#tfp trypticon

[transingthoseformers]

Your tags on how Cyberverse Tarn is like 'what if a single vehicon came into power' made me have a much needed chuckle.

Because just imagine if Steve the Vehicon did indeed do that. With the meme of him dying all the time I'm just imagining him with an immortal spark and he just keeps getting rebuilt, dying, rebuilt, and one of these days he's just. Gonna Snap. :)

Both Autobots and MEGATRON keep putting him through this torture so yeah, No More Mister Nice Minion ONE OF THESE DAYS

That'd be such a fun plot in my mind. The TFP vehicons go through so much shit in the show.

There's fun opportunities here, especially considering the various artifacts in the show and how in at least one part of aligned the vehicons are connected to the Nemesis/Trypticon

[prismicnexus]

So…

I finally got the motivation to draw something, and though the results may not exactly be what I had in mind, I'm still proud of myself for finishing it :D

¤ It was a pain, absolute pain I promise you to draw Soundwave’s body. While using the sketches from TFP art of prime as a base to try and figure out his shapes, I failed to do exactly that. My internal monologue consisted of: “For the love of God, what even is that-?”, “Wait, is this part of laserbeak?” and “Soundwave is most definitely superior - I surrender.”

This piece is for an excerpt by @novafire-is-thinking that's been quietly driving me mad ever since I read it, so I did something about it [read: A tiny section of my brain is always thinking of it, and Nova's Constellations of Cybertron AU, at all times. Also, I realized too late that Soundwave’s visor could have been off for better effect but the chicken was not going to butcher itself.]

Click on the image for better quality cause Tumblr will kill it, I assure you.

[novafire-is-thinking]

Six Sentence Sunday

Once onboard the Nemesis, Soundwave entered the bridge and walked to the center; he lay down on the floor and closed his eyes, lowering all of his mental defenses and prodding at the edges of the vast psychic landscape surrounding him. As he worked his way deeper, he pushed past the mental resistance resulting from sluggishness and attempted to rouse the mind by tugging at its psychic tethers, seeking to connect.

Awakening, the mind seized hold of the link, and despite being prepared for the jolt, Soundwave fought to maintain control as his mind was overwhelmed with input—mostly alarm and confusion.

Unable to orient himself or break free from the connection, Soundwave could only ride out the chaos until, at last, there was stillness and recognition.

“…Soundwave?”

“Hello, Trypticon.”

Those who’ve read the Aligned novels may remember that the Nemesis was originally Trypticon Station. Thanks to Shockwave’s tampering, Trypticon was gifted a basic level of sentience, and gained the ability to transform.

For the sake of my series, I’ll be changing up some of the details surrounding Trypticon’s origins, but in any case, I like the thought of Soundwave having a soft spot for the big guy and vice versa.

I look forward to fleshing out Trypticon as a character and figuring out how he fits into my series.

[soundwavesuperioraf]

Post-TFP Trypticon slowly reawakening to discover his hull crawling with Autobots…

Get off me, Autobums! And what the heck did you attach to my aft? Oh, what’s that? An omega lock, you say? And you used it to bring life back to Cybertron? Hmm. Well. Uh, I still want you out, but you don’t have to eject yourselves into space. You can just leave. Shoo.

[butterflylullaby-lie]

I talked about this au (giant Starscream X Trypticon) before, in the notes of my crack post! But! Here it is more flushed out, sort of.

Basically this au has Starscream having to merge with the allspark and shenanigans happen, with the immortal spark situation. That ends up with Starscream becoming like titan sized seeker, bigger even like a small moon, to protect cybertron from like Unicron or other celestial. This just ends with giant woman Starscream basically and Trypticon being that one dude who’s like “I enjoy my tall wife”. This all came to be because I wanted to make these two kiss. I call this one the Titan Star Au. I had another au where Starscream from tfp is able to bring Trypticon back to semi-consciousness and they end up joining forces to fuck over megatron for making stuck in ship mode. Yes, Starscream frags a ship somehow. 🤷‍♀️😩🤔

[witchofthesouls]

Title: In glory, in ruin

One, a series of stand-alone fics that explores the Shattered Glass AU of different iterations with a particular focus on divine horror and religious fanaticism. It would be interesting to delve on Titans and their perceptions here.

Two, TFP fic that's a character study of Prima, the Eldest Sun and the First Prime to be created. With a particular focus on his relationships with others, and how they're mirrors or foils. Even Optimus is a foil to him as he's the reincarnation of the youngest of Prima's siblings: the forgotten Thirteenth Prime.

