#whereas Optimus and by extension the Autobots

[primal-con]

Having thoughts about sentience, inorganics, the inherent value of life, and the human factor because the way Transformers talks about it genuinely fucks me up sometimes

[quetzalpapalotl]

Just some random babbling about Rewind, Ratchet and Bumblebee

Rewind really stands out among the rest because, yeah, just like everyone else he's an extremely flawed individual, but whereas everyone else's flaws end up in brainwashing and genocide, Rewind is just... he's mean, he makes unfair judgements, he hurts the people he cares about and is all so mundane. Rewind tends to see things in absolutes, yes, but that also makes him one of the characters with one of the most firm moral codes. He suffers the effects of the war, but it didn't change him the way it did others.

Which is also completely expected since Rewind missed most of the war and is a non-combatant, he must have some battle training because everyone needs it, but his job was to make films and record information. The way he tells Chromedome "I killed someone" makes it sound like he had never killed anyone before. And yeah, even that shot was an extension of his strong moral code and kindness, even amongst Autobots Rewind stands out in his respect for organics... Is too bad his one kill ended up being some random baby that wasn't even actually Megatron, whoops. But yeah, Rewind manages to remain himself despite all the trauma, but is helped by his position during the war.

Then there is Ratchet, and yes, war made him bitter and killed something inside him, but still all his caring remains. And now, Ratchet was never perfect, he may have understood social nuance better than Orion, but just like him he missed a lot, he can be very inconsiderate to people's feelings and he has some functionist beliefs he keeps to this day that he rationalizes away because he's the kind of person so taken by their own rationality he fails to see his own bias. BUT STILL, he's kind to his core and he has always been and compared to the rest of Autobot High command he has also managed to remain himself. But then again, his role remained that of a medic. Sure Ratchet knows how to fight, he doesn't oppose to killing in self-defense, but his main duty was always to keep people alive. He never was in the position were he had to oder thousands of deaths. And this is why, I think, he fails at showing sympathyto Pharma.

And then there's Bumblebee who somehow also has managed to remain himself throught all these years. Bee was a combatant, Bee was pretty high ranking, and he's still mainly characterized by things like his compassion and friendliness. He is basically the hearts of the Autobots, even Optimus seems to think so. Considering that, I could see Optimus, who admired Bee's compassion so much, to avoid putting him in situations where said compassion would be compromised, but I could as easily see that not being the case. Either way Bee must have had to see and even do a lot of nasty shit. And sure, the war also took a toll on him, he's cynical and gets exasperated and can be mean, he would be willing to exhile Optimus despite his own admiration of him to keep the peace. But he still came out of it all willing to demand Overlord be repaired because even he has rights. And ExRid is very punishing of him for this, his desire to make peace with everyone with his lack of a commanding attitude put him in a lot of thigh situations and he ends up doing horrible things he doesn't like. But he always bounces back, he always remains friendly and compassionate and kind and I love him for it. I love them all.

[mk-wizard]

Alpha Trion: An Analysis of the Wizard of Bots

Hello, Transformer fans. Today, we pay our respects to the elderly by doing a character analysis of the Autobot who no matter how much we come to know about him, the more mystery there is behind his character. Let’s delve into the history, facts and all around definitive traits about the Autobot sage Alpha Trion.

Alpha Trion was first introduced as the mentor of Optimus Prime as well as the keeper of all Autobot knowledge that is written, contained in the Matrix and beyond in the G1 cartoons. He is also in many ways a father figure to Optimus Prime and Elita One who he watches over on Cybertron. While this is still up in the air, it is heavily implied by his colouring, traits and the appearance of his wife Beta (more on her later), he is the biological father of Elita One and therefor, the father-in-law of Optimus meaning they are in fact all family. Alpha Trion’s demeanor is that of a wise old man with a lot of life and war experience who comes across as perpetually calm, but with a slight hint of mischief and a liberalism. His trademark appearance is of an elderly bot with the doll type frame, his armour is red and blue while being the first and so far, only bot to sport a cape, he has a long beard and (while we don’t see it) long white hair beneath his helm, his alt mode is a hovercraft and he was the first bot in the Transformers lore to wear actual glasses.

In his case, he wears them not only because his optics aren’t what they used to be. They actually help regulate his psychic powers as he is a very powerful diode (a psychic Transformer) and has abilities that would be considered as magic even by other bots which explains how he survived on a Decepticon dominated Cybertron dying only of old age in the original G1 cartoon. To be precise, his glasses keep him from using his powers automatically and he has a plethora of them; clairvoyance, hypnosis, aura reading, telekinesis and telepathy. And for the record, those are just the psychic powers we know of. With such a long list and taking into account how powerful he is, Alpha Trion needs those glasses to keep his powers in check so they don’t overload his mind or uses them on someone he didn’t mean to use them on.

Another thing about Alpha Trion is that like Optimus, the “Trion” in his name is actually a title. In Autobot culture, there is always one Trion who serves as the religious figure, the head archivist, the sage, the second in command of all Autobot kind and the keeper of all sacred data including that which is exclusive only to the Trion to know. Unlike being a Prime in which you become one by assignment by the previous Prime or it was literally in your code to begin with, being a Trion is a spiritual thing so the selection is done by divine intervention. As soon as the current Trion passes on, the divine Trion protocol gets passed onto the Autobot who Primus deems worthy though in some cases, if the current Trion has a good guess of who will be their predecessor, they will take time to train them. A Trion’s special abilities by default are being a powerful diode with a plethora of psychic abilities though the bot usually had them to begin with as well as other spiritual abilities. In the case of Alpha Trion, he has some powers the whole time, but they were nowhere near what they became when he became ordained. Another thing that is worth noting about Trion’s is that they are not actually fighters and seem to take an oath of pacifism of which they are not allowed to commit any direct act of violence though they are allowed to help provide tools or assistance during war.

Going back to Alpha Trion specifically, his life’s story begins when he fought in his own war though his was a little different. Back in his day, the Autobots fought to free themselves from their slavers the Quintessons. During this time, he went by the name A3 though he still sported facial hair and a pair of glasses. He also proved to be quite the fighter and rebel with a personality that was a similar to Rodimus’. Like Optimus, he had a wife who fought alongside him who went by the name of Beta Maxx or simply Beta. While she was dressed in green, we can see that she still has a striking resemblance to Elita One and even A3′s armour style back in the day was a lot like Elita’s which further hints that they are her parents.

