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Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)

2024-07-06T02:27:22Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Trivia */

{{picsneeded|Screen captures}}
{{disambig3.5|the DVD "motion comic"|the Titan Books TPB of the earliest [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''The Transformers'']] issues|Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Beginnings}}
[[Image:Beginnings DVD.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Moving comic panels! Classic Grantray-Lawrence Marvel Super Heroes style!]]
'''''Transformers: Beginnings''''' is an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (aka ''Prime Directive'') mini-series. It was available on a [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] bonus DVD with the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' live action movie]] starting from [[October 16]]th, [[2007]] and features some of the (voice) actors from the 2007 movie, voice actors from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] who didn't make it into the movie, and substitute voice artists for the rest of the characters. Animation for this mini-movie was provided by [[Sunny Boy Creative]].

==Plot==
[[Image:Tfbeginnings-iamBB.jpg|thumb|left|250px|If you can read this, let me tell you I have no clue who I am transmitting this to.]][[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] sends a message of the highest urgency to all sentient beings in the universe, telling them the tale of the [[AllSpark]]. It had once helped the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] flourish under the rule of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but eventually [[The Fallen|something]] corrupted Megatron, and he attempted to use the AllSpark for his own twisted purposes. Bumblebee was one of the warriors loyal to Optimus Prime, so he tried to protect the AllSpark from Megatron. Eventually the Autobots launched the AllSpark into space.

After destroying Bumblebee's [[voice capacitator]], Megatron follows it and eventually tracks it down to prehistoric [[Earth]], where he ends up trapped in ice.

Four million years later, an expedition headed by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers him, but after unearthing his discovery, he ends up in a mental institution. There, he is visited by two employees of [[Sector Seven]], who are interested in alien designs he drew on more than a hundred sheets of paper before going blind. Upon returning to their headquarters, they prepare for an expedition to the Arctic Circle. In [[1902]], they're preparing to excavate Megatron there, when other employees of Sector Seven discover the AllSpark in a lake in [[Colorado]].

[[Image:Tfbeginnings-flames.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Maybe I shouldn't have left the cardboard cut-outs in the fire.]][[1935|33 years later]], one of the Sector Seven agents that were present when Megatron was excavated oversees the construction of the Hoover Dam together with a younger agent, and predicts the arrival of more of the "Mega-Man's" kind.

In [[2003]], Bumblebee arrives on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which is noticed by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and quickly catches the attention of Sector Seven. Two weeks later, he lands on Earth, but when Sector Seven investigate the site of his impact, he's gone, with the I-64 nearby. Satellite surveillance footage reveals that a yellow [[Chevrolet]] Camaro had suddenly entered the interstate only moments after an identical Camaro had passed the position, which causes Sector Seven to conclude that "N.B. E.-2" is a "mimic".

Around the same time, [[Sam Witwicky]] learns from his [[Ron Witwicky|father]] about the legacy of his great-great-grandfather. His ancestor's glasses don't particularly interest him, and upon learning that Archibald Witwicky had ended up in a mental hospital, he freaks out. Meanwhile, Bumblebee discovers information about Archibald Witwicky on the internet, while Sector Seven prepare a trap for him, headed by a specialist, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]].

In the meantime, the Decepticons [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] set foot on Mars and destroy the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]]. Soon afterwards, they arrive on Earth. Starscream destroys an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and adapts his body to transform into a replica of it. Blackout and Barricade also report having assumed local camouflage.

In a former [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] bunker in [[New Mexico]], Sector Seven prepare their trap for Bumblebee, using an artificial isotope made to give off the same sort of energy signature as the AllSpark. Meanwhile, Bumblebee arrives at the mental asylum where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, but finds it abandoned and in ruins.

Two days after Sector Seven set up their trap, Bumblebee is sighted in the area, with Barricade in pursuit. Just as Sector Seven realize that the "local law enforcement" is actually "N.B.E.-3", Blackout shows up and attacks the bunker, soon joined by Starscream. Blackout quickly discovers that the real AllSpark is not in the bunker, but also figures that the humans must know where the real AllSpark is if they were able to simulate his energy signature. As he tries to hack into Sector Seven's database, Simmons orders his people to cut the connection to the S7 mainframe.

Blackout, having been unable to dig up more than the name "Sector Seven", is about to consider it a dead end as Barricade reports having encountered Bumblebee. He suggests letting Bumblebee lead them to the AllSpark.

He does, Barricade, Starscream, and Blackout then decide to go their separate ways, back at the bunker, the Sector Seven units watch their plans end in shambles. Meanwhile, Bumblebee heads to Tranquility, and at that same city, Sam works on his computer, unaware of the specs of his Great-Grand Father, Archibald Witwicky shining a reflection, [[Cyberglyphics|writings of unknown origin]]...

{{stub|which parts of the comics are used for the last installment?}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Inferno (Movie)|Inferno]] (flashback only)
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (flashback only)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (prophetic vision only)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (prophetic vision only)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Patrick Hallahan]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Brian Stepanek]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] (silhouette only)
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] (silhouette only)
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] (silhouette only)
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (prophetic vision only)
|c3=
*[[Archibald Witwicky]] ([[Patrick Viall]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] (Brian Stepanek)
*[[Bald Sector Seven agent]] ([[Harold Hayes, Jr.]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Wiencke]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Reginald Danco]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Theodore Joseph Wells]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Curtis|Dr. Curtis]] (flashback only)
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*Young spiky-haired Sector Seven agent
*Young bespectacled Sector Seven agent
*Young black Sector Seven agent
}}

(Additional voices by [[Justin Foley]], [[Patrick Hallahan]], [[Kenny Luper]], [[Ryan Pfeiffer]] and [[Patrick Viall]])

==Notes==
===Differences with the comic version===
* ''Beginnings'' starts with a voiceover (initially also supported by the same text being displayed on the screen) by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. The introduction is not featured in the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|comic version]], but the voiceover soon switches to directly reciting captions from the comic (but occasionally omits a few words and lines here and there).
* A large portion of the content of issue #1 of the comic version is skipped by ''Beginnings''. This includes the big battle at [[Tyger Pax]], all major appearances by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], as well as most of Bumblebee's encounter with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], dialogue among the Decepticons and major appearances by [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]], including a small rescue team of Autobots saving Arcee and Bumblebee at the end of the issue. Instead, the comic instantly skips from Bumblebee's introduction to the launch of the [[AllSpark]] into space and Megatron's mutilation of Bumblebee, with only a brief monologue by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (shown as a flashback in the comic version) in between. Another voiceover by Bumblebee that was also not featured in the comic version summarizes the events.
* Megatron's arrival on [[Earth]] is also shortened significantly as compared to [[Movie Prequel issue 2|issue #2]] of the comic version. In particular, his internal monologue is drastically trimmed.
* A caption identifying the planet as "prehistoric Earth" is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The text "4 million years later" indicating the time passed since Megatron's arrival on Earth and his discovery by [[Archibald Witwicky]] was also not seen in the comic version.
* The caption "[[Boston Secure Hospital]], [[1898]]" for Sector Seven's visit to Archibald Witwicky was changed to "[[Boston]] - one year later" for ''Beginnings''.
* The scene where Archibald Witwicky foresees the battle in [[Mission City]], with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] present in their [[alternate mode]]s and Megatron's silhouette looming in the background, was originally part of the opening scene of [[Movie Prequel issue 3|issue #3]] of the comic version. In ''Beginnings'', it gets taken out of its original context and edited into Sector Seven's visit to Witwicky that was originally featured in issue #2 of the comic version.
* A caption identifying "Sector Seven headquarters" as such is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The scene depicting Sector Seven starting to excavate Megatron is identified by a caption as "Arctic Circle, 1902" instead of the comic version's [[1899]]. The following scene, where another Sector Seven employee discovers the AllSpark in Colorado, which ''is'' set in 1902 in the comic version, is therefore presented as happening either concurrently or shortly afterwards in ''Beginnings'', rather than three years later.
* Several scenes from issue #3 of the comic version are put in chronological order with the scenes from issue #2: Following the discovery of the AllSpark in 1902 (issue #2), ''Beginnings'' continues with the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 (issue #3; accompanied by text stating "33 years later" that was not seen in the comic for obvious reasons), then switches to the Hubble Space Telescope detecting Bumblebee's arrival on Mars in 2003 (issue #2), and then continues with Sector Seven examining the site of Bumblebee's arrival on Earth (issue #3). For the last scene, the introductory caption "Virginia, 2003" has been changed to "Virginia, 2 weeks later".
* Further voice overs by Bumblebee (accompanied by on-screen text) that announce his arrival in the [[Milky Way]] Galaxy (considering Optimus Prime's opening narration for the [[Transformers (film)|movie]], he might have actually been referring to the Earth's [[solar system]]), confirm that the AllSpark's energy signature is at its highest on Earth, and establish that he found "an alternative way to communicate" were also not featured in the comic (there's no internal monologue by Bumblebee after issue #1).
* The scenes featuring [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] joining the Sector Seven agents pursuing the Bumblebee case and Bumblebee accessing the internet from an internet café are reversed in order.
* Yet another newly added voice over (again accompanied by on-screen text) confirms that the Decepticons have arrived in the Earth's solar system.
* In the comic version, the Decepticons' destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] and Simmons explaining his plan to the other Sector Seven agents are set concurrently, switching back and forth between the two scenes. In ''Beginnings'', the two scenes are shown separately, in sequence.
* [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream's]] change from his Protoform body to his Earth form is lacking the transitional panel from the comic, making for a rather abrupt change.
* When Bumblebee arrives at the former mental hospital where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, a caption identifies it as "St. Jude's Mental Asylum". In [[Movie Prequel issue 4|issue #4]] of the comic version, the same hospital was identified as "Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane".
* Another part of the opening scene of issue #3, Archibald Witwicky predicting the Transformers to arrive on Earth, is shown as a flashback when Bumblebee scans the hospital (taken from issue #4).
* A scene with Bumblebee stopping by a roadside in Colorado is missing, as is a scene between Sam and [[Miles Lancaster|Miles]] where Miles suggests Sam sell his great-great-grandfather's belongings in an [[EBay|online auction]]. The former scene appears to be a follow-up to an additional [[Interlude|prequel comic]] originally produced as part of a cooperation with Target. Since Bumblebee's seemingly damaged state is unexplained in the original comic version (the Target prequel comic is not referenced), the scene comes off as somewhat weird, which is why it might have been cut from ''Beginnings''.
* After Bumblebee managed to ditch Barricade who was pursuing him, he plays ''Tubthumping'' on his radio. In the comic version, he played the song in the aforementioned earlier scene that is missing from ''Beginnings''.
* At the very end, a city sign identifies Sam's home town as "Tranquility", but the name of the state ([[Nevada]]) listed below it in issue #4 of the comic version has been removed for ''Beginnings''.

===Trivia===
* [[Peter Cullen]], [[Mark Ryan]], and [[Kevin Dunn]] reprise their roles from the film.
* The footage for ''Beginnings'' consists entirely of panels from [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|''Movie Prequel'' comic mini-series]] that are enhanced by various new coloring effects. "Animation" is limited to zooming and sliding the entire panel across the screen, and occasionally separating elements (such as characters) from the background and zooming or sliding them across the screen independently from the background.
* The background music featured in ''Beginnings'' is taken from [[Steve Jablonsky]]'s score for the 2007 movie, specifically the versions included on the ''[[Transformers: The Score]]'' album, most notably the piece ''Optimus'' (played during the ending credits) that was not used in the actual movie in this version.
* Faction sigils, occasionally flipping, accompanied by the classic transformation sound effect, serve as [[scene transition]]s at several points, similar to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
* As the lyrics of the songs played on Bumblebee's radio are based on, but not quite identical to those of existing songs in the comic version (possibly to avoid licensing issues), ''Beginnings'' features made-up songs using the ''exact'' lyrics from the comic version. The original songs are:
** ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' by U2
** ''Ghost in this House'' by Shenandoah
** ''Tubthumping'' by Chumbawumba
** ''Everyday Is A Winding Road'' by Sheryl Crow
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] voice over stating that he "arrived in the Milky Way Galaxy" (which is ''not'' taken from the comic version) would place [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[Star system#Those poor, confused writers|in another galaxy]].
* The scene depicting the destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] features sound effects from the original teaser trailer for the movie (which are also used when the scene is shown in the movie).
* The letters "GRAVESEN" shown on [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons']] computer while waiting for Bumblebee to show up, originally a password for the [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven alternate reality game]], was ''not'' removed for ''Beginnings''.
* Colorist [[Josh Burcham]]'s name is misspelled as "Burchman" in the end credits.
* In a bit of blatant false advertising, the back cover of the DVD case claims that the story is narrated by Peter Cullen. Actually, Cullen has one paragraph—30 seconds—of dialog and that's it. The narration is performed by Mark Ryan.
* Bumblebee narrates until the Decepticons show up on Mars.
*Frank Welker voices Megatron, unlike in the film, where he is voiced by [[Hugo Weaving]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beginnings}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)

2024-07-05T22:49:26Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Differences with the comic version */

{{picsneeded|Screen captures}}
{{disambig3.5|the DVD "motion comic"|the Titan Books TPB of the earliest [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''The Transformers'']] issues|Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Beginnings}}
[[Image:Beginnings DVD.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Moving comic panels! Classic Grantray-Lawrence Marvel Super Heroes style!]]
'''''Transformers: Beginnings''''' is an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (aka ''Prime Directive'') mini-series. It was available on a [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] bonus DVD with the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' live action movie]] starting from [[October 16]]th, [[2007]] and features some of the (voice) actors from the 2007 movie, voice actors from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] who didn't make it into the movie, and substitute voice artists for the rest of the characters. Animation for this mini-movie was provided by [[Sunny Boy Creative]].

==Plot==
[[Image:Tfbeginnings-iamBB.jpg|thumb|left|250px|If you can read this, let me tell you I have no clue who I am transmitting this to.]][[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] sends a message of the highest urgency to all sentient beings in the universe, telling them the tale of the [[AllSpark]]. It had once helped the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] flourish under the rule of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but eventually [[The Fallen|something]] corrupted Megatron, and he attempted to use the AllSpark for his own twisted purposes. Bumblebee was one of the warriors loyal to Optimus Prime, so he tried to protect the AllSpark from Megatron. Eventually the Autobots launched the AllSpark into space.

After destroying Bumblebee's [[voice capacitator]], Megatron follows it and eventually tracks it down to prehistoric [[Earth]], where he ends up trapped in ice.

Four million years later, an expedition headed by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers him, but after unearthing his discovery, he ends up in a mental institution. There, he is visited by two employees of [[Sector Seven]], who are interested in alien designs he drew on more than a hundred sheets of paper before going blind. Upon returning to their headquarters, they prepare for an expedition to the Arctic Circle. In [[1902]], they're preparing to excavate Megatron there, when other employees of Sector Seven discover the AllSpark in a lake in [[Colorado]].

[[Image:Tfbeginnings-flames.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Maybe I shouldn't have left the cardboard cut-outs in the fire.]][[1935|33 years later]], one of the Sector Seven agents that were present when Megatron was excavated oversees the construction of the Hoover Dam together with a younger agent, and predicts the arrival of more of the "Mega-Man's" kind.

In [[2003]], Bumblebee arrives on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which is noticed by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and quickly catches the attention of Sector Seven. Two weeks later, he lands on Earth, but when Sector Seven investigate the site of his impact, he's gone, with the I-64 nearby. Satellite surveillance footage reveals that a yellow [[Chevrolet]] Camaro had suddenly entered the interstate only moments after an identical Camaro had passed the position, which causes Sector Seven to conclude that "N.B. E.-2" is a "mimic".

Around the same time, [[Sam Witwicky]] learns from his [[Ron Witwicky|father]] about the legacy of his great-great-grandfather. His ancestor's glasses don't particularly interest him, and upon learning that Archibald Witwicky had ended up in a mental hospital, he freaks out. Meanwhile, Bumblebee discovers information about Archibald Witwicky on the internet, while Sector Seven prepare a trap for him, headed by a specialist, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]].

In the meantime, the Decepticons [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] set foot on Mars and destroy the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]]. Soon afterwards, they arrive on Earth. Starscream destroys an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and adapts his body to transform into a replica of it. Blackout and Barricade also report having assumed local camouflage.

In a former [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] bunker in [[New Mexico]], Sector Seven prepare their trap for Bumblebee, using an artificial isotope made to give off the same sort of energy signature as the AllSpark. Meanwhile, Bumblebee arrives at the mental asylum where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, but finds it abandoned and in ruins.

Two days after Sector Seven set up their trap, Bumblebee is sighted in the area, with Barricade in pursuit. Just as Sector Seven realize that the "local law enforcement" is actually "N.B.E.-3", Blackout shows up and attacks the bunker, soon joined by Starscream. Blackout quickly discovers that the real AllSpark is not in the bunker, but also figures that the humans must know where the real AllSpark is if they were able to simulate his energy signature. As he tries to hack into Sector Seven's database, Simmons orders his people to cut the connection to the S7 mainframe.

Blackout, having been unable to dig up more than the name "Sector Seven", is about to consider it a dead end as Barricade reports having encountered Bumblebee. He suggests letting Bumblebee lead them to the AllSpark.

He does, Barricade, Starscream, and Blackout then decide to go their separate ways, back at the bunker, the Sector Seven units watch their plans end in shambles. Meanwhile, Bumblebee heads to Tranquility, and at that same city, Sam works on his computer, unaware of the specs of his Great-Grand Father, Archibald Witwicky shining a reflection, [[Cyberglyphics|writings of unknown origin]]...

{{stub|which parts of the comics are used for the last installment?}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Inferno (Movie)|Inferno]] (flashback only)
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (flashback only)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (prophetic vision only)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (prophetic vision only)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Patrick Hallahan]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Brian Stepanek]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] (silhouette only)
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] (silhouette only)
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] (silhouette only)
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (prophetic vision only)
|c3=
*[[Archibald Witwicky]] ([[Patrick Viall]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] (Brian Stepanek)
*[[Bald Sector Seven agent]] ([[Harold Hayes, Jr.]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Wiencke]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Reginald Danco]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Theodore Joseph Wells]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Curtis|Dr. Curtis]] (flashback only)
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*Young spiky-haired Sector Seven agent
*Young bespectacled Sector Seven agent
*Young black Sector Seven agent
}}

(Additional voices by [[Justin Foley]], [[Patrick Hallahan]], [[Kenny Luper]], [[Ryan Pfeiffer]] and [[Patrick Viall]])

==Notes==
===Differences with the comic version===
* ''Beginnings'' starts with a voiceover (initially also supported by the same text being displayed on the screen) by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. The introduction is not featured in the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|comic version]], but the voiceover soon switches to directly reciting captions from the comic (but occasionally omits a few words and lines here and there).
* A large portion of the content of issue #1 of the comic version is skipped by ''Beginnings''. This includes the big battle at [[Tyger Pax]], all major appearances by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], as well as most of Bumblebee's encounter with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], dialogue among the Decepticons and major appearances by [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]], including a small rescue team of Autobots saving Arcee and Bumblebee at the end of the issue. Instead, the comic instantly skips from Bumblebee's introduction to the launch of the [[AllSpark]] into space and Megatron's mutilation of Bumblebee, with only a brief monologue by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (shown as a flashback in the comic version) in between. Another voiceover by Bumblebee that was also not featured in the comic version summarizes the events.
* Megatron's arrival on [[Earth]] is also shortened significantly as compared to [[Movie Prequel issue 2|issue #2]] of the comic version. In particular, his internal monologue is drastically trimmed.
* A caption identifying the planet as "prehistoric Earth" is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The text "4 million years later" indicating the time passed since Megatron's arrival on Earth and his discovery by [[Archibald Witwicky]] was also not seen in the comic version.
* The caption "[[Boston Secure Hospital]], [[1898]]" for Sector Seven's visit to Archibald Witwicky was changed to "[[Boston]] - one year later" for ''Beginnings''.
* The scene where Archibald Witwicky foresees the battle in [[Mission City]], with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] present in their [[alternate mode]]s and Megatron's silhouette looming in the background, was originally part of the opening scene of [[Movie Prequel issue 3|issue #3]] of the comic version. In ''Beginnings'', it gets taken out of its original context and edited into Sector Seven's visit to Witwicky that was originally featured in issue #2 of the comic version.
* A caption identifying "Sector Seven headquarters" as such is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The scene depicting Sector Seven starting to excavate Megatron is identified by a caption as "Arctic Circle, 1902" instead of the comic version's [[1899]]. The following scene, where another Sector Seven employee discovers the AllSpark in Colorado, which ''is'' set in 1902 in the comic version, is therefore presented as happening either concurrently or shortly afterwards in ''Beginnings'', rather than three years later.
* Several scenes from issue #3 of the comic version are put in chronological order with the scenes from issue #2: Following the discovery of the AllSpark in 1902 (issue #2), ''Beginnings'' continues with the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 (issue #3; accompanied by text stating "33 years later" that was not seen in the comic for obvious reasons), then switches to the Hubble Space Telescope detecting Bumblebee's arrival on Mars in 2003 (issue #2), and then continues with Sector Seven examining the site of Bumblebee's arrival on Earth (issue #3). For the last scene, the introductory caption "Virginia, 2003" has been changed to "Virginia, 2 weeks later".
* Further voice overs by Bumblebee (accompanied by on-screen text) that announce his arrival in the [[Milky Way]] Galaxy (considering Optimus Prime's opening narration for the [[Transformers (film)|movie]], he might have actually been referring to the Earth's [[solar system]]), confirm that the AllSpark's energy signature is at its highest on Earth, and establish that he found "an alternative way to communicate" were also not featured in the comic (there's no internal monologue by Bumblebee after issue #1).
* The scenes featuring [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] joining the Sector Seven agents pursuing the Bumblebee case and Bumblebee accessing the internet from an internet café are reversed in order.
* Yet another newly added voice over (again accompanied by on-screen text) confirms that the Decepticons have arrived in the Earth's solar system.
* In the comic version, the Decepticons' destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] and Simmons explaining his plan to the other Sector Seven agents are set concurrently, switching back and forth between the two scenes. In ''Beginnings'', the two scenes are shown separately, in sequence.
* [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream's]] change from his Protoform body to his Earth form is lacking the transitional panel from the comic, making for a rather abrupt change.
* When Bumblebee arrives at the former mental hospital where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, a caption identifies it as "St. Jude's Mental Asylum". In [[Movie Prequel issue 4|issue #4]] of the comic version, the same hospital was identified as "Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane".
* Another part of the opening scene of issue #3, Archibald Witwicky predicting the Transformers to arrive on Earth, is shown as a flashback when Bumblebee scans the hospital (taken from issue #4).
* A scene with Bumblebee stopping by a roadside in Colorado is missing, as is a scene between Sam and [[Miles Lancaster|Miles]] where Miles suggests Sam sell his great-great-grandfather's belongings in an [[EBay|online auction]]. The former scene appears to be a follow-up to an additional [[Interlude|prequel comic]] originally produced as part of a cooperation with Target. Since Bumblebee's seemingly damaged state is unexplained in the original comic version (the Target prequel comic is not referenced), the scene comes off as somewhat weird, which is why it might have been cut from ''Beginnings''.
* After Bumblebee managed to ditch Barricade who was pursuing him, he plays ''Tubthumping'' on his radio. In the comic version, he played the song in the aforementioned earlier scene that is missing from ''Beginnings''.
* At the very end, a city sign identifies Sam's home town as "Tranquility", but the name of the state ([[Nevada]]) listed below it in issue #4 of the comic version has been removed for ''Beginnings''.

===Trivia===
* [[Peter Cullen]], [[Mark Ryan]], and [[Kevin Dunn]] reprise their roles from the film.
* The footage for ''Beginnings'' consists entirely of panels from [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|''Movie Prequel'' comic mini-series]] that are enhanced by various new coloring effects. "Animation" is limited to zooming and sliding the entire panel across the screen, and occasionally separating elements (such as characters) from the background and zooming or sliding them across the screen independently from the background.
* The background music featured in ''Beginnings'' is taken from [[Steve Jablonsky]]'s score for the 2007 movie, specifically the versions included on the ''[[Transformers: The Score]]'' album, most notably the piece ''Optimus'' (played during the ending credits) that was not used in the actual movie in this version.
* Faction sigils, occasionally flipping, accompanied by the classic transformation sound effect, serve as [[scene transition]]s at several points, similar to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
* As the lyrics of the songs played on Bumblebee's radio are based on, but not quite identical to those of existing songs in the comic version (possibly to avoid licensing issues), ''Beginnings'' features made-up songs using the ''exact'' lyrics from the comic version. The original songs are:
** ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' by U2
** ''Ghost in this House'' by Shenandoah
** ''Tubthumping'' by Chumbawumba
** ''Everyday Is A Winding Road'' by Sheryl Crow
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] voice over stating that he "arrived in the Milky Way Galaxy" (which is ''not'' taken from the comic version) would place [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[Star system#Those poor, confused writers|in another galaxy]].
* The scene depicting the destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] features sound effects from the original teaser trailer for the movie (which are also used when the scene is shown in the movie).
* The letters "GRAVESEN" shown on [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons']] computer while waiting for Bumblebee to show up, originally a password for the [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven alternate reality game]], was ''not'' removed for ''Beginnings''.
* Colorist [[Josh Burcham]]'s name is misspelled as "Burchman" in the end credits.
* In a bit of blatant false advertising, the back cover of the DVD case claims that the story is narrated by Peter Cullen. Actually, Cullen has one paragraph—30 seconds—of dialog and that's it. The narration is performed by Mark Ryan.
* Bumblebee narrates until the Decepticons show up on Mars.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beginnings}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)

2024-07-05T22:43:38Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Differences with the comic version */

{{picsneeded|Screen captures}}
{{disambig3.5|the DVD "motion comic"|the Titan Books TPB of the earliest [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''The Transformers'']] issues|Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Beginnings}}
[[Image:Beginnings DVD.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Moving comic panels! Classic Grantray-Lawrence Marvel Super Heroes style!]]
'''''Transformers: Beginnings''''' is an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (aka ''Prime Directive'') mini-series. It was available on a [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] bonus DVD with the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' live action movie]] starting from [[October 16]]th, [[2007]] and features some of the (voice) actors from the 2007 movie, voice actors from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] who didn't make it into the movie, and substitute voice artists for the rest of the characters. Animation for this mini-movie was provided by [[Sunny Boy Creative]].

==Plot==
[[Image:Tfbeginnings-iamBB.jpg|thumb|left|250px|If you can read this, let me tell you I have no clue who I am transmitting this to.]][[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] sends a message of the highest urgency to all sentient beings in the universe, telling them the tale of the [[AllSpark]]. It had once helped the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] flourish under the rule of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but eventually [[The Fallen|something]] corrupted Megatron, and he attempted to use the AllSpark for his own twisted purposes. Bumblebee was one of the warriors loyal to Optimus Prime, so he tried to protect the AllSpark from Megatron. Eventually the Autobots launched the AllSpark into space.

After destroying Bumblebee's [[voice capacitator]], Megatron follows it and eventually tracks it down to prehistoric [[Earth]], where he ends up trapped in ice.

Four million years later, an expedition headed by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers him, but after unearthing his discovery, he ends up in a mental institution. There, he is visited by two employees of [[Sector Seven]], who are interested in alien designs he drew on more than a hundred sheets of paper before going blind. Upon returning to their headquarters, they prepare for an expedition to the Arctic Circle. In [[1902]], they're preparing to excavate Megatron there, when other employees of Sector Seven discover the AllSpark in a lake in [[Colorado]].

[[Image:Tfbeginnings-flames.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Maybe I shouldn't have left the cardboard cut-outs in the fire.]][[1935|33 years later]], one of the Sector Seven agents that were present when Megatron was excavated oversees the construction of the Hoover Dam together with a younger agent, and predicts the arrival of more of the "Mega-Man's" kind.

In [[2003]], Bumblebee arrives on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which is noticed by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and quickly catches the attention of Sector Seven. Two weeks later, he lands on Earth, but when Sector Seven investigate the site of his impact, he's gone, with the I-64 nearby. Satellite surveillance footage reveals that a yellow [[Chevrolet]] Camaro had suddenly entered the interstate only moments after an identical Camaro had passed the position, which causes Sector Seven to conclude that "N.B. E.-2" is a "mimic".

Around the same time, [[Sam Witwicky]] learns from his [[Ron Witwicky|father]] about the legacy of his great-great-grandfather. His ancestor's glasses don't particularly interest him, and upon learning that Archibald Witwicky had ended up in a mental hospital, he freaks out. Meanwhile, Bumblebee discovers information about Archibald Witwicky on the internet, while Sector Seven prepare a trap for him, headed by a specialist, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]].

In the meantime, the Decepticons [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] set foot on Mars and destroy the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]]. Soon afterwards, they arrive on Earth. Starscream destroys an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and adapts his body to transform into a replica of it. Blackout and Barricade also report having assumed local camouflage.

In a former [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] bunker in [[New Mexico]], Sector Seven prepare their trap for Bumblebee, using an artificial isotope made to give off the same sort of energy signature as the AllSpark. Meanwhile, Bumblebee arrives at the mental asylum where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, but finds it abandoned and in ruins.

Two days after Sector Seven set up their trap, Bumblebee is sighted in the area, with Barricade in pursuit. Just as Sector Seven realize that the "local law enforcement" is actually "N.B.E.-3", Blackout shows up and attacks the bunker, soon joined by Starscream. Blackout quickly discovers that the real AllSpark is not in the bunker, but also figures that the humans must know where the real AllSpark is if they were able to simulate his energy signature. As he tries to hack into Sector Seven's database, Simmons orders his people to cut the connection to the S7 mainframe.

Blackout, having been unable to dig up more than the name "Sector Seven", is about to consider it a dead end as Barricade reports having encountered Bumblebee. He suggests letting Bumblebee lead them to the AllSpark.

He does, Barricade, Starscream, and Blackout then decide to go their separate ways, back at the bunker, the Sector Seven units watch their plans end in shambles. Meanwhile, Bumblebee heads to Tranquility, and at that same city, Sam works on his computer, unaware of the specs of his Great-Grand Father, Archibald Witwicky shining a reflection, [[Cyberglyphics|writings of unknown origin]]...

{{stub|which parts of the comics are used for the last installment?}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Inferno (Movie)|Inferno]] (flashback only)
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (flashback only)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (prophetic vision only)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (prophetic vision only)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Patrick Hallahan]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Brian Stepanek]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] (silhouette only)
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] (silhouette only)
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] (silhouette only)
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (prophetic vision only)
|c3=
*[[Archibald Witwicky]] ([[Patrick Viall]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] (Brian Stepanek)
*[[Bald Sector Seven agent]] ([[Harold Hayes, Jr.]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Wiencke]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Reginald Danco]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Theodore Joseph Wells]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Curtis|Dr. Curtis]] (flashback only)
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*Young spiky-haired Sector Seven agent
*Young bespectacled Sector Seven agent
*Young black Sector Seven agent
}}

(Additional voices by [[Justin Foley]], [[Patrick Hallahan]], [[Kenny Luper]], [[Ryan Pfeiffer]] and [[Patrick Viall]])

==Notes==
===Differences with the comic version===
* ''Beginnings'' starts with a voiceover (initially also supported by the same text being displayed on the screen) by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. The introduction is not featured in the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|comic version]], but the voiceover soon switches to directly reciting captions from the comic (but occasionally omits a few words and lines here and there).
* A large portion of the content of issue #1 of the comic version is skipped by ''Beginnings''. This includes the big battle on [[Tyger Pax]], all major appearances by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], as well as most of Bumblebee's encounter with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], dialogue among the Decepticons and major appearances by [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]]. Instead, the comic instantly skips from Bumblebee's introduction to the launch of the [[AllSpark]] into space and Megatron's mutilation of Bumblebee, with only a brief monologue by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (shown as a flashback in the comic version) in between. Another voiceover by Bumblebee that was also not featured in the comic version summarizes the events.
* Megatron's arrival on [[Earth]] is also shortened significantly as compared to [[Movie Prequel issue 2|issue #2]] of the comic version. In particular, his internal monologue is drastically trimmed.
* A caption identifying the planet as "prehistoric Earth" is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The text "4 million years later" indicating the time passed since Megatron's arrival on Earth and his discovery by [[Archibald Witwicky]] was also not seen in the comic version.
* The caption "[[Boston Secure Hospital]], [[1898]]" for Sector Seven's visit to Archibald Witwicky was changed to "[[Boston]] - one year later" for ''Beginnings''.
* The scene where Archibald Witwicky foresees the battle in [[Mission City]], with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] present in their [[alternate mode]]s and Megatron's silhouette looming in the background, was originally part of the opening scene of [[Movie Prequel issue 3|issue #3]] of the comic version. In ''Beginnings'', it gets taken out of its original context and edited into Sector Seven's visit to Witwicky that was originally featured in issue #2 of the comic version.
* A caption identifying "Sector Seven headquarters" as such is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The scene depicting Sector Seven starting to excavate Megatron is identified by a caption as "Arctic Circle, 1902" instead of the comic version's [[1899]]. The following scene, where another Sector Seven employee discovers the AllSpark in Colorado, which ''is'' set in 1902 in the comic version, is therefore presented as happening either concurrently or shortly afterwards in ''Beginnings'', rather than three years later.
* Several scenes from issue #3 of the comic version are put in chronological order with the scenes from issue #2: Following the discovery of the AllSpark in 1902 (issue #2), ''Beginnings'' continues with the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 (issue #3; accompanied by text stating "33 years later" that was not seen in the comic for obvious reasons), then switches to the Hubble Space Telescope detecting Bumblebee's arrival on Mars in 2003 (issue #2), and then continues with Sector Seven examining the site of Bumblebee's arrival on Earth (issue #3). For the last scene, the introductory caption "Virginia, 2003" has been changed to "Virginia, 2 weeks later".
* Further voice overs by Bumblebee (accompanied by on-screen text) that announce his arrival in the [[Milky Way]] Galaxy (considering Optimus Prime's opening narration for the [[Transformers (film)|movie]], he might have actually been referring to the Earth's [[solar system]]), confirm that the AllSpark's energy signature is at its highest on Earth, and establish that he found "an alternative way to communicate" were also not featured in the comic (there's no internal monologue by Bumblebee after issue #1).
* The scenes featuring [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] joining the Sector Seven agents pursuing the Bumblebee case and Bumblebee accessing the internet from an internet café are reversed in order.
* Yet another newly added voice over (again accompanied by on-screen text) confirms that the Decepticons have arrived in the Earth's solar system.
* In the comic version, the Decepticons' destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] and Simmons explaining his plan to the other Sector Seven agents are set concurrently, switching back and forth between the two scenes. In ''Beginnings'', the two scenes are shown separately, in sequence.
* [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream's]] change from his Protoform body to his Earth form is lacking the transitional panel from the comic, making for a rather abrupt change.
* When Bumblebee arrives at the former mental hospital where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, a caption identifies it as "St. Jude's Mental Asylum". In [[Movie Prequel issue 4|issue #4]] of the comic version, the same hospital was identified as "Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane".
* Another part of the opening scene of issue #3, Archibald Witwicky predicting the Transformers to arrive on Earth, is shown as a flashback when Bumblebee scans the hospital (taken from issue #4).
* A scene with Bumblebee stopping by a roadside in Colorado is missing, as is a scene between Sam and [[Miles Lancaster|Miles]] where Miles suggests Sam sell his great-great-grandfather's belongings in an [[EBay|online auction]]. The former scene appears to be a follow-up to an additional [[Interlude|prequel comic]] originally produced as part of a cooperation with Target. Since Bumblebee's seemingly damaged state is unexplained in the original comic version (the Target prequel comic is not referenced), the scene comes off as somewhat weird, which is why it might have been cut from ''Beginnings''.
* After Bumblebee managed to ditch Barricade who was pursuing him, he plays ''Tubthumping'' on his radio. In the comic version, he played the song in the aforementioned earlier scene that is missing from ''Beginnings''.
* At the very end, a city sign identifies Sam's home town as "Tranquility", but the name of the state ([[Nevada]]) listed below it in issue #4 of the comic version has been removed for ''Beginnings''.

===Trivia===
* [[Peter Cullen]], [[Mark Ryan]], and [[Kevin Dunn]] reprise their roles from the film.
* The footage for ''Beginnings'' consists entirely of panels from [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|''Movie Prequel'' comic mini-series]] that are enhanced by various new coloring effects. "Animation" is limited to zooming and sliding the entire panel across the screen, and occasionally separating elements (such as characters) from the background and zooming or sliding them across the screen independently from the background.
* The background music featured in ''Beginnings'' is taken from [[Steve Jablonsky]]'s score for the 2007 movie, specifically the versions included on the ''[[Transformers: The Score]]'' album, most notably the piece ''Optimus'' (played during the ending credits) that was not used in the actual movie in this version.
* Faction sigils, occasionally flipping, accompanied by the classic transformation sound effect, serve as [[scene transition]]s at several points, similar to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
* As the lyrics of the songs played on Bumblebee's radio are based on, but not quite identical to those of existing songs in the comic version (possibly to avoid licensing issues), ''Beginnings'' features made-up songs using the ''exact'' lyrics from the comic version. The original songs are:
** ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' by U2
** ''Ghost in this House'' by Shenandoah
** ''Tubthumping'' by Chumbawumba
** ''Everyday Is A Winding Road'' by Sheryl Crow
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] voice over stating that he "arrived in the Milky Way Galaxy" (which is ''not'' taken from the comic version) would place [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[Star system#Those poor, confused writers|in another galaxy]].
* The scene depicting the destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] features sound effects from the original teaser trailer for the movie (which are also used when the scene is shown in the movie).
* The letters "GRAVESEN" shown on [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons']] computer while waiting for Bumblebee to show up, originally a password for the [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven alternate reality game]], was ''not'' removed for ''Beginnings''.
* Colorist [[Josh Burcham]]'s name is misspelled as "Burchman" in the end credits.
* In a bit of blatant false advertising, the back cover of the DVD case claims that the story is narrated by Peter Cullen. Actually, Cullen has one paragraph—30 seconds—of dialog and that's it. The narration is performed by Mark Ryan.
* Bumblebee narrates until the Decepticons show up on Mars.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beginnings}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)

2024-07-05T22:42:11Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Trivia */

{{picsneeded|Screen captures}}
{{disambig3.5|the DVD "motion comic"|the Titan Books TPB of the earliest [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''The Transformers'']] issues|Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Beginnings}}
[[Image:Beginnings DVD.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Moving comic panels! Classic Grantray-Lawrence Marvel Super Heroes style!]]
'''''Transformers: Beginnings''''' is an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (aka ''Prime Directive'') mini-series. It was available on a [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] bonus DVD with the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' live action movie]] starting from [[October 16]]th, [[2007]] and features some of the (voice) actors from the 2007 movie, voice actors from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] who didn't make it into the movie, and substitute voice artists for the rest of the characters. Animation for this mini-movie was provided by [[Sunny Boy Creative]].

==Plot==
[[Image:Tfbeginnings-iamBB.jpg|thumb|left|250px|If you can read this, let me tell you I have no clue who I am transmitting this to.]][[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] sends a message of the highest urgency to all sentient beings in the universe, telling them the tale of the [[AllSpark]]. It had once helped the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] flourish under the rule of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but eventually [[The Fallen|something]] corrupted Megatron, and he attempted to use the AllSpark for his own twisted purposes. Bumblebee was one of the warriors loyal to Optimus Prime, so he tried to protect the AllSpark from Megatron. Eventually the Autobots launched the AllSpark into space.

After destroying Bumblebee's [[voice capacitator]], Megatron follows it and eventually tracks it down to prehistoric [[Earth]], where he ends up trapped in ice.

Four million years later, an expedition headed by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers him, but after unearthing his discovery, he ends up in a mental institution. There, he is visited by two employees of [[Sector Seven]], who are interested in alien designs he drew on more than a hundred sheets of paper before going blind. Upon returning to their headquarters, they prepare for an expedition to the Arctic Circle. In [[1902]], they're preparing to excavate Megatron there, when other employees of Sector Seven discover the AllSpark in a lake in [[Colorado]].

[[Image:Tfbeginnings-flames.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Maybe I shouldn't have left the cardboard cut-outs in the fire.]][[1935|33 years later]], one of the Sector Seven agents that were present when Megatron was excavated oversees the construction of the Hoover Dam together with a younger agent, and predicts the arrival of more of the "Mega-Man's" kind.

In [[2003]], Bumblebee arrives on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which is noticed by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and quickly catches the attention of Sector Seven. Two weeks later, he lands on Earth, but when Sector Seven investigate the site of his impact, he's gone, with the I-64 nearby. Satellite surveillance footage reveals that a yellow [[Chevrolet]] Camaro had suddenly entered the interstate only moments after an identical Camaro had passed the position, which causes Sector Seven to conclude that "N.B. E.-2" is a "mimic".

Around the same time, [[Sam Witwicky]] learns from his [[Ron Witwicky|father]] about the legacy of his great-great-grandfather. His ancestor's glasses don't particularly interest him, and upon learning that Archibald Witwicky had ended up in a mental hospital, he freaks out. Meanwhile, Bumblebee discovers information about Archibald Witwicky on the internet, while Sector Seven prepare a trap for him, headed by a specialist, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]].

In the meantime, the Decepticons [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] set foot on Mars and destroy the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]]. Soon afterwards, they arrive on Earth. Starscream destroys an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and adapts his body to transform into a replica of it. Blackout and Barricade also report having assumed local camouflage.

In a former [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] bunker in [[New Mexico]], Sector Seven prepare their trap for Bumblebee, using an artificial isotope made to give off the same sort of energy signature as the AllSpark. Meanwhile, Bumblebee arrives at the mental asylum where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, but finds it abandoned and in ruins.

Two days after Sector Seven set up their trap, Bumblebee is sighted in the area, with Barricade in pursuit. Just as Sector Seven realize that the "local law enforcement" is actually "N.B.E.-3", Blackout shows up and attacks the bunker, soon joined by Starscream. Blackout quickly discovers that the real AllSpark is not in the bunker, but also figures that the humans must know where the real AllSpark is if they were able to simulate his energy signature. As he tries to hack into Sector Seven's database, Simmons orders his people to cut the connection to the S7 mainframe.

Blackout, having been unable to dig up more than the name "Sector Seven", is about to consider it a dead end as Barricade reports having encountered Bumblebee. He suggests letting Bumblebee lead them to the AllSpark.

He does, Barricade, Starscream, and Blackout then decide to go their separate ways, back at the bunker, the Sector Seven units watch their plans end in shambles. Meanwhile, Bumblebee heads to Tranquility, and at that same city, Sam works on his computer, unaware of the specs of his Great-Grand Father, Archibald Witwicky shining a reflection, [[Cyberglyphics|writings of unknown origin]]...

{{stub|which parts of the comics are used for the last installment?}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Inferno (Movie)|Inferno]] (flashback only)
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (flashback only)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (prophetic vision only)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (prophetic vision only)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Patrick Hallahan]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Brian Stepanek]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] (silhouette only)
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] (silhouette only)
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] (silhouette only)
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (prophetic vision only)
|c3=
*[[Archibald Witwicky]] ([[Patrick Viall]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] (Brian Stepanek)
*[[Bald Sector Seven agent]] ([[Harold Hayes, Jr.]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Wiencke]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Reginald Danco]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Theodore Joseph Wells]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Curtis|Dr. Curtis]] (flashback only)
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*Young spiky-haired Sector Seven agent
*Young bespectacled Sector Seven agent
*Young black Sector Seven agent
}}

(Additional voices by [[Justin Foley]], [[Patrick Hallahan]], [[Kenny Luper]], [[Ryan Pfeiffer]] and [[Patrick Viall]])

==Notes==
===Differences with the comic version===
* ''Beginnings'' starts with a voiceover (initially also supported by the same text being displayed on the screen) by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. The introduction is not featured in the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|comic version]], but the voiceover soon switches to directly reciting captions from the comic (but occasionally omits a few words and lines here and there).
* A large portion of the content of issue #1 of the comic version is skipped by ''Beginnings''. This includes all major appearances by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], as well as most of Bumblebee's encounter with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], dialogue among the Decepticons and major appearances by [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]]. Instead, the comic instantly skips from Bumblebee's introduction to the launch of the [[AllSpark]] into space and Megatron's mutilation of Bumblebee, with only a brief monologue by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (shown as a flashback in the comic version) in between. Another voiceover by Bumblebee that was also not featured in the comic version summarizes the events.
* Megatron's arrival on [[Earth]] is also shortened significantly as compared to [[Movie Prequel issue 2|issue #2]] of the comic version. In particular, his internal monologue is drastically trimmed.
* A caption identifying the planet as "prehistoric Earth" is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The text "4 million years later" indicating the time passed since Megatron's arrival on Earth and his discovery by [[Archibald Witwicky]] was also not seen in the comic version.
* The caption "[[Boston Secure Hospital]], [[1898]]" for Sector Seven's visit to Archibald Witwicky was changed to "[[Boston]] - one year later" for ''Beginnings''.
* The scene where Archibald Witwicky foresees the battle in [[Mission City]], with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] present in their [[alternate mode]]s and Megatron's silhouette looming in the background, was originally part of the opening scene of [[Movie Prequel issue 3|issue #3]] of the comic version. In ''Beginnings'', it gets taken out of its original context and edited into Sector Seven's visit to Witwicky that was originally featured in issue #2 of the comic version.
* A caption identifying "Sector Seven headquarters" as such is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The scene depicting Sector Seven starting to excavate Megatron is identified by a caption as "Arctic Circle, 1902" instead of the comic version's [[1899]]. The following scene, where another Sector Seven employee discovers the AllSpark in Colorado, which ''is'' set in 1902 in the comic version, is therefore presented as happening either concurrently or shortly afterwards in ''Beginnings'', rather than three years later.
* Several scenes from issue #3 of the comic version are put in chronological order with the scenes from issue #2: Following the discovery of the AllSpark in 1902 (issue #2), ''Beginnings'' continues with the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 (issue #3; accompanied by text stating "33 years later" that was not seen in the comic for obvious reasons), then switches to the Hubble Space Telescope detecting Bumblebee's arrival on Mars in 2003 (issue #2), and then continues with Sector Seven examining the site of Bumblebee's arrival on Earth (issue #3). For the last scene, the introductory caption "Virginia, 2003" has been changed to "Virginia, 2 weeks later".
* Further voice overs by Bumblebee (accompanied by on-screen text) that announce his arrival in the [[Milky Way]] Galaxy (considering Optimus Prime's opening narration for the [[Transformers (film)|movie]], he might have actually been referring to the Earth's [[solar system]]), confirm that the AllSpark's energy signature is at its highest on Earth, and establish that he found "an alternative way to communicate" were also not featured in the comic (there's no internal monologue by Bumblebee after issue #1).
* The scenes featuring [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] joining the Sector Seven agents pursuing the Bumblebee case and Bumblebee accessing the internet from an internet café are reversed in order.
* Yet another newly added voice over (again accompanied by on-screen text) confirms that the Decepticons have arrived in the Earth's solar system.
* In the comic version, the Decepticons' destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] and Simmons explaining his plan to the other Sector Seven agents are set concurrently, switching back and forth between the two scenes. In ''Beginnings'', the two scenes are shown separately, in sequence.
* [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream's]] change from his Protoform body to his Earth form is lacking the transitional panel from the comic, making for a rather abrupt change.
* When Bumblebee arrives at the former mental hospital where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, a caption identifies it as "St. Jude's Mental Asylum". In [[Movie Prequel issue 4|issue #4]] of the comic version, the same hospital was identified as "Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane".
* Another part of the opening scene of issue #3, Archibald Witwicky predicting the Transformers to arrive on Earth, is shown as a flashback when Bumblebee scans the hospital (taken from issue #4).
* A scene with Bumblebee stopping by a roadside in Colorado is missing, as is a scene between Sam and [[Miles Lancaster|Miles]] where Miles suggests Sam sell his great-great-grandfather's belongings in an [[EBay|online auction]]. The former scene appears to be a follow-up to an additional [[Interlude|prequel comic]] originally produced as part of a cooperation with Target. Since Bumblebee's seemingly damaged state is unexplained in the original comic version (the Target prequel comic is not referenced), the scene comes off as somewhat weird, which is why it might have been cut from ''Beginnings''.
* After Bumblebee managed to ditch Barricade who was pursuing him, he plays ''Tubthumping'' on his radio. In the comic version, he played the song in the aforementioned earlier scene that is missing from ''Beginnings''.
* At the very end, a city sign identifies Sam's home town as "Tranquility", but the name of the state ([[Nevada]]) listed below it in issue #4 of the comic version has been removed for ''Beginnings''.

===Trivia===
* [[Peter Cullen]], [[Mark Ryan]], and [[Kevin Dunn]] reprise their roles from the film.
* The footage for ''Beginnings'' consists entirely of panels from [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|''Movie Prequel'' comic mini-series]] that are enhanced by various new coloring effects. "Animation" is limited to zooming and sliding the entire panel across the screen, and occasionally separating elements (such as characters) from the background and zooming or sliding them across the screen independently from the background.
* The background music featured in ''Beginnings'' is taken from [[Steve Jablonsky]]'s score for the 2007 movie, specifically the versions included on the ''[[Transformers: The Score]]'' album, most notably the piece ''Optimus'' (played during the ending credits) that was not used in the actual movie in this version.
* Faction sigils, occasionally flipping, accompanied by the classic transformation sound effect, serve as [[scene transition]]s at several points, similar to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
* As the lyrics of the songs played on Bumblebee's radio are based on, but not quite identical to those of existing songs in the comic version (possibly to avoid licensing issues), ''Beginnings'' features made-up songs using the ''exact'' lyrics from the comic version. The original songs are:
** ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' by U2
** ''Ghost in this House'' by Shenandoah
** ''Tubthumping'' by Chumbawumba
** ''Everyday Is A Winding Road'' by Sheryl Crow
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] voice over stating that he "arrived in the Milky Way Galaxy" (which is ''not'' taken from the comic version) would place [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[Star system#Those poor, confused writers|in another galaxy]].
* The scene depicting the destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] features sound effects from the original teaser trailer for the movie (which are also used when the scene is shown in the movie).
* The letters "GRAVESEN" shown on [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons']] computer while waiting for Bumblebee to show up, originally a password for the [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven alternate reality game]], was ''not'' removed for ''Beginnings''.
* Colorist [[Josh Burcham]]'s name is misspelled as "Burchman" in the end credits.
* In a bit of blatant false advertising, the back cover of the DVD case claims that the story is narrated by Peter Cullen. Actually, Cullen has one paragraph—30 seconds—of dialog and that's it. The narration is performed by Mark Ryan.
* Bumblebee narrates until the Decepticons show up on Mars.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beginnings}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)

2024-07-05T22:40:33Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Plot */

{{picsneeded|Screen captures}}
{{disambig3.5|the DVD "motion comic"|the Titan Books TPB of the earliest [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US ''The Transformers'']] issues|Transformers: Beginnings (G1)|Beginnings}}
[[Image:Beginnings DVD.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Moving comic panels! Classic Grantray-Lawrence Marvel Super Heroes style!]]
'''''Transformers: Beginnings''''' is an animated (sort of) version of [[IDW Publishing]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel]]'' (aka ''Prime Directive'') mini-series. It was available on a [[Walmart]] [[exclusive]] bonus DVD with the [[Transformers (film)|2007 ''Transformers'' live action movie]] starting from [[October 16]]th, [[2007]] and features some of the (voice) actors from the 2007 movie, voice actors from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] who didn't make it into the movie, and substitute voice artists for the rest of the characters. Animation for this mini-movie was provided by [[Sunny Boy Creative]].

==Plot==
[[Image:Tfbeginnings-iamBB.jpg|thumb|left|250px|If you can read this, let me tell you I have no clue who I am transmitting this to.]][[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] sends a message of the highest urgency to all sentient beings in the universe, telling them the tale of the [[AllSpark]]. It had once helped the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] flourish under the rule of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Lord High Protector]] [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], but eventually [[The Fallen|something]] corrupted Megatron, and he attempted to use the AllSpark for his own twisted purposes. Bumblebee was one of the warriors loyal to Optimus Prime, so he tried to protect the AllSpark from Megatron. Eventually the Autobots launched the AllSpark into space.

After destroying Bumblebee's [[voice capacitator]], Megatron follows it and eventually tracks it down to prehistoric [[Earth]], where he ends up trapped in ice.

Four million years later, an expedition headed by Captain [[Archibald Witwicky]] discovers him, but after unearthing his discovery, he ends up in a mental institution. There, he is visited by two employees of [[Sector Seven]], who are interested in alien designs he drew on more than a hundred sheets of paper before going blind. Upon returning to their headquarters, they prepare for an expedition to the Arctic Circle. In [[1902]], they're preparing to excavate Megatron there, when other employees of Sector Seven discover the AllSpark in a lake in [[Colorado]].

[[Image:Tfbeginnings-flames.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Maybe I shouldn't have left the cardboard cut-outs in the fire.]][[1935|33 years later]], one of the Sector Seven agents that were present when Megatron was excavated oversees the construction of the Hoover Dam together with a younger agent, and predicts the arrival of more of the "Mega-Man's" kind.

In [[2003]], Bumblebee arrives on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], which is noticed by the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and quickly catches the attention of Sector Seven. Two weeks later, he lands on Earth, but when Sector Seven investigate the site of his impact, he's gone, with the I-64 nearby. Satellite surveillance footage reveals that a yellow [[Chevrolet]] Camaro had suddenly entered the interstate only moments after an identical Camaro had passed the position, which causes Sector Seven to conclude that "N.B. E.-2" is a "mimic".

Around the same time, [[Sam Witwicky]] learns from his [[Ron Witwicky|father]] about the legacy of his great-great-grandfather. His ancestor's glasses don't particularly interest him, and upon learning that Archibald Witwicky had ended up in a mental hospital, he freaks out. Meanwhile, Bumblebee discovers information about Archibald Witwicky on the internet, while Sector Seven prepare a trap for him, headed by a specialist, [[Seymour Simmons|Agent Simmons]].

In the meantime, the Decepticons [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] set foot on Mars and destroy the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]]. Soon afterwards, they arrive on Earth. Starscream destroys an F-22 Raptor fighter jet and adapts his body to transform into a replica of it. Blackout and Barricade also report having assumed local camouflage.

In a former [[Cold War (history)|Cold War]] bunker in [[New Mexico]], Sector Seven prepare their trap for Bumblebee, using an artificial isotope made to give off the same sort of energy signature as the AllSpark. Meanwhile, Bumblebee arrives at the mental asylum where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, but finds it abandoned and in ruins.

Two days after Sector Seven set up their trap, Bumblebee is sighted in the area, with Barricade in pursuit. Just as Sector Seven realize that the "local law enforcement" is actually "N.B.E.-3", Blackout shows up and attacks the bunker, soon joined by Starscream. Blackout quickly discovers that the real AllSpark is not in the bunker, but also figures that the humans must know where the real AllSpark is if they were able to simulate his energy signature. As he tries to hack into Sector Seven's database, Simmons orders his people to cut the connection to the S7 mainframe.

Blackout, having been unable to dig up more than the name "Sector Seven", is about to consider it a dead end as Barricade reports having encountered Bumblebee. He suggests letting Bumblebee lead them to the AllSpark.

He does, Barricade, Starscream, and Blackout then decide to go their separate ways, back at the bunker, the Sector Seven units watch their plans end in shambles. Meanwhile, Bumblebee heads to Tranquility, and at that same city, Sam works on his computer, unaware of the specs of his Great-Grand Father, Archibald Witwicky shining a reflection, [[Cyberglyphics|writings of unknown origin]]...

{{stub|which parts of the comics are used for the last installment?}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] ([[Mark Ryan]])
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Inferno (Movie)|Inferno]] (flashback only)
*[[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (flashback only)
*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (prophetic vision only)
*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (prophetic vision only)
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ([[Frank Welker]])
*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] ([[Patrick Hallahan]])
*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] ([[Brian Stepanek]])
*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]] (silhouette only)
*[[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] (silhouette only)
*[[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] (silhouette only)
*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (prophetic vision only)
|c3=
*[[Archibald Witwicky]] ([[Patrick Viall]])
*[[Seymour Simmons]] (Brian Stepanek)
*[[Bald Sector Seven agent]] ([[Harold Hayes, Jr.]])
*[[Ron Witwicky]] ([[Kevin Dunn]])
*[[Sam Witwicky]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Wiencke]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Reginald Danco]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Theodore Joseph Wells]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Walter Simmons]] (Unknown actor)
*[[Curtis|Dr. Curtis]] (flashback only)
*[[Judy Witwicky]]
*Young spiky-haired Sector Seven agent
*Young bespectacled Sector Seven agent
*Young black Sector Seven agent
}}

(Additional voices by [[Justin Foley]], [[Patrick Hallahan]], [[Kenny Luper]], [[Ryan Pfeiffer]] and [[Patrick Viall]])

==Notes==
===Differences with the comic version===
* ''Beginnings'' starts with a voiceover (initially also supported by the same text being displayed on the screen) by [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. The introduction is not featured in the [[Movie Prequel issue 1|comic version]], but the voiceover soon switches to directly reciting captions from the comic (but occasionally omits a few words and lines here and there).
* A large portion of the content of issue #1 of the comic version is skipped by ''Beginnings''. This includes all major appearances by [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], as well as most of Bumblebee's encounter with [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], dialogue among the Decepticons and major appearances by [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]] and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]]. Instead, the comic instantly skips from Bumblebee's introduction to the launch of the [[AllSpark]] into space and Megatron's mutilation of Bumblebee, with only a brief monologue by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (shown as a flashback in the comic version) in between. Another voiceover by Bumblebee that was also not featured in the comic version summarizes the events.
* Megatron's arrival on [[Earth]] is also shortened significantly as compared to [[Movie Prequel issue 2|issue #2]] of the comic version. In particular, his internal monologue is drastically trimmed.
* A caption identifying the planet as "prehistoric Earth" is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The text "4 million years later" indicating the time passed since Megatron's arrival on Earth and his discovery by [[Archibald Witwicky]] was also not seen in the comic version.
* The caption "[[Boston Secure Hospital]], [[1898]]" for Sector Seven's visit to Archibald Witwicky was changed to "[[Boston]] - one year later" for ''Beginnings''.
* The scene where Archibald Witwicky foresees the battle in [[Mission City]], with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] present in their [[alternate mode]]s and Megatron's silhouette looming in the background, was originally part of the opening scene of [[Movie Prequel issue 3|issue #3]] of the comic version. In ''Beginnings'', it gets taken out of its original context and edited into Sector Seven's visit to Witwicky that was originally featured in issue #2 of the comic version.
* A caption identifying "Sector Seven headquarters" as such is added that was not seen in the comic version.
* The scene depicting Sector Seven starting to excavate Megatron is identified by a caption as "Arctic Circle, 1902" instead of the comic version's [[1899]]. The following scene, where another Sector Seven employee discovers the AllSpark in Colorado, which ''is'' set in 1902 in the comic version, is therefore presented as happening either concurrently or shortly afterwards in ''Beginnings'', rather than three years later.
* Several scenes from issue #3 of the comic version are put in chronological order with the scenes from issue #2: Following the discovery of the AllSpark in 1902 (issue #2), ''Beginnings'' continues with the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 (issue #3; accompanied by text stating "33 years later" that was not seen in the comic for obvious reasons), then switches to the Hubble Space Telescope detecting Bumblebee's arrival on Mars in 2003 (issue #2), and then continues with Sector Seven examining the site of Bumblebee's arrival on Earth (issue #3). For the last scene, the introductory caption "Virginia, 2003" has been changed to "Virginia, 2 weeks later".
* Further voice overs by Bumblebee (accompanied by on-screen text) that announce his arrival in the [[Milky Way]] Galaxy (considering Optimus Prime's opening narration for the [[Transformers (film)|movie]], he might have actually been referring to the Earth's [[solar system]]), confirm that the AllSpark's energy signature is at its highest on Earth, and establish that he found "an alternative way to communicate" were also not featured in the comic (there's no internal monologue by Bumblebee after issue #1).
* The scenes featuring [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons]] joining the Sector Seven agents pursuing the Bumblebee case and Bumblebee accessing the internet from an internet café are reversed in order.
* Yet another newly added voice over (again accompanied by on-screen text) confirms that the Decepticons have arrived in the Earth's solar system.
* In the comic version, the Decepticons' destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] and Simmons explaining his plan to the other Sector Seven agents are set concurrently, switching back and forth between the two scenes. In ''Beginnings'', the two scenes are shown separately, in sequence.
* [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream's]] change from his Protoform body to his Earth form is lacking the transitional panel from the comic, making for a rather abrupt change.
* When Bumblebee arrives at the former mental hospital where Archibald Witwicky had spent the last years of his life, a caption identifies it as "St. Jude's Mental Asylum". In [[Movie Prequel issue 4|issue #4]] of the comic version, the same hospital was identified as "Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Psychopathic Institute for the Long-Term Insane".
* Another part of the opening scene of issue #3, Archibald Witwicky predicting the Transformers to arrive on Earth, is shown as a flashback when Bumblebee scans the hospital (taken from issue #4).
* A scene with Bumblebee stopping by a roadside in Colorado is missing, as is a scene between Sam and [[Miles Lancaster|Miles]] where Miles suggests Sam sell his great-great-grandfather's belongings in an [[EBay|online auction]]. The former scene appears to be a follow-up to an additional [[Interlude|prequel comic]] originally produced as part of a cooperation with Target. Since Bumblebee's seemingly damaged state is unexplained in the original comic version (the Target prequel comic is not referenced), the scene comes off as somewhat weird, which is why it might have been cut from ''Beginnings''.
* After Bumblebee managed to ditch Barricade who was pursuing him, he plays ''Tubthumping'' on his radio. In the comic version, he played the song in the aforementioned earlier scene that is missing from ''Beginnings''.
* At the very end, a city sign identifies Sam's home town as "Tranquility", but the name of the state ([[Nevada]]) listed below it in issue #4 of the comic version has been removed for ''Beginnings''.

===Trivia===
* [[Peter Cullen]], [[Mark Ryan]], and [[Kevin Dunn]] reprise their roles from the film.
* The footage for ''Beginnings'' consists entirely of panels from [[IDW Publishing|IDW's]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|''Movie Prequel'' comic mini-series]] that are enhanced by various new coloring effects. "Animation" is limited to zooming and sliding the entire panel across the screen, and occasionally separating elements (such as characters) from the background and zooming or sliding them across the screen independently from the background.
* The background music featured in ''Beginnings'' is taken from [[Steve Jablonsky]]'s score for the 2007 movie, specifically the versions included on the ''[[Transformers: The Score]]'' album, most notably the piece ''Optimus'' (played during the ending credits) that was not used in the actual movie in this version.
* Faction sigils, occasionally flipping, accompanied by the classic transformation sound effect, serve as [[scene transition]]s at several points, similar to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
* As the lyrics of the songs played on Bumblebee's radio are based on, but not quite identical to those of existing songs in the comic version (possibly to avoid licensing issues), ''Beginnings'' features made-up songs using the ''exact'' lyrics from the comic version. The original songs are:
** ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'' by U2
** ''Ghost in this House'' by Shenandoah
** ''Tubthumping'' by Chumbawumba
** ''Everyday Is A Winding Road'' by Sheryl Crow
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] voice over stating that he "arrived in the Milky Way Galaxy" (which is ''not'' taken from the comic version) would place [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] [[Star system#Those poor, confused writers|in another galaxy]].
* The scene depicting the destruction of the [[Beagle 2 Rover|Beagle 2 Mars Rover]] features sound effects from the original teaser trailer for the movie (which are also used when the scene is shown in the movie).
* The letters "GRAVESEN" shown on [[Seymour Simmons|Simmons']] computer while waiting for Bumblebee to show up, originally a password for the [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven alternate reality game]], was ''not'' removed for ''Beginnings''.
* Colorist [[Josh Burcham]]'s name is misspelled as "Burchman" in the end credits.
* In a bit of blatant false advertising, the back cover of the DVD case claims that the story is narrated by Peter Cullen. Actually, Cullen has one paragraph—30 seconds—of dialog and that's it. The narration is performed by Mark Ryan.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beginnings}}
[[Category:Adaptations]]
[[Category:Movie media]]
[[Category:Pack-in material]]

Wall Crawler

2024-01-06T03:37:07Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{faction|autobot|decepticon}}

:''The Wall Crawlers are drones from the [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]] portion of the [[Aligned continuity family]].
[[Image:Wall crawler foc.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Threat or menace?]]
'''Wall Crawlers''', also known as '''Snipers''' crawl around on walls. Duh. Be careful, though, you wouldn't want them to knock your head off with one shot, now would you?

==Fiction==
===IDW ''Aligned'' comics===
Prior to the launch of the [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]], waves of Wall Crawlers attacked [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] only to be driven back by the [[Lightning Strike Coalition]]. {{storylink|Good Intentions}} While investigating where the Decepticons found the energy required for these relentless attacks, [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] made his way into [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]'s base, evading the Wall Crawler guards. {{storylink|Secrets (FOC)|Secrets}} These guards were not so lucky when the other Lightning Strike Coalition members arrived to rescue Swoop and blew up any Decepticons in their way. {{storylink|Siege Mentality}} [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] had a vision of himself fighting Wall Crawlers as he endured Shockwave's painful modification of his body. {{storylink|Fall}}

== Games ==
=== ''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron'' ===
The spider-like Wall Crawlers are functionally a blend of the Decepticon [[Sniper (WFC)|Sniper]] and [[Flier (WFC)|Seeker]] units seen [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|earlier in the war]], combining the former's weaponry with the latter's mobility. They generally cling to a surface, scanning the area with their laser sights until an enemy walks into range, at which point they open fire with powerful and accurate laser blasts. After firing a shot or being fired upon, they detach from the wall and fly to another vantage point, in an attempt to prevent enemies from exploiting their weak armor.

However, Wall Crawlers have glaring weaknesses in both phases of their battle strategy. In sniper mode, they take a while to line up a shot, during which time an [[Autobot]] or [[Decepticon]] with quick reflexes and good aim can follow the laser sight and blast the source of the gunfire. In flight mode, Wall Crawlers are unable to attack and fairly visible targets; furthermore, it takes them a moment to reconfigure into their combat form, during which time they are immobile and vulnerable. To compensate for their flaws, Wall Crawlers are often found in groups or as support for other units, forcing enemies to choose between taking down the immediate threats or picking off the sniper support.
{{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''===
====Console====
Wall Crawlers were among the Decepticon forces trying to kill Optimus and Jazz during their attempts to infiltrate [[Kolkular]], but were destroyed by the Autobot leader.
Later, grey Wall Crawlers were among the mercenary forces trying to capture [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] and [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] during their jungle mission, but Bumblebee blasted them to pieces.

====3DS====
Wall Crawlers acted as recon soldiers for [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown's]] forces. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark}}

==Notes==
For some reason in Rise of the Dark Spark, the Wall Crawlers had a similar auto-tune filter that sounded like [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]].
===Foreign names===
*''Russian:'' '''Sniper''' (Снайпер ''Snayper'')

[[Category:Drones]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron characters]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]

Demolishor (Armada)

2023-12-22T04:32:54Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Energon cartoon */

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Demolishor}}
:''Demolishor is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family]].''
[[File:ArmDemolishorDWCalendar.jpg|upright=2.3|thumb|They were delicious.]]
'''Demolishor''' is not the brightest soldier in [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]'s ranks, but he is one of the most reliable. He holds very true-to-[[spark]] values concerning loyalty and devotion to the Decepticon cause; to him, a leader is to be obeyed without hesitation, and he will give his all on any battefield he may be ordered onto. His values, however, sometimes collide with Megatron's ultimately selfish goals, and though Demolishor does not necessarily ''resent'' his leader for sometimes acting contrary to what he sees as the principles of his faction, he does occasionally find himself struggling to reconcile the two. Ultimately, Demolishor may find that devotion to the Decepticon way of life is not the same thing as devotion to Megatron.

His [[Mini-Con]] partner is [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]], although sometimes he likes the added boost of firepower that [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]] gives him.

{{quote|"Hey you, what did you do with the kids?" "I ate them. And they were quite tasty, too."|'''Hot Shot''' and '''Demolishor''' talk babysitting|"[[Palace]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Armada'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Alvin Sanders]] (English), [[Dale Wilson]] (English dubbing error, "[[Union]]" only), [[Kōji Yusa]] (Japanese)|[[Anders Öjebo]] (Swedish), [[Christoph Jablonka]] (German), [[Antonio Angrisano]] (Italian), [[Vesa Hämes]] (Finnish), [[Michel Dodane]] (French), [[Francisco Andrés Valdivia]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Guillermo Martínez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Jorge Vasconcellos]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:Metamorphosis demolishor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?"]]
Alerted by a signal beacon to the reactivation of the long-lost [[Mini-Con]]s on [[Earth]], Demolishor joined [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] and [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] in warping to the planet. While his leader was busy battling [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], who had followed them there, Demolishor and Starscream took an interest in the nearby [[human]] children who had had been responsible for activating the beacon, but were prevented from grabbing them by the appearance of Autobot [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] and [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]]. The Decepticons withdrew to their base of operations within the wreck of the [[Exodus (Armada)|Mini-Con spaceship]] on the [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to regroup, where Demolishor soon picked up the signals of two more Mini-Cons the children had activated. Returning to Earth, now outfitted with a missile-tank [[alternate mode]], Demolishor joined the Decepticons in attempting to capture the children and the Mini-Cons, but found themselves obstructed by the Autobots once again. Demolishor went up against Optimus Prime himself, physically trying to restrain the Autobot leader while in his truck mode, but got blasted and run over for his efforts. {{storylink|Metamorphosis (Armada)|Metamorphosis}} During the battle that followed, another two Mini-Cons were uncovered and retrieved by [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], one of which he kept for himself, and the other which he presented to Megatron. After retreating back to the moon, Demolishor and Starscream duelled to prove themselves worthy of being given the Mini-Con; their contest was something of a draw, but Megatron gave the Mini-Con, [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]], to Demolishor. {{storylink|Base}}

[[File:Base demolishor vehiclemode.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Rolling, rolling, rolling. Keep them wagons rolling.]]

Demolishor took part in the search for a new Mini-Con in the [[Grand Canyon]], during which he menaced Red Alert and [[Carlos Lopez]], {{storylink|Comrade}} and later squared off against Red Alert and Hot Shot alongside the other Decepticons in the Arctic, only to retreat when Optimus Prime joined the fight. {{storylink|Soldier (episode)|Soldier}} While on a mission in a heavy forest, Demolishor used Blackout to track the location of a hidden Mini-Con, and spent most of the time teasing Starscream over his lack of a Mini-Con. {{storylink|Jungle}} The tables were soon turned, though, when the Decepticons experienced some downtime, and everyone began mocking Demolishor for how clumsy and useless he was outside of a combat situation. About to slug Starscream for the insults, Demolishor only wound up proving everyone right when he tripped over [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] and fell through the base wall. {{storylink|Carnival}}

[[File:Palace demolishor and bonecrusher.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|You know, you don't talk very much...I like you!]]

Demolishor stood guard while the other Decepticons searched the endless wastes of the [[Sahara|Sahara desert]] for a new Mini-Con signal, and nearly blasted Cyclonus when he mistook him for an enemy combatant. Actual enemies were soon to arrive in the form of the Autobots, but in the shoot-out that ensued, a subsidence caused Demolishor and the Autobots' human allies to disappear beneath the shifting sands. They all wound up in a ruined subterranean palace full of anachronistically high-tech defences that they discovered had been created through the power of the [[Mini-Con storage panel]] the temple was built around. Demolishor pursued the kids through the ruins, fighting off robotic spider-sentries, and managed to claim the Mini-Con for his own. Escaping even as the ruins collapsed around him, Demolishor activated the Mini-Con, [[Bonecrusher (Armada)|Bonecrusher]], and used its power to send the Autobots packing. Unfortunately, Megatron forced him to give Bonecrusher up because he had "disobeyed" orders by abandoning his guard post. {{storylink|Palace}}

[[File:Swoop demolishor strung up.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|"He had a baseball bat and I was tied to a ceiling. Ticking him off was the smart thing to do."]]

Demolishor was not optimistic when the Decepticons captured the Autobots' human friends [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] and [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]], and he was right, as hostage negotiations went wrong thanks to an act of rebellion by Leader-1. {{storylink|Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation}} A Mini-Con search in the catacombs beneath a human city fared a little better; though he needed to send Blackout to search the narrower spots, Demolishor was able to join in beating up new Autobot [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] before the Decepticons secured the Mini-Con and withdrew. {{storylink|Underground (episode)|Underground}} Soon after, during a mission to a sunken underwater city, Demolishor kept the Autobots busy while Megatron searched the ruins and successfully located another Mini-Con. {{storylink|Ruin}} Following a failed attempt to secure another Mini-Con from a volcanic island, Demolishor watched as Megatron forcibly awoke the Mini-Con from the underwater ruins, which turned out to be one of a [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|trio]] who could together form the legendary [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] sword. {{storylink|Prehistory}} In a failed attempt to obtain the other two sword components, presently in Autobot custody, the Decepticons staged a raid on the Autobots' base, during which Demolishor was ambushed and strung up by Smokescreen. {{storylink|Swoop (episode)|Swoop}}

[[File:Gale demolishor and blackout.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Are you saying you have something against a 'man' and a minicon being together?"]]

Demolishor's alternate mode did not prove conducive to mountain-climbing when a new Mini-Con signal was detected on a high peak. Hot Shot proceeded to slice Demolishor's shoulder cannons off with the Star Saber, which made him reluctant enough to plead with Megatron not to attack the Autobots' base in hopes of retrieving the sword. He was prepared to take Hot Shot on again soon after, but was probably grateful when Starscream stepped in to challenge the young Autobot to a one-on-one duel instead. {{storylink|Overmatch}} Later, Demolishor stood guard when the Decepticons began tunnelling beneath a human highway for a Minicon, ordering Cyclonus into action when Blackout detecting the approaching Autobots. While the other Decepticons were busy in battle, Demolishor got stuck with digging duties, but failed to unearth the Mini-Con before the Autobots surrounded them and forced a retreat. {{storylink|Gale}} The chance for a rematch with Hot Shot soon came in a fight that carried from Earth back to the Decepticons' moonbase, which ended when the enigmatic [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] helped the Decepticons reclaim the Star Saber. With Hot Shot disarmed, Demolishor and Cyclonus gave him a brutal stomping and dumped his body back on Earth. {{storylink|Credulous}}

[[File:Conspiracy demolishor weapons mode.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|right|After transforming Demolishor a few times in the office, Hasbro wanted to repaint him gray and black and name him Metal Gear Demolishor in hopes of selling him better.]]