Three, a 'Dead Dove: Do Not Eat' iteration of TFP Cyber!Earth AU. It follows a cyberformed sparkling Jack being raised the Decepticons without any buffer to the darker influence of Gilded Earth that keeps calling to him through his dreams and blackbirds. In this universe, there were no steps taken to pacify the new-old planet, nor attempts to actually bridge the trapped Cybertronians to the Other inhabitants that woke up ravenous and enraged. They will turn their attention to the little < Wayfinder > in so many ways < Omens and omens, little bird. > and await for Pax to rise and slay Megatron before taking the title for the Emperor of Destruction.

Pax, however, doesn't kill Megatron. No, he has other plans...

"I don't need to kill you to prove myself." Those soft grey-blue optics were chilling, despite the child's high voice and gentle tone. It wasn't naivety nor bullheaded idealism that colored his namesake, but something more deeply unsettling. "Why kill you when I can eat your heart as you watch?"

Pax here awakens Trypticon, loyalty bound by Dark Energon as Pax here is a child of Earth - a son of Gaea and Unicron - and by his own Other heritage and self experimentation has superseded Megatron's own control.

A mad Titan for a monstrous and equally mad child with their mission to destroy the remaining ties to Cybertron, including the scattered survivors across the stars. Under the guidance of Pax, Trypticon navigates the labile gateways to leave Gilded Earth to begin its newfound goal: Destruction.

And from his prison, Unicron laughs. Delighted and maliciously gleeful that that Megatron -the mech who derived his own name from the very Prime that chained Unicron and the very mech that stole away Unicron's own blood to give rise to abominations - is the one that gave him such a magnificent gift. < He will give you desolation and call it peace. >

[kuzunoha-xiv]

finished war for cybertron and i cant believe that when ratchet was telling the kids in TFP about how optimus gained the matrix he skipped the important detail of optimus riding a gigantic friendly slug when he was on his way to cybertron's core

[escapistsatellite]

How Soundwave should have responded when Megatron declared that he was gonna put zombie crack in Trypticon's fuel cells:

Because he is the only living thing that could get away with it.

i’m surprised this was never posted or talked about (or i’m just slow) … but it was confirmed in the TFP “Art of Prime” book that the Nemesis ship is indeed the alt mode of Trypticon stuck in a permanent stasis lock. the above image is a real scan from the artbook [x]. too bad we never got to see him in the show!

[transingthoseformers]

https://www.tumblr.com/transingthoseformers/779566910470832128/i-think-that-the-nemesis-should-get-to-still-be

Megatron screeching over intercom

“WHO TF DOWNLOADED EVERY PIECE OF DEAPOOL/WOLVERINE YAOI IN EXISTENCE, SAVED IT TO A FOLDER ON THE HOMESCREEN OF THE LARGEST FUCKING TERMINAL WE HAVE, AND ORGANIZED IT ALPHABETICALLY?!”

And it’s because Trypticon was bored and it seemed like good petty revenge

HCSGSGSGGS YES

Thank youuuuu Trypticon

[dragqueenstarscream]

going to be honest if soundwave IS 'the eyes and ears of the decepticons' hes either going blind or he needs to be fired. mutiny talk w knockout and starscream aside, there's like 4-5 different instances of autobots AND rouge decepticons just waltzing onto the nemesis and it seemingly not triggering any security measure. hell, in the armada episode bulkhead doesnt even end up on the nemesis on PURPOSE, its bc of a massive oversight with an automated energon gathering system (also the only time we see energon gathered via automation and with no vehicons in tfp, but i digress...) and hes then able to take advantage of the situation to blow up the main power chamber! to say nothing of the 5 starscreams also getting on the ship the exact same episode. honestly the nemesis is just a security nightmare in general, both arcee and ratchet (and i think the humans?) are able to get in and log onto their computers with no issue like theres 0 passwords and they can just get right into their computer network so if soundwave is in charge like people say he is hes not doing much to actually lock that down

and tbh, i feel like soundwave's loyalty is massively overblown by the fandom. when knockout and starscream petition him to take megatron off lifesupport his reaction definitely doesnt read like he particularly cares either way bc he doesnt move to stop them at all, and in fact the only thing he DOES react over is the cortical patch that got plugged into megatron-but even then, he doesnt move to protect megatron from the autobots who infiltrated the nemesis and hijacked their leader's mind, he leaves that entirely up to starscream! the guy who 5 minutes ago was arguing the case to have megatron put down! i genuinely feel like based off his behavior that if the autobots hadnt been there that day he probably WOULD have let them pull the plug

its not like i think hes particularly loyal to someone else like starscream either, but he only really snitches to megatron about him once or twice and most of megatron's grievances against things starscream does are what he himself remembers bc the dark energon gives him plot recall powers, not things soundwave brought to his attention. he honestly seemed to dislike airachnid more if only bc he actually reacts to her attempts at usurpation (and even is in part responsible for megatron deciding to try to off her)

my pet theory (other than that the writers didnt know how to handle him) is that hes super over the war in general bc how else do you explain him making a beeline for the electrified consoles in the episode where trypticon woke up 2 minutes after the decepticon high command watched a vehcion get knocked out doing that exact same thing?

so i know that all of the security breaches and soundwave's general nonchalance about them could be excused by shit writing, but that's boring and lame, so i'm gonna throw in my own two theories.

