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Raf Esquivel

2013-10-06T16:22:24Z

Godzilla101:

:''Raf Esquivel is a [[human]] from the [[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Prime]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''
[[Image:Raf_stockimage.jpg|thumb|200px|[[wikipedia:Esquivel!|Esquivel!]]]]

He's the quiet, forgotten child of a large family, and he goes into "the zone" whenever he sees technology. You'd think he'd be constantly getting wedgies from nearby punks and biker kids, but no! '''Rafael "Raf" Jorge Gonzales Esquivel''' is, in fact, best mates with [[Miko Nakadai]] and [[Jack Darby]]! Even more incredible, he's best mates with [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], a [[Autobot|robot car from outer space]], and since other Autobots like [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] are unfamiliar with human technology, he's called on at [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]] to use his know-how to save the world!

When you were twelve years old, you ''wished'' you were Raf.

(Okay, he's twelve and a ''quarter''. A very big quarter! He's very specific about that.)

==Fiction==
===''Prime'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Andy Pessoa]] (English), [[Motoko Kumai]] (Japanese)|[[Diana Torres]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Do-hyeong Nam]] (Korean), [[Davide Garbolino]] (Italian), [[Christian Zeiger]] (German), [[Alan García]] (Latin American Spanish), [[Alex Minei]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[Image:OutHead-Very large family.jpg|thumb|250px|"That's a Foe-Glass. Lets me keep an eye on my enemies."]]

Born into a large family, Raf has often felt like the smallest member and been ignored by older family members even if he were shouting for attention. {{storylink|Out of His Head}} He has been able to understand digital code since he was three. {{storylink|Raf's Notes}}

[[Image:DarknessRising1-RafRC.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Who needs parental supervision?]]

Raf was playing with his radio-controlled car in a dry drainage canal when he got a call from his mother, and he promised he'd come home after another five minutes. Playtime was interrupted shortly when Jark Darby executed a motorcycle leap into the canal. Raf was impressed by that, but more so when the motorcycle turned out to be an alien robot in disguise. [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] fought against two [[Decepticon]]s and was soon joined by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]], who accidentally crushed Raf's toy underfoot. Raf wasn't too upset by the loss, and when Bumblebee was subsequently pinned down by the Decepticons, Raf courageously yelled at them to leave Bumblebee alone. He and Jack then fled up a storm drain as the Decepticons came after them, but his distraction helped the Autobots eventually win the battle.

After [[Memorial High School|school]] the next day, Jack approached Raf and suggested they keep the whole thing to themselves. It wasn't that easy, as Bumblebee picked that moment to drive up to take Raf back to base. Raf was able to understand Bumblebee's buzzing, and he pointed out the nearby Arcee, who had come for Jack. At base, he, Jack and their friend [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] marveled at [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] before [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] briefed them on the ongoing Autobot/Decepticon war. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 1}} When an alarm went off, Raf translated Bumblebee's statement that it was a proximity alert. He, Jack and Miko hid to avoid being seen by Agent [[William Fowler|Fowler]], who was paying a visit to complain to Prime about recent Autobot activities.

A signal sent most of the Autobots rushing off on a mission, leaving the three kids with Ratchet. Raf made himself useful by helping the medical bot get the silo's aging computer system to work. Once the mission was over, Raf realised it was getting late and he was going to be grounded for a month if he didn't get home, so Optimus assigned Bumblebee to take him back and watch over him. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}

Bumblebee and Raf were delayed getting back to the base because they stopped off to play a video game (which Raf lost). When they finally got there, Optimus promptly left on a mission with Ratchet, and Arcee and Bumblebee further abandoned the kids, leaving them with Bulkhead. Raf attempted to join in Miko's attempt to form a band by offering to play samples on his laptop. Another visit by Fowler resulted in the federal agent being captured by the Decepticons, and Raf used his hacking skills to locate Fowler. After Bulkhead departed to try and deal with it, Jack and Raf realized that Miko had sneaked after the Autobot. They used the [[GroundBridge]] to join the pair, arriving near the [[Trypticon (WFC)|Decepticon ship]], where they were spotted by sentries. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 3}}

[[Image:DarknessRising4-Rafconsoled.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"Come on, Raf, you knew Stargate had to end some day."]]

Bulkhead rescued the pair while they were under fire and dropped them off behind some cover before heading into the ship. Unfortunately, the pair were spotted by the Decepticons a short time later and found themselves being carried to the brig. Arcee and Bumblebee rescued them both, and the combined group found Bulkhead and Miko. The kids soon discovered that the middle of a battle—especially between giant robots—is not the healthiest place to be. The Autobots cleared out a room for them to hide in, but Jack and Miko began arguing as soon as the 'bots left. Raf became upset, and the other two had to console him, but his fears were soon forgotten when Jack pointed out an important-looking computer display. Raf's flash drive proved useless when he couldn't find a USB port, and they were interrupted by a Decepticon anyway. While Raf was fetching his backpack, the Decepticon spotted him and opened fire. He was only saved by Jack tackling him behind a Decepticon corpse. The kids legged it, and Bulkhead handily picked that moment to turn up and deal with the Decepticon. Back at the Autobot base, Jack decided to opt out of the exciting new life they'd found, and he suggested Raf do likewise, but Raf was content to stay put. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 4}}

[[Image:DarknessRising5-RafSoundwave.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Allow me to be the Peter Parker to your Doctor Octopus.]]

After the Autobots went to try and prevent Megatron from using his space bridge, they discovered that the Decepticon ship no longer had the ability to target the space bridge on Cybertron. Raf suggested that the Decepticons must be using the [[Giant Sized Array]] radio telescope in [[Texas]] for targeting. He attempted to hack into the installation's computer, but found that the computers there were too secure. At Jack's suggestion, he, Jack and Miko bridged to the array and accessed it via a computer in a spare room. Raf found he was able to download the space bridge plans, and when the Decepticons diverted the dishes, he could redirect them again. Unfortunately, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] was in the next room, and he sent a tentacle to attack them. Though Raf was determined to keep working, he was knocked aside. Soundwave set the dishes to target Cybertron and disabled the computer. The three kids ran into the room in time to see Soundwave leaving and discover his handiwork. Back at base, Raf supplied Ratchet with the space bridge plans so he could instruct the other Autobots on how to sabotage the bridge. Raf was later present to welcome the Autobots back from their space battle. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 5}}

To cover for his visits to the Autobot base, Raf told his mom that he'd joined the Computer Club. {{storylink|Raf's Notes}} Raf decided on building a model volcano as a science project for school, though initial tests resulted in an explosion that rocked the Autobot base. He and Bumblebee continued work on it until Bumblebee had to leave on a mission, and Ratchet decided to "assist". Ratchet ended up building a large metal volcano, which blew a hole in the roof when Raf presented it at school. {{storylink|Masters & Students}} He had to stay behind to help repair the damage, which took more than a little explaining. {{storylink|Raf's Notes}}

[[Image:Scrapheap-adorableScraplet.jpg|thumb|right|200px|It's not dangerous enough to go alone. Take this.]]
The kids arrived at base one Saturday just as Optimus and Arcee were heading off to the [[Arctic]] on a mission. Raf was keen to go as well, having never seen snow, but Optimus told him it would be too dangerous. Disappointed, Raf went to play "being in the Arctic" in a base corridor, where he stumbled on a [[Scraplet]]. Raf was enchanted by the little creature and took it back to the control room, where it attacked Bumblebee and Raf had to smash it to death with a crowbar. The Autobots realised the base was infected, and Raf teamed up with Bumblebee as they hunted for more Scraplets. They found some, only for Bumblebee to be attacked. Returning to the control room, they were set upon by ''more'' Scraplets, and Raf helped Jack and Miko fight them off of the 'bots. With time running out, the three kids repaired an [[energon]] fuel line so Ratchet could get the GroundBridge working again and send the Scraplets to the Arctic. Afterwards, the kids helped repair the damaged Autobots. {{storylink|Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap}}

With the arrival of [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]], the Autobots decided to party. Miko brought out her electric guitar and encouraged Raf to try some moves. He responded by reluctantly breaking into The Robot, which Bumblebee proceeded to copy. When Wheeljack was found out as a Decepticon impostor, Raf and Jack watching in alarm as he took Miko hostage. Following the return of the real Wheeljack and the impostor's ejection, the Autobots had another party, during which Raf busted out his disco moves. He, Miko and Jack later saw Wheeljack off when the Autobot returned to space. {{storylink|Con Job}}

When the Autobots helped Fowler move a hi-tech device, the kids observed their progress from base with Ratchet. The [[Dynamic Nuclear Generation System]] was in danger of being captured by [[MECH]], and Raf was able to pinpoint the exact position of the train it was on so Ratchet could GroundBridge Jack and Miko on board. He followed that up by hacking into the rail system and changing some points to send the train down a different track, however the MECH guys responded by overloading his laptop. {{storylink|Convoy (episode)|Convoy}} Ratchet later helped him fix it. {{storylink|Raf's Notes|Raf's Notes #5}}

When the Autobots discovered that an [[Energon Harvester]] was possibly on Earth, Raf used his [[Internet]] search skills to trace it to a museum. Miko roped Jack and Raf into helping to steal it. The three of them GroundBridged into the museum on a scissor lift and set about dislodging the device from the statue holding it. However, during their getaway, Miko was grabbed by a [[museum security guard|security guard]] and Raf and Jack ran into Soundwave. Back at base, Raf continued their attempts to contact Fowler so they could retrieve Miko. {{storylink|Deus ex Machina}}

[[Image:SpeedMetal-RafMikolying.jpg|thumb|left|200px|It would seem that the Autobots aren't the only ones who go into 'robot mode' under pressure.]]

Miko and Raf heard all about Jack's race with [[Vince]] at school, and congratulated him when he reached the Autobot base. He swore them both to secrecy. After Vince challenged Jack to another race but Arcee refused to take part, Jack tried to convince Raf to let him take Bumblebee instead. Raf was uncertain it was a good idea, but Miko managed to convince him. He and Miko were later playing a computer game when Arcee wondered where Jack was, and they failed to cover for their friend. When Optimus asked where everyone else was, they completely failed to keep that secret too. {{storylink|Speed Metal}}

[[Image:OutHead-Notonlyones.jpg|250px|thumb|Raf finally got to see snow!]]

After Optimus was struck down with a [[Cybonic plague]] and Arcee and Bumblebee infiltrated the Decepticon ship, the three kids watched Ratchet monitor the pair's progress. Raf was particularly concerned when Arcee patched Bumblebee into the comatose Megatron's mind in an attempt to find a cure for the plague. {{storylink|Sick Mind}} Raf was a spectator for the subsequent basketball game between Bulkhead and Bumblebee, but was surprised at some of Bumblebee's behavior during the game. When Bumblebee failed to pick Raf up for school, Raf rang Jack. Back at base, it turned out that Bumblebee was having visions of Megatron, and Ratchet had to induce a power-down mode. Raf stayed to keep his friend company, chatting about how he was saving up for a new laptop and showing off a picture of his family to Ratchet. Raf followed Bumblebee to the control room after the Autobot spontaneously reactivated and disappeared into the GroundBridge. It transpired that Bumblebee had been possessed by Megatron, though Megatron's control was not great enough that Bumblebee couldn't prevent him from injuring Raf. Raf insisted on accompanying Ratchet, and they followed Bumblebee through the GroundBridge to the Decepticon ship, where they found Bumblebee in the process of transferring Megatron's mind back to his comatose body. Though the pair tried their best, and Raf even managed to get Bumblebee to break free from Megatron's control, ultimately, Megatron returned to his body, and the trio were forced to retreat. Back at base, Bumblebee thanked Raf for helping him. {{storylink|Out of His Head}}

[[Image:Shadowzone-shadow.jpg|thumb|250px|left]]

When Miko seemed totally disinterested in a mission the Autobots were going on, Jack and Raf suspected she was up to something, and sure enough, she made a break for the GroundBridge. Jack and Raf were forced to follow her through and ended up on the battlefield. Once the Autobots spotted the trio, Ratchet ordered them to return through the bridge, however interference from a Decepticon GroundBridge caused a disruption. When they came to, the children found that the Autobots couldn't see or hear them, and Raf theorized that the three kids were sent to an alternate dimension he dubbed the [[shadowzone (dimension)|shadowzone]] (Miko's response was basically NERD!). Unable to be seen or heard by the Autobots, they were pursued by [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] who had been resurrected as a zombie by Starscream. Raf tripped while fleeing and almost lost his glasses, without which he was blind as a bat, but Miko retrieved them for him. The kids were eventually able to take advantage of the fact that Miko had dropped her phone at the base, and sent a text message to it. They also attempted to use Starscream's severed arm to fend off Skyquake, but only succeeded in dislodging the zombie's arm, which began chasing them. They escaped back to the real world through a portal created by Ratchet. {{storylink|Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone}}

Raf was at the Autobot base when Jack and Arcee brought [[June Darby|Jack's mom]] in to introduce her to everyone. {{storylink|Crisscross}} He and Miko had a wild ride to the base in Bulkhead, but after they realized that Jack's mom was there, Raf assured her that he and Miko had been wearing their seat belts. He hung out at base while Bulkhead and Arcee went on a mission to retrieve a [[polarity gauntlet]], and later admired Bulkhead's new battle scars. {{storylink|Metal Attraction}}

Ratchet tested out some new synthetic energon while Raf watched. It was such a success that Raf was ready to try it on Bumblebee, but Ratchet warned that it needed further testing before they could try it on an Autobot. A short time after the other Autobots went out on a mission, Raf found Ratchet unconscious on the floor, having tried the synthetic energon on himself, and managed to wake the Autobot. When Arcee got into trouble, Ratchet left Raf in charge of the GroundBridge and went out to help. The Autobots soon returned to base, and Ratchet fondly picked up Raf for a moment. {{storylink|Stronger, Faster}}

In their spare time, the kids would track down pictures of the Autobots on conspiracy web sites, so Raf could hack in and replace them with pictures of lolcats. Raf rode in Bumblebee to play with his remote-controlled car, but first Bumblebee was called to a battle, and then they were attacked by Megatron. A burst of energon from Megatron's cannon struck Bumblebee, infecting Raf with Dark Energon and leaving him in a dire state. The Autobots took him back to base, where Ratchet and June Darby fought to save his life. After Ratchet discovered the nature of the energon infecting Raf, he gave the boy an infusion of real energon, and Raf finally began to recover. {{storylink|One Shall Fall}}

Raf was looking somewhat more perkier by the time they rescued Optimus from Megatron, however June still felt it necessary to take Raf to a real hospital, and she didn't intend on letting Raf return to the Autobots afterwards. Raf sadly watched Bumblebee from June's car as they left. The car didn't get very far before they were almost struck by lightning, and then the car was sucked towards a nearby tornado. Bumblebee came to the pair's rescue, pulling them out of the car before it was pulled into the tornado, and returning them to base where the Autobots worked out that [[Unicron]] was behind all the strange natural disasters now plaguing Earth. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 1}}

The humans listened as the Autobots battled giant stone Unicrons, and as Megatron arrived to offer to help the Autobots defeat Unicron. When Miko and Jack wondered about extracting Unicron's from the Earth's core, Raf pointed out that Unicron ''was'' the Earth's core. The humans concealed themselves as Megatron arrived, but Raf was unable to stop himself running out to confront the Decepticon leader, and had to be restrained by the others. The humans all watched the Autobots and Megatron step through the GroundBridge into Earth's core. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 2}}

Ratchet told the kids about Optimus back when he was Orion Pax, and how he got the Matrix. Miko and Raf were both concerned when they lost the Autobots' signals. The kids all took shelter underneath Ratchet when the ground started shaking, but were overjoyed when it turned out Prime's team had succeeded. They welcomed the Autobots back, but were shocked by the loss of Optimus, who had become amnesiac. {{storylink|One Shall Rise, Part 3}}

When it was determined that they would need to somehow get to Cybertron, Miko suggested using the GroundBridge, but Raf pointed out that it could barely reach orbit, so unless Ratchet somehow souped it up, it wouldn't work. He later saw Ratchet working on it, though Ratchet claimed to merely be tinkering. Raf was also at base after the Autobots failed to stop the Decepticons from stealing a power supply for a space bridge. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 1}} Raf assisted Ratchet in testing the modified GroundBridge, and when the test failed, he tried to cheer up the despondent Autobot with an inspiring tale of overcoming adversity. As Jack prepared to leave for Cybertron, Raf asked him to pick up a souvenir. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 2}} Raf and the others monitored Jack's progress from base, until he returned with the Autobots and a restored Optimus Prime. During the reunion, Raf gave Bumblebee a hug. {{storylink|Orion Pax, Part 3}}

Raf was impressed by Bumblebee's recounted adventures. After his Autobot partner lost his [[transformation cog|T-cog]], Raf tried to cheer him up, but as all the entertainment he had revolved around cars, it made things worse. Ratchet later had to pick Raf up from school, and Raf asked the medic about how Bumblebee lost his voice. {{storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 1}} Raf stayed by Bumblebee's bedside until he recovered from a fall. He and the other kids hung around for an attempted transplant, and subsequently covered for Bumblebee when he went to get his cog back. {{Storylink|Operation Bumblebee, Part 2}}

The kids were racing toy cars when Fowler reported being attacked by Optimus. They stuck around as Optimus returned and it turned out he was being impersonated by a [[Nemesis Prime (Prime)|MECH creation]]. {{storylink|Nemesis Prime (episode)|Nemesis Prime}} After the ''Nemesis'' became sentient, the kids GroundBridged aboard with Fowler to try and download the Iacon database. When they learned the ship was heading for [[New York City]] and Fowler was rendered unconscious, they headed for the power core. Miko and Raf ended up playing hide and seek with one of the ship's manipulator arms while Jack worked on reversing the energon flow. After succeeding, they high-tailed it back to the GroundBridge. {{storylink|Flying Mind}}

Raf was present as the Autobots started out on their missions to find the four relics. {{storylink|Tunnel Vision}} He operated the GroundBridge so the Autobots could head out. {{storylink|Triangulation}} While he was waiting at base, Ratchet contacted him to prepare a virus to be implanted in Laserbeak. Raf quickly created one and uploaded it to Ratchet, and as a result, once Soundwave returned to the ''Nemesis'', the Iacon database was transmitted back to the mainframe in the Autobot base. Raf gave Ratchet the good news once the Autobot reached the base, but their mood was spoiled when Bulkhead was flung back through the GroundBridge. {{storylink|Triage}} He watched as Ratchet tried to revive the Wrecker. {{storylink|Hurt}}

While surfing the Internet replacing pictures of Bumblebee with a tap-dancing monkey, Raf found an image of a crashing Cybertronian escape pod. While the Autobots brought back [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] from that mission, Raf later found a picture of [[Red Energon]], sending them off yet again. {{storylink|New Recruit}} His falling grades resulted in [[Raf's mom|his mom]] grounding him, and he rang Jack to let the Autobots know. When they inevitably required his help, the Autobots GroundBridged Fowler, Jack and Miko into his bedroom to get him to hack into a [[Project Damocles]] satellite. Though the Decepticons attempted to target his house with the satellite, he succeeded in using its thrusters to bring it out of orbit before having to convince his mom that he and his friends were a study group. {{storylink|The Human Factor}} As the Decepticons had discovered the location of his house, Raf's family was forced to move. {{storylink|Legacy}}

Soon after the three kids learned that the Autobots were preparing to return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], they were kidnapped from outside their school by the Decepticons, and taken to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] for use as hostages. {{storylink|Regeneration (Prime)|Regeneration}} Bumblebee exchanged an [[Omega Key]] for Raf, and they later returned to Earth after the destruction of the [[Omega Lock]]. With the Autobot base under threat from the Decepticons, Bumblebee and Raf left through the GroundBridge together for elsewhere in the United States. {{storylink|Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour}}

While on the run, Raf and Bumblebee have the Autobot's paint job redone to fool the searching Decepticons. They headed for Jasper to meet up with the others. {{storylink|Darkmount, NV}} Raf's websurfing hit paydirt when he found a photo of Ratchet, leading the pair to the medic hiding in a junkyard. They tried to convince him to help them get the ''[[Harbinger]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> systems working, but in the end left him there. They tried working on the derelict themselves only for Ratchet to arrive, having had a change of heart. {{storylink|Scattered}} They were eventually joined by most of the rest of the team, who had been rounded up by the newly-arrived [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|Prey (episode)|Prey}}

The kids were surprised to learn that the creatures of myth were actually [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]]s sent to Earth by the Decepticons. {{storylink|Project Predacon}} Raf seemed amused by the fact that Fowler was blatantly trying to pick up Jack's mom, and while the pair were away trying to obtain a Predacon bone, Raf mostly played video games and slyly hinted to Jack that June Darby and Fowler were maybe having dinner together or enjoying a movie. {{storylink|Plus One}}

Following Ratchet's capture by the Decepticons, Raf and Wheeljack used a piece of Laserbeak to construct a [[Chip|flying drone]] in the hope it would lead them to the Decepticon warship. {{storylink|Persuasion}} Though the plan to find the warship didn't pan out due to the probe's destruction, Ratchet was able to contact them and provide them with coordinates. Raf operated the GroundBridge, allowing the Autobots to head through to storm the ''Nemesis''. {{storylink|Synthesis}} After Jack came up with a plan to help the Autobots, Raf gamely bridge him and Miko aboard the ''Nemesis'' before engineering a GroundBridge interaction that trapped Soundwave in the shadowzone. Following the capture of the ship, Raf was surprised to hear Bumblebee's restored voice. He, Miko and Jack accompanied the Autobots to Cybertron where they used the Omega Lock to restore the planet. Back on Earth, the kids received the news that they were going to be part of Unit:E, and Raf bid farewell to Bumblebee before the Autobots departed for their home world. {{storylink|Deadlock}}

===Titan Magazines ''Prime'' comics===
[[Image:Titan4.1 Raf checks out Safe.jpg|thumb|right|200px|OMG, SQUEE! Are there death rays?!]]
Raf was particularly impressed with the [[Safe]], a training room Ratchet set up in a lower-level of the base. When the Autobots accidentally uncovered a live nuke in the process of testing the room, Raf was left with Ratchet to work out how to defuse it and as Raf was the expert on Earth technology, Ratchet deferred the problem to him. After a moment's panic, Raf correctly identified the type of timer mechanism and reprogrammed it to count upwards, giving them vastly more time to do something about the bomb itself. After Fowler and a team of scientists arrived to deal with the missile, Ratchet suggested that Raf and Bulkhead design a new Safe, and Raf's first idea was a popup Megatron target range. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.1|The Safe and the Failsafe}}

When the Autobots took the kids to [[Valley of Fire State Park]], Raf read up on the area from the park guidebook and impressed the others with his knowledge, though he thought it made him sound geeky. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.2|War Story}} While the Autobots decorated their base for [[Christmas]], Raf and Bumblebee played video games together. Optimus had to take Bumblebee and Ratchet with him, leaving Arcee and Bulkhead at base with the kids, and Raf suggested they try to find something they had in common. When this didn't go well, Jack asked what plan B was, and Raf suggested Jenga. Eventually the two Autobots settled on ice skating, and they turned the base into an ice rink. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.3|Ice Breaker}}

[[Image:Titan4.4 Raf opens GroundBridge.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Also, braaaaaaaains.]]
Raf got hold of the latest video game ''[[Invasionauts II]]''. He played it for three hours with Bulkhead before the Decepticon coding implanted in it hypnotised him and got him to open the [[GroundBridge]] to a location near the [[Grand Canyon]] so that hordes of [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] could flood through. Once Jack and Miko managed to snap him out of his trance, he turned the GroundBridge into a loopback, sucking the Decepticons back through, and resolved to avoid playing video games for a while. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.4|Tinker, Tailor, Gamer, Spy!}}

He was unimpressed by Miko's joke that it was bad that their school wasn't one of the ones which had mysteriously blown up. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.5|School Is... Out!}} After Bulkhead went missing, Raf, Jack and Miko accompanied the Autobots on a trip to the Decepticon warship to find their friend. Raf was able to override the [[Ultra Prison]] that Bulkhead was being held in. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.11|The Battle for Bulkhead}}

After Bumblebee was injured during a battle in [[The Wave]], Raf accompanied him back to base. Raf figured that cartoons would be best, and the pair fell asleep while watching ''[[Mummies Have Feelings II]]''. [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s remote-controlled hand climbed out of Bumblebee's chest and, despite Raf's initial assumption that he was hallucinating, proved real enough to try to kill the scout. Raf taped a firework from [[Miko's Party Kit]] to the disembodied hand and launched it into the sky, leaving his next task to explain to the newly-arrived Miko why he was setting off her fireworks. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.12|The Evil Shred}} He, Miko and Jack enjoyed watching footage of Optimus and Bulkhead's bumbling attempts to stop [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] and [[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 4.14|It's a Knock-Out}}
{{--}}

===Commercial appearances===
Raf declares that [[wikipedia:Time Warner Cable|Time Warner Cable]]'s ability to transmit ''Transformers: Prime'' on home computer, tablet, and smartphone platforms is superior to Megatron. {{storylink|Commercial/Prime|Time Warner Cable: Competition}}
{{--}}

== Games ==
=== ''Transformers: Prime - The Game'' ===
{{voiceactor|[[Andy Pessoa]] (English)}}

{{storylink|Transformers: Prime - The Game}}

==Toys==
===Prime===
{{anchor|NewYork}}
[[Image:Primetoy-JackRafNYCC.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Raf had to hunt far and wide for a New York-themed sweater vest.]]
*'''Bumblebee and Arcee, Includes Raf Esquivel and Jack Darby''' (NYCC 2011 exclusive)
**''Accessories:'' Stand

: The [[Jack Darby]] and Raf Esquivel figurines were [[redeco]]ed in New York-themed shirts and came with redecoed figures of [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]]. They were sold exclusively at [[New York Comic Con|New York Comic Con 2011]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/NYCCRafEsquivel/rafesquivel.htm More information on NYCC Raf at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

{{anchor|EntertainmentPack}}
[[Image:Primetoy-JackMikoRaf.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Where's my mouth?]]
*'''Optimus Prime vs Megatron: A Rivalry Reborn''' (Entertainment Pack, 2011)
**''Accessories:'' Stand

: A PVC figurine of Raf comes with figurines of [[Jack Darby]] and [[Miko Nakadai]], as well as Deluxe-Class toys of [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]. As with the other two figures, Raf's head can turn and he can be removed from his stand.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/RafEsquivel/rafesquivel.htm More information on Raf at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
* Raf told [[Raf's mom|his mother]] that he joined the Computer Club to explain where he goes after school all the time.<ref name="notes1">[[Raf's Notes]] #1</ref>
* Even Raf doesn't know why he understands Bumblebee. He just makes perfect sense.<ref name="notes1" />
* He probably was named after [[Rafael Ruthchild]], one of the show's producers.
* Raf is the least seen and heard of out of the three human allies of the Autobots.

===Foreign names===
* ''Japanese:'' '''Rafael Esquivel''' (ラファイエル・エスキベル ''Rafaieru Esukiberu'')

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Esquivel, Raf}}
[[Category:Convention exclusives]]
[[Category: Prime humans]]

Makeshift (Prime)

2013-08-24T04:31:25Z

Godzilla101:

{{faction|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Makeshift}}
:''Makeshift is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Transformers: Prime (franchise)| Prime]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[Image:ConJob-Makeshiftshadow.jpg|right|thumb|350px|A shapeshifter who doesn't like sunlight. [[Zartan|Hmmm.]]]]

'''Makeshift''', code designate '''777''', is a [[Shifter]], a legendary breed of Cybertronian who can change his shape into any form that has roughly the same mass. More importantly, he can alter his voice and mannerisms to impersonate other Transformers -- and he's pretty good at it too. Makeshift has claimed under interrogation that he doesn't kill his prey when it's not necessary, but he's not the most honest of robots.

Makeshift has formed a distinct enmity with the sometimes-Decepticon [[Axer (Prime)|Axer]].
{{quote|You're fighting the natural law of the universe. Kill or be killed. Use resources or become a resource. Conservation of energy demands it.|Makeshift|''[[Transformers: Exiles|Exiles]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Aligned novels===
Posing as the young and eager Autobot known as [[Hound (WFC)|Hound]], Makeshift made his way aboard the Ark as it left Cybertron, travelling to Velocitron with the rest of Optimus Prime's crew. Once the Ark landed, he took a new shape and inspired Ransack and his cronies to overthrow Override's regime and rule Cybertron alone. Not long afterwards, he sabotaged the Ark in an attempt to trap the Autobots on Velocitron, but this failed as the ship was repaired. As tensions boiled over on Velocitron, Makeshift escaped in his Hound persona to the world of Junkion, and took the form of a Junkion trader known as Shearbolt (he may or may not have killed the real Shearbolt) to misdirect Prime's search team. During an interrogation [[Axer (Prime)|Axer]] revealed Makeshift's true identity to the Autobots. He once again tried to destroy the Ark. This time, though, Optimus and Jazz managed to outwit him and trapped him in a stasis field. After an interrogation session, he was taken prisoner by the Junkions and trapped in an old spaceship component, unable to escape. When Megatron removed the [[Requiem Blaster (Prime)|Requiem Blaster]], the component was broken and Makeshift found freedom and an injured Axer. Not only did he refuse to help Axer but he sold him out to the [[Star Seeker]]s under the guise of [[Wreck-Gar (Prime)|Wreck-Gar]]'s friend Detritus. He was escaping the Junkions and his current location is unknown. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

===''Prime'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Kevin Michael Richardson]] (English), [[James Horan]] (English, as Wheeljack)|[[Dennis Schmidt-Foß]] (German), [[Fábio Moura]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Miguel Ángel Pérez]] (Spain-Spanish)}}
Makeshift was one of the many troops under [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]]'s command. When [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'s old [[Wrecker]] buddy [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] was on his way to [[Earth]], [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] downloaded the [[Autobot]]'s form and war record into Makeshift, so that he could impersonate Wheeljack. The real Wheeljack was captured, and Makeshift took his place on the battlefield in time for Bulkhead, [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] to arrive.

[[Image:ConJob-Makeshifthostage.jpg|thumb|300px|left|That's NOT how you treat the natives here.]]
The Autobots accepted Makeshift as Wheeljack and held an impromptu party. Makeshift attempted to fulfill his mission and activate the [[GroundBridge]] for the Decepticons to storm in through, but it had been damaged in a recent [[Scraplet]] attack, and [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] had it deactivated for repairs. As Bulkhead's suspicion rose, Makeshift asked to be shown around by [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]]. He managed to learn the location of the [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|Autobot base]] from her, and asked if she could show her where the exit was. This led them back to the main control room, where a suspicious Bulkhead demanded he tell the story of the [[Battle of Darkmount Pass]]. Makeshift recalled the information from Wheeljack's war record, but got a vital fact wrong. When Bulkhead pointed out his error, Makeshift realized he'd been made, and took Miko hostage, threatening to "squeeze her into pulp".

The ground bridge was eventually ready, and Makeshift activated it at the coordinates he'd been given. As he prepared to go through it, Wheeljack, who'd escaped the Decepticons, came through in the other direction. The pair dueled with their swords until Wheeljack was victorious, and Bulkhead threw Makeshift through the ground bridge. Arriving on the top of the [[Trypticon (WFC)|Decepticon ship]], Makeshift was about to report the location of the Autobot base, but had failed to notice that the grenade he carried at his hip had been set off by the Autobots. As Starscream and Soundwave bailed, Makeshift was caught in the ensuing explosion. {{storylink|Con Job}}

When [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] arrived on Earth, the other Autobots were hesitant to trust him, remembering their encounter with Makeshift. {{storylink|New Recruit}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
* While being at the center of an explosion has often been a nonfatal event for [[Transformer]]s in past series, ''Prime'' executive producer [[Jeff Kline]] has stated that "When we kill a character, we kill a character"<ref>[http://www.toonzone.net/2011/02/transformers-prime-premiere-report-and-video-clip-plus-season-two-confirmation/ ToonZone.net summary of a Q&A session with the ''Prime'' creative team]</ref>. At [[BotCon 2011]], the ''Prime'' show runners admitted to realizing that introducing a character with Makeshift's powers so early into the show's run was an unwanted limitation on future episodes,<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=bulsLCSSkfo#t=3226s YouTube capture of the BotCon 2011 Makeshift question]</ref> which made his quick demise a necessity. Well, that, plus, y'know, he found out where the Autobots' base was, and thus ''had'' to die by necessity of the plot.
* Apart from the Vehicons and Insecticons, Makeshift is the most negligible Decepticon in the show.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Makeshift''' (メイクシフト ''Meikushifuto'')

==References==
<references />

[[Category: Double agents]]
[[Category: Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category: Prime Decepticons]]

Persuasion

2013-07-14T01:46:26Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 63
|prev=Minus One
|next=Synthesis
|image=
|caption=
|title="Persuasion"
|airdate=[[July 12]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Michael G. Stern]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Megatron appeals to Ratchet; Optimus takes on Predaking.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] struggles to his feet after having been knocked out of the sky by [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]], who transforms to robot mode and lands nearby. The [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] charges up his blaster, but Optimus rebounds with a flurry of punches.

Inside the Solaris building, a firefight between [[Autobot]]s and [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s is brought to a swift end by one of [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]'s grenades. The Autobots make their way into the next room, where [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] is overseeing the theft of the particle collider, and begin fighting the [[Decepticon]] forces there.

Outside, Optimus continues to hammer away at Predaking, temporarily keeping him on the defensive, but the Predacon lashes out with a savage kick that sends Optimus sprawling. Predaking transforms back to beast mode and is about to unleash a blast of flame at the prone Autobot when [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] contacts him over the comm, ordering him to help secure the collider. Frustrated, Predaking fires his flame into the night sky.

Inside, the Autobots finish mopping up the Vehicons as [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] beats Shockwave to his knees. He offers the Decepticon a chance to surrender before Predaking bursts in, makes short work of the Autobots, and flees with Shockwave and the collider. Outside, Optimus Prime rises shakily to his feet, just in time to see Predaking [[GroundBridge]] out.

[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] radios [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] to return them to base. [[William Fowler|Fowler]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] are just coming to after being knocked out by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], and Bulkhead reports that Ratchet is gone.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron informs the captive Ratchet that he requires his assistance. Ratchet defiantly refuses to cooperate. Megatron says that cooperation isn't required, as Shockwave approaches the Autobot with a [[cortical psychic patch]].

At the Autobot base, Arcee examines the piece of [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]'s wing that Smokescreen shot off while the young Autobot laments his poor aim. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead confirm that Ratchet is nowhere on the premises, and that he didn't leave via the Autobot GroundBridge. Because there have been no ransom demands, Optimus reasons that Ratchet has something the Decepticons want.

Predaking learns that an Autobot is aboard the ship, and states that he's going to do to him what he failed to do to [[Prime (rank)|the Prime]]. Megatron explains that the captive is necessary for the restoration of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but once that's no longer the case, he will be turned over to the Predacon.

While Fowler barks orders for increased surveillance and satellite monitoring into the phone, Wheeljack theorizes that the Decepticons took Ratchet for his [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] formula. Smokescreen asks why that would be necessary when the Decepticons already control most of the planet's [[Energon]]. Optimus remembers Ratchet's belief that Megatron is attempting to rebuild the [[Omega Lock]], and deduces that Synth En could be a necessary component. Fowler, now off the phone, relays his concern to the Autobots; if the Decepticons found Ratchet, it means they know the location of their base.

Shockwave reports that the psychic patch only confirms Ratchet has not yet stabilized the synthetic energon formula. Megatron tries a different tactic, waiting for Ratchet to revive and telling the Autobot directly that he wants to help him complete the formula. Ratchet rejects the idea outright, until Megatron reveals his intentions; that the Synth En, when combined with [[CNA]], forms the basis for an alternative [[Cyber Matter]] that can be used to restore Cybertron. Ratchet refuses to collaborate with Megatron, calling him a barbarian responsible for destroying Cybertron in the first place and crushing [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s [[voice box]]. Megatron offers him a choice: the first option is to complete the formula. The second option is represented by an image of [[Jack Darby|Jack]], [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]], and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] displayed on [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s visor. Ratchet tries to feign disinterest in the humans, but the image on Soundwave's visor changes to that of the Autobot base. Megatron tells Ratchet that if he agrees to cooperate, the humans and the Autobots will not be harmed. The Decepticons leave him to ponder the offer, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] asks if Megatron was being serious. Megatron says of course he wasn't, and tells Starscream to assemble his armada and destroy the Autobots' base once again.

At the base, Fowler and the Autobots are uneasy about the lack of Decepticon activity. Optimus notes that since the Cons aren't stealing Predacon bones or [[Earth]] technology anymore, there's no way to track them. Ultra Magnus suggests splitting into teams for some "old school" searching, but is interrupted by alarms signaling an incoming attack. As Starscream and a fleet of Vehicons emerge from the skies, soldiers rush to their jets to prepare a defense. Starscream commands his troops to concentrate their attack on Hangar E as the military jets open fire. Starscream evades the humans' artillery and lets loose a volley of missiles that hit Hangar E and reduce it to a fiery ruin. He reports to Megatron that the mission has been accomplished, and the Decepticons depart.

The Autobots watch as soldiers put out the flames amidst the rubble that used to be the mess hall, and Ultra Magnus muses that the Decepticons were fooled by a simple paint job. The actual Hangar E, now repainted to say F, is still in one piece.

Back on the ''Nemesis'', Megatron has Ratchet released to give him a tour of the ship. Ratchet's first instinct is to attack, but he finds himself reluctantly impressed by the Decepticon technology. Megatron uses the opportunity to convince him that Autobots and Decepticons share a common goal in the restoration of Cybertron. Ratchet says that bringing back Cybertron would not stop Megatron's ambitions, which the Decepticon leader doesn't deny, but at least they would have a world worth fighting over. Ratchet asks what assurance he would have that Megatron would leave Earth alone. Megatron simply replies that no assurance is being offered, confident that Ratchet's desire to restore Cybertron will overpower his reservations.

At their base, the Autobots have realized that the piece of Laserbeak which Smokescreen shot off is his transponder. Raf hooks it up to his laptop and says that it's trying to communicate with the Decepticon warship. Jack asks how Raf can understand [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian code]], and Raf says that Ratchet used to teach him in his free time. Fowler asks if they can triangulate the signal, but Ultra Magnus reminds him it's going to a shielded ship. Arcee notes that if the transponder was still attached to Laserbeak, they could follow it. Wheeljack proposes giving it wings, and he and Raf start putting the idea into action.

Jack sees Fowler staring thoughtfully at the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] and asks if anything's wrong. Fowler admits he's been thinking of humanity's close calls at the hands of the Decepticons, and that technology like the armor could give their military agents a fighting chance even when the Autobots aren't around to protect them. He also suggests that Jack could be one of those agents himself someday, an idea he's apparently discussed with [[June Darby|Jack's mother]]. Jack isn't thrilled to hear they've been talking about him, but his protest is interrupted by the result of Raf's work: [[Chip (Prime)|Chip]], a small flying device built to house Laserbeak's transponder, which will lead them straight to the Decepticon warship.

Ratchet posits that even if the Omega Lock could be reconstructed, there's no way to scientifically replicate the device's mystical properties. Megatron says they won't know until they try, and shows Ratchet their progress: an almost-completed Omega Lock, attached to the underbelly of the ''Nemesis''. Realizing just how close they really are to being able to restore Cybertron, Ratchet agrees to complete the Synth En formula.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (10)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (11)
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] (12)

|c2=
*[[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] (2)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (3)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] (8)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (13)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (14)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (15)

|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (9)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (16)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (17)
*[[Jack Darby]] (18)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is no place for a one-handed Autobot." 
"I'll take one bum hand over one good eye any day."
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' trade politically incorrect barbs.

"Humans. Always the weak link."
:—'''Starscream''' showing that he still doesn't quite get it.

"Ratchet didn't think this new hand he built for me was good enough. But I'll tell you what truly isn't good enough: giving up."
:—Keep practicing those speeches, '''Ultra Magnus''', profundity will come someday.

'''Ratchet''': Megatron, you would just try to conquer Cybertron all over again, and enslave anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance to you. 
'''Megatron''': Of course I would!
:—Decepticon or not, '''Megatron''' has little use for guile.

'''Ratchet''': What assurance do I have that you would leave humankind be, and that you wouldn't instantly terminate me once you get what you need? 
'''Megatron''': None whatsoever. After all, we both know that as a Decepticon, any assurances I might offer would be worthless.
:—Seriously, '''Megatron''' is crazy honest about lying.

"Miko, I needed that!"
:—'''Raf''' hangs around Ratchet entirely too much.

'''Megatron''': It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drives to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cybermatter to launch through it. 
'''Ratchet''': Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon. 
'''Megatron''': I have every confidence in you, doctor. 
'''Ratchet''': I'll do it. But then you already knew that, didn't you? 
:—Ratchet makes a deal with the [[The Fallen|aptly named]] Megatron, after which one can only hope that he has [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_and_Daniel_Webster Daniel Webster] on speed dial.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===

===Continuity notes===
* Megatron tearing out Bumblebee's vocoder is again referenced, this time explicitly. It was first detailed in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
* Soundwave's picture of the children was taken way back in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]".
* Starscream has previously described humans as "the weak link" in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* The Decepticons already destroyed [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|one Autobot base]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]".
* Miko obtained the Apex Armor in "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Fowler mentions being stuck in [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out's]] trunk with June Darby, which occurred in "[[Plus One]]".

===Transformers references===
* Raf imitating Ratchet was influenced by Sari Sumdac imitating Ratchet back in Transformers Animated episode [[Lost and Found]].
* Starscream being the sole Decepticon sent to destroy the Autobots yet the Autobots surviving using the power of deception is a reference to [[Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]].
* Megatron is in great need of an Autobot's skills in engineering [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|yet again]].

===Real-world references===
* Fowler's dazed ramblings about there being "a man on the wing of this plane" refers to the famous ''[[Twilight Zone|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_at_20,000_Feet "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"].

===Trivia===
* Though Predaking named himself in "[[Evolution]]", this episode marks the first instance of him giving it to the Autobots.
* Shockwave mocks Ultra Magnus's bad hand during their fight, even though he likewise only has one functional hand and a permanently affixed cannon.
* This is the first episode to lack a title sequence since [[Darkness Rising, Part 5]].
* When visiting the laboratory aboard the ship with Megatron, Ratchet notices and picks up a device, called Quantum Cyro Inducer. The design features of this device bear some resemblance to Shockwave himself. The sides look like they're stacked with rough mini versions of his head, while the top has something that could be interpreted as a big red eye.
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Persuasion

2013-07-14T01:45:35Z

Godzilla101: /* Notes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 63
|prev=Minus One
|next=Synthesis
|image=
|caption=
|title="Persuasion"
|airdate=[[July 12]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Michael G. Stern]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Megatron appeals to Ratchet; Optimus takes on Predaking.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] struggles to his feet after having been knocked out of the sky by [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]], who transforms to robot mode and lands nearby. The [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] charges up his blaster, but Optimus rebounds with a flurry of punches.

Inside the Solaris building, a firefight between [[Autobot]]s and [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s is brought to a swift end by one of [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]'s grenades. The Autobots make their way into the next room, where [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] is overseeing the theft of the particle collider, and begin fighting the [[Decepticon]] forces there.

Outside, Optimus continues to hammer away at Predaking, temporarily keeping him on the defensive, but the Predacon lashes out with a savage kick that sends Optimus sprawling. Predaking transforms back to beast mode and is about to unleash a blast of flame at the prone Autobot when [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] contacts him over the comm, ordering him to help secure the collider. Frustrated, Predaking fires his flame into the night sky.

Inside, the Autobots finish mopping up the Vehicons as [[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] beats Shockwave to his knees. He offers the Decepticon a chance to surrender before Predaking bursts in, makes short work of the Autobots, and flees with Shockwave and the collider. Outside, Optimus Prime rises shakily to his feet, just in time to see Predaking [[GroundBridge]] out.

[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] radios [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] to return them to base. [[William Fowler|Fowler]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], and [[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] are just coming to after being knocked out by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], and Bulkhead reports that Ratchet is gone.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron informs the captive Ratchet that he requires his assistance. Ratchet defiantly refuses to cooperate. Megatron says that cooperation isn't required, as Shockwave approaches the Autobot with a [[cortical psychic patch]].

At the Autobot base, Arcee examines the piece of [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]'s wing that Smokescreen shot off while the young Autobot laments his poor aim. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead confirm that Ratchet is nowhere on the premises, and that he didn't leave via the Autobot GroundBridge. Because there have been no ransom demands, Optimus reasons that Ratchet has something the Decepticons want.

Predaking learns that an Autobot is aboard the ship, and states that he's going to do to him what he failed to do to [[Prime (rank)|the Prime]]. Megatron explains that the captive is necessary for the restoration of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], but once that's no longer the case, he will be turned over to the Predacon.

While Fowler barks orders for increased surveillance and satellite monitoring into the phone, Wheeljack theorizes that the Decepticons took Ratchet for his [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] formula. Smokescreen asks why that would be necessary when the Decepticons already control most of the planet's [[Energon]]. Optimus remembers Ratchet's belief that Megatron is attempting to rebuild the [[Omega Lock]], and deduces that Synth En could be a necessary component. Fowler, now off the phone, relays his concern to the Autobots; if the Decepticons found Ratchet, it means they know the location of their base.

Shockwave reports that the psychic patch only confirms Ratchet has not yet stabilized the synthetic energon formula. Megatron tries a different tactic, waiting for Ratchet to revive and telling the Autobot directly that he wants to help him complete the formula. Ratchet rejects the idea outright, until Megatron reveals his intentions; that the Synth En, when combined with [[CNA]], forms the basis for an alternative [[Cyber Matter]] that can be used to restore Cybertron. Ratchet refuses to collaborate with Megatron, calling him a barbarian responsible for destroying Cybertron in the first place and crushing [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'s [[voice box]]. Megatron offers him a choice: the first option is to complete the formula. The second option is represented by an image of [[Jack Darby|Jack]], [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]], and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] displayed on [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'s visor. Ratchet tries to feign disinterest in the humans, but the image on Soundwave's visor changes to that of the Autobot base. Megatron tells Ratchet that if he agrees to cooperate, the humans and the Autobots will not be harmed. The Decepticons leave him to ponder the offer, and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] asks if Megatron was being serious. Megatron says of course he wasn't, and tells Starscream to assemble his armada and destroy the Autobots' base once again.