The Star Saber ended up in Starscream's hands, and he swaggered around the base with it, mocking Demolishor and trying to taunt him into fights he couldn't win. Knowing that simply taking the sword would cause dissension in the ranks, Megatron used Leader-1 to trick Starscream into accidentally attacking Demolishor with the blade. Demolishor and the others were given cause to question Starscream's competency with the sword, forcing him to hand it over to Megatron. {{storylink|Conspiracy}}

When Starscream voiced his concerns that Scavenger might have went and joined the Autobots after deserting the Decepticons, Cyclonus and Demolishor pointed out that there was no evidence that the mercenary had actually switched sides. Seeing him among the Autobot ranks changed Demolishor's mind. The turncoat's tactics allowed the Autobots to thoroughly outsmart the Decepticons on the battlefield, giving them their first defeat in a long time. {{storylink|Trust (Armada)|Trust}} Demolishor then got chased around the moon by Megatron wielding the Star Saber in a supposed "training exercise". {{storylink|Vacation}} Things seemed to be going Demolishor's way when he successfully dug up the next Mini-Con, but it was then blasted out of his hands by new Autobot arrival [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] just as he warped out. A slash to his arm from the Star Saber was his punishment, which made him redouble his efforts on the next Mini-Con hunt. The Mini-Con recovered was the final member of the [[Race Mini-Con Team|Race Team]], and Demolishor watched alongside the other Decepticons as the tiny 'bots formed the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom shield]] for the first time. {{storylink|Reinforcement}} When Megatron engineered a decisive battle between himself and the Autobots, bringing both Star Saber and Skyboom to bear, Demolishor helped out by raining fire down on the Autobots and engaging in a back-and-forth bout of boulder slinging with Smokescreen. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

[[File:Rebellion demolishor headshot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|He thought of a good reason to follow Mr. Popo's pecking order.]]

When Megatron concocted a plan to divide and conquer the Autobots using the Decepticons' warp system, Demolishor was charged with coordinating the operation of the warp gates from the moon base. {{storylink|Vow}} This plan failed, as did their next offensive, and Megatron decided to take out his frustrations on Starscream. Fearing that Megatron would ''kill'' the younger 'bot, Demolishor actually blasted through the door his leader had locked in order to stop him. Observing the Decepticons' morale faltering all around him, Demolishor tried to reinvigorate his comrades, but was blind to the fact that they were all being manipulated by Sideways, who was seeking to shake up their ranks. When Sideways goaded Starscream into trying to destroy the warp gate, Demolishor stopped him, but Starscream merely redirected his anger and challenged Megatron to a duel instead. Demolishor woke the sleeping Cyclonus, and the pair watched as their two comrades duked it out, with Megatron's inevitable victory providing the renewal of morale and vigor the 'Cons required. {{storylink|Rebellion (Armada)|Rebellion}}

[[File:Desperate demolishor and minicons.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|World of Tanks: Transformers Edition]]

The arrival of boastful Decepticon tactician [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] was a source of great frustration to Demolishor, who found his position as Megatron's closest confidant usurped by the newcomer. Already publicly embarrassed by Thrust when he used his invisibility powers to trip him up, Demolishor groused his way through Thrust's first mission plan, {{storylink|Tactician}} and spent a lot of energy loudly blaming Thrust when it failed. It didn't break Megatron's trust in his new minion, however, and Thrust soon had another plan put together, but that one went awry when Optimus Prime and [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] revealed their power to combine. Demolishor was grabbed by the powered-up Autobot leader and dumped in the ocean. {{storylink|Linkup}} Demolishor's hatred of Thrust was soon exploited by Sideways, who tricked him into trying to destroy Thrust in another attempt to manipulate the Decepticons to his own ends. But both Sideways and Demolishor had been duped themselves: Thrust knew Sideways was working against them in service of a mysterious master, and allowed the scenario to play out, then all the Decepticons, including a confused and angry Demolishor, turned on Sideways and expelled him from their ranks. {{storylink|Detection}}

[[File:Sacrifice demolishor binoculars.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Swiggity swooty, I'm coming in for that booty."]]

During a later battle on a beach, Demolishor was nearly squashed when the giant Decepticon battleship [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] arrived on the scene. {{storylink|Awakening (Armada)|Awakening}} While Megatron merged with Tidal Wave to battle Optimus Prime and Jetfire, Demolishor led the Decepticons' Mini-Cons in a charge to keep the other Autobots busy. {{storylink|Desperate}} Some uneventful downtime followed, during which Demolishor just stood around and watched as Megatron got repaired and Thrust went off a Mini-Con search of his own (to be fair, Demolishor had wanted to go too... Thrust simply didn't bother telling him he was leaving). {{storylink|Runaway}}

Demolishor was on hand when [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] was welcomed into Megatron's forces. {{storylink|Past II}} Following this, the Decepticons had Starscream and the Star Saber lure the Autobots out of their base, with Demolishor watching them through binoculars to check that they had brought the third Mini-Con weapon, the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]] with them. Once the Decepticons learned the Autobots had purposely left it at the base, Demolishor took part in an attack on the undermanned Autobot headquarters to steal the Blaster. {{storylink|Sacrifice}} Unfortunately, they didn't tell Starscream they would be doing this, and he was furious at being abandoned on the battlefield; when Demolishor tried to take the Star Saber from him for Megatron, they nearly came to blows until Demolishor backed down. The enraged Starscream proceeded to defect to the Autobots, and provided them with access codes that allowed them to invade the Decepticons' moonbase. {{storylink|Regeneration (Armada)|Regeneration}} Demolishor watched gape-mouthed as the Autobots materialized through the Decepticons' warp gate, but managed to compose himself long enough to sound the alarm. [[File:Rescue demolishor blinded by laserbeak.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|A new low.]] In the resulting battle, Demolishor chased down [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]], but was prevented from destroying the Mini-Con combiner when a precision strike by [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] blinded him long enough for Hot Shot to take him out. {{storylink|Rescue}}

The Autobots successfully freed all the Decepticons' captive Mini-Cons, so Demolishor and the others were stuck filling in for the tiny 'bots, picking up where they'd left off on the construction of a spaceship, and cutting into the time the Decepticons would have otherwise spent gossiping and watching Megatron vent his anger by destroying the lunar landscape. {{storylink|Mars (episode)|Mars}} He was part of the Decepticons' next battle, which was actually a carefully constructed scheme by Thrust to bring Starscream, the Star Saber and the Skyboom back to the Decepticon fold. {{storylink|Crack (episode)|Crack}} Once Starscream was back in their ranks, however, Demolishor observed him dragging Thrust off for a private "chat"; he tried to tattle on him to Megatron, but the Decepticon leader wasn't interested. The three Mini-Cons weapons were subsequently used to power the Decepticons' completed spaceship, and Demolishor was charged with piloting the vessel, struggling but eventually succeeding in mastering the proper flow of power from the weapons to achieve successful liftoff. {{storylink|Threaten}} When Optimus Prime and Jetfire arrived to stop the ship from using its [[Hydra Cannon]] against Earth, Demolishor, Cyclonus and Wheeljack dealt with Jetfire, pinning him down and leaving him unable to stop Optimus from sacrificing himself to stop the cannon's blast. {{storylink|Crisis (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Drift powerlinxdemolishor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"My god...it's full of Mini-Cons..."]]

With Optimus destroyed, Demolishor and the other Decepticons set course back to Cybertron, {{storylink|Remorse}} but soon found themselves pursued by the Autobots in a [[Axalon (Armada)|ship]] of their own. {{storylink|Depart}} Demolishor tracked the Autobots' approach, and participated in the space battle that followed, grappling with [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]]. The combat reached a surprising climax when Optimus Prime was returned to life by the Mini-Cons, {{storylink|Miracle}} but no sooner had it ended than a worm hole suddenly appeared that sucked several of the Autobots away. Tracking the lost Autobots to a sterile alien world, Demolishor ventured down to the planet's surface with Megatron and Starscream, where they all wound up embroiled in a fierce battle with [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], a dark clone of Optimus. Gravely wounded by the evil creature, Demolishor, Megatron, Starscream, Hot Shot, and Red Alert were saved by their Mini-Cons, who combined their energy to give their partners a power boost, [[Powerlinx|fusing their armor into new colors]] in the process. {{storylink|Puppet}}

[[File:Alliance powerlinxdemolishor vehiclemode.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Rolling, rolling, rawhide!]]

Returning to Cybertron ahead of the Autobots, Demolishor and the Decepticons quickly subjugated the planet using the power of the Mini-Con weapons. When the Autobots arrived, they brought warning of the coming of a mysterious cosmic enemy known as [[Unicron]]; Demolishor was concerned by their story, but Megatron (now "Galvatron" after his Mini-Con power-up) refused to believe it. {{storylink|Uprising (Armada)|Uprising}} Soon after, when Hot Shot burst into the Decepticon base in an attempt to make Galvatron see reason, Demolishor and Cyclonus tried to stop him, but Wheeljack, being an old friend of the Autobot's, let him pass. During Hot Shot's explanation, Thrust was revealed to be an agent of Unicron himself, and absconded into Cybertron's depths with the Skyboom and Requiem Blaster; {{storylink|Dash (episode)|Dash}} Demolishor gave chase, but when he reported back that he had lost Thrust's trail, he was ordered at Star Saber-point by an angry Galvatron to continue searching. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}} The search for Thrust was a failure, however, Demolishor resumed his military duties, monitoring Autobot troop movements. {{storylink|Portent}}

Despite the revelation that Unicron was very real, having been hiding in plain sight as Cybertron's moon, Galvatron still refused to acknowledge his threat, and preferring to press on against the Autobots. Demolishor was busy in battle and did not witness Starscream sacrificing himself to prove Unicron's power to Galvatron. {{storylink|Cramp}} [[File:Alliance powerlinxdemolishor and blackout.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]] Demolishor was unmoved by his death, but supported Galvatron in his decision to at last ally the Decepticons with the Autobots against Unicron. Demolishor attended the formal alliance ceremony, hesitantly shaking hands with Hot Shot. He and Cyclonus subsequently joined Hot Shot and [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] on a reconnaissance mission to Unicron's surface, where Demolishor became separated from Blackout when Unicron began transforming. Believing his Mini-Con lost, Demolishor returned to the landing site in preparation for withdrawal, but an attack by a swarm of [[Dead End Drone]]s stymied them. Demolishor was taken aback when the two Autobots willingly covered him so he could help Cyclonus out of a chasm, and was given pause to reconsider his feelings towards them when Hot Shot presented him with Blackout, whom he had safely recovered for him. {{storylink|Alliance}} Analyzing the data that Blackout had gathered on Unicron's surface, Demolishor located a weak spot on the planet-sized monster's neck. While their troops attacked this sensitive area, Optimus Prime and Galvatron were able to insert themselves inside Unicron's body. {{storylink|Union}} Gathering on the bridge of the Autobots' ''Axalon'' with the others, Demolishor watched and waited; when Unicron became non-functional, he voted against attacking in fear that they would hurt Galvatron, still within. Soon, he observed as Galvatron and Prime emerged from the giant, engaged in brutal one-to-one combat, and Galvatron sacrificed himself to end the cycle of hatred that was fuelling Unicron. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====''Cloud''====
At some point after [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] joined the Autobots on Earth, Starscream encountered a small group of Transformers who had travelled to their world from the other-dimensional [[Cloud World]]. This caused him to miss a scheduled check-in with the Decepticon base, and Demolishor and Cyclonus were dispatched to see what had happened. They arrived after the otherworldly travellers had left, and faced off against the trio of [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]], [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], and Side Swipe. {{storylink|Return}}
{{--}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Alvin Sanders]] (English), unknown stand-in actor (English, "[[Scorpinok (episode)|Scorpinok]]", "[[Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary]]" only), [[Doron Bell, Jr.]] (English, "[[Distribution]]", "[[The Omega Train]]", "[[Decepticon Army]]" and "[[Ironhide Team]]" only), [[Kōji Yusa]] (Japanese)|[[Anders Öjebo]] (Swedish), [[Christoph Jablonka]] (German), [[Csaba Tokaji]] (Hungarian), [[Vesa Hämes]] (Finnish), [[Francisco Andrés Valdivia]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Guillermo Martínez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Michel Dodane]] (French), [[Antonio Angrisano]] (Italian), [[Adam Bauman]] (Polish)}}

{{note|Events derived solely from the ''Super Link'' version of the series are described in italic text.}}

[[File:MegatronsSword demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|"Constructicon colors!" "...this is going to end badly for me, isn't it?"]]

Following Megatron and Unicron's apparent destruction at the climax of the [[Unicron Battles]], the alliance between the Decepticons and Autobots continued. Together, over the next ten years, they rebuilt Cybertron, and allied with humankind to establish the [[Cybertron City (city)|Cybertron Cities]] to mine [[energon]] on Earth. Demolishor was assigned to [[Ocean City]], where he guarded the city's main gate. Though he was as prone to grumbling as ever, and still put a lot of significance on the fact that he remained a Decepticon despite the alliance, Demolishor developed something of a friendship with his new allies and grew into his role.

[[File:MegatronsSword demolishor and cyclonus.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Dumb and Dumber]]

Demolishor probably figured it was going to be another regular duty shift the day rebellious human [[Kicker Jones]] raised Ocean City from its usual resting place beneath the sea. Trying to stop the young punk from leaving the city without authorization, Demolishor was outmaneuvered, and didn't take kindly to Hot Shot making fun of him for it. As such, when Kicker tried to leave a second time, Demolishor was extra-dedicated to stopping him... but still failed to prevent him getting past. Kicker's second trip outside, however, had been brought on by the impending arrival of an Energon-stealing [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcon]] horde, which Demolishor then helped fend off. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}} Reports soon came in of a Terrorcon attack on [[Asteroid City]] out in space, and [[Lunar City]] on the moon, where Demolishor's old comrades Tidal Wave and Cyclonus were stationed, respectively. When they disappeared in the attacks, Demolishor angrily claimed the Autobots would have worked harder to search for them if they had been Autobots. {{storylink|Energon Stars}} Tidal Wave soon reappeared, but had fallen in with the Terrorcon forces, claiming that their master [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]] was planning to revive Megatron for them—an allegation that shocked Demolishor and forced him to think hard on his loyalties. {{storylink|Scorpinok (episode)|Scorpinok}}

[[File:Demolishor MegSword.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|And so Demolishor became the king of England.]]

When Cyclonus returned to Earth soon after, Demolishor was overjoyed to see that his friend had survived, and the pair immediately indulged in some friendly sparring, ''while Demolishor shared the news of Megatron's potential rebirth''. Full of vigor, the duo were keen to help defend [[Plains City]] when the Terrorcon horde attacked it, but things took a turn when the Terrorcon leader [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] revealed a sword that Alpha Q had forged from Megatron's own [[spark]]. Sensing his old leader's lifeforce in the blade, Cyclonus immediately turned on the Autobots to join the Terrorcon crusade, but Demolishor was much more conflicted; when the blade was sent flying during the fighting and landed in front of him, his fear and uncertainty caused him to hesitate before picking it up, and Tidal Wave snatched it away. {{storylink|Megatron's Sword}}

[[File:NewCybertronCity ironhide and demolishor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Demolishor was part of the unit sent to the Arctic to help establish [[Blizzard City]], but was too distracted by what he had experienced to do much work. This led to him arguing with the Autobot [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]], who didn't trust him because he was a Decepticon, and who he in turn teased over being a rookie, but when Kicker got lost in a blizzard, the two had to join forces to search for him. Working with Ironhide to fend off a Terrorcon attack, Demolishor rejected the chance to join Cyclonus and Tidal Wave, still unconvinced that Megatron was ''really'' alive. {{storylink|The New Cybertron City}} But the truth was soon to reveal itself, when Megatron, reborn from within Unicron by the power of energon, launched a massive attack on Ocean City. After only a moment to process this revelation, Demolishor submitted himself to Megatron's leadership once more, but his time in the Autobots meant the transition was not easy: he knocked Ironhide out himself rather than let him risk his life against Megatron, and hesitated to open the door to the city when Megatron commanded it. To force him to pick one absolute loyalty, Megatron dared Demolishor to fire his weapons at him, but he could not, and reluctantly blew the door to the city open. After Megatron's forces raided the city's energon stores, Ironhide pleaded with Demolishor not to leave with them, but he departed in silence with his fellow Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}}

[[File:EnergonTower demolishor gunfingers.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Not wholly convinced of Demolishor's loyalty, Megatron left him to stand guard over the Decepticons' base—the dormant body of Unicron itself, stolen from Alpha Q—while the villains departed on their next mission. {{storylink|Starscream the Mysterious Mercenary}} When the Decepticons tried searching the remains of Asteroid City for more energon, Demolishor was unable to find any; Megatron started bludgeoning him for his failure until he suggested they check out Lunar City. He joined Megatron and Cyclonus in raiding the moonbase, then confronted the Autobots in a brief battle in the [[asteroid belt]]. {{storylink|Battle of the Asteroid Belt}} Demolishor was slightly taken aback to learn that Ocean City would be their next attack target, but he participated in the assault nonetheless, reluctantly squaring off against an angry, vengeful Ironhide. {{storylink|Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower}} Returning to Unicron, they discovered Alpha Q had stolen a chunk of their energon stockpile in their absence, and had one more surprise for them: he had revived Starscream as an "energon ghost" and sent him to kill Megatron. Demolishor tried to hold off the mind-wiped spectre of his former teammate, but was helpless to stop him. Fortunately, Megatron used the power of Unicron to bring Starscream under his control, {{storylink|The Legend of Rodimus}} and Demolishor looked on as Megatron welcomed him back to the Decepticon ranks. {{storylink|Crisis in Jungle City}}

[[File:KickerBeware megatron and demolishor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|[[w:Spider-Man (2002 film)|"You have a knack for getting in trouble." "You have a knack for saving my life."]]]]

After the Autobots protected their Cybertron Cities with new [[energon tower]]s, Megatron took out his frustrations on Demolishor and Cyclonus, and tried to pry from them information on ''how'' the Autobots found energon deposits in the first place. It took Starscream's blade pressed to his throat before Demolishor would reveal the existence of Kicker's extrasensory ability to detect energon, but with that information, Megatron formulated a plan. While the Autobots were visiting the remains of Lunar City, Demolishor approached Ironhide and Kicker with the story that he had abandoned Megatron, in an attempt to lure Kicker back to the Decepticons' mobile base for capture. The plan went wrong when Scorponok, secretly working for Alpha Q, took off with the base, and Demolishor and Cyclonus's subsequent attempt to snatch Kicker was thwarted by the unseen intervention of [[Team Rodimus]]. {{storylink|Kicker Beware!}} Demolishor was aghast at Megatron's response to this failure: to simply destroy the Cybertron Cities remotely with an orbital bombardment. He tried to make his leader understand that doing so would kill many humans as well, struggling to explain that humans did not have immortal sparks like Transformers, but Megatron was immovable, and Demolishor was forced to stand by his side as the assault began. Fortunately, the Autobots erected a planetwide [[energon grid]] that shielded Earth from the attack. {{storylink|Energon Grid (episode)|Energon Grid}}

[[File:Energon-Demolishor-Death.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|"Damn you, Ironhide! You were the worst roommate!"]]

Demolishor was a little concerned for Cyclonus's mental state when Megatron used the power of Unicron to heal injuries he had sustained, in the process reformatting him into "Snow Cat"; Megatron brushed off his concerns, and instead excoriated his troops for their failure to locate the interfering Alpha Q. {{storylink|Rodimus Friend or Foe?}} An attempt to flush Alpha Q out only brought the Decepticons into conflict with Team Rodimus, a battle from which Demolishor convinced Megatron to retreat. Soon after, the Decepticons attacked the Autobot ship ''[[Miranda II]]'', which activated its personal [[energon grid]] defense system during the battle. Observing that the distracted Megatron was directly in the path of the grid, Demolishor was galvanized into making a final, fateful decision about where his loyalties lay: diving into action, he pushed his leader out of the way and took the force of the grid's blast himself. ''With his final words, Demolishor entreated the horrified Ironhide to remember him'', and then exploded. {{storylink|Go for Unicron!}}

[[File:TaleofTwoHeros demolishor hypermode.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Now I'm back, and dumber than ever, even Ironhide doesn't remember me.]]

Though Demolishor's body was destroyed, his spark persisted and was salvaged by Megatron. Using his control over Unicron's powers to fashion a new body for Demolishor, Megatron took the extra step of wiping his mind, removing any trace of his conflicted nature and degenerating him into a simple-minded, ape-like creature, easily excited and prone to grunting and jumping around. He first saw action in his new form on a blizzard-swept planet, where he and Snow Cat successfully seized an energon deposit from the Autobots, but were sent packing by a swarm of Alpha Q's new [[Cruellock]] Terrorcons. {{storylink|The Return of Demolishor}} He subsequently joined the Decepticon effort to prevent the Autobots from reaching Unicron's body, {{storylink|A Tale of Two Heros}} and engaged [[Inferno (Energon)|Inferno]] in a vehicle-mode battle on the ''Miranda II's'' hull as both the ship and Unicron returned to Cybertron via [[space bridge]]. The Decepticons were forced to warp away when the Autobots turned the planet's energon grid on, inflicting massive damage onto Unicron's body. {{storylink|Battle Stations}} The sight of Unicron in the skies of Cybertron led the Decepticons on the planet to revolt—news that Demolishor and Snow Cat happily brought to Megatron, though he wasn't particularly bothered. {{storylink|Alpha Q: Identity}}

[[File:SurvivalInstincts reformatted demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Demolishor was part of the unit sent down to Cybertron's surface to recruit Decepticon war criminal [[Shockblast]]. {{storylink|Shockblast: Rampage}} Upon returning, he had to contend with an energon-starved Unicron's automatic defense attempting to impale him with huge spikes. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}} Once that situation was under control, Demolishor was part of the team sent back down to Cybertron to create an opening in the planet's energon grid by destroying energon towers, {{storylink|Each One Fights...}} then helped hold off the Autobots while Terrorcons gathered energon from the planet's core. This energon re-powered Unicron enough for Megatron to have him transform, and Demolishor helped keep the attacking Autobots busy while the process completed itself. {{storylink|Unicron Unleashed}} When Unicron's transformation was done, Megatron opened his surface beneath Demolishor and Snow Cat so they could escape a standoff with Scorponok, but the Terrorcon leader dogged them through Unicron's interior, foiling their every attempt to battle the Autobots. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} Subsequently, an unstable energon reaction initiated by Alpha Q opened up a rift in space, through which Demolishor, along with Unicron and all the other Decepticons, were sucked into. {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}}

[[File:ImprisonedInferno demolishor embarassed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|On this ship, you are to refer to me as "idiot," not "you captain"! I mean - you know what I mean!]]

On the [[Alpha Q's universe|other side of the rift]], Alpha Q used Unicron's head and his energon to begin recreating all the planets that Unicron had once eaten, and Demolishor and the Decepticons began stealing the energon growing within them to continue Megatron's plans for Unicron's body. The Autobots followed, and succeeded in apprehending Shockblast; Demolishor brought news of his capture to Megatron, but the Decepticons purposely left him in Autobot custody on [[Iron Planet]] while they clashed with the Autobots for that planet's energon reserves. {{storylink|Protection}} They later made actual attempts to rescue their comrade. As the Decepticons hunted down the Autobot who had been Shockblast's guard, Inferno, Demolishor was surprised to discover that Shockblast had been demoted below him. He didn't quite grasp the concept of outranking a fellow Decepticon. {{storylink|Imprisoned Inferno}} During the Decepticon attack on [[Jungle Planet (Energon)|Jungle Planet]], Demolishor helped run interference in orbit to keep the Autobots from getting down to the planet's surface, but he and his team-mates were taken down by new Autobot arrivals [[Team Bulkhead]]. {{storylink|Jungle Planet (episode)|Jungle Planet}} Undeterred, Demolishor and the Decepticons soon made another play for Jungle Planet's energon, only to be repelled when the Autobots erected a new energon tower to shield the planet. {{storylink|Bulkhead (episode)|Bulkhead}} Not long thereafter, Demolishor accompanied Megatron in approaching Inferno, who was struggling to overcome the mind-altering programming that the Decepticon leader had inflicted upon him. When Megatron was called away to [[Ocean Planet]], Demolishor, Starscream, and Scorponok were left to help Inferno through his "transition", but Inferno elected to kill himself rather than become a Decepticon. {{storylink|Farewell Inferno}}

[[File:ReturnOurScorponok demolishor and snowcat.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Dumb and Dumber To]]

''With an energon grid now protecting most of the planets, the Decepticons had to scavenge what they could from the half-formed world outside the grid, but Demolishor didn't mind the menial labor. He took part in the battle on the newly-formed [[Planet Q]], where he tried and failed to get Scorponok to focus on energon gathering, rather than fighting Ironhide.'' {{storylink|Return! Our Scorponok}} Between fights, Demolishor and Snow Cat shuttled supplies around, but had to contend with tremors that shook Unicron, spawned by Megatron's impatience. {{storylink|Crash Course}} On their next energon-gathering mission, Demolishor and his buddies came under attack from the Autobots, but managed to cover the Terrorcons' escape, allowing them to deliver the final payload of energon needed to power Unicron back up to the stage where he could move again. {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}} Demolishor and the other 'Con grunts then battled the Autobots on Unicron's surface, preventing them from interfering with Megatron's successful reintegration of Unicron's body and head. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} Demolishor was first on the scene when Shockblast briefly usurped the power of the completed Unicron, but got blasted by the traitor and then expelled from Unicron's body. {{storylink|The Power of Unicron}} Megatron destroyed Shockblast and briefly retook control, but was soon possessed by Unicron himself, leaving Demolishor, Snow Cat, and Mirage struggling to escape the planet-eater's internal defenses. They failed, and ended up bound to Unicron's surface by energy-tentacles, giving them a front-row seat for the Unicron-controlled Megatron's battle with the gigantic, [[Primus]]-empowered Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} Fortunately for them, they were freed by a barrage of Autobot fire moments before Optimus destroyed Unicron, but were subsequently captured by [[Landmine (Energon)|Landmine]]. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}}

[[File:Wishes rad hides from demolishor.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"ONCE! IN A LIFE! TIME-" "Go away!" "What? What's wrong with my voice?"]]

With Megatron having apparently perished along with Unicron, Demolishor, Snow Cat, and Mirage were incarcerated on Cybertron, but were soon freed by Starscream, who revealed that Megatron still lived. {{storylink|Ambition}} They were joined in their breakout by Shockblast's younger brother [[Six Shot (Energon)|Six Shot]], who suggested using the planet's energon grid against the Autobots. Demolishor led him to the control room, and might have discovered its human operators, [[Rad White]] and the Jones family, hiding in a vent if he hadn't fallen flat on his face while attempting to peer inside it. {{storylink|Wishes}} Six Shot succeeded in taking control of the energon gas powering the grid and using it to force the Autobots off the planet, and the other Decepticon grunts began to feel a under-appreciated as Megatron (now "Galvatron" again after exposure to [[Super Energon]]) praised Six Shot for his accomplishments. However, following a battle on the hull of the ''Miranda II'', during which Demolishor and Snow Cat were clobbered by [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]], they all enjoyed watching Galvatron beat Six Shot up for taking action without orders. {{storylink|Galvatron!}} The Autobots were soon able to find a way to break through the gas shroud and return to Cybertron; Demolishor took part in the battle that followed, which concluded with the Autobots escaping underground. {{storylink|Break Through}}

[[File:IronhideTeam demolishor news reporter.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|On next week's episode, we're gonna have a roach problem!]]

At some point, Demolishor took part in a virtual fighting tournament, thanks to Six Shot hacking into an Autobot training program. Fighting as a tag team, he and Snow Cat went up against [[Prowl (Energon)|Prowl]] and [[Downshift (Energon)|Downshift]], and won when the two Autobots took themselves out of the fight by powerlinxing incorrectly—though in the process, the two Decepticons were inspired to try powerlinxing themselves, even if they couldn't get it quite right. Proceeding to the next round, they discovered their opponents were Galvatron and Starscream, who had already beaten virtual duplicates of the pair in their original bodies in the previous round. Frustrated to have found his minions goofing off in the game, Galvatron thrashed them, then quit the tournament. {{storylink|Distribution}}

[[File:Distribution FusionDance.JPG|left|thumb|upright=1.4| [[Chris McFeely|A good man]] died to bring you these Energon summaries.]]

Hoping to get a taste of the Super Energon that had empowered Galvatron and Starscream, Demolishor, Snow Cat, and Mirage went searching for the subterranean reservoir that held the miracle fuel, accidentally stumbling into Primus's chamber in the process. Finding Rad and the Jones family taking refuge there, Demolishor and Snow Cat left Mirage to stand guard and forced [[Brian Jones]] to lead them to the [[Super Energon Temple|temple]] containing the Super Energon. {{storylink|The Omega Train}} They were a little nervous about immersing themselves in it, but were finally about to take the plunge when a horde of [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticon Terrorcon drones]] burst out of the reservoir's depths and scared them witless. {{storylink|Decepticon Army}} Fleeing from the Insecticons, and having grown to giant size due to exposure to Super Energon, the pair headed back to the surface and sent word of the creatures' approach to Galvatron, news-reporter style. They rejoined their leader on the battlefield, just in time for Optimus to have his spark of combination re-energized by Primus's awakening. Once more able to combine with Omega Supreme, Optimus blew away all of his enemies with a whirlwind attack. {{storylink|Ironhide Team}}

[[File:DestructivePower demolishor altmode.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Who's the 13-gear road ranger an' a sex machine to all the chicks? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_PeHh9wZQ&t=3880 MEGAWEAPON!]]]

Once the rogue Terrorcons were back under control, the Decepticons turned to the business of using the energon towers to move Cybertron through space, through the rift and back to Alpha Q's realm. Demolishor helped battle the Autobots as the planet moved through the rift, and later tried to defend the towers against Autobot attack, though both times, he had to contend with Six Shot's ambition constantly undermining their battlefield movements. {{storylink|Formidable}} After Six Shot purposefully allowed the towers he was guarding to overload, Demolishor was assigned to keep an eye on him alongside Snow Cat and Mirage. Six Shot soon tricked them into leaving him unattended by suggesting they make another play for the Super Energon pool. Demolishor and his buddies sped off, but quickly found the corridors all around them closing off as Six Shot used the control room to lock them in. Starscream freed Demolishor and co. a short time later, but they found themselves battling Autobots until far more world-shaking matters took precedent: Galvatron had used the Super Energon to transform himself into a giant. {{storylink|Galvatron Terror}}

Demolishor and the other Decepticons held off the Autobots as they attacked the towering form of the Decepticon leader, but as he grew larger and larger and the planet's surface began to crack under his weight, Demolishor followed Snow Cat's advice to get the heck out of there. Under the sway of the still-living consciousness of Unicron, Galvatron took off for space, towing Cybertron behind him on a Super Energon cable; Demolishor and the rest followed, offering some token return fire at the pursuing Autobots. {{storylink|Destructive Power}} When Optimus Prime used the power of Unicron to grow to a titan of equal height, Demolishor and Snow Cat broke off from the battle to excitedly watch the two giant leaders duke it out on Jungle Planet. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}} Unable to make much in the way of a contribution to the huge scale of the final battle, Demolishor, Snow Cat, and Mirage could only spectate as the possessed Galvatron shook off Unicron's influence long enough to sacrifice himself by plunging into a foundling energon sun created by Primus. While loyalists Starscream and Mirage followed their leader into solar oblivion, the long-suffering Demolishor and Snow Cat could only float in space and ponder what to do next with their lives. {{storylink|The Sun}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' toy bio====
[[File:CybertronDemolishor boxart.jpg|left|thumb]]

Ten years after the Battle for Energon, when the [[Unicron Singularity]] forced the evacuation of Cybertron, Demolishor was left behind on their deserted homeworld. Through circumstances unknown, he had reverted to a version of his original Earth body (no word on whether his mentality recovered as well), and kept himself busy by fighting off the [[Scrapmetal (race)|Scrapmetal]] horde that began infesting the planet soon after. Demolishor heard rumors that Megatron had once again returned from the dead, but after the ordeal he went through last time, he hoped it was not true, since he found that he enjoyed not being pushed around by his commander for once. {{storylink|#Cybertron|Demolishor's ''Cybertron'' toy bio}}

====''Timelines''====
During the search for the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s, Decepticon sniper [[Swindle (Cybertron)|Swindle]] bitterly remarked on Demolishor and Snow Cat's disappearance from the Decepticon ranks, considering it evidence of how little good loyalty to Megatron would do to advance a 'bot's standing in life. {{storylink|Force of Habit}}
{{--}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:DWArmada5 Demolishor whatmakeshumanstick.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2]]

Demolishor was part of Megatron's initial strike force on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and devastated [[Mini-Con Sector|Mini-Con]] [[Village C52]] alongside [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]]. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 1|Armada #1}} Powered by [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]], he also participated in the assault on and devastation of [[Cyber City]]. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 2|Armada #2}}

Millions of years later, when a Mini-Con signal was broadcast from Earth, the Decepticons picked it up and quickly made plans to travel to Earth. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}} Upon arrival, Demolishor, Cyclonus and [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] broke into a [[human]] military base, where Demolishor scanned a tank for his new [[alternate mode]] (though the resulting tank mode wasn't particularly close to the source). {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 4|Armada #4}} While the other Decepticons began fighting the Autobots who had followed them to Earth, Demolishor ambushed the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] and three human kids. He captured the Mini-Cons and expressed interest in taking the humans apart to see where all their courage came from. Then four other Mini-Cons swarmed his face and shattered his targeting reticle "eyepatch". {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}}

[[File:FCBDArmada demolishor.jpg|thumb]]

After the Decepticons successfully captured the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]], Demolishor helped bring them back to the Decepticon base at [[Silver Ridge]]. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 6|Armada #6}} He later participated in the attack on the [[Autobase|Autobot base]], but didn't do much other than stand around and take offense to Starscream's claims that Megatron didn't need any underlings when he had the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7|Armada #7}} A little later, Demolishor joined Starscream and Cyclonus in capturing two humans who had been befriended by Starscream's Mini-Con [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]], but unfortunately for them, they turned out to be the Autobots' human allies Rad and Carlos. The Autobots soon arrived to rescue their friends, and when Swindle turned on the Decepticons for tricking him into thinking he was going to be released, the villains retreated. {{storylink|Armada Free Comic Book Day}}

[[File:WorldsCollide2 Demolishor vs SmokescreenScavenger.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]

When the Decepticons' Mini-Cons escaped, Demolishor and the others pursued them to [[Kansas]], where they fired impotently on a [[Mini-Con Ark|large object]] that was stealing all of Earth's Mini-Cons. They were then distracted by the arrival of several Autobots, and could only watch as the object rocketed off into space. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 8|Armada #8}} After figuring out that the Mini-Cons had ended up on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], the Decepticons chased after their precious power-ups. As Demolishor was the only Decepticon incapable of flight (Megatron got temporary rocket thrusters), he was left behind to guard the base. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}} He wasn't very good at it, though, and was beaten up by Autobots who wanted to use the Decepticons' [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 10|Armada #10}}

When said space bridge stopped working some time later, Megatron ordered Demolishor and Starscream to fix it. Neither of them knew how. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}} The Decepticons later learned that [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] had gone missing, and they seized the opportunity to perform an all-out assault on the Autobots. Demolishor found himself facing down [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] and [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] on a thin mountain road, and decided to play a game of chicken with them. He won, as both Autobots swerved away and fell off the road, where Smokescreen was seriously injured by Megatron. Shortly afterwards, their winning streak was interrupted by a [[Galvatron (G1)|mysterious powerful Transformer]] who knocked out Demolishor, Cyclonus and Starscream in short order. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}} As it turned out, the stranger had been a [[Herald of Unicron|Herald]] of [[Unicron]], who was on his way to destroy Cybertron. The Decepticons were forced to ally themselves with the Autobots and return to their home planet in order to fight him off. Demolishor survived the battle with Unicron and was seen among the crowds of cheering Transformers in the aftermath. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}

====Dreamwave ''Energon'' comic====
[[File:StarscreamEnergon-Multiplicity3.jpg|thumb|right|Giddy-up now...TO HELL!]]
Some time in Cybertron's past, during the war, Demolishor was part of a battle in which [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] led an attack on an Autobot bunker. Demolishor watched the battle from a Decepticon saucer-ship, alongside Megatron, Starscream, Cyclonus and Thrust. {{storylink|No Exit}}

Ten years after the battle with Unicron, Unicron's [[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Four Horsemen]] attacked Cybertron. Demolishor was among the Transformers called in as reinforcements against this new threat. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Two}} Some time later, he was stationed at the [[energon]] ore processing plant [[Deltos-Five]] when its systems started going haywire. Grumbling that Thrust had left him to deal with technical difficulties while ''he'' got to have fun fighting [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] on Earth, Demolishor made his way into the facility, where he was ambushed by a ghostly Starscream. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 3}}

{{Unreleased energon comic}}

[[File:Energon issue 32 crop.jpg|left|thumb]]

Demolishor was recovered by [[Alpha Quintesson]] and upgraded into a new body via the power of Unicron. Placed on Earth shortly before the Autobots erected a [[energon grid|global energy shield]], Demolishor was charged with kidnapping [[Kicker Jones]], and tracked the boy down just as he as attempting to play hooky from a training session at [[Alterenergy|AlterEnergy]]. Demolishor approached in his new dump truck alternate mode, and Kicker actually flagged him down in hopes of hitching a lift before Demolishor revealed his true nature. {{storylink|Doomsday Redux!}} Demolishor's specially-tailored new form allowed him to first shrug off energon blasts from the human boy, and then easily take out an AlterEnergy rapid response team, before grabbing Kicker and absconding. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 1}}

With Alpha Quntession unable to teleport him off-planet thanks to the energy shield, Demolishor went into hiding; AlterEnergy began searching the planet for him, {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} but he was holed up in a cave in [[Mexico]], by a space bridge portal, waiting for Alpha Quintesson's forces to take out the shield down so he could use the bridge to bring Kicker to his master. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} An AlterEnergy team led by Rad tracked him down before that could happen, but Demolishor was ready for them and the Autobot backup they brought, and was able to fight them to a standstill. Word then came through from Alpha Quintesson that the energy shield was down, so Demolishor broke off the fight and returned to the chamber he had been keeping Kicker in, only to find that the boy had been freed by Rad and Carlos while he had been busy in battle. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 4}} Demolishor immediately gave chase through the caves, but when he caught up to them, Kicker stood his ground and used his special powers to channel the energy of all the energon on Earth, using it to utterly destroy Demolishor. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}
{{--}}

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
[[File:PaniniArmada3 demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Demolishor was among the Decepticons who had a great time kidnapping Mini-Cons back when the war broke out. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Counter-Strike!}}

In modern day, he was sent to [[Earth]] to search for escaped Mini-Cons alongside [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] and [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]]. Demolishor was apparently still searching elsewhere when the rest of the Decepticons were beaten up by the Autobots and fled. {{storylink|Friends and Foes!}} Eventually, he sawed his way into the wreckage of the Mini-Cons' ship, as he had orders from [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] to retrieve its [[locator log]]. He was surprised to find the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|Street Action Team]] in the ship, and wasn't sure what to do with the situation. Deciding that the best course of action was violence, he began blasting the Mini-Cons but was distracted when [[Rad White]] grabbed the locator log and ran for it. Demolishor followed in his tank mode, only to drive straight into an unstable part of the cave, where the vibrations from his treads caused the hidden log to explode and collapse the cave on top of him. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 3|Deep Trouble!}}

Some time later, Demolishor participated in an attack on the Autobots when they were trying to send their Mini-Cons back to Cybertron. Though the Mini-Cons ultimately decided to stay on Earth, the Decepticons destroyed the Autobots' space bridge anyways. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|No Way Back!}} [[File:PaniniArmada9 demolishor powerlinx.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]] He and Cyclonus were then sent to search for Mini-Cons on the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]. The Autobots [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] and [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] followed them, but were no match for the Mini-Con-augmented Decepticons. Demolishor shot Smokescreen down and prepared to squash him under his tracks, but didn't expect the Autobot to suddenly get a Mini-Con partner of his own. Powered by [[Liftor]], Smokescreen delivered a powerful punch to the incoming Demolishor, driving him back. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 6|Between Two Worlds!}}

When the Decepticons planned to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] the Autobots from their new lunar base, Demolishor caught a transmission from the Autobots' Mini-Cons, who offered to surrender in exchange for the Autobots' lives. He reported this to Megatron, who opted to take the Mini-Cons then blow the Autobots up anyway. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 8|Earthshaker!}} The plan was a huge failure, ending with the destruction of the Decepticon base and no Mini-Cons to show for it. Demolishor cheerfully referred to the whole thing as a "bit of a blip in the old world-conquest plans", which promptly got him punished by the disgruntled Megatron. Suddenly, Cyclonus showed up and started attacking his fellow Decepticons. He turned out to be possessed by the [[Destruction Mini-Con Team]], who were using him to get rid of Megatron once and for all. After watching the two duel for a while, Demolishor power-linked with [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]] and entered the fray, but did little damage to Cyclonus. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 9|Dawn of Destruction!}}
{{-}}

===Bendon ''Armada'' books===
[[File:CaveCatastrophe demolishor vs optimus.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.75]]

Megatron and Demolishor were searching the area around the Autobot base for Mini-Cons when they were, unsurprisingly enough, stumbled upon by Optimus Prime and Hot Shot. Demolishor tussled with a vehicle mode Optimus, but evidently didn't fare too well, as the Autobot leader was seen battling Megatron moments later. Bested, the "cowardly" pair warped away. {{storylink|Cave Catastrophe}}

Megatron and Demolishor later launched a sneak attack against the kids when they left themselves in the open, and were yet again bested by the two Autobots when they came to render aid. {{storylink|Race to Disaster}}

===Reader's Digest ''Armada'' novels===
Demolishor was one of the Decepticons warped to the planet Earth after the Mini-Cons, who had long been dormant there, awoke. The Decepticons' initial attack against the Autobots was rebuffed, and they began building a base of operations on the Moon by reinforcing the partial remains of the Mini-Cons' ship.

Demolishor and Starscream were tasked by Megatron to scan all of the Earth's vehicles to find suitable alternate modes. When Megatron checked in on their progress, Demolishor presented Earth's mightiest military vehicles to his leader. Demolishor chose a "missile tank" alternate mode for himself. Megatron then led the members of his inner circle on an assault on the Autobots' base on Earth. The assault was briefly halted when Megatron spotted the Autobots' human allies, Rad, Alexis and Carlos, rush into the war-zone. Megatron demanded that the children hand over their Mini-Con companions. But Optimus Prime and his Autobots weren't far behind, and they launched a counter-attack against the Decepticons. Demolishor tried to blast Optimus, only for his missile to be deflected by the Autobot Red Alert. Subsequent assaults on the Autobots proved futile, as Optimus assumed his "Super Optimus Prime" mode and overwhelmed the Decepticons with pure brute strength. The balance of power shifted even further in the Autobots' favor when Red Alert and Hot Shot acquired Mini-Cons. Red Alert used the new strength bestowed upon him by his new partner, Longarm, to lift Demolishor up off the ground, then Hot Shot used the electrical powers granted to him by his Mini-Con, Jolt, to short out the Decepticon's circuits. Megatron soon recognized that the Decepticons were outmatched and ordered a retreat.

Back on the moon, the Decepticons squabbled over their defeat until Cyclonus teleported in late. As it turns out, two other Mini-Con panels had been uncovered by the children during the fight, and Cyclonus had managed to snatch them away before fleeing. Megatron allowed Cyclonus to keep one of the Mini-Cons, while the other was given to Demolishor. Demolishor named his new partner “Blackout." {{storylink|Transformers Armada: Race for the Mini-Con Robots|Race for the Mini-Con Robots}}

===''Q-Robo Transformer''===
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}
{{-}}

===Toy pack-in comics===
[[File:Energon V4 Decepticons.jpg|thumb]]
When [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] fell to his knees in battle, [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] sent Demolishor, [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Snow Cat]], and [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] to attack the beaten leader. Their attack was averted when they were blasted away by [[Wing Saber (Energon)|Wing Saber]]. {{storylink|Energon Volume 4}}

===''TransTech''===
Demolishor was part of [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]]'s inner circle in the underlevels of [[Axiom Nexus]]. He was with Gutcruncher in [[The Blue Deployer]] the night the [[Action Master]] took [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]] for a lot of money. {{storylink|Gone Too Far}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Battle Tactics''===
[[File:Battle-Tactics-Demolisher-Armada.jpg|thumb|400px]]
Demolishor participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Epic character who could be recruited by collecting 650 units of Cybermetal, 350 units of Transmetal, 150 exclusive cores, and 50 cores of this character. {{storylink|Transformers: Battle Tactics}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Armada''===
[[File:Arm-toy Demolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb|Best Decepticon yes-man toy, ever! (''Hasbro version pictured'')]]
[[File:LOTM Ironhide.jpg|thumb|upright=1|(''Takara version pictured'')]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor with Blackout''' (Super-Con Class, [[2002]])}}</ul>
:*''Takara name'': '''Ironhide'''
:*''Sonokong name'': '''Hide'''
:*''Takara/Sonokong ID number'': '''MD-03'''
:*''Takara release date'': [[December 28]], 2002
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] (Hasbro), [[Shogo Hasui]] (Takara)|[[Draxhall Jump]] (concept art)}}

: Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' "Super-Con Class" toy (basically "Deluxes"), Demolishor transforms into an anti-aircraft missile tank of made-up model, though it appears to be heavily based on the ADATS weapon system. His primary Mini-Con gimmick is the twin spring-loaded missile launcher in his left shoulder; attaching any Mini-Con to the Powerlinx port there pops the launcher forward, after which the missiles can be fired simultaneously by pulling the Mini-Con back. Reportedly, Demolishor was to feature this gimmick in both shoulders, but it was cut back to one for cost considerations, so his right shoulder now simply holds two spare missiles.

: In vehicle mode, Demolishor features extra Mini-Con compatibility design specially around his partner [[Blackout (Armada)#Toys|Blackout]]. When in vehicle mode, Blackout can be inserted into the space between Demolishor's front treads, forming a more "complete"-looking tank. Blackout can then be launched into action by a small spring-loaded launcher, activated by a tiny button on Demolishor's back end. Also on the back end is a flip-out seat that Blackout or any other appropriately-jointed Mini-Con can sit in to "man" his guns (Though Blackout's hand-guns plug quite nicely into the screw-holes in the back of Demolishor's turret, making it look like a more direct interface). The seat can also be used for Demolishor's rudimentary "Attack Base" mode, which involves folding out his legs/treads to turn him into an elevated anti-aircraft station.

: The [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] ''Legends of the Microns'' "Ironhide" and [[Sonokong]] ''Eunha Yeongung: Cybertron'' "Hide" releases, render the figure in more primary, show-accurate colors, painting him a more greenish shade of tan, making his face brown rather than black, and features a Decepticon symbol with proper "separated" [[Paint operation|paint applications]], among several other smaller paint changes.

: This toy doubles as Generation 1 [[Demolisher (G1)|Demolisher]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/Demolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Demolishor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|MS03}}{{anchor|LandMilitary}}
[[File:Armadatoy demolishor landmilitaryteam set.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Ironhide & Land Military Microns''' (Multi-pack, 2002)}}</ul>
:*''ID number:'' '''MS-03'''
:*''Release date'': [[December 28]], 2002
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles

: In Japan, Ironhide was available both separately and in a multi-pack with the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team#Toys|Land Military Microns]]. All toys in the set are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|Powerlinx}}
[[File:Armadatoy-DemolishorPX.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|Holy crap, ''Legends of the Microns'' Ironhide is a Decepticon.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Powerlinx Demolishor with Powerlinx Blackout''' (Super-Con Class, 2003)}}</ul>
:*''Takara name'': '''Ironhide Super Mode'''
:*''Takara ID number'': '''MD-10'''
:*''Takara release date'': October ??, 2003
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] (Hasbro)}}

: Part of the final wave of ''Armada'' product, this [[redeco]] of the original Demolishor gives him in a new red and off-white color scheme, roughly [[Homage|homaging]] [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]]. According to [[Aaron Archer]], he was originally intended to be colored like [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], because Demolishor's gun-hands reminded him of Sixshot (we don't get it either—maybe he meant [[Six-Gun|Six-''Gun'']]?),<ref>{{citesocial|quote=While the repaint was originally supposed to be painted in a “Generation One Sixshot-like” color scheme, the plans were scrapped.|link=https://news.tfw2005.com/2003/04/09/demolishor-repaint-confirmed-179|name=Tim Formas|site=TFW2005|year=2003|month=03|day=09}}</ref> but the red color scheme was decided upon and used in the animated series first, so the toy had to follow suit. Reflecting the late nature of this change, his packaging depicts a normal-colored Demolishor toy, as the colors had not been decided upon by the time cardback photography was required.

: The Takara "Ironhide Super Mode" release is similar to the Hasbro one, but its colors are once again lightly tweaked to look more cartoony, in darker, more primary shades, and not as glossy. It also lacks the dark blue paint on top of the Hasbro version's head, and once again has a "separated" Decepticon symbol rather than a block-painted one.

:This toy was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as [[Demolishor (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Demolishor]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/PXDemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Powerlinx Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Built to Rule!''===
[[File:BTR-Demolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|"I'm the man who killed Jaime Lannister."]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor''' (Built to Rule!, 2003)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 2 missiles

: One of the smaller ''[[Built to Rule!]]'' sets, Demolishor's vehicle mode is still an anti-aircraft missile tank, but with only one spring-loaded rocket per side, activated by a rotating "drum" on top of the launcher. He also features working rubber treads, and a 2x2 "[[Powerlinx]]" plate than can be used by both ''BTR''-based and regular-type [[Mini-Con]]s, though the grip on the latter is not terribly great. He is "transformed" by removing pretty much everything on the "Trans-Skeleton" core, flipping out the limbs, then adding ''some'' of the parts back on to create a super-top-heavy, awkward robot.

: He also comes with a building-block version of [[Blackout (Armada)#Built to Rule!|Blackout]].

: His 1x4 plates with the flat area in the middle would later show up in some ''[[Kre-O]]'' sets.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/BTRDemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Built to Rule! Demolishor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BTRNightAttack}}
[[File:BTR-toy Demolishor NightAttack.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|WUBBA WUBBA WUBBA.]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Night Attack Demolishor''' (Built to Rule!, 2003)}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 2 missiles

: Part of the final wave of ''Armada Built to Rule!'', the first Demolishor set was [[redeco]]ed into colors very close to those of the [[Night Attack Mini-Con Team]]. Again, he comes with a similarly-colored version of Blackout.

: Night Attack Demolishor did not ship very prominently, but eventually could be found at [[Toys"R"Us]] stores for the heavily discounted-price of $2 or so.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/NADemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Built to Rule! Night Attack Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Energon''===
[[File:En-toy DemolishorArm.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor with Blackout''' (Combat Class, [[2004]])}}</ul>
:*''Takara name'': '''Ironhide'''
:*''Takara ID number'': '''SD-02'''
:*''Takara release date'': [[December 25]], 2003
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: Originally released as part of the initial assortment of [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Super Link]]'' toys, the original "Ironhide" toy (and accompanying Mini-Con "[[Blackout (Armada)#Energon|Search]]") was given a very [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]-esque color scheme of lime green, light gray and purple.

: This version was released ''much'' later in the US as "Demolishor with Blackout" (''surprise''), with no changes other than packaging, late in the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' line as a [[KB Toys]]-[[exclusive]], alongside the ''Super Link'' redeco of [[Cyclonus (Armada)#Energon|Sandstorm]] (Cyclonus).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/KBDemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on ''Energon'' KB Toys Demolishor at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|EnergonDumptruck}}
[[File:En-toy Demolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|MUNKY IS TRUKK]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor''' (Combat Class, 2004)}}</ul>
:*''Takara name'': '''Irontread'''
:*''Takara ID number'': '''SD-11'''
:*''Takara release date'': [[April 28]], 2004
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Takio Ejima]] (Takara)}}

: ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' Demolishor's new body transforms into a large "earth-mover" dump truck. His truck bed contains four spring-loaded missiles, plus four "false", non-firing missiles. His center torso block can rotate forward to bring his launcher over his body for "[[Super Mode|Hyper Mode]]"... which puts his head right in the middle of his sternum. His truck bed also features two pairs of "dead" Powerlinx plugs to attach Mini-Cons to, one pair on each side of the "flap", allowing for Mini-Con Powerlinxing in both truck and [[robot mode]]s.

: The truck bed also has possibly the biggest Decepticon [[insignia]] on a Deluxe-level toy ''ever''.

: According to Hasbro in [[Hasbro Q&A/August 2009: Answers|a Q&A]], he was originally supposed to be a new character named [[Long Haul (disambiguation)|Long Haul]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/Demolishor/demolishor.htm More information on ''Energon'' Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Cybertron''===
[[File:Cyb-toy Demolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor''' (Deluxe Class, [[2006]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': 4 missiles, Cybertron Cyber Key
:*''Cyber Key Code'': '''dt67'''
{{toydesigner|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: A late addition to the [[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|''Cybertron'' toy line]], the original ''Armada'' Demolishor figure was redecoed in a more military camo scheme. He does not come with his Mini-Con partner Blackout in this release; instead, Demolishor and his [[wave]]-mate [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys#CybDx|Optimus Prime]] debuted a new [[Cyber Key]] variant: [[retool]]ed from the standard "[[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]" style key, this version lacked a sculpted [[insignia]], so that any symbol could be [[tampograph]]ed on to it, and featured a [[Mini-Con]]-style [[Powerlinx]] socket on the back, allowing it to operate the figure's formerly-Mini-Con-activated missile launcher feature without the figure itself having to be retooled.

: The key sports a tampographed Decepticon insignia, a purple border, and a [[Cyber Key Codes|Key Code]] tampographed on the back. This code, when entered on Hasbro's website, was ''supposed'' to unlock additional information on the character or the toy, but due to an error on behalf of Hasbro, it unlocked information intended for Demolishor's wave-mate, the aforementioned Deluxe Class Optimus Prime; Demolishor's information was instead unlocked using the code "D56B", which was tampographed on the back of the Cyber Key included with said Optimus Prime toy.

{{note|The photography to the right is slightly mistransformed. The waist is meant to be rotated 180° degrees.}}

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Demolishor/demolishor.htm More information on ''Cybertron'' Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[File:KreO-Toy DemolishorKreon.jpg|thumb|right|300px|"I'm completely transformable, and I'm proud of it".]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Demolishor''' (Kreon Micro-Changer, [[2014]])}}</ul>
:*''Bag number'': '''33501 37'''
:*''Accessories'': Stand-brick, 2 double-barreled pistols
{{toydesigner|[[Ed Masiello]] (Hasbro)}}

:Part of the fourth assortment of [[blindpacking|blind-bagged]] [[Kreon]] [[Micro-Changer]]s, Demolishor can be "rebuilt" into an anti-aircraft tank. We say "rebuilt" but really all you do is flip the treads around, swivel the guns, stick Demmy butt-up and ''bam'', tank mode.

: He uses the [[Hound (Kre-O)|Hound]]-style helmet.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Decepticon/Kre-ODemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Happy Meal toys===
[[File:Armadatoy mcdonalds demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|Why the slag are the humans playing with my crotch?!]]
*'''Demolishor''' (October 2002)
**''Accessories'': Arm/cannon

:One of eight [[McDonald's]] ''Armada'' promotional toys, Demolishor is a simple toy that transforms from Cybertronian tank to robot in a few steps. His right arm/cannon features a "battle damage" pop-off gimmick that is activated when a yellow button on the front of his tank mode is pressed.

:He has a [[Powerlinx]] post on his front left tread that you can attach Mini-Cons to, though its main purpose is to allow him to combine with the other Happy Meal Decepticons to form a [[Mighty Vehicle]]. The back of his head has a Mini-Con Powerlinx port, so he can activate Mini-Con features on larger toys, but given its location and his size, it would be a pretty awkward fit on most figures.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/McDemolishor/demolishor.htm More information on Happy Meal Demolishor at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

{{anchor|EnergonHappyMeal}}
[[File:Mcdemolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Good luck finding me.]]
*'''Demolishor''' (January 2005)

: Part of the second ''Energon'' Happy Meal promotion, which was only available in some Latin America markets, this heavily-simplified version of dump-truck Demolishor features a spring-loaded transformation from dump truck to robot mode when his truck grill is pushed in. Given his limited release, he's very rare—even good ''pictures'' of him are hard to come by.
{{--}}

===Super Collection Figure===
{{anchor|SCF}}
[[File:SCF Demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Ironhide''' (SCF, [[December 27]], 2002)
**''Series'': '''ACT 9'''
**''Accessories'': Stand

: ''[[Heroes of Cybertron|Super Collection Figure]]'' Demolishor ("Ironhide" in Japan) is a 3-inch tall soft-plastic figurine based on his animation model. Made to pop apart, he has limited articulation, with swivel neck, waist, shoulders and legs. He came in two paint schemes: full-color and pewter-finish, each available at an equal ratio of one each per case of twelve figures. Be careful with the pewter version, as the pegs are often painted, leading to super-tight fits and occasional breakage.

: Like all normal SCF figures, he was sold in a [[blindpacking|blind-box]] assortment, so you could not tell which mold or color scheme you got until you actually opened the box.
{{--}}

===Mega Super Collection Figure===
[[File:Arm-toy DemolishorMSCF.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|Oh. My. God. Becky. Look at. His. Butt.]]
*'''Ironhide''' (February 2003)
**''ID number'': '''10'''
**''Accessories'': 4 missiles

: At double the size of a normal SCF figure, this non-transformable figure of Demolishor features more -but still limited- posability, with restricted-balljoint neck, shoulders and hips, double-swivel elbows, and swivel wrists, waist and knees. He also has removable missiles, and comes with a really teeny version of [[Blackout (Armada)#MSCF|Blackout]].

: As the Mega SCFs are all based on a singular ball/socket and clip system for joints, you can swap parts from any figure around with any other in the line... as long as there's enough clearance, of course.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Destron/MegaSCFIronhide/ironhide.htm More information on ''Mega Super Collection Figure'' Ironhide at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===Battle for Cybertron Game===
[[File:BattleforCybertron demolishor.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Transformers: Armada - Battle for Cybertron Game''' (2003)
:A small figurine of Demolishor was among the eight Transformers character playing pieces included with the [[Milton Bradley]] ''[[Battle for Cybertron Game|Battle for Cybertron]]'' board game.
::*''[http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6841/transformers-armada-battle-for-cybertron More information on Battle for Cybertron at BoardGameGeek.com]''
{{--}}

===''Attacktix''===
[[File:Attacktix-Demolishor.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|But our story isn't really about him...]]
*'''Demolishor''' (2006)
**''Attack Type'': Shooter (wide missile)

: Shown at Toy Fair 2006, ''[[Attacktix]]'' Demolishor is based on his ''Energon'' dump-truck body, with a back-mounted missile launcher that shot a wide-headed missile. He was placed in an early mock-up of the starter set, but ultimately only the vehicle mode [[Skyblast (Energon)|Skyblast]] piece would end up in the final product. The piece had no sticker on the front as well. And then... that was the last anyone ''saw'' of this piece. It was never shuffled into a later assortment or even mentioned anywhere. What the hell?
{{canceledattacktix}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:ARgame-DemoFight.jpg|right|thumb|ARHH!!|upright=1.3]]
*According to the Armada IP Creative Bible, one of his production names was '''Scourge'''. Get it, Scourge, [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]], and [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]]?
*According to [[Aaron Archer]], Demolishor was loosely based on a pirate, hence the eyepatch design and his name being ''Demolish'''or'''''.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=I originally thought of him as a Pirate (accent on the OR at the end of his name) but he is also a tank type body proportion based on his vh form. I like his targeting eye-patch and gun fingers.|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/BukR4uyHbVh/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2019|month=03|day=04}}</ref> Alongside Cyclonus, he was an early test for the Mini-Con play pattern; Archer always thought of the characters as a pair.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Cyclonus was a early concept model for ways the mini cons could work. Him and Demolishor were early tests and that is why they naturally got paired up in the show. we always thought of them together|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/BuzqRavnhlk/c/18025188925116526/r/18026310700117791/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2019|month=03|day=10}}</ref>
*Meanwhile, his vehicle mode was based on a concept from [[Draxhall Jump]]; of the various designs they produced for ''Armada'', his was the only one to make it through to the final product more or less unchanged.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=DHJ worked on a couple of Armada items and the only one that really stayed the same from their design is the Demolishor Vh. I did the robot and it was based on a Takara model, so it is hard to give any one group "credit" for being the one responsible for a given product.|name=Aaron Archer|site=TFW2005|year=circa 2002}}</ref>
*Demolishor was originally planned to be in the [[Transformers (PS2)|''Armada'' PlayStation 2 game]] as a long-running boss fight in the Antarctic. According to the original storyboards (unlocked in the game by finding the appropriate [[Data-Con]] on the [[Pacific Island]] base), he was the pilot of the crashed starship (instead of [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]]), and the player would have first fought him inside the control room of the ship. [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] was then to fire on the ship when Demolishor was near defeat, which would cause the ship to crash into the chasm below. The player would then have to chase Demolishor vertically through the downed ship and into an ice cavern, where he would try and drop stalactites on your head during your final confrontation. Why Demolishor was removed from the game is unknown, though the most likely explanation is time and budget concerns.
*There was almost one more toy in the above list! ''[[Combiner Wars]]'' [[Onslaught (G1)/toys|Onslaught]] had a "[[retool|pretooled]]" alternate head that would have made it represent Demolishor. This head tooling was never used, though a test prototype surfaced on the Chinese site [[TaoBao]] in 2015.<ref>https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/looks-like-were-getting-a-cw-demolisher.1051737/ TFW2005 thread, 19 September 2015]</ref>
*Demolishor's scrapped renaming into '''Long Haul''' for his dump truck body in ''Energon'' leaves him the odd man out compared to "[[Cyclonus (Armada)|Snow Cat]]" and "[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]]".
*Demolishor's Energon CG model inconstantly fluctuated between one bearing his toys shrimpy arms and one with larger, more proportionate ones. The color of his hands is also known to swap without reason between green and black.
*Despite originating in the Unicron Trilogy, Demolishor has had [[Demolishor (SG)|two]] [[Demolishor (WFC)|characters]] based on him appear in [[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|two]] [[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|separate]] Generation 1-influenced continuities, both before he actually got a [[Demolisher (G1)|Generation 1 counterpart]]. Probably helped by [[Demolishor (ROTF)|his third namesake]] appearing in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ironhide''' (アイアンハイド ''Aianhaido''), '''Ironhide Super Mode''' (アイアンハイド{{ruby|S|スーパーモード}} ''Aianhaido Sūpā Mōdo''), '''Irontread''' (dump truck body, アイアントレッド ''Aiantoreddo'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Pusztító'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''PòHuàiZhě''' (China, 破坏者, "Demolishor")
*''Korean:'' '''Hide''' (하이드 ''Haideu'')
*''Polish:'' '''Demolatron''' (''Armada''), '''Destruktor''' (''Energon'')
*''Russian:'' '''Razrushitel'''' (Разрушитель, "Devastator")
*''French:'' '''Démolisseur''' (''Demolisher'')
*''Portuguese:'' '''Demolisher'''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Built to Rule!]]
[[Category:Cloud Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cybertron Decepticons]]
[[Category:Energon Decepticons]]
[[Category:KB Toys exclusives]]
[[Category:Kre-O Decepticons]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:McDonald's exclusives]]
[[Category:TransTech Decepticons]]
[[Category:Unicron-related characters]]

Ratchet (Animated)

2023-12-07T05:32:36Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Ratchet}}
:''Ratchet is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Animated continuity family]].''
[[File:AniRatchetPromoModel.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Rassa-frassa [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|KIDS]] with their [[Bumblebee (Animated)|loud music]] and their [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|rocket-powered axes]]...]]

Before the [[Great War (Animated)|Great Wars]], '''Ratchet''' was a [[Protihex Medical Mechanics University|civilian mechanic]], and one of the best on all of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. But war is hell, and Ratchet learned that all too well. It left him bitter and cynical. After the war, he got himself placed in a dead end position of repairing [[space bridge]]s, seeing it as a chance to get away from what he had experienced. And in his experience, "hero" is another word for casualty, because that's what most of the heroes ended up being. Still, he knows one when he sees it, and [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] definitely is one.

His main "weapons" are two electromagnets that can extend from his forearms. With them, he can move metal-based objects, levitate downward from high heights, manipulate or tear apart metallic objects in midair, or create magnetic shields. More recently, he won his [[electromagnetic pulse]] generator back from [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] the bounty hunter, a device capable of knocking out a [[Transformer]].

He enjoys grumbling about almost everything, being sarcastic, and having war flashbacks, just like any old man.

{{quote|You're a ''tough'' old model, aren't you? Maybe it's time to retire!|[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] shows his grudging respect or his ideal of taunting perhaps.|"[[This Is Why I Hate Machines]]"}}

==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
{{voiceactor|[[Corey Burton]] (English), [[Tōru Ōkawa]] (Japanese)|[[Horst Lampe]] (German), [[Dariusz Stach]] (Polish), [[Sidney Lilla]] (Portuguese), [[Stefano Albertini]] (Italian), [[Javier Rodríguez]] (Latin American Spanish, seasons 1 and 2), [[Eleazar Osorio]] (Latin American Spanish, season 3), [[Javier López]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Chae-heon Im]] (Korean), [[Petri Hanttu]] (Finnish), [[Sylvain Lemarié]] (French)}}

[[File:BotsofScience-RatchetOilslick.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Millions of years ago, knee-insignia were all the rage.]]
''Millions of years ago, Ratchet arrived at [[Hydrax Plateau]] looking for survivors of a Decepticon chemical attack, which had slaughtered soldiers from both sides. The only survivor was a Decepticon named [[Oil Slick (Animated)|Oil Slick]]. Against orders, Ratchet tried to save his life. Oil Slick, however, revealed he had the formula for an antidote to the chemical, known to the grunts as "[[Cosmic Rust (disease)|cosmic rust"]], but he lacked the equipment to create it. Ratchet warily agreed to help, and as they worked, tried to learn a little bit more about who was fighting. Once the cure was complete, Ratchet used it on Oil Slick, who promptly revealed he had created the cosmic rust, didn't care if his own soldiers got killed, and infected Ratchet before driving off. However, Ratchet had managed to snag some of the antidote, so he used a little on himself and took the rest back to headquarters for mass production, regretfully realizing he'd learned a little bit about a good deception that day.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 3#"'Bots_of_Science"|'Bots of Science}} {{storylink|Bots of Science}}

[[File:Ratchetanimatedthrill.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Before the gut.]]
Some time later, Ratchet was sent by [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] on a wartime mission to recover Autobot intelligence officer [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]], who was carrying important security codes in her memory core. Shortly after he found her, the pair were captured by the [[Decepticon]]-affiliated bounty hunter [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. The hunter made a habit of collecting the powers of defeated enemies as trophies and did so with Ratchet's medical EMP device. Before he could attach it, Arcee was able to pass the device to Ratchet, and she begged him to use it on her to wipe the codes and preserve their safety. In the ensuing skirmish with Lockdown, the device accidentally produced a wider blast, erasing Arcee's entire memory. Ratchet would have flashbacks of the incident for centuries to come. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

[[File:TransWarped-youngRatchetArcee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|In your heeeeeaad, in your heeeeead, zombie zombie zombie-ee-ee...]]
At a certain point, Ratchet was ordered by Ultra Magnus to perform open processor surgery on Arcee to retrieve the access codes. As the operation began, Arcee uploaded the codes into Ratchet's processor, so he was conducted to a secret hangar and introduced to [[Project Omega]] a.k.a. Omega Supreme. Perceptor, along with Highbrow and Ultra Magnus, explained that Omega was the Autobots' last line of defense against the Decepticons and that the codes that Arcee was carrying were for Omega's activation. Arcee was supposed to be Omega's mentor to imprint upon and take orders from, but now Ratchet had inherited her role. Hearing that Omega had been built with a simple processor in order to carry out his duties with no remorse, Ratchet refused to teach him to be a weapon of mass destruction and instead tried to instruct him to be an Autobot.

[[File:TransWarped-Ratchetaltmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Ratchet's older than the wheel.]]

Upon winning the Great War against a massive Decepticon onslaught, Omega was damaged extensively and at risk of losing his Spark. Ratchet was able to put him into a modified stasis until he could repair the giant. Before going into stasis, Omega questioned how he could be an Autobot but destroy like a Decepticon. The best assurance Ratchet could offer was, "We do what we must, even though sometimes it doesn't make sense", and he coaxed the giant Autobot to rest. {{storylink|TransWarped}} Ratchet stayed with Omega after he'd been repurposed as a space bridge repair vessel. {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

During a routine repair assignment with Optimus Prime's crew, Ratchet and the rest of the group found the [[AllSpark]]. His first reaction upon seeing it was to urge the others to throw it through the space bridge. However, events soon overtook them when [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] arrived and tried to claim the AllSpark. The Autobots took their ship through the space bridge, where Prime defeated Megatron, and the crew was forced to go into stasis to avoid injury in a crash-landing on [[Earth]].

Awakening fifty years later, the Autobots went to help battle a renegade nanomachine construct, while Ratchet studied a specimen of the construct on the ship. Learning that it was vulnerable in its command centers, Ratchet sent a kill program to the Autobots to place in the monster. His program worked.

[[File:TFA Home Spark assembly attack.JPG|left|upright=1.4|thumb]]
Ratchet had the most difficulty getting used to Earth's customs, as the humans kept interrupting his stasis naps to put parking tickets on him. {{storylink|Transform and Roll Out}} {{storylink|Dispatches}} To make things more complicated, those annoying camera bots followed the Autobots everywhere. Always watching, waiting... Ratchet was sure to make his displeasure over the Autobots' current situation heard as he helped assemble their new secret base. He was nonetheless exposed to some of Earth's culture when Sari came over to have a "slumber party" with them. The activities only served to confuse Ratchet further on Earth's customs. The sleep-over was interrupted by the base's machinery going haywire and attacking the Autobots. Despite trying to shield himself with his magnetic powers, Ratchet was damaged in the attack, sidelining him for most of it. Thankfully, Bumblebee managed to shut down all of the machinery. One last act of sabotage had to be dealt with however, and Ratchet worked in tandem with Bulkhead, Prowl and Optimus to get rid of a leaking fuel tank before it blew all of them to smithereens. In the attack's aftermath, Ratchet pointed out that they had dealt with an intelligence sophisticated enough to merge their base's security sensors with its assembly line. Things eventually simmered down, and Ratchet looked on as the team's younger 'bots played a game of Twister™ with Sari. {{storylink|Home Is Where the Spark Is}}

Ratchet joined Optimus, Prowl and Bulkhead in an attempt to learn more about Earth customs by watching television, only to stumble across a broadcast of Bumblebee wrestling [[Colossus Rhodes]]. When it became apparent that Rhodes had gone berserk, Ratchet and the Autobots sped to Bumblebee's aid. Ratchet used his magnetic powers to prevent his tiny team-mate from being smushed flat by a car Rhodes hurled at him. Smarting over the public embarrassment, Rhodes's employer and Isaac Sumdac's rival [[Meltdown (Animated)|Prometheus Black]]—aka the acidic mutate Meltdown—sought revenge, sabotaging Sumdac's new police drones; Ratchet was able to expose Black's involvement when Sari brought him a piece of drone to examine, and he observed the effects of a powerful corrosive on it. Seeking to protect Sumdac from further reprisals by Black, the Autobots headed for Sumdac Tower, only to find that Black had already been sealed inside with Sumdac by a force-field security system. Ratchet used his magnetic powers to open a small hole in the field, allowing Bumblebee and Sari to enter and deactivate it while Ratchet and the others held off Colossus Rhodes. Using her key, Sari then channeled the tower's force-field through Ratchet's magnets, allowing him to trap Black in a force-field bubble and end his threat. {{storylink|Total Meltdown}}

[[File:AttentionSurplusDisorder-RatchetandBulkheadrescueBlimp.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
''Ratchet was with the rest of the team when they watched a news broadcast, showing Prowl and Bumblebee inadvertently exposing the [[Wraith]]'s modus operandi. Later, when Bumblebee apprehended Colossus Rhodes, Ratchet helped sign autographs for the grateful Detroiters. Later still, when the Autobots saw "Bumblebee" attack Michigan Stadium, Ratchet helped clear the little Autobot's name by halting what was really a plot by the increasingly jealous and irrational Wraith.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 2|Attention Surplus Disorder}}

[[File:Stiletto-RatchetandPrimeavertdisaster.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
''Ratchet joined the rest of the Autobots into investigating a theft at Sumdac's laboratories. They found out that the crime in question had been committed by an industrial saboteur going by the name of "[[Stiletto (Animated)|Stiletto]]". She soon attempted to collapse Detroit's Ambassador Bridge, prompting the Autobots to leap into action. During the confrontation, Ratchet helped repair the bridge to prevent it from collapsing beneath their feet. He then stopped Stiletto from making a quick getaway, using his magnetic abilities to grab her motorcycle from beneath her. Ultimately, Optimus managed to capture Stiletto, and Ratchet would later be seen helping fix the Autobots injured during the battle at their headquarters.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 3|Stiletto}}

[[File:Insincerest-BulkheadandRatchet.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
''Ratchet and the other Autobots had to calm Bulkhead down when Porter C. Powell began to market the template for Bulkhead's altmode as a vehicle for the everyday citizen, and further rubbed salt in the wound by using highly-doctored footage to have Bulkhead "promote" the vehicle. After Bulkhead had a confrontation with the Angry Archer and Professor Princess, Ratchet examined a piece of a Bulkhead retrieved from the crime scene by the same-named Autobot. His analysis proved that the vehicles were highly unsafe for day-to-day commute. Sari and Bulkhead worked together to prove that the Bulkheads were unsafe, and Powell was forced to recall the line. Afterwards, Ratchet pondered as to who in their right processor would be willing to parade about in one of the garish paint-jobs that many Bulkheads had been customized with... only for Bumblebee to enter the room with an equally garish new color-scheme.'' {{storylink|The Arrival issue 4|The Insincerest Form of Flattery}}

Sari invited the Autobots to visit her father's theme-park, "[[Dino Drive]]", which featured robotic dinosaurs. Being his usual curmudgeon self, Ratchet was sure to make it known that he wasn't impressed by how old the Dinosaurs were... after all, the Autobots were much older! Though their first visit ended in disaster for the animatronics, the Autobots' second visit to the park was a little more eventful, as the animatronics attacked back! Teaming up with Bumblebee, Ratchet unleashed an electro-magnetic pulse to shut down the "[[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]". But when Sari used her key to boost their attack, she unwittingly granted the trio Sparks. Later, the Dinobots awoke in full consciousness, and began running wild in Detroit, leading to yet another confrontation against the Autobots. An EMP blast didn't work against [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]], [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] this time around, and Ratchet found himself completely overwhelmed. Thankfully, Bulkhead managed to trap the Dinobots in a tar pit, nullifying the threat they posed to the city. {{storylink|Blast from the Past}}

[[File:TFA Thrill Hunt Ratchet Lockdown reunion.JPG|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Duh-nananana... waw ''waw'' waw.]]
To Ratchet's horrified disbelief, Lockdown appeared on Earth and captured Optimus Prime, intending to hand him over to the vengeful remaining Decepticons for the bounty offered against him. The Autobots attempted a rescue, with Ratchet initially absent due to haunting flashbacks over his last encounter with the bounty hunter. He was forced to intervene after Lockdown incapacitated [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]]. Ratchet was able to free his commanding officer and retrieve his EMP device, using it to send [[Death's Head (Animated)|Lockdown's ship]] crashing back to Earth. After reinstalling Prime's stolen gadgets, the veteran finally opened up to the younger soldier. {{storylink|The Thrill of the Hunt}}

After Sari "borrowed" a couple of rocket prototypes from her father's workshop, Bumblebee pleaded with Ratchet for him to attach the devices to his chassis. Ratchet refused, stating that it could only lead to Bumblebee causing more damage to himself than usual, which Ratchet would be forced to fix. Too bad Sari went ahead and upgraded Bumblebee with her Key anyways. Later, Ratchet helped nab the super-thief [[Nanosec]] after he had stolen a sample of unstable [[Destronium]] from Sumdac Laboratories. The capture ran into quite a few problems, most of them caused by Bumblebee's uncontrollable boosters. Ratchet had the sense to advise Bumblebee to transform into robot mode, stopping him from running wild. When Nanosec was finally stopped, and the Destronium was in the Autobots’ possession, Ratchet inspected the canister. His scans revealed that the Destronium could explode at any moment. Bulkhead and Prowl helped Bumblebee get into the upper atmosphere, where the Destronium detonated harmlessly; and Ratchet and Optimus slowed Bumblebee's descent as he came plummeting back to Earth. {{storylink|Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec}}

Ratchet and the other Autobots attended Sari's eight birthday party. There, Ratchet showed an... unusual amount of enthusiasm over Sari smashing her piñata. He was less impressed by Bulkhead's clumsy attempt at joining in the activity. Though Ratchet wound up entertaining Sari's guests, Sari herself was left behind with Bulkhead. A few days after the event, [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], once one of Sari's toys, now a Decepticon menace, took control of Detroit's automatons in an attempt to subjugate the human population. Ratchet teamed up with Prowl to fight back against the hostile robots, but between their sheer numbers and Soundwave interfering with the Autobots’ comm-links, he found himself being overwhelmed. Once Bulkhead took care of Soundwave, the automatons returned to their normal state, and the fighting came to an end. {{storylink|Sound and Fury}}

When the Decepticons [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] arrived on Earth, the Autobots were quickly bested by the duo. Prime realized that the AllSpark was no longer safe on the planet and decided that they should leave Earth and return to Cybertron. [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]] was not pleased by this, but Ratchet's response was a gruff, "Grow up". When Optimus asked Sari to help, Ratchet was displeased with the thought of working with a "[[protoform]]", but Optimus silenced them by making it an order. Once aboard the Autobots' ship, Sari accidentally opened an airlock, nearly flooding the hold, then admitted that she had tried to sabotage the ship, not wanting them to leave. In a moment of empathy, Ratchet told her the Autobots didn't want to leave either, but they had to, or else the Decepticons would wipe out the humans, including Sari, and Ratchet couldn't live with himself if that happened. With the help of a now-willing Sari, Ratchet brought the ship's weapons back online, defeating Lugnut and Blitzwing. {{storylink|Lost and Found (episode)|Lost and Found}}

Seeing as Sari would likely be a target for the Decepticons in the future, the Autobots decided to train her in combat techniques. When Captain Fanzone found out about this, after Sari had been abducted from her room, he expressed disbelief over the fact. Ratchet responded gruffly that it was better the Autobots teach Sari "ninja nerve blows", rather than she pick it up on the street. Once Sari was rescue however, her training was discontinued, as she proved capable of taking care of herself, in her own unique way. {{storylink|Survival of the Fittest}}

After his latest rescue mission ended in destructive disaster, Bulkhead attempted to pick up painting, to prove he could create as well as destroy. Unfortunately, Ratchet didn't "get" Bulkhead's art. As a point of contention, Ratchet pointed out that art was a waste of time, since it couldn't be used to save anyone. Later, [[Headmaster (Animated)|Henry Masterson]], aka "The Headmaster" stole Bulkhead's body, and used it to hold the entire city at ransom, threatening to overload the local [[Sidney Biggles-Jones Memorial Solar Fusion Plant|power plant]]. The Autobots battled the villain, but found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer destructive power that The Headmaster unleashed with Bulkhead's body. After an arduous struggle, The Headmaster fled, leaving Bulkhead's body behind. But at this point, the power plant was ready to blow. Working together, the Autobots quickly built an "art piece" robot, who took the fatal trip into the plant's core, and halted the chain reaction within. Bulkhead pointed out that Ratchet had been wrong, as "art" had indeed saved the city of Detroit. Ratchet must have acquiesced the point somewhat, as he accompanied Bulkhead to his art show later that day. {{storylink|Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster}}

[[File:Megatron Rising 1 Ratchet Blitzwing Key.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Hey! I'm still using that!]]
After receiving a report on increased Decepticon activity from [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Teletran-1]], Optimus ordered Ratchet to remove the [[AllSpark Key]] from Sari's possession forcibly, as it was no longer safe in the hands of a [[Human|dumb stubby]]. Ratchet was hesitant to take the object from the girl, but followed his superior's orders with a gruff, professional "Yessir." After Sari fled the base in tears, Optimus then told Ratchet to take the Key to the Autobots' ship, under [[Lake Erie]], in order to protect the [[AllSpark]] from the Decepticons. Unfortunately, the medibot was intercepted by Blitzwing and Lugnut, who demanded that he hand over the Key. He stoically refused, challenging them to take it from his "cold, offline servo". Icy Blitzwing complied by blasting Ratchet and the surrounding scenery with an ice beam. He switched to Random Blitzwing, made a smart remark, and wrenched the Key (and the arm holding it) from Ratchet.