1.) soundwave actually still is that loyal to megatron, and he lets this shit slide on purpose because he loves watching megatron beat the hell out of intruders. it's entertaining for him.

2.) he stopped caring about the intruders a while ago, either because he knows that he still has the upper hand and doesn't feel the need to attack or because he's so done with the war that he just wants to keep to himself.

either of these would be more interesting than chalking it up to bad writing, even though tfp does have its flaws.

[earthstellar]

Miko and Holding a Grudge: Storytime is Learning Time

I was thinking about how in the final episode of TFP, Miko uses the "I'm going to beat your ass" armour to punch Knockout clean across the face

Miko punches him so quickly and efficiently that I genuinely could not get a screenshot of the impact moment. lmao

And there are a lot of good reasons for her to want to slap this twink into the stratosphere, but I was thinking about any specific grudges Miko might have personally against Knockout to help fuel that punch

Because typically Miko goes in with a sort of "I learned this by watching WWE with Bulkhead and I'm excited to hurt you" tiny human wrecker energy and is naturally hyped, so she tends to go in with a slightly showy approach to delivering a beatdown, which makes sense.

We know she watches stuff like monster truck rallies with Bulkhead, and we know she's watched Bulkhead and Wheeljack pretty closely, and this has had an impact on her developing her personal fighting style: High energy, maybe a couple attempts at some kind of signature moves. she's learned from TV shows and watching actual factional alien warfare play out in the Nevada desert. Shit's wild, and so is she.

But when she punches Knockout, it's a totally silent, quick, efficient hit-- which is pretty different to how Miko usually approaches "the smackdown".

Sure, part of it is because Knockout is sort of ruining a huge moment for the Autobots by quipping at a particularly annoying moment to do so, and she probably just wants him to shut the fuck up as quickly as possible so they can all get back to enjoying watching the revitalisation of Cybertron.

And they're all probably a bit tired from even managing to get to this point.

But then I remembered:

In the episode Flying Mind, Miko and Raf help Fowler off the Nemesis after he's been incapacitated.

But Jack stays behind, and when Knockout snaps out of Trypticon's stasis, he attempts to power drill through Jack's head/upper torso.

Ratchet comes through the ground bridge and punches Knockout, in the same way Miko punches Knockout in the series finale. One hit, and we're done here.

(Sorry for the crunchy quality screenshot, my internet connection is a bit crunchy itself at the moment lmao)

Now, Miko wasn't there to witness this, but we know Miko frequently asks the others to tell her about anything she misses, either because she's been asked to stay home or because things kicked off when she was otherwise not around. She likes to hear battle stories. She's actively jealous of the others when they get to go deal with cool shit and she can't for various reasons.

So we can assume that she asked Jack what happened, or perhaps Ratchet briefed everyone once the other Autobots were revived from temporary stasis, and she would have been present for that in the base.

Miko holds a grudge. There is an entire episode where her and Wheeljack essentially go on an ill-advised revenge mission after Bulkhead is injured. She operates on that mafia level shit, wanting revenge so badly that she essentially withholds information from Wheeljack until he agrees to let her tag along.

And while she learned from that experience, it does hint at the type of mindset she has-- Don't fuck with her friends, or she will very much hold onto that anger until she gets the chance to act on it.

When she punches Knockout, it's a quick, clean punch. Which makes sense contextually for that scene, she's not going to haul completely off on him in that moment.

But it also echoes how Ratchet dealt with him when Knockout was threatening Jack, and that seems like the kind of detail Miko would remember after having it described to her.

She has a bit of a vengeful streak, and even though she does learn not to act on desires for revenge, she's still a kid and god she loves fighting so much, and there is no way she forgot about that one time Knockout tried to kill her friend with a fucking drill-- Even if she didn't get to witness it, it's likely she was told about it in some way, and she's been holding onto that for a while.

So I just really like that her punching Knockout is a mirror of when Ratchet punched Knockout previously, because we know she's very good at paying attention to detail when it comes to fighting, and we know that she learns from observation and from listening to battle stories.

It makes a lot of sense if she just recognised Knockout as being that one bot who nearly killed Jack and remembered how Jack likely described the incident to her later (or may have gotten details from any debriefing Ratchet may have provided at the base), and in that moment recalled that Ratchet took him down in one hit, so she should probably just do the same.