At the base, Fowler and the Autobots are uneasy about the lack of Decepticon activity. Optimus notes that since the Cons aren't stealing Predacon bones or [[Earth]] technology anymore, there's no way to track them. Ultra Magnus suggests splitting into teams for some "old school" searching, but is interrupted by alarms signaling an incoming attack. As Starscream and a fleet of Vehicons emerge from the skies, soldiers rush to their jets to prepare a defense. Starscream commands his troops to concentrate their attack on Hangar E as the military jets open fire. Starscream evades the humans' artillery and lets loose a volley of missiles that hit Hangar E and reduce it to a fiery ruin. He reports to Megatron that the mission has been accomplished, and the Decepticons depart.

The Autobots watch as soldiers put out the flames amidst the rubble that used to be the mess hall, and Ultra Magnus muses that the Decepticons were fooled by a simple paint job. The actual Hangar E, now repainted to say F, is still in one piece.

Back on the ''Nemesis'', Megatron has Ratchet released to give him a tour of the ship. Ratchet's first instinct is to attack, but he finds himself reluctantly impressed by the Decepticon technology. Megatron uses the opportunity to convince him that Autobots and Decepticons share a common goal in the restoration of Cybertron. Ratchet says that bringing back Cybertron would not stop Megatron's ambitions, which the Decepticon leader doesn't deny, but at least they would have a world worth fighting over. Ratchet asks what assurance he would have that Megatron would leave Earth alone. Megatron simply replies that no assurance is being offered, confident that Ratchet's desire to restore Cybertron will overpower his reservations.

At their base, the Autobots have realized that the piece of Laserbeak which Smokescreen shot off is his transponder. Raf hooks it up to his laptop and says that it's trying to communicate with the Decepticon warship. Jack asks how Raf can understand [[Cybertronian language|Cybertronian code]], and Raf says that Ratchet used to teach him in his free time. Fowler asks if they can triangulate the signal, but Ultra Magnus reminds him it's going to a shielded ship. Arcee notes that if the transponder was still attached to Laserbeak, they could follow it. Wheeljack proposes giving it wings, and he and Raf start putting the idea into action.

Jack sees Fowler staring thoughtfully at the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] and asks if anything's wrong. Fowler admits he's been thinking of humanity's close calls at the hands of the Decepticons, and that technology like the armor could give their military agents a fighting chance even when the Autobots aren't around to protect them. He also suggests that Jack could be one of those agents himself someday, an idea he's apparently discussed with [[June Darby|Jack's mother]]. Jack isn't thrilled to hear they've been talking about him, but his protest is interrupted by the result of Raf's work: [[Chip (Prime)|Chip]], a small flying device built to house Laserbeak's transponder, which will lead them straight to the Decepticon warship.

Ratchet posits that even if the Omega Lock could be reconstructed, there's no way to scientifically replicate the device's mystical properties. Megatron says they won't know until they try, and shows Ratchet their progress: an almost-completed Omega Lock, attached to the underbelly of the ''Nemesis''. Realizing just how close they really are to being able to restore Cybertron, Ratchet agrees to complete the Synth En formula.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (4)
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] (5)
*[[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (10)
*[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]] (11)
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] (12)

|c2=
*[[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] (2)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (3)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] (8)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (13)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (14)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (15)

|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (9)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (16)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (17)
*[[Jack Darby]] (18)
}}

==Quotes==
"This is no place for a one-handed Autobot." 
"I'll take one bum hand over one good eye any day."
:—'''Shockwave''' and '''Ultra Magnus''' trade politically incorrect barbs.

"Humans. Always the weak link."
:—'''Starscream''' showing that he still doesn't quite get it.

"Ratchet didn't think this new hand he built for me was good enough. But I'll tell you what truly isn't good enough: giving up."
:—Keep practicing those speeches, '''Ultra Magnus''', profundity will come someday.

'''Ratchet''': Megatron, you would just try to conquer Cybertron all over again, and enslave anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance to you. 
'''Megatron''': Of course I would!
:—Decepticon or not, '''Megatron''' has little use for guile.

'''Ratchet''': What assurance do I have that you would leave humankind be, and that you wouldn't instantly terminate me once you get what you need? 
'''Megatron''': None whatsoever. After all, we both know that as a Decepticon, any assurances I might offer would be worthless.
:—Seriously, '''Megatron''' is crazy honest about lying.

"Miko, I needed that!"
:—'''Raf''' hangs around Ratchet entirely too much.

'''Megatron''': It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drives to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cybermatter to launch through it. 
'''Ratchet''': Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon. 
'''Megatron''': I have every confidence in you, doctor. 
'''Ratchet''': I'll do it. But then you already knew that, didn't you? 
:—Ratchet makes a deal with the [[The Fallen|aptly named]] Megatron, after which one can only hope that he has [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_and_Daniel_Webster Daniel Webster] on speed dial.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===

===Continuity notes===
* Megatron tearing out Bumblebee's vocoder is again referenced, this time explicitly. It was first detailed in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and the novel ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]''.
* Soundwave's picture of the children was taken way back in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 5]]".
* Starscream has previously described humans as "the weak link" in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* The Decepticons already destroyed [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|one Autobot base]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]".
* Miko obtained the Apex Armor in "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Fowler mentions being stuck in [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out's]] trunk with June Darby, which occurred in "[[Plus One]]".

===Transformers references===
* Raf imitating Ratchet was influenced by Sari Sumdac imitating Ratchet back in Transformers Animated episode [[Lost and Found]].
* Starscream being the sole Decepticon sent to destroy the Autobots yet the Autobots surviving using the power of deception is a reference to [[Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]].
* Megatron is in great need of an Autobot's skills in engineering [[Cosmic Rust(episode)|yet again]].

===Real-world references===
* Fowler's dazed ramblings about there being "a man on the wing of this plane" refers to the famous ''[[Twilight Zone|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_at_20,000_Feet "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"].

===Trivia===
* Though Predaking named himself in "[[Evolution]]", this episode marks the first instance of him giving it to the Autobots.
* Shockwave mocks Ultra Magnus's bad hand during their fight, even though he likewise only has one functional hand and a permanently affixed cannon.
* This is the first episode to lack a title sequence since [[Darkness Rising, Part 5]].
* When visiting the laboratory aboard the ship with Megatron, Ratchet notices and picks up a device, called Quantum Cyro Inducer. The design features of this device bear some resemblance to Shockwave himself. The sides look like they're stacked with rough mini versions of his head, while the top has something that could be interpreted as a big red eye.
[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2013-07-02T23:04:12Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers references */

{{Nav-dotm}}
[[Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."]]
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

The film is set three years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

{{bigquote|Aw, shit, I seen this one. It's the one where [[Spock]] goes nuts.|Wheelie|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

In the distant past, during the latter days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] civil war, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the [[Earth|Earth's]] [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the [[Wikipedia:Space Race|Space Race]] under President [[John F. Kennedy]]. Landing on the Moon as part of the [[Apollo 11]] mission in 1969, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] use several minutes of [[radio]] silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.

In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in it's local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the [[Wikipedia:Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl disaster]]. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his pet, the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus Prime is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the [[WIkipedia:Director of National Intelligence|Director of National Intelligence]], about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]], the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President [[Barack Obama]] has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]], whom he had met in the [[White House]] (after his former girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named [[Accuretta Systems]]. From his colleague, [[Jerry Wang]], he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.

[[Image:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime reveals that he had made a deal with Megatron, knowing that the Autobots could never win the war. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and several NEST soldiers, Sentinel Prime claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[Image:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, [[Dylan Gould]], who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Acuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that [[NASA]] would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus Prime about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a watch on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.

Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is only trying to save Cybertron, or so he claims. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the ''Xantium'' takes off, but is promptly intercepted by Starscream, who had waited in Earth's orbit. With the ''Xantium'' destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.

With the Autobots out of the way, the Decepticons conquer [[Chicago]], kill most of its population and set up the control pillar for the space bridge inside the city, placing the other pillars around the world. Dylan informs Carly that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, where Dylan has taken Carly. Former NEST soldier [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, accompanies him, together with other former NEST members. Upon arrival in Chicago, they are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[Image:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|right|thumb|280px|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

The Autobots and the humans soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, the team is separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave's "pet", the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus Prime comes to their aid and destroys the Driller.

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and with Lennox's help, Sam destroys Starscream using weapons provided to him by the Autobots' inventor Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have captured several Autobots, but Dylan convinces them not to take prisoners and kill them all. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] executes Que, and Soundwave moves to kill Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee and the other Autobots to get free. While NEST and the Autobots fight the Decepticons and kill most of them, Optimus Prime kills Shockwave and uses his arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[Image:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

A fight between Sentinel Prime and Optimus Prime ensues, during which Optimus loses an arm, with Sentinel gaining the upper hand. Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel Prime is alive. Infuriated, he intervenes in the battle and turns on Sentinel, declaring that Earth is his planet to rule, and severely damages him. Megatron realized how far he had fallen in power within the past few years, and had decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam, who hurls him against the pillar, killing him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Megatron offers Optimus Prime a truce as long he could remain in charge of his Decepticon forces, but Optimus ignores his plea and just as Megatron is about to shoot his shotgun Optimus splits Megatron's head with an axe. Subsequently, he uses Megatron's shotgun cannon to kill a weakened Sentinel Prime, who is trying to excuse his actions.

[[Image:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|right|280px|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

With the battle over, Sam and Carly are reunited, and Simmons takes an opportunity to kiss Mearing, who he still has feelings for, and she has him arrested. With their home planet now forever beyond reach, and the forces of the Decepticons destroyed, the remaining Autobots finally accept Earth as their new home, as Optimus Prime states that the Autobots will always be here, to protect the Earth and all who live on it.

[['Til all are one]].

==Quotes==

'''Mission Control''': We are not alone after all, are we? 
'''Buzz Aldrin''': No, sir. We are not alone. 
:—Buzz Aldrin makes history, and raises the hackles of conspiracy theorists.

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "No, we've seen that. This is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide smacks Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—NEST discusses Optimus Prime's foul mood.

"Who wants some chicken dinner now, bitch? Huh? 'Cause somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!" 
:—'''Jerry Wang''', being crazy. But also awesome.

"The thing about Russians is, they never like to talk. Gonna take a little of the 'international language.'" <Doorman opens sliding hatch> "''Do svidaniya''." 
"That means 'goodbye!'" <closes hatch>
:—'''Simmons''' tries to reason with a '''Russian''', to no avail.

"It's a Cyrillic alphabet; it's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator!"
:—'''Dutch''' tries to translate Russian, also to no avail.

"Class dismissed."
:—'''Ironhide''', after dispatching the Dreads.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made...with ''Megatron''."
:—'''Sentinel Prime''' reveals his treachery.

[[Image:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he's]] [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]]
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliche on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

"If you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're going to reach her!" 
"What do you suggest I do?!" 
"...it's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." 
:—'''Robert Epps''' tells '''Sam Witwicky''' that they've run out of plans.

"We will kill them all."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' offers an alternative plan.

"They got my trailer. I ''need'' that flight tech!" 
:—'''Optimus Prime''', valiantly [[To sell toys|selling toys]].

"Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you." 
"IT WILL BE ME! It will ''always'' be me! 
"In any minute now, you'll be nothing but Sentinel's bitch."
:—'''Carly Spencer''' tells '''Megatron''' that if he's going to be the Starscream, he should ''act'' like it.

"Who would you be without me, Prime?" 
"Time to find out." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange pre-fight banter one last time.

"In any war, there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come when we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Mirage (Movie)|Dino/Mirage]]<ref name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref> ([[Francesco Quinn]])
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]]<ref name="credits"/> ([[George Coe]])
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]]<ref>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref> ([[Ron Bottitta]])
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]]<ref>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref> ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap/>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])*
*[[Hatchet]]
*[[Driller]]
*[[Hatchling|Hatchlings]]
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon
*An unnamed [[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*An unnamed [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]
*[[Garbage truck Decepticon]]
*[[Superfund Decepticon]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*Unnamed [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*Unnamed [[protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel'']]</ref>
*Unnamed [[Pickup Decepticon]]
*Unnamed [[Police car Decepticon]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Carly Spencer]] ([[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Charlotte Mearing]] ([[Frances McDormand]])
*[[Dylan Gould]] ([[Patrick Dempsey]])
*[[Bruce Brazos]] ([[John Malkovich]])
*[[Hardcore Eddie]] ([[Lester Speight]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] ([[Alan Tudyk]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Jerry Wang]] ([[Ken Jeong]])
*[[Neil Armstrong]] ([[Don Jeanes]])
*[[Buzz Aldrin]] ([[Cory Tucker]]/himself)
*[[Walter Cronkite]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]] (himself)
*[[Alexi Voskhod]] ([[Ravil Isyanov]])

|h4=Other|c4=
|nonumbering=true
}}

* *During the highway battle, Jimmie Wood's Bonecrusher scream in the high way battle from the first movie can be heard coming from Crowbar.

==Errors==
===Astronomical and historical errors===
* The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
* The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
* When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
* Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere".
* The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
* The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of [[Wikipedia:Pripyat|Pripyat]], and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
* Furthermore, Prypiat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Prypiat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
* Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
* When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
* [[wikipedia:Mount Kilimanjaro|Mount Kilimanjaro]] is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[Image:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
* In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
* Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
* NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
* Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
* When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the [[Wikipedia: China Central Television Headquarters|China Central Television Headquarters]] in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
* Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
* Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
* In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Bumblebee enhances his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next scene he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
* During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
* Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes before arriving in Chicago, and has yet another outfit the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
* When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
* The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
* Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
* Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
* As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
* Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
* Though in an earlier sequence, Epps, Sam and company slide down the damaged building to a floor near the break, after the building falls over, the team is seen moving from one of the building's topmost floors to the neighboring building.
* Throughout the sequence of Barricade kicking and shoving Que along before executing him, he is speaking with Soundwave's voice.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
* Ironhide was literally behind, just not facing Sentinel who confessed having aligned with Megatron. Had Ironhide heard what Sentinel was saying, he would have angrily confronted Sentinel and therefore did not realize that Sentinel viewed him as an enemy before getting shot by his Cosmic Rust Gun.
*Soundwave has his Mercedes alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes logo is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*Optimus claimed at the end of the first film he had no choice but to kill Megatron. At the end of the third film, Megatron offered truce but Optimus still thinks killing him off is the only choice.
*Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle.
*Dino used his electro-disrupter to overthrow Hatchet and kill him. When Hatchet falls on the car and is destroyed, Dino's weapon is still connected to him, so Dino was in robot mode, but in the next cut Dino appears at background in vehicle mode.
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref>, possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Oddly, during the Decepticon siege of Chicago, and after all of the unmanned drones were shot down trying to get inside the city, no one within the government considered the use of submarines as a means of sneaking in.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
* New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)| predecessor]]'s legacy of being a giant jerk.

* "Carly" was the name of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s [[Carly|girlfriend and eventual wife]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]].

* The ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' gets its name from the Autobots' crashed spaceship in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]].

* The ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'' is the name of the [[Wrecker]]s' spaceship in the [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''Transformers'' comics.

* Optimus's new trailer is based on the trailer that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]] hauled around, including its ability to open up into a weapons base.

* Optimus now carries the Matrix around in his chest as he has in past incarnations.

* The corrosive end met by Ironhide comes at the hands of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], the oxidizing pathogen that first appeared in the Generation 1 cartoon episode [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|of the same name]]. Though not named in the film, its identity is made clear by production artwork by [[Josh Nizzi]] which labels Sentinel Prime's gun a "Cosmic Rust gun".

* Megatron removing [[Abraham Lincoln]] from his chair at the [[wikipedia:Lincoln Memorial|Lincoln Memorial]] and then sitting in it is a scene taken directly from the Generation 1 cartoon episode, "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and the Decepticon ending for ''[[Transformers The Game]]'' (sort of).

* The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was the plot of the Generation 1 multi-part episode "[[The Ultimate Doom]]."

* Likewise, the idea of an influential and powerful human joining forces with the Decepticons, resulting in the Autobots being exiled from Earth by the government via a spacecraft, only for that spacecraft to be destroyed, was the plot behind another Generation 1 cartoon multi-part episode, "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]." Only this time Megatron didn't have to do anything about it.

* When the worker at Accureta Systems is trying to make the [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|photocopier]] work, it beeps the "more than meets the eye" refrain from the original cartoon's [[theme song]].

* The [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] can be heard at the end of the film when Bumblebee transforms to robot mode, the final onscreen transformation, just as it was heard during [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout's]] transformation, which was also the first onscreen transformation in the first film.

==Real-world references==
* When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is likely the famous ''TOS'' episode ''[[Wikipedia: Amok Time|Amok Time]]''.

* Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''[[Wikipedia:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.

* To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.

* [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to [[Wikipedia:Dutch India|Dutch India]].

* [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.

* When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the [[Wikipedia: Wedding March|Wedding March]] (or, more correctly, the [[Wikipedia: Bridal Chorus|Bridal Chorus]] from [[Wikipedia: Richard Wagner|Richard Wagner's]] 1850 opera ''[[Wikipedia: Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'').

==Other editions==

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
*''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''
*''[[Transformers: Space Case]]''
*''[[Transformers: Ratchet]]''
*''[[Transformers: Arcee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Starscream]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
*''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears]]''

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)]]''
*''[[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Download on September 30, 2011, followed by the 2-Disc Special Edition in December.<ref>[TFW2005 - Official Transformers Movie Website Updated With Transformers 3 Home Release Info http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/official-transformers-movie-website-updated-with-transformers-3-home-release-info-173245/]</ref>

==Theatrical posters==
<center>
<gallery perrow="3">
Image:DOTM-OPbillboardposter.jpg
Image:DOTM-Bumblebeebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-Shockwavebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==Reception==
On June 23, 2011, the world premiere of ''Dark of the Moon'' was held in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]], with band [[Linkin Park]] performing a concert that included their title song for the movie, "Iridescent".

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''[[Wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2]]''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX at 9pm in the US. Some theaters cheated a little and showed it at 8:45.

''Dark of the Moon'' launched with nearly 10,000 copies in 4011 theaters nationwide. On its opening day, the movie earned $37.3 million, making not only for the best opening day of 2011 up to that point, but also ranking as the sixth most successful opening on a Wednesday ever, while at the same time ranking well behind ''Revenge of the Fallen'', with $60 million on its opening day (also a Wednesday).<ref name="openingday">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3197&p=.htm "'Transformers' Suboptimal on Wednesday"], Box Office Mojo, June 2011.</ref> (Of course, a lot of the print material still listed the release date as [[July 1]]st, the following Friday.)

On [[August 2]], it crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide gross, just under 5 weeks after its release, landing it in the #9 spot for worldwide gross of all time.<ref>http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-crosses-1-billion-worldwide-mark-for-paramount/ Deadline Hollywood</ref> Of that, $338 million came from the US. It is currently the only Paramount picture to have made the $1 billion mark. (While ''Titanic'' also made over $1 billion worldwide, it was only a Paramount movie ''domestically'', where it made "only" $620 million.)

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #4 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

''Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for three Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing, losing all to ''[[wikipedia: Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/nominees#t Official 2012 Oscar nominees page]</ref>

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight [[Wikipedia:Golden Raspberry Award|Golden Raspberry Award]]s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''[[wikipedia: Jack & Jill (film)|Jack & Jill]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

===Visual effects===
{{stub}}

===Locations department===
{{quote|[The Decepticons'] decision to attack Chicago seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[Image:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

[[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], two of the previous two movies' screenwriters, had already announced in March 2009 that they would not return for a third part.<ref name="noorcikurtz">[http://www.slashfilm.com/orci-and-kurtzman-not-returning-for-transformers-3-will-leonard-nimoy-voice-the-fallen/ Slashfilm quoting Roberto Orci that he and Kurtzman would not return for a third movie], March 2009. (Original post on Don Murphy's message board appears to no longer exist.)</ref> In September 2009, their ''Revenge'' co-writer [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as the screenwriter of ''Transformers 3''.<ref name="krugernelson">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/09/14/transformers-3-pain-gain-bad-boys-3/ Michael Bay's website admin Nelson Lauren sorta-confirms Ehren Kruger as TF3's screenwriter], September 2009.</ref> Kruger had already impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology prior to working on ''Revenge''.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In an interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine in September 2009, [[Megan Fox]], the main female star of the previous two movies, discussed the harsh conditions on the sets and compared director Michael Bay to [[Wikipedia:Adolf Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="latimesfox">[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/09/megan-fox-on-michael-bay-he-wants-to-be-hitler.html Los Angeles Times article about Megan Fox's fatal interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine], September 2009.</ref> Bay initially played down the affair and still welcomed Fox back for the third installment a month later.<ref name="bay3-2011"/> Even though Fox was still spotted on the ''Transformers 3'' set in May 2010<ref name="foxonset">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/100786-megan-fox-on-set-for-transformers-3-previz Megan Fox on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref>, Paramount announced a few weeks later that she wouldn't return for a third movie after all.<ref name="nomorefox">[http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/michael-bays-revenge-no-more-megan/ Deadline article confirming that Megan Fox had been dropped off ''Transformers 3''], May 2010.</ref> Still that same month, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] was confirmed to replace her as the lead female actress.<ref name="rosierepl">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640047/model-rosie-huntingtonwhiteley-cast-transformers-3.jhtml MTV.com article confirming Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female star of ''Transformers ''], May 2010.</ref> Her character's name was confirmed as "[[Carly Spencer|Carly]]" by Nelson Lauren, the webmaster of Michael Bay's official website, in July 2010.<ref name="nelsonchicagojul">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?7566-Transformers-3-Chicago-Set-Photos Nelson posts about his visit to the Chicago set at shootfortheedit.com's forums], July 2010.</ref> In 2011, Michael Bay finally confirmed in an interview with ''GQ'' magazine that it had been [[Steven Spielberg]], executive producer of the ''Transformers'' movies, who had urged him to fire Fox following the Hitler comparison.<ref name="baygq">[http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201107/michael-bay-steven-spielberg-fired-megan-fox-transformers GQ interview with Michael Bay], June 2011.</ref> In a later interview, however, he claimed this statement had been taken out of context.<ref name="baych">[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/kino/Diese-Autos-muessen-zerstoert-werden--und-da-bin-ich-der-richtige-Mann/story/23997460 Interview with Michael Bay from Switzerland] (German language), July 2011.</ref>

In March 2010, Oscar winners [[John Malkovich]] and [[Frances McDormand]] as well as Comedian [[Ken Jeong]] were confirmed having signed on for supporting roles.<ref name="malkomcdor">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/03/22/transformers-3-update-from-michael-bay/ Michael Bay confirming John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Ken Jeong for ''Transformers 3''], March 2010.</ref>

In April 2010, [[Kevin Dunn]] and [[Julie White]] were confirmed as returning as Sam Witwicky's parents.<ref name="varietydunnwhite">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017329.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 'Dunn, White sign on for 'Transformers 3''], Variety, April 2010.</ref>

In May 2010, Paramount confirmed that [[Patrick Dempsey]] has been cast in ''Transformers 3'' to play Mikaela Banes' boss (this was before Megan Fox was fired from the production).<ref name="dempsey">[http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/04/patrick-dempsey-confirmed-for-transformers-3/ "Patrick Dempsey confirmed for Transformers 3"], Hollywood Insider, May 2010.</ref>

In July 2010, Nelson Lauren confirmed that former American footballer [[Lester Speight]] would play a soldier in the movie.<ref name="nelsonchicagophotos">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/07/20/transformers-3-chicago-set-photos/ Photos of the Chicago set by michaelbay.com webmaster Nelson Lauren], July 2010.</ref>

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and is married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref>, it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''Star Trek'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref>

===Writing and production===
After having defended the almost universally critically panned ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for a long time, Michael Bay finally acknowledged flaws of the script, but blamed the [[Wikipedia:2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike]] prior to the movie for many problems. As a definite error, he singled out the "dork comedy", which he promised to avoid with ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="bayvisit">[http://collider.com/michael-bay-interview-transformers-dark-moon-edit-bay-visit/63824/ Collider.com article about DOTM], December 2010.</ref>

Principal shooting began in May 2010. Shooting locations included [[Chicago]] (and nearby East Chicago and Gary Indiana), Moscow,<ref name="locations">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63682 "Transformers 3 Headed to Chicago and Moscow"], Comingsoon.net, February 2010.</ref> the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida<ref name="kennedyspace">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/101114-the-transformers-3-shoot-at-kennedy-space-center "The Transformers 3 Shoot at Kennedy Space Center"], SuperHeroHype.com, May 2010.</ref>, Milwaukee (Wisconsin)<ref name="milwaukee">[http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/98266574.html "'Transformers 3' takes over Milwaukee Art Museum"], Journal Sentinel Online, July 2010.</ref>, Detroit<ref name="detroit">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107775-photos-from-the-detroit-transformers-3-set "Photos From the Detroit Transformers 3 Set"], SuperHeroHype.com, September 2010.</ref>, [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="militaryextras">[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=473674758199&id=114648515718 US Department of Defense casting call for ''Dark of the Moon''], October 2010.</ref> and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.<ref name="angkor">[http://www.akp.gov.kh/?p=1184 "'Transformers 3' To Be Shot in Cambodia"], Agence Kampuchea Presse, January 2011.</ref>

For the scene where Lennox and his soldier jump out of a V-22 Osprey using wingsuits, Michael Bay used real parachutists and thus avoided unnecessary CG effects. In fact, he had been inspired for this scene in the first place by watching the parachutists in their wingsuits on television<ref name="wingsuits">[http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1498-transformers-wingsuits-no-cgi-required Yahoo! Movies article on the wingsuit parachutists], June 2011.</ref> and wrote the scene with the intention of using the parachutists in the movie.<ref name="bayvisit"/>

For the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in the flashback sequence at the beginning of the movie, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] are played by actors Don Jeanes and Cory Tucker, respectively. In the present day timeline, Aldrin himself appears briefly as his own older self.<ref name="aldrin">[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/yahoo-contributor-network/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-hangs-out-with-optimus-prime-transformers-dark-moon Yahoo! Movies article on Buzz Aldrin's appearance in DOTM], July 2011.</ref>

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>

Two accidents happened during shooting: In September 2010, while shooting in East Chicago, Indiana, a female extra was severely injured when a stunt scene went wrong, leaving her with permanent brain damage, the left side of her body paralyzed and her left eye stitched shut. Paramount was subsequently sued for damages by the victim's family.<ref name="extrastunt">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-transformers-lawsuit-20101005_1_gabriela-cedillo-stunt-welding Chicago tibune article on the injured extra and the subsequent lawsuit], October 2010.</ref> She was eventually granted an $18.5 million settlement in May of 2012.<ref name="settlement">[http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/23/transfomers-3-injured-extra-gets-18-million-settlement/ TMZ story about Gabriela Cedillo's settlement]</ref> As a consequence, part of the scene of the car chase battle in Washington, D.C. (which would have included the shoot that had led to the accident) was instead "[[Stock footage|borrowed]]" from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''[[Wikipedia:The Island (2005 film)|The Island]]''.<ref name="island1">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/04/transformers-3-re-uses-car-crash-from-the-island "Transformers 3 Re-Uses Car Crash From The Island"], IGN Movies, July 2011.</ref> While shooting in Washington, D.C., in October 2010, one of the Chevrolet Camaro prop cars that served as Bumblebee's [[alternate mode]] crashed into a [[Wikipedia: Metropolitan Police|Metropolitan Police]] SUV. Nobody was seriously injured this time.<ref name="camarocrash">[http://jalopnik.com/5661321/bumblebee-smashes-cop-car-in-yet-another-transformers-3-accident Jalopnik article on the Camaro crash], October 2010.</ref> Hasbro would later "commemorate" this event with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] [[Cyberverse]] "Cybertronian Warriors" multi-pack.

''Dark of the Moon'' is the first of the ''Transformers'' movies to be released in 3D. Despite early considerations to shoot the movie in 2D and convert it into 3D later, Michael Bay ultimately shot 60% of the film in native 3D, another 15% were done digitally, and the rest was shot in 2D and converted later. [[James Cameron]] assisted Michael Bay with the 3D effects. The movie's budget amounted to $195 million, which is about the same budget ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had. About $30 million went into the 3D effects.<ref name="cameron">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-reveals-james-camerons-191774 "Michael Bay Reveals James Cameron's Secret Role in the Making of 'Transformers'"], The Hollywood Reporter, May 2011.</ref>

=== Sponsors and partners ===
==== Hasbro ====
Hasbro, licensor of the [[Transformers brand]], hoped that the third movie would once again boost toy sales, after profits had dropped in the first quarter of 2011.<ref name="hasbroq12011">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-1Q-profit-drops-71-pct-apf-664090076.html?x=0&.v=11 Yahoo! Finance article about weak Hasbro toy sales in 2011's first quarter], April 2011.</ref> For the second quarter of 2011, Hasbro reported a net revenue growth of 23 percent to $908.5 million, citing brands such as ''Transformers'' and ''Beyblade'' as the main sources of the increased income.<ref name="hasbro2nsq">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-Reports-Revenue-and-bw-4063497156.html?x=0&.v=1 "Hasbro Reports Revenue and Earnings Growth for the Second Quarter 2011"], Yahoo! Finance, July 2011.</ref>

==== US military and NASA ====
Like the previous two movies, ''Dark of the Moon'' featured real military personnel as extras, supported by the US Department of Defense.<ref name="militaryextras"/> Shooting locations were Hurlburt Field and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name="hurlburt">[http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations-entertainment/105725-transformers-filmed-at-hurlburt.html "'Transformers 3 Filmed at Hurlburt, 1SOW Included as 'Extras'"], ShadowSpear Special Operations, July 2011.</ref>

In addition, ''Dark of the Moon'' was also supported by NASA, and NASA employees appear as extras in the movie as well.<ref name="nasa">[http://www.space.com/12142-transformers-film-nasa-space-program-touches.html "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Has Real-Life NASA Touches"], Space.com, July 2011.</ref>

==== General Motors and other car manufacturers ====
[[General Motors]] once again provided several vehicles. All recurring Autobots retain their [[alternate mode]]s from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' despite some minor tweaks, such as Sideswipe now being a convertible, and Bumblebee now sporting a rear spoiler. Once again, the cooperation was mutual, with General Motors using Bumblebee for TV commercials. The first of those, aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, also revealed some minor tweaks to Bumblebee's robot mode.<ref name="bumblebeead1">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/02/-bumblebee-appears-in-a-chevrolet-camaro-super-bowl-ad/1 "'Bumblebee' appears in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad"], USA Today, February 2011.</ref><ref name="bumblebeead2">[http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/chevy-drops-new-ad-touting-transformers-3-tie-in/ "Video: Chevy drops new ad touting Transformers 3 tie-in"], Autoblog.com, June 2011.</ref> According to Chevrolet, the ''Transformers'' movies notably affect car sales, as about ten percent of all Camaros sold in the preceding year were yellow, twice as many as with other models.<ref name="carstarscast">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-dark-moon-how-sequels-204557 "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon': How the Sequel's Star Cars Were Cast"], The Hollywood Reporter, June 2011.</ref>

New additions for ''Dark of the Moon'' are a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Mercedes-Benz E550 as Autobots ([[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], respectively) and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as a Decepticon ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]). In the movie, both Autobots sport names which aren't recycled from existing Hasbro toys. In the Ferrari's case, the reason for this is that Hasbro's greatest competitor, Mattel, has an exclusive license for Ferrari toys.<ref name="ferrarimattel">[http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Mattel.aspx Mattel license information], Ferrari.com.</ref><ref name="nelsonnomirage">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/409844-mirage-no-longer-name-red-italia-dotm-3.html#post6103423 Michael Bay's website admin, Nelson Lauren, explaining why the Ferrari isn't named "Mirage"], TFW2005, May 2011.</ref> "Dino" is named in reference to [[Wikipedia: Alfredo Ferrari|Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari]], as per Ferrari's request. The Mercedes-Benz E550, meanwhile, was specifically customized for the movie.<ref name="e550tuning">[http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1102_mercedes_benz_e550_for_next_transformers_movie/index.html "Mercedes-Benz E550 for Next Transformers Movie - Web Exclusive"], Eurotuner.com, February 2011.</ref> "Que" is named in homage to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from [[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]. A Maybach 62S Landaulet is also featured in the movie, albeit not as a Transformer, but merely as a regular car used by [[Seymour Simmons]] and his assistant [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]].

Unlike Optimus Prime, whose alternate mode was not licensed for any of the three movies, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 airport fire truck used for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was officially provided by the Rosenbauer International AG and entirely repainted specifically for the film, at a cost of thousands of dollars, as real-world aircraft fire-fighting vehicles are required by FAA regulations to have a much lighter color scheme, which didn't appeal to director [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="rosenbauer">[http://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/press/2011/06/rosenbauer-panther-6x6-to-be-f/ Rosenbauer America press release, June 28, 2011]</ref>

Since the heavily armed Chevrolet Impalas that serve as the [[Wrecker|Wreckers']] alternate modes are directly based on existing NASCAR race cars, the prop versions of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] made an appearance at [[2011]] Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on [[February 20]], four month before the movie's release, appearing both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.<ref name="daytona">[http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/photos/2011/02/18/TRANSFORMERS-cars-on-display-at-Daytona "'TRANSFORMERS' cars on display at Daytona"], Hendrick Motorsports, February 2011.</ref> Director Michael Bay, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] and actress [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] also attended the event, and during the television broadcast of the race, a new ''Dark of the Moon'' television spot was aired.

==== Other product placement ====
As always, various companies have their products and names prominently displayed throughout the movie, such as [[Wikipedia:Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman]], [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], [[Wikipedia:Cisco|Cisco]] and [[Wikipedia:Superfund|Superfund]].<ref name="brands1">[http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp?movie_year_az=2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"] at brandchannel.com.</ref> Paper manufacturer Double A also cooperated with Paramount and even had Michael Bay direct a commercial that features scenes from ''Dark of the Moon'', notably [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]].<ref name="paper">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/167497-transformers-featured-in-double-a-paper-ad "Transformers Featured in Double A Paper Ad"] at SuperHeroHype, June 2011.</ref> Of particular note is the large number of Chinese brands such as [[Wikipedia:Lenovo|Lenovo]], [[Wikipedia:Yili Group|Yili]] Shuhua Milk, [[Wikipedia:Metersbonwe Group|Metersbonwe]] Mtee shirts and [[Wikipedia:TCL Corporation|TCL]] HDTV screens.<ref name="chinesebrands">[http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/transformers-the-rise-of-chinese-product-placement.html "Transformers: The Rise Of Chinese Product Placement"] at Chinasmack.</ref><ref name="brands2">[http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/07/05/Brandcameo-070411-Transformers-3.aspx "Transformers 3 Product Placement: If Tom Hanks Gets a Pass, Michael Bay Does Not"] at brandchannel, July 2011.</ref>

For [[Wikipedia:Nokia|Nokia]], the product placement turned out to be dated by the time the movie came out, as a mobile phone featured in the movie ran on [[Wikipedia:Symbian|Symbian]], despite Nokia mostly dropping Symbian as an operating system due to their recent partnership with [[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]].<ref name="nokiaobit">[http://www.thenoisecast.com/2011/07/nokia-x7-product-placement-in-transformers-3-feels-like-an-obituary/ "Nokia X7 Product Placement In Transformers 3 Feels Like An Obituary"], Noisecast, July 2011.</ref>

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
* In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

* As stated above, [[Megan Fox]] was originally intended to reprise her role as [[Mikaela Banes]] from the previous two movies. She was still spotted on the ''Dark of the Moon'' set during the previsualization stage in May 2010<ref name="foxonset"/>, but was fired from the production shortly afterwards due to a falling out with director [[Michael Bay]]. [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]]'s character of [[Carly Spencer]] was written in as a replacement, though the fact that her part was originally written for Mikaela still shows in some parts: For example, Carly is overseeing [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]]'s car collection, which could be viewed as an extension of Mikaela's history with working with cars. Furthermore, Sam and Carly not only have [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (who had been previously "domesticated" by Mikaela) as a "pet", but also her dog [[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (played by Michael Bay's eponymous real-life dog).

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/entertainment-in-national/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

* In January of 2011, an Idaho newspaper<ref>[http://magicvalley.com/news/local/article_d4f374a4-d960-5589-8d0c-be37df66fc40.html?mode=story "Rupert's Fagerbakke finds a voice that is truly golden"]</ref> announced voice actor [[Bill Fagerbakke]] as the voice of a "Chevy Impala stock car" that would appear in ''Dark of the Moon'' (presumably meaning one of the three [[Wrecker]]s, who share that base altmode). Why Fagerbakke did not end up voicing any of the Wreckers in the final cut of the film is unknown.

* Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, [[wikipedia:David Warner (actor)|David Warner]], was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

* In an earlier draft of the movie's script, Megatron is sincere when he offers Optimus Prime a truce at the end. Optimus accepts, and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron. This ending is used for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]] and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]], according to Nelson, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/nelson-47919.html#vmessage284191</ref>

* Furthermore, it was originally supposed to be [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage/"Dino"]] rather than [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack/"Que"]] who would have been executed by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] in Chicago. This version made it into the comic adaptation and the [[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|junior novelization]].

* Another scrapped death for Mirage is seen in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]], in where he's decapicated by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. His severed head is subsequently used by Soundwave to mock the Autobots before they are about to get executed.

* [[The Twins]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], were originally supposed to return for ''Dark of the Moon'', and to die at the hands of Sentinel Prime shortly after Ironhide. Even though [[General Motors]] provided two Chevrolet Sparks to serve as their alternate modes<ref name="chevyspark">[http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-spark-transformers-3.html Left Lane News article on two Chevrolet Sparks spotted on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> which were still spotted on the set as late as October 2010<ref name="dcparking">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/10/transformers-3-dc-parking-lot-gallery.html "Transformers 3 DC Parking Lot Gallery"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, October 2010.</ref>, the two were mostly edited out of the final movie (their vehicle modes can barely be glimpsed in a few brief shots). Michael Bay even went so far as to offer a $25,000 reward for anyone who would see the Twins "perform" in the movie.<ref name="reward">[http://collider.com/transformers-3-twins-skids-mudflap-michael-bay/91104/ Collider.com article on Michael Bay's "reward" for spotting Skids and Mudflap "perform" in DOTM], May 2011.</ref> In the novelization and the comic adaptation, Skids and Mudflap still appear.

* Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

* Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref>, "Enzo" (after [[Wikipedia:Enzo Ferrari|Enzo Ferrari]])<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "Colossus" for the [[Driller]]<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref>, "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "Cyclonus".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>
[[Image:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]

* Roadbuster was originally intended to have [[Wikipedia:Jeff Gordon|Jeff Gordon]]'s #24 [[Wikipedia:DuPont|DuPont]]-sponsored Chevrolet Impala as his alternate mode, rather than [[Wikipedia:Dale_Earnhardt,_Jr.|Dale Earnhardt, Jr.]]'s #88 Impala sponsored by [[Wikipedia:AMP Energy|AMP Energy]].<ref name="nizzi"/>

* Que/Wheeljack's head was once considered to be based on [[Wikipedia:Christopher Lloyd|Christopher Lloyd]]'s [[Wikipedia:Emmett Brown|Doc Brown]] from the [[Wikipedia:Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' movies]], rather than [[Wikipedia:Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein]].<ref name="wburt"/>

* The Wreckers were originally intended to have a robot pet dog, whose working names also included "Warpath".<ref name="nizzi"/> Hasbro released a toy of the dog with the [[Human Alliance]] version of Leadfoot, named "[[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]]".

* In an interview with MTV.com, actors [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[John Malkovich]] hinted at at some smaller scenes that were cut from the final edit of the movie. In addition to some add-libbing by the actors, one scene would have featured Malkovich's character, [[Bruce Brazos]], attempting to get Carly's phone number.<ref name="deletedmtv">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666772/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-deleted-scenes.jhtml MTV.com on deleted scenes], July 2011.</ref>

* In the original teaser trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red.
{{-}}

=== Leaks and disinformation===
[[Image:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|300px|right|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] was heavily touted as the new main villain, no doubt in an attempt to conceal [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s unexpected betrayal halfway through the movie. A piece of information that commonly popped up in media coverage was the claim that Shockwave was the ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the other Autobots and Decepticons were duking it out on Earth.<ref name="pushpops">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-plot-summary-revealed-170756/ "Transformers 3 Plot Summary Revealed"], TFW2005, October 2010.</ref> The last bit could be written off as a case of [[Wikipedia:Chinese whispers|chinese whisper]]: Shockwave got announced as the villain for ''Dark of the Moon'', mainstream media (such as USA Today<ref name="usatodayswitch">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"], USA Today, June 2010.</ref>) who aren't versed in Transformers lore looked up the character, found out about his ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)|namesake]]'s role in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], included it as a piece of trivia to show they did their research, and then the trivia note got picked up as gospel by other media. Nevertheless, it was included in the ''official plot summary'' by Paramount's German branch (which also claimed that ''Shockwave'' was the robot discovered inside the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' as seen in the trailer).<ref name="germansite">[http://www.transformers3-film.de/ Official German DOTM site] including faulty plot summary.</ref>

[[Image:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|300px|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref>, the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, several weeks before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning.

==Notes==
* A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref>, causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
* When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
* Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor or a more traditional, ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
** In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule.
** Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though Optimus was shown to have his swords still in his arms during the battle for Chicago). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. (To be fair, he dropped his cannons during the final battle in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has an ordinary handheld shotgun. (Then again, his arm that turned into his Fusion cannon was ripped off by Prime in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.

* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā/Dāku Saido Mūn'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3: La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biàn-hsín Jīn-gāng Sān''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: The Time When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (America, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Official ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' website]
*[http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/ Trailers.Apple.com ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' page]
* Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi], [http://www.warrenmanser.com/WarrenManser.com/PORTFOLIO_M/Pages/TRANSFORMERS_3.html Warren Manser], [http://www.joelchang.com/index.php?/projects/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ Joel Chang], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8293 The Aaron Sims Company] (at Concept Art World), [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt] (at Concept Art World), [http://massiveblack.com/MBwebolution/blog/?p=301 Massive Black], [http://www.ghull.com/#/125195 George Hull]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark of the Moon (film)}}
[[Category: Dark of the Moon| Dark of the Moon (film)]]
[[Category: Dark of the Moon media| ]]
[[Category: Real world films]]

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2013-07-02T23:02:24Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers references */

{{Nav-dotm}}
[[Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."]]
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

The film is set three years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

{{bigquote|Aw, shit, I seen this one. It's the one where [[Spock]] goes nuts.|Wheelie|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

In the distant past, during the latter days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] civil war, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the [[Earth|Earth's]] [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the [[Wikipedia:Space Race|Space Race]] under President [[John F. Kennedy]]. Landing on the Moon as part of the [[Apollo 11]] mission in 1969, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] use several minutes of [[radio]] silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.

In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in it's local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the [[Wikipedia:Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl disaster]]. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his pet, the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus Prime is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the [[WIkipedia:Director of National Intelligence|Director of National Intelligence]], about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]], the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President [[Barack Obama]] has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]], whom he had met in the [[White House]] (after his former girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named [[Accuretta Systems]]. From his colleague, [[Jerry Wang]], he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.

[[Image:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime reveals that he had made a deal with Megatron, knowing that the Autobots could never win the war. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and several NEST soldiers, Sentinel Prime claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[Image:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, [[Dylan Gould]], who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Acuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that [[NASA]] would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus Prime about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a watch on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.

Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is only trying to save Cybertron, or so he claims. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the ''Xantium'' takes off, but is promptly intercepted by Starscream, who had waited in Earth's orbit. With the ''Xantium'' destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.

With the Autobots out of the way, the Decepticons conquer [[Chicago]], kill most of its population and set up the control pillar for the space bridge inside the city, placing the other pillars around the world. Dylan informs Carly that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, where Dylan has taken Carly. Former NEST soldier [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, accompanies him, together with other former NEST members. Upon arrival in Chicago, they are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[Image:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|right|thumb|280px|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

The Autobots and the humans soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, the team is separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave's "pet", the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus Prime comes to their aid and destroys the Driller.

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and with Lennox's help, Sam destroys Starscream using weapons provided to him by the Autobots' inventor Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have captured several Autobots, but Dylan convinces them not to take prisoners and kill them all. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] executes Que, and Soundwave moves to kill Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee and the other Autobots to get free. While NEST and the Autobots fight the Decepticons and kill most of them, Optimus Prime kills Shockwave and uses his arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[Image:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

A fight between Sentinel Prime and Optimus Prime ensues, during which Optimus loses an arm, with Sentinel gaining the upper hand. Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel Prime is alive. Infuriated, he intervenes in the battle and turns on Sentinel, declaring that Earth is his planet to rule, and severely damages him. Megatron realized how far he had fallen in power within the past few years, and had decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam, who hurls him against the pillar, killing him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Megatron offers Optimus Prime a truce as long he could remain in charge of his Decepticon forces, but Optimus ignores his plea and just as Megatron is about to shoot his shotgun Optimus splits Megatron's head with an axe. Subsequently, he uses Megatron's shotgun cannon to kill a weakened Sentinel Prime, who is trying to excuse his actions.

[[Image:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|right|280px|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

With the battle over, Sam and Carly are reunited, and Simmons takes an opportunity to kiss Mearing, who he still has feelings for, and she has him arrested. With their home planet now forever beyond reach, and the forces of the Decepticons destroyed, the remaining Autobots finally accept Earth as their new home, as Optimus Prime states that the Autobots will always be here, to protect the Earth and all who live on it.

[['Til all are one]].

==Quotes==

'''Mission Control''': We are not alone after all, are we? 
'''Buzz Aldrin''': No, sir. We are not alone. 
:—Buzz Aldrin makes history, and raises the hackles of conspiracy theorists.

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "No, we've seen that. This is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide smacks Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—NEST discusses Optimus Prime's foul mood.

"Who wants some chicken dinner now, bitch? Huh? 'Cause somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!" 
:—'''Jerry Wang''', being crazy. But also awesome.

