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Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)

2011-07-28T16:24:37Z

64.75.121.3:

{{disambig3|Cybertron}}
{{nav-cybertron}}

The '''''Cybertron''''' cartoon series was produced by [[GONZO]] and ran in the United States in the years 2005-2006, serving as the third and final part of the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]" begun by its predecessors, ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''. The series premiered in the United States in July 2005.

The story centers on a [[Unicron Singularity|giant black hole]] that threatens to devour [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and other worlds. Only the power of the [[Omega Lock|Omega Lock]] can stop it; [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and a small(?) team of [[Autobot]]s travel to various worlds in search of the lock and the four [[Cyber Planet Key|Cyber Planet Keys]] needed to activate it. [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], even more obsessed with power and godhood, attempts to seize the lock and the keys to boost his own personal power.

The series' Japanese counterpart ''Galaxy Force'' was confirmed by [[We've]] Inc. in an October 2004 press release to be a continuation from the ''Energon'' series, but it was soon clear that this was not the case.<ref>[http://www.fantofan.jp/newsarchive2004.htm 22 October 2004 and 10 November 2004, Fantofan.jp]</ref> '' Galaxy Force'' afterwards was presented as a continuity reboot, willfully ignoring Hasbro's intent for the series. The ''Cybertron'' dub and toyline were consistently presented as a sequel to ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', and eventually, later Japanese materials eventually retconned ''Galaxy Force'' back into being the continuation it was conceived as. [[Japanese themes|Songs]] include opening "[[Call You... Kimi to Boku no Mirai|CALL YOU... Kimi to Boku no Mirai]]" and ending "[[Itsumo]]", and opening "[[Ignition!|IGNITION!]]" with ending "[[Growing Up!!]]" in the latter half of the run. The film will be released on July 30, 2011. Starring [[wikipedia:Jansen Panettiere|Jansen Panettiere]] as [[Bud Hansen]], [[wikipedia:Harrison Ford|Harrison Ford]] as [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], [[wikipedia:AnnaSophia Robb|AnnaSophia Robb]] as [[Lori]], [[wikipedia:Adam Hicks|Adam Hicks]] as [[Coby Hansen]], [[wikipedia:Mocean Melvin|Mocean Melvin]] as [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]], [[wikipedia:Hulk Hogan|Hulk Hogan]] as [[Landmine (Armada)|Landmine]], [[wikipedia:Tom Jackson|Tom Jackson]] as [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]], [[wikipedia:Tim Curry|Tim Curry]] as [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] and [[wikipedia:Noel Areizaga|Noel Areizaga]] as [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]].

:''Preceded by: [[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''

{{bigquote|Our worlds are in danger! To save them and the galaxy we ''must'' find the four Cyber Planet Keys before the Decepticons can use them for evil. ''It'' is our ''mission.'' Hot Shot! Jetfire! Vector Prime! Landmine! Scattorshot! Optimus Prime! Transform and roll out!|Optimus Prime|''Cybertron'' opening credits}}

==Storyline==
When the destruction of [[Unicron]] results in the formation of a massive black hole, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is threatened, and its population is evacuated to [[Earth]], taking the forms of local vehicles and machinery to hide from humanity. As this occurs, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s elite team of [[Autobot]] warriors are approached by the ancient Transformer [[Vector Prime]], who has emerged from his resting place outside of time to inform them of the legendary [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, ancient artifacts of power which can stop the black hole and save the universe. Lost due to an accident during an attempt to create a cross-universal [[space bridge]] network, the Cyber Planet Keys now reside on four worlds somewhere in the universe—unfortunately, Vector Prime's map showing their location is stolen by [[Decepticon]] leader [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], and both forces relocate to Earth as the race to find them begins.

On Earth, the Autobots befriend three human children named [[Coby Hansen|Coby]], [[Bud Hansen|Bud]] and [[Lori]], who aid them in locating the [[Omega Lock]], the control device for the Cyber Planet Keys' power. With new "Cyber Key Powers" awakened in them, the Transformers battle on many fronts, searching for the Lock on Earth while [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] head for [[Velocitron]], the "Speed Planet", resting place of the first key. As Hot Shot competes in the planet's grand racing championship to win the key from planet leader [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the Lock is located on Earth in the bulk of the crashed Transformer spaceship the ''[[Atlantis]]''. Soon after, Autobot [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] heads for the next world, [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]], where the power of its Cyber Planet Key reformats him into Leobreaker. Megatron ingratiates himself with Jungle Planet ruler [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], while at the same time, his scheming lieutenant [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] teams up with the mysterious [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]], working towards his own goals.

Ultimately, the Autobots succeed in acquiring the Keys of both Velocitron and Jungle Planet, at which point the existence of Earth's own Cyber Planet Key is revealed. Starscream makes his power play and overthrows Megatron, stealing the Omega Lock and all three keys from the Autobots and using them to grow in size and power. Their forces bolstered by the ancient Autobots from Earth and the arrival of [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]], who combines with Optimus Prime, the Autobots fight their way through a vengeful Megatron and defeat Starscream - but the battle is not without casualties, as Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] are gravely wounded and rebuilt into the even more powerful [[Cybertron Defense Team]].

Returning to Cybertron, the Autobots use the Omega Lock and Cyber Planet Keys, which awaken the spirit of their deity and creator, [[Primus]] and transform Cybertron itself into the god's body. After a battle in which Starscream taps the power of Primus and grows to planetary size—only to be defeated by Primus himself—the location of the fourth and final key is determined as [[Gigantion]], the Giant Planet. Bested by Gigantion's leader [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]], Megatron taps into the power of Gigantion's Cyber Planet Key to become Galvatron. Sideways, now joined by the equally mysterious [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], reveals himself to be an inhabitant of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], a world destroyed by the Gigantions, upon whom he and Soundwave seek revenge. Galvatron blasts them and Starscream into another dimension and finally acquires the Lock and Keys for himself, intending to use their power to accelerate the universal degeneration caused by the black hole and remake the cosmos in his own image. Vector Prime sacrifices his life to get the Autobots back to Cybertron, and the five planet leaders confront Galvatron within the black hole and defeat him. With all the Cyber Planet Keys now in his possession, Primus uses their power to finally seal the black hole, ending its threat.

As the planet's various civilizations attempt to return to life as normal, Galvatron attacks the Autobots for one final time. Without any troops to call his own, Galvatron engages Optimus Prime in a one-on-one duel, and is finally destroyed for good. With this final victory, Optimus Prime begins a new space bridge initiative, and the Transformers set sail for the four corners of the universe, and new adventures.

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''Cybertron Native'''

* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
* [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul/Leobreaker]] (Paul Dobson/[[Dave Ward]])
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] ([[Richard Ian Cox]])

'''Speed Planet Native'''

* [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]] ([[Lisa Ann Beley]])
* [[Brakedown (Cybertron)|Brakedown]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Clocker (Cybertron)|Clocker]] (Brian Dobson)

'''Jungle Planet Native'''

* [[Snarl (Cybertron)|Snarl]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Backstop (Cybertron)|Backstop]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Earth Native'''

* [[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]] ([[Ty Olsson]])
* [[Crosswise (Cybertron)|Crosswise]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

'''Giant Planet Native'''

* [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Quickmix (Cybertron)|Quickmix]] (Michael Daingerfield)

'''Others'''

* [[Vector Prime]] ([[Richard Newman]])
* [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] ([[Sam Vincent]])

'''[[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]]'''

* [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]]
* [[Recon Mini-Con Team]]
** [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
** [[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]]
** [[Six-Speed]]

|c2=
'''Cybertron Native'''

* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] ([[Mark Oliver]])

'''Speed Planet Native'''

* [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]] ([[Louis Chirillo]])
* [[Dirt Boss (Cybertron)|Dirt Boss]] ([[Michael Donovan]])

'''Jungle Planet Native'''

* [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
* [[Undermine]] (Mark Oliver)
* [[Brimstone (Cybertron)|Brimstone]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

'''Earth Native'''

* [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] ([[Maryke Hendrikse]])
* [[Lugnutz]] (?)

'''Giant Planet Native'''

* [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] ([[Sam Vincent]])

'''Planet X Native'''
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Ted Cole]])
* [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] ([[Robert O. Smith]])
* [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|Laserbeak]]
* [[Noisemaze Mass Production Type Version]]
* [[Laserbeak drone]]

'''Other'''

* [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] ([[Dale Wilson]])
* [[Nemesis Breaker]]

|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Coby Hansen]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Bud Hansen]] ([[Ryan Hirakida]])
* [[Lori]] ([[Sarah Edmondson]])
* [[Lucy Suzuki|Dr. Lucy Suzuki]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Colonel Franklin|Colonel Mike Franklin]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Tim Hansen]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

|c4=
* [[Primus]] ([[Michael Donovan]])
* [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal drones]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Cybertron episodes}}

{{collist|4|
# [[Fallen (episode)|Fallen]]
# [[Haven|Haven]]
# [[Hidden|Hidden]]
# [[Landmine (episode)|Landmine]]
# [[Space|Space]]
# [[Rush|Rush]]
# [[Speed|Speed]]
# [[Collapse|Collapse]]
# [[Time (episode)|Time]]
# [[Search|Search]]
# [[Deep|Deep]]
# [[Ship|Ship]]
# [[Hero (episode)|Hero]]
# [[Race|Race]]
# [[Detour (episode)|Detour]]
# [[Savage (episode)|Savage]]
# [[Sand|Sand]]
# [[Champion|Champion]]
# [[Ice|Ice]]
# [[Honor|Honor]]
# [[Primal|Primal]]
# [[Trust (Cybertron)|Trust]]
# [[Trap|Trap]]
# [[Invasion|Invasion]]
# [[Retreat|Retreat]]
# [[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]
# [[Critical|Critical]]
# [[Assault|Assault]]
# [[Starscream (episode)|Starscream]]
# [[United (episode)|United]]
# [[Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron]]
# [[Balance|Balance]]
# [[Darkness (episode)|Darkness]]
# [[Memory|Memory]]
# [[Escape (episode)|Escape]]
# [[Family|Family]]
# [[Titans|Titans]]
# [[Warp|Warp]]
# [[Giant|Giant]]
# [[Fury|Fury]]
# [[City|City]]
# [[Ambush|Ambush]]
# [[Challenge|Challenge]]
# [[Scourge (episode)|Scourge]]
# [[Optimus (episode)|Optimus]]
# [[Showdown (episode)|Showdown]]
# [[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]
# [[Homecoming (episode)|Homecoming]]
# [[End|End]]
# [[Unfinished|Unfinished]]
# [[Beginning|Beginning]]
# [[Inferno (episode)|Inferno]] ("Lost" episode)
}}

==Differences with ''Galaxy Force''==
[[Image:GalaxyForcevsCybertron.jpg|thumb|150px|right|It rarely got this extreme.]]In contrast to ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', the dubs of which had stuck quite closely to their original Japanese counterparts (unrelenting plethora of errors notwithstanding), ''Cybertron'' went to much greater lengths to localize ''Galaxy Force''. English scripts for the series were written by [[David McDermott]], [[Marc Handler]], [[Seth Walther]], [[Stephanie Sheh]] and [[James W. Bates]] (but the series does not include episode writer credits, so precisely who wrote which episodes is left unknown).

On the most basic level, dialogue was frequently re-written, sticking to the ''intent'' of the original but adding many more colorful turns of phrase, flavor and character, doing away with much of the formality and unflappability with which the Autobots handled every situation (a common trait of the Autobots in Japanese ''Transformers'' cartoons). ''Cybertron'' would also ''add'' more dialogue to scenes that were silent in ''Galaxy Force''; in particular, the show's extensive use of [[stock footage]] was livened up with new dialogue from characters as they transformed. Paraphrased dialogue from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was common. The show's soundtrack mostly remained unaltered; the only new music was a new theme tune recorded by [[Paul Oakenfold]], which was often used during transformation stock footage (but not with 100% consistency) and would sometimes be extended to replace the background music of the scenes that immediately followed said transformations. In other, more sparing instances, music would be replaced with ''different'' pieces from the original soundtrack; usually, this involved replacing melodramatic or "evil" music with more exciting tracks to ramp up action sequences.

A few aspects of the plot of the series were consistently modified or excised by the ''Cybertron'' dub, while some were created whole cloth. For instance, one of most notable changes of the series was the transformation of the male Nitro Convoy into the ''female'' Override, at the request of Cartoon Network. Other examples include the removal of suggestions in early ''Galaxy Force'' episodes that Coby had an unsteady relationship with his family, and the notion that Cybertron was consumed by the black hole in the first episode (since the characters were able to return to the planet later in the series without ill effect). In terms of newly-created ideas, ''Cybertron'' justified the continued presence of the Autobots' human allies Coby, Bud and Lori after their usefulness had realistically ended by crafting the concept of the [[Omega Frequency]], the signal of the [[Omega Lock]] which only they could hear, making them necessary in the search for the Lock and Keys. This particular example is indicative of ''Cybertron'''s efforts to make as much technical and logical sense as it could, where ''Galaxy Force'' was content to hand-wave many things off with [[Burning justice|Burning Justice]]. Innumerable times in the course of the cartoon, characters glow with energy that comes from nowhere; while ''Galaxy Force'' does not address this strangeness, treating it as a normal thing for Transformers to do, ''Cybertron'' regularly inserts explanations, or at least has the characters react in an amazed fashion to this unusual thing that is happening to them.

Outside of these major overarcing examples, there are sometimes other changes both major and minor made to the content of individual episodes for numerous reasons. TFWIKI.Net notes such changes on the individual episode articles.

==Praise and criticism==
With the bad taste of ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' still lingering in the mouths of the fandom, ''Cybertron'' had a long way to go to make itself seem like an appealing prospect. On the English side of things, it generally succeeded: the show's dub is ''much'' more polished, lacking the myriad errors that had plagued the previous shows and bringing many distinct voices and accents into the mix, along with numerous pop-culture and ''Transformers'' references. Since the scripts had comprehensible context and some actual ''work'' put into them, the voice actors were likewise able to turn in stronger performances than they had in prior years. This effort was not appreciated by all viewers, unfortunately; those who had previously viewed subtitled ''Galaxy Force'' episodes online objected to the English dub taking greater liberties and occasionally altering aspects of the series, and were not shy about letting people know it.<ref>[http://www.shortpacked.com/blog/comic/book-3-is-totally-gay/05-iacon-one-sketches/screwball/ The result of people watching the subbed version first.]</ref>

Like ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' before it, ''Cybertron'' was animated using shaded [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] for the Transformers characters, and cel animation for most everything else. Though [[GONZO]]'s ''Cybertron'' work was more advanced than that of [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]]'s work in ''Energon'', the CGI still suffers from most of the problems of its predecessor, including a restricted range of motion, a tendency for the Transformers to stand around like statues, and crude walk cycles. Few facial expressions exist beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed" (though to the animators' credit, there is an occasional smirk, smile, growl, etc. And Optimus Prime at one point manages to look furious ''with his mouthplate up''.) The shading techniques used on the Transformer characters also means they look very strange alongside their traditionally-animated human cohorts.

There is a sense that ''Cybertron'' actively attempts to avoid the main problem that plagued ''Energon''—that is to say, running out of plot. Consequently, while the basic plot of ''Cybertron'' is far more focused and coherent than that of ''Energon'', its first half is quite ponderous and drawn out, ''especially'' in the case of the [[Velocitron]] story arc, in which ''thirteen solid episodes'' are taken up by race after generic race, doing ''very'' little to advance the plot. Conversely, then, in the final quarter of the series, the stories of [[Gigantion]] and [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] seem ''very'' truncated, as if the drawn-out first half left no room to see these plots through to their fullest extent.

In addition, ''Cybertron'' delights in the use of [[Stock footage|stock transformation sequences]], using them to pad out episodes like the cinematic equivalent of Styrofoam packing peanuts. What's worse, even the ''battle scenes'' frequently recycle the same "two characters charging at each other, their fists colliding in mid-air" stock footage.

==Continuity==
As noted above, the Japanese version (''Galaxy Force'') originally treated the story as a stand-alone, unconnected to any previous story. The American version draws connections to the ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' cartoons, but various incongruities still exist:

* In general, nobody really seems to remember the events of ''Energon''. The Autobots act as though they've never been to [[Earth]] before and have no familiarity with its culture, despite having spent ten years there in places like [[Ocean City]].
* The Autobots are utterly dependent on the three human kids to help them blend into human society, when they previously had numerous human allies including Dr. Jones and his family, Rad, Alexis & Carlos, and the innumerable human inhabitants of Ocean City and the other Cybertron settlements on Earth.
* Likewise, despite the Autobots' presence being fairly common knowledge in ''Energon'', it is considered urgent to hide the Autobots from Earth's population in ''Cybertron''.
* The Energon cities themselves are never seen or mentioned.
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] both have distinctively different voices than in the previous cartoons. [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] has essentially the same voice, but with a newly added accent. Also, Red Alert seems to have a bit more emotion and acts less mechanical as he did in Armada.
* Formerly prominent characters like [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], the [[Omnicon|Omnicons]], and Kicker have vanished without a word; new characters [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] and [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] appear out of nowhere; and Red Alert returns after being absent for all of ''Energon''.
* Returning characters are ''all'' in brand-new bodies with no explanation.
* When he first combines with [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]], Optimus Prime declares that he's never heard of two Autobots combining into one before. This is a rather odd statement, considering that such combinations were commonplace during ''Energon'', and Optimus himself had been combining with other Autobots since ''Armada''; given later events, it's possible he was referring to the specific manner in which they combined, though this is at best an awkward rationalization.
* Nobody seems surprised that Megatron and Starscream are alive and well again.
* The grand black hole is explained as a by-product of "Unicron's destruction". In ''Energon'', that event happened in [[Alpha Q's universe|Alpha Q's alternate universe]], a fact that's not mentioned in the show. Likewise, Cybertron was last seen in that same alternate universe. It's not much of a stretch to assume the Autobots moved it back where it came from, but in that case, why is it so close to the black hole?
* The collapse of the Energon sun would mean that everything the Autobots fought for during ''Energon'' was in vain, and Alpha Q's worlds would die again, left in darkness without a sun and consumed by the black hole. Nobody seems to notice this little setback. To the contrary, Red Alert's report mentions an uninhabited planet that's ''not'' one of Alpha Q's planets as the black hole's first victim.
* Some returning character's personalities, like Wing Saber and Sideways, are different from their portrayals in other series.

Within the show, most of these problems were never directly addressed; the cartoon simply went about telling its story without much regard to previous events. Indeed, vanishing characters and new bodies had previously occurred in the changeover between ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' with equally little attention, though the second show at least established the existence of a ten-year fictional gap between them, making it ''somewhat'' less intrusive (such a gap also exists between ''Energon'' and ''Cybertron'', but it was never noted in dialogue in the series).

However, external material has addressed some of the problems. The [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Cybertron'' comic]] storyline "[[Balancing Act (issue)|Balancing Act]]", for example, [[Vector Prime|Vector Prime]] claims that the Autobots are suffering memory problems, caused by temporal disturbances from the [[Unicron Singularity|Unicron Singularity]]. Jetfire's new accent was explained on the Hasbro web site as a result of time spent on the planet [[Nebulos|Nebulon]].

===Energon comic===
Some fans believe that the cartoon follows the unfinished [[Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic book series]] from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]. Unsubstantiated rumors to this effect have swirled since the cartoon's debut, though the only "evidence" comes from media outside the cartoon:

* The [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Cybertron'' comic]] storyline "[[Balancing Act (issue)|Balancing Act]]", written by Hasbro copywriter [[Forest Lee|Forest Lee]], is set the same universe as the ''Cybertron'' cartoon series. But the story references events from the ''Energon'' comic, such as the [[Mini-Con|Mini-Con]] [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] hooking himself into the Planetary Database — a plot point begun by the [[Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic]], which would have been carried through if the book hadn't been canceled.

* The bio of the ''Cybertron'' toy [[Scorponok (Energon)|Dark Scorponok]] references his death at the hands of Megatron, as happened in the ''Energon'' comic but not the cartoon. However, this was overwritten when "Balancing Act" depicted Dark Scorponok as being pulled into the cartoon timeline from ''another'' universe.

The idea doesn't solve any problems; most of the contradictions between the ''Energon'' and ''Cybertron'' cartoons also exist between the ''Energon'' comic and the ''Cybertron'' cartoon. The cartoon contains no references to any events of the ''Energon'' comic.

The entire notion of a network television cartoon following up on a comparatively obscure, unfinished comic book seems counter-intuitive; furthermore, Hasbro material has presented many explanations for contradictions between the two cartoons. Why bother explaining why ''Cybertron'' Jetfire sounds different if he's not the same guy seen in ''Energon''? Why have Vector Prime explain the differences between the two cartoons if they're not in the same continuity? It would have been simpler to retract the statement that Cybertron was a sequel series.

==Home video releases==
===Galaxy Force===
{{main|Victor Entertainment}}
The ''Galaxy Force'' version of ''Cybertron'' was released on DVD by Victor Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air. Several of the DVDs were packaged with exclusive [[redeco]]s of toys, such as a ''Masterforce'' [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]]-themed [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Chromia]] and a ''Generation 1'' [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]-themed [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Exillion]].
[[Image:Tf galaxy force vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 01 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 02 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 03 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 04 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 05 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 06 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 07 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 08 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 09 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 10 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 11 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 12 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 13 (2006)
{{-}}

===Cybertron===
{{main|Paramount Pictures}}
[[Image:Cybertron Ultimate Collection DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
Paramount Home Entertainment released a single ''Cybertron'' disc in 2005 as a follow-up to their four separate ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' releases. They then took some time off to concentrate on the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]] before finally releasing a complete box set in 2008.
*''Transformers: Cybertron'' — A New Beginning (2005)
*''Transformers: Cybertron'' — The Ultimate Collection (2008)

====Other====
Sometime in 2007, a complete DVD boxset of the ''Cybertron'' series was released in Malaysia which, despite initial appearances, was apparently ''not'' a bootleg, given that it was region-encoded (Region 3, to be precise). The set featured two English audio tracks (2.0 and 5.1) and was fully subtitled with an accurate transcription of the English dialogue. All told, this was more than the eventual American release managed. The set also moved "[[Inferno (episode)|Inferno]]", from its ill-sitting placement as episode 52 back to being the second episode on the set.
{{-}}

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%A9%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9 ''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Cybertron media]]
[[Category:Cybertron episodes| ]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)

2011-07-28T16:18:33Z

64.75.121.3:

{{disambig3|Cybertron}}
{{nav-cybertron}}

The '''''Cybertron''''' cartoon series was produced by [[GONZO]] and ran in the United States in the years 2005-2006, serving as the third and final part of the "[[Unicron Trilogy]]" begun by its predecessors, ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''. The series premiered in the United States in July 2005.

The story centers on a [[Unicron Singularity|giant black hole]] that threatens to devour [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and other worlds. Only the power of the [[Omega Lock|Omega Lock]] can stop it; [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and a small(?) team of [[Autobot]]s travel to various worlds in search of the lock and the four [[Cyber Planet Key|Cyber Planet Keys]] needed to activate it. [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], even more obsessed with power and godhood, attempts to seize the lock and the keys to boost his own personal power.

The series' Japanese counterpart ''Galaxy Force'' was confirmed by [[We've]] Inc. in an October 2004 press release to be a continuation from the ''Energon'' series, but it was soon clear that this was not the case.<ref>[http://www.fantofan.jp/newsarchive2004.htm 22 October 2004 and 10 November 2004, Fantofan.jp]</ref> '' Galaxy Force'' afterwards was presented as a continuity reboot, willfully ignoring Hasbro's intent for the series. The ''Cybertron'' dub and toyline were consistently presented as a sequel to ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', and eventually, later Japanese materials eventually retconned ''Galaxy Force'' back into being the continuation it was conceived as. [[Japanese themes|Songs]] include opening "[[Call You... Kimi to Boku no Mirai|CALL YOU... Kimi to Boku no Mirai]]" and ending "[[Itsumo]]", and opening "[[Ignition!|IGNITION!]]" with ending "[[Growing Up!!]]" in the latter half of the run. The film will be released on July 30, 2011. Starring [[wikipedia:Jansen Panettiere|Jansen Panettiere]] as [[Bud Hansen]], [[wikipedia:Harrison Ford|Harrison Ford]] as [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], [[wikipedia:AnnaSophia Robb|AnnaSophia Robb]] as [[Lori]]

:''Preceded by: [[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''

{{bigquote|Our worlds are in danger! To save them and the galaxy we ''must'' find the four Cyber Planet Keys before the Decepticons can use them for evil. ''It'' is our ''mission.'' Hot Shot! Jetfire! Vector Prime! Landmine! Scattorshot! Optimus Prime! Transform and roll out!|Optimus Prime|''Cybertron'' opening credits}}

==Storyline==
When the destruction of [[Unicron]] results in the formation of a massive black hole, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] is threatened, and its population is evacuated to [[Earth]], taking the forms of local vehicles and machinery to hide from humanity. As this occurs, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s elite team of [[Autobot]] warriors are approached by the ancient Transformer [[Vector Prime]], who has emerged from his resting place outside of time to inform them of the legendary [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, ancient artifacts of power which can stop the black hole and save the universe. Lost due to an accident during an attempt to create a cross-universal [[space bridge]] network, the Cyber Planet Keys now reside on four worlds somewhere in the universe—unfortunately, Vector Prime's map showing their location is stolen by [[Decepticon]] leader [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], and both forces relocate to Earth as the race to find them begins.

On Earth, the Autobots befriend three human children named [[Coby Hansen|Coby]], [[Bud Hansen|Bud]] and [[Lori]], who aid them in locating the [[Omega Lock]], the control device for the Cyber Planet Keys' power. With new "Cyber Key Powers" awakened in them, the Transformers battle on many fronts, searching for the Lock on Earth while [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] head for [[Velocitron]], the "Speed Planet", resting place of the first key. As Hot Shot competes in the planet's grand racing championship to win the key from planet leader [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]], the Lock is located on Earth in the bulk of the crashed Transformer spaceship the ''[[Atlantis]]''. Soon after, Autobot [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] heads for the next world, [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]], where the power of its Cyber Planet Key reformats him into Leobreaker. Megatron ingratiates himself with Jungle Planet ruler [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], while at the same time, his scheming lieutenant [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] teams up with the mysterious [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]], working towards his own goals.

Ultimately, the Autobots succeed in acquiring the Keys of both Velocitron and Jungle Planet, at which point the existence of Earth's own Cyber Planet Key is revealed. Starscream makes his power play and overthrows Megatron, stealing the Omega Lock and all three keys from the Autobots and using them to grow in size and power. Their forces bolstered by the ancient Autobots from Earth and the arrival of [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]], who combines with Optimus Prime, the Autobots fight their way through a vengeful Megatron and defeat Starscream - but the battle is not without casualties, as Hot Shot, Red Alert and [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] are gravely wounded and rebuilt into the even more powerful [[Cybertron Defense Team]].

Returning to Cybertron, the Autobots use the Omega Lock and Cyber Planet Keys, which awaken the spirit of their deity and creator, [[Primus]] and transform Cybertron itself into the god's body. After a battle in which Starscream taps the power of Primus and grows to planetary size—only to be defeated by Primus himself—the location of the fourth and final key is determined as [[Gigantion]], the Giant Planet. Bested by Gigantion's leader [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]], Megatron taps into the power of Gigantion's Cyber Planet Key to become Galvatron. Sideways, now joined by the equally mysterious [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]], reveals himself to be an inhabitant of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], a world destroyed by the Gigantions, upon whom he and Soundwave seek revenge. Galvatron blasts them and Starscream into another dimension and finally acquires the Lock and Keys for himself, intending to use their power to accelerate the universal degeneration caused by the black hole and remake the cosmos in his own image. Vector Prime sacrifices his life to get the Autobots back to Cybertron, and the five planet leaders confront Galvatron within the black hole and defeat him. With all the Cyber Planet Keys now in his possession, Primus uses their power to finally seal the black hole, ending its threat.

As the planet's various civilizations attempt to return to life as normal, Galvatron attacks the Autobots for one final time. Without any troops to call his own, Galvatron engages Optimus Prime in a one-on-one duel, and is finally destroyed for good. With this final victory, Optimus Prime begins a new space bridge initiative, and the Transformers set sail for the four corners of the universe, and new adventures.

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''Cybertron Native'''

* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] ([[Paul Dobson]])
* [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul/Leobreaker]] (Paul Dobson/[[Dave Ward]])
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] ([[Richard Ian Cox]])

'''Speed Planet Native'''

* [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]] ([[Lisa Ann Beley]])
* [[Brakedown (Cybertron)|Brakedown]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Clocker (Cybertron)|Clocker]] (Brian Dobson)

'''Jungle Planet Native'''

* [[Snarl (Cybertron)|Snarl]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Backstop (Cybertron)|Backstop]] (Scott McNeil)

'''Earth Native'''

* [[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]] ([[Ty Olsson]])
* [[Crosswise (Cybertron)|Crosswise]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

'''Giant Planet Native'''

* [[Metroplex (Cybertron)|Metroplex]] ([[Ron Halder]])
* [[Quickmix (Cybertron)|Quickmix]] (Michael Daingerfield)

'''Others'''

* [[Vector Prime]] ([[Richard Newman]])
* [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] ([[Sam Vincent]])

'''[[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]]'''

* [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]]
* [[Recon Mini-Con Team]]
** [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
** [[Reverb (Cybertron)|Reverb]]
** [[Six-Speed]]

|c2=
'''Cybertron Native'''

* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]] ([[Mark Oliver]])

'''Speed Planet Native'''

* [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]] ([[Louis Chirillo]])
* [[Dirt Boss (Cybertron)|Dirt Boss]] ([[Michael Donovan]])

'''Jungle Planet Native'''

* [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]] ([[Trevor Devall]])
* [[Undermine]] (Mark Oliver)
* [[Brimstone (Cybertron)|Brimstone]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

'''Earth Native'''

* [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] ([[Maryke Hendrikse]])
* [[Lugnutz]] (?)

'''Giant Planet Native'''

* [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] ([[Sam Vincent]])

'''Planet X Native'''
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Ted Cole]])
* [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] ([[Robert O. Smith]])
* [[Laserbeak (Cybertron)|Laserbeak]]
* [[Noisemaze Mass Production Type Version]]
* [[Laserbeak drone]]

'''Other'''

* [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] ([[Dale Wilson]])
* [[Nemesis Breaker]]

|c3=
'''Regulars'''
* [[Coby Hansen]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Bud Hansen]] ([[Ryan Hirakida]])
* [[Lori]] ([[Sarah Edmondson]])
* [[Lucy Suzuki|Dr. Lucy Suzuki]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Colonel Franklin|Colonel Mike Franklin]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Tim Hansen]] ([[Terry Klassen]])

|c4=
* [[Primus]] ([[Michael Donovan]])
* [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal drones]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Cybertron episodes}}

{{collist|4|
# [[Fallen (episode)|Fallen]]
# [[Haven|Haven]]
# [[Hidden|Hidden]]
# [[Landmine (episode)|Landmine]]
# [[Space|Space]]
# [[Rush|Rush]]
# [[Speed|Speed]]
# [[Collapse|Collapse]]
# [[Time (episode)|Time]]
# [[Search|Search]]
# [[Deep|Deep]]
# [[Ship|Ship]]
# [[Hero (episode)|Hero]]
# [[Race|Race]]
# [[Detour (episode)|Detour]]
# [[Savage (episode)|Savage]]
# [[Sand|Sand]]
# [[Champion|Champion]]
# [[Ice|Ice]]
# [[Honor|Honor]]
# [[Primal|Primal]]
# [[Trust (Cybertron)|Trust]]
# [[Trap|Trap]]
# [[Invasion|Invasion]]
# [[Retreat|Retreat]]
# [[Revelation (episode)|Revelation]]
# [[Critical|Critical]]
# [[Assault|Assault]]
# [[Starscream (episode)|Starscream]]
# [[United (episode)|United]]
# [[Cybertron (episode)|Cybertron]]
# [[Balance|Balance]]
# [[Darkness (episode)|Darkness]]
# [[Memory|Memory]]
# [[Escape (episode)|Escape]]
# [[Family|Family]]
# [[Titans|Titans]]
# [[Warp|Warp]]
# [[Giant|Giant]]
# [[Fury|Fury]]
# [[City|City]]
# [[Ambush|Ambush]]
# [[Challenge|Challenge]]
# [[Scourge (episode)|Scourge]]
# [[Optimus (episode)|Optimus]]
# [[Showdown (episode)|Showdown]]
# [[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]
# [[Homecoming (episode)|Homecoming]]
# [[End|End]]
# [[Unfinished|Unfinished]]
# [[Beginning|Beginning]]
# [[Inferno (episode)|Inferno]] ("Lost" episode)
}}

==Differences with ''Galaxy Force''==
[[Image:GalaxyForcevsCybertron.jpg|thumb|150px|right|It rarely got this extreme.]]In contrast to ''Armada'' and ''Energon'', the dubs of which had stuck quite closely to their original Japanese counterparts (unrelenting plethora of errors notwithstanding), ''Cybertron'' went to much greater lengths to localize ''Galaxy Force''. English scripts for the series were written by [[David McDermott]], [[Marc Handler]], [[Seth Walther]], [[Stephanie Sheh]] and [[James W. Bates]] (but the series does not include episode writer credits, so precisely who wrote which episodes is left unknown).

On the most basic level, dialogue was frequently re-written, sticking to the ''intent'' of the original but adding many more colorful turns of phrase, flavor and character, doing away with much of the formality and unflappability with which the Autobots handled every situation (a common trait of the Autobots in Japanese ''Transformers'' cartoons). ''Cybertron'' would also ''add'' more dialogue to scenes that were silent in ''Galaxy Force''; in particular, the show's extensive use of [[stock footage]] was livened up with new dialogue from characters as they transformed. Paraphrased dialogue from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' was common. The show's soundtrack mostly remained unaltered; the only new music was a new theme tune recorded by [[Paul Oakenfold]], which was often used during transformation stock footage (but not with 100% consistency) and would sometimes be extended to replace the background music of the scenes that immediately followed said transformations. In other, more sparing instances, music would be replaced with ''different'' pieces from the original soundtrack; usually, this involved replacing melodramatic or "evil" music with more exciting tracks to ramp up action sequences.

A few aspects of the plot of the series were consistently modified or excised by the ''Cybertron'' dub, while some were created whole cloth. For instance, one of most notable changes of the series was the transformation of the male Nitro Convoy into the ''female'' Override, at the request of Cartoon Network. Other examples include the removal of suggestions in early ''Galaxy Force'' episodes that Coby had an unsteady relationship with his family, and the notion that Cybertron was consumed by the black hole in the first episode (since the characters were able to return to the planet later in the series without ill effect). In terms of newly-created ideas, ''Cybertron'' justified the continued presence of the Autobots' human allies Coby, Bud and Lori after their usefulness had realistically ended by crafting the concept of the [[Omega Frequency]], the signal of the [[Omega Lock]] which only they could hear, making them necessary in the search for the Lock and Keys. This particular example is indicative of ''Cybertron'''s efforts to make as much technical and logical sense as it could, where ''Galaxy Force'' was content to hand-wave many things off with [[Burning justice|Burning Justice]]. Innumerable times in the course of the cartoon, characters glow with energy that comes from nowhere; while ''Galaxy Force'' does not address this strangeness, treating it as a normal thing for Transformers to do, ''Cybertron'' regularly inserts explanations, or at least has the characters react in an amazed fashion to this unusual thing that is happening to them.

Outside of these major overarcing examples, there are sometimes other changes both major and minor made to the content of individual episodes for numerous reasons. TFWIKI.Net notes such changes on the individual episode articles.

==Praise and criticism==
With the bad taste of ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' still lingering in the mouths of the fandom, ''Cybertron'' had a long way to go to make itself seem like an appealing prospect. On the English side of things, it generally succeeded: the show's dub is ''much'' more polished, lacking the myriad errors that had plagued the previous shows and bringing many distinct voices and accents into the mix, along with numerous pop-culture and ''Transformers'' references. Since the scripts had comprehensible context and some actual ''work'' put into them, the voice actors were likewise able to turn in stronger performances than they had in prior years. This effort was not appreciated by all viewers, unfortunately; those who had previously viewed subtitled ''Galaxy Force'' episodes online objected to the English dub taking greater liberties and occasionally altering aspects of the series, and were not shy about letting people know it.<ref>[http://www.shortpacked.com/blog/comic/book-3-is-totally-gay/05-iacon-one-sketches/screwball/ The result of people watching the subbed version first.]</ref>

Like ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' before it, ''Cybertron'' was animated using shaded [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] for the Transformers characters, and cel animation for most everything else. Though [[GONZO]]'s ''Cybertron'' work was more advanced than that of [[Actas Inc.]] and [[Studio A-CAT]]'s work in ''Energon'', the CGI still suffers from most of the problems of its predecessor, including a restricted range of motion, a tendency for the Transformers to stand around like statues, and crude walk cycles. Few facial expressions exist beyond "mouth open" and "mouth closed" (though to the animators' credit, there is an occasional smirk, smile, growl, etc. And Optimus Prime at one point manages to look furious ''with his mouthplate up''.) The shading techniques used on the Transformer characters also means they look very strange alongside their traditionally-animated human cohorts.

There is a sense that ''Cybertron'' actively attempts to avoid the main problem that plagued ''Energon''—that is to say, running out of plot. Consequently, while the basic plot of ''Cybertron'' is far more focused and coherent than that of ''Energon'', its first half is quite ponderous and drawn out, ''especially'' in the case of the [[Velocitron]] story arc, in which ''thirteen solid episodes'' are taken up by race after generic race, doing ''very'' little to advance the plot. Conversely, then, in the final quarter of the series, the stories of [[Gigantion]] and [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] seem ''very'' truncated, as if the drawn-out first half left no room to see these plots through to their fullest extent.

In addition, ''Cybertron'' delights in the use of [[Stock footage|stock transformation sequences]], using them to pad out episodes like the cinematic equivalent of Styrofoam packing peanuts. What's worse, even the ''battle scenes'' frequently recycle the same "two characters charging at each other, their fists colliding in mid-air" stock footage.

==Continuity==
As noted above, the Japanese version (''Galaxy Force'') originally treated the story as a stand-alone, unconnected to any previous story. The American version draws connections to the ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' cartoons, but various incongruities still exist:

* In general, nobody really seems to remember the events of ''Energon''. The Autobots act as though they've never been to [[Earth]] before and have no familiarity with its culture, despite having spent ten years there in places like [[Ocean City]].
* The Autobots are utterly dependent on the three human kids to help them blend into human society, when they previously had numerous human allies including Dr. Jones and his family, Rad, Alexis & Carlos, and the innumerable human inhabitants of Ocean City and the other Cybertron settlements on Earth.
* Likewise, despite the Autobots' presence being fairly common knowledge in ''Energon'', it is considered urgent to hide the Autobots from Earth's population in ''Cybertron''.
* The Energon cities themselves are never seen or mentioned.
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] both have distinctively different voices than in the previous cartoons. [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] has essentially the same voice, but with a newly added accent. Also, Red Alert seems to have a bit more emotion and acts less mechanical as he did in Armada.
* Formerly prominent characters like [[Rodimus (Energon)|Rodimus]], [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], the [[Omnicon|Omnicons]], and Kicker have vanished without a word; new characters [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] and [[Scattorshot (Cybertron)|Scattorshot]] appear out of nowhere; and Red Alert returns after being absent for all of ''Energon''.
* Returning characters are ''all'' in brand-new bodies with no explanation.
* When he first combines with [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Leobreaker]], Optimus Prime declares that he's never heard of two Autobots combining into one before. This is a rather odd statement, considering that such combinations were commonplace during ''Energon'', and Optimus himself had been combining with other Autobots since ''Armada''; given later events, it's possible he was referring to the specific manner in which they combined, though this is at best an awkward rationalization.
* Nobody seems surprised that Megatron and Starscream are alive and well again.
* The grand black hole is explained as a by-product of "Unicron's destruction". In ''Energon'', that event happened in [[Alpha Q's universe|Alpha Q's alternate universe]], a fact that's not mentioned in the show. Likewise, Cybertron was last seen in that same alternate universe. It's not much of a stretch to assume the Autobots moved it back where it came from, but in that case, why is it so close to the black hole?
* The collapse of the Energon sun would mean that everything the Autobots fought for during ''Energon'' was in vain, and Alpha Q's worlds would die again, left in darkness without a sun and consumed by the black hole. Nobody seems to notice this little setback. To the contrary, Red Alert's report mentions an uninhabited planet that's ''not'' one of Alpha Q's planets as the black hole's first victim.
* Some returning character's personalities, like Wing Saber and Sideways, are different from their portrayals in other series.

Within the show, most of these problems were never directly addressed; the cartoon simply went about telling its story without much regard to previous events. Indeed, vanishing characters and new bodies had previously occurred in the changeover between ''Armada'' and ''Energon'' with equally little attention, though the second show at least established the existence of a ten-year fictional gap between them, making it ''somewhat'' less intrusive (such a gap also exists between ''Energon'' and ''Cybertron'', but it was never noted in dialogue in the series).

However, external material has addressed some of the problems. The [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Cybertron'' comic]] storyline "[[Balancing Act (issue)|Balancing Act]]", for example, [[Vector Prime|Vector Prime]] claims that the Autobots are suffering memory problems, caused by temporal disturbances from the [[Unicron Singularity|Unicron Singularity]]. Jetfire's new accent was explained on the Hasbro web site as a result of time spent on the planet [[Nebulos|Nebulon]].

===Energon comic===
Some fans believe that the cartoon follows the unfinished [[Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic book series]] from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]]. Unsubstantiated rumors to this effect have swirled since the cartoon's debut, though the only "evidence" comes from media outside the cartoon:

* The [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|''Cybertron'' comic]] storyline "[[Balancing Act (issue)|Balancing Act]]", written by Hasbro copywriter [[Forest Lee|Forest Lee]], is set the same universe as the ''Cybertron'' cartoon series. But the story references events from the ''Energon'' comic, such as the [[Mini-Con|Mini-Con]] [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] hooking himself into the Planetary Database — a plot point begun by the [[Energon (comic)|''Energon'' comic]], which would have been carried through if the book hadn't been canceled.