Despite this handicap, the mechanic was able to break free from his icy prison, report the AllSpark Key's theft to Optimus, single-handedly bring the ship online (pun intended), {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 1}} rescue Sari from Blackarachnia, pick up the rest of the team at Sumdac Tower, and still participate later in the battle against [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and his forces. Once Optimus dispersed the AllSpark and defeated Megatron, Sari used her key to restore Ratchet to full working order. {{storylink|Megatron Rising - Part 2}}

Though the Autobots managed to drive off the Decepticons, Detroit was damaged throughout the battle. Optimus's crew helped restore the area best they could, but they found that the humans now viewed them as potential menaces, instead of heroes. Ratchet understood why the humans would have trouble differentiating Autobot from Decepticon after such destruction befell them. Then the [[Sigma Supreme|Elite Guard's ship]] touched down nearby, and Ratchet drove off with the others to meet its occupants. But these new arrivals didn't treat Ratchet and the gang as heroes either. Ultra Magnus, Jazz, and especially Sentinel Prime didn't trust Optimus's crew, and doubted their story on what had transpired on Earth. Ratchet and the others got their chance to shine in their superiors' presence when a Sumdac plant went haywire, necessitating the Autobots to intervene before a flood of berserk police drones spread into the city. Ratchet helped keep the drones occupied while Optimus, Prowl and Jazz stopped the plant's assembly line, ending the crisis. {{storylink|The Elite Guard}}

Ratchet later helped stop a runaway train powered by an AllSpark fragment. When Starscream stopped by again, Bumblebee and Ratchet again combined their powers to attack him with an electromagnetic pulse, but the AllSpark-powered Decepticon shrugged it off like it was nothing. {{storylink|Mission Accomplished}}

[[File:Wreck-garisgoodforonlyonething.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Wreck-Gar wouldn't get off his lawn.]]
While helping to dispose of garbage in the city, Ratchet's crotchety attitude became such a problem that Optimus asked Sari and Bumblebee to help him work on developing a more positive attitude. His experience in helping a [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|young]] [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|couple]] who were in the process of making a protoform did not help with his attitude, and things got even worse when some trash-toting nuisance named [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] came along, spouting that he was an Autobot. Telling the newly sentient [[Transformer]] that he was only good for garbage, Ratchet unwittingly inspired him to deliver garbage to the people of Detroit. Unfortunately, Wreck-Gar also had a sample of [[Sumdac Systems]]' new and improved nanobots, designed to disintegrate garbage. Fearing what the AllSpark-infused nanites might do, Ratchet apologized to Wreck-Gar, saying that the befuddled newcomer could be whatever he wanted, including a hero. Wreck-Gar did become a hero—after he vacuumed up the microbots, they exploded, causing Wreck-Gar to fall into the river. Ratchet assumed he was dead. When [[Porter C. Powell]] said that Ratchet had ruined his presentation, Ratchet forced him and [[Augustus Edsel|Mayor Edsel]] to make a compromise by threatening to have them join Wreck-Gar in the river. They came to an agreement, and Ratchet assumed that the bystanders were cheering for him, leaving him with the assumption that he ''did'' have people skills. {{storylink|Garbage In, Garbage Out}}

Ratchet helped search for an AllSpark fragment, only for the mission to be interrupted by a group of illegal street racers, the Street Demons, zooming by. When one of the racers caused two others to crash, Ratchet stopped to help [[Ming-Li]] out of her wrecked vehicle. Captain Fanzone then came by and arrested her. {{storylink|Velocity (episode)|Velocity}}

The Autobots' ongoing efforts to fix up Detroit continued. As they repaired an overpass, the group spotted Blitzwing and Lugnut trying to sneak off with some construction supplies. Ratchet attempted to stop them from taking off, though he only managed to trip them up, inadvertently causing more damage to the overpass. The Autobots were forced to stay late to repair it. Again. Later, Bulkhead brought two new 'bots back to Autobot headquarters: [[Mixmaster (Animated)|Mixmaster]] and [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]]. Though they were insufferable to begin with, the Constructibots became an actual threat when they allied themselves with Megatron. They attempted to snatch away the Autobots' AllSpark fragments for their new boss, but the Autobots were ultimately able to drive off the Constructibots and retrieved the fragments. {{storylink|Rise of the Constructicons}}

When there were reports of rampages coming from Dinobot Island, Ratchet loaned Prowl his EMP Generator as a just-in-case measure. When Prowl discovered that a spike was wedged into [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]]'s foot, Ratchet instructed him on how to use the EMP to remove it. Later, when Prowl decided to go off on his own after Starscream, Ratchet, along with Prime, told him to turn his shuttle around, but Prowl faked some static and cut the transmission, though Ratchet thought his fake static was less-convincing than Bumblebee's. Later, the Autobots managed to find Prowl, equipped with new Samurai armor, tied up in the middle of the street, and freed him. Ratchet blamed himself for the whole mess, as he was the one who loaned Prowl the EMP. The Autobots next encountered Clone [[Clone number 2716057|#2716057]], who tries to propose an alliance with them, but Prowl easily rejects the alliance and attacks the clone. During the fight, Prowl accidentally destroys a bird's nest, which snaps him back to reality, and causes him to realize that he doesn't need the armor, but he won't get rid of it until he captures Clone [[Clone number 3370318|#3370318]]. Ratchet and the other Autobots followed Prowl to a warehouse, where they discovered that the Starscream clones were armed with bombs, and watched Prowl use his armor to launch the clones into the sky, right into the flight path of the fleeing Decepticons. {{storylink|A Fistful of Energon}}

After Bumblebee alerted the rest of his team that [[Swindle (Animated)|a Decepticon]] had built a machine that could slow to a halt any electronic machine within its range, including Autobots, Ratchet and the others sped out to take on the threat. They were all affected by the device's power before they could reach their destination, and were only able to take on Swindle once Sari had deactivated his weapon. {{storylink|SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy}}

Ratchet and the other Autobots gathered to listen in on an all-points bulletin from Ultra Magnus, alerting them that the criminal [[Wasp]] had escaped from prison. Later, Bumblebee told the rest of his team that he had stumbled upon a Decepticon transmission, and they reported his findings to the head of [[Cybertron Intelligence]], [[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm Prime]]. {{storylink|Autoboot Camp}}

Ratchet learned that Meltdown was broken out of prison through a news report. He stayed behind at the Autobots' headquarters while Optimus, Prowl and Bumblebee dealt with the escaped criminal. After Meltdown had been dealt with, Ratchet accompanied Optimus and the others to explain what had transpired to Captain Fanzone. {{storylink|Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday}}

[[File:'sHome Autobots Huddle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Ratchet was watching television with Bumblebee when Optimus informed them that Scrapper and Mixmaster had resurfaced. The Autobots looked high and low throughout Detroit for the Constructibots, but without Sari's key to track their AllSpark signatures, the search proved fruitless. Then, Blitzwing dropped out of the sky and took on the whole crew. During the fight, the Autobots learned that Sari was dealing with the Constructibots on her own back at headquarters. But having to deal with Blitxwing, they couldn't head back... until Blitzwing suddenly decided to ditch the battle. The Autobots then headed back to help Sari immediately. Returning to base, they found out that Sari had taken care of the intruders all by herself. {{storylink|Sari, No One's Home}}

When Bulkhead was kidnapped by Megatron, Bumblebee brought Autobot intelligence agent [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] to the plant, who revealed that Megatron was building a space bridge to conquer Cybertron from within. Realizing they'd need more firepower, Prime ordered Ratchet and Sari to get the ship operational. Unfortunately, their efforts failed to get it back online. Running out of time, Ratchet decided that they'd need to perform open [[spark]] surgery. {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part I}}

After placing the remaining AllSpark fragments in the ship's spark core, Ratchet explained that the ship was once a living Autobot who sacrificed himself to help win the wars. Ratchet's gamble succeeded, and the ship was brought back to life. Getting it to the Decepticons' base, Ratchet and Sari provided enough power (and encouragement) to allow the ship to transform into [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. Omega defeated the Decepticons, but sacrificed himself to save the Autobots by being sucked into a blind space bridge portal. Once the Autobots escaped, Ratchet was left to mourn Omega Supreme a second time, but Bulkhead was optimistic that he was still alive, somewhere out in space.

Unfortunately, any effort to locate Omega Supreme was put on hold when Sari noticed that the skin of her right arm had been torn...revealing robotic circuitry underneath! {{storylink|A Bridge Too Close, Part II}}

[[File:TFAni TransWarped Ratchet Repairs Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Well, if the patient really wants to live, the surgeon never can do anything about it!]]
Because Sari was reluctant to submit to a full diagnostic, Ratchet was only allowed to perform the most basic scans on her. He was able to determine that Sari was part basically organic, but with Cybertronian circuitry. Following a period of no contact with Bulkhead and Bumblebee, who had traveled to the mine to salvage space bridge equipment to contact Cybertron, Ratchet went to check up and help them out. What he found was a damaged Bulkhead and no sign of Bumblebee. Bringing Bulkhead back to the plant, he then attempted to repair Bulkhead, only to have Sari's Key overshadow his medical expertise, leaving him feeling unappreciated. Soon afterward, a giant [[Rock Lord]] was transported to Detroit after Bulkhead tried to bring back a transwarping Bumblebee. Ratchet equipped his EMP generator, which he hadn't used since he won it back from Lockdown, to help his team take down the creature and rescue Bumblebee, only to witness a newly upgraded Sari defeat the monster and save her friend instead. However, the Key's power overwhelmed Sari and caused her robotic systems to go berserk, blowing up everything she touched and even accidentally attacking Bumblebee. Ratchet initially requested Sari's Key to help him save Bumblebee, but discovered it no longer had any power after Prowl retrieved it. Despite the setback, he managed to save Bumblebee from going offline without the Key's aid. When the others failed their attempts to stop Sari from exploding and save Detroit, Ratchet used his EMP generator to subdue her, even though he was unsure what the effects would have on a technorganic.

Afterward, he operated on Sari to subdue the extra AllSpark energy she had stored in her body. When Omega Supreme reappeared on Earth, Ratchet was shocked to discover that his old friend had been taken over by Starscream and Megatron. Forced to take action, Ratchet upgraded Bumblebee's stingers to a more powerful battle-grade mode, even though such a modification was illegal for non-combat bots. When Optimus ordered Ratchet to reverse Sari's operation in order to use her AllSpark energy against Omega Supreme, Ratchet refused and instead aided his teammates directly in the heat of battle. He tried reasoning with Omega to help the titan gain control of his body, but was afraid that he might have to use his EMP on his old friend. Omega was able to fight off Starscream's control long enough to insist that Ratchet use the EMP to let him sleep again, echoing Ratchet's own advice from the last time the medic had put him in stasis. However, despite Ratchet's new resolve, Starscream's Allspark-fragment-powered consciousness rendered him immune to the blast. Once Bumblebee and Optimus planted a [[plasma dynamic thruster]] to make Omega transwarp around space randomly, Ratchet saved the pair from falling to their deaths.
{{storylink|TransWarped}}

While Bulkhead and Professor Sumdac began constructing a space bridge, Ratchet and the other Autobots focused on hunting down the remaining Decepticons on Earth. The first one they found was Lugnut, who was defeated and [[stasis cuffs|stasis cuffed]] after a drawn-out battle. Unfortunately, this left the Autobot force trying to pull the massive Decepticon out of the deep crater he had caused during the fight—a daunting task that they spent the rest of the night working on. Before any real progress could be made, Ratchet and the others were called away to help Bulkhead, who had been dragged into an oil-stealing scheme by the Constructicons. Upon arriving at the [[Fossil Fuel]] oil refinery, the Autobots found themselves needing to exercise caution, so as to not light the oil around them aflame A collision between Scrapper and Mixmaster led to a spark setting fire to a large pool of oil anyways, and the Autobots were forced to transwarp an entire oil tank (with the Constructicons on it) out to Lake Erie, where it exploded. They then returned to finish hauling away Lugnut, only to find he had escaped in their absence. {{storylink|Three's a Crowd}}

Later, when Wasp arrived on Earth, and attacked Bumblebee in the plant, Ratchet witnessed Bumblebee wake up from the attack colored like Wasp. Bumnblebee tried and failed to convince the Autobots that it was him, and when he failed, Ratchet prepared to arrest him. Bumblebee escaped as the Elite Guard arrived, and made it very clear that they were going to arrest Wasp. Optimus assigned Ratchet to go with him, and while looking for Wasp, they encountered [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]], who were also going after the renegade Autobot. Assuming them to be Decepticons, Prime and Ratchet tracked the pair to a dark alley and attacked them. Their fight was interrupted by [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], who revealed that Jetfire and Jetstorm were flying Autobots. Ratchet then proceeded to follow Sentinel, [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]], and Prime around the city, and responded to Jetstorm's call claiming that Bulkhead and Prowl are Wasp's "fellow-double-agents". Ratchet then witnessed the video-game face-off between Bumblebee and Wasp to determine who was who, and also witnessed Wasp threaten the real Bumblebee's life. When Wasp escaped, Ratchet was one of the many Autobots to run outside, where they found Bumblebee back in his original colors, and witnessed Sentinel finally accept [[Shockwave (Animated)|Longarm Prime]] was the REAL Decepticon traitor. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

Ratchet turned out with the other Autobots to see off Sentinel and his team as they left Earth for Cybertron. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising}}

[[File:TFA Human Error Part 1 Automen.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
On Christmas Eve, Ratchet was seriously doubting that Santa could deliver billions of presents in just one night, but Sari told him not to worry about it. Later, after drinking oil nog that Sari had made (which was altered by one of [[Sound Wave|Soundwave's toys]]), Ratchet, along with the rest of the Autobots, suddenly felt very tired, and Ratchet was the first one to head off for a stasis-nap. What was even more mysterious was that, the next morning, the Autobots discover that they had been transformed into humans, and there was no rational explanation as to why. When Prime suggested that their minds had been implanted into the human bodies, Ratchet questioned where their Cybertronian bodies were. The Autobots then headed off to Sumdac Tower, and while they decided to stop at Burger-Bot for a bite to eat, they hear a noise outside, which turned out to be a Decepticon attack. Ratchet helped Optimus Prime get a woman out of a burning building, but was useless in trying to ward off Starscream, and when Optimus Prime's leg was broken, Ratchet was forced to help get him to a paramedic. The Autobots eventually got to Sumdac Tower (via City Bus), only to look up and see none other than...CYBERTRON! Not only that, but after the planet settled, Decepticons began to swarm down from it. Prime and Prowl figured out that none of it was happening, and that everything was fake, including the Decepticons. This established, the Autobots discovered that they could slag the Decepticons surprisingly easily. After they defeated the Decepticons, the Autobots managed to transform back into their Cybertronian forms, but just after that, they were attacked by a giant [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

After managing to escape the giant Soundwave, the Autobots were transformed back into humans, much to Ratchet's annoyance. When Bulkhead tried to escape the virtual reality by trashing the virtual city, Ratchet told him it didn't work that way, and that they needed to find Soundwave's interface, which just conveniently turned up at that point. The Autobots decided to follow the vehicle driving nearby vehicles which happened to match their respective vehicle modes only to find that driving wasn't as easy as it looked. Ratchet though disagreed, though he was actually driving backwards (Nice one, Ratchet!). The Autobots eventually cornered the vehicle in a drive-in movie-theater parking-lot, but soon discovered that they had been lured into a trap, and were successfully reprogrammed by Soundwave. Ratchet's body later went up against Snarl, who defeated him by wrapping him up, immobilizing him. Afterward, Ratchet joined the Autobots in standing around and watching the Disposal Droids (and Wreck-Gar) clean up the city. {{storylink|Human Error, Part II}}

Later, as Ratchet attempted to calibrate Bulkhead's space bridge to locate Omega Supreme, the bridge powered up and sucked in a visiting [[Carmine Fanzone|Captain Fanzone]]. Seeing a potential problem in this turn of events, Ratchet followed him into the bridge and found himself back on Cybertron. At first overjoyed to be back home, Ratchet's mood soon soured when he discovered that his favorite watering hole, [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]], had been shut down, a victim of the paranoid reign of [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], who had been placed in charge of the planet following the near-fatal attack on Ultra Magnus by the Decepticon deep-cover agent, [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]. Just as Sentinel was in the middle of reprimanding Ratchet for bringing Fanzone to the planet, however, Omega Supreme made a sudden appearance in the skies overhead, his body now under the control of Megatron once more. Ratchet's refusal to support Sentinel's plan simply to blast Omega out of the sky left him branded a traitor, and he and Fanzone fled into Cybertron's underground tunnels, where they stumbled upon Shockwave's hideout. In the course of the brief battle that ensued, Ratchet discovered that Shockwave was in search of Arcee, intending to use the activation codes for Omega Supreme stored in her processor to wipe clean his mind and put all of his systems in Megatron's hands. With a little help from [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]], Ratchet and Fanzone were able to get to Arcee first, but alas, in the process, they unwittingly wound up leading Shockwave right to her. The pair battled again, and although Ratchet was able to recover Ultra Magnus's stolen [[Magnus Hammer]] from the Decepticon, he failed to prevent Shockwave from escaping with Arcee in his clutches. Despite Sentinel Prime's protestations, Ratchet brought the Magnus Hammer with him back to Earth. {{storylink|This Is Why I Hate Machines}}.

Upon the discovery that Megatron had control of Omega Supreme, Ratchet began to stress the fact that they needed to rescue him and Arcee from the Decepticons, and that they needed to use the Magnus Hammer to aid them in doing so. He was shocked when Prime asked him to build him a jetpack, stating that Autobots didn't fly. Though hesitant, Ratchet, along with Sari and Prof. Sumdac, proceeded to build Prime a jetpack that he could use to go up against Megatron. After the failure of the initial test of the jetpack, Ratchet added stabilizer wings to it, which gave Prime control when flying. Unfortunately, the flying Optimus Prime attracted the attention of [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]], who proceeded to shoot Prime out of the sky. Ratchet then simply repaired Prime, and just in time, as just then, the [[Lugnut Supreme]]s arrived on Earth {{storylink|Endgame, Part I}}

Ratchet was sent to the moon with Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Sari to take back Omega Supreme to stop the Lugnut Supreme drones. With advice from Sari, he was able to reactivate Arcee and in turn able to take control of Omega Supreme. After Starscream's plan came into action, he took Omega Supreme in to try and stop the "Starscream Supremes" from self-destructing, successfully taking down one but unable to take down the other. He was present with Optimus Prime on their return to Cybertron with the Decepticon prisoners, holding Prowl's casket with Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Jazz. {{storylink|Endgame, Part II}}

[[File:StunticonJob-Maincastbox.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right]]
''Ratchet built a pair of laser swords for Arcee... He had originally intended for them to be pointers to help her teach, but he got carried away.'' {{storylink|The Return of Blurr}}

''Ratchet attended the Stunti-Con's show in Kaon, unaware that the entire affair was a Decepticon plot to break Megatron out of the nearby Trypticon Prison. Thankfully, [[Sideswipe (Animated)|Sideswipe]] and [[Cheetor (Animated)|Cheetor]] interrupted the show, and with [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]]'s help thwarted the Decepticons' plans.'' {{storylink|The Stunti-Con Job}}

===''Be the Hero'' books===
{{notemultipath}}
====''Prime Suspect''====
After [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] saved a [[You|young human]] from being run down, Ratchet was stuck with checking the youngster over for injuries. When evidence was discovered at the scene of the crime Prime was accused of, he paid the Autobot ship a visit to conduct a scan, leading the Autobots to [[HomeTech]]'s main warehouse. Ratchet joined them there and helped them break in. He stayed out of the battle until the end, trapping [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] in a magnetic field and unraveling the Decepticon's plan. {{storylink|Prime Suspect (Animated)|Prime Suspect}}
====''Quest for the AllSpark''====
When [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] took control of [[Detroit]]'s robot workforce in an attempt to find the [[AllSpark]], Ratchet and Prime came up with a daring plan to create false AllSparks and hide them in various locations. Ratchet took his to [[Paris]] to hide, and was attacked as soon as he set foot in [[France]]. After winning that fight, he returned to the Autobot base and beefed up the defences to prevent Megatron from ever gaining access to it, and ended up battling [[Crush-A]] with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Quest for the AllSpark}}
====''Web of Deception''====
Ratchet and Optimus were in the Autobot ship at the bottom of [[Lake Erie]] when it was struck by a number of [[Sparkseeker]] missiles and Prime was abducted. Once he recovered, Ratchet was able to detect [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]'s ship parked near [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]]. While the other younger bots went to rescue Prime, Ratchet stayed on board the ship and eventually detected the holotransmitter that [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] was using. He was able to track it back to its source and rescue Prime. {{storylink|Web of Deception}}
====''Time-Quake''====
When strange time effects began taking place across Detroit, Ratchet made special detectors to trace the source of the temporal energy. After Bulkhead and a human discovered the time machine that was causing the odd effects, Ratchet assisted in taking down the perpetrator. {{storylink|Time-Quake}}

===Titan ''Animated'' comic===
He was the only person to realise the earthquakes plaguing Detroit couldn't be natural as it wasn't on a fault-line. He got to zap the villain responsible, [[Quake-Maker]], once everyone else had done all the hard work. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 1#Burnout|Burnout}}

Ratchet oversaw a mission to Dinobot Island with Sari, Bumblebee, and [[Afterburn]], to investigate a Rage virus infection in the Dinobots. Soon after landing, the group were jumped by [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]] and Ratchet was soon pinned; luckily, Sari reminded him of the magnetic powers he uses all the time, and he was able to get Snarl off.

The Dinobot had stolen his spare oil thermos in the process though and, wanting to see if Afterburn was really up to joining them, lied to his friends and told them a vital component had been ripped out and ''he was dying''. They risked their lives getting the thermos back on top of curing the Dinobots, and after hearing why they'd been made to do it, Afterburn shook Ratchet's hand for being an emotionally manipulative bastard. {{storylink|Animated Comic issue 2|Ratchet & Grimlock Are DEAD?}}

===''Lil Formers''===
Upon meeting an [[Ratchet (G1)|alternate-universe version of himself]], Ratchet was sure to tell the younger 'bot about the importance of experience, and how he should learn to appreciate it. {{storylink|Lil Formers}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
[[File:TheCoolRatchetExplosion01.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Run, Bumblebee! The Japanese sound effects are exploding!]]

Witnessing the mysterious Allspark being uncovered, Ratchet along with the rest of Optimus Prime's crew fled through a space bridge gate in order to keep the artifact out of Decepticon clutches. Unfortunately, Megatron was able to board their ship and left Ratchet defeated on the floor, leaving Optimus to deal with the Decepticon leader by himself. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 3|The Cool Extra #3}}

Ratchet was among the Autobots who traveled to the [[Earth]] city of [[Detroit]] in order to protect the [[AllSpark#Animated|AllSpark]] from the Decepticons. When [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], and [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] attacked, Ratchet joined in the fray, pitting his magnet pincers against Lockdown with the aid of [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s stingers. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 1}}

The Autobots were unable to prevent Starscream from seizing the AllSpark, however, and Ratchet was helpless to defend himself from Starscream's AllSpark-powered aerial attacks. When [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] died stopping Starscream, and was subsequently revived by the power of [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]]'s [[AllSpark Key|key]], Ratchet was the first to greet him (and tell him he was dead for a minute). {{storylink|The Cool Episode 2}}

Ratchet later took part in defending [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]] from a Decepticon raid. Ratchet expressed displeasure at [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]'s aerial bombardments, not thinking the Autobots could hold out much longer. Once the [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobot]]s saved the day, however, he saw them off along with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 3}}

Ratchet was present at [[Sumdac Systems]] headquarters when Megatron was reborn. Megatron blasted Ratchet away with his [[fusion cannon]] easily, though Ratchet survived the fight. He later joined in greeting the [[Elite Guard]] to Earth. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 5}}

[[File:TheCoolSariRatchetIssue08.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]

Ratchet later joined the Autobots in a battle against [[Clone number 2716057|Clone #2716057]]. Though Prowl defeated the clone, Ratchet berated his comrade for destroying an entire park in the process. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 6}}

Along with [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]], Ratchet piloted the ''[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Orion]]'' toward the battle for the Decepticon [[Space bridge#Animated cartoon|Space Bridge]]. Intensely, Ratchet urged his comrades to hold out long enough for him to arrive. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 7}}

They arrived in time and Ratchet immediately activated Code Omega and transformed the ''Orion'' into his old friend, [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]. Omega vanquished the army of [[Starscream clone (Animated)|Starscream clones]] then chose to sacrifice himself to stop the overloaded Space Bridge. Ratchet pleaded with his old friend not to do it, as they'd only just been reunited. Omega thanked Ratchet for everything and then vanished in the vortex. After the battle, Ratchet solemnly bid his departed friend farewell. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 8}}

When Ratchet returned to Cybertron to oversee Ultra Magnus's recovery, the Autobot leader believing himself on his deathbed, requested that Ratchet let Optimus know that unto him the Magnus Hammer would be passed on. Ratchet was to deliver the hammer to him and let Optimus know that he was to rejoin the Elite Guard, having been dismissed from it cruelly. Ratchet nonetheless insisted that Ultra Magnus should tell this to Optimus himself, but the moment was interrupted by another assassination attempt from Shockwave! The Decepticon spy was nonetheless defeated through a combination of Ratchet using his magnetic powers to pummel him with the Magnus Hammer, and Ultra Magnus activating the hammer's electrical powers at a key moment, frying Shcokwave dead. Upon his return to Earth, Ratchet informed Optimus that it was now the time to put the hammer in Optimus's possession to good use against their Decepticon enemies. {{storylink|The Cool Extra issue 1|The Cool Extra #1}}

When Starscream attacked Detroit in Omega Supreme's body, Ratchet expressed shock at the sight of seeing his friend alive. Prowl was quick to point out to him that Omega was merely a puppet of Starscream's. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 9}}

Upon Megatron's defeat, Ratchet accompanied the rest of the Autobots back to planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], where they were all hailed as heroes by the citizenry and even [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|The Cool Episode Final}}

{{--}}

==Games==
===Transformers Animated: The Game===
{{voiceactor|[[Corey Burton]] (English)|[[Martial Le Minoux]] (French)}}
[[File:TFAnimated Game Ratchet.jpg|thumb|left|134px|"Darn it, my shoulder kibble fell off again."]]
Ratchet took up the task of giving hints to Optimus, Bumblebee and Bulkhead as they tried out an obstacle course. He picked up a Decepticon signal, which turned out to be a [[Decepticon Transmitter Drone]]. After [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] retrieved the drone, Ratchet was able to use it to intercept some Decepticon transmissions indicating that [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] was planning to make a move on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. He attempted to contact [[Cybertron Command]] to warn them, only to find the communication network was down. Ratchet rigged the transmitter drone to return to base, so the Autobots could track it back to the hidden Decepticon lair, but it escaped before they could do so. Once Optimus located the base, Ratchet sent the Teletran-1 probe to act as a temporary repair drone. After Optimus's team returned triumphant from Cybertron, Ratchet wondered if Optimus's processor needed looking at, as their leader had turned down a position in the [[Elite Guard]]. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The Game}}

===Transformers Animated: ''Action Packs''===
{{note|Ratchet is featured as a playable game card. He is a red card, has a value of 3 points, and has the following power: "+2 to any Autobots in play".}} {{storylink|Transformers Animated: Action Packs}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Animated''===
====Deluxe Class====
[[File:Ratchetanimatedeluxe.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Gut doesn't fold down as well as it used to... ''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[File:Takara animatedratchet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Pimp My Ride: Detroit EMS Edition ''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Deluxe, 2008)
**''Takara release date'': [[March 27]], 2010
**''Takara ID number:'' '''TA-04'''
**''Accessories'': Hammer, wrench, screwdriver, can opener
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: First shipping in the second wave of ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Animated]]'' Deluxes, Ratchet transforms into a stylized ambulance. In robot mode, his "magnets" are simulated by spring-loaded pieces in the underside of his forearms that flip up through his open hands. He also features a veritable arsenal of fix-it tools that attach to the undeployed magnets to simulate him holding them, so you too can experience the glee of having the old coot savagely beat someone with a servo-wrench. These tools can be stored in his backpack in robot mode, but cannot be stored in his vehicle mode. Ratchet features an [[Automorph Technology|automorph]] on the head, which pops out when the car roof is flipped back while transforming into robot mode.

: The "war wound" on his left forearm is actually a socket into which one may peg the EMP generator included with the Deluxe [[Lockdown (Animated)#Toys|Lockdown]] toy. Early releases of the Ratchet toy had the peg slightly too long, forcing the EMP to pop out of the socket. Later releases (basically most everything beyond the original "test market" release) had a shorter peg, allowing the EMP to clip in just fine.

:At least on some samples of the toy, his vehicle mode does not hold together very well at all. His legs are also prone to popping off at the thigh swivel, though, fortunately, they pop right back on.

: The [[TakaraTomy]] release of Ratchet, in the first wave of their take on the line, features a far, far shinier paint job. Ratchet's hood, roof, and legs are painted in a metallic red, and the non-metallic red paint apps are considerably glossier than the Hasbro toy. The toy is cast in a lighter, off-white plastic instead of gray, and also possesses a full-color Autobot symbol.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/Ratchet/ratchet.htm More information on Deluxe Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Rescue}}
[[File:Animated-toy RescueRatchet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Lemony-fresh goodness!]]
*'''Rescue Ratchet''' (Multi-pack, 2008)
**''Accessories'': Hammer, wrench, screwdriver, can opener
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (deco artist)}}

: A Target-[[exclusive]] [[redeco]] of Deluxe Ratchet in a yellow and light gray. The photo of the toy on the back of the packaging shows a fairly obvious [[homage]] to the [[Movie (franchise)|live-action movie]] incarnation of [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]], with bright green instead of yellow and movie-inspired zig-zagged stripes, but the toy-as-released is in yellow, using the same tampographs as the original ''Animated'' deluxe. He comes in a set with two [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends-class]] figures, [[Prowl (Animated)#RescueRatchet|Prowl]] and [[Starscream (Animated)#RescueRatchet|Starscream]]. He retains all of his original toy's [[gimmick]]ry, and features metallic paint on his front bumper. The hinged clip portion of his tools is cast in the same color plastic as he is, to prevent accessory cross-contamination with the original deluxe toy.

: His "magnets" are ''also'' cast in the same yellow plastic, making him look like an aye-aye.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/RescueRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on Rescue Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Cybertron}}
[[File:Animatedtoy-RatchetCybertronMode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Just take the slaggin' EMP, Lockdown. It doesn't stay in any way. ''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[File:Takara animated ratchetcybertronmode.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"You morons have just hung vacancy signs on your afts, and my foot's looking for a room!" ''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
*'''Cybertron Mode Ratchet''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''Takara release date'': [[September 18]], 2010
**''Takara ID number:'' '''TA-40'''
**''Accessories'': Two shock paddles

: Exclusive to [[Toys"R"Us]] stores in the US (alongside [[Arcee (Animated)#Toys|Arcee]]), Cybertron Mode Ratchet is based upon his pre-Earth form seen in many flashbacks, transforming into a treaded van-like thing. He comes with two "shock paddles" which peg over his fists, and his right fist punches forward when a tab on his elbow is pushed. The "shock paddles" plug into the rear of his vehicle mode.

: The toy also has a socket on his right forearm to accommodate Deluxe [[Lockdown (Animated)#Toys|Lockdown]]'s EMP weapon, just like the previous Deluxe mold. However, how well that accessory actually ''fits'' in the socket seems to vary wildly from sample to sample.

: TakaraTomy's version of "Cybertron Mode" Ratchet was released as a normal mass-retail item in the eighth wave of ''Animated'' products. It has a shiny metallic crimson paint job and a full-color symbol to match the original Takara version of Ratchet. Included in the package in addition to the usual trading card and instruction booklet, is an "Autobot Database" pamphlet, which contains information about the character squeezed into the spaces between advertisements for other toys.

: This mold was also [[retool]]ed to make [[Ironhide (Animated)#Toys|Ironhide]] and the [[BotCon 2011]]-exclusive [[Ironfist (Animated)#Toys|Fisitron]] and [[Autotrooper (Animated)#Toys|Autotrooper]] toys.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/CybertronianRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on Cybertron Mode Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|TakaraVsLockdown}}
*'''Fated Showdown: Ratchet / Lockdown''' (multi-pack, [[March 27]] 2010)
**''Accessories'': Hammer, wrench, screwdriver, can opener

: In the Takara ''Animated'' line, Ratchet was also available in a "Fated Showdown" (因縁の対決 ''in'nen no taiketsu'', also called "Sworn Enemies" in English on the box-back) two-pack with [[Lockdown (Animated)#Toys|Lockdown]]. Released in the first wave of ''Animated'' products, both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}

====Bumper Battlers====
{{anchor|BumperBattler}}
[[File:BumperBattlers Ratchet toy.JPG|upright=1.66|thumb|It's just ''water retention, DAMN IT!'']]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Bumper Battlers, 2008)
{{toydesigner|[[Vickie Stratford]] (Hasbro)}}

: An even ''more'' simplified version of Ratchet, the [[Bumper Battlers]] version also features a spring-loaded transformation from ambulance to robot. However, in this instance, when the front bumper of the ambulance mode is pushed in, the spring-loaded roof/sides of the vehicle flip up to reveal a relief of Ratchet's robot mode (complete with magnet-clamps), as well as activating electronic sound effects.

: Pressing his Autobot sigil activates numerous randomly-selected sound effects and original voice samples, including a very disturbing laugh.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/BBRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on Bumper Battlers Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BumperBattler2}}
[[File:CanceledBBAniRatchet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Thank you for dialing WHINE-one-one. If you hold the line, a WAAAAAAAAAHmbulance will be over shortly.]]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Bumper Battlers, <s>2009</s>)

:A [[redeco]] of Bumper Battlers Ratchet was evidently planned, as the instruction sheet for it made its way to Hasbro.com's instruction archive. As the instructions reuse the packaging art from the Target-exclusive Rescue Ratchet (see above), it was presumably going to share its color scheme.

{{canceledtoy}}

{{-}}

====Activators====
{{anchor|Activator}}
[[File:Ratchetanimatedactivators.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The Grampulance.]]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (Activators, 2008)
{{toydesigner|[[Bill Rawley]] (Hasbro)|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}

: A smaller, simpler version of Ratchet, the [[Activators]] Ratchet toy has a spring-loaded [[autotransformation]] [[gimmick]] that springs him from ambulance mode to robot mode in one easy step.

: Pre-release samples of the toy (used for the stock photography seen on the packaging and in online solicitations) show Activators Ratchet to have an unbroken right crest on his head, contrary to his [[character model]]. The final released version of the toy has the broken crest as he should.

:Interestingly, this figure seems to take engineering cues from the ''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]'' [[Hoist (G1)/toys#Machine Wars|Hoist]]/[[Hubcap (MW)#Toys|Hubcap]] mold, which had a similar spring-loaded transformation ''waaaaay'' before Activators were even a thing.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/ActRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on Activators Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|AnimatedSuperCollection}}
*'''Animated Super Collection Vol. 1''' (multipack, 2010)

: Released in October 2010 in Japan, the "Animated Super Collection Vol. 1" giftset contained slight redecos of Activators Ratchet, [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] and [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]].

{{-}}{{anchor|VsSunstorm}}
*'''Sunstorm VS Autobot Ratchet''' (multipack, 2009)

: Activators Ratchet was packaged with Voyager [[Sunstorm (Animated)|Sunstorm]] in a Target-exclusive multipack. There are no notable differences between this and the original individual release of the toy.

{{-}}

====McDonald's====
{{anchor|McD}}
[[File:Animated happymeal ratchet.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|The only toy version of Ratchet without a paunch and he's used to sell transfat-laden fast-food.]]
*'''Autobot Ratchet''' (McDonald's Happy Meal Toy, 2008)
**''McNumber'': Week 5

: A simple version of Ratchet with a very basic transformation sequence, this toy was (naturally) part of the McDonald's ''Transformers Animated'' Happy Meal promotion.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/McRatchet/ratchet.htm More information on McDonald's Ratchet at TFU.info]''

{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Animated''===
{{anchor|TakaraKeychain}}
[[File:Animated ratchet keychain.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|I caught my fancy in my zipper once. Eee-ouch.]]
*'''Autobot Medic Ratchet''' (Key chain, 2010)
:Key chain Ratchet is an adorable, brightly painted, tiny figure of robot mode Ratchet in a super-deformed visual style. He includes a ball chain to attach him to your keys, rear-view mirror, or anywhere else that might catch your fancy.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:AllSparkAlmanacII-SeasonFour-Ratchet.jpg|right|250px|thumb]]
* The Autobot medical officer was originally conceived as a female robot named [[Red Alert (Animated)|Red Alert]].<ref>http://tformers.com/transformers-interview-transformers-animated/8992/news.html</ref> Even after it was decided to make the character male later in development, he retained the name "Red Alert" until executive producer [[Sam Register]] was able to convince Hasbro that "Ratchet" was a more identifiable name for the character. Because of this, Ratchet's final design carries influences from various [[Red Alert (disambiguation)|Red Alert]] incarnations. In particular, [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]] was inspired by the box art for [[Red Alert (G1)|G1 Red Alert]]'s ''[[:File:BTAAlert toy.jpg|Binaltech Asterisk]]'' incarnation.<ref>http://community.livejournal.com/tf_animated/271043.html#cutid1</ref>
* The "war wound" on his left arm (seen in his main picture, above) was briefly gone after "The Thrill of the Hunt", apparently representing the replacement of his arm-mounted EMP generator. However, it has since returned in several instances. The "real world" reason is probably the animators sticking to the original animation model. Within story context, he apparently didn't carry the EMP generator around as standard until "[[TransWarped]]", when Prowl (who borrowed it [[A Fistful of Energon|once before]]) notes that he hadn't "taken it into battle since [he] got it back from Lockdown". It later emerges ''from'' the wound in "[[Endgame, Part II]]".
* There is a potential contradiction between "[[The Thrill of the Hunt]]" and "[[The Arrival issue 3#"'Bots of Science"|'Bots of Science]]", as both stories depict Ratchet's right-hand chevron being broken off - by Lockdown's haymaker in the former and Oil Slick's roundhouse in the latter. This could be a continuity error, or it could be the case that Ratchet had his chevron broken on one occasion, repaired it, and then after it was broken a ''second'' time he allowed it to remain broken. It would certainly appear that the comic story took place before the Lockdown encounter since Ratchet still has his EMP generator in ''Bots of Science''.
**Curiously though, Ratchet's chevron is shown to already have some kind of crack or weld-line running across it prior to Oil Slick's kick, which could indicate that it was already on the verge of breaking.
* The toys of ''Animated'' Ratchet, [[Ratchet (G1)|Generation 1 Ratchet]] and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Movie Ratchet]] are caught in a web of cross-referencing [[redeco]]s:
** In 2008, the original Generation 1 Ratchet mold got a green redeco as "Ratchet Emergency Green" in obvious reference to his yellowy-green [[Ratchet (Movie)|movie cousin]].
** Around the same time, two of "Movie series" Ratchet's toys got a red and white ambulance redeco as "Rescue Ratchet" to ape [[Ratchet (G1)|Generation 1 Ratchet]].
** ''Animated'' Ratchet, his original design already referencing both predecessors with Generation 1 Ratchet's chevron and coloring and movie Ratchet's squiggly EEG symbol, had a further homage to the latter with a yellow redeco as (another) "Rescue Ratchet". You'd think they'd all be too busy patching up wounded 'bots to get so much personal detailing done.
* He can pinch with his magnet-clamps.
* He has microscope lenses that can be activated in either eye.
* His windshield chest can act as an image projector in robot mode, as seen in "This Is Why I Hate Machines".
* Ratchet wears the [[256-OZU-004]] [[body-type]].
* In the Japanese dub, Ratchet speaks with a {{w|Kagoshima dialect}}. That particular dialect has been gradually phased out over the decades due to standardized education and is generally only spoken by older people in the region. As such, in popular Japanese media, the Kagoshima dialect is easy shorthand for "old person".
*In the Transformers Animated profile shorts, Ratchet is introduced to the audience by Bumblebee in "[[Meet Ratchet]]" and likewise introduces Optimus in "[[Meet Optimus Prime]]".
*Had season 4 been produced, Ratchet's white would have been recolored hazard/lime green and (most) of his red in black, to more closely resemble his [[Ratchet (Movie)|live-action counterpart]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ratchet''' (ラチェット ''Rachetto'')
*''Russian:'' '''Chrapovick''' (Храповик, "Ratchet")

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/Ratchet/ratchet.htm Ratchet at TFU.info]

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:McDonald's exclusives]]
[[Category:Medics]]
[[Category:Elderly Transformers]]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)

2023-12-07T04:40:45Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Nav-foc}}
{{videogame
|prev=Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
|next=Transformers: Exiles
|title=''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''
|image=Fall of Cybertron PC cover.jpg‎
|caption=[[Ron Perlman|War. War never changes]].
|developer=[[High Moon Studios]] (console), [[Mercenary Technology]] (PC) Funlabs (Next Gen port)
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|writtenby=[[Dan Jolley]]
|date=[[August 21]], [[2012]] [[August 8]], [[2016]] (XB1, PS4)
|platform=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
}}
'''''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''''' is a direct sequel to the 2010 game ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' that was released on [[August 21]], [[2012]]. Published by [[Activision]] and developed by [[High Moon Studios]] (with the PC version being handled by [[Mercenary Technology]]), the game is a continuation of the events of ''War for Cybertron''. It explores the [[Autobot]]s' attempts to escape from a rapidly deteriorating [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', as well as the gradual downfall and collapse of the remnants of Cybertronian society. A side story also focuses on the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].

Considerably darker in tone than its predecessor, the game begins with [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] outright conceding defeat to the [[Decepticon]]s, who are in no better straits than their enemies. The story does not shy away from the grim realities of a dying planet and its inhabitants who cope with it. Characters grieve their losses, be it their home or their comrades. Both sides are depicted resorting to extremes just to keep fighting another day, and all hope seems lost. Yet a critical discovery by [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] may light the way for the [[Transformer]] species to a new era and hope; provided they can survive the fall of Cybertron.

{{quote|This terrible war will reach its end. Not because [['Til all are one|all have finally become one]]. But simply, I fear, because all have become ''none''.|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]}}

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Exodus===
:''Character: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]''

The [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]] heads off to the portal which will take them to [[Earth]]. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] invades the ship using the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', sending [[Decepticon]]s over directly to the bridge of the Ark, forcing Bumblebee, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to fight off the aggressors. With more Decepticons swarming the engine room, Optimus heads off to help, leaving Bumblebee to protect the bridge. The artillery cannons are taken offline and the ship blows a [[moleculon fuse|fuse]]. Ratchet sends Bumblebee off to fix it, and after braving nearly being sucked into space, the scout soon replaces the fuse and ascends up a lift to the defense tower. He witnesses Autobots being overrun by a [[Titan (FOC)|Titan]] and then on another level, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] attacking. He reaches the defense mainframe and rushes the Decepticon manning it, reactivating the Ark's guns. The tower is hit by a claw that knocks him down a shaft. With his alternator jarred back into gear, Bumblebee transforms and races through an outer area, avoiding explosions, Decepticon tow cables and large chunks of rubble. He passes [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] having a [[Brawl (WFC)|brawl]] and bringing an [[Onslaught (WFC)|onslaught]] of destruction. He makes it to a stronghold, restocking on ammo, [[energon]] and weapons. He fights his way through a few waves of Decepticons, making his way to the engine room, where Prime and Megatron are doing battle. He pushes through enemy lines, with the help of two Titans, and makes his way to the engine room. There he finds Optimus and Megatron engaging in a fierce melee battle on the hull of the ship, and just as Megatron fires a huge cannon at Optimus, Bumblebee throws himself forwards, taking the shot meant for Prime. As Bumblebee falls, Optimus lifts his body...

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Embrace democracy, or you will be eradicated."]]

===Chapter II: Defend the Ark===
:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Six days earlier, the Autobots are preparing the last transport for launch. [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] reports the energon reserves are aboard, and Perceptor is overseeing city shutdown, only for the news to come that the Decepticons have invaded the city. Optimus tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], as it's his sector the Decepticons have invaded, but gets no answer. As Prime moves to head out, a [[Warp Cannon]] crashes to the ground nearby and targets the Ark. Optimus heads through the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] ruins and enters Autobot City through a side door to find the Autobots trying to get the city stable without the absent Grimlock. After helping Ratchet stabilize a badly-injured [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]], Prime sends [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] to find where Grimlock's disappeared to. At the armory, [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] reports that [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and others are trapped in a nerve center, so he and Optimus fight their way there. After fighting off a horde of Decepticons, they unseal the [[detpak]] from the nerve center door. Sending Warpath back to the Ark, Optimus goes in to meet with Perceptor, who's struggling to get the city working again so they can fight off the Decepticons. He sends Prime to activate an old artillery gun using energon from the Ark, and Prime soon puts the weapon to good use taking out Decepticons. With news that the Warp Cannons are firing on the Ark, Optimus heads to the engine room, but as he moves towards the flight deck, the corridors restructure around him. Decepticons, including [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], have invaded the area, and Optimus finds many bodies, but heads for the [[neutron cannon]]. After fighting his way through more Decepticons, he brings the neutron gun online, but again the targeting is out. Optimus takes manual control and helps defend the Ark refueling station from a number of Decepticon tanks. When the cannon runs out of energon, Optimus heads back inside the city and is guided by a mysterious intelligence to the city's core where he pulls a lever... and the entire city transforms into [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]].

===Chapter III: Metroplex Heeds the Call===

:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Optimus and Metroplex head for the Iacon ruins where the Warp Cannons are located. Once they find the first Warp Cannon, Metroplex laboriously synchronizes his targeting systems with Optimus and together they take out the first cannon. Moving on, Prime helps the survivors of a crashed Autobot ship and finds Warpath in a huge plaza. With the second Warp Cannon shelling them, they head into a building and manage to get close enough to the cannon for Optimus to mark it for destruction by Metroplex. That done, Optimus heads down more corridors and is confronted by three Leapers, which Metroplex handily takes out by putting a fist through the wall. After fighting his way across a huge bridge, Prime gets close enough to the last Warp Cannon to mark it, only for it to take out Metroplex first. With no other choice, Optimus makes his way to the base of the cannon and forces open a door, only to be blasted by Starscream, bashed by Brawl and Onslaught, and dragged in front of Megatron. While Starscream gloats at his victory over Prime, Megatron simply blasts his Air Commander before killing an Autobot in front of the bound Prime. Luckily it turns out Metroplex is back online, and he rips the roof off Megatron's throne room before smashing Megatron into the ground repeatedly with his fist. Starscream pronounces Megatron dead, himself leader and orders the Decepticons back to base. The day is won, but unfortunately all the Autobots' energon is exhausted and they need to find more. Prime believes Grimlock may hold the key, and says Jazz and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] are tracking down their missing comrade.

[[File:FOC-Cliffjumperobservatory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references."]]

===Chapter IV: Eye of the Storm===
:''Character: Cliffjumper''
[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] drops Jazz and Cliffjumper off over the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] in the middle of a rust storm to look for Grimlock. In a ruined base, they find a crashed ship which they recognize as one that was stolen by Grimlock from the base. They soon spot Decepticons moving around and sneak inside the base. As they stealthily make their way through, they overhear some Decepticons discussing [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his "pets". Using a garbage conveyor, Cliffjumper finds himself in an ancient tomb where guardians are roaming around, scanning for Autobots. Jazz reports the rust storm is increasing in intensity outside. Cliffjumper finds a [[ancient map room|huge domed room]] and activates a starmap that shows him an image of [[Earth]]. Continuing through the tomb, Cliffjumper finds more Decepticons, plus sword marks and a trail of destruction he recognizes as Grimlock's work. Eventually he reaches outside again and spots Jazz, but a collapse cuts them off from each other. Cliff hunts through the storm and finds Jazz, freeing his companion from some fallen debris. They soon find more devastation and Jazz detects a faint Autobot distress signal which Cliffjumper tracks to a huge pit, just as the Decepticons seal it. Luckily the two Autobots find a huge bomb they use to blow the pit open and, leaving Cliffjumper behind, Jazz leaps in.

[[File:FOC-Jazzvsinsecticons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary!"]]

===Chapter V: Cut and Run===
:''Character: Jazz''
Jazz reaches the bottom of the pit, where he discovers [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], who has been so badly damaged he's been forced into [[stasis lock]]. The audio he plays back from Sludge's memory is not promising. The meaning of the green pods Jazz spots is clear when he finds himself under attack by the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] horde. He blasts a tank which releases a toxic green gas, and he has to race to escape in time. Escaping the pit, he seals it and pair continue to look for the source of the distress signal. They stumble on a huge lake filled with energon which the Decepticons are mining. They fight their way across the moat to the Decepticon facility where Cliffjumper promptly manages to trip an alarm. Jazz utilizes a network of service tunnels, but creeping down one of them, he falls through a grating and is ambushed. Naturally he fights the Decepticons off and even helps out Cliffjumper who's pinned down by Wall Crawlers and other Decepticons. The pair rendezvous at the other side of the moat and head inside the tower. Within, they find Insecticons in tubes and a map pointing to Earth's solar system. Intriguing! Further in, they find Shockwave arguing with Starscream via hologram. Cliffjumper fails to creep up on Shockwave, who sets a bunch of Insecticons on them before leaving. While Jazz keeps the Insecticons busy, Cliffjumper diverts toxic waste into the refinery to make it overload. The refinery starts to melt down and the pair book out, getting picked up by Sideswipe just in time. Jazz contacts Optimus with the news there's a lake of energon ripe for the taking. The Autobots begin preparing a massive energon transport to take the energon to the Ark.

===Chapter VI: Death from Above===
:''Character: Vortex''
The Decepticons get wind of the Autobot plan, and as the transport heads back with a load of energon, Starscream tasks the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticon]]s with intercepting it and leading it to an ambush. [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] and [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] are sent to clear a short-cut so Brawl can take a dropship and destroy a bridge. They fly through an ancient Autobot city. The pair run into Autobots though, and Blast Off ends up racing ahead, leaving Vortex to fight them. They eventually reach the bridge, but when Brawl shells it, they find it's shielded. Vortex deactivates the shielding, allowing Brawl to take out the side supports. The central support is a little trickier, and Brawl has to blow a hole in it so Vortex can get in to find the shield controls. After fighting more Autobots, including a Titan, Vortex uses a detpak on the central support and races out as the bridge collapses.

===Chapter VII: Belly of the Beast===
:''Character: Swindle''
Starscream springs his ambush on the transport, but the transport's defenses blast them. Onslaught exasperatedly sends [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] under the transport to try to stop it. Swindle takes out the rear wheels and heads to the front, using his grapple to avoid the deadly acid pools, and takes out the front wheels. This unleashes a pair of titans which he has to destroy. However just as victory looks certain, the transport's wheels convert into jets. As the transport takes to the air, Swindle grapples on board.

[[File:FOC-Bruticus-Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Get the Fat Man! I'll try to keep him busy!"]]

===Chapter VIII: Combaticons Combine!===
:''Character: Swindle/Bruticus''
Within the transport, Swindle begins heading through the transport, aiming to take out the anti-aircraft defenses so the other Combaticons can come over in their drop ship. He blows a hole in an exterior wall and starts making his way along the side of the transport. Starscream announces he's calling off the assault, but is corrected by Onslaught, who still believes they can pull it off. Swindle finds the anti-aircraft cannons can be destroyed by simply shooting the shells being fed into them, so he does that, then moves around to the other side of the ship. Unfortunately the Autobots are wise to what the Decepticons are doing and destroy the controls for the shell feed shields so Swindle can't deactivate them. Onslaught brings the drop ship around, and Swindle hops on. Once he uses the top turret to destroy the last gun emplacement, the Combaticons merge into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] and start breaking things. He smashes through the transports turbine and break into the control room where the Combaticons split and make swift work of the Autobots. Unfortunately though they have the transport in their control, it's badly damaged and going down, and they can do little more than try to control its course as it crashes. Starscream's unimpressed that they managed to destroy half the energon supply in the crash, and when Onslaught talks back, pointing that the Autobots would have gotten all of it if they did nothing and everything going wrong was a result of Starscream's incompetence, Starscream orders the Combaticons arrested.

===Chapter IX: Megatron Returns===
:''Character: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]/Megatron''
In his [[Soundwave's workshop|old workshop]] under the gladiator pits, Soundwave powers up the assembly systems so he can put Megatron's salvaged body back together. With the help of his minions, he manages to get Megatron back in one piece and uses an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to bring his master back to life. Megatron's enraged by the news Starscream is in charge and, grabbing his cannon, heads out to confront his former lieutenant. He arrives, naturally, in the middle of Starscream's coronation. Starscream sets the assembled Decepticons onto their former leader, but as Megatron points out, he was practically forged in these arenas. Once he finishes with the many, many Decepticons, he blasts Starscream who flees. Onslaught offers to chase them down, but Megatron doesn't consider him a threat and has other plans. As the Decepticons move a huge statue of him into pride of place, Megatron meets with Shockwave who has deciphered the ancient technology to open wormholes and located a suitably energy rich planet for them to plunder. Megatron boards a drop ship and heads for the crater where [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] crashed with the intention of recovering the giant Decepticon's power core. Unfortunately his drop ship is shot down on the way.

===Chapter X: The Final Countdown===
:''Character: Megatron''
Jumping clear of the ship, Megatron notes that the Autobots have installed anti-aircraft defenses. Once the Decepticons assault the facility and take it over, Soundwave detects a power source nearby—the Autobots are using Trypticon's power core as an energy source, which left Megatron impressed by their rather bold choice. Megatron goes on to investigate and takes out the defenses surrounding the main compound before calling in Bruticus to clear a path. The Combiner makes short work of the remaining Autobots and holds the massive doors open so Megatron can enter. After emptying the main compound of Autobots, he enters the main building where some Autobots are reporting to Optimus. Megatron slags them and makes it clear he blames Optimus for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s depleted state. The Autobots redouble their attempts to keep Megatron away, but as he gets closer to Trypticon, he realizes that the Autobots haven't removed the power core—Trypticon is still functional. Fighting through more Autobot defenses, including a titan, Megatron gets to Trypticon's legs and finds they've been bound. A few shots of Megatron's cannon free them. Trypticon's torso is similarly easy to find, with a little help from Laserbeak. Once Megatron breaks Trypticon's bonds, Soundwave arrives and hacks the computer while Megatron smashes the Autobots attacking them. Trypticon, however, is still badly damaged. Megatron informs Trypticon that he failed to destroy the Autobots and will be rebuilt into a new form—the ''Nemesis''.

[[File:FOC-theonecalledGrimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted."]]

===Chapter XI: Starscream's Betrayal===
:''Characters: Decepticon trooper/Starscream/Grimlock''
As the Nemesis nears launch, the Decepticons are roused by an alarm as someone tries to hack Shockwave's data logs. A trooper and his friend are sent to check the main server. As the two troopers enter the server, they discuss Starscream's humiliating defeat, only for Starscream himself to decloak and flatten them. Hoping to build an army of his own, Starscream analyzes the data logs and discovers that Shockwave's latest experiments are imprisoned within the tower. He uses EMP detpaks to take out the security towers providing the defenses, which knocks out the [[force field]]s protecting the maintenance shafts. Flying inside, he finds Shockwave experimenting on Grimlock with [[Hardshell]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], and [[Sharpshot]]. Once they leave, Starscream drops into the lab and informs Grimlock he'll be set free if he pledges allegiance to the Air Commander. Grimlock responds that he can free himself, then throws Starscream into a wall. Grimlock's surgically altered body leaves him confused and unable to transform, and before long he searches for [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] by smashing everything in his path. He finds Swoop, only to be confronted by a hologram of Shockwave, who has predicted this move. After destroying all the Decepticons in the lab, he solves the problem of freeing Swoop by smashing more things. Swoop reveals that he has gained a new [[alternate mode]], although Grimlock still cannot transform. The pair search for the rest of their team, and discover more of Shockwave's experiments—Insecticons in tubes—and Swoop remembers where [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] is. Unfortunately Hardshell is waiting for them with some artillery, and Grimlock has to throw fuel pods at him until the ship's destroyed. Grimlock holds the Insecticon up to the optical scanner so they can progress. When they reach the surgical lab, it's totally trashed and there's a big hole in the floor. Grimlock and Swoop jump in.

[[File:FOC-Grimlockspacetrex.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|"There are times that I feel the primal part of me... pulling me away."]]

===Chapter XII: Grimlock Smash===
:''Character: Grimlock/Swoop''
Beneath the lab, the ground gives way under Grimlock, dropping him into a tunnel, and he decides they'll split up to find Slug. He soon finds the area is infested with Insecticons. Shockwave's voice rings out, telling Grimlock that he has yet to fulfill his full potential and transform, and Kickback has volunteered to help. The Insecticon taunts Grimlock and unleashes a huge "bruiser" Insecticon to fight him, causing Grimlock to get angry enough to finally change into his new ''T. rex'' alternate mode. Kickback decides discretion is the better part of not being slagged, but before he can escape, the door crashes down on him as Slug enters. Slug relates the news that Sludge didn't make it out of the caves, and [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]'s been taken by Shockwave for "extensive testing". As they step outside where Swoop is waiting, they see Shockwave's [[space bridge]] tower firing up. They soon track down Snarl being guarded by Sharpshot and squash his captor. Searching for a place to take shelter and patch up Snarl, they find an observatory and Slug discovers Shockwave's plans to open a space bridge portal. They contact Optimus, who orders Grimlock to return to base, but Grimlock insists on taking the space bridge himself. With Swoop's help, he flies to the tower and fights his way through more Decepticons until he finds Shockwave working. As he goes to attack Shockwave, he's seized by energy chains, while Shockwave reports to Megatron that all is ready. Grimlock switches to dino mode to break free and rips Shockwave's arm off before bashing the space bridge which explodes. Back in Autobot City, the Autobots note that Megatron's portal is becoming unstable and decide they must urgently launch. Metroplex offers whatever spark energy he has left, which allows the Autobots to launch the Ark, at the cost of Metroplex's life.

===Chapter XIII: Till All Are One===
:''Characters: Soundwave/Jetfire/Bruticus/Jazz/Optimus/Megatron''
The ''Nemesis'' draws close to the ''Ark'' as it nears the portal. Megatron orders Soundwave to lead the first wave of the assault. Soundwave rides a tow cable over and, with the help of Rumble and Laserbeak, neutralizes the Ark's cannons. The Decepticons begin their assault en masse. [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] flies outside and severs the tow cables, but even though he's successful, Bruticus flies right past him and lands on the hull of the ''Ark''. After smashing his way through the Autobot defenses, he busts the ship's main energon tank. Jetfire raises the alarm, and Jazz responds. He tries grappling onto Bruticus and shooting the giant in the face, but with the help of Jetfire and an EMP mine, the Autobots hit Bruticus with a series of air strikes, sending him flying off into space. Elsewhere, Bumblebee jumps in the path of Megatron's shot, saving Optimus. Enraged, Optimus punches Megatron across the hull and they face off once again. Their fight is eventually interrupted by the unstable space bridge portal sucking them and both starships in before closing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] ([[Jamieson Price]])
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]] <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/26/play-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-multiplayer-on-july-31 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - G1 Optimus Vignette]</ref>
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/transformers-video-game-discussion/27314578d1345329191-full-game-being-played-live-right-now-um.jpg]</ref>
'''Dinobots'''
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] ([[Mark Allan Stewart]])
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (Sam Riegel)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
**[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] (Nolan North)
**[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
**[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
**[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
'''Insecticons'''
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Hardshell]]
|h3=Non-Player|c3=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]]*
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]*
*[[Heavy Soldier]]*
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]*
*[[Leaper]]*
*[[Guardian (FOC)|Guardian]]*
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruiser
*Insecticon Spitter
'''Other'''
*Soldiers*
*Rocket Soldiers*
*Shotgunners*
*[[Flier (WFC)|Fliers]]*
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]*
*Scrappers*
*Sharpshooters*
*[[Lever Transformer]]
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Denotes a character who speaks (or squawks), but is credited as "Additional Voices". 

==Quotes==
"Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime"
:—'''Metroplex''' assures Optimus that he's not there to render him into his component molecules.

"All we want is to leave!" 
"No one leaves without ''my'' permission!" 
"''I wasn't asking''." 
:—What '''Optimus Prime''' thought would be the last time he would have to tell '''Megatron''' how it was.

"Cliffjumper, you catch any of that?" 
"You mean the screaming, the horror, followed by more screaming?" 
"Uh, yeah, that'd be it."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Cliffjumper''' discuss what they heard from Sludge's memory core.

"Ungh! This lever is heavy! Couldn't they just make it a button?"
:—'''Vortex''' makes a valid point.

"Ugh, great, it's spooky dark down here!" 
"{{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%3F|You're afraid of the dark}}?!" 
"Well, it does make it hard to see!" 
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Brawl''' bicker like a bunch of kids.

"Seriously?! We're still trying to stop this thing with drop ships? I haven't stopped the AA guns yet!" 
"Think of this as an encouragement to HURRY THE SCRAP UP!"
:—'''Swindle''' and '''Onslaught'''

"Cowards! Is there no one left to challenge this...this...Pretender to throne?!

"Fight your own battles, Starscream! Unless you're a coward!
:—'''Starscream's''' demand falling on deaf ears or audio receptors.

"Always tinkering, aren't you, Shockwave? Must be quite the test!" 
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing Shockwave and the Insecticons discuss experiments on Grimlock.

"Nothing feels right... Hard to think."
:—'''Grimlock''', shortly after breaking free.

"I remember you, Grimlock. Do you remember me? Me? Me?" 
"''Kickback''..."
:—'''Kickback''' taunts '''Grimlock''' to provoke him into transforming.

'''Kickback''': Time for me to take my leave! 
''[Slug knocks the door down on Kickback]'' 
'''Slug''': Excuse me.
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Never gets old]], '''Slug'''.

'''Slug''': You cut through those guys like they were [[Beryllium baloney|Beryllium Bologna]]! 
'''Grimlock''': You mean [[Cesium salami|Cesium Salami]]! 
'''Slug''': No...Beryllium Bologna! 
'''Grimlock''': Cesium Salami!
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Again with this argument, guys?]]

"You're weak, Optimus. You run when you should fight!"
:—'''Grimlock''' gives Optimus a piece of his mind.

"Pathetic! This is the so called Ark? The Autobots have placed all of their hopes on a glorified cargo hauler!"
:—'''Megatron''' gives his two cents about the Ark.

"No problem! It slices, it dices!"
:—'''Bruticus''', your Swindle's showing.

"After eons of conflict, I finally see the truth of your words, Megatron." 
"And what might that be, Optimus?" 
''[Megatron swings his sword, only for Optimus to stop his strike]'' 
"This universe, no matter how vast, will never be big enough for you and I to coexist. " 
''[Optimus punches Megatron across the Ark]'' 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tells '''Megatron''' that he's done holding back.

==Gameplay==
Like ''War for Cybertron'', this game is an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter. The player has access to a range of weapons split between light and heavy and can carry one of each class at a time. As one would expect from a ''Transformers'' game, the player character can also transform to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which provides more maneuverability and in some cases the power of flight. Whereas in the previous game, characters had two abilities that were charged up by shooting opponents, each character now has "dash" and a unique ability that works on a time recharge. Abilities include Vortex's shockwave, Cliffjumper's cloaking, and Optimus Prime's ability to order a missile strike.

While ''War for Cybertron'' had three-bot teams in each campaign level, with the user playing as their choice of the three, ''Fall of Cybertron'' instead follows a single character at a time, though the character often teams up with other NPCs. This allows levels to be tailored to the player character's special abilities, such as Jazz's level having plenty of places to use his grapple, and Megatron's levels having places which are only reachable by hovering. The player will sometimes also automatically switch between characters as the narrative demands.

''Fall of Cybertron'' introduces an upgrade mechanic. The player collects energon from defeated opponents which they can use at [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] machines scattered throughout the levels to buy character upgrades, T.E.C.H. items such as [[C.L.U.T.C.H.]] drones, and weapon upgrades. Upgrades carry over between characters, so Megatron gets the benefit of upgrades purchased by Optimus Prime. Collecting the blueprints hidden in each level unlocks more upgrades or weapons. Also hidden throughout the levels are [[Source:Fall of Cybertron audio logs|audio logs]], recordings left by various characters which give extra information or insight into an aspect of the game world. Energon can be used to open [[Armory Recreator]]s, which contain weapons and equipment.

Grimlock's sections alter the game mechanics substantially. He has no ranged attack, relying on melee with his sword. Rather than gaining currency from defeating Decepticons, their deaths fill his "rage meter", eventually allowing him to transform to his dino mode that lets him use his [[fire-breath]] and jaws to wreak more havoc. Similarly, Bruticus behaves like a melee brawler, fighting with a mix of weaponry like Vortex's propellers, a flamethrower, and the [[Sonic Pain Wave]].

===Multiplayer===
Fall of Cybertron follows War for Cybertron's tradition in having a fleshed-out, online multiplayer mode. The general idea is the same, but quite a number of gameplay elements have been added, removed, or altered. For example, vehicle mode abilities have been removed, but every character has the ability to dash. Weapons are also exclusive to each class and can't be wielded by other players.

Players can create custom characters to participate in the regular multiplayer mode. Customization options are greatly expanded from the previous game: Individual heads, bodies/[[Alternate mode|alt-modes]], shoulders, arms, legs, and wheels can be selected, all based on existing character models. The color palette is also expanded, and players can alter the shininess of characters and choose from three different voices per faction.

Characters level up by performing well in battle. Completing challenges will also yield experience points. Class weapons and abilities become unlocked by reaching certain levels. Reaching level 25 in every class unlocks "Prime Mode," which resets all experience points and challenges and gives the player a cool spinny icon next to their name. Reaching level 25 for all classes in Prime Mode grants the player access to "Elite" heads, which are 4 heads per class, and are the most iconic character of the class (Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream and Megatron) with a crown.

Finally, [[Energon shard]]s can be gained along with experience points and can be spent on custom body parts and decals.

;Classes
The four classes return, with some alterations:
*[[Infiltrator (FOC)|Infiltrators]] - Cars. Fast, with an emphasis on stealth. Replaces the [[Scout (WFC)|Scout]] class.
*[[Destroyer (FOC)|Destroyers]] - Trucks. Mixture of defensive and offensive abilities, with emphasis on explosions. Replaces the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader]] class.
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titans]] - Tanks. Huge health and defense, heavy weapons. Replaces the [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier]] class.
*[[Scientist (WFC)|Scientists]] - Jets. Great speed, no armor, emphasis on healing and buffer abilities.

;Playlists
*Team Death Match - [[Fred Tatasciore|''ELIMINATE THE ENEMY TEAM!'']] Kills count as points for the player's team, and 40 points are required to win on default settings.
*Conquest - There are 3 nodes, A, B and C. Team members wait at nodes to fill a bar and capture the node, and all teams are competing constantly for the nodes. The possession of a node adds points, and the rate at which points are added is increased based on how many nodes the team has. The match ends once a team reaches 400 points.
*Headhunter - This match is very similar to Team Deathmatch, except killed enemies drop their [[Spark]]. Players must pick up these sparks and return them to teamless nodes to gain a point per spark. These nodes occasionally move, the approaching change signaled by beacons that mark their location, which flash when nodes are about to move.
*Capture the Flag - Both teams have flags in their base. Players must protect their own flag and capture the enemy flag. Each capture grants a point, and the amount of points required for a team to win is 3.
* Deathmatch: Kill opponents to win. It's a free-for-all. (Check the notes)

;Teletraan-1
The signature Autobot computer here lets the player sift through global player rankings and see the challenges they have completed. Prime Mode is also activated through this menu.