"The thing about Russians is, they never like to talk. Gonna take a little of the 'international language.'" <Doorman opens sliding hatch> "''Do svidaniya''." 
"That means 'goodbye!'" <closes hatch>
:—'''Simmons''' tries to reason with a '''Russian''', to no avail.

"It's a Cyrillic alphabet; it's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator!"
:—'''Dutch''' tries to translate Russian, also to no avail.

"Class dismissed."
:—'''Ironhide''', after dispatching the Dreads.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made...with ''Megatron''."
:—'''Sentinel Prime''' reveals his treachery.

[[Image:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he's]] [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]]
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliche on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

"If you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're going to reach her!" 
"What do you suggest I do?!" 
"...it's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." 
:—'''Robert Epps''' tells '''Sam Witwicky''' that they've run out of plans.

"We will kill them all."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' offers an alternative plan.

"They got my trailer. I ''need'' that flight tech!" 
:—'''Optimus Prime''', valiantly [[To sell toys|selling toys]].

"Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you." 
"IT WILL BE ME! It will ''always'' be me! 
"In any minute now, you'll be nothing but Sentinel's bitch."
:—'''Carly Spencer''' tells '''Megatron''' that if he's going to be the Starscream, he should ''act'' like it.

"Who would you be without me, Prime?" 
"Time to find out." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange pre-fight banter one last time.

"In any war, there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come when we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Mirage (Movie)|Dino/Mirage]]<ref name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref> ([[Francesco Quinn]])
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]]<ref name="credits"/> ([[George Coe]])
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]]<ref>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref> ([[Ron Bottitta]])
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]]<ref>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref> ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap/>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])*
*[[Hatchet]]
*[[Driller]]
*[[Hatchling|Hatchlings]]
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon
*An unnamed [[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*An unnamed [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]
*[[Garbage truck Decepticon]]
*[[Superfund Decepticon]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*Unnamed [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*Unnamed [[protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel'']]</ref>
*Unnamed [[Pickup Decepticon]]
*Unnamed [[Police car Decepticon]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Carly Spencer]] ([[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Charlotte Mearing]] ([[Frances McDormand]])
*[[Dylan Gould]] ([[Patrick Dempsey]])
*[[Bruce Brazos]] ([[John Malkovich]])
*[[Hardcore Eddie]] ([[Lester Speight]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] ([[Alan Tudyk]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Jerry Wang]] ([[Ken Jeong]])
*[[Neil Armstrong]] ([[Don Jeanes]])
*[[Buzz Aldrin]] ([[Cory Tucker]]/himself)
*[[Walter Cronkite]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]] (himself)
*[[Alexi Voskhod]] ([[Ravil Isyanov]])

|h4=Other|c4=
|nonumbering=true
}}

* *During the highway battle, Jimmie Wood's Bonecrusher scream in the high way battle from the first movie can be heard coming from Crowbar.

==Errors==
===Astronomical and historical errors===
* The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
* The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
* When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
* Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere".
* The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
* The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of [[Wikipedia:Pripyat|Pripyat]], and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
* Furthermore, Prypiat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Prypiat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
* Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
* When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
* [[wikipedia:Mount Kilimanjaro|Mount Kilimanjaro]] is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[Image:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
* In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
* Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
* NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
* Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
* When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the [[Wikipedia: China Central Television Headquarters|China Central Television Headquarters]] in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
* Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
* Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
* In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Bumblebee enhances his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next scene he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
* During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
* Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes before arriving in Chicago, and has yet another outfit the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
* When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
* The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
* Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
* Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
* As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
* Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
* Though in an earlier sequence, Epps, Sam and company slide down the damaged building to a floor near the break, after the building falls over, the team is seen moving from one of the building's topmost floors to the neighboring building.
* Throughout the sequence of Barricade kicking and shoving Que along before executing him, he is speaking with Soundwave's voice.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
* Ironhide was literally behind, just not facing Sentinel who confessed having aligned with Megatron. Had Ironhide heard what Sentinel was saying, he would have angrily confronted Sentinel and therefore did not realize that Sentinel viewed him as an enemy before getting shot by his Cosmic Rust Gun.
*Soundwave has his Mercedes alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes logo is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*Optimus claimed at the end of the first film he had no choice but to kill Megatron. At the end of the third film, Megatron offered truce but Optimus still thinks killing him off is the only choice.
*Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle.
*Dino used his electro-disrupter to overthrow Hatchet and kill him. When Hatchet falls on the car and is destroyed, Dino's weapon is still connected to him, so Dino was in robot mode, but in the next cut Dino appears at background in vehicle mode.
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref>, possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Oddly, during the Decepticon siege of Chicago, and after all of the unmanned drones were shot down trying to get inside the city, no one within the government considered the use of submarines as a means of sneaking in.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
* New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)| predecessor]]'s legacy of being a giant jerk.

* "Carly" was the name of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s [[Carly|girlfriend and eventual wife]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]].

* The ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' gets its name from the Autobots' crashed spaceship in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]].

* The ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'' is the name of the [[Wrecker]]s' spaceship in the [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''Transformers'' comics.

* Optimus's new trailer is based on the trailer that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]] hauled around, including its ability to open up into a weapons base.

* Optimus now carries the Matrix around in his chest as he has in past incarnations.

* The corrosive end met by Ironhide comes at the hands of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], the oxidizing pathogen that first appeared in the Generation 1 cartoon episode [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|of the same name]]. Though not named in the film, its identity is made clear by production artwork by [[Josh Nizzi]] which labels Sentinel Prime's gun a "Cosmic Rust gun".

* Megatron removing [[Abraham Lincoln]] from his chair at the [[wikipedia:Lincoln Memorial|Lincoln Memorial]] and then sitting in it is a scene taken directly from the Generation 1 cartoon episode, "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and the Decepticon ending for ''[[Transformers The Game]]'' (sort of).

* The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was the plot of the Generation 1 multi-part episode "[[The Ultimate Doom]]."

* Likewise, the idea of an influential and powerful human joining forces with the Decepticons, resulting in the Autobots being exiled from Earth by the government via a spacecraft, only for that spacecraft to be destroyed, was the plot behind another Generation 1 cartoon multi-part episode, "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]." Only this time Megatron didn't have to do anything about it as only Sentinel, a wristwatch Decepticon and Starscream enforced this.

* When the worker at Accureta Systems is trying to make the [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|photocopier]] work, it beeps the "more than meets the eye" refrain from the original cartoon's [[theme song]].

* The [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] can be heard at the end of the film when Bumblebee transforms to robot mode, the final onscreen transformation, just as it was heard during [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout's]] transformation, which was also the first onscreen transformation in the first film.

==Real-world references==
* When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is likely the famous ''TOS'' episode ''[[Wikipedia: Amok Time|Amok Time]]''.

* Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''[[Wikipedia:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.

* To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.

* [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to [[Wikipedia:Dutch India|Dutch India]].

* [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.

* When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the [[Wikipedia: Wedding March|Wedding March]] (or, more correctly, the [[Wikipedia: Bridal Chorus|Bridal Chorus]] from [[Wikipedia: Richard Wagner|Richard Wagner's]] 1850 opera ''[[Wikipedia: Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'').

==Other editions==

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
*''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''
*''[[Transformers: Space Case]]''
*''[[Transformers: Ratchet]]''
*''[[Transformers: Arcee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Starscream]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
*''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears]]''

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)]]''
*''[[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Download on September 30, 2011, followed by the 2-Disc Special Edition in December.<ref>[TFW2005 - Official Transformers Movie Website Updated With Transformers 3 Home Release Info http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/official-transformers-movie-website-updated-with-transformers-3-home-release-info-173245/]</ref>

==Theatrical posters==
<center>
<gallery perrow="3">
Image:DOTM-OPbillboardposter.jpg
Image:DOTM-Bumblebeebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-Shockwavebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==Reception==
On June 23, 2011, the world premiere of ''Dark of the Moon'' was held in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]], with band [[Linkin Park]] performing a concert that included their title song for the movie, "Iridescent".

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''[[Wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2]]''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX at 9pm in the US. Some theaters cheated a little and showed it at 8:45.

''Dark of the Moon'' launched with nearly 10,000 copies in 4011 theaters nationwide. On its opening day, the movie earned $37.3 million, making not only for the best opening day of 2011 up to that point, but also ranking as the sixth most successful opening on a Wednesday ever, while at the same time ranking well behind ''Revenge of the Fallen'', with $60 million on its opening day (also a Wednesday).<ref name="openingday">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3197&p=.htm "'Transformers' Suboptimal on Wednesday"], Box Office Mojo, June 2011.</ref> (Of course, a lot of the print material still listed the release date as [[July 1]]st, the following Friday.)

On [[August 2]], it crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide gross, just under 5 weeks after its release, landing it in the #9 spot for worldwide gross of all time.<ref>http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-crosses-1-billion-worldwide-mark-for-paramount/ Deadline Hollywood</ref> Of that, $338 million came from the US. It is currently the only Paramount picture to have made the $1 billion mark. (While ''Titanic'' also made over $1 billion worldwide, it was only a Paramount movie ''domestically'', where it made "only" $620 million.)

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #4 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

''Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for three Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing, losing all to ''[[wikipedia: Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/nominees#t Official 2012 Oscar nominees page]</ref>

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight [[Wikipedia:Golden Raspberry Award|Golden Raspberry Award]]s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''[[wikipedia: Jack & Jill (film)|Jack & Jill]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

===Visual effects===
{{stub}}

===Locations department===
{{quote|[The Decepticons'] decision to attack Chicago seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[Image:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

[[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], two of the previous two movies' screenwriters, had already announced in March 2009 that they would not return for a third part.<ref name="noorcikurtz">[http://www.slashfilm.com/orci-and-kurtzman-not-returning-for-transformers-3-will-leonard-nimoy-voice-the-fallen/ Slashfilm quoting Roberto Orci that he and Kurtzman would not return for a third movie], March 2009. (Original post on Don Murphy's message board appears to no longer exist.)</ref> In September 2009, their ''Revenge'' co-writer [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as the screenwriter of ''Transformers 3''.<ref name="krugernelson">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/09/14/transformers-3-pain-gain-bad-boys-3/ Michael Bay's website admin Nelson Lauren sorta-confirms Ehren Kruger as TF3's screenwriter], September 2009.</ref> Kruger had already impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology prior to working on ''Revenge''.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In an interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine in September 2009, [[Megan Fox]], the main female star of the previous two movies, discussed the harsh conditions on the sets and compared director Michael Bay to [[Wikipedia:Adolf Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="latimesfox">[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/09/megan-fox-on-michael-bay-he-wants-to-be-hitler.html Los Angeles Times article about Megan Fox's fatal interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine], September 2009.</ref> Bay initially played down the affair and still welcomed Fox back for the third installment a month later.<ref name="bay3-2011"/> Even though Fox was still spotted on the ''Transformers 3'' set in May 2010<ref name="foxonset">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/100786-megan-fox-on-set-for-transformers-3-previz Megan Fox on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref>, Paramount announced a few weeks later that she wouldn't return for a third movie after all.<ref name="nomorefox">[http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/michael-bays-revenge-no-more-megan/ Deadline article confirming that Megan Fox had been dropped off ''Transformers 3''], May 2010.</ref> Still that same month, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] was confirmed to replace her as the lead female actress.<ref name="rosierepl">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640047/model-rosie-huntingtonwhiteley-cast-transformers-3.jhtml MTV.com article confirming Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female star of ''Transformers ''], May 2010.</ref> Her character's name was confirmed as "[[Carly Spencer|Carly]]" by Nelson Lauren, the webmaster of Michael Bay's official website, in July 2010.<ref name="nelsonchicagojul">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?7566-Transformers-3-Chicago-Set-Photos Nelson posts about his visit to the Chicago set at shootfortheedit.com's forums], July 2010.</ref> In 2011, Michael Bay finally confirmed in an interview with ''GQ'' magazine that it had been [[Steven Spielberg]], executive producer of the ''Transformers'' movies, who had urged him to fire Fox following the Hitler comparison.<ref name="baygq">[http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201107/michael-bay-steven-spielberg-fired-megan-fox-transformers GQ interview with Michael Bay], June 2011.</ref> In a later interview, however, he claimed this statement had been taken out of context.<ref name="baych">[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/kino/Diese-Autos-muessen-zerstoert-werden--und-da-bin-ich-der-richtige-Mann/story/23997460 Interview with Michael Bay from Switzerland] (German language), July 2011.</ref>

In March 2010, Oscar winners [[John Malkovich]] and [[Frances McDormand]] as well as Comedian [[Ken Jeong]] were confirmed having signed on for supporting roles.<ref name="malkomcdor">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/03/22/transformers-3-update-from-michael-bay/ Michael Bay confirming John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Ken Jeong for ''Transformers 3''], March 2010.</ref>

In April 2010, [[Kevin Dunn]] and [[Julie White]] were confirmed as returning as Sam Witwicky's parents.<ref name="varietydunnwhite">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017329.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 'Dunn, White sign on for 'Transformers 3''], Variety, April 2010.</ref>

In May 2010, Paramount confirmed that [[Patrick Dempsey]] has been cast in ''Transformers 3'' to play Mikaela Banes' boss (this was before Megan Fox was fired from the production).<ref name="dempsey">[http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/04/patrick-dempsey-confirmed-for-transformers-3/ "Patrick Dempsey confirmed for Transformers 3"], Hollywood Insider, May 2010.</ref>

In July 2010, Nelson Lauren confirmed that former American footballer [[Lester Speight]] would play a soldier in the movie.<ref name="nelsonchicagophotos">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/07/20/transformers-3-chicago-set-photos/ Photos of the Chicago set by michaelbay.com webmaster Nelson Lauren], July 2010.</ref>

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and is married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref>, it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''Star Trek'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref>

===Writing and production===
After having defended the almost universally critically panned ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for a long time, Michael Bay finally acknowledged flaws of the script, but blamed the [[Wikipedia:2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike]] prior to the movie for many problems. As a definite error, he singled out the "dork comedy", which he promised to avoid with ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="bayvisit">[http://collider.com/michael-bay-interview-transformers-dark-moon-edit-bay-visit/63824/ Collider.com article about DOTM], December 2010.</ref>

Principal shooting began in May 2010. Shooting locations included [[Chicago]] (and nearby East Chicago and Gary Indiana), Moscow,<ref name="locations">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63682 "Transformers 3 Headed to Chicago and Moscow"], Comingsoon.net, February 2010.</ref> the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida<ref name="kennedyspace">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/101114-the-transformers-3-shoot-at-kennedy-space-center "The Transformers 3 Shoot at Kennedy Space Center"], SuperHeroHype.com, May 2010.</ref>, Milwaukee (Wisconsin)<ref name="milwaukee">[http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/98266574.html "'Transformers 3' takes over Milwaukee Art Museum"], Journal Sentinel Online, July 2010.</ref>, Detroit<ref name="detroit">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107775-photos-from-the-detroit-transformers-3-set "Photos From the Detroit Transformers 3 Set"], SuperHeroHype.com, September 2010.</ref>, [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="militaryextras">[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=473674758199&id=114648515718 US Department of Defense casting call for ''Dark of the Moon''], October 2010.</ref> and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.<ref name="angkor">[http://www.akp.gov.kh/?p=1184 "'Transformers 3' To Be Shot in Cambodia"], Agence Kampuchea Presse, January 2011.</ref>

For the scene where Lennox and his soldier jump out of a V-22 Osprey using wingsuits, Michael Bay used real parachutists and thus avoided unnecessary CG effects. In fact, he had been inspired for this scene in the first place by watching the parachutists in their wingsuits on television<ref name="wingsuits">[http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1498-transformers-wingsuits-no-cgi-required Yahoo! Movies article on the wingsuit parachutists], June 2011.</ref> and wrote the scene with the intention of using the parachutists in the movie.<ref name="bayvisit"/>

For the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in the flashback sequence at the beginning of the movie, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] are played by actors Don Jeanes and Cory Tucker, respectively. In the present day timeline, Aldrin himself appears briefly as his own older self.<ref name="aldrin">[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/yahoo-contributor-network/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-hangs-out-with-optimus-prime-transformers-dark-moon Yahoo! Movies article on Buzz Aldrin's appearance in DOTM], July 2011.</ref>

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>

Two accidents happened during shooting: In September 2010, while shooting in East Chicago, Indiana, a female extra was severely injured when a stunt scene went wrong, leaving her with permanent brain damage, the left side of her body paralyzed and her left eye stitched shut. Paramount was subsequently sued for damages by the victim's family.<ref name="extrastunt">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-transformers-lawsuit-20101005_1_gabriela-cedillo-stunt-welding Chicago tibune article on the injured extra and the subsequent lawsuit], October 2010.</ref> She was eventually granted an $18.5 million settlement in May of 2012.<ref name="settlement">[http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/23/transfomers-3-injured-extra-gets-18-million-settlement/ TMZ story about Gabriela Cedillo's settlement]</ref> As a consequence, part of the scene of the car chase battle in Washington, D.C. (which would have included the shoot that had led to the accident) was instead "[[Stock footage|borrowed]]" from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''[[Wikipedia:The Island (2005 film)|The Island]]''.<ref name="island1">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/04/transformers-3-re-uses-car-crash-from-the-island "Transformers 3 Re-Uses Car Crash From The Island"], IGN Movies, July 2011.</ref> While shooting in Washington, D.C., in October 2010, one of the Chevrolet Camaro prop cars that served as Bumblebee's [[alternate mode]] crashed into a [[Wikipedia: Metropolitan Police|Metropolitan Police]] SUV. Nobody was seriously injured this time.<ref name="camarocrash">[http://jalopnik.com/5661321/bumblebee-smashes-cop-car-in-yet-another-transformers-3-accident Jalopnik article on the Camaro crash], October 2010.</ref> Hasbro would later "commemorate" this event with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] [[Cyberverse]] "Cybertronian Warriors" multi-pack.

''Dark of the Moon'' is the first of the ''Transformers'' movies to be released in 3D. Despite early considerations to shoot the movie in 2D and convert it into 3D later, Michael Bay ultimately shot 60% of the film in native 3D, another 15% were done digitally, and the rest was shot in 2D and converted later. [[James Cameron]] assisted Michael Bay with the 3D effects. The movie's budget amounted to $195 million, which is about the same budget ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had. About $30 million went into the 3D effects.<ref name="cameron">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-reveals-james-camerons-191774 "Michael Bay Reveals James Cameron's Secret Role in the Making of 'Transformers'"], The Hollywood Reporter, May 2011.</ref>

=== Sponsors and partners ===
==== Hasbro ====
Hasbro, licensor of the [[Transformers brand]], hoped that the third movie would once again boost toy sales, after profits had dropped in the first quarter of 2011.<ref name="hasbroq12011">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-1Q-profit-drops-71-pct-apf-664090076.html?x=0&.v=11 Yahoo! Finance article about weak Hasbro toy sales in 2011's first quarter], April 2011.</ref> For the second quarter of 2011, Hasbro reported a net revenue growth of 23 percent to $908.5 million, citing brands such as ''Transformers'' and ''Beyblade'' as the main sources of the increased income.<ref name="hasbro2nsq">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-Reports-Revenue-and-bw-4063497156.html?x=0&.v=1 "Hasbro Reports Revenue and Earnings Growth for the Second Quarter 2011"], Yahoo! Finance, July 2011.</ref>

==== US military and NASA ====
Like the previous two movies, ''Dark of the Moon'' featured real military personnel as extras, supported by the US Department of Defense.<ref name="militaryextras"/> Shooting locations were Hurlburt Field and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name="hurlburt">[http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations-entertainment/105725-transformers-filmed-at-hurlburt.html "'Transformers 3 Filmed at Hurlburt, 1SOW Included as 'Extras'"], ShadowSpear Special Operations, July 2011.</ref>

In addition, ''Dark of the Moon'' was also supported by NASA, and NASA employees appear as extras in the movie as well.<ref name="nasa">[http://www.space.com/12142-transformers-film-nasa-space-program-touches.html "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Has Real-Life NASA Touches"], Space.com, July 2011.</ref>

==== General Motors and other car manufacturers ====
[[General Motors]] once again provided several vehicles. All recurring Autobots retain their [[alternate mode]]s from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' despite some minor tweaks, such as Sideswipe now being a convertible, and Bumblebee now sporting a rear spoiler. Once again, the cooperation was mutual, with General Motors using Bumblebee for TV commercials. The first of those, aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, also revealed some minor tweaks to Bumblebee's robot mode.<ref name="bumblebeead1">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/02/-bumblebee-appears-in-a-chevrolet-camaro-super-bowl-ad/1 "'Bumblebee' appears in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad"], USA Today, February 2011.</ref><ref name="bumblebeead2">[http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/chevy-drops-new-ad-touting-transformers-3-tie-in/ "Video: Chevy drops new ad touting Transformers 3 tie-in"], Autoblog.com, June 2011.</ref> According to Chevrolet, the ''Transformers'' movies notably affect car sales, as about ten percent of all Camaros sold in the preceding year were yellow, twice as many as with other models.<ref name="carstarscast">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-dark-moon-how-sequels-204557 "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon': How the Sequel's Star Cars Were Cast"], The Hollywood Reporter, June 2011.</ref>

New additions for ''Dark of the Moon'' are a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Mercedes-Benz E550 as Autobots ([[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], respectively) and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as a Decepticon ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]). In the movie, both Autobots sport names which aren't recycled from existing Hasbro toys. In the Ferrari's case, the reason for this is that Hasbro's greatest competitor, Mattel, has an exclusive license for Ferrari toys.<ref name="ferrarimattel">[http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Mattel.aspx Mattel license information], Ferrari.com.</ref><ref name="nelsonnomirage">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/409844-mirage-no-longer-name-red-italia-dotm-3.html#post6103423 Michael Bay's website admin, Nelson Lauren, explaining why the Ferrari isn't named "Mirage"], TFW2005, May 2011.</ref> "Dino" is named in reference to [[Wikipedia: Alfredo Ferrari|Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari]], as per Ferrari's request. The Mercedes-Benz E550, meanwhile, was specifically customized for the movie.<ref name="e550tuning">[http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1102_mercedes_benz_e550_for_next_transformers_movie/index.html "Mercedes-Benz E550 for Next Transformers Movie - Web Exclusive"], Eurotuner.com, February 2011.</ref> "Que" is named in homage to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from [[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]. A Maybach 62S Landaulet is also featured in the movie, albeit not as a Transformer, but merely as a regular car used by [[Seymour Simmons]] and his assistant [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]].

Unlike Optimus Prime, whose alternate mode was not licensed for any of the three movies, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 airport fire truck used for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was officially provided by the Rosenbauer International AG and entirely repainted specifically for the film, at a cost of thousands of dollars, as real-world aircraft fire-fighting vehicles are required by FAA regulations to have a much lighter color scheme, which didn't appeal to director [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="rosenbauer">[http://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/press/2011/06/rosenbauer-panther-6x6-to-be-f/ Rosenbauer America press release, June 28, 2011]</ref>

Since the heavily armed Chevrolet Impalas that serve as the [[Wrecker|Wreckers']] alternate modes are directly based on existing NASCAR race cars, the prop versions of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] made an appearance at [[2011]] Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on [[February 20]], four month before the movie's release, appearing both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.<ref name="daytona">[http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/photos/2011/02/18/TRANSFORMERS-cars-on-display-at-Daytona "'TRANSFORMERS' cars on display at Daytona"], Hendrick Motorsports, February 2011.</ref> Director Michael Bay, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] and actress [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] also attended the event, and during the television broadcast of the race, a new ''Dark of the Moon'' television spot was aired.

==== Other product placement ====
As always, various companies have their products and names prominently displayed throughout the movie, such as [[Wikipedia:Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman]], [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], [[Wikipedia:Cisco|Cisco]] and [[Wikipedia:Superfund|Superfund]].<ref name="brands1">[http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp?movie_year_az=2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"] at brandchannel.com.</ref> Paper manufacturer Double A also cooperated with Paramount and even had Michael Bay direct a commercial that features scenes from ''Dark of the Moon'', notably [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]].<ref name="paper">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/167497-transformers-featured-in-double-a-paper-ad "Transformers Featured in Double A Paper Ad"] at SuperHeroHype, June 2011.</ref> Of particular note is the large number of Chinese brands such as [[Wikipedia:Lenovo|Lenovo]], [[Wikipedia:Yili Group|Yili]] Shuhua Milk, [[Wikipedia:Metersbonwe Group|Metersbonwe]] Mtee shirts and [[Wikipedia:TCL Corporation|TCL]] HDTV screens.<ref name="chinesebrands">[http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/transformers-the-rise-of-chinese-product-placement.html "Transformers: The Rise Of Chinese Product Placement"] at Chinasmack.</ref><ref name="brands2">[http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/07/05/Brandcameo-070411-Transformers-3.aspx "Transformers 3 Product Placement: If Tom Hanks Gets a Pass, Michael Bay Does Not"] at brandchannel, July 2011.</ref>

For [[Wikipedia:Nokia|Nokia]], the product placement turned out to be dated by the time the movie came out, as a mobile phone featured in the movie ran on [[Wikipedia:Symbian|Symbian]], despite Nokia mostly dropping Symbian as an operating system due to their recent partnership with [[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]].<ref name="nokiaobit">[http://www.thenoisecast.com/2011/07/nokia-x7-product-placement-in-transformers-3-feels-like-an-obituary/ "Nokia X7 Product Placement In Transformers 3 Feels Like An Obituary"], Noisecast, July 2011.</ref>

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
* In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

* As stated above, [[Megan Fox]] was originally intended to reprise her role as [[Mikaela Banes]] from the previous two movies. She was still spotted on the ''Dark of the Moon'' set during the previsualization stage in May 2010<ref name="foxonset"/>, but was fired from the production shortly afterwards due to a falling out with director [[Michael Bay]]. [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]]'s character of [[Carly Spencer]] was written in as a replacement, though the fact that her part was originally written for Mikaela still shows in some parts: For example, Carly is overseeing [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]]'s car collection, which could be viewed as an extension of Mikaela's history with working with cars. Furthermore, Sam and Carly not only have [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (who had been previously "domesticated" by Mikaela) as a "pet", but also her dog [[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (played by Michael Bay's eponymous real-life dog).

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/entertainment-in-national/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

* In January of 2011, an Idaho newspaper<ref>[http://magicvalley.com/news/local/article_d4f374a4-d960-5589-8d0c-be37df66fc40.html?mode=story "Rupert's Fagerbakke finds a voice that is truly golden"]</ref> announced voice actor [[Bill Fagerbakke]] as the voice of a "Chevy Impala stock car" that would appear in ''Dark of the Moon'' (presumably meaning one of the three [[Wrecker]]s, who share that base altmode). Why Fagerbakke did not end up voicing any of the Wreckers in the final cut of the film is unknown.

* Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, [[wikipedia:David Warner (actor)|David Warner]], was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

* In an earlier draft of the movie's script, Megatron is sincere when he offers Optimus Prime a truce at the end. Optimus accepts, and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron. This ending is used for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]] and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]], according to Nelson, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/nelson-47919.html#vmessage284191</ref>

* Furthermore, it was originally supposed to be [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage/"Dino"]] rather than [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack/"Que"]] who would have been executed by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] in Chicago. This version made it into the comic adaptation and the [[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|junior novelization]].

* Another scrapped death for Mirage is seen in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]], in where he's decapicated by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. His severed head is subsequently used by Soundwave to mock the Autobots before they are about to get executed.

* [[The Twins]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], were originally supposed to return for ''Dark of the Moon'', and to die at the hands of Sentinel Prime shortly after Ironhide. Even though [[General Motors]] provided two Chevrolet Sparks to serve as their alternate modes<ref name="chevyspark">[http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-spark-transformers-3.html Left Lane News article on two Chevrolet Sparks spotted on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> which were still spotted on the set as late as October 2010<ref name="dcparking">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/10/transformers-3-dc-parking-lot-gallery.html "Transformers 3 DC Parking Lot Gallery"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, October 2010.</ref>, the two were mostly edited out of the final movie (their vehicle modes can barely be glimpsed in a few brief shots). Michael Bay even went so far as to offer a $25,000 reward for anyone who would see the Twins "perform" in the movie.<ref name="reward">[http://collider.com/transformers-3-twins-skids-mudflap-michael-bay/91104/ Collider.com article on Michael Bay's "reward" for spotting Skids and Mudflap "perform" in DOTM], May 2011.</ref> In the novelization and the comic adaptation, Skids and Mudflap still appear.

* Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

* Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref>, "Enzo" (after [[Wikipedia:Enzo Ferrari|Enzo Ferrari]])<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "Colossus" for the [[Driller]]<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref>, "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "Cyclonus".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>
[[Image:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]

* Roadbuster was originally intended to have [[Wikipedia:Jeff Gordon|Jeff Gordon]]'s #24 [[Wikipedia:DuPont|DuPont]]-sponsored Chevrolet Impala as his alternate mode, rather than [[Wikipedia:Dale_Earnhardt,_Jr.|Dale Earnhardt, Jr.]]'s #88 Impala sponsored by [[Wikipedia:AMP Energy|AMP Energy]].<ref name="nizzi"/>

* Que/Wheeljack's head was once considered to be based on [[Wikipedia:Christopher Lloyd|Christopher Lloyd]]'s [[Wikipedia:Emmett Brown|Doc Brown]] from the [[Wikipedia:Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' movies]], rather than [[Wikipedia:Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein]].<ref name="wburt"/>

* The Wreckers were originally intended to have a robot pet dog, whose working names also included "Warpath".<ref name="nizzi"/> Hasbro released a toy of the dog with the [[Human Alliance]] version of Leadfoot, named "[[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]]".

* In an interview with MTV.com, actors [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[John Malkovich]] hinted at at some smaller scenes that were cut from the final edit of the movie. In addition to some add-libbing by the actors, one scene would have featured Malkovich's character, [[Bruce Brazos]], attempting to get Carly's phone number.<ref name="deletedmtv">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666772/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-deleted-scenes.jhtml MTV.com on deleted scenes], July 2011.</ref>

* In the original teaser trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red.
{{-}}

=== Leaks and disinformation===
[[Image:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|300px|right|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] was heavily touted as the new main villain, no doubt in an attempt to conceal [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s unexpected betrayal halfway through the movie. A piece of information that commonly popped up in media coverage was the claim that Shockwave was the ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the other Autobots and Decepticons were duking it out on Earth.<ref name="pushpops">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-plot-summary-revealed-170756/ "Transformers 3 Plot Summary Revealed"], TFW2005, October 2010.</ref> The last bit could be written off as a case of [[Wikipedia:Chinese whispers|chinese whisper]]: Shockwave got announced as the villain for ''Dark of the Moon'', mainstream media (such as USA Today<ref name="usatodayswitch">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"], USA Today, June 2010.</ref>) who aren't versed in Transformers lore looked up the character, found out about his ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)|namesake]]'s role in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], included it as a piece of trivia to show they did their research, and then the trivia note got picked up as gospel by other media. Nevertheless, it was included in the ''official plot summary'' by Paramount's German branch (which also claimed that ''Shockwave'' was the robot discovered inside the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' as seen in the trailer).<ref name="germansite">[http://www.transformers3-film.de/ Official German DOTM site] including faulty plot summary.</ref>

[[Image:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|300px|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref>, the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, several weeks before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning.

==Notes==
* A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref>, causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
* When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
* Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor or a more traditional, ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
** In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule.
** Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though Optimus was shown to have his swords still in his arms during the battle for Chicago). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. (To be fair, he dropped his cannons during the final battle in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has an ordinary handheld shotgun. (Then again, his arm that turned into his Fusion cannon was ripped off by Prime in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.

* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā/Dāku Saido Mūn'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3: La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biàn-hsín Jīn-gāng Sān''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: The Time When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (America, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Official ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' website]
*[http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/ Trailers.Apple.com ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' page]
* Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi], [http://www.warrenmanser.com/WarrenManser.com/PORTFOLIO_M/Pages/TRANSFORMERS_3.html Warren Manser], [http://www.joelchang.com/index.php?/projects/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ Joel Chang], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8293 The Aaron Sims Company] (at Concept Art World), [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt] (at Concept Art World), [http://massiveblack.com/MBwebolution/blog/?p=301 Massive Black], [http://www.ghull.com/#/125195 George Hull]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark of the Moon (film)}}
[[Category: Dark of the Moon| Dark of the Moon (film)]]
[[Category: Dark of the Moon media| ]]
[[Category: Real world films]]

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

2013-07-02T23:00:16Z

Godzilla101: /* Continuity errors */

{{Nav-dotm}}
[[Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."]]
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

The film is set three years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

{{bigquote|Aw, shit, I seen this one. It's the one where [[Spock]] goes nuts.|Wheelie|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

In the distant past, during the latter days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] civil war, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the [[Earth|Earth's]] [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the [[Wikipedia:Space Race|Space Race]] under President [[John F. Kennedy]]. Landing on the Moon as part of the [[Apollo 11]] mission in 1969, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] use several minutes of [[radio]] silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.

In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in it's local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the [[Wikipedia:Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl disaster]]. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his pet, the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus Prime is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the [[WIkipedia:Director of National Intelligence|Director of National Intelligence]], about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]], the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President [[Barack Obama]] has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]], whom he had met in the [[White House]] (after his former girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named [[Accuretta Systems]]. From his colleague, [[Jerry Wang]], he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.

[[Image:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime reveals that he had made a deal with Megatron, knowing that the Autobots could never win the war. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and several NEST soldiers, Sentinel Prime claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[Image:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, [[Dylan Gould]], who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Acuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that [[NASA]] would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus Prime about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a watch on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.

Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is only trying to save Cybertron, or so he claims. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the ''Xantium'' takes off, but is promptly intercepted by Starscream, who had waited in Earth's orbit. With the ''Xantium'' destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.

With the Autobots out of the way, the Decepticons conquer [[Chicago]], kill most of its population and set up the control pillar for the space bridge inside the city, placing the other pillars around the world. Dylan informs Carly that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, where Dylan has taken Carly. Former NEST soldier [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, accompanies him, together with other former NEST members. Upon arrival in Chicago, they are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[Image:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|right|thumb|280px|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

The Autobots and the humans soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, the team is separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave's "pet", the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus Prime comes to their aid and destroys the Driller.

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and with Lennox's help, Sam destroys Starscream using weapons provided to him by the Autobots' inventor Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have captured several Autobots, but Dylan convinces them not to take prisoners and kill them all. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] executes Que, and Soundwave moves to kill Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee and the other Autobots to get free. While NEST and the Autobots fight the Decepticons and kill most of them, Optimus Prime kills Shockwave and uses his arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[Image:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

A fight between Sentinel Prime and Optimus Prime ensues, during which Optimus loses an arm, with Sentinel gaining the upper hand. Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel Prime is alive. Infuriated, he intervenes in the battle and turns on Sentinel, declaring that Earth is his planet to rule, and severely damages him. Megatron realized how far he had fallen in power within the past few years, and had decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam, who hurls him against the pillar, killing him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Megatron offers Optimus Prime a truce as long he could remain in charge of his Decepticon forces, but Optimus ignores his plea and just as Megatron is about to shoot his shotgun Optimus splits Megatron's head with an axe. Subsequently, he uses Megatron's shotgun cannon to kill a weakened Sentinel Prime, who is trying to excuse his actions.

[[Image:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|right|280px|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

With the battle over, Sam and Carly are reunited, and Simmons takes an opportunity to kiss Mearing, who he still has feelings for, and she has him arrested. With their home planet now forever beyond reach, and the forces of the Decepticons destroyed, the remaining Autobots finally accept Earth as their new home, as Optimus Prime states that the Autobots will always be here, to protect the Earth and all who live on it.

[['Til all are one]].

==Quotes==

'''Mission Control''': We are not alone after all, are we? 
'''Buzz Aldrin''': No, sir. We are not alone. 
:—Buzz Aldrin makes history, and raises the hackles of conspiracy theorists.

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "No, we've seen that. This is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide smacks Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—NEST discusses Optimus Prime's foul mood.

"Who wants some chicken dinner now, bitch? Huh? 'Cause somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!" 
:—'''Jerry Wang''', being crazy. But also awesome.

"The thing about Russians is, they never like to talk. Gonna take a little of the 'international language.'" <Doorman opens sliding hatch> "''Do svidaniya''." 
"That means 'goodbye!'" <closes hatch>
:—'''Simmons''' tries to reason with a '''Russian''', to no avail.

"It's a Cyrillic alphabet; it's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator!"
:—'''Dutch''' tries to translate Russian, also to no avail.

"Class dismissed."
:—'''Ironhide''', after dispatching the Dreads.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made...with ''Megatron''."
:—'''Sentinel Prime''' reveals his treachery.

[[Image:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he's]] [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]]
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliche on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

"If you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're going to reach her!" 
"What do you suggest I do?!" 
"...it's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." 
:—'''Robert Epps''' tells '''Sam Witwicky''' that they've run out of plans.

"We will kill them all."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' offers an alternative plan.

"They got my trailer. I ''need'' that flight tech!" 
:—'''Optimus Prime''', valiantly [[To sell toys|selling toys]].

"Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you." 
"IT WILL BE ME! It will ''always'' be me! 
"In any minute now, you'll be nothing but Sentinel's bitch."
:—'''Carly Spencer''' tells '''Megatron''' that if he's going to be the Starscream, he should ''act'' like it.

"Who would you be without me, Prime?" 
"Time to find out." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange pre-fight banter one last time.

"In any war, there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come when we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Mirage (Movie)|Dino/Mirage]]<ref name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref> ([[Francesco Quinn]])
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]]<ref name="credits"/> ([[George Coe]])
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]]<ref>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref> ([[Ron Bottitta]])
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]]<ref>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref> ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap/>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])*
*[[Hatchet]]
*[[Driller]]
*[[Hatchling|Hatchlings]]
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon
*An unnamed [[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*An unnamed [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]
*[[Garbage truck Decepticon]]
*[[Superfund Decepticon]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*Unnamed [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*Unnamed [[protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel'']]</ref>
*Unnamed [[Pickup Decepticon]]
*Unnamed [[Police car Decepticon]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Carly Spencer]] ([[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Charlotte Mearing]] ([[Frances McDormand]])
*[[Dylan Gould]] ([[Patrick Dempsey]])
*[[Bruce Brazos]] ([[John Malkovich]])
*[[Hardcore Eddie]] ([[Lester Speight]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] ([[Alan Tudyk]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Jerry Wang]] ([[Ken Jeong]])
*[[Neil Armstrong]] ([[Don Jeanes]])
*[[Buzz Aldrin]] ([[Cory Tucker]]/himself)
*[[Walter Cronkite]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]] (himself)
*[[Alexi Voskhod]] ([[Ravil Isyanov]])

|h4=Other|c4=
|nonumbering=true
}}

* *During the highway battle, Jimmie Wood's Bonecrusher scream in the high way battle from the first movie can be heard coming from Crowbar.

==Errors==
===Astronomical and historical errors===
* The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
* The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
* When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
* Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere".
* The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
* The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of [[Wikipedia:Pripyat|Pripyat]], and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
* Furthermore, Prypiat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Prypiat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
* Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
* When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
* [[wikipedia:Mount Kilimanjaro|Mount Kilimanjaro]] is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[Image:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
* In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
* Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
* NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
* Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
* When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the [[Wikipedia: China Central Television Headquarters|China Central Television Headquarters]] in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
* Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
* Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
* In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Bumblebee enhances his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next scene he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
* During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
* Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes before arriving in Chicago, and has yet another outfit the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
* When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
* The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
* Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
* Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
* As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
* Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
* Though in an earlier sequence, Epps, Sam and company slide down the damaged building to a floor near the break, after the building falls over, the team is seen moving from one of the building's topmost floors to the neighboring building.
* Throughout the sequence of Barricade kicking and shoving Que along before executing him, he is speaking with Soundwave's voice.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
* Ironhide was literally behind, just not facing Sentinel who confessed having aligned with Megatron. Had Ironhide heard what Sentinel was saying, he would have angrily confronted Sentinel and therefore did not realize that Sentinel viewed him as an enemy before getting shot by his Cosmic Rust Gun.
*Soundwave has his Mercedes alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes logo is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*Optimus claimed at the end of the first film he had no choice but to kill Megatron. At the end of the third film, Megatron offered truce but Optimus still thinks killing him off is the only choice.
*Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle.
*Dino used his electro-disrupter to overthrow Hatchet and kill him. When Hatchet falls on the car and is destroyed, Dino's weapon is still connected to him, so Dino was in robot mode, but in the next cut Dino appears at background in vehicle mode.
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref>, possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Oddly, during the Decepticon siege of Chicago, and after all of the unmanned drones were shot down trying to get inside the city, no one within the government considered the use of submarines as a means of sneaking in.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
* New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)| predecessor]]'s legacy of being a giant jerk.

* "Carly" was the name of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s [[Carly|girlfriend and eventual wife]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]].

* The ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' gets its name from the Autobots' crashed spaceship in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]].

* The ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'' is the name of the [[Wrecker]]s' spaceship in the [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''Transformers'' comics.

* Optimus's new trailer is based on the trailer that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]] hauled around, including its ability to open up into a weapons base.

* Optimus now carries the Matrix around in his chest as he has in past incarnations.

* The corrosive end met by Ironhide comes at the hands of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], the oxidizing pathogen that first appeared in the Generation 1 cartoon episode [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|of the same name]]. Though not named in the film, its identity is made clear by production artwork by [[Josh Nizzi]] which labels Sentinel Prime's gun a "Cosmic Rust gun".

* Megatron removing [[Abraham Lincoln]] from his chair at the [[wikipedia:Lincoln Memorial|Lincoln Memorial]] and then sitting in it is a scene taken directly from the Generation 1 cartoon episode, "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and the Decepticon ending for ''[[Transformers The Game]]'' (sort of).

* The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was the plot of the Generation 1 multi-part episode "[[The Ultimate Doom]]."

* Likewise, the idea of an influential and powerful human joining forces with the Decepticons, resulting in the Autobots being exiled from Earth by the government via a spacecraft, only for that spacecraft to be destroyed, was the plot behind another Generation 1 cartoon multi-part episode, "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]."

* When the worker at Accureta Systems is trying to make the [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|photocopier]] work, it beeps the "more than meets the eye" refrain from the original cartoon's [[theme song]].

* The [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] can be heard at the end of the film when Bumblebee transforms to robot mode, the final onscreen transformation, just as it was heard during [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout's]] transformation, which was also the first onscreen transformation in the first film.

==Real-world references==
* When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is likely the famous ''TOS'' episode ''[[Wikipedia: Amok Time|Amok Time]]''.

* Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''[[Wikipedia:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.

* To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.

* [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to [[Wikipedia:Dutch India|Dutch India]].

* [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.

* When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the [[Wikipedia: Wedding March|Wedding March]] (or, more correctly, the [[Wikipedia: Bridal Chorus|Bridal Chorus]] from [[Wikipedia: Richard Wagner|Richard Wagner's]] 1850 opera ''[[Wikipedia: Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'').

==Other editions==

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
*''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''
*''[[Transformers: Space Case]]''
*''[[Transformers: Ratchet]]''
*''[[Transformers: Arcee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Starscream]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
*''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears]]''

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)]]''
*''[[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Download on September 30, 2011, followed by the 2-Disc Special Edition in December.<ref>[TFW2005 - Official Transformers Movie Website Updated With Transformers 3 Home Release Info http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/official-transformers-movie-website-updated-with-transformers-3-home-release-info-173245/]</ref>

==Theatrical posters==
<center>
<gallery perrow="3">
Image:DOTM-OPbillboardposter.jpg
Image:DOTM-Bumblebeebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-Shockwavebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==Reception==
On June 23, 2011, the world premiere of ''Dark of the Moon'' was held in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]], with band [[Linkin Park]] performing a concert that included their title song for the movie, "Iridescent".

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''[[Wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2]]''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX at 9pm in the US. Some theaters cheated a little and showed it at 8:45.

''Dark of the Moon'' launched with nearly 10,000 copies in 4011 theaters nationwide. On its opening day, the movie earned $37.3 million, making not only for the best opening day of 2011 up to that point, but also ranking as the sixth most successful opening on a Wednesday ever, while at the same time ranking well behind ''Revenge of the Fallen'', with $60 million on its opening day (also a Wednesday).<ref name="openingday">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3197&p=.htm "'Transformers' Suboptimal on Wednesday"], Box Office Mojo, June 2011.</ref> (Of course, a lot of the print material still listed the release date as [[July 1]]st, the following Friday.)

On [[August 2]], it crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide gross, just under 5 weeks after its release, landing it in the #9 spot for worldwide gross of all time.<ref>http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-crosses-1-billion-worldwide-mark-for-paramount/ Deadline Hollywood</ref> Of that, $338 million came from the US. It is currently the only Paramount picture to have made the $1 billion mark. (While ''Titanic'' also made over $1 billion worldwide, it was only a Paramount movie ''domestically'', where it made "only" $620 million.)