* The bio of the ''Cybertron'' toy [[Scorponok (Energon)|Dark Scorponok]] references his death at the hands of Megatron, as happened in the ''Energon'' comic but not the cartoon. However, this was overwritten when "Balancing Act" depicted Dark Scorponok as being pulled into the cartoon timeline from ''another'' universe.

The idea doesn't solve any problems; most of the contradictions between the ''Energon'' and ''Cybertron'' cartoons also exist between the ''Energon'' comic and the ''Cybertron'' cartoon. The cartoon contains no references to any events of the ''Energon'' comic.

The entire notion of a network television cartoon following up on a comparatively obscure, unfinished comic book seems counter-intuitive; furthermore, Hasbro material has presented many explanations for contradictions between the two cartoons. Why bother explaining why ''Cybertron'' Jetfire sounds different if he's not the same guy seen in ''Energon''? Why have Vector Prime explain the differences between the two cartoons if they're not in the same continuity? It would have been simpler to retract the statement that Cybertron was a sequel series.

==Home video releases==
===Galaxy Force===
{{main|Victor Entertainment}}
The ''Galaxy Force'' version of ''Cybertron'' was released on DVD by Victor Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air. Several of the DVDs were packaged with exclusive [[redeco]]s of toys, such as a ''Masterforce'' [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]]-themed [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Chromia]] and a ''Generation 1'' [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]]-themed [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Exillion]].
[[Image:Tf galaxy force vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 01 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 02 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 03 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 04 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 05 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 06 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 07 (2005)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 08 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 09 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 10 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 11 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 12 (2006)
*''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' — Vol. 13 (2006)
{{-}}

===Cybertron===
{{main|Paramount Pictures}}
[[Image:Cybertron Ultimate Collection DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
Paramount Home Entertainment released a single ''Cybertron'' disc in 2005 as a follow-up to their four separate ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' releases. They then took some time off to concentrate on the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]] before finally releasing a complete box set in 2008.
*''Transformers: Cybertron'' — A New Beginning (2005)
*''Transformers: Cybertron'' — The Ultimate Collection (2008)

====Other====
Sometime in 2007, a complete DVD boxset of the ''Cybertron'' series was released in Malaysia which, despite initial appearances, was apparently ''not'' a bootleg, given that it was region-encoded (Region 3, to be precise). The set featured two English audio tracks (2.0 and 5.1) and was fully subtitled with an accurate transcription of the English dialogue. All told, this was more than the eventual American release managed. The set also moved "[[Inferno (episode)|Inferno]]", from its ill-sitting placement as episode 52 back to being the second episode on the set.
{{-}}

==Footnotes==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%A9%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9 ''Transformers: Galaxy Force'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Cybertron media]]
[[Category:Cybertron episodes| ]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Carly Spencer

2011-07-28T13:01:37Z

64.75.121.3:

{{disambig3|Carly}}
{{disambig2|Carly Spencer the human from the [[live-action film series]]|the tasty merchandising item|Candy Dispenser}}
:''Carly Spencer is a [[human]] from the [[Dark of the Moon (franchise)|Dark of the Moon]] portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Dark of the Moon Carly Miller.jpg|right|thumb|300px| "HEL-LOOOOO NURSE!"]]

'''Carly Brooks-Spencer'''<ref>"Carly. Carly Spencer. Actually, Carly Brooks-Spencer, but I go by the shorter version these days." —[[Carly Spencer]], [[Dark of the Moon (novel)|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' novelization]] p37</ref> is young, but she's accomplished. Smart, confident, and savvy, she handles even life-threatening situations with an adept calm. She once met [[Sam Witwicky]] at the [[White House]], and will probably bump into him again...

==Fiction==
===IDW movie prequel comics===
[[Image:RisingStorm3-Carly.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Carly: Better Than The Witwicky Kid Since 1985]]
Carly was working a career fair in [[Philadelphia]] when the [[Decepticon]]s targeted Sam Witwicky and his [[Autobot]] friend [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] for harboring their escaped "pet," [[Brains]]. As the place became a battlefield, Carly quickly proved capable of defending herself. Seeing that Sam was about to be killed by [[Space Case (DOTM)|Space Case]], Carly used a weapon attached to one of the fallen Transformers around her to fend off the Decepticon. After saving his ass, they realized that they had met before, albeit under less deadly conditions.

Soon, the pair were saved from subsequent danger by the arrival of the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}}

{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}

===''Dark of the Moon'' film===
:''Actor'': [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] (English), [[Xóchitl Ugarte]] (Latin American-Spanish-language dub voice)

Carly worked at the [[United Kingdom|British]] embassy when she first met Sam in the [[White House]]. Years later, as she moved in with Sam, [[Dylan Gould]] got her a job.
She is captured by the man who works for the [[Decepticons]]. [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] saved [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] by killing [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] with his sword. [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] kiss after the battle.
{{charstubfiction}}

==Notes==
*Carly's last name was erroneously given as "Miller" in an [http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2011_transformer_dark_of_the_moon_001.html image caption] at AllMoviePhoto.com.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Spencer, Carly}}
[[Category: Dark of the Moon humans]]
[[Category: Fiction-only characters]]

Kup (Animated)

2011-07-25T13:35:33Z

64.75.121.3: /* Animated cartoon continuity */

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Kup}}
[[Image:Kupanimated.jpg|thumb|275px|Grouchy and old as the [[Pit]]. He and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] would get along.]]
:''Kup is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

'''Kup''' held the rank of [[Minor (rank)|Minor]] when he was a member of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]], but now that he's retired, so is his old title. He was formerly a drill sergeant at [[Autobot boot camp]], where he trained many Autobots of note, including [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]], [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] and [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Hot Rod]], and you can tell that Kup is good at his job by the fact that these three all went on to gain the title of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. On the surface, Kup is a snarling, no-nonsense, tough-as-nails 'bot whose dedication to his job was second to none, but underneath all the barked orders and [[cy-gar]]-sucking, worthy cadets found there was a kind Autobot with a wealth of experience to share.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
After the war of [[Cybertron]] was over, Optimus spoke Kup on the command center screen aout the [[AllSpark]] that the [[Decepticon]] war ended on the 20th centuries ago. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Transform And Roll Out}}
A thousand [[units of time|stellar cycles]] ago, Kup trained Optimus, Sentinel and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] in boot camp, giving each of them their names for their optimism, vigilance and snobbish attitude, respectively. He had no lost love for Sentinel in particular, and was not happy about his appointment to the rank of [[Magnus]] a millennium later.

Eight hundred stellar cycles ago, Kup found himself with a particularly vexing class consisting of [[Blaster (Animated)|Blaster]], [[Quickslinger (Animated)|Quickslinger]], [[Skram (Animated)|Skram]] and one bright-red, horn-honking, flame-painted Autobot who ground his gears the wrong way on sight. Aggravating by this turbo-revving young punk's attitude, Kup dubbed him "Hot Rod". Kup was soon to discover he had misjudged Hot Rod during a live-fire training exercise, when Skram dropped a grenade that rolled right next to Kup. The old 'bot thought he was done for, but before he could even react, Hot Rod had thrown himself on top of the grenade to protect his teacher. Fortunately for all concerned, the grenade turned out to be a dud, but Kup could see that the young hothead had the qualities of a genuine hero. Hot Rod ultimately made it into the [[Autobot Academy]] a decade before the rest of his class, and became Rodimus Prime.

By the 22nd century, Kup had retired from service, but still kept his eye on Rodimus, and was aghast to hear of his crippling encounter with [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] while fighting the [[Decepticon]]s' [[Team Chaar]]. Kup blamed himself for not being there to protect his old charge, believing that he should have been the one to fall. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Kup's design was developed with a view to including him in the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' cartoon, but was abandoned before being completed. It was eventually finalized for ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
*Kup's character model shows him with a cy-gar in his mouth, a trait taken from [[Kup (G1)|Generation 1 Kup]] in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[All Hail Megatron]]''.

[[Category:Almanac-only characters]]
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Elderly Transformers]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]

Kup (Animated)

2011-07-25T13:34:33Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Kup}}
[[Image:Kupanimated.jpg|thumb|275px|Grouchy and old as the [[Pit]]. He and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] would get along.]]
:''Kup is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

'''Kup''' held the rank of [[Minor (rank)|Minor]] when he was a member of the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]], but now that he's retired, so is his old title. He was formerly a drill sergeant at [[Autobot boot camp]], where he trained many Autobots of note, including [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]], [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]] and [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Hot Rod]], and you can tell that Kup is good at his job by the fact that these three all went on to gain the title of [[Prime (rank)|Prime]]. On the surface, Kup is a snarling, no-nonsense, tough-as-nails 'bot whose dedication to his job was second to none, but underneath all the barked orders and [[cy-gar]]-sucking, worthy cadets found there was a kind Autobot with a wealth of experience to share.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
After the war of [[Cybertron]] was over, Optimus spoke Kup on the command center screen aout the [[AllSpark]] that the [[Decepticon]] war ended on the 20th centuries ago. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Transform and Roll Out}}
A thousand [[units of time|stellar cycles]] ago, Kup trained Optimus, Sentinel and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] in boot camp, giving each of them their names for their optimism, vigilance and snobbish attitude, respectively. He had no lost love for Sentinel in particular, and was not happy about his appointment to the rank of [[Magnus]] a millennium later.

Eight hundred stellar cycles ago, Kup found himself with a particularly vexing class consisting of [[Blaster (Animated)|Blaster]], [[Quickslinger (Animated)|Quickslinger]], [[Skram (Animated)|Skram]] and one bright-red, horn-honking, flame-painted Autobot who ground his gears the wrong way on sight. Aggravating by this turbo-revving young punk's attitude, Kup dubbed him "Hot Rod". Kup was soon to discover he had misjudged Hot Rod during a live-fire training exercise, when Skram dropped a grenade that rolled right next to Kup. The old 'bot thought he was done for, but before he could even react, Hot Rod had thrown himself on top of the grenade to protect his teacher. Fortunately for all concerned, the grenade turned out to be a dud, but Kup could see that the young hothead had the qualities of a genuine hero. Hot Rod ultimately made it into the [[Autobot Academy]] a decade before the rest of his class, and became Rodimus Prime.

By the 22nd century, Kup had retired from service, but still kept his eye on Rodimus, and was aghast to hear of his crippling encounter with [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] while fighting the [[Decepticon]]s' [[Team Chaar]]. Kup blamed himself for not being there to protect his old charge, believing that he should have been the one to fall. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Kup's design was developed with a view to including him in the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' cartoon, but was abandoned before being completed. It was eventually finalized for ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
*Kup's character model shows him with a cy-gar in his mouth, a trait taken from [[Kup (G1)|Generation 1 Kup]] in [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[All Hail Megatron]]''.

[[Category:Almanac-only characters]]
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Elderly Transformers]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]

Transform and Roll Out

2011-07-25T13:29:38Z

64.75.121.3: /* Featured characters */

{{disambig2|the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]] multi-part episode|the command|roll out}}
{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFA_TFandRollout_AutobotHeroes.jpg
|caption=''Epic''
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|next2=Sound and Fury
|ep=1, 2 and 3
|next=Home Is Where the Spark Is
|title="Transform and Roll Out"
|airdate=[[December 26]], [[2007]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by= [[Matt Youngberg]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]] [[Minoru Yamaoka]] [[Makoto Fuchigami]]
|animation studio= [[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}
'''When a small crew of maintenance Autobots comes into possession of the powerful AllSpark, a battle with their long-forgotten enemies sends them crashing toward a strange, distant planet known as... ''Earth.'''''

==Synopsis==
===Part 1===
In deep, deep space, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] watches a history vid of the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], prompting [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] to complain about him watching that "junk" when the other members of the crew need assistance. Prime wonders if they were designed for more than repairing [[space bridge]]s. The two 'Bots transform into their vehicle modes and head out into the asteroid field.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout TheAllsparkdiscovered.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Well... at least there's no [[Size changing|mass-shifting]].]]
Outside, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], dangling from a high rock by his wrecking ball (and becoming quite queasy in the process), is freed by [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], who also ends up taking a tumble. Bumblebee complains about the sheer amount of rocks blocking the space bridge node, and one is shattered unexpectedly by [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]'s throwing star. Prime gives his troops a speech about teamwork (which Prowl moans at theatrically), but at that point the space bridge lights up, sending rocks and Autobots flying. Fancy footwork by Optimus saves each of his teammates from the debris, and a well-aimed grappling line shuts down the bridge. With his subordinates stunned at their leader's skills, Prime is forced to admit he trained at [[Autobot Academy|Cybertron's military academy]]. Bumblebee's query as to what the heck he's doing on a nowhere maintenance assignment is left unanswered as they notice something glowing in the rubble.

Prime clears away the debris to reveal a large, chest-like object. Ratchet is horrified and immediately demands they throw it back into the space bridge, but an alert from [[Teletran-1]] announces the arrival of a signature consistent with the long-lost [[Decepticon]]s. Ratchet then insists they take the object and just get out of there post-haste.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Decepticonship.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Yes, this is a scout ship. Way to go, Magnanimous.]]
On board [[Teletran-1|their ship]], Ratchet finally reveals what they've found: the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], the source of all Transformer life that was lost centuries ago. Optimus, worried about the oncoming Decepticon signal, contacts the [[Cybertron Elite Guard]] for help. After taking a bit of snark from [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], Optimus reveals what they found, which shuts Sentinel up fast. Sentinel then puts the crew through to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], who tells Optimus Prime to stay put while they send reinforcements... and not to worry about that Decepticon thing. Optimus, considering this to be a really stupid move, orders the crew to start booking it out of there.

[[Image:Ani crew.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Scotty, engage!]]
This proves wise, as the signal is indeed a Decepticon ship—a [[Nemesis (Animated)|command ship]], in fact. The identification markings are ones that Optimus and Ratchet recognize, meaning its commander can only be one person: [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], leader of the Decepticons. On board the Decepticon ship, [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] doubts the AllSpark is aboard the Autobot ship and declares Megatron a fool. [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] denounces Starscream as a traitor, while [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] calls Lugnut an idiot for his blind loyalty and [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] just acts... well, crazy. The Decepticons continue to bicker at each other until Megatron enters, shutting up all of them. The Decepticons chase the Autobot ship, and Starscream volunteers to board them. Megatron quickly shoots that idea down. Just before he leaves, Starscream wishes his commander "luck" with a pat on the back... affixing a bomb to Megatron in the process.

Megatron makes his way to the Autobots' ship and begins to melt his way through its hull. Optimus uses external manipulator arms to grapple with Megatron, until the bomb detonates, sending the ship careening uncontrollably into a space bridge node, which explodes after they go through the gate. Starscream begins to make a speech declaring himself the new Decepticon leader, but the other three have abandoned ship, noting that the fireball from the space bridge explosion is only getting larger. Too late, Starscream realizes the trouble he's in...

An unknown distance away, the Autobot ship reappears above a [[Earth|small blue and green planet]]. Prime checks on his troops, but Megatron has gotten aboard, having survived the explosion, but at the cost of his right arm. Prime uses his grappling line to shut off the gravity, making it more difficult for Megatron to fight. All five Autobots face off against the Decepticon, but he's too strong (though Prowl does manage to cut off Megatron's damaged arm). Prime and Megatron both end up in the storage bay where the AllSpark is... and as the ship enters the atmosphere, Prime is able to blow the hatch and kick the screaming Megatron out of the ship.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Arkatmosphere.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Oddly familiar.]]
On a small farm, a young boy hears a thud and runs to where something has landed in a not-too-distant field. He is shocked to find a robotic head staring lifelessly up at him.

Meanwhile, Prime orders his team into emergency stasis pods to prepare for a crash-landing. He manages to steer the ship away from the city below and gets to a stasis pod just before the ship plunges into [[Lake Erie]].

Fifty years later, [[Detroit]] is once again a thriving city, but instead of manufacturing automobiles, robots are the city's stock-in-trade. [[Isaac Sumdac]] is talking to a public school class taking a tour of his facilities, which gets interrupted by Isaac's daughter, [[Sari Sumdac]], and her robot dog, [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]]. As Sari is carted off to her lessons by a [[Tutor Bot|robot tutor]], Isaac shows the school kids a nanotech lab, just in time to witness a roach infused with microbots grow out of control and start consuming everything in sight. Isaac tries to keep things calm, but the monster bursts out of the lab...

===Part 2===
[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Firefighters monster.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Yeah, watering it will surely stop the beast.]]
The monster continues to grow, absorbing just about everything it touches to increase its size and power. In the process, it destroys a lot of the factory. [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]], the S.W.A.T team, the fire department, ambulances, and robot drones arrive, but the creature absorbs several of the responding vehicles, too. Fanzone uses a bazooka-type weapon and destroys the beast, despite Sumdac's objection. This protest proves well-founded, as the remnants of the creature start flowing back together again, save for one piece that drops into the nearby lake and works its way down to the Autobots' ship, its nanites seeking the absorbable technology there. It infiltrates via a small breach in the outer hull, but thankfully, the ship's intruder alert systems are functional and awaken the Autobots before any damage is done. Examining the situation, they decide to have Teletran-1 give them Earth forms so they can blend in and help out. A probe is launched into the chaos and scans various vehicles, including an ambulance, a police motorcycle, an armored personnel carrier, a fire truck, and [[Captain Fanzone's car]]. Everyone deploys except Ratchet, who remains behind to analyze the sample of alien material.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Autobots.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Avengers]], ASSEMBLE!]]
During the fight, Bulkhead and Bumblebee spot Sari trying to wrest her security key from Sparkplug's mouth. Mistaking which is owner and which is pet, they approach her, but Bulkhead's greeting only scares her away. She quickly gets nabbed by the monster, but Bumblebee saves her, earning her trust and friendship. Prowl attempts to take on the bug-slug by himself, against Prime's orders, and gets absorbed. Prime orders Ratchet to join them in battle to save Prowl, but the old veteran insists that finding a "cure" code to neutralize the nanites' programming makes more sense than coming out and getting trashed. A somewhat chastened Prime agrees, and Ratchet soon delivers the goods. However, the new program must be uploaded by direct contact—meaning from inside the monster. This means the smallest, fastest one of them has to do it. Bumblebee reluctantly takes on the task. The beast has been using some of Prowl's absorbed intelligence and comm link tech, though, so it knows what they're planning and is now smart enough to fight back. Despite this, Bumblebee succeeds in delivering the code, and the bug dissolves into a dusty shower of deactivated nanites. Prowl is soon uncovered, but he's suffered grave wounds and must be taken back to the Autobots' ship for repairs. Sari pesters Bumblebee to be taken along, and her new friend reluctantly agrees, since there's no time to make her go away quietly.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Sari followedmehome.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Bumblebee, having a pet is a big responsibility.]]
Once on board, Sari's refusal to stay still and quiet causes 'Bee some embarrassment. He quickly and discreetly ejects her into a ventilation port and joins the others. However, the port opens onto a shaft that takes Sari right to the chamber where the AllSpark is being kept. Curious, she touches it, and it reacts to her, sending its energies into her security card key and reconfiguring it into [[AllSpark Key|a key of another sort entirely]]. Prime finds her almost immediately thereafter, but with no time left to spare away from Prowl, he has to bring her back with him to the repair table. Ratchet's prognosis is bleak, but the [[AllSpark Key]] abruptly reacts, glowing and tugging her toward Prowl. Bumblebee, seeming to grasp what's happening, helps her onto the table, and as she approaches, her Key reshapes itself to fit into a slot on Prowl's chest. She inserts it, and with a burst of energy, the Autobot ninja is whole again. The Autobots then take Sari home and, after a brief misunderstanding, are made heroes and are even invited to a ceremony.

In outer space, Starscream sits aboard the damaged but functional Decepticon ship, babbling that he will find the AllSpark, even though he's been attempting it on his own for the last fifty solar cycles. The ship's computers then detect the traces of AllSpark-like energy in action, and Starscream learns where the Autobots are...
{{-}}

===Part 3===
[[Image:Sariprime.jpg|right|150px|thumb|INSERT WHAT WHERE?!]]
The Autobots are later seen trying to fit in. Bulkhead gets firsthand experience in traffic jams, some birds mistake Prowl for the statue of the [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|bald guy]] next to him, Bumblebee learns how organics fuel up, and Ratchet can't get a stasis nap without getting a dozen or so parking tickets. Optimus Prime remarks that the Autobots are programmed to respect life, which they always understood to stem from the AllSpark, but as organics are life, they must respect and protect them too. Optimus also expresses curiosity about how little organics are made. Sari's whispered explanation leaves him rather... shocked. The Autobots make a new home base out of a building Sari's dad got out of a merger, an abandoned auto factory that Bumblebee describes as a real fixer-upper—a REAL fixer-upper. All of a sudden, they get alerted to a fire. The Autobots proceed to douse the blaze and save its victims, no problem, unaware they are being watched by Starscream.

The next day, during the inauguration ceremony for the Sumdac [[Fully Automated Rapid Transit System]] (F.A.R.T.S., for short), Starscream enters Earth's atmosphere and takes on a group of fighter jets. He destroys all but one, which he scans. As the civilians and Autobots watch the aerial display of the [[Crimson Angels]], Isaac Sumdac notices there is an extra jet present that he didn't hire. That one jet then leaves the formation and streaks toward the ceremony platform, where it transforms into Starscream, who fires his null-ray cannons at the Autobots.

After a short fight, which the Autobots lose, Starscream knocks out Bumblebee and takes him, Isaac, the mayor, and Capt. Fanzone hostage in the F.A.R.T.S. train, flying it to the top of a very tall tower. He demands that the Autobots deliver the AllSpark if they want him to release the train car. The Autobots don't trust him, but don't want to risk human lives, so Sari offers a plan, but they ignore her. She continues to tell a sob story until the Autobots listen. The Autobots proceed with her plan, and Prowl and Sari fly up to the transit pod to rescue the hostages while the other Autobots keep Starscream busy. Once Starscream realizes what's happening, he takes a brief beating but recovers quickly. Starscream then throws the train—thus keeping his end of the deal—with Sari, Prowl, and Bumblebee on top of/in it. Between Bumblebee's agility and Prowl's thrusters plus Ratchet's magnets, Sari is rescued and the train lands without much damage. The Autobots then challenge Starscream to a friendly game of Keep Away, during which Starscream almost gets the AllSpark, but Bulkhead gets it instead, because he said he got it. A furious Starscream unleashes a devastating, prolonged (as in nearly 12 seconds) null-ray blast on the Autobots, briefly knocking them all senseless.

[[Image:TFA TFandRollout Prime SS Allsparkactivates.jpg|left|150px|thumb|In the old days, [[The Touch]] would have started playing now.]]
With the Autobots down, Starscream takes the AllSpark from Optimus and blows a couple of blocks of Detroit right off the map. Not ready to give up, Optimus climbs all the way up a building to get it back from Starscream, which Starscream doesn't see coming because he was too busy gloating. After a quick back-and-forth exchange of possessing it, both grab it at the same time. As they struggle, the AllSpark opens and emits a strange energy wave that blasts Starscream away.

The explosion has left Prime dangling precariously, and he takes a tremendous plummet to the pavement. He notes weakly that he now knows what it feels like to be a hero, then dies, but Sari uses the AllSpark Key to revive him.<ref>[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This is something of an Optimus Prime record]]: Dead after only three episodes, revived a mere 75 seconds later. Way to go.</ref> The Autobots later go about fixing up Detroit, earning the enduring gratitude of the citizenry. Professor Sumdac is also grateful, for the Autobots saved him and Sari, but he fears what will happen if the Autobots—not to mention the rest of the world—were to discover the source of his robotic empire.

Unseen by Sumdac, one of the [[Sensors|optics]] of his source of technology glows in a darkened room. Megatron still functions...
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters|
c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (4)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (5)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (6)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (7)
*[[Kup (Animated)|Kup]] (19)

|c2=
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (8)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (9)
*[[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (10)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (11)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (12)

|c3=
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (13)
*[[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel]] (14)
*[[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]] (15)
*[[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] (16)
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (17)
*[[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] (18)

|c4=
*[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|The ''Orion'']] ()
*[[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] ()
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
*[[Burger Bot]] ()}}

==History vid==
{{quote|Many millions of years ago, war raged between the forces of the heroic Autobots and the brutal Decepticons for control of the planet Cybertron. The Autobots battled valiantly in the name of honor—their courageous exploits bringing hope and glory to a beleaguered war-torn planet, and inspiring countless generations of robots yet to come on-line.|Narrator}}
Scene 1: Decepticon troopers attack led by their commander. Their numbers appear overwhelming. 
Scene 2: Two tetrajets pursue two Autobots over a Cybertronian highway. 
Scene 3: [[Omega Sentinel (Animated)|Omega Sentinel]]-like robots counter-attack the Decepticon troopers and appear to turn the tide. 
Scene 4: Transport trucks enter a storage facility. 
Scene 5: An inspired Transformer salutes.

==Quotes==
"Do you ever get the feeling that you were programmed for something more than just repairing space bridges?" 
"I got a diagnostics program that can delete that feeling like a bad line of code."
:—'''Optimus Prime''''s dreams are crushed to a fine powder by '''Ratchet'''

"Know what? You're even uglier at this angle!"
:—'''Bumblebee''' is about to realize there are some things you should never, EVER, say to a Decepticon.

"Hi, I'm Bumblebee!" 
"I'm Sari." 
"Oh, don't be, I like my name."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Sari''' are off to an awkward start.

"Y'know, all things considered, fixin' space bridges wasn't such a bad gig."
:—'''Bumblebee''', just before embarking on the plan to dissolve the bug monster

"Uh...am I going to be able to ''breathe'' down there?" 
"Oh, sure! ...What's 'breathe'?"
:—'''Sari''' is in good hands with '''Bumblebee'''.

"And to think, Ultra Magnus told me not to be a hero. Is this what it was like in your day?" 
"The Decepticons didn't leave us very much to cheer about."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' at the ceremony

"Enjoy it while you can, 'heroes.' You're about to take a fall."
:—'''Starscream''', watching a news report on the Autobots

"Give up the AllSpark or give up the Earth. How am I supposed to decide?" 
"Heroes are the ones who make the hard choices."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Ratchet''' after Starscream makes his ultimatum

"Let go, Autobot!" 
"Never! The AllSpark is life!" 
"Then, let it end yours!"
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Optimus Prime''', fighting over the AllSpark

"So, this...is what it feels like...to be a hero."
:—'''Optimus Prime''', just before dying

"Fixing bridges? Isn't this where we started out?"
:—'''Bumblebee''', as the Autobots clean up the city

==Notes==
===Animation or technical glitches===
*Megatron's vehicle mode was depicted flying upside-down, or backwards, or possibly both. To be fair, in space, there is no up and down (and to be even fairer, it's really hard to tell from the toys exactly what ''is'' the front of Megatron's Cybertronian spaceship mode), but that does not excuse the fact that any propulsion system used would be in the ''back'' of the mode.
*When the Autobot get into the stasis pods, Prime, Bulkhead, and Ratchet are on the left side, with Bumblebee, Prowl, and an empty pod on the right, in that order. Yet when they get out later in the episode, Prime, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead are on the left, and the empty one, Prowl, and Ratchet on the right.
*As pre-Earth Prime enters the chamber which will re-format his body into his Earth mode, he walks past Ratchet, who is drawn mostly in his pre-Earth mode, except for the fact that his Cybertronian gut is replaced with his ambulance gut. In the next scene, Ratchet is properly drawn, pre-Earth gut and all.
*When Sari says to the Autobots it is okay to put down their hands, Bulkhead's face is black.
*When Starscream tackles Optimus Prime through a building as the Autobot tries to escape with the AllSpark, Optimus's axe is missing from Starscream's left wing. It reappears moments later for Optimus to retrieve it.
*In at least one scene, Starscream's Earth-form wing is shown with a spike, in the same manner as his Cybertronian body.

===Continuity errors===
*There was a pretty big continuity error evident in the show's very premise that nobody really picked up on, which was: if the AllSpark was the source of Transformer life, and it was jettisoned into space at the end of the Great War, and most of Prime's crew weren't ''alive'' during the Great War... how did they come on-line? Despite the fact that nobody was asking the question, the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]'' guidebook provided the answer by revealing that there is also a version of [[Vector Sigma]] in the ''Animated'' universe that could also grant life.
*The train Starscream blasts from the tower falls toward the ground very, very slowly.
*When we first meet Starscream, he states that he has been searching for the AllSpark for fifty ''solar'' cycles. In later episodes, a solar cycle is equivalent to a day and a ''stellar'' cycle is used for years. This is the only time a solar cycle has been used to reference years, so either Starscream entered some sort of temporal anomaly or someone messed up. For more <s>confusion</s> information, See [[Cycle|this page]].
*Sumdac is using Megatron's hand as a chair. However, he seems to be using the right hand, which was blown up by Starscream. (It ''could'' have fallen off the Autobots' ship, as it was still clinging to the hull when last seen, but that seems unlikely.)
*From Isaac Sumdac's monologue, it seems he ''somehow'' knows the source of this technology has some relation to the Decepticons. But, not only he has no way of knowing that, he [[Blast from the Past|later]] believes Megatron when he presents himself as an Autobot.
*Or, when he expresses his concerns, he could just have meant him dissecting one of their kind.

===Transformers references===
*The title of the episode itself is a [[Roll out|reference to past Transformers lore]].
*Footage from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] episodes "[[War Dawn]]" and "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" is used as history tapes detailing the events of the first [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]], millions of years prior. [[Canon|This]] has been confirmed as purely an in-joke, and should not be taken as linking ''Animated'' to G1, continuity wise.
*The [[Teletran-1|Autobot ship]] here bears a distinct resemblance to the [[Ark (G1)|Ark]], albeit with a colour scheme more reminiscent of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. (As we learn [[A Bridge Too Close, Part II|much later]], there is [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a very good reason for that]].)
*Bumblebee says "[[Rattrap|We're all gonna die.]]"
*Sari's robotic dog [[Sparkplug (robot dog)|Sparkplug]] is likely named after either [[Sparkplug Witwicky]] from G1, the ''Armada'' Mini-Con [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]], or both.
[[Image:Spikecarlydanielanimated.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Twenty years later, and they're still overdressed.]]
*Characters resembling [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike]], [[Carly]], and [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] are seen at a hot dog stand, purchasing some sort of futuristic bunless wieners-on-a-stick. The characters went on to become recurring figures in the background cast of the show, and in "[[Garbage In, Garbage Out]]" it was revealed that their names were... [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]], [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly]] and [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel Witwicky]].
*When Optimus Prime dies, his body fades to grays, just as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Generation 1 Optimus Prime]] did in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''. His spark chamber opens in much the same manner as well.
*Teletran-1 (spelled with only one "a" in this universe) dispatches a small satellite very similar to the [[Sky Spy]] satellite used on occasion by the Autobots in the ''Generation 1'' cartoon. The glowing energy "boxes" with which it scans vehicles for the Autobots to transform into are lifted wholesale out of "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]".
*At one point, Bulkhead refers to Optimus as "Boss-bot", echoing an epithet used for ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] by the [[Fuzor]] [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]].

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Transformar e Avançar!'''" ("Transform and Advance!")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Transformation'''"
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Transformieren und Abfahrt'''" ("Transform and Roll Out")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[May 3|3 May]] [[2008]] (Part 1), [[May 10|10 May]] 2008 (Part 2), [[May 17|17 May]] 2008 (Part 3)

'''Japanese (Part 1)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Shinshō! Transformer'''" (新章! トランスフォーマー, "A New Chapter! Transformers")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[April 3|3 April]] [[2010]]

::*The episode begins with the entire [[Otoboto family]] gathered as Yūka and Tatsuya tell the viewers in unison to watch in a well-lit room (to prevent seizures and damage to your eyesight, you know).
::*As the [[title sequence]] begins, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] asks how everyone is doing, then introduces himself as leader of the Autobots. When he realizes nobody knows who he is, he ''assures'' them that he's leader of the Autobots. Then the [[Transformers Evo.|theme song]] starts.
::*'''Cut:''' Ratchet and Optimus's conversation as they walk down a hall, where Prime refers to feeling like being meant for "more than just repairing space bridges", and Ratchet's snarky response about deleting that feeling "like a bad line of code".
::*'''Cut:''' Bulkhead's comment on their medic being always grumpy, Ratchet responding to Bumblebee's age crack with a smack upside the head and the retort of "I may have one servo in the scrapheap, but I can still hear!".
::*The usual cries of "Transform!" and attack names are added in. ([[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s "stingers" are now called "Energy Stingers", for instance.) Perhaps most annoyingly, ''every single thing Optimus does'' has the prefix of "Ultra" added to it. In the span of ten seconds, he goes through his "Ultra Anchor", "Ultra Axe" and "Ultra Net" attacks.
::*'''Cut:''' After shutting down the space bridge, the following sequence where Ratchet is repairing Bumblebee, Bulkhead commenting about Optimus's moves, Optimus reluctantly admitting that he used to train at the Academy, and Bumblebee saying that he should've been with the Elite Guard.
::*'''Cut:''' Ratchet's poking back at Optimus wanting to see some action, Bumblebee pointing out they're repair bots, Optimus requesting a link with Cybertron Command Headquarters and Bulkhead impressed by it.
::*[[Teletran-1]] now speaks as though "she" is in a state of perpetual orgasm.
::*When the Autobots first happen upon the ''[[Nemesis (Animated)|Nemesis]]'' and all freak over [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], a new [[scene transition]] is added when transitioning into the discussion between the Decepticon forces. A guitar riff of the classic Generation 1 scene transition music is even used.
::*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]]'s personae now speak with thick American accents, and spout English words like "Hey!" and "Man!"
::*New [[commercial bumper]]s have been crafted, featuring stock art of the characters with their voice actors screaming their name, followed by "Transform!"
::*'''Cut:''' [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]'s entire speech on the bridge ("This is a dark day...") followed by him getting caught in the explosion.
::*When Bulkhead tumbles into Optimus, following his line "A little warning would have helped!", he screams out "Mommyyyyyyy!" Yeah, Japanese Bulkhead ain't so smart.
::*'''Cut:''' After Megatron is kicked from the ship, the establishing shots of Paw Paw (the street sign, the outside of the barn and the scroll across [[Isaac Sumdac]]'s lab).
::*'''Cut:''' Following Prime's line "Not until I've steered us clear of this populated sector!", the brief scenes of the Autobots being sealed in their stasis pods.
::*'''Cut:''' As soon as the ship crashes into Lake Eerie and leaves a stream of upturned water on the surface, the scenes of the ship sinking and Teletran-1 "initiating emergency stasis mode" on the pods as they turn grey. The episode resumes at the long shot of the sinking ship slowly coming toward the camera, with a new voice-over of Teletran-1 telling the Autobots "good night".
::*'''Cut:''' As Isaac Sumdac narrates the history of Detroit and automaton manufacturing, the scene of the trash-collecting automaton has been cut.
::*'''Cut:''' The scenes of [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] pulling the bubblegum off her face, eating it, the crowd reacting in disgust, Isaac Sumdac reacting in frustration, the kid asking Sari what its like to grow up around robots and [[Tutor Bot]] hauling Sari off.
::*'''Cut:''' After the cockroach absorbs the nanobot liquid, all the scenes involving Isaac Sumdac explaining the nanobots to the children and the children looking through microscopes at the nanobots. The sequence cuts to the roach growing bigger.
::*'''Cut:''' The close-up of Isaac Sumdac saying "Nothing to be concerned about, children!" and the kid remarking that "This accident doesn't look too happy". The sequence cuts to the roach crashing through the window behind him.
::*The Otoboto Family segment features [[Hiroyuki Otoboto]] telling his son, [[Tatsuya Otoboto]], about ''[[The Transformers (cartoon)|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'', complete with clips from "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]", as well as a brief musical clip from the songs "Time Bomb Town" (by Lindsey Buckingham, from the ''Back To The Future'' soundtrack) and "Fairy Godmother Song" (from the ''Shrek 2'' soundtrack). Mr. Otoboto then produces a complete set of ''Animated'' Autobot toys. Tatsuya is thrilled, but wouldn't ya know it? [[Megumi Otoboto|Mrs. Otoboto]] comes in with dinner! During mealtime conversation, Mrs. Otoboto makes the mistake of using the word "transform", which inevitably causes Tatsuya to start talking about Transformers, much to the amusement of his father and the annoyance of his older sister, [[Yūka Otoboto|Yūka]]. Tatsuya then causes a "freeze frame" so that he can introduce himself and his family (messing with his father's glasses in the process for his own amusement). Oddly, despite being "frozen", everyone proceeds to blink. As time resumes its normal pace, Hiroyuki wonders what happened to his glasses. He then digs into his dinner, except, oh no! It's too hot! ''Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!''
::*During the "next episode" segment, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee proceed to have an argument. Bumblebee thinks Optimus's name is too long and hard to remember. Bumblebee suggests that "[[Convoy (rank)|Convoy]]" would be better, but Prime shoots the idea down immediately. Bumblebee opts to call him "Opti" (''Oputi''), since it has fewer syllables. Prime refuses to be called such a name (more fitting for a dog), so Bumblebee settles on "Pu-Pu" after "Opera" (''Opura'') is also rejected for sounding weird. Prime refuses that too, thinking it sounds cute, but that it would be hard not to laugh instinctively at it. Bumblebee then tricks Prime into answering to it, which frustrates him even ''further''. The argument proceeds ''past'' the "next episode" segment and straight into the sponsor cards.

'''Japanese (Part 2)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Eiyū, sono Na wa Autobot'''" (英雄、その名はオートボット, "The Heroes Are Called Autobots")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[April 10|10 April]] [[2010]]

::*Hiroyuki and Tatsuya Otoboto tell the viewers in unison to watch the episode in a well-lit room (with Hiroyuki giving a creepy wink at the end).
::*Instead of Optimus introducing at the opening, Bumblebee introduces himself and tells viewers to listen to [[JAM Project]]'s [[Transformers Evo.|cool song]].
::*'''Cut:''' The rush of emergency vehicles driving through the city, alongside the following scene of Fanzone getting into his car, preparing to enjoy lunch at Burger Bot, and receiving the emergency call before departing.
::*'''Cut:''' Fanzone arriving at Sumdac laboratories, his little dilemma with the broken megaphone, and his first directions to the police force.
::*Optimus now has "Ultra Jump" added to his "arsenal" as he distracts the nano-monster.
::*Bulkhead now says "''dosukoi''" on occasion, a word usually used by [[Wikipedia:Sumo|sumo wrestlers]].
::*'''Cut:''' The left-to-right pan of the ruined laboratory where the tour had taken place.
::*'''Cut:''' Much of the flying debris from the monster falling into the ocean.
::*During the [[trans-scan|trans-scanning]], Teletran-1 announces the type of vehicle being scanned and the Autobots as they are reformatted.
::*'''Cut:''' Fanzone noticing the four vehicles confronting the monster and attempting to call them back before noticing that they are unmanned and include his own car.
::*'''Cut:''' Immediately after the previous cut, the scene where Bulkhead and Bumblebee attempt to converse with the police drones while fighting the monster.
::*The joke on Sari's name—"I'm Bumblebee." "I'm Sari." "Oh, don't be. I like my name." "No, I mean my name is..."—is somewhat altered. Instead, Bumblebee "corrects" her that ''he's'' not named "Sari" (the pun involving "I'm Sari" sounding like "I'm sorry" not working in the Japanese language, obviously).
::*'''Cut:''' After Bumblebee takes Sari into the parking garage, Fanzone's and Dr. Sumdac's observation of Bumblebee and his unknown purposes, and the ordering the police drones to save Sari.
::*Bumblebee counts off while disabling the police drones, and he has an extra line even though his mouth doesn't move.
::*'''Cut:''' Ratchet's comment on Optimus being a "typical [[Autobot Academy|Academy Bot]]", along with a shot of the computer analysis of the monster.
::*'''Cut:''' Sari's gasp when Bumblebee is jumping at the monster.
::*When Sari reassures Ratchet that humans "don't usually blow up things" with emergency symbols, Ratchet comments about being treated kindly.
::*'''Cut:''' After Dr. Sumdac shakes hands with Optimus at the ceremony, Optimus's comment regarding not being a hero, his question to Ratchet about things being "like this in your day", and Ratchet's rather ominous response.
::*'''Cut:''' After the ceremony, the foreshadowing scene in which Starscream is seen monologuing in the crashed ''Nemesis'' on the Moon.
::*For the Otoboto family segment, Hiroyuki and Tatsuya are playing on the living room carpet with their toys (Hiroyuki and his Optimus Prime against Tatsuya and his Bumblebee). Filled with nostalgia, Hiroyuki begins describing the Autobots and the roles of each character to the audience, only to have Tatsuya beat him to the punch by ending all his sentences. Suddenly, they hear a crashing sound coming from the kitchen. Hiroyuki and Tatsuya rise to the occasion, shout "Transform!" and "change" into Optimus Prime and Megatron t-shirts (accompanied by their own dramatic "transformation" sequences). But before they can battle the forces of Evil stirring up trouble in the kitchen, they first have to sit back down on the living room floor and transform their toys into vehicle mode. (So, what if there was a burglar beating your wife, dude?) As Hiroyuki completes the transformation of his Optimus toy, we are assured that the "adventure" of the Otoboto family will be continued next episode.
::*In the "next episode" segment, Bulkhead asks Ratchet about the name "Transformers Animated", and Bulkhead then mistakenly tells viewers to watch "Transformers Anime". Ratchet later jokes about shortening the title to "Tra-Ani" because the original title is a bit long.

