Continuity family

2010-07-04T15:32:39Z

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A '''continuity family''' is TFWiki.net's term for a group of distinct but closely-related individual [[Continuity|continuities]]. It is not an official term, but it is an extremely useful organizational tool, providing the essence of how we divide one page from another.

For example, the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|''Generation 1'' franchise]] has always comprised multiple separate continuities, most prominently the original [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|comic books]]. Therefore, there is no single "''Generation 1'' continuity", but many (many ''many'') related ones. It would be madness to make a separate page for every single incarnation, of, say, [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]], so we group all of his portrayals across the ''Generation 1'' franchise into the same article, considering them a united "family." And, just as a single franchise can contain multiple continuities, so can multiple franchises encompass a single continuity. For example, ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' is a separate franchise from ''Generation 1'', but its storyline draws heavily upon ''Generation 1'' continuity, so it is considered part of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|same continuity family]], and Starscream's appearance in the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]] is also included on the same page.

Determining where one continuity family ends and a new one begins is an inherently subjective matter and occasionally a cause of debate (see [[#Quibbles|Quibbles]] below). One general guideline that fits most cases is that a new family is begun when a series is a) a fresh continuity, b) within a separate franchise, and c) significantly different in cast, theme, style, etc. ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' was the first series to break from tradition in all three criteria and therefore form a new family.

Within the fiction, the "[[universal stream]]" concept seems to correspond to our notion of continuity families, wherein alternate universes are grouped together according to some sort of relationship they share. Five major families have been noted within this schema, and known stream designators are included in parentheses:

#[[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] (Primax<ref>"[[Gone Too Far]]"</ref>)
#''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]'' (Viron)
#[[Unicron Trilogy]] (Aurex<ref>"[[I, Lowtech]]"</ref>)
#[[Live-action film series]] (Tyran<ref>"[[Withered Hope]]"</ref>)
#''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' (Malgus<ref>"[[Bee in the City]]"</ref>)

One other family has yet to be given a designation:

#[[Go-Bots (toyline)|Go-Bots]]

==Specific continuity families==
===Generation 1===
{{main|Generation 1 continuity family}}

The Generation 1 continuity family is by far the most extensive in the ''Transformers'' multiverse. It began with the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|''Generation 1'' franchise]] and continued with the ''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' revival in the 1990s. The "[[Beast Era]]" also belongs in this family, since the ''Beast Wars'' cartoon firmly established its universe as an extension of the ''Generation 1'' mythos. The ''Generation 1'' franchise was revived in the 2000s with "reboot" comic series from [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]], and new ''Generation 1''-themed toys have appeared under the ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' line and the ''[[Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]] G1 Series''. [[TakaraTomy]] has also contributed to the family in recent times through Japanese franchises such as ''[[Alternators|Binaltech]]'' and ''[[Henkei! Henkei! (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei!]]''. Even the [[Fun Publications]] "mirror universe" of [[Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]], featuring heroic Decepticons and evil Autobots, is officially categorized as a Primax (Generation 1) universe, though for book-keeping purposes, this wiki notes it as being its own family in our continuity identifiers. For a complete list of franchises included in this family, see the main-article link above.

===Robots in Disguise===
{{main|Robots in Disguise (franchise)}}

The ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise was the first break from the Generation 1 continuity family. It includes a [[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|television series]], a short comic story from the [[Dreamwave Summer Special]] and many [[Robots in Disguise (toyline)|characters who only exist as toys]]. Since there is no contradiction between those elements, they could be considered a single ''Robots in Disguise'' continuity and therefore a continuity-family-of-one.

In Japan, where the franchise is known ''Car Robots'', the cartoon was presented in the same manner, as a completely new continuity. However, a few years later [[TakaraTomy]] claimed that it was actually part of the Generation 1 family (see [[Continuity#Unified Japanese continuities|Unified Japanese continuities]].) Good luck figuring ''that'' one out.

===Unicron Trilogy===
{{main|Unicron Trilogy}}

This includes the ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]],'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' toylines and all related media. Japanese incarnations are included. Initially, the Japanese version of ''Cybertron'' (known as ''Galaxy Force'') was not part of this family, but like ''Car Robots'', it has apparently been retconned back in. (See [[Continuity#Unified Japanese continuities|Unified Japanese continuities]].)

===Live-action film series===
{{main|Live-action film series}}

This family features the [[Movie (franchise)|Movie]] and ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' franchises. This includes the showcase films [[Transformers (2007)|''Transformers'']] and [[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|''Revenge of the Fallen'']] and their associated toylines. There is also a large array of supporting fiction in the form of [[Movie (books)|books]], [[Movie (comics)|comics]], [[Transformers The Game|video games]], and [[online games]].