After the war was won, we can assume that the two of them lived very peacefully and happily on Cybertron and quite possibly had their daughter. It was also during this time where A3 was ordained and was now took on the name of Alpha Trion. It is not known who the previous Trion was though it is heavily implied by Alpha Trion’s disciplined behaviour and extensive knowledge that he had a chance to be trained before getting ordained. It is also not known who the Prime during this time was though it is most likely that it was one of Orion Pax’s parents. When the Decepticons attacked one day and both Orion Pax and Ariel were injured, Alpha Trion rebuilt them into warriors known as Optimus Prime and Elita One. It isn’t known what became of Alpha Trion’s wife though a lot of evidence suggests that she was one of the casualties in the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. As the war went on, true to his duty and oath of pacifism, Alpha Trion acted as a guardian to Vector Sigma and would only assist the Autobots on Cybertron in their war. He was also an unofficial member of Elita One’s team by acting as a strategist and an adviser. When Elita One got captured, he had a hand in freeing and helping her before once again going into hiding. While Alpha Trion managed to elude the Decepticons and never even got taken prisoner, he sadly did not live to see the long awaited peaceful era as he died of old age near the end of the war appearing only as a ghost yet still offering help even from beyond. In the G1 cartoons, it is has never been confirmed who the new Trion was after him.

According the the comics, Ultra Magnus was his predecessor and faces the same struggle that Rodimus does as Prime; he has a very big pair of shoes to fill and often questions if he can do the job. In the War for Cybertron cartoon, Ultra Magnus was implied to be the new Trion in secret after Alpha Trion was murdered by Megatron and after he was killed, Bumblebee became spiritually ordained with the Trion protocol appearing before him in the form of Alpha Trion. In the Animated series, Alpha Trion appears once again as a sage figure though the extent of his role and title is not explored. However, it is heavily implied that his influence and rank goes far beyond that of a Prime. In the Prime series, Alpha Trion died in the war though it isn’t known if he was killed or died of old age. Before he did pass away, he passed the key to Vector Sigma to Optimus for safe keeping and appeared to Optimus in spirit when he was close to death to help him join the Allspark. It isn’t known who took up the Trion mantle after Alpha in Prime though. In the Michael Bay movies, Alpha Trion did not make an appearance, but Sentinel Prime was modelled after him in appearance though his personality could not be more different.

While Alpha Trion is not a mech of action, his legacy is definitely comparable to that of Optimus’ in that we can picture no one else with his role, but the wise old mech. Despite not appearing often in the cartoon, he made quite an impression that lasted and cemented itself in the lore. If Optimus Prime is to Autobots what Papa Smurf is to the Smurfs, then one can say that Alpha Trion is what Grandpa Smurf was to them. He has a similar role to Optimus, but is the one person who surpasses him in terms of wisdom and has an incredibly different view of the world for it. It has been confirmed that Optimus is very conservative whereas Alpha Trion is in fact liberal hence why he not only allowed his beard to grow out, he flaunts it which is unusual in Transformer society as hair is usually not considered as a desired trait for mechanical beings. And while that side of him was not very explored, Alpha Trion has a mischievous side and was at times known to be defiant. It is kind of a shame that he never got a chance to meet Rodimus because I imagine the two of them would have gotten along well. As a side note which I find amusing is that Alpha Trion from his youth to his silver years was always consistently handsome according to sources because he was athletic. Well, you don’t live THAT long unless you stay in shape and in his defence, anyone who can sport a superhero style armor while being able to show that much leg at that age must have aged well. I do hope that in the next era, he will be showcased more as a regular character rather than just a background one because he really is one worth showcasing not just as the Trion, but just as himself.

Anyway, what is your take on the Autobot elder?

If you have a Transformers theory or character analysis you want explored, please let me know in my ask box. And please, support me through Patreon or Ko-fi if you want me to make Transformers merch and videos. Or if you want a commission of your favourite bot, let me know in my shop. All links are on my profile page.

Thank you for reading and please, stay safe.

[afterspark-podcast]

My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise, Part 1 Transcript

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

O: So I'm like, “No, I'm just fine with pretending this never happened, honestly.”

[Intro Music]

O: Welcome to our April Fool’s Special!

S: The Transformers/My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise crossover.

O: Specifically, issues 1 and 2 here.  An episode covering issues 3 and 4 will be released in a few weeks.  Um, so obviously our podcast doesn't normally talk about ponies.

S: For all that it too was a popular Hasbro franchise in the 80’s- I mean, still is.

O: Yes.  I will attempt to give a short blip about My Little Pony characters that show up, but we're gonna kind of assume that you know the mane six.  Which is Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.  Ah, Specs has seen some of the My Little Pony episodes, whereas I have seen... all of it at this point.  Um, so I'm reasonably familiar with most of the characters.  And uh, for the record, Twilight Sparkle is my favorite, but that's because she's basically me. [laughs]

S: This was a crossover comic that was released in 2020 (for your information).

O: Uh, most of the Transformers characters in here are part of kind of the regular G1 cast that you're all probably used to seeing in various things.  Most of them we've talked about.  There's a few we haven't um, because they just haven't popped up in the series yet.  [Like Arcee.]  The exceptions being Gauge who's from IDW2, and Windblade who's from IDW1, Cyberverse, and several other things.

S: Mm-hm.  They did some fun things with the fonts and some of the other visuals in this.

O: Such as using the Transformers font for ‘Equestria’ and the My Little Pony font for ‘Cybertron’.

S: Mm-hm.  And the character’s speech bubbles use the fonts from their respective series.

O: Some of the issues are done by who I think is the current artist for the My Little Pony comic series.  While the rest are done by Transformers comic artists- like, plural, several of them.

S: And with that we begin.

O: Part 1: Transformation Is Magic!

S: In Equestria, a pony by the name of Quibble Pants is standing in front of a newsstand complaining about some very applicable meta issues.

O: Quibble's a side character.  His whole shtick is that he picks apart plot and whatnot.

S: He's a bit of a nitpicker.

O: The newsstand pony tells Quibble (and by extension us) that this is all for fun.  So don't worry too much about continuity here, guys.

S: Mm-hm, a loud clap of thunder transitions us to a nearby mountaintop where Queen Chrysalis is up to nefarious plots

O: She [Chrysalis] is villain.  She is the queen of the changelings.  She can transform into different creatures, basically, or different ponies.  I think, judging by some of the background characters in some scenes later, that this is after she's lost control of most of the other changelings?  Though she does have a small group working with her here.

S: She plans to bring forth other changelings from other worlds to take over Equestria.

O: I'm sure you can see where- where this is going. [laughs]

S: Mm-hm, and now, on cybertron.