'''Japanese (Part 3)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''AllSpark no Himitsu'''" (オールスパークの秘密, "Secret of the AllSpark")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[April 17|17 April]] [[2010]]

::*This time, it's mother and daughter, Megumi and Yūka Otoboto, who tell viewers to watch the episode in a well-lit room.
::*Starscream does the intro in a rather...perky manner.
::*'''Cut:''' The ''whole'' sequence of the Autobots integrating themselves into Detroit: Bulkhead walking through rush hour traffic, Prowl's encounter with the birds' "present", Bumblebee ordering at Burger Bot, Ratchet getting ticketed for napping in a no-parking zone, Sari traumatizing Optimus on human reproduction, and the Autobots checking out their new "home".
::*During the sequence in which the Autobots are responding to the building fire, there are some additional lines and a tweak: The entire team sound off their names while heading on scene; Bumblebee jokes about calling in [[Wikipedia:Tomica Hero: Rescue Fire|Rescue Fire]], to which Bulkhead responds by breaking the fourth wall, "That's a different show"; and the news reporter's coverage/praise of the Autobots doesn't mention "Detroit" by name and lasts until the scene changes to Starscream watching from the ''Nemesis''.
::*Sumdac says "480" on introducing the F.A.R.T.S.'s speed, which makes sense, as Japan uses the metric system and 300 miles equals to 482.803 kilometers.
::*'''Cut:''' Optimus commenting to Ratchet on being constantly called "heroes" and not feeling any different than repairing space bridges before, and Ratchet's response on the grim ends of the "heroes" he's known and his reluctance to share their fates.
::*During Starscream's attack on the jet fighters, one of the pilots shouts additional "Mayday!"s, to which Starscream retorts that "It's not 'Mayday', it's Starscream! Remember it!"
::*'''Cut:''' Panning shot from the top of Michigan Central Station down to the gathered Transformers.
::*When Starscream claims he's the "new boss" (literally) of the Decepticons, Bulkhead corrects him instead of saying that he thought Megatron was in charge.
::*Extra lines: both Ratchet and Prowl after the station crumbles; Starscream has one before Prowl tricks him with a hologram and another while dragging Optimus about after Prime uses his grappling hook.
::*'''Cut:''' Optimus declaring his name after Starscream demands the AllSpark. Cuts right to Starscream tossing Bumblebee into the transit pod.
::*Starscream's gloating while circling Sumdac Tower before Optimus baits him with the AllSpark.
::*When Sumdac asks how Sari got up the tower, Prowl's line is changed from "Same way you're getting down," to "By me, father." Fanzone's "This is why I hate machines!" catchphrase during the trip down is also tweaked.
::*Fanzone seems to be screaming for his grandfather as Prowl is dropping down to the blimp.
::*Additional line for Starscream when Ratchet tries to stop him with his magnetic manipulators.
::*Add "Ultra Spray" to Optimus's list of "Ultra" attacks when he sprays Starscream with fire retardant foam twice. Oy...
::*Bumblebee has an extra line while trying to attack Starscream when the latter realizes the jig's up.
::*Prowl calls out to Bumblebee when the train is knocked over the edge, and Starscream shouts "Dual Sonic Blaster" on sending all three into free fall.
::*Joining Bumblebee's ''"Ikimasu!"'' and Bulkhead's ''"Dosukoi!"'', Prowl's verbal tic is ''"De aru!"'' (Literally, "to be" in formal speech.)
::*Bulkhead's rhetorical question on catching the train on the first bounce is changed to a vow to do his best.
::*Instead of shock absorbers, Sari asks if Bumblebee has a parachute.
::*Ratchet has "Magnet Power" as his attack call when he catches the youngest pair, Sari's "some shock absorbers" line is altered, Prowl has "They're floating." as an extra line, and Bumblebee thanks Ratchet. Optimus's "think fast" line is delayed to just as he throws the AllSpark, and the medic's "Aw, crud." line is changed to objecting on being called "gramps" by Bumblebee.
::*While Sari calls the game "Keep Away" in English, here it's changed to Tag, or 鬼ごっこ (''oni-gokko'').
::*Instead of going on how fast one can stop, Bumblebee talks about hitting the goal.
::*Bulkhead's "I said, 'I ''got'' it.'" is altered after he clocks Starscream and gets the AllSpark.
::*Starscream yells that the show isn't over yet when he attacks the Autobots again just as Optimus is contemplating on getting the AllSpark to a safe place.
::*Instead of responding that it's Detroit when Optimus asks whether he's in the Well of AllSparks, Sari just welcomes him back. Another line change is that she tells Bulkhead that humans also cry when they're happy, instead of the Autobots having much to learn about humans.
::*'''Cut:''' The news reporter covering the Autobots' rescue and repair efforts, Bumblebee commenting how they started out on fixing bridges, Sumdac's lament of his robotic empire's origin, and the camera pan to Megatron's head.
::*In this Otoboto family segment, Hiroyuki whips out his cellphone and goes into full chatting mode. Tatsuya wonders what kind of work his father does and whether it's actually work, as he usually sees Hiroyuki playing with Transformers figures almost all the time. Tatsuya then flashbacks to last week, when, after transforming their figures to vehicle mode, father and son are racing Optimus and Bumblebee before encountering Yūka's feet. Yūka thinks her father is quite the man-child and hands over a card from someone whom Hiroyuki thought passed away three years earlier.
::*The Autobots discuss their favorite sports player during the "next episode" segment, Optimus citing [[Wikipedia:Shuzo Matsuoka|Shuzo Matsuoka]] as his favorite, much to the others' disappointment. As Prime waxes poetic about Matsuoka's passion and energetic character, he doesn't realize that his teammates have already left.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Transformacja i jazda'''" ("Transform and Roll Out")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[October 11|11 October]] [[2008]] (Parts 1 and 2), [[October 12|12 October]] [[2010]] (Part 3)

===Trivia===
*In this episode, [[Tutor Bot]] tries to teach Sari about the [[wikipedia:Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act|Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act]], a major economic blunder of the 1930s.
*Bumblebee's voice is slightly different in this episode from how it sounds later, as is Lugnut's voice, which seems very metallic.
*When Prowl gets birdpooped on, he is standing next to a statue of [[wikipedia:Hazen_S._Pingree|Hazen S. Pingree]], four-term mayor of Detroit and one-time governor of Michigan. In real life, the statue is located in Detroit's Grand Circus Park.
*A refurbished Michigan Central Station makes an appearance as the site for the dedication of Detroit's rapid transit system. The real-life station (abandoned since the '80s) was featured in the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 live-action movie]].
*When mocking the Autobots, Starscream actually calls Megatron "the great Megatron" without any sarcasm. Apparently, he'll only give a sincere compliment to his leader when he's insulting something else. Either that or he's just trying to make ''himself'' sound more impressive by building up the reputation of the one he's defeated.
*When Optimus comes back to life, he asks, "Is this the [[Well of All Sparks]]?" and Sari answers, "No, it's Detroit." This is an allusion to the movie ''Field of Dreams'', in which Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) asks Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), "Is this Heaven?" and Ray answers, "No, it's Iowa."
*According to responses at a panel at BotCon 2008, the unfortunate acronym for Fully Automated Rapid Transit System was totally unintentional...which makes it that much funnier.
*Ratchet is able to use his front windshield as a video screen.
*Several elements present in this opener were changed/dropped in the main series, including expressive vehicle modes, the replacement of solar cycles with stellar cycles in terminology, the recolouring of Ratchet's magnetism from yellow to pink, and Sari's Key changing shape. However, the expressions on vehicle mode were briefly used again by [[Wasp]] in the episode [[Predacons Rising]].
*During [[Sari Sumdac|Sari's]] "conversation" with the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]], it shows her the faces of Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream, then the Cybertronian [[Alternate mode|vehicle modes]] for Optimus and Ratchet, the AllSpark's case and the [[Teletran-1|Autobots' ship]]. Then Sari unknowingly shows the AllSpark a man in a suit, a woman, a boy, the planet [[Earth]], pyramids, purple flowers, a horse, an aircraft with a giant cloud coming from the back, a cell and a DNA strand. The woman has dark skin and red hair like Sari.
*This movie was (lovingly) lampooned at the [[MSTF]] panel for [[BotCon 2008]], along with "[[War Dawn]]", the episode from which most of the "history vid" footage was taken.
*It's Detroit. There are guns everywhere. Why are the humans using ''water'' to take down the monster?
*In this episode, Starscream's engines use a sound effect borrowed from ''The Phantom Menace'': the sound made by Sebulba's podracer engines.
*In the Japanese dub, Bumblebee mentions ''Rescue Fire'', which is another [[TakaraTomy]] property that's based on Takara's Tomica toy car line. Prior to ''Animated''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Japanese debut, it aired in the same timeslot and channel as ''[[Cybertron (cartoon)|Galaxy Force]]'' did.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of UN.png|20px|International release]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — The Battle Begins ([[Pack-in material|Hasbro]]) — Part 1 only. 
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Transform and Roll Out ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Transform and Roll Out (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Transform and Roll Out (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Transformieren und Abfahrt (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 1 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

== Footnote ==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated episodes]]
[[Category:MSTF]]

The Elite Guard

2011-07-25T13:07:39Z

64.75.121.3: /* Featured characters */

{{disambig2|the '''Transformers Animated''' episode|the Autobot military team featured in this episode|Cybertron Elite Guard}}
{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=Eliteguardleaveshuttle.jpg
|caption=The cool kids always arrive fashionably late.
|ep=17
|ep2=16
|prev2=Megatron Rising - Part 2
|next2=The Return of the Headmaster
|title="The Elite Guard"
|airdate=[[April 12]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Rich Fogel]]
|directed by=[[Matt Youngberg]] [[Irineo Maramba]] [[Yutaka Kagawa]]
|animation studio= [[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''The Cybertron Elite Guard arrives on Earth to retrieve the AllSpark and relieve Prime and his crew of their post, but they prove less than adept at blending in with the human world.'''

==Synopsis==
On the extensive highway system of [[Detroit]], the [[Autobot]]s are aiding in the repair efforts after their titanic battle with the [[Decepticon]]s. Unfortunately the residents of the city don't seem to ''understand'' that the road system was blown to rubble by the battle, and are upset that the Autobots are holding up traffic. Optimus Prime heads over to address their concerns, and they flee in fear. Bulkhead comments that he liked it better when they were heroes, to which Optimus retorts that they still are. All of them wonder what the heck has happened that Bumblebee isn't there helping them.

[[Image:Super secretary.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Sure thing, dollface!]]

There's no reason for them to be jealous though, as the little yellow bot has been pressed into service as Sari's secretary at [[Sumdac Tower]]. The little girl realizes that there's a lot of pressure in running a business, and feels sorry for her father's having had to deal with this. Porter C. Powell is less patient, and expresses a fairly cold attitude towards her "wasting" company funds on locating the genius who designs all the company's myriad robotic technologies. Sari yells at him that as long as the company's name is Sumdac she's in charge, cuts him off, and tells Bumblebee to hold her calls. Bumblebee tells the "Boss Lady" sure, but points to the TV, showing an unidentified flying object headed for Detroit, saying she might want to look at that.

[[Image:Elite ship.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Those Elite guys always got ships that could actually land.]]

Spotting it, the Autobots speed to the scene, only to be met with some justified resentment by Captain Fanzone. However they are allowed to pass once the [[Steelhaven (Animated)|ship]] is revealed to be crewed by Autobots. Sentinel Prime, Jazz, and Ultra Magnus step out of the ship, while Optimus Prime and company walk up the gangplank, giving Magnus a salute. The [[Supreme Commander]] orders a force field thrown up to quarantine the entire area from organics. Jazz is interested in interacting with the locals, but quickly loses his interest when Sentinel Prime warns that they'll spit slime that will melt him down.

Sentinel is assigned to decontaminate the long-lost Autobot crew, a task he takes to with relish until he is interrupted by Jazz for overdoing it. Released, the Autobots are informed that the [[Cybertron Elite Guard|Elite Guard]] have come to retrieve the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]]. Optimus explains that it was dispersed in the battle with the Decepticons, a fact that Sentinel accuses him of lying about, saying there is no evidence of the Decepticons being on the planet. Ratchet says that Optimus is a hero for keeping the AllSpark out of Megatron's hands, while Bulkhead nearly comes to blows with Sentinel after the out-of-line guardsman says that Optimus is anything but a hero. Ultra Magnus orders the Autobots to calm down and tells Optimus to take him and Sentinel to where the AllSpark was dispersed, though he insists that Optimus Prime's crew remain with Jazz until they return. The two Elite Guardsmen have some very unsubtle [[alternate mode]]s, chosen by Sentinel (Magnus is a military transport and Sentinel is a monster truck with a snow plow), and damage some cars near the ship as they [[roll out]]. Optimus tries to instruct them on the finer points of traffic laws, but Sentinel rams him aside without any regards for driver safety. He pays for this by driving off a damaged bridge and crashing into the ground below.

[[Image:Lair.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Meanwhile, in the evil lair...]]

Elsewhere, the Decepticons have holed themselves up in an underground mine with carbon deposits to hide them from the Autobots' sensors. Lugnut wants to go topside and fight, but his arm falls off mid-rant. Besides, Megatron has other priorities: the conquest of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Although Blitzwing thinks that the three of them conquering Cybertron is crazy, Lugnut [[Apeface|strikes him with his own severed arm]], telling him to never doubt Megatron, though he does admit that he'd like to know Megatron' plan. According to Megatron, the reasons the Decepticons lost the [[Great War (Animated)|Great Wars]] were due to the Autobots' possession of the AllSpark and [[space bridge]] technology. However, Megatron was able to download a partial schematic from the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobot ship]] before his defeat. A completed space bridge would allow the Decepticons to teleport into Cybertron and conquer the planet from the inside. The rest of the space bridge's schematics, however, would have to be reverse-engineered by Isaac Sumdac, who is still the Decepticons' prisoner. Sumdac says that he doesn't know anything about teleportation, but a malfunctioning service drone gets him to shut up. Megatron blasts the drone and discovers that a piece of the AllSpark is embedded in its circuitry. This gives Megatron hope that the AllSpark was not entirely destroyed and could still be salvaged...

[[Image:Freaked jazz-1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!]]

At a Sumdac Systems manufacturing plant, an assembly line building [[police drone]]s has been embedded with a piece of the AllSpark, and the drones begin to go haywire. Powell tells Sari what is happening, but refuses to do anything about it. Sari decides to free the Autobots, using the [[AllSpark Key]] to move through the shield and get onto the ship. Tripping an alarm, Sari is soon confronted by Jazz, who tries to coax her off the ship without provoking her. Realizing Jazz is afraid of her, Sari scares the [[Slag (slang)|slag]] out of the poor bot. Optimus's crew arrive and explain that Sari is harmless. Sari tells them what's going on at the plant, but Jazz says they need to stay with him. Bumblebee says that Magnus didn't specify where, and Jazz, wanting to try out his stylish alternate mode, goes with them to the plant.

On [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], Optimus warns Sentinel and Magnus about the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]], who take that moment to jump out, but Sentinel is unworried. Grimlock's [[transformation]] and flaming sword are a little more impressive, especially as they manage to force back Sentinel Prime, even through his shield. Ultra Magnus uses his hammer to call down lightning and scare away the Dinobots, while Sentinel appears to have learned nothing.

[[Image:TFA Elite Guard Optimus console slice.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Optimus Prime Tech Support, at your service!]]

Arriving at the plant, the police drones attack the Autobots. Jazz shows off his [[Metallikato]] skills, and Bulkhead smashes and smashes, but there is just no end to the drones. Magnus and the Primes arrive to provide backup, but Sentinel thinks that they should abort rather than risk organic contamination. Optimus, Prowl, and Jazz force their way into the plant and get Sari to a control console, into which she places the AllSpark Key, shutting down the assembly line, and Magnus uses his hammer to destroy the rest of the drones. Unfortunately, the Key is stuck. Sentinel Prime says that he'll see Optimus tried for insubordination and high treason for destroying the AllSpark, but Optimus finally tells Sentinel to shove it in his hard drive, reminding him they are of equal [[Prime (rank)|rank]]. Using his axe, Prime destroys the console and discovers that the Key was attached to a piece of the AllSpark. Examining it, Ultra Magnus accepts Optimus Prime's story. Sentinel still tries to badmouth Optimus, saying he's a liar, but Ultra Magnus finally puts Sentinel in his place, saying Optimus has demonstrated strategic thinking, determination, and loyalty towards his comrades—all qualities that Sentinel Prime could use.

[[Image:Dramatic change in plot.jpg|right|180px|thumb|See that, Pat Lee? It's called an expression!]]

Heading home, Sari and Bumblebee find that she has been locked out of her office. Powell says that he's been elected CEO and Chairman of the Board, and is now head of Sumdac Systems. Sari still insists that it's her family's company, but Powell reveals that there is no will or adoption papers from Isaac Sumdac, nor does Sari have a birth certificate or social security number. As Sari realizes that she has no way to prove that she is Sumdac's daughter, Powell puts it even more bluntly—there's no evidence to prove that she legally exists...
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (2)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (3)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (4)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (5)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (9)
*[[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (10)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (11)
*[[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (16)
*[[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (17)
*[[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (18)

|c2=
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (12)
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (13)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (14)

|c3=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (6)
*[[Porter C. Powell]] (7)
*[[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] (8)
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (15)
|c4=
*[[Tutor Bot]] ()
}}

==Quotes==
"This is completely unnecessary, Sentinel!" 
"Can't risk an infestation, 'old buddy'. Take it like a real bot."
:—Undergoing "decontamination", '''Optimus''' rediscovers that '''Sentinel''' is a jerk.

"Man, that was some funky blinkin' colored light show! What'd you call those things again?" 
"Traffic lights?" 
"Traffic lights. Solid."
:—'''Jazz''' discovers the wonderful world of commuting with the help of '''Bulkhead'''.

"What kind of screwloose planet IS this?!"
:—Between broken bridges and now Dinobots, '''Sentinel Prime''' isn't having a good day.

'''Bulkhead''': It's no good! These things are rolling off the assembly line faster than I can smash 'em! 
'''Jazz''': Is it always like this on this crazy planet? 
'''Prowl''': Pretty much.
:—Jazz learns that Prime's crew has anything but a quiet life.

'''Sentinel Prime''': I think you've done enough, Optimus! I'll make sure you're tried for high treason for destroying the AllSpark! Now come with me! 
'''Optimus Prime''': No! 
''[Shoves Sentinel aside]'' 
'''Sentinel Prime''': That wasn't a request. That's a DIRECT ORDER, Optimus! 
'''Optimus Prime''': It's Optimus PRIME. I may be an Elite Guard washout and a glitch-detail flunky, but the last time I checked, you and I still had equal rank. SO, Sentinel PRIME, take your order AND your condescending attitude, and STICK IT IN YOUR HARD DRIVE! You're on MY TURF now! 
:— Optimus is officially sick of Sentinel Prime's crap.

"Definitely appears to be a fragment of the AllSpark. Apparently, your story about dispersing it may not be so far-fetched after all." 
"But sir, you can't honestly believe that. He's a lying, insubordinate crankshaft." 
"He may be a little rough around the edges, but in the heat of battle, Optimus Prime exhibited the qualities of a true leader: strategic thinking, determination, and above all, loyalty. Something ''you'' could stand to learn a thing or two about, Sentinel Prime."
:— '''Ultra Magnus''' lets '''Sentinel Prime''' know how much of an Auto-Ass he is.

[[Image:No Sari Sumdac.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"And you—YOU no longer EXIST!"]]

"Hey, why is my office locked?" 
"Miss Sumdac, I regret to inform you that your services will no longer be required. The board has unanimously elected me to take over as CEO of [[Sumdac Systems]]." 
"You can't do that! It's still my family's company!" 
"Is it? I took the liberty of doing some research into your claim. It might interest you to know that there is no will, no birth certificate, no adoption papers, social security number, or any kind of record whatsoever for a 'Sari Sumdac'." 
"Are you saying I can't prove I'm Isaac Sumdac's daughter?" 
"I'm saying you can't even prove you exist."
:—'''Sari''' and '''Porter C. Powell''' create a drastic change in plot.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* When the Elite Guard first appear on the ramp of their ship, Jazz is missing the arrow decal on his crotch.
* When Sentinel Prime is asking for proof that the Allspark was not completely destroyed, in the next shot, Bumblebee is seen missing the plate on top of his head. It comes back in the next scene.
* When Optimus is walking down the ramp reassuring the humans that the other Autobots are friendly, Sentinel Prime can be seen in vehicle mode coming down behind him. Yet in the next shot after Optimus has transformed, Ultra Magnus is the first to follow suit.
* When the Autobots go to check out the drones, they take shelter behind a bunch of crates as the police drones fire on them. ''How are the boxes not being blasted to bits?''
===Continuity errors===
* Captain Fanzone is ''still'' driving [[Captain Fanzone's car|the car]] that was crushed! He must know [[Sparkplug Witwicky|one hell of a mechanic]]. Or he's obsessive enough to buy an identical car.
* Jazz says he has orders to "stick with you" [Optimus's crew], to which Bumblebee is delighted to inform him about the loophole. But really, the order was to stay "here" [on the ship]. So either Jazz forgot his orders, or [[Tracks (G1)|cared more about his vehicle mode]].

===Transformers references===
* This episode reveals that both Prowl and Jazz are practitioners of the Cybertronian martial art of [[Metallikato]], originally used by the Generation 1 character [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]].

* In voicing Ultra Magnus, Jeff Bennett is doing a ''rather'' good impression of [[Robert Stack]], who originally voiced the character in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]], as well as a bit of a take on [[wikipedia:Sir_Alec_Guiness|Alec Guinness]]'s portayal of [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] from the original [[Star Wars]] trilogy. Very cool.

* The giant ship in which the Elite Guard arrives on Earth bears a strong resemblance to the shuttles used by the Autobots in the 1986 movie, only in blue, and a whole lot bigger.

===Foreign dubbing===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''La garde d'élite'''" ("The Elite Guard")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die Elitegarde'''" ("The Elite Guard")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 15|15 July]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Elite Guard'''" (エリートガード)
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 17|17 July]] [[2010]]
::* Ultra Magnus uses the "Magnus Hammer Thunder Attack" when he wipes out the police drones.

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Gwardzista Elitarny'''" ("The Elite Guardsman")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
* Ultra Magnus' Hammer appears to have been modeled after [[Thor]]'s hammer [[wikipedia:Mjolnir|Mjolnir]].

* Captain Fanzone homages the ''[[wikipedia:Indiana_Jones|Indiana Jones]]'' line, "Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?" replacing "snakes" with "robots".

===Trivia===
*[[News Bot]] and [[Tutor Bot]] are listed as appearing in the episode credits, but do not actually appear. There ''is'' a televised news bulletin regarding the object that would be revealed as the Elite Guard's ship, but the unseen reporter is voiced by [[Jeff Bennett]] instead of [[Townsend Coleman]].
*The Autobots have trouble proving to the Guard that there is Decepticon activity on Earth. There were dozens of human witnesses to the recent battle. Even if the Guard does not trust organic testimony, did ''none'' of the humans have cameras?
*Come to think of it, what happened to the news footage of Starscream Megatron watched when he reactivated?
*Megatron is evidently fully repaired now, while his subordinates are having trouble keeping their arms from falling off. Guy's got priorities, certainly.
*When they're being "decontaminated", Bulkhead remarks that Sentinel doesn't remember them, to which Bumblebee replies that he wants it that way. The meaning of this exchange is revealed in "[[Autoboot Camp]]".
*In the ''Animated'' universe, "Prime" is a military rank, as Optimus forcefully reminds Sentinel.
*It was unclear if either part of Ultra Magnus's name was a rank, particularly since he's commonly addressed as "Commander". Later, in "[[First (and Second) in Flight]]", it was revealed that "Magnus" is a rank.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Two ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Four: Mission Accomplished (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Four: Mission Accomplished (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Vier: Mission Erfüllt (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 5 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

==External links==
* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/dlink/index.html?episodeID=8a25c3921fc6a295011fc995b2760110 "The Elite Guard" streaming video at Cartoon Network] (link functional until 3/03/10)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elite Guard}}
[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Scorponok (Movie)

2011-07-22T15:51:49Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|decepticonfilm}}
{{disambig3|Scorponok}}
:''Scorponok is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Movie Scorponok Procterrender1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|He was great as Scorpitron in the ''Power Rangers'' movie!]]

'''Scorponok''' is a small [[Transformer]] with a symbiotic connection to [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]. Just as Blackout would often be found looming powerful and silent by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], Scorponok is always near Blackout, except in those times he has been sent to kill.

His main drives are to hunt, destroy, and hunt some more, causing many to view him as barely sentient. Others are concerned that he actually be a cunning opponent getting friend and foe alike to underestimate him... and the latter are right.<ref>Character Profile: Scorponok in [[Transformers #9]] (Titan)</ref> In secret, Scorponok has proven to be astonishingly erudite and focused on patient, long-game operations.<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/play/details.cfm?guid=841165f8-19b9-f369-1057-0b57c1e069b6 Scorponok's Battle Bio]</ref>

Since he can tunnel underground with frightening speed, he's incredibly good at ambushing. His favorite pastime is playing Hide and Seek with unsuspecting players, be they robotic or organic. He prefers to be hider ''and'' seeker. On Cybertron, he was deliberately left behind on battlefields so he could use his chameleon mesh armour plating to blend in perfectly with the background, then ambush any Autobot patrols that would arrive. Thanks to this, Megatron gave him more autonomy than other Decepticons would get, as he admired Scorponok's genocidal zeal.

He may retreat, but he'll come back. He kills Autobots. He never gives up.<ref>Character Profile: Scorponok in [[Transformers #9]] (Titan)</ref>

[[Corey Burton]] (English) [[Kino]] (Japanese)
== Fiction ==
===IDW ''Transformers'' movie prequel comics===
Before the war, Scorponok and Blackout were members of the Cybertronian [[Defense Force]] under the authority of [[Lord High Protector|High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. When [[Eshems alien|unknown hostiles]] attacked Cybertron, Scorponok and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] were placed on recon. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}}

During the war, Scorponok and Blackout, who ordinarily never leave Megatron's side, were dispatched to join [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s forces elsewhere on Cybertron while Megatron closed in on the [[AllSpark]]. After the group realized that both the AllSpark and Megatron had left Cybertron, Blackout ended an argument with Starscream over what to do next by deploying the fearsome Scorponok. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}}

Soon after the Decepticons launched a battlecruiser to pursue [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s starship, they were unwittingly led into a trap and crippled by mines. Also damaged was Starscream's forward scout [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]], who was rescued by Scorponok. The Decepticons limped back to Cybertron in humiliation. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

[[Image:HoorayScorponok.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Adorably bloodthirsty.]]
After repairs were made to their ship, they followed the energy signature of the AllSpark to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], then to [[Earth]], where Scorponok adorably helped out in the massacre of a [[United States military]] installation in [[Afghanistan]]. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}}

{{note|IDW's comics thus far have the only two fictional depictions of Scorponok's robot mode (which was designed for the toy) and show that he has always had a scorpion beast mode, meaning it was not a form he assumed once on Earth. His beast mode is just alien enough to work, but you can explain his name yourself.}}
{{-}}

===''Ghosts of Yesterday'' prequel novel===
During the long years of searching for [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], Scorponok was a member of the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' crew. After [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] left the ship temporarily with strict orders that everyone was to stay put, [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] decided to attack the ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'', and Scorponok went along. The small Decepticon managed to grab onto Optimus during the fight, but proved more of a nuisance than anything. Optimus was able to inflict some damage in return, and leave Scorponok struggling to return to the ''Nemesis''.

When the Decepticons later made another attack on the Autobots, Scorponok snuck aboard the ''Ark''. It wasn't until Optimus spotted him moving through the ship that the Autobots were alerted to his actions. [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] was sent to forcibly eject Scorponok, who was ill-equipped to move through space. While Ratchet pressed to the attack, the helpless Decepticon was only saved by an injured Blackout, who was still recovering from a massive beating by Starscream. What a pal. {{storylink|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

===''Transformers'' (2007) film===
[[Image:Movie Blackout Scorponok eject1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Oh, slag, I forgot the Bungee cord!]]

During Blackout's attack on the [[United States military|US]] [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]], the Decepticon helicopter dispatched Scorponok to seek out and destroy an escaped unit under the command of [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]].

[[Image:Movie Scorponok leapsout.jpg|250px|thumb|HUUUGZ!!!]]

The next morning, as the surviving soldiers discussed the attack, Scorponok observed their conversation from a distance while hidden in the sand. Targeting Lennox for elimination, Scorponok followed the unit as they made their way to [[Mahfouz|the human boy's]] village. Choosing his moment to strike just as the men stopped on the outskirts of the settlement, his attack was foiled when [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] saw the metal scorpion tail pointed at Lennox's back and shouted a warning. (Well, it wasn't so much a warning as it was a very, very panicked "''WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!''" followed by gunfire, but hey, it counts.) The other soldiers joined in the firefight as Scorponok dove under the sand to confuse them before fatally impaling [[Patrick Donnelly|Sgt. Donnelly]] and dragging him into the sand below.

[[Image:Scorponok hurt.JPG|left|250px|thumb|*Sniffle* Where'z my hugz?]]

Driving the soldiers into the village, Scorponok fired a barrage of missiles, which destroyed the ruins that the village had grown around and critically injured [[Jorge Figueroa|Figueroa]]. Unfortunately for Scorponok, Lennox's distress call to the [[Pentagon]] had gotten through, and an [[United States Air Force#MQ-1 Predator|MQ-1 Predator]] drone relayed images of the Decepticon to astonished US military commanders. They immediately sent two [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes|A-10 Thunderbolt IIs]] to attack Scorponok, to little effect, then followed up with an [[United_States_Air_Force#AC-130_Spectre|AC-130 Spectre gunship]], which damaged Scorponok enough for him to dive back into the sand and escape, leaving his broken tail behind.

Scorponok's tail was transported back to the States aboard a [[United_States_Air_Force#C-17_Globemaster_III|C-17 transport]]. Lennox, Epps, and several other soldiers examined it en route, which led to the discovery that the only damage the armor didn't either shrug off or quickly heal was the "6000-degree magnesium burn" of a sabot round. Armed with this knowledge, the humans knew they now had a weapon that could hurt the invaders. {{storylink|Transformers (2007)|Transformers}}
{{-}}

===Titan Magazines ''Transformers'' comics===
[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and a team of US Special Forces went looking for Scorponok. (Captain Lennox was originally meant to oversee this mission but was reassigned.) Hunting his hunters, Scorponok attacked Ironhide and took control of his motor functions, having him rampage through the humans. Luckily, one of them was able to sever the connection with a shot, and Ironhide smashed the Decepticon to pieces. {{storylink|Scorpion Sting}}

{{notetitantlg}}
[[Image:SkyblastVersusScorponok.jpg|left|260px|thumb|"DIE, empty space next to Autobot! DIE!"]]

Scorponok spied on a team of Moon-based Autobot reinforcements {{storylink|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}} and later helped [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] battle them. {{storylink|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}}

[[Image:StockadeThrowsScorponok.jpg|right|260px|thumb|...HUUUGZ?]]

''Much'' later, during the [[Decepticon Civil War]], he was Blackout's trump card against [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]]. He not only failed, he was thrown as a ''projectile weapon'' against Blackout. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part Three}}
{{-}}

===Toy bios===
{{notemoviebio}}
Scorponok actually ''led'' the hunt for the AllSpark during the absence of Megatron, and this gave him a taste of command. He happily started using Megatron's own style of super-brutality to keep the troops in line, and looked forward to bumping off his leader and taking full command of the Decepticons. {{storylink|#Deluxe Class toys|Desert Attack}}

The disastrous failure on Earth evidently cocked ''that'' up, as poor Scorpy was left behind by the other Decepticons in the [[Middle East]]. His attempt at remaining out of sight have failed, and he is constantly being pursued by Bumblebee. {{storylink|#Legends Class toys|Legends Scorponok}}

===Titan Magazines ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comics===

[[Image:Titan5_"scorponok!".jpg|thumb|left|250px|I said ''HUGZZZZ'', '''DAMN IT.''']]

Scorponok was part of a scheme to frame [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]: while [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] got himself captured, Scorponok headed for [[Diego Garcia]] and made an attack to free the comrade. He shouldn't have been able to do this without being detected (dun dun dunnnnn) and made sure to attack right when the twins were distracting Optimus Prime. Showing some ball bearings, Scorponok personally shot at Prime before smashing apart Sideways' cuffs.

And then he got clean away! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}
{{-}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen'' movie===

[[Image:ROTF Scorponok death.jpg|thumb|right|250px|I CAN HAZ DETH?]]
During the battle in [[Egypt]] between the Autobots and the Decepticons, Scorponok, having answered [[The Fallen]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] call, lurked beneath the surface of the sand. He struck when the decrepit turncoat [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] was finishing off [[Mixmaster (ROTF)|Mixmaster]], catching the ancient [[Seeker (ROTF)|Seeker]] off-guard and severely wounding him. Scorponok did not live long enough to savour his success, however, as a collapsing Jetfire managed to crush his head with his fist. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{-}}

==Games==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
Under [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]'s command, Scorponok fought the Autobots using his Pulse Klaw, Blast Klaw and [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] stinger. He also made use of his seldom-seen robot mode, in which he had access to an [[Anti-gravity gun|anti-gravity cannon]] and pulse blasters. Scorponok may also have participated in the seemingly inter-dimensional "Energon Wars" conflict, during which the Decepticons were led by [[Megatron (BW)|Predacon Megatron]] against [[Optimus Primal]]'s Autobots. {{storylink|3D Battle-Card Game}}

==="Flight of the Bumblebee" online game===
Scorponok was one of a group of Decepticons who trapped Bumblebee in a canyon. He stood around on a rocky butte, walking back and forth and waiting for Bumblebee to drive up to him. When the Autobot dropped in, Scorponok immediately opened fire, blasting Bumblebee continuously. Unfortunately, Bumblebee had the idea to shoot back, blasting him right out of the picture with just one shot. {{storylink|Flight of the Bumblebee}}

===Transformers The Game===
[[Image:Scorponok 2007game babygotback.jpg|right|120px|thumb|Coolest. Backpack. Ever.]]
After Blackout scrapped the military base in Qatar, Scorponok was sent to destroy five mobile communications vehicles, succeeding in his task. Scorponok went and did his own thing while Blackout searched the databanks for information on Megatron and the AllSpark, but reunited with Blackout in time for their escape.

After arriving in [[Mission City]], Scorponok fought through a horde of [[Energon drone|Energon drones]] to secure the AllSpark. Sam Witwicky nearly handed Scorponok the AllSpark, but Ironhide punted Scorponok. That made Blackout very mad... {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

===Allspark Highway===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Allspark Highway}}

===Transformers: Battle for the Matrix===
{{Note|Battle for the Matrix is a simplified retelling of the events of [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]. It can be played from the perspective of either Bumblebee or Optimus Prime. Scorponok is a recurring enemy.}}
[[Image:Scorponok battleforthematrix.jpg|200px|thumb|left|GET OVER HERE!]]
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle for the Matrix}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Transformers (2007)===
====Voyager Class Blackout companions====
[[Image:MiniScorponok.jpg|right|144px|thumb|I'm just an accessory.]]
*'''Blackout''' (Voyager Class, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-01'''

: Blackout comes packed with a small silver figurine of Scorponok, who himself features a spring-loaded tail. He is usually stored in a cage on the rear of Blackout's helicopter mode. (Note: The spring in the figurine's tail is oriented not to spring the tail forward, but to help propel the figure out of the cage so that it lands right-side up.)

{{-}}

* '''Blackout Ver. 4500X''' (Lawson exclusive Voyager Class, Japan 2007)

:This Voyager Class Blackout repaint, exclusive to the Japanese convenience store chain Lawson with the purchase of the movie DVD, came with a redeco of the small Scorponok figurine that came with the regular Voyager Class Blackout, in metallic colors that better match the Deluxe Class Scorponok toy (and the movie CG design, of course).

{{-}}

[[Image:Mov2007-toy PremiumScorponok.JPG|right|162px|thumb|I'm just a Premium accessory. But face it, I got better colours.]]
* '''Blackout''' ("Premium Series" Voyager Class, USA 2008)

:This redeco of the Voyager Class Blackout toy appears to be based on the same plastic color layout and paint mask as the Japanese Lawson exclusive "Version 4500X" redeco of Voyager Blackout, down to the improved paint on the Scorponok mini-figure. However, Hasbro's version has brighter, more contrasting gold and silver paint compared to the Japanese Lawson release's more subdued colours.

:Unlike some of the early "Premium Series" toys, Blackout was available as a mass release.

{{-}}

====Legends Class toys====
[[Image:Movie Legends Bumblebee Scorponok toys.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Ironically, more robot-like than the deluxe-sized one.]]
*'''Bumblebee vs. Scorponok''' (Legends Allspark Battles two-pack, 2008)

: Legends Scorponok is the smallest transforming figure of ''Movie'' Scorponok yet. He features a better-proportioned robot mode and better articulation for the legs than the Deluxe Class version. In fact, he's one of the best articulated Legends-sized toys to date. Even his claw hands are able to rotate. He does bear a resemblance to a [[Scorponok (BW)|previous version]], though. The only version of the mold released thus far comes packed with a slightly redecoed Legends Class [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. Face it, ''he'' should've come with Voyager Blackout.

:Multiple reports suggest that the soft plastic used for the tail has a tendency to harden after a while, and then become prone to breaking, in a way similar to [[Gold Plastic Syndrome]] (but occurring in a much shorter span of time).

{{-}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
[[Image:Move DeluxeScorponok toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ever notice [[Scorponok (disambiguation) |every Scorponok]] has the same transformation? Claws into claws, legs from the main body, tail sits behind, hoping to be ignored...]]
*'''Scorponok''' (Deluxe Class, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-04'''

: Scorponok is a robotic scorpion. His body is covered in military warning and command designation markings, suggesting he forms part of a larger military vehicle ([[Blackout (Movie)|hint, hint]]). Two wheels on the bottom of his beast mode, when pushed along a flat, smooth surface, rotate gears that cause the turbines in his body and the pincers on his arms to spin. His tail features a spring-loaded, yet non-launching stinger that extends when a latch is released.

: In beast mode, Scorponok can combine with the underside of [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout's]] helicopter mode to exploit the larger Decepticon's own gear gimmick system. A geared shaft linked to Blackout's rotor mechanism connects to a geared peg on Scorponok's back. Thus, pressing the button on Blackout's tail not only rotates his blades, but also rotates Scorponok's pincers and the turbines in his body. (This can also be done with Blackout's ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[redeco]] [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]], his retool [[Evac (Movie)|Evac]] and Evac's ''Revenge'' redeco [[Whirl (ROTF)|Whirl]].) This gimmick can also be activated (more easily) by rotating the geared wheels on Scorponok's undercarriage instead.

: Deluxe Scorponok can transform into what might be ''charitably'' called a robot mode, but was most likely added as an afterthought to the design for added play value (and possibly so Hasbro could actually justify selling the toy as a "Transformer" by itself). The later Legends Class toy features a considerably better-executed bipedal robot mode. In any case, this robot mode never appears in the movie, but does appear briefly in the second Target-sponsored [[Planetfall (Movie)|Movie Prequel comic]] and in [[The Reign of Starscream issue 1]].

{{-}}

[[Image:Movie DecepticonDesertAttack 2pack.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Ignoring the vast difference in scale between Scorponok's two figures while linked to Blackout takes some imagination.]]
*'''Decepticon Desert Attack''' (Toys'R'Us exclusive two-pack, 2007)

: This package, based on their first appearance in the film, features an unchanged Voyager Blackout packaged with an unchanged Deluxe Scorponok, which was exclusively available at Toys "R" Us stores. Since Voyager Blackout was gang-molded with the miniature Scorponok figure the single release came with, this means that the set contains ''two'' Scorponok toys in different sizes.

{{-}}

*'''Ultimate Bumblebee Bonus Value pack''' (Wal*Mart exclusive multi-pack, 2007)

:A Wal*Mart-exclusive special pack of [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Ultimate Bumblebee]] with Deluxe Class [[Brawl (Movie)|Decepticon Brawl]] and Scorponok as bonus figures. None of the three toys are changed from their respective original releases.

{{-}}
{{anchor|Desert Attack}}
[[Image:Movie ScreenBattles DesertAttack.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Scorponok now comes with little people to kill.]]
*'''Desert Attack''' (Screen Battles, 2007)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''SB-03'''

:This pack features a minor [[redeco]] of Deluxe Class Scorponok sporting "sand" paint applications on his body. The pack also comes with non-posable figurines of [[Epps|Sergeant Epps]], [[Jorge Figueroa]] and [[Patrick Donnelly|Sergeant Donnelly]]. They are packaged in a special window box featuring a diorama depicting the battle at [[Mahfouz]]'s village.

:According to details listed in an official checklist on Hasbro's website,<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=Collectors/Checklist Hasbro Transformers Collectors Checklist]</ref> this pack was originally supposed to include "4 soldiers". Apparently budget ultimately only allowed for three. The fourth one was most probably supposed to be [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]], who was included with the Screen Battles "Capture of [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]" set instead, colored as a [[Sector Seven]] soldier.

{{-}}

===Attacktix===
[[Image:Attacktix-MovMegsScorp.jpg|right|150px|thumb|I am going to KILL Yukon Cornelius.]]
*'''Battle Masters Megatron and Scorponok''' (Battle Master set)

: Scorponok was one of the many ''[[Attacktix]]'' toys that never saw release as the line was canceled. He would have been packaged with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and featured a firing missile.

{{canceledattacktix}}
{{-}}

===Revenge of the Fallen===
====Voyager Class Grindor companions====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_Scorponok_companion.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Still just an accessory here.]]
*'''Grindor''' (Voyager, 2009)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''RD-18'''

:For ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', Voyager class Blackout was redecoed into [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]], so the Scorponok PVC included with Blackout got redecoed too... in a color scheme like that of his ''Fallen'' Deluxe toy (see below). Seems like he found a new partner in Grindor.

{{-}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
[[Image:ROTF-toy_StalkerScorponok.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Soon followed by Restraining Order Scorponok.]]
*'''Stalker Scorponok''' (Deluxe, 2009)

:A redeco of the original Deluxe Scorponok toy in black, grey, and red. The deco scheme bears a strong resemblance to ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Scorponok (BW)| Scorponok]]; additionally, Scorponok's legs have symbols on them that when mirrored form a [[Predacon (BW)|certain faction's symbol]], and "916-96" markings are [[tampograph]]ed on his claws. This is the date ''Beast Wars'' [[Beast Wars (Part 1)|first aired in syndication.]]