It's quick, it worked before on this exact bot, it'll probably work again.

Miko does learn. She very much holds a grudge. And I like that even though her actions in the finale make sense even without the possible background connection to a prior episode, it does perfectly make sense either way.

You know she begged Jack for all the details later, and you know she committed that shit to memory.

If Ratchet can knock out Knockout, so can she.

And she's not having their victory moment fucked up by some dude who seriously put them in danger on many previous occasions, even if he came around to the "winning team" in the end.

anyway you just know Miko is a mascot for the Wreckers later on, like there's no way Wheeljack and/or Bulkhead doesn't custom paint the side of a ship at some point like a WW2 aircraft lmao but it's just a painting of Miko laughing maniacally while punching a boulder or something

[artificial-absinthe]

Perhaps Megatron just thought it would be a brainless zombie that he could control like all the others he made before. Which would have make sense. But it appeared that Trypticon was not as dead as everyone believed... which is horrible, really .

My favourite episode of TFP is the one where they put dark energon (y’know, the juice that brings dead things back to life) in the Nemesis because, canonically in the Aligned continuity, the Nemesis is made from Trypticon’s dead body and the Decepticons were still fucking SURPRISED when they put fucking zombie juice in a dead man and he started talking again like what did y’all THINK would happen

[melishade]

Someone ask "if AOT cast are Cybertronian" i was wondering if the Warrior, Warrior Cadets, Willy and Lara as Cybertronian. what is there relationship with Megatronus/Megatron before the Civil War and do they join the Deception? 🤔

Pull out a long list of notes over this Survey Corps Cybertronian AU

Thank you @justawannabearchaeologist and @echoblaze5 for helping me with the ideas.

So I will quickly bulletpoint what the Warriors, Warrior Cadets, and Lara do within the context of this AU.

Lara is a Flyer and of noble birth, along with Willy. I'd imagine that they would've been part of the high council or close to it before Megatron kills Halogen and kick starts the war. Willy and Lara would try to remain neutral for the longest time to keep themselves alive.

Warrior Cadets: Falco is a Flyer. Gabi is a grounder. Udo and Zofia are also grounders. The four are part of the Decepticons because they associate the Autobots with oppression. Megatron does see them as nothing more than foot soldiers by the time they're active in the war.

Warriors: Zeke is a Maximal playing multiple sides. He cannot be trusted. Pieck and Porco are also animal based transformers with the Decepticons. And I believe I stated that Reiner was a grounder in the past. Bertholdt would probably be a cityformer like Trypticon...maybe Bertholdt would be Trypticon in this IDK. And Annie would be a rogue. Don't know if she would be a grounder or a flyer.

But a lot of the Warriors and Warrior Cadets would fall to the Decepticons first either because of the abuse suffered under the caste system or just conditioning and propaganda that reached really far into the war.

But how would this whole thing start?

So in the Aligned Continuity, the Quintessions invade Cybertron and successfully take it over, but Cybertron rises up, defeats the Quintessions. But the trauma was so bad that everyone's memories got wiped.

However, Erwin's father recorded information about the Quintession war and hid it because he noticed enough historical patterns to realize what was happening. They new government was going to suppress the information, and Erwin's father was taken away when he publicly tried to speak out. Erwin saw this in hiding, holding onto the information his father gave him, saw the people taking him away, and saw Sentinel Prime ordering people to burn any records of the Quintession invasion.

Erwin then decides to make a case against Sentinel Prime, trying to find the proof needed to expose Sentinel for burying what happened during the Quintesson War. Erwin ends up going to the Iacon Hall of Records, where he meets Orion and asks him about the Quintessons...but is stopped by Alpha Trion, who gets in the way of both of them and immediately tells Erwin to stop asking about the war. Erwin is about to press, but stops himself, realizing how all of this felt off, and immediately leaves the facility. Erwin does a little more digging and realizes that Sentinel Prime was just a figure head. A puppet of the system ran by the high council. Sentinel was only a Prime in name. Erwin started digging into records, files, photos, and realized that Sentinel Prime wasn't the enemy: it was Alpha Trion.

(Now some of you might be wondering "Why Alpha Trion?" "He's Optimus' Mentor!" "He's a good guy!" In TF1, maybe, but not in the Aligned Continuity. Alpha Trion in the Aligned/TFP can be described as negligent at best, secretive as neutral, and malicious as worse because of the Covenant of Primus and his Quill! It is argued that Alpha Trion either had the foresight of the future and made it happen, or chose to write that future into existence. Either way, the Prime was actively pulling strings in order to make the events in the Covenant happen, including letting Cybertron die. I don't care if it was some long convoluted way to get Optimus to Earth in order to defeat Unicron. The Cybertronian race was almost wiped out.)