;Escalation
Up to 4 players face off against increasingly difficult waves. Once the players finish wave 15, the game ends and the players are scored on how many kills, deaths, and energon chips they collected throughout the match.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Fall of Cybertron''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy name'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''PS Trophy'''
|-
|[[File:FoC_Exodus.png|60px]]
| The Exodus
| Complete Chapter I
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Defend_Ark.png‎|60px]]
| Defend the Ark
| Complete Chapter II
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Metroplex_Heeds_Call.png‎|60px]]
| Metroplex Heeds the Call
| Complete Chapter III
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Eye_of_Storm.png|60px]]
| Eye of the Storm
| Complete Chapter IV
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cut_and_Run.png|60px]]
| Cut and Run
| Complete Chapter V
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Death_From_Above.png|60px]]
| Death from Above
| Complete Chapter VI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Belly_of_Beast.png|60px]]
| Belly of the Beast
| Complete Chapter VII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Combaticons_Combine.png|60px]]
| Combaticons Combine!
| Complete Chapter VIII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Megatron_Returns.png|60px]]
| Megatron Returns
| Complete Chapter IX
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Final_Countdown.png|60px]]
| The Final Countdown
| Complete Chapter X
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Starscream's_Betrayal.png|60px]]
| Starscream's Betrayal
| Complete Chapter XI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Grimlock_Smash.png|60px]]
| Grimlock Smash
| Complete Chapter XII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Optimus.png|60px]]
| [['Til all are one|Till All Are One]] - (Optimus Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Optimus (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Megatron.png|60px]]
| Till All Are One - (Megatron Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Megatron (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Battle_is_Far_From_Over.png‎|60px]]
| [[The battle is far from over!|The Battle is Far From Over!]]
| Complete Campaign - Easy
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_More_Than_Meets_The_Eye.png|60px]]
| [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More Than Meets the Eye]]
| Complete Campaign - Normal
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_All_Hail_You.png|60px]]
| [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail You!]]
| Complete Campaign - Hard
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Last_Stand.png|60px]]
| [[The Last Stand]]
| Chapter II: Save two Autobots when Optimus is downed by the first Leaper
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Carnage_in_C_Major.png|60px]]
| [[Carnage in C-Minor|Carnage in C-Major]]
| Chapter III: Take out a cluster of five Decepticons using Metroplex's Air Strike
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Invisibility_Spray.png|60px]]
| [[Invisibility spray|Invisibility Spray]]
| Chapter IV: Sneak through the Trash Compactor Facility undetected
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Target_Master_2.0.png‎|60px]]
| [[Targetmaster (technology)|Target Master]] 2.0
| Chapter V: Shoot a Sniper out of the air with a scoped weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Car_Wash_of_Doom.png|60px]]
| [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Car Wash of Doom]]
| Chapter VI: Destroy all of the homing mines chasing Blast Off before they self destruct
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Club_a_Con.png|60px]]
| [[Club Con!]]
| Chapter VII: Ram a jet (on the ground or in the air)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Fusilateral_Quintrocombiner.png|60px]]
| [[Swarm (issue)|Fusilateral Quintrocombiner]]
| Chapter VIII: Melee an enemy through the goal post
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_I_Robot_Master.png|60px]]
| [[I, Robot-Master!|I, Robot Master]]
| Chapter IX: Destroy all images of Starscream and his Statues
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_The_Harder_They_Die.png|60px]]
| [[...The Harder They Die!|The Harder They Die]]
| Chapter X: Kill five Autobots with a single hover slam attack
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Internal_Affairs.png|60px]]
| [[Internal Affairs!]]
| Chapter XI: Hack all of the security terminals before the Decepticons can activate them
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Slap_Grimlock.png|60px]]
| Slap the Grimlock
| Chapter XII: Kill a Leaper in the air with an explosive barrel
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Monacus_Spender.png|60px]]
| [[Monacus]] Spender
| Spend 250,000 Energon in the Teletraan-1 store
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconstructor.png‎|60px]]
| Reconstructor
| Fully upgrade one weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Master_Builder.png|60px]]
| [[The Master Builders (episode)|Master Builder]]
| Fully upgrade all weapons
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Teletraan_1_Regular.png|60px]]
| [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] Regular
| Rate all weapons, weapon upgrades, and equipment
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Chop_Shop.png|60px]]
| [[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]]
| Purchase all weapons and perks
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Beachcomber.png|60px]]
| [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
| Collect all blueprints
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cassetticon_Audiophile.png|60px]]
| [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Cassetticon]] Audiophile
| Collect all audio logs
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Octopunch_Scavenger.png|60px]]
| [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] Scavenger
| Open fifteen Armory Recreators in Campaign or Escalation
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconfiguration_Matrix.png|60px]]
| [[Reconfiguration Matrix]]
| Create a custom character in Multiplayer
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Headmaster.png|60px]]
| [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster!]]
| Reach max level in a single class
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_King_of_Scrap_Heap.png‎|60px]]
| King of the Scrap Heap
| Reach max level in all four classes
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_What_Prime_Directive.png‎|60px]]
| What [[Prime Directive]]s?
| Unlock Prime Mode
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Full_Throttle_Scramble.png‎|60px]]
|[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]
| Earn MVP in any game mode during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultimate_Menasor.png|60px]]
| Ultimate [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
| Capture three flags in a single CTF game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Moonbase_One.png‎|60px]]
| [[Moonbase One]]
| Personally capture all 3 nodes in a conquest game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ballistic_Energon_Goodie.png|60px]]
| Ballistic Energon Goodie
| Return five heads at once in a headhunter game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Heavy_Metal_War.png|60px]]
| [[Heavy Metal War]]
| Kill 6 different opposing players in a TDM game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Robotopossum.png‎|60px]]
| [[Roboto-possum|Robotopossum]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ignition)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Maccadams_Old_Oil_House.png|60px]]
| [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (DownFall)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Space_Pirates.png|60px]]
| [[Space Pirates!]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Oblivion)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Rust_Marks.png|60px]]
| Rust Marks
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ancients)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultra_Power_Master.png|60px]]
| Ultra [[Powermaster|Power Master]]
| Spend 100,000 credits in Escalation
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Vector_Sigma_Victory.png|60px]]
| [[Vector Sigma]] Victory
| Unlock All Trophies
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
|}

==Transformers references==
Aside from the obvious G1 inspired character designs, the game has some references to previous iterations of Transformers, a number of them from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]].

* Most of the achievements and trophies are named in homage to Generation 1, such as characters, cartoon episodes, [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] issues, and more. Due to the sheer number, we have opted to list them in the achievement list above instead.
* Soundwave does a short impression of a light fixture.
* Jazz and Cliffjumper are paired together, just as they were in the film and in the episode [[Starscream's Brigade]].
* Jazz finds an inscription on a tank in the Sea of Rust that says "IX-XVII-MCMLXXXIV," or the date that "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" first aired.
* During his coronation, Starscream is wearing the same crown his [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 counterpart]] wore in the movie, and the dialogue he has with Megatron during the scene is almost word-for-word as well. He even blasts him in tank mode, though this does not kill him like it did in the movie. The crown can be found in Starscream's level and worn for its duration.
* When Megatron is done killing off soldiers under Starscream's command, Starscream calls Megatron a [[Pretender to the Throne!|pretender to the throne]].
* When Kickback runs to the door, Slug pushes it from outside and the door falls, smashing Kickback to the ground and when Slug sees Kickback under the door, he says "Excuse me!". This is a straight homage to the scene where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] pushes the door and it smashes the [[Quintesson]] prosecutor.
* A secret room can be found in Grimlock's level containing his waiter outfit from "[[Madman's Paradise]]"; upon finding it, Grimlock utters his famous movie quote, "Me Grimlock no bozo, me king." It also contains three swords that resemble the [[Master Sword]] mounted on fixtures around the room.
* After defeating a group of Insecticons, Slug says that Grimlock tore through them like they were "[[beryllium baloney]]", but Grimlock says "[[cesium salami]]", mirroring the scene where their Generation 1 counterparts argue on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]].
* In an audio log left by [[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]], the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is described as [[Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor]], a term which originated in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]].
* The five [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s are originally grouped together as the "[[Lightning Strike Coalition]]", the name of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s breakaway Autobot faction in "[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages]]". On that note, the Coalition's logo serves as the difficulty symbols.
* The [[Path Blaster]] is named for the [[Pathblaster]] from "[[Time Wars]]". One of its modifications is named for Generation 1 episode "[[The Gambler]]" and involves the use of [[Destronium]], a substance introduced in ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
* The [[Riot Cannon]]'s "Planet Buster" modification is likewise named after the [[Planet Buster]] that appeared in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
* The [[neutron assault rifle]]'s special modification is the "P.O.K.E. Beta"—not the first [[Punch of Kill Everything]] reference in the game series.
* One of the corrosive slime cannon's modifications for multiplayer is the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] Disperser.
* Other weapon modifications available include [[tachyon transmitter]], [[fireblast]], [[turbo booster]]s, [[unspace|transwarp]] ballistics, and [[R-infinity accelerator|R-Infinity]] finders.
* Bruticus's special attack is the [[Sonic Pain Wave]], one of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s weapons.
* When Cliffjumper is accessing the Teletraan-1 store one of the random phrases apologizes for not being able to provide [[glass gas]], the unique weapon of G1 [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. The Glass Gas Cannon is awarded, however, after beating the main campaign.
* In Chapter IX, playing as Megatron after his awakening Soundwave says "Less talk, more work", quoting the G1 episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]".
As part of the expanding [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]], ''Fall of Cybertron'' also incorporates thematic and visual references to the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' television series:
* Bumblebee's voice circuits/vocal processor having been damaged prior to the story's beginning, essentially rendering him mute.
* Optimus Prime's [[Path Blaster|rifle]] design, which was described by [[High Moon Studios]] as being an earlier version of the rifles Optimus uses in the ''Prime'' television series.
* Optimus being referred to as having been a librarian named Orion Pax and Megatron having been a gladiator from Kaon named Megatronus.
* Cliffjumper's head design and Megatron's reformatted/rebuilt body design.
* Dark Energon's power to revive the dead is an aspect from the ''Prime'' television series that was not seen in the previous game, ''War For Cybertron''.
* Trypticon being reformatted into the ''Nemesis''.
* The discovery that there were [[Ancient]]s who had traveled to other planets, particularly Earth.
* One of the weapons is called an [[Energon Harvester]].

==PC version notes==
Initially, developer High Moon Studios commented (as late as [[BotCon 2012]] on the end of April of that year) that there would not be a Windows PC version of ''Fall for Cybertron'' due to their own lack of experience with the PC platform and the criticism the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'' had received. However, shortly before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2012 in early June, publisher Activision announced a PC version of the game, to be developed by [[Mercenary Technology]], a new studio formed by "veterans of the industry".

The PC version of ''Fall of Cybertron'' improves upon the console versions of ''Fall'' (and indeed the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'') by featuring higher quality graphics, higher resolution textures, runs at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second (versus 30 frames for the console version). Unfortunately, as is standard in most console game ports, the graphical settings are lacking and the controls cannot be reset/rebound.

Even with these pros and cons, there is still a number of changes from the console and PC versions, such as:
* The main menu background in the PC version is a still image, rather than the long, beautiful cutscene file that is used in the console versions. The cutscene is unused in the PC files, but there currently is no way to put it back in the game.
* The VGA trailer isn't in the PC version of the game. It's not selectable in the Movies section of the Extras menu, not played when you idle on the main menu long enough, and isn't in any of the PC version files. This issue isn't present in the console versions, so that's a complete bummer!
* Jetfire's mouth doesn't move in the PC version when transitioning to Bruticus in the final level.
* Though the prompts appear, you cannot pet Laserbeak in the PC version.

==Notes==
* This game, like its predecessor, plays a Stan Bush song at the end, this time being a slightly modified version of "[[The Touch]]", using elements from both the 2007 and 2009 versions to create a unique hybrid of the two. Soundwave plays it, while Bumblebee dances "The Carlton Dance," made famous by {{w|Alfonso Ribeiro}} on ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', which is also performed in the game by the [[Lever Transformer]] hidden in Chapter V.
* One of the unlocks for beating the game is the Glass Gas Cannon, however, Teletraan still tells Cliffjumper during replays that it is not available.
* In Chapter VIII, a {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Bruticus is attacking the Autobots.
* If Grimlock is recreated in any multiplayer mode, his T-rex alt mode will function differently than the campaign mode, behaving more like a typical vehicle mode.
* In an unfortunate oversight, the downloadable demo for the game is the first section of Chapter VI, in which one can find an audio log that blows the surprise of Megatron's death earlier in the game. Oops.
* Sludge's model is noted to have been set up for skeletal deformation; which would only be needed if the character had needed to transform in-game. The model also sports beast kibble, so Sludge may have initially had a bigger role in the story mode than what he had in the final game; either that, or he was intended to be a usable model in Multiplayer.
* Unlike its predecessor ''War for Cybertron'', ''Fall of Cybertron'' has not been dubbed in languages other than English.
* Some backstory elements are expanded upon in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Logs]] for the iPhone.
* The [[2011]] cinematic trailer for the game features the song "The Humbling River" by {{w|Puscifer}}. The [[2012]] trailers feature a cover by The EverLove of the song "{{w|Cities in Dust}}" (originally written by {{w|Siouxsie and the Banshees}}).

==Errors==
*When Soundwave looks at Megatron's arm after he has been crushed by Metroplex, it is in the design of his upgraded body from later in the game, rather than the original one he just had.
*When Shockwave speaks to Grimlock just when the latter comes in to rescue Swoop, the subtitles say, "your attempt to "'you'" rescue your friend was easily predicted."

==External links==
*[https://www.transformersgame.com/ Official Website]
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/10/06/november-cover-revealed-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx November cover revealed: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/07/transformers-high-moon-studios-tour.aspx Transformers: High Moon Studio tour] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/10/fall-of-cybertron-the-new-optimus-prime.aspx Fall of Cybertron: The New Optimus Prime] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/games/transformers_fall_of_cybertron/b/xbox360/archive/2011/10/14/grimlock-rises-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-teaser-trailer.aspx Grimlock Rises In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Teaser Trailer] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/12/behind-the-crosshairs-the-weapons-of-transformers.aspx Behind the Crosshairs: The Weapons of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4ECyCExeg Fall of Cybertron Teaser 01] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/13/the-illustrated-tour-of-cybertron.aspx The Illustrated Tour of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/17/directing-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Story And Direction Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/19/animating-the-transformers.aspx Animating The Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/20/clever-devils-the-enemies-and-ai-of-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Enemies & AI Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/21/transformers-resurrecting-the-dinobots.aspx Transformers: Resurrecting The Dinobots] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/24/fall-of-cybertron-deep-character-dive-jazz.aspx Fall Of Cybertron Deep Character Dive: Jazz] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/the-transformers-timeline.aspx The Transformers Timeline] @ Game Informer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/28/creating-the-sounds-of-the-transformers.aspx Creating The Soundscape Of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/31/larger-than-life-designing-transformer-s-set-piece-moments.aspx Larger Than Life: Designing Fall of Cybertron's Set Piece Moments] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/11/02/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-gameplay-roundtable.aspx Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Gameplay Roundtable] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/podcasts/archive/2011/11/03/tfse.aspx Special Edition Podcast: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsINYfFG5Q Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Teaser Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3E358n7pcI Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gamespot.com/videos/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-official-trailer/2300-6368583/ Fall of Cybertron Official Gameplay Trailer] @ GameSpot

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall of Cybertron}}
[[Category:Aligned video games]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron| ]]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)

2023-12-07T04:35:19Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Nav-foc}}
{{videogame
|prev=Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
|next=Transformers: Exiles
|title=''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''
|image=Fall of Cybertron PC cover.jpg‎
|caption=[[Ron Perlman|War. War never changes]].
|developer=[[High Moon Studios]] (console), [[Mercenary Technology]] (PC) Funlabs (Next Gen port)
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|writtenby=[[Dan Jolley]]
|date=[[August 21]], [[2012]] [[August 8]], [[2016]] (XB1, PS4)
|platform=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
}}
'''''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''''' is a direct sequel to the 2010 game ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' that was released on [[August 21]], [[2012]]. Published by [[Activision]] and developed by [[High Moon Studios]] (with the PC version being handled by [[Mercenary Technology]]), the game is a continuation of the events of ''War for Cybertron''. It explores the [[Autobot]]s' attempts to escape from a rapidly deteriorating [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', as well as the gradual downfall and collapse of the remnants of Cybertronian society. A side story also focuses on the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].

Considerably darker in tone than its predecessor, the game begins with [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] outright conceding defeat to the [[Decepticon]]s, who are in no better straits than their enemies. The story does not shy away from the grim realities of a dying planet and its inhabitants who cope with it. Characters grieve their losses, be it their home or their comrades. Both sides are depicted resorting to extremes just to keep fighting another day, and all hope seems lost. Yet a critical discovery by [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] may light the way for the [[Transformer]] species to a new era and hope; provided they can survive the fall of Cybertron.

{{quote|This terrible war will reach its end. Not because [['Til all are one|all have finally become one]]. But simply, I fear, because all have become ''none''.|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]}}

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Exodus===
:''Character: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]''

The [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]] heads off to the portal which will take them to [[Earth]]. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] invades the ship using the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', sending [[Decepticon]]s over directly to the bridge of the Ark, forcing Bumblebee, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to fight off the aggressors. With more Decepticons swarming the engine room, Optimus heads off to help, leaving Bumblebee to protect the bridge. The artillery cannons are taken offline and the ship blows a [[moleculon fuse|fuse]]. Ratchet sends Bumblebee off to fix it, and after braving nearly being sucked into space, the scout soon replaces the fuse and ascends up a lift to the defense tower. He witnesses Autobots being overrun by a [[Titan (FOC)|Titan]] and then on another level, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] attacking. He reaches the defense mainframe and rushes the Decepticon manning it, reactivating the Ark's guns. The tower is hit by a claw that knocks him down a shaft. With his alternator jarred back into gear, Bumblebee transforms and races through an outer area, avoiding explosions, Decepticon tow cables and large chunks of rubble. He passes [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] having a [[Brawl (WFC)|brawl]] and bringing an [[Onslaught (WFC)|onslaught]] of destruction. He makes it to a stronghold, restocking on ammo, [[energon]] and weapons. He fights his way through a few waves of Decepticons, making his way to the engine room, where Prime and Megatron are doing battle. He pushes through enemy lines, with the help of two Titans, and makes his way to the engine room. There he finds Optimus and Megatron engaging in a fierce melee battle on the hull of the ship, and just as Megatron fires a huge cannon at Optimus, Bumblebee throws himself forwards, taking the shot meant for Prime. As Bumblebee falls, Optimus lifts his body...

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Embrace democracy, or you will be eradicated."]]

===Chapter II: Defend the Ark===
:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Six days earlier, the Autobots are preparing the last transport for launch. [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] reports the energon reserves are aboard, and Perceptor is overseeing city shutdown, only for the news to come that the Decepticons have invaded the city. Optimus tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], as it's his sector the Decepticons have invaded, but gets no answer. As Prime moves to head out, a [[Warp Cannon]] crashes to the ground nearby and targets the Ark. Optimus heads through the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] ruins and enters Autobot City through a side door to find the Autobots trying to get the city stable without the absent Grimlock. After helping Ratchet stabilize a badly-injured [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]], Prime sends [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] to find where Grimlock's disappeared to. At the armory, [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] reports that [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and others are trapped in a nerve center, so he and Optimus fight their way there. After fighting off a horde of Decepticons, they unseal the [[detpak]] from the nerve center door. Sending Warpath back to the Ark, Optimus goes in to meet with Perceptor, who's struggling to get the city working again so they can fight off the Decepticons. He sends Prime to activate an old artillery gun using energon from the Ark, and Prime soon puts the weapon to good use taking out Decepticons. With news that the Warp Cannons are firing on the Ark, Optimus heads to the engine room, but as he moves towards the flight deck, the corridors restructure around him. Decepticons, including [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], have invaded the area, and Optimus finds many bodies, but heads for the [[neutron cannon]]. After fighting his way through more Decepticons, he brings the neutron gun online, but again the targeting is out. Optimus takes manual control and helps defend the Ark refueling station from a number of Decepticon tanks. When the cannon runs out of energon, Optimus heads back inside the city and is guided by a mysterious intelligence to the city's core where he pulls a lever... and the entire city transforms into [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]].

===Chapter III: Metroplex Heeds the Call===

:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Optimus and Metroplex head for the Iacon ruins where the Warp Cannons are located. Once they find the first Warp Cannon, Metroplex laboriously synchronizes his targeting systems with Optimus and together they take out the first cannon. Moving on, Prime helps the survivors of a crashed Autobot ship and finds Warpath in a huge plaza. With the second Warp Cannon shelling them, they head into a building and manage to get close enough to the cannon for Optimus to mark it for destruction by Metroplex. That done, Optimus heads down more corridors and is confronted by three Leapers, which Metroplex handily takes out by putting a fist through the wall. After fighting his way across a huge bridge, Prime gets close enough to the last Warp Cannon to mark it, only for it to take out Metroplex first. With no other choice, Optimus makes his way to the base of the cannon and forces open a door, only to be blasted by Starscream, bashed by Brawl and Onslaught, and dragged in front of Megatron. While Starscream gloats at his victory over Prime, Megatron simply blasts his Air Commander before killing an Autobot in front of the bound Prime. Luckily it turns out Metroplex is back online, and he rips the roof off Megatron's throne room before smashing Megatron into the ground repeatedly with his fist. Starscream pronounces Megatron dead, himself leader and orders the Decepticons back to base. The day is won, but unfortunately all the Autobots' energon is exhausted and they need to find more. Prime believes Grimlock may hold the key, and says Jazz and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] are tracking down their missing comrade.

[[File:FOC-Cliffjumperobservatory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references."]]

===Chapter IV: Eye of the Storm===
:''Character: Cliffjumper''
[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] drops Jazz and Cliffjumper off over the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] in the middle of a rust storm to look for Grimlock. In a ruined base, they find a crashed ship which they recognize as one that was stolen by Grimlock from the base. They soon spot Decepticons moving around and sneak inside the base. As they stealthily make their way through, they overhear some Decepticons discussing [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his "pets". Using a garbage conveyor, Cliffjumper finds himself in an ancient tomb where guardians are roaming around, scanning for Autobots. Jazz reports the rust storm is increasing in intensity outside. Cliffjumper finds a [[ancient map room|huge domed room]] and activates a starmap that shows him an image of [[Earth]]. Continuing through the tomb, Cliffjumper finds more Decepticons, plus sword marks and a trail of destruction he recognizes as Grimlock's work. Eventually he reaches outside again and spots Jazz, but a collapse cuts them off from each other. Cliff hunts through the storm and finds Jazz, freeing his companion from some fallen debris. They soon find more devastation and Jazz detects a faint Autobot distress signal which Cliffjumper tracks to a huge pit, just as the Decepticons seal it. Luckily the two Autobots find a huge bomb they use to blow the pit open and, leaving Cliffjumper behind, Jazz leaps in.

[[File:FOC-Jazzvsinsecticons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary!"]]

===Chapter V: Cut and Run===
:''Character: Jazz''
Jazz reaches the bottom of the pit, where he discovers [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], who has been so badly damaged he's been forced into [[stasis lock]]. The audio he plays back from Sludge's memory is not promising. The meaning of the green pods Jazz spots is clear when he finds himself under attack by the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] horde. He blasts a tank which releases a toxic green gas, and he has to race to escape in time. Escaping the pit, he seals it and pair continue to look for the source of the distress signal. They stumble on a huge lake filled with energon which the Decepticons are mining. They fight their way across the moat to the Decepticon facility where Cliffjumper promptly manages to trip an alarm. Jazz utilizes a network of service tunnels, but creeping down one of them, he falls through a grating and is ambushed. Naturally he fights the Decepticons off and even helps out Cliffjumper who's pinned down by Wall Crawlers and other Decepticons. The pair rendezvous at the other side of the moat and head inside the tower. Within, they find Insecticons in tubes and a map pointing to Earth's solar system. Intriguing! Further in, they find Shockwave arguing with Starscream via hologram. Cliffjumper fails to creep up on Shockwave, who sets a bunch of Insecticons on them before leaving. While Jazz keeps the Insecticons busy, Cliffjumper diverts toxic waste into the refinery to make it overload. The refinery starts to melt down and the pair book out, getting picked up by Sideswipe just in time. Jazz contacts Optimus with the news there's a lake of energon ripe for the taking. The Autobots begin preparing a massive energon transport to take the energon to the Ark.

===Chapter VI: Death from Above===
:''Character: Vortex''
The Decepticons get wind of the Autobot plan, and as the transport heads back with a load of energon, Starscream tasks the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticon]]s with intercepting it and leading it to an ambush. [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] and [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] are sent to clear a short-cut so Brawl can take a dropship and destroy a bridge. They fly through an ancient Autobot city. The pair run into Autobots though, and Blast Off ends up racing ahead, leaving Vortex to fight them. They eventually reach the bridge, but when Brawl shells it, they find it's shielded. Vortex deactivates the shielding, allowing Brawl to take out the side supports. The central support is a little trickier, and Brawl has to blow a hole in it so Vortex can get in to find the shield controls. After fighting more Autobots, including a Titan, Vortex uses a detpak on the central support and races out as the bridge collapses.

===Chapter VII: Belly of the Beast===
:''Character: Swindle''
Starscream springs his ambush on the transport, but the transport's defenses blast them. Onslaught exasperatedly sends [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] under the transport to try to stop it. Swindle takes out the rear wheels and heads to the front, using his grapple to avoid the deadly acid pools, and takes out the front wheels. This unleashes a pair of titans which he has to destroy. However just as victory looks certain, the transport's wheels convert into jets. As the transport takes to the air, Swindle grapples on board.

[[File:FOC-Bruticus-Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Get the Fat Man! I'll try to keep him busy!"]]

===Chapter VIII: Combaticons Combine!===
:''Character: Swindle/Bruticus''
Within the transport, Swindle begins heading through the transport, aiming to take out the anti-aircraft defenses so the other Combaticons can come over in their drop ship. He blows a hole in an exterior wall and starts making his way along the side of the transport. Starscream announces he's calling off the assault, but is corrected by Onslaught, who still believes they can pull it off. Swindle finds the anti-aircraft cannons can be destroyed by simply shooting the shells being fed into them, so he does that, then moves around to the other side of the ship. Unfortunately the Autobots are wise to what the Decepticons are doing and destroy the controls for the shell feed shields so Swindle can't deactivate them. Onslaught brings the drop ship around, and Swindle hops on. Once he uses the top turret to destroy the last gun emplacement, the Combaticons merge into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] and start breaking things. He smashes through the transports turbine and break into the control room where the Combaticons split and make swift work of the Autobots. Unfortunately though they have the transport in their control, it's badly damaged and going down, and they can do little more than try to control its course as it crashes. Starscream's unimpressed that they managed to destroy half the energon supply in the crash, and when Onslaught talks back, pointing that the Autobots would have gotten all of it if they did nothing and everything going wrong was a result of Starscream's incompetence, Starscream orders the Combaticons arrested.

===Chapter IX: Megatron Returns===
:''Character: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]/Megatron''
In his [[Soundwave's workshop|old workshop]] under the gladiator pits, Soundwave powers up the assembly systems so he can put Megatron's salvaged body back together. With the help of his minions, he manages to get Megatron back in one piece and uses an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to bring his master back to life. Megatron's enraged by the news Starscream is in charge and, grabbing his cannon, heads out to confront his former lieutenant. He arrives, naturally, in the middle of Starscream's coronation. Starscream sets the assembled Decepticons onto their former leader, but as Megatron points out, he was practically forged in these arenas. Once he finishes with the many, many Decepticons, he blasts Starscream who flees. Onslaught offers to chase them down, but Megatron doesn't consider him a threat and has other plans. As the Decepticons move a huge statue of him into pride of place, Megatron meets with Shockwave who has deciphered the ancient technology to open wormholes and located a suitably energy rich planet for them to plunder. Megatron boards a drop ship and heads for the crater where [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] crashed with the intention of recovering the giant Decepticon's power core. Unfortunately his drop ship is shot down on the way.

===Chapter X: The Final Countdown===
:''Character: Megatron''
Jumping clear of the ship, Megatron notes that the Autobots have installed anti-aircraft defenses. Once the Decepticons assault the facility and take it over, Soundwave detects a power source nearby—the Autobots are using Trypticon's power core as an energy source, which left Megatron impressed by their rather bold choice. Megatron goes on to investigate and takes out the defenses surrounding the main compound before calling in Bruticus to clear a path. The Combiner makes short work of the remaining Autobots and holds the massive doors open so Megatron can enter. After emptying the main compound of Autobots, he enters the main building where some Autobots are reporting to Optimus. Megatron slags them and makes it clear he blames Optimus for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s depleted state. The Autobots redouble their attempts to keep Megatron away, but as he gets closer to Trypticon, he realizes that the Autobots haven't removed the power core—Trypticon is still functional. Fighting through more Autobot defenses, including a titan, Megatron gets to Trypticon's legs and finds they've been bound. A few shots of Megatron's cannon free them. Trypticon's torso is similarly easy to find, with a little help from Laserbeak. Once Megatron breaks Trypticon's bonds, Soundwave arrives and hacks the computer while Megatron smashes the Autobots attacking them. Trypticon, however, is still badly damaged. Megatron informs Trypticon that he failed to destroy the Autobots and will be rebuilt into a new form—the ''Nemesis''.

[[File:FOC-theonecalledGrimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted."]]

===Chapter XI: Starscream's Betrayal===
:''Characters: Decepticon trooper/Starscream/Grimlock''
As the Nemesis nears launch, the Decepticons are roused by an alarm as someone tries to hack Shockwave's data logs. A trooper and his friend are sent to check the main server. As the two troopers enter the server, they discuss Starscream's humiliating defeat, only for Starscream himself to decloak and flatten them. Hoping to build an army of his own, Starscream analyzes the data logs and discovers that Shockwave's latest experiments are imprisoned within the tower. He uses EMP detpaks to take out the security towers providing the defenses, which knocks out the [[force field]]s protecting the maintenance shafts. Flying inside, he finds Shockwave experimenting on Grimlock with [[Hardshell]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], and [[Sharpshot]]. Once they leave, Starscream drops into the lab and informs Grimlock he'll be set free if he pledges allegiance to the Air Commander. Grimlock responds that he can free himself, then throws Starscream into a wall. Grimlock's surgically altered body leaves him confused and unable to transform, and before long he searches for [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] by smashing everything in his path. He finds Swoop, only to be confronted by a hologram of Shockwave, who has predicted this move. After destroying all the Decepticons in the lab, he solves the problem of freeing Swoop by smashing more things. Swoop reveals that he has gained a new [[alternate mode]], although Grimlock still cannot transform. The pair search for the rest of their team, and discover more of Shockwave's experiments—Insecticons in tubes—and Swoop remembers where [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] is. Unfortunately Hardshell is waiting for them with some artillery, and Grimlock has to throw fuel pods at him until the ship's destroyed. Grimlock holds the Insecticon up to the optical scanner so they can progress. When they reach the surgical lab, it's totally trashed and there's a big hole in the floor. Grimlock and Swoop jump in.

[[File:FOC-Grimlockspacetrex.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|"There are times that I feel the primal part of me... pulling me away."]]

===Chapter XII: Grimlock Smash===
:''Character: Grimlock/Swoop''
Beneath the lab, the ground gives way under Grimlock, dropping him into a tunnel, and he decides they'll split up to find Slug. He soon finds the area is infested with Insecticons. Shockwave's voice rings out, telling Grimlock that he has yet to fulfill his full potential and transform, and Kickback has volunteered to help. The Insecticon taunts Grimlock and unleashes a huge "bruiser" Insecticon to fight him, causing Grimlock to get angry enough to finally change into his new ''T. rex'' alternate mode. Kickback decides discretion is the better part of not being slagged, but before he can escape, the door crashes down on him as Slug enters. Slug relates the news that Sludge didn't make it out of the caves, and [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]'s been taken by Shockwave for "extensive testing". As they step outside where Swoop is waiting, they see Shockwave's [[space bridge]] tower firing up. They soon track down Snarl being guarded by Sharpshot and squash his captor. Searching for a place to take shelter and patch up Snarl, they find an observatory and Slug discovers Shockwave's plans to open a space bridge portal. They contact Optimus, who orders Grimlock to return to base, but Grimlock insists on taking the space bridge himself. With Swoop's help, he flies to the tower and fights his way through more Decepticons until he finds Shockwave working. As he goes to attack Shockwave, he's seized by energy chains, while Shockwave reports to Megatron that all is ready. Grimlock switches to dino mode to break free and rips Shockwave's arm off before bashing the space bridge which explodes. Back in Autobot City, the Autobots note that Megatron's portal is becoming unstable and decide they must urgently launch. Metroplex offers whatever spark energy he has left, which allows the Autobots to launch the Ark, at the cost of Metroplex's life.

===Chapter XIII: Till All Are One===
:''Characters: Soundwave/Jetfire/Bruticus/Jazz/Optimus/Megatron''
The ''Nemesis'' draws close to the ''Ark'' as it nears the portal. Megatron orders Soundwave to lead the first wave of the assault. Soundwave rides a tow cable over and, with the help of Rumble and Laserbeak, neutralizes the Ark's cannons. The Decepticons begin their assault en masse. [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] flies outside and severs the tow cables, but even though he's successful, Bruticus flies right past him and lands on the hull of the ''Ark''. After smashing his way through the Autobot defenses, he busts the ship's main energon tank. Jetfire raises the alarm, and Jazz responds. He tries grappling onto Bruticus and shooting the giant in the face, but with the help of Jetfire and an EMP mine, the Autobots hit Bruticus with a series of air strikes, sending him flying off into space. Elsewhere, Bumblebee jumps in the path of Megatron's shot, saving Optimus. Enraged, Optimus punches Megatron across the hull and they face off once again. Their fight is eventually interrupted by the unstable space bridge portal sucking them and both starships in before closing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] ([[Jamieson Price]])
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]] <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/26/play-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-multiplayer-on-july-31 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - G1 Optimus Vignette]</ref>
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/transformers-video-game-discussion/27314578d1345329191-full-game-being-played-live-right-now-um.jpg]</ref>
'''Dinobots'''
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] ([[Mark Allan Stewart]])
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (Sam Riegel)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
**[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] (Nolan North)
**[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
**[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
**[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
'''Insecticons'''
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Hardshell]]
|h3=Non-Player|c3=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]]*
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]*
*[[Heavy Soldier]]*
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]*
*[[Leaper]]*
*[[Guardian (FOC)|Guardian]]*
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruiser
*Insecticon Spitter
'''Other'''
*Soldiers*
*Rocket Soldiers*
*Shotgunners*
*[[Flier (WFC)|Fliers]]*
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]*
*Scrappers*
*Sharpshooters*
*[[Lever Transformer]]
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Denotes a character who speaks (or squawks), but is credited as "Additional Voices". 

==Quotes==
"Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime"
:—'''Metroplex''' assures Optimus that he's not there to render him into his component molecules.

"All we want is to leave!" 
"No one leaves without ''my'' permission!" 
"''I wasn't asking''." 
:—What '''Optimus Prime''' thought would be the last time he would have to tell '''Megatron''' how it was.

"Cliffjumper, you catch any of that?" 
"You mean the screaming, the horror, followed by more screaming?" 
"Uh, yeah, that'd be it."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Cliffjumper''' discuss what they heard from Sludge's memory core.

"Ungh! This lever is heavy! Couldn't they just make it a button?"
:—'''Vortex''' makes a valid point.

"Ugh, great, it's spooky dark down here!" 
"{{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%3F|You're afraid of the dark}}?!" 
"Well, it does make it hard to see!" 
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Brawl''' bicker like a bunch of kids.

"Seriously?! We're still trying to stop this thing with drop ships? I haven't stopped the AA guns yet!" 
"Think of this as an encouragement to HURRY THE SCRAP UP!"
:—'''Swindle''' and '''Onslaught'''

"Always tinkering, aren't you, Shockwave? Must be quite the test!" 
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing Shockwave and the Insecticons discuss experiments on Grimlock.

"Nothing feels right... Hard to think."
:—'''Grimlock''', shortly after breaking free.

"I remember you, Grimlock. Do you remember me? Me? Me?" 
"''Kickback''..."
:—'''Kickback''' taunts '''Grimlock''' to provoke him into transforming.

'''Kickback''': Time for me to take my leave! 
''[Slug knocks the door down on Kickback]'' 
'''Slug''': Excuse me.
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Never gets old]], '''Slug'''.

'''Slug''': You cut through those guys like they were [[Beryllium baloney|Beryllium Bologna]]! 
'''Grimlock''': You mean [[Cesium salami|Cesium Salami]]! 
'''Slug''': No...Beryllium Bologna! 
'''Grimlock''': Cesium Salami!
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Again with this argument, guys?]]

"You're weak, Optimus. You run when you should fight!"
:—'''Grimlock''' gives Optimus a piece of his mind.

"Pathetic! This is the so called Ark? The Autobots have placed all of their hopes on a glorified cargo hauler!"
:—'''Megatron''' gives his two cents about the Ark.

"No problem! It slices, it dices!"
:—'''Bruticus''', your Swindle's showing.

"After eons of conflict, I finally see the truth of your words, Megatron." 
"And what might that be, Optimus?" 
''[Megatron swings his sword, only for Optimus to stop his strike]'' 
"This universe, no matter how vast, will never be big enough for you and I to coexist. " 
''[Optimus punches Megatron across the Ark]'' 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tells '''Megatron''' that he's done holding back.

==Gameplay==
Like ''War for Cybertron'', this game is an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter. The player has access to a range of weapons split between light and heavy and can carry one of each class at a time. As one would expect from a ''Transformers'' game, the player character can also transform to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which provides more maneuverability and in some cases the power of flight. Whereas in the previous game, characters had two abilities that were charged up by shooting opponents, each character now has "dash" and a unique ability that works on a time recharge. Abilities include Vortex's shockwave, Cliffjumper's cloaking, and Optimus Prime's ability to order a missile strike.

While ''War for Cybertron'' had three-bot teams in each campaign level, with the user playing as their choice of the three, ''Fall of Cybertron'' instead follows a single character at a time, though the character often teams up with other NPCs. This allows levels to be tailored to the player character's special abilities, such as Jazz's level having plenty of places to use his grapple, and Megatron's levels having places which are only reachable by hovering. The player will sometimes also automatically switch between characters as the narrative demands.

''Fall of Cybertron'' introduces an upgrade mechanic. The player collects energon from defeated opponents which they can use at [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] machines scattered throughout the levels to buy character upgrades, T.E.C.H. items such as [[C.L.U.T.C.H.]] drones, and weapon upgrades. Upgrades carry over between characters, so Megatron gets the benefit of upgrades purchased by Optimus Prime. Collecting the blueprints hidden in each level unlocks more upgrades or weapons. Also hidden throughout the levels are [[Source:Fall of Cybertron audio logs|audio logs]], recordings left by various characters which give extra information or insight into an aspect of the game world. Energon can be used to open [[Armory Recreator]]s, which contain weapons and equipment.

Grimlock's sections alter the game mechanics substantially. He has no ranged attack, relying on melee with his sword. Rather than gaining currency from defeating Decepticons, their deaths fill his "rage meter", eventually allowing him to transform to his dino mode that lets him use his [[fire-breath]] and jaws to wreak more havoc. Similarly, Bruticus behaves like a melee brawler, fighting with a mix of weaponry like Vortex's propellers, a flamethrower, and the [[Sonic Pain Wave]].

===Multiplayer===
Fall of Cybertron follows War for Cybertron's tradition in having a fleshed-out, online multiplayer mode. The general idea is the same, but quite a number of gameplay elements have been added, removed, or altered. For example, vehicle mode abilities have been removed, but every character has the ability to dash. Weapons are also exclusive to each class and can't be wielded by other players.

Players can create custom characters to participate in the regular multiplayer mode. Customization options are greatly expanded from the previous game: Individual heads, bodies/[[Alternate mode|alt-modes]], shoulders, arms, legs, and wheels can be selected, all based on existing character models. The color palette is also expanded, and players can alter the shininess of characters and choose from three different voices per faction.

Characters level up by performing well in battle. Completing challenges will also yield experience points. Class weapons and abilities become unlocked by reaching certain levels. Reaching level 25 in every class unlocks "Prime Mode," which resets all experience points and challenges and gives the player a cool spinny icon next to their name. Reaching level 25 for all classes in Prime Mode grants the player access to "Elite" heads, which are 4 heads per class, and are the most iconic character of the class (Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream and Megatron) with a crown.

Finally, [[Energon shard]]s can be gained along with experience points and can be spent on custom body parts and decals.

;Classes
The four classes return, with some alterations:
*[[Infiltrator (FOC)|Infiltrators]] - Cars. Fast, with an emphasis on stealth. Replaces the [[Scout (WFC)|Scout]] class.
*[[Destroyer (FOC)|Destroyers]] - Trucks. Mixture of defensive and offensive abilities, with emphasis on explosions. Replaces the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader]] class.
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titans]] - Tanks. Huge health and defense, heavy weapons. Replaces the [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier]] class.
*[[Scientist (WFC)|Scientists]] - Jets. Great speed, no armor, emphasis on healing and buffer abilities.

;Playlists
*Team Death Match - [[Fred Tatasciore|''ELIMINATE THE ENEMY TEAM!'']] Kills count as points for the player's team, and 40 points are required to win on default settings.
*Conquest - There are 3 nodes, A, B and C. Team members wait at nodes to fill a bar and capture the node, and all teams are competing constantly for the nodes. The possession of a node adds points, and the rate at which points are added is increased based on how many nodes the team has. The match ends once a team reaches 400 points.
*Headhunter - This match is very similar to Team Deathmatch, except killed enemies drop their [[Spark]]. Players must pick up these sparks and return them to teamless nodes to gain a point per spark. These nodes occasionally move, the approaching change signaled by beacons that mark their location, which flash when nodes are about to move.
*Capture the Flag - Both teams have flags in their base. Players must protect their own flag and capture the enemy flag. Each capture grants a point, and the amount of points required for a team to win is 3.
* Deathmatch: Kill opponents to win. It's a free-for-all. (Check the notes)

;Teletraan-1
The signature Autobot computer here lets the player sift through global player rankings and see the challenges they have completed. Prime Mode is also activated through this menu.

;Escalation
Up to 4 players face off against increasingly difficult waves. Once the players finish wave 15, the game ends and the players are scored on how many kills, deaths, and energon chips they collected throughout the match.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Fall of Cybertron''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy name'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''PS Trophy'''
|-
|[[File:FoC_Exodus.png|60px]]
| The Exodus
| Complete Chapter I
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Defend_Ark.png‎|60px]]
| Defend the Ark
| Complete Chapter II
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Metroplex_Heeds_Call.png‎|60px]]
| Metroplex Heeds the Call
| Complete Chapter III
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Eye_of_Storm.png|60px]]
| Eye of the Storm
| Complete Chapter IV
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cut_and_Run.png|60px]]
| Cut and Run
| Complete Chapter V
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Death_From_Above.png|60px]]
| Death from Above
| Complete Chapter VI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Belly_of_Beast.png|60px]]
| Belly of the Beast
| Complete Chapter VII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Combaticons_Combine.png|60px]]
| Combaticons Combine!
| Complete Chapter VIII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Megatron_Returns.png|60px]]
| Megatron Returns
| Complete Chapter IX
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Final_Countdown.png|60px]]
| The Final Countdown
| Complete Chapter X
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Starscream's_Betrayal.png|60px]]
| Starscream's Betrayal
| Complete Chapter XI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Grimlock_Smash.png|60px]]
| Grimlock Smash
| Complete Chapter XII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Optimus.png|60px]]
| [['Til all are one|Till All Are One]] - (Optimus Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Optimus (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Megatron.png|60px]]
| Till All Are One - (Megatron Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Megatron (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Battle_is_Far_From_Over.png‎|60px]]
| [[The battle is far from over!|The Battle is Far From Over!]]
| Complete Campaign - Easy
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_More_Than_Meets_The_Eye.png|60px]]
| [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More Than Meets the Eye]]
| Complete Campaign - Normal
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_All_Hail_You.png|60px]]
| [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail You!]]
| Complete Campaign - Hard
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Last_Stand.png|60px]]
| [[The Last Stand]]
| Chapter II: Save two Autobots when Optimus is downed by the first Leaper
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Carnage_in_C_Major.png|60px]]
| [[Carnage in C-Minor|Carnage in C-Major]]
| Chapter III: Take out a cluster of five Decepticons using Metroplex's Air Strike
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Invisibility_Spray.png|60px]]
| [[Invisibility spray|Invisibility Spray]]
| Chapter IV: Sneak through the Trash Compactor Facility undetected
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Target_Master_2.0.png‎|60px]]
| [[Targetmaster (technology)|Target Master]] 2.0
| Chapter V: Shoot a Sniper out of the air with a scoped weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Car_Wash_of_Doom.png|60px]]
| [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Car Wash of Doom]]
| Chapter VI: Destroy all of the homing mines chasing Blast Off before they self destruct
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Club_a_Con.png|60px]]
| [[Club Con!]]
| Chapter VII: Ram a jet (on the ground or in the air)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Fusilateral_Quintrocombiner.png|60px]]
| [[Swarm (issue)|Fusilateral Quintrocombiner]]
| Chapter VIII: Melee an enemy through the goal post
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_I_Robot_Master.png|60px]]
| [[I, Robot-Master!|I, Robot Master]]
| Chapter IX: Destroy all images of Starscream and his Statues
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_The_Harder_They_Die.png|60px]]
| [[...The Harder They Die!|The Harder They Die]]
| Chapter X: Kill five Autobots with a single hover slam attack
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Internal_Affairs.png|60px]]
| [[Internal Affairs!]]
| Chapter XI: Hack all of the security terminals before the Decepticons can activate them
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Slap_Grimlock.png|60px]]
| Slap the Grimlock
| Chapter XII: Kill a Leaper in the air with an explosive barrel
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Monacus_Spender.png|60px]]
| [[Monacus]] Spender
| Spend 250,000 Energon in the Teletraan-1 store
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconstructor.png‎|60px]]
| Reconstructor
| Fully upgrade one weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Master_Builder.png|60px]]
| [[The Master Builders (episode)|Master Builder]]
| Fully upgrade all weapons
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Teletraan_1_Regular.png|60px]]
| [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] Regular
| Rate all weapons, weapon upgrades, and equipment
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Chop_Shop.png|60px]]
| [[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]]
| Purchase all weapons and perks
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Beachcomber.png|60px]]
| [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
| Collect all blueprints
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cassetticon_Audiophile.png|60px]]
| [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Cassetticon]] Audiophile
| Collect all audio logs
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Octopunch_Scavenger.png|60px]]
| [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] Scavenger
| Open fifteen Armory Recreators in Campaign or Escalation
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconfiguration_Matrix.png|60px]]
| [[Reconfiguration Matrix]]
| Create a custom character in Multiplayer
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Headmaster.png|60px]]
| [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster!]]
| Reach max level in a single class
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_King_of_Scrap_Heap.png‎|60px]]
| King of the Scrap Heap
| Reach max level in all four classes
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_What_Prime_Directive.png‎|60px]]
| What [[Prime Directive]]s?
| Unlock Prime Mode
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Full_Throttle_Scramble.png‎|60px]]
|[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]
| Earn MVP in any game mode during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultimate_Menasor.png|60px]]
| Ultimate [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
| Capture three flags in a single CTF game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Moonbase_One.png‎|60px]]
| [[Moonbase One]]
| Personally capture all 3 nodes in a conquest game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ballistic_Energon_Goodie.png|60px]]
| Ballistic Energon Goodie
| Return five heads at once in a headhunter game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Heavy_Metal_War.png|60px]]
| [[Heavy Metal War]]
| Kill 6 different opposing players in a TDM game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Robotopossum.png‎|60px]]
| [[Roboto-possum|Robotopossum]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ignition)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Maccadams_Old_Oil_House.png|60px]]
| [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (DownFall)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Space_Pirates.png|60px]]
| [[Space Pirates!]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Oblivion)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Rust_Marks.png|60px]]
| Rust Marks
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ancients)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultra_Power_Master.png|60px]]
| Ultra [[Powermaster|Power Master]]
| Spend 100,000 credits in Escalation
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Vector_Sigma_Victory.png|60px]]
| [[Vector Sigma]] Victory
| Unlock All Trophies
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
|}

==Transformers references==
Aside from the obvious G1 inspired character designs, the game has some references to previous iterations of Transformers, a number of them from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]].

* Most of the achievements and trophies are named in homage to Generation 1, such as characters, cartoon episodes, [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] issues, and more. Due to the sheer number, we have opted to list them in the achievement list above instead.
* Soundwave does a short impression of a light fixture.
* Jazz and Cliffjumper are paired together, just as they were in the film and in the episode [[Starscream's Brigade]].
* Jazz finds an inscription on a tank in the Sea of Rust that says "IX-XVII-MCMLXXXIV," or the date that "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" first aired.
* During his coronation, Starscream is wearing the same crown his [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 counterpart]] wore in the movie, and the dialogue he has with Megatron during the scene is almost word-for-word as well. He even blasts him in tank mode, though this does not kill him like it did in the movie. The crown can be found in Starscream's level and worn for its duration.
* When Megatron is done killing off soldiers under Starscream's command, Starscream calls Megatron a [[Pretender to the Throne!|pretender to the throne]].
* When Kickback runs to the door, Slug pushes it from outside and the door falls, smashing Kickback to the ground and when Slug sees Kickback under the door, he says "Excuse me!". This is a straight homage to the scene where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] pushes the door and it smashes the [[Quintesson]] prosecutor.
* A secret room can be found in Grimlock's level containing his waiter outfit from "[[Madman's Paradise]]"; upon finding it, Grimlock utters his famous movie quote, "Me Grimlock no bozo, me king." It also contains three swords that resemble the [[Master Sword]] mounted on fixtures around the room.
* After defeating a group of Insecticons, Slug says that Grimlock tore through them like they were "[[beryllium baloney]]", but Grimlock says "[[cesium salami]]", mirroring the scene where their Generation 1 counterparts argue on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]].
* In an audio log left by [[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]], the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is described as [[Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor]], a term which originated in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]].
* The five [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s are originally grouped together as the "[[Lightning Strike Coalition]]", the name of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s breakaway Autobot faction in "[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages]]". On that note, the Coalition's logo serves as the difficulty symbols.
* The [[Path Blaster]] is named for the [[Pathblaster]] from "[[Time Wars]]". One of its modifications is named for Generation 1 episode "[[The Gambler]]" and involves the use of [[Destronium]], a substance introduced in ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
* The [[Riot Cannon]]'s "Planet Buster" modification is likewise named after the [[Planet Buster]] that appeared in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
* The [[neutron assault rifle]]'s special modification is the "P.O.K.E. Beta"—not the first [[Punch of Kill Everything]] reference in the game series.
* One of the corrosive slime cannon's modifications for multiplayer is the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] Disperser.
* Other weapon modifications available include [[tachyon transmitter]], [[fireblast]], [[turbo booster]]s, [[unspace|transwarp]] ballistics, and [[R-infinity accelerator|R-Infinity]] finders.
* Bruticus's special attack is the [[Sonic Pain Wave]], one of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s weapons.
* When Cliffjumper is accessing the Teletraan-1 store one of the random phrases apologizes for not being able to provide [[glass gas]], the unique weapon of G1 [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. The Glass Gas Cannon is awarded, however, after beating the main campaign.
* In Chapter IX, playing as Megatron after his awakening Soundwave says "Less talk, more work", quoting the G1 episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]".
As part of the expanding [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]], ''Fall of Cybertron'' also incorporates thematic and visual references to the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' television series:
* Bumblebee's voice circuits/vocal processor having been damaged prior to the story's beginning, essentially rendering him mute.
* Optimus Prime's [[Path Blaster|rifle]] design, which was described by [[High Moon Studios]] as being an earlier version of the rifles Optimus uses in the ''Prime'' television series.
* Optimus being referred to as having been a librarian named Orion Pax and Megatron having been a gladiator from Kaon named Megatronus.
* Cliffjumper's head design and Megatron's reformatted/rebuilt body design.
* Dark Energon's power to revive the dead is an aspect from the ''Prime'' television series that was not seen in the previous game, ''War For Cybertron''.
* Trypticon being reformatted into the ''Nemesis''.
* The discovery that there were [[Ancient]]s who had traveled to other planets, particularly Earth.
* One of the weapons is called an [[Energon Harvester]].

==PC version notes==
Initially, developer High Moon Studios commented (as late as [[BotCon 2012]] on the end of April of that year) that there would not be a Windows PC version of ''Fall for Cybertron'' due to their own lack of experience with the PC platform and the criticism the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'' had received. However, shortly before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2012 in early June, publisher Activision announced a PC version of the game, to be developed by [[Mercenary Technology]], a new studio formed by "veterans of the industry".

The PC version of ''Fall of Cybertron'' improves upon the console versions of ''Fall'' (and indeed the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'') by featuring higher quality graphics, higher resolution textures, runs at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second (versus 30 frames for the console version). Unfortunately, as is standard in most console game ports, the graphical settings are lacking and the controls cannot be reset/rebound.

Even with these pros and cons, there is still a number of changes from the console and PC versions, such as:
* The main menu background in the PC version is a still image, rather than the long, beautiful cutscene file that is used in the console versions. The cutscene is unused in the PC files, but there currently is no way to put it back in the game.
* The VGA trailer isn't in the PC version of the game. It's not selectable in the Movies section of the Extras menu, not played when you idle on the main menu long enough, and isn't in any of the PC version files. This issue isn't present in the console versions, so that's a complete bummer!
* Jetfire's mouth doesn't move in the PC version when transitioning to Bruticus in the final level.
* Though the prompts appear, you cannot pet Laserbeak in the PC version.

==Notes==
* This game, like its predecessor, plays a Stan Bush song at the end, this time being a slightly modified version of "[[The Touch]]", using elements from both the 2007 and 2009 versions to create a unique hybrid of the two. Soundwave plays it, while Bumblebee dances "The Carlton Dance," made famous by {{w|Alfonso Ribeiro}} on ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', which is also performed in the game by the [[Lever Transformer]] hidden in Chapter V.
* One of the unlocks for beating the game is the Glass Gas Cannon, however, Teletraan still tells Cliffjumper during replays that it is not available.
* In Chapter VIII, a {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Bruticus is attacking the Autobots.
* If Grimlock is recreated in any multiplayer mode, his T-rex alt mode will function differently than the campaign mode, behaving more like a typical vehicle mode.
* In an unfortunate oversight, the downloadable demo for the game is the first section of Chapter VI, in which one can find an audio log that blows the surprise of Megatron's death earlier in the game. Oops.
* Sludge's model is noted to have been set up for skeletal deformation; which would only be needed if the character had needed to transform in-game. The model also sports beast kibble, so Sludge may have initially had a bigger role in the story mode than what he had in the final game; either that, or he was intended to be a usable model in Multiplayer.
* Unlike its predecessor ''War for Cybertron'', ''Fall of Cybertron'' has not been dubbed in languages other than English.
* Some backstory elements are expanded upon in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Logs]] for the iPhone.
* The [[2011]] cinematic trailer for the game features the song "The Humbling River" by {{w|Puscifer}}. The [[2012]] trailers feature a cover by The EverLove of the song "{{w|Cities in Dust}}" (originally written by {{w|Siouxsie and the Banshees}}).

==Errors==
*When Soundwave looks at Megatron's arm after he has been crushed by Metroplex, it is in the design of his upgraded body from later in the game, rather than the original one he just had.
*When Shockwave speaks to Grimlock just when the latter comes in to rescue Swoop, the subtitles say, "your attempt to "'you'" rescue your friend was easily predicted."

==External links==
*[https://www.transformersgame.com/ Official Website]
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/10/06/november-cover-revealed-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx November cover revealed: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/07/transformers-high-moon-studios-tour.aspx Transformers: High Moon Studio tour] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/10/fall-of-cybertron-the-new-optimus-prime.aspx Fall of Cybertron: The New Optimus Prime] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/games/transformers_fall_of_cybertron/b/xbox360/archive/2011/10/14/grimlock-rises-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-teaser-trailer.aspx Grimlock Rises In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Teaser Trailer] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/12/behind-the-crosshairs-the-weapons-of-transformers.aspx Behind the Crosshairs: The Weapons of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4ECyCExeg Fall of Cybertron Teaser 01] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/13/the-illustrated-tour-of-cybertron.aspx The Illustrated Tour of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/17/directing-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Story And Direction Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/19/animating-the-transformers.aspx Animating The Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/20/clever-devils-the-enemies-and-ai-of-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Enemies & AI Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/21/transformers-resurrecting-the-dinobots.aspx Transformers: Resurrecting The Dinobots] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/24/fall-of-cybertron-deep-character-dive-jazz.aspx Fall Of Cybertron Deep Character Dive: Jazz] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/the-transformers-timeline.aspx The Transformers Timeline] @ Game Informer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/28/creating-the-sounds-of-the-transformers.aspx Creating The Soundscape Of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/31/larger-than-life-designing-transformer-s-set-piece-moments.aspx Larger Than Life: Designing Fall of Cybertron's Set Piece Moments] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/11/02/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-gameplay-roundtable.aspx Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Gameplay Roundtable] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/podcasts/archive/2011/11/03/tfse.aspx Special Edition Podcast: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsINYfFG5Q Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Teaser Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3E358n7pcI Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gamespot.com/videos/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-official-trailer/2300-6368583/ Fall of Cybertron Official Gameplay Trailer] @ GameSpot

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall of Cybertron}}
[[Category:Aligned video games]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron| ]]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)

2023-12-07T04:33:55Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Nav-foc}}
{{videogame
|prev=Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
|next=Transformers: Exiles
|title=''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''
|image=Fall of Cybertron PC cover.jpg‎
|caption=[[Ron Perlman|War. War never changes]].
|developer=[[High Moon Studios]] (console), [[Mercenary Technology]] (PC) Funlabs (Next Gen port)
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|writtenby=[[Dan Jolley]]
|date=[[August 21]], [[2012]] [[August 8]], [[2016]] (XB1, PS4)
|platform=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
}}
'''''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''''' is a direct sequel to the 2010 game ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' that was released on [[August 21]], [[2012]]. Published by [[Activision]] and developed by [[High Moon Studios]] (with the PC version being handled by [[Mercenary Technology]]), the game is a continuation of the events of ''War for Cybertron''. It explores the [[Autobot]]s' attempts to escape from a rapidly deteriorating [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', as well as the gradual downfall and collapse of the remnants of Cybertronian society. A side story also focuses on the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].

Considerably darker in tone than its predecessor, the game begins with [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] outright conceding defeat to the [[Decepticon]]s, who are in no better straits than their enemies. The story does not shy away from the grim realities of a dying planet and its inhabitants who cope with it. Characters grieve their losses, be it their home or their comrades. Both sides are depicted resorting to extremes just to keep fighting another day, and all hope seems lost. Yet a critical discovery by [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] may light the way for the [[Transformer]] species to a new era and hope; provided they can survive the fall of Cybertron.

{{quote|This terrible war will reach its end. Not because [['Til all are one|all have finally become one]]. But simply, I fear, because all have become ''none''.|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]}}

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Exodus===
:''Character: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]''

The [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]] heads off to the portal which will take them to [[Earth]]. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] invades the ship using the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', sending [[Decepticon]]s over directly to the bridge of the Ark, forcing Bumblebee, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to fight off the aggressors. With more Decepticons swarming the engine room, Optimus heads off to help, leaving Bumblebee to protect the bridge. The artillery cannons are taken offline and the ship blows a [[moleculon fuse|fuse]]. Ratchet sends Bumblebee off to fix it, and after braving nearly being sucked into space, the scout soon replaces the fuse and ascends up a lift to the defense tower. He witnesses Autobots being overrun by a [[Titan (FOC)|Titan]] and then on another level, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] attacking. He reaches the defense mainframe and rushes the Decepticon manning it, reactivating the Ark's guns. The tower is hit by a claw that knocks him down a shaft. With his alternator jarred back into gear, Bumblebee transforms and races through an outer area, avoiding explosions, Decepticon tow cables and large chunks of rubble. He passes [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] having a [[Brawl (WFC)|brawl]] and bringing an [[Onslaught (WFC)|onslaught]] of destruction. He makes it to a stronghold, restocking on ammo, [[energon]] and weapons. He fights his way through a few waves of Decepticons, making his way to the engine room, where Prime and Megatron are doing battle. He pushes through enemy lines, with the help of two Titans, and makes his way to the engine room. There he finds Optimus and Megatron engaging in a fierce melee battle on the hull of the ship, and just as Megatron fires a huge cannon at Optimus, Bumblebee throws himself forwards, taking the shot meant for Prime. As Bumblebee falls, Optimus lifts his body...

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Embrace democracy, or you will be eradicated."]]

===Chapter II: Defend the Ark===
:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Six days earlier, the Autobots are preparing the last transport for launch. [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] reports the energon reserves are aboard, and Perceptor is overseeing city shutdown, only for the news to come that the Decepticons have invaded the city. Optimus tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], as it's his sector the Decepticons have invaded, but gets no answer. As Prime moves to head out, a [[Warp Cannon]] crashes to the ground nearby and targets the Ark. Optimus heads through the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] ruins and enters Autobot City through a side door to find the Autobots trying to get the city stable without the absent Grimlock. After helping Ratchet stabilize a badly-injured [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]], Prime sends [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] to find where Grimlock's disappeared to. At the armory, [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] reports that [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and others are trapped in a nerve center, so he and Optimus fight their way there. After fighting off a horde of Decepticons, they unseal the [[detpak]] from the nerve center door. Sending Warpath back to the Ark, Optimus goes in to meet with Perceptor, who's struggling to get the city working again so they can fight off the Decepticons. He sends Prime to activate an old artillery gun using energon from the Ark, and Prime soon puts the weapon to good use taking out Decepticons. With news that the Warp Cannons are firing on the Ark, Optimus heads to the engine room, but as he moves towards the flight deck, the corridors restructure around him. Decepticons, including [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], have invaded the area, and Optimus finds many bodies, but heads for the [[neutron cannon]]. After fighting his way through more Decepticons, he brings the neutron gun online, but again the targeting is out. Optimus takes manual control and helps defend the Ark refueling station from a number of Decepticon tanks. When the cannon runs out of energon, Optimus heads back inside the city and is guided by a mysterious intelligence to the city's core where he pulls a lever... and the entire city transforms into [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]].

===Chapter III: Metroplex Heeds the Call===

:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Optimus and Metroplex head for the Iacon ruins where the Warp Cannons are located. Once they find the first Warp Cannon, Metroplex laboriously synchronizes his targeting systems with Optimus and together they take out the first cannon. Moving on, Prime helps the survivors of a crashed Autobot ship and finds Warpath in a huge plaza. With the second Warp Cannon shelling them, they head into a building and manage to get close enough to the cannon for Optimus to mark it for destruction by Metroplex. That done, Optimus heads down more corridors and is confronted by three Leapers, which Metroplex handily takes out by putting a fist through the wall. After fighting his way across a huge bridge, Prime gets close enough to the last Warp Cannon to mark it, only for it to take out Metroplex first. With no other choice, Optimus makes his way to the base of the cannon and forces open a door, only to be blasted by Starscream, bashed by Brawl and Onslaught, and dragged in front of Megatron. While Starscream gloats at his victory over Prime, Megatron simply blasts his Air Commander before killing an Autobot in front of the bound Prime. Luckily it turns out Metroplex is back online, and he rips the roof off Megatron's throne room before smashing Megatron into the ground repeatedly with his fist. Starscream pronounces Megatron dead, himself leader and orders the Decepticons back to base. The day is won, but unfortunately all the Autobots' energon is exhausted and they need to find more. Prime believes Grimlock may hold the key, and says Jazz and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] are tracking down their missing comrade.

[[File:FOC-Cliffjumperobservatory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references."]]

===Chapter IV: Eye of the Storm===
:''Character: Cliffjumper''
[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] drops Jazz and Cliffjumper off over the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] in the middle of a rust storm to look for Grimlock. In a ruined base, they find a crashed ship which they recognize as one that was stolen by Grimlock from the base. They soon spot Decepticons moving around and sneak inside the base. As they stealthily make their way through, they overhear some Decepticons discussing [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his "pets". Using a garbage conveyor, Cliffjumper finds himself in an ancient tomb where guardians are roaming around, scanning for Autobots. Jazz reports the rust storm is increasing in intensity outside. Cliffjumper finds a [[ancient map room|huge domed room]] and activates a starmap that shows him an image of [[Earth]]. Continuing through the tomb, Cliffjumper finds more Decepticons, plus sword marks and a trail of destruction he recognizes as Grimlock's work. Eventually he reaches outside again and spots Jazz, but a collapse cuts them off from each other. Cliff hunts through the storm and finds Jazz, freeing his companion from some fallen debris. They soon find more devastation and Jazz detects a faint Autobot distress signal which Cliffjumper tracks to a huge pit, just as the Decepticons seal it. Luckily the two Autobots find a huge bomb they use to blow the pit open and, leaving Cliffjumper behind, Jazz leaps in.

[[File:FOC-Jazzvsinsecticons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary!"]]

===Chapter V: Cut and Run===
:''Character: Jazz''
Jazz reaches the bottom of the pit, where he discovers [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], who has been so badly damaged he's been forced into [[stasis lock]]. The audio he plays back from Sludge's memory is not promising. The meaning of the green pods Jazz spots is clear when he finds himself under attack by the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] horde. He blasts a tank which releases a toxic green gas, and he has to race to escape in time. Escaping the pit, he seals it and pair continue to look for the source of the distress signal. They stumble on a huge lake filled with energon which the Decepticons are mining. They fight their way across the moat to the Decepticon facility where Cliffjumper promptly manages to trip an alarm. Jazz utilizes a network of service tunnels, but creeping down one of them, he falls through a grating and is ambushed. Naturally he fights the Decepticons off and even helps out Cliffjumper who's pinned down by Wall Crawlers and other Decepticons. The pair rendezvous at the other side of the moat and head inside the tower. Within, they find Insecticons in tubes and a map pointing to Earth's solar system. Intriguing! Further in, they find Shockwave arguing with Starscream via hologram. Cliffjumper fails to creep up on Shockwave, who sets a bunch of Insecticons on them before leaving. While Jazz keeps the Insecticons busy, Cliffjumper diverts toxic waste into the refinery to make it overload. The refinery starts to melt down and the pair book out, getting picked up by Sideswipe just in time. Jazz contacts Optimus with the news there's a lake of energon ripe for the taking. The Autobots begin preparing a massive energon transport to take the energon to the Ark.

===Chapter VI: Death from Above===
:''Character: Vortex''
The Decepticons get wind of the Autobot plan, and as the transport heads back with a load of energon, Starscream tasks the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticon]]s with intercepting it and leading it to an ambush. [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] and [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] are sent to clear a short-cut so Brawl can take a dropship and destroy a bridge. They fly through an ancient Autobot city. The pair run into Autobots though, and Blast Off ends up racing ahead, leaving Vortex to fight them. They eventually reach the bridge, but when Brawl shells it, they find it's shielded. Vortex deactivates the shielding, allowing Brawl to take out the side supports. The central support is a little trickier, and Brawl has to blow a hole in it so Vortex can get in to find the shield controls. After fighting more Autobots, including a Titan, Vortex uses a detpak on the central support and races out as the bridge collapses.

===Chapter VII: Belly of the Beast===
:''Character: Swindle''
Starscream springs his ambush on the transport, but the transport's defenses blast them. Onslaught exasperatedly sends [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] under the transport to try to stop it. Swindle takes out the rear wheels and heads to the front, using his grapple to avoid the deadly acid pools, and takes out the front wheels. This unleashes a pair of titans which he has to destroy. However just as victory looks certain, the transport's wheels convert into jets. As the transport takes to the air, Swindle grapples on board.

[[File:FOC-Bruticus-Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Get the Fat Man! I'll try to keep him busy!"]]

===Chapter VIII: Combaticons Combine!===
:''Character: Swindle/Bruticus''
Within the transport, Swindle begins heading through the transport, aiming to take out the anti-aircraft defenses so the other Combaticons can come over in their drop ship. He blows a hole in an exterior wall and starts making his way along the side of the transport. Starscream announces he's calling off the assault, but is corrected by Onslaught, who still believes they can pull it off. Swindle finds the anti-aircraft cannons can be destroyed by simply shooting the shells being fed into them, so he does that, then moves around to the other side of the ship. Unfortunately the Autobots are wise to what the Decepticons are doing and destroy the controls for the shell feed shields so Swindle can't deactivate them. Onslaught brings the drop ship around, and Swindle hops on. Once he uses the top turret to destroy the last gun emplacement, the Combaticons merge into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] and start breaking things. He smashes through the transports turbine and break into the control room where the Combaticons split and make swift work of the Autobots. Unfortunately though they have the transport in their control, it's badly damaged and going down, and they can do little more than try to control its course as it crashes. Starscream's unimpressed that they managed to destroy half the energon supply in the crash, and when Onslaught talks back, pointing that the Autobots would have gotten all of it if they did nothing and everything going wrong was a result of Starscream's incompetence, Starscream orders the Combaticons arrested.

===Chapter IX: Megatron Returns===
:''Character: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]/Megatron''
In his [[Soundwave's workshop|old workshop]] under the gladiator pits, Soundwave powers up the assembly systems so he can put Megatron's salvaged body back together. With the help of his minions, he manages to get Megatron back in one piece and uses an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to bring his master back to life. Megatron's enraged by the news Starscream is in charge and, grabbing his cannon, heads out to confront his former lieutenant. He arrives, naturally, in the middle of Starscream's coronation. Starscream sets the assembled Decepticons onto their former leader, but as Megatron points out, he was practically forged in these arenas. Once he finishes with the many, many Decepticons, he blasts Starscream who flees. Onslaught offers to chase them down, but Megatron doesn't consider him a threat and has other plans. As the Decepticons move a huge statue of him into pride of place, Megatron meets with Shockwave who has deciphered the ancient technology to open wormholes and located a suitably energy rich planet for them to plunder. Megatron boards a drop ship and heads for the crater where [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] crashed with the intention of recovering the giant Decepticon's power core. Unfortunately his drop ship is shot down on the way.

===Chapter X: The Final Countdown===
:''Character: Megatron''
Jumping clear of the ship, Megatron notes that the Autobots have installed anti-aircraft defenses. Once the Decepticons assault the facility and take it over, Soundwave detects a power source nearby—the Autobots are using Trypticon's power core as an energy source, which left Megatron impressed by their rather bold choice. Megatron goes on to investigate and takes out the defenses surrounding the main compound before calling in Bruticus to clear a path. The Combiner makes short work of the remaining Autobots and holds the massive doors open so Megatron can enter. After emptying the main compound of Autobots, he enters the main building where some Autobots are reporting to Optimus. Megatron slags them and makes it clear he blames Optimus for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s depleted state. The Autobots redouble their attempts to keep Megatron away, but as he gets closer to Trypticon, he realizes that the Autobots haven't removed the power core—Trypticon is still functional. Fighting through more Autobot defenses, including a titan, Megatron gets to Trypticon's legs and finds they've been bound. A few shots of Megatron's cannon free them. Trypticon's torso is similarly easy to find, with a little help from Laserbeak. Once Megatron breaks Trypticon's bonds, Soundwave arrives and hacks the computer while Megatron smashes the Autobots attacking them. Trypticon, however, is still badly damaged. Megatron informs Trypticon that he failed to destroy the Autobots and will be rebuilt into a new form—the ''Nemesis''.

[[File:FOC-theonecalledGrimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted."]]

===Chapter XI: Starscream's Betrayal===
:''Characters: Decepticon trooper/Starscream/Grimlock''
As the Nemesis nears launch, the Decepticons are roused by an alarm as someone tries to hack Shockwave's data logs. A trooper and his friend are sent to check the main server. As the two troopers enter the server, they discuss Starscream's humiliating defeat, only for Starscream himself to decloak and flatten them. Hoping to build an army of his own, Starscream analyzes the data logs and discovers that Shockwave's latest experiments are imprisoned within the tower. He uses EMP detpaks to take out the security towers providing the defenses, which knocks out the [[force field]]s protecting the maintenance shafts. Flying inside, he finds Shockwave experimenting on Grimlock with [[Hardshell]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], and [[Sharpshot]]. Once they leave, Starscream drops into the lab and informs Grimlock he'll be set free if he pledges allegiance to the Air Commander. Grimlock responds that he can free himself, then throws Starscream into a wall. Grimlock's surgically altered body leaves him confused and unable to transform, and before long he searches for [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] by smashing everything in his path. He finds Swoop, only to be confronted by a hologram of Shockwave, who has predicted this move. After destroying all the Decepticons in the lab, he solves the problem of freeing Swoop by smashing more things. Swoop reveals that he has gained a new [[alternate mode]], although Grimlock still cannot transform. The pair search for the rest of their team, and discover more of Shockwave's experiments—Insecticons in tubes—and Swoop remembers where [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] is. Unfortunately Hardshell is waiting for them with some artillery, and Grimlock has to throw fuel pods at him until the ship's destroyed. Grimlock holds the Insecticon up to the optical scanner so they can progress. When they reach the surgical lab, it's totally trashed and there's a big hole in the floor. Grimlock and Swoop jump in.

[[File:FOC-Grimlockspacetrex.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|"There are times that I feel the primal part of me... pulling me away."]]

===Chapter XII: Grimlock Smash===
:''Character: Grimlock/Swoop''
Beneath the lab, the ground gives way under Grimlock, dropping him into a tunnel, and he decides they'll split up to find Slug. He soon finds the area is infested with Insecticons. Shockwave's voice rings out, telling Grimlock that he has yet to fulfill his full potential and transform, and Kickback has volunteered to help. The Insecticon taunts Grimlock and unleashes a huge "bruiser" Insecticon to fight him, causing Grimlock to get angry enough to finally change into his new ''T. rex'' alternate mode. Kickback decides discretion is the better part of not being slagged, but before he can escape, the door crashes down on him as Slug enters. Slug relates the news that Sludge didn't make it out of the caves, and [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]'s been taken by Shockwave for "extensive testing". As they step outside where Swoop is waiting, they see Shockwave's [[space bridge]] tower firing up. They soon track down Snarl being guarded by Sharpshot and squash his captor. Searching for a place to take shelter and patch up Snarl, they find an observatory and Slug discovers Shockwave's plans to open a space bridge portal. They contact Optimus, who orders Grimlock to return to base, but Grimlock insists on taking the space bridge himself. With Swoop's help, he flies to the tower and fights his way through more Decepticons until he finds Shockwave working. As he goes to attack Shockwave, he's seized by energy chains, while Shockwave reports to Megatron that all is ready. Grimlock switches to dino mode to break free and rips Shockwave's arm off before bashing the space bridge which explodes. Back in Autobot City, the Autobots note that Megatron's portal is becoming unstable and decide they must urgently launch. Metroplex offers whatever spark energy he has left, which allows the Autobots to launch the Ark, at the cost of Metroplex's life.

===Chapter XIII: Till All Are One===
:''Characters: Soundwave/Jetfire/Bruticus/Jazz/Optimus/Megatron''
The ''Nemesis'' draws close to the ''Ark'' as it nears the portal. Megatron orders Soundwave to lead the first wave of the assault. Soundwave rides a tow cable over and, with the help of Rumble and Laserbeak, neutralizes the Ark's cannons. The Decepticons begin their assault en masse. [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] flies outside and severs the tow cables, but even though he's successful, Bruticus flies right past him and lands on the hull of the ''Ark''. After smashing his way through the Autobot defenses, he busts the ship's main energon tank. Jetfire raises the alarm, and Jazz responds. He tries grappling onto Bruticus and shooting the giant in the face, but with the help of Jetfire and an EMP mine, the Autobots hit Bruticus with a series of air strikes, sending him flying off into space. Elsewhere, Bumblebee jumps in the path of Megatron's shot, saving Optimus. Enraged, Optimus punches Megatron across the hull and they face off once again. Their fight is eventually interrupted by the unstable space bridge portal sucking them and both starships in before closing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] ([[Jamieson Price]])
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]] <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/26/play-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-multiplayer-on-july-31 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - G1 Optimus Vignette]</ref>
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/transformers-video-game-discussion/27314578d1345329191-full-game-being-played-live-right-now-um.jpg]</ref>
'''Dinobots'''
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] ([[Mark Allan Stewart]])
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (Sam Riegel)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
**[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] (Nolan North)
**[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
**[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
**[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
'''Insecticons'''
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Hardshell]]
|h3=Non-Player|c3=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]]*
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]*
*[[Heavy Soldier]]*
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]*
*[[Leaper]]*
*[[Guardian (FOC)|Guardian]]*
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruiser
*Insecticon Spitter
'''Other'''
*Soldiers*
*Rocket Soldiers*
*Shotgunners*
*[[Flier (WFC)|Fliers]]*
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]*
*Scrappers*
*Sharpshooters*
*[[Lever Transformer]]
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Denotes a character who speaks (or squawks), but is credited as "Additional Voices". 

==Quotes==
"Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime"
:—'''Metroplex''' assures Optimus that he's not there to render him into his component molecules.

"All we want is to leave!" 
"No one leaves without ''my'' permission!" 
"''I wasn't asking''." 
:—What '''Optimus Prime''' thought would be the last time he would have to tell '''Megatron''' how it was.

"Cliffjumper, you catch any of that?" 
"You mean the screaming, the horror, followed by more screaming?" 
"Uh, yeah, that'd be it."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Cliffjumper''' discuss what they heard from Sludge's memory core.

"Ungh! This lever is heavy! Couldn't they just make it a button?"
:—'''Vortex''' makes a valid point.

"Ugh, its spooky dark down here!" 
"{{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%3F|You're afraid of the dark}}?" 
"Well, it does make it hard to see!" 
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Brawl''' bicker like a bunch of kids

"Seriously?! We're still trying to stop this thing with drop ships? I haven't stopped the AA guns yet!" 
"Think of this as an encouragement to HURRY THE SCRAP UP!"
:—'''Swindle''' and '''Onslaught'''

"Always tinkering, aren't you, Shockwave? Must be quite the test!" 
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing Shockwave and the Insecticons discuss experiments on Grimlock.

"Nothing feels right... Hard to think."
:—'''Grimlock''', shortly after breaking free.

"I remember you, Grimlock. Do you remember me? Me? Me?" 
"''Kickback''..."
:—'''Kickback''' taunts '''Grimlock''' to provoke him into transforming.