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #4 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

''Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for three Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing, losing all to ''[[wikipedia: Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/nominees#t Official 2012 Oscar nominees page]</ref>

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight [[Wikipedia:Golden Raspberry Award|Golden Raspberry Award]]s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''[[wikipedia: Jack & Jill (film)|Jack & Jill]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

===Visual effects===
{{stub}}

===Locations department===
{{quote|[The Decepticons'] decision to attack Chicago seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[Image:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

[[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], two of the previous two movies' screenwriters, had already announced in March 2009 that they would not return for a third part.<ref name="noorcikurtz">[http://www.slashfilm.com/orci-and-kurtzman-not-returning-for-transformers-3-will-leonard-nimoy-voice-the-fallen/ Slashfilm quoting Roberto Orci that he and Kurtzman would not return for a third movie], March 2009. (Original post on Don Murphy's message board appears to no longer exist.)</ref> In September 2009, their ''Revenge'' co-writer [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as the screenwriter of ''Transformers 3''.<ref name="krugernelson">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/09/14/transformers-3-pain-gain-bad-boys-3/ Michael Bay's website admin Nelson Lauren sorta-confirms Ehren Kruger as TF3's screenwriter], September 2009.</ref> Kruger had already impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology prior to working on ''Revenge''.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In an interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine in September 2009, [[Megan Fox]], the main female star of the previous two movies, discussed the harsh conditions on the sets and compared director Michael Bay to [[Wikipedia:Adolf Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="latimesfox">[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/09/megan-fox-on-michael-bay-he-wants-to-be-hitler.html Los Angeles Times article about Megan Fox's fatal interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine], September 2009.</ref> Bay initially played down the affair and still welcomed Fox back for the third installment a month later.<ref name="bay3-2011"/> Even though Fox was still spotted on the ''Transformers 3'' set in May 2010<ref name="foxonset">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/100786-megan-fox-on-set-for-transformers-3-previz Megan Fox on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref>, Paramount announced a few weeks later that she wouldn't return for a third movie after all.<ref name="nomorefox">[http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/michael-bays-revenge-no-more-megan/ Deadline article confirming that Megan Fox had been dropped off ''Transformers 3''], May 2010.</ref> Still that same month, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] was confirmed to replace her as the lead female actress.<ref name="rosierepl">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640047/model-rosie-huntingtonwhiteley-cast-transformers-3.jhtml MTV.com article confirming Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female star of ''Transformers ''], May 2010.</ref> Her character's name was confirmed as "[[Carly Spencer|Carly]]" by Nelson Lauren, the webmaster of Michael Bay's official website, in July 2010.<ref name="nelsonchicagojul">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?7566-Transformers-3-Chicago-Set-Photos Nelson posts about his visit to the Chicago set at shootfortheedit.com's forums], July 2010.</ref> In 2011, Michael Bay finally confirmed in an interview with ''GQ'' magazine that it had been [[Steven Spielberg]], executive producer of the ''Transformers'' movies, who had urged him to fire Fox following the Hitler comparison.<ref name="baygq">[http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201107/michael-bay-steven-spielberg-fired-megan-fox-transformers GQ interview with Michael Bay], June 2011.</ref> In a later interview, however, he claimed this statement had been taken out of context.<ref name="baych">[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/kino/Diese-Autos-muessen-zerstoert-werden--und-da-bin-ich-der-richtige-Mann/story/23997460 Interview with Michael Bay from Switzerland] (German language), July 2011.</ref>

In March 2010, Oscar winners [[John Malkovich]] and [[Frances McDormand]] as well as Comedian [[Ken Jeong]] were confirmed having signed on for supporting roles.<ref name="malkomcdor">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/03/22/transformers-3-update-from-michael-bay/ Michael Bay confirming John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Ken Jeong for ''Transformers 3''], March 2010.</ref>

In April 2010, [[Kevin Dunn]] and [[Julie White]] were confirmed as returning as Sam Witwicky's parents.<ref name="varietydunnwhite">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017329.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 'Dunn, White sign on for 'Transformers 3''], Variety, April 2010.</ref>

In May 2010, Paramount confirmed that [[Patrick Dempsey]] has been cast in ''Transformers 3'' to play Mikaela Banes' boss (this was before Megan Fox was fired from the production).<ref name="dempsey">[http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/04/patrick-dempsey-confirmed-for-transformers-3/ "Patrick Dempsey confirmed for Transformers 3"], Hollywood Insider, May 2010.</ref>

In July 2010, Nelson Lauren confirmed that former American footballer [[Lester Speight]] would play a soldier in the movie.<ref name="nelsonchicagophotos">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/07/20/transformers-3-chicago-set-photos/ Photos of the Chicago set by michaelbay.com webmaster Nelson Lauren], July 2010.</ref>

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and is married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref>, it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''Star Trek'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref>

===Writing and production===
After having defended the almost universally critically panned ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for a long time, Michael Bay finally acknowledged flaws of the script, but blamed the [[Wikipedia:2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike]] prior to the movie for many problems. As a definite error, he singled out the "dork comedy", which he promised to avoid with ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="bayvisit">[http://collider.com/michael-bay-interview-transformers-dark-moon-edit-bay-visit/63824/ Collider.com article about DOTM], December 2010.</ref>

Principal shooting began in May 2010. Shooting locations included [[Chicago]] (and nearby East Chicago and Gary Indiana), Moscow,<ref name="locations">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63682 "Transformers 3 Headed to Chicago and Moscow"], Comingsoon.net, February 2010.</ref> the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida<ref name="kennedyspace">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/101114-the-transformers-3-shoot-at-kennedy-space-center "The Transformers 3 Shoot at Kennedy Space Center"], SuperHeroHype.com, May 2010.</ref>, Milwaukee (Wisconsin)<ref name="milwaukee">[http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/98266574.html "'Transformers 3' takes over Milwaukee Art Museum"], Journal Sentinel Online, July 2010.</ref>, Detroit<ref name="detroit">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107775-photos-from-the-detroit-transformers-3-set "Photos From the Detroit Transformers 3 Set"], SuperHeroHype.com, September 2010.</ref>, [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="militaryextras">[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=473674758199&id=114648515718 US Department of Defense casting call for ''Dark of the Moon''], October 2010.</ref> and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.<ref name="angkor">[http://www.akp.gov.kh/?p=1184 "'Transformers 3' To Be Shot in Cambodia"], Agence Kampuchea Presse, January 2011.</ref>

For the scene where Lennox and his soldier jump out of a V-22 Osprey using wingsuits, Michael Bay used real parachutists and thus avoided unnecessary CG effects. In fact, he had been inspired for this scene in the first place by watching the parachutists in their wingsuits on television<ref name="wingsuits">[http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1498-transformers-wingsuits-no-cgi-required Yahoo! Movies article on the wingsuit parachutists], June 2011.</ref> and wrote the scene with the intention of using the parachutists in the movie.<ref name="bayvisit"/>

For the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in the flashback sequence at the beginning of the movie, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] are played by actors Don Jeanes and Cory Tucker, respectively. In the present day timeline, Aldrin himself appears briefly as his own older self.<ref name="aldrin">[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/yahoo-contributor-network/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-hangs-out-with-optimus-prime-transformers-dark-moon Yahoo! Movies article on Buzz Aldrin's appearance in DOTM], July 2011.</ref>

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>

Two accidents happened during shooting: In September 2010, while shooting in East Chicago, Indiana, a female extra was severely injured when a stunt scene went wrong, leaving her with permanent brain damage, the left side of her body paralyzed and her left eye stitched shut. Paramount was subsequently sued for damages by the victim's family.<ref name="extrastunt">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-transformers-lawsuit-20101005_1_gabriela-cedillo-stunt-welding Chicago tibune article on the injured extra and the subsequent lawsuit], October 2010.</ref> She was eventually granted an $18.5 million settlement in May of 2012.<ref name="settlement">[http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/23/transfomers-3-injured-extra-gets-18-million-settlement/ TMZ story about Gabriela Cedillo's settlement]</ref> As a consequence, part of the scene of the car chase battle in Washington, D.C. (which would have included the shoot that had led to the accident) was instead "[[Stock footage|borrowed]]" from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''[[Wikipedia:The Island (2005 film)|The Island]]''.<ref name="island1">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/04/transformers-3-re-uses-car-crash-from-the-island "Transformers 3 Re-Uses Car Crash From The Island"], IGN Movies, July 2011.</ref> While shooting in Washington, D.C., in October 2010, one of the Chevrolet Camaro prop cars that served as Bumblebee's [[alternate mode]] crashed into a [[Wikipedia: Metropolitan Police|Metropolitan Police]] SUV. Nobody was seriously injured this time.<ref name="camarocrash">[http://jalopnik.com/5661321/bumblebee-smashes-cop-car-in-yet-another-transformers-3-accident Jalopnik article on the Camaro crash], October 2010.</ref> Hasbro would later "commemorate" this event with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] [[Cyberverse]] "Cybertronian Warriors" multi-pack.

''Dark of the Moon'' is the first of the ''Transformers'' movies to be released in 3D. Despite early considerations to shoot the movie in 2D and convert it into 3D later, Michael Bay ultimately shot 60% of the film in native 3D, another 15% were done digitally, and the rest was shot in 2D and converted later. [[James Cameron]] assisted Michael Bay with the 3D effects. The movie's budget amounted to $195 million, which is about the same budget ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had. About $30 million went into the 3D effects.<ref name="cameron">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-reveals-james-camerons-191774 "Michael Bay Reveals James Cameron's Secret Role in the Making of 'Transformers'"], The Hollywood Reporter, May 2011.</ref>

=== Sponsors and partners ===
==== Hasbro ====
Hasbro, licensor of the [[Transformers brand]], hoped that the third movie would once again boost toy sales, after profits had dropped in the first quarter of 2011.<ref name="hasbroq12011">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-1Q-profit-drops-71-pct-apf-664090076.html?x=0&.v=11 Yahoo! Finance article about weak Hasbro toy sales in 2011's first quarter], April 2011.</ref> For the second quarter of 2011, Hasbro reported a net revenue growth of 23 percent to $908.5 million, citing brands such as ''Transformers'' and ''Beyblade'' as the main sources of the increased income.<ref name="hasbro2nsq">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-Reports-Revenue-and-bw-4063497156.html?x=0&.v=1 "Hasbro Reports Revenue and Earnings Growth for the Second Quarter 2011"], Yahoo! Finance, July 2011.</ref>

==== US military and NASA ====
Like the previous two movies, ''Dark of the Moon'' featured real military personnel as extras, supported by the US Department of Defense.<ref name="militaryextras"/> Shooting locations were Hurlburt Field and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name="hurlburt">[http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations-entertainment/105725-transformers-filmed-at-hurlburt.html "'Transformers 3 Filmed at Hurlburt, 1SOW Included as 'Extras'"], ShadowSpear Special Operations, July 2011.</ref>

In addition, ''Dark of the Moon'' was also supported by NASA, and NASA employees appear as extras in the movie as well.<ref name="nasa">[http://www.space.com/12142-transformers-film-nasa-space-program-touches.html "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Has Real-Life NASA Touches"], Space.com, July 2011.</ref>

==== General Motors and other car manufacturers ====
[[General Motors]] once again provided several vehicles. All recurring Autobots retain their [[alternate mode]]s from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' despite some minor tweaks, such as Sideswipe now being a convertible, and Bumblebee now sporting a rear spoiler. Once again, the cooperation was mutual, with General Motors using Bumblebee for TV commercials. The first of those, aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, also revealed some minor tweaks to Bumblebee's robot mode.<ref name="bumblebeead1">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/02/-bumblebee-appears-in-a-chevrolet-camaro-super-bowl-ad/1 "'Bumblebee' appears in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad"], USA Today, February 2011.</ref><ref name="bumblebeead2">[http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/chevy-drops-new-ad-touting-transformers-3-tie-in/ "Video: Chevy drops new ad touting Transformers 3 tie-in"], Autoblog.com, June 2011.</ref> According to Chevrolet, the ''Transformers'' movies notably affect car sales, as about ten percent of all Camaros sold in the preceding year were yellow, twice as many as with other models.<ref name="carstarscast">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-dark-moon-how-sequels-204557 "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon': How the Sequel's Star Cars Were Cast"], The Hollywood Reporter, June 2011.</ref>

New additions for ''Dark of the Moon'' are a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Mercedes-Benz E550 as Autobots ([[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], respectively) and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as a Decepticon ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]). In the movie, both Autobots sport names which aren't recycled from existing Hasbro toys. In the Ferrari's case, the reason for this is that Hasbro's greatest competitor, Mattel, has an exclusive license for Ferrari toys.<ref name="ferrarimattel">[http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Mattel.aspx Mattel license information], Ferrari.com.</ref><ref name="nelsonnomirage">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/409844-mirage-no-longer-name-red-italia-dotm-3.html#post6103423 Michael Bay's website admin, Nelson Lauren, explaining why the Ferrari isn't named "Mirage"], TFW2005, May 2011.</ref> "Dino" is named in reference to [[Wikipedia: Alfredo Ferrari|Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari]], as per Ferrari's request. The Mercedes-Benz E550, meanwhile, was specifically customized for the movie.<ref name="e550tuning">[http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1102_mercedes_benz_e550_for_next_transformers_movie/index.html "Mercedes-Benz E550 for Next Transformers Movie - Web Exclusive"], Eurotuner.com, February 2011.</ref> "Que" is named in homage to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from [[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]. A Maybach 62S Landaulet is also featured in the movie, albeit not as a Transformer, but merely as a regular car used by [[Seymour Simmons]] and his assistant [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]].

Unlike Optimus Prime, whose alternate mode was not licensed for any of the three movies, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 airport fire truck used for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was officially provided by the Rosenbauer International AG and entirely repainted specifically for the film, at a cost of thousands of dollars, as real-world aircraft fire-fighting vehicles are required by FAA regulations to have a much lighter color scheme, which didn't appeal to director [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="rosenbauer">[http://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/press/2011/06/rosenbauer-panther-6x6-to-be-f/ Rosenbauer America press release, June 28, 2011]</ref>

Since the heavily armed Chevrolet Impalas that serve as the [[Wrecker|Wreckers']] alternate modes are directly based on existing NASCAR race cars, the prop versions of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] made an appearance at [[2011]] Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on [[February 20]], four month before the movie's release, appearing both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.<ref name="daytona">[http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/photos/2011/02/18/TRANSFORMERS-cars-on-display-at-Daytona "'TRANSFORMERS' cars on display at Daytona"], Hendrick Motorsports, February 2011.</ref> Director Michael Bay, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] and actress [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] also attended the event, and during the television broadcast of the race, a new ''Dark of the Moon'' television spot was aired.

==== Other product placement ====
As always, various companies have their products and names prominently displayed throughout the movie, such as [[Wikipedia:Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman]], [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], [[Wikipedia:Cisco|Cisco]] and [[Wikipedia:Superfund|Superfund]].<ref name="brands1">[http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp?movie_year_az=2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"] at brandchannel.com.</ref> Paper manufacturer Double A also cooperated with Paramount and even had Michael Bay direct a commercial that features scenes from ''Dark of the Moon'', notably [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]].<ref name="paper">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/167497-transformers-featured-in-double-a-paper-ad "Transformers Featured in Double A Paper Ad"] at SuperHeroHype, June 2011.</ref> Of particular note is the large number of Chinese brands such as [[Wikipedia:Lenovo|Lenovo]], [[Wikipedia:Yili Group|Yili]] Shuhua Milk, [[Wikipedia:Metersbonwe Group|Metersbonwe]] Mtee shirts and [[Wikipedia:TCL Corporation|TCL]] HDTV screens.<ref name="chinesebrands">[http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/transformers-the-rise-of-chinese-product-placement.html "Transformers: The Rise Of Chinese Product Placement"] at Chinasmack.</ref><ref name="brands2">[http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/07/05/Brandcameo-070411-Transformers-3.aspx "Transformers 3 Product Placement: If Tom Hanks Gets a Pass, Michael Bay Does Not"] at brandchannel, July 2011.</ref>

For [[Wikipedia:Nokia|Nokia]], the product placement turned out to be dated by the time the movie came out, as a mobile phone featured in the movie ran on [[Wikipedia:Symbian|Symbian]], despite Nokia mostly dropping Symbian as an operating system due to their recent partnership with [[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]].<ref name="nokiaobit">[http://www.thenoisecast.com/2011/07/nokia-x7-product-placement-in-transformers-3-feels-like-an-obituary/ "Nokia X7 Product Placement In Transformers 3 Feels Like An Obituary"], Noisecast, July 2011.</ref>

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
* In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

* As stated above, [[Megan Fox]] was originally intended to reprise her role as [[Mikaela Banes]] from the previous two movies. She was still spotted on the ''Dark of the Moon'' set during the previsualization stage in May 2010<ref name="foxonset"/>, but was fired from the production shortly afterwards due to a falling out with director [[Michael Bay]]. [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]]'s character of [[Carly Spencer]] was written in as a replacement, though the fact that her part was originally written for Mikaela still shows in some parts: For example, Carly is overseeing [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]]'s car collection, which could be viewed as an extension of Mikaela's history with working with cars. Furthermore, Sam and Carly not only have [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (who had been previously "domesticated" by Mikaela) as a "pet", but also her dog [[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (played by Michael Bay's eponymous real-life dog).

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/entertainment-in-national/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

* In January of 2011, an Idaho newspaper<ref>[http://magicvalley.com/news/local/article_d4f374a4-d960-5589-8d0c-be37df66fc40.html?mode=story "Rupert's Fagerbakke finds a voice that is truly golden"]</ref> announced voice actor [[Bill Fagerbakke]] as the voice of a "Chevy Impala stock car" that would appear in ''Dark of the Moon'' (presumably meaning one of the three [[Wrecker]]s, who share that base altmode). Why Fagerbakke did not end up voicing any of the Wreckers in the final cut of the film is unknown.

* Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, [[wikipedia:David Warner (actor)|David Warner]], was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

* In an earlier draft of the movie's script, Megatron is sincere when he offers Optimus Prime a truce at the end. Optimus accepts, and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron. This ending is used for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]] and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]], according to Nelson, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/nelson-47919.html#vmessage284191</ref>

* Furthermore, it was originally supposed to be [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage/"Dino"]] rather than [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack/"Que"]] who would have been executed by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] in Chicago. This version made it into the comic adaptation and the [[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|junior novelization]].

* Another scrapped death for Mirage is seen in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]], in where he's decapicated by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. His severed head is subsequently used by Soundwave to mock the Autobots before they are about to get executed.

* [[The Twins]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], were originally supposed to return for ''Dark of the Moon'', and to die at the hands of Sentinel Prime shortly after Ironhide. Even though [[General Motors]] provided two Chevrolet Sparks to serve as their alternate modes<ref name="chevyspark">[http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-spark-transformers-3.html Left Lane News article on two Chevrolet Sparks spotted on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> which were still spotted on the set as late as October 2010<ref name="dcparking">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/10/transformers-3-dc-parking-lot-gallery.html "Transformers 3 DC Parking Lot Gallery"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, October 2010.</ref>, the two were mostly edited out of the final movie (their vehicle modes can barely be glimpsed in a few brief shots). Michael Bay even went so far as to offer a $25,000 reward for anyone who would see the Twins "perform" in the movie.<ref name="reward">[http://collider.com/transformers-3-twins-skids-mudflap-michael-bay/91104/ Collider.com article on Michael Bay's "reward" for spotting Skids and Mudflap "perform" in DOTM], May 2011.</ref> In the novelization and the comic adaptation, Skids and Mudflap still appear.

* Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

* Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref>, "Enzo" (after [[Wikipedia:Enzo Ferrari|Enzo Ferrari]])<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "Colossus" for the [[Driller]]<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref>, "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "Cyclonus".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>
[[Image:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]

* Roadbuster was originally intended to have [[Wikipedia:Jeff Gordon|Jeff Gordon]]'s #24 [[Wikipedia:DuPont|DuPont]]-sponsored Chevrolet Impala as his alternate mode, rather than [[Wikipedia:Dale_Earnhardt,_Jr.|Dale Earnhardt, Jr.]]'s #88 Impala sponsored by [[Wikipedia:AMP Energy|AMP Energy]].<ref name="nizzi"/>

* Que/Wheeljack's head was once considered to be based on [[Wikipedia:Christopher Lloyd|Christopher Lloyd]]'s [[Wikipedia:Emmett Brown|Doc Brown]] from the [[Wikipedia:Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' movies]], rather than [[Wikipedia:Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein]].<ref name="wburt"/>

* The Wreckers were originally intended to have a robot pet dog, whose working names also included "Warpath".<ref name="nizzi"/> Hasbro released a toy of the dog with the [[Human Alliance]] version of Leadfoot, named "[[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]]".

* In an interview with MTV.com, actors [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[John Malkovich]] hinted at at some smaller scenes that were cut from the final edit of the movie. In addition to some add-libbing by the actors, one scene would have featured Malkovich's character, [[Bruce Brazos]], attempting to get Carly's phone number.<ref name="deletedmtv">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666772/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-deleted-scenes.jhtml MTV.com on deleted scenes], July 2011.</ref>

* In the original teaser trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red.
{{-}}

=== Leaks and disinformation===
[[Image:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|300px|right|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] was heavily touted as the new main villain, no doubt in an attempt to conceal [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s unexpected betrayal halfway through the movie. A piece of information that commonly popped up in media coverage was the claim that Shockwave was the ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the other Autobots and Decepticons were duking it out on Earth.<ref name="pushpops">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-plot-summary-revealed-170756/ "Transformers 3 Plot Summary Revealed"], TFW2005, October 2010.</ref> The last bit could be written off as a case of [[Wikipedia:Chinese whispers|chinese whisper]]: Shockwave got announced as the villain for ''Dark of the Moon'', mainstream media (such as USA Today<ref name="usatodayswitch">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"], USA Today, June 2010.</ref>) who aren't versed in Transformers lore looked up the character, found out about his ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)|namesake]]'s role in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], included it as a piece of trivia to show they did their research, and then the trivia note got picked up as gospel by other media. Nevertheless, it was included in the ''official plot summary'' by Paramount's German branch (which also claimed that ''Shockwave'' was the robot discovered inside the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' as seen in the trailer).<ref name="germansite">[http://www.transformers3-film.de/ Official German DOTM site] including faulty plot summary.</ref>

[[Image:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|300px|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref>, the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, several weeks before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning.

==Notes==
* A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref>, causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
* When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
* Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor or a more traditional, ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
** In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule.
** Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though Optimus was shown to have his swords still in his arms during the battle for Chicago). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. (To be fair, he dropped his cannons during the final battle in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has an ordinary handheld shotgun. (Then again, his arm that turned into his Fusion cannon was ripped off by Prime in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.

* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā/Dāku Saido Mūn'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3: La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biàn-hsín Jīn-gāng Sān''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: The Time When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (America, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Official ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' website]
*[http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/ Trailers.Apple.com ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' page]
* Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi], [http://www.warrenmanser.com/WarrenManser.com/PORTFOLIO_M/Pages/TRANSFORMERS_3.html Warren Manser], [http://www.joelchang.com/index.php?/projects/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ Joel Chang], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8293 The Aaron Sims Company] (at Concept Art World), [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt] (at Concept Art World), [http://massiveblack.com/MBwebolution/blog/?p=301 Massive Black], [http://www.ghull.com/#/125195 George Hull]

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Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)

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{{Nav-dotm}}
[[Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|my friend]], I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, he was the most... human."]]
'''''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''''' is the third film in the [[live-action film series]]. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on [[June 28]], [[2011]]<ref name="open3D">[http://michaelbay.com/2011/06/18/see-dark-of-the-moon-one-day-earlier-on-imax-3d/ See Dark Of The Moon One Day Earlier on IMAX 3D | MichaelBay]</ref> and in wide release on [[June 29]], [[2011]]<ref name="open">[http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/paramount-moving-up-transformers-3/ Paramount Moving Up ‘T’formers 3′ Release – Deadline.com]</ref> in the United States, and between [[June 29]] and July 1 for other markets.

The film is set three years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. The Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

And SCENE!

{{bigquote|Aw, shit, I seen this one. It's the one where [[Spock]] goes nuts.|Wheelie|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''}}

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Dotm-Arkreflection.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Wha... this is the finest engine room in the whole Starfleet!"]]

In the distant past, during the latter days of the [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertronian]] civil war, [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]''. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the [[Earth|Earth's]] [[Moon (moon)|moon]] in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the [[Wikipedia:Space Race|Space Race]] under President [[John F. Kennedy]]. Landing on the Moon as part of the [[Apollo 11]] mission in 1969, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] use several minutes of [[radio]] silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.

In the present day, the Autobots are still part of [[NEST]], cooperating with the [[United States military|US Armed Forces]]. They have also begun to help humanity in it's local conflicts, as [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], and [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] destroy an illegal [[Iran]]ian nuclear facility. On a mission to the [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]], a NEST team led by [[William Lennox|Lt. Col. Lennox]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the [[Wikipedia:Chernobyl disaster|Chernobyl disaster]]. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and his pet, the [[Driller]], who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] kills [[Alexi Voskhod]], who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the ''Ark'', Optimus Prime is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and [[Charlotte Mearing]], the [[WIkipedia:Director of National Intelligence|Director of National Intelligence]], about the space bridge technology the ''Ark'' contains. Together with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In [[Africa]], Decepticon leader [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (still recovering from wounds [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|suffered]] in [[Egypt]]) meets with his lieutenants [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".

Meanwhile, [[Sam Witwicky]], the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President [[Barack Obama]] has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend [[Carly Spencer]], whom he had met in the [[White House]] (after his former girlfriend [[Mikaela Banes|Mikaela]] had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named [[Accuretta Systems]]. From his colleague, [[Jerry Wang]], he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.

[[Image:DOTM-Sentinelendofyourworld.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"There's a man out there I haven't seen in fifteen years who's trying to kill me."]]

Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to [[Seymour Simmons]] for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]], help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the ''Ark'' even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime reveals that he had made a deal with Megatron, knowing that the Autobots could never win the war. After killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and several NEST soldiers, Sentinel Prime claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to [[Washington, D.C.]], but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.

[[Image:DOTM-Moonspacebridge.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"We are one big, happy fleet! Ah, Kirk, my old friend, do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is ''very'' cold in space."]]

In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, [[Dylan Gould]], who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Acuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that [[NASA]] would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus Prime about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a watch on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.

Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is only trying to save Cybertron, or so he claims. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the ''Xantium'' takes off, but is promptly intercepted by Starscream, who had waited in Earth's orbit. With the ''Xantium'' destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.

With the Autobots out of the way, the Decepticons conquer [[Chicago]], kill most of its population and set up the control pillar for the space bridge inside the city, placing the other pillars around the world. Dylan informs Carly that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet.

Sam decides to go to Chicago, where Dylan has taken Carly. Former NEST soldier [[Robert Epps]], who now works for NASA, accompanies him, together with other former NEST members. Upon arrival in Chicago, they are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the ''Xantium''.

[[Image:DOTM Driller vs Prime.jpg|right|thumb|280px|"From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!"]]

The Autobots and the humans soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, the team is separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave's "pet", the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus Prime comes to their aid and destroys the Driller.

In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using [[wingsuit]]s, and with Lennox's help, Sam destroys Starscream using weapons provided to him by the Autobots' inventor Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have captured several Autobots, but Dylan convinces them not to take prisoners and kill them all. [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] executes Que, and Soundwave moves to kill Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee and the other Autobots to get free. While NEST and the Autobots fight the Decepticons and kill most of them, Optimus Prime kills Shockwave and uses his arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.

[[Image:DOTMCybertrontransit.jpg|thumb|left|280px|"Earth was created in six days. Now, watch out! Here comes Genesis! We'll do it for you in six minutes!"]]

A fight between Sentinel Prime and Optimus Prime ensues, during which Optimus loses an arm, with Sentinel gaining the upper hand. Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel Prime is alive. Infuriated, he intervenes in the battle and turns on Sentinel, declaring that Earth is his planet to rule, and severely damages him. Megatron realized how far he had fallen in power within the past few years, and had decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam, who hurls him against the pillar, killing him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Megatron offers Optimus Prime a truce as long he could remain in charge of his Decepticon forces, but Optimus ignores his plea and just as Megatron is about to shoot his shotgun Optimus splits Megatron's head with an axe. Subsequently, he uses Megatron's shotgun cannon to kill a weakened Sentinel Prime, who is trying to excuse his actions.

[[Image:DOTM Autobots NEST victorious.jpg|thumb|right|280px|"Live long... and prosper..."]]

With the battle over, Sam and Carly are reunited, and Simmons takes an opportunity to kiss Mearing, who he still has feelings for, and she has him arrested. With their home planet now forever beyond reach, and the forces of the Decepticons destroyed, the remaining Autobots finally accept Earth as their new home, as Optimus Prime states that the Autobots will always be here, to protect the Earth and all who live on it.

[['Til all are one]].

==Quotes==

'''Mission Control''': We are not alone after all, are we? 
'''Buzz Aldrin''': No, sir. We are not alone. 
:—Buzz Aldrin makes history, and raises the hackles of conspiracy theorists.

'''Dino''': "He's in a bad mood. He's not talking to anybody today." 
'''Mearing''': "What is this, the silent treatment?" 
'''Ironhide''': "No, we've seen that. This is ''not'' that." 
'''Que''': "Definitely not." 
'''Ironhide''': "This is ''worse''. Prime! Make something of yourself! (Ironhide smacks Optimus's roof) He's pissed."
:—NEST discusses Optimus Prime's foul mood.

"Who wants some chicken dinner now, bitch? Huh? 'Cause somebody messed with the wrong Wang today!" 
:—'''Jerry Wang''', being crazy. But also awesome.

"The thing about Russians is, they never like to talk. Gonna take a little of the 'international language.'" <Doorman opens sliding hatch> "''Do svidaniya''." 
"That means 'goodbye!'" <closes hatch>
:—'''Simmons''' tries to reason with a '''Russian''', to no avail.

"It's a Cyrillic alphabet; it's like all the buttons you never push on a calculator!"
:—'''Dutch''' tries to translate Russian, also to no avail.

"Class dismissed."
:—'''Ironhide''', after dispatching the Dreads.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war. For the sake of our planet's survival, a deal had to be made...with ''Megatron''."
:—'''Sentinel Prime''' reveals his treachery.

[[Image:DOTM-MegatronLincoln.jpg|right|thumb|250px|"I'll give him this: [[Atlantis, Arise!|he's]] [[Transformers The Game (console)|consistent]]!"]]
"Here we are. Fight us ''now''."
:—'''Megatron''', pulling the evil overlord cliche on us while sitting atop the [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln Memorial]]

"If you go in this building, that's if she's even still alive, there's no way you're going to reach her!" 
"What do you suggest I do?!" 
"...it's over. I'm sorry, but it's over." 
:—'''Robert Epps''' tells '''Sam Witwicky''' that they've run out of plans.

"We will kill them all."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' offers an alternative plan.

"They got my trailer. I ''need'' that flight tech!" 
:—'''Optimus Prime''', valiantly [[To sell toys|selling toys]].

"Your Decepticons are finally conquering this planet, and yet their leader won't be you." 
"IT WILL BE ME! It will ''always'' be me! 
"In any minute now, you'll be nothing but Sentinel's bitch."
:—'''Carly Spencer''' tells '''Megatron''' that if he's going to be the Starscream, he should ''act'' like it.

"Who would you be without me, Prime?" 
"Time to find out." 
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Optimus Prime''' exchange pre-fight banter one last time.

"In any war, there are calms between the storms. There will be days when we lose faith. Days when our allies turn against us... but the day will never come when we forsake this planet and its people."
:—'''Optimus Prime'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s closing narration.

==Main cast==

{{featuredcharacters|
h1=[[Autobot]]s|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Leonard Nimoy]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] ([[Jess Harnell]])
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] ([[Robert Foxworth]])
*[[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] ([[James Remar]])
*[[Mirage (Movie)|Dino/Mirage]]<ref name="credits">Mirage and Wheeljack, known by those names in the toyline and essentially all supporting media, are respectively named "Dino" and "Que" in the film. While Dino is simply credited as such, Que is listed in the credits as "Que/Wheeljack".</ref> ([[Francesco Quinn]])
*[[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que/Wheeljack]]<ref name="credits"/> ([[George Coe]])
*[[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
*[[Brains]] ([[Reno Wilson]])
*[[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]]
*[[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]]<ref>Roadbuster is listed as "Roadbuster/Amp" in the credits, a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not used in the film, but he is called "Roadbuster" in the toyline and supporting media.</ref> ([[Ron Bottitta]])
*[[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]]<ref>Leadfoot is listed in the film's end credits as "Leadfoot/Target", a reference to his car mode's sponsor. His name is not spoken in the film, but he is called "Leadfoot" in the toyline and the supporting media.</ref> ([[John DiMaggio]])
*[[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap>Skids and Mudflap only appear during the convoy scene at the beginning of the film</ref>
*[[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]<ref name=skidsandmudflap/>

|h2=[[Decepticon]]s|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Hugo Weaving]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Charlie Adler]])
*[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Igor]] ([[Greg Berg]])
*[[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]]
*[[Crowbar]] ([[Jimmie Wood]])*
*[[Hatchet]]
*[[Driller]]
*[[Hatchling|Hatchlings]]
*[[Scrapper (ROTF)|Scrapper]] type Decepticon
*[[Long Haul (ROTF)|Long Haul]] type Decepticon
*An unnamed [[Audi R8 Decepticon]]
*An unnamed [[M1 Abrams Decepticon]]
*[[Garbage truck Decepticon]]
*[[Superfund Decepticon]]
*[[Devcon (DOTM)|Devcon]]
*Unnamed [[Lensmeter Decepticon]]s
*Unnamed [[protoform]]s
*[[Watch-bot]]<ref>Repeatedly referred to as the "Watch-bot" (proper noun) in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|''Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel'']]</ref>
*Unnamed [[Pickup Decepticon]]
*Unnamed [[Police car Decepticon]]

|h3=[[Human]]s|c3=
*[[Sam Witwicky]] ([[Shia LaBeouf]])
*[[Carly Spencer]] ([[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]])
*[[William Lennox]] ([[Josh Duhamel]])
*[[Robert Epps]] ([[Tyrese Gibson]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] ([[John Turturro]])
*[[Charlotte Mearing]] ([[Frances McDormand]])
*[[Dylan Gould]] ([[Patrick Dempsey]])
*[[Bruce Brazos]] ([[John Malkovich]])
*[[Hardcore Eddie]] ([[Lester Speight]])
*[[Morshower]] ([[Glenn Morshower]])
*[[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] ([[Alan Tudyk]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Judy Witwicky]] ([[Julie White]])
*[[Jerry Wang]] ([[Ken Jeong]])
*[[Neil Armstrong]] ([[Don Jeanes]])
*[[Buzz Aldrin]] ([[Cory Tucker]]/himself)
*[[Walter Cronkite]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]] (himself)
*[[Alexi Voskhod]] ([[Ravil Isyanov]])

|h4=Other|c4=
|nonumbering=true
}}

* *During the highway battle, Jimmie Wood's Bonecrusher scream in the high way battle from the first movie can be heard coming from Crowbar.

==Errors==
===Astronomical and historical errors===
* The Moon does not rotate with respect to Earth, and Mare Tranquillitatis is near the middle of the near side. Therefore, Tranquility Base could never be described as being on the far side, and Earth is never as close to the horizon as shown in the movie.
* The Apollo 11 Command/Service Module is seen flying to the Moon without the Lunar Module. The Lunar Module is attached when the vehicle is orbiting the Moon, however.
* When the modern day site of the Apollo 11 landing is seen, the ascent module (the cabin Buzz and Neil flew back to orbit in) is still there.
* Cybertron is apparently several times the size of Earth, yet the characters talk of bringing it "into Earth's atmosphere".
* The Space Bridge starts to bring Cybertron amazingly close to Earth - less than one Earth-diameter away. Assuming Cybertron's mass is proportional to its size, Cybertron's gravitational field would [[The Ultimate Doom|tear the Earth apart]] at that distance.

===Geographic discontinuities===
* The [[Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]] is shown to be located ''inside'' of, or at least right next to the abandoned city of [[Wikipedia:Pripyat|Pripyat]], and the human characters access it through nearby buildings. In reality, the power plant is situated on the outskirts of the city. Even worse, [[Alexi Voskhod]] ''explicitly'' says that the entrance leads through a ''school''. Who builds a ''school'' right next to a ''nuclear power plant''?
* Furthermore, Prypiat's infamous Ferris wheel as shown in the movie is not only the wrong model (the real one's passenger cabins have canopies), but the real one is also located in an open field far away from any buildings.<ref name="ferris">[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pripyat_-_Ferris_wheel.jpg Photo of the Prypiat Ferris wheel] showing the closest nearby buildings.</ref> But hey, at least it's the right color!
* Also, why exactly is the Sputnik mission case inside the Chernobyl reactor building? Did the Soviets never bother to discard the packaging of their toy after starting to play with it?
* When Megatron transforms for the first time, he's in a grassy savannah. In the next shot, he's standing in the middle of a desert... and in the establishing shot of the Decepticon camp, it's back in the savannah.
* [[wikipedia:Mount Kilimanjaro|Mount Kilimanjaro]] is seen in the background of many of the scenes in Namibia; in reality, the mountain is located in Tanzania, more than three thousand kilometers away.
[[Image:DOTM-Wreckers-Prime-Cables.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Chicago's own [[knockoff]] of a prominent Chinese building.]]
* In a [[Atlantis, Arise!|fairly common cinematic contrivance]], the film depicts multiple skyscrapers in the background of many scenes set in Washington, D.C., while the real-life city has no skyscrapers.
* Also, Washington, D.C. almost entirely lacks old industrial buildings that could be converted into lofts, and likewise doesn't have the kind of densely urban streets that Sam is shown to live on.
* NEST Headquarters, supposedly in Washington, is actually Chicago's abandoned Main Post Office.
* Likewise, Dylan's auto collection museum, also set in (land-locked) Washington, is actually the Milwaukee Art Museum. [[Lake Michigan]] is even visible through the windows!
* When Optimus Prime (using his jetpack) gets himself caught in wires below an under-construction building, that building bears a striking resemblance to the [[Wikipedia: China Central Television Headquarters|China Central Television Headquarters]] in [[Beijing]], [[China]]... a far shot from [[Chicago]]. Since construction for the CCTV building was finished in 2008, long before ''Dark of the Moon'' was even ''conceived'', this appears to be an intentional instance of a "cool building" being inserted just for the sake of it.

===Continuity errors===
* Like in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Ironhide sports his [[license plate]] from the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]], "4PCI382", on his robot mode chest, but doesn't have a license plate in vehicle mode. (According to set photos, his license plate in vehicle mode is mostly black, with a NEST logo on it.)
* Speaking of inconsistencies between robot and vehicle mode: Bumblebee's updated Chevrolet Camaro alternate mode no longer has pinstripes bordering his black racing stripes, but the CG robot model still has the pinstripes.
* In the highway battle scene with the [[Dread (DOTM)|Dreads]], Bumblebee enhances his front wheels to evade Hatchet, yet in the next scene he's fully in Stealth Force mode.
* During Ironhide and Sideswipe's "Mexican standoff" with Crankcase and Crowbar, all combatants drop their firearms, but when Ironhide is speared, his guns are on his back again. They disappear in subsequent shots.
* Despite being captured by Soundwave in her evening gown, Carly is somehow able to change into more convenient clothes before arriving in Chicago, and has yet another outfit the following day. Not only that, she changes her earrings, too!
* When the Autobots are boarding the ''Xantium,'' Simmons mentions that nine Autobots are leaving. Former Decepticons Wheelie and Brains apparently don't count. Poor little guys!
* The Wreckers claim they had been hiding inside a rocket booster that was jettisoned from the ''Xantium'' before Starscream destroyed it. The boosters are only seen to be detached after Starscream destroys the ship, after it has barely taken off from the ground.
* Though it's a standard action movie contrivance, it sure is convenient that the glass windows inside skyscrapers are extremely fragile when needed, and glass shards are as dangerous as bread crumbs so nobody suffers a single cut from sliding across them.
* Shortly after everyone jumps through the window and starts sliding down, a downwards shot of the building shows all of the windows behind them are intact.
* As everyone tumbles through a lower floor of the building, [[Stone]] is shown to fall right through and out the other side with a collection of office furniture, but not long after is back with Epps's squad.
* Despite the Decepticons taking over Chicago and killing a whole bunch of people, there seem to be a lot of people continuing to go about their daily lives. The skyscraper Epps's team goes into to launch a rocket from still seems to have plenty of office workers in it when the Driller attacks it. When Sam's being thrown around on the end of the grapple glove rope while fighting Starscream, he crashes through a wall into a dry-cleaning business where a woman appears to be calmly hanging up a shirt. Did they all just not get the memo?
* Though in an earlier sequence, Epps, Sam and company slide down the damaged building to a floor near the break, after the building falls over, the team is seen moving from one of the building's topmost floors to the neighboring building.
* Throughout the sequence of Barricade kicking and shoving Que along before executing him, he is speaking with Soundwave's voice.
*While fighting the Autobots at the end of the film, Sentinel Prime's cape disappears for a brief scene before reappearing on his back when the camera angle changes.
* Ironhide was literally behind Sentinel who confessed having aligned with Megatron, just not facing him. Had Ironhide heard what Sentinel was saying, he would have angrily confronted Sentinel and therefore did not realize that Sentinel viewed him as an enemy before getting shot by his Cosmic Rust Gun.
*Soundwave has his Mercedes alternate mode while he is in Africa, but his chest has only a blank grille. The Mercedes logo is only added to his chest from the scene where he reveals himself to be Carly's car onward.
*When Sam and Carly are reunited after the final battle, Carly's hands keep changing the position on every cut, sometimes on Sam's neck, sometimes on his shoulders.
*Optimus claimed at the end of the first film he had no choice but to kill Megatron. At the end of the third film, Megatron offered truce but Optimus still thinks killing him off is the only choice.
*Not intentional: Skids and Mudflap appear for a brief few seconds in the film. This leaves questions as to what happened to them. They weren't seen departing from Earth or taking part in the Chicago battle.
*Dino used his electro-disrupter to overthrow Hatchet and kill him. When Hatchet falls on the car and is destroyed, Dino's weapon is still connected to him, so Dino was in robot mode, but in the next cut Dino appears at background in vehicle mode.
*It's said that four Autobots were captured by the Decepticons in Chicago, but actually five Autobots were captured.
*When Que is about to be executed, the "cardboard head on a stick" prop used for [[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] during the shooting of the movie (a common method used for the movies to give the actors ''something'' to react to) can be spotted in the final edit of the film<ref name="headprop">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/494618-movies-errors-mirage-prop-final-movie-edit.html "Movies Errors - Mirage prop in final movie edit"] at TFW2005</ref>, possibly a leftover from an earlier draft of the script where Soundwave mocked Bumblebee with Dino's disembodied head.
*Oddly, during the Decepticon siege of Chicago, and after all of the unmanned drones were shot down trying to get inside the city, no one within the government considered the use of submarines as a means of sneaking in.

==Transformers references==
In addition to recurring elements from the previous films, ''Dark of the Moon'' bases a number of elements on previous versions of the ''Transformers'' mythos, including plot elements based on older stories, something fairly rare in the other two movies:
* New characters [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] are heavily based upon their Generation 1 counterparts. [[Que]] is derived from G1 character [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]]. [[Sentinel Prime]] is the name of Optimus's predecessor in many continuities, and in this instance, he continues his [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)| predecessor]]'s legacy of being a giant jerk.

* "Carly" was the name of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]]'s [[Carly|girlfriend and eventual wife]] in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original cartoon]].

* The ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' gets its name from the Autobots' crashed spaceship in the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comics]].

* The ''[[Xantium (G1)|Xantium]]'' is the name of the [[Wrecker]]s' spaceship in the [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''Transformers'' comics.

* Optimus's new trailer is based on the trailer that [[Optimus Prime (G1)|his Generation 1 counterpart]] hauled around, including its ability to open up into a weapons base.

* Optimus now carries the Matrix around in his chest as he has in past incarnations.

* The corrosive end met by Ironhide comes at the hands of [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]], the oxidizing pathogen that first appeared in the Generation 1 cartoon episode [[Cosmic Rust (episode)|of the same name]]. Though not named in the film, its identity is made clear by production artwork by [[Josh Nizzi]] which labels Sentinel Prime's gun a "Cosmic Rust gun".

* Megatron removing [[Abraham Lincoln]] from his chair at the [[wikipedia:Lincoln Memorial|Lincoln Memorial]] and then sitting in it is a scene taken directly from the Generation 1 cartoon episode, "[[Atlantis, Arise!]]", and the Decepticon ending for ''[[Transformers The Game]]'' (sort of).

* The idea of bringing Cybertron to Earth via space bridge and enslaving humans was the plot of the Generation 1 multi-part episode "[[The Ultimate Doom]]."

* Likewise, the idea of an influential and powerful human joining forces with the Decepticons, resulting in the Autobots being exiled from Earth by the government via a spacecraft, only for that spacecraft to be destroyed, was the plot behind another Generation 1 cartoon multi-part episode, "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]."

* When the worker at Accureta Systems is trying to make the [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|photocopier]] work, it beeps the "more than meets the eye" refrain from the original cartoon's [[theme song]].

* The [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] can be heard at the end of the film when Bumblebee transforms to robot mode, the final onscreen transformation, just as it was heard during [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout's]] transformation, which was also the first onscreen transformation in the first film.

==Real-world references==
* When Brains and Wheelie are watching ''[[Wikipedia: Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', the screen features [[Spock|Mr. Spock]], portrayed by Leonard Nimoy—who voices Sentinel Prime. Wheelie comments that it is "the one where Spock goes nuts," which foreshadows Sentinel's heel turn. The episode itself is likely the famous ''TOS'' episode ''[[Wikipedia: Amok Time|Amok Time]]''.

* Sentinel Prime says "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." The voice actor said the same line in the 1982 film ''[[Wikipedia:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'' as Mr. Spock. However, in that movie, Nimoy's character dies a hero.

* To finish the Spock trifecta, when Bumblebee says his goodbyes to Sam, he uses a clip of Leonard Nimoy, as Spock, saying "I will always be your friend," another line from ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.

* [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]] and his fake girlfriend's name, "India", are a reference to [[Wikipedia:Dutch India|Dutch India]].

* [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]'s name is a reference to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]'' novels and films. Que also gives weapons to NEST soldiers while explaining the advantages and abilities for the weapons much like Q does for James Bond.

* When Bumblebee brings forth "rings" for Sam and Carly, he "hums" the [[Wikipedia: Wedding March|Wedding March]] (or, more correctly, the [[Wikipedia: Bridal Chorus|Bridal Chorus]] from [[Wikipedia: Richard Wagner|Richard Wagner's]] 1850 opera ''[[Wikipedia: Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'').

==Other editions==

==Prequel material==
*''[[Transformers: Sector 7]]''
*''[[Transformers: Foundation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]''
*''[[Transformers: Convergence]]''
*''[[Transformers: Jazz]]''
*''[[Transformers: Space Case]]''
*''[[Transformers: Ratchet]]''
*''[[Transformers: Arcee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Bumblebee]]''
*''[[Transformers: Starscream]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Stealth Force Edition]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons]]''
*''[[Transformers (Titan Magazine)#Dark of the Moon|Transformers (Titan Magazine)]]''
*''[[Transformers Classified: Switching Gears]]''

==Adaptations==
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''
*''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)]]''
*''[[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel]]''

==Soundtrack==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Album}}

==Score==
{{main|Dark of the Moon: The Score}}

==Home video releases==
''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Download on September 30, 2011, followed by the 2-Disc Special Edition in December.<ref>[TFW2005 - Official Transformers Movie Website Updated With Transformers 3 Home Release Info http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/official-transformers-movie-website-updated-with-transformers-3-home-release-info-173245/]</ref>

==Theatrical posters==
<center>
<gallery perrow="3">
Image:DOTM-OPbillboardposter.jpg
Image:DOTM-Bumblebeebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-Shockwavebanner.jpg
Image:DOTM-OPportraitposter.jpg
</gallery>
</center>

==Reception==
On June 23, 2011, the world premiere of ''Dark of the Moon'' was held in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]], with band [[Linkin Park]] performing a concert that included their title song for the movie, "Iridescent".