O: The Autobots and Decepticons are fighting, shocker.

S: The Decepticons are clearly trying to take control of a malfunctioning space bridge.

O: A space bridge that Shockwave is convinced is breaching other dimensions.

S: Suddenly, all of the Autobots and Decepticons are zapped away through a portal.

O: Leaving only poor Grimlock to smash into view a few seconds later... thinking they have all ditched him.

S: Poor Grimlock.

O: Poor Grimlock. [laughs]

S: Back in Equestria, Twilight shows up with several royal guards to stop Chrysalis but it's too late and a portal opens, sending the Cybertronians zooming past through the air.

O: Twilight is horrified to see that Chrysalis has summoned living things that are about to go ‘splat’ onto the ground, or more likely ‘crunch’! [laughs]

S: Or possibly clank, if someone slows them down-

O: [laughs]

S: But I mean, who knows?  Twilight speeds off to try and save the newly arrived Cybertronians.  While Chrysalis stays behind to acquaint herself with Megatron.

O: Bee is both surprised and resigned to see himself falling to a colorful death.

S: But Optimus grabs Bee's hand, and intends to break his fall with his own body.

O: Optimus, are you okay?  Do you need to talk?  I feel like you need to talk.  We need- we need to get you into therapy, dude.

S: It's all the self-sacrificing, but yes.

O: [laughs]

S: Yes, he needs some therapy.  The two are saved by Twilight’s a very timely arrival and magical powers.

O: The Cybertronians are just as surprised by the ponies, as the ponies are of them.

S: Bee attempts to blend in by transforming into vehicle mode, to Twilight's consternation.  But Twilight says that doesn't really help him blend in, but it's okay if they're different!

O: She comments on their ‘shape-shifting magic’ and that Chrysalis will be disappointed that they're friendly.

S: To which Optimus says... unfortunately, they are not all friendly.

O: And then we are given the most amazing image. [laughs]

S: Queen Chrysalis, as happy as a kid in a candy store, on top of a tank, aka Megatron.

O: Seriously, it's one of the best images in the comic. [dissolves into laughter] And one that was shared I think, pretty frequently after the comic came out?  So it's very funny.

S: Mm-hm.

O: And we begin part 2 of issue 1: Shine Like A Diamond.

S: Rarity and her staff at her Manehattan boutique have been volun-told to get Starscream all dolled up for his coronation.

O: You know, the outfit he's in in the G1 movie, the purple cape and the crown get up.

S: Rarity attempts to calm him down, because he is being a snippy asshole during all of this.

O: Yes, with vague, implied threats throughout.

S: Mm-hm, so Rarity says, “Happy, healthy subjects show just how good their king is, don't they?”

O: A car is heard in the distance, much to Starscream's surprise, as he didn't think the ponies had cars.  Which, he is correct!

S: Mm-hm, Arcee barrels into him with a flying kick.

O: And Starscream retreats.

S: Leaving Arcee and Rarity to introduce themselves.

O: They seem to become fast friends as Rarity thanks Arcee, and Arcee tries to help clean up the mess Starscream has made.

S: Unfortunately, Starscream returns with the rest of his trine in tow.

O: Arcee intends to fight them alone, but Rarity generates a magic shield to help protect Arcee while she fires on the jets.

S: Thundercracker takes a direct hit, while Starscream and Skywarp are herded closer together by Arcee's fire.

O: Once they're close enough, Rarity uses her magic to wrap the fabric from Starscream's cape, that she was helping make earlier, around the two of them.

S: Skywarp says, “This is stupid!  I'm out,” and teleports away.

O: Leaving Starscream to nosedive to the ground with a boom.

S: Arcee compliments an exhausted Rarity on her help.

O: While they both agree they would do anything for their friends, and for each other!  Now, you may notice that none of the My Little Pony characters have been shown in the Transformers universe, but that is about to change.

S: In issue 2, part 1: Inspiring.

O: It would seem that Twilight's assistant, Spike (the dragon) is wandering around the Ark writing a letter to Twilight.

S: Of course, with Grimlock being the only one left behind, he's presumably found Spike and brought him to the Ark.

O: Spike is of course very enamored with the big old Dinobot.

S: And Grimlock seems to like Spike quite a bit too.  Even holding him in his open palm while they get an alert from Teletraan about an attack.

O: Said attack, by way of the Constructicons, who have come to destroy the Ark while everyone else is away.

S: Grimlock transforms into dino mode and meets them.

O: Grimlock makes the mistake of saying, “Puny Decepticons, even together you no match for Grimlock!”

S: To which, they respond by forming Devastator, and stomping the absolute crap out of him.  “Grimlock and Grimlock's big mouth.”

O: Spike shouts words of encouragement to Grimlock, but quickly sees that the Dinobot is losing.

S: So he thinks, looks at the Ark, comes to a realization, and then runs inside to make his realization happen.

O: Inside, Spike flips through two large books.  ‘Modern Cybertronian For Everyday Conversations’ and ‘Teletraan I For Dummies’.

S: He then climbs onto Teletraan’s console and starts the main engine cycle countdown.

O: Spike yells at Grimlock to get down.

S: Which is, you know, not that hard as Devastator is still stomping on him.

O: Devastator is then blasted by the bit of the Ark that's still sticking out of the ground, causing Devastator to fall to pieces.

S: The Constructicons flee, and Spike checks on Grimlock.  Spike still feels pretty down about himself, because all he did was press some buttons.  But Grimlock says Spike did even more than he did.

O: “Spike learned new language, and operations system in short time!  Spike think of using busted engine as canon!  Spike use pronouns!”

S: Grimlock tells Spike that Spike inspires him, and that he's full of potential.

O: Spike collapses into a happy little puddle of dragon that Grimlock called him, “Inspiring.”  Their friendship is so cute! [laughs]

S: And now it's time for part 2 of issue 2: They Eat Ponies, Don't They?

O: We are brought onto the stage of a cooking show, “Prepping With Pinkie,” hosted by Pinkie Pie.

S: And a special guest, Gauge!

O: And all I can think is- Arcee she still one of her parents in this continuity?  Is Arcee worried about her child!? [laugh]

S: And in the spirit of cultural exchange, Pinkie and Gauge will be sharing some of their favorite recipes in today's program.  I never thought about giant robots having recipes before this, and I didn't want to think about it.

O: [laughs] Pinkie is, of course, making cupcakes.  While Gauge has brought iron filing casserole.

S: Poor Pinkie and ah, several audience members are questioning their decision based on their facial expressions.

O: Pinkie goes to start her cupcakes, but suddenly everything starts shaking.