'''Kickback''': Time for me to take my leave! 
''[Slug knocks the door down on Kickback]'' 
'''Slug''': Excuse me.
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Never gets old]], '''Slug'''.

'''Slug''': You cut through those guys like they were [[Beryllium baloney|Beryllium Bologna]]! 
'''Grimlock''': You mean [[Cesium salami|Cesium Salami]]! 
'''Slug''': No...Beryllium Bologna! 
'''Grimlock''': Cesium Salami!
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Again with this argument, guys?]]

"You're weak, Optimus. You run when you should fight!"
:—'''Grimlock''' gives Optimus a piece of his mind.

"Pathetic! This is the so called Ark? The Autobots have placed all of their hopes on a glorified cargo hauler!"
:—'''Megatron''' gives his two cents about the Ark.

"No problem! It slices, it dices!"
:—'''Bruticus''', your Swindle's showing.

"After eons of conflict, I finally see the truth of your words, Megatron." 
"And what might that be, Optimus?" 
''[Megatron swings his sword, only for Optimus to stop his strike]'' 
"This universe, no matter how vast, will never be big enough for you and I to coexist. " 
''[Optimus punches Megatron across the Ark]'' 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tells '''Megatron''' that he's done holding back.

==Gameplay==
Like ''War for Cybertron'', this game is an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter. The player has access to a range of weapons split between light and heavy and can carry one of each class at a time. As one would expect from a ''Transformers'' game, the player character can also transform to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which provides more maneuverability and in some cases the power of flight. Whereas in the previous game, characters had two abilities that were charged up by shooting opponents, each character now has "dash" and a unique ability that works on a time recharge. Abilities include Vortex's shockwave, Cliffjumper's cloaking, and Optimus Prime's ability to order a missile strike.

While ''War for Cybertron'' had three-bot teams in each campaign level, with the user playing as their choice of the three, ''Fall of Cybertron'' instead follows a single character at a time, though the character often teams up with other NPCs. This allows levels to be tailored to the player character's special abilities, such as Jazz's level having plenty of places to use his grapple, and Megatron's levels having places which are only reachable by hovering. The player will sometimes also automatically switch between characters as the narrative demands.

''Fall of Cybertron'' introduces an upgrade mechanic. The player collects energon from defeated opponents which they can use at [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] machines scattered throughout the levels to buy character upgrades, T.E.C.H. items such as [[C.L.U.T.C.H.]] drones, and weapon upgrades. Upgrades carry over between characters, so Megatron gets the benefit of upgrades purchased by Optimus Prime. Collecting the blueprints hidden in each level unlocks more upgrades or weapons. Also hidden throughout the levels are [[Source:Fall of Cybertron audio logs|audio logs]], recordings left by various characters which give extra information or insight into an aspect of the game world. Energon can be used to open [[Armory Recreator]]s, which contain weapons and equipment.

Grimlock's sections alter the game mechanics substantially. He has no ranged attack, relying on melee with his sword. Rather than gaining currency from defeating Decepticons, their deaths fill his "rage meter", eventually allowing him to transform to his dino mode that lets him use his [[fire-breath]] and jaws to wreak more havoc. Similarly, Bruticus behaves like a melee brawler, fighting with a mix of weaponry like Vortex's propellers, a flamethrower, and the [[Sonic Pain Wave]].

===Multiplayer===
Fall of Cybertron follows War for Cybertron's tradition in having a fleshed-out, online multiplayer mode. The general idea is the same, but quite a number of gameplay elements have been added, removed, or altered. For example, vehicle mode abilities have been removed, but every character has the ability to dash. Weapons are also exclusive to each class and can't be wielded by other players.

Players can create custom characters to participate in the regular multiplayer mode. Customization options are greatly expanded from the previous game: Individual heads, bodies/[[Alternate mode|alt-modes]], shoulders, arms, legs, and wheels can be selected, all based on existing character models. The color palette is also expanded, and players can alter the shininess of characters and choose from three different voices per faction.

Characters level up by performing well in battle. Completing challenges will also yield experience points. Class weapons and abilities become unlocked by reaching certain levels. Reaching level 25 in every class unlocks "Prime Mode," which resets all experience points and challenges and gives the player a cool spinny icon next to their name. Reaching level 25 for all classes in Prime Mode grants the player access to "Elite" heads, which are 4 heads per class, and are the most iconic character of the class (Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream and Megatron) with a crown.

Finally, [[Energon shard]]s can be gained along with experience points and can be spent on custom body parts and decals.

;Classes
The four classes return, with some alterations:
*[[Infiltrator (FOC)|Infiltrators]] - Cars. Fast, with an emphasis on stealth. Replaces the [[Scout (WFC)|Scout]] class.
*[[Destroyer (FOC)|Destroyers]] - Trucks. Mixture of defensive and offensive abilities, with emphasis on explosions. Replaces the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader]] class.
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titans]] - Tanks. Huge health and defense, heavy weapons. Replaces the [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier]] class.
*[[Scientist (WFC)|Scientists]] - Jets. Great speed, no armor, emphasis on healing and buffer abilities.

;Playlists
*Team Death Match - [[Fred Tatasciore|''ELIMINATE THE ENEMY TEAM!'']] Kills count as points for the player's team, and 40 points are required to win on default settings.
*Conquest - There are 3 nodes, A, B and C. Team members wait at nodes to fill a bar and capture the node, and all teams are competing constantly for the nodes. The possession of a node adds points, and the rate at which points are added is increased based on how many nodes the team has. The match ends once a team reaches 400 points.
*Headhunter - This match is very similar to Team Deathmatch, except killed enemies drop their [[Spark]]. Players must pick up these sparks and return them to teamless nodes to gain a point per spark. These nodes occasionally move, the approaching change signaled by beacons that mark their location, which flash when nodes are about to move.
*Capture the Flag - Both teams have flags in their base. Players must protect their own flag and capture the enemy flag. Each capture grants a point, and the amount of points required for a team to win is 3.
* Deathmatch: Kill opponents to win. It's a free-for-all. (Check the notes)

;Teletraan-1
The signature Autobot computer here lets the player sift through global player rankings and see the challenges they have completed. Prime Mode is also activated through this menu.

;Escalation
Up to 4 players face off against increasingly difficult waves. Once the players finish wave 15, the game ends and the players are scored on how many kills, deaths, and energon chips they collected throughout the match.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Fall of Cybertron''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy name'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''PS Trophy'''
|-
|[[File:FoC_Exodus.png|60px]]
| The Exodus
| Complete Chapter I
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Defend_Ark.png‎|60px]]
| Defend the Ark
| Complete Chapter II
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Metroplex_Heeds_Call.png‎|60px]]
| Metroplex Heeds the Call
| Complete Chapter III
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Eye_of_Storm.png|60px]]
| Eye of the Storm
| Complete Chapter IV
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cut_and_Run.png|60px]]
| Cut and Run
| Complete Chapter V
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Death_From_Above.png|60px]]
| Death from Above
| Complete Chapter VI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Belly_of_Beast.png|60px]]
| Belly of the Beast
| Complete Chapter VII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Combaticons_Combine.png|60px]]
| Combaticons Combine!
| Complete Chapter VIII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Megatron_Returns.png|60px]]
| Megatron Returns
| Complete Chapter IX
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Final_Countdown.png|60px]]
| The Final Countdown
| Complete Chapter X
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Starscream's_Betrayal.png|60px]]
| Starscream's Betrayal
| Complete Chapter XI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Grimlock_Smash.png|60px]]
| Grimlock Smash
| Complete Chapter XII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Optimus.png|60px]]
| [['Til all are one|Till All Are One]] - (Optimus Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Optimus (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Megatron.png|60px]]
| Till All Are One - (Megatron Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Megatron (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Battle_is_Far_From_Over.png‎|60px]]
| [[The battle is far from over!|The Battle is Far From Over!]]
| Complete Campaign - Easy
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_More_Than_Meets_The_Eye.png|60px]]
| [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More Than Meets the Eye]]
| Complete Campaign - Normal
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_All_Hail_You.png|60px]]
| [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail You!]]
| Complete Campaign - Hard
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Last_Stand.png|60px]]
| [[The Last Stand]]
| Chapter II: Save two Autobots when Optimus is downed by the first Leaper
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Carnage_in_C_Major.png|60px]]
| [[Carnage in C-Minor|Carnage in C-Major]]
| Chapter III: Take out a cluster of five Decepticons using Metroplex's Air Strike
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Invisibility_Spray.png|60px]]
| [[Invisibility spray|Invisibility Spray]]
| Chapter IV: Sneak through the Trash Compactor Facility undetected
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Target_Master_2.0.png‎|60px]]
| [[Targetmaster (technology)|Target Master]] 2.0
| Chapter V: Shoot a Sniper out of the air with a scoped weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Car_Wash_of_Doom.png|60px]]
| [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Car Wash of Doom]]
| Chapter VI: Destroy all of the homing mines chasing Blast Off before they self destruct
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Club_a_Con.png|60px]]
| [[Club Con!]]
| Chapter VII: Ram a jet (on the ground or in the air)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Fusilateral_Quintrocombiner.png|60px]]
| [[Swarm (issue)|Fusilateral Quintrocombiner]]
| Chapter VIII: Melee an enemy through the goal post
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_I_Robot_Master.png|60px]]
| [[I, Robot-Master!|I, Robot Master]]
| Chapter IX: Destroy all images of Starscream and his Statues
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_The_Harder_They_Die.png|60px]]
| [[...The Harder They Die!|The Harder They Die]]
| Chapter X: Kill five Autobots with a single hover slam attack
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Internal_Affairs.png|60px]]
| [[Internal Affairs!]]
| Chapter XI: Hack all of the security terminals before the Decepticons can activate them
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Slap_Grimlock.png|60px]]
| Slap the Grimlock
| Chapter XII: Kill a Leaper in the air with an explosive barrel
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Monacus_Spender.png|60px]]
| [[Monacus]] Spender
| Spend 250,000 Energon in the Teletraan-1 store
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconstructor.png‎|60px]]
| Reconstructor
| Fully upgrade one weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Master_Builder.png|60px]]
| [[The Master Builders (episode)|Master Builder]]
| Fully upgrade all weapons
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Teletraan_1_Regular.png|60px]]
| [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] Regular
| Rate all weapons, weapon upgrades, and equipment
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Chop_Shop.png|60px]]
| [[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]]
| Purchase all weapons and perks
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Beachcomber.png|60px]]
| [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
| Collect all blueprints
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cassetticon_Audiophile.png|60px]]
| [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Cassetticon]] Audiophile
| Collect all audio logs
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Octopunch_Scavenger.png|60px]]
| [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] Scavenger
| Open fifteen Armory Recreators in Campaign or Escalation
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconfiguration_Matrix.png|60px]]
| [[Reconfiguration Matrix]]
| Create a custom character in Multiplayer
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Headmaster.png|60px]]
| [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster!]]
| Reach max level in a single class
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_King_of_Scrap_Heap.png‎|60px]]
| King of the Scrap Heap
| Reach max level in all four classes
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_What_Prime_Directive.png‎|60px]]
| What [[Prime Directive]]s?
| Unlock Prime Mode
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Full_Throttle_Scramble.png‎|60px]]
|[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]
| Earn MVP in any game mode during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultimate_Menasor.png|60px]]
| Ultimate [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
| Capture three flags in a single CTF game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Moonbase_One.png‎|60px]]
| [[Moonbase One]]
| Personally capture all 3 nodes in a conquest game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ballistic_Energon_Goodie.png|60px]]
| Ballistic Energon Goodie
| Return five heads at once in a headhunter game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Heavy_Metal_War.png|60px]]
| [[Heavy Metal War]]
| Kill 6 different opposing players in a TDM game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Robotopossum.png‎|60px]]
| [[Roboto-possum|Robotopossum]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ignition)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Maccadams_Old_Oil_House.png|60px]]
| [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (DownFall)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Space_Pirates.png|60px]]
| [[Space Pirates!]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Oblivion)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Rust_Marks.png|60px]]
| Rust Marks
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ancients)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultra_Power_Master.png|60px]]
| Ultra [[Powermaster|Power Master]]
| Spend 100,000 credits in Escalation
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Vector_Sigma_Victory.png|60px]]
| [[Vector Sigma]] Victory
| Unlock All Trophies
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
|}

==Transformers references==
Aside from the obvious G1 inspired character designs, the game has some references to previous iterations of Transformers, a number of them from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]].

* Most of the achievements and trophies are named in homage to Generation 1, such as characters, cartoon episodes, [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] issues, and more. Due to the sheer number, we have opted to list them in the achievement list above instead.
* Soundwave does a short impression of a light fixture.
* Jazz and Cliffjumper are paired together, just as they were in the film and in the episode [[Starscream's Brigade]].
* Jazz finds an inscription on a tank in the Sea of Rust that says "IX-XVII-MCMLXXXIV," or the date that "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" first aired.
* During his coronation, Starscream is wearing the same crown his [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 counterpart]] wore in the movie, and the dialogue he has with Megatron during the scene is almost word-for-word as well. He even blasts him in tank mode, though this does not kill him like it did in the movie. The crown can be found in Starscream's level and worn for its duration.
* When Megatron is done killing off soldiers under Starscream's command, Starscream calls Megatron a [[Pretender to the Throne!|pretender to the throne]].
* When Kickback runs to the door, Slug pushes it from outside and the door falls, smashing Kickback to the ground and when Slug sees Kickback under the door, he says "Excuse me!". This is a straight homage to the scene where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] pushes the door and it smashes the [[Quintesson]] prosecutor.
* A secret room can be found in Grimlock's level containing his waiter outfit from "[[Madman's Paradise]]"; upon finding it, Grimlock utters his famous movie quote, "Me Grimlock no bozo, me king." It also contains three swords that resemble the [[Master Sword]] mounted on fixtures around the room.
* After defeating a group of Insecticons, Slug says that Grimlock tore through them like they were "[[beryllium baloney]]", but Grimlock says "[[cesium salami]]", mirroring the scene where their Generation 1 counterparts argue on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]].
* In an audio log left by [[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]], the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is described as [[Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor]], a term which originated in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]].
* The five [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s are originally grouped together as the "[[Lightning Strike Coalition]]", the name of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s breakaway Autobot faction in "[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages]]". On that note, the Coalition's logo serves as the difficulty symbols.
* The [[Path Blaster]] is named for the [[Pathblaster]] from "[[Time Wars]]". One of its modifications is named for Generation 1 episode "[[The Gambler]]" and involves the use of [[Destronium]], a substance introduced in ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
* The [[Riot Cannon]]'s "Planet Buster" modification is likewise named after the [[Planet Buster]] that appeared in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
* The [[neutron assault rifle]]'s special modification is the "P.O.K.E. Beta"—not the first [[Punch of Kill Everything]] reference in the game series.
* One of the corrosive slime cannon's modifications for multiplayer is the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] Disperser.
* Other weapon modifications available include [[tachyon transmitter]], [[fireblast]], [[turbo booster]]s, [[unspace|transwarp]] ballistics, and [[R-infinity accelerator|R-Infinity]] finders.
* Bruticus's special attack is the [[Sonic Pain Wave]], one of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s weapons.
* When Cliffjumper is accessing the Teletraan-1 store one of the random phrases apologizes for not being able to provide [[glass gas]], the unique weapon of G1 [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. The Glass Gas Cannon is awarded, however, after beating the main campaign.
* In Chapter IX, playing as Megatron after his awakening Soundwave says "Less talk, more work", quoting the G1 episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]".
As part of the expanding [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]], ''Fall of Cybertron'' also incorporates thematic and visual references to the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' television series:
* Bumblebee's voice circuits/vocal processor having been damaged prior to the story's beginning, essentially rendering him mute.
* Optimus Prime's [[Path Blaster|rifle]] design, which was described by [[High Moon Studios]] as being an earlier version of the rifles Optimus uses in the ''Prime'' television series.
* Optimus being referred to as having been a librarian named Orion Pax and Megatron having been a gladiator from Kaon named Megatronus.
* Cliffjumper's head design and Megatron's reformatted/rebuilt body design.
* Dark Energon's power to revive the dead is an aspect from the ''Prime'' television series that was not seen in the previous game, ''War For Cybertron''.
* Trypticon being reformatted into the ''Nemesis''.
* The discovery that there were [[Ancient]]s who had traveled to other planets, particularly Earth.
* One of the weapons is called an [[Energon Harvester]].

==PC version notes==
Initially, developer High Moon Studios commented (as late as [[BotCon 2012]] on the end of April of that year) that there would not be a Windows PC version of ''Fall for Cybertron'' due to their own lack of experience with the PC platform and the criticism the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'' had received. However, shortly before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2012 in early June, publisher Activision announced a PC version of the game, to be developed by [[Mercenary Technology]], a new studio formed by "veterans of the industry".

The PC version of ''Fall of Cybertron'' improves upon the console versions of ''Fall'' (and indeed the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'') by featuring higher quality graphics, higher resolution textures, runs at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second (versus 30 frames for the console version). Unfortunately, as is standard in most console game ports, the graphical settings are lacking and the controls cannot be reset/rebound.

Even with these pros and cons, there is still a number of changes from the console and PC versions, such as:
* The main menu background in the PC version is a still image, rather than the long, beautiful cutscene file that is used in the console versions. The cutscene is unused in the PC files, but there currently is no way to put it back in the game.
* The VGA trailer isn't in the PC version of the game. It's not selectable in the Movies section of the Extras menu, not played when you idle on the main menu long enough, and isn't in any of the PC version files. This issue isn't present in the console versions, so that's a complete bummer!
* Jetfire's mouth doesn't move in the PC version when transitioning to Bruticus in the final level.
* Though the prompts appear, you cannot pet Laserbeak in the PC version.

==Notes==
* This game, like its predecessor, plays a Stan Bush song at the end, this time being a slightly modified version of "[[The Touch]]", using elements from both the 2007 and 2009 versions to create a unique hybrid of the two. Soundwave plays it, while Bumblebee dances "The Carlton Dance," made famous by {{w|Alfonso Ribeiro}} on ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', which is also performed in the game by the [[Lever Transformer]] hidden in Chapter V.
* One of the unlocks for beating the game is the Glass Gas Cannon, however, Teletraan still tells Cliffjumper during replays that it is not available.
* In Chapter VIII, a {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Bruticus is attacking the Autobots.
* If Grimlock is recreated in any multiplayer mode, his T-rex alt mode will function differently than the campaign mode, behaving more like a typical vehicle mode.
* In an unfortunate oversight, the downloadable demo for the game is the first section of Chapter VI, in which one can find an audio log that blows the surprise of Megatron's death earlier in the game. Oops.
* Sludge's model is noted to have been set up for skeletal deformation; which would only be needed if the character had needed to transform in-game. The model also sports beast kibble, so Sludge may have initially had a bigger role in the story mode than what he had in the final game; either that, or he was intended to be a usable model in Multiplayer.
* Unlike its predecessor ''War for Cybertron'', ''Fall of Cybertron'' has not been dubbed in languages other than English.
* Some backstory elements are expanded upon in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Logs]] for the iPhone.
* The [[2011]] cinematic trailer for the game features the song "The Humbling River" by {{w|Puscifer}}. The [[2012]] trailers feature a cover by The EverLove of the song "{{w|Cities in Dust}}" (originally written by {{w|Siouxsie and the Banshees}}).

==Errors==
*When Soundwave looks at Megatron's arm after he has been crushed by Metroplex, it is in the design of his upgraded body from later in the game, rather than the original one he just had.
*When Shockwave speaks to Grimlock just when the latter comes in to rescue Swoop, the subtitles say, "your attempt to "'you'" rescue your friend was easily predicted."

==External links==
*[https://www.transformersgame.com/ Official Website]
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/10/06/november-cover-revealed-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx November cover revealed: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/07/transformers-high-moon-studios-tour.aspx Transformers: High Moon Studio tour] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/10/fall-of-cybertron-the-new-optimus-prime.aspx Fall of Cybertron: The New Optimus Prime] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/games/transformers_fall_of_cybertron/b/xbox360/archive/2011/10/14/grimlock-rises-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-teaser-trailer.aspx Grimlock Rises In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Teaser Trailer] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/12/behind-the-crosshairs-the-weapons-of-transformers.aspx Behind the Crosshairs: The Weapons of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4ECyCExeg Fall of Cybertron Teaser 01] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/13/the-illustrated-tour-of-cybertron.aspx The Illustrated Tour of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/17/directing-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Story And Direction Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/19/animating-the-transformers.aspx Animating The Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/20/clever-devils-the-enemies-and-ai-of-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Enemies & AI Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/21/transformers-resurrecting-the-dinobots.aspx Transformers: Resurrecting The Dinobots] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/24/fall-of-cybertron-deep-character-dive-jazz.aspx Fall Of Cybertron Deep Character Dive: Jazz] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/the-transformers-timeline.aspx The Transformers Timeline] @ Game Informer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/28/creating-the-sounds-of-the-transformers.aspx Creating The Soundscape Of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/31/larger-than-life-designing-transformer-s-set-piece-moments.aspx Larger Than Life: Designing Fall of Cybertron's Set Piece Moments] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/11/02/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-gameplay-roundtable.aspx Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Gameplay Roundtable] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/podcasts/archive/2011/11/03/tfse.aspx Special Edition Podcast: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsINYfFG5Q Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Teaser Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3E358n7pcI Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gamespot.com/videos/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-official-trailer/2300-6368583/ Fall of Cybertron Official Gameplay Trailer] @ GameSpot

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall of Cybertron}}
[[Category:Aligned video games]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron| ]]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)

2023-12-07T04:32:53Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Nav-foc}}
{{videogame
|prev=Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
|next=Transformers: Exiles
|title=''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''
|image=Fall of Cybertron PC cover.jpg‎
|caption=[[Ron Perlman|War. War never changes]].
|developer=[[High Moon Studios]] (console), [[Mercenary Technology]] (PC) Funlabs (Next Gen port)
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|writtenby=[[Dan Jolley]]
|date=[[August 21]], [[2012]] [[August 8]], [[2016]] (XB1, PS4)
|platform=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
}}
'''''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''''' is a direct sequel to the 2010 game ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' that was released on [[August 21]], [[2012]]. Published by [[Activision]] and developed by [[High Moon Studios]] (with the PC version being handled by [[Mercenary Technology]]), the game is a continuation of the events of ''War for Cybertron''. It explores the [[Autobot]]s' attempts to escape from a rapidly deteriorating [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', as well as the gradual downfall and collapse of the remnants of Cybertronian society. A side story also focuses on the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].

Considerably darker in tone than its predecessor, the game begins with [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] outright conceding defeat to the [[Decepticon]]s, who are in no better straits than their enemies. The story does not shy away from the grim realities of a dying planet and its inhabitants who cope with it. Characters grieve their losses, be it their home or their comrades. Both sides are depicted resorting to extremes just to keep fighting another day, and all hope seems lost. Yet a critical discovery by [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] may light the way for the [[Transformer]] species to a new era and hope; provided they can survive the fall of Cybertron.

{{quote|This terrible war will reach its end. Not because [['Til all are one|all have finally become one]]. But simply, I fear, because all have become ''none''.|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]}}

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Exodus===
:''Character: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]''

The [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]] heads off to the portal which will take them to [[Earth]]. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] invades the ship using the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', sending [[Decepticon]]s over directly to the bridge of the Ark, forcing Bumblebee, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to fight off the aggressors. With more Decepticons swarming the engine room, Optimus heads off to help, leaving Bumblebee to protect the bridge. The artillery cannons are taken offline and the ship blows a [[moleculon fuse|fuse]]. Ratchet sends Bumblebee off to fix it, and after braving nearly being sucked into space, the scout soon replaces the fuse and ascends up a lift to the defense tower. He witnesses Autobots being overrun by a [[Titan (FOC)|Titan]] and then on another level, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] attacking. He reaches the defense mainframe and rushes the Decepticon manning it, reactivating the Ark's guns. The tower is hit by a claw that knocks him down a shaft. With his alternator jarred back into gear, Bumblebee transforms and races through an outer area, avoiding explosions, Decepticon tow cables and large chunks of rubble. He passes [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] having a [[Brawl (WFC)|brawl]] and bringing an [[Onslaught (WFC)|onslaught]] of destruction. He makes it to a stronghold, restocking on ammo, [[energon]] and weapons. He fights his way through a few waves of Decepticons, making his way to the engine room, where Prime and Megatron are doing battle. He pushes through enemy lines, with the help of two Titans, and makes his way to the engine room. There he finds Optimus and Megatron engaging in a fierce melee battle on the hull of the ship, and just as Megatron fires a huge cannon at Optimus, Bumblebee throws himself forwards, taking the shot meant for Prime. As Bumblebee falls, Optimus lifts his body...

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Embrace democracy, or you will be eradicated."]]

===Chapter II: Defend the Ark===
:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Six days earlier, the Autobots are preparing the last transport for launch. [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] reports the energon reserves are aboard, and Perceptor is overseeing city shutdown, only for the news to come that the Decepticons have invaded the city. Optimus tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], as it's his sector the Decepticons have invaded, but gets no answer. As Prime moves to head out, a [[Warp Cannon]] crashes to the ground nearby and targets the Ark. Optimus heads through the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] ruins and enters Autobot City through a side door to find the Autobots trying to get the city stable without the absent Grimlock. After helping Ratchet stabilize a badly-injured [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]], Prime sends [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] to find where Grimlock's disappeared to. At the armory, [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] reports that [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and others are trapped in a nerve center, so he and Optimus fight their way there. After fighting off a horde of Decepticons, they unseal the [[detpak]] from the nerve center door. Sending Warpath back to the Ark, Optimus goes in to meet with Perceptor, who's struggling to get the city working again so they can fight off the Decepticons. He sends Prime to activate an old artillery gun using energon from the Ark, and Prime soon puts the weapon to good use taking out Decepticons. With news that the Warp Cannons are firing on the Ark, Optimus heads to the engine room, but as he moves towards the flight deck, the corridors restructure around him. Decepticons, including [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], have invaded the area, and Optimus finds many bodies, but heads for the [[neutron cannon]]. After fighting his way through more Decepticons, he brings the neutron gun online, but again the targeting is out. Optimus takes manual control and helps defend the Ark refueling station from a number of Decepticon tanks. When the cannon runs out of energon, Optimus heads back inside the city and is guided by a mysterious intelligence to the city's core where he pulls a lever... and the entire city transforms into [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]].

===Chapter III: Metroplex Heeds the Call===

:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Optimus and Metroplex head for the Iacon ruins where the Warp Cannons are located. Once they find the first Warp Cannon, Metroplex laboriously synchronizes his targeting systems with Optimus and together they take out the first cannon. Moving on, Prime helps the survivors of a crashed Autobot ship and finds Warpath in a huge plaza. With the second Warp Cannon shelling them, they head into a building and manage to get close enough to the cannon for Optimus to mark it for destruction by Metroplex. That done, Optimus heads down more corridors and is confronted by three Leapers, which Metroplex handily takes out by putting a fist through the wall. After fighting his way across a huge bridge, Prime gets close enough to the last Warp Cannon to mark it, only for it to take out Metroplex first. With no other choice, Optimus makes his way to the base of the cannon and forces open a door, only to be blasted by Starscream, bashed by Brawl and Onslaught, and dragged in front of Megatron. While Starscream gloats at his victory over Prime, Megatron simply blasts his Air Commander before killing an Autobot in front of the bound Prime. Luckily it turns out Metroplex is back online, and he rips the roof off Megatron's throne room before smashing Megatron into the ground repeatedly with his fist. Starscream pronounces Megatron dead, himself leader and orders the Decepticons back to base. The day is won, but unfortunately all the Autobots' energon is exhausted and they need to find more. Prime believes Grimlock may hold the key, and says Jazz and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] are tracking down their missing comrade.

[[File:FOC-Cliffjumperobservatory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references."]]

===Chapter IV: Eye of the Storm===
:''Character: Cliffjumper''
[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] drops Jazz and Cliffjumper off over the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] in the middle of a rust storm to look for Grimlock. In a ruined base, they find a crashed ship which they recognize as one that was stolen by Grimlock from the base. They soon spot Decepticons moving around and sneak inside the base. As they stealthily make their way through, they overhear some Decepticons discussing [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his "pets". Using a garbage conveyor, Cliffjumper finds himself in an ancient tomb where guardians are roaming around, scanning for Autobots. Jazz reports the rust storm is increasing in intensity outside. Cliffjumper finds a [[ancient map room|huge domed room]] and activates a starmap that shows him an image of [[Earth]]. Continuing through the tomb, Cliffjumper finds more Decepticons, plus sword marks and a trail of destruction he recognizes as Grimlock's work. Eventually he reaches outside again and spots Jazz, but a collapse cuts them off from each other. Cliff hunts through the storm and finds Jazz, freeing his companion from some fallen debris. They soon find more devastation and Jazz detects a faint Autobot distress signal which Cliffjumper tracks to a huge pit, just as the Decepticons seal it. Luckily the two Autobots find a huge bomb they use to blow the pit open and, leaving Cliffjumper behind, Jazz leaps in.

[[File:FOC-Jazzvsinsecticons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary!"]]

===Chapter V: Cut and Run===
:''Character: Jazz''
Jazz reaches the bottom of the pit, where he discovers [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], who has been so badly damaged he's been forced into [[stasis lock]]. The audio he plays back from Sludge's memory is not promising. The meaning of the green pods Jazz spots is clear when he finds himself under attack by the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] horde. He blasts a tank which releases a toxic green gas, and he has to race to escape in time. Escaping the pit, he seals it and pair continue to look for the source of the distress signal. They stumble on a huge lake filled with energon which the Decepticons are mining. They fight their way across the moat to the Decepticon facility where Cliffjumper promptly manages to trip an alarm. Jazz utilizes a network of service tunnels, but creeping down one of them, he falls through a grating and is ambushed. Naturally he fights the Decepticons off and even helps out Cliffjumper who's pinned down by Wall Crawlers and other Decepticons. The pair rendezvous at the other side of the moat and head inside the tower. Within, they find Insecticons in tubes and a map pointing to Earth's solar system. Intriguing! Further in, they find Shockwave arguing with Starscream via hologram. Cliffjumper fails to creep up on Shockwave, who sets a bunch of Insecticons on them before leaving. While Jazz keeps the Insecticons busy, Cliffjumper diverts toxic waste into the refinery to make it overload. The refinery starts to melt down and the pair book out, getting picked up by Sideswipe just in time. Jazz contacts Optimus with the news there's a lake of energon ripe for the taking. The Autobots begin preparing a massive energon transport to take the energon to the Ark.

===Chapter VI: Death from Above===
:''Character: Vortex''
The Decepticons get wind of the Autobot plan, and as the transport heads back with a load of energon, Starscream tasks the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticon]]s with intercepting it and leading it to an ambush. [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] and [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] are sent to clear a short-cut so Brawl can take a dropship and destroy a bridge. They fly through an ancient Autobot city. The pair run into Autobots though, and Blast Off ends up racing ahead, leaving Vortex to fight them. They eventually reach the bridge, but when Brawl shells it, they find it's shielded. Vortex deactivates the shielding, allowing Brawl to take out the side supports. The central support is a little trickier, and Brawl has to blow a hole in it so Vortex can get in to find the shield controls. After fighting more Autobots, including a Titan, Vortex uses a detpak on the central support and races out as the bridge collapses.

===Chapter VII: Belly of the Beast===
:''Character: Swindle''
Starscream springs his ambush on the transport, but the transport's defenses blast them. Onslaught exasperatedly sends [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] under the transport to try to stop it. Swindle takes out the rear wheels and heads to the front, using his grapple to avoid the deadly acid pools, and takes out the front wheels. This unleashes a pair of titans which he has to destroy. However just as victory looks certain, the transport's wheels convert into jets. As the transport takes to the air, Swindle grapples on board.

[[File:FOC-Bruticus-Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Get the Fat Man! I'll try to keep him busy!"]]

===Chapter VIII: Combaticons Combine!===
:''Character: Swindle/Bruticus''
Within the transport, Swindle begins heading through the transport, aiming to take out the anti-aircraft defenses so the other Combaticons can come over in their drop ship. He blows a hole in an exterior wall and starts making his way along the side of the transport. Starscream announces he's calling off the assault, but is corrected by Onslaught, who still believes they can pull it off. Swindle finds the anti-aircraft cannons can be destroyed by simply shooting the shells being fed into them, so he does that, then moves around to the other side of the ship. Unfortunately the Autobots are wise to what the Decepticons are doing and destroy the controls for the shell feed shields so Swindle can't deactivate them. Onslaught brings the drop ship around, and Swindle hops on. Once he uses the top turret to destroy the last gun emplacement, the Combaticons merge into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] and start breaking things. He smashes through the transports turbine and break into the control room where the Combaticons split and make swift work of the Autobots. Unfortunately though they have the transport in their control, it's badly damaged and going down, and they can do little more than try to control its course as it crashes. Starscream's unimpressed that they managed to destroy half the energon supply in the crash, and when Onslaught talks back, pointing that the Autobots would have gotten all of it if they did nothing and everything going wrong was a result of Starscream's incompetence, Starscream orders the Combaticons arrested.

===Chapter IX: Megatron Returns===
:''Character: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]/Megatron''
In his [[Soundwave's workshop|old workshop]] under the gladiator pits, Soundwave powers up the assembly systems so he can put Megatron's salvaged body back together. With the help of his minions, he manages to get Megatron back in one piece and uses an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to bring his master back to life. Megatron's enraged by the news Starscream is in charge and, grabbing his cannon, heads out to confront his former lieutenant. He arrives, naturally, in the middle of Starscream's coronation. Starscream sets the assembled Decepticons onto their former leader, but as Megatron points out, he was practically forged in these arenas. Once he finishes with the many, many Decepticons, he blasts Starscream who flees. Onslaught offers to chase them down, but Megatron doesn't consider him a threat and has other plans. As the Decepticons move a huge statue of him into pride of place, Megatron meets with Shockwave who has deciphered the ancient technology to open wormholes and located a suitably energy rich planet for them to plunder. Megatron boards a drop ship and heads for the crater where [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] crashed with the intention of recovering the giant Decepticon's power core. Unfortunately his drop ship is shot down on the way.

===Chapter X: The Final Countdown===
:''Character: Megatron''
Jumping clear of the ship, Megatron notes that the Autobots have installed anti-aircraft defenses. Once the Decepticons assault the facility and take it over, Soundwave detects a power source nearby—the Autobots are using Trypticon's power core as an energy source, which left Megatron impressed by their rather bold choice. Megatron goes on to investigate and takes out the defenses surrounding the main compound before calling in Bruticus to clear a path. The Combiner makes short work of the remaining Autobots and holds the massive doors open so Megatron can enter. After emptying the main compound of Autobots, he enters the main building where some Autobots are reporting to Optimus. Megatron slags them and makes it clear he blames Optimus for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s depleted state. The Autobots redouble their attempts to keep Megatron away, but as he gets closer to Trypticon, he realizes that the Autobots haven't removed the power core—Trypticon is still functional. Fighting through more Autobot defenses, including a titan, Megatron gets to Trypticon's legs and finds they've been bound. A few shots of Megatron's cannon free them. Trypticon's torso is similarly easy to find, with a little help from Laserbeak. Once Megatron breaks Trypticon's bonds, Soundwave arrives and hacks the computer while Megatron smashes the Autobots attacking them. Trypticon, however, is still badly damaged. Megatron informs Trypticon that he failed to destroy the Autobots and will be rebuilt into a new form—the ''Nemesis''.

[[File:FOC-theonecalledGrimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted."]]

===Chapter XI: Starscream's Betrayal===
:''Characters: Decepticon trooper/Starscream/Grimlock''
As the Nemesis nears launch, the Decepticons are roused by an alarm as someone tries to hack Shockwave's data logs. A trooper and his friend are sent to check the main server. As the two troopers enter the server, they discuss Starscream's humiliating defeat, only for Starscream himself to decloak and flatten them. Hoping to build an army of his own, Starscream analyzes the data logs and discovers that Shockwave's latest experiments are imprisoned within the tower. He uses EMP detpaks to take out the security towers providing the defenses, which knocks out the [[force field]]s protecting the maintenance shafts. Flying inside, he finds Shockwave experimenting on Grimlock with [[Hardshell]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], and [[Sharpshot]]. Once they leave, Starscream drops into the lab and informs Grimlock he'll be set free if he pledges allegiance to the Air Commander. Grimlock responds that he can free himself, then throws Starscream into a wall. Grimlock's surgically altered body leaves him confused and unable to transform, and before long he searches for [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] by smashing everything in his path. He finds Swoop, only to be confronted by a hologram of Shockwave, who has predicted this move. After destroying all the Decepticons in the lab, he solves the problem of freeing Swoop by smashing more things. Swoop reveals that he has gained a new [[alternate mode]], although Grimlock still cannot transform. The pair search for the rest of their team, and discover more of Shockwave's experiments—Insecticons in tubes—and Swoop remembers where [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] is. Unfortunately Hardshell is waiting for them with some artillery, and Grimlock has to throw fuel pods at him until the ship's destroyed. Grimlock holds the Insecticon up to the optical scanner so they can progress. When they reach the surgical lab, it's totally trashed and there's a big hole in the floor. Grimlock and Swoop jump in.

[[File:FOC-Grimlockspacetrex.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|"There are times that I feel the primal part of me... pulling me away."]]

===Chapter XII: Grimlock Smash===
:''Character: Grimlock/Swoop''
Beneath the lab, the ground gives way under Grimlock, dropping him into a tunnel, and he decides they'll split up to find Slug. He soon finds the area is infested with Insecticons. Shockwave's voice rings out, telling Grimlock that he has yet to fulfill his full potential and transform, and Kickback has volunteered to help. The Insecticon taunts Grimlock and unleashes a huge "bruiser" Insecticon to fight him, causing Grimlock to get angry enough to finally change into his new ''T. rex'' alternate mode. Kickback decides discretion is the better part of not being slagged, but before he can escape, the door crashes down on him as Slug enters. Slug relates the news that Sludge didn't make it out of the caves, and [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]'s been taken by Shockwave for "extensive testing". As they step outside where Swoop is waiting, they see Shockwave's [[space bridge]] tower firing up. They soon track down Snarl being guarded by Sharpshot and squash his captor. Searching for a place to take shelter and patch up Snarl, they find an observatory and Slug discovers Shockwave's plans to open a space bridge portal. They contact Optimus, who orders Grimlock to return to base, but Grimlock insists on taking the space bridge himself. With Swoop's help, he flies to the tower and fights his way through more Decepticons until he finds Shockwave working. As he goes to attack Shockwave, he's seized by energy chains, while Shockwave reports to Megatron that all is ready. Grimlock switches to dino mode to break free and rips Shockwave's arm off before bashing the space bridge which explodes. Back in Autobot City, the Autobots note that Megatron's portal is becoming unstable and decide they must urgently launch. Metroplex offers whatever spark energy he has left, which allows the Autobots to launch the Ark, at the cost of Metroplex's life.

===Chapter XIII: Till All Are One===
:''Characters: Soundwave/Jetfire/Bruticus/Jazz/Optimus/Megatron''
The ''Nemesis'' draws close to the ''Ark'' as it nears the portal. Megatron orders Soundwave to lead the first wave of the assault. Soundwave rides a tow cable over and, with the help of Rumble and Laserbeak, neutralizes the Ark's cannons. The Decepticons begin their assault en masse. [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] flies outside and severs the tow cables, but even though he's successful, Bruticus flies right past him and lands on the hull of the ''Ark''. After smashing his way through the Autobot defenses, he busts the ship's main energon tank. Jetfire raises the alarm, and Jazz responds. He tries grappling onto Bruticus and shooting the giant in the face, but with the help of Jetfire and an EMP mine, the Autobots hit Bruticus with a series of air strikes, sending him flying off into space. Elsewhere, Bumblebee jumps in the path of Megatron's shot, saving Optimus. Enraged, Optimus punches Megatron across the hull and they face off once again. Their fight is eventually interrupted by the unstable space bridge portal sucking them and both starships in before closing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] ([[Jamieson Price]])
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]] <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/26/play-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-multiplayer-on-july-31 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - G1 Optimus Vignette]</ref>
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/transformers-video-game-discussion/27314578d1345329191-full-game-being-played-live-right-now-um.jpg]</ref>
'''Dinobots'''
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] ([[Mark Allan Stewart]])
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (Sam Riegel)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
**[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] (Nolan North)
**[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
**[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
**[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
'''Insecticons'''
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Hardshell]]
|h3=Non-Player|c3=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]]*
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]*
*[[Heavy Soldier]]*
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]*
*[[Leaper]]*
*[[Guardian (FOC)|Guardian]]*
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruiser
*Insecticon Spitter
'''Other'''
*Soldiers*
*Rocket Soldiers*
*Shotgunners*
*[[Flier (WFC)|Fliers]]*
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]*
*Scrappers*
*Sharpshooters*
*[[Lever Transformer]]
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Denotes a character who speaks (or squawks), but is credited as "Additional Voices". 

==Quotes==
"Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime"
:—'''Metroplex''' assures Optimus that he's not there to render him into his component molecules.

"All we want is to leave!" 
"No one leaves without ''my'' permission!" 
"''I wasn't asking''." 
:—What '''Optimus Prime''' thought would be the last time he would have to tell '''Megatron''' how it was.

"Cliffjumper, you catch any of that?" 
"You mean the screaming, the horror, followed by more screaming?" 
"Uh, yeah, that'd be it."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Cliffjumper''' discuss what they heard from Sludge's memory core.

"Ungh! This lever is heavy! Couldn't they just make it a button?"
:—'''Vortex''' makes a valid point.

"Ugh, its spooky dark down here!" 
"{{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%3F|You're afraid of the dark}}?" 
"Well, it does make it hard to see!" 
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Brawl''' talking like a bunch of kids

"Seriously?! We're still trying to stop this thing with drop ships? I haven't stopped the AA guns yet!" 
"Think of this as an encouragement to HURRY THE SCRAP UP!"
:—'''Swindle''' and '''Onslaught'''

"Always tinkering, aren't you, Shockwave? Must be quite the test!" 
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing Shockwave and the Insecticons discuss experiments on Grimlock.

"Nothing feels right... Hard to think."
:—'''Grimlock''', shortly after breaking free.

"I remember you, Grimlock. Do you remember me? Me? Me?" 
"''Kickback''..."
:—'''Kickback''' taunts '''Grimlock''' to provoke him into transforming.

'''Kickback''': Time for me to take my leave! 
''[Slug knocks the door down on Kickback]'' 
'''Slug''': Excuse me.
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Never gets old]], '''Slug'''.

'''Slug''': You cut through those guys like they were [[Beryllium baloney|Beryllium Bologna]]! 
'''Grimlock''': You mean [[Cesium salami|Cesium Salami]]! 
'''Slug''': No...Beryllium Bologna! 
'''Grimlock''': Cesium Salami!
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Again with this argument, guys?]]

"You're weak, Optimus. You run when you should fight!"
:—'''Grimlock''' gives Optimus a piece of his mind.

"Pathetic! This is the so called Ark? The Autobots have placed all of their hopes on a glorified cargo hauler!"
:—'''Megatron''' gives his two cents about the Ark.

"No problem! It slices, it dices!"
:—'''Bruticus''', your Swindle's showing.

"After eons of conflict, I finally see the truth of your words, Megatron." 
"And what might that be, Optimus?" 
''[Megatron swings his sword, only for Optimus to stop his strike]'' 
"This universe, no matter how vast, will never be big enough for you and I to coexist. " 
''[Optimus punches Megatron across the Ark]'' 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tells '''Megatron''' that he's done holding back.

==Gameplay==
Like ''War for Cybertron'', this game is an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter. The player has access to a range of weapons split between light and heavy and can carry one of each class at a time. As one would expect from a ''Transformers'' game, the player character can also transform to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which provides more maneuverability and in some cases the power of flight. Whereas in the previous game, characters had two abilities that were charged up by shooting opponents, each character now has "dash" and a unique ability that works on a time recharge. Abilities include Vortex's shockwave, Cliffjumper's cloaking, and Optimus Prime's ability to order a missile strike.

While ''War for Cybertron'' had three-bot teams in each campaign level, with the user playing as their choice of the three, ''Fall of Cybertron'' instead follows a single character at a time, though the character often teams up with other NPCs. This allows levels to be tailored to the player character's special abilities, such as Jazz's level having plenty of places to use his grapple, and Megatron's levels having places which are only reachable by hovering. The player will sometimes also automatically switch between characters as the narrative demands.

''Fall of Cybertron'' introduces an upgrade mechanic. The player collects energon from defeated opponents which they can use at [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] machines scattered throughout the levels to buy character upgrades, T.E.C.H. items such as [[C.L.U.T.C.H.]] drones, and weapon upgrades. Upgrades carry over between characters, so Megatron gets the benefit of upgrades purchased by Optimus Prime. Collecting the blueprints hidden in each level unlocks more upgrades or weapons. Also hidden throughout the levels are [[Source:Fall of Cybertron audio logs|audio logs]], recordings left by various characters which give extra information or insight into an aspect of the game world. Energon can be used to open [[Armory Recreator]]s, which contain weapons and equipment.

Grimlock's sections alter the game mechanics substantially. He has no ranged attack, relying on melee with his sword. Rather than gaining currency from defeating Decepticons, their deaths fill his "rage meter", eventually allowing him to transform to his dino mode that lets him use his [[fire-breath]] and jaws to wreak more havoc. Similarly, Bruticus behaves like a melee brawler, fighting with a mix of weaponry like Vortex's propellers, a flamethrower, and the [[Sonic Pain Wave]].

===Multiplayer===
Fall of Cybertron follows War for Cybertron's tradition in having a fleshed-out, online multiplayer mode. The general idea is the same, but quite a number of gameplay elements have been added, removed, or altered. For example, vehicle mode abilities have been removed, but every character has the ability to dash. Weapons are also exclusive to each class and can't be wielded by other players.

Players can create custom characters to participate in the regular multiplayer mode. Customization options are greatly expanded from the previous game: Individual heads, bodies/[[Alternate mode|alt-modes]], shoulders, arms, legs, and wheels can be selected, all based on existing character models. The color palette is also expanded, and players can alter the shininess of characters and choose from three different voices per faction.

Characters level up by performing well in battle. Completing challenges will also yield experience points. Class weapons and abilities become unlocked by reaching certain levels. Reaching level 25 in every class unlocks "Prime Mode," which resets all experience points and challenges and gives the player a cool spinny icon next to their name. Reaching level 25 for all classes in Prime Mode grants the player access to "Elite" heads, which are 4 heads per class, and are the most iconic character of the class (Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream and Megatron) with a crown.

Finally, [[Energon shard]]s can be gained along with experience points and can be spent on custom body parts and decals.

;Classes
The four classes return, with some alterations:
*[[Infiltrator (FOC)|Infiltrators]] - Cars. Fast, with an emphasis on stealth. Replaces the [[Scout (WFC)|Scout]] class.
*[[Destroyer (FOC)|Destroyers]] - Trucks. Mixture of defensive and offensive abilities, with emphasis on explosions. Replaces the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader]] class.
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titans]] - Tanks. Huge health and defense, heavy weapons. Replaces the [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier]] class.
*[[Scientist (WFC)|Scientists]] - Jets. Great speed, no armor, emphasis on healing and buffer abilities.

;Playlists
*Team Death Match - [[Fred Tatasciore|''ELIMINATE THE ENEMY TEAM!'']] Kills count as points for the player's team, and 40 points are required to win on default settings.
*Conquest - There are 3 nodes, A, B and C. Team members wait at nodes to fill a bar and capture the node, and all teams are competing constantly for the nodes. The possession of a node adds points, and the rate at which points are added is increased based on how many nodes the team has. The match ends once a team reaches 400 points.
*Headhunter - This match is very similar to Team Deathmatch, except killed enemies drop their [[Spark]]. Players must pick up these sparks and return them to teamless nodes to gain a point per spark. These nodes occasionally move, the approaching change signaled by beacons that mark their location, which flash when nodes are about to move.
*Capture the Flag - Both teams have flags in their base. Players must protect their own flag and capture the enemy flag. Each capture grants a point, and the amount of points required for a team to win is 3.
* Deathmatch: Kill opponents to win. It's a free-for-all. (Check the notes)

;Teletraan-1
The signature Autobot computer here lets the player sift through global player rankings and see the challenges they have completed. Prime Mode is also activated through this menu.

;Escalation
Up to 4 players face off against increasingly difficult waves. Once the players finish wave 15, the game ends and the players are scored on how many kills, deaths, and energon chips they collected throughout the match.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Fall of Cybertron''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy name'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''PS Trophy'''
|-
|[[File:FoC_Exodus.png|60px]]
| The Exodus
| Complete Chapter I
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Defend_Ark.png‎|60px]]
| Defend the Ark
| Complete Chapter II
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Metroplex_Heeds_Call.png‎|60px]]
| Metroplex Heeds the Call
| Complete Chapter III
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Eye_of_Storm.png|60px]]
| Eye of the Storm
| Complete Chapter IV
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cut_and_Run.png|60px]]
| Cut and Run
| Complete Chapter V
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Death_From_Above.png|60px]]
| Death from Above
| Complete Chapter VI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Belly_of_Beast.png|60px]]
| Belly of the Beast
| Complete Chapter VII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Combaticons_Combine.png|60px]]
| Combaticons Combine!
| Complete Chapter VIII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Megatron_Returns.png|60px]]
| Megatron Returns
| Complete Chapter IX
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Final_Countdown.png|60px]]
| The Final Countdown
| Complete Chapter X
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Starscream's_Betrayal.png|60px]]
| Starscream's Betrayal
| Complete Chapter XI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Grimlock_Smash.png|60px]]
| Grimlock Smash
| Complete Chapter XII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Optimus.png|60px]]
| [['Til all are one|Till All Are One]] - (Optimus Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Optimus (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Megatron.png|60px]]
| Till All Are One - (Megatron Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Megatron (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Battle_is_Far_From_Over.png‎|60px]]
| [[The battle is far from over!|The Battle is Far From Over!]]
| Complete Campaign - Easy
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_More_Than_Meets_The_Eye.png|60px]]
| [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More Than Meets the Eye]]
| Complete Campaign - Normal
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_All_Hail_You.png|60px]]
| [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail You!]]
| Complete Campaign - Hard
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Last_Stand.png|60px]]
| [[The Last Stand]]
| Chapter II: Save two Autobots when Optimus is downed by the first Leaper
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Carnage_in_C_Major.png|60px]]
| [[Carnage in C-Minor|Carnage in C-Major]]
| Chapter III: Take out a cluster of five Decepticons using Metroplex's Air Strike
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Invisibility_Spray.png|60px]]
| [[Invisibility spray|Invisibility Spray]]
| Chapter IV: Sneak through the Trash Compactor Facility undetected
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Target_Master_2.0.png‎|60px]]
| [[Targetmaster (technology)|Target Master]] 2.0
| Chapter V: Shoot a Sniper out of the air with a scoped weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Car_Wash_of_Doom.png|60px]]
| [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Car Wash of Doom]]
| Chapter VI: Destroy all of the homing mines chasing Blast Off before they self destruct
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Club_a_Con.png|60px]]
| [[Club Con!]]
| Chapter VII: Ram a jet (on the ground or in the air)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Fusilateral_Quintrocombiner.png|60px]]
| [[Swarm (issue)|Fusilateral Quintrocombiner]]
| Chapter VIII: Melee an enemy through the goal post
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_I_Robot_Master.png|60px]]
| [[I, Robot-Master!|I, Robot Master]]
| Chapter IX: Destroy all images of Starscream and his Statues
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_The_Harder_They_Die.png|60px]]
| [[...The Harder They Die!|The Harder They Die]]
| Chapter X: Kill five Autobots with a single hover slam attack
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Internal_Affairs.png|60px]]
| [[Internal Affairs!]]
| Chapter XI: Hack all of the security terminals before the Decepticons can activate them
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Slap_Grimlock.png|60px]]
| Slap the Grimlock
| Chapter XII: Kill a Leaper in the air with an explosive barrel
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Monacus_Spender.png|60px]]
| [[Monacus]] Spender
| Spend 250,000 Energon in the Teletraan-1 store
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconstructor.png‎|60px]]
| Reconstructor
| Fully upgrade one weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Master_Builder.png|60px]]
| [[The Master Builders (episode)|Master Builder]]
| Fully upgrade all weapons
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Teletraan_1_Regular.png|60px]]
| [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] Regular
| Rate all weapons, weapon upgrades, and equipment
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Chop_Shop.png|60px]]
| [[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]]
| Purchase all weapons and perks
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Beachcomber.png|60px]]
| [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
| Collect all blueprints
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cassetticon_Audiophile.png|60px]]
| [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Cassetticon]] Audiophile
| Collect all audio logs
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Octopunch_Scavenger.png|60px]]
| [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] Scavenger
| Open fifteen Armory Recreators in Campaign or Escalation
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconfiguration_Matrix.png|60px]]
| [[Reconfiguration Matrix]]
| Create a custom character in Multiplayer
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Headmaster.png|60px]]
| [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster!]]
| Reach max level in a single class
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_King_of_Scrap_Heap.png‎|60px]]
| King of the Scrap Heap
| Reach max level in all four classes
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_What_Prime_Directive.png‎|60px]]
| What [[Prime Directive]]s?
| Unlock Prime Mode
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Full_Throttle_Scramble.png‎|60px]]
|[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]
| Earn MVP in any game mode during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultimate_Menasor.png|60px]]
| Ultimate [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
| Capture three flags in a single CTF game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Moonbase_One.png‎|60px]]
| [[Moonbase One]]
| Personally capture all 3 nodes in a conquest game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ballistic_Energon_Goodie.png|60px]]
| Ballistic Energon Goodie
| Return five heads at once in a headhunter game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Heavy_Metal_War.png|60px]]
| [[Heavy Metal War]]
| Kill 6 different opposing players in a TDM game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Robotopossum.png‎|60px]]
| [[Roboto-possum|Robotopossum]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ignition)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Maccadams_Old_Oil_House.png|60px]]
| [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (DownFall)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Space_Pirates.png|60px]]
| [[Space Pirates!]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Oblivion)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Rust_Marks.png|60px]]
| Rust Marks
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ancients)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultra_Power_Master.png|60px]]
| Ultra [[Powermaster|Power Master]]
| Spend 100,000 credits in Escalation
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Vector_Sigma_Victory.png|60px]]
| [[Vector Sigma]] Victory
| Unlock All Trophies
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
|}

==Transformers references==
Aside from the obvious G1 inspired character designs, the game has some references to previous iterations of Transformers, a number of them from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]].

* Most of the achievements and trophies are named in homage to Generation 1, such as characters, cartoon episodes, [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] issues, and more. Due to the sheer number, we have opted to list them in the achievement list above instead.
* Soundwave does a short impression of a light fixture.
* Jazz and Cliffjumper are paired together, just as they were in the film and in the episode [[Starscream's Brigade]].
* Jazz finds an inscription on a tank in the Sea of Rust that says "IX-XVII-MCMLXXXIV," or the date that "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" first aired.
* During his coronation, Starscream is wearing the same crown his [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 counterpart]] wore in the movie, and the dialogue he has with Megatron during the scene is almost word-for-word as well. He even blasts him in tank mode, though this does not kill him like it did in the movie. The crown can be found in Starscream's level and worn for its duration.
* When Megatron is done killing off soldiers under Starscream's command, Starscream calls Megatron a [[Pretender to the Throne!|pretender to the throne]].
* When Kickback runs to the door, Slug pushes it from outside and the door falls, smashing Kickback to the ground and when Slug sees Kickback under the door, he says "Excuse me!". This is a straight homage to the scene where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] pushes the door and it smashes the [[Quintesson]] prosecutor.
* A secret room can be found in Grimlock's level containing his waiter outfit from "[[Madman's Paradise]]"; upon finding it, Grimlock utters his famous movie quote, "Me Grimlock no bozo, me king." It also contains three swords that resemble the [[Master Sword]] mounted on fixtures around the room.
* After defeating a group of Insecticons, Slug says that Grimlock tore through them like they were "[[beryllium baloney]]", but Grimlock says "[[cesium salami]]", mirroring the scene where their Generation 1 counterparts argue on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]].
* In an audio log left by [[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]], the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is described as [[Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor]], a term which originated in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]].
* The five [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s are originally grouped together as the "[[Lightning Strike Coalition]]", the name of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s breakaway Autobot faction in "[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages]]". On that note, the Coalition's logo serves as the difficulty symbols.
* The [[Path Blaster]] is named for the [[Pathblaster]] from "[[Time Wars]]". One of its modifications is named for Generation 1 episode "[[The Gambler]]" and involves the use of [[Destronium]], a substance introduced in ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
* The [[Riot Cannon]]'s "Planet Buster" modification is likewise named after the [[Planet Buster]] that appeared in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
* The [[neutron assault rifle]]'s special modification is the "P.O.K.E. Beta"—not the first [[Punch of Kill Everything]] reference in the game series.
* One of the corrosive slime cannon's modifications for multiplayer is the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] Disperser.
* Other weapon modifications available include [[tachyon transmitter]], [[fireblast]], [[turbo booster]]s, [[unspace|transwarp]] ballistics, and [[R-infinity accelerator|R-Infinity]] finders.
* Bruticus's special attack is the [[Sonic Pain Wave]], one of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s weapons.
* When Cliffjumper is accessing the Teletraan-1 store one of the random phrases apologizes for not being able to provide [[glass gas]], the unique weapon of G1 [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. The Glass Gas Cannon is awarded, however, after beating the main campaign.
* In Chapter IX, playing as Megatron after his awakening Soundwave says "Less talk, more work", quoting the G1 episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]".
As part of the expanding [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]], ''Fall of Cybertron'' also incorporates thematic and visual references to the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' television series:
* Bumblebee's voice circuits/vocal processor having been damaged prior to the story's beginning, essentially rendering him mute.
* Optimus Prime's [[Path Blaster|rifle]] design, which was described by [[High Moon Studios]] as being an earlier version of the rifles Optimus uses in the ''Prime'' television series.
* Optimus being referred to as having been a librarian named Orion Pax and Megatron having been a gladiator from Kaon named Megatronus.
* Cliffjumper's head design and Megatron's reformatted/rebuilt body design.
* Dark Energon's power to revive the dead is an aspect from the ''Prime'' television series that was not seen in the previous game, ''War For Cybertron''.
* Trypticon being reformatted into the ''Nemesis''.
* The discovery that there were [[Ancient]]s who had traveled to other planets, particularly Earth.
* One of the weapons is called an [[Energon Harvester]].

==PC version notes==
Initially, developer High Moon Studios commented (as late as [[BotCon 2012]] on the end of April of that year) that there would not be a Windows PC version of ''Fall for Cybertron'' due to their own lack of experience with the PC platform and the criticism the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'' had received. However, shortly before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2012 in early June, publisher Activision announced a PC version of the game, to be developed by [[Mercenary Technology]], a new studio formed by "veterans of the industry".

The PC version of ''Fall of Cybertron'' improves upon the console versions of ''Fall'' (and indeed the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'') by featuring higher quality graphics, higher resolution textures, runs at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second (versus 30 frames for the console version). Unfortunately, as is standard in most console game ports, the graphical settings are lacking and the controls cannot be reset/rebound.

Even with these pros and cons, there is still a number of changes from the console and PC versions, such as:
* The main menu background in the PC version is a still image, rather than the long, beautiful cutscene file that is used in the console versions. The cutscene is unused in the PC files, but there currently is no way to put it back in the game.
* The VGA trailer isn't in the PC version of the game. It's not selectable in the Movies section of the Extras menu, not played when you idle on the main menu long enough, and isn't in any of the PC version files. This issue isn't present in the console versions, so that's a complete bummer!
* Jetfire's mouth doesn't move in the PC version when transitioning to Bruticus in the final level.
* Though the prompts appear, you cannot pet Laserbeak in the PC version.

==Notes==
* This game, like its predecessor, plays a Stan Bush song at the end, this time being a slightly modified version of "[[The Touch]]", using elements from both the 2007 and 2009 versions to create a unique hybrid of the two. Soundwave plays it, while Bumblebee dances "The Carlton Dance," made famous by {{w|Alfonso Ribeiro}} on ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', which is also performed in the game by the [[Lever Transformer]] hidden in Chapter V.
* One of the unlocks for beating the game is the Glass Gas Cannon, however, Teletraan still tells Cliffjumper during replays that it is not available.
* In Chapter VIII, a {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Bruticus is attacking the Autobots.
* If Grimlock is recreated in any multiplayer mode, his T-rex alt mode will function differently than the campaign mode, behaving more like a typical vehicle mode.
* In an unfortunate oversight, the downloadable demo for the game is the first section of Chapter VI, in which one can find an audio log that blows the surprise of Megatron's death earlier in the game. Oops.
* Sludge's model is noted to have been set up for skeletal deformation; which would only be needed if the character had needed to transform in-game. The model also sports beast kibble, so Sludge may have initially had a bigger role in the story mode than what he had in the final game; either that, or he was intended to be a usable model in Multiplayer.
* Unlike its predecessor ''War for Cybertron'', ''Fall of Cybertron'' has not been dubbed in languages other than English.
* Some backstory elements are expanded upon in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Logs]] for the iPhone.
* The [[2011]] cinematic trailer for the game features the song "The Humbling River" by {{w|Puscifer}}. The [[2012]] trailers feature a cover by The EverLove of the song "{{w|Cities in Dust}}" (originally written by {{w|Siouxsie and the Banshees}}).

==Errors==
*When Soundwave looks at Megatron's arm after he has been crushed by Metroplex, it is in the design of his upgraded body from later in the game, rather than the original one he just had.
*When Shockwave speaks to Grimlock just when the latter comes in to rescue Swoop, the subtitles say, "your attempt to "'you'" rescue your friend was easily predicted."

==External links==
*[https://www.transformersgame.com/ Official Website]
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/10/06/november-cover-revealed-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx November cover revealed: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/07/transformers-high-moon-studios-tour.aspx Transformers: High Moon Studio tour] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/10/fall-of-cybertron-the-new-optimus-prime.aspx Fall of Cybertron: The New Optimus Prime] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/games/transformers_fall_of_cybertron/b/xbox360/archive/2011/10/14/grimlock-rises-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-teaser-trailer.aspx Grimlock Rises In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Teaser Trailer] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/12/behind-the-crosshairs-the-weapons-of-transformers.aspx Behind the Crosshairs: The Weapons of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4ECyCExeg Fall of Cybertron Teaser 01] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/13/the-illustrated-tour-of-cybertron.aspx The Illustrated Tour of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/17/directing-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Story And Direction Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/19/animating-the-transformers.aspx Animating The Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/20/clever-devils-the-enemies-and-ai-of-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Enemies & AI Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/21/transformers-resurrecting-the-dinobots.aspx Transformers: Resurrecting The Dinobots] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/24/fall-of-cybertron-deep-character-dive-jazz.aspx Fall Of Cybertron Deep Character Dive: Jazz] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/the-transformers-timeline.aspx The Transformers Timeline] @ Game Informer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/28/creating-the-sounds-of-the-transformers.aspx Creating The Soundscape Of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/31/larger-than-life-designing-transformer-s-set-piece-moments.aspx Larger Than Life: Designing Fall of Cybertron's Set Piece Moments] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/11/02/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-gameplay-roundtable.aspx Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Gameplay Roundtable] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/podcasts/archive/2011/11/03/tfse.aspx Special Edition Podcast: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsINYfFG5Q Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Teaser Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3E358n7pcI Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gamespot.com/videos/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-official-trailer/2300-6368583/ Fall of Cybertron Official Gameplay Trailer] @ GameSpot

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall of Cybertron}}
[[Category:Aligned video games]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron| ]]

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (video game)

2023-12-07T04:32:21Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Nav-foc}}
{{videogame
|prev=Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)
|next=Transformers: Exiles
|title=''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''
|image=Fall of Cybertron PC cover.jpg‎
|caption=[[Ron Perlman|War. War never changes]].
|developer=[[High Moon Studios]] (console), [[Mercenary Technology]] (PC) Funlabs (Next Gen port)
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|writtenby=[[Dan Jolley]]
|date=[[August 21]], [[2012]] [[August 8]], [[2016]] (XB1, PS4)
|platform=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
|ratings=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
}}
'''''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron''''' is a direct sequel to the 2010 game ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' that was released on [[August 21]], [[2012]]. Published by [[Activision]] and developed by [[High Moon Studios]] (with the PC version being handled by [[Mercenary Technology]]), the game is a continuation of the events of ''War for Cybertron''. It explores the [[Autobot]]s' attempts to escape from a rapidly deteriorating [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] aboard the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', as well as the gradual downfall and collapse of the remnants of Cybertronian society. A side story also focuses on the creation of the [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobots]].

Considerably darker in tone than its predecessor, the game begins with [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] outright conceding defeat to the [[Decepticon]]s, who are in no better straits than their enemies. The story does not shy away from the grim realities of a dying planet and its inhabitants who cope with it. Characters grieve their losses, be it their home or their comrades. Both sides are depicted resorting to extremes just to keep fighting another day, and all hope seems lost. Yet a critical discovery by [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] may light the way for the [[Transformer]] species to a new era and hope; provided they can survive the fall of Cybertron.

{{quote|This terrible war will reach its end. Not because [['Til all are one|all have finally become one]]. But simply, I fear, because all have become ''none''.|[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]}}

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Exodus===
:''Character: [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]''

The [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]] heads off to the portal which will take them to [[Earth]]. [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] invades the ship using the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]'', sending [[Decepticon]]s over directly to the bridge of the Ark, forcing Bumblebee, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] to fight off the aggressors. With more Decepticons swarming the engine room, Optimus heads off to help, leaving Bumblebee to protect the bridge. The artillery cannons are taken offline and the ship blows a [[moleculon fuse|fuse]]. Ratchet sends Bumblebee off to fix it, and after braving nearly being sucked into space, the scout soon replaces the fuse and ascends up a lift to the defense tower. He witnesses Autobots being overrun by a [[Titan (FOC)|Titan]] and then on another level, [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] and [[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] attacking. He reaches the defense mainframe and rushes the Decepticon manning it, reactivating the Ark's guns. The tower is hit by a claw that knocks him down a shaft. With his alternator jarred back into gear, Bumblebee transforms and races through an outer area, avoiding explosions, Decepticon tow cables and large chunks of rubble. He passes [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] having a [[Brawl (WFC)|brawl]] and bringing an [[Onslaught (WFC)|onslaught]] of destruction. He makes it to a stronghold, restocking on ammo, [[energon]] and weapons. He fights his way through a few waves of Decepticons, making his way to the engine room, where Prime and Megatron are doing battle. He pushes through enemy lines, with the help of two Titans, and makes his way to the engine room. There he finds Optimus and Megatron engaging in a fierce melee battle on the hull of the ship, and just as Megatron fires a huge cannon at Optimus, Bumblebee throws himself forwards, taking the shot meant for Prime. As Bumblebee falls, Optimus lifts his body...

[[File:FOC-Metroplexheedsthecall.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Embrace democracy, or you will be eradicated."]]

===Chapter II: Defend the Ark===
:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Six days earlier, the Autobots are preparing the last transport for launch. [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] reports the energon reserves are aboard, and Perceptor is overseeing city shutdown, only for the news to come that the Decepticons have invaded the city. Optimus tries to contact [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], as it's his sector the Decepticons have invaded, but gets no answer. As Prime moves to head out, a [[Warp Cannon]] crashes to the ground nearby and targets the Ark. Optimus heads through the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] ruins and enters Autobot City through a side door to find the Autobots trying to get the city stable without the absent Grimlock. After helping Ratchet stabilize a badly-injured [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]], Prime sends [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] to find where Grimlock's disappeared to. At the armory, [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] reports that [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and others are trapped in a nerve center, so he and Optimus fight their way there. After fighting off a horde of Decepticons, they unseal the [[detpak]] from the nerve center door. Sending Warpath back to the Ark, Optimus goes in to meet with Perceptor, who's struggling to get the city working again so they can fight off the Decepticons. He sends Prime to activate an old artillery gun using energon from the Ark, and Prime soon puts the weapon to good use taking out Decepticons. With news that the Warp Cannons are firing on the Ark, Optimus heads to the engine room, but as he moves towards the flight deck, the corridors restructure around him. Decepticons, including [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]], have invaded the area, and Optimus finds many bodies, but heads for the [[neutron cannon]]. After fighting his way through more Decepticons, he brings the neutron gun online, but again the targeting is out. Optimus takes manual control and helps defend the Ark refueling station from a number of Decepticon tanks. When the cannon runs out of energon, Optimus heads back inside the city and is guided by a mysterious intelligence to the city's core where he pulls a lever... and the entire city transforms into [[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]].

===Chapter III: Metroplex Heeds the Call===

:''Character: Optimus Prime''
Optimus and Metroplex head for the Iacon ruins where the Warp Cannons are located. Once they find the first Warp Cannon, Metroplex laboriously synchronizes his targeting systems with Optimus and together they take out the first cannon. Moving on, Prime helps the survivors of a crashed Autobot ship and finds Warpath in a huge plaza. With the second Warp Cannon shelling them, they head into a building and manage to get close enough to the cannon for Optimus to mark it for destruction by Metroplex. That done, Optimus heads down more corridors and is confronted by three Leapers, which Metroplex handily takes out by putting a fist through the wall. After fighting his way across a huge bridge, Prime gets close enough to the last Warp Cannon to mark it, only for it to take out Metroplex first. With no other choice, Optimus makes his way to the base of the cannon and forces open a door, only to be blasted by Starscream, bashed by Brawl and Onslaught, and dragged in front of Megatron. While Starscream gloats at his victory over Prime, Megatron simply blasts his Air Commander before killing an Autobot in front of the bound Prime. Luckily it turns out Metroplex is back online, and he rips the roof off Megatron's throne room before smashing Megatron into the ground repeatedly with his fist. Starscream pronounces Megatron dead, himself leader and orders the Decepticons back to base. The day is won, but unfortunately all the Autobots' energon is exhausted and they need to find more. Prime believes Grimlock may hold the key, and says Jazz and [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] are tracking down their missing comrade.

[[File:FOC-Cliffjumperobservatory.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references."]]

===Chapter IV: Eye of the Storm===
:''Character: Cliffjumper''
[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] drops Jazz and Cliffjumper off over the [[Rust Sea|Sea of Rust]] in the middle of a rust storm to look for Grimlock. In a ruined base, they find a crashed ship which they recognize as one that was stolen by Grimlock from the base. They soon spot Decepticons moving around and sneak inside the base. As they stealthily make their way through, they overhear some Decepticons discussing [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] and his "pets". Using a garbage conveyor, Cliffjumper finds himself in an ancient tomb where guardians are roaming around, scanning for Autobots. Jazz reports the rust storm is increasing in intensity outside. Cliffjumper finds a [[ancient map room|huge domed room]] and activates a starmap that shows him an image of [[Earth]]. Continuing through the tomb, Cliffjumper finds more Decepticons, plus sword marks and a trail of destruction he recognizes as Grimlock's work. Eventually he reaches outside again and spots Jazz, but a collapse cuts them off from each other. Cliff hunts through the storm and finds Jazz, freeing his companion from some fallen debris. They soon find more devastation and Jazz detects a faint Autobot distress signal which Cliffjumper tracks to a huge pit, just as the Decepticons seal it. Luckily the two Autobots find a huge bomb they use to blow the pit open and, leaving Cliffjumper behind, Jazz leaps in.

[[File:FOC-Jazzvsinsecticons.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.67|"Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary?" "Gary!" "Gary!"]]

===Chapter V: Cut and Run===
:''Character: Jazz''
Jazz reaches the bottom of the pit, where he discovers [[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]], who has been so badly damaged he's been forced into [[stasis lock]]. The audio he plays back from Sludge's memory is not promising. The meaning of the green pods Jazz spots is clear when he finds himself under attack by the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticon]] horde. He blasts a tank which releases a toxic green gas, and he has to race to escape in time. Escaping the pit, he seals it and pair continue to look for the source of the distress signal. They stumble on a huge lake filled with energon which the Decepticons are mining. They fight their way across the moat to the Decepticon facility where Cliffjumper promptly manages to trip an alarm. Jazz utilizes a network of service tunnels, but creeping down one of them, he falls through a grating and is ambushed. Naturally he fights the Decepticons off and even helps out Cliffjumper who's pinned down by Wall Crawlers and other Decepticons. The pair rendezvous at the other side of the moat and head inside the tower. Within, they find Insecticons in tubes and a map pointing to Earth's solar system. Intriguing! Further in, they find Shockwave arguing with Starscream via hologram. Cliffjumper fails to creep up on Shockwave, who sets a bunch of Insecticons on them before leaving. While Jazz keeps the Insecticons busy, Cliffjumper diverts toxic waste into the refinery to make it overload. The refinery starts to melt down and the pair book out, getting picked up by Sideswipe just in time. Jazz contacts Optimus with the news there's a lake of energon ripe for the taking. The Autobots begin preparing a massive energon transport to take the energon to the Ark.

===Chapter VI: Death from Above===
:''Character: Vortex''
The Decepticons get wind of the Autobot plan, and as the transport heads back with a load of energon, Starscream tasks the [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticon]]s with intercepting it and leading it to an ambush. [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] and [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] are sent to clear a short-cut so Brawl can take a dropship and destroy a bridge. They fly through an ancient Autobot city. The pair run into Autobots though, and Blast Off ends up racing ahead, leaving Vortex to fight them. They eventually reach the bridge, but when Brawl shells it, they find it's shielded. Vortex deactivates the shielding, allowing Brawl to take out the side supports. The central support is a little trickier, and Brawl has to blow a hole in it so Vortex can get in to find the shield controls. After fighting more Autobots, including a Titan, Vortex uses a detpak on the central support and races out as the bridge collapses.

===Chapter VII: Belly of the Beast===
:''Character: Swindle''
Starscream springs his ambush on the transport, but the transport's defenses blast them. Onslaught exasperatedly sends [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] under the transport to try to stop it. Swindle takes out the rear wheels and heads to the front, using his grapple to avoid the deadly acid pools, and takes out the front wheels. This unleashes a pair of titans which he has to destroy. However just as victory looks certain, the transport's wheels convert into jets. As the transport takes to the air, Swindle grapples on board.

[[File:FOC-Bruticus-Game.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"Get the Fat Man! I'll try to keep him busy!"]]

===Chapter VIII: Combaticons Combine!===
:''Character: Swindle/Bruticus''
Within the transport, Swindle begins heading through the transport, aiming to take out the anti-aircraft defenses so the other Combaticons can come over in their drop ship. He blows a hole in an exterior wall and starts making his way along the side of the transport. Starscream announces he's calling off the assault, but is corrected by Onslaught, who still believes they can pull it off. Swindle finds the anti-aircraft cannons can be destroyed by simply shooting the shells being fed into them, so he does that, then moves around to the other side of the ship. Unfortunately the Autobots are wise to what the Decepticons are doing and destroy the controls for the shell feed shields so Swindle can't deactivate them. Onslaught brings the drop ship around, and Swindle hops on. Once he uses the top turret to destroy the last gun emplacement, the Combaticons merge into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] and start breaking things. He smashes through the transports turbine and break into the control room where the Combaticons split and make swift work of the Autobots. Unfortunately though they have the transport in their control, it's badly damaged and going down, and they can do little more than try to control its course as it crashes. Starscream's unimpressed that they managed to destroy half the energon supply in the crash, and when Onslaught talks back, pointing that the Autobots would have gotten all of it if they did nothing and everything going wrong was a result of Starscream's incompetence, Starscream orders the Combaticons arrested.