The official release date was moved up from July 1 to June 29 to allow breathing room between its release and ''[[Wikipedia:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2|Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2]]''. On June 28, 2011, the film was released in 3D and IMAX at 9pm in the US. Some theaters cheated a little and showed it at 8:45.

''Dark of the Moon'' launched with nearly 10,000 copies in 4011 theaters nationwide. On its opening day, the movie earned $37.3 million, making not only for the best opening day of 2011 up to that point, but also ranking as the sixth most successful opening on a Wednesday ever, while at the same time ranking well behind ''Revenge of the Fallen'', with $60 million on its opening day (also a Wednesday).<ref name="openingday">[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3197&p=.htm "'Transformers' Suboptimal on Wednesday"], Box Office Mojo, June 2011.</ref> (Of course, a lot of the print material still listed the release date as [[July 1]]st, the following Friday.)

On [[August 2]], it crossed the $1 billion mark in worldwide gross, just under 5 weeks after its release, landing it in the #9 spot for worldwide gross of all time.<ref>http://www.deadline.com/2011/08/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-crosses-1-billion-worldwide-mark-for-paramount/ Deadline Hollywood</ref> Of that, $338 million came from the US. It is currently the only Paramount picture to have made the $1 billion mark. (While ''Titanic'' also made over $1 billion worldwide, it was only a Paramount movie ''domestically'', where it made "only" $620 million.)

''Dark of the Moon'' ended its theatrical run in the #4 spot for highest worldwide gross of all time.

''Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for three Academy Awards, in the categories of Best Visual Effects, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing, losing all to ''[[wikipedia: Hugo (film)|Hugo]]''.<ref>[http://oscar.go.com/nominees#t Official 2012 Oscar nominees page]</ref>

On February 25, 2012, it was announced that ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' was nominated for eight [[Wikipedia:Golden Raspberry Award|Golden Raspberry Award]]s. Unlike ''Revenge of the Fallen'', however, it did not receive the awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, & Worst Director, losing all of its nominations to ''[[wikipedia: Jack & Jill (film)|Jack & Jill]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-is-safe-from-razzies-174726/]</ref>

==Production staff==
{{stub}}

===Visual effects===
{{stub}}

===Locations department===
{{quote|[The Decepticons'] decision to attack Chicago seems inexplicable, until you take into consideration the generous tax credits offered by the Illinois Film Office.|film critic Roger Ebert|[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/07/on_the_origin_of_transformers.html On the Origin of Transformers]}}

==Development details==
===Cast and crew signing on===
[[Image:TF3-licensingPrime.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Featuring a surprise appearance by Optimus Prime!]]
On May 30, 2007, a month before the official release of ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'', [[DreamWorks]] announced that two sequels were already being planned.<ref name="spy">[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a58430/two-transformers-sequels-in-pipeline.html Digital Spy article from May 2007, confirming that two sequels were being planned]</ref> On March 16, 2009, over three months before the premiere of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] announced the third movie for July 1, 2011.<ref name="3release">Pamela McClintock: [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001280?refCatId=13 Variety article from March 2009], confirming Transformers 3 for July 2011.</ref> Director [[Michael Bay]] promptly backpedaled, as he had intended for the third ''Transformers'' movie to be released in 2012.<ref name="baywait">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?3947-Wait-a-minute! Michael Bay's reaction to Paramount's July 2011 date for ''Transformers 3''], March 2009.</ref> He officially changed his mind in October 2009, agreeing to the release date set by Paramount.<ref name="bay3-2011">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/10/01/transformers-3-july-1st-2011/ Michael Bay officially confirms the 2011 release date], October 2009.</ref>

[[Roberto Orci]] and [[Alex Kurtzman]], two of the previous two movies' screenwriters, had already announced in March 2009 that they would not return for a third part.<ref name="noorcikurtz">[http://www.slashfilm.com/orci-and-kurtzman-not-returning-for-transformers-3-will-leonard-nimoy-voice-the-fallen/ Slashfilm quoting Roberto Orci that he and Kurtzman would not return for a third movie], March 2009. (Original post on Don Murphy's message board appears to no longer exist.)</ref> In September 2009, their ''Revenge'' co-writer [[Ehren Kruger]] was confirmed as the screenwriter of ''Transformers 3''.<ref name="krugernelson">[http://michaelbay.com/2009/09/14/transformers-3-pain-gain-bad-boys-3/ Michael Bay's website admin Nelson Lauren sorta-confirms Ehren Kruger as TF3's screenwriter], September 2009.</ref> Kruger had already impressed both director Michael Bay and [[Hasbro]] CEO [[Brian Goldner]] with his knowledge of ''Transformers'' mythology prior to working on ''Revenge''.<ref name="writersr">[http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-transformers2writers,0,1938976.story Zap2it story about the ROTF writers]</ref>

In an interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine in September 2009, [[Megan Fox]], the main female star of the previous two movies, discussed the harsh conditions on the sets and compared director Michael Bay to [[Wikipedia:Adolf Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].<ref name="latimesfox">[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/09/megan-fox-on-michael-bay-he-wants-to-be-hitler.html Los Angeles Times article about Megan Fox's fatal interview with ''Wonderland'' magazine], September 2009.</ref> Bay initially played down the affair and still welcomed Fox back for the third installment a month later.<ref name="bay3-2011"/> Even though Fox was still spotted on the ''Transformers 3'' set in May 2010<ref name="foxonset">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/100786-megan-fox-on-set-for-transformers-3-previz Megan Fox on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref>, Paramount announced a few weeks later that she wouldn't return for a third movie after all.<ref name="nomorefox">[http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/michael-bays-revenge-no-more-megan/ Deadline article confirming that Megan Fox had been dropped off ''Transformers 3''], May 2010.</ref> Still that same month, [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] was confirmed to replace her as the lead female actress.<ref name="rosierepl">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640047/model-rosie-huntingtonwhiteley-cast-transformers-3.jhtml MTV.com article confirming Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female star of ''Transformers ''], May 2010.</ref> Her character's name was confirmed as "[[Carly Spencer|Carly]]" by Nelson Lauren, the webmaster of Michael Bay's official website, in July 2010.<ref name="nelsonchicagojul">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?7566-Transformers-3-Chicago-Set-Photos Nelson posts about his visit to the Chicago set at shootfortheedit.com's forums], July 2010.</ref> In 2011, Michael Bay finally confirmed in an interview with ''GQ'' magazine that it had been [[Steven Spielberg]], executive producer of the ''Transformers'' movies, who had urged him to fire Fox following the Hitler comparison.<ref name="baygq">[http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201107/michael-bay-steven-spielberg-fired-megan-fox-transformers GQ interview with Michael Bay], June 2011.</ref> In a later interview, however, he claimed this statement had been taken out of context.<ref name="baych">[http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/kino/Diese-Autos-muessen-zerstoert-werden--und-da-bin-ich-der-richtige-Mann/story/23997460 Interview with Michael Bay from Switzerland] (German language), July 2011.</ref>

In March 2010, Oscar winners [[John Malkovich]] and [[Frances McDormand]] as well as Comedian [[Ken Jeong]] were confirmed having signed on for supporting roles.<ref name="malkomcdor">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/03/22/transformers-3-update-from-michael-bay/ Michael Bay confirming John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Ken Jeong for ''Transformers 3''], March 2010.</ref>

In April 2010, [[Kevin Dunn]] and [[Julie White]] were confirmed as returning as Sam Witwicky's parents.<ref name="varietydunnwhite">[http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017329.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1 'Dunn, White sign on for 'Transformers 3''], Variety, April 2010.</ref>

In May 2010, Paramount confirmed that [[Patrick Dempsey]] has been cast in ''Transformers 3'' to play Mikaela Banes' boss (this was before Megan Fox was fired from the production).<ref name="dempsey">[http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/04/patrick-dempsey-confirmed-for-transformers-3/ "Patrick Dempsey confirmed for Transformers 3"], Hollywood Insider, May 2010.</ref>

In July 2010, Nelson Lauren confirmed that former American footballer [[Lester Speight]] would play a soldier in the movie.<ref name="nelsonchicagophotos">[http://michaelbay.com/2010/07/20/transformers-3-chicago-set-photos/ Photos of the Chicago set by michaelbay.com webmaster Nelson Lauren], July 2010.</ref>

[[Leonard Nimoy]] was confirmed as the voice actor for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] in March 2011.<ref name="nimoysent">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon Entertainment Weekly announces Leonard Nimoy's involvement], March 2011]</ref> Nimoy, who had previously voiced [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] in 1986's ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' and is married to Michael Bay's cousin Susan, had previously been under consideration for [[The Fallen]]'s voice in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but Bay had been hesitant for fear of offending his relative with the relatively low pay allotted to voice actors.<ref name="nimoy1">[http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/04/21/michael-bay-afraid-to-offend-leonard-nimoy-with-transformers-family-reunion-offer/ ''Michael Bay Afraid To Offend Leonard Nimoy With ‘Transformers’ Family Reunion Offer''], MTV.com Movies blog, April 2009.</ref> Even though Nimoy openly asked Bay to simply give him a call<ref name="nimoy2">[http://www.latinoreview.com/news/leonard-nimoy-to-michael-bay-call-me-6682 Leonard Nimoy To Michael Bay: "Call Me!"], Latino Review, April 2009.</ref>, it ultimately never worked out, and The Fallen was voiced by [[Tony Todd]] instead. For ''Dark of the Moon'', Bay finally overcame his anxiety and hired Nimoy, who accepted the offer.<ref name="nimoy3">[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/31/leonard-nimoy-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ "Leonard Nimoy joins 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' voice cast -- EXCLUSIVE"], Entertainment Weekly, March 2011.</ref> In return, screenwriter Ehren Kruger included several nods to Nimoy's well-known character as Mr. Spock from ''Star Trek'' in the movie.<ref name="nimoystartrek">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666643/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-star-trek-references.jhtml "'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon': Behind The 'Star Trek' Nods"], MTV.com, July 2011.</ref>

===Writing and production===
After having defended the almost universally critically panned ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for a long time, Michael Bay finally acknowledged flaws of the script, but blamed the [[Wikipedia:2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike]] prior to the movie for many problems. As a definite error, he singled out the "dork comedy", which he promised to avoid with ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="bayvisit">[http://collider.com/michael-bay-interview-transformers-dark-moon-edit-bay-visit/63824/ Collider.com article about DOTM], December 2010.</ref>

Principal shooting began in May 2010. Shooting locations included [[Chicago]] (and nearby East Chicago and Gary Indiana), Moscow,<ref name="locations">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63682 "Transformers 3 Headed to Chicago and Moscow"], Comingsoon.net, February 2010.</ref> the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida<ref name="kennedyspace">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/101114-the-transformers-3-shoot-at-kennedy-space-center "The Transformers 3 Shoot at Kennedy Space Center"], SuperHeroHype.com, May 2010.</ref>, Milwaukee (Wisconsin)<ref name="milwaukee">[http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/98266574.html "'Transformers 3' takes over Milwaukee Art Museum"], Journal Sentinel Online, July 2010.</ref>, Detroit<ref name="detroit">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/107775-photos-from-the-detroit-transformers-3-set "Photos From the Detroit Transformers 3 Set"], SuperHeroHype.com, September 2010.</ref>, [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="militaryextras">[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=473674758199&id=114648515718 US Department of Defense casting call for ''Dark of the Moon''], October 2010.</ref> and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.<ref name="angkor">[http://www.akp.gov.kh/?p=1184 "'Transformers 3' To Be Shot in Cambodia"], Agence Kampuchea Presse, January 2011.</ref>

For the scene where Lennox and his soldier jump out of a V-22 Osprey using wingsuits, Michael Bay used real parachutists and thus avoided unnecessary CG effects. In fact, he had been inspired for this scene in the first place by watching the parachutists in their wingsuits on television<ref name="wingsuits">[http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1498-transformers-wingsuits-no-cgi-required Yahoo! Movies article on the wingsuit parachutists], June 2011.</ref> and wrote the scene with the intention of using the parachutists in the movie.<ref name="bayvisit"/>

For the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in the flashback sequence at the beginning of the movie, astronauts [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] are played by actors Don Jeanes and Cory Tucker, respectively. In the present day timeline, Aldrin himself appears briefly as his own older self.<ref name="aldrin">[http://movies.yahoo.com/news/yahoo-contributor-network/astronaut-buzz-aldrin-hangs-out-with-optimus-prime-transformers-dark-moon Yahoo! Movies article on Buzz Aldrin's appearance in DOTM], July 2011.</ref>

Over 500 cars were destroyed in the making of ''Dark of the Moon'', all of them damaged property from insurance companies intended for destruction.<ref name="baych"/>

Two accidents happened during shooting: In September 2010, while shooting in East Chicago, Indiana, a female extra was severely injured when a stunt scene went wrong, leaving her with permanent brain damage, the left side of her body paralyzed and her left eye stitched shut. Paramount was subsequently sued for damages by the victim's family.<ref name="extrastunt">[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-transformers-lawsuit-20101005_1_gabriela-cedillo-stunt-welding Chicago tibune article on the injured extra and the subsequent lawsuit], October 2010.</ref> She was eventually granted an $18.5 million settlement in May of 2012.<ref name="settlement">[http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/23/transfomers-3-injured-extra-gets-18-million-settlement/ TMZ story about Gabriela Cedillo's settlement]</ref> As a consequence, part of the scene of the car chase battle in Washington, D.C. (which would have included the shoot that had led to the accident) was instead "[[Stock footage|borrowed]]" from Michael Bay's 2005 film ''[[Wikipedia:The Island (2005 film)|The Island]]''.<ref name="island1">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/04/transformers-3-re-uses-car-crash-from-the-island "Transformers 3 Re-Uses Car Crash From The Island"], IGN Movies, July 2011.</ref> While shooting in Washington, D.C., in October 2010, one of the Chevrolet Camaro prop cars that served as Bumblebee's [[alternate mode]] crashed into a [[Wikipedia: Metropolitan Police|Metropolitan Police]] SUV. Nobody was seriously injured this time.<ref name="camarocrash">[http://jalopnik.com/5661321/bumblebee-smashes-cop-car-in-yet-another-transformers-3-accident Jalopnik article on the Camaro crash], October 2010.</ref> Hasbro would later "commemorate" this event with the [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] [[Cyberverse]] "Cybertronian Warriors" multi-pack.

''Dark of the Moon'' is the first of the ''Transformers'' movies to be released in 3D. Despite early considerations to shoot the movie in 2D and convert it into 3D later, Michael Bay ultimately shot 60% of the film in native 3D, another 15% were done digitally, and the rest was shot in 2D and converted later. [[James Cameron]] assisted Michael Bay with the 3D effects. The movie's budget amounted to $195 million, which is about the same budget ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had. About $30 million went into the 3D effects.<ref name="cameron">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-bay-reveals-james-camerons-191774 "Michael Bay Reveals James Cameron's Secret Role in the Making of 'Transformers'"], The Hollywood Reporter, May 2011.</ref>

=== Sponsors and partners ===
==== Hasbro ====
Hasbro, licensor of the [[Transformers brand]], hoped that the third movie would once again boost toy sales, after profits had dropped in the first quarter of 2011.<ref name="hasbroq12011">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-1Q-profit-drops-71-pct-apf-664090076.html?x=0&.v=11 Yahoo! Finance article about weak Hasbro toy sales in 2011's first quarter], April 2011.</ref> For the second quarter of 2011, Hasbro reported a net revenue growth of 23 percent to $908.5 million, citing brands such as ''Transformers'' and ''Beyblade'' as the main sources of the increased income.<ref name="hasbro2nsq">[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-Reports-Revenue-and-bw-4063497156.html?x=0&.v=1 "Hasbro Reports Revenue and Earnings Growth for the Second Quarter 2011"], Yahoo! Finance, July 2011.</ref>

==== US military and NASA ====
Like the previous two movies, ''Dark of the Moon'' featured real military personnel as extras, supported by the US Department of Defense.<ref name="militaryextras"/> Shooting locations were Hurlburt Field and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name="hurlburt">[http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations-entertainment/105725-transformers-filmed-at-hurlburt.html "'Transformers 3 Filmed at Hurlburt, 1SOW Included as 'Extras'"], ShadowSpear Special Operations, July 2011.</ref>

In addition, ''Dark of the Moon'' was also supported by NASA, and NASA employees appear as extras in the movie as well.<ref name="nasa">[http://www.space.com/12142-transformers-film-nasa-space-program-touches.html "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Has Real-Life NASA Touches"], Space.com, July 2011.</ref>

==== General Motors and other car manufacturers ====
[[General Motors]] once again provided several vehicles. All recurring Autobots retain their [[alternate mode]]s from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' despite some minor tweaks, such as Sideswipe now being a convertible, and Bumblebee now sporting a rear spoiler. Once again, the cooperation was mutual, with General Motors using Bumblebee for TV commercials. The first of those, aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, also revealed some minor tweaks to Bumblebee's robot mode.<ref name="bumblebeead1">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/02/-bumblebee-appears-in-a-chevrolet-camaro-super-bowl-ad/1 "'Bumblebee' appears in Chevrolet's Super Bowl ad"], USA Today, February 2011.</ref><ref name="bumblebeead2">[http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/06/chevy-drops-new-ad-touting-transformers-3-tie-in/ "Video: Chevy drops new ad touting Transformers 3 tie-in"], Autoblog.com, June 2011.</ref> According to Chevrolet, the ''Transformers'' movies notably affect car sales, as about ten percent of all Camaros sold in the preceding year were yellow, twice as many as with other models.<ref name="carstarscast">[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/transformers-dark-moon-how-sequels-204557 "'Transformers: Dark of the Moon': How the Sequel's Star Cars Were Cast"], The Hollywood Reporter, June 2011.</ref>

New additions for ''Dark of the Moon'' are a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Mercedes-Benz E550 as Autobots ([[Mirage (Movie)|Dino]] and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]], respectively) and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as a Decepticon ([[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]). In the movie, both Autobots sport names which aren't recycled from existing Hasbro toys. In the Ferrari's case, the reason for this is that Hasbro's greatest competitor, Mattel, has an exclusive license for Ferrari toys.<ref name="ferrarimattel">[http://www.ferrari.com/English/Pages/Mattel.aspx Mattel license information], Ferrari.com.</ref><ref name="nelsonnomirage">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/409844-mirage-no-longer-name-red-italia-dotm-3.html#post6103423 Michael Bay's website admin, Nelson Lauren, explaining why the Ferrari isn't named "Mirage"], TFW2005, May 2011.</ref> "Dino" is named in reference to [[Wikipedia: Alfredo Ferrari|Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari]], as per Ferrari's request. The Mercedes-Benz E550, meanwhile, was specifically customized for the movie.<ref name="e550tuning">[http://www.eurotuner.com/news/eurp_1102_mercedes_benz_e550_for_next_transformers_movie/index.html "Mercedes-Benz E550 for Next Transformers Movie - Web Exclusive"], Eurotuner.com, February 2011.</ref> "Que" is named in homage to [[Wikipedia:Q (James Bond)|Q]] from [[Wikipedia:James Bond|James Bond]]. A Maybach 62S Landaulet is also featured in the movie, albeit not as a Transformer, but merely as a regular car used by [[Seymour Simmons]] and his assistant [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]].

Unlike Optimus Prime, whose alternate mode was not licensed for any of the three movies, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 airport fire truck used for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] was officially provided by the Rosenbauer International AG and entirely repainted specifically for the film, at a cost of thousands of dollars, as real-world aircraft fire-fighting vehicles are required by FAA regulations to have a much lighter color scheme, which didn't appeal to director [[Michael Bay]].<ref name="rosenbauer">[http://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/press/2011/06/rosenbauer-panther-6x6-to-be-f/ Rosenbauer America press release, June 28, 2011]</ref>

Since the heavily armed Chevrolet Impalas that serve as the [[Wrecker|Wreckers']] alternate modes are directly based on existing NASCAR race cars, the prop versions of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]] made an appearance at [[2011]] Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on [[February 20]], four month before the movie's release, appearing both off the track as display cars, and on the track, participating in the ceremonial first lap.<ref name="daytona">[http://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/photos/2011/02/18/TRANSFORMERS-cars-on-display-at-Daytona "'TRANSFORMERS' cars on display at Daytona"], Hendrick Motorsports, February 2011.</ref> Director Michael Bay, actor [[Josh Duhamel]] and actress [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] also attended the event, and during the television broadcast of the race, a new ''Dark of the Moon'' television spot was aired.

==== Other product placement ====
As always, various companies have their products and names prominently displayed throughout the movie, such as [[Wikipedia:Northrop Grumman|Northrop Grumman]], [[CNN]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], [[Wikipedia:Cisco|Cisco]] and [[Wikipedia:Superfund|Superfund]].<ref name="brands1">[http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp?movie_year_az=2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"] at brandchannel.com.</ref> Paper manufacturer Double A also cooperated with Paramount and even had Michael Bay direct a commercial that features scenes from ''Dark of the Moon'', notably [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]].<ref name="paper">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/167497-transformers-featured-in-double-a-paper-ad "Transformers Featured in Double A Paper Ad"] at SuperHeroHype, June 2011.</ref> Of particular note is the large number of Chinese brands such as [[Wikipedia:Lenovo|Lenovo]], [[Wikipedia:Yili Group|Yili]] Shuhua Milk, [[Wikipedia:Metersbonwe Group|Metersbonwe]] Mtee shirts and [[Wikipedia:TCL Corporation|TCL]] HDTV screens.<ref name="chinesebrands">[http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/transformers-the-rise-of-chinese-product-placement.html "Transformers: The Rise Of Chinese Product Placement"] at Chinasmack.</ref><ref name="brands2">[http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/07/05/Brandcameo-070411-Transformers-3.aspx "Transformers 3 Product Placement: If Tom Hanks Gets a Pass, Michael Bay Does Not"] at brandchannel, July 2011.</ref>

For [[Wikipedia:Nokia|Nokia]], the product placement turned out to be dated by the time the movie came out, as a mobile phone featured in the movie ran on [[Wikipedia:Symbian|Symbian]], despite Nokia mostly dropping Symbian as an operating system due to their recent partnership with [[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]].<ref name="nokiaobit">[http://www.thenoisecast.com/2011/07/nokia-x7-product-placement-in-transformers-3-feels-like-an-obituary/ "Nokia X7 Product Placement In Transformers 3 Feels Like An Obituary"], Noisecast, July 2011.</ref>

=== Changes before, during and after production ===
* In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in June 2009, Michael Bay suggested that [[Ramon Rodriguez]] would reprise his role as [[Leo Spitz]] from ''Revenge of the Fallen'' for the third movie.<ref name="bayramon">[http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2009/06/30/ramon-rodriguez-will-have-bigger-role-in-third-transformers-movie-bay-hints/ "Ramon Rodriguez will have bigger role in third ‘Transformers’ movie, Bay hints"], Los Angeles Times, June 2009.</ref>

* As stated above, [[Megan Fox]] was originally intended to reprise her role as [[Mikaela Banes]] from the previous two movies. She was still spotted on the ''Dark of the Moon'' set during the previsualization stage in May 2010<ref name="foxonset"/>, but was fired from the production shortly afterwards due to a falling out with director [[Michael Bay]]. [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]]'s character of [[Carly Spencer]] was written in as a replacement, though the fact that her part was originally written for Mikaela still shows in some parts: For example, Carly is overseeing [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]]'s car collection, which could be viewed as an extension of Mikaela's history with working with cars. Furthermore, Sam and Carly not only have [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] (who had been previously "domesticated" by Mikaela) as a "pet", but also her dog [[Bonecrusher (dog)|Bonecrusher]] (played by Michael Bay's eponymous real-life dog).

*In January 2010, actor James Avery claimed in an interview that he would be playing a new Autobot named "Silverbolt".<ref name="avery">[http://unscripted.ca/episodes/show/136 James Avery interview on Unscripted], January 2010</ref> In June 2010, representatives of James Avery, responding to a bizarre rumor that he had passed away, confirmed that the actor was indeed alive and would be playing Silverbolt in ''Transformers 3''.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/entertainment-in-national/uncle-phil-james-avery-isn-t-dead-after-all James Avery isn't dead after all], The Examiner, June 2010.</ref> Despite this, neither Avery nor Silverbolt ultimately appear in ''Dark of the Moon''.

* In January of 2011, an Idaho newspaper<ref>[http://magicvalley.com/news/local/article_d4f374a4-d960-5589-8d0c-be37df66fc40.html?mode=story "Rupert's Fagerbakke finds a voice that is truly golden"]</ref> announced voice actor [[Bill Fagerbakke]] as the voice of a "Chevy Impala stock car" that would appear in ''Dark of the Moon'' (presumably meaning one of the three [[Wrecker]]s, who share that base altmode). Why Fagerbakke did not end up voicing any of the Wreckers in the final cut of the film is unknown.

* Shockwave's original voice actor, [[Corey Burton]], expressed that he had no interest in voicing him for ''Dark of the Moon'', explaining "[I] have practically no interest in that kind of mega-budget movie enterprise involvement" and that the inspiration for his Shockwave voice, [[wikipedia:David Warner (actor)|David Warner]], was rumored to have been considered.<ref>[http://www.coreyburton.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2707&highlight=#2707 Corey Burton's message board post.]</ref> In the end, Shockwave's almost-entirely-wordless-snarl-based role would have been something of a waste of Warner; the role ultimately went to Frank Welker. There's a nice touch of symmetry in the casting, with Welker taking over a Burton-originated role not long after Burton took on a Welker-originated character in [[Megatron (Animated)|''Animated'' Megatron]].

* In an earlier draft of the movie's script, Megatron is sincere when he offers Optimus Prime a truce at the end. Optimus accepts, and Megatron and the remaining Decepticons leave Earth to rebuild Cybertron. This ending is used for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]] and the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|comic adaptation]], according to Nelson, the ending was changed because the studio didn't want the adaptations to share the same ending with the film.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/nelson-47919.html#vmessage284191</ref>

* Furthermore, it was originally supposed to be [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage/"Dino"]] rather than [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack/"Que"]] who would have been executed by [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] in Chicago. This version made it into the comic adaptation and the [[Dark of the Moon: The Junior Novel|junior novelization]].

* Another scrapped death for Mirage is seen in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (novel)|novelization]], in where he's decapicated by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. His severed head is subsequently used by Soundwave to mock the Autobots before they are about to get executed.

* [[The Twins]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], were originally supposed to return for ''Dark of the Moon'', and to die at the hands of Sentinel Prime shortly after Ironhide. Even though [[General Motors]] provided two Chevrolet Sparks to serve as their alternate modes<ref name="chevyspark">[http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-spark-transformers-3.html Left Lane News article on two Chevrolet Sparks spotted on the DOTM set], May 2010.</ref> which were still spotted on the set as late as October 2010<ref name="dcparking">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/10/transformers-3-dc-parking-lot-gallery.html "Transformers 3 DC Parking Lot Gallery"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, October 2010.</ref>, the two were mostly edited out of the final movie (their vehicle modes can barely be glimpsed in a few brief shots). Michael Bay even went so far as to offer a $25,000 reward for anyone who would see the Twins "perform" in the movie.<ref name="reward">[http://collider.com/transformers-3-twins-skids-mudflap-michael-bay/91104/ Collider.com article on Michael Bay's "reward" for spotting Skids and Mudflap "perform" in DOTM], May 2011.</ref> In the novelization and the comic adaptation, Skids and Mudflap still appear.

* Another plot point that was apparently dropped was an anti-Autobot sentiment among the human populace. Graffiti with a crossed out Autobot [[insignia|logo]] with the words "go home" below it showed up in several set photos.<ref name="gohome1">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2010/05/transformers-3-filming-with-twins.html Photos from the set in Sherman Oaks, California] at the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, May 2010.</ref><ref name="gohome2">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/possible-tf3-plot-point-revealed-autobots-go-home/19188/ Photos from the Chicago set] at Seibertron.com, July 2010.</ref> In the movie, Congress instantly passes a law exiling the Autobots from Earth following Sentinel Prime's ultimatum.

* Early working names included "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]" for [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]<ref name="chicagocall">[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2011/06/chicgo-call-sheet-for-ultra-magnus.html "Chicago Call Sheet For Ultra Magnus"], Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, June 2011.</ref>, "Enzo" (after [[Wikipedia:Enzo Ferrari|Enzo Ferrari]])<ref name="callsheet2">[http://tilallaremine.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/dark-of-the-moon-call-sheets/ Dark of the Moon Call Sheets!] at Til All Are Mine blog, July 2011.</ref> and "Rush" for Mirage/"Dino", "[[Warpath (disambiguation)|Warpath]]" for both [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], "Tempest" for Topspin, "[[Flash (disambiguation)|Flash]]" for [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]], "[[Dreadwind (disambiguation)|Dreadwind]]" for [[Crankcase (DOTM)|Crankcase]], "[[Hooligan]]" for [[Crowbar]], "[[Dirtbag]]" for [[Hatchet]], "[[Blitzwing (disambiguation)|Blitzwing]]" for [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], "[[Breakdown (disambiguation)|Breakdown]]" for Soundwave's new vehicular design, "Colossus" for the [[Driller]]<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref>, "Buzzard" for [[Laserbeak (DOTM)|Laserbeak]], "[[Undermine]]" for [[Igor]] and "[[Steeljaw (disambiguation)|Steeljaw]]" for Wheeljack/"Que". However, it's quite possible a few of these were code names used to keep character identities a secret during production as images of Megatron's new cloak obscured face refer to the character as "Cyclonus".<ref name="wburt">[http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt DOTM concepts.]</ref>
[[Image:DOTM-SentinelPrimetrailer.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Colour me your colour, baby Colour me your car Colour me your colour, darling I know who you are]]

* Roadbuster was originally intended to have [[Wikipedia:Jeff Gordon|Jeff Gordon]]'s #24 [[Wikipedia:DuPont|DuPont]]-sponsored Chevrolet Impala as his alternate mode, rather than [[Wikipedia:Dale_Earnhardt,_Jr.|Dale Earnhardt, Jr.]]'s #88 Impala sponsored by [[Wikipedia:AMP Energy|AMP Energy]].<ref name="nizzi"/>

* Que/Wheeljack's head was once considered to be based on [[Wikipedia:Christopher Lloyd|Christopher Lloyd]]'s [[Wikipedia:Emmett Brown|Doc Brown]] from the [[Wikipedia:Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' movies]], rather than [[Wikipedia:Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein]].<ref name="wburt"/>

* The Wreckers were originally intended to have a robot pet dog, whose working names also included "Warpath".<ref name="nizzi"/> Hasbro released a toy of the dog with the [[Human Alliance]] version of Leadfoot, named "[[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]]".

* In an interview with MTV.com, actors [[Shia LaBeouf]] and [[John Malkovich]] hinted at at some smaller scenes that were cut from the final edit of the movie. In addition to some add-libbing by the actors, one scene would have featured Malkovich's character, [[Bruce Brazos]], attempting to get Carly's phone number.<ref name="deletedmtv">[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666772/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-deleted-scenes.jhtml MTV.com on deleted scenes], July 2011.</ref>

* In the original teaser trailer for ''Dark of the Moon'' that was released in December 2010, the opening scene that featured [[Neil Armstrong]] and [[Buzz Aldrin]] investigate the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' on the moon had Sentinel Prime sport a gold and silver color scheme. For the final movie, his base color was changed to red.
{{-}}

=== Leaks and disinformation===
[[Image:DOTMgameSoundwave.jpg|thumb|300px|right|What you're about to see is totally classified.]]
The movie's title, then "Transformers: ''The'' Dark of the Moon", was first discovered on October 6, 2010 via listings for childrens' books on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. The title was further confirmed by a whois check for "www.transformersdarkofthemoonmovie.com".<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-title-revealed-170697/ Transformers 3 Title Revealed?] @ TFW2005.com</ref> On October 31, the official website for all three movies, [http://www.transformersmovie.com/ transformersmovie.com], was updated to show the ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' logo as well as international release dates.

[[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] was heavily touted as the new main villain, no doubt in an attempt to conceal [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]'s unexpected betrayal halfway through the movie. A piece of information that commonly popped up in media coverage was the claim that Shockwave was the ruler of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] while the other Autobots and Decepticons were duking it out on Earth.<ref name="pushpops">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-3-plot-summary-revealed-170756/ "Transformers 3 Plot Summary Revealed"], TFW2005, October 2010.</ref> The last bit could be written off as a case of [[Wikipedia:Chinese whispers|chinese whisper]]: Shockwave got announced as the villain for ''Dark of the Moon'', mainstream media (such as USA Today<ref name="usatodayswitch">[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2010-06-11-Transformers11_ST_N.htm "Next 'Transformers' is due for a switch"], USA Today, June 2010.</ref>) who aren't versed in Transformers lore looked up the character, found out about his ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]'' [[Shockwave (G1)|namesake]]'s role in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|cartoon]], included it as a piece of trivia to show they did their research, and then the trivia note got picked up as gospel by other media. Nevertheless, it was included in the ''official plot summary'' by Paramount's German branch (which also claimed that ''Shockwave'' was the robot discovered inside the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'' as seen in the trailer).<ref name="germansite">[http://www.transformers3-film.de/ Official German DOTM site] including faulty plot summary.</ref>

[[Image:TF3HasbroSoundwaveBio.JPG|thumb|300px|left|If you breathe a word of what you see in here, you will do time for treason.]]Michael Bay and other official parties tried ''really'' hard to suppress the plot twist of the silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG given to [[Carly Spencer|Carly]] by [[Dylan Gould|Dylan]] turning out to be the new [[alternate mode]] of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]. After the Mercedes had been spotted on the set, with [[Rosie Huntington-Whiteley]] exiting it<ref name="mercedesset">[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=67518 DOTM Set Photos], ComingSoon.net, July 2010.</ref>, the first hint that it was more than meets the eye came with the trailer for the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|video game]], which showed Soundwave's robot mode with car [[kibble]] such as wheels that heavily resembled those of the Mercedes. In addition, [[Rising Storm issue 3|issue 3]] of ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm]]'' depicted Soundwave's robot mode not only with car kibble, but with a Mercedes star on his chest. Despite this, director Michael Bay insisted that the Mercedes was simply Carly's car, claiming that "Mercedes would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car company's {{sic}} really frown on that. I can't say what the game company and comics do that's their own thing. They don't have the same constraints movies do. It's Carly's car."<ref name="baynomerc">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?8724-Update-Is-Soundwave-the-silver-Mercedes-on-set-of-DOTM&p=169598&viewfull=1#post169598 Michael Bay's response to the fan theory that Soundwave is the Silver Mercedes.], April 2011.</ref> On April 19, 2011, an event for promoting the ''Spider-Man: Edge of Time'' and ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' video games was held in London. As part of this, [[High Moon Studios]] released promotional stills from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, one of which depicted Soundwave's new robot mode, again with Mercedes parts. However, a news embargo was enforced on the attending press, which was broken by South African video game site [http://egamer.co.za egamer].<ref name="egamera">[http://egamer.co.za/2011/05/exclusive-hands-on-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ egamer's preview of the ''Dark of the Moon'' video game]</ref> The site was soon asked to take down the article and images, as were various ''Transformers'' fan sites that had reported on the article and mirrored the images. On May 2, 2011, Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/ official Transformers website] was given a massive overhaul, including the addition of the new [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm Vector Sigma database]. The entry for Soundwave initially identified his alternate mode as a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but was soon changed to "satellite". On May 3, 2011, the embargo for the video game article and promotional stills was finally lifted, allowing sites to freely show the image of Soundwave's new robot mode.

On May 5, 2011, several weeks before the trade paperback collection's official release, preview pages from [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation|''Dark of the Moon'' comic adaptation]] were discovered on [http://www.amazon.com/ Amazon.com]. Through some bizarre system error, ''several dozen pages'' were made available, which included the major plot twist of Sentinel Prime showing his true colors and killing [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Unsurprisingly, this discovery was quickly posted on several major Transformers [[fandom|fan sites]], often without a spoiler warning.

==Notes==
* A 126-page script for the movie was leaked in December 2009<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/6435/20/ The Allspark: Transformers News Movie Comics Animated - Script Treatment for Transformers 3? Bogus or Not, Here You Go!]</ref>, causing much discussion among the fandom. It was later confirmed as fake.<ref>[http://shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6532 Script]</ref>
* When word hit that [[Megan Fox]] was off the picture, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTs5ESycpY Heidi Montag] put an "audition" for her part on YouTube. [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/114ce28ddd/sir-ben-kingsley-shows-up-heidi-montag Sir Ben Kingsley] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4FZeucBO0c Ashton Kutcher] made fun of her, because life is rad.
* Several concepts that had been established by the [[Transformers (film)|first movie]] were (more or less) dropped with ''Dark of the Moon'' in favor or a more traditional, ''[[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]''-esque approach:
** In the 2007 movie, the Autobots arrive on Earth in "[[Protoform]]" entry modes (which was subsequently used as the basis for the Decepticons' arrival in [[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]). Prior to the release of the movie, screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]] defended this choice over the use of a spaceship such as the ''Ark'' by asking why "aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel".<ref name="orcitravel">[http://tformers.com/Ark-Not-Making-An-Appearance-In-the-Movie/6513/news.html TFormers quoting Roberto Orci], because Don Murphy's board can only be read by registered members.</ref> He somewhat changed his mind after the movie had been released, however.<ref name="orciship">[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=388596&postcount=271 Roberto Orci on the Transformers Live Action Movie Boards], July 2007.</ref> After the Decepticons' ship, the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', had made an appearance in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', ''Dark of the Moon'' not only introduces the movieverse version of the ''[[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]]'', but also reveals that all the new Autobots who have been on Earth since before ''Revenge of the Fallen'' had arrived in their own spaceship, the ''[[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]'', making the notion of individual Transformers traveling through space as "comets" an exception rather than the rule.
** Furthermore, ''Dark of the Moon'' largely abandons the idea of Transformers having all their weapons integrated into their bodies in favor of more traditional, separate weapons. For example, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], who had blades and hooks emerging from his forearms in the previous two movies now stores all his weapons (including an axe) as accessories inside his trailer (though Optimus was shown to have his swords still in his arms during the battle for Chicago). Also, Ironhide, whose cannons were previously affixed to his arms, now sports handheld firearms instead. (To be fair, he dropped his cannons during the final battle in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) Even Megatron, whose [[fusion cannon]] previously grew out of his arms, now has an ordinary handheld shotgun. (Then again, his arm that turned into his Fusion cannon was ripped off by Prime in ''Revenge of the Fallen''.) The only ones who still seem to have the same converting arm cannons as in the previous movies are Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Starscream.

* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] finally achieves a certain consistency between his two primary modes: Ever since his upgrade to a modern Camaro in ''Transformers'' (2007), his [[license plate]] had alternated between "900 STRA" in vehicle mode and "4NZZ 454" in robot mode. ''Dark of the Moon'' finally uses "900 STRA" for the robot mode as well. Hasbro's toys, which had previously favored the CG robot model's "4NZZ 454" (barring the occasional "4NZZ'''Z''' 454" flub), follow suit.
*Speaking of license plates: [[Dutch (DOTM)|Dutch]]'s Maybach 62S Landaulet sports a German license plate, "'''S MM 6201'''", registered in the city of Stuttgart. In reality, that plate is registered to the manufacturer and used for promotional photos.<ref name="maybach">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/update--transformers-3-rumor--who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-170533/ Set photos and promo photos of the Maybach 62S Landaulet] at TFW2005.</ref>
*Michael Bay's private Gulfstream Aerospace G-1159A jet (registration number N4500X) has a cameo in the movie as [[Charlotte Mearing]]'s plane.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Transformers/Darkside Moon''''' (トランスフォーマー/ダークサイド・ムーン ''Toransufōmā/Dāku Saido Mūn'')
*''Cantonese:'' (變形金剛: 黑月降臨, "Transformers: The Arrival of the Black Moon")
*''Finnish:'' '''''Transformers: Kuun pimeä puoli''''' ("Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''French:'' '''''Transformers 3: La Face cachée de la Lune''''' ("Transformers 3: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''German:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Mandarin:'' '''''Biàn-hsín Jīn-gāng Sān''''' (Taiwan, 變形金剛３, "Transformers 3"), '''''Biànxíng Jīngāng: Yuè Hēi zhī Shí''''' (China, 变形金刚：月黑之时, "Transformers: The Time When the Moon Becomes Black")
*''Polish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''
*''Portuguese:'' '''''Transformers: O Lado Oculto da Lua''''' ("Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon")
*''Russian:'' '''''Transformery 3: Tjomnaja storona Luny''''' (Трансформеры 3: Тёмная сторона Луны, "Transformers 3: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Serbian:'' '''''Transformers 3: Tama Meseca''''' ("Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon")
*''Spanish:'' '''''Transformers: El Lado Oscuro de la Luna''''' (America, "Transformers: The Dark Side of the Moon")
*''Swedish:'' '''''Transformers 3'''''

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.transformersmovie.com/ Official ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' website]
*[http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/transformersdarkofthemoon/ Trailers.Apple.com ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' page]
* Designer portfolios: [http://www.joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm Josh Nizzi], [http://www.warrenmanser.com/WarrenManser.com/PORTFOLIO_M/Pages/TRANSFORMERS_3.html Warren Manser], [http://www.joelchang.com/index.php?/projects/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/ Joel Chang], [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8293 The Aaron Sims Company] (at Concept Art World), [http://conceptartworld.com/?p=8388 Wesley Burt] (at Concept Art World), [http://massiveblack.com/MBwebolution/blog/?p=301 Massive Black], [http://www.ghull.com/#/125195 George Hull]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark of the Moon (film)}}
[[Category: Dark of the Moon| Dark of the Moon (film)]]
[[Category: Dark of the Moon media| ]]
[[Category: Real world films]]

Patch (episode)

2013-06-15T03:36:17Z

Godzilla101: /* Trivia */

{{disambig2|the ''Prime'' episode|the dog from Generation 1|Patch (G1)}}

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 50
|prev=Inside Job
|next=Regeneration (Prime)
|image=Patch Starscream dances.jpg
|caption= Everybody cut loose! Footloose!
|title="Patch"
|airdate=[[October 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Duane Capizzi]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Starscream proposes a truce with Megatron, but the Decepticon leader remains suspicious.'''

==Synopsis==
Atop the Decepticon warship, [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] asks [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] what he seeks in return for the [[Omega Key]]s, his answer being that he merely wishes to once more be a [[Decepticon]] under Megatron's command. Megatron points out that [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] is now his second-in-command, and Starscream insists he will keep to his place. Skeptical, Megatron has [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] extracted from the wall so that he can connect Megatron and Starscream with a [[cortical psychic patch]].

[[Image:PatchKnockOut.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Don't get so cocky, Knock Out.]]

By rummaging through Starscream's memories, Megatron intends to find what really drives him. Once inside, he reminds Starscream that there are no secrets, even as they watch Starscream's base consciousness obnoxiously celebrating becoming leader of the Decepticons, much to the present Starscream's embarrassment and Megatron's amusement.

He begins by reviewing the events surrounding the [[space bridge]] explosion. Megatron watches various instances of Starscream's attempts at assassination: the time he made a bunch of clones to infiltrate the ''Nemesis''; and when he tried to make a deal with Airachnid. Starscream lamely claims he was half-crazed with energon deficiency at the time, and insists he always had Megatron's best interests at heart, like removing the [[Dark Energon]] from his body so his mind did not become corrupted by it. Naturally, Megatron doesn't buy it. Upon replaying Starscream's musings when Megatron was trapped underground, he suggests that Starscream refrain from thinking out loud in the future. He also drops the hint that if Starscream fails to be convincing, the patch session will end in Starscream's termination.

Starscream claims the occasional trouncing is enough to bring him back into line, and tries to play up his own generosity, bringing up the gift of [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]]'s corpse for Dark Energon experimentation, and his use of his wits in dealing with the Autobots. Megatron points out his wits are usually insufficient to compensate for his arrogance: when he faced [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] while charged up on Dark Energon; or when he tried to use the [[Energon Harvester]] on [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]. The revelation that [[MECH]] took Starscream's [[transformation cog|T-Cog]] greatly amuses Megatron, though Starscream is hoping that that might be restored to him in exchange for the Omega Keys — after all, he usually transforms with such style. He points out that at the time he deserted the Deception cause, he was not being made to feel particularly welcome there, despite apparently learning his place. Megatron does not believe Starscream's change of heart at the time would have lasted, and replays a discussion between Starscream and Knock Out while Megatron was lying in a coma in the sick bay. In the real world, Knock Out starts to realize that Starscream's memories are going to be equally incriminating to himself. Panicking, he comes up with a plan to disconnect the patch, trapping Megatron in Starscream's mind.

[[Image:PatchKnockOutDreadwing.jpg|thumb|right|250px|That awkward moment when you find out that your thought-to-be-dead twin brother is a zombie.]]