===Transformers Animated===
{{main|Transformers Animated (franchise)}}

In late 2007, a new continuity family was born with the premiere of the ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' cartoon, and soon grew to also include [[Transformers Animated (comic)|comics]] and other [[Transformers Animated (books)|ancillary fiction]].

===Go-Bots===
{{main|Go-Bots (cartoon)}}

The least prominent continuity family, this is based around the [[Go-Bots (toyline)|''Go-Bots'' toyline]], encompassing the [[Playskool]] ''Transformers'' lines and cartoons aimed at ages five and below. (Sometimes called '''Go-Go-Go-Bots''' by fans.)

===TransTech===
{{main|Transcendent Technomorph}}

''TransTech'' is a single continuity separate from all other families, another continuity-family-of-one. It has been featured in several Fun Publications comics and text stories which, like the [[Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Universe'' franchise]], openly acknowledge the concept of the multiverse. A key feature of ''TransTech'' stories is that characters from different continuity families interact within the ''TransTech'' world. In fact, ''TransTech'' is the source of the "universal stream" system mentioned above, which is essentially an in-fiction codification of the idea of continuity families.

===Transformers Prime===
{{main|Transformers: Prime}}

This continuity family conspicuously includes characteristics from many of its predecessors, attempting to create a detailed prehistory and quasi-religious structure for the Transformers as based upon elements introduced throughout Generation 1, the Unicron Trilogy, the live-action movies, and ''Animated''. It shares too much in common with all of these others to be considered to be an offshoot of any one of them, and so in its "blended" nature must be treated as unique. Prime will feature the most in-depth and definitive examination of the [[thirteen original Transformers]] yet attempted. Its central media will take the form of the Transformers Prime animated series (and, no doubt, supportive comics, toy bios, and ancillary merchandise), the backstory for which is in turn provided in the ''[[Exodus (novel)|Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[War for Cybertron]]'' video game and tie-in toys released under the [[Generations (toyline)|Generations]] franchise.

==Quibbles==
The concept of a continuity family is not an official one; it was generated by editors of this wiki as an organizational tool. While the "universal stream" concept lends an air of [[canon]]icity to the idea, so far only a small handful of continuities have been offically categorized according to that schema. So for the bulk of ''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]'' fiction, deciding where the lines between families are drawn is a subjective business, balancing both abstract guidelines and practical considerations.

===Universe (2003)===
The [[Universe (2003 franchise)|2003 ''Universe'']] franchise features a cross-dimensional storyline that touches upon every continuity family that existed up to that point (with even [[Reptron|a character]] from the Playskool ''Go-Bots'' franchise). However, because the "home base" of the ''Universe'' stories is post-''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], it is considered here to be part of the Generation 1 family.

===IDW comics===
[[IDW Publishing]]'s ongoing [[IDW Generation 1 continuity|''Generation 1'' comics]] are included within the Generation 1 continuity family by virtue of being part of the ''Generation 1'' franchise. However, looking beyond the fact that the [[Transformer]]s in the cast are almost entirely ''Generation 1'' characters, the continuity is nevertheless a full reboot. The backstory has little to do with any pre-existing history, and many of the characters are portrayed in unique ways. The question of whether or not, for example, the IDW version of [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] should be considered the "same character" as previous incarnations has been a contentious one, and it cuts to the core of where we consider an old family to end and a new one to begin.

===IDW Evolutions===
IDW's [[Evolutions]] line of comics features explicitly alternate-universe treatments of ''Transformers'' characters. The only existing example, ''[[Hearts of Steel]],'' sets the ''Generation 1'' characters in the 19th century, where they transform into locomotives, ironclad ships, etc. As ''Hearts of Steel'' broadly resembles ''Generation 1'', it is treated here as part of the Generation 1 continuity family, though it certainly pushes that envelope.

===Live-action film series===
Where the IDW examples demonstrate this wiki's willingness to include diverse and fairly dissimilar continuities in the same family, the live-action film series shows the opposite. Several members of the main cast are clearly based on ''Generation 1'' archetypes, but the aesthetic, backstory, and tone are different enough that many consider the films to be a new family. This was a focus of no small disagreement when the first movie franchise appeared, as some people considered the movie to be analogous to the IDW comics. Had the franchise never grown beyond the movies, it's entirely possible that the wiki would have ended up including it under the Generation 1 umbrella; however, the staggering breadth of movie-related media has made that option wildly impractical.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Continuities]]
[[Category:TFWiki.net]]

MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Continuity family