===Chapter IX: Megatron Returns===
:''Character: [[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]]/Megatron''
In his [[Soundwave's workshop|old workshop]] under the gladiator pits, Soundwave powers up the assembly systems so he can put Megatron's salvaged body back together. With the help of his minions, he manages to get Megatron back in one piece and uses an infusion of [[Dark Energon]] to bring his master back to life. Megatron's enraged by the news Starscream is in charge and, grabbing his cannon, heads out to confront his former lieutenant. He arrives, naturally, in the middle of Starscream's coronation. Starscream sets the assembled Decepticons onto their former leader, but as Megatron points out, he was practically forged in these arenas. Once he finishes with the many, many Decepticons, he blasts Starscream who flees. Onslaught offers to chase them down, but Megatron doesn't consider him a threat and has other plans. As the Decepticons move a huge statue of him into pride of place, Megatron meets with Shockwave who has deciphered the ancient technology to open wormholes and located a suitably energy rich planet for them to plunder. Megatron boards a drop ship and heads for the crater where [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] crashed with the intention of recovering the giant Decepticon's power core. Unfortunately his drop ship is shot down on the way.

===Chapter X: The Final Countdown===
:''Character: Megatron''
Jumping clear of the ship, Megatron notes that the Autobots have installed anti-aircraft defenses. Once the Decepticons assault the facility and take it over, Soundwave detects a power source nearby—the Autobots are using Trypticon's power core as an energy source, which left Megatron impressed by their rather bold choice. Megatron goes on to investigate and takes out the defenses surrounding the main compound before calling in Bruticus to clear a path. The Combiner makes short work of the remaining Autobots and holds the massive doors open so Megatron can enter. After emptying the main compound of Autobots, he enters the main building where some Autobots are reporting to Optimus. Megatron slags them and makes it clear he blames Optimus for [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s depleted state. The Autobots redouble their attempts to keep Megatron away, but as he gets closer to Trypticon, he realizes that the Autobots haven't removed the power core—Trypticon is still functional. Fighting through more Autobot defenses, including a titan, Megatron gets to Trypticon's legs and finds they've been bound. A few shots of Megatron's cannon free them. Trypticon's torso is similarly easy to find, with a little help from Laserbeak. Once Megatron breaks Trypticon's bonds, Soundwave arrives and hacks the computer while Megatron smashes the Autobots attacking them. Trypticon, however, is still badly damaged. Megatron informs Trypticon that he failed to destroy the Autobots and will be rebuilt into a new form—the ''Nemesis''.

[[File:FOC-theonecalledGrimlock.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|"You and I have a chance to make our country a better place for all of us. I'd like you to make sure that chance isn't wasted."]]

===Chapter XI: Starscream's Betrayal===
:''Characters: Decepticon trooper/Starscream/Grimlock''
As the Nemesis nears launch, the Decepticons are roused by an alarm as someone tries to hack Shockwave's data logs. A trooper and his friend are sent to check the main server. As the two troopers enter the server, they discuss Starscream's humiliating defeat, only for Starscream himself to decloak and flatten them. Hoping to build an army of his own, Starscream analyzes the data logs and discovers that Shockwave's latest experiments are imprisoned within the tower. He uses EMP detpaks to take out the security towers providing the defenses, which knocks out the [[force field]]s protecting the maintenance shafts. Flying inside, he finds Shockwave experimenting on Grimlock with [[Hardshell]], [[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]], and [[Sharpshot]]. Once they leave, Starscream drops into the lab and informs Grimlock he'll be set free if he pledges allegiance to the Air Commander. Grimlock responds that he can free himself, then throws Starscream into a wall. Grimlock's surgically altered body leaves him confused and unable to transform, and before long he searches for [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] by smashing everything in his path. He finds Swoop, only to be confronted by a hologram of Shockwave, who has predicted this move. After destroying all the Decepticons in the lab, he solves the problem of freeing Swoop by smashing more things. Swoop reveals that he has gained a new [[alternate mode]], although Grimlock still cannot transform. The pair search for the rest of their team, and discover more of Shockwave's experiments—Insecticons in tubes—and Swoop remembers where [[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] is. Unfortunately Hardshell is waiting for them with some artillery, and Grimlock has to throw fuel pods at him until the ship's destroyed. Grimlock holds the Insecticon up to the optical scanner so they can progress. When they reach the surgical lab, it's totally trashed and there's a big hole in the floor. Grimlock and Swoop jump in.

[[File:FOC-Grimlockspacetrex.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|"There are times that I feel the primal part of me... pulling me away."]]

===Chapter XII: Grimlock Smash===
:''Character: Grimlock/Swoop''
Beneath the lab, the ground gives way under Grimlock, dropping him into a tunnel, and he decides they'll split up to find Slug. He soon finds the area is infested with Insecticons. Shockwave's voice rings out, telling Grimlock that he has yet to fulfill his full potential and transform, and Kickback has volunteered to help. The Insecticon taunts Grimlock and unleashes a huge "bruiser" Insecticon to fight him, causing Grimlock to get angry enough to finally change into his new ''T. rex'' alternate mode. Kickback decides discretion is the better part of not being slagged, but before he can escape, the door crashes down on him as Slug enters. Slug relates the news that Sludge didn't make it out of the caves, and [[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]'s been taken by Shockwave for "extensive testing". As they step outside where Swoop is waiting, they see Shockwave's [[space bridge]] tower firing up. They soon track down Snarl being guarded by Sharpshot and squash his captor. Searching for a place to take shelter and patch up Snarl, they find an observatory and Slug discovers Shockwave's plans to open a space bridge portal. They contact Optimus, who orders Grimlock to return to base, but Grimlock insists on taking the space bridge himself. With Swoop's help, he flies to the tower and fights his way through more Decepticons until he finds Shockwave working. As he goes to attack Shockwave, he's seized by energy chains, while Shockwave reports to Megatron that all is ready. Grimlock switches to dino mode to break free and rips Shockwave's arm off before bashing the space bridge which explodes. Back in Autobot City, the Autobots note that Megatron's portal is becoming unstable and decide they must urgently launch. Metroplex offers whatever spark energy he has left, which allows the Autobots to launch the Ark, at the cost of Metroplex's life.

===Chapter XIII: Till All Are One===
:''Characters: Soundwave/Jetfire/Bruticus/Jazz/Optimus/Megatron''
The ''Nemesis'' draws close to the ''Ark'' as it nears the portal. Megatron orders Soundwave to lead the first wave of the assault. Soundwave rides a tow cable over and, with the help of Rumble and Laserbeak, neutralizes the Ark's cannons. The Decepticons begin their assault en masse. [[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] flies outside and severs the tow cables, but even though he's successful, Bruticus flies right past him and lands on the hull of the ''Ark''. After smashing his way through the Autobot defenses, he busts the ship's main energon tank. Jetfire raises the alarm, and Jazz responds. He tries grappling onto Bruticus and shooting the giant in the face, but with the help of Jetfire and an EMP mine, the Autobots hit Bruticus with a series of air strikes, sending him flying off into space. Elsewhere, Bumblebee jumps in the path of Megatron's shot, saving Optimus. Enraged, Optimus punches Megatron across the hull and they face off once again. Their fight is eventually interrupted by the unstable space bridge portal sucking them and both starships in before closing.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] ([[Jamieson Price]])
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Wheeljack (Prime)|Wheeljack]]
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]] <ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/26/play-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-multiplayer-on-july-31 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - G1 Optimus Vignette]</ref>
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]] <ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/transformers-video-game-discussion/27314578d1345329191-full-game-being-played-live-right-now-um.jpg]</ref>
'''Dinobots'''
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]] ([[Mark Allan Stewart]])
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
|c2=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] (Sam Riegel)
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
**[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]] (Nolan North)
**[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
**[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
**[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
**[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]]
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
'''Insecticons'''
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Hardshell]]
|h3=Non-Player|c3=
'''Autobots'''
*[[Metroplex (FOC)|Metroplex]] (Fred Tatasciore)
*[[Sludge (FOC)|Sludge]]*
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]*
*[[Heavy Soldier]]*
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]] (Keith Silverstein)
*[[Frenzy (WFC)|Frenzy]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]*
*[[Leaper]]*
*[[Guardian (FOC)|Guardian]]*
*[[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruiser
*Insecticon Spitter
'''Other'''
*Soldiers*
*Rocket Soldiers*
*Shotgunners*
*[[Flier (WFC)|Fliers]]*
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]*
*Scrappers*
*Sharpshooters*
*[[Lever Transformer]]
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Denotes a character who speaks (or squawks), but is credited as "Additional Voices". 

==Quotes==
"Metroplex heeds the call of the last Prime"
:—'''Metroplex''' assures Optimus that he's not there to render him into his component molecules.

"All we want is to leave!" 
"No one leaves without ''my'' permission!" 
"''I wasn't asking''." 
:—What '''Optimus Prime''' thought would be the last time he would have to tell '''Megatron''' how it was.

"Cliffjumper, you catch any of that?" 
"You mean the screaming, the horror, followed by more screaming?" 
"Uh, yeah, that'd be it."
:—'''Jazz''' and '''Cliffjumper''' discuss what they heard from Sludge's memory core.

"Ungh! This lever is heavy! Couldn't they just make it a button?"
:—'''Vortex''' makes a valid point.

"Ugh, its spooky dark down here!" 
"{{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Afraid_of_the_Dark%3F|You're afraid of the dark}}?" 
"Well, it does make it hard to see!" 
:—'''Vortex''' and '''Brawl''' talking like a bunch of kids

"Seriously?! We're still trying to stop this thing with drop ships? I haven't stopped the AA guns yet!" 
"Think of this as an encouragement to HURRY THE SCRAP UP!"
:—'''Swindle''' and '''Onslaught'''

"Always tinkering, aren't you, Shockwave? Must be quite the test!" 
:—'''Starscream''', after hearing Shockwave and the Insecticons discuss experiments on Grimlock.

"Nothing feels right... Hard to think."
:—'''Grimlock''', shortly after breaking free.

"I remember you, Grimlock. Do you remember me? Me? Me?" 
"''Kickback''..."
:—'''Kickback''' taunts '''Grimlock''' to provoke him into transforming.

'''Kickback''': Time for me to take my leave! 
''[Slug knocks the door down on Kickback]'' 
'''Slug''': Excuse me.
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Never gets old]], '''Slug'''.

'''Slug''': You cut through those guys like they were [[Beryllium baloney|Beryllium Bologna]]! 
'''Grimlock''': You mean [[Cesium salami|Cesium Salami]]! 
'''Slug''': No...Beryllium Bologna! 
'''Grimlock''': Cesium Salami!
:—[[The Transformers: The Movie|Again with this argument, guys?]]

"You're weak, Optimus. You run when you should fight!"
:—'''Grimlock''' gives Optimus a piece of his mind.

"Pathetic! This is the so called Ark? The Autobots have placed all of their hopes on a glorified cargo hauler!"
:—'''Megatron''' gives his two cents about the Ark.

"No problem! It slices, it dices!"
:—'''Bruticus''', your Swindle's showing.

"After eons of conflict, I finally see the truth of your words, Megatron." 
"And what might that be, Optimus?" 
''[Megatron swings his sword, only for Optimus to stop his strike]'' 
"This universe, no matter how vast, will never be big enough for you and I to coexist. " 
''[Optimus punches Megatron across the Ark]'' 
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tells '''Megatron''' that he's done holding back.

==Gameplay==
Like ''War for Cybertron'', this game is an over-the-shoulder third-person shooter. The player has access to a range of weapons split between light and heavy and can carry one of each class at a time. As one would expect from a ''Transformers'' game, the player character can also transform to [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] which provides more maneuverability and in some cases the power of flight. Whereas in the previous game, characters had two abilities that were charged up by shooting opponents, each character now has "dash" and a unique ability that works on a time recharge. Abilities include Vortex's shockwave, Cliffjumper's cloaking, and Optimus Prime's ability to order a missile strike.

While ''War for Cybertron'' had three-bot teams in each campaign level, with the user playing as their choice of the three, ''Fall of Cybertron'' instead follows a single character at a time, though the character often teams up with other NPCs. This allows levels to be tailored to the player character's special abilities, such as Jazz's level having plenty of places to use his grapple, and Megatron's levels having places which are only reachable by hovering. The player will sometimes also automatically switch between characters as the narrative demands.

''Fall of Cybertron'' introduces an upgrade mechanic. The player collects energon from defeated opponents which they can use at [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] machines scattered throughout the levels to buy character upgrades, T.E.C.H. items such as [[C.L.U.T.C.H.]] drones, and weapon upgrades. Upgrades carry over between characters, so Megatron gets the benefit of upgrades purchased by Optimus Prime. Collecting the blueprints hidden in each level unlocks more upgrades or weapons. Also hidden throughout the levels are [[Source:Fall of Cybertron audio logs|audio logs]], recordings left by various characters which give extra information or insight into an aspect of the game world. Energon can be used to open [[Armory Recreator]]s, which contain weapons and equipment.

Grimlock's sections alter the game mechanics substantially. He has no ranged attack, relying on melee with his sword. Rather than gaining currency from defeating Decepticons, their deaths fill his "rage meter", eventually allowing him to transform to his dino mode that lets him use his [[fire-breath]] and jaws to wreak more havoc. Similarly, Bruticus behaves like a melee brawler, fighting with a mix of weaponry like Vortex's propellers, a flamethrower, and the [[Sonic Pain Wave]].

===Multiplayer===
Fall of Cybertron follows War for Cybertron's tradition in having a fleshed-out, online multiplayer mode. The general idea is the same, but quite a number of gameplay elements have been added, removed, or altered. For example, vehicle mode abilities have been removed, but every character has the ability to dash. Weapons are also exclusive to each class and can't be wielded by other players.

Players can create custom characters to participate in the regular multiplayer mode. Customization options are greatly expanded from the previous game: Individual heads, bodies/[[Alternate mode|alt-modes]], shoulders, arms, legs, and wheels can be selected, all based on existing character models. The color palette is also expanded, and players can alter the shininess of characters and choose from three different voices per faction.

Characters level up by performing well in battle. Completing challenges will also yield experience points. Class weapons and abilities become unlocked by reaching certain levels. Reaching level 25 in every class unlocks "Prime Mode," which resets all experience points and challenges and gives the player a cool spinny icon next to their name. Reaching level 25 for all classes in Prime Mode grants the player access to "Elite" heads, which are 4 heads per class, and are the most iconic character of the class (Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream and Megatron) with a crown.

Finally, [[Energon shard]]s can be gained along with experience points and can be spent on custom body parts and decals.

;Classes
The four classes return, with some alterations:
*[[Infiltrator (FOC)|Infiltrators]] - Cars. Fast, with an emphasis on stealth. Replaces the [[Scout (WFC)|Scout]] class.
*[[Destroyer (FOC)|Destroyers]] - Trucks. Mixture of defensive and offensive abilities, with emphasis on explosions. Replaces the [[Leader (WFC)|Leader]] class.
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titans]] - Tanks. Huge health and defense, heavy weapons. Replaces the [[Soldier (WFC)|Soldier]] class.
*[[Scientist (WFC)|Scientists]] - Jets. Great speed, no armor, emphasis on healing and buffer abilities.

;Playlists
*Team Death Match - [[Fred Tatasciore|''ELIMINATE THE ENEMY TEAM!'']] Kills count as points for the player's team, and 40 points are required to win on default settings.
*Conquest - There are 3 nodes, A, B and C. Team members wait at nodes to fill a bar and capture the node, and all teams are competing constantly for the nodes. The possession of a node adds points, and the rate at which points are added is increased based on how many nodes the team has. The match ends once a team reaches 400 points.
*Headhunter - This match is very similar to Team Deathmatch, except killed enemies drop their [[Spark]]. Players must pick up these sparks and return them to teamless nodes to gain a point per spark. These nodes occasionally move, the approaching change signaled by beacons that mark their location, which flash when nodes are about to move.
*Capture the Flag - Both teams have flags in their base. Players must protect their own flag and capture the enemy flag. Each capture grants a point, and the amount of points required for a team to win is 3.
* Deathmatch: Kill opponents to win. It's a free-for-all. (Check the notes)

;Teletraan-1
The signature Autobot computer here lets the player sift through global player rankings and see the challenges they have completed. Prime Mode is also activated through this menu.

;Escalation
Up to 4 players face off against increasingly difficult waves. Once the players finish wave 15, the game ends and the players are scored on how many kills, deaths, and energon chips they collected throughout the match.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Fall of Cybertron''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
| '''Icon'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy name'''
| '''Achievement/Trophy description'''
| '''Gamerscore'''
| '''PS Trophy'''
|-
|[[File:FoC_Exodus.png|60px]]
| The Exodus
| Complete Chapter I
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Defend_Ark.png‎|60px]]
| Defend the Ark
| Complete Chapter II
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Metroplex_Heeds_Call.png‎|60px]]
| Metroplex Heeds the Call
| Complete Chapter III
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Eye_of_Storm.png|60px]]
| Eye of the Storm
| Complete Chapter IV
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cut_and_Run.png|60px]]
| Cut and Run
| Complete Chapter V
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Death_From_Above.png|60px]]
| Death from Above
| Complete Chapter VI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Belly_of_Beast.png|60px]]
| Belly of the Beast
| Complete Chapter VII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Combaticons_Combine.png|60px]]
| Combaticons Combine!
| Complete Chapter VIII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Megatron_Returns.png|60px]]
| Megatron Returns
| Complete Chapter IX
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Final_Countdown.png|60px]]
| The Final Countdown
| Complete Chapter X
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Starscream's_Betrayal.png|60px]]
| Starscream's Betrayal
| Complete Chapter XI
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Grimlock_Smash.png|60px]]
| Grimlock Smash
| Complete Chapter XII
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Optimus.png|60px]]
| [['Til all are one|Till All Are One]] - (Optimus Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Optimus (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Till_All_Are_One_Megatron.png|60px]]
| Till All Are One - (Megatron Ending)
| Complete Chapter XIII as Megatron (secret achievement)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Battle_is_Far_From_Over.png‎|60px]]
| [[The battle is far from over!|The Battle is Far From Over!]]
| Complete Campaign - Easy
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_More_Than_Meets_The_Eye.png|60px]]
| [[More than Meets the Eye (mini-series)|More Than Meets the Eye]]
| Complete Campaign - Normal
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_All_Hail_You.png|60px]]
| [[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail You!]]
| Complete Campaign - Hard
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Last_Stand.png|60px]]
| [[The Last Stand]]
| Chapter II: Save two Autobots when Optimus is downed by the first Leaper
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Carnage_in_C_Major.png|60px]]
| [[Carnage in C-Minor|Carnage in C-Major]]
| Chapter III: Take out a cluster of five Decepticons using Metroplex's Air Strike
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Invisibility_Spray.png|60px]]
| [[Invisibility spray|Invisibility Spray]]
| Chapter IV: Sneak through the Trash Compactor Facility undetected
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Target_Master_2.0.png‎|60px]]
| [[Targetmaster (technology)|Target Master]] 2.0
| Chapter V: Shoot a Sniper out of the air with a scoped weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Car_Wash_of_Doom.png|60px]]
| [[Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom|Car Wash of Doom]]
| Chapter VI: Destroy all of the homing mines chasing Blast Off before they self destruct
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Club_a_Con.png|60px]]
| [[Club Con!]]
| Chapter VII: Ram a jet (on the ground or in the air)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Fusilateral_Quintrocombiner.png|60px]]
| [[Swarm (issue)|Fusilateral Quintrocombiner]]
| Chapter VIII: Melee an enemy through the goal post
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_I_Robot_Master.png|60px]]
| [[I, Robot-Master!|I, Robot Master]]
| Chapter IX: Destroy all images of Starscream and his Statues
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_The_Harder_They_Die.png|60px]]
| [[...The Harder They Die!|The Harder They Die]]
| Chapter X: Kill five Autobots with a single hover slam attack
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| [[File:FoC_Internal_Affairs.png|60px]]
| [[Internal Affairs!]]
| Chapter XI: Hack all of the security terminals before the Decepticons can activate them
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Slap_Grimlock.png|60px]]
| Slap the Grimlock
| Chapter XII: Kill a Leaper in the air with an explosive barrel
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Monacus_Spender.png|60px]]
| [[Monacus]] Spender
| Spend 250,000 Energon in the Teletraan-1 store
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconstructor.png‎|60px]]
| Reconstructor
| Fully upgrade one weapon
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Master_Builder.png|60px]]
| [[The Master Builders (episode)|Master Builder]]
| Fully upgrade all weapons
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Teletraan_1_Regular.png|60px]]
| [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] Regular
| Rate all weapons, weapon upgrades, and equipment
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Chop_Shop.png|60px]]
| [[Chop Shop (G1)|Chop Shop]]
| Purchase all weapons and perks
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Beachcomber.png|60px]]
| [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]]
| Collect all blueprints
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Cassetticon_Audiophile.png|60px]]
| [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Cassetticon]] Audiophile
| Collect all audio logs
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Octopunch_Scavenger.png|60px]]
| [[Octopunch (G1)|Octopunch]] Scavenger
| Open fifteen Armory Recreators in Campaign or Escalation
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Reconfiguration_Matrix.png|60px]]
| [[Reconfiguration Matrix]]
| Create a custom character in Multiplayer
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Headmaster.png|60px]]
| [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster!]]
| Reach max level in a single class
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_King_of_Scrap_Heap.png‎|60px]]
| King of the Scrap Heap
| Reach max level in all four classes
| 100 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_What_Prime_Directive.png‎|60px]]
| What [[Prime Directive]]s?
| Unlock Prime Mode
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Full_Throttle_Scramble.png‎|60px]]
|[[Full Throttle Scramble Power!]]
| Earn MVP in any game mode during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultimate_Menasor.png|60px]]
| Ultimate [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]
| Capture three flags in a single CTF game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Moonbase_One.png‎|60px]]
| [[Moonbase One]]
| Personally capture all 3 nodes in a conquest game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ballistic_Energon_Goodie.png|60px]]
| Ballistic Energon Goodie
| Return five heads at once in a headhunter game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Heavy_Metal_War.png|60px]]
| [[Heavy Metal War]]
| Kill 6 different opposing players in a TDM game during a public Multiplayer match
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Robotopossum.png‎|60px]]
| [[Roboto-possum|Robotopossum]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ignition)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Maccadams_Old_Oil_House.png|60px]]
| [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (DownFall)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Space_Pirates.png|60px]]
| [[Space Pirates!]]
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Oblivion)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Rust_Marks.png|60px]]
| Rust Marks
| Complete wave 15 in Escalation (Ancients)
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Ultra_Power_Master.png|60px]]
| Ultra [[Powermaster|Power Master]]
| Spend 100,000 credits in Escalation
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|[[File:FoC_Vector_Sigma_Victory.png|60px]]
| [[Vector Sigma]] Victory
| Unlock All Trophies
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
|}

==Transformers references==
Aside from the obvious G1 inspired character designs, the game has some references to previous iterations of Transformers, a number of them from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 movie]].

* Most of the achievements and trophies are named in homage to Generation 1, such as characters, cartoon episodes, [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel comic]] issues, and more. Due to the sheer number, we have opted to list them in the achievement list above instead.
* Soundwave does a short impression of a light fixture.
* Jazz and Cliffjumper are paired together, just as they were in the film and in the episode [[Starscream's Brigade]].
* Jazz finds an inscription on a tank in the Sea of Rust that says "IX-XVII-MCMLXXXIV," or the date that "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" first aired.
* During his coronation, Starscream is wearing the same crown his [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1 counterpart]] wore in the movie, and the dialogue he has with Megatron during the scene is almost word-for-word as well. He even blasts him in tank mode, though this does not kill him like it did in the movie. The crown can be found in Starscream's level and worn for its duration.
* When Megatron is done killing off soldiers under Starscream's command, Starscream calls Megatron a [[Pretender to the Throne!|pretender to the throne]].
* When Kickback runs to the door, Slug pushes it from outside and the door falls, smashing Kickback to the ground and when Slug sees Kickback under the door, he says "Excuse me!". This is a straight homage to the scene where [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] pushes the door and it smashes the [[Quintesson]] prosecutor.
* A secret room can be found in Grimlock's level containing his waiter outfit from "[[Madman's Paradise]]"; upon finding it, Grimlock utters his famous movie quote, "Me Grimlock no bozo, me king." It also contains three swords that resemble the [[Master Sword]] mounted on fixtures around the room.
* After defeating a group of Insecticons, Slug says that Grimlock tore through them like they were "[[beryllium baloney]]", but Grimlock says "[[cesium salami]]", mirroring the scene where their Generation 1 counterparts argue on [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]].
* In an audio log left by [[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]], the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is described as [[Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor]], a term which originated in [[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]].
* The five [[Dinobot (FOC)|Dinobot]]s are originally grouped together as the "[[Lightning Strike Coalition]]", the name of [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]'s breakaway Autobot faction in "[[Transformers: War Within: The Dark Ages]]". On that note, the Coalition's logo serves as the difficulty symbols.
* The [[Path Blaster]] is named for the [[Pathblaster]] from "[[Time Wars]]". One of its modifications is named for Generation 1 episode "[[The Gambler]]" and involves the use of [[Destronium]], a substance introduced in ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.
* The [[Riot Cannon]]'s "Planet Buster" modification is likewise named after the [[Planet Buster]] that appeared in the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon.
* The [[neutron assault rifle]]'s special modification is the "P.O.K.E. Beta"—not the first [[Punch of Kill Everything]] reference in the game series.
* One of the corrosive slime cannon's modifications for multiplayer is the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Cosmic Rust]] Disperser.
* Other weapon modifications available include [[tachyon transmitter]], [[fireblast]], [[turbo booster]]s, [[unspace|transwarp]] ballistics, and [[R-infinity accelerator|R-Infinity]] finders.
* Bruticus's special attack is the [[Sonic Pain Wave]], one of the [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise]] [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]]'s weapons.
* When Cliffjumper is accessing the Teletraan-1 store one of the random phrases apologizes for not being able to provide [[glass gas]], the unique weapon of G1 [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]. The Glass Gas Cannon is awarded, however, after beating the main campaign.
* In Chapter IX, playing as Megatron after his awakening Soundwave says "Less talk, more work", quoting the G1 episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2]]".
As part of the expanding [[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]], ''Fall of Cybertron'' also incorporates thematic and visual references to the ''[[Transformers: Exodus]]'' novel and the ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' television series:
* Bumblebee's voice circuits/vocal processor having been damaged prior to the story's beginning, essentially rendering him mute.
* Optimus Prime's [[Path Blaster|rifle]] design, which was described by [[High Moon Studios]] as being an earlier version of the rifles Optimus uses in the ''Prime'' television series.
* Optimus being referred to as having been a librarian named Orion Pax and Megatron having been a gladiator from Kaon named Megatronus.
* Cliffjumper's head design and Megatron's reformatted/rebuilt body design.
* Dark Energon's power to revive the dead is an aspect from the ''Prime'' television series that was not seen in the previous game, ''War For Cybertron''.
* Trypticon being reformatted into the ''Nemesis''.
* The discovery that there were [[Ancient]]s who had traveled to other planets, particularly Earth.
* One of the weapons is called an [[Energon Harvester]].

==PC version notes==
Initially, developer High Moon Studios commented (as late as [[BotCon 2012]] on the end of April of that year) that there would not be a Windows PC version of ''Fall for Cybertron'' due to their own lack of experience with the PC platform and the criticism the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'' had received. However, shortly before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2012 in early June, publisher Activision announced a PC version of the game, to be developed by [[Mercenary Technology]], a new studio formed by "veterans of the industry".

The PC version of ''Fall of Cybertron'' improves upon the console versions of ''Fall'' (and indeed the PC version of ''War for Cybertron'') by featuring higher quality graphics, higher resolution textures, runs at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second (versus 30 frames for the console version). Unfortunately, as is standard in most console game ports, the graphical settings are lacking and the controls cannot be reset/rebound.

Even with these pros and cons, there is still a number of changes from the console and PC versions, such as:
* The main menu background in the PC version is a still image, rather than the long, beautiful cutscene file that is used in the console versions. The cutscene is unused in the PC files, but there currently is no way to put it back in the game.
* The VGA trailer isn't in the PC version of the game. It's not selectable in the Movies section of the Extras menu, not played when you idle on the main menu long enough, and isn't in any of the PC version files. This issue isn't present in the console versions, so that's a complete bummer!
* Jetfire's mouth doesn't move in the PC version when transitioning to Bruticus in the final level.
* Though the prompts appear, you cannot pet Laserbeak in the PC version.

==Notes==
* This game, like its predecessor, plays a Stan Bush song at the end, this time being a slightly modified version of "[[The Touch]]", using elements from both the 2007 and 2009 versions to create a unique hybrid of the two. Soundwave plays it, while Bumblebee dances "The Carlton Dance," made famous by {{w|Alfonso Ribeiro}} on ''{{w|The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}}'', which is also performed in the game by the [[Lever Transformer]] hidden in Chapter V.
* One of the unlocks for beating the game is the Glass Gas Cannon, however, Teletraan still tells Cliffjumper during replays that it is not available.
* In Chapter VIII, a {{w|Wilhelm scream}} can be heard when Bruticus is attacking the Autobots.
* If Grimlock is recreated in any multiplayer mode, his T-rex alt mode will function differently than the campaign mode, behaving more like a typical vehicle mode.
* In an unfortunate oversight, the downloadable demo for the game is the first section of Chapter VI, in which one can find an audio log that blows the surprise of Megatron's death earlier in the game. Oops.
* Sludge's model is noted to have been set up for skeletal deformation; which would only be needed if the character had needed to transform in-game. The model also sports beast kibble, so Sludge may have initially had a bigger role in the story mode than what he had in the final game; either that, or he was intended to be a usable model in Multiplayer.
* Unlike its predecessor ''War for Cybertron'', ''Fall of Cybertron'' has not been dubbed in languages other than English.
* Some backstory elements are expanded upon in [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Logs]] for the iPhone.
* The [[2011]] cinematic trailer for the game features the song "The Humbling River" by {{w|Puscifer}}. The [[2012]] trailers feature a cover by The EverLove of the song "{{w|Cities in Dust}}" (originally written by {{w|Siouxsie and the Banshees}}).

==Errors==
*When Soundwave looks at Megatron's arm after he has been crushed by Metroplex, it is in the design of his upgraded body from later in the game, rather than the original one he just had.
*When Shockwave speaks to Grimlock just when the latter comes in to rescue Swoop, the subtitles say, "your attempt to "'you'" rescue your friend was easily predicted."

==External links==
*[https://www.transformersgame.com/ Official Website]
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/10/06/november-cover-revealed-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx November cover revealed: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/07/transformers-high-moon-studios-tour.aspx Transformers: High Moon Studio tour] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/10/fall-of-cybertron-the-new-optimus-prime.aspx Fall of Cybertron: The New Optimus Prime] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/games/transformers_fall_of_cybertron/b/xbox360/archive/2011/10/14/grimlock-rises-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron-teaser-trailer.aspx Grimlock Rises In Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Teaser Trailer] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/12/behind-the-crosshairs-the-weapons-of-transformers.aspx Behind the Crosshairs: The Weapons of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn4ECyCExeg Fall of Cybertron Teaser 01] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/13/the-illustrated-tour-of-cybertron.aspx The Illustrated Tour of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/17/directing-transformers-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Story And Direction Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/19/animating-the-transformers.aspx Animating The Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/20/clever-devils-the-enemies-and-ai-of-fall-of-cybertron.aspx The Enemies & AI Of Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/21/transformers-resurrecting-the-dinobots.aspx Transformers: Resurrecting The Dinobots] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/24/fall-of-cybertron-deep-character-dive-jazz.aspx Fall Of Cybertron Deep Character Dive: Jazz] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/the-transformers-timeline.aspx The Transformers Timeline] @ Game Informer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/26/true-to-character-transformer-fall-of-cybertron.aspx True To Form: Safeguarding The Transformers License] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/28/creating-the-sounds-of-the-transformers.aspx Creating The Soundscape Of Transformers] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/10/31/larger-than-life-designing-transformer-s-set-piece-moments.aspx Larger Than Life: Designing Fall of Cybertron's Set Piece Moments] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/11/02/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-gameplay-roundtable.aspx Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Gameplay Roundtable] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/podcasts/archive/2011/11/03/tfse.aspx Special Edition Podcast: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron] @ GameInformer
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsINYfFG5Q Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Teaser Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3E358n7pcI Fall of Cybertron Cinematic Trailer] @ YouTube
*[https://www.gamespot.com/videos/transformers-fall-of-cybertron-official-trailer/2300-6368583/ Fall of Cybertron Official Gameplay Trailer] @ GameSpot

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fall of Cybertron}}
[[Category:Aligned video games]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron| ]]

Vortex Grinder

2023-11-22T16:39:53Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{disambigm|Vortex (disambiguation)|Grindor (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:ROTF Devastator vortex grinder.JPG|thumb|right|350px|Om nom nom.]]
Humans say you are what you eat. [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] takes this to the extreme with his '''Vortex Grinder'''.<ref>Devastator's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Battle Bio] at Hasbro.com</ref> Using an artificial [[black hole]], Devastator can suck in nearby objects. Once they reach his plasma core, they are broken down by the extreme temperatures and turned into molten stew. All useful materials are absorbed and the rest are expelled from his back.<ref>''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Movie Universe]]''</ref>

This happens to include living beings be they organic or [[Autobot]].

{{bigquote|Stay back, it's like a [[Black hole|black hole]], sucking everything in! If it pulls you in, you're dead!|[[William Lennox]] |"''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen: The Game]]''}}

==Fiction==
===''Revenge of the Fallen'' film===
Once the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]] had finished combining in a quarry near the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]] Devastator activated his Vortex Grinder and began sucking in all nearby objects including cars, livestock, and hapless bystanders. [[Seymour Simmons]] was nearly sucked in but saved by [[Leo Spitz]]. The Autobot [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] was less fortunate and pulled into the gaping maw. This caused Devastator to deactivate the Vortex Grinder long enough for the [[human]]s and surviving [[Autobot]] [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] to make a mad dash under Devastator as it was the only safe place. They also got a little extra time when Mudflap burst out of Devastator's head alive and well.

Once they had successfully managed to reach the top of the Great Pyramid, Devastator again activated his Vortex Grinder and began absorbing the rocks that encased the [[Star Harvester]] that the [[Decepticon]]s were trying to activate. Devastator had resorted to his fists by the time the U.S.S. ''Kidd'' fired her experimental railgun, destroying Devastator. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

===''Age of Extinction'' film===
[[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]] had a smaller Vortex Grinder in his chest. [[Joshua Joyce]] hated it, but [[Gill Wembley]] thought it looked "badass".

During a duel with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Dual Energon Swords|his sword]] was destroyed by the Grinder when he attempted to stab Galvatron, revealing that he had no "[[Spark|soul]]" and thus, no fear. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

===''TransTech''===
When the [[Axiom Nexus Security Administration|OZSA]] found their way into [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]]'s hideout blocked by an [[Absolute Terror Field]], [[Cheetor (TransTech)|Commander Cheetor]] sought permission from the [[High Senate]] to use a Vortex Grinder with [[Rook (Armada)|Rook]] looking into legal precedent for such action. The High Senate's authorization bill turned out to be unnecessary, however as the field came down on its own when Sideways's head [[David Willis|suddenly exploded]]. {{storylink|Rook - Axiom Nexus News: Investigative Journalist}}

==Games==
===''Revenge of the Fallen'' - The Game===
====Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC====
=====Autobot Campaign=====
While pursuing the Autobots in [[Cairo]], Devastator employed his Vortex Grinder to try to suck them up. It seemed oddly ineffective against [[NEST]] tanks and any [[Combaticon Warrior|Combaticons]] who wandered into its path. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

[[Image:Devastator's_Demise_Vortex_Grinder.jpg|200px|thumb|left|]]
===''Devastator's Demise'' online game===
Devastator regularly tried to suck the Autobots into his Vortex Grinder, and they had to drive really fast to get away. {{Storylink|Transformers RPMs: Devastator's Demise}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
[[Image:SupremeDevastatorVortexGrinder.JPG|thumb|150px|right|UUUUAAAAAA!!!]]
===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
====Combiner Class toys====
*'''Constructicon Devastator''' (2009)
Devastator has a button on his chest, which when pushed down, activates the Vortex Grinder along with various sounds and voice clips.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
====RPMs - Robot Powered Machines====
=====Track Set=====
[[Image:DevastatorShowdown BoxArt.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
*'''Devastator Showdown''' (2009)
**'''Includes:''' [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] [[Mini-Vehicle]].

:The Devastator Showdown track set features the Vortex Grinder which the Autobots must race to avoid.

{{-}}

==Notes==
* In Devastator's online [[Vector Sigma]] bio, the Vortex Grinder is inexplicably depicted as Devastator's right hand.<ref>[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm#/characters/devastator Devastator's online Vector Sigma bio].</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction technology]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen weapons]]
[[Category:TransTech technology]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction weapons]]

Mars (episode)

2023-11-22T06:04:37Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Animation and technical errors */

{{picsneeded}}
{{disambig3|Mars}}
{{episode|
|series=Armada
|ep=36
|prev=Rescue
|next=Crack (episode)
|title="Mars"
|furigana=しょうとつ
|japanese=火星
|romaji=Shoutotsu
|translation=Mars: Conflict
|image=Armada-Mars-Starscream and Jetfire.jpg
|caption=
|production code=TF: A-36
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Akira Okeya]]
|director=[[Mihiro Yamaguchi]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.]], [[Big Bang (company)|Big Bang]]
|airdate=[[May 3]], [[2003]] (English) [[September 12|12 September]] [[2003]] (Japanese)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}
'''Jetfire and Starscream get their ass to Mars to rescue a Mini-Con, but walk into a trap.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] rages, frustrated that the [[Autobot]]s do not share his priority of destroying [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. His [[Mini-Con]] partners, [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] and the [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]], try to console him, followed by [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]], but he is too wrapped up in his self-doubts to listen to them.

While Megatron rages about his recent setback, [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] receives some news that might calm him: [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] claims that while the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]] has limited power, combining it with the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] and [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom]] Shield would make it unstoppable.

The Autobots on [[Earth]] detect a new Mini-Con signal, but as it is on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], only [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] and Starscream would be capable of flying there to retrieve it. The kids are upset that they can't go but ask Jetfire for a souvenir, like maybe a Mars rock. Jetfire isn't happy to be bringing Starscream at all, but they head out, with Jetfire wielding the Skyboom Shield and Starscream wielding the Star Saber.

Having been briefed by Thrust on the Mini-Con and the three weapons' potential, Megatron recognizes that the Autobots' mission to Mars is the perfect opportunity to unite the Mini-Con weapons.

On Mars, Starscream is itching for a fight with Megatron, and he seems to get his wish as an ominous shape appears in the stormy skies above. Starscream leaps to attack and is annoyed to find that it's only [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], who demands the Star Saber and knocks Starscream to the planet's surface. Jetfire, having noticed the Decepticon intruder as well, decides to investigate.

Starscream pulls himself together and finds the Air Defense Team trying to cheer him on. He drives them away, screaming that he doesn't need their sympathy, only to lament immediately that now even the Mini-Cons have abandoned him. He declares that here, on this planet, he will crush Megatron. Starscream notices that he has been absentmindedly crushing a Martian rock while talking to himself, which he then looks at with interest. Soon, the Air Defense Team leads [[Comettor (Armada)|Comettor]] and Jetfire to Starscream's aid. The two [[Bulk]]s argue over Starscream's responsibilities, culminating in Jetfire arresting Starscream for insubordination. [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] agrees, and Jetfire heads home with Starscream in tow and the Mini-Con still helpless.

Starscream fortuitously spots the Mini-Con they have been searching for on a nearby asteroid on the journey home. Jetfire entrusts Starscream with retrieving the Mini-Con, revealed to be [[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]], but a new assault by Tidal Wave interrupts them. With the Autobots pinned down, Megatron and Thrust teleport to the battle. Starscream cries out for Jetfire to release his cuffs and let him help, but Jetfire is helpless to do so. Starscream pleads with Firebot to open fire on the Decepticons with no other recourse. He explains that while the Autobots will protect the Mini-Con, the Decepticons will only use him as a tool for war. Firebot seems to understand, as he holds off Tidal Wave long enough for Starscream to get him to safety. Starscream and Jetfire face off against Megatron, but their Mini-Con weapons emit a strange, golden glow that grows to envelop all three of them as they do. The three weapons' power knocks Tidal Wave and Thrust away and knocks Megatron unconscious, allowing Starscream and Jetfire to escape.

[[File:Mysterious rock.JPG|left|upright=0.85|thumb|Santa Claus gives bad/annoying children radioactive rocks for Christmas.]]
Back at the Autobot base, Optimus Prime and Jetfire agree that they should keep the Mini-Con weapons' mysterious power a secret. While the kids chat with Jetfire, who disappoints them when he admits he hasn't brought them a souvenir, Alexis explains to Starscream how she is proud of him for convincing Firebot to join the Autobots. She knows he cares for the Mini-Cons, and that's why she feels he belongs on the Autobot side. Starscream counters that his only mission is to destroy Megatron and stomps off but leaves behind the chunk of rock he found on Mars. Alexis is very excited to see it and calls the boys over to look at it. Alexis notes that Starscream has shown that he genuinely cares, and she hopes that he will soon join the Autobots for good.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (1)
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (16)
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] (19)
*[[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (20)
*[[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]] (21)
*[[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (23)
*[[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] (24)
*[[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (25)

|c2=
*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (9)
*[[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (10)
*[[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] (11)
*[[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (12)
*[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] (13)
*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (23)

|c3=
*[[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (2)
*[[Rad White]] (3)
*[[Carlos Lopez]] (4)
*[[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (17)
*[[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (18)

|h4=[[Mini-Con]]s|c4=
*[[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]] (5)
*[[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]] (6)
*[[Runway (Armada)|Runway]] (7)
*[[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] (8)
*[[Mirror]] (14)
*[[Comettor (Armada)|Comettor]] (22)
*[[Firebot (Armada)|Firebot]] (26)
*[[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (27)
*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (28)
*[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (29)
*[[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]] (30)

|c5=
*[[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] (15)
}}

==Quotes==
"Megatron looks a little testy today, huh?"
:—'''Cyclonus'''

"Any of you ladies going to do any work today, or are you just going to stand around chatting with one another?"
:—'''Thrust''', interrupting water cooler chatter

"I don't need your sympathy! Now leave me alone!"
 ''[the Mini-Cons trot off]''
 ''[gravely]'' "...Even the Mini-Cons have abandoned me now."
:—''Angry'' '''Starscream''' transforms into ''sad'' Starscream

"Y'know what? You're right. I don't understand! And I don't want to either!" 
"Wh.. what do you think you're doing to me?!" 
"I'm bustin' you. For the crime of disobeying orders. Sorry." 
"You can't be serious! Get these off me now!" 
"No can do. Like I said, you're busted. I'll decide everything you do from now on. It's for your own good and you know it."
:—'''Jetfire''' places '''Starscream''' under arrest for disobeying orders and acting like a whiny teenager.

"Let me tell you my personal motto: VICTORY IS MINE!"
:—'''Jetfire's''' egotistical interpretation of ''"I wanna tell you about the Transformers"''

"He's so difficult sometimes."
:—'''Thrust''' on Megatron
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Legends of the Microns''===
*In ''Legends of the Microns'', Starscream's thoughts throughout the episode are mostly concerned not with Megatron but the Mini-Cons and his growing respect for them.
*Almost every time Starscream tells someone to leave him alone in ''Armada'', it is changed to him telling them to be quiet.
*The opening scene has some notable differences between the dubs:
**When Starscream suddenly stops to stare at the flower valley with his mouth agape, Carlos's remark about Starscream puking up lunch is changed to him asking if Starscream is now exhausted, and Alexis says he stopped for another reason. At this point, ''Armada'' inserts an internal monologue in which he laments wasting time on Earth instead of going after Megatron, even going so far as saying he will, for some reason, ''perish'' unless he gets to Megatron soon. In ''Legends of the Microns'', the scene is silent, implying that Starscream is merely amazed by the flowers' beauty.
**The scene is silent just before Swindle and the Air Defense Mini-Con team try consoling Starscream. During the shot of Swindle and Sonar, Carlos's line about Starscream being "out to lunch" is now him saying Starscream might lash out at Alexis in anger. In ''Armada'', Alexis says she knows why Starscream is upset. Then he says, "It's all about the Mini-Cons," and he wants to be left alone. In ''Legends of the Microns'', Alexis notes how Starscream didn't cut the flowers, and Starscream mentions the Mini-Cons and calls Alexis "an annoying pest" before storming off. ''Armada'' has Alexis groan about Starscream being mean to her when she's just trying to help. In ''Legends of the Microns'', Alexis wonders if Starscream wanted to say that the Mini-Cons would've hated him ruining the flowers. Then, instead of thinking that Starscream will do something drastic, Alexis says she's sure Starscream cares a lot about the Mini-Cons.
*The exchange between Thrust and Sideways has a few changes: Sideways's line about the three Mini-Con weapons completing each other is changed to each weapon ''countering'' one another. In ''Armada'', Thrust says the weapons would be more powerful when combined and realizes they could become one. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him realize each weapon is formed by "three Mini-Cons in a set," making him wonder what would happen if someone combined the three weapons. Thrust's scenes asking if the weapons could unite to become one and turning around to find Sideways gone are silent. He also asks Sideways why he told him that information as he turns. ''Armada'' has Thrust gloat about destroying the Autobots with the Mini-Con weapons' combined power. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him ponder how much power the union would create. Thrust's laughter is extended to be heard during the shot of Earth appearing from beyond the Moon.
*Billy says they ''need'' to go after the new Mini-Con on Mars, and Fred's line about needing to "go" is removed.
*''Legends of the Microns'' has Carlos say, "Hurry, hurry!" to Billy and Fred as they're running to the launch gate.
*''Armada'' has Rad snark about Carlos, Billy, and Fred wearing helmets, but he asks what Carlos is even doing in ''Legends of the Microns''. Jetfire even tells the boys he ''will'' bring them back a souvenir with the Mini-Con.
*Some changes during the talk between Megatron and Thrust include the following: Thrust doesn't mention the Mini-Con when he says Starscream and Jetfire have left Earth; Megatron tells Thrust they must recapture the Star Saber from Starscream; in ''Armada'', Megatron says combining the Mini-Con weapons will unleash the "ultimate power of the universe" and conquer the Autobots forever. In ''Legends of the Microns'', he says that ''if'' Thrust's theory about the Mini-Con weapons is correct, they'll release a large amount of energy; and rather than claiming the Decepticons will have their victory, Thrust says the Autobots will have a lot to fear.
*While approaching Mars, Jetfire has an additional line about what Starscream could be doing. Jetfire is also silent when Comettor transforms.
*Since she can't see anything on Mars, Alexis asks Jetfire what's happening instead of telling him he's on his own. Rad also says they can't hear Jetfire rather than asking what he just said.
*About Fred's nose itching, Alexis says it's unavoidable and something he should've thought about when putting on the spacesuit. In ''Armada'', Fred asks how he will eat lunch if he can't touch his face. In ''Legends of the Microns'', he asks if he, Billy, and Carlos were going into space, and the other two answer, "Yeah!"
*Starscream, Tidal Wave, and Jetfire are more obscured by the storm than in ''Armada''.
*Right after Starscream shouts, "Megatron, where are you?" he has an extra line asking where Megatron is hiding before he shouts, "Show yourself!"
*Starscream can't hear Tidal Wave demand that he hand over the Star Saber.
*Instead of "hoping" that Starscream's okay, Hot Shot claims to be worried about him as he's an ally now.
*During the scene of Starscream sulking, all of his lines are a more dramatic internal monologue instead, and one in which he doesn't mention Megatron at all. He asks himself what he wants, lamenting that Jetfire won't come to help him since the Autobot only sees him as another Decepticon and cares more about the Mini-Cons than him, but says that he won't let Mars be the end of him.
*Jetfire is silent as he walks towards Starscream, and when he extends his hand, Starscream says he doesn't need any help. ''Armada'' has Jetfire tell Starscream to get up and help find the Mini-Con; ''Legends of the Microns'' has him say the Mini-Cons lead him to Starscream, and though the Autobots may not like Starscream, he seems to be popular with the Mini-Cons for some reason.
*Instead of telling Jetfire that he will pay for arresting him, Starscream calls him "a loud-mouthed pest." Jetfire doesn't inform the others about restraining Starscream and only says he's injured. When it cuts to Optimus after he tells Jetfire to bring Starscream back to Earth, he says, "That'll do," as his line about Starscream needing to learn a lesson is gone, and he doesn't address the kids.
*Jetfire telling Starscream to quit struggling is changed to him saying they are close to leaving Mars' orbit.
*In ''Armada'', Jetfire's lecture to Starscream is about how, unlike the Decepticons, the Autobots need to work together and help each other. After that, Starscream mentions Megatron, seemingly ignoring what Jetfire said. In ''Legends of the Microns'', Jetfire says the Autobots' job is to help their friends, including the Mini-Cons, and since everyone agrees that Starscream is now one of them, they all want to help him too. Then Starscream asks about the missing Mini-Con. After this, ''Armada'' has Jetfire tell Starscream not to stop him from taking him back to Earth before Starscream tells him to wait. Then Jetfire tells Starscream to save his breath; Starscream says he sees "him," and Jetfire assumes he means Megatron but Starscream clarifies the Mini-Con. In ''Legends of the Microns'', while the shot focuses on Jetfire, Starscream tells him to wait, Jetfire tells him to quit wasting time, and during the close-up of Starscream, he says he found "it." Jetfire thinks he's talking about Megatron, so he says they don't have time to deal with him, but Starscream clarifies that he found the Mini-Con.
*In ''Armada'', Starscream says the Mini-Con is on the asteroid, and Jetfire says that he sees it before telling Starscream his "personal motto" (quoted above). In ''Legends of the Microns'', Starscream is silent, and Jetfire doesn't say that he sees the Mini-Con until the shot where the panel flickers. As they approach the asteroid, Jetfire asks Starscream if that's where it is, and Starscream asks if they should rescue it. Then Jetfire says, "When the going gets tough...we get going!" After seeing the Mini-Con, Jetfire says this is Starscream's mission instead of telling him to grab the Mini-Con as they fly over it.
*Megatron says that ''he'' is heading out instead of him and Thrust.
*Starscream tells Jetfire to release him if he expects them to save the Mini-Con.
*Instead of telling Starscream to fight and calling him a coward, Megatron curses him. As the Mini-Con weapons glow, Megatron asks if it could be what Thrust meant.
*''Armada'' has Hot Shot believe Jetfire and Starscream may have encountered the Decepticons; ''Legends of the Microns'' has him ask what Alexis means when she says she can't see what happened, despite this being the case throughout the episode. The Japanese dub also has Jetfire appear on the monitor when he gets back in contact while static remains on the screen in ''Armada''.
*In ''Legends of the Microns'', Thrust doesn't call out to Megatron until the scene transitions to Megatron's close-up, and Thrust only calls him name once instead of three times. Megatron also only asks where he is.
*In ''Armada'', Thrust says the explosion of energy blasted them all back, and that tremendous power was from the union of the Mini-Con weapons. ''Legends of the Microns'' slightly rewords it as Thrust says only Megatron got blasted back by the energy wave. As he talks about the weapons combining, it cuts to Optimus and Jetfire finishing Thrust's sentence instead of repeating the line about the power unleashed as ''Armada'' does it. Then Optimus claims they should keep the revelation concerning the mysterious energy on the DL to avoid causing needless panic in ''Armada''. ''Legends of the Microns'' changes this to Optimus wanting to prevent anyone else from getting involved.
*In her ending narration, Alexis says that though Starscream states defeating Megatron is his only goal, she thinks he has another one and likes to believe the day when Starscream becomes an official Autobot isn't that far away.

===Animation and technical errors===
*The first rock Starscream cuts already has the line showing the slice effect before he hacks through it.
*During the shot where Starscream slices through a rock on the screen's left side, his eyes glow, but the stone looks unaffected. ''Legends of the Microns'' adds a faint line that glows and fades simultaneously with Starscream's eyes to show where he sliced through it.
*As he calls out to Sideways, a shot with Thrust jump cuts to one with the same background and then jumps back to Thrust. ''Legends of the Microns'' corrects it.
*Where does Swindle come from in the opening scene? He isn't attached to Starscream during his temper tantrum, but after the first [[commercial bumper]], the Mini-Con is suddenly on Starscream's shoulder.
*Sideways calls Thrust "a poor ''commander''," though Thrust is a tactician. The Japanese dub corrects the mistake.
*The diagram Alexis shows looks nothing like the solar system.
*The Transformers look off-model in some scenes with their enlarged torsos and small heads.
*After Thrust tells Cyclonus, Wheeljack, and Demolishor to get to work on the spaceship, Cyclonus's mouth is miscolored to match his head.
*When Demolisher recaps Cyclonus of Megatron's previous encounter with the Autobots, his line when saying the word "battle" is cut midway and then suddenly he says remember.
*Carlos, Billy, and Fred don't react to Starscream on the launch gate.
*While Megatron and Thrust talk after Starscream and Jetfire leave Earth, Thrust says Tidal Wave will attack them once the other two get near the "base." ''Legends of the Microns'' fixes this so that Thrust says Tidal Wave will attack Jetfire and Starscream once he figures out their location.
*The whites of Carlos' eyes appear after Alexis loses contact with Jetfire.
*After Fred complains about his itchy nose, Billy's mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Billy has a line in the Japanese dub.
*In the storm on Mars, Tidal Wave initially appears as a formless black shape with no detail.
*Despite being in the middle of a storm, the scene of Tidal Wave grabbing Starscream is visible, and for a split second, it looks as though there are ''two'' Starscreams when Tidal Wave grabs him. ''Legends of the Microns'' fixes these mistakes.
*Jetfire's disappearing and reappearing Autobot symbol.
*The Decepticon insignia periodically appears on Starscream's arms and disappears from them.
*During the scene of Jetfire lecturing Starscream after leaving Mars, when Starscream brings up Megatron, the shadow of his lower lip overlaps with his lower jaw.
*Before he tells Jetfire that he's spotted the Mini-Con, Starscream says he sees ''"him"'' instead of ''"it"''. After this, when Starscream says, "Over there!" his mouth doesn't move.
*Jetfire says he sees the Mini-Con despite there being no indication of it, and he says that he sees it again after the panel flickers.
*Alexis asks about Starscream even though Jetfire previously said they're both on their way back before Jetfire cracks a joke about him and Starscream gives his sarcastic response. ''Legends of the Microns'' corrects this error by having Jetfire say that Starscream is fine, and the latter tells him to be quiet.
*For some reason, the [[Transformation#The noise|transformation noise]] plays when Megatron readjusts his position when Thrust and Tidal Wave find him after the battle. The Japanese dub removes the sound.
*In the ending scene, as Alexis talks to Starscream, his lower jaw is miscolored.
*When Starscream walks away from Alexis after quietly leaving her the Mars rock, his Null Laser Cannons are missing.
*During Alexis's ending narration, as the boys run to see the Mars rock on the floor, it doesn't sparkle; also, Starscream walks from right to left, although he previously went in the opposite direction. ''Legends of the Microns'' fixes both errors.

===Continuity notes===
*''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'' explains that Starscream and the Mini-Cons are in touch with each other because of his hidden kindness, something hinted at in "[[Regeneration (Armada)|Regeneration]]." That hidden kindness is what draws Alexis to Starscream.
*[[Mirror]]'s ghostly head appears momentarily before becoming Sideways himself.
*Firebot debuts in this episode, and he's never named.
*Comettor debuts in this episode, and his origin goes unexplained, similar to [[Nightbeat (Armada)|Nightbeat]].
**He was possibly among the Mini-Cons rescued in the [[Rescue|previous episode]].
*The rock Starscream gives the children will become an important element between Alexis and Starscream in [[Portent|later]] [[Cramp|episodes]].
*This episode marks the second time Starscream's eyes glow in a scene.
*The Japanese dub foreshadows the [[Hydra Cannon]] during Thrust and Sideways' conversation.
*Gadgets and powers:
**Comettor has sensor powers much like [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]].
**Jetfire carries handcuffs; unfortunately, they aren't [[Stasis cuffs]].
**Firebot can fire chest lasers.
**Jetfire has a storage compartment on his back large enough for a Mini-Con.
*Powerlinx forms:
**Starscream Powerlinx with the Star Saber.
**Jetfire Powerlinx with the Skyboom Shield.
**Megatron Powerlinx with the Requiem Blaster.

===Continuity errors===
*Rad and Carlos are utterly clueless about what Starscream's problem is in the opening scene, but shouldn't it be obvious after the end of the previous episode? They comment on Starscream making a mess during his rage session instead in the Japanese dub.
*Starscream saying he'll perish unless he gets to Megatron soon is a dramatic statement that never amounts to anything. He doesn't say this in ''Legends of the Microns'' so it's not an issue.
*Where is Blurr?
*Starscream claims the Mini-Cons 'abandoned' him even though he's the one who just told them to go away. ''Legends of the Microns'' changes Starscream's line to him telling the Mini-Cons to be quiet before they leave to find Jetfire, so his remark about them abandoning him now makes sense.
*When Jetfire and Starscream come under attack, Jetfire claims that he would separate them from the handcuffs if he could, but isn't the Star Saber undoubtedly more than capable of cutting them apart?

===Real-world references===
*Billy and Fred talking about needing to go sometimes is a riff on the old saying, "When you gotta go, you gotta go."
*When running to the launch gate, Carlos says, "Last one there is a rotten egg!"
*Carlos says he wants to be like a rocketman, like {{w|Rocket Man (song)|the Elton John song of the same name}}.
*In the Japanese dub, Jetfire says a version of the quote, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

===Trivia===
*The kanji 火星 would be as "''kasei''," while "''shoutotsu''" is used for 衝突.
*The English dub commercial bumpers now have sound effects added to them.
*''Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003'' reveals the following tidbits:
**Starscream and Alexis are this episode's lead characters as she tries to understand him better.
**The scene between them by the flowers plays out almost like one from a school romantic comedy.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Starscreams Fehde'''" ("Starscream's Vendetta")
:*''Original airdate:'' This episode was never shown on TV but was dubbed in 2003. The dub premiered in 2009 with the German DVD release of the show.

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Mentőakció, 2. rész'''" ("Rescue Mission, Part 2")

'''Korean'''
:*''Title:'' "'''뭉쳐야 산다'''" ("Union is Strength")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Marte'''" ("Mars")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2003 — ''Transformers: Legends of the Microns'' — Volume 9 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Battle for the Mini-Cons ([[Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2006 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two (Rhino Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

[[Category:Armada episodes]]

Warpath (Movie)

2023-10-09T01:25:37Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobotfilm}}
{{disambig3|Warpath}}
:''Warpath is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie (franchise)|Transformers]] portion of the [[live-action film series]] [[continuity family]].''

[[File:WarpathROS4.JPG|right|250px|thumb|MENDOOOOOZAAAAA!]]

A rebellious 'bot, '''Warpath''' is not very content with following orders from [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. He seems to believe that if Optimus really was fighting for freedom, he would let the other [[Autobot|Autobots]] do what they want instead of listening to him. After all, his super-heavy armor and powerful weapons mean that he doesn't have to worry about things like "orders" or "tactics". While Warpath shares Optimus's view of beating the [[Decepticon]]s, he wants to do it his way; wherever the fight is, ''that's'' where he wants to be.<ref>''Transformers'' Scout Class Warpath packaging bio</ref> But despite these frustrating qualities, there can be no question of his loyalty and dedication to the Autobots.<ref>''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' trade paperback bonus material</ref>

{{TOCclear}}

==Fiction==
===IDW movie comics===
[[File:WarpathROS4.jpg|left|100px|thumb|"...burst into a dance number?! I thought you'd never ask!"]]
Many years ago, Warpath was a member of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s [[Science Division]] under the command of Optimus and Protector [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. He was part of the dig team excavating the ruins outside the temple of [[Simfur]] when a [[The Fallen|mysterious relic]] was unearthed. Soon after, strange aliens from the [[Eshems Nebula]] attacked, reducing much of [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]] to rubble. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} In the aftermath, he helped [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]] and [[Signal Flare (Movie)|Signal Flare]] search for survivors in the ruins. Later, he was present at a meeting called by Optimus, who explained Megatron's demand for compulsory military service and a new mission of war against all of Cybertron's enemies. Warpath heeded Optimus' warning and kept out of Megatron's personal war. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

However, Optimus' followers were soon branded traitors and civil war erupted across Cybertron. Warpath joined Optimus ''Prime's'' Autobots and was one of those who elected to stay behind while the Autobot ship ''[[Ark (Movie)|Ark]]'' pursued the [[AllSpark]], which had been cast into space in a desperate attempt to buy the Autobots some time. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}}

Thousands of years later, Warpath was among the Autobots captured during a raid and put to work by [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]] to construct [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]'s [[replica AllSpark]] at [[Simfur]]. While constructing it, Warpath tried to defend the stricken [[Grindcore (Movie)|Grindcore]] from a pair of [[Class Beta drone unit|Class Beta]] drones, but was smacked around by Stockade for his efforts. When Warpath and Signal Flare tried to send a message to their Autobot comrades, they found that they were being jammed. Upon the AllSpark's completion, he was strapped to it, with the intention of draining his life force to power the cube. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 4|The Reign of Starscream #4}} Warpath's life force was indeed drained and used to power the AllSpark replica, but the new cube ended up not working for some reason. Which means Warpath and the others died for absolutely nothing. Tough break. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 5|The Reign of Starscream #5}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The Game''===
[[File:DOTMgame Warpath.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Hit Recoome's Music!]]
{{voiceactor|[[Dave Fennoy]] (English)|[[Marc Alfos]] (French), [[Miguel Ángel Montero]] (Castilian Spanish)}}

====Xbox 360/PS3====
Starscream had successfully shot down [[Stratosphere]] and destroyed his shipment of MechTech weapons, as well as defeated a [[Air Raid (Movie)|small]] [[Silverbolt (ROTF)|group]] [[Breakaway (ROTF)|of]] [[Aerialbot (ROTF)|Aerialbot]]s. However, he carelessly led the Autobots and NEST to Megatron's hidden base located in Chernobyl, and Warpath was among the forces who invaded with the intent to end the Decepticon threat once and for all.

With surprise on their side, the Autobots and their NEST allies had the Decepticons on the defensive for most of the action. While the battle raged, Warpath led a unit underground towards an unknown facility. When Megatron appeared in an uncharacteristic truck alternate mode, the Autobots and NEST forces were swept aside. Warpath confronted Megatron in a missile silo.

Despite his confidence (asking that Megatron not go down too easily) and unleashing the full firepower of his tank mode and robot mode armaments, Warpath was defeated. Megatron contemptuously noted, "You couldn't beat me on your best day!" before continuing on to free [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)}}
{{--}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark'' (3DS)===
{{Note|Warpath appears in the [[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|Rise of the Dark Spark]] game for Nintendo 3DS as a support unit. Equipping him allows all Earth Autobots to take less damage when crossing an Electric Gate.}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
[[File:Movie-toy Warpath.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Warpath is a loose cannon cop who doesn't play by the rules!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-a1|'''Warpath''' (Scout Class, [[2008]])}}</ul>
:*''Accessories'': Missile, Key

: A [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Brushguard#Toys|Brushguard]] (itself a slight [[retool]] of [[Overhaul (Cybertron)#Toys|Overhaul]] to remove the molded-on Autobot sigil), Warpath transforms into an off-road vehicle similar to a Humvee. Plugging his blue and black [[Velocitron]]ian [[Cyber Planet Key]] into his robot mode back launches his chest-mounted missile. (While in ''theory'' you can do this in car mode too, the missile is blocked.) Like the rest of the "Allspark Power" line of toys, Warpath has blue paint applications in both modes to suggest [[AllSpark]] energies.

: He was available as part of the fourth assortment of [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|2007 live-action movie]] [[Target]] [[exclusive]] Scout-class toys. This toy was also sold as a Farmers exclusive in [[New Zealand]].

: This toy was later [[Repurposing|repurposed]] to be ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (toyline)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Crosshairs (SG)|Crosshairs]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2008/Autobot/Warpath/warpath.htm More information on Warpath at TFU.info]''

==Notes==
*Warpath's appearance in the ''Dark of the Moon'' videogame draws heavy inspiration from his [[Warpath (G1)|Generation 1 namesake]].
*Warpath was used as a working name for [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] and [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], as well as non-screen character [[Steeljaw (DOTM)|Steeljaw]], from ''Dark of the Moon''.<ref name="nizzi">[http://www.joshnizzi.com/portfolio/tf3/ Josh Nizzi DOTM concepts.]</ref>
*Warpath is one of the few characters in the game, where he does not possess a stealth force form.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]

Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2023-09-07T04:12:17Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Retaking Command */

{{faction|autobot|{{factions/icons|custom=PotP-Thirteenth.png|cSize=30px|cLink=Thirteenth Prime}}}}
{{suite}}
[[File:OptimusPrime-OriginalIDWTransformersPromo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|Meet the cop that can't be stopped.]]
Born as '''Orion Pax''', the robot eventually known as '''Optimus Prime''' would rise slowly but surely to fame–first as a law officer unafraid to stand up for justice, then as a great and powerful military leader who held the line against [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s Decepticons on Cybertron and across the galaxy. As the first legitimate Prime in many ages, heir to the [[Matrix of Leadership]], Optimus Prime is revered by many and reviled by some, but always a powerful presence, in or out of battle.

After the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] came to a close and Cybertron contacted its long-lost [[Cybertronian colonies#2005 IDW continuity|colonies]], Optimus discovered that these isolated worlds saw the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]] as living gods. While at first attempting to use this faith to keep Cybertron's dubiously elected ruler [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] in check, some close friends worry that the worship may be going to his head and is leading him to repeat his predecessors' corrupt deeds. Of particular note is his annexing the [[Earth]] into the [[Council of Worlds]], an act which he claims is for Earth's protection but which others view as the foundation of a new Cybertronian empire...

There is no one more aware of the contradictions inherent in his station and character than Optimus himself, but he cannot allow himself much room for hesitation or doubt in the moment. Optimus feels most in his element when he's taking bold action and forging ahead... even if the negative consequences left in his wake become yet more burdens on his noble spark.