S:  [singing] Dun, dun, dunnnn!

O: [snorts]

S: A space bridge appears with Shockwave stepping out of it.

O: He has, by his own admission, come to ‘spice things up.’

S: Ah, time for some puns.  Unfortunately, his recipes require a bit more audience participation.

O: Shockwave’s apparently come to discover how much pony it takes to fuel one Decepticon.

S: [sighs]

O: [laughs]

S: He transforms his hands into a grater and a whisk, respectively.

O: Pinkie and Gauge evade him, causing him to demand that they stay still so he can finish his experiments.

S: Oh god, by attempting to whisk them!?

O: [laughs] I know, I know!  I'm not saying it's sane!

S: I know, I mean, I read it too.

O: [laughs]

S: It’s just, now I have vivid mental images of this being attempted and everyone being very…

O: Confused? [laughs]

S: Yes.  Gauge whacks him in the head with a cookie sheet, completely bending it out of shape, and tries to get Pinkie to flee.

O: Pinkie refuses, but in the background the show's audience is running through the exit door- at least part of their audience is running through the exit- exit door.

S: Mm-hm.  Shockwave transforms his hands again, this time to a spork and spatula.  Sporking them to death is not gonna work, dude!

O: Tell him that! [laughs]

S: Mm-hm, again, with the mental images.  Gauge rips off the spork and spatula, sending Shockwave falling backwards, where Pinkie trips him.

O: Pinkie and Gauge grab some frying pans and bean Shockwave's face in between them.

S: Shockwave, thoroughly beaten by a small Cybertronian child and a pony, is kicked back into the space bridge and disappears.

O: The remaining audience claps.

S: And 47 minutes later, the duo tries the other's culinary... contributions.

O: Pinkie declares it as success, though her face implies she didn't enjoy the iron filing casserole.

S: In the background, Gauge is clearly trying to politely spit out the cupcake in a towel. [laughs]

O: And that ends issue 2.  So, join us next time for issues 3 and 4 where we will finish this mini-series.

S: And that just about wraps it up for us today.  Remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort as Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links we may have mentioned.  You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at AftersparkPod (all one word), and various other locations by searching for Afterspark Podcast, such as AO3, iTunes, Spotify, and Youtube, just to name a few.  And feel free to send us questions on Tumblr, Youtube, or AO3.  Till next time, I’m Specs.

O: And I’m Owls!

S: Toodles.

[Outro Music Plays]

[mark-xeen]

Top 10 Unpopular opinions of IDW Transformers

This week to start off the countdown for the end of IDW I created a list of the top 10 unpopular opinions I had with the series. please be aware that these are just my personal silly opinions. And if you liked them or not. Then good for you for finding something I, myself couldn’t find or understand.

Warning it’s very long

1. I did not find TAAO all that enjoyable to read.

        Do not get me wrong, TAAO is a decent series. I just couldn’t really get that into it. I have a couple reasons why I didn’t enjoy it:

        Reason one (and the main one)- I’m not a big fan of stories revolving around politics. I just never find these sort of stories interesting and TAAO, which is a continuation of the Windblade series, is a story revolving around the politics and government of Cybertron, albeit with some good moments, similar to ex-RID and its continuation Optimus Prime.

        The second problem I had with the series was that it did a lot of “tell don’t show”, where we are told through character POV narrations and dialogue that certain characters or actions are good/just or bad/evil, but aren’t given much proof or present day story events or arcs that cement said claims. For example, with Elita-One we’re told she’s dangerous and shouldn’t become leader of Cybertron, but has barely done much of anything to prove these claims except being intimidating and saying “half-truths”/letting people believe lies. While these actions do raise caution, they don’t make her any worse than any other leader *cough*OPTIMUS!*cough*.

        The third problem I have with the series was the ending. Yes, I know the series was being cancelled by executives, but the ending with Windblade winning the election didn’t feel earned. While she was the least twisted of the candidates, but she never truly developed past or overcoame many of her flaws that she started with to become the leader Cybertron and, by extension, the colonies. Also, she only won through Starscream’s self-sabotage. While some of these problems could have been fixed if the series wasn’t cut short, I felt Scott should have handled the ending a bit better.

2.  I don’t like Windblade

        I know I’m going to be bashed and hated for this one but please hear me out. First I am a girl, a non-neurotypical girl with high functioning autism, but a girl none the less. Windblade’s gender and looks never bothered me- yeah, it was different, but not bad different. My issues with Windblade are just how the story treats her and her character.

        In term of character, Windblade’s personality and morality/standards are all over the place. Though she is shown to be kind hearted and compassionate, Windblade has been shown to lie, cheat, and perform actions outside the law and authority only when she feels it’s necessary. Yet if somebody else does anything even remotely similar, she will condemn them for it. To describe her morality, it’s a subjective morality with double standards. For example: When Optimus went against the council to free the Joes [HA2] in order to save Cybertron in First Strike, Windblade condemned him for it, but during the TAAO annual she also went against the council to tell all of Cybertron about Liege Maximo. It also doesn’t help that Windblade easily forgave Chromia for not only bombing and killing a few people, but also for trying to teleport Metroplex to Caminus which would’ve killed hundreds if not thousands of Cybertronians as a result.

        These issues with her character wouldn’t be as bad if the story didn’t gloss over it. This is where my main issue actually comes from: For every morally questionable thing Windblade has ever done, the narrative treats it as a good or necessary thing and she never truly faces any potential consequences from them. The worst thing that happened to her personally was Chromia going to jail and being tried for her crimes. Things like her cover up or her cheating in a race would’ve had big consequences if they were done by any other lead character. And, let’s be honest, if Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, or even Ironhide did even one of those things that Windblade has done, they would be chewed out by their comrades at best or become persona no grata to the public at worst if they were revealed.

3.   I don’t like Pyra Magna/Victorion

       The reason I don’t like Pyra Magna is very simple- she’s a one note critic character. Majority of the time she appears, she’s complaining and bashing Optimus for everything he’s ever done or believes he’s done. Sometimes even criticizing him for doing something she was criticizing him for not doing earlier. Making it near impossible to tell what her ideals are, her beliefs, or even what values she holds close. Making her criticisms about Optimus weak and criteria for a “perfect” Prime all the more vague. She essentially complains just to complain. Also she’s a terrible hypocrite: In one arc she hates Optimus for manipulating the colonists for his own purposes, but then starts doing the same thing to Slide- feeding and manipulating the colonist into embracing her hatred and bitterness towards the Junkions who killed her twin, referring to her desire for vengeance as justice, thus resulting in Slide becoming skeptical and bitter towards Optimus Prime as well as harboring a hatred and a desire to kill all beings she views as enemies (like Junkions and humans). Also, while she hates Optimus, she views Prowl as an ally. Yep. PROWL- the one who literally sees people as numbers. Though whether or not she actually believes he’s a good person or their goals just align is unknown. In short, she’s the Autobot equivalent of Starscream.