:Of note is that during part of 2010, [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/transformers-toy-giveaway.cfm Hasbro did a promotion] wherein US fans could receive three free Deluxes in exchange for receipts showing the purchase of $25 or more of select Transformers product. As noted in [http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69645&st=0 this thread over at Allspark.com], and later confirmed by [http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HT83971G3 this listing here], this version of Scorponok was one of a pool consisting of eight figures (all from the same wave) from which the free deluxes were drawn, with several people having noted receiving him.
{{-}}

===''Transformers'' (2010)===
====Legends class toys====
[[Image:EZ-Stalker-Scorponok.jpg|right|thumb|]]
*'''Stalker Scorponok''' (EZ Collection, 2010)

:A redeco of Legends class Scorponok in black, a color scheme based on ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Stalker Scorponok. This toy was only available in Japan.

{{-}}

===''Dark of the Moon''===
====Cyberverse====
[[Image:Blackout DOTM Cyberverse.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
*'''Blackout''' (Cyberverse Commander, 2011)
**''Series:'' '''1'''
**''Number:'' '''005'''
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''CV15'''

:[[Cyberverse]] Scorponok is available only with his partner Blackout. At such a small scale, he has minimal articulation (two points in the tail) and is made largely of a rubbery plastic. He does, however, transform into a blaster weapon that can be held by Blackout or any other Cyberverse figure with standard hands.
:Though unmentioned in the instructions, Scorponok can also peg into the (otherwise pointless) peg on the back of Blackout's robot mode, just under his rotor blades, mimicking the way he was stored and ejected off of Blackout in the movie. This is prooooobably intentional.
{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===3D Battle-Card Game===
[[Image:3DBattleCard_Scorponok.jpg|thumb|right|200px|]]

:Part of the [[3D Battle-Card Game]], Scorponok consists of two cards with punch-out pieces that can be assembled into either a scorpion mode or a robot mode (or rather, a scorpion mode standing on its hind legs). He uses the same card layout as ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]].

{{-}}
===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Rhscorpprime.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ripped straight from that scene they didn't appear together in.]]
*'''Optimus Prime vs Scorponok''' (2007)

:Scorponok is naturally sculpted in his beast mode for his ''[[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]]'' release. Cast in gray plastic, he has gold and black paint apps for color. His head is quirked to the side, and his pedipalps are bent into a ''possible'' standard-issue smile. He is articulated only at the pincers' shoulder joints, but his tail and legs are made of soft enough plastic to wiggle about. (The tail is much too short to sting anything other than his own back.)

{{-}}

==Notes==
===Sentience and relationship to Blackout and Grindor===
* In the 2007 movie, Scorponok is a silent hunter-killer sent by Blackout. This has caused some conflicting depictions in the fiction and toy bios of Scorponok's level of intelligence. Some present him as being barely alive and merely an animalistic drone, and this is a commonly accepted view. After all, [[Ratbat (G1)#Notes|non-humanoid Transformers aren't important or noteworthy]]. Another bio, by contrast, describes him as having ''leadership'' ambitions, and his Titan Magazines profile implies strongly that he fakes being a bestial drone to give him a psychological edge. Finally, his Battle Bio on Hasbro's website would come down on him having sentience by having Scorponok record his own personal data track!

* In the feature "From Script to Sand: The Skorponok {{sic}} Desert Attack" on the movie's bonus DVD, production designer [[Jeff Mann]] suggested that Scorponok was "birthed" from Blackout, thus suggesting that he might be more of an autonomous extension of Blackout himself, similar to [[Roller (G1)|Roller]]. Screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] later confirmed that [[authorial intent|as far as he was concerned]], Scorponok was something between a symbiont and a "drone", rather than a fully fledged character.<ref>[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1159482&postcount=9822 Orci confirming his view of Scorponok]</ref> The [[Ghosts of Yesterday]] novel would go on to unambiguously identify him as a symbiont.

*In a [http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-04-01-transformers-first-look_N.htm USA Today interview] for ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', Roberto Orci stated that the Decepticons with "animal" forms didn't speak in the movies because it would be "strange" for audiences to hear Scorponok's English accent.

* According to writer Roberto Orci on the official Transformers Movie board, [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] was originally going to appear in the movie (back when Blackout was still supposed to be [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]),<ref>[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=234188&postcount=2008 Roberto Orci confirms that Ravage was replaced by Scorponok at the official movie boards]</ref> but was later changed to Scorponok when the setting of the opening scene was changed from jungle to desert.<ref>[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=234188&postcount=2008 Roberto Orci confirms that Ravage would have appeared in a different terrain at the official movie boards]</ref> This would imply that Scorponok's scorpion is indeed the ''robot mode'' (in the same fashion Ravage's panther mode was the robot mode), whereas his "alternate mode" is actually a part of Blackout's engine. The toys' robot modes are therefore an afterthought on behalf of Hasbro to avoid the paradox of [[Action Master|non-transforming "Transformers" toys]].

[[Image:Geturboshaftengine.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Turboshaft engine that film Scorponok transforms from. You can almost see the bits of Donnelly.]]
* Exactly ''which'' parts of Blackout turn into Scorponok is a little unclear. The center of his body appears to be made of a [[wikipedia:General_Electric_T64|General Electric T64]] turboshaft engine; his transformation/separation sequence in the movie shows that his forearms are made up of part of the side exhausts, and therefore ''also'' consist of parts of T64 engines. How this is possible, considering an MH-53 Pave Low only features ''two'' T64 engines, is up to anyone's guess.

* Meanwhile, the various markings found on the CGI model's design, the life-sized props and Hasbro's Deluxe toy are taken from all kinds of places on Blackout's helicopter mode, most prominently the cockpit and the tail.<ref>[http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/mh53jreferencefr_1.htm Detail close-up photos of a real MH-53 Pave Low]</ref> Some of those markings can also be found on props used for the scene which features the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] dumping the Decepticons' remains into the ocean.<ref>[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2006/10/pics-from-uss-shoup-of-transformer.html Behind the scenes photos taken aboard the [[Wikipedia:USS Shoup (DDG-86)|''U.S.S. Shoup'']], depicting props from the movie used for the scene which features the US Navy dumping the Decepticons' remains into the ocean]</ref> Considering Blackout didn't appear to be missing any integral parts of his alternate mode in the movie's final act, it seems that either Scorponok reattached himself to Blackout after he escaped the US Air Force's counterattack in Qatar (and was therefore part of Blackout during the final battle), or Blackout somehow magically regrew the parts that were previously made up by Scorponok.

* Scorponok's sudden appearance during the battle at the end of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' leaves the audience to assume he was simply chilling in the desert for two years! In all fairness, considering all the [[generic]]s in the film, it could have been [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor's]] Scorponok, because Blackout's Scorponok lost a tail and this Scorponok has one. Grindor and Blackout have the same robot mode, so they might have the same kind of pet.

*During the build up to the release of ''[[Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', Hasbro put up a bio of [[Laserbeak (DOTM)]] that revealed he and all the other animal alt-form robots from the films except Scorponok were examples of reengineered [[:Category:Cybertronic wildlife|Cybertronian wildlife]]. Whether Scorponok's exclusion was due to space issues, oversight, or if he was purposely singled out as being different from the others is unknown...

===Other===
* Real scorpions have ''eight'' legs in addition to their claws. Scorponok only has six.

* A leaked early draft of the script<ref>Details from an early script draft [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2213120&postcount=297 summed up here], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2214148&postcount=303 confirmed as authentic by Roberto Orci here].</ref> spells his name "Skorponok". That spelling is also used by [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s [[Transformers (novel)|novelization]] of the movie and in the menus for the movie's bonus DVD (most notably the featurette named "From Script to Sand: The Skorponok Desert Attack"). Hasbro themselves used the [[Scorponok (G1)|traditional]] [[Scorponok (BW)|spelling]] "[[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]" for their toys, even though a wallpaper on Hasbro's website spells the name "Scorponock".<ref name="hasbrodemolishor">[http://www.hasbro.com/objects/content/wallpaper.cfm?img=wp_transformers651_1280.jpg&brand_id=496&lang_id=1 Wallpaper at Hasbro's website calling Brawl/Devastator "Demolisher".]</ref> Meanwhile, in interviews, Michael Bay constantly refers to him as "Scorponox", and a preorder listing for the movie score even uses the spelling "Skorpinok".<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Steve-Jablonsky/dp/B000VFGQHK Amazon.com preorder for the movie score]</ref> Come on, people! It's not like his name's Mxyzptlk. (Even though misspelling Scorponok's name is not quite [[Scorpinok|unprecedented]].)

[[Image:Movie Scorponok headprop.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Now I'm the Headmaster!]]
* Real physical props of Scorponok's head and tail were made by [[Industrial Light & Magic|ILM's]] crew for certain scenes, most notably Lennox and Epps's examination of the tail leftovers on the plane. The head prop was used in the close-up of Scorponok stalking the SOCCENT survivors.<ref>[http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/PROJPAGE_Trans_08.html Ben Procter's portfolio, depicting CGI models and life-sized props for Scorponok]</ref>

* Speaking of real: The famous shot of Scorponok leaping from the sand in pursuit a trio of soldiers, the shot used in a lot of the promos? Scorponok is the ''only'' element of CGI in that shot. The sand-explosion behind the soldiers is real, caused by carefully timed explosives placed under the dunes, which certainly must have encouraged the actors to run like hell—the looks of fear on their faces are 100% genuine. The overwhelming majority of explosions, flying cars, and broken buildings in the movie are similarly real effects, not CGI.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Scorponok''' (スコルポノック ''Sukoruponokku'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Wēn-yì''' (Taiwan, 瘟疫, "Plague")

==Footnotes==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2007/Decepticon/Scorponok/scorponok.htm Scorponok at TFU.info]

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Movie Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cyberverse]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010) Decepticons]]

Corey Burton

2011-07-22T15:50:20Z

64.75.121.3: /* Incidentals */

[[Image:CoreyBurton1.jpg|right|188px|thumb|Too friendly-looking to be Shockwave, yet too cool to be Spike.]]
'''Corey Burton''' (born '''Corey Gregg Weinberg''' on [[August 3]], [[1955]]) is an American voice actor. Some of his most recognized roles over the years have been [[Tomax]] from ''[[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]'', Dale from ''Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers'', Brainiac from ''[[Superman]]: The Animated Series'', Professor Owl and Professor Ludwig von Drake from various Disney productions and all the furry little monsters in ''Critters''.

==Voice roles==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:SpikeshockwaveUD3.jpg|right|200px|thumb|"Why did you get to be in more episodes than me?"]]
*[[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] ([[War Dawn|Young version]])
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]
*[[Dion]]
*[[NUL-A]]
*[[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]]
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]]
*[[Vector Sigma]]
*[[Wide Load]]
*[[Brooding Robot]] (Ep 69 Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4)

===Transformers Animated===
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]
* [[Colossus Rhodes]]
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]/Longarm Prime
* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]
* [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike]]
* [[Brawn (Animated)|Brawn]] (grunts only)

====Incidentals====
*[[Narrator]] ("[[Transform and Roll Out]]")
*Dispatcher ("Transform and Roll Out")
*Pilot ("Transform and Roll Out")
*Man ("[[The Thrill of the Hunt]]")
*Man ("[[Sound and Fury]]")
*Computer Voice ("[[Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster]]")
===Transformers (2007)===
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]]

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' Gamestop commercial===

*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]

==Notes==
* Burton based Shockwave's voice on that of actor [[wikipedia:David Warner (actor)|David Warner]]—specifically, Warner's turn as the cold, mechanical Sark from Disney's ''Tron'', a character that Burton himself would actually later voice in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' video games.
*Corey Burton stated in an interview that [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] was by far his favorite character to perform in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original show]]. He does however think ''Animated'' Shockwave could take Generation 1 Shockwave in a fight.
*You should thank him as it was his wish to do more of Shockwave that [[Transformers Animated]] even got one in the first place.
*Although [[Steve Blum]] voiced [[Shockwave (Prime)|Shockwave]] in the "[[Transformers: War for Cybertron]]" game, Burton performed the character for a Gamestop commercial. In a [http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=853&sid=3992b18086e21d8f6face60940505757 forum post about the recording session], Burton lamented that the performance was so rushed, and the "gag" nature so out of character, that he felt it hardly even sounded like him.
*Corey Burton was offered the chance to audition for [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and Brawl (whether that's the [[Barricade (Movie)|police car Brawl]], the [[Blackout (Movie)|helicopter Brawl]] or [[Brawl (Movie)|tank Brawl]] isn't certain) for the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 ''Transformers'' live-action film]] but declined, explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement".<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123553/ Corey Burton at the Internet Movie Database]
*[http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=41857&p=742393#p742393 seibertron.com Interview with Cory Burton]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burton, Corey}}
[[Category:English voice actors]]

Transformers (film)

2011-07-22T15:48:39Z

64.75.121.3: /* Main cast */

{{disambig2|the 2007 movie|other uses of ''The Transformers''|Transformers (disambiguation)}}

{{nav-movie}}

:''Transformers is an [[Sector Seven (game)|elaborate cover up]] from the [[live-action film series|live-action film]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:Transformers2007teaserposter.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Beyond good. Beyond evil. Beyond your wildest imagination!]]
'''''Transformers''''' is a live-action movie released by [[DreamWorks]] in 2007, with Executive Producer [[Steven Spielberg]] and Director [[Michael Bay]]. The story follows the Transformers' arrival on modern-day Earth and their interactions with the human race, as they search for the life-giving [[AllSpark]] and continue their ages-old civil war. The movie is a new imagining of the [[Transformers brand]], drawing on past Transformers fiction but also distinct in its own right.

''Transformers'' features [[Sam Witwicky]], a plucky teenager who just wants a cool car, but gets more than he bargained for. The beater he and his father take home is actually [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], an alien robot from the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], who plants Sam down in the middle of a civil war between Bumblebee's benevolent [[Autobot]] comrades and the evil [[Decepticon]]s who threaten the galaxy's peace. Both sides are after the AllSpark, a mysterious artifact that landed on Earth ten thousand years ago. The approaching robot-against-robot battle is a coming-of-age moment for Sam, who learns the meaning of his family's motto, "No sacrifice, no victory."

The principal cast members are [[Shia LaBeouf]], [[Jon Voight]], and [[Megan Fox]], with [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Hugo Weaving]] as the voices of the Transformers' iconic leaders. About 75 percent of the film's character designs and visual effects were created by [[Industrial Light and Magic]], the effects-wizards behind the [[Star Wars (film)|''Star Wars'' films]]. The remaining 25 percent were done by Michael Bay's company, [[Digital Domain]].

Originally slated to release in the summer of 2006, the film arrived in US theaters on [[July 3]], 2007, and hit UK theaters on [[July 27]] and French theaters on [[July 25]]. It premiered in Australia on [[June 12]], 2007, and was released there and in a number of Asian countries on [[June 28]], 2007. An extended cut of the film featuring footage not in the original was released to IMAX theatres on [[September 21]], 2007.

{{bigquote|Sam Witwicky, you hold the key to Earth's survival.|[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] on the basic plot}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Allspark movie.jpg|left|200px|thumb|With this, I shall make you my slave!]]
The film begins with the history of Cybertron's destruction at the hands of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], and his quest to obtain the AllSpark. Megatron discovers the AllSpark on [[Earth]], but crash-lands in the Arctic Circle, becoming frozen in the ice. Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] and his crew of explorers stumble upon Megatron's body in the late 19th century. Megatron's navigational system is unintentionally activated, and [[Glasses#Movie|Archibald's eye glasses]] are imprinted with the coordinates to the AllSpark's location. [[Sector Seven]], a secret organization of the United States government, discovers the AllSpark and builds the [[Hoover Dam]] around it to mask its energy signal. The still-frozen Megatron is moved into this facility, and is reverse engineered to further advance [[human]] technology.

[[Image:Movie Blackout SOCCENT.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Let the slaughter begin!]]
In the present day, the rest of the Decepticons — [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]], [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]], [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]], [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]], and [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]] — have already landed on Earth and assumed the disguise of Earth vehicles. Blackout and Scorponok attack the U. S. [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]] in an effort to use the military database to discover the location of Megatron and the AllSpark, but they do not succeed. A small group of survivors under Captain [[William Lennox]] wander through the desert and are followed by Scorponok. The Autonomous Robotic Organism (shortened to "Autobot") known as Bumblebee is also on Earth, disguised as a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro, and looking for Sam Witwicky, the descendant of Captain Archibald Witwicky. As soon as he locates Sam, the two quickly begin to bond as Bumblebee helps Sam try and woo his crush, [[Mikaela Banes]]. Sam is unaware of the fact that Bumblebee is an alien, until he witnesses Bumblebee transform and send out a homing signal for the rest of the Autobots.

[[Image:Movie Scorponok leapsout.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Run, Blaster! Save yourself!]]
At the [[Pentagon]], Defense Secretary [[John Keller]] oversees the investigation into the attack in Qatar. After Blackout's failure, Frenzy infiltrates Air Force One and attempts to download all information relating to "Project Iceman". However, [[Maggie Madsen]], one of the technicians studying the Decepticon infiltration signal, discovers Frenzy's actions and convinces the Pentagon to take down the Defense Network, halting Frenzy's download. When [[Air Force One]] makes an emergency landing, Frenzy slips into Barricade, and discusses his discovery of Archibald Witwicky, who has seen [[Cybertronian languages|their language]]. Using an internet search, they discover that Sam's glasses will lead the Decepticons to the AllSpark. Frenzy and Barricade begin tracking Sam's location. Back in Qatar, the Army Rangers are attacked by Scorponok, and take refuge in a nearby village. Calling the Pentagon and getting air support, they discover that the Decepticons are vulnerable to high heat weaponry such as sabot rounds. Using this information, the soldiers inform the Pentagon that they now have a weapon.

[[Image:Movie Sam Mikaela meettheAutobots.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] say find friends today.]]
Barricade confronts Sam, demanding Archibald's glasses. Bumblebee, who is following Sam, transforms and battles Barricade. Mikaela, who is also following Sam, is caught in the crossfire, but Bumblebee is able to defeat Barricade, while Mikaela decapitates Frenzy, who is still functioning and hides in Mikaela's purse as her cellphone. Bumblebee takes Sam and Mikaela to rendezvous with the rest of the Autobots. The Autobots—[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]—land on Earth and take on the forms of several Earth vehicles. They all meet in a dark, secluded alley, transform in front of the two amazed humans, introduce themselves and tell of the reasons they had to come to Earth to Sam and Mikaela. Meanwhile, Maggie made a copy of the intrusion signal and shows it to her friend [[Glen Whitmann]], who discovers a message with the signal about Sector Seven, Captain Witwicky, and [[Project Iceman]]. However, the FBI arrest Glen and Maggie, who desperately tries to convince them not to go to war with the wrong country.

[[Image:Movie Autobots Sector Seven.JPG|left|200px|thumb|I'll use the universal greeting.]]
Sam, Mikaela, and the Autobots then return to Sam's home to retrieve the glasses. However, agents from [[Sector Seven]] arrive to take Sam and Mikaela into custody. [[Seymour Simmons]], the agency's director, reveals that Mikaela has a criminal record and threatens Sam with life imprisonment, at which point the Autobots disable the convoy and rescue the teens. Mikaela then explains to Sam that the only reason she has a record is her refusal to turn her father in for the crimes he committed, prompting her to ask him what he has ever sacrificed in his "perfect little life." During the retreat, Sam and Mikaela are recaptured, and Bumblebee is also apprehended, against the pleas of Sam who assures the agents—to no avail—that he means them no harm. Prime orders the Autobots to let them go, unwilling to use deadly force against the humans. At the Pentagon, a virus Frenzy uploaded during the Air Force One hack causes a global communications blackout, while Keller is finally informed of the Decepticons. After Bumblebee's capture, Optimus uses the glasses to locate the AllSpark at Hoover Dam, and declares that if they cannot defeat the Decepticons, he will merge the Cube with his spark.

[[Image:Movie Optimus Megatron.JPG|right|200px|thumb|One shall stand. One shall fall.]]
Sam, Mikaela, Keller, Maggie, Glen, and Lennox's unit are brought to Hoover Dam, where they are shown the frozen Megatron and the AllSpark, while Frenzy slips away. Locating the AllSpark, he sends out an alert to Starscream, who mobilizes the rest of the Decepticons. Due to Starscream's attack and Frenzy's sabotage, Megatron begins to revive, and Sam convinces the Sector Seven agents to release Bumblebee so that he can get the AllSpark to Optimus Prime. The Decepticons chase the Autobots, who now possess the AllSpark, into [[Mission City]].

Glen, Maggie, Keller, and Simmons manage to contact the Air Force and direct F22s to Mission City. An ensuing battle results in casualties for both sides, including Jazz, who is killed by Megatron, while Bumblebee is crippled in an explosion. As Lennox orders Sam to take the AllSpark to a building to be removed from the city, under escort from Ironhide and Ratchet, Megatron and Optimus Prime battle, while the soldiers remain to fight Devastator. Mikaela drags the injured Bumblebee away from the battle with a tow truck, but goes back, with Bumblebee's weapons killing Devastator. Ironhide and Ratchet are incapacitated by Starscream, and Megatron joins the pursuit.

[[Image:Megatron allspark merge.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Now, light our darkest hour!]]
Sam's helicopter is destroyed by Starscream, and Prime challenges Megatron. The battle is fierce and dominated by Megatron. A full air strike is called in on Blackout and Megatron. As Blackout attempts to assist Megatron, he is killed by Lennox and the Air Force before he can engage. Starscream hides among a raptor squadron, destroying three fighters. Despite this, the Air Force and Lennox's rangers manage to inflict serious damage on Megatron, but he is still functional, and heading toward the Cube. Finally, with both Prime and Megatron weakened, Prime beckons Sam to shove the AllSpark into his chest, destroying them both, but Sam instead takes the riskier action of shoving the AllSpark into Megatron's chest.

{{note|For an extensive synopsis of the battle, see separate article [[Mission City]].}}

[[Image:Movie Optimus ending.JPG|right|200px|thumb|[['Til all are one]]!]]
Optimus thanks Sam for his courage and for saving his life, while Bumblebee, who has regained his voice, asks permission to remain with Sam, which is granted. In an attempt to cover up the existence of the Transformers, Sector Seven is disbanded, while the remains of the Decepticons are cast into the [[Laurentian Abyss]]. And though Megatron is dead, the AllSpark's destruction leaves the Autobots unable to restore Cybertron. With no other home to go to, the Autobots decide to stay on Earth, and Optimus sends out a signal across space in an effort to locate any surviving Autobots, while Sam and Mikaela begin a relationship. Starscream, one of the Decepticons that survived the battle, leaves Earth.
{{-}}

==Quotes==
"Before time began, there was the Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life. That was how our race was born. For a time, we lived in harmony, but like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil. And so began the war - a war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the Cube was lost to the far reaches of space. We scattered across the galaxy, hoping to find it and rebuild our home, searching every star, every world. And just when all hope seemed lost, message of a new discovery drew us to an unknown planet called...Earth. But we were already too late."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' opening narration

"Look, can you do me a favor—can you look out the window for a second? See my father? He's the guy in the green car? Let me tell you about a dream, a boy's dream, and a man's promise to that boy. He looked him in the eye and said "Son, I'm gonna buy you a car, but I want you to bring me two-thousand dollars and three A's." OK, I got the two thousand and two A's. OK, here's the dream. Your B minus? Pfff! Dream gone. Kaputt. Sir, just ask yourself... what would [[Jesus]] do?"
:—'''Sam Witwicky''' negotiates a better mark for his Family Genealogy project

'''Bobby Bolivia:''' "What with the semi-classic nature of the vehicle, slick wheels and custom paint job—" 
'''Sam:''' "The paint's faded!" 
'''Bobby:''' "Y-yeah, but it's custom." 
'''Sam:''' "It's custom faded?" 
'''Bobby:''' "Well, it's your first car, I wouldn't expect you to understand." ''[turns to Ron]'' "Five grand." 
'''Ron:''' "No, not paying over four. Sorry." 
'''Bobby:''' ''[turns back to Sam]'' "Kid, c'mon, get out, get out of the car." 
'''Sam:''' "No, no, no, you said cars pick their drivers!" 
'''Bobby:''' "Well sometimes they pick a driver with a cheap-ass father—out of the car." 
:—Negotiations over [[Bumblebee (Movie)|the car]] at [[Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo]]

''[Sam's car leaves in a huge puff of black smoke]'' 
"Wow... you are so cheap." 
"It's his first car... supposed to be like that."
:—'''Judy Witwicky''' comments on the car's condition to '''Ron'''

'''Capt. Lennox:''' "I need a credit card! Epps, where's your wallet?" 
'''Sgt. Epps:''' "Pocket!" ''[fires gun]'' 
'''Lennox:''' "Which pocket?" 
'''Epps:''' "My ''back'' pocket!" ''[fires gun]'' 
'''Lennox:''' "You got ten back pockets!" 
'''Epps:''' "Left cheek! Left cheek! ''Left cheek!''" 
:—Calling the Pentagon from Qatar gets complicated.

"Ready, heat's coming!" 
"What, BRING IT!" 
:—'''Lennox''' and '''Epps''' giving the green light for Strike Package Bravo to attack

'''Jazz''': "What about Bumblebee? What can't just leave him to die! And become some human experiment!" 
'''Optimus Prime''': He'll die in vain if we don't accomplish our mission. Bumblebee is a brave soldier. This is what he would want. 
'''Ironhide:''' "Why are we fighting to save the humans? They're a primitive and violent race." 
'''Optimus Prime:''' "Were we so different? They are a young species. They have much to learn... but I've seen goodness in them. [[Make Prime Speak|Freedom is the right of all sentient beings]]... You all know there is only one way to end this war: We must destroy the Cube. If all else fails, I will unite it with the spark in my chest." 
'''Ratchet:''' "That's suicide! The Cube is raw power—it could destroy you both." 
'''Optimus Prime:''' "A necessary sacrifice to bring peace to this planet... We cannot let the humans pay for our mistakes. It's been an honor serving with you all. Autobots, roll out!" 
'''Jazz''': "We rollin'!" 
:—The Autobots discuss their next move.

"Humans don't deserve to live." 
"They deserve to choose for themselves!" 
"Then you will die with them! Join them in extinction!"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' have some mid-battle banter, Transformers style

"Give me the AllSpark, and you may live to be my ''pet''." 
"I'm never giving you this AllSpark!" 
"Oh, ''so'' unwise..."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Sam Witwicky''' have a tense moment on a Mission City rooftop.

"With the AllSpark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call... home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight... but watching over them in secret... waiting... protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars: We are here... we are waiting."
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' closing narration

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] ([[Darius McCrary]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
|c2=
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]
*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]'''*''' / Devastator ([[Matthew Charles]])
*[[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] ([[Corey Burton]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charles Adler]])
|c3=
*[[Tom Banachek]] ([[Michael O'Neill]])
*[[Mikaela Banes]] ([[Megan Fox]])
*[[Bobby Bolivia]] ([[Bernie Mac]])
*[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[John Keller]] ([[Jon Voight]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Maggie Madsen]] ([[Rachael Taylor]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Glen Whitmann]] ([[Anthony Anderson]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
|c4=[[AllSpark Mutation]]s
*[[Nokia-bot]]
*[[Dispensor]]
*[[Steering wheel robot|Steering wheel]]
*[[Xbox 360 robot|Xbox 360]]
|c5=Others|c5=
*[[Mojo]] ([[Chester The Dog]])
|nonumbering=true
}}
'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>''' - Brawl is named "Devastator" in the film itself, but "Brawl" in the toyline and most of the supporting media. Plot summaries and such will reflect whichever name is relevant to that being described.

==Errors==
* Sunset occurs roughly every fifteen minutes. Possibly indicative of time passage, but a little too much to not warrant mention in the actual movie. Specific instances:
**When the radar operator at SOCCENT base first spots Blackout, he reports him as an "inbound unidentified infiltrator, ten miles out". [[Colonel Sharp]] dispatches two F-22s, which incercept Blackout still in broad daylight. When Blackout lands at the base, it's suddenly sunset. As the soldiers round him up, it rapidly turns dark within what appears to be seconds. Once Blackout transforms, it's already night.
**When Mikaela walks home from the lake, the sun is still shining. Sam tells Miles that she "lives ten miles from here". After he picked her up, Bumblebee feigns an engine problem. By the time Sam gets him running again, the sky is still in an early stage of pre-sunset. By the time Sam drops Mikaela at her home, it's night again.
**Barricade assaults Sam in the middle of the day. Bumblebee intervenes and drives off with Sam and Mikaela still in broad daylight. During the ensuing car chase, sunset abruptly occurs once Bumblebee has left the warehouse, and it promptly turns night between shots.
* The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used by the US Air Force to investigate Scorponok's attack on Captain Lennox is modeled after the [[wikipedia:MQ-9_Reaper|MQ-9 Reaper]], but is identified as the [[wikipedia:MQ-1_Predator|MQ-1 Predator]]. Also, neither of these UAVs use jet engines.
* After Maggie copies the signal to take to Glen, she hails a black and white cab, but she's dropped off at Glen's house by an all-white cab. (The "cab hailing" footage originally came from a deleted scene near the beginning of the movie when Maggie was late for work.), and are two different models of the Crown Victoria taxicab.
* When Sam's car breaks down and Mikaela gets out to look at the engine, she leaves the passenger door open. When the car restarts and Sam leaves to close the hood, the passenger side door is now shut. But hey, maybe that was Bumblebee.
[[Image:MovieTaxis.jpg|thumb|250px|right|These shots were ''shown in sequence'', believe it or not.]]
* Mikaela identifies Bumblebee's engine as having a "high-rise, double-pump carburetor" but the engine shown has no such carburetor.
* After Bumblebee backs into a corner of the power plant to evade Barricade, there is a close up shot of him spinning his wheels to make his getaway. However, the shot of the wheels spinning is at a different location: the empty warehouse that Bumblebee and Barricade had raced through moments earlier.
* Possibly an error, or possibly just a confusing shot setup, but when Bumblebee makes his escape, Barricade appears to change positions multiple times as camera angles change. Bumblebee guns his engines as Barricade is just starting to cross in front of him, but as Bumblebee speeds backwards, Barricade has backtracked well out of the way.
* After scanning his new Concept Camaro alt-form, Bumblebee's robot body displays either battle-worn parts or brand new parts at random times for the duration of the film.
* As long as Bumblebee transforms into a 1976 Camaro, his license plate consistently reads "489 PCE" both in vehicle and robot mode. After scanning his modern Camaro alternate mode, the license plate changes too... which isn't actually an error. What ''is'' an error, though, is that the new license plate keeps changing from "900 STRA" in vehicle mode to "4NZZ454" in robot mode.
*Jazz's license plate is equally inconsistent: On his robot mode chest it's "I-4027E", but during his transformation before his fight with [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]], he sports the license plate "664 NLZO" in vehicle mode.
* During the scene where Optimus Prime scans a truck for his new body, the passing truck has what appears to be an Autobot sigil on its grill, but the actual truck that Prime turns into at the end of the scene has a much wider, flatter symbol on the grill, quite possibly a Peterbilt logo.
* When Simmons replays Sam's "last words" recorded onto his cell phone, it doesn't match what he said in the scene where he actually recorded them.
* When the Autobots arrive to rescue Sam and Mikaela from Agent Simmons, Ironhide is the first Autobot to reach the damaged SUV and the other Sector Seven agents. Behind him, Ratchet is making his way towards the SUV, while Jazz and Bumblebee have their respective weapons drawn. However, in the very next shot, Ratchet's gun is suddenly in front of Ironhide, who is now making two short steps towards the SUV, while Jazz's gun has been replaced by his hand (which he uses to pull Sector Seven's guns away magnetically). In the shot after that, Jazz is just standing around sans Sector Seven guns, while Bumblebee wanders up and draws his gun...again.

[[Image:Movie2007 Keller OBVIOUSVISUALAID.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Yer days're numbered now, Decepti-creeps.]]
* When Banachek shows Keller photographs of the Decepticon that destroyed the [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] [[Beagle 2 Rover]], and supposedly a photo of Blackout taken by Epps during the attack on SOCCENT Qatar, "Blackout's photo" is clearly taken during the day, complete with the sun behind the Decepticon as a major light source, whereas the attack on SOCCENT took place in the evening. This was either a continuity error or a ham-handed attempt to make the audience realise the attackers in both photos are one and the same by making the photos look similar.
** Not to mention that the actual Beagle 2 was a '''''European''''' Space Agency '''''lander''''', not a NASA Rover.
* During the montage where Bumblebee's frozen body is being transported inside Hoover Dam via a moving platform whilst the Autobots discuss his fate, in one of the shots the physical Bumblebee prop is missing its distinctive car doors.
* During the first half of the movie, Maggie is wearing a slim checked skirt, but she is suddenly dressed in 3/4 jeans in the scene when they arrive at Hoover Dam.
*This may not be an error, but Barricade seems to disappear after the highway scene, as he is never shown again in the movie or the [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|sequel]]. [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] later pulls the same trick in said sequel.
* When Ironhide transforms and performs a somersault to dodge Brawl's missiles, he is seen rising first, then falling. At that moment, he is already almost at the ground, low enough to touch the ground if he stretched his arms. However on the next scene, he has gone much higher up, high enough to fire both the cannons on his arms then perform a midair somersault.
* When Lennox arrives as Sam and Mikaela are supposedly strapping Bumblebee with the tow truck's chains, Bumblebee is not actually there. When the shot changes angles to the other side of the truck, Bumblebee is sitting right beside the truck while Sam directs Mikaela to wrap Bumblebee in the chains. When Lennox tells Sam to evacuate the Cube, subsequent camera angles from this side of the truck are actually where Bumblebee was moments earlier, but he's not there again (it is unlikely the angle was meant to be from Bumblebee's perspective). When Sam starts to run off and Mikaela calls him back, Bumblebee is once again clearly not sitting beside the truck. In fact, the space he once occupied has the beige van he crawled out of, earlier in the battle. What makes this all the more bizarre is that the life-sized Bumblebee prop was actually used for some of the scenes that depict Bumblebee strapped to the tow truck.
[[Image:MovieTowTruckNumbers.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Mike changed phone numbers while giant robots were fighting in the city.]]
* After Optimus Prime and Megatron land in the city streets after flying through the office tower, Megatron throws the Autobot leader a short distance away, causing him to land on a parked car. After Megatron forms his fusion cannon, Optimus Prime has suddenly moved further down the street and the car he crushed, along with the other abandoned cars, have vanished. Also, in this shot, Optimus' feet don't make craters or any visible mark on the concrete. Yet, when Optimus is running from the Sector Seven Agents, he's making huge craters while he is side-stepping cars. (This comes with weighing over four tons and running 40 miles an hour.) Additionally, Optimus stops at the intersection just in front of Megatron to pull out his Ion blaster in this shot, but when it cuts to a shot to the left-front of Optimus, he is only mid-way up the street, and there is a parked yellow cab at the curb which was empty seconds earlier. Funnily enough, this curb was where the crushed car was parked.
* During the fight towards the end of the film between Megatron and Optimus, it is shown that Optimus is about the same size as Megatron in robot mode. Yet, in vehicle mode, Megatron is a great deal larger then Optimus is. Similarly, Starscream seems to be smaller than Megatron in robot form, leading to the logical conclusion that he is smaller than Optimus as well. Yet in vehicle mode, he is nearly four to five times larger, seeing as an F-22 Raptor is a great deal larger than a Peterbilt 379 tractor cab. And they say they don't have [[scale]] problems.
* ''See also: [[Mission City]].''
*The phone number on the doors of the tow truck is "800-555-0199" when Mikaela is driving it, but when she gets out, the number changes to "800-555-MIKE". The font is slightly different, too.
* In the battle at Mission City, Brawl very clearly fires 3 missiles out of his shoulder-mounted missile launcher, but before he dies, all 4 missiles are in his missile launcher. Then again, this could just be a sort of 'auto-reload' thing the Transformers have going on, as they probably wouldn't get very far in battle if they were only limited to 4 missiles each.

===Explicable discrepancies===
* Sam and Mikaela, as well as Maggie and Glen arrive at Hoover Dam on the same helicopter despite being from opposite ends of the country. Occasionally cited as an error, it is actually a narrative oversight, as it is likely that Sam and Mikaela were held in custody at a U.S. Air Base while waiting for Maggie and Glen to arrive with Secretary Keller's party by plane, then they all left for Hoover Dam together on the helicopters.

* There are some problems with Simmons's statement about various technologies being reverse-engineered from Megatron. Cars came about in one shape or form at about the turn of the century, and spaceflight technology was pioneered by German and Soviet scientists. (This is possibly what [[Sector Seven|they]] ''want'' you to think.) Then again, [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] also thinks that Nokia is a Japanese company...

* Most people mistakenly confuse the date of Megatron's discovery with the date the Hoover Dam was built. Based on the various dates given by Banachek, it's clear that Megatron was ''left in the Arctic'' for many years before being moved to Hoover Dam, making his discovery easily pre-date cars.

==Transformer references==
The movie contains a number of nods and winks to previous iterations of ''Transformers'', primarily from ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]''. Some of these were included in direct response to urgings of the fans; others originated with the production crew.

* The basic story set-up is similar to many iterations of the ''Generation 1'' story — two warring factions, the noble Autobots and the power-hungry Decepticons, arrive on Earth, having left their devastated home planet, the war-torn mechanical world of Cybertron.
* Many of the featured Transformers are re-imagined versions of characters from ''Generation 1''. [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] in particular are similar in physical form and characterization to their movie incarnations. The Movie versions of [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]], and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] differ in appearance but fulfill story roles similar to their original versions.
* Though the characters are new, "[[Frenzy (disambiguation)|Frenzy]]", "[[Scorponok (disambiguation)|Scorponok]]", "[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]]/[[Devastator (disambiguation)|Devastator]]", "[[Blackout (disambiguation)|Blackout]]", "[[Barricade (disambiguation)|Barricade]]", and "[[Bonecrusher (disambiguation)|Bonecrusher]]" are all names that have been used on Transformer characters before.
* Blackout's symbiotic relationship with Scorponok originated as an interpretation of [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his cassette troops. Frenzy's transformation into a portable stereo is likewise an homage to Soundwave's cassette deck alternate form.
* Sam shares his last name with the [[Witwicky#Generation 1 continuity family|main human allies]] of the Autobots in the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Generation 1'' cartoon]]. Like Spike before him, he's closest to Bumblebee.
* The Autobot faction symbol seen on Bumblebee and others is basically unchanged from its ''Generation 1'' appearance.
* The AllSpark takes its name from [[Allspark|a concept]] originally introduced in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]''.
* The original G1 [[transformation]] sound pops up several times during the course of the film, such as Blackout's first conversion sequence (though truth be told it sounds more like it's being broadcast from a loudspeaker.)
[[Image:Movie BoliviasFinestQualityUsedCars 2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.]]
* In his first appearance, Bumblebee parks next to a yellow Volkswagen Beetle — the alternate form of [[Bumblebee (G1)|G1 Bumblebee]].
* When instructing the Autobots to escape Sector Seven and when they later head for Hoover Dam, Optimus Prime delivers his catchphrase from the ''Generation 1'' cartoon, ordering them to [[Roll out|"Roll out!"]]
* Prime references "the spark within my chest". [[Spark]]s — the life-force that makes Transformers alive — have been an integral part of Transformers fiction since ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''.
* Although the Transformers' primary energy supply, [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]], does not make an established physical appearance in the film, its name appears on the license plate of an SUV thrown through the air during Megatron's rampage in [[Mission City]].
* Optimus Prime's line "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings" is the quote from his [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys|original 1984 toy's]] [[bio]]. At least one of the reasons for the inclusion of this line was because it won in an online contest conducted by [[Paramount]] in late 2006, named "[[Make Prime Speak]]".
* Prime's line "...one shall stand; one shall fall" comes from the 1986 animated ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''.
* The scene in which Jazz yanks aside Devastator's tank barrel is a direct homage to a similar sequence from TF:TM involving [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] and [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]].
* Ironhide's complaint that [[Mojo]] "leaked lubricant" on his foot references a [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1|favorite]] [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|exclamation]] [[Power Play!|of his]] ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Ironhide (G1)|counterpart]], "Leakin' lubricant!" The phrase originated with his [[Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|original character outline]], stating that "he [refers to] excessive talking as 'leaking lubricant.'"
* Sam telling Mikaela that there's "more than meets the eye... with you" quotes the slogan used in the toy line, also included in the G1 series [[theme song]].

==Other editions==
The 2007 Transformers film has more than one "cut."

* The worldwide theatrical release was essentially identical all around the world with a few minor exceptions.
* The film board of Malaysia{{fact}} required [[Judy Witwicky]]'s masturbation reference be removed. However, no such change has been made and her lines were not omitted from the film.
* The [[wikipedia:IMAX|IMAX]] edition of the movie features two minutes of additional footage in the form of slightly extended scenes and very brief new scenes. Added material includes the following:
**Before heading to the lake party, Sam is shown picking Miles up at his house. Miles derides Sam's choice of car colors.
**After Sam is questioned by the sheriff at the police station, he is given an anti-drug bumper sticker and shown the "[[wikipedia:This is Your Brain on Drugs|This is Your Brain on Drugs]]" [[Public service announcement|PSA]] starring [[wikipedia:Rachel Leigh Cook|Rachel Leigh Cook]].
**After abducting Sam and Mikaela, Agent Simmons uses a device to monitor Sam's pupil dilation while interrogating him in the truck. He also remarks that he has "been there" when it comes to women with criminal records.
**Upon arriving at Hoover Dam, Simmons remarks colorfully that it is "Area 50". A few minutes later, he lists the nicknames of all the U.S. Presidents to have toured the facility.
**In Mission City, Lennox acquires short-range radios from a gun-toting, but easily-flattered, pawn shop owner.

==Prequel material==
* ''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]]''
: A novel about the truth behind humankind's first venture into space and how that event is related to the Transformers' presence on Earth, both past and present.