But besides that, Erwin is veering off course away from Sentinel and focusing his attention on Alpha Trion. He finds out information about Alpha Trion like he's influencing the council's decision making and he's actively talked to Sentinel in the past. And whenever he talks to Mike and Hanji about it sounds like an absolute madman but the other two go along with it because they're afraid he'll try something if they don't.

Meanwhile, Levi, who is a triple changer (Because all Ackermans are triple changers here) who ends up in the gladiator arena in order to provide for Farlan and Isabel. Ends up getting a match with Megatronus and is persuaded to join the Decepticon movement. Yes, Levi as a Cybertronian would be a Decepticon first.

Also side note, a lot of the Survey Corp veterans would be the ones that were actively around prior to the Cybertronian War. The 104th and Warrior Cadets would either pop up at the very beginning of the war or in the middle of it.

By the time the council meeting happens and Orion gets confirmed to be a Prime, Erwin has his suspicions confirmed of Alpha Trion's involvement. But despite having it confirmed, he still joins the Autobots. Erwin's surface justification is that Megatron's credibility went out the window when he shot the council member. Because if he was willing to go that far to get what he wanted, then he wasn't worthy of being a Prime. In reality, he knows Megatron was sabotaged, he knows Orion was used, and he knows Alpha Trion had something to do with it. So he's making it his sole mission to figure out why. He's doing everything in his power to not be suspicious in Alpha Trion's eyes. And Mike and Hanji are slowly starting to become believers.

This is from Justa. These lines are not mine. I just thought to include it for fun.

Erwin: (optic twitching) You’re telling me no one knew Megatron was losing it until he went into those council chambers, he was able to hide it perfectly? And that his entire following just conveniently went with it, aside from Orion??? You can see what I’m getting at here.

Hanji: (sigh) The same thing you always get at?

Erwin: (using a ruler to slap a picture of Alpha Trion with a bunch of red arrows pointed at him and devil horns drawn on his head) THIS BEARDED FUCK-

Erwin is given his own division within the Autobots, which is technically the Survey Corps, and Erwin's methods are obviously still very questionable among the Autobot ranks. Some have even compared Erwin to a Decepticon, but Erwin's loyalties are too strong to really find any cracks. And instead of Erwin pulling Levi from the underground, he and the Survey Corps ends up capturing Levi, Farlan, and Isabel and bringing them to the Autobots. Which is definitely causing Optimus a headache at this point. But initially, Levi and co had no plans of betraying the Decepticons, but Levi couldn't help but notice that Megatron's methods were becoming rather sadistic, and his goals were starting to change. And exposure to the Autobots doesn't really help their case.

However, Levi ultimately ends up defecting from the Decepticons and joins the Autobots when Megatron kills Farlan and Isabel for their betrayal. Levi tries to take Megatron down himself but ultimately fails because Megatron is still the slightly more experienced fighter. But Levi swears vengeance.

Megatron walking away from Levi, wounded and bloodied.

Levi croaking: I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you! DO YOU HEAR ME MEGATRON?! ILL KILL YOU! YOURE GOING TO DIE!

Megatron:…save your breath, Autobot.

Now anytime Levi sees Megatron it's on sight.

Optimus: One shall stand, and one shall-!

Levi zooms past Optimus and tackles Megatron.

But also also, Erwin manages to trust Levi enough to get him completely onboard with his theory that Alpha Trion is pulling all the strings.

Levi when he gets looped into this: You mean to tell me all of this is because of that bearded fuck?!

Erwin: YES!

Levi: Farlan and Isabel died for Alpha Trion's fanfiction!

Hanji: Oh wow it was really easy to get Levi on board.

As for Armin, Eren, and Mikasa, they are all orphaned during the war. Mikasa is all alone while Armin and Eren are together. Eren lost his mom during the war while Armin lost his won parents and they've been staying together to survive, ultimately found by Optimus and the Autobots to be raised.

Eren: Bites Optimus.

Armin: Quietly reading.

Optimus:…We’re keeping them.

Ratchet: groans in defeat

Meanwhile, Mikasa ends up getting found by Megatron and she's holding a knife to defend herself. Megatron sees her will to survive and the fact that she's a triple changer and brings her back to the Decepticon base.

Soundwave: What is that?

Megatron holding Mikasa and an energon smoothie: A smoothie.

Soundwave: sighs in defeat.

She ends up defecting too it's gonna be great.

Now there's a lot more that I wouldn't mind talking about but I've been...going through it so the AOP Cybertronian AU will have to wait for the time being.