        Victorion isn’t much better. While her design and powers are cool to look at, she’s just Pyra Magna 2.0, but bigger. Her other components, the Torchbearers, individual personalities are almost nowhere to be found in there. Though to be honest the other Torchbearers didn’t have much personality to begin with. They pretty much served as Pyra’s comrades (or cheerleaders) who will pretty much always side and agree with whatever their leader says and participate in Optimus Prime bashing. The only things I remember is that two of them are sisters, two of them are lovers, and the single one Rust Dust is there. I’m not kidding this is literally all I can say about them as individuals.

4.   I don’t like the IDW version Optimus Prime.

        To be honest, I don’t considered him an interesting or complex character in the slightest. IDW Optimus Prime, in my opinion, is a character who writers spend so much time creating flaws in an attempt to make “realistic”, they forgot to give him any GOOD characteristics that could balance those traits. He doubts himself constantly, gives up easily, and ditches his responsibilities whenever he gets the chance. I know what you guys are saying, “But didn’t Rodimus do some of that in the G1 cartoon?” Yes, Rodimus has done that, but there is one small difference between the two: Optimus has been leader of the Autobots for millions of years, whereas Rodimus JUST became leader recently. I can understand and even sympathize with Rodimus, forced into leadership because his actions indirectly lead to Optimus’ death and now he has to lead the Autobots while being in the shadow of Optimus and dealing with his own guilt, but Optimus has been like this since the war and never learned or developed past these traits [HA4] even after the war ended. Also, for all of Rodimus’ flaws, at least he showed more care towards the people under him than Optimus. In fact, every time something goes wrong, he leaves them when things couldn’t be any worse or when he’s still needed. I just find it impossible to imagine how this guy managed to fight in a war for 4 million years against Megatron.

5.   I don’t think Lost Light is bad or a bad sequel to MTMTE.

        Lost Light really isn’t a bad a sequel or comic series in my opinion; maybe it’s because I focused more on comics where each issue has something going on besides the buildup for some climax. Don’t get me wrong, there has been build up for the Grand Architect and Cybertopia for a while, it’s just all the issues don’t feel like they’re only existence is to build up these two events. They have their own plots and arc where, while the buildup is there, it’s not in your face like some comics I’ve read in the past. Another thing I don’t get is all the hate for Robert using British words or slang when he writes- he’s from the United Kingdom, of course he’s likely to use words he’s used to hearing and speaking. It’s the same habit we do when any of us write: we use words and slang that are common to us.

        As a sequel, Lost Light hasn’t lost a lot of quality to its predecessor. While some areas do feel rushed, similar to TAAO, it had quite a bit of executive meddling going on in the background. However, despite feeling a little rushed in some areas, it still pretty well written. Also, I know some people complained about how some of the characters have regressed or become worse in Lost Light, but remember, the cast was betrayed and were (albeit unknowingly) thrown at the mercy of the DJD, a 500 Decepticon army, and Overlord, then, soon afterwards, believed Megatron, the reason the crew betrayed them in the first place, abandoned them to stay in the Functionist Universe. Of course they’re going to have major issues and regress to old habits, it’s how some people actually behave after going through a terrible event like that. Rodimus in particular who has been betrayed and had friends/comrades dying as a direct result before in IDW, would want revenge, it makes sense. Also, the Lost Light is, by far, one of the few series that have a pretty good depiction of someone dealing with betrayal. Seriously, when the Rod Squad meet up with First Aid, Thunderclash, and Riptide, Rodimus is so angry at them, he just refers to them as Mutineer 1 and 2. It’s nice because while he still largely blames Getaway and wants to kill him, he still acknowledges their role in the mutiny as well. Most writers would have a character betrayed by a group only blame the one who caused it, but here Roberts shows Rodimus is angry at the rest of the crew for what happened, though not the same amount as Getaway.

6.  I don’t like the “Shockwave is behind everything” twist.

        I always find the twist where one villain is directly responsible for everything messed up in the story to be a boring and bad twist. It makes everything that happens in the story feel kind of cheap; it makes all the things the characters have done, worked for, and/or struggled for in the past feel pointless because this one bad guy somehow planned for it. It also make the villain feel like a villain-sue to the point where when their actual plan is revealed, it feels almost ridiculous or stupid in comparison to all the things they had done just to get it to work. In terms of Shockwave’s plan itself: why? Seriously, he could have done so many things while trapped in the past, but decided to make sure everything happened the way it was written. Why? To prove religion is fake? I don’t know, but the things he claimed to be trying to stop, he caused them in the first place and his overall plan is so unclear and bizarre, I believe he’s just insane.

7.  I don’t hate Anode and Lug

        They’re not perfect, but they’re not the worst either. They’re side characters with questionable morality, but they’re neither main leads or treated as these amazing always right characters. Yes, Anode had a main role in the first arc. Yes, she decided to resurrect her Conjunx, Lug. But 1.) It was to introduce new readers to the rebranded series, and 2.) If you had the ability to bring your loved one back, wouldn’t you do the same thing? After the 1st arc the two of them were regulated to the background, occasionally participating in B-plot antics. Also, Anode herself doesn’t bother me as certain other characters do because she gets called out on her antics and her antics makes sense for her character- she’s selfish and reckless, thinking only about herself and Lug. Also, compared to some of the other Neutrals introduced in IDW, they aren’t bashing the Autobots constantly during the comic- which, to me is a breath of fresh air. So yeah, while they’re not my favorite characters, they’re nowhere near my least favorite characters.

8. I do not hate the Hasbroverse idea.

        I thought it was an interesting idea with a bunch of the Hasbro’s old toy lines sharing one universe with a chance to interact with one another. It’s just the execution of the Hasbroverse that sucked: bad writing, bad pacing, too many crossovers back to back, and unnecessary and terrible redesigns on several characters in an attempt to attract more viewers. While ROM, Action Man, and Micronauts were good additions to the TFs, the rest was not well managed or written. If the editors, writers, and the artists thought about what made these series unique and special and not what was trendy, they may have had an amazing expanded universe. But poor decisions in the writing and editorial departments messed up what could have been a fun and interesting expansive universe. If they tried to make another Hasbroverse in the future, I would give it another shot.