* ''[[Movie Prequel|Transformers: Movie Prequel]]''
: A four issue limited series comic book from [[IDW Publishing]], released before the movie's debut. It chronicles the events which bring the Transformers to [[Earth]].

* "[[Interlude]]" (also originally published as ''Transformers Movie Prequel'')
: A short comic book by IDW, produced in cooperation with [[Target]], available (online) from Target's website and (in printed form) at BotCon and in theaters, following Bumblebee's early search for clues on Earth.

* "[[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]" (also originally published as ''Transformers Movie Prequel'')
: A mini-comic by IDW, produced in cooperation with Target, available (online) from Target's website and (in printed form) as a Target exclusive bonus pack-in with the Movie DVD, showing the Decepticons' arrival on Earth.

* The ''[[Movie Prequel Special]]''
: A mass retail release that contains reprints of both "Planetfall" and "Interlude" (now with individual story titles) in collected form.

* ''[[Transformers: Beginnings]]''
: A not-really-animated animatic version of IDW's ''[[Movie Prequel]]'' comics, voiced by some of the actors from the movie, the game and a bunch of other people. Included on a [[Walmart]] exclusive bonus DVD available with the Movie DVD.

* ''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)|Transformers]]''
: A monthly comic published in the UK by [[Titan Books]], featuring new adventures set before the movie in its initial six issues (in addition to reprints of stories originally published by IDW). They were reprinted by IDW in the ''[[Saga of the Allspark]]'' mini-series.

Some dialog in the film contradicts the prequel material, specifically pertaining to the years in which the frozen Megatron was moved from the Arctic to Hoover Dam, and exactly when the Decepticons arrived on Earth. Some of the prequel material contradicts the ''other'' prequel material...

==Adaptations==
* A novelization of the film by [[Alan Dean Foster]] was published under the title ''[[Transformers (novel)|Transformers]]''.
* IDW Publishing released a comic adaptation of the film under the title ''[[Movie Adaptation]]''.

==Sequels==
{{main|Revenge of the Fallen (film)}}

A sequel to this film has been produced and has been released worldwide.

[[IDW Publishing]] also released the comic sequel to the film, titled ''[[The Reign of Starscream]]''.

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Transformers: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Transformers: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
[[Image:2007Movie 2-disc DVD.jpg|thumb|200px|]]
{{main|Transformers (2007)/home video}}
* '''US:''' [http://tformers.com/US-To-Get-Transformers-DVD-HD-DVD-October-16th/8350/news.html October 16th, 2007] (DVD, HD-DVD), [http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1175/transformers2007.html September 2nd, 2008] (Blu-ray)
* '''Australia:''' November 1st, 2007 (DVD)
* '''United Kingdom:''' December 3rd, 2007 (DVD, HD-DVD), September 8th, 2008 (Blu-ray)

There are nearly a dozen store [[exclusive]] [http://tformers.com/Transformers-DVD-Exclusives-Who-Gets-What/8534/news.html versions and sales premiums of the DVD.] They include:

* [[Target]] and HMV UK: transforming Optimus Prime display case.
* Best Buy: [[Robot Heroes (toyline)|Robot Heroes]] [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] and battle-damaged Optimus Prime.
* [[Walmart]]: [[Transformers: Beginnings]] "animated" prequel material.
* Borders: "Making Of" book.
* Circuit City: password unlocking 15 minutes of exclusive online behind-the-scenes featurettes, covering the voice recording sessions, prop construction, stunt work, and early CG tests and animatics.
{{-}}

==Theatrical posters==
{{picsneeded|Any other official posters not depicted here}}
<center><gallery perrow="4">
Image:Transformers2007teaserposter.jpg|Teaser poster
Image:Movie2007 Autobot promo poster.jpg|Autobot promo poster
Image:Movie2007 Decepticon promo poster.jpg|Decepticon promo poster
Image:Prime-Sam-Mikaela-poster.jpg|Promotional poster
Image:Movie2007 Megatron onesheet.jpg|Megatron one sheet
Image:Movie2007 Prime onesheet.jpg|Optimus Prime one sheet
Image:Movie2007_final_standee.jpg|Standee, also used as a poster
Image:Movie2007 humans internationalposter.jpg|International "Humans" poster/US theatrical poster
Image:Movie2007 Sphere internationalposter.jpg|International "Sphere" poster
Image:Movie2007 Bumblebee internationalposter.jpg|International Bumblebee poster
Image:Movie2007 Prime internationalposter.jpg|International Optimus Prime poster
Image:Movie2007 Megatron internationalposter.jpg|International Megatron poster
Image:Movie2007_Korean_poster.jpg|South Korean theatrical release poster
Image:Movie2007 Japanese Aprilpromo poster.jpg|Japanese April 2007 promotional poster
Image:Movie2007_Japanese_release_poster.jpg|Japanese theatrical release poster
Image:Movie2007_IMAX_poster.jpg|IMAX promotional poster
Image:Movie2007_IMAX_releaseposter.jpg|IMAX release poster
Image:Movie2007 handsmashy ver7 poster.jpg|Used as a prominent skyscraper advert
</gallery></center>

==Reception==
The movie set multiple records when it opened, including biggest opening week gross for a non-sequel ($155.4 million), biggest Tuesday release gross ($27.4 million), biggest July 4th gross ($29 million), and the biggest film opening in mainland China ($3 million) [http://www.china.org.cn/english/entertainment/217368.htm].

The movie closed domestically on [[November 8]], [[2007]], during which time it took in $319,246,193. (Domestic gross accounted for $310,578,372 before the IMAX version's release.) It has earned a ''worldwide'' gross of $708,272,592. It currently sits at spot #20 in the "most domestic gross" list of movies, though this listing is ''not'' adjusted for inflation. When taking inflation into account, ''Transformers'' currently sits at #102. [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers06.htm 2]

{{quote|I didn't sleep through it the way I Novocained my way through the awful ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', but by the time it ended, I thought I might have vertigo or whiplash, or both, and I certainly lost more than a few of my remaining I.Q. points|[http://www.observer.com/2007/bay-bombs-again Rex Reed]}}

{{quote|It's goofy fun with a lot of stuff that blows up real good, and it has the grace not only to realize how preposterous it is, but to make that into an asset.|Roger Ebert}}

{{quote|But it's tough to really care about questions like, "Why did that happen?" or even "What's going on?" when you’re constantly interrupted by "Oh my goodness! Giant robots! Weeee!"|Peter Suderman|[http://tinyurl.com/373rps The National Review]}}

Critical reception was hit-and-miss, [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/transformers_the_movie/ more positive than negative but not by a lot], though it's sometimes hard to tell how many negative reviewers were more interested in criticizing [[Michael Bay]] in general over the movie itself. Otherwise, the most common negatives involved it being a generally think-free "spectacle"-style movie; even those who rated the movie positively noted it was a pure "popcorn" movie meant to wow its audience with [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] and explosions rather than make them think (Richard Roper noted in his "thumbs up" review "it has no nutritional value"). Whether one considers that a good or bad thing for a movie and if the movie was enough fun to overcome that is, of course, highly debatable. The other main culprit, again noted by many of the positive reviews, was its long running time, particularly the overly-chaotic, often hard-to-follow final big-bang extended ending action sequence. ([http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070705/REVIEWS/70620006/1023 Roger Ebert] noted that this sequence was what made him give the movie three out of four stars rather than the full four.)

Transformers was nominated for three Oscars, in the fields of Achievement in Sound Editing, Achievement in Sound Mixing, and Achievement in Visual Effects. The sound awards went to ''The Bourne Ultimatum'', and the visual effects award went to ''The Golden Compass''.

Currently, two sequels are planned, with [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[Peter Cullen]] signed for both. Michael Bay, Steven Spielberg, and the two screenwriters have also returned. Filming for ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'' began in June 2008, and was ultimately released worldwide on June 24 2009.

==Technical details==
'''Length:''' 144 min (original theatrical)<ref>The movie had some content cuts to meet the standards of some <strike>oppressive regimes</strike> quaint "developing world" rating boards.</ref> 
'''Aspect Ratio:''' 2.35:1 
'''Audio:''' Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS 
'''Content Rating:'''
{{collist|4|
* PG-13 (USA/MPAA)
* ? (Japan)
* 12A (United Kingdom)
* PG (Canada; British Columbia)<ref>''Transformers'' received a "14A" rating in British Columbia, but an appeal by the studio successfully reduced it to PG.</ref>
* G (Canada; Quebec)
* PG (Canada; Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario)
* PG (Canada; Canadian Home Video Rating System)
* PG (Taiwan)
* IIA (China; Hong Kong)
* PG (Singapore)
* G (Philippines/MTRCB)
* U (France)
* U (Malaysia)
* M (Australia)
* M (New Zealand)
* TE (Chile)
* 10 (Brazil)
* 10M (South Africa)
* 11 (Denmark)
* K-11 (Finland)
* 11 (Norway)
* 11 (Sweden)
* 12 (Germany)
* 12A (Ireland)
* 12 (Netherlands)
* M/12 (Portugal)
* 12 (South Korea)
* 12 (Switzerland)
* 13 (Argentina)
* 14 (Peru)
* 12 (Poland)
* B (Mexico)}}

==Production staff==
[[Image:Movie Castandcrew2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Megatron? Is that you?!]]
* Executive Producer: [[Steven Spielberg]]
* Executive Producer: [[Brian Goldner]]
* Director: [[Michael Bay]]
* Producers: [[Lorenzo di Bonaventura]], [[Ian Bryce]], [[Tom DeSanto]], [[Don Murphy]]
* Story by: [[Alex Kurtzman]] & [[Roberto Orci]] and [[John Rogers]],
* Screenwriters: [[Alex Kurtzman]] & [[Roberto Orci]]
* Music by: [[Steve Jablonsky]]

====Visual Effects====
* Visual Effects by: [[Industrial Light and Magic]], [[Digital Domain]]
* Production Designer: [[Jeff Mann]]
* Lead Robot Illustrator: [[Ben Procter]]
* Illustrators: [[James Clyne]], [[Tim Flattery]]
* ILM Visual Effects Supervisior: [[Scott Farrar]]
* Art Director: [[Alex Jaeger]]
* Animation Supervisors: [[Scott Benza]], [[Dan Taylor (ILM)|Dan Taylor]]
* Animators: [[Charles Alleneck]], [[C. Michael Easton]], [[Keiji Yamaguchi]]

====Locations Department====
(winners of the California On Location Award[http://www.californiaonlocationawards.com/] for "Production Company / Location Team of the Year for Feature Films")

* Supervising Location Manager: '''Ilt Jones'''
* Location Managers: '''Michael J. Burmeister''', '''Fermín Dávalos''', and '''Emre Sonmez'''
* Key Assistant Location Managers: '''Michael Wesley Aycock''', '''Leann Emmert''', '''Perri Fichtner''', '''Ronald M. Haynes''', '''Jonathan Hook''', '''Kathy McCurdy''', '''Manny Padilla''', '''Lisa Patton''', '''Rob Swenson''', '''Marta Tomkiw''', and '''Scott Trimble'''
* Additional Key Assistant Location Managers: '''Brooks Bonstin''', '''Alexandre Chen''', '''Michael Chickey''', '''Martin J. Cummins'''
* Assistant Location Managers: '''Ces Hardy''' and '''Amanda Harrington'''
* Location Scouts: '''Stuart Raven Barter''', '''Richard Klotz''', '''James Lin''', and '''Keith Nakata'''
{{-}}
==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
Originally, producer [[Don Murphy]] had intended to produce a movie based on another [[Hasbro]] property, [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. However, following the US invasion of Iraq in March of 2003, a movie entitled "G.I. Joe" was no longer considered viable, so Carol Monroe, who was in charge of Hasbro's movie department at that time, suggested doing a ''Transformers'' movie instead.<ref name="murphylatino">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/on-set-interview-producer-don-murphy-on-transformers-1502 Latino Review interview with producer Don Murphy.]</ref> [[Tom DeSanto]] joined the project as a second producer and wrote a treatment that he and Murphy tried to shop around for a while. (The treatment would eventually remain entirely unused, but DeSanto would try to get a writing credit regardless, even though none of the screenwriters had ever actually ''seen'' his treatment.<ref name="bayspat">[http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/the-hollywood-deal/2007/07/05/michael-bays-spat-with-his-transformer-producers Rant by Michael Bay, deleted from his own blog, still mirrored on other sites]</ref>) The movie was officially announced for the first time in June of 2003.<ref name="comingsoon">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=238 Coming Soon announcing he movie.]</ref>

[[Steven Spielberg]] signed up as executive producer in 2004, while [[John Rogers]] was confirmed as screenwriter in November of the same year.<ref>[http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/563/563081p1.html IGN confirming Rogers as screenwriter.]</ref> In February of 2005, Rogers was replaced by by [[Alex Kurtzman]] and [[Roberto Orci]],<ref name="ignkurtzorc">[http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/588/588884p1.html IGN confirming Kurtzman and Orci as new screenwriters.]</ref> who drastically reworked Rogers' original script.<ref name="rogerscred">[http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2007/07/proper-credits-for-transformers.html John Rogers confirming that Kurtzman and Orci drastically rewrote his script]</ref> Spielberg tried to convince [[Michael Bay]] to direct the movie in late July of 2005, but Bay initially declined, having no interest in a "toy movie". He later changed his mind after attending "Transformers school" at Hasbro, but decided to make the movie "realistic" and accessible for adult viewers.<ref name="audio">Michael Bay's audio commentary on the ''Transformers'' DVD.</ref>

A few days after a list of names of the human cast had been leaked on the internet, [[Shia LaBeouf]] was confirmed as the first cast member.<ref name="ignshia">[http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/698/698735p1.html IGN confirming Shia LaBeouf.]</ref> Producer Don Murphy,<ref name="murphytfcon">[http://www.transformerscon.com/videos.php Don Murphy at the Canadian TransformersCon.]</ref> Hasbro<ref name="tfwtour">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/139273-botcon-2007-botcon-2007-hasbro-tour-updated-friday-12-45pm.html Hasbro tour report.]</ref> and the screenwriters<ref name="mtv">[http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1554426/20070312/story.jhtml MTV.com interview with Kurtzman and Orci.]</ref> all favored [[Peter Cullen]] and [[Frank Welker]] as voice actors for [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. Bay had both audition, but only hired Cullen, while preferring [[Hugo Weaving]] as Megatron.<ref name="cgirobot">[http://web.archive.org/web/20070810172643/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/movies/transformersmovie/004974570.cfm Wizard Universe article about the production of the movie.]</ref> However, Welker still got to voice Megatron (alongside Cullen as Prime) in the video game adaption of the movie, ''[[Transformers The Game]]'', as well as in ''[[Transformers: Beginnings]]'', an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Movie Prequel|prequel comic mini-series]] that was available on a Wal*Mart exclusive bonus disc included with the movie DVD.

===Sponsors and partners===
====Hasbro====
In addition to acting as a licensor, Hasbro also actively participated in the development of the movie, starting with an introduction into the world of the Transformers, called the "Transformers School", for everyone involved, including [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="paramountbotcon">[http://tformers.com/article.php?sid=8001 "Hasbro and Paramount Partnership Panel" at BotCon 2007.]</ref> Hasbro also had a say in the depiction of the Transformers in the movie, the selection of the voice actors,<ref name="tfwtour" /> naming the characters, working on the robot designs<ref name="lorenzoiesb">[http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2724&Itemid=99 IESB interview with Ian Bryce and Lorenzo di Bonaventura.]</ref> and the inclusion of "easter eggs", but no veto rights.<ref name="paramountbotcon" /> According to screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]], Hasbro was more interested in an adequate adaption of the ''Transformers'' concept rather than ''only'' marketing the toyline.<ref name="orcihasbro">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2200611&postcount=239 Roberto Orci discussing Hasbro's involvement.]</ref> Nevertheless, Hasbro urged [[Michael Bay]] very early on to decide upon the Transformers characters to be used in the movie and their vehicle forms because of the long production run of the toys, even though the script wasn't completed yet by that point.<ref name="bayew">[http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20035285_20035331_20044598_3,00.html Entertainment Weekly interview with Michael Bay.]</ref> Hasbro and [[Takara]] then created the [[Movie (toyline)|toys]] based on the designs developed by [[Industrial Light and Magic]]. Aside from this, Takara wasn't involved in the creation of the movie at all.<ref name="murphytformers">[http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=3945 TFormers interview with Don Murphy.]</ref>

Unlike other ''Transformers'' toylines (except for ''[[Alternators]]''), Hasbro and Takara don't share the full rights to the movie toys: Paramount and ILM hold the rights to the robot designs, while the vehicle modes were licensed by companies such as General Motors ([[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]), Saleen ([[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]), Force Protection Industries ([[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]]), the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation ([[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]) and the Lockheed Martin Corporation ([[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]). Only [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] didn't require a license, since his vehicle mode in the movie was heavily genericized, and all manufacturer logos were removed.<ref name="edmundsveh">[http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=121424 Edmunds.com article on the vehicles featured in the movie.]</ref> TakaraTomy even identifies the Leader Class toy as a Kenworth W900 instead of a Peterbilt 379.<ref name="takaraprime">[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/movie/ma-01.html TakaraTomy product page for Leader Class Optimus Prime.]</ref>

Even though Hasbro didn't directly profit from the box office revenue, owning the ''Transformers'' brand allowed them to profit more from the toys than from licensed brands such as ''[[Spider-Man]]'' or ''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]''. In addition, Hasbro was able to give out over 240 licenses to third party companies.<ref name="hasbrofall">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6912693.stm BBC reporting on Hasbro quarterly earnings for July 2007.]</ref> In the USA alone, Hasbro had sold more than three million toys from the movie line as early as July 2007,<ref name="cnnmoney">[http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/23/news/companies/hasbro/index.htm?section=money_topstories CNN Money story on Hasbro sales.]</ref> while Wal-Mart had earned more than five million $USD with the movie Transformers at the same time.<ref name="walmartmillion">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=143983 Wal-Mart employee Steevy Maximus reporting on sales figures for movie toys.]</ref> A lot of the movie toys were frequently sold out at many stores ("drought") due to a mix of popularity, stores underestimating said popularity (and thus not ordering enough toys), shipping problems in China and [[Toy scalping|scalpers]].

====US Military====
The [[United States military]] supported the movie by providing vehicles and soldiers. The vehicles included an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter ([[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout)]], several F-22 Raptors (one of them serving as [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s alternate mode), two A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets, an E-3 Sentry AWACS plane, an AC-130 Spectre gunship and two V-22 Ospreys. Therefore, ''Transformers'' is the first movie to feature real, non-CG F-22s.<ref name="afmil">[http://www.afspc.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123061917 Air Force Space Command article on the movie.]</ref> Real soldiers trained with the actors who played military personnel<ref name="tyreselatino">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news.php?id=2260 Latino Review interview with Tyrese Gibson and Josh Duhamel.]</ref> and were also featured as extras in the movie. Michael Bay even allowed them to improvise lines to make their military dialogue sound as "realistic" as possible.<ref name="nabbtfw">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=115126 First Lieutenant Micheal McNabb reporting his experience of working on the movie.]</ref> In return for their cooperation, Bay gave the military a say in their own depiction in the movie.<ref name="wired">[http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/15-07/trans_movie?currentPage=all Wired.com article on the movie.]</ref> The military, in turn, views the movie as a new form of recruitment.<ref name="aflink">[http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123021491 Air Force Link article about the movie.]</ref>

====Product Placement====
Aside from advertising the ''Transformers'' toyline, the movie also features product placement for other companies, such as Apple, Yahoo, Burger King, Nokia, Panasonic, eBay and Hewlett-Packard. The machines given life by the Allspark include an Xbox 360 (including the original startup sound) and a [[Dispensor|Mountain Dew soda vending machine]]. In addition, the movie also features other Hasbro brands, such as ''My Little Pony'' and ''Furby'' (the latter being a property of Hasbro's subsidiary Tiger Electronics). Furthermore, all Autobots, with the exception of Optimus Prime, have vehicles provided by subsidiaries of General Motors as their [[Alternate mode|alternate modes]], which saved Michael Bay $3 million of his budget.<ref name="bayew" />

Many of these cooperations were mutual: Burger King offered the obligatory Kids Meal toys based on the movie characters for the movie's theatrical launch, and General Motors and Mountain Dew ran TV ads under the titles "Transform Your Ride" and "Transform Your Summer", respectively. According to producers Ian Bryce and Lorenzo di Bonaventura, however, some of these brands, such as [[eBay]], were not originally included as part of a sponsoring deal, but had been part of the script from the beginning for story purposes on the writers' behalf.<ref name="lorenzoiesb" /> For the DVD release of the movie, meanwhile, ''additional'' "Cisco" logos were added into the movie that had not been there yet in the theatrical version.<ref name="dvdprod">[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38792 Allspark thread featuring comparison stills of the theatrical and DVD versions of the movie.]</ref>

===Special effects===
* Three quarters of the CG effects were done by [[Industrial Light & Magic]]. The other quarter was done by [[Digital Domain]], a company [[Michael Bay]] bought shortly before signing up to the ''Transformers'' movie.
* As seen in the bonus material for the Movie DVD, at least some of the ILM designers are actually Transformers fans. One of the animators, [[Charles Alleneck]], has his entire office decorated in more ''Transformers'' toys than a lot of "regular" fans might own.
* Physical props and set pieces were built for several of the Transformers' robot modes. Full body props for [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] (the 2009 Camaro body) and [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] were used for scenes that involved direct interaction with the human cast. The Bumblebee prop (with detached legs) was also used for the scene where he was strapped to a [[Longarm (Movie)|tow truck]]. A set featuring the frozen lower half of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] body was also built. The rest is assorted bits and pieces, such as [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok's]] head and tail, a part of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]'s leg (including a wheel) and an unpainted, entirely blue version of his head plus a small part of the upper chest, and various semi-random chunks meant to represent the remains of the destroyed Decepticons dumped into the ocean (some of the parts meant to represent pieces of [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] even feature markings found on a real-life MH-53 Pave Low helicopter).

===Changes before, during and after production===
A lot of details about the movie changed during the pre-production phase (and even still during production and post-production):

* The script was originally supposed to center around the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], but because the studio wanted to avoid association with the ''Matrix'' movie trilogy, it had to be renamed. For the longest time, the working name was "[[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] Cube", which neither the fans nor producer [[Don Murphy]] were really happy with.<ref name="murphytfcon" /> Ultimately, it was renamed into the [[AllSpark]] for the final movie; however, the name "Energon Cube" is still used in [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s [[Transformers (novel)|novelization]] of the movie, and was also used by [[Shia LaBeouf]] in a CBS interview immediately before the movie's official theatrical launch.<ref name="shiacbs">[http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3004937n?source=search_video CBS interview with Shia LaBeouf.]</ref>
* One of the Autobot characters in the early Kurtzman/Orci drafts was [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], who would have turned into a motorcycle. Even though Hasbro developed a toy based on the designs for the character, Arcee was dropped from the script and replaced with [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]: Kurtzman and Orci didn't want to spend time explaining the purpose of "female" Autobots,<ref name="orciign">[http://movies.ign.com/articles/801/801098p3.html IGN interview with Roberto Orci.]</ref> and Michael Bay considered her too small as compared to the rest of the Autobots.<ref name="orciwizard">[http://web.archive.org/web/20070714214451/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/movies/transformersmovie/005082421.cfm?page=1 Wizard interview with Kurtzman and Orci]</ref> Despite what fans commonly assume, however, the scene during the final battle in [[Mission City]] where [[William Lennox|Lennox]] uses an abandoned motorcycle for his assault on [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] wasn't added to the script until ''after'' Arcee had already been dropped from the script; however, had she ''not'' been dropped, she ''would'' have probably been that motorcycle.<ref name="arceelennox">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/2288318-post539.html Orci once again clearing up the story between Arcee and the motorcycle Lennox uses during the final battle]</ref>
* Other Autobot characters considered by Orci and Kurtzman were [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] and [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]].<ref name="orcichara">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388609&postcount=280 Roberto Orci confirming various characters originally intended for the movie.]</ref> The last was eventually dropped because Orci and Kurtzman preferred the idea of "a Decepticon in disguise as a police vehicle".<ref name="orciprowl">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=365508&postcount=4411 Orci explaining why Prowl is not in the movie]</ref>
* Kurtzman and Orci tried ''twice'' to include [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] in the movie. The first attempt was supposed to turn into a helicopter,<ref name="orciswave">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=351304&postcount=4161 Roberto Orci confirming that Blackout was originally intended to be Soundwave.]</ref> but Hasbro rejected that notion and insisted that Soundwave's [[alternate mode]] should have something to do with music.<ref name="murphyswave">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=97507&postcount=23 Post by Don Murphy at his message board.]</ref> The "helicopter" character was then renamed multiple times, among those names being "Grimlock",<ref name="early">Details from an early script draft [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2213120&postcount=297 summed up here], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2214148&postcount=303 confirmed as authentic by Roberto Orci here].</ref> "Vortex",<ref name="orcisample">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=1120447&postcount=2360 Unformatted script sample from first draft posted by Roberto Orci on Don Murphy's message board]</ref> "Devastator"<ref name="procterdevas">[http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/ZOOM_Trans/ZOOM_32.html "Devastator" concept art at Ben Procter's online portfolio.]</ref> and "Incinerator".<ref name="procterinc">[http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/ZOOM_Trans/ZOOM_34.html "Incinerator" pre-production render at Ben Procter's online portfolio.]</ref> The character eventually ended up as [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]].
* The second attempt would have infiltrated the CIA headquarters in the form of a "portable stereo" and then transformed (and size-shifted) into a Humvee for his escape and tracked down [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]].<ref name="early" /> The "vehicle" part was later turned into a separate character, who was then given a different alternate mode (as a police cruiser) and eventually ended up as [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]]. Meanwhile, the "portable stereo" character also went through several changes, because Kurtzman and Orci eventually decided that the character didn't really do Soundwave justice, so they decided to change his name and save Soundwave for the [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|sequel]].<ref name="webcast">[http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808716430/video/2701721/20070418/2048/2701721-300-wmv-s.35907855-,2701721-300-flash-s.35907881-,2701721-100-wmv-s.35907849-,2701721-100-flash-s.35907874-,2701721-1000-wmv-s.35907866-,2701721-1000-flash-s.35907894-,2701721-700-flash-s.35907887-,2701721-700-wmv-s.35907861- Yahoo webcast with Kurtzman and Orci, revealing the final names of the movie characters.]</ref> The character went through some other working names such as "Boombot"<ref name="procterboom">[http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/ZOOM_Trans/ZOOM_45.html "Boombot" concept art at Ben Procter's online portfolio.]</ref> and "Soundbyte"<ref name="proctersbyte">[http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/ZOOM_Trans/ZOOM_54.html "Soundbyte" head study at Ben Procter's online portfolio.]</ref> and eventually ended up as [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]].
* Other Decepticon characters considered by Orci and Kurtzman, aside from Soundwave, were [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]].<ref name="orcichara" /> The latter was originally supposed to be a minion of helicopter Soundwave, who would have chased [[William Lennox|Lennox]] and his crew through the jungle after the attack on their base. However, when the scene was changed from the jungle to the desert (and Soundwave was no longer Soundwave), Ravage was replaced by [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]].<ref name="orciravage">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=234188&postcount=2008 Roberto Orci confirming that Scorponok replaced Ravage].</ref>
* Because of the long production run of the toys, Hasbro urged [[Michael Bay]] very early on to decide upon the Transformers characters to be used in the movie and their vehicle forms, even though the script wasn't completed yet by that point.<ref name="bayew" /> As a result, many of the Decepticon characters in particular were chosen somewhat hastily, and aren't really based on established Transformers characters aside from their names. The tank used for [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (aka "Devastator") was a recycled prop originally built for the movie ''xXx: State of the Union'', while the mine protected vehicle used for [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] caught the filmmakers' attention because of a giant photoshopped fork depicted on the manufacturer's website.<ref name="enewsi">[http://enewsi.com/news.php?catid=190&itemid=11213 Entertainment News International article on the making of the movie.]</ref>
* Other Decepticon characters featured in an early draft, aside from "Grimlock" (helicopter) and "Soundwave" (portable stereo/Humvee), were Brawl as a Jeep, Frenzy as a Piranha III mortar artillery vehicle, Onslaught as a mobile missile launcher, Octane as a tanker truck, and three jets named Blitzwing, Starscream and Devastator (a cargo plane, a 747 jet and F-16 fighter; the script doesn't say which is which). Instead of having been hiding on Earth for a while, they would have arrived there during the movie after having been summoned by Soundwave.<ref name="early" /> It's possible that the Piranha III later evolved into Stryker/[[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]].
* The "evil police car Decepticon" that replaced Prowl took over the "vehicle" portion of the second character originally conceived as Soundwave (which eventually became [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]]). His vehicle form was originally supposed to be a Ford Crown Victoria, while his working name was "Brawl".<ref name="policebrawl">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-images/events/Botcon-2007/Hasbro-Tour/PICT5108.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Early design for Barricade with working name "Brawl" shown during the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour].</ref> Eventually the character ended up as [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], with the vehicle mode being changed into a Saleen S281 "Extreme" Mustang, because Ford didn't want one of their cars used as a "villain". Therefore, Barricade sports no "Ford" logos in the movie.<ref name="edmundsveh" />
* Another Decepticon character intended to be in the movie had the working name "Stryker", named after his vehicle mode, a M1126 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle.<ref name="stryker">[http://www.seibertron.com/events/fullsize.php?event_id=70&size=2&image=262 Unused design for "Stryker", revealed at the BotCon 2007 Hasbro tour.]</ref> It's possible that he had evolved from a character named "Frenzy" featured in an early script draft, who would have turned into a Piranha III. The character ultimately never made it into the movie, but Hasbro later turned the design into a toy regardless, named [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]].<ref name="tfwtour" />
* Michael Bay also considered having a Transformers character turn into an aircraft carrier, but eventually scrapped that idea for cost reasons.<ref name="ignround">[http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/796/796057p2.html IGN roundtable with Michael Bay from the Australian press conference.]</ref> Orci and Kurtzman included the character in one of their drafts of the script,<ref name="orciaircraft">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=387736&postcount=210 Roberto Orci confirming that the aircraft carrier was in one of the drafts.]</ref> and artist Tim Flattery created concept art.<ref name="flattery">Tim Flattery's concept art for the unused aircraft carrier Transformer: [http://timflattery.com/transformers/4.html Image 1], [http://timflattery.com/transformers/5.html image 2].</ref>
* Working names for the tank Decepticon were "Demolisher"<ref name="hasbrodemolisher">[http://www.hasbro.com/objects/content/wallpaper.cfm?img=wp_transformers651_1280.jpg&brand_id=496&lang_id=1 Wallpaper at Hasbro's website calling Brawl/Devastator "Demolisher".]</ref> and "Devastator", the latter of which had also been a working name for [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] at one point. Even though [[Michael Bay]] confirmed in May of 2006 that this was not the final name,<ref name="baysecret">[http://michaelbay.com/newsblog/files/586e45dbd5e89a45846b0ec668a70e03-12.html Michael Bay claiming that the Transformers' names circulating were "aliases".]</ref> screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman confirmed the final name to be "[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]" in April 2006,<ref name="webcast" /> and Hasbro used that name for all their toys based on the movie character, he identifies himself as "Devastator" in a subtitle in the movie itself. According to a fan who attended the Australian press conference, Bay had decided to use that name regardless,<ref name="griffin">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=1360922&postcount=122 Australian fan griffin-of-oz reporting from the Australian press conference].</ref> while Hasbro considered the name in the movie a "continuity error",<ref name="hasbrofuture">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=139268 Hasbro Transformers Future Product Unveiling panel at BotCon 2007.]</ref> and Orci even claimed that he and Kurtzman had pointed out said "error" in the editing room twice.<ref name="orcidevastator">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=368555&postcount=4479 Orci confirming the name "Devastator" to be an "error".]</ref>
* Michael Bay decided to have [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] not turn into a Volkswagen Beetle because he wanted to avoid similarities with Disney's ''Herbie, the Love Bug''.<ref name="bayew" /> Production Designer Jeff Mann originally suggested using a Dodge Super Bee as Bumblebee's alternate mode,<ref name="edmunds1976">[http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=121138 Edmunds.com article on the classic Bumblebee Camaro.]</ref> but eventually Bay signed a deal with General Motors that saved him $3 million of his budget, which is why Bumblebee turns into a Chevrolet Camaro in the movie.<ref name="bayew" />
* [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] was originally intended to transform into a fire truck rather than a Search & Rescue Hummer. After being changed into a Hummer, he initially still retained a red and white deco, which later served as the inspiration for Hasbro's "Rescue Ratchet" redecos of the movie toys.<ref name="ratchettour">[http://www.seibertron.com/events/fullsize.php?event_id=70&size=2&image=285 Early designs for Ratchet shown at the BotCon 2007 Hasbro tour.]</ref>
* After designs of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] had leaked on the internet, his head design was slightly revised following massive fan complaints.<ref name="murphysunday">[http://www.donmurphy.net/board/showpost.php?p=764141&postcount=1 Don Murphy confirming that Megatron's head design was changed due to fan complaints.]</ref>
* The studio had originally preferred the Transformers not to talk ''at all'' throughout the movie, a notion Hasbro heavily contested.<ref name="tfwtour" /> Bumblebee still ended up being mute throughout most of the movie, which, according to Orci and Kurtzman, was inspired by Spielberg's ''E.T.'' and is supposed to signify that his friendship with Sam transcends words.<ref name="mtv" />
* Most drafts of the script started the movie with [[Archibald Witwicky]]'s discovery of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. In the actual movie, this scene was moved to a later point, shown as a flashback (actually at two points, split into two parts). [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Movie Adaptation Issue Number One|comic adaptation]] of the movie still has this as the opening scene.
* Also in one of the early drafts, the original reason for Mikaela's falling out with [[Trent DeMarco|Trent]] was not because he wouldn't let his "little bunny" drive his car, but because she refused to let him drive after having drunk beer. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anvilicious Anvilicious] much?
* In an early draft, [[William Lennox|Lennox]] and his crew would have defeated [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] with a simple grenade, which would have "dissolved him at a molecular level". The air strike would have never happened, and Lennox wouldn't have established contact with the Pentagon until around the time when [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] and [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] were apprehended by [[Sector Seven]].<ref name="early" />
* In the same draft, Sam had left his grandfather's glasses at school. The Autobots would have distracted a security guard while Sam and Mikaela would have broken into their school. It would have been there that Sam would have learned about Mikaela's criminal past, and the scene would have ended with their arrest by Sector Seven.<ref name="early" />
* In some earlier drafts of the script, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] was supposed to kill [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] too after he had finished off [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]]. That scene never made it into the final movie, and Barricade simply disappears with no explanation after Bonecrusher transforms; however, the scene still made it into Alan Dean Foster's [[Transformers (novel)|novelization]] of the movie and IDW's [[Movie Adaptation issue 4|comic adaptation]].
* Also in earlier drafts of the script, [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] was supposed to kill [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] by consuming his [[Spark]]. Again, this is only explicitly confirmed in the novelization and IDW's comic adaptation of the movie, but not in the movie itself.

==Notes==
* The Autobot computer generated models consisted of 35,592 total pieces, 7,435,478 polygons, 95,247 rig nodes, and 20,258 texture maps. If laid end to end, the pieces would stretch 3.11 miles.
* For all the robots combined, there are 60,217 pieces of geometry, 123,509,502 polygons, 144,341 rigging nodes, and 34,215 texture maps.<ref>Robertson, Barbara (2007). Heavy Metal. ''Computer Graphics, 30''(7), 12-17.</ref>
* The events of the movie span 4-5 days.
* Within the movie, neither the Autobots nor the Decepticons are referred to as "Transformers".
* As confirmed in the audio commentary on the movie DVD, director [[Michael Bay]] has a brief cameo as an innocent bystander getting flicked against a taxi cab by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]].
* The "<tt>[322] days without a safety breach</tt>" sign behind Agent Simmons before they bring the [[Nokia-bot|cell phone]] to life relates to a piece of backstory that was cut from the final film. A researcher named [[James Farr (Movie)|James Farr]] was killed when a [[AX9-8946-09SU-1|robot they brought to life]] ran amok, causing the damage Glen comments on. The [[Sector Seven (game)|viral marketing campaign]] gives a date for Farr's death; [[March 16]], [[2006]]. This would chronologically place the primary events of the film as occurring over a 3 day period, [[January 30]] - [[February 1]], [[2007]].
* In an interesting showing of unified marketing, the Japanese dub of the movie uses the English-market character and factions names (e.g., Autobot, Decepticon, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee) rather than the terms previously established in Japanese Transformers continuity (e.g., Cybertron, Destron, Convoy, Bumble). This has subsequently influenced Takara's subsequent dub of ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'', where (for the most part) they retain the english-market names and factions.
* In a bit of a shocker, [[Simon Furman]] has said he personally isn't a fan of the film, though he believes they're great for the intended audience of young kids. <ref> [http://mindlessones.com/2009/07/20/transformers-terminators-and-the-rest11-questions-with-simon-furman/ Interview at Mindless Ones blog]</ref>
* In an unexpected celebrity-related moment, famed multi award-winning british actress Helen Mirren, a Dame Commander of the British Empire, was one of the guests at the June 27, 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival premiere of ''Transformers''. One wonders what she thought of it. <ref>[http://movies.about.com/od/transformers/ig/Transformers-Premiere-Photos/transformersprem34.htm Helen Mirren at the June 27, 2007 Los Angeles premiere of ''Transformers'';Rebecca Murray, Movies.About.com Guide]</ref>
* ''Transformers'' (ahem) "inspired" a [[Knockoff|direct-to-video movie]] called [[Wikipedia:Transmorphers|''Transmorphers'']]. It got a [[Wikipedia:Transmorphers: Fall of Man|prequel]] in 2009, starring [[Wikipedia:Bruce Boxleitner|Bruce Boxleitner]], of all people. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
* Somewhat less embarassing, ''Transformers'' also inspired the [[Wikipedia:Knight Rider (2008 film)|2008 ''Knight Rider'' television movie]] and the [[Wikipedia:Knight Rider (2008 TV series)|short-lived revival/sequel series]] that followed it.<ref name="varietykr">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972829?refCatId=14 Variety article about the then-upcoming 2008 ''Knight Rider'' revival]</ref> Furthermore, the special effects<ref name="madeatl">[http://madeinatlantis.com/movies_central/2008/iron_man_production_details.htm ''Iron Man'' Full Production Notes]</ref> and the marketing campaign<ref name="imtie-ins">[http://www.brandweek.com/bw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003692165 Brandweek article about the ''Iron Man'' marketing campaign.</ref> both served as inspirations for the 2008 [[Wikipedia:Iron Man (film)|''Iron Man'' movie]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers''''' (トランスフォーマー ''Toransufōmā'')
*''Mandarin:'' (變形金剛, "Transformers")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery''''' (Трансформеры, "Transformers")

==External links==
* [http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68329&p=irol-newsArticlePR&ID=421174 June 11, 2003 Press Release announcing the movie.]
* [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Transformersmovie.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/ ''Transformers'' at IMDB.com]
* [http://www.transformersalbum.com/ ''Transformers The Album'']
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers_%28film%29 ''Transformers'' 2007 film on Wikipedia]
* Designer portfolios: [http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/PROJPAGE_Trans_01.html Ben Procter], [http://www.jamesclyne.com/projects.php?gallery_id=297 James Clyne], [http://timflattery.com/main.html Tim Flattery], [http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4150 Alex Jaeger] (at CG Society), [http://2d2cg.com/# James Cook]
* [http://www.capalert.com/capreports/transformers.htm ''Transformers'' CAPalert.com review]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

[[Category:Movie| ]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:MSTF]]
[[Category:Real world films]]

Megatron Rising - Part 1

2011-07-13T12:55:42Z

64.75.121.3: /* Featured characters */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=MegRisingHeadKey.jpg
|caption=Cyber Key power!
|ep=15
|ep2=14
|prev2=Headmaster (episode)
|next2=Megatron Rising - Part 2
|title="Megatron Rising - Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 29]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Ciro Nieli]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Prime begins to doubt his leadership abilities as the Decepticons mobilize for a big invasion of Earth.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MegRisingBodyLab.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This is what happens when you don't have proper rust-proofing.]]

[[Detroit]] is in the midst of a blizzard, and as Isaac Sumdac starts to repair Megatron's body he comments that they were fortunate to have found it beforehand, while at the same time praising it for being well-constructed enough to withstand 50 years of exposure to the elements. Megatron silently gloats that Cybertronian technology is more powerful than any force on Earth. The bad weather causes a blackout and forces [[Sumdac Tower]] onto its backup generator; when Sumdac decides this will force a delay in the repairs, Megatron alternates between bluster and sweet-talk to try to get his way, but it's no use. Megatron attempts to call Lugnut again for assistance.

Lugnut and Blitzwing have just finished rebuilding themselves (after some squabbling over the last piece) in a distant forest. Starscream mocks them for in-fighting and reminds them that he is their new chosen and sworn sovereign; his two subjects retort that they serve him only under threat, not by choice. At that moment, Megatron successfully contacts Lugnut, whose newly reverential and respectful attitude both pleases and confuses (''but mostly pleases'') Starscream. When Starscream finds out Lugnut "thinks" he's hearing Megatron, the new leader is infuriated, and in his anger almost exposes that fact that it was himself, and not the Autobots, who defeated Megatron in the first place. Megatron orders Lugnut to retrieve the [[AllSpark Key]] and bring it to him; Starscream then notices that, regardless of the source, Lugnut is indeed being contacted by someone. He orders Lugnut and Blitzwing to obey the strange orders for now, while he himself will track the transmissions to their source and see who is trying to undermine his authority.

As the Decepticons move out, the Autobots' hedquarters computer notices their increased activity. The Autobots are worried about a possible full-scale Decepticon invasion. As if Optimus Prime wasn't stressed enough, Bulkhead and Prowl then take the opportunity to finally tell him about the continued survival of the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime is furious that his orders were disobeyed, but decides that given the circumstances they should try to use all resources available—but insists that he will lead the new mission to contact the Dinobots.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Sari key taken.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Try all you want kid, Captain Planet ain't coming.]]