As Knock Out goes to unplug Megatron, Dreadwing stops him and he is forced to make up an excuse. Megatron's psychic interrogation of Starscream continues, and while Starscream claims that not even Dreadwing may have been a "perfect" replacement as his second-in-command, Megatron agrees, but points out at least Dreadwing and his departed brother [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] were loyal and honorable. Starscream's memories of Skyquake's death and revival through Dark Energon are replayed, and he recalls how Skyquake was left in an undead state in some dimensional nether-realm. This revelation comes as a shock to Dreadwing, who is still watching in the lab. Megatron announces that Starscream will be allowed to rejoin the Decepticon forces proper, as they ''must'' be working as one unit if Cybertron is to be properly restored, a fact also addressed to the watching Knock Out. Shaken, Knock Out turns away from the monitor to discover that Dreadwing is no longer in the room. The second-in-command is instead on the outer hull of the ''Nemesis'', and aims a scream of rage at the sky.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* ''[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]'' (6)
* ''[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]]'' (12)
* ''[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]'' (13)
* ''[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]]'' (14)
* ''[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]]'' (15)
* ''[[Smokescreen (Prime)|Smokescreen]]''
* ''[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (back of head only)
|c2=
* [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (1)
* [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (2)
* [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (3)
* [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (4)
* ''[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]]'' (5)
* ''[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]'' (7)
* ''[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]'' (8)
* ''[[Starscream clone (Prime)|Starscream clone]]s'' (9)
* ''[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticon]]'' (10)
* ''[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]]'' (11)
* ''[[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]'' (17)
|c3=
* ''[[Silas]]'' (16)
* ''[[MECH Commando]]s''

}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>''Only appeared in flashback.''

==Quotes==
"Few things of value come without a price."
:—'''Megatron'''

"This is going to be ''juicy''."
:—'''Knock Out''' will regret that prediction.

''The camera focuses on Starscream after they see his victory dance memory'' 
"A-heh-heh-heh... you're inside my head, aren't you?" 
:—'''Starscream''' realizes what Megatron's up to.

"A word of advice? Stop thinking aloud."
:—'''Megatron''' reckons Starscream talks too much.

"Ah, I do transform with an exceptional sense of style... I said that out loud, didn't I?"
:—'''Starscream''' doesn't take Megatron's words to heart.

"Uh oh... Does this thing have a fast forward button? Or better yet, erase?!"
:—'''Knock Out''' knows he's in the scrap yard now.

"Awkward..."
:—'''Knock Out''' aptly summarizes the general atmosphere of the episode.

"Infighting has nearly destroyed the Decepticons during your absence. We are to operate as a united front if we are to revive and conquer Cybertron. That means each and every one of us... ''Knock Out''!"
:—'''Megatron''', swatting two flies in one hit.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* When Knock Out is looking around the lab to see Dreadwing is gone, the tables are empty, when Megatron and Starscream should be visible on them.

===Continuity errors===
* Starscream was not present when Skyquake was trapped in an alternate dimension in "[[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]]", nor was that fact ever made clear to him or any other Decepticon. While it is obvious that Skyquake lost his arm (since it attacked Starscream), Starscream shouldn't have such precise knowledge of his fate.

===Continuity notes===
* This is the first truly Decepticon-focused episode, with no Autobots appearing outside of flashbacks.
* Dreadwing learns of Starscream's attempt to revive Skyquake as a zombie minion in "Shadowzone", as well as his imprisonment in an alternate dimension at the end of that episode.
* Megatron tells Dreadwing to free Knock Out from the wall of the ''Nemesis'', which occurred in the [[Inside Job|previous episode]].

===Real-world references===
* When the Vehicons "All hail Starscream", he begins a hilarious victory-dance routine, with his final moves being an impression of John Travolta in ''Saturday Night Fever''.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''In Starscreams Kopf'''" ("Inside Starscream's Head")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[February 25|25 February]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Shikkoku Henkei! Uragiri no Kage'''" (漆黒変形!裏切りの影, "Blackest Transformation! The Shadow of Treachery")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[March 16|16 March]] [[2013]]
:*A scene that was cut from the original Japanese dub of "[[Rock Bottom]]" is actually kept in and dubbed in this episode.

===Trivia===
* This is the second [[clip show|clip episode]], the first being "[[Grill]]".
* Megatron's mental projection has his original arm, not the [[dead Prime]]'s arm, just like in the [[Inside Job|previous episode]].
* For being clever enough to engineer a plan to successfully steal all four Omega Keys, Starscream didn't really think through his plan to regain Megatron's favor. He went in with no insurance policy to make sure Megatron didn't just simply scrap him and take the keys instead.
* So, uh... how did they get Knock Out out of the wall? And how did he expect to get put back into it?
** If the wall was torn down by Dreadwing, Knockout would be suggesting that Megatron will order the wall to be built again with Knockout's dead corpse sticking in it.
* Starscream's got sweet dance moves!

[[Category:Prime episodes]]
[[Category:Clip shows]]

Thirst

2013-06-08T05:33:52Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 60
|prev=Plus One
|next=Evolution
|image=
|caption=
|title="Thirst"
|airdate=[[June 7]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Scooter Tidwell]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Knock Out and Starscream's experiment with synthetic energon threatens to take over the Decepticon ship and unleash an old enemy.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s lab, [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] bemoans his current situation, having to compete with [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] for [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s favor. His whining is interrupted by moans from [[Silas|Cylas]], who is strapped to a table and begging to be freed. Knock Out injects him with a derivative of the [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] he recovered from the [[Autobot]]s. The compound drives Cylas into a rage, which Knock Out notes is one of its erratic side effects. Starscream sees in Cylas' fury the makings of a super-soldier for Megatron.

Starscream attempts to inform Megatron of this discovery, but the [[Decepticon]] leader is only interested in discussing the status of the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] [[protoform]]s with Shockwave, who is reporting in from his off-site lab.

Cylas becomes more enraged with each new injection of Synth En. Knock Out discovers that the more the compound is administered, the faster Cylas burns through his own natural [[energon]] reserves. Starscream cannot see the use of having [[Predaking (Prime)|another]] unruly beast that can't be controlled, but then has an idea: [[Dark Energon]]. Knock Out objects, noting that the Dark Matter once turned their own ship against them. Starscream assures the doctor that controlled exposure will merely place Cylas under Megatron's command, via their leader's symbiotic link with the substance.

Under orders, Knock Out injects Cylas with Dark Energon. Cylas temporarily powers down before rebooting in a rage and breaking free from his bonds. But after only a few steps, he crumbles to his knees, desperately low on energon. Then with a fierce roar, his lower jaw splits into monstrous mandibles and a long, bladed tongue emerges. He attacks, sending Starscream and Knock Out fleeing down the halls of the ship.

Once a safe distance away, Knock Out suggests sounding the alarm. Starscream disagrees, not wanting Megatron to learn of their actions. He claims that once Cylas attempts to feed upon the ship's highly-trained [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] troopers, they will take care of the threat.

Elsewhere, one of the Vehicons stumbles upon Cylas, who grabs the highly-trained trooper and begins draining his energon.

Starscream and Knock Out plan the disposal of Cylas' corpse when they find the Vehicon's corpse instead. While the two argue about who's to blame for their predicament, the dead Vehicon rises as a reanimated [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] and reveals the same segmented jaw and bladed tongue that Cylas had. Starscream's blaster fire has no effect, nor does destroying the Terrorcon's head, as the tongue continues to protrude from inside its chest. A final volley of blasts destroys the monster's revitalized spark, severing its link to the Dark Energon.

Knock Out posits that Cylas could infect the entire crew in the same manner, a theory that's borne out when they find themselves surrounded on all sides by energy-draining Terrorcons. Starscream and Knock Out lock themselves in a room to get a breather and assess the situation. Accepting that this may be the end, the two Decepticons exchange final pleasantries and step back into the hall…

…right into Megatron, who demands to know why the Dark Energon in his spark has been acting funny. Starscream provides a slanted explanation, but Megatron doesn't believe it until he's forced to destroy an attacking Terrorcon.

After a more extensive debrief of the situation, Megatron puts the ship on high alert and orders Starscream and Knock Out to destroy Cylas. Around the ship, Vehicons and [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] battle the infected Terrorcons.

Cylas wanders into the ship's vault. Sensing energon within a [[stasis pod]], he breaks it open, freeing and reviving [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]]. Cylas attempts to drain her energon, but Airachnid is able to immobilize him with webbing long enough to deliver a killing blow. She immediately re-establishes her telepathic control over the Insecticons and commands them to return to her. Their sudden departure is noticed by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]].

Starscream and Knock Out discover Cylas' corpse. Starscream is elated until Knock Out points out Airachnid's destroyed prison, followed by Megatron demanding a status update.

Airachnid leads the Insecticons through the halls of the ship, ordering them to wipe out every Decepticon aboard. At the end of the hall, Soundwave calmly steps forward to face them. The bug-bots attack, and Soundwave opens a [[space bridge]] directly in front of him at the last second. Before they can react, Airachnid and the Insecticons are teleported to another location. As the bridge closes behind her, Airachnid realizes that they have been sent to a moon orbiting [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and screams in rage.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron contacts Shockwave again to inform him they're implementing his containment protocol to prevent further outbreak. He also tells Shockwave to speed up the Predacon cloning project, as they have now lost more than half their military forces.

Back on the moon, an infected Airachnid drains the energon from one of her minions as the rest of the Insecticons line up obediently to await their turn.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
|c2=
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (2)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (5)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (6)
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] (7)
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] (8)
|c3=
|c4=
*[[Silas|Cylas]] (3)
}}

==Quotes==

'''Megatron''': ''[Talking to Shockwave over comm]'' Tell me of the Predacon protoforms. What is the status of their incubation? Mm-hm. Uh-huh. 
'''Starscream''': Master, if I do say so myself, I have made the most intriguing discovery. It appears that-- 
'''Megatron''': Not now! ''[Back to Shockwave]'' Please continue, Shockwave. No, no one important.
:—'''Megatron''' doesn't like to be interrupted when he's on the phone.

'''Starscream''': Megatron will undoubtedly hold us responsible. 
'''Knock Out''': But...WE ARE! 
'''Starscream''': Well, you are, mostly.
:—'''Starscream''' blames someone else, news at 11.

"Aim for the head!" 
"What? How do you know?" 
"I've seen human horror films." ''[Starscream looks at him curiously]'' "At drive-in theaters!"
:—'''Knock Out''' schools '''Starscream''' on how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

"If this is indeed the end, if we are to become Terrorcon-chow, it has been an honor serving Lord Megatron with you." 
"You're no Breakdown. Though I must confess, I have always admired your lustrous finish." 
''[Awkward pause]'' 
"Well, then." 
"Should be going."
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Knock Out''' begin a beautiful friendship…

"Silas? Whatever have they done to you? But more importantly, thank you for freeing me." 
"No. Thank…you… ''[Dies]'' 
"Whatever."
:—'''Airachnid''' is unmoved by '''Cylas'''' final words.

"Soundwave! I vow that on this day, the world will hear the sound of your screams."
:—'''Airachnid's''' mouth writes a check that her abdomen can't cash.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* Airachnid lost one of her spider legs to the closing pod door when she was put in stasis, but all six are intact in this episode.
* Once again, Starscream fires a missile at an infected Vehicon, only to have it appear again later while he is cowering in a control room.

===Continuity notes===
* Yowza, this would be a tough episode to start watching the series.
* Airachnid was frozen in stasis in "[[Armada (episode)|Armada]]" and was retrieved from the Autobot base by the Decepticons in "[[Darkmount, NV]]".
* The [[polarity gauntlet]] can be seen in the vault, in the first of the five containment fields. It was left on Cybertron by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", and can be assumed to have been recovered by Knock Out's salvage team offscreen in "[[Darkmount, NV]]". That leaves the Immobilizer the only relic assumed to have been destroyed.
* [[Silas]], the formerly 100% human commander of [[MECH]], was surgically combined with Breakdown's corpse in "[[The Human Factor]]". He changed his name to Cylas (Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis) and became a reluctant guest of the Decepticons in the same episode.
* Cylas (then Silas) entered into a partnership of convenience with Starscream in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and conveniently stole his [[transformation cog|T-cog]] in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
* Cylas (then Silas) once had Breakdown pinned to his operating table in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
* Knock Out recovered some of [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s synthetic energon in "[[Stronger, Faster]]".
* Shockwave has been working from an off-site laboratory since "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Megatron previously used Dark Energon to reanimate and control the dead in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* Dark Energon awakened a dangerous, self-serving intelligence within the Decepticon warship in "[[Flying Mind]]".
* Airachnid killed Breakdown and discovered her telepathic control of the Insecticons in "[[Crossfire]]".
* Airachnid knows Cylas (then Silas) from their brief partnership in "[[Crisscross]]".
* Airachnid's desire to have Soundwave scream likely stems from the very one-sided beatdown she received from him in "[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]".
* Starscream refers to the Decepticon soldiers as "Vehicons" confirming it as their real designation. [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] previously used that term in to describe them in "[[Plus One]]"
* Megatron refers to the beatings he bestowed on Starscream in [[Darkness Rising, Part 4]], and in between the episodes [[Out of His Head]] and [[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]] when he's about to punish Starscream for his involvement in the outbreak.

===Transformers references===
* Protoforms are the first stage of Transformer life in many continuities.
* Megatron again refers to his upcoming Predacon army as [[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machine]] super-soldiers.

===Real-world references===
* Knock Out's proclamation of "It's alive" echoes the famous words spoken in ''[[Frankenstein]]''.
* In addition to the segmented jaw and barbed tongue, the Terrorcons' [[teeth]] also transform into vampiric fangs.
* As Knock Out indicated, destroying the head is the traditional way to kill zombies in many horror movies. But only human ones.
* This episode heavily pays homage to the 1985 zombie film ''The Return of the Living Dead'' where two humans (Frank and Freddie) cause a gas to spread across a cemetary that revives dead corpses into zombies and there plays comedy with the two trying to control the situation while blaming each other for the zombie apocalypse, much like Starscream and Knockout in this episode.

===Trivia===
* This is the first episode which doesn't feature the [[Autobot]]s in any capacity. Previously, "[[Patch (episode)|Patch]]", the last Decepticon-centric episode, had flashbacks which contained Autobots even though none appeared in person.
* However, [[Peter Cullen]] is ''still'' part of the cast, as the zombified Vehicon trooper Megatron puts down.
* Starscream says that the ship is crawling with "highly-trained Vehicon troopers". Kinda makes you wonder what a poorly-trained one is like, huh?
* On-the-move teleportation seems as if it's becoming Soundwave's signature move, having used it to dispatch [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] in "[[Orion Pax, Part 1]]" and to claim the Predacon fossil in "[[Project Predacon]]".
* [[Steve Blum]] is credited as "Insecticon #1" instead of [[Bombshock (Prime)|Bombshock]] this time.
* The last thing Silas/Cylas did to Starscream was steal his T-Cog and painfully electrocute him unconscious, so it's no surprise Starscream denied his pleas to help him at the beginning of the episode.
* The conversation between Knockout and Starscream while hiding in a control room is taken mostly from the same conversation between Optimus and Arcee in "[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]" when they were stuck in the arctic and resigned to their fate.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Thirst

2013-06-08T05:29:49Z

Godzilla101: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 60
|prev=Plus One
|next=Evolution
|image=
|caption=
|title="Thirst"
|airdate=[[June 7]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Scooter Tidwell]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Knock Out and Starscream's experiment with synthetic energon threatens to take over the Decepticon ship and unleash an old enemy.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s lab, [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] bemoans his current situation, having to compete with [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] for [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s favor. His whining is interrupted by moans from [[Silas|Cylas]], who is strapped to a table and begging to be freed. Knock Out injects him with a derivative of the [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] he recovered from the [[Autobot]]s. The compound drives Cylas into a rage, which Knock Out notes is one of its erratic side effects. Starscream sees in Cylas' fury the makings of a super-soldier for Megatron.

Starscream attempts to inform Megatron of this discovery, but the [[Decepticon]] leader is only interested in discussing the status of the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] [[protoform]]s with Shockwave, who is reporting in from his off-site lab.

Cylas becomes more enraged with each new injection of Synth En. Knock Out discovers that the more the compound is administered, the faster Cylas burns through his own natural [[energon]] reserves. Starscream cannot see the use of having [[Predaking (Prime)|another]] unruly beast that can't be controlled, but then has an idea: [[Dark Energon]]. Knock Out objects, noting that the Dark Matter once turned their own ship against them. Starscream assures the doctor that controlled exposure will merely place Cylas under Megatron's command, via their leader's symbiotic link with the substance.

Under orders, Knock Out injects Cylas with Dark Energon. Cylas temporarily powers down before rebooting in a rage and breaking free from his bonds. But after only a few steps, he crumbles to his knees, desperately low on energon. Then with a fierce roar, his lower jaw splits into monstrous mandibles and a long, bladed tongue emerges. He attacks, sending Starscream and Knock Out fleeing down the halls of the ship.

Once a safe distance away, Knock Out suggests sounding the alarm. Starscream disagrees, not wanting Megatron to learn of their actions. He claims that once Cylas attempts to feed upon the ship's highly-trained [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] troopers, they will take care of the threat.

Elsewhere, one of the Vehicons stumbles upon Cylas, who grabs the highly-trained trooper and begins draining his energon.

Starscream and Knock Out plan the disposal of Cylas' corpse when they find the Vehicon's corpse instead. While the two argue about who's to blame for their predicament, the dead Vehicon rises as a reanimated [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] and reveals the same segmented jaw and bladed tongue that Cylas had. Starscream's blaster fire has no effect, nor does destroying the Terrorcon's head, as the tongue continues to protrude from inside its chest. A final volley of blasts destroys the monster's revitalized spark, severing its link to the Dark Energon.

Knock Out posits that Cylas could infect the entire crew in the same manner, a theory that's borne out when they find themselves surrounded on all sides by energy-draining Terrorcons. Starscream and Knock Out lock themselves in a room to get a breather and assess the situation. Accepting that this may be the end, the two Decepticons exchange final pleasantries and step back into the hall…

…right into Megatron, who demands to know why the Dark Energon in his spark has been acting funny. Starscream provides a slanted explanation, but Megatron doesn't believe it until he's forced to destroy an attacking Terrorcon.

After a more extensive debrief of the situation, Megatron puts the ship on high alert and orders Starscream and Knock Out to destroy Cylas. Around the ship, Vehicons and [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] battle the infected Terrorcons.

Cylas wanders into the ship's vault. Sensing energon within a [[stasis pod]], he breaks it open, freeing and reviving [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]]. Cylas attempts to drain her energon, but Airachnid is able to immobilize him with webbing long enough to deliver a killing blow. She immediately re-establishes her telepathic control over the Insecticons and commands them to return to her. Their sudden departure is noticed by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]].

Starscream and Knock Out discover Cylas' corpse. Starscream is elated until Knock Out points out Airachnid's destroyed prison, followed by Megatron demanding a status update.

Airachnid leads the Insecticons through the halls of the ship, ordering them to wipe out every Decepticon aboard. At the end of the hall, Soundwave calmly steps forward to face them. The bug-bots attack, and Soundwave opens a [[space bridge]] directly in front of him at the last second. Before they can react, Airachnid and the Insecticons are teleported to another location. As the bridge closes behind her, Airachnid realizes that they have been sent to a moon orbiting [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and screams in rage.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron contacts Shockwave again to inform him they're implementing his containment protocol to prevent further outbreak. He also tells Shockwave to speed up the Predacon cloning project, as they have now lost more than half their military forces.

Back on the moon, an infected Airachnid drains the energon from one of her minions as the rest of the Insecticons line up obediently to await their turn.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
|c2=
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (2)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (5)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (6)
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] (7)
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] (8)
|c3=
|c4=
*[[Silas|Cylas]] (3)
}}

==Quotes==

'''Megatron''': ''[Talking to Shockwave over comm]'' Tell me of the Predacon protoforms. What is the status of their incubation? Mm-hm. Uh-huh. 
'''Starscream''': Master, if I do say so myself, I have made the most intriguing discovery. It appears that-- 
'''Megatron''': Not now! ''[Back to Shockwave]'' Please continue, Shockwave. No, no one important.
:—'''Megatron''' doesn't like to be interrupted when he's on the phone.

'''Starscream''': Megatron will undoubtedly hold us responsible. 
'''Knock Out''': But...WE ARE! 
'''Starscream''': Well, you are, mostly.
:—'''Starscream''' blames someone else, news at 11.

"Aim for the head!" 
"What? How do you know?" 
"I've seen human horror films." ''[Starscream looks at him curiously]'' "At drive-in theaters!"
:—'''Knock Out''' schools '''Starscream''' on how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

"If this is indeed the end, if we are to become Terrorcon-chow, it has been an honor serving Lord Megatron with you." 
"You're no Breakdown. Though I must confess, I have always admired your lustrous finish." 
''[Awkward pause]'' 
"Well, then." 
"Should be going."
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Knock Out''' begin a beautiful friendship…

"Silas? Whatever have they done to you? But more importantly, thank you for freeing me." 
"No. Thank…you… ''[Dies]'' 
"Whatever."
:—'''Airachnid''' is unmoved by '''Cylas'''' final words.

"Soundwave! I vow that on this day, the world will hear the sound of your screams."
:—'''Airachnid's''' mouth writes a check that her abdomen can't cash.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* Airachnid lost one of her spider legs to the closing pod door when she was put in stasis, but all six are intact in this episode.
* Once again, Starscream fires a missile at an infected Vehicon, only to have it appear again later while he is cowering in a control room.

===Continuity notes===
* Yowza, this would be a tough episode to start watching the series.
* Airachnid was frozen in stasis in "[[Armada (episode)|Armada]]" and was retrieved from the Autobot base by the Decepticons in "[[Darkmount, NV]]".
* The [[polarity gauntlet]] can be seen in the vault, in the first of the five containment fields. It was left on Cybertron by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", and can be assumed to have been recovered by Knock Out's salvage team offscreen in "[[Darkmount, NV]]". That leaves the Immobilizer the only relic assumed to have been destroyed.
* [[Silas]], the formerly 100% human commander of [[MECH]], was surgically combined with Breakdown's corpse in "[[The Human Factor]]". He changed his name to Cylas (Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis) and became a reluctant guest of the Decepticons in the same episode.
* Cylas (then Silas) entered into a partnership of convenience with Starscream in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and conveniently stole his [[transformation cog|T-cog]] in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
* Cylas (then Silas) once had Breakdown pinned to his operating table in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
* Knock Out recovered some of [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s synthetic energon in "[[Stronger, Faster]]".
* Shockwave has been working from an off-site laboratory since "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Megatron previously used Dark Energon to reanimate and control the dead in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* Dark Energon awakened a dangerous, self-serving intelligence within the Decepticon warship in "[[Flying Mind]]".
* Airachnid killed Breakdown and discovered her telepathic control of the Insecticons in "[[Crossfire]]".
* Airachnid knows Cylas (then Silas) from their brief partnership in "[[Crisscross]]".
* Airachnid's desire to have Soundwave scream likely stems from the very one-sided beatdown she received from him in "[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]".
* Starscream refers to the Decepticon soldiers as "Vehicons" confirming it as their real designation. [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] previously used that term in to describe them in "[[Plus One]]"
* Megatron refers to the beatings he bestowed on Starscream in [[Darkness Rising, Part 4]], and in between the episodes [[Out of His Head]] and [[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]] when he's about to punish Starscream for his involvement in the outbreak.

===Transformers references===
* Protoforms are the first stage of Transformer life in many continuities.
* Megatron again refers to his upcoming Predacon army as [[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machine]] super-soldiers.

===Real-world references===
* Knock Out's proclamation of "It's alive" echoes the famous words spoken in ''[[Frankenstein]]''.
* In addition to the segmented jaw and barbed tongue, the Terrorcons' [[teeth]] also transform into vampiric fangs.
* As Knock Out indicated, destroying the head is the traditional way to kill zombies in many horror movies.

===Trivia===
* This is the first episode which doesn't feature the [[Autobot]]s in any capacity. Previously, "[[Patch (episode)|Patch]]", the last Decepticon-centric episode, had flashbacks which contained Autobots even though none appeared in person.
* However, [[Peter Cullen]] is ''still'' part of the cast, as the zombified Vehicon trooper Megatron puts down.
* Starscream says that the ship is crawling with "highly-trained Vehicon troopers". Kinda makes you wonder what a poorly-trained one is like, huh?
* On-the-move teleportation seems as if it's becoming Soundwave's signature move, having used it to dispatch [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] in "[[Orion Pax, Part 1]]" and to claim the Predacon fossil in "[[Project Predacon]]".
* [[Steve Blum]] is credited as "Insecticon #1" instead of [[Bombshock (Prime)|Bombshock]] this time.
* The last thing Silas/Cylas did to Starscream was steal his T-Cog and painfully electrocute him unconscious, so it's no surprise Starscream denied his pleas to help him at the beginning of the episode.
* The conversation between Knockout and Starscream while hiding in a control room is taken mostly from the same conversation between Optimus and Arcee in "[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]" when they were stuck in the arctic and resigned to their fate.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Thirst

2013-06-08T05:23:15Z

Godzilla101: /* Continuity notes */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 60
|prev=Plus One
|next=Evolution
|image=
|caption=
|title="Thirst"
|airdate=[[June 7]], [[2013]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Scooter Tidwell]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''Knock Out and Starscream's experiment with synthetic energon threatens to take over the Decepticon ship and unleash an old enemy.'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s lab, [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] bemoans his current situation, having to compete with [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] for [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]]'s favor. His whining is interrupted by moans from [[Silas|Cylas]], who is strapped to a table and begging to be freed. Knock Out injects him with a derivative of the [[Synthetic Energon|synthetic energon]] he recovered from the [[Autobot]]s. The compound drives Cylas into a rage, which Knock Out notes is one of its erratic side effects. Starscream sees in Cylas' fury the makings of a super-soldier for Megatron.

Starscream attempts to inform Megatron of this discovery, but the [[Decepticon]] leader is only interested in discussing the status of the [[Predacon (Prime)|Predacon]] [[protoform]]s with Shockwave, who is reporting in from his off-site lab.

Cylas becomes more enraged with each new injection of Synth En. Knock Out discovers that the more the compound is administered, the faster Cylas burns through his own natural [[energon]] reserves. Starscream cannot see the use of having [[Predaking (Prime)|another]] unruly beast that can't be controlled, but then has an idea: [[Dark Energon]]. Knock Out objects, noting that the Dark Matter once turned their own ship against them. Starscream assures the doctor that controlled exposure will merely place Cylas under Megatron's command, via their leader's symbiotic link with the substance.

Under orders, Knock Out injects Cylas with Dark Energon. Cylas temporarily powers down before rebooting in a rage and breaking free from his bonds. But after only a few steps, he crumbles to his knees, desperately low on energon. Then with a fierce roar, his lower jaw splits into monstrous mandibles and a long, bladed tongue emerges. He attacks, sending Starscream and Knock Out fleeing down the halls of the ship.

Once a safe distance away, Knock Out suggests sounding the alarm. Starscream disagrees, not wanting Megatron to learn of their actions. He claims that once Cylas attempts to feed upon the ship's highly-trained [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] troopers, they will take care of the threat.

Elsewhere, one of the Vehicons stumbles upon Cylas, who grabs the highly-trained trooper and begins draining his energon.

Starscream and Knock Out plan the disposal of Cylas' corpse when they find the Vehicon's corpse instead. While the two argue about who's to blame for their predicament, the dead Vehicon rises as a reanimated [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]] and reveals the same segmented jaw and bladed tongue that Cylas had. Starscream's blaster fire has no effect, nor does destroying the Terrorcon's head, as the tongue continues to protrude from inside its chest. A final volley of blasts destroys the monster's revitalized spark, severing its link to the Dark Energon.

Knock Out posits that Cylas could infect the entire crew in the same manner, a theory that's borne out when they find themselves surrounded on all sides by energy-draining Terrorcons. Starscream and Knock Out lock themselves in a room to get a breather and assess the situation. Accepting that this may be the end, the two Decepticons exchange final pleasantries and step back into the hall…

…right into Megatron, who demands to know why the Dark Energon in his spark has been acting funny. Starscream provides a slanted explanation, but Megatron doesn't believe it until he's forced to destroy an attacking Terrorcon.

After a more extensive debrief of the situation, Megatron puts the ship on high alert and orders Starscream and Knock Out to destroy Cylas. Around the ship, Vehicons and [[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] battle the infected Terrorcons.

Cylas wanders into the ship's vault. Sensing energon within a [[stasis pod]], he breaks it open, freeing and reviving [[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]]. Cylas attempts to drain her energon, but Airachnid is able to immobilize him with webbing long enough to deliver a killing blow. She immediately re-establishes her telepathic control over the Insecticons and commands them to return to her. Their sudden departure is noticed by [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]].

Starscream and Knock Out discover Cylas' corpse. Starscream is elated until Knock Out points out Airachnid's destroyed prison, followed by Megatron demanding a status update.

Airachnid leads the Insecticons through the halls of the ship, ordering them to wipe out every Decepticon aboard. At the end of the hall, Soundwave calmly steps forward to face them. The bug-bots attack, and Soundwave opens a [[space bridge]] directly in front of him at the last second. Before they can react, Airachnid and the Insecticons are teleported to another location. As the bridge closes behind her, Airachnid realizes that they have been sent to a moon orbiting [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and screams in rage.

Aboard the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', Megatron contacts Shockwave again to inform him they're implementing his containment protocol to prevent further outbreak. He also tells Shockwave to speed up the Predacon cloning project, as they have now lost more than half their military forces.

Back on the moon, an infected Airachnid drains the energon from one of her minions as the rest of the Insecticons line up obediently to await their turn.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
|c2=
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (2)
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s (5)
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] (6)
*[[Insecticon (Prime)|Insecticons]] (7)
*[[Airachnid (Prime)|Airachnid]] (8)
|c3=
|c4=
*[[Silas|Cylas]] (3)
}}

==Quotes==

'''Megatron''': ''[Talking to Shockwave over comm]'' Tell me of the Predacon protoforms. What is the status of their incubation? Mm-hm. Uh-huh. 
'''Starscream''': Master, if I do say so myself, I have made the most intriguing discovery. It appears that-- 
'''Megatron''': Not now! ''[Back to Shockwave]'' Please continue, Shockwave. No, no one important.
:—'''Megatron''' doesn't like to be interrupted when he's on the phone.

'''Starscream''': Megatron will undoubtedly hold us responsible. 
'''Knock Out''': But...WE ARE! 
'''Starscream''': Well, you are, mostly.
:—'''Starscream''' blames someone else, news at 11.

"Aim for the head!" 
"What? How do you know?" 
"I've seen human horror films." ''[Starscream looks at him curiously]'' "At drive-in theaters!"
:—'''Knock Out''' schools '''Starscream''' on how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

"If this is indeed the end, if we are to become Terrorcon-chow, it has been an honor serving Lord Megatron with you." 
"You're no Breakdown. Though I must confess, I have always admired your lustrous finish." 
''[Awkward pause]'' 
"Well, then." 
"Should be going."
:—'''Starscream''' and '''Knock Out''' begin a beautiful friendship…

"Silas? Whatever have they done to you? But more importantly, thank you for freeing me." 
"No. Thank…you… ''[Dies]'' 
"Whatever."
:—'''Airachnid''' is unmoved by '''Cylas'''' final words.

"Soundwave! I vow that on this day, the world will hear the sound of your screams."
:—'''Airachnid's''' mouth writes a check that her abdomen can't cash.

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* Airachnid lost one of her spider legs to the closing pod door when she was put in stasis, but all six are intact in this episode.
* Once again, Starscream fires a missile at an infected Vehicon, only to have it appear again later while he is cowering in a control room.

===Continuity notes===
* Yowza, this would be a tough episode to start watching the series.
* Airachnid was frozen in stasis in "[[Armada (episode)|Armada]]" and was retrieved from the Autobot base by the Decepticons in "[[Darkmount, NV]]".
* The [[polarity gauntlet]] can be seen in the vault, in the first of the five containment fields. It was left on Cybertron by [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] in "[[Darkest Hour (episode)|Darkest Hour]]", and can be assumed to have been recovered by Knock Out's salvage team offscreen in "[[Darkmount, NV]]". That leaves the Immobilizer the only relic assumed to have been destroyed.
* [[Silas]], the formerly 100% human commander of [[MECH]], was surgically combined with Breakdown's corpse in "[[The Human Factor]]". He changed his name to Cylas (Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis) and became a reluctant guest of the Decepticons in the same episode.
* Cylas (then Silas) entered into a partnership of convenience with Starscream in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 1]]" and conveniently stole his [[transformation cog|T-cog]] in "[[Operation Bumblebee, Part 2]]".
* Cylas (then Silas) once had Breakdown pinned to his operating table in "[[Operation: Breakdown]]".
* Knock Out recovered some of [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]'s synthetic energon in "[[Stronger, Faster]]".
* Shockwave has been working from an off-site laboratory since "[[Chain of Command (Prime)|Chain of Command]]".
* Megatron previously used Dark Energon to reanimate and control the dead in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
* Dark Energon awakened a dangerous, self-serving intelligence within the Decepticon warship in "[[Flying Mind]]".
* Airachnid killed Breakdown and discovered her telepathic control of the Insecticons in "[[Crossfire]]".
* Airachnid knows Cylas (then Silas) from their brief partnership in "[[Crisscross]]".
* Airachnid's desire to have Soundwave scream likely stems from the very one-sided beatdown she received from him in "[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]".
* Starscream refers to the Decepticon soldiers as "Vehicons" confirming it as their real designation. [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] previously used that term in to describe them in "[[Plus One]]"
* Megatron refers to the beatings he bestowed on Starscream in [[Darkness Rising, Part 4]], and in between the episodes [[Out of His Head]] and [[Shadowzone (episode)|Shadowzone]] when he's about to punish Starscream for his involvement in the outbreak.

===Transformers references===
* Protoforms are the first stage of Transformer life in many continuities.
* Megatron again refers to his upcoming Predacon army as [[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machine]] super-soldiers.

===Real-world references===
* Knock Out's proclamation of "It's alive" echoes the famous words spoken in ''[[Frankenstein]]''.
* In addition to the segmented jaw and barbed tongue, the Terrorcons' [[teeth]] also transform into vampiric fangs.
* As Knock Out indicated, destroying the head is the traditional way to kill zombies in many horror movies.

===Trivia===
* This is the first episode which doesn't feature the [[Autobot]]s in any capacity. Previously, "[[Patch (episode)|Patch]]", the last Decepticon-centric episode, had flashbacks which contained Autobots even though none appeared in person.
* Starscream says that the ship is crawling with "highly-trained Vehicon troopers". Kinda makes you wonder what a poorly-trained one is like, huh?
* On-the-move teleportation seems as if it's becoming Soundwave's signature move, having used it to dispatch [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] in "[[Orion Pax, Part 1]]" and to claim the Predacon fossil in "[[Project Predacon]]".
* [[Steve Blum]] is credited as "Insecticon #1" instead of [[Bombshock (Prime)|Bombshock]] this time.
* The conversation between Knockout and Starscream while hiding in a control room is taken mostly from the same conversation between Optimus and Arcee in "[[Scrapheap (episode)|Scrapheap]]" when they were stuck in the arctic and resigned to their fate.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Triage (episode)

2013-02-28T00:27:02Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 40
|prev=Triangulation
|next=Toxicity
|image=Triage Ratchet holds down Laserbeak.jpg
|caption=
|title="Triage"
|airdate=[[May 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''During the third relic hunt, Ratchet and Wheeljack get a one-of-a-kind opportunity when Soundwave's Deployer is disabled.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Triage Jackhammer vs Laserbeak.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Black Hawk down.]]
[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] rendezvous with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] in a wooded area to search for the third of four relics. Though Wheeljack rubs Ratchet up the wrong way, they take off in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'' to find the relic and soon pick up [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] as company. After Wheeljack dogfights with Soundwave for a few minutes, Soundwave releases [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] to take over the attack on the ship. Wheeljack is more than happy to chase Laserbeak instead, though as they chase the drone, it almost causes them to hit the side of a mountain, much to Ratchet's panic. He finally scores a hit on Laserbeak, but as it goes down, a random shot hits the ''Jackhammer'', bringing the ship down as well.

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet is keen to resume the search for the relic, but Wheeljack spots the downed Laserbeak. They examine it, and Wheeljack hits on the idea of planting a grenade in it to provide the Decepticons with a surprise. It gives Ratchet a better idea—implanting a virus to get them access to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' computer and hack the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] database. He contacts base and asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] to prepare a virus. At Raf's suggestion, they implant a grenade into Laserbeak as well to provide a decoy that the Decepticons will find and throw them off the scent of the virus. Wheeljack leaves Ratchet to find Soundwave so he can buy Ratchet time.

Meanwhile, Soundwave has located the relic, the [[Resonance Blaster]], and dug it up. Wheeljack quickly locates him and attacks. They trade blows until Soundwave relieves Wheeljack of a sword and uses his tentacles to throw the Autobot around. Wheeljack manages to use Soundwave's tentacles against each other and cracks the Decepticon's visor with his head. They go flying off the cliff, but Wheeljack finally has Soundwave at his mercy, at least until Soundwave grabs the Resonance Blaster with a tentacle and uses it on Wheeljack.

[[Image:Triage Soundwave visor reflection.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Soundwave...superior...Wheeljack inferior..]]
Ratchet and Raf begin uploading the virus into Laserbeak, but as they need it online to do so, the drone activates and tries to fly off, forcing Ratchet to hold it down. Soundwave is about to finish off Wheeljack when he detects activity from Laserbeak and heads off to investigate. Wheeljack has time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious, and the virus download finishes in time for Ratchet to hide before Soundwave arrives. After some tense moments, the Decepticon picks up Laserbeak, but appears to be alerted to Ratchet. Soundwave's tentacles venture into Ratchet's hiding place, but as it turns out they're merely after a lost piece of Laserbeak. Having retrieved it, Soundwave heads off back to the ''Nemesis''. Ratchet, unable to raise Wheeljack, goes to help his comrade.

[[Image:Triage Knock Out takes cover.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"NO I WILL NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDWAVE SING!!"]]
[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is happy with Soundwave's find, though disappointed at [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]'s and [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s performances. Megatron has Knock Out examine Laserbeak and they find the grenade which Knock Out disposes of (after some initial panic). Soundwave returns to working on the Iacon database, where Megatron and Knock Out have a conversation in the back about Soundwave, that he WILL provide the coordinates of the remaining relics. After that, Megatron orders Knock Out to repair Soundwave's vizor. Knock Out frowns at Soundwave secretly.

Returning to the ''Jackhammer'', Ratchet calls for a [[GroundBridge]], having forged a mutual respect with Wheeljack. He bridges back to base, where the computers are busily downloading the Iacon database. A short time later, Raf reports that [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is returning to base, but as they open the GroundBridge, Bulkhead comes flying through, his back smoking.

[[Toxicity|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (1)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (8)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (9)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (10)

|c3=
* [[William Fowler]] (5)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
“I'll be sure to be on my best behavior, Doc." 
"Please don't call me 'Doc'." 
"Whatever you say, Sunshine." 
:—'''Wheeljack''' pulls out a rather unfitting nickname for '''Ratchet'''. 

"Wait a minute, a grenade inside of Laserbeak, inside of Soundwave? Like a turducken!" 
"I'm sorry?" 
"It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a... never mind." 
:—'''Raf''' fails to enlighten '''Ratchet'''. 

"Any last words?" 
"..." 
"Right. Silent type."
:—'''Wheeljack''' remembers only too late that '''Soundwave''' ''isn't'' going to say anything. 

"Ah, the Resonance Blaster. Crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave! You have performed admirably. Unlike Dreadwing here, who somehow managed to lose the Apex Armor to ''Starscream''!" 
:—'''Megatron''' praises Soundwave and scolds Dreadwing. 

"Oh, believe me. Soundwave ''will'' provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." 
"Yes. We are fortunate to have him on our side, Lord Megatron." 
"And see about repairing his cracked visor, will you?" 
''*Knock Out growls as Megatron walks away*'' 
:—'''Megatron''' talks with '''Knock Out''' about Soundwave. 

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The sound normally used for an arm weapon transforming is used as Soundwave straightens his fingers before fighting Wheeljack.
* As Soundwave stands over Wheeljack at the edge of the cliff, Laserbeak can be seen on his chest.
* The ends of Soundwave's tentacles can be seen on his chest as he stands over Wheeljack with the Resonance Blaster on his arm, as if they weren't fully retracted.
* Even though Knock Out lost a wheel in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", he appears to have all four of them when he returns from his failed mission. Perhaps he had a spare?

===Continuity errors===
*It's implied at the end of "[[Loose Cannons]]" that Wheeljack leaves the ''Jackhammer'' back at the Autobot base to explore Earth in his new vehicle mode, but in this episode he has it with him already when Ratchet GroundBridges to him. Perhaps he left it somewhere the other Autobots knew was safe and decided to meet with Ratchet there.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode happens concurrently with the previous two and the following one. Knock Out returns from his mission in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", which was a failure, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] has already returned after losing the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] to [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] in "[[Triangulation]]". On the Autobot side of things, Bulkhead returns from his mission, which takes place in the [[Toxicity|following episode]], diving through the GroundBridge with severe damage to his back.
*Overall, it appears that the relic hunt in either this episode or "Triangulation" was the first to be completed. Ratchet returns to base before any of the other Autobots, but it is implied that Dreadwing returned to the ''Nemesis'' before Soundwave did.
* Ratchet informs Wheeljack that he: "proved his mettle during the [[war for Cybertron]]".

===Transformers reference===

===Real-world references===
* For those who are wondering, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken turducken is real].
* Rafael was using a command-line interpreter with a black screen that printed white text, a nod to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_Prompt Command Prompt].

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Resonanz-Blaster'''" ("The Resonance-Blaster")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 12|12 January]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa Henkei! Ratchet no Hisaku'''" (音波変形!ラチェットの秘策, "Sonic Transformation! Ratchet's Recipe")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 5|5 January]] [[2013]]

===Trivia===
* Laserbeak is named for the first time in-series.
* On [[Earth]], attaching live grenades to a wounded enemy is a war crime. It's rather inappropriate as a "good guy" tactic in a cartoon aimed at children.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Triage (episode)

2013-02-28T00:26:29Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 40
|prev=Triangulation
|next=Toxicity
|image=Triage Ratchet holds down Laserbeak.jpg
|caption=
|title="Triage"
|airdate=[[May 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''During the third relic hunt, Ratchet and Wheeljack get a one-of-a-kind opportunity when Soundwave's Deployer is disabled.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Triage Jackhammer vs Laserbeak.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Black Hawk down.]]
[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] rendezvous with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] in a wooded area to search for the third of four relics. Though Wheeljack rubs Ratchet up the wrong way, they take off in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'' to find the relic and soon pick up [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] as company. After Wheeljack dogfights with Soundwave for a few minutes, Soundwave releases [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] to take over the attack on the ship. Wheeljack is more than happy to chase Laserbeak instead, though as they chase the drone, it almost causes them to hit the side of a mountain, much to Ratchet's panic. He finally scores a hit on Laserbeak, but as it goes down, a random shot hits the ''Jackhammer'', bringing the ship down as well.

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet is keen to resume the search for the relic, but Wheeljack spots the downed Laserbeak. They examine it, and Wheeljack hits on the idea of planting a grenade in it to provide the Decepticons with a surprise. It gives Ratchet a better idea—implanting a virus to get them access to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' computer and hack the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] database. He contacts base and asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] to prepare a virus. At Raf's suggestion, they implant a grenade into Laserbeak as well to provide a decoy that the Decepticons will find and throw them off the scent of the virus. Wheeljack leaves Ratchet to find Soundwave so he can buy Ratchet time.

Meanwhile, Soundwave has located the relic, the [[Resonance Blaster]], and dug it up. Wheeljack quickly locates him and attacks. They trade blows until Soundwave relieves Wheeljack of a sword and uses his tentacles to throw the Autobot around. Wheeljack manages to use Soundwave's tentacles against each other and cracks the Decepticon's visor with his head. They go flying off the cliff, but Wheeljack finally has Soundwave at his mercy, at least until Soundwave grabs the Resonance Blaster with a tentacle and uses it on Wheeljack.

[[Image:Triage Soundwave visor reflection.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Soundwave...superior...Wheeljack inferior..]]
Ratchet and Raf begin uploading the virus into Laserbeak, but as they need it online to do so, the drone activates and tries to fly off, forcing Ratchet to hold it down. Soundwave is about to finish off Wheeljack when he detects activity from Laserbeak and heads off to investigate. Wheeljack has time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious, and the virus download finishes in time for Ratchet to hide before Soundwave arrives. After some tense moments, the Decepticon picks up Laserbeak, but appears to be alerted to Ratchet. Soundwave's tentacles venture into Ratchet's hiding place, but as it turns out they're merely after a lost piece of Laserbeak. Having retrieved it, Soundwave heads off back to the ''Nemesis''. Ratchet, unable to raise Wheeljack, goes to help his comrade.

[[Image:Triage Knock Out takes cover.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"NO I WILL NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDWAVE SING!!"]]
[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is happy with Soundwave's find, though disappointed at [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]'s and [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s performances. Megatron has Knock Out examine Laserbeak and they find the grenade which Knock Out disposes of (after some initial panic). Soundwave returns to working on the Iacon database, where Megatron and Knock Out have a conversation in the back about Soundwave, that he WILL provide the coordinates of the remaining relics. After that, Megatron orders Knock Out to repair Soundwave's vizor. Knock Out frowns at Soundwave secretly.

Returning to the ''Jackhammer'', Ratchet calls for a [[GroundBridge]], having forged a mutual respect with Wheeljack. He bridges back to base, where the computers are busily downloading the Iacon database. A short time later, Raf reports that [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is returning to base, but as they open the GroundBridge, Bulkhead comes flying through, his back smoking.

[[Toxicity|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (1)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (8)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (9)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (10)

|c3=
* [[William Fowler]] (5)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
“I'll be sure to be on my best behavior, Doc." 
"Please don't call me 'Doc'." 
"Whatever you say, Sunshine." 
:—'''Wheeljack''' pulls out a rather unfitting nickname for '''Ratchet'''. 

"Wait a minute, a grenade inside of Laserbeak, inside of Soundwave? Like a turducken!" 
"I'm sorry?" 
"It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a... never mind." 
:—'''Raf''' fails to enlighten '''Ratchet'''. 

"Any last words?" 
"..." 
"Right. Silent type."
:—'''Wheeljack''' remembers only too late that '''Soundwave''' ''isn't'' going to say anything. 

"Ah, the Resonance Blaster. Crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave! You have performed admirably. Unlike Dreadwing here, who somehow managed to lose the Apex Armor to ''Starscream''!" 
:—'''Megatron''' praises Soundwave and scolds Dreadwing. 