9. I did not enjoy the Autobot faction origin story.

         I know the premise of the origin story was to create a morally grey story for both factions, but I felt all it did was make the Autobots out to be even bigger jerks than the Decepticons. I wouldn’t have minded having a few Autobots originate from less than stellar backgrounds, but majority of the Autobots who did show up in flashbacks were shown to be a part of the police forces who worked and aided the corrupt senate, or worked in a twisted institution that brainwashes anyone who was considered a threat to the government. With a few exceptions, almost every Autobot that was shown had either turned a blind eye to or actively participated in the messed up stuff the government was doing to its population. It’s not creative, it’s lazy. Though Barber’s and Roberts’ writing have made the group’s origin more tolerable and complex, the damage was done. And, if anything, it makes it even more baffling why anyone that wasn’t already a part of either group even wanted to join the Autobots in the first place.

10. All the terrible things that happened to the Lost Light’s mutinous crew was completely deserved.

         Okay, I know the crew, with the exception of Getaway and Atomizer, did not mean to leave Rodimus and his allies to be killed by either the Galactic Council or DJD (which nobody, not even Getaway, was aware of), and when they learned what actually happened they were horrified. However, before the message they had several red flags about Getaway being a, while more efficient, bad captain. First, Getaway admitted about using the Nudge gun on anyone who didn’t agree with his mutiny. Soon afterwards they learn he also made a deal with the Galactic Council-you know, the ones that HATE technological lifeforms. Then, later on, we find out Getaway knew a faster way to get to Cybertopia: a series of quantum tunnels known as the Warren that he learned about while he was held captive by Tyrest. The twisted part about this was that one of the reasons for Getaway’s mutiny was how the quest was taking forever to find Cybertopia. So he knew a way to get to Cybertopia, but waited until after the mutiny occurred to share the information. And let’s not forget how no one they left behind was contacting them days or even weeks after the mutiny. Did they honestly believe none of them wouldn’t called or more likely yell (and swear) at them for leaving them on Necroworld?

        To be honest, I think the reason why it took them so long to realize Getaway was bad was because once they admitted Getaway was in the wrong, then, by extension, they would also be admitting that they themselves were in the wrong too. It’s probably the reason why they didn’t try to contact the others all that time as well- they wanted to believe they were in the right so badly. Calling them would admitting to it as well, that’s why they waited. As a result, they ignored all the warnings and red flags surrounding Getaway until it was too late. Was what happened to them awful and terrible? Yes. Definitely. Without a doubt. But when you put a lot blind faith into someone who is shown to do questionable stuff you’re essentially asking for something bad to happen to you

[transformersaesthetics]

Beast Machines

Gooooooooood Morning ladies and gents! Today we’re discussing Beast Machines! Think Beast Wars, but edgy, and with cars. I really dig a lot of the weird aesthetics of this line, and I hope you enjoy reading about it!

           Beast Machines was the sequel franchise to the highly successful Beast Wars line. Taking place on Cybertron, the central conflict is between the surviving Maximals from Beast Wars, who have been reformatted into new, ‘techno-organic’ bodies, and Megatron, who raised an army of mechanical drones. Beast Machines carried forward many concepts from Beast Wars, such as the near omnipresence of ball joints, experimentation with mixing organic and mechanical aesthetics, and highly structured size classes. However, Beast Machines also marked a significant departure from Beast Wars in several respects, most prominently in that it reintroduced transformers with vehicle modes for the first time since the end of Generation 2. Ultimately, Beast Machines was not as successful as Beast Wars, and met with an early cancelation as Hastak decided to radically revamp the brand once more. 

    Beast Machines features much of the same core cast as Beast Wars, but, since the object of the franchise is to sell toys, they have once again changed bodies. (M Spiher) Instead of their previous Beast Wars forms, the cast is now in ‘technorganic’ bodies.  Where Transmetal toys featured robotic beast modes and organically detailed robots, and Transmetal 2s featured jagged metal, torn flesh and asymmetry, Beast Machines introduced the harmonious hybridization of mechanical and organic detailing. (Almechazel)

    Toys now feature large portions of smooth plastic, which evokes panels of metal that have been shaped fluidly and organically. It is largely difficult to pick a specific section of a toy that is meant to be purely mechanical or purely organic. Instead, the organic portions of the toy and the mechanical portions blur together.  Technorganic figures also tend to feature extensive clear plastic and chromed parts. (M Sipher, Beast)  The chromed plastic in particular represents a continuation of trends established in Beast Wars, with the Transmetal figures. 

             The head sculpts in particular are quite evocative of the overall aesthetic. For example, Blackarachnia has a sort of headpiece that is clearly several pieces of layered metal, and yet, when lifted, they reveal more eyes. (S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47, Blackarachnia)  Rattrap has organic eyes, teeth, and whiskers, but has an exposed, brain like area with mechanical detailing.(S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47,Rattrap)  Between their bright and expressive color palette and their smooth shapes, many Beast Machines figures feel almost Gaudi-esque in aesthetic.

    One of the most notable innovations of Beast Machines was the reintroduction of purely mechanical figures after a protracted absence. (M Sipher, Beast) The antagonist faction, the Vehicons, was comprised entirely of these figures, and, as the name hints, all of the Vehicons have vehicle alt-modes rather than beast modes.(M Sipher, Beast) The Vehicons are also remarkable for being one of a bare handful of factions that exist outside of the Autobots and Decepticons, or their natural extensions the Maximals and Predacons. 

         The vehicle modes of these figures are not accurate earth vehicle modes, as in the early days of Generation 1, nor are they the blocky, pastel colored fictional vehicles that characterized the later portions of G1 and G2.(Flicky1991) Instead, these vehicles are sleek, futuristic, and alien. Jetstorm, Thrust, Tankor, Obsidian and Strika conspire to create a distinctly Cybertronian aesthetic. 

