the years, but I find it hilarious because we’re now supposed to be okay with Clem venturing out on her own after almost getting chomped (again).

AJ finally accepts her decisions and runs back to the school, while the final shot is of Clementine walking into the horizon.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, the fact that even the writer of this comic couldn’t even bother giving Clementine a reason beyond that vague “I’m not happy” statement is a slap in the face itself, and just goes to show that even they don’t fully believe in the plot of the story either and it’s purely being used as a means to cash in on a Clementine spin off without having the other characters there and the potential backlash of referencing the game choices.

Oh it was something special, all right. It’s like an angst fanfic.

HOW on earth is this comic staying “true to Clementine’s journey”? did you even play the games, Skybound? because besides a few quirky buzzwords like “still not bitten”, I don’t think you understand the story of TWDG or Clementine’s “journey” at all.

Not only was this comic unnecessary, but I’m confident that even the writers of TFS never believed this to be an outcome for Clementine either give how often they spoke about ep4 as being the conclusion to her story and her arc being “finding a home and what it means to protect one”.

With all that said, please don’t send hate to Tillie Walden. If anything, it’s Skybound themselves that should be scrutinised for greenlighting this script and thinking it was an appropriate sequel for the game (if it even needed one).

(Also apparently adventurer Clem is no longer tying her hair up anymore and is growing it out, which makes 0 sense when she’s out exploring).

In Conclusion

This short comic was a hot mess, but we’ve got 2 more to go.

The only way I can see this comic being salvaged is if they pull off the cliché storyline of Clementine realizing she was wrong and that the school IS her home and where she wants to be, so returns back to Ericson’s in the end.

But that would be both pointless and still make this entire intro nonsensical, so I guess we’ll just need to wait and see.

I’ve honestly no clue how Clementine is expecting to find something better out in the world for herself that makes her happy, when she herself knows how rare it is to find a home like that in the apocalypse and how dangerous it is elsewhere.

[flyinguraniumrod]

Wanted to yap in the tags first but I think Imma just do it in text-

aaaAAAAAAaaaa someone'ss also yapping about triple-changerss yaass (I think I need to actually start doing such yapping on tumblr)

Oh I swear to cheese the potential they have-

In stories? OH YES

During fights? Oh the eyes could be so well fed- ekjfjdjejtjfjd

I've been wondering: how do regular transformers view the triple changers? Like- Those with one vehicle mode vs a few mechs with two vehicle modes. Afaik/afair triple-changers are very rare in any universe (maybe less in idw, tho). I cannot tell how that would feel like, since uuhhh- what could humans compare it to when thinking about organic/human biology? LOl. I know that they often are not-so-liked, yes, but I am talking about the cybertronian's-medical point of view.

(I have a made-up tf universe and I have thought a wee about Astro- like what could he be like, btw)

Aight, soo... If he carries le 'con gangs so much then how often does he feel tired of it all? How does he feel about it? How much work does he have during the war compared to outside of it? (and and I mean more of an expanded answer idk am stupid). And what if he actually prefered his train mode a bit more and felt a bit suppressed as a result of not being able to use it too often because it's not considered to be as desired by others? O and what about his friends? How interested in trains is he and how many 'cons share that interest? Has he been made fun of for that? !(Rn I am merely referencing the episode rather than literally talking about it, just to clarify. By the way, I remember someone mentioning that he could be feeling lonely. Additionally, I am not necessarily talking solely about g1)!

And regarding the fights: remember the scene in Skybound where he crashes into someone while in his train mode? O h y e s. Since him and Blitz are more buff compared to Octane I can imagine them fighting more brutally, BW being faster than Astro because of the size, da (depends on the existence/severity of mass shifting in given universe, though). Also, if he had heavy weapons while in [(at least) cybertronian]train mode then that would just be soo cooollllll

Aight, I dunno what else to say. A bit tired. And yeah I am stupid T^T

Oh I love thinking about triple-changers, though...

Astrotrain deserved so much better. He could easily be a cool character with more character depth than "whoaaa he transforms three times!!".

Like. Come on. He is more often than not relegated only to bus status, carrying the gang from point a to point b. Everyone treats him as such too, in triple takeover (mind you the only episode where he really does anything) the seekers response to astroforce was to mock him! And he just took it! The poor boy deserves to crash out.

Even in the episode triple takeover, he doesn't even do anything! He makes astroforce, astroforce dies, he vanishes, and then fights blitzwing and megatron and if you've seen the rest of the episode you know all this. I know g1 isn't really known for its peak writing, but he vanishes after g1 and is literally never relevant again except sometimes in the comics.

Astrotrain deserves something. Anything.

[blueikeproductions]

I feel like under past circumstances GHOST would’ve rebranded into NEST, overseen by Sector 7. By current ROTB standards they just have GI JOE take over instead. They already referenced MARS, a company Destro of Cobra owns. Why not at this stage, Dot already could be a former Joe agent. With Hasbro pushing GI Joe harder than they ever have in recent memory, and Skybound having practically revived it under their care, I’d be shocked if the nest cartoon didn’t have more direct ties to Joe & Cobra what with Hasbro, as of typing, still going forward with their TF/GI JOE crossover film at Paramount.

Realistically, another organization should pop up since GHOST is no longer a thing and the Cons are causing trouble again. Humanity wouldn't just sit there and do nothing. Maybe Schloder becomes head of a new group that isn't shady like GHOST. As a side note, in my AU he becomes GHOST's new leader, but actually turns the place around.