"Oh, believe me. Soundwave ''will'' provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." 
"Yes. We are fortunate to have him on our side, Lord Megatron." 
"And see about repairing his cracked visor, will you?" 
''*Knock Out growls as Megatron walks away*'' 
:—'''Megatron''' talks with '''Knock Out''' about Soundwave. 

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The sound normally used for an arm weapon transforming is used as Soundwave straightens his fingers before fighting Wheeljack.
* As Soundwave stands over Wheeljack at the edge of the cliff, Laserbeak can be seen on his chest.
* The ends of Soundwave's tentacles can be seen on his chest as he stands over Wheeljack with the Resonance Blaster on his arm, as if they weren't fully retracted.
* Even though Knock Out lost a wheel in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", he appears to have all four of them when he returns from his failed mission. Perhaps he had a spare?

===Continuity errors===
*It's implied at the end of "[[Loose Cannons]]" that Wheeljack leaves the ''Jackhammer'' back at the Autobot base to explore Earth in his new vehicle mode, but in this episode he has it with him already when Ratchet GroundBridges to him. Perhaps he left it somewhere the other Autobots knew was safe and decided to meet with Ratchet there.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode happens concurrently with the previous two and the following one. Knock Out returns from his mission in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", which was a failure, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] has already returned after losing the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] to [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] in "[[Triangulation]]". On the Autobot side of things, Bulkhead returns from his mission, which takes place in the [[Toxicity|following episode]], diving through the GroundBridge with severe damage to his back.
*Overall, it appears that the relic hunt in either this episode or "Triangulation" was the first to be completed. Ratchet returns to base before any of the other Autobots, but it is implied that Dreadwing returned to the ''Nemesis'' before Soundwave did.
* Ratchet informs Wheeljack that he: "proved his mettle during the [[war for Cybertron]]".

===Transformers reference===

===Real-world references===
* For those who are wondering, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken turducken is real].
* Rafael was using a command-line interpreter with a black screen that printed white text, a nod to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command Prompt].

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Resonanz-Blaster'''" ("The Resonance-Blaster")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 12|12 January]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa Henkei! Ratchet no Hisaku'''" (音波変形!ラチェットの秘策, "Sonic Transformation! Ratchet's Recipe")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 5|5 January]] [[2013]]

===Trivia===
* Laserbeak is named for the first time in-series.
* On [[Earth]], attaching live grenades to a wounded enemy is a war crime. It's rather inappropriate as a "good guy" tactic in a cartoon aimed at children.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Triage (episode)

2013-02-28T00:25:31Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 40
|prev=Triangulation
|next=Toxicity
|image=Triage Ratchet holds down Laserbeak.jpg
|caption=
|title="Triage"
|airdate=[[May 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''During the third relic hunt, Ratchet and Wheeljack get a one-of-a-kind opportunity when Soundwave's Deployer is disabled.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Triage Jackhammer vs Laserbeak.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Black Hawk down.]]
[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] rendezvous with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] in a wooded area to search for the third of four relics. Though Wheeljack rubs Ratchet up the wrong way, they take off in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'' to find the relic and soon pick up [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] as company. After Wheeljack dogfights with Soundwave for a few minutes, Soundwave releases [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] to take over the attack on the ship. Wheeljack is more than happy to chase Laserbeak instead, though as they chase the drone, it almost causes them to hit the side of a mountain, much to Ratchet's panic. He finally scores a hit on Laserbeak, but as it goes down, a random shot hits the ''Jackhammer'', bringing the ship down as well.

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet is keen to resume the search for the relic, but Wheeljack spots the downed Laserbeak. They examine it, and Wheeljack hits on the idea of planting a grenade in it to provide the Decepticons with a surprise. It gives Ratchet a better idea—implanting a virus to get them access to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' computer and hack the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] database. He contacts base and asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] to prepare a virus. At Raf's suggestion, they implant a grenade into Laserbeak as well to provide a decoy that the Decepticons will find and throw them off the scent of the virus. Wheeljack leaves Ratchet to find Soundwave so he can buy Ratchet time.

Meanwhile, Soundwave has located the relic, the [[Resonance Blaster]], and dug it up. Wheeljack quickly locates him and attacks. They trade blows until Soundwave relieves Wheeljack of a sword and uses his tentacles to throw the Autobot around. Wheeljack manages to use Soundwave's tentacles against each other and cracks the Decepticon's visor with his head. They go flying off the cliff, but Wheeljack finally has Soundwave at his mercy, at least until Soundwave grabs the Resonance Blaster with a tentacle and uses it on Wheeljack.

[[Image:Triage Soundwave visor reflection.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Soundwave...superior...Wheeljack inferior..]]
Ratchet and Raf begin uploading the virus into Laserbeak, but as they need it online to do so, the drone activates and tries to fly off, forcing Ratchet to hold it down. Soundwave is about to finish off Wheeljack when he detects activity from Laserbeak and heads off to investigate. Wheeljack has time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious, and the virus download finishes in time for Ratchet to hide before Soundwave arrives. After some tense moments, the Decepticon picks up Laserbeak, but appears to be alerted to Ratchet. Soundwave's tentacles venture into Ratchet's hiding place, but as it turns out they're merely after a lost piece of Laserbeak. Having retrieved it, Soundwave heads off back to the ''Nemesis''. Ratchet, unable to raise Wheeljack, goes to help his comrade.

[[Image:Triage Knock Out takes cover.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"NO I WILL NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDWAVE SING!!"]]
[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is happy with Soundwave's find, though disappointed at [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]'s and [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s performances. Megatron has Knock Out examine Laserbeak and they find the grenade which Knock Out disposes of (after some initial panic). Soundwave returns to working on the Iacon database, where Megatron and Knock Out have a conversation in the back about Soundwave, that he WILL provide the coordinates of the remaining relics. After that, Megatron orders Knock Out to repair Soundwave's vizor. Knock Out frowns at Soundwave secretly.

Returning to the ''Jackhammer'', Ratchet calls for a [[GroundBridge]], having forged a mutual respect with Wheeljack. He bridges back to base, where the computers are busily downloading the Iacon database. A short time later, Raf reports that [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is returning to base, but as they open the GroundBridge, Bulkhead comes flying through, his back smoking.

[[Toxicity|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (1)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (8)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (9)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (10)

|c3=
* [[William Fowler]] (5)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
“I'll be sure to be on my best behavior, Doc." 
"Please don't call me 'Doc'." 
"Whatever you say, Sunshine." 
:—'''Wheeljack''' pulls out a rather unfitting nickname for '''Ratchet'''. 

"Wait a minute, a grenade inside of Laserbeak, inside of Soundwave? Like a turducken!" 
"I'm sorry?" 
"It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a... never mind." 
:—'''Raf''' fails to enlighten '''Ratchet'''. 

"Any last words?" 
"..." 
"Right. Silent type."
:—'''Wheeljack''' remembers only too late that '''Soundwave''' ''isn't'' going to say anything. 

"Ah, the Resonance Blaster. Crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave! You have performed admirably. Unlike Dreadwing here, who somehow managed to lose the Apex Armor to ''Starscream''!" 
:—'''Megatron''' praises Soundwave and scolds Dreadwing. 

"Oh, believe me. Soundwave ''will'' provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." 
"Yes. We are fortunate to have him on our side, Lord Megatron." 
"And see about repairing his cracked visor, will you?" 
''*Knock Out growls as Megatron walks away*'' 
:—'''Megatron''' talks with '''Knock Out''' about Soundwave. 

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The sound normally used for an arm weapon transforming is used as Soundwave straightens his fingers before fighting Wheeljack.
* As Soundwave stands over Wheeljack at the edge of the cliff, Laserbeak can be seen on his chest.
* The ends of Soundwave's tentacles can be seen on his chest as he stands over Wheeljack with the Resonance Blaster on his arm, as if they weren't fully retracted.
* Even though Knock Out lost a wheel in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", he appears to have all four of them when he returns from his failed mission. Perhaps he had a spare?

===Continuity errors===
*It's implied at the end of "[[Loose Cannons]]" that Wheeljack leaves the ''Jackhammer'' back at the Autobot base to explore Earth in his new vehicle mode, but in this episode he has it with him already when Ratchet GroundBridges to him. Perhaps he left it somewhere the other Autobots knew was safe and decided to meet with Ratchet there.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode happens concurrently with the previous two and the following one. Knock Out returns from his mission in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", which was a failure, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] has already returned after losing the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] to [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] in "[[Triangulation]]". On the Autobot side of things, Bulkhead returns from his mission, which takes place in the [[Toxicity|following episode]], diving through the GroundBridge with severe damage to his back.
*Overall, it appears that the relic hunt in either this episode or "Triangulation" was the first to be completed. Ratchet returns to base before any of the other Autobots, but it is implied that Dreadwing returned to the ''Nemesis'' before Soundwave did.
* Ratchet informs Wheeljack that he: "proved his mettle during the [[war for Cybertron]]".

===Transformers reference===

===Real-world references===
* For those who are wondering, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken turducken is real].
* Rafael was using a command-line interpreter with a black screen that printed white text, a nod to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command Prompt Command Prompt].

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Resonanz-Blaster'''" ("The Resonance-Blaster")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 12|12 January]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa Henkei! Ratchet no Hisaku'''" (音波変形!ラチェットの秘策, "Sonic Transformation! Ratchet's Recipe")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 5|5 January]] [[2013]]

===Trivia===
* Laserbeak is named for the first time in-series.
* On [[Earth]], attaching live grenades to a wounded enemy is a war crime. It's rather inappropriate as a "good guy" tactic in a cartoon aimed at children.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Triage (episode)

2013-02-28T00:23:37Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 40
|prev=Triangulation
|next=Toxicity
|image=Triage Ratchet holds down Laserbeak.jpg
|caption=
|title="Triage"
|airdate=[[May 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''During the third relic hunt, Ratchet and Wheeljack get a one-of-a-kind opportunity when Soundwave's Deployer is disabled.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Triage Jackhammer vs Laserbeak.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Black Hawk down.]]
[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] rendezvous with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] in a wooded area to search for the third of four relics. Though Wheeljack rubs Ratchet up the wrong way, they take off in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'' to find the relic and soon pick up [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] as company. After Wheeljack dogfights with Soundwave for a few minutes, Soundwave releases [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] to take over the attack on the ship. Wheeljack is more than happy to chase Laserbeak instead, though as they chase the drone, it almost causes them to hit the side of a mountain, much to Ratchet's panic. He finally scores a hit on Laserbeak, but as it goes down, a random shot hits the ''Jackhammer'', bringing the ship down as well.

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet is keen to resume the search for the relic, but Wheeljack spots the downed Laserbeak. They examine it, and Wheeljack hits on the idea of planting a grenade in it to provide the Decepticons with a surprise. It gives Ratchet a better idea—implanting a virus to get them access to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' computer and hack the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] database. He contacts base and asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] to prepare a virus. At Raf's suggestion, they implant a grenade into Laserbeak as well to provide a decoy that the Decepticons will find and throw them off the scent of the virus. Wheeljack leaves Ratchet to find Soundwave so he can buy Ratchet time.

Meanwhile, Soundwave has located the relic, the [[Resonance Blaster]], and dug it up. Wheeljack quickly locates him and attacks. They trade blows until Soundwave relieves Wheeljack of a sword and uses his tentacles to throw the Autobot around. Wheeljack manages to use Soundwave's tentacles against each other and cracks the Decepticon's visor with his head. They go flying off the cliff, but Wheeljack finally has Soundwave at his mercy, at least until Soundwave grabs the Resonance Blaster with a tentacle and uses it on Wheeljack.

[[Image:Triage Soundwave visor reflection.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Soundwave...superior...Wheeljack inferior..]]
Ratchet and Raf begin uploading the virus into Laserbeak, but as they need it online to do so, the drone activates and tries to fly off, forcing Ratchet to hold it down. Soundwave is about to finish off Wheeljack when he detects activity from Laserbeak and heads off to investigate. Wheeljack has time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious, and the virus download finishes in time for Ratchet to hide before Soundwave arrives. After some tense moments, the Decepticon picks up Laserbeak, but appears to be alerted to Ratchet. Soundwave's tentacles venture into Ratchet's hiding place, but as it turns out they're merely after a lost piece of Laserbeak. Having retrieved it, Soundwave heads off back to the ''Nemesis''. Ratchet, unable to raise Wheeljack, goes to help his comrade.

[[Image:Triage Knock Out takes cover.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"NO I WILL NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDWAVE SING!!"]]
[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is happy with Soundwave's find, though disappointed at [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]'s and [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s performances. Megatron has Knock Out examine Laserbeak and they find the grenade which Knock Out disposes of (after some initial panic). Soundwave returns to working on the Iacon database, where Megatron and Knock Out have a conversation in the back about Soundwave, that he WILL provide the coordinates of the remaining relics. After that, Megatron orders Knock Out to repair Soundwave's vizor. Knock Out frowns at Soundwave secretly.

Returning to the ''Jackhammer'', Ratchet calls for a [[GroundBridge]], having forged a mutual respect with Wheeljack. He bridges back to base, where the computers are busily downloading the Iacon database. A short time later, Raf reports that [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is returning to base, but as they open the GroundBridge, Bulkhead comes flying through, his back smoking.

[[Toxicity|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (1)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (8)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (9)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (10)

|c3=
* [[William Fowler]] (5)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
“I'll be sure to be on my best behavior, Doc." 
"Please don't call me 'Doc'." 
"Whatever you say, Sunshine." 
:—'''Wheeljack''' pulls out a rather unfitting nickname for '''Ratchet'''. 

"Wait a minute, a grenade inside of Laserbeak, inside of Soundwave? Like a turducken!" 
"I'm sorry?" 
"It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a... never mind." 
:—'''Raf''' fails to enlighten '''Ratchet'''. 

"Any last words?" 
"..." 
"Right. Silent type."
:—'''Wheeljack''' remembers only too late that '''Soundwave''' ''isn't'' going to say anything. 

"Ah, the Resonance Blaster. Crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave! You have performed admirably. Unlike Dreadwing here, who somehow managed to lose the Apex Armor to ''Starscream''!" 
:—'''Megatron''' praises Soundwave and scolds Dreadwing. 

"Oh, believe me. Soundwave ''will'' provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." 
"Yes. We are fortunate to have him on our side, Lord Megatron." 
"And see about repairing his cracked visor, will you?" 
''*Knock Out growls as Megatron walks away*'' 
:—'''Megatron''' talks with '''Knock Out''' about Soundwave. 

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The sound normally used for an arm weapon transforming is used as Soundwave straightens his fingers before fighting Wheeljack.
* As Soundwave stands over Wheeljack at the edge of the cliff, Laserbeak can be seen on his chest.
* The ends of Soundwave's tentacles can be seen on his chest as he stands over Wheeljack with the Resonance Blaster on his arm, as if they weren't fully retracted.
* Even though Knock Out lost a wheel in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", he appears to have all four of them when he returns from his failed mission. Perhaps he had a spare?

===Continuity errors===
*It's implied at the end of "[[Loose Cannons]]" that Wheeljack leaves the ''Jackhammer'' back at the Autobot base to explore Earth in his new vehicle mode, but in this episode he has it with him already when Ratchet GroundBridges to him. Perhaps he left it somewhere the other Autobots knew was safe and decided to meet with Ratchet there.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode happens concurrently with the previous two and the following one. Knock Out returns from his mission in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", which was a failure, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] has already returned after losing the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] to [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] in "[[Triangulation]]". On the Autobot side of things, Bulkhead returns from his mission, which takes place in the [[Toxicity|following episode]], diving through the GroundBridge with severe damage to his back.
*Overall, it appears that the relic hunt in either this episode or "Triangulation" was the first to be completed. Ratchet returns to base before any of the other Autobots, but it is implied that Dreadwing returned to the ''Nemesis'' before Soundwave did.
* Ratchet informs Wheeljack that he: "proved his mettle during the [[war for Cybertron]]".

===Transformers reference===

===Real-world references===
* For those who are wondering, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken turducken is real].
* Rafael was using a computer language with a black screen that printed white text, a nod to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript JavaScript]], a programming language.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Resonanz-Blaster'''" ("The Resonance-Blaster")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 12|12 January]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa Henkei! Ratchet no Hisaku'''" (音波変形!ラチェットの秘策, "Sonic Transformation! Ratchet's Recipe")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 5|5 January]] [[2013]]

===Trivia===
* Laserbeak is named for the first time in-series.
* On [[Earth]], attaching live grenades to a wounded enemy is a war crime. It's rather inappropriate as a "good guy" tactic in a cartoon aimed at children.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Triage (episode)

2013-02-28T00:22:05Z

Godzilla101: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 40
|prev=Triangulation
|next=Toxicity
|image=Triage Ratchet holds down Laserbeak.jpg
|caption=
|title="Triage"
|airdate=[[May 19]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Marty Isenberg]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''During the third relic hunt, Ratchet and Wheeljack get a one-of-a-kind opportunity when Soundwave's Deployer is disabled.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Image:Triage Jackhammer vs Laserbeak.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Black Hawk down.]]
[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] rendezvous with [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] in a wooded area to search for the third of four relics. Though Wheeljack rubs Ratchet up the wrong way, they take off in the ''[[Jackhammer (Prime)|Jackhammer]]'' to find the relic and soon pick up [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] as company. After Wheeljack dogfights with Soundwave for a few minutes, Soundwave releases [[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] to take over the attack on the ship. Wheeljack is more than happy to chase Laserbeak instead, though as they chase the drone, it almost causes them to hit the side of a mountain, much to Ratchet's panic. He finally scores a hit on Laserbeak, but as it goes down, a random shot hits the ''Jackhammer'', bringing the ship down as well.

[[Image:Prime-TriageRatchet&Wheeljack.jpg|thumb|right|250px|After this, you wanna go build a [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]?]]
Ratchet is keen to resume the search for the relic, but Wheeljack spots the downed Laserbeak. They examine it, and Wheeljack hits on the idea of planting a grenade in it to provide the Decepticons with a surprise. It gives Ratchet a better idea—implanting a virus to get them access to the ''[[Trypticon (Prime)|Nemesis]]'' computer and hack the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] database. He contacts base and asks [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] to prepare a virus. At Raf's suggestion, they implant a grenade into Laserbeak as well to provide a decoy that the Decepticons will find and throw them off the scent of the virus. Wheeljack leaves Ratchet to find Soundwave so he can buy Ratchet time.

Meanwhile, Soundwave has located the relic, the [[Resonance Blaster]], and dug it up. Wheeljack quickly locates him and attacks. They trade blows until Soundwave relieves Wheeljack of a sword and uses his tentacles to throw the Autobot around. Wheeljack manages to use Soundwave's tentacles against each other and cracks the Decepticon's visor with his head. They go flying off the cliff, but Wheeljack finally has Soundwave at his mercy, at least until Soundwave grabs the Resonance Blaster with a tentacle and uses it on Wheeljack.

[[Image:Triage Soundwave visor reflection.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Soundwave...superior...Wheeljack inferior..]]
Ratchet and Raf begin uploading the virus into Laserbeak, but as they need it online to do so, the drone activates and tries to fly off, forcing Ratchet to hold it down. Soundwave is about to finish off Wheeljack when he detects activity from Laserbeak and heads off to investigate. Wheeljack has time to warn Ratchet before falling unconscious, and the virus download finishes in time for Ratchet to hide before Soundwave arrives. After some tense moments, the Decepticon picks up Laserbeak, but appears to be alerted to Ratchet. Soundwave's tentacles venture into Ratchet's hiding place, but as it turns out they're merely after a lost piece of Laserbeak. Having retrieved it, Soundwave heads off back to the ''Nemesis''. Ratchet, unable to raise Wheeljack, goes to help his comrade.

[[Image:Triage Knock Out takes cover.jpg|thumb|right|250px|"NO I WILL NOT LISTEN TO SOUNDWAVE SING!!"]]
[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] is happy with Soundwave's find, though disappointed at [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]]'s and [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]]'s performances. Megatron has Knock Out examine Laserbeak and they find the grenade which Knock Out disposes of (after some initial panic). Soundwave returns to working on the Iacon database, where Megatron and Knock Out have a conversation in the back about Soundwave, that he WILL provide the coordinates of the remaining relics. After that, Megatron orders Knock Out to repair Soundwave's vizor. Knock Out frowns at Soundwave secretly.

Returning to the ''Jackhammer'', Ratchet calls for a [[GroundBridge]], having forged a mutual respect with Wheeljack. He bridges back to base, where the computers are busily downloading the Iacon database. A short time later, Raf reports that [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] is returning to base, but as they open the GroundBridge, Bulkhead comes flying through, his back smoking.

[[Toxicity|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]] (1)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (2)
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (11)

|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (3)
*[[Laserbeak (Prime)|Laserbeak]] (4)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (7)
*[[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] (8)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (9)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (10)

|c3=
* [[William Fowler]] (5)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (6)
}}

==Quotes==
“I'll be sure to be on my best behavior, Doc." 
"Please don't call me 'Doc'." 
"Whatever you say, Sunshine." 
:—'''Wheeljack''' pulls out a rather unfitting nickname for '''Ratchet'''. 

"Wait a minute, a grenade inside of Laserbeak, inside of Soundwave? Like a turducken!" 
"I'm sorry?" 
"It's a turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a... never mind." 
:—'''Raf''' fails to enlighten '''Ratchet'''. 

"Any last words?" 
"..." 
"Right. Silent type."
:—'''Wheeljack''' remembers only too late that '''Soundwave''' ''isn't'' going to say anything. 

"Ah, the Resonance Blaster. Crafted by Decepticon scientists for maximum sonic devastation. Soundwave! You have performed admirably. Unlike Dreadwing here, who somehow managed to lose the Apex Armor to ''Starscream''!" 
:—'''Megatron''' praises Soundwave and scolds Dreadwing. 

"Oh, believe me. Soundwave ''will'' provide the coordinates to the remaining relics." 
"Yes. We are fortunate to have him on our side, Lord Megatron." 
"And see about repairing his cracked visor, will you?" 
''*Knock Out growls as Megatron walks away*'' 
:—'''Megatron''' talks with '''Knock Out''' about Soundwave. 

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
* The sound normally used for an arm weapon transforming is used as Soundwave straightens his fingers before fighting Wheeljack.
* As Soundwave stands over Wheeljack at the edge of the cliff, Laserbeak can be seen on his chest.
* The ends of Soundwave's tentacles can be seen on his chest as he stands over Wheeljack with the Resonance Blaster on his arm, as if they weren't fully retracted.
* Even though Knock Out lost a wheel in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", he appears to have all four of them when he returns from his failed mission. Perhaps he had a spare?

===Continuity errors===
*It's implied at the end of "[[Loose Cannons]]" that Wheeljack leaves the ''Jackhammer'' back at the Autobot base to explore Earth in his new vehicle mode, but in this episode he has it with him already when Ratchet GroundBridges to him. Perhaps he left it somewhere the other Autobots knew was safe and decided to meet with Ratchet there.

===Continuity notes===
* This episode happens concurrently with the previous two and the following one. Knock Out returns from his mission in "[[Tunnel Vision]]", which was a failure, and [[Dreadwing (Prime)|Dreadwing]] has already returned after losing the [[Apex Armor (Prime)|Apex Armor]] to [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] in "[[Triangulation]]". On the Autobot side of things, Bulkhead returns from his mission, which takes place in the [[Toxicity|following episode]], diving through the GroundBridge with severe damage to his back.
*Overall, it appears that the relic hunt in either this episode or "Triangulation" was the first to be completed. Ratchet returns to base before any of the other Autobots, but it is implied that Dreadwing returned to the ''Nemesis'' before Soundwave did.
* Ratchet informs Wheeljack that he: "proved his mettle during the [[war for Cybertron]]".

===Transformers reference===

===Real-world references===
* For those who are wondering, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken turducken is real].
* Rafael was using a computer language with a black screen that printed white text, a nod to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java Java]], a programming language.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Der Resonanz-Blaster'''" ("The Resonance-Blaster")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 12|12 January]] [[2013]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Onpa Henkei! Ratchet no Hisaku'''" (音波変形!ラチェットの秘策, "Sonic Transformation! Ratchet's Recipe")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 5|5 January]] [[2013]]

===Trivia===
* Laserbeak is named for the first time in-series.
* On [[Earth]], attaching live grenades to a wounded enemy is a war crime. It's rather inappropriate as a "good guy" tactic in a cartoon aimed at children.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

All Hail Megatron issue 1

2012-04-11T18:59:07Z

Godzilla101: /* Errors */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]'' #1
|prev=Maximum Dinobots issue 5
|next=All Hail Megatron issue 2
|seriesissue2=
|prev2=
|next2=
|image=AHM 01 CoverA.jpg
|caption=Gentlemen! Start your [[Personal canon|personal canons]]!
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[July 10]], [[2008]]
|coverdate=July 2008
|written by=[[Shane McCarthy]]
|art by=[[Guido Guidi]]
|colors by=[[Josh Burcham]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]] & [[Chris Mowry]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|All Hail Megatron]]
}}

'''On your knees, human scum, and bow before the great and glorious Megatron!'''

==Synopsis==
A brief flashback shows the war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], its evacuation, and a battle on [[Earth]]. One year later...

In [[New York City]], a green construction vehicle nearly runs over some [[human]]s in [[Times Square]]. One of the men beats on his door, yelling that [[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] is going to kill someone. He doesn't know how right he is. Much to the man's amazement, Long Haul transforms and joins the other [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] who have arrived. The crowd marvels at the giant robots, some thinking they are movie props. [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] makes a brief speech that they have come in peace, to [[Hook (G1)|Hook]]'s confusion. Of course, this is all a joke and the Constructicons begin blasting into the crowd and street, blasting everything and everyone in sight. [[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] takes a moment to marvel at how fragile everything feels. Such a perfectionist...

The [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] make their grand entrance soon after. [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] mocks the humans, telling [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] that the humans will really be terrified when [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] arrives. Starscream bristles, taking pot shots into the crowd and claiming how he is the master of terror. Unfortunately for him, Megatron ominously makes his appearance mid-rant. Starscream instantly grovels, saying that their destruction of the city is going well. Megatron is far from impressed, showing them the true meaning of destruction as he takes out a skyscraper with one blast of his [[fusion cannon]]. He then tells Starscream to try and keep up with him. Touché.

Fighter pilots are sent to intercept the [[Decepticon]]s, but they think it's just a joke... until they see the robots in person. Megatron stops an immediate retaliation by Starscream, wanting to let the humans get a few shots in first. Starscream is ''far'' from happy. Thanks to [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]], the missiles' guidance systems are easily scrambled and miss their targets. The machine guns, surprisingly, have no effect on them. Satisfied with his demonstration of power, Megatron then orders his crew to attack, which they do with gusto. As the human jets are decimated, one of the pilots, a man named [[DJ (G1)|DJ]], attempts to crash his fighter into Megatron, who just swats him away. Megatron walks through a blazing fire, laughing maniacally.

On Cybertron, the [[Autobot]]s are in a sorry state. [[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] delivers a message on a device to [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]], who angrily throws it away. In the next room, a badly-injured [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] lies on an operating table while [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] works in the background...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Brainstorm]] (2)
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (3)
*[[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] (9)
*[[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]] (10)
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] (11)
*[[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] (12)
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (13)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (29)
*[[Prowl (G1)|Prowl]] (30)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (32)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] (33)
*[[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] (34)
*[[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]] (35)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (36)
*[[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] (37)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] (4)
*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] (5)
*[[Headstrong]] (6)
*[[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (7)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (8)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (14)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (15)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (16)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (17)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (18)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (19)
*[[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] (20)
*[[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]] (21)
*[[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] (25)
*[[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]] (26)
*[[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (28)
*[[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] (29)
|c3=
*[[Andy Reid]] (22)
*[[DJ (G1)|DJ]] (23)
*[[Meg]] (24)
*[[Anders]] (27)
}}

==Notes==
[[Image:AHMSeekers.JPG|right|200px|thumb|F-22s were so 2007]]
* Lots of characters show up with new bodies!
** Prowl, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker are now in their [[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|''Universe'' "Classic Series"]] toy bodies.
** Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp are now in their ''[[The Transformers: Masterpiece|Masterpiece]]'' toy bodies.
** Shrapnel and Bombshell have modified Generation 1-esque designs, transforming into more bug-like insect modes.
** Cliffjumper's Earth mode is seen, which is essentially the same design as Bumblebee's, but adapted to turn into a sports car.
* Megatron, Astrotrain, Blitzwing, Jazz, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Ironhide, and Optimus Prime manage to retain their unique-to-IDW bodies.
* The violence was toned down since the preview in "[[Focus on Decepticons]]"; the blood running down the sneaker and cell phone is missing from the bottom-left panel of page 6. This was at the request of [[Hasbro]].<ref>http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45 Responses by Shane McCarthy at the IDW forums.</ref>
* Note Thundercracker in the background of pages 8 to 10, looking a bit unhappy about the rampage.
* When July sales data came in, it turned out ''All Hail Megatron'' #1, the heavily-promoted new-reader-friendly jump-on point to draw in New Readers... had sold one copy ''less'' than [[The Transformers: Devastation|Devastation]] #1 in the North American direct market.<ref>http://tfarchive.com/community/showthread.php?t=34535&page=22 TFArchive.com's comic sales discussion thread</ref>
* Sideswipe is on speaking terms with Sunstreaker, [[Spotlight: Sideswipe|surprisingly]].

===Errors===
* In the flashback panel on page 1, Jazz is missing his car doors on his forearms. It doesn't appear to be battle damage, and he has them later on in the present.
* This is downloadable for free on iPhone.
* Remember those [[The Transformers: Devastation|big public Transformers battles]] and that [[Spotlight: Grimlock|giant dinosaur robot stomping around in broad daylight]]? Well, the people of America don't. The Air Force squadron say they thought the Decepticons were a hoax, though whether they meant the Decepticons in general—whom the Air Force ''[[Devastation issue 6|have seen]] and [[Devastation issue 4|bombed]]''—or this specific attack is unclear. Neither makes much sense. Next issue reveals that the Transformers ''were'' public knowledge, but everyone believes they were tools for [[Machination|a terrorist group]], which means the Air Force thinking they were a hoax and the people of NYC not recognizing them with fear ''makes even less sense.''
* In the real world [[continuity family]], there is no such rank as "commander" in the [[United States of America|United States]] Air Force. Shane McCarthy is [[Australia]]n, and their national air force has a "wing commander" rank, so that might be a real-life explanation for the existence of the rank in this continuity. [[Chris Sarracini|This is not the first time this has happened]].
* DJ has a "soul patch" beard, which, in the real world, is not allowed for U.S. military pilots.

===Covers (5)===
* '''Cover A:''' Megatron with Prime's head on a pike; art and colors by [[Klaus Scherwinski]]. This art was also used for the volume 1 trade paperback.
* '''Cover B:''' Communist propaganda style of Megatron silhouette with the Seekers overhead; art and colors by [[Trevor Hutchison]]
* '''Cover Retailer Incentive A:''' Megatron closeup; art and colors by Klaus Scherwinski
* '''Cover Retailer Incentive B:''' virgin version of cover A
* '''Retailer Exclusive Cover:''' Megatron taking a picture with [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]], art by [[Casey Coller]] and [[Josh Burcham]]. The cover is an [[homage]] to [[wikipedia:Image:Killingjoke.JPG|the cover]] of ''[[wikipedia:Batman: The Killing Joke|Batman: The Killing Joke]]'' published by [[wikipedia:DC Comics|DC Comics]] in 1988.

<gallery>
Image:AHM 01 CoverA.jpg|I finally found a use for all those voice-changer helmets!
Image:AHM_01_CoverB.jpg|Velcom to Megatrongrad, comrade.
Image:AHM_01_RI_CoverA.jpg|Gaze into the face of doom.
Image:AHM_01_RI_CoverB.jpg|So badass, titles are not needed.
Image:Megatron_cam.jpg|Smile Batm-... I mean, [[Onyx Primal]]!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[Transform and Roll Out]]'' DVD
* [[The Reign of Starscream issue 5|''The Reign of Starscream'' #5]]
* ''[[The Transformers: Best of UK: Time Wars]]'' #1
* ''Doctor Who: The Forgotten'' in [[IDWords]] section and separate ad
* ''Sparrow'' art books
* ''Journey: The Adventures of Wolverine MacAlistaire''
* ''The Dreamland Chronicles''
* ''Spike: After the Fall''
* ''Galaxy Quest''
* www.collectiondrawer.com (back cover)

===Reprints===
*[[2009]] — ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|The Transformers: All Hail Megatron Volume 1]]''
*[[2010]] — ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron]]''
*[[2010]] — ''[[The Transformers: Best of Megatron]]''
*[[2011]] — ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|The Transformers: The Complete All Hail Megatron]]''
*[[2011]] — ''[[The Transformers: The IDW Collection Volume Five]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:All Hail Megatron 01}}
[[Category:All Hail Megatron issues]]

Orion Pax, Part 1

2012-02-25T02:47:54Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers references */

{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 27
|prev=One Shall Rise, Part 3
|next=Orion Pax, Part 2
|image=
|caption=
|title="Orion Pax, Part 1"
|airdate=[[February 18]], [[2012]]
|written by=[[Nicole Dubuc]]
|directed by=[[Vinton Heuck]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

{{picsneeded}}

'''Megatron manipulates the impaired Optimus into joining the Decepticons.'''

==Synopsis==
With the [[Autobot]]s back at base after [[Unicron]]'s defeat, [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] grimly outlines the situation and speculates that [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus]] has reverted to Orion Pax, his pre-Prime self.

On the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]'', [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] makes a ship-wide announcement that Orion Pax is to be treated as a guest. [[Airachnid]] doesn't think it's wise to let an Autobot on board, but Megatron isn't concerned and has his own plans for Orion. Elsewhere on the ship, [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] affixes a new [[Decepticon]] [[insignia]] to Orion's shoulder.

[[William Fowler|Fowler]] wonders why they can't just track down Optimus's signal, but Ratchet says it hasn't been on their sensors since they left the [[Earth]]'s core. They must find some way to track down Optimus regardless, so they can somehow restore his memory. The best bet seems to be to use the [[Key to Vector Sigma]], but the problem is, [[Vector Sigma]]'s on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

Megatron begins to fill Orion Pax in on what's been happening, spinning a yarn about how Orion has been a captive of the Autobots, who are led by the Warlord Ratchet. Orion is shocked at the images Megatron shows him of a war-ravaged Cybertron.

[[June Darby|June]] announces that there's no way [[Jack Darby|Jack]] is going to Cybertron, but Ratchet says only Jack can use the key to access Vector Sigma. The point's moot anyway, as they don't have any way to get to Cybertron. As [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] points out, the [[GroundBridge]] barely made orbit, though [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] wonders why Ratchet can't just "turbo-charge" it.

With Megatron finished "informing" Orion, the latter vows to help the Decepticons overcome Ratchet and the Autobots. Megatron has [[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] remove any incriminating evidence from the ship's data core so Orion can be put to work furthering the Decepticon cause without any risk of him finding anything embarrassing.

[[Sierra]] turns up at [[KO Burger]] to visit Jack as he works at the drive through, confused that she never sees him outside school. Their discussion is interrupted by [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] picking him up as his shift ends. Sierra jumps to the obvious conclusion after hearing the female voice, and seems unconvinced by Jack's claim that it's his mother. Arcee reports that they haven't detected Optimus yet.

Megatron discusses their new comrade with Knock Out, specifically his task to decrypt records stolen from the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] archives near the end of the War. Knock Out wonders if they shouldn't beef up the security, but Megatron feels that Orion will work better if he feels he is not under threat. In any case, Orion's workstation has been located close to the [[energon]] storage, which is under heavy guard.

Back at [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|base]], Ratchet is "tinkering" with the GroundBridge.

Orion has managed to decode some of the data from the Iacon archives, giving coordinates on Earth of stashed Cybertronian technology, possibly weapons. He is puzzled by the absence from the ''Nemesis'' of [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] who is mentioned in the documents as being Megatron's second-in-command, but Megatron claims Starscream is dead. Megatron returns to the bridge, where he tells Soundwave he's concerned that Orion will soon learn the truth.

Fowler contacts the Autobots to let them know that the Decepticons are attacking one of the military bases they hit two months before. Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Arcee respond, finding Knock Out and Breakdown in the process of stealing a power source. As the pair GroundBridge out, Arcee races through after them and begins speeding through the ''Nemesis'', bashing Vehicons and hunting for Optimus. Soundwave soon relays her presence to Megatron, and though Airachnid offers to deal with it, Megatron sends Soundwave to ensure the Autobot is escorted off the ship. Alerted by the fighting, Orion emerges from his quarters, but Soundwave manages to GroundBridge Arcee off the ship just before Orion can see her.

Deposited somewhere Arctic, Arcee is soon back at base admitting she didn't succeed in determining the location of the ship or whether Optimus was even aboard. Fowler makes a brief call to yell at them for the human casualties at the base, and tensions among the Autobots soon spill over into arguing. Jack, however, believes they can commandeer the Decepticon [[space bridge]] once it's complete, and use it to reach Cybertron. The Autobots are doubtful, but determined to try and find the space bridge.

Meanwhile, [[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] sneaks back on board the ''Nemesis'' to steal a stack of [[energon cube]]s. Though he deals with the Vehicons guarding the energon storage, more are on their way, and he's forced to duck into a nearby room. His relief is momentary, as he finds himself face to face with Optimus Prime.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (1)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (4)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (10)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] (11)
*[[Airachnid]] (12)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|"Orion Pax"]] (13)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (14)
*[[Soundwave (Prime)|Soundwave]] (15)
*[[Breakdown (Prime)|Breakdown]] (17)
|c3=
*[[William Fowler]] (5)
*[[June Darby]] (6)
*[[Jack Darby]] (7)
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (8)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (9)
*[[Sierra]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (18)

}}

==Quotes==
"—and the first to address him as Optimus Prime will have their voice box torn out."
:—'''Megatron''' makes plain the penalty for failure.

"Your mom looks good in leather, on your bike..."
:—'''Sierra''' is unconvinced that [[Arcee (Prime)|the girl on the motorcycle]] is really Jack's mom

"One question, Megatron, why are we called 'Decepticons'?" 
"Another craven Autobot scare tactic. The name was meant to demonize us. Instead, we wear it as a badge of honor. For if speaking the truth is deception, then we are gladly guilty."
:—"'''Orion Pax'''" is (ironically) deceived by '''Megatron'''.

"Bulkhead—" 
"What? ''You needed that?!''"
:—'''Ratchet''' is eternally frustrated, and '''Bulkhead''' should invest in a punching bag.

"Whoa, that's a pretty good idea!" 
"Oh, well if ''Miko'' thinks it's a good idea..."
:—'''Miko''' gets no respect from '''Arcee'''

==Notes==
===Animation and technical errors===
*During his first appearance, the scar on Starscream's right cheek is missing. In the next scene however, it's suddenly there. It also disappeared when the lights were flickering after he killed two Vehicons. His eyes also have to endure a change during that time.
*The Vehicons fail to notice that Starscream is flying in formation behind them, and don't hear him land with them inside the ship, even though on both occasions Starscream is no more than a dozen or so meters behind them.

===Continuity notes===
* Fowler refers to the "microchip in his butt" that allows the government to track him, which was previously used for that purpose by the Autobots in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
*Starscream's absence is finally acknowledged by Megatron after his supposed capture in "[[Partners]]". He evidently realized that Starscream may have betrayed him again and ordered him to be detained if he returned.
*Megatron refers to Ratchet as the "Doctor of Doom", as the Autobot medic called himself in "[[Stronger, Faster]]".
*Raf is still wearing braces on his legs for the injuries he incurred in "[[One Shall Fall]]".
*Also from "[[One Shall Fall]]" (which according to Agent Fowler, was two months before this episode), the Decepticons took the same power source.
*Starscream still has the scar on his right cheek inflicted by Arcee in "[[Partners]]".
*Ratchet says that Optimus' signal never reappeared at the end of "[[One Shall Rise, Part 3]]" even though it did.

===Transformers references===
*In summarizing his version of history for Orion, Megatron uses the rather specific terminology of "exodus" and "war for Cybertron", pretty blatantly alluding to the [[Transformers: Exodus|novel]] and [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|video game]]. In particular, the first name-drop is kinda forced, as the word isn't even used correctly: Megatron says they are "in exodus on another world", but he means [[Transformers: Exiles|"exile"]].
*Fowler calls Orion a "librarian" in disbelief that he has lost his memories: this was Megatron's favored insult for Optimus in ''Exodus''.
*Revenge of the Fallen Ratchet stated, "''Ironhide, we should leave this planet.''". TFP Ratchet complains that he does not want to be fired into space.
*Megatron refers to the storming of the Hall of Records in the final days of the war for Cybertron; ''Exodus'' climaxed with the Decepticons storming Iacon, and, in ''[[Transformers: Exiles| Exiles]]'', the building is occupied.
*Ratchet remarks that if the government shuts down [[Autobot Outpost Omega One]], then maybe they'll "fire them into space", a fate that befell the Autobots when they fell out of favour with humanity in both the Generation 1 cartoon episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]" and the ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'' film. His other suggestion, that they be shipped off to "some island", feels like a reference to ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'', the cast of which operates on an isolated island (this episode's writer, Nicole Dubuc, is also the head writer for ''Rescue Bots'', strengthening the potential allusion).
*Arcee remarks that perhaps Optimus gave Jack the Key to Vector Sigma because he thought there was "more to Jack than meets the eye".

===Trivia===
*A 12-minute sneak preview of this episode was made available On Demand on [[February 10]], 2012.
*Polygon resolved the issue of the seemingly empty [[Jasper]] with roving cars!
* One has to wonder why Megatron would have told Optimus that Starscream was dead, if he was also prepared for Starscream to return alive.
* The Decepticon GroundBridge seems to be able to open anywhere inside the ship, since Arcee enters in the middle of one hallway, only to be sent back out at the end of a completely different one.

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense

2012-01-27T20:24:35Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers References */

[[Image:TerrorconDefensestartmenu.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
'''''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense''''' is a [[Wikipedia:tower defense|tower defense]] game based on ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Play as [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] across six missions as they set up [[Autonomous Defense Turret]]s to fend off [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s attempting to gather [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]]s.

==Plot==
Decepticons are trying to get through Dark Energon mines to transform into Terrorcons. There are 6 levels, in Standard Mode, No Escape Mode, and Strong Enemies Mode. Bumblebee, Arcee, & Optimus are instructed to protect the Dark Energon mines from the Decepticons. There is a maximum of 25 allowed Decepticon escapes on Standard modes, but no tolerance of escapes is given in No Escape Mode. There are 3 bosses: Soundwave, Starscream, & Megatron. The 1st Autobot to play as is Bumblebee. The 2nd is Arcee, but in Level 4, Bumblebee will aid Arcee and the player can control both Autobots. Levels 5 & 6 is when Optimus Prime is introduced, and Megatron is the boss.

==Transformers References==
*After you achieve victory, you will hear a portion of the Season 2 ending theme played during the ending credits of [[The Transformers]] G1 cartoon composed by Ford Kinder & Ann Bryant.

{{stub}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hubworld.com/transformers/shows/prime/games/prime-terrorcon-defense ''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime: Terrorcon Defense}}
[[Category:Online games]]
[[Category:Prime media|Terrorcon Defense]]

Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense

2012-01-27T20:21:43Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers References */

[[Image:TerrorconDefensestartmenu.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
'''''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense''''' is a [[Wikipedia:tower defense|tower defense]] game based on ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Play as [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] across six missions as they set up [[Autonomous Defense Turret]]s to fend off [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s attempting to gather [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]]s.

==Plot==
Decepticons are trying to get through Dark Energon mines to transform into Terrorcons. There are 6 levels, in Standard Mode, No Escape Mode, and Strong Enemies Mode. Bumblebee, Arcee, & Optimus are instructed to protect the Dark Energon mines from the Decepticons. There is a maximum of 25 allowed Decepticon escapes on Standard modes, but no tolerance of escapes is given in No Escape Mode. There are 3 bosses: Soundwave, Starscream, & Megatron. The 1st Autobot to play as is Bumblebee. The 2nd is Arcee, but in Level 4, Bumblebee will aid Arcee and the player can control both Autobots. Levels 5 & 6 is when Optimus Prime is introduced, and Megatron is the boss.

==Transformers References==
*After you achieve victory, you will hear a portion of the Season 2 ending theme played during the ending credits of [[The Transformers]] G1 cartoon.

{{stub}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hubworld.com/transformers/shows/prime/games/prime-terrorcon-defense ''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime: Terrorcon Defense}}
[[Category:Online games]]
[[Category:Prime media|Terrorcon Defense]]

Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense

2012-01-27T20:15:03Z

Godzilla101:

[[Image:TerrorconDefensestartmenu.jpg|thumb|300px|]]
'''''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense''''' is a [[Wikipedia:tower defense|tower defense]] game based on ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]''. Play as [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] across six missions as they set up [[Autonomous Defense Turret]]s to fend off [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]]s attempting to gather [[Energon (fuel)|Energon]] and raise an army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcon]]s.

==Plot==
Decepticons are trying to get through Dark Energon mines to transform into Terrorcons. There are 6 levels, in Standard Mode, No Escape Mode, and Strong Enemies Mode. Bumblebee, Arcee, & Optimus are instructed to protect the Dark Energon mines from the Decepticons. There is a maximum of 25 allowed Decepticon escapes on Standard modes, but no tolerance of escapes is given in No Escape Mode. There are 3 bosses: Soundwave, Starscream, & Megatron. The 1st Autobot to play as is Bumblebee. The 2nd is Arcee, but in Level 4, Bumblebee will aid Arcee and the player can control both Autobots. Levels 5 & 6 is when Optimus Prime is introduced, and Megatron is the boss.

==Transformers References==
*After you beat Level 3 & achieve victory, you will hear a portion of the Season 2 ending theme played during the ending credits of [[The Transformers]] G1 cartoon.

{{stub}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hubworld.com/transformers/shows/prime/games/prime-terrorcon-defense ''Transformers Prime: Terrorcon Defense'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prime: Terrorcon Defense}}
[[Category:Online games]]
[[Category:Prime media|Terrorcon Defense]]

June Darby

2011-05-26T08:01:47Z

Godzilla101:

:''June Darby is a [[human]] from the [[Transformers: Prime (franchise)| Prime]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[Image:DarknessRising2-JuneDarby.jpg|right|thumb|300px|She wants to know how you got the beans above the franks.]]