          The robot modes of some figures also represented a departure from tradition.(M Sipher, Beast) Although Trust, Jetstorm, Obsidian and Rattrap all featured a mode with conventional legs, often this was intended to be a secondary mode. As a primary mode, these figures feature a mode with no legs, often based on their portrayal in the show. Jetstorm and Obsidian fuse their legs, since in the show they float everywhere, Thrust features a three wheeled mode, evocative of his unicycle like mode of conveyance in the show, and Rattrap features two wheels somewhat evocative of a wheelchair. (M Sipher, Thrust; S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47,Rattrap)

            As has already been discussed, Beast Machines continued many themes and design practices first established in Beast Wars. Almost every figure in Beast Machines utilized ball joints to a greater or lesser extent, a hallmark of Beast Wars. (Monzo; M Sipher, Beast) Beast Machines continued to employ the highly structured price point system created by its predecessor. (Monzo; M Sipher, Beast) Instead of the tampographed faction symbols to which we are today accustomed, Beast Machines continued to employ the spark crystals first introduced by Transmetal 2 figures. (Reptillia 28; M Sipher, Beast)  

    Beast Machines also featured two sublines. (M Sipher, Beast) These were Battle for the Spark and Dinobots. Battle for the Spark appeared at the tail end of the line, and was the first full subline in the history of the brand. When the spark crystal of a figure was pushed, some kind of gimmick activated.(M Sipher, Beast) For example, the Mega Optimus Primal figure featured a punching fist. (Abates)

        Dinobots, on the other hand, featured redecos of dinobot toys from Beast Wars and the Japanese exclusive line, Beast Wars Neo. (ZacWilliam) These toys had a spark crystal unique to them, and it was confined to deluxe class figures and above. (ZacWilliam) This line marked an important innovation in terms of toylines as a whole; never before had HasTak released wholesale a slew of redecos and retools of molds from previous lines as part of a currently running line. This behavior would go on to be hugely influential in subsequent lines, especially both Universe lines and 2001 RID. 

        The Beast Machines line is also somewhat notorious for its oftentimes flagrant disregard of scale and show accuracy. Nightscream, one of the smaller characters in the show, received an Ultra class toy, whereas, for most of the line, Optimus Primal, one of the largest characters, at first received only a deluxe.(M Sipher, Beast) Similarly, the Tank Drone and Motorcycle Drone toys both were basic size class, making particularly the Tank Drone dramatically undersized compared to his compatriots in the line.(Sunstorm) 

      In terms of screen accuracy, Optimus Primal’s initial deluxe toy was largely bright blue and black, with radically different sculpting from the show model.(Abets) Thrust and Jetstorm also look very different from their cartoon selves, although elements of the design echo the show models.(M Sipher, Thrust; Tantrum) While the sculpting of Strika and Blackarachnia is largely show accurate, the decos of the toys bear little to no resemblance to their cartoon appearances. Instead of maroon, Blackarachnia is a deep purple, and Strika features almost none of the purple coloration of her show model.(ItsWalky; S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47, Blackarachnia) 

    Beast Machines was not as successful commercially as Beast Wars, likely as a combination of several factors. First, Beast Wars style product had already been on store shelves for some 5 years.(M Sipher, Beast) Indeed, Hasbro made the decision to continue to release Beast Wars branded product well into the run of Beast Machines.(Monzo) Second, the quirks with show accuracy and toy design also likely contributed to the line’s flagging sales. Whatever the reason, Hasbro ultimately decided to cancel the line prematurely, scrapping plans for a handful of toys that had been announced to retailers. Three figures were far enough along in the development process to be released under the banner of the subsequent line, 2001 RID. These figures were Megabolt Megatron, Air Attack Optimus Primal, and Bruticus, a toy styled like the mythical creature Cerberus.(M Sipher, Beast; Bruticus)  Plans for a successor series, Transtech, were scrapped. Instead, Hasbro imported the currently running Takara show Car Robots to buy time to develop new product, The Transformer: Armada line. (M Sipher,Beast) 

    Beast Machines did not have nearly as much impact on the brand as Beast Wars. However, Beast Machines did begin to make standard the usage of price points, solidify the consistent usage of ball joints, and mark the return of vehicle alt-modes to the brand. Moreover, it helped to introduce some practices that would become standard throughout the rest of transformers history, namely subline imprints and filling out a line with redecos of toys from other lines. Rather than the renaissance of Best Wars, Beast Machines represents a mild advancement of the ideas expounded by its predecessors. 

Works Cited

Abates et al, “Optimus Primal (BW)/Toys”,TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Optimus_Primal_(BW)/toys#BlastPunch, Accessed 5/4/2020

Almechazel et al, “Technorganic”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Technorganic Accessed 5/4/2020

Flicky1991 et al. “The Transformers (toyline)”, TWwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_(toyline), Then and Now  Accessed 4/25/2020

ItsWalky et al, “Strika (BM)”,TFwiki,  https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Strika_(BM)#Toys Accessed 5/4/2020

Monzo et al.“Beast Wars:Transformers(toyline)”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beast_Wars:_Transformers_(toyline) Accessed 4/25/2020

M Sipher et al, “Beast Machines: Transformers(Toyline), TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beast_Machines:_Transformers_(toyline) Accessed 5/4/2020

M Sipher et al, “Bruticus (RID)”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bruticus_(RID) Accessed 5/4/2020

M Sipher et al, “Thrust (BM)”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Thrust_(BM)#Toys, Accessed 5/4/2020

Reptillia 28 et al. “Spark Crystal” , TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Spark_crystal Accessed 5/1/2020

Monzo et al.“Beast Wars:Transformers(toyline)”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Beast_Wars:_Transformers_(toyline)  Accessed 4/25/2020

S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47 et al, “Blackarachnia (BW)/toys”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Blackarachnia_(BW)/toys#Beast_Machines Accessed 5/4/2020

S.H.I.E.L.D Agent 47 et al, “Rattrap (BW)/toys”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Rattrap_(BW)/toys#Beast_Machines Accessed 5/4/2020  

Sunstorm et al, “Tank Drone”, TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Tank_Drone#Basic, Accessed 5/4/2020

Tantrum et al, “Jetstorm (BM)”,TFwiki, https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Jetstorm_(BM)#Toys, Accessed 5/4/2020

ZacWilliam et al, “Dinobot (BM)”, TFwiki,https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dinobot_(BM) Accessed 5/4/2020 

[bulkheadthewrecker]

@ask-dr-knockout

Oh hah hahh hah hah! Your luck may have kept you alive but you never bested him in any fight! No wrecker did don’t you ever forget that!

if we had been together nothing would have been any different! Breakdown had the advantage of a true partner not some halfwit knock off of a human! And I pitty it for joining the soiled ranks of such a miserable Lott of degenerates!  

And at least he stuck with his own kind! It goes without saying but I’ll say it anway.

He was smarter then you in every way. he not only knew combat but was an effective medical professional who knew how to follow my orders. And might I add he played a convincing Ally or did you forget?

Your idiocy is remarkable to me… The fact you can stand there and actually call your human a true partner when she endangered you and all of your team at every turn with her insanity is quite impressively irresponsible.