Optimus Prime is especially worried about the AllSpark Key, both because Sari can't protect it, and because she once again is using it as a toy (this time for model-plane dogfighting). When he orders her to turn it over, Sari angrily reminds him that she was chosen for this role by the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] itself. Prime then orders Ratchet to magnetically take the Key from her, and, reluctantly, Ratchet obeys. Sari feels heartbroken and betrayed, and flees the base. An upset Bumblebee defends Sari's role as part of the team, to which Optimus responds that since Bumblebee has been such a poor team performer who makes so many mistakes, he isn't a good character witness. Bumblebee retorts that the Autobots' desperate, seemingly hopeless situation means Optimus isn't a good leader—then he leaves in pursuit of Sari. Prime orders Ratchet to take the Key to the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobot spaceship]] beneath Lake Erie, and they all depart.

Sari walks down the street, dejected and pouting about how untrustworthy the Autobots turned out to be. But she's being watched—by Blackarachnia, who abducts the girl and mockingly praises her for seeing the light. Still hoping to cure herself of her techno-organic body, Blackarachnia attempts to bargain with Sari to hand over the AllSpark Key. They exchange "snappy banter" for a while, which leaves Blackarachnia bored. When Sari again mentions how the Autobots no longer trust her, Blackarachnia tells her more about her own sad past and how only the power of the AllSpark can give her back a normal life. Sari seems moved....

[[Image:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|left|200px|thumb|YOINK! AHAHAHAHAHA!]]

En route to the Autobot ship, Ratchet is ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, in a battle about as one-sided as Bambi vs. Godzilla. He seems to challenge Blitzwing to a battle to the finish—but the three-faced robot simply freezes Ratchet solid and cracks off his crystallized arm, taking the AllSpark Key with it.

On Dinobot Island, the Autobots are confronted by the Dinobots who—again—are hostile to trespassers. Prime seemingly worsens the situation, as a stranger with a heavy-handed attitude. When their familiar protector Prowl reveals himself and tries to speak, the Dinobots calm down slightly (though Prime is further frustrated to learn the [[Meltdown (Animated)|extent of his troops' misadventures]] on Dinobot Island). But in the end, the Dinobots refuse to help against the Decepticons, saying they don't want to help any robots—they ''fight'' robots. Optimus points out that the Dinobots are robots themselves, prompting them to begin fighting each other. When Ratchet calls and informs Prime of the AllSpark Key's theft, the Autobots return to the mainland. Bulkhead asks what their next course of action is, and Prime admits he doesn't know, thinking that Bumblebee was right about Prime being unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron rising 1 Starscream freakout.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee violated rule number 37 of the good guy code: never interrupt the villain during the monologue.]]

Starscream traces the source of Lugnut's messages back to Sumdac Tower. Blasting his way in, he is shocked to find Megatron alive—but regains his composure at the sight of his former leader dismantled and helpless. The two have an elaborately deceptive conversation about loyalty: Megatron knows Starscream betrayed him, but Starscream doesn't know he knows and wants to [[wikipedia:The Incredibles|monologue]] a bit before delivering the final blow. Meanwhile, Bumblebee's search for Sari leads him to the tower; when he spots Starscream through the wrecked wall, he squeezes himself into an elevator and prepares for a one-on-one battle (after using the classic "cellphone interference" ploy to avoid talking to Optimus). Right when Starscream is finally about to finish Megatron off, Bumblebee charges in, stingers blasting wildly—striking Starscream at full force and causing no damage at all. Starscream effortlessly thrashes Bumblebee, more angry at having his monologue interrupted than anything else. During this diversion, Megatron activates some of the lab machinery, propelling both Starscream and Bumblebee out of the lab and onto the tower roof. Meanwhile, [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]], [[Tracks (Animated)|Tracks]], and [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] were fighting [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] at the warehouse down the street. Far to do so, Blitzwing tries to kill Sentinel, but [[Brawn (Animated)|Brawn]] stops Blitzwing.

[[Image:Megatron Rising head body connect.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Yep. We're boned.]]

Dr. Sumdac rushes in, hearing the disturbance. At first Megatron keeps up his usual act, warning that the Decepticons will be back soon and that he needs his new body immediately. The doctor agrees, trying to repair it as quickly as possible, while Megatron observes the rooftop action on a viewscreen and tries to electrocute Starscream through a spotlight. Lugnut and Blitzwing arrive, with Lugnut praising his leader, belatedly noticing his damaged state. Seeing Megatron, Blitzwing finally understands that Lugnut wasn't crazy. As Sumdac demands to know who they are, Lugnut forces Sumdac to genuflect to Megatron, revealing that Megatron is a Decepticon, who in turn gloats at the sight and how easily he was able to lie to his captor. Before Sumdac can contemplate the seriousness of what he has done, Lugnut drops him into Megatron's hand to witness what will happen. Blitzwing inserts the AllSpark Key into Megatron's head; its power is now his to command. Megatron quickly (''and beautifully'') repairs himself, using metal from the lab as patch-up material when necessary; in the process he steals Sumdac away to an as-yet-undisclosed location.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Megs entrance.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Sheer awesomeness.]]

Up on the roof, Starscream is about to finish off Bumblebee, and down on the street the Autobots are just arriving to try to help, but all are reduced to staring in horror and disbelief as Megatron blasts up into the sky, an armored colossus.

Oh, crap.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (10)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (11)
* [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] (12)
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (13)
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (14)
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (15)
* [[Brawn (Animated)|Brawn]] (16)
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] (17)
* [[Tracks (Animated)|Tracks]] (18)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (2)
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (4)
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (5)
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (6)
* [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] (8)
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (12)

|c3=
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (1)
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (3)

|c4=
*[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]] ()

}}

==Quotes==
'''Lugnut''': And the universe will rejoice! All hail your grand and glorious return! 
'''Starscream''': Okaaay, what's ''his'' malfunction? 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Technical glitch. It happens. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': A lot, actually! Ahahahaha! 
'''Lugnut''': It is ''not'' a glitch! It is Megatron, and he commands us to deliver him the Key! 
'''Starscream''': Megatron...?! Did you just say Megatron?! Did he just say ''MEGATRON''?! ''THERE IS NO MEGATRON!'' MEGATRON IS OFFLINE! TERMINATED! I DID IT MYSEL—''saw'' it myself.
:—Starscream is a master of subtlety, truly!

"The fate of the Earth and Cybertron hang in the balance and all I've got in my command are a bunch of undisciplined, insubordinate MALFUNCTIONS!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has quite the bad temper when he's dissatisfied with his troops.

"What's your damage, Prime? Sari has been helping us since the day we got here. She is a part of this team!" 
"Considering your own history of mistakes, Bumblebee, I wouldn't exactly call you a great character witness." 
"Is that right?! Well let me tell ''you'' something, ''Boss-Bot'': Considering the fact that we're stuck on this planet, outnumbered, with no idea on how we're gonna beat an army of Decepticons ready to fry our circuits at any second, I wouldn't exactly call '''you''' a great leader."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange harsh words. Ouch.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': The Key, Autobot! 
'''Ratchet''': You'll have to pry it from my cold, offline servo. 
''[Blitzwing switches to his icy face, freezes Ratchet, then switches to his random face]'' 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Well, it's not exactly offline, but— ''[Rips off Ratchet's arm]'' —it's certainly cold. Ahahahaha! 
:—Blitzwing cheats by stealing the Key from Ratchet instead of fighting for it.

"Look what the capacitor dragged in." 
"Megatron?! Alive? And looking... magnificent, as always." 
"Starscream. How good it is to be reunited with such a ''devoted'' and ''faithful'' subject in my time of need." 
"I would have come sooner, o grand and illustrious leader, but naturally we all assumed you perished at the hands of the Autobot scum. What... great... joy to discover you did not." 
"Yes. Delight is written all over your face."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream''' exchange, ''ahem'', warm and heartfelt pleasantries.

"'''YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' seriously freaks out when Bumblebee shoots him.

"We have come for our glorious leader, Megatron!" 
"I am here, Lugnut." 
"Oh, Master, I am not worthy! I am not worthy... What happened to your body?" 
"Long story."
:—'''Lugnut''' and '''Megatron''', reunited at last.

"''Decepticons?'' But, you told me you were an Autobot." 
"And I hated every moment of that humiliating charade. But no more..."
:—'''Isaac Sumdac''' finally learns the truth, and from '''Megatron''' himself.

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* When Bulkhead brings up the Dinobots, Optimus says that they were destroyed, "weren't they?" However, the last time the Dinobots were mentioned was in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]", when Optimus thought the Dinobots were ''missing,'' and also suspected they were involved in the kidnapping of Sari. He has no known reason to think they were ''destroyed.'' Of course, we still don't know what story Prowl and Bulkhead told Prime after the events of "Survival of the Fittest".

* Not so much an error as just an oddity: When Starscream stands over a dangling Bumblebee on the Sumdac Tower rooftop, Megatron sends a power surge through a roof fixture and zaps Starscream. When the scene cuts back to the roof a few minutes later, Bumblebee's back on the roof, which he likely managed while Starscream was stunned, and Starscream's confronting him again. However, with no time given for them to talk or react about the transition, the previous roof scene may as well not have happened.

===Animation errors===
[[Image:Sari's leg.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It's a new fashion trend.]]
* The [[Scale|size of Megatron's head]] fluctuates greatly between scenes, often appearing gigantic even compared to large characters.

* While Prime is shouting at the other 'Bots his insignia starts where it should be, on his shoulder. But as he gestures it seems to rotate around to the underside of his arm.

* When Sari is telling Blackarachnia about the Autobots taking away the AllSpark Key, her right leg is drawn awkwardly... almost as if it's growing out of her skirt. Though this is very likely in order to prevent a [[Teletraan 15|pre-teen panty shot]].

* After Ratchet reports to Prime that he lost the AllSpark Key, his EMP blaster wound briefly disappears as he lowers his arm.

* Starscream's Decepticon insignia is occasionally upside-down.

* Optimus has two lights on each shoulder, when he admits he was out of line and says about repairing friendships, he raises his fist hiding one of these lights, but when his fist goes down, the light he is hiding has vanished.

===Transformers references===
* Prime finally refers to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] by that name.

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Retorno de Megatron, parte 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le retour de Megatron 1/2'''" ("The Return of Megatron 1/2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatrons Auferstehung, Teil 1'''" ("Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 11|11 July]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatron no Fukkatsu Part 1'''" (メガトロンの復活パート1, "Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 3|3 July]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Powrót Megatrona, Część 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
* Ratchet's remark to Blitzwing about prying the AllSpark Key "from his cold, offline servo" is a reference to an [[wikipedia:I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands"|NRA slogan]] made famous in a speech by [[wikipedia:Charlton Heston|Charlton Heston]]. Coincidentally, exactly one week after this episode aired, Heston went up to that grand old shooting range in the sky.

===Trivia===
*The Decepticon symbol on Megatron's body that was so clear [[Nature Calls|last episode]] is nowhere to be seen now. Of course, neither is the chestplate it resided on.
*The R/C Plane Sari was flying resembles a MiG-15 Fighter.
*We learn that Prowl and Bulkhead not only didn't tell Prime that the Dinobots were still around, but also didn't tell him that [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] was the one behind Sari's kidnapping in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]". So, when they returned with Sari after the events of that episode, they apparently told him ''none'' of the truth. What ''did'' they tell him?
*Apparently, when Optimus is '''really''' ticked off and breathing heavy, his engine audibly revs.
*This is the first episode in which we see an extended transformation sequence for Starscream.
*When Megatron's energized body sends out cables to its detached hand, in which Prof. Sumdac is sitting, the hand grips around Sumdac, then is yanked under the flooring and over to the body, where it opens back up—with Sumdac no longer within it. (Nothing up Megatron's sleeve!)
*At one point during Starscream's transformation, he strongly resembles the Gerwalk mode of the [http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macrossplus/yf-19.htm YF-19 Alpha One] from the anime ''[[wikipedia:Macross Plus|Macross Plus]],'' one of the apparent influences for his alternate mode.
*It appears that Grimlock has gotten over his hatred of [[Car Robots]], but [[Grimlock (G1)|he still hates Optimus Prime]].
*Being in the Great War must have really toughened Ratchet up, as he expresses no pain or shock at the fact that he gets his servo ripped off by [[Blitzwing (Animated)|some mad Decepticon]]. Hardcore.
*All through Season 1, since his reactivation, Megatron has been saying the words "triumphant return" frequently. This episode is the last time he uses those two words together.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 4 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Megatron Rising - Part 1

2011-07-13T12:52:38Z

64.75.121.3: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=MegRisingHeadKey.jpg
|caption=Cyber Key power!
|ep=15
|ep2=14
|prev2=Headmaster (episode)
|next2=Megatron Rising - Part 2
|title="Megatron Rising - Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 29]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Ciro Nieli]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Prime begins to doubt his leadership abilities as the Decepticons mobilize for a big invasion of Earth.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MegRisingBodyLab.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This is what happens when you don't have proper rust-proofing.]]

[[Detroit]] is in the midst of a blizzard, and as Isaac Sumdac starts to repair Megatron's body he comments that they were fortunate to have found it beforehand, while at the same time praising it for being well-constructed enough to withstand 50 years of exposure to the elements. Megatron silently gloats that Cybertronian technology is more powerful than any force on Earth. The bad weather causes a blackout and forces [[Sumdac Tower]] onto its backup generator; when Sumdac decides this will force a delay in the repairs, Megatron alternates between bluster and sweet-talk to try to get his way, but it's no use. Megatron attempts to call Lugnut again for assistance.

Lugnut and Blitzwing have just finished rebuilding themselves (after some squabbling over the last piece) in a distant forest. Starscream mocks them for in-fighting and reminds them that he is their new chosen and sworn sovereign; his two subjects retort that they serve him only under threat, not by choice. At that moment, Megatron successfully contacts Lugnut, whose newly reverential and respectful attitude both pleases and confuses (''but mostly pleases'') Starscream. When Starscream finds out Lugnut "thinks" he's hearing Megatron, the new leader is infuriated, and in his anger almost exposes that fact that it was himself, and not the Autobots, who defeated Megatron in the first place. Megatron orders Lugnut to retrieve the [[AllSpark Key]] and bring it to him; Starscream then notices that, regardless of the source, Lugnut is indeed being contacted by someone. He orders Lugnut and Blitzwing to obey the strange orders for now, while he himself will track the transmissions to their source and see who is trying to undermine his authority.

As the Decepticons move out, the Autobots' hedquarters computer notices their increased activity. The Autobots are worried about a possible full-scale Decepticon invasion. As if Optimus Prime wasn't stressed enough, Bulkhead and Prowl then take the opportunity to finally tell him about the continued survival of the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime is furious that his orders were disobeyed, but decides that given the circumstances they should try to use all resources available—but insists that he will lead the new mission to contact the Dinobots.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Sari key taken.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Try all you want kid, Captain Planet ain't coming.]]

Optimus Prime is especially worried about the AllSpark Key, both because Sari can't protect it, and because she once again is using it as a toy (this time for model-plane dogfighting). When he orders her to turn it over, Sari angrily reminds him that she was chosen for this role by the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] itself. Prime then orders Ratchet to magnetically take the Key from her, and, reluctantly, Ratchet obeys. Sari feels heartbroken and betrayed, and flees the base. An upset Bumblebee defends Sari's role as part of the team, to which Optimus responds that since Bumblebee has been such a poor team performer who makes so many mistakes, he isn't a good character witness. Bumblebee retorts that the Autobots' desperate, seemingly hopeless situation means Optimus isn't a good leader—then he leaves in pursuit of Sari. Prime orders Ratchet to take the Key to the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobot spaceship]] beneath Lake Erie, and they all depart.

Sari walks down the street, dejected and pouting about how untrustworthy the Autobots turned out to be. But she's being watched—by Blackarachnia, who abducts the girl and mockingly praises her for seeing the light. Still hoping to cure herself of her techno-organic body, Blackarachnia attempts to bargain with Sari to hand over the AllSpark Key. They exchange "snappy banter" for a while, which leaves Blackarachnia bored. When Sari again mentions how the Autobots no longer trust her, Blackarachnia tells her more about her own sad past and how only the power of the AllSpark can give her back a normal life. Sari seems moved....

[[Image:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|left|200px|thumb|YOINK! AHAHAHAHAHA!]]

En route to the Autobot ship, Ratchet is ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, in a battle about as one-sided as Bambi vs. Godzilla. He seems to challenge Blitzwing to a battle to the finish—but the three-faced robot simply freezes Ratchet solid and cracks off his crystallized arm, taking the AllSpark Key with it.

On Dinobot Island, the Autobots are confronted by the Dinobots who—again—are hostile to trespassers. Prime seemingly worsens the situation, as a stranger with a heavy-handed attitude. When their familiar protector Prowl reveals himself and tries to speak, the Dinobots calm down slightly (though Prime is further frustrated to learn the [[Meltdown (Animated)|extent of his troops' misadventures]] on Dinobot Island). But in the end, the Dinobots refuse to help against the Decepticons, saying they don't want to help any robots—they ''fight'' robots. Optimus points out that the Dinobots are robots themselves, prompting them to begin fighting each other. When Ratchet calls and informs Prime of the AllSpark Key's theft, the Autobots return to the mainland. Bulkhead asks what their next course of action is, and Prime admits he doesn't know, thinking that Bumblebee was right about Prime being unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron rising 1 Starscream freakout.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee violated rule number 37 of the good guy code: never interrupt the villain during the monologue.]]

Starscream traces the source of Lugnut's messages back to Sumdac Tower. Blasting his way in, he is shocked to find Megatron alive—but regains his composure at the sight of his former leader dismantled and helpless. The two have an elaborately deceptive conversation about loyalty: Megatron knows Starscream betrayed him, but Starscream doesn't know he knows and wants to [[wikipedia:The Incredibles|monologue]] a bit before delivering the final blow. Meanwhile, Bumblebee's search for Sari leads him to the tower; when he spots Starscream through the wrecked wall, he squeezes himself into an elevator and prepares for a one-on-one battle (after using the classic "cellphone interference" ploy to avoid talking to Optimus). Right when Starscream is finally about to finish Megatron off, Bumblebee charges in, stingers blasting wildly—striking Starscream at full force and causing no damage at all. Starscream effortlessly thrashes Bumblebee, more angry at having his monologue interrupted than anything else. During this diversion, Megatron activates some of the lab machinery, propelling both Starscream and Bumblebee out of the lab and onto the tower roof. Meanwhile, [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]], [[Tracks (Animated)|Tracks]], and [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] were fighting [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] and [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] at the warehouse down the street. Far to do so, Blitzwing tries to kill Sentinel, but [[Brawn (Animated)|Brawn]] stops Blitzwing.

[[Image:Megatron Rising head body connect.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Yep. We're boned.]]

Dr. Sumdac rushes in, hearing the disturbance. At first Megatron keeps up his usual act, warning that the Decepticons will be back soon and that he needs his new body immediately. The doctor agrees, trying to repair it as quickly as possible, while Megatron observes the rooftop action on a viewscreen and tries to electrocute Starscream through a spotlight. Lugnut and Blitzwing arrive, with Lugnut praising his leader, belatedly noticing his damaged state. Seeing Megatron, Blitzwing finally understands that Lugnut wasn't crazy. As Sumdac demands to know who they are, Lugnut forces Sumdac to genuflect to Megatron, revealing that Megatron is a Decepticon, who in turn gloats at the sight and how easily he was able to lie to his captor. Before Sumdac can contemplate the seriousness of what he has done, Lugnut drops him into Megatron's hand to witness what will happen. Blitzwing inserts the AllSpark Key into Megatron's head; its power is now his to command. Megatron quickly (''and beautifully'') repairs himself, using metal from the lab as patch-up material when necessary; in the process he steals Sumdac away to an as-yet-undisclosed location.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Megs entrance.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Sheer awesomeness.]]

Up on the roof, Starscream is about to finish off Bumblebee, and down on the street the Autobots are just arriving to try to help, but all are reduced to staring in horror and disbelief as Megatron blasts up into the sky, an armored colossus.

Oh, crap.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (10)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (11)
* [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] (12)
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (13)
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (14)
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (15)
* [[Tracks (Animated)|Tracks]] (16)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (2)
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (4)
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (5)
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (6)
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (12)

|c3=
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (1)
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (3)

|c4=
*[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]] ()

}}

==Quotes==
'''Lugnut''': And the universe will rejoice! All hail your grand and glorious return! 
'''Starscream''': Okaaay, what's ''his'' malfunction? 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Technical glitch. It happens. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': A lot, actually! Ahahahaha! 
'''Lugnut''': It is ''not'' a glitch! It is Megatron, and he commands us to deliver him the Key! 
'''Starscream''': Megatron...?! Did you just say Megatron?! Did he just say ''MEGATRON''?! ''THERE IS NO MEGATRON!'' MEGATRON IS OFFLINE! TERMINATED! I DID IT MYSEL—''saw'' it myself.
:—Starscream is a master of subtlety, truly!

"The fate of the Earth and Cybertron hang in the balance and all I've got in my command are a bunch of undisciplined, insubordinate MALFUNCTIONS!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has quite the bad temper when he's dissatisfied with his troops.

"What's your damage, Prime? Sari has been helping us since the day we got here. She is a part of this team!" 
"Considering your own history of mistakes, Bumblebee, I wouldn't exactly call you a great character witness." 
"Is that right?! Well let me tell ''you'' something, ''Boss-Bot'': Considering the fact that we're stuck on this planet, outnumbered, with no idea on how we're gonna beat an army of Decepticons ready to fry our circuits at any second, I wouldn't exactly call '''you''' a great leader."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange harsh words. Ouch.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': The Key, Autobot! 
'''Ratchet''': You'll have to pry it from my cold, offline servo. 
''[Blitzwing switches to his icy face, freezes Ratchet, then switches to his random face]'' 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Well, it's not exactly offline, but— ''[Rips off Ratchet's arm]'' —it's certainly cold. Ahahahaha! 
:—Blitzwing cheats by stealing the Key from Ratchet instead of fighting for it.

"Look what the capacitor dragged in." 
"Megatron?! Alive? And looking... magnificent, as always." 
"Starscream. How good it is to be reunited with such a ''devoted'' and ''faithful'' subject in my time of need." 
"I would have come sooner, o grand and illustrious leader, but naturally we all assumed you perished at the hands of the Autobot scum. What... great... joy to discover you did not." 
"Yes. Delight is written all over your face."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream''' exchange, ''ahem'', warm and heartfelt pleasantries.

"'''YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' seriously freaks out when Bumblebee shoots him.

"We have come for our glorious leader, Megatron!" 
"I am here, Lugnut." 
"Oh, Master, I am not worthy! I am not worthy... What happened to your body?" 
"Long story."
:—'''Lugnut''' and '''Megatron''', reunited at last.

"''Decepticons?'' But, you told me you were an Autobot." 
"And I hated every moment of that humiliating charade. But no more..."
:—'''Isaac Sumdac''' finally learns the truth, and from '''Megatron''' himself.

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* When Bulkhead brings up the Dinobots, Optimus says that they were destroyed, "weren't they?" However, the last time the Dinobots were mentioned was in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]", when Optimus thought the Dinobots were ''missing,'' and also suspected they were involved in the kidnapping of Sari. He has no known reason to think they were ''destroyed.'' Of course, we still don't know what story Prowl and Bulkhead told Prime after the events of "Survival of the Fittest".

* Not so much an error as just an oddity: When Starscream stands over a dangling Bumblebee on the Sumdac Tower rooftop, Megatron sends a power surge through a roof fixture and zaps Starscream. When the scene cuts back to the roof a few minutes later, Bumblebee's back on the roof, which he likely managed while Starscream was stunned, and Starscream's confronting him again. However, with no time given for them to talk or react about the transition, the previous roof scene may as well not have happened.

===Animation errors===
[[Image:Sari's leg.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It's a new fashion trend.]]
* The [[Scale|size of Megatron's head]] fluctuates greatly between scenes, often appearing gigantic even compared to large characters.

* While Prime is shouting at the other 'Bots his insignia starts where it should be, on his shoulder. But as he gestures it seems to rotate around to the underside of his arm.

* When Sari is telling Blackarachnia about the Autobots taking away the AllSpark Key, her right leg is drawn awkwardly... almost as if it's growing out of her skirt. Though this is very likely in order to prevent a [[Teletraan 15|pre-teen panty shot]].

* After Ratchet reports to Prime that he lost the AllSpark Key, his EMP blaster wound briefly disappears as he lowers his arm.

* Starscream's Decepticon insignia is occasionally upside-down.

* Optimus has two lights on each shoulder, when he admits he was out of line and says about repairing friendships, he raises his fist hiding one of these lights, but when his fist goes down, the light he is hiding has vanished.

===Transformers references===
* Prime finally refers to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] by that name.

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Retorno de Megatron, parte 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le retour de Megatron 1/2'''" ("The Return of Megatron 1/2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatrons Auferstehung, Teil 1'''" ("Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 11|11 July]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatron no Fukkatsu Part 1'''" (メガトロンの復活パート1, "Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 3|3 July]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Powrót Megatrona, Część 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
* Ratchet's remark to Blitzwing about prying the AllSpark Key "from his cold, offline servo" is a reference to an [[wikipedia:I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands"|NRA slogan]] made famous in a speech by [[wikipedia:Charlton Heston|Charlton Heston]]. Coincidentally, exactly one week after this episode aired, Heston went up to that grand old shooting range in the sky.

===Trivia===
*The Decepticon symbol on Megatron's body that was so clear [[Nature Calls|last episode]] is nowhere to be seen now. Of course, neither is the chestplate it resided on.
*The R/C Plane Sari was flying resembles a MiG-15 Fighter.
*We learn that Prowl and Bulkhead not only didn't tell Prime that the Dinobots were still around, but also didn't tell him that [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] was the one behind Sari's kidnapping in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]". So, when they returned with Sari after the events of that episode, they apparently told him ''none'' of the truth. What ''did'' they tell him?
*Apparently, when Optimus is '''really''' ticked off and breathing heavy, his engine audibly revs.
*This is the first episode in which we see an extended transformation sequence for Starscream.
*When Megatron's energized body sends out cables to its detached hand, in which Prof. Sumdac is sitting, the hand grips around Sumdac, then is yanked under the flooring and over to the body, where it opens back up—with Sumdac no longer within it. (Nothing up Megatron's sleeve!)
*At one point during Starscream's transformation, he strongly resembles the Gerwalk mode of the [http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macrossplus/yf-19.htm YF-19 Alpha One] from the anime ''[[wikipedia:Macross Plus|Macross Plus]],'' one of the apparent influences for his alternate mode.
*It appears that Grimlock has gotten over his hatred of [[Car Robots]], but [[Grimlock (G1)|he still hates Optimus Prime]].
*Being in the Great War must have really toughened Ratchet up, as he expresses no pain or shock at the fact that he gets his servo ripped off by [[Blitzwing (Animated)|some mad Decepticon]]. Hardcore.
*All through Season 1, since his reactivation, Megatron has been saying the words "triumphant return" frequently. This episode is the last time he uses those two words together.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 4 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Megatron Rising - Part 1

2011-07-13T12:46:20Z

64.75.121.3: /* Featured characters */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=MegRisingHeadKey.jpg
|caption=Cyber Key power!
|ep=15
|ep2=14
|prev2=Headmaster (episode)
|next2=Megatron Rising - Part 2
|title="Megatron Rising - Part 1"
|airdate=[[March 29]], [[2008]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Irineo Maramba]] [[Ciro Nieli]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]}}

'''Prime begins to doubt his leadership abilities as the Decepticons mobilize for a big invasion of Earth.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:MegRisingBodyLab.jpg|left|200px|thumb|This is what happens when you don't have proper rust-proofing.]]

[[Detroit]] is in the midst of a blizzard, and as Isaac Sumdac starts to repair Megatron's body he comments that they were fortunate to have found it beforehand, while at the same time praising it for being well-constructed enough to withstand 50 years of exposure to the elements. Megatron silently gloats that Cybertronian technology is more powerful than any force on Earth. The bad weather causes a blackout and forces [[Sumdac Tower]] onto its backup generator; when Sumdac decides this will force a delay in the repairs, Megatron alternates between bluster and sweet-talk to try to get his way, but it's no use. Megatron attempts to call Lugnut again for assistance.

Lugnut and Blitzwing have just finished rebuilding themselves (after some squabbling over the last piece) in a distant forest. Starscream mocks them for in-fighting and reminds them that he is their new chosen and sworn sovereign; his two subjects retort that they serve him only under threat, not by choice. At that moment, Megatron successfully contacts Lugnut, whose newly reverential and respectful attitude both pleases and confuses (''but mostly pleases'') Starscream. When Starscream finds out Lugnut "thinks" he's hearing Megatron, the new leader is infuriated, and in his anger almost exposes that fact that it was himself, and not the Autobots, who defeated Megatron in the first place. Megatron orders Lugnut to retrieve the [[AllSpark Key]] and bring it to him; Starscream then notices that, regardless of the source, Lugnut is indeed being contacted by someone. He orders Lugnut and Blitzwing to obey the strange orders for now, while he himself will track the transmissions to their source and see who is trying to undermine his authority.

As the Decepticons move out, the Autobots' hedquarters computer notices their increased activity. The Autobots are worried about a possible full-scale Decepticon invasion. As if Optimus Prime wasn't stressed enough, Bulkhead and Prowl then take the opportunity to finally tell him about the continued survival of the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]] on [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. Prime is furious that his orders were disobeyed, but decides that given the circumstances they should try to use all resources available—but insists that he will lead the new mission to contact the Dinobots.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Sari key taken.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Try all you want kid, Captain Planet ain't coming.]]

Optimus Prime is especially worried about the AllSpark Key, both because Sari can't protect it, and because she once again is using it as a toy (this time for model-plane dogfighting). When he orders her to turn it over, Sari angrily reminds him that she was chosen for this role by the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] itself. Prime then orders Ratchet to magnetically take the Key from her, and, reluctantly, Ratchet obeys. Sari feels heartbroken and betrayed, and flees the base. An upset Bumblebee defends Sari's role as part of the team, to which Optimus responds that since Bumblebee has been such a poor team performer who makes so many mistakes, he isn't a good character witness. Bumblebee retorts that the Autobots' desperate, seemingly hopeless situation means Optimus isn't a good leader—then he leaves in pursuit of Sari. Prime orders Ratchet to take the Key to the [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobot spaceship]] beneath Lake Erie, and they all depart.

Sari walks down the street, dejected and pouting about how untrustworthy the Autobots turned out to be. But she's being watched—by Blackarachnia, who abducts the girl and mockingly praises her for seeing the light. Still hoping to cure herself of her techno-organic body, Blackarachnia attempts to bargain with Sari to hand over the AllSpark Key. They exchange "snappy banter" for a while, which leaves Blackarachnia bored. When Sari again mentions how the Autobots no longer trust her, Blackarachnia tells her more about her own sad past and how only the power of the AllSpark can give her back a normal life. Sari seems moved....

[[Image:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|left|200px|thumb|YOINK! AHAHAHAHAHA!]]

En route to the Autobot ship, Ratchet is ambushed by Blitzwing and Lugnut, in a battle about as one-sided as Bambi vs. Godzilla. He seems to challenge Blitzwing to a battle to the finish—but the three-faced robot simply freezes Ratchet solid and cracks off his crystallized arm, taking the AllSpark Key with it.

On Dinobot Island, the Autobots are confronted by the Dinobots who—again—are hostile to trespassers. Prime seemingly worsens the situation, as a stranger with a heavy-handed attitude. When their familiar protector Prowl reveals himself and tries to speak, the Dinobots calm down slightly (though Prime is further frustrated to learn the [[Meltdown (Animated)|extent of his troops' misadventures]] on Dinobot Island). But in the end, the Dinobots refuse to help against the Decepticons, saying they don't want to help any robots—they ''fight'' robots. Optimus points out that the Dinobots are robots themselves, prompting them to begin fighting each other. When Ratchet calls and informs Prime of the AllSpark Key's theft, the Autobots return to the mainland. Bulkhead asks what their next course of action is, and Prime admits he doesn't know, thinking that Bumblebee was right about Prime being unfit for command.

[[Image:Megatron rising 1 Starscream freakout.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bumblebee violated rule number 37 of the good guy code: never interrupt the villain during the monologue.]]

Starscream traces the source of Lugnut's messages back to Sumdac Tower. Blasting his way in, he is shocked to find Megatron alive—but regains his composure at the sight of his former leader dismantled and helpless. The two have an elaborately deceptive conversation about loyalty: Megatron knows Starscream betrayed him, but Starscream doesn't know he knows and wants to [[wikipedia:The Incredibles|monologue]] a bit before delivering the final blow. Meanwhile, Bumblebee's search for Sari leads him to the tower; when he spots Starscream through the wrecked wall, he squeezes himself into an elevator and prepares for a one-on-one battle (after using the classic "cellphone interference" ploy to avoid talking to Optimus). Right when Starscream is finally about to finish Megatron off, Bumblebee charges in, stingers blasting wildly—striking Starscream at full force and causing no damage at all. Starscream effortlessly thrashes Bumblebee, more angry at having his monologue interrupted than anything else. During this diversion, Megatron activates some of the lab machinery, propelling both Starscream and Bumblebee out of the lab and onto the tower roof.

[[Image:Megatron Rising head body connect.JPG|left|200px|thumb|Yep. We're boned.]]

Dr. Sumdac rushes in, hearing the disturbance. At first Megatron keeps up his usual act, warning that the Decepticons will be back soon and that he needs his new body immediately. The doctor agrees, trying to repair it as quickly as possible, while Megatron observes the rooftop action on a viewscreen and tries to electrocute Starscream through a spotlight. Lugnut and Blitzwing arrive, with Lugnut praising his leader, belatedly noticing his damaged state. Seeing Megatron, Blitzwing finally understands that Lugnut wasn't crazy. As Sumdac demands to know who they are, Lugnut forces Sumdac to genuflect to Megatron, revealing that Megatron is a Decepticon, who in turn gloats at the sight and how easily he was able to lie to his captor. Before Sumdac can contemplate the seriousness of what he has done, Lugnut drops him into Megatron's hand to witness what will happen. Blitzwing inserts the AllSpark Key into Megatron's head; its power is now his to command. Megatron quickly (''and beautifully'') repairs himself, using metal from the lab as patch-up material when necessary; in the process he steals Sumdac away to an as-yet-undisclosed location.

[[Image:Megatron Rising Megs entrance.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Sheer awesomeness.]]

Up on the roof, Starscream is about to finish off Bumblebee, and down on the street the Autobots are just arriving to try to help, but all are reduced to staring in horror and disbelief as Megatron blasts up into the sky, an armored colossus.

Oh, crap.
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (8)
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (9)
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (10)
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (11)
* [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] (12)
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] (13)
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] (14)
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] (15)
* [[Tracks (Animated)|Tracks]] (16)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (2)
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (4)
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (5)
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (6)
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] (12)

|c3=
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] (1)
* [[Sari Sumdac]] (3)

|c4=
*[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]] ()

}}

==Quotes==
'''Lugnut''': And the universe will rejoice! All hail your grand and glorious return! 
'''Starscream''': Okaaay, what's ''his'' malfunction? 
'''Icy Blitzwing''': Technical glitch. It happens. 
'''Random Blitzwing''': A lot, actually! Ahahahaha! 
'''Lugnut''': It is ''not'' a glitch! It is Megatron, and he commands us to deliver him the Key! 
'''Starscream''': Megatron...?! Did you just say Megatron?! Did he just say ''MEGATRON''?! ''THERE IS NO MEGATRON!'' MEGATRON IS OFFLINE! TERMINATED! I DID IT MYSEL—''saw'' it myself.
:—Starscream is a master of subtlety, truly!

"The fate of the Earth and Cybertron hang in the balance and all I've got in my command are a bunch of undisciplined, insubordinate MALFUNCTIONS!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has quite the bad temper when he's dissatisfied with his troops.

"What's your damage, Prime? Sari has been helping us since the day we got here. She is a part of this team!" 
"Considering your own history of mistakes, Bumblebee, I wouldn't exactly call you a great character witness." 
"Is that right?! Well let me tell ''you'' something, ''Boss-Bot'': Considering the fact that we're stuck on this planet, outnumbered, with no idea on how we're gonna beat an army of Decepticons ready to fry our circuits at any second, I wouldn't exactly call '''you''' a great leader."
:—'''Bumblebee''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange harsh words. Ouch.

'''Hothead Blitzwing''': The Key, Autobot! 
'''Ratchet''': You'll have to pry it from my cold, offline servo. 
''[Blitzwing switches to his icy face, freezes Ratchet, then switches to his random face]'' 
'''Random Blitzwing''': Well, it's not exactly offline, but— ''[Rips off Ratchet's arm]'' —it's certainly cold. Ahahahaha! 
:—Blitzwing cheats by stealing the Key from Ratchet instead of fighting for it.

"Look what the capacitor dragged in." 
"Megatron?! Alive? And looking... magnificent, as always." 
"Starscream. How good it is to be reunited with such a ''devoted'' and ''faithful'' subject in my time of need." 
"I would have come sooner, o grand and illustrious leader, but naturally we all assumed you perished at the hands of the Autobot scum. What... great... joy to discover you did not." 
"Yes. Delight is written all over your face."
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Starscream''' exchange, ''ahem'', warm and heartfelt pleasantries.

"'''YOU INTERRUPTED MY SPEECH!'''"
:—'''Starscream''' seriously freaks out when Bumblebee shoots him.

"We have come for our glorious leader, Megatron!" 
"I am here, Lugnut." 
"Oh, Master, I am not worthy! I am not worthy... What happened to your body?" 
"Long story."
:—'''Lugnut''' and '''Megatron''', reunited at last.

"''Decepticons?'' But, you told me you were an Autobot." 
"And I hated every moment of that humiliating charade. But no more..."
:—'''Isaac Sumdac''' finally learns the truth, and from '''Megatron''' himself.

==Notes==
===Continuity errors===
* When Bulkhead brings up the Dinobots, Optimus says that they were destroyed, "weren't they?" However, the last time the Dinobots were mentioned was in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]", when Optimus thought the Dinobots were ''missing,'' and also suspected they were involved in the kidnapping of Sari. He has no known reason to think they were ''destroyed.'' Of course, we still don't know what story Prowl and Bulkhead told Prime after the events of "Survival of the Fittest".

* Not so much an error as just an oddity: When Starscream stands over a dangling Bumblebee on the Sumdac Tower rooftop, Megatron sends a power surge through a roof fixture and zaps Starscream. When the scene cuts back to the roof a few minutes later, Bumblebee's back on the roof, which he likely managed while Starscream was stunned, and Starscream's confronting him again. However, with no time given for them to talk or react about the transition, the previous roof scene may as well not have happened.

===Animation errors===
[[Image:Sari's leg.jpg|right|200px|thumb|It's a new fashion trend.]]
* The [[Scale|size of Megatron's head]] fluctuates greatly between scenes, often appearing gigantic even compared to large characters.

* While Prime is shouting at the other 'Bots his insignia starts where it should be, on his shoulder. But as he gestures it seems to rotate around to the underside of his arm.

* When Sari is telling Blackarachnia about the Autobots taking away the AllSpark Key, her right leg is drawn awkwardly... almost as if it's growing out of her skirt. Though this is very likely in order to prevent a [[Teletraan 15|pre-teen panty shot]].

* After Ratchet reports to Prime that he lost the AllSpark Key, his EMP blaster wound briefly disappears as he lowers his arm.

* Starscream's Decepticon insignia is occasionally upside-down.

* Optimus has two lights on each shoulder, when he admits he was out of line and says about repairing friendships, he raises his fist hiding one of these lights, but when his fist goes down, the light he is hiding has vanished.

===Transformers references===
* Prime finally refers to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] by that name.

===Foreign dubbing===
'''Brazil'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Retorno de Megatron, parte 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Le retour de Megatron 1/2'''" ("The Return of Megatron 1/2")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatrons Auferstehung, Teil 1'''" ("Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 11|11 July]] [[2008]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Megatron no Fukkatsu Part 1'''" (メガトロンの復活パート1, "Megatron's Resurrection, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[July 3|3 July]] [[2010]]

'''Polish'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Powrót Megatrona, Część 1'''" ("The Return of Megatron, Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

===Real-world references===
* Ratchet's remark to Blitzwing about prying the AllSpark Key "from his cold, offline servo" is a reference to an [[wikipedia:I'll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands"|NRA slogan]] made famous in a speech by [[wikipedia:Charlton Heston|Charlton Heston]]. Coincidentally, exactly one week after this episode aired, Heston went up to that grand old shooting range in the sky.

===Trivia===
*The Decepticon symbol on Megatron's body that was so clear [[Nature Calls|last episode]] is nowhere to be seen now. Of course, neither is the chestplate it resided on.
*The R/C Plane Sari was flying resembles a MiG-15 Fighter.
*We learn that Prowl and Bulkhead not only didn't tell Prime that the Dinobots were still around, but also didn't tell him that [[Meltdown (Animated)|Meltdown]] was the one behind Sari's kidnapping in "[[Survival of the Fittest]]". So, when they returned with Sari after the events of that episode, they apparently told him ''none'' of the truth. What ''did'' they tell him?
*Apparently, when Optimus is '''really''' ticked off and breathing heavy, his engine audibly revs.
*This is the first episode in which we see an extended transformation sequence for Starscream.
*When Megatron's energized body sends out cables to its detached hand, in which Prof. Sumdac is sitting, the hand grips around Sumdac, then is yanked under the flooring and over to the body, where it opens back up—with Sumdac no longer within it. (Nothing up Megatron's sleeve!)
*At one point during Starscream's transformation, he strongly resembles the Gerwalk mode of the [http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macrossplus/yf-19.htm YF-19 Alpha One] from the anime ''[[wikipedia:Macross Plus|Macross Plus]],'' one of the apparent influences for his alternate mode.
*It appears that Grimlock has gotten over his hatred of [[Car Robots]], but [[Grimlock (G1)|he still hates Optimus Prime]].
*Being in the Great War must have really toughened Ratchet up, as he expresses no pain or shock at the fact that he gets his servo ripped off by [[Blitzwing (Animated)|some mad Decepticon]]. Hardcore.
*All through Season 1, since his reactivation, Megatron has been saying the words "triumphant return" frequently. This episode is the last time he uses those two words together.