'''June Darby''' is a single mother with a sixteen-year-old son. Poor June Darby.

==Fiction==
===''Transformers: Prime'' cartoon===
:''Voice actor:'' [[Markie Post]]
June returned home from work late in the evening to find her son, [[Jack Darby|Jack]], standing with a [[Arcee (Prime)|motorcycle]] in their garage. She wondered how Jack had paid for the motorcycle, plus expressed her concern for his safety, but Jack was able to convince his mother that he was old enough and responsible enough to operate the vehicle. She made it very clear that he has to always wear his helmet.

Early the next morning, the motorcycle told Jack to leave a note for his mom when he left the house, to keep her from worrying. {{storylink|Darkness Rising, Part 2}}

==Notes==
* Nothing so far indicates that there's a Mr. Darby around, but it's not been stated outright that one is not. The way the second episode's dialog is written makes it very unlikely. Maybe when Jack asks Arcee not to wake up his mom, he just doesn't care if she wakes up his dad!
* So far, she did not make another appearance.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darby, June}}
[[Category:Cartoon-only characters]]
[[Category:Prime humans]]

Shadowzone (episode)

2011-05-26T07:43:47Z

Godzilla101: /* Transformers references */

{{disambig2|the episode|the dimension|Shadowzone (dimension)}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 15
|prev=Out of His Head
|next=Operation: Breakdown
|image=Shadowzone-shadow.jpg
|caption=Who zones? The Shadow zones.
|title="Shadowzone"
|airdate=[[May 14]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Todd Waterman]]
|animation studio=[[Polygon Pictures]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}
'''After a GroundBridge failure, the kids are flung into another dimension with a reanimated Skyquake.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Image:Shadowzone-MegsStarscream.jpg|left|thumb|300px|"Baby, I don't ''want'' to hurt you!"]]

[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] lies in the ''[[Nemesis (Prime)|Nemesis]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> lab, having taken a severe pounding from [[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]]. His leader pays a visit, mostly to gloat over how their positions have changed. Once he leaves, Starscream rips himself free of the cables feeding him. [[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] is shocked to see Starscream up and about, but Starscream claims angrily that he feels fine and limps away. Starscream retrieves a shard of [[Dark Energon]]—the one he originally ripped from Megatron's body—from its hiding place and promises that his and Megatron's positions will be reversed.

At the [[Autobot Outpost Omega One|Autobot base]], [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] reports that he's detected a weak but rapidly moving Dark Energon signal, which the [[Autobot]]s assume is Megatron. [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] wonders if he plans to use it raise a new army of [[Terrorcon (Prime)|Terrorcons]] ([[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] seems thrilled at the prospect of zombie-cons) and [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] notes that it's possible, given the Dark Energon signal is moving to a familiar site.

[[Image:Shadowzone-purple.jpg|right|thumb|300px|"The Power Cosmic!"]]
Starscream arrives at the site of [[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]]'s grave, announcing that this time the fallen warrior will be his servant. Breaking off a chunk of the Dark Energon and throwing it into the cairn, Starscream plunges the rest of it into himself and feels the power flowing through him.

Optimus Prime readies the Autobots to move out, though Ratchet's surprised that he's on the team. As Miko yells words of encouragement to [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], [[Jack Darby|Jack]] and [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]] observe that she's obviously up to something, since she's acting disinterested in coming along. Indeed, as the Autobots head through the [[GroundBridge]], Miko makes a break for the opening, and Jack and Raf give chase. Jack manages to grab her on the threshold, but she shakes loose and runs through, though [[Miko's phone|her cell phone]] is knocked from her belt. The three kids arrive on site just behind the Autobots and scramble up a nearby outcropping to watch the anticipated battle. The Autobots are surprised to find Starscream instead of Megatron, and he takes advantage by shooting at them and proclaiming his invulnerability. Optimus responds by shooting one of Starscream's arms off. As the Autobots close in, Starscream takes cover and shouts at Skyquake to hurry up and rise before panicking and requesting an emergency GroundBridge. The Autobots finally spot the kids when Miko shouts at Jack for making her lose her phone, just in time for [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] to call from base asking where the kids are. Optimus orders her to send a GroundBridge. Ratchet is surprised when ''two'' GroundBridge portals open, but orders the kids to go in. They do so, and Starscream likewise dives through the 'Con GroundBridge, but moments later, green energy begins swirling around everywhere. Bulkhead runs to save the kids, but is knocked back from the GroundBridge portal, which then explodes.

Starscream arrives back on the ''Nemesis'' and tells the [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] operator to keep his mouth shut. After leaving the GroundBridge room, he removes the chunk of Dark Energon from his chest.

The kids pick themselves up, as do the Autobots, but the kids quickly discover that the Autobots can't see them, and to Miko's alarm, Bulkhead steps right through her. Unaware, the Autobots speculate on what happened to the kids. Raf works out that he, Jack and Miko are in a sort of alternate dimension he calls a [[Shadowzone (dimension)|shadowzone]]. Optimus observes that Skyquake's grave is empty and requests a GroundBridge from Arcee. The kids spot Skyquake—now a Dark Energon zombie—heading towards the Autobots. Their cries of warning go unheard, but Skyquake's strike passes right through Bulkhead. The kids rapidly realize that Skyquake is in the same dimension as they are, and they and run for it. Raf trips and is carried to safety by Jack, but has lost his glasses. Miko makes an ill-advised recovery of the spectacles, and they continue their flight.

The Autobots are at a loss to locate the kids until [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] suggests calling them. Bulkhead rings Miko, only to discover her lost cellphone sitting on the floor in the Autobot base. Arcee rings Jack, and in the shadowzone, his phone rings, but there's too much interference for him and Arcee to communicate. The kids hit on the idea of sending a text message to Miko's phone but are forced to run as Skyquake finds them. Miko is just realizing that they've gone in a circle when they literally run into Starscream's lost arm.

Knock Out examines Starscream, who covers for his lost arm by saying it just fell off. The medic tries unsuccessfully to interest him in a replacement upgrade arm.

[[Image:Shadowzone_HappymusPrime.jpg|left|thumb|300px|What? Optimus is ''smiling''?! No! We're ''still'' in another dimension!]]

Meanwhile, the kids use Starscream's arm to fire a missile at Skyquake. They manage to blast Skyquake's arm off, but it promptly animates and starts charging towards them at high speed. The kids start running once again.

At base, Bulkhead notices that Miko's phone is flashing, and the Autobots finally get the kids' message. Ratchet sets about trying to locate where they are.

Starscream's piece of Dark Energon starts pulsing, which he takes to mean that Skyquake has risen. He tells Knock Out, returning with a new arm, that he's going to go and retrieve his old arm.

Ratchet pinpoints the kids to the location of Skyquake's grave and starts working on a way to return them to the normal dimension.

The kids find themselves back at Starscream's arm and are confronted by Starscream himself, come to find Skyquake. Luckily, he can't see them, but they're forced to run toward him when Skyquake's arm appears. A GroundBridge portal opens in front of them, and they run through at the last moment. Starscream is startled by the three humans running past, but then Skyquake's arm follows them through the portal and grabs Starscream's head. He has barely shaken the thing loose when Optimus, Bulkhead and Arcee arrive, and he has to request another emergency GroundBridge.

[[Image:Shadowzone-alone.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Zombies have no respect for personal space!]]
Back at base, Miko takes responsibility for the whole venture, much to Jack's surprise, but the Autobots decide she's been through enough. Bulkhead regrets she didn't get to take any pictures, but Miko asserts that the mental image of zombie Skyquake will be enough.

Knock Out performs more repairs on Starscream and enquires whether he retrieved his arm. Back in the shadowzone, Skyquake briefly tries Starscream's arm on for size before tossing it away.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (4)
*[[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (6)
*[[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (7)
*[[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (8)
|c2=
*[[Starscream (Prime)|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Megatron (Prime)|Megatron]] (2)
*[[Knock Out (Prime)|Knock Out]] (3)
*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicon]] (12)
*[[Skyquake (Prime)|Skyquake]] (13)
|c3=
*[[Miko Nakadai]] (9)
*[[Jack Darby]] (10)
*[[Raf Esquivel]] (11)
|c4=

}}

==Quotes==
"You cannot harm me while Dark Energon flows through my veins!" 
:—'''Starscream''', seconds before Optimus blows off his arm.

"I can't see without my glasses!" 
"What are you, ninety?" 
"Not. Helping!" 
:—A glasses-less '''Raf''', a jerky '''Miko''' and a frustrated '''Jack'''.

"Uhhh, Starscream, I don't quite understand how this could have happened." 
"And yet it DID! Can you imagine my horror? There I am, minding my own business, when my arm just falls off! Clearly, Megatron inflicted more damage upon me than you realize, ''doctor''..." 
"Well, on the bright side, this provides an excellent opportunity for an upgrade! Let's see...you could go with the Sonic Cannon. It's reliable, low-maintainence, but it lacks a certain flair. Personally, I prefer the Null Ray. It has just the right mix of flash and firepower!" 
"I DON'T WANT A NEW MODEL! I just want the same arm I had before!" 
"Starscream, your equipment is a bit...uh...obsolete. I'm not sure I have another one lying around. Of course, we COULD try to salvage yours. You kept it, didn't you?" 
"It was...beyond recovery." 

:—'''Knock Out''' treats '''Starscream''', who won't admit to what really happened.

"How can a zombie arm move faster than the actual zombie?"
:—That's a very good question, '''Miko'''.

"Look what I found in storage- What are you doing?!" 
"You were right, Knock Out; I'm much too attached to my original appendage! I WILL retrieve it!"
:—'''Knock Out''' gets more lies from '''Starscream''' while the viewers laugh ''their'' arms off.

"Ratchet, can we triangulate the geographical position of the cell phone signal?" 
"''In a parallel dimensional plane?!''... Let's find out."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' poses a challenge for '''Ratchet'''.

"Agh! Unhand me!" 
:—'''Starscream''' to Skyquake's hand. Sorry.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===

===Continuity errors===
* Skyquake's arm continues to function even after being blasted off. When Ratchet severs a zombie's arm in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]", the arm is shown deactivating moments later. It is possible that that is due to Skyquake being somewhat 'fresher' than the zombie in Darkness Rising Part 4, the same way [[Cliffjumper (Prime)| Cliffjumper]] was still functional in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 2]]" despite being cut in half.
* Jack [[Darkness Rising, Part 2|previously discovered]] that the Autobot base was shielded from cell-phone reception. This may have something to do with the "cell phone comlink patch" Raf mentions in "[[Convoy (episode)|Convoy]]".

===Continuity notes===
* Starscream attempts to raise Skyquake as a zombie the way Megatron raised an undead army in "[[Darkness Rising]]" parts [[Darkness Rising, Part 4|4]] and [[Darkness Rising, Part 5|5]]. He even quotes Megatron's exact line about symbiosis.
* Starscream stole the Dark Energon shard he uses from Megatron way back in "[[Masters & Students]]". Likewise, Skyquake made his previous appearance in the same episode, and the action in this episode happens around his burial site.

===Transformers references===
* This episode finally has the Autobots refer to the ''Nemesis'' by name. The name was previously given to the [[Nemesis (G1)|Decepticon cruiser]] from Generation 1 in "[[Nemesis Part 1]]".
* When suggesting alternative arm weapons for Starscream, Knock Out makes a few references to past [[Starscream (disambiguation)|Starscreams]]: While he recommends a [[null-ray]], as sported by [[Starscream (G1)|Generation 1 Starscream]], he also proposes a "[[sonic cannon]]", in an apparent reference to [[Starscream (Animated)|''Animated'' Starscream]], whose arm cannons were referred to as sonic weapons in various places (though never the ''Animated'' show itself).
* This isn't the first time that Starscream got his arm ripped off before by Optimus Prime. The first time was in [[Revenge of the Fallen]] where Optimus cut it off and beat him up with it in the forest battle.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* Ratchet fears that the GroundBridges may have "crossed streams". [[Wikipedia:Ghostbusters|This is generally a very bad thing]].

===Trivia===
* Starscream is apparently obsolete in terms of equipment and systems. Stubborn refusal to upgrade is not unheard of among [[Spotlight: Kup|Transformers]].
* Despite Megatron being pretty ticked off at Starscream in the previous episode, Starscream is still alive (albeit heavily injured). Just like old times!
* [[Jeff Kline]] claimed that when they kill a character, the character stays killed. He wasn't exactly lying: Skyquake reappears, but only as a shambling zombie. He doesn't even get lines, except for groans and moans.
* So Starscream launches the missiles on his arms by flexing his index finger.
* Miko claims to have learned her lesson. Let's see how long that lasts.
* This is the first time since "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]" that we've seen Ratchet in his vehicle mode.

==Home video releases==

==External links==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]

Humanization

2011-02-20T06:27:13Z

Godzilla101: /* Mouths/teeth/tongues */

Throughout the various Transformers canon, there have been several instances of Transformers with humanistic traits and having very human actions that possibly conflict with their status as mechanical robots. Many of these instances can be dismissed as stylistic choices by the artists or as gags not to be taken seriously.

==Glandular, digestive, and respiratory==
===Sweating===
[[Image:LandsharkWOH-energondelivery.jpg|right|thumb|180px|]]

* In [[Prime Time!|issue twelve]] of the original [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Generation 1'' comic]], [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] is seen leaking lubricant from his head during a stressful confrontation with [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] (as Shockwave points out), in a manner resembling sweating.
* Numerous times in the Marvel UK comic, [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] can be seen "sweating".
* ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' and ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' featured Transformers displaying the traditional anime "sweat drop", a giant bead of liquid appearing at the side of the head to convey embarrassment or exasperation.
* [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]] sweatdrops upon seeing a particularly scary expression on [[Lori]]'s face. {{storylink|Ambush}}
* [[Leozack]] sweatdrops oil when [[Landshark]] attacks him. {{storylink|Wings of Honor}}

===Coughing===
* In the G1 episode "[[Roll for It]]", when the Autobots emerge from the ruins of a demolished [[antimatter]] laboratory, they are coughing.
* [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] coughs when [[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] surrounds him with smoke.{{storylink|Triple Takeover}}
* [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] coughs while infected with Cosmic Rust. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}}
* In "[[Call of the Primitives]]", a fiery blast from [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] causes both the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]] and [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to cough.
* In ''Beast Wars'', [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] begins to cough for no reason while making a triumphant speech. Much like Powerglide's "heart", this could be a one-shot joke. He also coughs while sleeping.
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] fake-coughed in the episode "[[Sparkwar Pt. III: The Siege]]" of the [[Beast Machines (cartoon)|''Beast machines'' cartoon]] to draw [[Optimus Primal]]'s attention to the matter of [[Noble]].
* In the ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' episode "[[Secret Weapon: D-5]]", [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]], and [[Dark Scream]] all cough after inhaling smoke.
* In the ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' episode "[[Mortal Combat]]", right after Optimus Prime says "I wish I could accommodate you," he coughs silently.
* [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] visibly coughs after [[Sam Witwicky]] uses the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to restore him to life in ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', even expelling what appears to be dust.

===Breathing===
On ''[http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation]'', it was explained that the android [http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Data Data]'s breathing served to cool his inner components, but mostly so that he doesn't appear unnatural to the humans he was designed to resemble. He also blinks for this reason. It could be argued that breathing serves the same "cooling" purpose in Transformers, but this explanation is always going to smack of desperation.

* In an ''Energon'' episode, [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] instructs [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] that they have to synchronize their breathing before they can [[Powerlinx|powerlink]].
* At the climax of ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] tries to strangle [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]], complete with sounds of Hot Rod gagging and struggling to breathe. It's possible that Galvatron was trying to compress Hot Rod's neck until the Autobot's head popped off, but that isn't likely.
* [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]], calling for help as a python constricts him, says he can't breathe. {{storylink|Dark Voyage}}
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] is shown to be breathing heavily after trying to chase down Blurr, even though he quips in a previous episode that not needing to breathe is useful for an Autobot. {{storylink|Velocity}}
* On the [[Nemesis (ROTF)| Nemesis]], [[Megatron (Movie)| Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Movie)| Starscream's]] breath can be seen due to condensation in the cold ship. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}
* [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] breathes heavily as he runs in fear from [[Chaos (alien)|Chaos]] and the slave mines on [[Dread]]. {{storylink|Chaos (episode)|Chaos}}

===Spitting===
* Throughout his term on the Marvel UK comic letters page, [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] would regularly say "(Puttup)" after mentioning the Autobots or an Autobot's name to represent him spitting in disgust. This habit made an in-story appearance, with him spitting at [[Donny Finkleberg|Robot-Master]] despite his [[mouthplate]]. {{storylink|Second Generation!}}
* After [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] escapes from the Decepticons's New Jersey base via a sewer, he spits as he complains about their poor choice of back door.{{storylink|...All This and Civil War 2}}
* In the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[Tangled Web]]", [[Quickstrike (BW)|Quickstrike]] "spits" after reissuing his challenge to tangle with [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]], despite the fact that, like Soundwave, he has no apparent mouth.
*In ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] repeatedly spits while talking to [[Sam Witwicky]] and his companions. [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] also has to spit his mouth clean after being blasted across a forest by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] spits twice: once at Sam while in the [[Broadwater Metal Works]] foundry, and again when he mentions Prime's name.

===Crying===
[[Image:Omega Supreme tears up.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Tissue: desired.]]

* A twinkle of light that may not literally be a tear, but is clearly intended to imply one, can be seen in [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]'s eye at the end of "[[The Secret of Omega Supreme]]".

* When [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] dies in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] is seen to dab at her eyes.

* [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] told his colleagues he was about to "leak optical lubricant" when they wouldn't stop about giving up on [[Operation: Volcano]]. {{storylink|Target: 2006}}

* In "[[The Burden Hardest to Bear]]", [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] has tears falling from his eyes, presumably in pain, during his monstrous disfigurement after he gains the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]].

* There is a teardrop on young [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]]'s face after being beaten by Deathsaurus. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

* At the end of "[[Heroic! The Victory War]]", some Decepticons are crying over their defeat.

* As he mourns his dead friend [[Snowstalker]] and decides he can never fight again, [[Tigatron]] cries a single tear in beast mode.

* [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] wiped a fake tear when [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] put on the heroic act. {{storylink|Code of Hero}}

* When pondering [[Silverbolt (BW)|Silverbolt]]'s fate in ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]] is shown to shed a single tear from one of her spider eyes. {{storylink|Revelations Part I: Discovery}}

[[Image:Bw2 ep6 twinwaterfalls.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Surf's up—and I'm talkin' ''up''!]]

* Throughout ''[[Beast Wars II (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'', and occasionally in the ''[[Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' cartoon, several characters are seen crying in hyperbolic anime fashion.

* Tears can be seen welling up in [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]]'s eyes and falling to the ground in ''[[Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' as he mourns a fallen comrade.

* [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] told [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] to "cry him a river". {{storylink|Night of the Combaticons}}

* [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] cries over [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]]'s death in [[The Art of War issue 5|''The Art of War'' #5]].

* In ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers: Animated]]'', [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] cries, though this "ability" could be part of her partially organic nature. {{storylink|Along Came a Spider}}

* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] cries after [[Sam Witwicky]] tells him cars are not allowed on campus, although he was exaggerating his sorrow and was likely deliberately leaking fluids to enhance the visual. ''{{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}''

* [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] was crying in the corner for not being in the [[Transformers: War for Cybertron|War for Cybertron]] game. [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] had to talk to him. Again. {{Storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.12#Law and Disorder|Law and Disorder}}

===Eating===
[[Image:Optimusprime-mom.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Probably contains [[energon (fuel)|energon goodies]] in the shape of a happy face.]]

* There are references to [[Cybertronian food]].

* [[Skullcruncher]] has been known to eat Autobots as well as humans and other organics, despite not needing to do so to survive. Other Decepticons are disgusted by this practice.

* There are Pepsi and [[Destron Pizza|pizza]] in the refrigerator in [[Pepsi Convoy]]'s home.

* In ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', the Maximals and Predacons are shown to eat:
**[[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] even displays something of a voracious appetite, eating rats and leaving webs to catch prey. At one point, he captures Cheetor and prepares to drain the Maximal's fluids, claiming that it is the act he prefers over the nourishment (which adds just another level of creepy to the already creepy Tarantulas). {{storylink|The Web}}
**[[Rattrap]] eats apples. {{storylink|The Web}}
**And garbage {{storylink|The Web}}
**[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] eats a bird. {{storylink|Power Surge}}
**[[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] eats [[Clone One|his clone]]. [[Optimus Primal]] remarks that he is "disgusting". {{storylink|Double Dinobot}}
**While suffering from an [[Energon discharge virus]], [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]] eats wild beans to build up his power. This later ends disastrously for [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]. {{storylink|The Low Road}}
* In ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', [[Optimus Primal]] wants to eat the underground tree's fruit; [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] protests that "we don't eat food, we process [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]—PERIOD!", but is overruled. {{storylink|Forbidden Fruit}}
* According to [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]], [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] eats [[Autobot]] [[Protoform]]s for breakfast. But of course that could just be a rumour. {{Storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}

===Flatulence===
* In the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' episode "[[The Low Road]]", Rhinox lets out an extreme amount of flatulence after consuming wild bean vines. This could be due to Maximals having organic parts in their makeup.
* In the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Bad Spark]]", [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] also lets out flatulence, blaming it on a large buildup of energy from his [[Transmetal]] body.
* Just go watch ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. Happens every five minutes. You can set a clock by it.
* One of the [[Mini-Constructicon]]s "cuts one", causing the others to laugh and request someone to open a window in "[[Spotlight: Ramjet]]".

===Urination===
* [[Tasmania Kid]] urinates (in beast mode) to put out a fire.
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] performs a similar action on [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]] by popping off his automobile oil filter in robot mode. Optimus Prime claims that 'Bee is just leaking lubricants on him. Presumably, this action was inspired from witnessing a [[Mojo|similar incident]].
* [[Scoop (SG)|Scoop]] apperantly urinates himself in [[Do Over]]
* In Beast Wars II, [[DJ (BWII)|DJ]] is known for wetting himself whenever he drinks too much oil.

===Defecation===
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] defecates on [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] in ''[[Robo-Capers]]'' from Marvel UK issue [[Robo-Capers issue 87|#87]].

===Intoxication===
* In the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] episode "[[Microbots]]", the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] behaving in a noticeably intoxicated fashion after consuming high-grade [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] refers to this as "over-energizing".
* In the UK comic, the [[Wrecker|Wreckers]] frequent a "bar" on Cybertron called [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], where they consume high-grade energon, presumably for the purposes of getting intoxicated. [[Dreadwind (G1)|Dreadwind]] and [[Darkwing]] pay a visit to this establishment in a later story, and get so hammered that they don't even notice [[Quickswitch]] fighting with some [[Mecannibal]]s.
* In ''Beast Wars II'', [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] gets "drunk" on numerous occasions.
* In the ''Beast Wars II'' manga, [[Lio Convoy]] gets drunk once and messes up [[Apache]]'s room.
* The [[Constructicon (Animated) |Constructicons]] in ''Animated'', whose personalities are shout-outs to construction worker stereotypes, seem to drink oil the way humans drink beer. However, they never actually get drunk.

===Miscellaneous===
[[Image:Cigarchomping.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Bet it's imported from Cubatron.]]
* [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] once gets a cold, causing him to cough and have a fever, in an issue of the [[Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]]. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

* [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] got a bump on his head after being hit by Deathsaurus with a staff when they were young boys. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

* In ''[[All Hail Megatron]]'', [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] chomps on a [[cigar|cy-gar]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron}}

* [[Bumblebee (Animated)| Bumblebee]] has bandages wrapped around his middle after Sari is knocked out and the Autobots return to their base. {{storylink|TransWarped}}

* [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] wore a cast over his arm after being hit by a falling building. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

{{-}}

==Body parts==
===Mouths/teeth/tongues===
{{Main|Teeth}}
{{Main|Tongue}}
{{Main|Mouthplate}}

* The [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon series]] is the only major piece of fiction to ''not'' present Transformers as possessing [[teeth]] and/or [[Tongue|tongues]]. The features appear in both the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] and [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] comics, [[The Battlestars (manga)|''The Battlestars'' manga]], the ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' animated series (where teeth would even be knocked out on occasion), the ''[[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' cartoon, and the [[Unicron Trilogy]] cartoons and comics.

* In an episode of [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]], [[Browning]] sticks his tongue out at [[Wilder]] and [[Bullhorn]] after they insult [[Cancer]].

*In the [[live-action film series]], the more human-like the robot, the more they are likely to have teeth. In the case of, say, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], his teeth are mechanical cubes overlaid on each other, while [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] has bona fide fangs. Optimus spits out a piece of his shattered faceplate in the second film, which is intended to resemble a boxer spitting out a tooth after a brutal match. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

* One of the most prevalent examples of this tradition is the [[Kiss Players (manga)|''Kiss Players'' manga]], in which a [[Legion]] character is equipped with a distinctive prehensile (and phallic) tongue.

* The Scraplets have sharp fangs like piranhas or sharks. (Transformers: Prime)

===Eyeballs/eyelashes===
[[Image:AutoBerserk OptimusPrime closedeyes.jpg|right|125px|thumb|Oh, my eyes!!]]
* In the episode "[[Auto Berserk]]", Optimus Prime's eyes are closed (apparently to shield them against the smoke) much like a human's when the Autobots stagger out of the fire and smoke of the Negavator's destruction.

* Cyclonus also closes his eyes when Galvatron is about to go through the [[Alya]] treatment and he cannot bear to watch. {{storylink|Webworld}}

* [[Lyzack]] sports some pretty heavy-duty eyelashes for her brief appearance in the ''[[Victory (manga)|Victory]]'' manga. So does [[Esmeral (Victory)|Esmeral]]. {{storylink|Heroic! The Victory War}}

* In [[Spotlight: Hot Rod]], Hot Rod is shown to have what appears to be blast shields for his optics when he passes out after landing. Dealer's optics are mostly covered by his eyelids, so he looks half-passed out. ''Per an email query to IDW, their response is that Transformers do not have eyelids, that it's just artistic license.''

* The robots in the [[live-action film series]] have eyes designed to resemble cameras, enabling them to dilate and blink.

* ''Animated'' [[Swindle (Animated)|Swindle]] has eyelids. He also blinks frequently.

* The cyborg [[GoBots (franchise)|GoBots]], as portrayed in the animated cartoon, do in fact possess eyelids (when the eyes aren't covered by a visor) and frequently blink. Some also have visible pupils.

<center><gallery>
Image:Esmeral-manga.jpg
Image:LyzackEyelashes01.jpg|About 15 gallons of mascara for those things.
Image:HotRodOpticShields.jpg|Hey, wake up!
Image:Dealerseyelids.jpg|Got munchies?
</gallery></center>

===Obesity===
Although Transformers come in all shapes and sizes anyway, some characters have particularly round appearances that suggest something equivalent to human obesity.

* In [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|Grim Grams #94]], [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] mentioned that [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] weighs a little over 90 tons and "could stand to lose a little around the fuel storage system".
* [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] complained that the Decepticons had grown "fat and complacent" under [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]'s rule. {{storylink|Surrender!}}
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] is virtually as wide as he is tall and is depicted as extremely round, with very short, stubby legs. It gives him more than a passing resemblance to a heavily obese person, or at best one of those huge, flabby, off-season wrestlers.
* Much the same could be said of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. Being big-chassised is no excuse to let yourself go.
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|''Animated'' Ratchet]] has a prominent gut that resembles a human paunch. Although ordinarily this might be considered merely a feature of his transformation scheme (ala [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]), he is specifically designed to be a crotchety "old man" character, and in flashback sequences to his younger days in the Great War, he notably ''lacks'' said paunch.
* [[Gnaw]]. Well, all the [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticons]], really, but seriously. It's kind of comically appropriate that the robots which do absolutely nothing but hang out and eat stuff all day are so roly-poly.

===Masculine characteristics===
====Facial hair====
{{Main|Facial hair}}

* [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], [[Unicron]], and [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] all sport "facial hair" in the G1 cartoon. In addition to that, ''Energon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]], the films' Optimus (who has a goatee), [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] and ''Animated''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]], [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]], and [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|the other Wreck-Gar]] all have varying amounts of facial hair. (The last of these was modeled after [["Weird Al" Yankovic|his voice actor's]] own, prior to his appearance's overhaul.)

====Nuts, Bolts and Screws====
[[Image:LightfootDramaticEncounter Gilmer's injury.jpg|thumb|right|200px]]
* [[Gilmer]] got rammed in his crotch by [[Lightfoot]], causing it to become red and Gilmer to clutch it, groaning he got "kicked in the balls". {{storylink|Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter}}

* [[Rattrap]] kicks [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] in the groin, causing apparent pain and giving him a high-pitched voice. {{storylink|Other Voices, Part 1}}

* [[Stampy]] once suggested a kick to the "unmentionables" as a workable battle tactic. {{storylink|The Ascending issue 3|The Ascending #3}}

* [[Heinrad]] has a set in [[Beast mode|tanuki mode]]. Since tanuki are known for their massive testicles, his equipment's existence actually makes sense.

* [[Flareup (Timelines)|Flareup]] interpreted the word "[[AllSpark Key|key]]" in "[[Wikipedia:Ghostbusters|keymaster]]" a little differently than [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] intended. {{storylink|Bee in the City}}

* [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] has a pair of dangling wrecking balls in a... very unfortunate place. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

* [[Dickbot the blender guy|Blenderbot]] has a... well... [[:Image:Appliancebots2.jpg|just look for yourself (NSFW?)]]. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

===Feminine characteristics===
[[Image:CrossingtheRubicron-newbody.jpg|right|230px|thumb|I'd tap it like the fist of an angry god.]]
{{main|Female Transformer}}

====Breasts====
Some female Transformers, such as [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] and [[Elita One]] (not to mention the ''other'' [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]]) have a protruding chest area that bears no apparent relation to their alt mode [[kibble]], but bears some vague resemblance to clothed human breasts, or a "monoboob", if you will. Some females even have two separate and even more distinctly rounded breast-like protuberances, particularly in their fictional depictions. [[Blackarachnia (BW)|Blackarachnia]], [[Antagony]] and [[Beta (G1)|Beta]] all fall into this category. One, [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)| Thunderblast]], even has [[:Image:ThunderblastBoobsAndNipples01.jpg|visible nipples]]. ''(You're going to look, aren't you...?)''

====Lips====
[[Image:G1 Silverbolt cartoon.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Though not female, [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]]'s got <s>sexy</s> nice lips.]]
Another common feature to denote gender in some female Transformers (mostly only in the fiction) is distinctly fuller, plumper lips than is standard, such as Blackarachnia's in ''Beast Wars''. Sometimes, however, they will additionally have red or otherwise different/darker colouration to their lips, with an evident similarity to human lipstick. Such paint-mouthed femmes include Blackarachnia in ''Beast Machines'', her [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|''Animated'' cousin]], and the [[Female Autobots|G1 Female Autobots]].

As far as males go, [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] clearly has thicker lips than the average male Transformer would, as does [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)| Optimus Prime]].

====Hips====
[[Image:SpacePirates Arcee Bunsofsteel.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Dan Reed, you perv.]]

Alike to humans, many a female Transformer has a distinctly more curving hipstructure.

:''See also the '''[[Humanization#Sexuality|Sexuality]]''' section below.

{{--}}

===Questionable body parts===
[[Image:Powerglide heart.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Not [[Wikipedia:Astroboy|Astroboy]], we swear!]]

* Nearly all Transformers seem to possess noses for no discernible functional reason, ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' characters and movieverse [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] being exceptions. Movie [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] also notes that he can smell [[Sam Witwicky|Sam]] when the latter is trying to escape from him, and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] remarks that he can "smell" [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]]. This would seem to imply that movieverse Transformers have a form of olfactory systems. The idea of noses is somewhat 'fixed' in ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Transformers Prime]]'' by having the noses be a visible part of the robot's helmet as opposed to being part of their face.

* At the end of the G1 episode "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]", [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] is seen to have the LED outline of a cartoon heart within his chassis. This is somewhat nonsensical even within in the context of the show (the contents of Transformers chest cavities had been shown several times before), and is doubtless merely meant as a one-off sight gag.

* Although listed separately above, breasts and "nuts, bolts and screws" would also fit under this category quite well, seeing as there doesn't appear to be any use for them on Transformers, other than to show them off.

;Brains
[[Image:PredaBrain1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Predaking: All brawn AND brains!]]

* [[Predaking]] has an organic brain when he is sliced in half in the [[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|''Zone'' cartoon]].

* [[Unicron]] also has an organic brain in the G.I. Joe crossover, [[Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2|Black Horizon Part 2]].

{{-}}

==Other biological functions==
===Sleep===
* In the G1 comic, [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]] plays a prank on [[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] while he is in "rest mode." {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Marvel comic)|Trailbreaker's ''Universe'' profile}} [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] falls asleep and dreams (or rather, has a nightmare), an experience Prime refers to as an "involuntary systems shutdown". {{storylink|Back from the Dead}} Skids is also seen to require a manually activated nightly shutdown to conserve energy. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}} Kup later attempts to rouse a vision-struck Optimus Prime by urging him to "wake up"—then reminds himself that "we don't sleep!" {{storylink|The Power and the Glory}} When [[Donny Finkleberg]] remarks that unlike machines, humans need to rest, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] informs him Transformers need to as well to conserve fuel. Skids also has an on/off button in his dashboard. {{storylink|Heavy Traffic!}}
* In the Japanese ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' cartoon, [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] is able to use a form of hypnotism on the Autobots, which can include lulling them to sleep.
* In ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'', it has been firmly established that (perhaps partially due to their organic components), all Transformers within the cartoon sleep. Some prime examples of this are:
**Megatron has been shown to sleep in the command chair of the ''Darksyde'', while his dino head mounted on the end of his arm stays awake, looks around, and smiles slyly. Wonder what it thinks about...
** Cheetor has been shown asleep at many points, complete with (occasionally prophetic) dreams. In "[[Feral Scream Part 2]]", he also purrs when he's asleep. How cute!
** In "[[Call of the Wild]]", the Maximals are kept awake for two days by the Predacons' non-stop attacks on their base, which exacerbate their beast instincts overriding their logic circuits.
* In ''Beast Wars II'', [[Galvatron (BWII)|Galvatron]] often nods off in a narcoleptic-like fashion.
* In the ''Beast Wars II'' manga, Lio Convoy sleeps and has a nightmare at one point.
* ''Armada'' [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] is quite fond of catching forty winks when possible. [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] does the same on one occasion. Armada Megatron is also seen asleep twice in the episode "Rebellion".
* ''Animated'' [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] enters a form of sleep he calls a "stasis nap", during which he gets several parking tickets. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}}
* Also in ''Animated'', when the Autobots feel tired after drinking an oil-nog, they decide to go to sleep, pardon, to take a stasis nap. [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] even yawns. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

===Aging===
{{main|Life cycle}}
Some Transformers have been depicted as aging.

* [[Image:Alpha Trion through the epochs.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]][[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] has been depicted in three different eras: 11 million years in the past, 9 million years in the past, and the present day. Though his [[character model]] undergoes many changes, his facial hair changes seem to mimic human aging. In his (chronologically) earliest depiction, he has a small black mustache. In his second depiction, his mustache has turned white. By the modern era, he sports a long mustache and beard.

* The [[Overlord (rank)|Overlord]] was so old that his body needed a regular energy supply to keep him functioning. {{storylink|State Games}}

[[Image:MangaYoungDeathyStarSaber.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Young and Innocent]]
* [[Xaaron]] couldn't transform anymore because he was old.

* In an issue of the Marvel UK G1 comics, Kup's systems are going to shut down because he is too old.

* [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] and [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]] are depicted as "child" Transformers, complete with childlike temperaments, in flashbacks. {{storylink|The Star of Friendship, Jean and Star Saber!}}

* [[Cohara]] is depicted as "child" in his flashback in the issue "[[A Battle Fought Alone]]".

* Movieverse [[Jetfire (ROTF)|Jetfire]] has a cane and is rusting. Some parts even fall off him when he transforms!

* [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] claimed to have been a classic car when he was younger, and a tricycle when he was younger. While he was lying, his story was plausible enough for [[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]]. On the other hand, Slapper is an idiot.

{{-}}

===Sexuality===
[[Image:Sideburnhearts.jpg|right|180px|thumb|Sorry, Side Burn, I don't think Wedge rolls that way.]]
{{Main|Transformer romance}}
{{Main|Reproduction}}

One of the most controversial aspects of Transformers is the idea of sexuality. While it is established in most continuities that Transformers do not reproduce sexually, most continuities nonetheless have distinctive male and [[Female Transformer|female characters]] and sometimes drops a hint Transformers may engage in (recreational) sex.

The [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] brought the first official female Transformers into the canon, including [[Elita One]] and [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]]. The characters are noticeably more feminine in design and some have clearly defined romantic relationships with male Transformers. In contrast, such relations between two individuals of the same gender are virtually unheard of.

{{--}}
==Accents==
{{Main|Accents}}

==See also==
* [[:Category:Transformer anatomy|Transformer anatomy]]
* [[Anatomic euphemism]]
* [[Relatives]]
* [[Transformer clothing|Clothing]]

==External links==
* [http://transfans.co.uk/comics_guide_detail.php?id=106&page=5 Transformers #94 Letters Page on Transfans.co.uk]

[[Category:Transformer anatomy]]

Scrapheap (episode)

2011-02-20T06:19:58Z

Godzilla101: /* Notes */

{{disambig2|the ''Prime'' episode|the Generation 1 Junkion|Scrapheap (G1)}}
{{episode|
|otherseries=''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' ep 7
|prev=Masters & Students
|next=Con Job
|image=PrimeScrapletsEp7.gif
|caption=Aw, look at the cute little—
|title="Scrapheap"
|airdate=[[February 18]], [[2011]]
|written by=[[Marsha Griffin]]
|directed by=[[Shaunt Nigoghossian]]
|animation studio=[[Digitalscape]]
|production company=[[Hasbro Studios]]
}}

'''While Optimus and Arcee are trapped in the Arctic, the base is invaded by deadly Scraplets.'''

==Synopsis==
Trudging through the [[Arctic]], [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] locate a huge pod buried in the snow. they take it back to [[Autobot Central Command|base]], where their systems are checked over by [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]]. [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus]] asks about the pod, but Ratchet says it can't be opened while it's still frozen. Even as it sits defrosting in another part of the base, the pod cracks open from the inside.

[[Image:Scrapheap-adorableScraplet.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Leprosy was never this adorable. As far as we know.]]

Optimus and [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] prepare to travel to the Arctic to look for more clues regarding the pod's origins, and Ratchet gives them some temperature sensors so they can tell when their core temperatures drop to dangerous levels. The kids arrive in time to see them off, and [[Jack Darby|Jack]]'s initially keen on going with them, until he finds out where they're headed. [[Raf Esquivel|Raf]]'s still interested in seeing some snow, but Optimus says the conditions are too harsh. No sooner have Prime and Arcee stepped through the [[ground bridge]] than the ground bridge system goes down. While the Autobots start trying to repair it, Jack and [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] start playing video games, and Raf wanders off. He's playing "being in the Arctic" in a corridor when he stumbles on a tiny cute metal critter. He plays fetch with it using a bolt, but it promptly eats the bolt. Happy with his new pet, he heads back to the control room, unaware that there's equipment sparking behind him.

Ratchet's just dug out a damaged ground bridge component when Raf returns with his find. The Autobots react in terror to the tiny critter. The kids are surprised at the reaction to what the Autobots are calling a [[Scraplet]], but then the creature starts chowing down on Bumblebee, and Raf has to beat it to death with a crowbar. Ratchet's suspicions as to the Scraplet's origin are confirmed when they check the Arctic pod and find it's been broken open — thousands of Scraplets now infest the base.

In the Arctic, Optimus and Arcee find their core temperatures have dropped, but Optimus is unable to contact base to request use of the ground bridge.

[[Image:Scrapheap-Ratchetinfected.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[wikipedia:Botfly|Robotflies]]]]

Ratchet's discovered that the Scraplets have broken the comm system. Bulkhead's in favor of bugging out, but doing that will mean certain doom for Optimus and Arcee. Bulkhead gives a detailed description of how Scraplets kill a bot to Miko. The kids volunteer to help as the Scraplets aren't interested in eating them, and so they pair off with the three Autobots — Jack helping Ratchet repair the ground bridge while the others hunt for the Scraplets. Mike and Bulkhead explore the corridors where Raf saw the first Scraplet, and Miko is bemused to find that Bulkhead screams like a girl when scared. After an embarrassing encounter with a bunch of overhead cables, Bulkhead is set upon by Scraplets. Elsewhere, Raf and Bumblebee likewise run into a group of the things. Ratchet has meanwhile finished repairing the ground bridge, but it still refuses to function. As he investigates further, a swarm of Scraplets enter the main control room via a vent, and begin flying overhead. They attack Ratchet, but Jack uses a nearby fire extinguisher to freeze them off. There are more of the pests flying overhead however, and as the others return from their search, the Scraplets attack and overwhelm the Autobots.

[[Image:Scrapheap-huddleforwarmth.jpg|left|thumb|300px|And not a tauntaun for miles.]]

Arcee and Optimus try to keep themselves functional by playing "Who screwed things up back at base". Arcee favors Bulkhead, remembering how he walked into some power lines shortly after they arrived on Earth, but Optimus defends the big lug.

The kids manage to eliminate the Scraplets attacking their friends, but from the sounds elsewhere in the base, it's clear there are many more lurking about. They come up with a plan to send the Scraplets to the Arctic by getting the ground bridge working, and Ratchet works out there must be an [[energon (fuel)|energon]] fuel line breach preventing the system from starting. The three kids take a tool kit and go to fix the breach. They're just finishing when the Scraplets decide it's time for lunch, and break into the main control room. The kids rush back and let Ratchet know that the ground bridge is back online. He opens the bridge to the Arctic before collapsing, and Bulkhead acts as bait, leading the Scraplets through. He arrives in the Arctic to see Optimus and Arcee staggering towards the bridge, and the Scraplet horde bursts through behind him. Optimus braces for attack, but the Scraplets rapidly freeze in the air and bounce harmlessly off him.

Back at base, Ratchet supervises repairs on Bumblebee and Bulkhead. He and Optimus pay tribute to the strength of their human allies, but just then Miko spots a spider and runs away screaming.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (1)
* [[Bumblebee (Prime)|Bumblebee]] (2)
* [[Ratchet (Prime)|Ratchet]] (3)
* [[Optimus Prime (Prime)|Optimus Prime]] (4)
* [[Arcee (Prime)|Arcee]] (5)

|c3=
* [[Miko Nakadai]] (6)
* [[Jack Darby]] (7)
* [[Raf Esquivel]] (8)

|c4=
* [[Scraplet]]s (9)

}}

==Quotes==
"The Arctic? I've always wanted to see snow." 
"I would invite you to join, Rafael, but the conditions are much too extreme, even for we Autobots." 
"I understand..." 
"But, I will bring you back a snowball."
:—'''Raf''' is snow deprived and '''Optimus''' says things you would not expect a giant alien robot to say.

"Bulkhead, you NEVER run." 
"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot. I HAVE. They pick you apart from the inside out, going for the small juicy bits first, fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, 'til there's nothing left, and I mean NOTHING, not even your optics."
:—The kids getting nightmare fuel from '''Bulkhead'''.

"I get to be your bodyguard for once. How cool is that?" 
"Raf found the first one here, right?" 
''(lights turn off for a second and Bulkhead screams loudly)'' 
"Did you just scream like a little girl?" 
"No...maybe...can we talk about this later?"
:—'''Miko''' and '''Bulkhead''' searching, and a more hilarious reversal of roles cannot be found.

"What do you suggest...wait, how about a game? Let's play 'Who Screwed Things Up Back at Base'." 
"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction." 
"Caused by Bulkhead."
:—'''Arcee''' and '''Optimus''' prove that when things go wrong, blame it on Bulkhead.

"Bulkhead may be...too large for this world. But his inner strength is without bounds. One should not be measured by size alone."
:—'''Optimus''' gives us a life lesson while finding a nice way to call Bulkhead fat.

"Ready for the main course? Come and get it!"
:—'''Bulkhead''', king of one-liners.

"I'd invite you in, but the place is a mess."
:—Seriously, give '''Bulkhead''' a crown.

"We're just fortunate that this infestation happened...on a Saturday,"
:—'''Ratchet''' finds there's an upside to having human companions.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===

===Continuity errors===

===Transformers references===
*To everyone's surprise, these Scraplets behave similar to their [[Scraplet|namesakes]], but are closer in appearance to [[Mecannibal]]s.
*Bumblebee's interest in video games isn't unlike another [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s; indeed, we previously saw him and Raf playing this same racing game in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 3]]".
*Arcee mentions Bulkhead running into power lines shortly after arriving on Earth, which recalls a different [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s [[Transformers (2007)|"tingly" encounter]].
*At the episode's conclusion, Bumblebee is hooked up to an "electro-pulse" monitor, a feature of Transformer biology that got its first and only previous mention waaaay back in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]] cartoon episode, "[[Divide and Conquer]]", when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] declared his to be fading.

===Foreign dubbing===

===Real-world references===
* A [[wikipedia:dolly zoom|dolly zoom]] happens when Raf realizes the Scraplet is attacking Bumblebee.
* This episode's plot resembles the 2010 film [[wikipedia:Piranha 3D|Piranha 3D]] where piranhas attack people. Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead are the victims, and the Scraplets are the attackers.
* Ratchet remarks the Scraplet's bites on Bumblebee's are "[[Wikipedia:Black Knight (Monty Python)|just a mesh wound]]".

===Trivia===
*Raf never did get that snowball. Guess Optimus was too busy dying to scoop some up.
*This is the first episode which doesn't feature the [[Decepticon]]s, or Agent Fowler.
*It is not an error that the Autobots can freeze in the [[Arctic]] but not in space. The idea that being in space will immediately freeze you up like a popsicle is a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpaceIsCold lie perpetuated by bad science fiction]. This isn't the [[Fire in the Sky|first time]] [[Megatron (Movie)|it's happened]].

==Home video releases==

==External links==

[[Category:Prime episodes]]