{{first|[[Infiltration issue 6|''Infiltration'' #6]]}}

{{bigquote|What Prime had... what made him great, it wasn't that he was so strong — even though he was — it was that he could '''talk'''... and what he said, it made you feel as strong as he was.|[[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]]|[[Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia]]}}

==Fiction==
===Orion Pax: Supercop===
[[File:ChaosTheory2 sorry bunch.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45|My name's Orion Pax, and I'm here to make Robocop look like a bitch!]]
Optimus Prime was forged under the name '''Orion Pax of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]'''. Noted to be an unusually large newborn, his forging was witnessed by the storyteller [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] who felt the young 'bot would one day be the subject of great stories. Upon coming online, Orion's first sight was the [[blacksmith]] supervising his forging mistreating the [[Scrounge (G1)|smaller 'bot]] who transformed into his medical equipment. {{storylink|Post}} From a young age, Pax excelled in intellectual pursuits, graduating from the [[Institute for Higher Programming]] and enrolling in the [[Academy of Science and Technology]], while in the religious quarter he proved a skeptic, doubting the existence of the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}} {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} He joined the Iacon police force, being trained by [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] and eventually partnered with [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]], with whom he patrolled the streets and learned the harsh realities of law enforcement. {{storylink|Post}} He quickly became a rising star who served as an inspiration to his fellow officers, eventually becoming captain of the [[Rodion]] precinct. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} He was notably liberal in his duties, even convincing his old Academy friend [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] to run a free clinic in the city's [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]]. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}}

[[File:ChaosTheory2 orion addresses senate.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"I see you've already arrested the whole planet." "...Not exactly."]]
When the manual class miner [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] was arrested for assault, Orion was intrigued by his treatise on non-violent resistance. After doing some investigation and discovering he wasn't guilty, Orion had Megatron released and told him that he had read his work and to keep working for change. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} In addition, Orion had his officer [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] locked up for abusing Megatron while he was in jail—an action that made the [[Senate]] ''very'' unhappy, as they had actually orchestrated Megatron's arrest in order to silence his voice of dissent. A gang of Senate thugs tried to coerce Orion into releasing Whirl, and when he refused, they returned to break Whirl out and kill Orion. Convinced now that Megatron's belief in the corruption of the Senate was true, Orion took his attackers down with a mix of righteous fury and tactical skills, and then forced his way into the [[Grand Imperium]]. There, he made a defiant speech to the Senate, saying his eyes had been opened by Megatron, only to be forcibly removed from the building. But Orion's speech had succeeded in reaching one of the Senate's members: [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Senator Shockwave]], who had for some time been searching for prospective new candidates to help free Cybertron from the Senate's corrupt stranglehold. Arranging for Orion's release, Shockwave had his injuries repaired and a cavity for the [[Matrix of Leadership]] added to his body, and the pair began working together in secret. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

[[File:Shadowplay2 no frikkin way.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|"You. Are ''over''. The ''SPEED LIMIT.'' NOW '''PULL OVER!'''"]]
In the dark times that followed, as the Senate initiated the [[Clampdown (event)|Clampdown]], and the [[Decepticon]] movement inspired by Megatron's writings grew in strength, Orion continued to do his duties the best he could. After saving the derelict [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] from some thugs and delivering him to Ratchet's clinic, Pax witnessed a news report on the death of the current Matrix bearer [[Nominus Prime]], allegedly the victim of a rust infection. Calling a meeting with Shockwave, Orion learned from him that the Senate were truly responsible for Nominus's death, and that a plan involving the Decepticons was currently in motion. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} With Decepticon sympathizer [[Sherma|Senator Sherma]] having recently been murdered, Shockwave feared that fellow sympathizer [[Momus]] was in danger, and Pax rushed into action. Unfortunately, he arrived too late, and found Momus dead and officers [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] and [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Tumbler]] fighting his [[Streaker|murderer]]. Pax took out the killer, and upon discovering that he had been using a borrowed body from a [[Relinquishment Clinic]], sent the other two officers to follow the lead. Pax himself, meanwhile, responded to a summons from [[Garrus-1]], where an imprisoned Whirl, seeking revenge against the Senate that had abandoned him, informed Orion of a bombing plot [[Proteus (G1)|Senator Proteus]] was masterminding. Regrouping with Prowl and Tumbler—who had discovered the [[Institute]] that the Senate was using to brainwash troublemakers—Pax and his allies realised that the Senate had planted a bomb inside Nominus Prime's corpse, intending to blame the destruction on the Decepticons, thereby allowing the Senate to send them all to The Institute to be corrected. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 2: Patternism|Patternism}}
[[File:Shadowplay3 pax saves shockwave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|He likes to make an entrance...through your '''TORSO'''.]]
Recruiting some super-powered "[[Outlier (group)|outliers]]" from Shockwave's [[Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology|Academy of Advanced Technology]] to lend their powers to the effort, Pax led his team in removing the bomb—hidden in the form of a fake Matrix—from Nominus's body as it lay in state, though Pax had to defer to Ratchet in the actual bomb removal, which was wired in with complex locks. The theft successfully completed, the team departed, but, having not been contacted by [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] at the appointed time, Pax sped on ahead to investigate, returning just in time to find that Senate thugs [[Kroma]], [[Macabre]] and the [[Heavies]] had attacked their safehouse to capture Shockwave. Pax took out one of the Heavies, but Shockwave agreed to surrender when Kroma threatened Roller's life. The remaining Heavy, Anvil, stayed behind to finish off Pax, but Pax used the Matrix-bomb to destroy his attacker. Believing that Shockwave would have been taken to the Institute, Pax had Tumbler lead him there, but they discovered the facility deserted: merely one of many Institutes, with no way of knowing in which Shockwave was being held. {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}} When next Orion saw Shockwave, he had undergone not only [[empurata]], but a complex form of [[Shadowplay]] that stripped him of his emotions. Though Pax believed that Shockwave could overcome what had been done to him, the "new" Shockwave told him that he was not the same 'bot who had befriended him, and to give up on him. It would take some time for the truth to sink in that Shockwave really didn't care any more. {{storylink|Shockwaves}}

===Orion and Zeta===
[[File:BirthsDeathsAndInterventions-OutlawPax.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
[[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]], the Senate's chief enforcer and part of the senatorial faction who'd whacked Nominus, wanted Orion Pax dead for interfering. Pax, Roller, and the outliers went on the run. Luckily, he'd made contact with one of Shockwave's other allies and disciples: [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta of Sistex]], who became his newest mentor and backer. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} {{storylink|Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|An Intimate Beheading}}

In 1st cycle 502, Zeta and Pax got wind of a new [[reproduction|spark "hot spot"]] in the [[Alyon]] region: one the Senate were keeping secret as it was in the shape of a [[Guiding Hand|''hand'']], the mythical digits of [[Primus]] pressing the planet into shape. Rather than allow the religious [[Functionist Council]] to use that for a power grab, the Senate were likely to kill the newborns. Pax and his crew fought to stop that, beating the snot out of the [[Elite Guard]] troops Sentinel kept sending. He requested reinforcements from Zeta and got... well, [[time travel]]ers pretending to be Zeta's men. In the process, Orion found himself unwittingly talking to a future Megatron. He was confused by the maudlin talk and, when asked why he didn't try to tear down the Senate he knew was corrupt, he told Megatron he believed reform was the answer of revolution: they needed to course-correct. (Megatron found that very funny)

Pax's "reinforcements" informed him that a Senate ship was bombarding the hot spot with radiation as part of an experiment (one that would kill many sparks). His team went out to prevent that and secretly transport the sparks to somewhere safe. In the process, Roller was badly wounded and MIA. An enraged Pax ended the threat by having Trailbreaker put a forcefield round him and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]] ''throw him'' at the Senate ship. Unfortunately, when the time travelers erased everyone's short-term memories to cover their tracks Pax forgot that Roller had gone missing. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}}

[[File:AHM13 let him speak.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|You start wearing the blue and brown You're working for the clampdown!]]
After the Decepticons killed Sentinel and most of the Senate with him, {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}} Zeta became Zeta Prime and formed the New Senate. Orion Pax stood by him as a friend and loyal soldier: he believed things were slowly changing for the better under Zeta. Together, they reformed the former senate's security forces into an army to combat the Decepticon insurgency; Orion named them the "[[Autobot]]s", having previously decided to "reclaim" this pejorative term that other alien races used refer to Cybertronians. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}} While reviewing new recruits gathered for the Autobot forces by Kup, Orion was called out by his old partner Ironhide, who didn't believe that a highly decorated police officer knew anything of ''real'' warfare, and had no business leading an army. Pax invited the old warhorse to teach him. {{storylink|Old Ways}}

[[File:SLOrionPax new body.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|"My face feels so... naked."]]
When Ratchet was captured by the Decepticons, Zeta had Orion upgraded into a new body so that he could carry out a prisoner exchange, though he lamented the loss of his [[mouthplate|lucky faceplate]]. Guided to the exchange point in the [[Rust Sea|Rust Spot]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], Pax and hostage negotiator [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] fended off an attack by the [[Slicer (group)|Slicer]]s; the battle broke Pax's trailer open, revealing that the hostages they were carrying were two grunts named [[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack and Ruin]], who Orion encouraged to abandon the Decepticon cause. Proceeding to the Decepticon base, the team discovered that the whole exchange had been a ruse by [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] to capture Alpha Trion. Pax fought back long enough for to allow the others to escape, and as punishment, Bludgeon strapped him to a shuttle and launched it at the nearest population center. Orion improvised by using an "instantaneous transformation" trick picked up from Rack and Ruin to break his bonds, allowing him to take control of the shuttle and crash it into an unpopulated area. {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}} Despite Orion foiling their plot, the Decepticons did get something out of the whole ordeal: confirmation through Alpha Trion that the ancient Titans were real. {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

Some time later, still in his upgraded form, Orion Pax, Kup, Ironhide and their team were on a mission to thwart an assassination attempt on Zeta Prime. Disenchanted racer [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] stumbled into the midst of a firefight between the two units; as the Decepticon unit pulled out to continue its mission, Orion petitioned Blurr for help, asking him to use his speed to get word to Zeta before it was too late. The former celebrity balked, but ultimately the young soldier helped Blurr find what really drove him to race, and thus recruited him to the Autobot cause. Curiously, Kup was heard to refer to Orion as "Optimus" during this adventure. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}}

[[File:ToWalkAmongTheChosen OrionZetaChat.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6|"With respect, sir, you can't just make people disappear." "Yyyyyes I can, I'm the Prime."]]
Back in his original body, Orion would be approached by [[Tappet]] over the alleged killing of [[Hefter]] by [[Outback (G1)|Outback]]. While Orion assured Tappet that the investigation would run its course and adhere to the law, the civilian disagreed. Orion was then approached by Zeta Prime and the two's subsequent discussion led Orion to wonder if Zeta was any different a Prime than his predecessors. Orion later confronted Outback in a bar, which produced no meaningful leads on the case. Orion then took Hefter's body to the [[Ultirex]] Technoversity for Ratchet to perform an examination, where the medic found that the corpse's injuries did not match the official report. When Ratchet introduced Pax to [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]], the jet attacked Pax who quickly subdued him and revealed his Decepticon badge. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} Promptly arresting the scientist, Orion took him to [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] for an interrogation. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} The trio went to see the one who had recruited Jetfire into the Decepticons: [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. He refuted Pax's allegations and claimed that the Decepticons had made moral compromises for their goals but were not involved with off-world weapon imports. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

[[File:FutureGloriesLost OrionMasksUp.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|"HEFTER WAS FRAKKING MURDERED!" *clink* "THANK YOU, BUMBLEBEE!"]]
Orion later watched a PSA with Zeta regarding the integrity of the police force, reaffirming Orion's doubt about his friend, who claimed Orion might one day bear the Matrix. Orion later met Prowl and Jetfire at the [[Cosmic Carnival]], where the latter gave Orion the weapon that ended Hefter's life and revealed he knew when the next shipment of guns would arrive from off-world. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} Fitting Jetfire with a wire, Pax and Prowl sent him on his way to gather the evidence they needed. Upon learning that Soundwave had lied to him, all sympathy Orion had for the Decepticons evaporated and he swore to bring them down. Whatever the cost. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} The two cops broke in on the weapons trade, with Orion killing one of the Decepticons before all the weapons were remotely detonated by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]. Orion and Prowl cordoned off the crime scene, only to be joined by Outback, whom Jetfire tried to attack before Orion stopped him. Jetfire then renounced his allegiance to the Decepticons and Orion invited him to join the police in stopping them. Jetfire declined, saying that not everything the Decepticons had done was bad. Orion disagreed, feeling violence was the only way to stop them, something which would leave a profound impact on Jetfire for years to come. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} Orion later spoke to an angry Jetfire about the Decepticon philosophy and whether or not violence was a legitimate means of achieving change. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}}

The trio was soon approached by [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], who confessed to bombing the Tygun factory after being assaulted by voices in his head. Jetfire discovered that a foreign signal was entering Bumblebee's processor and causing his dreams. Orion and Prowl tracked it to its source, followed by Bumblebee. The signal was the work of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], who was using Soundwave's telepathic abilities to broadcast hypnotic signals. Though the Decepticons escaped, Orion was impressed by Bumblebee's bravery. The young bot then requested to join Orion's unit. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}}
{{--}}

===Becoming Prime===
[[File:Autocracy1 pax security forces.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Orion soon became the commander of his own six-bot counter-insurgency unit working directly under Zeta Prime, though he had grown angry and detached from his experiences. During a mission to arrest the arms dealer [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] in [[Nyon]], he lost his temper and almost beat the Decepticon to death in front of horrified onlookers. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} He later admitted to [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] that he was frustrated with his own failures and uncertain if they were really on the right side, since so many civilians seemed to hate them and the government. {{storylink|Parasites}} Dispatched by Zeta Prime to hunt down the spy [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]], Orion succeeded in defeating the Decepticon in spite of [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]]'s attempts to turn the fear and paranoia of bystanders against him. Before he could capture him, however, several other Decepticons arrived, taking his subordinate [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] hostage and telling him Megatron wanted an audience with him. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Brought to a [[Jump Joint|bar]] in [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]], Orion listened as Megatron tried to talk him into siding with the Decepticons, claiming that Zeta was planning to drain energon from civilians, and had only sent Orion's team into Nyon in the hopes that they would die, giving him an official reason to attack the city. Orion stalled the conversation long enough that his allies could break in and rescue him and Bumblebee, then returned to Iacon and confronted Zeta with Megatron's claims. Zeta only told him not to question his motives before sending him on his next mission to capture the insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

[[File:Autocracy6 pax vs zeta.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45]]
Tracking Hot Rod to the [[Acropolex]] in Nyon, Orion Pax and his men followed him into the depths of the building, where they discovered tanks of energon drained from the city's population by Zeta Prime, just as Megatron had claimed. Having seen the truth with his own eyes, Orion decided to turn on the corrupt government just as Zeta began attacking Nyon with his [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructor]]s. {{storylink|Ruins}} Leaving Hot Rod to evacuate the city, he and his unit tried and failed to defeat one of the Destructors. As they tried to escape, Nyon began to explode, and Orion realized that Zeta had set everything up to force Hot Rod's insurgents into self-destructing their own city. As Zeta arrived in person, Orion tried to fight him but was quickly dispatched by his [[vamparc ribbon]]. {{storylink|Purge}} Before Zeta could execute them, Orion and his team were saved by none other than Megatron and his Decepticons, who brought them back to Kaon for repairs. Though he still didn't trust Megatron, Orion Pax now knew he had told the truth about Zeta and agreed to join forces against him. {{storylink|Choices}}

[[File:Autocracy9 pax becomes prime.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.45|"I've summoned you here for a purpose." "Nobody summons Orion Pax!!" "Then it pleases me to be the first."]]
As their soldiers invaded Zeta Prime's [[Citadel]], Orion Pax and Megatron were air-dropped into his [[Primacy Auditorium|chamber]] and confronted him in person. Though Orion lost an arm in the battle, he managed to destroy Zeta's weapon, and the corrupt Prime was finally killed by Megatron. As soon as everything was over, however, Megatron betrayed the Autobots and shot Orion in the back, casting him into the [[Undergrid]] beneath the citadel. {{storylink|Overthrown}} Left for dead, Orion was drawn towards a distant light which turned out to be the hiding place of the long-missing Matrix of Leadership. As a voice called out for him to take the artifact, he did so and was suddenly overcome with the pain, fear, and loneliness felt by all living Cybertronians. Imbued with new clarity and wisdom, he realized that the Autobots were not meant to fight for unity—since in the eyes of the Matrix, [['Til all are one|all were one]]—but rather for the freedom of all sapient beings. As the Matrix repaired his body, Orion Pax declared that he was giving up his identity for his people: he was now Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} Guided by the Matrix back to the ruins of Nyon, Optimus reunited with his allies amidst the wreckage. Revealing the Matrix and his new goals and desires to his friends, he then used talisman to awaken an ancient, slumbering life force he could sense beneath the city: [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]. {{storylink|Rise}} {{storylink|The Hunting Party (IDW)|The Hunting Party}}

[[File:Autocracy12 prime vs megatron.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3]]
To raise the army he needed to defeat Megatron—who had seized control of Cybertron in his absence—Optimus recruited the aid of news broadcaster [[Blaster (G1)/toys|Blaster]], who put out a rallying call for aid across [[Iaconian Newsfeed Service]]. Joined by thousands of freedom-seeking Transformers, Prime marched on Iacon. {{storylink|Broadcast}} While Metroplex handled Megatron's "vamparc annihilator" weapon, Optimus engaged Megatron himself in a [[The Transformers: The Movie|duel]] and emerged victorious with some timely aid from Hot Rod, though Megatron escaped with the vow that the war was just beginning. Vowing not to make the same mistakes as Zeta, Prime ordered a cache of illegal weapons discovered in the Undergrid destroyed, and thanked Hot Rod for his help. The younger 'bot was unsure if he deserved the gratitude, given his destruction of Nyon, but Prime assured him of his heroism, speculating that even he could bear the Matrix one day. {{storylink|Endgame}}

In the wake of the Decepticons' defeat, Optimus Prime inaugurated the [[Grand Convocation]], calling on representatives of all the planet's various guilds and groups to work together toward peace. Former senator [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] loudly objected to his leadership based on his past as a combatant, and a weary Optimus conferred with Alpha Trion on how best to proceed. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Pax called Dai Atlas to a private meeting to hash out their differences, {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}} but news of an attack on the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]] interrupted their discussion, and both 'bots responded to the alarm. At the refinery, they discovered [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]]'s [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] facing off against the Decepticons, now under the command of [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. Losing control of his monstrous [[alternate mode]], Grimlock was ready to blow the entire refinery to destroy himself and all present, but Optimus was able to talk him down, only for Scorponok to trigger the explosion instead. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}}

[[File:Monstrosity5 prime atlas argue.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Though Prime and his men survived the refinery explosion, thousands died in the blast. Prime delivered a eulogy for the fallen, but the catastrophe was a turning point for Cybertron, as, under Dai Atlas's leadership, huge portions of the planet's population evacuated to seek new worlds. Optimus refused to abandoned his homeworld, and sent a science team to explore the refinery blast crater in hopes of finding a new [[energon]] source. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} Prime himself then called Kup in for information on the Dynobots, reviewing classified files that revealed that, on their last missions, they had adopted monstrous new alternate modes based on creatures they discovered in the caverns beneath Toraxxis. {{storylink|Underworld (IDW)|Underworld}} The science team soon returned to report their own meeting with these beasts, along with a reservoir of tainted energon and a [[Trypticon (G1)|colossal reptilian Transformer]] guarding it. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}} Prime presented these findings to the Grand Convocation upon their next meeting, they were not enough to sway Dai Atlas from his course. To make matters worse, a riot erupted amongst the evacuating civilians at [[Starsreach Spaceport]] that Prime had to quell in person; no sooner had he done so, and the exodus resumed, than the Decepticons launched an attack. {{storylink|Massacre}} The attack caused Grimlock, who had come to turn himself in to Prime, to loose control and adopt his feral beast form; after he drove the Decepticons back, Optimus calmed the Dinobot down and got him under control. The Dinobots were impressed with Optimus, but despite his pleas, they still insisted on leaving the planet. {{storylink|Unleashed}}

[[File:Monstrosity11 prime vs trypticon.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Returning to his quarters to vent some of his anger, Optimus was soon summoned by Bumblebee with more bad news: the Decepticons had activated the giant beast from Toraxxis. Prime asked Metroplex for his aid, but the city-bot had become so long on energy that he could not transform, and could merely offer Prime information, such as the beast's name: Trypticon. Prime organized a heavy weapons assault against Trypticon, {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} but the barrage failed, and when Prime tried to intimidate the giant with the sight of the Matrix itself, it simply stomped on him. As Prime watched, however, the Dynobots came dropping out of the sky to join the battle, followed quickly by Megatron, returning from a recent off-planet escapade of his own. Prime passed out before he could see Megatron and Grimlock be swallowed by Trypticon, {{storylink|Annihilation}} and so did not witness them deactivating it from within. During the battle, Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus went to Prime's aid, replacing the Matrix—knocked from him by Trypticon's attack—in his chest. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

Taking advantage of a temporary lull in the war, Optimus Prime took a brief sabbatical and travelled to the Grav-Haraan glacier with Ironhide. They eventually picked up an unusual energy signature, and discovered that it belonged to an [[Guardian robot#2005 IDW continuity|Omega Sentinel]], who claimed to be awaiting the return of Nova Prime. Optimus revealed that Nova had long since vanished and that he now bore the Matrix. Although saddened, the Sentinel offered to carry the two Autobots back to civilization, and introduced himself as [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} Prime informed Alpha Trion about his discovery, but Trion warned him that Omega Supreme might feel out of place after spending so much time in isolation. Things took a turn for the worse after Optimus and the Autobots detected a mysterious object approaching Cybertron, which turned out to be a reinvigorated Trypticon, heading straight for Metroplex! Optimus ordered an evacuation and then commanded Metroplex to transform, so as to meet Trypticon head on. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}}

[[File:Primacy4 OpMegsFaceOff.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Cue "''Duel of the Fates''".]]
Although Metroplex was able to outfight Trypticon, the other Autobots were unprepared for the army of Junkions and a sudden flood of coolant, turning the battleground into a [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]]-infested deathtrap. Optimus ordered Omega Supreme into battle; the Sentinel revealed that he was waiting to kill Nova Prime for disgracing the legacy of the Primes, but confided to Optimus that he would stand alongside him. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} Optimus rolled out to take on Megatron, and easily ran Motormaster off the road along the way. He finally confronted Megatron, who begged Optimus to kill him so as to spare him the mental torture of [[Pentius]], the Quintesson who had fused his spark to Megatron's. Optimus instead used the Matrix to purify Megatron's spark and destroy the Quintesson presence. Megatron swore that he still hated Prime even after the Autobot leader saved his life, forcing the saddened Autobot leader to knock out Megatron with a single punch. Megatron was left imprisoned as Optimus broadcasted the news across Cybertron, calling for an end to the fighting and promising to hunt down the surviving Decepticon troops. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}} The victory was not to last however as Megatron's troops soon freed him. {{storylink|Post}}

===War without end===
Megatron would later incorrectly claim that his and Prime's first meeting took place during the [[Rorsha Campaign]], when they battled on [[Sherma Bridge]]. Prime's side lost 5000 men but he sliced off the tyrant's cannon arm with his energon axe before he lost and got thrown off the bridge. Every Autobot and Decepticon stopped fighting to witness their duel. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:TheIronAge i dont know.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As the war bore on, Optimus and Ironhide's student-and-teacher relationship evolved. Prime grew willing to go against Ironhide's counsel, once doing so to save the Autobots from Trypticon waiting in ambush, while also learning the benefit of sticking to your guns like the stubborn old soldier did, once insisting on saving Ironhide's life after a booby-trap left them badly damaged and hanging over a cliff-edge. Down the years, Ironhide developed a respect and awe for his protege, {{storylink|Old Ways}} eventually taking on the position of his official bodyguard. It was in this capacity, four million years ago, that Ironhide saved Optimus when he was ambushed by Soundwave and his cassettes while attempting to stop a Decepticon energon convoy. With Ironhide covering him from afar, Prime then proceeded to talk the convoy into surrendering without having to fire a single shot. During a party to celebrate this win, Prime declined Prowl's request to address the troops, and went out to converse with Kup and Ironhide, privately confiding in them that he foresaw the war going on without end. As the party continued, Decepticon assassin [[Axer (G1)|Axer]] made an attempt on Prime's life, but Ironhide saved him, throwing himself in the path of the blast. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

[[File:ChaosTheory prime vs megatron montage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Prime's actions during the long course of the war were many. As the conflict spread across the galaxy, he commanded the Autobot armed forced from the [[Autobot Orbital Command Hub]]. {{Storylink|The Transformers: Stormbringer|Stormbringer}} He was part of the [[113th Battalion]] when they battled [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} During the [[Simanzi Massacre]], he prevented over a thousand Autobots and neutrals from falling into [[Crucible|The Crucible]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Pyro's Autopedia entry}} He was also involved in preventing the [[Black Epoch]]. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 4|Last Stand of the Wreckers #4}} At some point, Optimus had to berate Grimlock personally, insisting that the Dynobot let go of a grudge he had against Shockwave after the latter botched one of Grimlock's energon-gathering missions. Grimlock didn't listen. {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} Optimus battled Megatron many times, on multiple worlds: he lost half his face to Megatron's [[energon mace]] during the Battle for [[Hell's Point]] and retaliated by using [[Tremorcon]]s' [[Geo-Scoop]] to drop a city block on his opponent, and he was nearly destroyed during the Siege of [[Siege of Massunstrad|Massunstrad]] when Megatron trapped him in an anti-matter chamber. Optimus would get in his licks too, however; during the [[Vorsk Offensive]], he nearly sliced Megatron in half; at [[Rada Mor]], Prime nearly destroyed Megatron while defending some "sentient explosives". {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} At the war's zenith, Optimus sealed himself in an [[Omniglobe]] to absorb the relentless flood of data coming in from countless fronts. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}}

Some of Prime's other accomplishments of note throughout the war included battling shards of living rage, exorcising the [[Demonicon]]s, and performing Hot Rod's rite of the Autobrand. {{storylink|Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|You, Me, and Other Revelations}} During Earth's ice age a transmission of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee was intercepted by the Eukarian starship ''[[Axalon (BW)|Axalon]]'' which served as the proximate cause for Shockwave rebuilding the ship's crew as Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}

[[File:Stormbringer3-OptimusSpringerWreckers.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.45|Freedom is the right of all sentient and heavily armed beings.]]
700 stellar cycles ago, Prime and Megatron joined forces to battle [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. Driven by his belief that the already badly-degenerated Cybertron would soon become completely uninhabitable, Thunderwing had, through [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]], inadvertently turned himself into a monster whose subsequent rampage only accelerated the planet's collapse. In a final, futile stand at [[Thunderhead Pass]], Optimus could only watch as Cybertron itself swallowed Thunderwing. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Although this ultimately brought the planet to a point of no return, forcing all the Transformers to leave their world behind, Prime refused to allow Megatron to go through with his plan to destroy Cybertron itself to ensure Thunderwing was no more. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}}

In the mid-to-late 19th century, Bumblebee reported his adventure on [[Xetaxxis]] that ended in the death of [[Sky Blast (G1)|Sky Blast]] and [[Convoy (G1)|Convoy]] to Optimus. After arranging for [[Minimus Ambus]] to retake the mantle of Ultra Magnus, Optimus commended Bumblebee for his bravery and noted the need to remain ever vigilant against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

In 2005, while on the Orbital Command Hub, Prime received a communication from Ironhide, presently stationed on the planet [[Earth]] as part of a unit led by Prowl. Ironhide's message warned the local Decepticon infiltration cell under [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] had broken their infiltration methods and enacted [[Infiltration protocol|siege mode]] prematurely, and Prime ordered the situation to be monitored. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}}{{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Soon afterward, when the Autobot science vessel ''[[Calabi-Yau]]'' sent a distress signal from above Thunderhead Pass, Prime decided to investigate personally, upgrading himself additional armor and armaments and ordering the [[Wreckers]] to meet him on Cybertron. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 2|Stormbringer #2}} Venturing into the planet's depths, Prime's team discovered that Thunderwing had been restored by Bludgeon and his followers. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Faced with the planet-ravaging monster once again, Prime found himself willing to succumb to Megatron's way of thinking this time, and considered destroying Cybertron to remove the threat. Fortunately, it did not come to that: studying Bludgeon's files, [[Jetfire (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jetfire]] discovered that he had reanimated Thunderwing with an exceptionally powerful "[[Ore-13|Ultra-Energon]]" that would burn out in short order. His conscience still guilty over the past, Prime took on Thunderwing personally for the final exchange of the battle, unleashing massive amounts of firepower at monster, forcing it to exhaust its power reserves and ultimately, its life. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}}
{{--}}

===Earth and back again===
[[File:Infiltration6 - OptimusPrime Earth mode.jpg|thumb|Don't crush the cameraman!]]
Continuing to investigate Bludgeon's files, Jetfire learned that the mysterious new Energon used to revive Thunderwing had originated on Earth. Linking this to Ironhide's message, Prime headed straight for the planet. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}} He arrived while most of Prowl's unit were out on a mission, and when they returned, they were met by their leader, freshly reformatted with a new Earth truck body. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}} After ordering that Ironhide and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] return the humans the Autobots had befriended to their homes, Prime took some time to take in reports from other Autobots elsewhere in the galaxy, and was beamed further findings by Jetfire that worryingly indicated Decepticons had been active on Earth for many years. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:NATF avengers vs autobots.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95]]
It became apparent that the Decepticons had initiated Phase Two of their infiltration protocol when news reached Prime and the Autobots of suddenly accelerated unrest between the small European nations of [[Latveria]] and [[Symkaria]]. Tracing the cause to Decepticon array that was broadcasting an aggression-enhancing signal, Prime took his team into action, only to have them run into the superhero team known as the [[Avengers]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} With the human heroes also suffering the effects of the aggression wave, a short battle erupted between the two teams, which was halted by Ratchet and a quickly-created inhibitor device that brought the Avengers back to their senses. The united Autobot/Avenger team launched an attack on the array, but were soon met in combat by the Decepticons; Optimus was injured by a disproportionately powerful blast from [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]], unaware that the Decepticons had boosted their powers using energy drawn from the captive [[Spider-Man]]. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} The super-charged Decepticons were beaten back when Prime, [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] and [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] linked their systems to [[Iron Man]]'s Transformer-sized armor, giving him the power necessary to end the fight. Megatron attempted to force Prime to surrender by revealing that he had captured several of the Avengers, but Prime instead ordered a quick destruction of the array, prompting Megatron to emerge to join the battle. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} The Decepticon leader refrained from engaging Prime directly, however, electing to save their conflict for a more personal moment; Prime instead joined his Autobots and the Avengers in bombarding Megatron with an overwhelming barrage of firepower, finally taking him down. Megatron teleported out, and Prime led his Autobots in withdrawing. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}

[[File:Escalation5 prime vs megs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
When word came in from Ironhide that Sunstreaker had been slain by an attack from an enigmatic human organization, Optimus Prime took Jazz and [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] to recover their comrade's car-form remains from the civilian impound lot they were being held in. They arrived just as Sunstreaker's attackers were attempting to remove his body; their vehicle did not survive a head-on collision with Prime's shin. Subsequent examination of Sunstreaker's body by Ratchet proved that the remains were, in fact, ''not'' Sunstreaker, but rather a facsimile the humans had created to throw Prime's team off the trail. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Ironhide was eager to hunt down Sunstreaker's attackers, but Prime refused to let him, instead calling in reinforcements in the form of Hot Rod, Nightbeat and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}} {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}}

[[File:Escalation5 Primedies enlightning.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Rule of thumb, Megs—if he don't turn gray, he's A-OK.]]
Soon after, Prowl discovered that the Decepticons were causing political instability in the breakaway Soviet state of [[Brasnya]] and Prime ordered the Autobots into action. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} While reconning the area, Prime left his [[Combat Deck (G1)|Combat Deck]] to monitor the surroundings; it picked up [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]], who thought he had got the drop on Prime, and [[Roller (G1)|Roller]] took out the unsuspecting Decepticon with a single shot. Megatron proceeded to [[orbital jump|orbital bounce]] directly into Prime's path, at last ready for them to battle one-on-one. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} The fight went well at first, with Prime blowing Megatron's [[fusion cannon]] clean off, but the increased strength and stamina granted the Decepticon by Earth's Ultra-Energon allowed him to prevail, actually punching through Prime's body and crushing his [[spark]] casing. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Ramjet}} Prime only managing to survive by transferring his consciousness into his trailer, leaving Megatron to believe him dead. Recalling the circumstances of Thunderwing's defeat, Prime directed his troops to bombard Megatron with a hail of firepower, then returned to his body in time to deliver the final, point-blank blast that drained the last of the Decepticon leader's power reserves. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:SLOptimus prime vs monstructor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
Prime's near-death experience left him somewhat unsettled; while his consciousness had been in transitional [[infraspace]] downloading to his trailer, he had sensed a presence of dread—the visage of his long-missing predecessor, [[Nova Prime]]. Looking for answers, Optimus Prime left Earth to visit Nova's contemporary, [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. From Omega, he learned of Nova's belief that Transformers were a superior race that should remake the universe in their image, and he faced down the rampaging [[Monstructor (G1)|Monstructor]], a legacy of Nova's tenure seeking revenge against Omega Supreme for locking him away. Appalled at Omega's actions as much as he was Nova's, Prime attempted to appeal Monstructor, but the deranged beast refused to listen, and Prime took him down hard. {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Devastation4 PrimeSixshot hyperbole.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.45|"And THAT'S for killing my brother in another timeline!"]]
After Prime returned to Earth, he organized the Autobots in proactive maneuvers against the [[Machination|mysterious human group]] that had been bedeviling them of late, permitting the relocation of their base the ''[[Ark-19]]'' and calling in further reinforcements from Cybertron in the form of a unit led by [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]. In mid-transit, however, the ''Ark-19'' was attacked by the latest addition to Megatron's forces, [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} Prime co-ordinated the evacuation of their human allies and the self-destruction of the craft to ensure it didn't fall into enemy hands, and while it appeared that he and his Autobots did not make it out of the ship before it blew {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} they soon revealed they had survived and prepared to take on Sixshot. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} Optimus and the Autobots held Sixshot at bay, but battle ended in stalemate when both parties orbital jumped out to avoid an air strike from the U.S. military. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} {{Storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}

Regrouping on ''[[Ark-32]]'', Prime received a communication from Jetfire informing him that Monstructor had been liberated from the [[Garrus-9]] penitentiary. Considering the threat he posed if unleashed greater than that posed to Earth by the Decepticons, Prime ordered the Autobots to depart the planet to deal with this new crisis, {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} redirecting Hound's unit to meet his team at Garrus-9. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}[[File:SLDDealer optimus vs nova.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]] Upon arrival at the prison, Prime and Prowl conferred with Jetfire and warden [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]], then received a worrying report from Ultra Magnus, who, along with Hound's crew, had encountered [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] and Thunderwing on [[Corata-Vaz]]. Recalling his out-of-body experience in Brasnya, Prime realized that recent events were somehow connected to Nova Prime; {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}} a theory that gained traction as more information began to come in from Jetfire and Omega Supreme. Seeking information, Prime dispatched Hot Rod and [[Doubledealer|Dealer]] to recover the all-knowing [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] from [[Ki-Aleta]], {{storylink|Spotlight: Hardhead}} but in their absence, Prime's speculation was proven accurate when Nova Prime himself attacked Garrus-9. Optimus engaged his predecessor personally, discovering that he was now "Nemesis Prime", having been transformed into an undead monster by the power of the [[Dead Universe]] and its, "Anti-Matrix", the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}} In the course of their battle, however, Nova's secret fear proved true: like the Matrix, the Darkness sought to pass onto the current Prime. Nova refused to let the Darkness leave him and savagely attacked Optimus, but, just as victory seemed within his grasp, he was shot in the back and killed by his treacherous comrade [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]. With Nova's death, the Darkness leapt into Optimus, who struggled against its evil emanations. Galvatron offered Optimus a choice: kill himself by plunging into the prison's [[solar pool]], or pass on the Darkness to Galvatron, who had coveted it for so long. Optimus seemed to choose the later, taking Galvatron's hand and passing the Darkness to him, but after doing so, he did not release his grip on the villain, instead hurling him into the solar pool to his apparent destruction. Concurrent with this, the other Autobots using the information gained from the Magnificence to thwart Nova's plan to merge the living and dead universes, and as Optimus gazed upon Nova's dead body, he told himself he could not mourn the elder Prime's death, as Nova had truly died long ago. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}} {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}}

When Ultra Magnus brought the human Hunter O'Nion and Sunstreaker aboard the Ark-32 (as well as many other bots and humans enrolled in their recent adventures) Optimus was present to witness Ratchet giving O'Nion a clean bill of health. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}
{{--}}

===Offline in exile===
[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|left|thumb]]
In the weeks and months that followed, Optimus Prime led a larger squad of Autobots back to Earth to deal with the Decepticon threat they had left behind. {{storylink|Everything in Its Right Place}} Upon their return, however, they discovered that while they had been away, the Decepticons had become splintered following an apparent power struggle between Megatron and Starscream. After a prolonged period of searching, Prime led the Autobots to a location where Starscream's "group" was, only to be ambushed by a unified Decepticon force, including a brand new [[combiner|gestalt]], [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]]. The combiner sealed the Autobots' defeat, and Megatron tore the Matrix of Leadership from Prime's chest. The captured Autobots were led to a [[space bridge]] that would return to them to Cybertron, where they would be left to the mercies of the [[Insecticon swarm]] the Decepticons had populated the planet with. However, once his troops were through, Prime, last in line, quickly turned his weapons on the bridge machinery, destroying it. As the portal begin to close, Prime was hurled into it by a barrage of Decepticon fire, causing a catastrophic reaction that fried his circuits and knocked him offline. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Left stranded on Cybertron with their leader comatose, the Autobots were forced to leave Earth to the Decepticons. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:AHMPrimecritical.jpg|upright=1.7|thumb|So he's dying. [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|This shouldn't be a problem by now]].]]
One year after Nova Prime's defeat, Prime's unit were joined on Cybertron by a team led by Kup, who brought with them enough energon for Ratchet to restore Prime to full functionality. He awoke just as Sideswipe was chastizing the demoralized Autobots on the self-destructive nature of their war, and delivered a rousing speech affirming his pride in his warriors and his unfazed intent to win the war. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Prime took a moment to reconnect in particular with his old teacher, Ironhide, who had been hit especially hard by his brush with death, and the reunited pair then joined the other Autobots in plunging into battle against the Insecticon swarm. The timely arrival of Omega Supreme saved the Autobots, and he then ferried them to Earth for a showdown with Megatron's forces. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

[[File:AHM12 prime vs megs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
The Autobots returned to an Earth than had been devastated by the Decepticons in their absence, arriving at [[New York City]] just as the Decepticons were fending off attacks from a European air squad. Prime and Megatron faced off with each other once again, but rather than immediately clash, Megatron was puzzled by his old enemy's actions; both leaders had always maintained a policy of acceptable losses, and Prime had already abandoned Earth once, proving he held the planet in no particular regard. Prime claimed he had changed; no more would he allow their cold war to endanger innocent lifeforms. Megatron merely scoffed, revealing that the "innocents" Prime wanted to protect were about to drop a nuclear bomb on the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} Battle then erupted between the two, with Megatron emerging victorious after a fierce exchange of blows, but just before he and the Decepticons departed, human soldier [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]] landed a critical shot with an experimental weapon [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|made from a Transformer]]. Prime finished the job by slamming Megatron in the head with his own [[fusion cannon]], taking him offline. The Decepticons fled, leaving the Autobots to face nuclear destruction, until the bomb was stopped by the disenchanted Thundercracker. Prime then met with Spike, and proposed that the Autobots and human military work together to repair the damage done to the Earth. Spike was not confident that such an alliance was possible. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

Some time later, Optimus met with Ironhide to discuss the elder Autobot's resignation from Prime's forces. Ironhide no longer trusted his own judgement following some bad decisions made during Prime's time offline, and Prime respected Ironhide too much to argue. Instead, the pair shared a drink and some reminiscence, and with some honest, emotional confession of much the Autobots needed him and how much he would personally miss him, Optimus convinced Ironhide to stay. {{storylink|Old Ways}}

Optimus later took a moment to lament the state in which their war left the City of New York, before deciding to protect the Earth while in disguise. {{storylink|Ride-Along}} When Bumblebee got separated from the rest of the Autobots in the ruins of New York, and subsequently outed himself by rescuing some humans in danger, Optimus and the rest of the Autobots retrieved him. {{storylink|Hidden (G1)|Hidden}}
{{-}}

===Leader no more===
[[File:Ongoing Issue 1-Optimus Surrenders.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|His attempt to start the wave was not going down well.]]
Unable to work directly with humankind, and with Omega Supreme too low on energy to take the Autobots off-world, Optimus Prime had the Autobots go into hiding for the next two years. Many Autobots chafed under this order, and eventually, things erupted in an angry Hot Rod accusing Prime of allowing both his guilt and his need to protect something to trap the Autobots on a world that didn't want them anymore. Unable to defend against the claims, Prime was forced to allow Hot Rod to lead a mission to rescue the captive Prowl from the clutches of [[Skywatch]]; the mission went catastrophically wrong, resulting in Ironhide's death. Forced by this disastrous turn of events of re-evaluate his leadership in recent years, Prime concluded that he had led the Autobots down a self-destructive path, resigned his post as Autobot leader, surrendered himself to Skywatch. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}}

Prime was brought to Skywatch's base by incredulous troopers and placed in transformation stasis, but was shortly freed by Spike Witwicky, who wished to talk with him. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 1: "New Arrivals, Old Encounters"|New Arrivals, Old Encounters}} Suspicious of the questions Spike asked about the other Autobots and his supposed desire to help them, Prime refused to divulge any information about his comrades and was moved to a holding cell. As leverage, Spike captured and brought in [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]], [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]] and [[Beachcomber (G1)|Beachcomber]], suggesting that Prime start talking to help ''them'', if not to help himself. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}} [[File:IDWOngoing5 my greatest hope.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]] Prime explained his motivations for abdicating as Autobot leader to the human, expressing his hope that, without him, his men would learn to evolve and move beyond his mistakes—something that he had observed humans possessed a much greater capacity for than Transformers. {{Storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 4: "Enemies of the System"|Enemies of the System}} Presently, news came in of a battle involving the other Autobots and the Decepticons' newest combiner, [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]]. Spike convinced Optimus to help Skywatch prevent loss of innocent lives, and Prime heroically battled Menasor. After the combiner was defeated, however, the Autobots looked to him for leadership, only for him to declare that he was not retaking command, but returning himself to Skywatch's custody. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 5: "Earthworks"|Earthworks}}

The Autobots—now under Bumblebee's command—and Skywatch began working together to hunt down the Decepticons remaining on Earth. Spike's father, [[Sparkplug Witwicky|General Daniel Witwicky]], was skeptical of the plan, despite the thanks Optimus extended him for his work fighting the Decepticons three years prior. {{storylink|All His Engines}} In one of their earliest missions together, the united Autobot/Skywatch team responded to Transformer activity in [[Las Vegas]], discovering that Galvatron had returned, and had inadvertently brought an interdimensional zombie infestation with him. Prime had the Autobots seal off Las Vegas to prevent the spread of the plague, {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} but the zombie leader [[Britt]] then began infecting Prime and the others themselves with the zombie virus. It was through Kup's intervention that they were saved, as he dragged Britt through a portal to the Dead Universe. Galvatron then demanded the Autobots submit to his authority so they could ready for a coming battle against a much greater enemy; when they unsurprisingly refused, Galvatron departed, leaving Prime to worry about what was lurking in the future. {{storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}} {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}
[[File:IDWongoing11 optimus decks onslaught.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|C'mon, Optimus! You could really [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|rip his face off]] if you tried.]]
A few months later, when the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] publicly allied themselves with [[North Korea]], Spike recruited Optimus and the Autobots to fight against them. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"|The Land Ironclads}} Unfortunately due to an edict by the [[President of the United States]] forbidding any countries to collaborate with Cybertronians, the Transformers had to be transported to Korea in [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], in shipping crates, so that their activities could remain hidden from the government. They even had to attempt battling the Combaticons in vehicle mode, which did not go well for them. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"|Ranks of Bronze}} After temporarily disabling the satellites watching the area, the Autobots were able to transform for their second engagement with the Combaticons, during which Prime smashed into Vortex and managed to bring the Combaticons' leader Onslaught to his knees. All was going well until the arrival of the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], who had fallen in with the [[China|People's Republic of China]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 3: "Hawk Among the Sparrows"|Hawk among the Sparrows}} Prime tried the diplomatic approach, trying to convince the Predacons to stand down, and although they were insulted by his dismissive attitude towards their partnership with China, they agreed to move on... until Onslaught shot [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]] in the back. A brawl between all parties ensued, but Prime took control of the situation by having Thundercracker, temporarily working with the Autobots again, destroy China and North Korea's energon production facilities, ensuring the Decepticons would have no reason to work with the humans any more. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"|All My Sins Remembered}}
[[File:IDWongoing18 why cant you ever die.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|[[Living metal|Nanomachines]], son!]]
While they were still overseas, word reached Prime's team of an assassination attempt on Bumblebee by a human wielding an advanced weapon. As they raced back to America aboard a Skywatch jet, Prime quieted arguments between the anxious Autobots and their human comrades, but remained quietly angry himself, insisting that there were endemic problems that needed to be addressed. Moments later, their jet was blown out of the sky, {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}} but Prime and company survived the crash and completed the last leg of the journey home underwater in their vehicle modes. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} The team soon received a transmission that revealed the author of their current woes: Megatron had returned. Tracing Megatron and Soundwave to [[Albuquerque]], Prime confronted his old enemy alone, only to find that one-on-one combat was not Megatron's plan: instead, he had dumped the captive Autobots in Albuquerque and flooded the city with an arsenal of Cybertronian weapons that controlled the minds of the humans wielding them. Prime was able to outsmart Megatron by deducing that Soundwave was linked to the weapons and shot him in the head to disable that connection. Megatron withdrew, {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} but a tracking chip Ultra Magnus had planted on Soundwave allow Prime to follow them to their foxhole, air-dropping in and dramatically crashing through the roof. Prime proposed taking the fight outside as a means of allowing Skywatch to drop a [[kinetic harpoon]] on Megatron; alas, even this incredible weapon failed to do much damage to the Decepticon leader's powerful new body, and the resultant fistfight between the two ended badly for Prime, as Megatron incapacitated him and dumped him on the Autobots' doorstep. When Optimus awoke, however, it was to a surprising revelation: Megatron had surrendered himself to the Autobots' custody. Prime could fathom no reason for Megatron to have done this, and Megatron himself offered no answers, save for the taunting revelation that Spike Witwicky had secretly gone off-grid and executed [[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]]. A shaken Prime charged Prowl with investigating this claim, then retreated into his private quarters to contemplate the chaos he found himself facing. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}}
[[File:IDWongoing21 optimus and rodimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
A short time later, Hot Rod returned from a sojourn in space, during which he had finally recovered the Matrix of Leadership from Decepticon clutches. He returned the talisman to Optimus, who in return dubbed him "Rodimus" as a sign of his maturation. But Rodimus also brought dread tidings: through the ministrations of Alpha Trion, Cybertron had become habitable again, but was being used as a staging base by Galvatron and his army. Refusing to see his homeworld conquered by the madman, Optimus announced to the Autobots that he was returning to Cybertron, and invited any who wished to accompany him. Most of the Autobots chose to join him, and they soon left aboard Omega Supreme's rocket with Megatron aboard; {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} just before departing, Prime gave Prowl "five minutes" to interrogate Megatron for information on his investigation into Spike. {{storylink|Police Action: Prologue}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 take a seat.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66]]
During their trip, Optimus questioned Megatron further about why he surrendered, even releasing him from his bonds and having a civil conversation with him recalling their many past encounters and dueling ideologies. The other Autobots were more concerned with coming to a decision on what to ''do'' with Megatron, and cast doubt on Optimus's ability to make the right choice after how "cozy" the pair had been during their talk. An angry Prime returned to speak to Megatron again, but this time, the Decepticon leader smugly goaded Prime into shocking him with the [[variable voltage harness]] he was strapped into. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}} Disgusted by his own actions, Prime talked with Ratchet and Rodimus about the Matrix and the weight of expectation it placed upon him. To prove to himself that he still had the wisdom to make the right decision on his own, Prime removed the Matrix from his chest and left it in Ratchet's care so that he could reach his conclusion free of its influence. Prime decided to leave the choice between imprisonment or death up to Megatron himself; Megatron chose death. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2}}

[[File:Chaos4 purifying vector sigma.jpg|thumb|upright=1.45|"Now...light our [[Livio Ramondelli|Livio-est]] hour!"]]
Arriving on Cybertron, Prime left Megatron to stew in his cell while he took his men out to approach Galvatron peacefully. As before, Galvatron proposed they put themselves under his command to battle a mysterious coming enemy, and when Prime refused, battle promptly began. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} When Galvatron brought the captured [[Kimia Facility]] into play, turning its weapons on the planet from orbit, Prime flawlessly co-ordinated the Autobot response. When he realised that Galvatron was not shooting at the Autobots, but blasting a pathway ''into'' the planet, Prime rolled out to head him off at the pass. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Alongside Ironhide, Rodimus and [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], Prime pursued Galvatron down into the planet's depths, but during the chase, the enemy Galvatron had warned of finally emerged: the Dead Universe entity known as the [[D-Void]]. This alien intelligence possessed Galvatron's army and the Decepticons (who had been teleported to Cybertron by Megatron, this being the reason he had surrendered) and merged them into a giant "[[Deceptigod]]". Galvatron intended to stop its emergence by feeding the Darkness into [[Vector Sigma]] and destroying the planet, {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} but upon doing so, discovered that he had been played by the D-Void all along—destroying Cybertron would allow it to ''complete'' its emergence into the living universe. Optimus Prime plunged himself into Vector Sigma and released the power of the Matrix of Leadership, purifying the mega-computer and stopping the D-Void in its tracks. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===The return of Orion Pax===
[[File:DoOP matrix bequeathed.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.95|"And I won't come back until you two learn to share!"]]
Prime awoke in a barren wasteland, the Matrix lying before him, its crystal core split in two and its energies depleted. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}} After briefly believing that he had died and passed on to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]], Prime realised that he was on Cybertron, but a Cybertron surging with primordial energies. Trekking across the wilderness, Prime found a shanty town made of spaceships where Iacon should have been, where after an altercation with some unfamiliar Cybertronians, he was approached by Sideswipe and Whirl. The pair brought him to Rodimus and Bumblebee, who explained that the purification of Vector Sigma had "rebooted" Cybertron, reverting it to a primeval state and sending out a signal that summoned the many Cybertronians who had left the planet millions of years ago back home. Unfortunately, tensions were running high, as these so-called "[[NAIL]]s" look upon Prime and the Autobots as symbols of the war they had left the planet to escape. A full-blown riot soon consumed the city, which Prime quelled with a proclamation he delivered to the crowd: if the NAILs would allow the other Autobots to stay, he, the figurehead of the war, would leave the planet forever. Bestowing the two Matrix halves to Rodimus and Bumblebee, Prime departed at last truly feeling free and beholden to no-one. Optimus Prime was dead. Orion Pax was reborn. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Syndromica1 pax and crew.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|Uh, Pax? As a former cop, shouldn't you make sure to throw out [[Wheelie (G1)|the minor]]?]]

After voyaging through space for some time, Orion was contacted by Hardhead with some strange news: a distress signal from the planet [[Arduria]] had awoken Hardhead's formerly-catatonic prisoner, Jhiaxus, who began screaming Orion's name. Investigating the Ardurian signal, Orion and Hardhead found that they had been lured into a Decepticon trap when they were attacked by Monstructor. His knowledge of the combiner from their past fight availed Orion little, as the monster's weak spot had been removed, and Monstructor was able to keep them busy long enough for his new master Bludgeon to free Jhiaxus. Realizing that Jhiaxus and Bludgeon were intending to hunt down all the planets that had been targeted by Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program, Orion and Hardhead set course for the [[Lenocinium Velnero System]] and gave chase. {{storylink|Syndromica (1)}}
[[File:Syndromica2 pax vs bludgeon.jpg|left|thumb]]

Arriving in the LV system, Pax's ship crossed paths with a Decepticon vessel that crashed on the world of [[LV-117]], a planet unhinged from the flow of linear time by [[Ore-1]], a product of Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] program. Following it down to the planet's surface, Pax's team explored the ship and discovered a mysterious sphere in its hold. Little did Pax realise that this sphere was a time machine, which, when he reached out to touch it, sent him on a confusing journey through LV-117's past and future. After briefly jumping into the near future, where he witnessed Jhiaxus, Bludgeon and Monstructor stealing the Decepticon ship and escaping, Pax was hurled into LV-117's past and began moving forward, heading back to the present day, encountering Bludgeon in each time period he arrived in. Pax encountered the Decepticon warmonger [[Turmoil]] abducting many of the planet's natives and rescued one, named [[Varta]], and then found himself facing the end of LV-117 itself, destroyed by forces unknown. In this time period, he encountered [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] and an older Varta, and realized that he had been encountering Bludgeon in reverse-order, with the Decepticon traveling in the opposite direction through time to him. This meant since he had already ''seen'' Bludgeon and his comrades escape the planet, then it had already ''happened'' for them, so Pax could not stop it. His time-shifting journey at an end, Prime reappeared in the relative "present" after the villains had already departed, and gathered up his crew to follow them toward [[Gorlam Prime]]. {{storylink|Syndromica (2)}}
{{-}}

===Lineage of the Primes===
[[File:MTMTE24 a different approach.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
As they flew to Gorlam Prime, [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] was struck by a [[Universal killswitch|mysterious attack]]. Orion questioned what was happening but the attack halted soon enough.
{{storylink|Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|Arm the Lonely}} Pax's team appeared to beat Jhiaxus to Gorlam Prime, and they ventured underground to explore the caverns that had previously held a portal to the Dead Universe, also coming upon a mysterious ruined city. Returning to the surface, the team were approached by [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]], who was being pursued by the Monstructor Six, and came to his aid. Waspinator explained that they were after the subterranean city, which was, in fact, one of Metroplex's [[Titan (group)|Titan]] brethren. Pax awoke the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Titan]], but at that point, Waspinator revealed that he was actually ''working'' for Jhiaxus, and took control of the Titan, spiriting it away to Cybertron. Worse still, the giant's transformation had destabilized Gorlam Prime, causing the spread of the death-inducing [[Ore-2]] previously confined to the underground caverns. Their ship had been destroyed in the fight, seeming dooming Pax's team, but Pax revealed that his own ship, the ''[[Skyroller]]'', had been following in their wake all along. {{storylink|Homecoming (IDW)|Homecoming}} They quickly boarded the craft and blasted off, but seemed as though they would be unable to escape the gravity of the collapsing Gorlam Prime until the ''[[Lost Light]]'', the starship of misfits crewed by Rodimus, appeared to rescue them. Welcomed in eagerly, Pax was given a tour of the vessel, but arrived on the bridge just as bad news was coming in—Starscream, who had been elected leader of Cybertron in Pax's absence—reported that a portal to the Dead Universe was forming in the skies over their homeworld. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

[[File:MTMTE25 distraction.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Realizing that they would have to venture into the Dead Universe themselves to investigate, Pax tasked [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] with jury-rigging a method of protecting themselves from its ravages while he shared a drink and a moment of dark reflection with Rodimus and Ultra Magnus. Shielded by forcefields of Brainstorm's design, Pax then led Rodimus, Hardhead and Cyclonus into the Dead Universe through the portal that Gorlam Prime had collapsed into, where they were immediately set upon by some native [[cyberwraith]]s. The creatures fled when Cyclonus, claimed by the Dead Universe again thanks to his forcefield generator breaking, moved to confront them, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} but the stoic ancient Cybertronian refused Pax's offer of medical aid and insisted they continue on their mission to find the point that the Dead Universe was contracting towards. On the way, the team were unexpectedly met by Nightbeat, who had perished during the original Dead Universe incident, and was revealed to have been sustained by the undead realm's power. Nightbeat volunteered to lead the group to the Dead Universe's contraction point, {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} but it soon transpired that he had been brainwashed by Nova Prime, who had secretly survived his previous clash with Pax, and had led Orion's team into a trap. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Sealed with a containment cube, Orion managed to crack their prison with a mighty punch, then pretended to lose his temper and staged a fight with Rodimus in order to distract Nightbeat from it. When Nova Prime subsequently arrived, Hardhead exploited the crack to smash his way out, but the cube re-sealed before Orion and the others could escape, and they could only watch as Nova destroyed Hardhead. {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}}

[[File:RID26 my name is optimus prime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|"Optimus! Stop hitting yourself!!"]]
Transported by Nova to his citadel, Orion's team discovered that the evil Prime had Kup captive, and was in the process of turning him into a space bridge to escape to the living universe. Nova intended to use Orion and the others' sparks to energize the bridge, but fortunately, Rodimus was able to break Nightbeat's brainwashing with some odd numbers engraved into his palm, and he set them free. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} As they set about liberating Kup, Rodimus explained the significance of the numbers to the perplexed Orion: they were the number of ''Lost Light'' crewmembers who had voted to have him removed from captaincy after recent catastrophic misdeeds. Orion surprised the younger 'bot with the angry declaration that Rodimus should have resigned outright, rather than take a vote. Any further discussion was halted when Nova appeared and challenged Orion to a final battle. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Nova taunted Pax psychologically by using his mastery of the Dead Universe to shape-shift into the forms of past Primes, before assuming the shape of Orion himself, professing to show him what he could become if he embraced the true legacy of the Primes. Orion was shaken, but a speech from Rodimus rallied him: though many had held the title before him, Orion had made the name of "Prime" synonymous with himself, and with goodness and decency, despite the evil actions of those who had come before him. Energized by Rodimus's words, Orion rechristened himself Optimus Prime once more, and slew Nova once and for all. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:DCFinale op and megs vs shockwave.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67]]
With the Dead Universe collapsing all around them, Optimus and his team were in dire need of a way out, and found one when they heard singing emerging from Nova Prime's corpse. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Realizing that it was coming through from the living universe, they used Nova's technology to turn him into space bridge {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}} and travelled through it, back to Cybertron, emerging through the unsuspecting Brainstorm's chest. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} They arrived just in time to join the effort to stop Shockwave's plan to collapse all of reality into a black hole using his Regenesis ores; Optimus fought side by side with Megatron against the rogue scientist, and tried to reason with his old senator friend. His words had little effect, so Megatron opted for a more audacious method: recent experiences having opened his mind to a new way of thinking, he donned an Autobot insignia and declared that he was switching factions. Confused and distracted, Shockwave lost control of the time machine powering his plot, setting his mind adrift in time and causing his old pre-Shadowplay self to re-emerge. Horrified at what he had become, Senator Shockwave petitioned Optimus Prime to kill him, and Prime complied, with the vow to always remember his old friend as he had been. With Shockwave's death, the time machine collapsed into a singularity that threatened to consume them. Prime and Megatron made what appeared to be a hopeless dash for safety, but were rescued at the last moment by the ''Lost Light''. In the aftermath, Optimus reaffirmed Megatron's change of heart, and the two appeared before their gathered troops together to announce this new development. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Retaking Command===
Along with Jetfire, he bore witness to Megatron melting his iconic fusion cannon in a pit of acid to prove he had given up on the war. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

[[File:Chief justice optimus prime words hang in the air.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.0|Viltrumite against viltrumite?! That has not happened since the great purge.]]
In light of Megatron's defection to the Autobots, Optimus questioned what should be done with him and called Prowl, Magnus, Ratchet, Rodimus, and Starscream for advice. As leader of the NAILs, Starscream petitioned for a trial which Optimus agreed to. He also announced that he would be [[Chief Justice]] in the absence of [[Solomus|Tyrest]] and subsequently appointed Prowl as prosecutor and Magnus as speaker for the defence. He then talked with Rodimus about his quest only to learn that the Matrix half he held had been destroyed and that they were seeking help from [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] or "The Greatest Autobot Ever". Knowing that the trial could theoretically last centuries and having urgent matters to attend to Optimus tried to talk Megatron into letting [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] extract memories to use as evidence and speed up the trial, which the former Decepticon refused. At the trial he heard Megatron quietly plead guilty to all the charges Prowl read against him. {{storylink| World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Optimus listened to [[Gripper (G1)|Gripper]] give testimony regarding the [[Decepticon Justice Division]], following which Starscream spoke, not without grandstanding that Magnus and Prime reprimanded him for. Starscream stated that Megatron was an inept leader who started a revolution that he could not hope to control which devolved into a full blown war. The Cybertronian leader stated that Megatron did not deserve death but pity. Megatron then requested to speak to Magnus personally and Optimus allowed a thirty-minute recess. During this time [[Slamdance (G1)|Slamdance]] gave Optimus the news that Autobot approval ratings were way up due to the trial. When the trial resumed, Magnus informed Prime that Megatron now pleaded "not guilty". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}}

[[File:PredestinationABeginnersGuide OptimusVisitsMegs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.0]]
According to Magnus, Megatron protested that an Autobot trial could not be a fair one, least of all if the defendant and judge were arch-rivals. After beating up a few loyal Decepticons who tried to free Megatron, the former Decepticon leader invoked his right to be tried by the [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Optimus arranged for Megatron to be made co-captain of the ''Lost Light'', which ticked off Rodimus. At the height of the trial, Megatron gave an impassioned speech denouncing the Decepticons and their ideals, up-holding his deal with Prime. Prime then visited Megatron in his cell and commended him on his change, noting that they could very well be trying to kill each other. Optimus left satisfied, but he failed to notice Megatron bury his head in his hands. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide| Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} In the aftermath, someone erected a statue of Optimus. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}}

Shortly after the trial concluded Optimus gathered a small group of Autobots to go back to Earth and find [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] following a message passed onto him by [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]]. Before leaving he reminded Starscream that he ruled the people who lived in [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] and that Metroplex was himself an Autobot with the additional reminder that Ironhide and Windblade would be monitoring him {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World| Hello Cruel World}} He also told [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] to contact him immediately if Starscream started scheming during his absence. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}} Prowl then raged at Optimus for the trial's outcome, only for Prime to make him realize he was angry because of Bumblebee's death and the fact that no-one noticed he was being controlled by Bombshell. He then invited Prowl to Earth, reminding him of his change on the planet. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} He then spoke to [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] about [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]'s death and that [[Nova Prime|his killer]] was dead. Arcee then asked to join him on Earth. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Prime also invited his old friend Jazz to come along, saying he didn't hold Jazz's past on Earth against him. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}

[[File:HelloCruelWorld OptimusJazzKupRollOut.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Arriving in Earth's orbit, the ''[[Ark-7]]'' was immediately attacked by Cybertronian-like weapons. Optimus opted to take a small force of Arcee, Kup, Jazz, and Sideswipe onto the planet leaving the ''Ark'' in orbit. The group found Thundercracker and after an information exchange, Decepticons led by [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] burst in and turned Prime over to the EDC. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}. Attempts to reason with the EDC failed almost instantly and Prime gave the order for his men to attack the humans but not to inflect casualties while he fought Galvatron. When the battle was going south he ordered a retreat and went down Prowl's escape route. This led them into [[Poverty Flat]]. Surrounded by Decepticons, Prime suggested it was in the best interest of both parties to relocate the battle... only for a Prowl-controlled Devastator to jump into play. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}

[[File:I Dream of Wires TFTM homage.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|[[Homage|HOMAGE]] WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE!!!]]
Mid-battle a "Mind Bomb" stunned all the Decepticons and the Autobots retreated to the ''Ark'' aboard [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. Optimus was ticked that Prowl had endangered humans and stunned to find that Prowl thought the EDC might kill the townsfolk to cover up Devastator. Prime refused to believe that humans were their enemies but Prowl and Jetfire showed him that the missiles that attacked ''Ark-7'' were based on Cybertronian ''biology'' specifically their neurology, leading Prowl to suspect that the EDC had Alpha Trion's brain for study. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

Having tracked the "Mind Bomb"'s signal, Prime ordered Jazz to scout the [[Marshall Islands]] and while he waited aboard [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] reminded Prowl of the chain of command. Jazz reported in that he found Alpha Trion's shuttle proving Prowl's theory. Leaving Prowl on Sky Lynx after another chewing out, Prime led his troops through the EDC's defences and stormed the beach only for Galvatron's ship to appear above them. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} The Autobots were saved when Prowl interfaced with the EDC's defence grid and destroyed the Decepticon ship. Prime's group was soon rejoined by the Constructicons, Prowl, and Jazz, where Scavenger revealed he was a re-doubled agent feeding false data to Soundwave. While Devastator provided cover, Prime had his men retrieve Trion and quickly retreat aboard Sky Lynx. Once en route, Prime chewed out Prowl who countered with perfect logic. Prowl then showed Prime the data he had recovered from the EDC and that he knew just who to find if they were to solve the mystery of the EDC's actions. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}} Unknown to the Prime, Scoop transmitted images of the battle to Starscream back on Cybertron. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

[[File:TheCrucible MoonMeeting.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Per Trion's request, Optimus took him to the lunar surface for a private discussion. Trion revealed that he was one of the Original Thirteen Primes of Cybertron and recounted the events that led to the end of the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]]. Optimus was enraged to find out that Trion had, not only allowed but, ''encouraged'' Nova to become a Prime which eventually led to [[functionism]] and the Second War. Trion was unfazed by these accusations and told Optimus that the other members of the Thirteen had fled Cybertron in fear because Galvatron had murdered Nexus Prime. He also knew that Galvatron had stolen Nexus's [[Enigma of Combination]] and launched it off world to Earth but didn't know whether Galvatron had intended to or not. Regardless, Shockwave had known where it had landed and planted Ore-13 there. Shockwave also knew where the other Primes had fled to and sent his other Ores there. Optimus pondered the full implications of the Enigma's power when Trion revealed the chilling information that the Prime Galvatron once served was named [[The Fallen|Megatronus]], prompting the two Primes to wonder if Cybertronian history was repeating itself. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Optimus searched Earth for weeks trying to find the Enigma but found nothing. He later spoke of this to Trion before having to leave to Cybertron. Officially he left to research the Enigma and check on Starscream but was actually going to celebrate his anniversary of becoming a Prime. Before leaving he chewed out Prowl once more and warned him not to take preemptive action against the Decepticons or the humans. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}}

[[File:Punishment SandstormSparkstalker.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Landing in Iacon, he was greeted by Starscream, Windblade and [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]. When the Dinobot mentioned murders, Optimus was intrigued with what was happening on Cybertron particularly due to the Decepticons' poor living conditions. A trip to the Decepticon ghetto only invited attack and necessitated saving by Starscream. {{storylink|City of Steel (issue)|City of Steel}} Briefly contemplating his distaste for flying under his own power, Optimus released himself from Starscream to pursue [[Heavy Barrel (G1)|Heavy Barrel]]. He caught up with the Decepticon in an alley in front of corpses. Assuming he was the killer, Optimus incapacitated him before someone else shot the Decepticon dead. Under the advice of [[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]], Optimus and Windblade went to a bar where he found support for his investigation from [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] and scorn from [[Gutcruncher (G1)|Gutcruncher]]. As Optimus conversed with Sandstorm, the bar went up in flames. {{storylink|Fight or Flee (issue)|Fight of Flee}} Once Sandstorm had calmed down, he explained to Optimus that the found evidnece was an outlawed (and supposedly destroyed) [[infernus bullet]] and its properties...which was enough for an eavesdropping Starscream to lead a manhunt for the [[Firecon]]s. When the Autobots caught up with the ex-Decepticon, they discovered the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] had nearly killed the Firecons. When Sandstorm was shot by a stray attack, Optimus scolded the Dinobots for their brutality. {{storylink|Quest for Fire}} Optimus later offered comfort to Sandstorm which prompted commentary from Windblade about the hypocrisy the Autobots held towards war and their seeming desire to return to it. Optimus retorted that the Firecons were innocent as their natural pyrokinesis meant they had no need for infernus bullets. Optimus then met the Dinobots whom he accused, [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] in particular, of being the worst Cybertronians as they lived for war and chaos. The discussion was halted by the murder of several Autobots which was all Starscream needed to murder all his former compatriots only for Barricade to refuse. Suspecting that the killer was only targeting those with high-profile war crimes, Optimus loudly announced every bad thing the Dinobots had done. {{storylink|The Killing Jar (issue)|The Killing Jar}} His trap worked and lured out the killer: Sandstorm. After shooting Prime with an infernus bullet (which Prime simply ripped out of his body), the Autobot broke down and confessed his reasoning for the murders stating that he could not allow those who had committed such acts to roam free. Optimus sympathized but placed Sandstorm under arrest. Optimus then travelled to the ruins of the [[Underworld|Undergrid]] to commemorate the anniversary of his ascension to Primehood. He then revealed to Windblade that while it had been a ruse to draw out Sandstorm, he meant everything he said to the Dinobots but he still had hope that a new future could be built. {{storylink|Forever Is a Long Time Coming (issue)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming}}

===The Council of Worlds===
[[File:FirstContact-lostcolonies.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.75|[[Han Solo|"It's true... the colonies, the Titans...all of it. It's all true."]]]]
While making their way through the Decepticon ghetto on the outskirts of Metroplex, Optimus and Windblade were accosted by a gang of disenfranchised Decepticons. fortunately, the intervention of Ironhide and Chromia were enough to disperse the Decepticons. Windblade asked to meet with the group in private, which turned out to be inside Metroplex's space bridge chamber. There, she explained that the Titan's spacebridge was now fully functional and ready to make contact with Windblade's homeworld of [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]] and the other lost colony planets. Knowing that Starscream could easily use his combiner [[Superion (G1)|Superion]] to simply conquer the various worlds, Optimus appointed Chromia and Ironhide to guard the space bridge while he spoke to Starscream directly about the matter. The meeting didn't go particularly well; Starscream refused to open the space bridge until Superion was completely refitted, and accused Optimus of using Devastator for similarly destructive ends.

[[File:TheSumAndItsParts-OptimusMatrix.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55]]
Optimus eventually suggested that Starscream ratify a constitution for Cybertron and establish an inter-planetary parliament so that every member planet could be fairly represented. Prime later called Rodimus aboard the ''Lost Light'', although Rodimus wasn't interested in attending the first contact ceremonies between Cybertron and Caminus. They eventually decided to send a small group of representatives home aboard one of the ship's shuttles. Before long, Windblade alerted Prime that someone had hijacked Metroplex's spacebridge! {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

The "someone" turned out to be Swindle and Menasor, who were intent on looting the planet. A furious Optimus contacted Starscream, summoning him to the space bridge chamber. Although Optimus offered to join the fight against Menasor, Windblade insisted that he stay on Cybertron for the time being until she could explain more about Camien society. Instead, Optimus ordered Starscream to deploy the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]], who combined into Superion and dispatched Menasor. Windblade explained to Optimus Prime about her religion, the [[Way of Flame]], and the fact that to the Camiens Optimus would be seen as a holy figure. Along with Windblade, Optimus travelled to Caminus, where he interrupted Starscream's meeting with the [[Forgefire Parliament]]. When the [[Mistress of Flame]] requested proof of his "divinity", he complied by opening his chest and revealing the Matrix of Leadership, impressing the audience of Camiens. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

At the first press conference between the two planets, Optimus's presence bedazzled the Camiens and inadvertently overshadowed Starscream's opening remarks. The Mistress of Flame was not so impressed by Prime's willingness to accept Starscream's leadership of the planet, viewing it as borderline blasphemy. While cleaning up the rubble on Caminus, Optimus chatted with Superion about Starscream's political ambitions and what it was like to be a combiner; Superion was incapable of articulating his thoughts on the latter subject. Their discussion was interrupted by Prowl, who had gotten wind of Prime's recent adventures and was furious at the thought of Starscream taking control of the colonies. With no time to talk Prowl down, Optimus terminated the call. Windblade noted that Optimus had lied by omission, neglecting to tell Prowl about the Enigma of Combination. At the next conference, Prime once again upstaged Starscream by announcing that Starscream intended to form a [[Council of Worlds]], forcing him to follow through with this idea. {{storylink|The Possible Light}}

[[File:MistakesAndMayhem-CouncilOfWorldsconference.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.55]]
Optimus took part in a summit on Cybertron with Starscream and some Camien representatives, although Starscream was less than enthused about having him on board. This was interrupted by [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] and Chromia; the former told the group about a strange vision he had seen on his way back to Cybertron, while the latter informed them that Devastator was on the warpath. Optimus invited Mirage's escorts, the jokingly-named "[[Protectobot (G1)|Protectobots]]", to accompany him to the spacebridge. After Devastator took out Superion, Optimus tried to reason with the giant combiner, to no avail. Starscream took matters into his own hands by forcing the Protectobots to fuse into [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], who teamed up with Superion. The two Autobot combiners stood triumphant, tearing Devastator back into his components. Starscream was ready to kill Prowl for his machinations, but Optimus managed to convince Starscream to arrest him instead. Optimus mused that Prowl's concerns were not misplaced, and worried that Starscream now had ''two'' combiners on his side. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}}

[[File:YouMeAndTheUniverse-Optimusgetszapped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|You would think that with all their recent disagreements, Prowl wouldn't want Optimus in his combiner, but then we all know [[To sell toys|why this is happening]]]]
Prime later visited Prowl in prison to talk about recent events, including the fact that he and Windblade were putting systems in place to curb Starscream's political ambitions. Optimus tried to reach out to his old friend and sympathized with Prowl's long history of being betrayed. Prowl merely told him that Optimus had now betrayed him as well. As they talked, they were interrupted by Mirage, Ironhide, and Sunstreaker, who had talked and realized that they had somehow gained the ability to share "mindspace" with one another. Optimus was also joined by [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], who had gone behind Starscream's back and stolen the Enigma of Combination... all on Prowl's orders! With an angry Menasor on the loose and the other combiners reduced to infighting, Prowl ordered Rattrap to zap Optimus and his allies with the Enigma, turning them into a new combiner. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} Within the mind of his new gestalt, Optimus united their way of thinking—their belief in the strength of individuals, and their refusal to accept Prowl's numbers-and-statistics view of the world—to shut out Prowl's control of their merged form. Declaring themselves [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]], the combined Autobots subdued the renewed threat of Devastator—rebuilt by Starscream but now out of control—then separated so that Prowl could be arrested for his crimes. {{storylink|All That Remains}}

[[File:NowAndOnEarth-PrimePunchesProwl.jpeg|thumb|left|upright=1.05|Admit it, you've been hoping Prime would do this for the last year.]]
In the aftermath, Optimus contacted Arcee to update her on the recent developments, before visiting the incarcerated Prowl again with the hope that he could talk some sense into his old ally. Prowl simply replied that he had no place for morality, and that spending time as Devastator meant that he could no longer tell the difference between himself and the Decepticons. The two former friends finally came to blows, although Prowl's knowledge that a part of him would always exist within Prime convinced the Autobot leader to spare his life. Unbeknownst to him, Rattrap had spirited Prowl away the moment Optimus had turned his back! {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

At Metroplex's spaceport, Optimus was present with Tracks to see Mirage and the Protectobots off. Arcee soon arrived and confronted Optimus about his apparent unwillingness to thwart Starscream's growing ambition in creating an empire. {{storylink|The Transgressors}}

[[File:Lagrange-OptimusAndTorchbearers.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.50|Optimus is surprised when he learns that he has fan-girls after him.]]
Optimus met with the Mistress of Flame on Caminus. Although Optimus tried to convince her that he was not a Prime in the Camien sense of the word, the Mistress insisted that he had been chosen by the Matrix for a reason. She also argued that Optimus should use his political clout to improve Earth's living conditions, just as Cybertron had reached out to the people of Caminus. On returning to Cybertron, Optimus met with Windblade to discuss the growing Council of Worlds. The duo intervened in a fight between Slug and some Camien proselytizers. there, he met [[Aileron]], a young and idealistic Camien who viewed Optimus as a living god. Optimus confided some his doubts in her, including the Mistress's criticism of his passivity. At his new confidant's suggestion, Optimus went off in search of the [[Torchbearer]]s. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} As the two travelled into the [[Rust Sea]], they stumbled across the [[Pyra Magna]]'s crew of Torchbearers. A brief scuffle ensued, which ended with Optimus pinned down beneath [[Victorion]]'s gravity powers. At the combiner's request, Optimus recited some of Cybertron's early mythology, including the story of the Matrix's creation. However, Prime stressed that he did not ascribe any supernatural importance to these devices, believing them to be simply advanced technology. Though disappointed in Prime's agnosticism, Victorion laid a claim on the Matrix of Leadership and pledged that she would build Optimus up into a worthy Prime. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}}

===Optimus the Conqueror===
[[File:AHO-earthannexed.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Soon, you'll all be fighting for your planet. Many of you will be dying for your planet. A few of you will be put through a fine mesh screen for your planet. They will be the luckiest of all."]]

This chance came after a crisis at Iacon's spacebridge, where Windblade's team struggled against a mob of disenfranchised Decepticons seeking a new life on Earth. Optimus, Aileron, and [[Sterling]] rallied Superion and Victorion (and a reluctant Starscream), who quickly reclaimed control of the damaged bridge. While Wheeljack worked to bring it back online, Optimus realized the only way to permanently end the struggle for Earth. As soon as the bridge came back online, Optimus stepped through to confront Galvatron's forces... and laid claim to Earth and its people, declaring it the newest member of the Council of Worlds! {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}}

This naturally didn't sit well with Galvatron ''or'' the humans, and a chaotic fight soon ensued, with Optimus leading the charge- much to Aileron's admiration, noting that Optimus had begun acting like the Primes of legend. With the Decepticons incapacitated thanks to an EDC mindbomb, Optimus pushed their advantage, forcing Galvatron and his inner circle into a retreat. There was no time to rest, however, as [[China]]'s [[People's Liberation Army Mecha Force]] deployed a counterattack on the Cybertronians, blasting Sterling with an orbital killsat. Optimus deployed Aileron to take down the space-based weaponry while he coordinated the withdrawal effort on the ground. Aileron bridged back to Cybertron and returned with the ''Skyroller'', whereupon Optimus and Aileron flew the Autobots to safety.

Optimus began to have second thoughts about his drastic actions while en route to the EDC's headquarters, although he knew that he couldn't go back. Once he had arrived at the Bikini Atoll, he rendezvoused with the original Earth team and Thundercracker, whom he formally inducted into the Autobots. While recharging, Prime was later plagued by a vision of the Dark Cybertron prophecy, although he was quick to shrug it off and supervise the renovation of Thundercracker's old home to support a temporary Space Bridge to Cybertron to extricate the wounded, although he had to put up with Alpha Trion's criticisms. Using the ''Skyroller''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s systems, Optimus broadcast a message to everyone on Earth and Cybertron, informing them that Earth was under his protection and that, above all, the Autobots were here to help humanity. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}} At this time, the Cybertronian race received the final message from [[Team Rodimus (G1)|Team Rodimus]] saying that they would die in six hours and detailing how they would like to be buried. As the ''[[Lost Light]]'' was not answering any hails, Optimus ordered everyone into the [[Space bridge]] to save them only for Jetfire to inform him that the message had been sent three weeks ago. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[File:EdgeOfTheEarth PrimeLosesArm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|He's had worse.]]
Under Optimus's supervision, the Autobots set about improving living conditions for humanity- planting crops, distributing technology to poor towns, and patrolling violence-stricken regions. Unfortunately, Prime was still plagued with nightmares regarding his perceived failures and poor judgment calls. Optimus apologized to Aileron for failing to live up to his godly reputation, although the Camien assured him that he had set the Autobots on the right course of action. On the ''Skyroller'', Prime requested that Tracks try to open a channel to his Decepticon brother [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]], which set off an emotional chain recation that ended with Aileron storming off to confront the "ungrateful" humans. Optimus, Sunstreaker, and Victorion followed her to the lawn of the [[White House]], where they rescued her from a pair of [[Seeker clone]]s... although not without Optimus getting his arm blown off by another killsat. Back on the ''Skyroller'', Aileron continued to give Prime the cold shoulder, prompting the Autobot leader to finally open up communications with other major political players and discuss the next step. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 2: Edge of the Earth|Edge of the Earth}}

[[File:AsAboveSoBelow PrimeAwakensTitan.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Clearly Spike needs to play [[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|more video games]].]]
He first journeyed back to Cybertron to try and explain himself to the [[Council of Worlds]] only for them to condemn him. He then travelled to Caminus where he requested the [[Mistress of Flame]] divulge the knowledge she had regarding "The Arisen", the thirteenth of the [[Thirteen]]. The Mistress revealed she'd been studying the massive role Earth played in Cybertronian history, causing her to deduce that it was the lost thirteenth colony and that Optimus himself was The Arisen. Returning to [[Monument Valley]], he prepared to depart for [[Sanctuary Station]] only for Arcee to pull him aside, telling him that [[Horri-Bull]]'s [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chip]] had been detonated by Soundwave and not Bumblebee. Prime used this information to blackmail Soundwave into working together to defeat Galvatron and the humans. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}} The combined Cybertronian force regrouped in Monument Valley where they formulated an attack plan on the ''[[Nemesis (G1)|Nemesis]]''. When the [[Earth Defense Command]] attacked them, Soundwave was eager to kill them but Optimus overruled him believing that the situation could be resolved peacefully.{{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Soundwave, however, cared little for this and promptly opened fire on the humans backed up by Aileron. Since Alpha Trion had only cryptic riddles, Optimus encouraged Soundwave to mentally scan the humans to gain some perspective on their feelings about Cybertronians. After Soundwave did so, he realized the wrongness of his prejudice against them and fully joined Optimus. This caused the EDC to surround the Cybertronians only for Optimus to fully realize the words of Alpha Trion. Kneeling down, he summoned the stasis-locked [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] to awaken causing the EDC to fly off with their tails between their legs. When he received word of Galvatron's escape, he ordered Arcee to pursue. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}}

[[File:NoFairFights-galvatrondies.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|"Not today."]]
He and Soundwave caught up with Arcee as she was fighting the Decepticon in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter. The ancient warrior held off all three easily before Soundwave shot him in the back, allowing Arcee to destroy his [[fusion cannon]], taking him out of the fight. Galvatron proceeded to mock them all before saying he would join them only because [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]] was on his way to Earth. Optimus however, had never been after Galvatron's surrender and promptly shot him through the Spark, taking his head as proof that the threat had passed and presenting it to the President of the United States. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}} He later commanded Metrotitan to transform to city mode, a form he dubbed [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]], to function as an embassy on the planet. Metrotitan then sent a pulse wave into space to inform everyone about Optimus's deeds, something which troubled both Soundwave and the Prime. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

His actions on Earth during the Great War and his subsequent annexation of Earth, were the focus point of [[Scarlett]] and [[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]]'s discussion of the Cybertronian threat to Earth. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}

[[File:WhiteHeat OptimusVSentinel.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"I already beat down Nova and Zeta... time to make it a complete set."]]
His fears about the datapulse proved true when his predecessor [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] not only showed up on Earth but revealed himself to be a [[Titan Master]], who hijacked Trion's body while leaving the Autobots to fight off his regular body. The fight led them to a large cache of [[Ore-13]]. Sentinel returned with [[G.B. Blackrock|Garrison Blackrock]], who revealed himself to be another Titan Master named [[Sovereign]]. The duo then tapped into Metrotitan's spacebridge, transporting them, Soundwave, and Optimus away from the city. {{storylink|White Light}} Optimus rebooted in the shadow of the deceased Titan [[Prion (planet)|Prion]] where Sentinel revealed himself to truly be [[Infinitus]], the herald of Onyx Prime. He and Sovereign extended an invitation for Optimus to join them as the latter impaled Soundwave. Optimus managed to keep Sentinel talking long enough to bodyslam into Sovereign, who Soundwave freed from Sentinel's control. The Titan Master duo then departed through a spacebridge, before Optimus ordered Soundwave to use the portal to return them to Cybertron so as to get medical help for Alpha Trion. Before they returned to Earth, Soundwave spoke to Optimus of the compromises they'd made and how the Cybertronian race had to move past its feud and focus on rebuilding the future, for the Decepticon feared something else from the ancient past might return. {{storylink|White Heat}}

===New world order===
[[File:TheDivineSourceOfLiberty-romvsoptimus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

Months later when Metrotitan went silent, Optimus called in Windblade from Earth to diagnose what was wrong with the Titan. {{storylink|Informed}} Before she could, the Titan detected an explosion of [[Ore-13]] beneath Mount Olympus. Optimus was worried that this might happen to Autobot City (given that they were atop a much larger cache) or that the humans might view this as an act of war. As it turned out, the humans ''did'' view it as an act of war, with [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] launching an attack on [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] and [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] in [[Portland]]. Heading to the city to back them up, the Cybertronians were confronted by the humans' harmless weapons, before Soundwave destroyed all their electronics with a concentrated EMP attack. The Joe [[Beachhead|Beach Head]] then fired an RPG round in Prime's face, doing absolutely no damage other than angering the Prime. Before anything else could happen, [[Rom|an unknown alien]] showed up and atomized four Joes. Recognizing that the Cybertronians would be blamed for this, Optimus ordered his forces to follow the alien. {{storylink|Concorde Hymn}} The Cybertronians followed the alien, forcing it to make an emergency landing in [[Umpqua National Forest]]. The alien declared it was hunting beings known as [[Dire Wraith]]s, before it used Prime's weight against him, flipping him over. Optimus' troops managed to overpower the aggressive alien, before Optimus himself slammed into it in vehicle mode. He then aimed his [[ion blaster]] inches from the alien and politely asked it to repeat what it was saying earlier. {{storylink|The Divine Source of Liberty}} The alien introduced itself as Rom of the [[Solstar Order]]. Making peace with him, the Cybertronians brought him back to Autobot City. Here Windblade deduced that Metrotitan was silent because he was trying to force Optimus to mind meld with him, only for Windblade herself to undergo the process. She revealed that [[Micronus Prime]] had communicated with her and asked her to ask Optimus to send Ore-13 into the subatomic realm of [[Microspace]]. Remembering the recent debacle with Sentinel and the ruins of the Mini-Con colony, Optimus was skeptical of trusting another Prime, and tabled the discussion until they'd dealt with the current crisis on Earth. {{storylink|Informed}}

[[File:TheNewColossus-thisendsnow.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|As the main protagonist of the most popular line of books, Optimus gets centre stage in this heroic team-up shot.]]