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[Image:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2008 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season One ([[Transformers Animated (cartoon)/home video|Paramount]]) — English and Spanish audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Three: Megatron Rising (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung (Paramount) — English and German audio. 
[[Image:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2010 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 4 (Paramount) — Japanese audio only.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Air Raid (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:57:10Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Air Raid}}
Voice Actor: [[wikipedia:Pierce Brosnan|Pierce Brosnan]] (English)

:''Air Raid is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Air_Raid.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]

'''Air Raid''' is interested in public spectacles.

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
[[Image:Animated_Autobot_Skyfall.jpg|thumb|left|150px|]]
When [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] caught up with the fallen [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] and [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]] after an intense chase, Air Raid was there to see the conclusion. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

==Notes==
*Air Raid was originally mistaken for an Animated version of [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]], given that he was only seen from the shoulders up and from behind. This was later cleared when M Sipher revealed his character model on DeviantArt.

==External links==
*[http://fav.me/d3f4psi Air Raid's character model] on MSipher's DeviantArt

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Fan Club-original characters]]

Hound (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:55:37Z

64.75.121.3:

{{disambig3|Hound}}
{{faction|autobot}}
Voice Actor: [[wikipedia:Noel Areizaga|Noel Areizaga]] (English)

:''Hound is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:HoundAnimated-Almanac.jpg|right|thumb|200px|His jacket ''is'' fully metal, thank you very much!]]

'''Hound''' created a hologram that diverted the enemy during the [[Great War (Animated)|Great War]].

==Notes==
* Hound is seen only in the "The Great War" boardgame in the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II]]''. If an Autobot player lands on his spot, he gets 1000 Victory Points.
* Like a lot of the random incidentals in ''The AllSpark Almanac II'', Hound's head is designed by [[Bill Forster]].

[[Category: Almanac-only characters]]
[[Category: Animated Autobots]]

Hot Spot Major

2011-07-11T15:54:01Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Hot Spot}}
Voice Actor: [[wikipedia:Lucas Gray|Lucas Gray]] (English)

:''Hot Spot Major is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] continuity family.''
[[Image:Hot_Spot_by_BillForster.jpg|right|thumb|300px|I borrowed [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus]]'s look, since [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] wasn't using it.]]
'''Hot Spot Major''' is the Autobot bonded to [[Eta Supreme]], an [[Omega Sentinel (Animated)|Omega Sentinel]]. He's very loyal to his ship, possibly out of friendship or mere pride as a captain.

==Fiction==
===''Transformers Animated''===
Upon Eta Supreme's destruction during the [[Battle for Iacon]], Hot Spot Major refused to evacuate, determined to go down with his ship. The rest of Eta's crew were forced to drag him away before the Sentinel exploded. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II}}

[[Category:Almanac-only characters]]
[[Category:Animated Autobots]]

Excellion (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:53:06Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig2|the ''Animated'' Autobot|the ''Cybertron'' Autobot|Excellion (Cybertron)}}
Voice Actor: [[wikipedia:Roger Babalan|Roger Babalan]] (English)

:''Excellion is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Excellion.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]

'''Excellion''' might like drinks! He may also be acquaintances with [[Road Rage (Animated)|Road Rage]] and [[Glyph (Animated)|Glyph]].

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
[[Image:Moving Violations Excellion.jpg|thumb|left|300px|]]
Excellion was near the entrance of a bar with Road Rage and Glyph nearby when he saw [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] chasing down [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] and [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]]. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Excellion shares his [[body-type]] with, appropriately enough, [[Hot Shot (Animated)|Hot Shot]]. His design was slightly retooled from Hot Shot's design by [[Greg Sepelak]].
* In his fictional appearance, Excellion appears to be part of the Cybertronian Elite Guard, judging by the detailing on his shoulder, but his [[character model]] only has a normal Autobot symbol.

==External links==
* [http://fav.me/d3bs3fs Excellion's character model] at MSipher's DeviantArt

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Fan Club-original characters]]

Excellion (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:52:48Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig2|the ''Animated'' Autobot|the ''Cybertron'' Autobot|Excellion (Cybertron)}}
Voice Actor: [[wikipedia:Roger Babalan|Roger Babalan]] (English

:''Excellion is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Excellion.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]

'''Excellion''' might like drinks! He may also be acquaintances with [[Road Rage (Animated)|Road Rage]] and [[Glyph (Animated)|Glyph]].

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
[[Image:Moving Violations Excellion.jpg|thumb|left|300px|]]
Excellion was near the entrance of a bar with Road Rage and Glyph nearby when he saw [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] chasing down [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] and [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]]. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Excellion shares his [[body-type]] with, appropriately enough, [[Hot Shot (Animated)|Hot Shot]]. His design was slightly retooled from Hot Shot's design by [[Greg Sepelak]].
* In his fictional appearance, Excellion appears to be part of the Cybertronian Elite Guard, judging by the detailing on his shoulder, but his [[character model]] only has a normal Autobot symbol.

==External links==
* [http://fav.me/d3bs3fs Excellion's character model] at MSipher's DeviantArt

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Fan Club-original characters]]

Excellion (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:52:10Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig2|the ''Animated'' Autobot|the ''Cybertron'' Autobot|Excellion (Cybertron)}}
[[wikipedia:Roger Babalan|Roger Babalan]]

:''Excellion is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Excellion.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]

'''Excellion''' might like drinks! He may also be acquaintances with [[Road Rage (Animated)|Road Rage]] and [[Glyph (Animated)|Glyph]].

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
[[Image:Moving Violations Excellion.jpg|thumb|left|300px|]]
Excellion was near the entrance of a bar with Road Rage and Glyph nearby when he saw [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] chasing down [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] and [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]]. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

{{-}}

==Notes==
* Excellion shares his [[body-type]] with, appropriately enough, [[Hot Shot (Animated)|Hot Shot]]. His design was slightly retooled from Hot Shot's design by [[Greg Sepelak]].
* In his fictional appearance, Excellion appears to be part of the Cybertronian Elite Guard, judging by the detailing on his shoulder, but his [[character model]] only has a normal Autobot symbol.

==External links==
* [http://fav.me/d3bs3fs Excellion's character model] at MSipher's DeviantArt

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Fan Club-original characters]]

Wheeljack (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:50:11Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wheeljack}}
[[wikipedia:Nathan McCallah|Nathan McCallh]] (English)

:''Wheeljack is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:AnimatedWheeljack.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Today on Mythbusters: is it really possible to build a machine that builds machines that build catapults?]]
'''Wheeljack''' is a scientist working with the Autobot [[Ministry of Science]] and a member of the [[Science Guild]]. Skilled at solving engineering issues, he is frequently paired for special projects with the scientific wonderbot [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]]. Perceptor, if he had any emotions, would raise an eyebrow at the willingness Wheeljack has to injure himself in the name of scientific progress. Wheeljack's cohort has enumerated his injuries at 16,342. That he's aware of.

Wheeljack has experimented on his own body-frame so many times that Perceptor estimates that less than 15.71976% of his original bodyframe remains unaltered. Indeed, there are few things that are known about Wheeljack that aren't expressed as statistics.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
During the Great War, Wheeljack was present when [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] was activated. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

''After the orders came down from [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] to initiate operation [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]], Wheeljack put his nose to the grindstone to make sure the bodies of the test subjects would withstand the stresses of the data-merge of Decepticon flight codes. When asked about the dangers, he discussed the possibility that the test subjects would have increased size, strength, and an overwhelming desire to reduce Autobots to wreckage. He was kidding about that last part, he hoped. Thankfully with a bit of help from [[Red Alert (Animated)|Red Alert]] to coordinate the data-merge, the process was a success, producing [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]]. {{storylink|First (and Second) in Flight}}''

==Notes==
[[Image:WheeljackAnimated-carmodel.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Marty! It's your kids!]]
* Wheeljack's alternate mode was revealed in the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
* Despite how we shamelessly exploit Wheeljack's resemblance to Jamie Hyneman of ''Mythbusters'' in his main image caption, [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]] assures us that the similarity is pure coincidence.
* Wheeljack wears the [[65483-2483-321]] body type. Or did, long ago, before he altered it beyond recognition.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Wheeljack''' (ホイルジャック ''Hoirujakku'')

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

Wheeljack (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:49:58Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wheeljack}}
[[wikipedia:Nathan McCallah|Nathan McCallh]] (English)]

:''Wheeljack is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:AnimatedWheeljack.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Today on Mythbusters: is it really possible to build a machine that builds machines that build catapults?]]
'''Wheeljack''' is a scientist working with the Autobot [[Ministry of Science]] and a member of the [[Science Guild]]. Skilled at solving engineering issues, he is frequently paired for special projects with the scientific wonderbot [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]]. Perceptor, if he had any emotions, would raise an eyebrow at the willingness Wheeljack has to injure himself in the name of scientific progress. Wheeljack's cohort has enumerated his injuries at 16,342. That he's aware of.

Wheeljack has experimented on his own body-frame so many times that Perceptor estimates that less than 15.71976% of his original bodyframe remains unaltered. Indeed, there are few things that are known about Wheeljack that aren't expressed as statistics.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
During the Great War, Wheeljack was present when [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] was activated. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

''After the orders came down from [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] to initiate operation [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]], Wheeljack put his nose to the grindstone to make sure the bodies of the test subjects would withstand the stresses of the data-merge of Decepticon flight codes. When asked about the dangers, he discussed the possibility that the test subjects would have increased size, strength, and an overwhelming desire to reduce Autobots to wreckage. He was kidding about that last part, he hoped. Thankfully with a bit of help from [[Red Alert (Animated)|Red Alert]] to coordinate the data-merge, the process was a success, producing [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]]. {{storylink|First (and Second) in Flight}}''

==Notes==
[[Image:WheeljackAnimated-carmodel.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Marty! It's your kids!]]
* Wheeljack's alternate mode was revealed in the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
* Despite how we shamelessly exploit Wheeljack's resemblance to Jamie Hyneman of ''Mythbusters'' in his main image caption, [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]] assures us that the similarity is pure coincidence.
* Wheeljack wears the [[65483-2483-321]] body type. Or did, long ago, before he altered it beyond recognition.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Wheeljack''' (ホイルジャック ''Hoirujakku'')

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

Wheeljack (Animated)

2011-07-11T15:48:52Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Wheeljack}}
[[wikipedia:Nathan MacCallath|Nathan MacCallth]] (English)
:''Wheeljack is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:AnimatedWheeljack.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Today on Mythbusters: is it really possible to build a machine that builds machines that build catapults?]]
'''Wheeljack''' is a scientist working with the Autobot [[Ministry of Science]] and a member of the [[Science Guild]]. Skilled at solving engineering issues, he is frequently paired for special projects with the scientific wonderbot [[Perceptor (Animated)|Perceptor]]. Perceptor, if he had any emotions, would raise an eyebrow at the willingness Wheeljack has to injure himself in the name of scientific progress. Wheeljack's cohort has enumerated his injuries at 16,342. That he's aware of.

Wheeljack has experimented on his own body-frame so many times that Perceptor estimates that less than 15.71976% of his original bodyframe remains unaltered. Indeed, there are few things that are known about Wheeljack that aren't expressed as statistics.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
During the Great War, Wheeljack was present when [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] was activated. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

''After the orders came down from [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] to initiate operation [[Safeguard (Animated)|Safeguard]], Wheeljack put his nose to the grindstone to make sure the bodies of the test subjects would withstand the stresses of the data-merge of Decepticon flight codes. When asked about the dangers, he discussed the possibility that the test subjects would have increased size, strength, and an overwhelming desire to reduce Autobots to wreckage. He was kidding about that last part, he hoped. Thankfully with a bit of help from [[Red Alert (Animated)|Red Alert]] to coordinate the data-merge, the process was a success, producing [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]]. {{storylink|First (and Second) in Flight}}''

==Notes==
[[Image:WheeljackAnimated-carmodel.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Marty! It's your kids!]]
* Wheeljack's alternate mode was revealed in the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
* Despite how we shamelessly exploit Wheeljack's resemblance to Jamie Hyneman of ''Mythbusters'' in his main image caption, [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]] assures us that the similarity is pure coincidence.
* Wheeljack wears the [[65483-2483-321]] body type. Or did, long ago, before he altered it beyond recognition.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Wheeljack''' (ホイルジャック ''Hoirujakku'')

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:Scientists]]

Transformers Animated (toyline)

2011-07-11T13:59:05Z

64.75.121.3: /* Deluxe Class */

{{Nav-Animated}}

[[Image:TFAnimated Voyager EarthOptimusPrime toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Putting the "cool" in "Playskool".]]
The '''Transformers Animated''' toy line merges the more expressive design style of the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|cartoon]] with extremely poseable robot forms (to a degree which seemed pleasantly surprising even to [[Hasbro]]). Unlike the [[franchise]]s immediately before it, there is no overarching, line-wide [[gimmick]] (such as [[Mini-Con]]s or [[Cyber Planet Key]]s). Rather, transforming ''is'' the gimmick, and the toys have other special features unique and appropriate to the character (such as [[Blitzwing (Animated)|triple-changing]] or [[Ratchet (Animated)|interchangeable tools]]). While the designs originated with Hasbro and the [[Cartoon Network]] team, [[TakaraTomy]] stepped up to the plate to engineer the toys. The line debuted on July 1, 2007, at Hasbro's Future Products panel at [[BotCon 2007|BotCon]].

Hasbro, citing the strength of the [[Transformers (2007)|movie]] toyline, [[Ruined FOREVER|postponed]] the official release of the Animated toyline to June 22, 2008 in the US. However, some toys began showing up at retailers in the Cincinnati area to coincide with [[BotCon 2008|BotCon]], followed by wider releases in Canada in May and the U.S. shortly thereafter.
{{-}}

==Toys==
The core toys of this franchise are available at most of the traditional [[size class]]es.

===General retail===
====Deluxe Class====
'''Wave 1'''
[[Image:Bumblebee_anim_toy.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Cybertron Mode Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Oil Slick]]
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Elite Guard Bumblebee]]
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Blazing Lockdown]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
[[Image:Samuraiprowldeluxe.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"That's 'Prowl-san' to you, young one."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Wasp|Waspinator]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Samurai Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Electrostatic Soundwave]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Freeway Jazz]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo">According [[Hasbro Q&A/March 2010#TFW2005|an answer to March Q&A]], the release of these toys is uncertain and under examination by Hasbro.</ref>
{{collist|4|
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Toxic Oil Slick]]
* [[Wasp|Fugitive Waspinator]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Vortex Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated) |Mercenary Swindle]]
}}

====Voyager Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Megatron]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Earth Mode Optimus Prime]]
{{note|Even though Optimus Prime ''officially'' debuted in wave 2 of the Voyager Class toys, he was found at US retail ''later'' than the wave 3 toys Grimlock and Lugnut.}}

'''Wave 3'''
[[Image:Lugnut animated toy.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Comes with a Gopher grabber arm.]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]]

'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave/Longarm]]
* [[Skywarp (Animated)|Skywarp]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Atomic Lugnut]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo" />
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Hydrodrive Bumblebee]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Goldfire Grimlock]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
* [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Wingblade Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Mudbuster Bulkhead]]
}}

====Leader Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Earth Mode Megatron]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Leaderclass_animated_ultramagnus_battlemode.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]] ain't got nothing on me."]]
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]]

'''Wave 3'''
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Shadow Blade Megatron]]

'''Wave 4'''
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Roadbuster Ultra Magnus]] (redeco colored as a [[Roadbuster (G1)|''Generation 1'' Roadbuster]] homage)

====Supreme Class====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Roll-Out Command Optimus Prime]]

====Entertainment Packs====
[[Image:Safeguardanimatedtoy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Half & half]]
'''Wave 1'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] vs. [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] - The Battle Begins

'''Wave 2'''
* [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]]

{{-}}

====Activators====
The Activators subcategory consists of chunkier, simpler, Scout-class-sized toys with one-touch, spring-loaded transformations.
[[Image:Activatorsstarscream.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Come on, Hasbro. You can still make some redecos of me."]]
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Patrol Bumblebee]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Bandit Lockdown]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Dirge (Animated)|Dirge]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Fireblast Grimlock]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated) | Armor Up Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated) | Battlefield Bumblebee]]
}}

====[[Bumper Battlers]]====
An expansion on the [[Cyber Slammers]] subline from the 2007 live-action movie toys, Bumper Battlers feature "bump-and-transform" action. Hitting the front bumper causes the toy to change into robot mode, and pressing the toy's sigil activates sound effects and speech gimmicks.

'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Ani-toy BumperBattlers NightwatchPrime.JPG|right|250px|thumb|"At least I have a better shade of blue than [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|another Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Sting Racer Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{Note|These two toys have been released in Australia and Mexico in small quantities. At the current point of time, it's unclear if they will be included among the upcoming releases of the remaining ''Animated'' toys in the USA.}}
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Workzone Bulkhead]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Stealth Ninja Jazz]]
}}

====Power Bots====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Cyber Speed Bumblebee]]

'''Wave 2'''
*Street Patrol Bumblebee (redeco of Cyber Speed Bumblebee)

===Exclusives (United States/Canada market)===
'''Target/Zellers'''
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Stealth Lockdown]] (Deluxe Class) with [[Legends Class]] [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and Legends Class [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Rescue Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class) with Legends Class [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and Legends Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
{{note|Both packs were also available as Tesco exclusives in the United Kingdom, Zellers exclusives in Canada and Warehouse exclusives in New Zealand.}}

* [[Sunstorm (Animated)| Sunstorm]] (Voyager Class) vs Activators [[Ratchet (Animated)| Ratchet]].

* [[Shockwave (Animated)| Shockwave]] (Voyager Class) (with a new show accurate color scheme) vs Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

'''Toys "R" Us'''
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)| Bulkhead]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

* [[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]

* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Rodimus Minor]]

* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]

'''Wal-Mart'''
*"The Revenge of Blackarachnia" two-pack (Deluxe [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack and Deluxe Class [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]])

*"Battle in Space" two-pack (Deluxe Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and Deluxe [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack)

===Foreign market exclusive releases===
'''Multi-packs'''
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]] & [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] two-pack
{{note|Thus far this pack has only been found at Toys "R" Us stores in the United Kingdom and Germany.}}

===McDonald's Happy Meal toys===
'''North America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Latin America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]
}}
'''France'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)| Blitzwing]]
}}
'''Poland'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]}}
{{note|Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron are the same molds from the North American release but with more detailed [[Paint operation|paint application]]s. Blitzwing is a new mold.}}

==Toys of ''Animated'' characters released as part of other lines==
===Movie (2007)===
'''Wal-Mart exclusives'''
* The Legacy of Bumblebee three-pack (movie-inspired minor [[redeco]] of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classic]]'' Deluxe [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]], regular [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]] Deluxe Class "[[Premium Series|Premium]]" [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and regular ''Animated'' Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]])

===Universe (2008)===
'''Legends Class (wave 3)'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]

'''Legends Class (wave 4)'''
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]

==TakaraTomy releases==

Beginning in 2010, [[TakaraTomy]]'s release of the ''Animated'' toyline will consist of the same toys released in Western markets by [[Hasbro]], but now with [http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1632&category=6153 extremely glossy paintjobs].

==Criticisms==
Since the first wave of Animated toys were released, there have been multiple complaints of [[quality control|poor quality]] [[paint operation|paint application]]s, sloppy paint applications, and very greasy ball and hinge joints. There are also complaints over certain breakage issues, such as Lockdown's wrists, and toy functionality being limited by support struts added [[For safety reasons|to prevent breakage]], such as with Voyager Megatron's cannon and Bumblebee's stingers being unable to position properly.

Most of these issues can be fixed with relative ease. <ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47309 Animated Fixes on AllSpark.com]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]

[[Category:Animated| Transformers Animated (toyline)]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Carrera (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:58:26Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Carrera}}
[[wikipedia:Garrett Bennett|Garrett Bennett]] (English)

:''Carrera is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_carrera_character_model.jpg|right|thumb|225px]]
If there's one thing '''Carrera''' loves, it's [[Cybertronian sport|sports]]. His everyday speech is dotted with sporting jargon, and it's his dream to one day be an announcer for some of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s greatest sporting events, like his favorite, the Iacon 5000. Unfortunately, nobody else believes in him because of his speech impediment (he'll describe a 'bot as being "fast an his feet", or talk about the "smallest abject", for instance), but they don't want to say anything, because he's a genuinely nice guy—and a fantastic drinking buddy! Carrera can guzzle [[energon (fuel)|energon]] all day long, and never put on an ounce of weight.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
Carrera was in the crowd welcoming [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel "Magnus"]] back to Cybertron, {{storylink|Decepticon Air}} and was later among the Autobots going about their day when [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] was accidentally [[transwarp]]ed to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. He seemed too engrossed in the conversation he was having with [[Lightbright]] to pay any attention. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

Later still, Carrera was part of the huge crowd who cheered for [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and his crew as they returned to Cybertron victorious. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

==Notes==
*Carrera's name was confirmed in ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]''.
*Being a blue robot physically similar to [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|''Animated'' Cliffjumper]], Carrera is named after the [[Carrera (G1)|blue robot]] physically similar to [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Generation 1 Cliffjumper]].
*Carrera wears the [[65356-9292-346]] [[body-type]].

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Cartoon-only Transformers]]

Ransack (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:52:30Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Ransack}}
[[wikipedia:David Wills (voice actor)|David Wills]] (English)

:''Ransack is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Ransack.jpg|thumb|right|210px|]]
'''Ransack''' is best pals with [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]]. Unfortunately, trouble always finds the two.
He transforms into a Cybertronian bike.

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
Crumplezone and Ransack were chased by the [[Transtech (Animated)|Transtech]] cop [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]], who sought to arrest the two for "moving violations". The two tried to flee, but Cheetor proved a persistent pursuer, and when Crumplezone wound up shooting off a ramp and losing control, Ransack was unfortunate enough to find himself crushed underneath his big buddy at the bottom of the crater his impact had left. Once Cheetor caught up with the duo and proclaimed their arrest, Crumple and Ransack only had one question: "What did we '''do?'''"

Thanks to his needless chase of innocent Transformers and other impulsive actions, Cheetor was demoted to [[Iacon Central]]. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

==Notes==

*Ransack is, of course, based on [[Ransack (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Ransack]]. He shares a body-type with [[Rattletrap]], who was based on the [[BotCon 2006]]-exclusive [[Rattrap]] figure, which was in turn a redeco of ''Cybertron'' Ransack. Round and round the homage goes!
* He also shares a body-type with [[Stampy (Animated)|Stampy]]. There's no underlying toy-mold logic behind this, it just fits is all.
*''Cybertron'' Ransack has black markings around his eyes that evoke a domino mask. ''Animated'' Ransack actually just wears a domino mask!

[[Category: Animated Autobots]]
[[Category: Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category: Fan Club-original characters]]

Pipes (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:51:19Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the plumber from ''Animated''|the warrior from Generation 1|Pipes (G1)}}
[[wikipedia:Fred Stinson|Fred Stinson]] (English)
:''Pipes is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''
[[Image:PipesAnimated.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Hi, he's not Daisy!]]
Unlike his older brother, [[Huffer (Animated)|Huffer]], who gets all the fame, '''Pipes''' is seldom seen. He is, however, not any less hard working. In fact, he's a bit of a workaholic. Huffer wishes his little brother would take a day off some time, and maybe get a hobby. His home is empty and devoid of personal touches... not that Pipes ever goes there.

Both Pipes and his brother have special arms. In Pipes's case, he can shoot corrosive gases from them. This helps him deteriorate the buildup of grime that has gummed up [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s ancient sewer system.

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
While [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] was vigorously chasing [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]] and [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]] for a "moving violation", Pipes, who was painting a billboard promoting [[Team Stunticon|The Motor Master's Stunt Convoy]], fell off his ladder and landed on Cheetor. His paint can also fell, staining Cheetor's chassis with black spots. Pipes was holding on to Cheetor till he finally transformed and skidded to a stop, throwing off Pipes. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

Later on, the two brothers attended the Stunt Convoy's opening night, but were having problems seeing past [[Grandus (Animated)|Grandus]]'s immense bulk. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}

==Notes==
* Pipes was first revealed on [[April 1]]st 2009 on [http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2009/03/april-fools.html Derrick Wyatt's blog], as part of a group shot of characters who may or may not have gone on to appear in the cartoon. While his older brother Huffer did, Pipes did not. Later, Pipes would appear in ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II]]'', where he would be given a bio.
* Pipes is based on [[wikipedia:Luigi|Luigi]], while his brother Huffer is based on [[wikipedia:Mario|Mario]]. To that end, Pipes a-talks a-like-a this.
* Generation 1 Pipes collects otherworldly things obsessively, to the point that his quarters are practically a museum. ''Animated'' Pipes, on the other hand, is too busy fixing pipes to have ever left Cybertron, so his quarters are empty.

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]

Crumplezone (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:48:33Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Crumplezone}}
[[wikipedia:Gord Robertson|Gord Robertson]] (English) [[Kiru]] (Japanese)

:''Crumplezone is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Crumplezone.jpg|thumb|right|300px|]]
'''Crumplezone''' is best pals with [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]]. Unfortunately, trouble always finds the two.

He transforms into some sort of three-wheeled Cybertronian race car with turbo boosters.

==Fiction==
===''Animated''===
Crumplezone and Ransack were chased by the [[Transtech (Animated)|Transtech]] cop [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]], who sought to arrest the two for "moving violations". The two tried to flee, but Cheetor proved a persistent pursuer, and Crumplezone wound up rocketing off the top of a ramp at such speed that he lost control and landed on top on Ransack, his impact leaving a massive crater. Once Cheetor caught up with the duo and proclaimed their arrest, Crumple and Ransack only had one question: "What did we '''do?'''"

Thanks to his needless chase of innocent Transformers and other impulsive actions, Cheetor was demoted to [[Iacon Central]]. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

==Notes==
*Crumplezone is, of course, based on [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|''Cybertron'' Crumplezone]], specifically his "Dark Crumplezone" redeco.

[[Category: Animated Autobots]]
[[Category: Comic-only Transformers]]
[[Category: Fan Club-original characters]]

Tracks (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:46:35Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Autobot from Transformers Animated|the Generation 1 Autobot|Tracks (G1)}}

:''Tracks is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TracksAnimated-model.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Moolah, moolah, moolah."]]

'''Tracks''' is an extra, but don't say that to his face. He's very snobbish and holds high standards, refusing to keep company with anyone below him. So far the only contact he has ever made with anyone of lower social class than him is [[Beachcomber (Animated)|Beachcomber]], and even then only to toss that deadbeat out of the garage whenever he finds his way inside Tracks's house. Tracks is not big on organics, either; probably afraid they'll mess up his paint or something. He would probably look awesome as a [[Tracks (G1)|Corvette]].

He also loves to follow gossip. Did you know that [[Warpath (Animated)|Warpath]] and [[Flareup (Animated) | Flareup]] are dating? I heard that on the street!

__TOC__

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[wikipedia:Marc Thompson (voice actor)|Marc Thompson]] (English)

[[Image:TFA ThisIsWhyIHateMachines Tracks.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"The glasses? Fabulous, aren't they?"]]

Tracks was part of the crowd cheering on the return of [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel "Magnus"]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with a trio of [[Decepticon]] prisoners. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

Some time later, Tracks walked past [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] when he noticed [[Captain Fanzone]] standing around with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]. Reacting with disgust and horror at the organic lifeform, Tracks turned on the spot and ran away. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

{{--}}

==Notes==
*Tracks shares his [[body-type]] with [[Road Rage (Animated)|Road Rage]].

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Cartoon-only Transformers]]

Tracks (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:45:45Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig2|the Autobot from Transformers Animated|the Generation 1 Autobot|Tracks (G1)}}
[[wikipedia:Marc Thompson (voice actor)|Marc Thompson]] (English) [[Hurtuyua]] (Japanese)

:''Tracks is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:TracksAnimated-model.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Moolah, moolah, moolah."]]

'''Tracks''' is an extra, but don't say that to his face. He's very snobbish and holds high standards, refusing to keep company with anyone below him. So far the only contact he has ever made with anyone of lower social class than him is [[Beachcomber (Animated)|Beachcomber]], and even then only to toss that deadbeat out of the garage whenever he finds his way inside Tracks's house. Tracks is not big on organics, either; probably afraid they'll mess up his paint or something. He would probably look awesome as a [[Tracks (G1)|Corvette]].

He also loves to follow gossip. Did you know that [[Warpath (Animated)|Warpath]] and [[Flareup (Animated) | Flareup]] are dating? I heard that on the street!

__TOC__

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Townsend Coleman]] (English)

[[Image:TFA ThisIsWhyIHateMachines Tracks.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"The glasses? Fabulous, aren't they?"]]

Tracks was part of the crowd cheering on the return of [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel "Magnus"]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with a trio of [[Decepticon]] prisoners. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}

Some time later, Tracks walked past [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] when he noticed [[Captain Fanzone]] standing around with [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]. Reacting with disgust and horror at the organic lifeform, Tracks turned on the spot and ran away. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

{{--}}

==Notes==
*Tracks shares his [[body-type]] with [[Road Rage (Animated)|Road Rage]].

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Cartoon-only Transformers]]

Huffer (Animated)

2011-07-11T13:44:00Z

64.75.121.3:

{{factions|autobot}}
{{disambig3|Huffer}}

[[wikipedia:Brendan O'Brien (voice actor)|Brendan O'Brien]] (English) [[Kiyu]] (Japanese)

:''Huffer is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Animated_Huffer.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Swings his arms from side to side.]]

Hey, paesanos! It's '''Huffer'''! For he and his younger brother, [[Pipes (Animated)|Pipes]], plumbing's their game. It's not a terribly glamorous game, and Huffer complains about it constantly. Deep down, though, he does love his job, even if it means he spends most of his time in the sewers.

Both Huffer and his brother have special arms. In Huffer's case, he has sensors in them that can test the strength, elasticity, and other structural qualities of the pipes he's working on.

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
[[Image:TFAni ThisisWhyIHateMachines Fanzone Crowd.jpg|left|thumb|250px|C'mon, it's time to go!]]
Huffer was among the crowd welcoming home [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel "Magnus"]] and cheering on the capture of several [[Decepticon]] prisoners. {{storylink|Decepticon Air}}
He was later seen among the group of Autobots that [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]] Transwarped into. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}

Huffer was painting a billboard promoting the [[Team Stunticon|Stunt Convoy]] with Pipes when [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] sped by chasing [[Ransack (Animated)|Ransack]] and [[Crumplezone (Animated)|Crumplezone]], throwing the brothers off balance. {{storylink|Moving Violations}}

Shortly after, the two were actually at the Stunt Convoy show on opening night, though they were having a hard time seeing over [[Grandus (Animated)|Grandus]]'s bulk. {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Huffer was first revealed on [[April 1]]st 2009 on [http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/2009/03/april-fools.html Derrick Wyatt's blog], as part of a group shot of characters who may or may not have gone on to appear in the cartoon. While Huffer did, his lookalike, [[Pipes (Animated)|Pipes]] (based on the [[Pipes (G1)|original Pipes]], who was himself a [[retool]] of the [[Huffer (G1)|original Huffer]]) did not.

* Huffer's character model is based pretty heavily on [[wikipedia:Mario|Mario]], mustachioed plumber and protagonist of about a billion Nintendo games. Pipes looked like [[wikipedia:Luigi|his brother Luigi]].

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Cartoon-only Transformers]]

Transformers Animated (toyline)

2011-07-11T13:37:34Z

64.75.121.3: /* Deluxe Class */

{{Nav-Animated}}

[[Image:TFAnimated Voyager EarthOptimusPrime toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Putting the "cool" in "Playskool".]]
The '''Transformers Animated''' toy line merges the more expressive design style of the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|cartoon]] with extremely poseable robot forms (to a degree which seemed pleasantly surprising even to [[Hasbro]]). Unlike the [[franchise]]s immediately before it, there is no overarching, line-wide [[gimmick]] (such as [[Mini-Con]]s or [[Cyber Planet Key]]s). Rather, transforming ''is'' the gimmick, and the toys have other special features unique and appropriate to the character (such as [[Blitzwing (Animated)|triple-changing]] or [[Ratchet (Animated)|interchangeable tools]]). While the designs originated with Hasbro and the [[Cartoon Network]] team, [[TakaraTomy]] stepped up to the plate to engineer the toys. The line debuted on July 1, 2007, at Hasbro's Future Products panel at [[BotCon 2007|BotCon]].

Hasbro, citing the strength of the [[Transformers (2007)|movie]] toyline, [[Ruined FOREVER|postponed]] the official release of the Animated toyline to June 22, 2008 in the US. However, some toys began showing up at retailers in the Cincinnati area to coincide with [[BotCon 2008|BotCon]], followed by wider releases in Canada in May and the U.S. shortly thereafter.
{{-}}

==Toys==
The core toys of this franchise are available at most of the traditional [[size class]]es.

===General retail===
====Deluxe Class====
'''Wave 1'''
[[Image:Bumblebee_anim_toy.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Cybertron Mode Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
* [[Bonecrusher (Animated)|Bonecrusher]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Oil Slick]]
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Elite Guard Bumblebee]]
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Blazing Lockdown]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
[[Image:Samuraiprowldeluxe.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"That's 'Prowl-san' to you, young one."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Wasp|Waspinator]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Samurai Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Electrostatic Soundwave]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Freeway Jazz]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo">According [[Hasbro Q&A/March 2010#TFW2005|an answer to March Q&A]], the release of these toys is uncertain and under examination by Hasbro.</ref>
{{collist|4|
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Toxic Oil Slick]]
* [[Wasp|Fugitive Waspinator]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Vortex Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated) |Mercenary Swindle]]
}}

====Voyager Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Megatron]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Earth Mode Optimus Prime]]
{{note|Even though Optimus Prime ''officially'' debuted in wave 2 of the Voyager Class toys, he was found at US retail ''later'' than the wave 3 toys Grimlock and Lugnut.}}

'''Wave 3'''
[[Image:Lugnut animated toy.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Comes with a Gopher grabber arm.]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]]

'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave/Longarm]]
* [[Skywarp (Animated)|Skywarp]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Atomic Lugnut]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo" />
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Hydrodrive Bumblebee]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Goldfire Grimlock]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
* [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Wingblade Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Mudbuster Bulkhead]]
}}

====Leader Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Earth Mode Megatron]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Leaderclass_animated_ultramagnus_battlemode.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]] ain't got nothing on me."]]
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]]

'''Wave 3'''
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Shadow Blade Megatron]]

'''Wave 4'''
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Roadbuster Ultra Magnus]] (redeco colored as a [[Roadbuster (G1)|''Generation 1'' Roadbuster]] homage)

====Supreme Class====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Roll-Out Command Optimus Prime]]

====Entertainment Packs====
[[Image:Safeguardanimatedtoy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Half & half]]
'''Wave 1'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] vs. [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] - The Battle Begins

'''Wave 2'''
* [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]]

{{-}}

====Activators====
The Activators subcategory consists of chunkier, simpler, Scout-class-sized toys with one-touch, spring-loaded transformations.
[[Image:Activatorsstarscream.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Come on, Hasbro. You can still make some redecos of me."]]
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Patrol Bumblebee]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Bandit Lockdown]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Dirge (Animated)|Dirge]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Fireblast Grimlock]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated) | Armor Up Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated) | Battlefield Bumblebee]]
}}

====[[Bumper Battlers]]====
An expansion on the [[Cyber Slammers]] subline from the 2007 live-action movie toys, Bumper Battlers feature "bump-and-transform" action. Hitting the front bumper causes the toy to change into robot mode, and pressing the toy's sigil activates sound effects and speech gimmicks.

'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Ani-toy BumperBattlers NightwatchPrime.JPG|right|250px|thumb|"At least I have a better shade of blue than [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|another Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Sting Racer Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{Note|These two toys have been released in Australia and Mexico in small quantities. At the current point of time, it's unclear if they will be included among the upcoming releases of the remaining ''Animated'' toys in the USA.}}
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Workzone Bulkhead]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Stealth Ninja Jazz]]
}}

====Power Bots====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Cyber Speed Bumblebee]]

'''Wave 2'''
*Street Patrol Bumblebee (redeco of Cyber Speed Bumblebee)

===Exclusives (United States/Canada market)===
'''Target/Zellers'''
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Stealth Lockdown]] (Deluxe Class) with [[Legends Class]] [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and Legends Class [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Rescue Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class) with Legends Class [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and Legends Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
{{note|Both packs were also available as Tesco exclusives in the United Kingdom, Zellers exclusives in Canada and Warehouse exclusives in New Zealand.}}

* [[Sunstorm (Animated)| Sunstorm]] (Voyager Class) vs Activators [[Ratchet (Animated)| Ratchet]].

* [[Shockwave (Animated)| Shockwave]] (Voyager Class) (with a new show accurate color scheme) vs Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

'''Toys "R" Us'''
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)| Bulkhead]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

* [[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]

* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Rodimus Minor]]

* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]

'''Wal-Mart'''
*"The Revenge of Blackarachnia" two-pack (Deluxe [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack and Deluxe Class [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]])

*"Battle in Space" two-pack (Deluxe Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and Deluxe [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack)

===Foreign market exclusive releases===
'''Multi-packs'''
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]] & [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] two-pack
{{note|Thus far this pack has only been found at Toys "R" Us stores in the United Kingdom and Germany.}}

===McDonald's Happy Meal toys===
'''North America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Latin America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]
}}
'''France'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)| Blitzwing]]
}}
'''Poland'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]}}
{{note|Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron are the same molds from the North American release but with more detailed [[Paint operation|paint application]]s. Blitzwing is a new mold.}}

==Toys of ''Animated'' characters released as part of other lines==
===Movie (2007)===
'''Wal-Mart exclusives'''
* The Legacy of Bumblebee three-pack (movie-inspired minor [[redeco]] of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classic]]'' Deluxe [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]], regular [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]] Deluxe Class "[[Premium Series|Premium]]" [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and regular ''Animated'' Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]])

===Universe (2008)===
'''Legends Class (wave 3)'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]

'''Legends Class (wave 4)'''
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]

==TakaraTomy releases==

Beginning in 2010, [[TakaraTomy]]'s release of the ''Animated'' toyline will consist of the same toys released in Western markets by [[Hasbro]], but now with [http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1632&category=6153 extremely glossy paintjobs].

==Criticisms==
Since the first wave of Animated toys were released, there have been multiple complaints of [[quality control|poor quality]] [[paint operation|paint application]]s, sloppy paint applications, and very greasy ball and hinge joints. There are also complaints over certain breakage issues, such as Lockdown's wrists, and toy functionality being limited by support struts added [[For safety reasons|to prevent breakage]], such as with Voyager Megatron's cannon and Bumblebee's stingers being unable to position properly.

Most of these issues can be fixed with relative ease. <ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47309 Animated Fixes on AllSpark.com]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]

[[Category:Animated| Transformers Animated (toyline)]]
[[Category:Toys]]

Decepticon

2011-07-11T13:36:34Z

64.75.121.3: /* Animated */

{{factions|decepticon|decepticong2|ttdecepticon|sgDecepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Transformers faction|the ''Robots in Disguise'' episode|The Decepticons}}
[[Image:Symbol decept reg.png|right|236px|thumb|Get this tattooed on you and all you'll need is a black trenchcoat and a long ponytail. Then people will love you.]]

{{quote|'''''Decepticon''' (di-sep-ti-con ) A member of a subversive sect or society. From the noun — 'decepticon'; one who deceives.|the [[New Cybertronic Dictograph]]}}

The '''Decepticons''' are one of the primary factions in the ''[[Transformer]]s'' mythos. They are typically concerned with such things as conquering [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], defeating the [[Autobot]]s, amassing large quantities of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]], developing powerful weaponry, and beating people up. Not necessarily in that order.

Unlike the Autobots, whose leader is a [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] bearing a [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], the Decepticons are led by the [[Decepticon leader|most powerful]] of their ranks. This tends to cause some conflict, given how generally ''every'' Decepticon thinks that they're the most powerful. Also, the Decepticons are not exactly the most compassionate beings in the universe, but not all fight for greed. More than a few have a sense of honor, while others believe that Cybertron would be better protected by [[Decepticon Empire|aggressive expansion]]. Ultimately, the Decepticons desire to protect their homeworld, even if it is at the expense of others. [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Usually]].

{{quote|The Decepticons are a malevolent race of robot warriors, brutal and merciless. The Decepticons are led by a single undeviating goal: total domination of the universe.|[[Narrator]]|[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]}}

==Generation 1==
===Marvel Comics===
[[Image:Thelaststand-prepare.jpg|left|350px|thumb|MAKE OUT YOUR WILLS! NOTIFY YOUR NEXT OF KIN!]]
The Decepticons emerged from the gladiatorial [[State Games]], which caused [[Megatron (G1)/Marvel Comics continuity|Megatron]]'s rise to public prominence - in the aftermath of the destructive Vos-Tarn War, Megatron was able to use his fame and charisma to unite both the survivors and the planet's malcontents into a new army. His plan was to turn Cybertron into a mobile cosmic dreadnought and conquer the galaxy. The Decepticons developed new technology to allow them to transform into attack vehicles and weaponry, launching a devastating attack that killed billions and shook the planet from its orbit before [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] turned the tide.

Megatron, Shockwave and others were lost on Earth for four million years; as Optimus was too, the Autobots swiftly lost ground to Decepticon leaders [[Trannis]] and [[Straxus (G1)|Straxus]]. Cybertron was devastated and conquered, causing the cream of the Decepticons to leave the burnt-out planet to form a [[Cybertronian (faction)|Cybertronian Empire]] out in the stars, while Straxus threw all those he considered weak into the [[Smelting pool]]. The Empire would go on to slaughter and Cyberform planet after planet, their actions unknown on Cybertron.