[blueikeproductions]

How a Transformer Transforms was never really nailed down before, but TFONE reintroduces a semi obscure concept in that Transformation is controlled by a Cog, and without it, one can’t Transform.

How a Transformer changes form in older material was never really clear, and frankly the cartoon writers didn’t particularly care. They’re space robots that turn into cars, animals and objects, how much more complicated can you make it?

Most instances regarding how a robot Transforms in the 80’s cartoon referred to loose ideas about special circuits, or quirky by products of Transformation such as “Dinosaur Transform Static” unique to dinosaur type Transformers, but otherwise nothing too specific. The cartoon would later on make a point that the Autobots’ ancestors invented Transforming as a stealth tactic during one of the various prehistoric wars prior to Megatron’s time, though there was no mention of specific inventions to do so.

Cogs were brought up as a plot device post movie, … but there was a catch. The original T-Cogs were limited to Metroplex and Trypticon, special gizmos that allowed THEM to Transform to Robot Mode, with a few episodes devoted to both factions stealing the other MetroTitan’s Cog to get a leg up in a fight. Unicron also required the Cog of one of the giants to facilitate his recreation, implying he too needed one to Transform. The cartoon seems to suggest the Cogs were unique to the giant Transformers, but that the Cogs weren’t entirely cross compatible, leaving Metroplex and Trypticon stuck in half way modes if they used each other’s.

Action Masters famously robbed Transformers of the ability to change, as the miracle fuel Nucleon changed their “Figure Alteration Systems” into “Energy Storage Reactors”. No mention of Cogs yet again, but retroactively it could mean a Cog is mutated by Nucleon into a tank to store Nucleon.

How Transforming was controlled was revisited in Beast Wars, where Maximals and Predacons used onboard computers to automate the process. Beast Machines would return to the idea of Transforming being a process that is learned, with the now Techno-Organic Maximals devoid of onboard computers needed to find a meditation still point to convert from Beast to Robot.

Presumably, thinking of it retroactively again, techno organic Maximals have no Cogs, while Vehicons likely still do. They’re shown to still have onboard computers anyway. Coincidentally, earlier Japanese media would also mirror Beast Machines, where young Transformers that migrated to Planet Master hadn’t learned to Transform yet, and through rigorous training and technological advancement, learned and evolved a new way to Transform in Headmaster technology to adapt to Master’s harsh terrain.

Indeed most media was content to ignore Cogs being a component, as the older stuff never really used it anyway on regular Transformers. James Roberts’ Proto-MTMTE fan fiction would introduce a separate concept called a “Morph Core”, a cluster of nerves connected to the brain module that controlled Transforming, and while the IDW comics would recycle the name, it still referred to the Cog in the end. It wasn’t until Aligned that concepts started getting streamlined, with the idea of a Cog controlling conversion being revisited there.

Today, via Aligned, all Transformers require Cogs to change form. As part of an initiative to make Transformers into more obvious living organism like us, rather than just space robots, the Cog is … somewhat confusingly referred to as a biological organ rather than a piece of machinery. How that differs from other body parts that are implied to be mechanical in nature anyway I have no idea, but the point is the Cogs are treated as special, they control Transformation and the ability to Scan new Vehicle or Beast Modes, and can’t simply be rebuilt from scratch if lost or damaged. If a Transformer looses one, another Transformer has to donate theirs like a human would donate a kidney to another. TFP would famously depict this where Bumblebee and Starscream would loose their Cogs as part of a scheme by the human terrorist organization MECH, who required a Cog to build their own Transformer. T-Cogs, as a biological component, mean that all Transformers’ genetic code constrains the schematics for a T-Cog, as Starscream would learn when his Clones all could still Transform when he couldn’t. Starscream would later harvest a Cog from a dead Clone to replace his own, though with how often Megatron bragged about Decepticon science, I imagine they had the power to build a functional Cog from scratch anyway.

MTMTE era IDW would have their own spin on the matter, where Cogs had a religious and political bent, being connected to religious figures in Amalgamous Prime and Adaptus, but also many Action Master type TFs, now “Monoformers” would reject their Cogs for political reasons due to Functionism. A one off Decepticon was so repulsed by Transforming, he was whittled down into a base form lacking kibble, and made other Transformers wear mode locks so they wouldn’t compulsively Transform in front of him.

As an aside, there’s moments like this that makes me wonder if Roberts genuinely hated Transforming. So much lore centered around how intrinsic Transforming is to Cybertron culturally, and yet hardly anyone Transformed on his stories that it was routinely used as a running gag… You can’t tell me that’s not a little unusual for a Transformer fan.