And Bulkhead, for the record you never knew him… He never degrade himself by saying he was actually proud of the wreckers! You meant nothing to him you were just another job! In fact he laughed at you! We both pittied you! So hung up in revenge and calling yourself his rival. How presumptuous can you get!

How you were incapable of moving on from something that happened millennia ago! Newsflash Bulkhead it’s a war we all do terrible things to each other! And now Breakdown is gone because of that same war so hah hah guess you won by a flimsy technicality! Good job! Would you like a gold star?

And might I add, while we are on the subject of war crimes… I seem to remember the wreckers were QUITE the prime example of moral standing we’re they not? By the way you speak so proudly of them must have been real winners RIiiiGHT??? HAH!

In fact your little gang contributed quite handsomely to destroy lives at the cost for the “supposed greater good” then any self proclamaed Decepticon! Oh sorry… am I going to far? this must be uncomfortable for you to hear…

Must have been why it was so EASY for breakdown to infiltrate the Lott of you. You made the most ruthless feel right at home truly~ and ohhh my was Breakdown Ruthlessly effecient at his job. Tho I don’t need to tell you that.

Breakdown did the universe in general a favor when he neutralized the Lott of you half cocked morons! For Primus sake one of your mottos was that explosives solved every problem! Just ask Wheeljack your friend!

Oh I mean if he’s still around… If you can even call him friend, half the time?  Who can blame you finding a human to replace him. I mean… I heard he would run off and sulk somewhere quite routinely because he couldn’t handle a little authority… If you ask me Miko is more mature! Hahahah and thats saying something! What about the wreckers infamous loyalty?

The only reason HE survived my late dear assistants culling was because he wasn’t around for the other “brothers” backs when they needed him hah! But by all means keep up the illusion he actually cared about any of you, ever! haha it wasn’t a Betrayal dear Bulkhead it was just another mission, that’s all it ever was. He just liked the rush and the firefights not any of you.

Oh yes he told me all about the lott of you tho! Most were so far off the deep end they didn’t even know how to properly work as a team they rather throw back high grade then come up with a proper strategy, and when they did it normally ended in extensive casualty! Boy I would have hated to be your lotta medic! Haha What a JOKE!

Sure, Bulkhead you are right … You are the Better Wrecker! Pha haha!  whatever that truly stands for!

That’s why it was so easy for Breakdown to clean house of most of you when he was undercover honestly. You on the other hand just got DUMB LUCKY like you always seem to do. Not because of some misguided believe that Breakdown ever thought of you as a friend and decided to spare you.

You were nothing more then just another daily task to him! you never meant anything.

He just humored you because I thought it was funny and all he ever wanted to do was make me happy! And he did. I enjoyed watching you all burn!

It’s only a pitty he didn’t actually finish the JOB!

What… and audial full. Literally. Some love loss for real. He didn’t know much in the affairs of the Decepticons but he knew that Breakdown and Knock Out were more than he was with Jackie. Jackie represented the old him, and Miko represented the bad side of wreckers which Jackie instilled when he joined. But team Prime was about healing and Optimus was not above putting his people in their place. He had his own way of doing it, one that the Decepticons might have viewed as weak.

“You Decepticons sure love calling it luck when you get your afts beat by us ‘bots. It’s not all luck.” The red and blue duo might have seen an unfair amount of luck on Bulkhead’s behalf, but Bulk also added his skill set to complete a team that needed him on it. It was a small team that defeated a large army.

“Miko is a free spirit who knew there was excitement and adventure out in the world, she made sure to find it. She’s also a kid, Knock Out. One who hasn’t spent millions of years at war, I wouldn’t expect her to know all the ins and outs of it. She started to learn where she stood as time went on too. We all learn.”

“And I remembered Breakdown fighting beside me after I saved his aft, but he was simpleminded to just follow orders like a drone and fight someone who just saved his life. It was rude of him and stupid of Starscream. The idiot can’t even lead the Decepticons. Maybe he should have kept better tabs on all of those beneath him and Breakdown wouldn’t have been MECH bait.”

“And again, Miko has proven herself. Yes, she’s got us in danger, but she’s also made up for that. Slagging Hardshell, beating Starscream, getting Soundwave stuck in the shadowzone. She’s proven herself.”

“You’re right that I never knew Breakdown, surely not in the way you did. But he was my enemy. And you seem to forget that I left the wreckers to join team Prime. I knew I could be better than I was. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t like the wreckers. We had a duty in the war. Black ops, we did the stuff no one dared to do. Things that we knew we wouldn’t come back from, but we went anyway. Things that needed to be done. That’s what the wreckers were for. I am so glad for Breakdown,” he says sarcastically, “that he was able to see me as a job and nothing more. That whole desensitizing thing is what made you ‘cons loose the war. Sometimes revenge is what keeps our spirits up while fighting you wrong doers. Arcee has suffered a lot, I have suffered a lot, we’ve all lost people—don’t tell me you aren’t still fueled by some kind of revenge otherwise you wouldn’t have run your mouth as long as you have. You’re aiming that anger at me and I’m not even the one that offlined your beloved mecha. And it’s so good of you to mention the wreckers of committing war crimes when they were just a small fraction of the Autobots, whereas the Decepticons were full of all kinds of war crimes and cowardice.”

“The wreckers didn’t win the war either, I know that. But what’s this about winners? I seem to remember a certain turn coat who wanted to, what was it? ‘join the winning team’? All that sacrifice for nothing, really. You’re one of the biggest jokes of the Decepticons.”

As for the sport car’s roundabout way of saying how much the wreckers sucked and how bad they were compared to the Decepticons, he didn’t feel he needed to add to it. The wreckers were disbanded. Breakdown might have killed a lot of his teammates, but it wasn’t as if the wreckers didn’t put a dent in their enemy as well. Not all of their missions ended in failure, obviously. Bulkhead had made it until the end, as did Wheeljack, unlike some stunted Decepticon wrecker. It wasn’t even an Autobot that killed him, that at least he knew. It must have been an inside job, or MECH, or some human. Breakdown was a fool that got himself killed. Knock Out was a bad mech for not being there for his partner, maybe he should say that. … he’ll wait.

“You got him in dangerous situations just for a laugh? That’s very caring of you. Now who is burning and who is creating a new future for us to live in, huh? And by the way, Wheeljack is here to help rebuild, since you seemed so worried about his current status. He’s doing well. So is Miko. Really though, a large pity he didn’t finish the job. Because you know if Megatron got his way he was going to slaughter everyone who disagreed with him. And do you think that would have ended with the Autobots? Absolutely not. Someone as soft as Breakdown would have been the first to go.”