Eventually the Earth-bound Decepticons would awaken in 1984, sparking off a new front in the war. After the presumed suicide of Megatron, an escalation in fighting would see Decepticon leadership fragment and change hands rapidly, with frequent clashes, plots and counter-plots between the primary leadership, namely [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]], [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], until most of them were killed in the [[Underbase]] conflict, leaving Scorponok the only surviving commander. A brief truce with the Autobots was held when [[Unicron]] attacked in 1991, but Scorponok was killed in the following conflict. Immediately after this, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] came to power. Charismatic and driven, Bludgeon turned the beaten Decepticons into a new army; after a defeat on [[Klo]], they regrouped and reorganised. ([[Another Time and Place|In one reality, they were immediately massacred afterward.]])

====Earthforce====
In the side-continuity of [[Earthforce]], while Unicron continued on to Cybertron, Megatron and Shockwave continued a Decepticon civil war on Earth with a small handful of troops - wasting most of their time trying to take each other out. Eventually Soundwave and Starscream overthrew them, uniting both factions into a stronger Decepticon force. The two former leaders attempted to regain their position but never appeared to succeed.

====Generation 2====
Bludgeon invaded Earth with the intention of capturing the Matrix and making a new generation of Decepticons, but Megatron returned, killed Bludgeon in one-on-one combat, and stole this plan. However, the threat of the Cybertronian Empire forced an alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons again.

====Classics====

===Cartoon===
====Season 1 & 2====
[[Image:Masterplan2 earth germ.jpg|thumb|"Excuse me, do you have seating for 3?"]]
In the various continuities descending from [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]], the Decepticons and the [[Autobot]]s are the two great powers in the Transformer population. The factions, however, are not a complete set — there are Transformers who are unaffiliated / neutral, or even members of smaller or splinter factions.

Eventually, in the near future, the Decepticons managed to take control of all of Cybertron, forcing the Autobots to operate on Cybertron's two moons, but [[Autobot City]] on [[Earth]] was viewed as the greater threat. The Decepticons overtook a supply shuttle and launched an [[Battle of Autobot City|attack]], with disastrous consequences for the Autobots. The battle saw one of the Decepticons' long held dreams achieved in the death of Optimus Prime, but Megatron was damaged, and left to rot in deep space, along with [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]], [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and the [[Insecticon]]s (or clones of them). [[Unicron]] reformatted him into [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] and the others into [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and the [[Sweep]]s, and Galvatron attempted to enslave Unicron with the [[Matrix of Leadership]], but couldn't open it. When Unicron attacked Cybertron, most of the Decepticon forces on the planet were wiped out while the core Decepticons simply evacuated, allowing the Autobots to retake control of the planet. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}

====Season 3 & 4====
{{quote|Once the Decepticons held the quadrant through terror, now we scrap like [[Slaarg]]s over a few [[energon cube]]s.|[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]]|[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1]]}}

Times would turn harsh for the Decepticons who were forced to abandon their homeworld of Cybertron and were exiled to the burnt out planet of [[Chaar]]. There they would face constant energy shortages and engage in constant inter-fighting, as well as suffer from a lack of leadership. From this chaos came [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep]]s, who hatched a plan of finding Galvatron who would lead the Decepticons once more.

Eventually, the Autobots, led by a resurrected Optimus Prime, managed to finally defeat the Decepticons.

===Dreamwave===
[[Image:DeceptLitho.jpg|left|150px|thumb|"My Liege, when did you get that sw—" "CAN'T HEAR YOU, FANWANKING"]]
The Decepticons arose out of the [[Gladiatorial combat|underground fights]] that Megatron once partook in. After discovering certain secrets about Cybertron's origin, including massive [[planetary engine]]s, Megatron began using the games to recruit combatants. For nearly half a million years, they grew in numbers and trained, until they rebelled against the [[Council of Ancients]] and took [[Kaon]] by force.

While the war raged on, the Constructicons repaired the engines and introduced a mecha-forming process, but what they really needed was a power source. Megatron became convinced that he could find one powerful enough within the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]], which was in the possession of [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]]. However, when Megatron finally killed the Prime, he discovered that it was not within him. Soon after, Optronix became Optimus Prime, and Megatron initiated a plan: an assassination team under Communications Officer [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] would elimate the Prime and claim the Matrix, while Military Operations Commander [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] would lay siege to Iacon, preventing the Autobots from coming to Prime's rescue.

However, Megatron made two mistakes: he informed Air Commander [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] of his intentions, and he underestimated Optimus Prime. The Prime managed to erase some of Megatron's memories of what he discovered, while Starscream activated the mechaforming process using energy from the planetary engines. The engines were destroyed before the process was complete, ruining both. {{storylink|The War Within}}

After Megatron disappeared with Optimus Prime in a space bridge test, Shockwave became Decepticon leader, though Starscream and High Auditor [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] broke off with their own splinter factions shortly afterwards. The Decepticons allied with [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]]'s Autobots and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s [[Lightning Strike Coalition]] (an Autobot splinter group), to stop the machinations of [[The Fallen]]. {{storylink|War Within: The Dark Ages}} Several thousand years later, Shockwave was prepared to sign a peace treaty with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], who had become Autobot leader, the LSC, and Ratbat's [[Ultracon]]. However, Megatron returned with the [[Air Warrior|Aerospace Extermination Squadron]], an army of [[Quintesson]] created [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] drones, whose abilities allowed the Decepticons to fully conquer Cybertron and enslave the Autobots. The Decepticons' control over Cybertron was ended when Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron and the Air Warriors were defeated. {{storylink|War Within: The Age of Wrath}}

When Megatron disappeared along with the ''Nemesis'' crew, Shockwave again emerged as Decepticon leader, this time as head of a triumvirate including Ratbat and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. With [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] becoming scarce, Shockwave agreed to work with Ultra Magnus and [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] in the creation of the [[Micromaster]]s, Transformers who were downsized for better fuel efficiency. Shockwave suffered a rebellion when [[Skystalker (G1)|Skystalker]] overthrew him, using Shockwave's severed head as a tool. {{storylink|Transformers: Micromasters}} However, all Transformers on Cybertron entered [[stasis lock]] when the [[Great Shutdown]] occurred.

Around 1,000 B.C.E., Shockwave was reactivated by Scourge, and then defeated the Unicronian Transformer. Studying Scourge and discovering some of the secrets Megatron had learned, Shockwave made peace with the Autobots, installing himself as Head of State with an [[Autobot High Council]] as a legislature, while Ultra Magnus became his senior security officer. However, the High Councillors were unsuited for peace time government, and gradually gave Shockwave more and more power... which is exactly what he had planned.

On Earth, the ''Nemesis'' crew was reawakened in 1984. Cut off from Cybertron, the Decepticons concluded that they had no other choice but to conquer the planet. Megatron soon learned that others had come looking for them, including [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobots]]. The Decepticons captured Jetfire and the Dinobots except Grimlock, and used the hostage situation to force Grimlock to serve the Decepticons. Additionally, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] located Earth and served under Megatron. In 1998, the Autobots allied with humanity to defeat the Decepticons. They were to be returned to Cybertron in the ''[[Ark II]]'', but Shockwave, through a human intermediary, sabotaged the ''Ark II'', causing the ship to crash and send the Transformers aboard into stasis lock.

Renegade members of the [[United States military]] managed to capture the Decepticons and a number of Autobots, intending to use them as instruments of war, but [[Lazarus|Adam Rook]] later stole them and set himself up as an arms dealer. Unfortunately, Megatron overwhelmed the programming that kept him a prisoner, and freed the other Decepticons. Megatron then intended to unleash a technovirus on Earth, but the Autobots defeated him. {{storylink|Prime Directive}}

A year later, Shockwave arrived to tie up loose ends, quickly capturing Megatron and the ''Nemesis'' crew. Starscream ejected Megatron out of the ship carrying them to Cybertron, leaving him to die in space. The ''Nemesis'' crew were granted amnesty, but Starscream quickly recruited them into going back to Earth to conquer the planet, taking the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] with them. Shockwave was finally overthrown when Optimus Prime united the Autobot resistance groups, but he escaped with a small number of troops. {{storylink|War and Peace}}

Meanwhile, Megatron was rescued by [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], who repaired his memory loss. Using some recovered Air Warriors, Megatron located the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who were used to take control of Shockwave's small army. On Earth, Starscream's failures during [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]]'s rampage were reason enough to convince the ''Nemesis'' crew to mutiny against Starscream in Megatron's favor. With two combiner teams, an army of Seekers, Soundwave's cassettes, and knowledge of Earth's connection to Cybertron, Megatron prepared to lead the Decepticons on the conquests of Earth and Cybertron {{storylink|Generation One (Dreamwave comic)|G1 ongoing}}...

{{note|...At which point Dreamwave went bankrupt. Damn.}}

===IDW===
{{ongoing}}
The Decepticons were formed out of the uprising in Kaon that Megatron spearheaded: the end result of a corrupt Autobot Senate and a vicious underground bloodsport. Kaon fell quickly {{storylink|Megatron Origin}} and the Decepticons soon began spreading across the planet, recruiting new people and carrying out terrorist strikes in advance of their main assaults. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} The war they started proved ''too'' destructive for Cybertron to handle though, and the Decepticons had to abandon it after the disastrous [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] incident. {{storylink|Stormbringer (comics)|Stormbringer}}

The Decepticons are spread across known space, following a strict [[Infiltration protocol]] to conquer worlds. Disguising themselves, the infiltration unit gathers intelligence and seeds [[Facsimile construct|facsimiles]] in key strategic places; Phase Two is to use their facsimiles to inflame global tensions and watch the locals to devastate themselves. By Phase Five, their base is in [[Infiltration protocol|Siege Mode]] and Phase 6 has open war on a burnt-out world. {{storylink|Infiltration}} {{storylink|Escalation (IDW)|Escalation}} In extreme circumstances, when they ''really'' want a world destroyed, they'll send in [[Sixshot]].

The Decepticon army is highly specialised: there's infiltration units for, er, infiltration; a [[Decepticon Secret Service]] handling spying and tech acquisitions {{storylink|Spotlight: Hot Rod}}; penal colonies like [[Styx]]; and Tactical Assault Units like the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] who carry out direct action.

This all got thrown out of the window in the early 21st Century, however, when it appeared the Decepticons had won. Whoops, they hadn't. Earth is lost, Megatron is down, and Starscream currently holds control through a charade of wielding the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron}}

===Aftermath===
Both sides signed the [[Pax Cybertronia]], which eventually led to peace, but left the Decepticons in a second class position.

==Beast Era==
In ''Beast Wars'' continuity, the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] were the descendants of the Decepticons and fought with the same aggression and ideas of conquest. They faced the [[Maximal]]s in the same way their ancestors had fought the [[Autobot]]s.

==Robots in Disguise==
In the [[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon]], the Decepticons were a brand new faction that came into being during the events of the story. Because there were so few Decepticons (only six or seven), and because they were a subset of the [[Predacon (RID)|Predacon]] antagonists, they can almost be viewed as a [[subgroup]] rather than a proper faction. The RiD Decepticons were created on Earth when [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s forces captured a set of [[stasis pod]]s from an ancient Transformer spaceship that had been found on [[Earth]], leading to the birth of the [[Commando]]s and [[Scourge (RID)|Scourge]]. The toy version of [[Megatron (RID)|Galvatron]] was also labeled as a Decepticon, although this "change" in the character's faction was only mentioned once in the cartoon series.

In the Japanese version of RiD, ''Car Robots'', the Decepticons were known as Combatrons. This is the same name by which the [[Combaticon (G1)|G1 Combaticons]] were called in Japan.

For the [[Hasbro]] toy line, several other non-show Decepticons were added to the ranks to help fill out the line. It is unknown how most of these actually fit into the story, though one of them, [[Axer]], is actually a dimension-hopper who arrived from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] universe.

==Unicron Trilogy==
===Animated continuity===
====Armada====
The ''exact'' origins of the Decepticon faction are a bit muddled. It is widely assumed, though never directly confirmed, that the movement was founded by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]. Also, the enslavement of the power-enhancing [[Mini-Con]]s is considered to be the impetus to the Decepticons' rise to a massive multi-planet-spanning army, though at what point in the war this occurred is unclear; it's possible the Mini-Cons' arrival was what gave Megatron the opportunity to rise to power, or that they arrived after the war had already begun.

Either way, the Mini-Cons fueled the war machine for centuries, and the war with the [[Autobot]]s soon spread from [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to other worlds. The self-imposed exile of the Mini-Cons to an unknown destination was seen as a major setback for the Decepticons (and something of a pyrrhic victory for the Autobots), but despite this, the war continued, as both sides had amassed a large enough power base to continue on without the little buggers.

The Autobots and Decepticons seemed to fight to a stalemate, neither able to gain a distinct advantage over the other. When a signal reached Cybertron centuries later that the Mini-Cons had landed on [[Earth]], it seemed neither side was capable of sending a full force to retrieve them, despite the power they contained. Though the Decepticon force sent to Earth was small in numbers, it was far from insignificant; Megatron himself led the squad, backed by some of his most trusted warriors.

When Megatron returned to Cybertron, the overwhelming majority of the Mini-Cons were in the protective custody of the Autobots, but Megatron was unfazed; he had assembled the Mini-Cons required to make the three legendary weapons: the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] and [[Requiem Blaster]]. Bolstered by this new power and the apparent death of [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], Megatron attempted to take Cybertron once and for all.

But Megatron's (now calling himself Galvatron) return to Cybertron was the beginning of the end of the Decepticon army. When [[Unicron]] revealed himself as a threat to both armies, fueled by the negative psychic energies from centuries of death and destruction, the two sides eventually joined together to beat back the planet-eater. Despite the truce, Galvatron and Prime engaged in a brutal duel on the surface of the weakened Unicron after the three legendary weapons had been removed from his core. Realizing their battle was keeping Unicron active, Galvatron sacrificed himself, and both Unicron and Galvatron disappeared into nothingness.

====Energon====
[[Image:Energon Decepticon insignia.jpg|left|127px|thumb|Now available with added purple!]]
Galvatron's final orders to his troops still stood: work ''with'' the Autobots. The Decepticons maintained a degree of autonomy, still wearing the faction sigil and often taking military/defensive positions in the growing number of [[Energon (Energon)|energon]]-mining colonies, but they were ultimately answerable to Optimus Prime and the Autobots. There were, of course, dissenters, most of whom were captured and imprisoned. For a decade, Autobot and Decepticon worked side-by-side in a somewhat stable truce.

Both sides found themselves the target of attacks from Unicron again; hordes of [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon drones]], sent by [[Alpha Quintesson]] to steal energon ore with which to revive the now-shattered husk of Unicron. What the alien did not count on was that Galvatron's [[spark]] had survived within the remains, and was siphoning energon from Unicron's body. Soon the Decepticon leader revived himself in a new form,(calling himself Megatron again) drove off Alpha Quintesson, and along with an elite cadre of soldiers and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mindless Terrorcon drones, began his ''new'' plans for conquest.

When news of Megatron's return reached Cybertron, hundreds of Decepticons rose up and rebelled, eager to get back to conquering. But having been joined to Unicron for so long apparently had given Megatron a taste of godhood; he had no more interest in amassing a galaxy-spanning army of troops. Countless Decepticons died in the resulting battles, with Megatron more than willing to sacrifice them without a thought to attain ultimate power for himself. As "[[the Powerlinx Battles]]" -as they came to be called- came to their climax, Megatron (calling himself Galvatron ''again'') found that his actions and thoughts were being influenced and controlled by the dark spark of Unicron. Unwilling to let Unicron stand in his way, Galvatron ultimately sacrificed himself (again) and seemingly destroyed Unicron's spark by plunging himself into a newly-formed energon sun created by [[Primus]].

====Cybertron====
What little remained of the once-mighty Decepticon army after [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron's]] loss was at best a loose association of criminals, thugs, and lunatics, with no real political or military power to speak of. For a decade, [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] was once again at peace, with the population overwhelmingly [[Autobot]] or neutral. The Transformers had withdrawn from [[Earth]] and its other colonies to focus on revitalizing their homeworld after the devastation of the Powerlinx Battles. However, two great catastrophes shattered this peace; the energon sun collapsed in on itself, forming the powerful black hole known as the [[Unicron Singularity]], which threatened to devour Cybertron and, if left unchecked, the entire universe... and the return yet once again of Megatron, who had absorbed much of what remained of Unicron's power.

Megatron's goal of attaining godhood was now at hand. By obtaining the legendary [[Omega Lock]] and the four [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, Megatron intended to accelerate the growth of the black hole, consuming the universe in a vast sea of nothingness that only he would survive, then use his powers to re-create the universe in his image.

To this end, he had no need of an army. He gathered a small group of allies and lackeys to seek the items he needed, but they were nothing more than pawns to him, to be used and discarded at a whim.

The Decepticons briefly regained their status as a mass army of individuals when [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], who had long suffered at Megatron's hands since the beginning of the Decepticons, made his own bid for ultimate power with the help of the [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]] agent [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]. Having sealed Megatron and his troops in a trap, Starscream freed hundreds of criminal Transformers who had been locked up on [[Earth]] for millennia, and formed his own globe-spanning army. The Decepticon "Monsters" were tasked with finding the Omega Lock and Earth's Cyber Planet Key, which they eventually brought to their leader. However, numerous Decepticons were killed in the battles with the Autobots, and it soon became apparent that Starscream, like Megatron before him, didn't care. Most of these criminals soon abandoned Starscream and went into hiding.

As for Megatron, he too had deserters among his own considerably-small ranks. Most notably, the powerful [[Scourge (Cybertron)|Scourge]], leader of the [[Jungle Planet (Cybertron)|Jungle Planet]] and the colossal [[Menasor (Cybertron)|Menasor]] from [[Gigantion]], both of whom eventually joined forces with their former enemies the Autobots.

This was not seen as a concern for Megatron, however, as by this time Starscream and his allies were seemingly destroyed on Gigantion, and Megatron (now calling himself "Galvatron" again) had the Omega Lock and all four Keys. What few Decepticons remained loyal to him were too stupid to see what Galvatron had planned, and made perfect distractions as he set his final plan in motion. If they weren't strong enough to survive the coming cataclysm, then so be it.

[[Image:NewDecepticonArmy.jpg|right|180px|thumb|The yutz, the ditz, the klutz, and the putz.]]
Ultimately, Galvatron's plan failed, and the Unicron Singularity was sealed. His remaining Decepticons quickly left him, realizing what was likely to have happened to them, and eventually joined the Autobots. After Galvatron's seemingly-final defeat and death in a one-on-one duel with [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron's]] moon, the Decepticons, not knowing when to quit, rose again, albeit in a rather pathetic fashion. Having cobbled together a rather rickety rocket, [[Ransack (Cybertron)|Ransack]], [[Crumplezone (Cybertron)|Crumplezone]] and [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] shanghaied the reluctant [[Thundercracker (Armada)|Thundercracker]], who was ''really'' keen on being on the winning side for once, and flew off to parts unknown as the "[[New Decepticon Army]]".

They made it to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] before the rocket crash-landed.

Meanwhile, the Autobot [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] reported form a deep-space recon mission that he thought he had picked up traces of Starscream, seemingly backed up by Sideways and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]]. [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]] and the former Decepticon [[Mudflap (Cybertron)|Mudflap]] raced off to join Wing Saber and investigate...

===Comics continuity===
====Armada====
Founded by Megatron, the exact number of the original Decepticons is unknown. Using the Mini-Cons as weapons, they were able to conquer Cybertron and force the Autobots underground. Eventually they were beaten due to the arrival of Unicron: his heralds slaughtered the entire Decepticon base on Cybertron, and the Chaos-Bringer's arrival forced them to join forces with the Autobots. With Megatron shot dead during the Unicron battle, the peace held for a period of years.

==Live-action ''Transformers'' movies continuity==
[[Image:Defiance3_wearenowDECEPTICONS.jpg|thumb|300px|LATER: Megatron realizes he blew his entire budget on the giant rotating wall symbol.]]

The Decepticons are the Transformers who sided with [[Megatron (Movie)|Lord High Protector Megatron]] and attempted to seize the [[AllSpark]]. Their numbers ranged from the [[Starscream (Movie)|treacherous]], the [[Blackout (Movie)|fanatical]], the [[Brawl (Movie)|violent]], and the [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|treacherous fanatically violent]] to the [[Frenzy (Movie)|spastic]].

The origins of these Decepticons began when a being known as [[The Fallen]] turned on his [[Dynasty of Primes|brother Primes]] in an attempt to seize power at the cost of [[human|humanity's]] existence. One account has it that the Fallen gathered a small army of [[Constructicon (ROTF)|construction drones]] to assist him and named them Decepticons. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 3}} Either way, he would become known as the ''first'' Decepticon and would go on to become the [[Yoda]] to Megatron's [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}, tempting the latent aggressive edge in the Protector. Filled with dreams of power and paranoia of losing that power, Megatron reformed the Cybertron defense force into a massive engine of war, ready to wipe out entire alien species who would dare challenge them. When science leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime's]] opposition became known, Megatron branded them traitors and declared his followers to be the Decepticons. Soon after, The Fallen commanded Megatron to build the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', a ship that would carry his sarcophagus and Decepticon soldiers in their search for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] left on Earth. Megatron was commanded to remain on Cybertron, so [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] commanded the expedition. Most of the Decepticons left Cybertron, leaving Megatron with a reduced, but still potent, army. {{Storylink|Defiance}}

War devastated Cybertron. While the Decepticons were heavily reliant on drone units to bolster their forces and were forced to automate many of their outposts, the risk was still too high that they might claim the AllSpark, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 1|Prelude: Optimus Prime}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 5|Lost In Space 3: Ironhide}} and Optimus Prime made the desperate decision to launch the AllSpark into deep space. Megatron obsessively followed after it, and disappeared. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] took over leadership, and began a search for Megatron and the AllSpark. After a while, Starscream began to focus more on the AllSpark, hoping Megatron would remain lost, something the other Decepticons began to suspect. {{storylink|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

In 2003, Starscream's retrieval team made their way to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], destroyed the [[Beagle 2 Rover]] and making their way to Earth. In 2007, the Decepticons began to make their presence known, with [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] destroying [[SOCCENT Forward Operations Base]] in [[Qatar]], searching for information on Megatron and the AllSpark. A few days later, [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] hacked [[Air Force One]]'s computers. Although he was unable to find out the truth about [[Sector Seven]], he avoided detection and managed to get a clue in [[Sam Witwicky]], whose ancestor [[Archibald Witwicky]] had discovered Megatron a century earlier. His glasses had been marked with coordinates to the AllSpark's location, so [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and Frenzy attempted to confront the boy. Although they were defeated by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], Frenzy hid in Mikaela's purse, and accompanied them to [[Hoover Dam]], where Megatron and the AllSpark were hidden. As Starscream ordered the Decepticons to mobilize, Frenzy shut down the temperature controls while Starscream destroyed the external generators. Megatron was freed, but Bumblebee took the Cube with a group of survivors from Blackout's attack to Mission City, meeting with Optimus Prime's Autobots along the way. In the Battle of Mission City, Megatron and most of the Decepticons were killed and the AllSpark believed destroyed. {{storylink|Transformers (2007)|Transformers}}

Starscream, however, survived, and stole Frenzy's remains to access whatever information the humans had on the AllSpark to build [[Replica AllSpark|his own AllSpark]]. Returning to Cybertron, Starscream proclaimed himself [[Decepticon leader]] and began building the replica. One month later, the replica was ready, but it didn't work properly and [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] made a coup attempt. Starscream barely survived and made his way back to Mars, questioning his purpose, when he received word that the Autobots would be helping the humans destroy Megatron's remains. Hoping to destroy Prime, Megatron, and the traitor [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] all at once, Starscream returned to Earth. Although he managed to destroy Wreckage, Prime had already left with Megatron's body. Just as he defeated Bumblebee, Starscream received word from Soundwave, who had brought the ''Nemesis'' to Earth's solar system. After meeting up with Soundwave, Starscream explained the situation, and returned to the ''Nemesis'' to awaken the remaining Decepticons and oversee the spawning of more [[hatchling]]s while Soundwave lead a scout team to Earth. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream}} {{storylink|Alliance (comic)|Alliance}}

[[Image:ROTF Fallen message.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Fallen performs what may be the greatest [[Rick Astley|Rick roll]] in history.]]
Over the next two years, the Decepticons searched for the [[Tomb of the Primes]], which housed the Matrix needed to activate the solar harvester. In 2009, Soundwave discovered Megatron's resting place in the [[Laurentian Abyss]] and the presence of an AllSpark shard on [[Diego Garcia]]. Dispatching [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s, the Decepticons managed to restore Megatron's [[Spark]] and bring him back to life. Returning to the ''Nemesis'', Megatron learned from the Fallen that the AllSpark's knowledge was within Sam Witwicky's mind, who had destroyed the Cube when he killed Megatron. Further commanded to kill Optimus Prime, Megatron captured the boy. Although he escaped, Megatron managed to kill Optimus. Megatron then decided that a show of force was needed to compel the humans to turn Sam over to them. The Fallen lead Decepticon protoforms to Earth and then broadcast a message demanding the humans turn over Sam. Sam was eventually found in [[Egypt]], where the harvester was hidden. Although the Fallen managed to reclaim the Matrix, it had been used to resurrect Optimus, who in turn killed the Fallen. Megatron and Starscream were forced to retreat and form a new plan. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

[[Image:Titan23_decepticonsmassing.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Company photo day.]]
The Decepticons are, in general, less human in appearance than the Autobots in the movie, resembling carnivorous mammals, birds, insects or the Decepticon insignia itself (possibly to frighten the [[Human|insects]]). What is also most noticeable about the Decepticons in the movie franchise is that they've actually been designed to resemble the insignia of their faction, most notably Megatron, Blackout, Barricade, and the Fallen; the insignia is in fact based on the Fallen's ugly mug. {{storylink|Defiance}}

{{note|In a departure from previous Transformers incarnations, Japan used the name "Decepticons" for this franchise, rather than "Destrons"<ref>[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/movie/decepticons.html Movie Decepticons toy listing on Takaratomy.com]</ref>.}}

{{-}}
==Animated==
Around 1 billion years ago, the [[Destron (Animated)|Destrons]] emerged as a new faction on the Protectobot governed Cybertron. Led by [[Devron (Animated)|Devron]],the [[Third Cybertronian War]] was fought between the Destrons and the Protectobots (who were led by the new leader [[Nova Magnus]]). ''The Destrons emerged victorious, though many Cybertronian records were forever lost due to the [[Great Purge]].{{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}}

The Decepticons came to prominence as a sub-faction of the Destrons around 70 million years ago. They advocated the use of the AllSpark to bring Cybertron itself to life, that it might serve as a cosmic juggernaut that would allow the Transformers to return to the era of expansion and colonization of other worlds they had enjoyed nearly 700 million years beforehand. When the Decepticon leader [[Megazarak (Animated)|Megazarak]] was ousted by charismatic rhetorician named [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]], tensions finally exploded, and the Autobots and Decepticons went to [[Great War (Animated)|war]] for possession of the AllSpark.

After something in the vicinity of six million years of civil war, things reached a crisis point when the Decepticons began a strategic bombing campaign on Cybertron, demanding the AllSpark be turned over in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|The AllSpark Almanac II}} Rather than give in to Megatron's demands, the Autobots instead sought to put the AllSpark beyond any Cybertronian's reach, launching it randomly through a [[space bridge]] to some distant corner of the galaxy, where it was hoped it would never be found. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

4 million stellar cycles ago, the Autobots and Decepticons battled each other in what is now known as The Great War. The Autobots pulled a victory only due to their exclusive access to [[space bridge]]s and their decision to send the [[AllSpark]] into deep space. Defeated, the Decepticons dispersed, and, according to [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]], the only sight of them would be an occasional scout ship. In fact, they had been missing for so long, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] believed a Decepticon presence was a thing of the past. This was quickly reassessed upon encountering [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron's]] crew. In his final battle against Optimus, Megatron was taken back to Cybertron, along with [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]], [[Bonecrusher (Animated)|Bonecrusher]] and [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]], for imprisonment. The rest are still at large, except Starscream, who died when his AllSpark fragment was removed.

{{stub}}

{{note|As with the movie Decepticons, the Animated Decepticons are not called Destrons in Japan.}}

==Shattered Glass==
[[Image:Decepticon Shattered Glass.png|right|180px|thumb|Decepticons wage their battles to destroy...]]
The Decepticons are a resistance group, intended to overthrow Autobot tyranny and their dastardly leader, [[Optimus Prime (SG)|Optimus Prime]]. Led by the heroic [[Megatron (SG)|Megatron]], the 'Cons want to liberate Cybertron and preserve freedom and life across the galaxy, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|no matter the cost]]. {{storylink|Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass}}
{{-}}

==Prime==
{{bigquote|Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who listen to the truth should not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies.|[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]].}}

[[Image:DeusExMachina-fourcons.jpg|thumb|300px]]

The Decepticons originated from those in the [[caste system|lower castes]] of Cybertronian society in the [[Badlands]]. Megatron, a gladiator who seized control of all the gladiatorial pits and assumed the name of The Fallen, began preaching to the dispossessed on the Grid. He allowed them to bomb Cybertron and throw their society into chaos, for he rightly believed if he denied any connection to their extremist behavior, it would elevate him in the eyes of the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]]. Even the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]] [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] kidnapped [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Sentinel Prime]] for him. When the Council questioned Megatron about the movement's name, he denied he had heard of it, though he also accepted it for reasons outlined above.

When Halogen appointed Orion the new Prime, Megatron declared his Decepticons would continue to fight for freedom. During the war they conquered eighty-five percent of the planet, as well as occupying [[Moonbase One|Moon Base One]] and [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] Station, before poisoning the [[core]] itself with [[Dark Energon]]. When the Autobots left aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', Trypticon transformed into the ''Nemesis'' and followed them with Megatron, Starscream, [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] and [[Lugnut (WFC)|Lugnut]] into unknown space, while [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] took control of the Cybertronian Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus}}

Eons later, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] were based on [[Earth]], with a mass-produced [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] army. During a three year lull, Starscream was ordered to build a [[space bridge]] and to mine more Energon. {{storylink|Transformers: Prime (comic)}} Megatron returned, but not with the army Starscream had hoped for. Instead he tried to raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] [[zombie]]s to eradicate humanity, but failed and perished in a space bridge implosion, leaving Starscream in command once more. {{storylink|Darkness Rising}} It emerged he survived, and he was retrieved and placed in sickbay. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} Meanwhile, Starscream and Soundwave waited for opportunities to pounce on [[Team Prime]] with their Vehicons. {{storylink|Con Job}} {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}}

==Merchandise==
===Transformers (2007)===
====Transformers Movie Screen Cleaners====
[[Image:Movie Decepticon Screencleaner.jpg|right|105px|thumb|Transforms your dirty screen to a clean one and — well, actually just the first thing.]]
*'''Decepticon''' (2008)
:Released by Tomy Yujin on January,<ref>[http://www.gachausa.com/products/transformers.asp Tomy Yujin ''Transformers'' page]</ref> this dangler is a [[Insignia|faction logo]]-shaped screen cleaner for your cell phone, with a stock image of Decepticon insignia printed on the other side.
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Destron''' (デストロン ''Desutoron''), '''Combatron''' (''Car Robots'', コンバットロン ''Konbatoron''), '''Decepticon''' (ディセプティコン ''Diseputikon'')
*''Danish'': '''Bedragerne''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers"), '''Bedraonerne''' (''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''French:'' '''Decepticans''' (France ''The Transformers'' cartoon)
*''Hungarian:'' '''Álcák''' (Marvel comic, "Disguises"), '''Decepticonok''' (toy commercial, second ''The Movie'' dub), '''Varangyok''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Toads"), '''Robotikák''' (''Energon'', ''Cybertron'', "Roboticas")
*''Italian:'' '''Distructors'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Ba Tian Hu''' (霸天虎, "Tigers that Forcibly Occupy the Sky")
*''Polish:'' '''Deceptikony''', '''Decepcjokony''' (first ''The Movie'' dub, "Deceptiocons"), '''Dezorientaci''' (''Beast Wars'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Decépticos''' (Portugal comic), '''Malignus''' (Brazil comic)
*''Serbian:'' '''Deseptikoni'''
*''Swedish:'' '''Bedragare''' (Marvel comic, "Betrayers")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Obmanoidy''' (Обманойди, "Decepticons")

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Alternators]]
[[Category:Alternity]]
[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Armada]]
[[Category:Beast Machines]]
[[Category:Beast Wars]]
[[Category:Beastformers franchise]]
[[Category:Cybertron]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon]]
[[Category:Decepticons| ]]
[[Category:Energon]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Generation 1 factions]]
[[Category:Generation 2]]
[[Category:Machine Wars]]
[[Category:Micromaster]]
[[Category:Movie]]
[[Category:Operation Combination]]
[[Category:Predacon subgroups]]
[[Category:Prime]]
[[Category:Return of Convoy]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen]]
[[Category:Robot Masters]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise]]
[[Category:Super-God Masterforce]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Universe (2003)]]
[[Category:Victory]]
[[Category:Zone]]

Transformers Animated (toyline)

2011-07-11T13:27:42Z

64.75.121.3: /* Deluxe Class */

{{Nav-Animated}}

[[Image:TFAnimated Voyager EarthOptimusPrime toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Putting the "cool" in "Playskool".]]
The '''Transformers Animated''' toy line merges the more expressive design style of the [[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|cartoon]] with extremely poseable robot forms (to a degree which seemed pleasantly surprising even to [[Hasbro]]). Unlike the [[franchise]]s immediately before it, there is no overarching, line-wide [[gimmick]] (such as [[Mini-Con]]s or [[Cyber Planet Key]]s). Rather, transforming ''is'' the gimmick, and the toys have other special features unique and appropriate to the character (such as [[Blitzwing (Animated)|triple-changing]] or [[Ratchet (Animated)|interchangeable tools]]). While the designs originated with Hasbro and the [[Cartoon Network]] team, [[TakaraTomy]] stepped up to the plate to engineer the toys. The line debuted on July 1, 2007, at Hasbro's Future Products panel at [[BotCon 2007|BotCon]].

Hasbro, citing the strength of the [[Transformers (2007)|movie]] toyline, [[Ruined FOREVER|postponed]] the official release of the Animated toyline to June 22, 2008 in the US. However, some toys began showing up at retailers in the Cincinnati area to coincide with [[BotCon 2008|BotCon]], followed by wider releases in Canada in May and the U.S. shortly thereafter.
{{-}}

==Toys==
The core toys of this franchise are available at most of the traditional [[size class]]es.

===General retail===
====Deluxe Class====
'''Wave 1'''
[[Image:Bumblebee_anim_toy.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Cybertron Mode Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
* [[Bonecrusher (Animated)|Bonecrusher]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Oil Slick]]
* [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Elite Guard Bumblebee]]
* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Blazing Lockdown]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
[[Image:Samuraiprowldeluxe.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"That's 'Prowl-san' to you, young one."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Wasp|Waspinator]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Samurai Prowl]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Electrostatic Soundwave]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Freeway Jazz]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo">According [[Hasbro Q&A/March 2010#TFW2005|an answer to March Q&A]], the release of these toys is uncertain and under examination by Hasbro.</ref>
{{collist|4|
* [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Toxic Oil Slick]]
* [[Wasp|Fugitive Waspinator]]
* [[Blurr (Animated)|Vortex Blurr]]
* [[Swindle (Animated) |Mercenary Swindle]]
}}

====Voyager Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Megatron]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Earth Mode Optimus Prime]]
{{note|Even though Optimus Prime ''officially'' debuted in wave 2 of the Voyager Class toys, he was found at US retail ''later'' than the wave 3 toys Grimlock and Lugnut.}}

'''Wave 3'''
[[Image:Lugnut animated toy.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Comes with a Gopher grabber arm.]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]]

'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave/Longarm]]
* [[Skywarp (Animated)|Skywarp]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]]
* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Atomic Lugnut]]
}}
'''Uncertain release'''<ref name="limbo" />
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Hydrodrive Bumblebee]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Goldfire Grimlock]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
* [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Wingblade Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Mudbuster Bulkhead]]
}}

====Leader Class====
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Earth Mode Megatron]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Leaderclass_animated_ultramagnus_battlemode.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"[[Hot Shot (Armada)/toys|Hot Shot]] ain't got nothing on me."]]
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]]

'''Wave 3'''
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Shadow Blade Megatron]]

'''Wave 4'''
* [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Roadbuster Ultra Magnus]] (redeco colored as a [[Roadbuster (G1)|''Generation 1'' Roadbuster]] homage)

====Supreme Class====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Roll-Out Command Optimus Prime]]

====Entertainment Packs====
[[Image:Safeguardanimatedtoy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Half & half]]
'''Wave 1'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] vs. [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] - The Battle Begins

'''Wave 2'''
* [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]] and [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]]

{{-}}

====Activators====
The Activators subcategory consists of chunkier, simpler, Scout-class-sized toys with one-touch, spring-loaded transformations.
[[Image:Activatorsstarscream.jpg|right|250px|thumb|"Come on, Hasbro. You can still make some redecos of me."]]
'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Patrol Bumblebee]]
* [[Thundercracker (Animated)|Thundercracker]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Bandit Lockdown]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Cliffjumper (Animated)|Cliffjumper]]
* [[Dirge (Animated)|Dirge]]
}}
'''Wave 6'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Grimlock (Animated)|Fireblast Grimlock]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 7'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated) | Armor Up Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated) | Battlefield Bumblebee]]
}}

====[[Bumper Battlers]]====
An expansion on the [[Cyber Slammers]] subline from the 2007 live-action movie toys, Bumper Battlers feature "bump-and-transform" action. Hitting the front bumper causes the toy to change into robot mode, and pressing the toy's sigil activates sound effects and speech gimmicks.

'''Wave 1'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]]
}}
'''Wave 2'''
[[Image:Ani-toy BumperBattlers NightwatchPrime.JPG|right|250px|thumb|"At least I have a better shade of blue than [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|another Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]."]]
{{collist|4|
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Autobot Jazz]]
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]]
}}
'''Wave 3'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Sting Racer Bumblebee]]
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Nightwatch Optimus Prime]]
}}
'''Wave 4'''
{{collist|4|
* [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]
}}
'''Wave 5'''
{{Note|These two toys have been released in Australia and Mexico in small quantities. At the current point of time, it's unclear if they will be included among the upcoming releases of the remaining ''Animated'' toys in the USA.}}
{{collist|4|
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Workzone Bulkhead]]
* [[Jazz (Animated)|Stealth Ninja Jazz]]
}}

====Power Bots====
'''Wave 1'''
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Cyber Speed Bumblebee]]

'''Wave 2'''
*Street Patrol Bumblebee (redeco of Cyber Speed Bumblebee)

===Exclusives (United States/Canada market)===
'''Target/Zellers'''
*[[Lockdown (Animated)|Stealth Lockdown]] (Deluxe Class) with [[Legends Class]] [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and Legends Class [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Rescue Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class) with Legends Class [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] and Legends Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]
{{note|Both packs were also available as Tesco exclusives in the United Kingdom, Zellers exclusives in Canada and Warehouse exclusives in New Zealand.}}

* [[Sunstorm (Animated)| Sunstorm]] (Voyager Class) vs Activators [[Ratchet (Animated)| Ratchet]].

* [[Shockwave (Animated)| Shockwave]] (Voyager Class) (with a new show accurate color scheme) vs Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

'''Toys "R" Us'''
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)| Bulkhead]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]

* [[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]] (Leader Class) with Activators [[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]

* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Cybertron Mode Ratchet]] (Deluxe Class)

* [[Rodimus Prime (Animated)|Rodimus Minor]]

* [[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]

'''Wal-Mart'''
*"The Revenge of Blackarachnia" two-pack (Deluxe [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack and Deluxe Class [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]])

*"Battle in Space" two-pack (Deluxe Class [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] and Deluxe [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] from "The Battle Begins" two-pack)

===Foreign market exclusive releases===
'''Multi-packs'''
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Autobot Ratchet]] & [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] two-pack
{{note|Thus far this pack has only been found at Toys "R" Us stores in the United Kingdom and Germany.}}

===McDonald's Happy Meal toys===
'''North America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]
}}
'''Latin America'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]
}}
'''France'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Blitzwing (Animated)| Blitzwing]]
}}
'''Poland'''
{{collist|4|
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys| Optimus Prime]]
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]]
*[[Megatron (Animated)| Megatron]]
*[[Starscream (Animated)| Starscream]]}}
{{note|Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron are the same molds from the North American release but with more detailed [[Paint operation|paint application]]s. Blitzwing is a new mold.}}

==Toys of ''Animated'' characters released as part of other lines==
===Movie (2007)===
'''Wal-Mart exclusives'''
* The Legacy of Bumblebee three-pack (movie-inspired minor [[redeco]] of ''[[Classics (2006)|Classic]]'' Deluxe [[Bumblebee (G1)/toys|Bumblebee]], regular [[Movie (toyline)|Movie]] Deluxe Class "[[Premium Series|Premium]]" [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and regular ''Animated'' Deluxe Class [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]])

===Universe (2008)===
'''Legends Class (wave 3)'''
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)/toys|Optimus Prime]]
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]

'''Legends Class (wave 4)'''
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]

==TakaraTomy releases==

Beginning in 2010, [[TakaraTomy]]'s release of the ''Animated'' toyline will consist of the same toys released in Western markets by [[Hasbro]], but now with [http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1632&category=6153 extremely glossy paintjobs].

==Criticisms==
Since the first wave of Animated toys were released, there have been multiple complaints of [[quality control|poor quality]] [[paint operation|paint application]]s, sloppy paint applications, and very greasy ball and hinge joints. There are also complaints over certain breakage issues, such as Lockdown's wrists, and toy functionality being limited by support struts added [[For safety reasons|to prevent breakage]], such as with Voyager Megatron's cannon and Bumblebee's stingers being unable to position properly.

Most of these issues can be fixed with relative ease. <ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47309 Animated Fixes on AllSpark.com]</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]

[[Category:Animated| Transformers Animated (toyline)]]
[[Category:Toys]]