RBA would also introduce an off shoot of the Cog, a Mul-T-Cog that allows the wearer to assume three Vehicle Modes, but not all at once, as the user needed to make a wise choice on which form to use on a mission. Japanese media also has the “Super Transform Cog”, but as of writing, we don’t know exactly what that is.

TFONE would mostly go back to the mechanical nature of the Cogs, no real mention of biology, but retain that all Transformers have them upon activation. The Miner class had theirs removed before becoming online, creating a simple to understand Cogless vs Cog social structure where those who can’t Transform not having many rights or job opportunities under Sentinel, mirroring IDW and obscure Aligned concepts.

Also kind of ironically mirroring IDW, Sentinel, despite The Fallen’s Cog, never actually Transforms into Vehicle Mode, going back to that clunky idea of Transforming being intrinsic but having some who don’t even try.

Orion, Elita, D-16, and B-127 all got Cogs of Primes, donated by Alpha Trion from Prima, Alchemist, Onyx and Micronus, and later on Megatronus, with Cogs being restored to the Miners by Optimus. Where these Cogs come from isn’t clear, though my assumption is Sentinel kept the Cogs of the Miners in storage for some reason, and they came out of storage to their rightful owners once the Matrix was restored. There’s a popular theory the four having ancient Prime Cogs might give them special powers, though nothing has been officially stated. It’s said in TFONE in particular that the Cogs unlock the built in potential of a Transformer, which we see with how Optimus and Megatron evolve as they gained their Vehicle Modes, though at the same time, upon getting Megatronus’ Cog, Megatron does appear to evolve further, so it’s a bit unclear if this is his genetic potential or if Megatronus Prime’s influence took over. Optimus similarly only displays certain attributes like his Axe when he gets Zeta’s Matrix, so we’ll have to wait and see if this gets played up at all in story or in toy form. I still say a better Mini-Con like version of the Prime Master gimmick would be cool for a further TFONE toy line. Like an Onyx Prime Cog that unlocks a Dragon Cannon on Megatron’s arm for example or Optimus sprouting Prima’s sword when Prima Prime’s Cog is plugged in. Admittedly I’m kinda surprised Action Masters haven’t been revived through the Cogless in toys, like having a drill accessory that becomes a dinosaur buddy for Orion or a jet pack that becomes Laserbeak for D-16. Hint, hint, Hasbro.

There are complaints off and on how relying on a single Cog for Transforming is limiting and kinda stupid, but Transformers is inherently nothing but dumb fun so it still kinda works! They’re still robots at the end of the day so having a gizmo that directly controls it makes sense. It’s just funny to me that it took largely until recently to come up with that based on an obscure plot device from the cartoon for Metroplex.

[devilbreaddiablo]

OKAY NEW TRANSFORMERS AU IDEA. GONNA TRY TO ACTUALLY BUILD UPON THIS FROM TIME TO TIME

TITLE: Gaia's Embrace

So its set in the Transformers Prime Universe, starts well before cannon. The Decepticons, a good long while before they land on earth, send a couple fleets of vehicons Out into space for Mining opperations, in order to fuel the War effort.

One of these Vehicon Fleets lands on earth, around the Grand Canyon, Missouri area, and shortly Thereafter Begins Mining Operations. Soon an expansive mine is formed, with Energon seeds being grown and the local caves being explored and Mined in their efforts.

Back on Cybertron, The War has come to a head at a Decepticon Mining Facility. Autobots seek to Capture it, and are clearly winning. If the Decepticons Can't Have it, no one can. Relays are Destroyed. Intersteller Comms are crippelingly damaged. Our Earthbound Vehicons are stranded, cut off from the chain of command. Abandoned.

On Earth, Outbound comms meet only silence. Their ship, the Trypticon, is grounded. For who would ever trust a vehicon to fly a ship, much lest teach them. Better to have command pilot it remotely.

In Absence of Orders, The vehicons simply do what they know, what they were built for. Mining, and Building

TFP SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT!

Of course, since the earth is Unicron, they eventually find Dark Energon, alongside an artifact of his, which I am Calling for now the "Seed Of Chaos." The purpose of this artifact is to Stealthily corrupt Cybertronians, acting like a sleeper agent in afflicted cybertronians, allowing unicron to see and observe through afflected individuals, as well as having a transformative and psychological effect, encouraging army building and Mutiny.

The vehicons do not know who Unicron or Primus is. Why would they? They are cold constructs, designed for mining and with barely enough sentience to function as a bot. They can only perceive the effects of the artifact. The feeling of Unity, and of Reliance on Each Other the seed brings. And of Abandonment from their creators.

Unicron Is no longer sleeping. He sees this colony of Vehicons, of abandoned drones,through the seed and Through Visored Optic. He Sees how the mine grows, the growing interactions of Barely Concious Bots relying soley on themselves and their comrades.

And Unicron Begins to Wonder, And Experiment. The Vehicons begin to experience.... emotions. It begins with Acceptence, of the fact they have been abandonded in the truest Sense. Sadness, For those lost to Time and Rust. A Desperate Signal Is sent to uncaring stars above. Rightous Fury at Betrayal from Those they where built to Serve. And finally, They Deny their Purpose, their Endless War. For the GaiaBota have chosen their own path, and not Bedrock nor Brimstone can stop them.

A Pedestal is Constructed, with the Seed Placed Atop, Overlooking their settlement. For it is the one who brought them Clarity, brought them truth. And for that, they Enshrine the Seed of Life, as a great gift from their Goddess, Gaia.

Unicron Begins to Change.

He Denies it, Denies His Curiosity, His Intrigue with this lost colony of bots.

What a unique existence they are, free from that fool Primus.

He Grows Angry at the discovery of his Lifeblood, At the fact that His corruption has no hold on their Sparkless bodies.

A curse of Sentience, so they can truly despair their inevitable fate.

They Threaten, Tempt, and Bargain these 'vehicons' to leave, to fight each other, to let the Rust consume them.

So eager to please, and yet they know nothing to act upon it. Reminds me of those creatures Primus was so proud about. 

She They begin to despair. Their Pawns children are rusting, decaying from the passage of time. Years of Unrefined Light and Dark Energon corroding them, causing their fighting strength to wane.

The poor things are suffering. Unrefined Lifeblood surely can’t be that bad to consume. A little change should fix them up, those bacteria growing on me are fairly hardy. Let them live a little longer before their end.

And Eventually, after an Age, She Begins to Accept. She Begins to accept these Sparklings sheltered in her Body. Accept their tenacious perseverance, their newfound Ingenuity. Acceptance of the Title she was so lovingly given by them.

Acceptence.... Of Gaia

[transformers-villain-tournament]

The final bracket lineup has been decided! There are 64 Transformers villains on the list that'll be fighting for 1st place!

Actual Polls will be tagged with #polls so you can find them easier

Transcript and notes under the cut (as well as the versions of the characters– It's why there are multiple Galvatrons listed, for example)

Notes:

▪︎ This won't be about voting for who you think would win in a fight. It's about who your favorite villains are

▪︎ The specific versions of characters will be made clear in the actual polls (and on the transcript here). If it's not specified, they just represent all versions of them

▪︎ We also allowed some characters to be submitted as duos since there are few of them

Side 1

Match 1: Rampage (Beast Wars) VS. Obsidian & Strika (Beast Machines)

Match 2: Fangry (IDW 2005) VS. Vigilem (IDW 2005)

Match 3: Soundwave (TFP) VS. Lord Imperious Delirious (Beast Wars Uprising)

Match 4: Cryotek (Beast Era) VS. Shadow Striker

Match 5: King Sombra (MLP) VS. Jetstorm (Beast Machines)

Match 6: Tarantulas (Beast Wars) VS. Scorponok (IDW 2005)

Match 7: Vampire (Beast Wars Uprising) VS. Circuit Breaker

Match 8: Skold (Beast Wars) VS. Skywarp (IDW 2019)

Match 9: Thunderwing VS. Megaempress

Match 10: Flamewar VS. Trypticon

Match 11: Overlord VS. Ser-Ket

Match 12: Galvatron II (Marvel G1) VS. Slipstream

Match 13: Straxus VS. Megatron (Beast Machines)

Match 14: Nightbird VS. Lockdown (TFA)

Match 15: Airachnid VS. Goryū

Match 16: Heretech (IDW 2019) VS. Bludgeon (Marvel G1)

Side 2

Match 17: Antagony VS. Leozack

Match 18: Spinister (Marvel G1) VS. Exarchon

Match 19: Deathsaurus (Victory) VS. Shatter & Dropkick

Match 20: Scourge (ROTB) VS. Unicron

Match 21: Steeljaw (RID) VS. Bludgeon (IDW 2005)

Match 22: Galvatron II (Japanese G1) VS. Megatron (Cyberverse)

Match 23: Flame (Marvel G1) VS. Sunstorm

Match 24: Death's Head VS. Cyclonus

Match 25: Scorponok (Marvel G1) VS. Megastorm

Match 26: Clobber & Lockdown (Cyberverse) VS. Starscream & BB (Beast Wars II)

Match 27: Swindle VS. Trickdiamond

Match 28: Pharma VS. Galvatron

Match 29: Quintessons VS. Blackarachnia

Match 30: Soundblaster VS. Sky-Byte

Match 31: Tankor (Beast Machines) VS. Zarak

Match 32: Shockwave VS. Megatron (Beast Wars)