The group retreated to the Ore-13 cache beneath the city to compare notes on the Dire Wraiths' interest in Ore-13 and Windblade's knowledge regarding Micronus Prime and Microspace. Optimus believed their main focus should be on solving the crisis with Ore-13 on Earth, given their lack of knowledge on Microspace even as [[Aileron]] brought intel supporting that the Ore was disappearing into another universe. While the Cybertronians argued, the nearby Space Bridge came online, which Rom used to send the Ore-13 into Microspace. Optimus made him see that his desire to defeat the Wraiths was putting an entire universe at risk and the Space Knight relented. Optimus assured him that they all wanted to save the Earth and no one had to shoulder the entire burden. {{storylink|O Ship of State}} They soon took note of both [[Snake-Eyes|Snake Eyes]] and the ''Heliopolis'', with Rom and Windblade deducing the latter were the inhabitants of Micronus' universe. Optimus appealed to Snake-Eyes, making him see that [[M.A.S.K.]], [[Baron Karza]] and the [[Dire Wraith]]s were the real threats to Earth. Almost as soon as Snake-Eyes agreed to work with the Autobots, Optimus was forced to lead the last defence of the Ore-13 and the spacebridge against M.A.S.K. and an entire army of Dire Wraiths. During the battle, he totalled M.A.S.K.'s [[Rhino (M.A.S.K.)|Rhino]] vehicle before being swarmed by Wraiths, who promptly abandoned him in favour of putting [[Miles Mayhem]] in his place, before the spacebridge opened to reveal Baron Karza, who merged with the Wraiths, becoming a towering fusion of Wraith, Microspace and Cybertronian power. {{storylink|The New Colossus}}

[[File:ValleyForge OptimusOverture.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7|"Don't worry, we'll do most of the heavy lifting."]]
When the Baron began using Wraith magic to funnel Ore-13 into Microspace, Optimus pieced everything together and tried to rally everyone to fight together to fight their true enemy, but the organics were more interested in fighting one another. Optimus then grabbed Rom, Snake Eyes, and [[Acroyear (Micronaut)|Acroyear]] and transformed, trapping them in his cab as he explained the situation and charged Karza an act that convinced [[Matt Trakker]] and the recently arrived G.I. Joe of his intentions. Optimus led the attack on the Baron but even with reinforcements, he overpowered them until Soundwave hit on the plan to stop their foe and save Earth by forcing him back into Microspace. Optimus then roused Metrotitan to carry the Autobots to safety, only to have his chest ripped open in a desperate escape attempt by Karza, with Optimus saved by an unlikely intervention from Miles Mayhem. Once the crisis had passed, Optimus admitted to the humans that he was wrong to claim their world out of the belief only he could defend it, inviting them all to work together. {{storylink|Valley Forge}}

When [[Rom]] took his leave from Autobot City to fight Dire Wraiths elsewhere, Optimus commented that Rom was an odd being, but without him the Wraiths would likely have ambushed Autobot City and conquered Earth via the Ore-13 deposit. Optimus decided against hunting down the Dire Wraiths in light of more immediate problems to attend to, but was convinced Rom would contact them (one way or another) if the Wraiths ever grew beyond the Knight's ability to handle. The Joe [[Beachhead]] held Optimus responsible for the new status quo forced onto Earth. Rom later remembered his initial meeting with Optimus and wondered if one day he and the Prime would be enemies. {{storylink|Reinforcements, Part 1}}

When Windblade returned to Cybertron, she questioned whether or not Optimus, among others, was done listening to her. {{storylink|Ping}}

[[File:WrathOfKarza5 OptimusHoldsKarza.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4]]
Optimus later took [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] and [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] to investigate a Spacebridge fluctuation in [[Monument Valley]] where Optimus wondered if he'd brought hell to Earth by annexing it. After his subordinates had a "debate" about that, the three prepared to leave before a vengeful [[Baron Karza]] appeared, wearing the body of [[Micronus Prime]], and swatted the three Autobots aside, {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 1|Wrath of Karza #1}} before placing them in a prison. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 4|Wrath of Karza #4}} The three Autobots would soon be liberated by the [[Micronaut]]s, in their search for allies against Karza's invasion. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 3|Wrath of Karza #3}} After the Micronauts had captured the ''[[Sharkos]]'', the Autobot trio joined in the attack on the Microspace forces, only to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of [[Acroyear III|Acroyear soldiers]] before Acroyear destroyed them and a [[Time Traveler]] empowered [[Shazraella]] arrived. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 4|Wrath of Karza #4}} Optimus used the distraction to simply pick up Karza, but the tyrant once again enerchanged with Micronus Prime, reassuming his towering form, and engaged the Autobots. Shazraella then used her powers on the Autobots, causing them to shift through the various alternate modes they'd held throughout their lives. When Shazraella's powers began growing out of control however, Karza begged Optimus for aid. Impressed by the would-be conqueror's morals, Optimus agreed but Shazraella proved too powerful for them. Their salvation came in the form of [[Oziron Rael]], having ascended to become a Time Traveler. The Time Travelers removed Shazraella's power, before they proposed a treaty to Optimus between Earth and Microspace. Optimus agreed and swore to help the Microspacian refugees in any way he could. {{storylink|Wrath of Karza issue 5|Wrath of Karza #5}}

[[File:Post OptimusRecruitsOilerSlide.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.7|He's basically a giant red flag now.]]
Spurred on by the faith the colonists had placed in him, Optimus visited several of the colony worlds and recruited [[Colonist Soldiers|a new generation of Autobots]]. Many of his closest allies, particularly Aileron, became increasingly unsettled with his use of the colonists' religious beliefs to gain their allegiance. {{storylink|Time Will Rust}} {{storylink|Post}}

Some months later, after the colonists had gotten settled, the Autobots responded to an anti-Cybertronian riot in [[Mexico City]] where [[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] was injured by a weapon derived from Cybertronian technology. This prompted Optimus to head to the White House and warn the President about the dangers of breaching the [[Tyrest Accord]]. Before any real progress could be made, Soundwave informed Optimus of an alien spacecraft approaching Earth. The Autobots set out to meet it at the Matterhorn, where [[Pyra Magna]] not-so-subtly indicated she felt Optimus was unworthy to have the Matrix. The spacecraft then arrived, burrowing into the Earth. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}} The occupants revealed themselves to be [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], who had come to trade advanced technology for [[Ore-13]]. Before Optimus could fully respond, G.I. Joe showed up and opened fire on the Autobots, ordering them to leave. This prompted the Junkions to leave as well. Back aboard the Titan, Soundwave revealed to everyone the tale of the "Battle of Junkion" that ended with either Shockwave or Prowl destroying [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. Eager to make amends, Optimus invited them aboard, though he himself felt the Cybertronians had no need for Junkion technology. He was proven wrong when they revealed a positron core that could potentially save [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]'s life. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 2: A Lonely Pillar on the Plain|A Lonely Pillar on the Plain}} Optimus then left for Cybertron to try to convince the [[Council of Worlds]] to allow trade with the Junkions. He found support from the [[Mistress of Flame]] but fierce resistance from [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], who noted that Earth was still technically unaffiliated and that Cybertron needed all its resources to rebuild after Sentinel Prime's Titan attack. Optimus then took his leave. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 3: Behind My Bleeding Back|Behind My Bleeding Back}}

[[File:FutureGloriesLost-KnightTemplarPrime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"I offered them utopia, but they fought for the right to live in hell."]]
Back on Earth, Optimus ordered Jetfire to contact Soundwave to gather all the leaders of Earth. He then confided his plan in Aileron who, aside from finding it very risky, felt he was letting his Prime status go to his head. Optimus replied that he didn't find the Matrix to be a religious artifact but said he was trying to build something out of the blind faith that many put into it. This statement displeased Pyra Magna, but Optimus (after a punch in the faceplate) told her to gather everyone on the flight deck. When everyone was gathered, [[Rum-Maj]] unleashed her horde of [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]]. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 4: Dance Among the Shadows|Dance Among the Shadows}} The Junkions then rammed their ship into Metrotitan, who Optimus roused (much to the colonists' awe) to destroy the ship. As usual, Pyra Magna had complaints. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} The fight seemed won when Soundwave turned the Sharkticons against the Junkions, but when [[Slide]] encouraged Optimus to kill them all as he had Galvatron in revenge for [[Oiler|Oiler's]] death, he realized the precariousness of the situation and the parallels to pre-War Cybertron. When the positron core was destroyed by a stray shot, Optimus threw down his gun and opened his chest to reveal the Matrix. He invited everyone to stand down so they could build a new future together without any killing. His words won Rum-Maj over and Prime ordered Metrotitan to set the ship down. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}}

At a signal from Garrison Blackrock, Metrotitan flew to the [[Onyx]] tower in [[Buenos Aires]] and deposited Optimus Prime into the chaos. At Skywarp's direction, Optimus charged at a terrified [[Joe Colton]], before Dire Wraith mutates swarmed the Prime, though [[Roadblock (G.I. Joe)|Roadblock]] warned him that they were humans, forcing Optimus to pull his punches. Metrotitan soon transmitted a curative pulse returning the humans to normal. [[Merklynn|Garrison Kreiger]] soon activated the [[M.A.S.S. Device]], teleporting himself and Colton away as Optimus tried to grab them. As Optimus reflected on the danger of humans with [[orbital jump]] technology, [[Sgt. Savage]] introduced himself to the Prime, finding his name to be badass. When it was discovered that [[Atomic Man|Mike Power]] and [[Centurion (IDW)|Centurion]] had merged into one being, Blackrock suggested talking to Optimus. {{storylink|Ghost in the Machine (IDW)|Ghost in the Machine}}

[[File:GhostStories OptimusPyraSingularity.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6|"You brought me to see a black, sucking hole devoid of light and warmth?" "For some reason it reminded me of our relationship."]]
Optimus later met with the President to discuss the Autobots' PR, specifically that Jazz (who was known for the killing of [[John Powell]]) was going to do a television interview. Optimus was willing to allow Jazz his freedom, but the President feared about the political fallout that the interview would bring. {{storylink|The Next Day, and the Next}} As the discussion continued Optimus saw through the President's words that Jazz was walking into a G.I. Joe trap and sent him a text message telling him to flee. Optimus then approached Pyra Magna and asked her to speak with him in private in the ruins of [[Crystal City]]. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} While there, the two discussed the origins of both Bumblebee and Pyra, the latter story convincing Optimus that Onyx Prime was still alive and returning, though Optimus himself found difficulty in accepting that Pyra's origins and ambitious nature were rooted in a poem and a nightmare. Nonetheless, the two came to an uneasy peace. {{storylink|Ghost Stories}} When Sunstreaker and Arcee decided to humanely put Sideswipe out his suffering, they hooked him up to [[mnemopathis projector]] to have a last good day. Within the simulation, Optimus welcomed Sideswipe back to life. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}} When Sideswipe's spark finally faded, Optimus greeted Sunstreaker and Arcee as they brought his body to Cybertron. An eager Aileron followed them to announce to Optimus that Earth had finally chosen an ambassador for the [[Council of Worlds]]. To pass the time until the choice was finalized, Optimus, Pyra and Starscream gathered in Alpha Trion's quarters, where Optimus requested Alpha Trion tell the story of the origins of the Autobot insignia. Of the three, only Optimus grasped the story's meaning, before the President called to announce [[Marissa Faireborn]] was Earth's chosen ambassador. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

[[File:UnificationDayDawn PrimeActionMan.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6]]
At the official induction ceremony, the events of Optimus annexing Earth were replayed on the news to set the stage for the ceremony. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} Before it began however, he spent time with Blackrock and Centurion trying to help the latter make some sense of his jumbled memories before he was forced to take his leave, promising to see them again tomorrow. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}} Optimus arrived at the ceremony, flanked by Arcee and Pyra where the three did a photo op, {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}} before an explosion sent the crowd into a panic. Telling Onslaught and Brawl to evacuate Starscream and Marissa, Optimus joined Ironhide in engaging the [[Red Shadows]], but unknown to him was being targeted by the humans behind the crisis. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} After dealing with some [[Iron Grenadier]]s, Optimus joined with [[Action Man]] to check up on Centurion and Blackrock only to find both had disappeared. Though Optimus thought the two had betrayed them (again), Action Man was resolute that [[Colditz]] had captured them and requested that the Revolutionaries be allowed to find their missing teammates. Optimus agreed but advised them to be back before dark. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}}

[[File:FirstStrike4 OptimusScarlettBurn.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.6]]
Prime and Windblade then retreated to the [[Spire]], where [[Elita One (G1)|Elita One]] was preparing to execute Marissa for the human terrorist attack. Though Optimus insisted the problem was his fault (something which Elita wholeheartedly agreed to), Marissa managed to defuse the situation on her own before the [[Solstar Order]] arrived to place Cybertron under quarantine. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} As the debate continued, [[M.A.S.K.]] and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]] were brought before the Council, with Elita ordering their execution. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}} Elita's decision was overruled in seconds, before she suggested mass deportation, convinced that all humans were on Cybertron to destroy Optimus as revenge for conquering their planet, a statement that caused Optimus to state Earth was not conquered. When Scarlett explained what Colton and Kreiger were likely planning an extinction level event, Optimus took her words seriously and tried to persuade the Council to act, only for Elita and Starscream to silence him. When Cybertronian Security Forces descended underground, Optimus tried to speak to Windblade only to be rebuffed, later explaining to Ironhide that she had tired of his constant military commander mindset, despite being one of the more moral Cybertronians alive. Optimus then visited Scarlett in her cell, where he admitted that millennia as a Prime had built up an expectation to always be listened to, before he thanked Scarlett for coming to Cybertron and trying to help. When Scarlett revealed she'd primarily come to try and save Colton from himself, Optimus sympathized, having gone through the same with Megatron, before he swore to be on her side when the time came. Optimus made his way to Metroplex's brain module, where Windblade was monitoring Ironhide and Sunstreaker's teams. When Colton disabled both squads, a horrified Windblade turned to a stoic Optimus in disbelief that Scarlett had been correct. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}}

Optimus gathered Arcee and Soundwave before breaking Scarlett's team out of jail, only to find their path barred by Windblade, who asked him to stand down. Optimus refused, citing the danger to Cybertron and Windblade complied, noting that this would be the last time she bowed to his will. Heading underground, the group fought their way past Colton's myriad of traps. When they came upon a river of acid, Scarlett leapt right in, proving it to be an advanced hologram and prompting Optimus and Soundwave to comment on humanity's cavalier attitude towards their own safety. The group pressed on and managed to reach the core of Cybertron before Colton's cabal. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}}

[[File:FirstStrike6-releasemetraitor.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left]]
Optimus engaged [[Destro]] in combat before the [[Council of Worlds]] arrived to arrest everyone where he took a missile to the chest courtesy of Starscream. Though he tried to reason with Elita, he soon found himself engaging her and the Seeker in melee combat. When Garrison Kreiger activated the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] and revealed himself to be an alien being known as Merklynn, Optimus noted that the [[energon]] flowing through the Cybertronians had been altered somehow. Following Merklynn's creation of [[New Prysmos]], he teleported all combatants back to Iacon. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

In the aftermath, Optimus gave a television interview where he expressed hope at the prospect of humans and Cybertronians working together, despite the bad turn the day had taken. {{storylink|Unification Day: Dawn}}

[[File:TheDeadComeHomePart2 SandstormVSOptimus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5]]
After presiding over Sideswipe's funeral, Optimus was ready to head back to Earth before Blackrock informed him that the recovered Centurion had found Cybertron's first protoforms since the war's end. [[Swift (G1)|Swift]] then revealed her role in finding the [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]] and that Starscream knew of the protoforms. Optimus and Blackrock then went to confront the Seeker who waved off their accusations before loaning them [[Slag (G1)|Slug]] to track down the Dinobots. Arriving in the wilderness of Cybertron, the group was greeted by Centurion, Sandstorm and the remainder of the Dinobots before Slug went berserk and attacked. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}}

After punching Slug, Optimus found himself grappling with Sandstorm. After Arcee discovered [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] guarding [[protoform]]s, Optimus sent Blackrock to retrieve [[Marissa Faireborn]]. After firing a warning shot at Slug, Optimus tried to reason with the Dinobot before Trypticon broke out of the ground and demanded the fighting cease lest the protoforms be endangered, with Optimus managing to reason with the [[Titan (group)|Titan]]. When Faireborn arrived, Optimus put forth his suggestion that Trypticon become Earth's embassy on Cybertron so that the protoforms could be under his protection. Though Sandstorm was appalled by the low move, Centurion supported him for the move was one of peace. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 2 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 2}}

===Chaos rising===
[[File:AnotherMine OptimusVOnyx.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|TRUKK NOT CENTAUR!]]
To help Cybertron with its energy crisis and improve human/Cybertronian relations, Optimus oversaw the opening of an [[Ore-13]] mine in [[Kentucky]]. After offering some comfort and advice to [[Slide]], Optimus brought the Ore-13 shipment to the Council of Worlds where the [[Mistress of Flame]] requested a private word. The two discussed possibly prophetic "dreams" they had had before an eclipse unexpectedly struck. Hovering above was [[Nemesis (BW)|Nemesis]], the Titan of Onyx Prime, with its master and [[Liege Maximo]] on the hull, the former intending to pass judgment on the latter and the rest of Cybertron. Optimus invited Onyx down to the surface to speak, an offer which the ancient Prime agreed to, for the sake of Cybertron was Optimus Prime's responsibility as [[The Arisen]]. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of the Primes}}

When Onyx was granted an audience with the Council, Optimus summoned Soundwave to Cybertron. During the meeting, Optimus found himself playing the mediator between Onyx and the Mistress's deference to him and Windblade's legitimate power. Reminded of Galvatron's last words, Optimus continually attempted to keep everyone satisfied only for Soundwave to barge in just as Optimus was badmouthing the deceased Decepticon leader. Before another word could be said, a mysterious explosion ripped through the [[Spire]], Optimus shielding [[Marissa Faireborn]] from the blast. When the dust settled, Alpha Trion was found to have perished with Onyx taking the opportunity to smirch the Decepticon faction and claim the Primes would be retaking command of Cybertron and passing judgment for their fellow's demise. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}

[[File:TheFirstWhoWasNamed OptimusShockwaveReunion.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|CYKLOPS NOT CENTAUR!]]
Optimus Prime and Windblade cautioned clearer heads, and supported Soundwave despite the allegations. After sowing distrust among the Decepticons, colonists, and humans, Onyx revealed Soundwave's murder of Horri-Bull's to Needlenose and the other Decepticons, sparking a free-for-all in the streets of Iacon before he took his leave. As chaos mounted, Metrotitan arrived from Earth via Space Bridge and declared his loyalty for the purported "Chosen One", Starscream. Optimus recognized all this was Onyx Prime's doing, but could not reckon why, having Windblade carry him to Metrotitan to try and deter the Titan. After the Titan refused to heed Optimus's commands, the Prime fell from Windblade's grasp in the sky, only to be rescued by Onyx, aboard his skiff. Onyx then had Nemesis, open fire on Metrotitan, blasting a hole clear through his torso. Fearing the death of all his friends aboard Metrotitan, Optimus attempted to slay Onyx, only for his attack to be parried, and he himself to blasted point-blank by a concealed weapon. As Optimus convulsed, the bestial Prime removed his own face to show that he was, and always had been... Shockwave. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}}

In his disoriented state, Optimus was chained up aboard Nemesis with Shockwave explaining that after the battle in [[Crystal City]], he had been hurled back to Cybertron's prehistory, and that all of their history since the era of the [[Knights of Cybertron]] had been deliberately orchestrated by Shockwave as part of a multi-faceted scheme to start Transformer society anew. When Nemesis arrived above Crystal City, Shockwave threw Optimus into the black hole, so that he too could experience his own journey of enlightenment. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} Though the gravitational forces instantly destroyed Optimus's body, he soon found himself in a darkened landscape. Though initially believing he was in the Afterspark, Optimus soon realized he was back in [[infraspace]]. As he took stock of his situation, he was approached by Bumblebee, who was eager for an explanation as to the nature of the realm. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 4: The Hallowing|The Hallowing}}

[[File:Unforgivable PrimeBeePyraAntespace.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
After confirming there was no duplicate Shockwave in infraspace, and learning that the realm was limited in size, Optimus decided to give up, content that their allies would find a way to save Cybertron. As Bumblebee explained his experiences talking to Starscream, Optimus doodled in the sand, chiming in to explain that the two were now minds without bodies before declaring the post-War mess as his fault for letting the title of Prime go to his head. Bumblebee instantly dissuaded such a notion, noting he was still Orion Pax and that the Matrix was only ever an idea. At his words, Optimus realized he could use the metaphysical weight of the Matrix to punch a hole through the singularity and back to the real world. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}} By "opening the Matrix" within infraspace, Optimus was able to expel information from the singularity, creating a potential pathway out. Once the bridge was formed, Optimus insisted Bumblebee go and leave him, only for the scout to drag him along. The two found themselves inhabiting the body of Pyra Magna, communicating with her in [[antespace]]. As one, the three of them captured Shockwave, taking him alive in spite of a mutual desire to see him dead. Once the Decepticon was brought before the Council, Optimus scolded him for throwing away his chance at redemption only for Shockwave to reveal all he had done was embrace the arrival of chaos. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 6: Unforgivable|Unforgivable}}

A few days later, Optimus awoke in a new body but found no chance at respite. Windblade instantly summoned him to view a recording from [[Velocitron]], as the speed planet came under attack from an unknown anomaly. Windblade explained that, while Optimus was offline, Cybertron had come into [[Transformers vs. Visionaries|conflict]] with the [[Prysmosian]] squatters, resulting in the [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] sending out a summons to the object: [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], the uncreator. Recognizing that Unicron was responsible for destroying [[LV-117]], Optimus marshalled the [[Autobot fleet]] to protect the other colony worlds, only for Unicron to constantly outmanoeuvre them. As [[Elonia]] came under attack, Optimus had the ''[[Ark-Zero]]'' evacuate the [[Elonian]]s to Cybertron, but ultimately failed to prevent the Chaos Bringer from consuming the planet for its [[Ore-12]]. After explaining the magnitude of the threat to [[Rom]], the ''Ark-Zero'' received a call from Prowl, who had failed to protect [[Devisiun (planet)|Devisiun]] from Unicron and the Maximals, and encouraged Optimus to set a trap at Unicron's next target, Caminus. Once the fleet was recharged, Optimus explained his plan to ''let'' Unicron eat Caminus so that he could enter the Chaos Bringer and find a way to destroy him from the inside. {{storylink|Our Darkest}} {{storylink|Unstopped and Unstoppable}}

[[File:LastStand OptimusLeadsAgainstUnicron.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.8|Armada about to have a Unicron Battle. [[Unicron Battles|Perhaps several]].]]
When the Chaos Bringer arrived at the colony, Optimus coordinated the battle against the Maximal fleet until Nemesis touched down on Unicron's surface. After Bumblebee had rammed a hole through the Titan and into Unicron, he, Optimus, and Arcee ventured within their foe to destroy him. In short order, the trio found Unicron's amalgamated insides, among which lay a ruined Omega Sentinel. As they pondered the mystery of Unicron's origins, the monster's [[Unicron's antibodies|antibodies]] attacked them. Overwhelmed by the creatures, the three were forced to teleport back to the ''Ark-Zero'', leaving Caminus to die. Back in Iacon, a wounded Optimus offered his apologies to Windblade before Starscream stole the moment and declared ''he'' would be Cybertron's saviour. {{storylink|Last Stand (Unicron)|Last Stand}} Escorting the Seeker to the war room, Starscream explained that he'd sent [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] out into the galaxy and had the mad scientist form the "[[Decepticon Vengeance Division]]", a fleet of Decepticon capital ships with enough firepower to destroy Unicron. Though Windblade wanted to merge Starscream and Optimus's fleet, the Seeker insisted his ships were sufficient, while Optimus protested trusting Starscream. Before a consensus could be reached, [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] called to inform the Council that the DVD was already squaring off against Unicron... to no effect. Soon enough, Unicron teleported into the skies above Cybertron, now having gained a robot mode. {{storylink|Stranger Eons}}

[[File:RoadsEnd FindAWay.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|Talks like [[James T. Kirk|Kirk]] but acts and [[Optimus_Prime_(G1)/2005_IDW_continuity#cite_note-2|sounds]] like {{w|Benjamin Sisko|Sisko}}.]]
As the fleet moved to engage their foe, the Council began debating tactics before Bumblebee and Aileron barged in, claiming to have learnt Unicron's origins. Arcee confirmed Bumblebee's claim adding on that the Chaos Bringer was a weapon of ultimate retribution formed from the planet [[Antilla]], the first world the Thirteen had tried to colonize. Optimus then conferred with Shockwave who explained that he'd masterminded events so that when Unicron devoured Cybertron, the Talisman would "uncreate the uncreator" leaving the Transformers free to start their new lives and perfect empire on Earth. As Unicron began physically ripping into Cybertron, Shockwave sardonically asked Optimus to have Metroplex space bridge them to safety. {{storylink|Our Finest}} When Optimus failed to choose, Shockwave simply teleported himself away, encouraging his old friend to join him. Noticing the magical ribbon of energy that was teleporting away the citizenry, Optimus leapt into it, ordering Metroplex to space bridge himself to safety. Materializing in the [[Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park]], Optimus shared a hug with Windblade before Prowl called informing him that Unicron was close behind them. {{storylink|Road's End}}

[[File:Unicron6 Optimus Into The Void.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known."]]
After being briefed by Windblade on how she'd managed to evacuate Cybertron, Optimus was confronted by Slide who bitterly recounted what he'd missed before denouncing him. Realizing that even standing by and doing nothing had been a conscious choice on his part, Optimus apologized to Jazz for abandoning him all those months ago. Everyone was then called for a briefing by Jetfire to explain how Unicron functioned and how the Talisman could be used to kill him. Before facing the ultimate enemy, Optimus took a moment to wonder if he truly was any better than the Primes who preceded him before deciding to remove his [[mouthplate]], deciding to face Unicron as himself. Concealed beneath Starscream, Optimus was ferried to Unicron to lead the final attack. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}} {{storylink|A Sunrise Dark}} {{storylink|Post}}

As they flew to their foe, both Skywarp and Thundercracker were damaged forcing them to fall back. Unable to reach Unicron's core without Skywarp's powers, Starscream sacrificed himself, activating the Talisman so it could burn a path to their objective. As Optimus and Arcee followed it, facing off against a horde of the monster's antibodies, both tried to have the other retreat, Arcee refusing due to her guilt regarding Antilla and Optimus claiming the crisis was his responsibility as the Arisen. Before he could elaborate on that statement, the two reached the [[black hole]] at the heart of Unicron. Saying a last goodbye to his friend, Optimus leapt in after the Talisman.

[[File:Post OptimusInRepose.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.6|Book Ends.]]
Emerging back in infraspace, Optimus was confronted by the spectre of [[Unicron's creator]]. Though the Prime attempted diplomacy, the [[Antillan]] attacked with a vengeful fury. After Soundwave had managed to psychically link Optimus with the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]], the Prime found the courage to stand up to the alien until the Talisman rebooted, its energies consuming the landscape. Encouraging the creator to let go of his hatred, Optimus asked who he'd been before the invasion. Unable to remember the Antillan instead spoke the name of his beloved daughter, the one whose death sent him on his crusade. Pulling the alien into an embrace, Optimus encouraged him to remember his daughter and light the dark hour he'd created. As the regretful man finally abandoned his vendetta, Unicron collapsed in on itself. {{storylink|Ceremony}}

In the last few moments before his demise, Optimus reflected on his life, content in the knowledge that he'd tried to build a better world and that that legacy would inspire those who came afterwards to do the same. {{storylink|Post}}
{{-}}

==Possible future==
In a vision of the future seen by Ironhide and Jhiaxus during the reformatting of Cybertron, fifteen million years hence, Ironhide looked back on the war and wondered if Optimus Prime was still out there, and was assured by Alpha Trion that he was. {{storylink|Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia}} {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

==The Functionist Universe==
While organizing the defense of [[Kalis|Adaptica]], [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] compared [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s leadership to Orion Pax's, something Megatron viewed as a compliment before the two pondered if the Orion of that universe still lived as he hadn't been answering Roller's calls. Megatron suspected Orion Pax had been conscripted into the [[Primal Vanguard]] and probably promoted to a high rank within it. Megatron felt he would have certainly joined (and taken command of) the [[Anti-Vocationist League]] had he been on Cybertron. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}} After being stranded in the [[Functionist Universe]], Megatron took command of the Anti-Vocationist League. While pondering his new position under the stars, he was interrupted by his communicator buzzing as Orion finally returned Roller's calls, much to Megatron's delight. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

Orion Pax eventually signed onto the AVL, joining in the crusades to help save [[alien]] planets from the [[Functionist Council]]'s tyranny. At some point over the following centuries, he gave his life for the cause. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

==''Spotlight: Mirage''==
[[File:SLMirage prime stabbed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|Okay, now, ''when'' did this happen exactly?]]
In an unknown place and time, the self-serving mercenary Mirage dreamed of Optimus Prime and the Autobots being attacked en masse by the Decepticons, and of Starscream stabbing Prime through the chest with a metal pole. But Mirage knew that to be only a dream; in reality, Prime commanded one of the last remaining pockets of Autobot resistance, hiding out in the [[Pegasus Star Cluster]]. While awaiting the arrival of Bumblebee's team, he and Hound tried to work out how to convert [[Zodiac|Zodiac Energy]] for their consumption. "Bumblebee's" arrival proved to be their downfall, as it was really Mirage, who destroyed the bunker security systems, allowing the Decepticons inside. Optimus Prime refused to surrender during the ensuing struggle, until Mirage used the critically injured Jetfire as a hostage, forcing Prime to back down. When Megatron refused to pay Mirage unless he killed the Autobots, Prime tried to reason with the mercenary, appealing to his former friendship with Hound...until Mirage killed Hound in defiance. Furious, Optimus Prime broke free of his captors and tackled Mirage into the Zodiac Energy chamber.

But it was all Mirage's dream... or was it? {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:AHM-13 Prime mouth.jpg|thumb]]
*[[Simon Furman]]'s original intent for IDW Optimus Prime was that he did ''not'' carry the [[Matrix of Leadership]], as the Matrix would have "been gone from the IDW/TF-verse for a long time".<ref name="IDWMatrixFurman">[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/another-quick-qa/ Simon Furman, Dec 2007:] Well, we’ve yet to actually meet the Matrix in the IDW/TF-verse. So we may be getting ahead of ourselves here. What do we know about it so far? Well, according to Spotlight Galvatron, the Matrix was (and maybe is) “carried” by Nova Prime, and he (Nova Prime) disappeared into the Dead Universe (along with the Matrix, we assume). Nova describes a bottomless well and a resonant tug on the Matrix. What happened next we don’t know (yet). But what is the Matrix (hm, that sounds familiar somehow)? Not telling. Not yet. But ’08 holds the answers: what it is, where it came from, what is does (then and now!). The Matrix (and what it’s become) will figure large in all that happens post-Devastation. The Matrix has been gone from the IDW/TF-verse for a long time, and its return will not necessarily be a thing of celebration.</ref> Instead, [[Nova Prime]] was to have taken it to the [[Dead Universe]] (as [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] appears to note in [[Spotlight: Galvatron|his titular ''Spotlight'']]), where it would have become corrupted with the rechristened "Nemesis Prime," and its' return would "not necessarily be a thing of celebration".<ref name=IDWMatrixFurman /> This changed as a result of [[Shane McCarthy]] being hired as lead writer and promptly establishing the war was "all about the Matrix", which Optimus had always carried, resulting in the creation of the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]] to fill the same role in Furman's truncated ''[[Revelation (IDW)|Revelation]]''.
*Multiple writers have contributed details to Prime's backstory. This has led to a few glaring clashes, like Ironhide and Optimus meeting for the first time and the young Prime learning from him in "[[Old Ways]]", while ''[[The Transformers: Autocracy|Autocracy]]'' has Ironhide as his happy subordinate in the pre-Prime days. But if you're not used to that by now, you've not read ''a'' comic. (The wiki has chosen to ignore one line of dialogue and just stick "Old Ways" before ''Autocracy'', screw you [[authorial intent]]!)
*Suitably, a robot clearly intended to be Orion Pax was drawn into [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]]'s funeral in [[Megatron Origin issue 3|''Megatron Origin'' #3]] ([[Alex Milne]] was drawing many [[Easter egg]]s at the time), but Orion's presence in this issue...remains unclear. Years later, [[Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|''More than Meets the Eye'' #36]] established Pax to be opposed to Sentinel Prime's forces at that time, seemingly retconning away Pax's presence. On the other hand, [[The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|''Optimus Prime'' #13]] heavily implies that Orion Pax was in fact present for the funeral.
*According to [[E. J. Su]], Optimus Prime's [[holomatter]] avatar is modeled after {{w|Ulysses S. Grant}}.<ref>[http://www.protodepot.com/archive/2007_11_01_archive.html Idea: Holomatter Projection]</ref>
*[[John Barber]] wrote Optimus Prime's dialogue with {{w|Avery Brooks}}'s voice in mind.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Avery Brooks is who I hear when I write Optimus Prime's dialog—no joke!|link=https://twitter.com/TheJohnBarber/status/890376925943812097|name=John Barber|site=Twitter|year=2017|month=07|day=26}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{i|Optimus Prime}} at the IDW Hasbro Wiki

{{IDWPrimes nav}}

[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:Law enforcement]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Primes]]

Drake (G1)

2023-09-05T21:22:04Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

{{factions|machination}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 human|the ''Rescue Bots'' Mini-Con|Drake (RB)}}
:''Drake is a [[human]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Drakeescalation2.jpg|thumb|Started from the bottom, now we're here]]
When you need someone to battle alien robots, or even capture one, then '''Drake''' is your man. A member of the organization known as the [[Machination]], Mr. Drake is the leader of the company's crack team of para-military agents. Outfitted with the latest weaponry with possible [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|otherworldly]] connections, Drake is a formidable opponent, as [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|some]] [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|can]] attest.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Drakeescalation1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Jaw of Iron]]
Drake was brought in for a mission, despite the short notice, when it became apparent that the Transformers that had infiltrated Earth were moving forward their timetable. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} After being deployed, he quickly pinpointed one of the Autobots' hiding spots. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Drake and his team of Machination agents just took down a Transformer in a ball of flames...virtually. Hooked into a VR training simulation, the team finished their "mission" and unplugged as Drake told them to be ready at a moment's notice to perform the real thing. He then checked in with Mister [[Weiss]], who was monitoring the shore of [[Lake Michigan]] for activity using a network of hidden cameras. Weiss wasn't sure if anything would turn up, but Drake was confident of a sighting at any moment.

The man was soon proven right when his team picked up [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|two]] [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|aliens]] leaving the lake and heading to Highway 94. Drake ordered his team to track the two signals and establish an intercept zone. As the plan unfolded, drone cars caused a severe traffic pileup which separated the two vehicles. The agents circled the yellow vehicle in a smokescreen, used a scrambler device to immobilize it and its passenger, then dropped a decoy in its place, blew it up and disappeared. Mission complete. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:Drake and team Escalation 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Never one to leave loose threads dangling, Drake supervised his team at the Springfield PD impound lot as they retrieved the wreck of the decoy car. No traces were to be left. To their surprise, they were interrupted by [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|two armed]] [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|alien machines]] who threatened Drake's men in no uncertain terms. On Drake's order, his team immobilized the mechs with scramblers, and shot at them with a cannon-like weapon. The truck carrying the decoy took off from the lot. Drake's team scattered with orders to rendezvous at the Oklahoma Bolthole the next day. As to the loose threads, the impound lot building then went up in a giant explosion. However, the truck never made it to the rendezvous, and the decoy it was carrying disappeared, no doubt due to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|alien interference]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}}

Later, when the Machination utilized the [[Sunstreaker clone]]s against [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] and Wheeljack, Drake and Weiss monitored the situation. {{Storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

As Scorponok's plans for Earth progressed, Drake took more of a bystander role. Stationed in the Machination's Dallas headquarters, he alerted Dante of Hot Rod's visit just after the Headmaster let loose Grimlock on the unwitting public of [[Fallon]], [[Nevada]]. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} After much mayhem caused by Scorponok's plotting, Drake notified his boss that a Cybertronian ship was headed straight for their building, alerted to their location by a distress call from Hot Rod. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

Drake for some reason wasn't seen when the Dinobots and Hunter arrived at [[Dallas]], [[Texas]] to stop Scorponok. It is unknown what also happened to Drake after the Autobots defeated his bosses, and the machination and their technology were purged.

[[Category:Comic-only humans]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) humans]]
[[Category:Machination]]

Drake (G1)

2023-09-05T21:21:39Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

{{factions|machination}}
{{disambig2|the Generation 1 human|the ''Rescue Bots'' Mini-Con|Drake (RB)}}
:''Drake is a [[human]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Drakeescalation2.jpg|thumb|Started from the bottom, now we're here]]
When you need someone to battle alien robots, or even capture one, then '''Drake''' is your man. A member of the organization known as the [[Machination]], Mr. Drake is the leader of the company's crack team of para-military agents. Outfitted with the latest weaponry with possible [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|otherworldly]] connections, Drake is a formidable opponent, as [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|some]] [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|can]] attest.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:Drakeescalation1.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|Jaw of Iron]]
Drake was brought in for a mission, despite the short notice, when it became apparent that the Transformers that had infiltrated Earth were moving forward their timetable. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} After being deployed, he quickly pinpointed one of the Autobots' hiding spots. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

Drake and his team of Machination agents just took down a Transformer in a ball of flames...virtually. Hooked into a VR training simulation, the team finished their "mission" and unplugged as Drake told them to be ready at a moment's notice to perform the real thing. He then checked in with Mister [[Weiss]], who was monitoring the shore of [[Lake Michigan]] for activity using a network of hidden cameras. Weiss wasn't sure if anything would turn up, but Drake was confident of a sighting at any moment.

The man was soon proven right when his team picked up [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|two]] [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|aliens]] leaving the lake and heading to Highway 94. Drake ordered his team to track the two signals and establish an intercept zone. As the plan unfolded, drone cars caused a severe traffic pileup which separated the two vehicles. The agents circled the yellow vehicle in a smokescreen, used a scrambler device to immobilize it and its passenger, then dropped a decoy in its place, blew it up and disappeared. Mission complete. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}}

[[File:Drake and team Escalation 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Never one to leave loose threads dangling, Drake supervised his team at the Springfield PD impound lot as they retrieved the wreck of the decoy car. No traces were to be left. To their surprise, they were interrupted by [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|two armed]] [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|alien machines]] who threatened Drake's men in no uncertain terms. On Drake's order, his team immobilized the mechs with scramblers, and shot at them with a cannon-like weapon. The truck carrying the decoy took off from the lot. Drake's team scattered with orders to rendezvous at the Oklahoma Bolthole the next day. As to the loose threads, the impound lot building then went up in a giant explosion. However, the truck never made it to the rendezvous, and the decoy it was carrying disappeared, no doubt due to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|alien interference]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}}

Later, when the Machination utilized the [[Sunstreaker clone]]s against [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] and Wheeljack, Drake and Weiss monitored the situation. {{Storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}}

As Scorponok's plans for Earth progressed, Drake took more of a bystander role. Stationed in the Machination's Dallas headquarters, he alerted Dante of Hot Rod's visit just after the Headmaster let loose Grimlock on the unwitting public of [[Fallon]], [[Nevada]]. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} After much mayhem caused by Scorponok's plotting, Drake notified his boss that a Cybertronian ship was headed straight for their building, alerted to their location by a distress call from Hot Rod. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 4|Maximum Dinobots #4}}

Drake for some reason was seen when the Dinobots and Hunter arrived at [[Dallas]], [[Texas]] to stop Scorponok. It is unknown what also happened to Drake after the Autobots defeated his bosses, and the machination and their technology were purged.

[[Category:Comic-only humans]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) humans]]
[[Category:Machination]]

Tappet

2023-09-04T14:44:29Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

:''Tappet is a [[Transformer]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:TheAutonomyLesson Tappet.jpg|thumb|250px]]
'''Tappet''' is a [[NAIL]]. He just wants to be heard, oh and [[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|he hates Optimus Prime]], [[New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|a lot]].

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
{{first|''[[Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime]]''}}

Tappet was friends with a freight hauler called [[Hefter]], who joined the Decepticons and sprayed their slogans on walls. When [[Outback (G1)|policeman Outback]] ''allegedly'' killed Hefter in custody, Tappet demanded justice from [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and was discontented as Pax's attempts to calm him. He assumed it would all get swept under the carpet. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 1: To Walk Among the Chosen|To Walk Among the Chosen}}

Tappet, along with the rest of the crew of a ship, left Cybertron to escape the war. {{Storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} They eventually reached somewhere where they dealt with [[Cassanian quadrocheque]]s as currency for two million years. {{storylink|Stick Together}}

[[File:Tappet The Death of Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.9]]
When Optimus Prime returned from his disappearance at the beginning of the rebirth of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Tappet angrily confronted "Orion Pax", berating him for the [[Great War (G1)|war]] that lasted the last four million years. He was soon set upon by [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] and [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]], but Optimus defused the situation. Later, when a NAIL riot began against the Autobots, the [[Decepticon]]s were released to help with crowd control, and Tappet was attacked by [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]]. The riot ended when Optimus Prime made a speech expressing his decision to leave the planet, which Tappet listened to. {{Storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:Tappet The Autonomy Lesson.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|right]]
Tappet still did not care for the Autobot government, taking to graffiti to express his displeasure. The Decepticons [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] and [[Horri-Bull]], acting as "enforcers", caught the NAIL in the act. A group of Autobots soon noticed the two beating up Tappet and defused the situation before it could escalate further. Nevertheless, Tappet was arrested for vandalism. He was soon released on [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]]'s behalf. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} Tappet soon got in an argument with [[Hipotank]] about his refusal to accept Cassanian quadrocheques in exchange for a [[Betelgusian sputtle-prog]]. {{storylink|Stick Together}} He later almost got hit by [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] during the latter's pursuit of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]. {{storylink|Devisive}}

[[File:Starscream and crowd Primus All Good Things.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3]]
Tappet was hanging out with Hipotank and [[Zetca]] when Metalhawk introduced them to a new NAIL, [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], and later had a drink at a reopened [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]]. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} He was later seen again in exactly the same place. {{storylink|Interference Patterns}} Later, Tappet was among a Cybertronian crowd recruited by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] to pressure [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] into revealing one of his secret discoveries below ground on Cybertron. It turned out to be an ancient [[Titan (group)|Titan]] who declared in front of the crowd that Starscream was the Cybertronian destined to unite their whole race. He and the other Cybertronians celebrated afterwards with Starscream. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} Like many, Tappet was interested in hearing what [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] had to say about the Titan's claim. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}}

As Decepticons began rioting in the streets in celebration of [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]'s return, Tappet and several others holed up in Maccadam's to avoid the violence. {{storylink|City on Fire}} They were forced to abandon the bar once it was set on fire, after which Tappet and Zetca were seen on the streets trying to help a fellow injured neutral. {{storylink|The Verge}} The neutrals eventually regrouped at [[Fixit (G1)|Fixit]]'s med-center, {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} where Tappet was awaiting medical attention when [[Devastator (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Devastator]] tore his way into the building, forcing them to evacuate. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} Together with some other NAILs and deserted Decepticons, he then caught Needlenose threatening [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] and chased him off. After the Decepticons were defeated, Tappet was incensed to hear that [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] thought they could just return to how things were. Plus Bumblebee got his name wrong, which never helps. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

Following Starscream's rise to leadership of the neutrals, Tappet helped repair Maccadam's Old Oil House. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

Tappet was interviewed for his opinion following a [[human]] attack on [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] and said he didn't even know what a human was. {{storylink|Primeless, Part 1}}

Following the [[Iron Ring]]'s invasion, [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]] returned to Cybertron and began sowing discontent against Optimus Prime. Tappet raised the first voice against Optimus still viewing him as nothing more than a corrupt police officer. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 3: The Ground|The Ground}}
{{-}}

===''Beast Wars: Uprising''===
Tappet was one of the [[Empty|Empties]] originally hired by [[Megatron (BW)|Gnashteeth]] and [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] to peddle their energon on the street. Tappet took advantage of the product, however, ran off with four cubes instead of selling them. At Gnashteeth's demand, Scorponok took out a hit on Tappet at the [[Scourge of Athenia]] bar, and soon a 'bot named [[Gauntlet (BWU)|Gauntlet]] provided holo evidence of Tappet's brutal demise. {{storylink|Identity Politics}}

==Notes==
*Tappet is based on the famous British children's book character {{w|Noddy (character)|Noddy}}, sporting his conical blue "hat" topped in a bell, red torso, blue "shorts" and coloured cheeks. Moreover, his visible [[alternate mode]] components, including a chest grill and large red wheel wells on his shoulders, indicate that he transforms into [http://www.google.com/search?q=noddy%27s+car&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=uWrzTsfWNOOh4gTe9tGNCA&ved=0CGYQsAQ&biw=1320&bih=636 Noddy's car], itself one of the most well-known aspects of the character. He also shares the same character model (with the exception of his head) as [[Dipstick]].

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Tappet''' (タペット ''Tapetto'')

[[Category:Builders]]
[[Category:Fiction-only Transformers]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Transformers]]
[[Category:Neutrals]]

Megatron (Armada)/toys

2023-09-03T23:55:00Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Legacy */

{{suite}}
[[File:Armada-Megatron-card art.jpg|upright=1.67|thumb|Forshadowing [[Thunderhoof (RID)|Thunderhoof]]'s existence since 2002.]]

'''[[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]]'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s power is your doom! As are his many, many toys.
{{TOCclear}}

==Toys==
===''Armada''===
[[File:Armada Megatron toy.jpg|upright=2.8|thumb|G2 Megatron gets pimped.]]
[[File:Armada-Megatron-Tidal-Wave-Combined.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Megatron combined with Tidal Wave]]
*'''Megatron with Leader-1''' (Ultra, 2002/2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-01'''
**''Accessories:'' 1 main cannon missile, 2 missile launcher missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:''Armada'' Megatron transforms into a green and purple Cybertronic tank. His turret is able to rotate freely and pivot the main cannon up and down (which can also fire a pressure-launched missile with the accompaniment of an electronic "explosion" sound effect). One of the most-[[Mini-Con]] play pattern-intensive toys in the ''Armada'' line, Megatron has many gimmicks and features designed to exploit Mini-Con collectability. Plugging a Mini-Con onto the [[Powerlinx]] hardpoint in the L-shaped trench, then pulling back down the length of the trench and locking it in will flip up a double missile launcher on the opposite side of the turret, with two spring-loaded missiles ready to fire. The launcher flips up over a small black switch which, when pressed, activates a "launching" sound effect; the idea is that when you press the buttons to fire the missiles, the whole launcher will move down a millimeter or two, and trip the switch. Depending on the alignment of the gears in your Megatron, though, the launcher is just as likely to hit the switch right away when it flips into place. Plugging a Mini-Con into the turret hatch hardpoint and then twisting it left or right will activate a sound clip of machine gun fire. All three of these sound effects are accompanied by a flashing red LED which illuminates the Decepticon sigil panel on the front of the turret.

:Megatron came with his personal Mini-Con, [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]]. His right-side forward hull protrusion has a flip-out "launch pad" for Mini-Cons, with a sliding Powerlinx post. The left-side forward hull has three spring-loaded, flip-out panels that have Powerlinx hardpoints that reveal themselves at the push of a button. The rear right-side hull has a flip-out ramp for Mini-Cons, and a slide-out capture claw to ensnare them, while the rear left-side hull has a holding compartment for Mini-Cons, although most are too large to fit inside.

:In [[robot mode]], Megatron has decent articulation in his arms, but has exceptionally limited articulation in his legs owing to stability concerns when his various gimmicks are used. Sliding the Powerlinx post on his left forearm forward (with or without a Mini-Con plugged into it) reveals a small knife in his spring-loaded left hand—in homage to the sword present on Japanese releases of [[Megatron (G1)/toys#The Transformers|the original Megatron toy]]!<ref>"I put that knife there on purpose because it echoes the G1 sword hand. How 'bout that?"—[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgWvNmMJfE&t=3051s Aaron Archer on ''The Toy Armada'', 2021/12/14]</ref> The entire turret assembly can be rotated around to face forward, then all his weapons can then be pivoted to face forward as well for his '''Full Blast Mode'''. The turret can then be rotated by turning a small crank attached to the right-hand side of Megatron's waist, and as it spins, Megatron will cry "Decepticons, Attack!", and all three of his sound effects (explosion, launching and machine gun) will play in succession. Leader-1 can clip into the compartment in Megatron's right shoulder, his weapon barrels pointing forward, and Megatron's three missiles can do the same over on his left shoulder.

:Megatron can also combine with [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], with Tidal Wave's aircraft carrier and battleship clipping onto his arms and his troop transport clipping onto Megatron's back (after the turret has been positioned in Full Blast Mode configuration) as a jetpack. While the North American instructions only referred to this as Tidal Wave's '''Weapon Mode''', this form was called '''Burning Megatron''' in Japan.

:The American version had a metallic purple face, whereas [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]'s Japanese release has a dark silver face and more defined Decepticon symbols. The turret on the Takara release uses a slightly different [[mold]] than the Hasbro version; the slot for the sliding switch that activates the dual missile launcher on the turret is different, allowing the launcher to be locked into place without pressing down on the electronics trigger and draining the batteries. The voice clip is also different.

: In Japan, Hello Mac stores offered one of the three [[Land Military Mini-Con Team#Ultimate|Ultimate Edition Land Military Microns]] [[campaign item|free with the purchase]] of Megatron in May 2003.

:This mold was used to make ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 toyline)|Universe]]'' [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2002/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm More information on ''Armada'' Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|ArmadaGalvatron}}
[[File:Armada Galvatron toy.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|The exact opposite of Captain Planet.]]
*'''Galvatron with Clench''' (Ultra, 2003)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''MD-08'''
**''Accessories:'' 1 main cannon missile, 2 missile launcher missiles
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (deco artist)}}

:Galvatron is a predominantly light purple and white redeco of the previous Giga-Con class Megatron toy, covered in black 'battle damage' scorch mark decos and a paint wash on this torso and tank treads. Functionally the only difference is that the sound clip activated by rotating his turret now says '''"The Power is mine!"''' (a line spoken by Megatron in the [[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|''Armada'' cartoon]] episode "[[Desperate]]", though [[David Kaye]]'s voice was not sampled for the toy).

[[File:Armada-Galvatron-Tidal-Wave-Combined.jpg|thumb|left|Galvatron combined with Tidal Wave.]]
:The Takara release has slight differences from the [[Hasbro]] version. It retains Takara Megatron's dark silver face instead of Hasbro's flat black, as well as slightly darker purples and golds. Fictionally, he retains the Megatron name ("Megatron S") and comes with a powered-up version of Leader-1 rather than the separate character [[Clench (Armada)|Clench]]. The Takara version retains the different switch slot from the first Japanese release, which all US releases of the mold curiously never utilized. Unlike Hasbro's Galvatron version, Megatron S reuses all the same sound clips from the first Megatron release.
::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/Galvatron/galvatron.htm More information on ''Armada'' Galvatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BlackMegatron}}
[[File:Black Micron Megatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|You are a lucky bastard if you own this.]]
*'''Black Megatron''' (Ultra Lucky Draw figure, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' 1 main cannon missile, 2 missile launcher missiles
:This special redeco of Megatron was given away as a [[Lucky Draw figure|prize]] in a contest held in the June 2003 issue of ''[[TV Magazine]]''. Limited to 100 units, this Megatron was, as his name suggests, primarily black with dark olive and purple shades, and bright yellow and green highlights.
::*''[http://www.luckydrawtransformers.com/toy/gallery/review/black+megatron/1082/black+megatron.html More information on Black Megatron at Lucky Draw Transformers]''
{{-}}

===''Built to Rule!''===
[[File:Armada BTR MegatronCyclonus.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Keep on truckin'.]]
*'''Megatron with Leader-1 and Cyclonus with Crumplezone''' (Built to Rule!, 2003)
**''Accessories:'' 2 missiles
:Part of the largest ''Transformers'' series ''[[Built to Rule!]]'' set, Megatron can be assembled into a battle tank, a robot, or whatever your imagination can do with the blocks provided. Megatron is armed with a dual missile launcher based upon the Mini-Con activated version on the regular Ultra class toy. He came with a block-version of his Mini-Con partner Leader-1, as well as Cyclonus with [[Crumplezone (Armada)|Crumplezone]] model.

:He has realllllly long legs.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2003/Decepticon/BTRMegatron/megatron.htm More information on ''Built to Rule!'' Megatron at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===''Energon''===
[[File:Energontoy megatron.jpg|right|upright=2.2|thumb|Minty fresh mouthwash laser cannons!]]
*'''Megatron''' (Super, 2004)
**''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Hirofumi Ichikawa]] (detailing)}}
:''Energon'' Megatron transforms into an off-white gray and blue Cybertronic jet, with a [[Super Mode|Hyper Mode]] activated by pulling on the translucent segments of his wings, unfolding their various panels to reveal more weapons. In robot mode, Megatron greatly resembles [[Galvatron (G1)|Generation 1 Galvatron]], with a pair of large pivoting shoulder cannons. While he features decent articulation, especially compared to the ''Armada'' Ultra toy, he has limited posability due to a top-heavy design and spring-loaded auto-transforming hands and feet.

:Megatron's primary weapon is a large tank, based on his ''Armada'' body, featuring a spring-loaded missile launcher and an out-of-place machine gun sound effect. The tank attaches to Megatron in either of his modes as a cannon, either mounting on his back in jet mode, or clipping to his arm in robot mode. Inserting and then removing the rear of the tank into the scabbard on Megatron's back draws out the sword blade stored there, and the tank can then attach to his arm to allow the Decepticon leader to wield the weapon. The sword's connection point is spring-loaded, so that when the blade is struck against something, it activates a sword-clashing sound effect and a red LED that illuminates the translucent blade.

: In the United States, this figure was initially only available at [[Walmart]] stores, and saw a wider release shortly after. It was later redecoed to create ''Energon'' Galvatron (see below).

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm More information on ''Energon'' Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Ultra}}
[[File:Energon-Ultra-Megatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Few megalomaniacs can pull off the "tank as fashion accessory" look.]]
*'''Galvatron''' (Ultra, 2004)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-07'''
** ''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile

:Rather than release the Super-class ''Energon'' Megatron figure, Takara opted to instead produced a smaller, Ultra-class version of the character. The figure is a down-sized version of the larger toy, with all the same features, new electronic sounds in the tank, and a lighter, more cartoon-accurate colour scheme. Initially exclusive to Japan, the figure was later made available in Hasbro markets in a two-pack (see below).

: This mold was also used to make ''Super Link'' Black Galvatron and Galvatron General (see below), and [[Megatron (SG)|''Shattered Glass'' Megatron]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/EMegatron/megatron.htm More information on Ultra-class Energon Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|BlackGalvatron}}
[[File:Energontoy black galvatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|thumb|You're even luckier if you own this.]]
*'''Black Galvatron''' (Ultra Lucky Draw figure, 2004)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-07'''
** ''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile

: This redeco of the Ultra-class Megatron/Galvatron figure was offered through both a ''TV Magazine'' prize draw, and live drawings held in Tobu Department Stores. Limited to 50 pieces, it sported a striking new black and red color scheme, with orange translucent parts, and came in the standard toy's packaging, with a sticker denoting it as the redeco. Some units have been found without the sticker; unconfirmed reports suggest that these were the versions given away at Tobu stores.

::*''[http://www.luckydrawtransformers.com/toy/gallery/review/black+galvatron/1090/black+galvatron.html More information on Black Galvatron at Lucky Draw Transformers]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SuperGalvatron}}
[[File:Energon Galvatron toy1.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|This repaint brought a tear to the eye of somebody.]]
*'''Galvatron''' (Super, 2004)
**''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: As part of the "Powerlinx Battles" line refresh, Hasbro's Super class Megatron was extensively redecoed to resemble [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] as much as possible. His predominant color is (naturally) purple, with black plastic and extensive use of metallic silver and metallic red paint for detailing. All translucent plastic was replaced with orange.

: This version of Galvatron was released in Japan as a [[Toys"R"Us]]-[[exclusive]] "[[USA Edition]]" on [[April 28]], 2004.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Galvatron/galvatron.htm More information on ''Energon'' Galvatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|GalvatronGeneral}}
[[File:Energontoy galvatron g.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Galvatron General''' (Ultra, 2005)
** ''Japanese ID number:'' '''SD-20'''
**''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile, Energy Blade, [[Energon star]]
: As with the original version of Megatron, Takara did not release the Super-class Galvatron figure, instead redecoing their Ultra-size figure as "Galvatron General", or "Galvatron G". Like the earlier Takara figure, the toy features a more cartoon-accurate, if somewhat more garish, color scheme, with a more pinkish shade of purple, yellow translucent parts instead of orange, and a pale blue crown instead of the Hasbro's toy's black. It also includes a purple version of the "Energy Blade" [[Energon weapon]] that was originally packaged with [[Cruellock]], consisting of a small gun and sword which combine to form a larger blade, and a purple Decepticon Energon star.

::*''[http://www.transformers-universe.com/i.php?ID=1697 More information on ''Superlink'' Galvatron General at Transformers-Universe.com]''

{{-}}{{anchor|TRUvsOptimus}}
[[File:Energontoy prime vs megatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Powerlinx Optimus Prime vs. Megatron''' (Exclusive multi-pack, 2005)
**''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile

: Takara's Ultra-sized version of Megatron was released in Hasbro markets in this two pack, along with another previously Takara-exclusive figure, the Deluxe version of ''Energon'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Optimus Prime]]. A Toys"R"Us exclusive, this two-pack was the only way of obtaining the two toys outside of Japan without importing. The only change made from the Takara original is that the rear landing gear sections are attached by short plastic rods instead of steel pins, likely necessitated by USA safety requirements.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2004/Decepticon/EMegatron/megatron.htm More information on Ultra-class Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|TargetUnreleased}}
[[File:Energontoy unreleased megatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Megatron''' (Multi-pack, unreleased)
**''Accessories:'' Tank/cannon, sword, missile
{{toydesigner|[[Dan Khanna]] (packaging artist)}}

:A grey, black, and green redeco of the Super ''Energon'' Megatron mold was planned to be released in a set with ''[[Smallest Transforming Transformers]]'' [[Soundwave (G1)/toys|Soundwave]] as a Target exclusive, but was ultimately canceled. Artwork for the toy was produced by [[Dan Khanna]] and revealed online by the artist.
 
{{canceledtoy}}
{{-}}

===''Cybertron''===
[[File:Cybertrontoy megatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Megatron's Unicron cosplay did not turn out well. (Hasbro version pictured.)]]
[[File:GalaxyForcetoy-MocomToy-MasterMegatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|His power is fading! Quick, desaturate him some more! (Mocom Toy version pictured.)]]
*'''Megatron''' (Leader, 2004/2005)
**''Takara ID number:'' '''GD-01'''
**''Takara release date'': [[December 28]], 2004
**''Accessories:'' 2 missiles, "spinning hand cannon", "Unicron power claws", [[Cyber Key]]
**''Cyber Key Code'': '''lh7d'''
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Takio Ejima]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

:''[[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' Megatron is a [[Triple Changer]], transforming into either a Cybertronic dragster or jet. Megatron comes with a [[Cyber Key]] of unique design, which fits into a slot above his cockpit canopy to activate a "powering up" noise and a pair of spring-loaded, pop up engines. The engines are on either side in a double-barrelled spring-loaded missile launcher, which makes firing noises and flashes with red LEDs when its missiles are launched.

: His instructions for [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]] omit the final step of folding his calf-guards back behind his aft, leaving them awkwardly hanging out at his sides.

:In robot mode, Megatron's design is partially based upon ''[[Transformers: Armada (toyline)|Armada]]'' [[Unicron/toys#Armada|Unicron's]] design, with very similar shoulders and arms, though the retention of Unicron's trademark orange leads to a rather chaotic color scheme (how appropriate). He features two weapons in this mode, each released by inserting a Cyber Key into the vehicle halves that now sit behind his shoulders. The right opens to reveal a removable, rotating gatling gun weapon made up of his left front car wheel (called the "Death Machine Gun" in Japan), while the left pops loose and unfolds to become his "Unicron power claws", a bladed melee weapon that pegs onto his forearm (called the "Death Claw" in Japan). He sports particularly effective [[light-piping]] in his eyes.

: Megatron can combine with [[Nemesis Breaker#Toys|Nemesis Breaker]] for '''Dark Claw Mode''', giving him a massive clawed arm (nominal position is with Nemesis as his left arm), though his balance in this form is tenuous at best. In a presumable coincidence, the connection sockets are a match for those used by his old ''Armada'' combination partner [[Tidal Wave (Armada)#Toys|Tidal Wave]], so you can attach his arms to this Megatron too.

: The Takara ''Galaxy Force'' "Master Megatron" version of this figure uses lavender on the rubbery parts instead of violet, a paler, more metallic shade of green for all the non-molded green parts, and, strangely, an unpainted robot nose. Unusually for Takara, these differences made it ''less'' show accurate than Hasbro's version, which was released a few months later. The Korean [[Mocom Toy]] release of the ''Galaxy Force'' figure features a painted nose, but keeps the other Takara differences.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm More information on ''Cybertron'' Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|LegendsMegs}}
[[File:Cybertron Legends Megatron.jpg|right|upright=2.2|thumb|Hasbro version on the left, Takara's "EZ Collection" release on the right.]]
*'''Megatron''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2005)

:"[[Legends Class (2005)|Legends of Cybertron]]" Megatron is a simplified version of the Leader class toy. He can only transform into his car mode and has rather limited articulation, sculpt and paint detail.

:The figure was released in Japan under the "EZ Collection" banner, in the same packaging as the Hasbro release but with a small card insert featuring the Japanese logo and nomenclature, similar to a [[USA Edition]]. As with all the EZ Collection figures, this release features a substantially greater number of [[paint operation]]s that increase Megatron's resemblance to his larger figure.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2005/Decepticon/LOCMegatron/megatron.htm More information on Legends Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|EZClear}}
[[File:Cybertrontoy ez clear megatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''EZ Collection Clear Set''' (Multi-pack, 2005)

: A Takara [[exclusive]] multi-pack of "EZ Collection" Megatron, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)#EZClear|Optimus Prime]], and [[Starscream (Armada)#EZClear|Starscream]] recast the figures using primarily clear plastics; in Megatron's case, his grey was replaced with smoky translucent plastic. A mail-away exclusive to ''[[TV Magazine]]'', the set was limited to 3000 pieces.

::*''[http://plasticcrack.net/archives/2007/07/photo-review-takara-galaxy-force-ez-telemag-exclusive-3pack More information on the EZ Collection multi-pack at PlasticCrack.net]

{{-}}{{anchor|CybGalvatron}}
[[File:Cybertrontoy galvatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na BATMAN!]]
*'''Galvatron''' (Leader, 2005)
** ''Takara ID number:'' '''GD-14'''
**''Takara release date'':[[August 22]], 2005
** ''Accessories:'' 2 missiles, "spinning hand cannon", "Unicron power claws", Cyber Key
**''Cyber Key Code'': '''l65x'''
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)|[[Marcelo Matere]] (packaging artist)}}

: ''Cybertron'' Galvatron is a silver, red, and black redeco of Leader class ''Cybertron'' Megatron, with a color scheme based upon [[Megatron (G1)|Generation 1 Megatron]]. He retains all the features and accessories of the original figure, including the ability to combine with Nemesis Breaker, which is actively called out on his packaging this time (albeit with a picture of the original Megatron toy). Most of Galvatron's silver parts are actually coated with metallic paint instead of being left as bare silver plastic; Japanese hobby magazine articles noted that the ''Galaxy Force'' release of the figure used paint similar to the hard-wearing kind found on cell phones, and while it is unknown for certain if Hasbro's figure used the same type, it seems quite likely.

: Takara's "Master Galvatron" release of the figure replaced Hasbro's metallic gold details with yellow, and packaged the figure in a unique monochrome purplish-blue version of the normal ''Galaxy Force'' packaging.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Galvatron/galvatron.htm More information on ''Cybertron'' Galvatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|EZGalv}}
[[File:GalaxyForce EZ MasterGalvatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|SHOW-ACCURATE]]
*'''Master Galvatron''' (Dengeki Hobby EZ Collection exclusive, 2005)

: EZ Collection Master Galvatron is a redeco of the earlier Legends/EZ Collection Megatron figure, continuing the Japanese trend of intricate paint jobs on these smaller toys. He was available exclusively with the September 2005 issue of ''[[Dengeki Hobby]]'' magazine, and came in a small box designed to replicate the look of the standard ''Galaxy Force'' packaging—but in full color, unlike Takara's release of the larger Galvatron figure, with a picture of the toy instead of an actual packaging window.

: At least some units (in unopened, new condition) got dumped to Hobby Shop dealers in Asia and were sold at a lower price.

::*''[http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act380/ More information on EZ Collection Galvatron at TFKenkon.com]''

{{-}}{{anchor|CybGoldGalv}}
[[File:Cybertrontoy gold galvatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|NOT SHOW-ACCURATE. But all shiny...]]
*'''Gold Master Galvatron''' (TV Magazine exclusive, 2005)
** ''Accessories:'' 2 missiles, Death Machine Gun, Death Claw, Force Chip
:Available as a contest prize in the December 2005 issue of ''TV Magazine'', this redeco of the Megatron/Galvatron Leader mold renders the Decepticon entirely golden with a mixture of golden plastic and golden [[chrome]] parts. Limited to only fifteen pieces, he came in a plain white version of the normal ''Galaxy Force'' window box packaging.

::*''[http://www.luckydrawtransformers.com/toy/gallery/review/gold+master+galvatron/1100/gold+master+galvatron.html More information on Gold Master Galvatron at Lucky Draw Transformers]''
{{-}}{{anchor|LegendsGalv}}
[[File:Cybertron Legends Galvatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|FOOL! GALVATRON CAN BE AS SHOW-ACCURATE AS HE WANTS!]]
*'''Galvatron''' (Legends of Cybertron, 2006)

: While TakaraTomy were the first to release a Legends-size Galvatron, Hasbro trumped their limited-release magazine exclusive with a mass release of their version of the figure in the main ''Cybertron'' toyline in the third wave of Legends figures. Released several months after the Japanese version, Hasbro's Galvatron unsurprisingly features paint operations that are both fewer in quantity and lesser in intricacy.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/LOCGalvatron/galvatron.htm More information on Legends Galvatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Dinosaur}}
[[File:Cybertron Deluxe BeastMegatron.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|This looks familiar... Yesss...]]
*'''Megatron''' (Deluxe, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Missile, Jungle Planet Cyber Key
**''Cyber Key Code'': '''ds9g'''

: A green redeco of ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]'' [[Megatron (BW)/toys#Beast Wars 10th Anniversary|Megatron]], this unusual iteration of Megatron transforms into a robotic [[Popular beast alternate modes|''Tyrannosaurus rex'']] in the pseudo-[[technorganic]]-looking style of the other [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Jungle Planet]] toys. His tail hides a spring-loaded missile launcher that is revealed when a Cyber Key is inserted into the (unfortunately-placed) key jack.

: While this mold was first released earlier in 2006 as part of the ''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' line and is obviously meant to be ''Beast Wars'' Megatron, it was developed to fit in with ''Cybertron's'' Jungle Planet aesthetic, "in case" the ''Beast Wars'' Anniversary release didn't pan out (according to [[Aaron Archer]]'s statements at [[BotCon 2005]]).

: This mold was also used to make the [[BotCon 2010]] exclusive [[Cindersaur (G1)#Timelines|Cindersaur]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2006/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm More information on Jungle Planet Megatron at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|LOCTarget4pack}}
[[File:Cybertrontoy LOCtarget4pack.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*'''Megatron / Soundwave / Jetfire / Optimus Prime''' (Legends of Cybertron multi-pack, 2007)

:This four pack of Legend-class Megatron, [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys#LOC1|Optimus Prime]], [[Jetfire (Armada)#LOC|Jetfire]] and [[Soundwave (Cybertron)#Legends|Soundwave]] was exclusive to [[Target]] stores. All of the toys were identical to their individual releases.
{{-}}

===''Transformers'' (2007)===
[[File:TargetGenerationsLegends.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.67|"I have achieved [[continuity]] travel!"]]
*'''Generations Legends''' (Target exclusive multi-pack, 2007)

: A Target exclusive, this four-pack of Legends Class figures contains two versions of both Optimus Prime and Megatron, namely [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/toys|Legends of Cybertron Optimus Prime]], [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Movie Legends Optimus Prime]], Legends of Cybertron Megatron, and [[Megatron (Movie)/toys|Movie Legends Megatron]]. The toy itself is identical to the ''Cybertron'' release.

{{-}}

===''Combiner Wars''===
[[File:Armada Megatron Generations Toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Female moose flocked from miles around.]]
*'''Armada Megatron''' (Leader, 2015)
**''Accessories:'' 2 pistols (combine to form rifle)
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]] [[Combiner Wars (toyline)|Combiner Wars]]'' [[Size class|Leader Class]] toys, Armada Megatron is a retool of the ''Generations'' Leader Class [[Megatron (G1)/Generations toys#Combiner Wars|Megatron]] he was released alongside, with a new head featuring red [[light-piping|light-piped]] eyes and "antlers" resembling those of Megatron's original ''Armada'' figure. He comes with two [[5 mm post|5 mm]] guns that can combine into one large rifle, and also has a firing [[missile]] in his tank cannon, which becomes an arm-mounted weapon in robot mode. In tank mode, his turret can turn a full 180 degrees, and he features treads that function realistically, a rarity among Transformers toys. Unfortunately, his arm-mounted cannon tends to impede the use of his elbow [[articulation]]. On the plus side, he has multiple [[Mini-Con]] ports, though none of them trigger any [[gimmick]]s. In an unadvertised feature, his two guns can be stored on the underside of his tank mode. He comes packaged with a collector's card featuring his [[package art]].

:Though Megatron's wave was scheduled for a first quarter 2015 release, it actually arrived on U.S. store shelves in late 2014.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2015/Decepticon/CWArmMegatron/megatron.htm More information on ''Combiner Wars'' Armada Megatron at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Legends''===
[[File:LegendsArmadaMegatron.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|right|Am I blue? Am I blue? What are these horns on my head tellin' you?]]
*'''Armada Megatron''' (2015-[[June 21|06-21]])
**''ID number:'' '''LG-EX'''
**''Acessories:'' 2 pistols (combine to form rifle)

:Available [[exclusive|only]] at the 2015 [[Tokyo Toy Show]], this is a significantly more show-accurate redeco of the ''Generations'' toy, with new paint applications simulating the face mask slider switch that was in the middle of the chest of the original ''Armada'' mold. In addition, most of what had been red in the ''Generations'' version is now blue.
{{-}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:TF-Legacy-Leader-Class-Armada-Megatron.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|thumb|right|The sequel you've all been waiting, well minus the [[Tidal Wave|good]] [[Leader-1 (Armada)|parts]].]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Armada Universe Megatron''' (Leader, 2023)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TL-47'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[October]], 2023
:*''Accessories'': Tank barrel, antlers
{{toydesigner|[[Sam Smith]] (Hasbro), [[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[[April 4]], [[2023]]'s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qv8dh66d48 Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream] on YouTube, with [[Ben MacCrae]], [[Evan Brooks]], [[Mark Maher]], [[Sam Smith]], [[Shogo Hasui]] and [[Delaney Norris]]</ref>

: Marking the 20th anniversary of the Armada franchise, the second Leader Class figure in ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy: Evolution]]'', "Armada Universe Megatron" is a slightly-stylized version of his original ''Armada'' design, transforming into a Cybertronic H-tank. His [[Evo-Fusion]] ability replicates the original's Full Blast Mode, dubbed as a "chest-mounted Fusion Cannon" in his product description; his turret hinges outwards granting it clearance to swivel to his front while the the barrels can be pointed forward. For some reason, the tank turret is locked from having full rotation, only allowing about 255 degrees of rotation. Similar to [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generations toys#Legacy|Laser Optimus Prime]] from the same line, he has restricted arm movement as the shoulder pylons do not rotate, whilst the real arms start beneath the flap.

: The front half of Megatron's tank barrel is detachable (though made of a softer plastic which tends to list downwards due to gravity) and can plug into his folded-in wrists via 5mm peg and port connection, the latter function possibly in preparation for a compatible [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] figure. Sadly, unlike the original figure, he doesn't come with a wrist-knife, although the shape of his left hand resembles that of the original toy. He also doesn't come with [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]], but considering how the other ''Armada'' figures in the ''Legacy'' toyline don't come with their respective [[Mini-Con]]s, that's to be expected. His antlers are articulated and are fully removable.

: While the Decepticon insignia is painted on here, in what appears to be a call-back to the sculpted raised insignias on the original toy there are sculpted plates on his shoulders where the symbol would have been originally.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:Concept-ArmadaMegatron.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Killing you. To death.]]
* A conceptual drawing in the ''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'' showed ''Armada'' Megatron as originally being more weapon-laden and certifiably able to '''kill you to death'''.
* Also in the ''Legends of the Microns Yearbook 2003'', ''Armada'' Megatron's cannon's concept art specifically notes that there is an [[Galvatron (G1)|"'80s Galvatron"]] homage sculpted on the barrel.
* According to [[Aaron Archer]] as ORSON on the now-defunct "Orson's World" forum at [http://www.tfw2005.com TFW2005.com], ''Armada'' Megatron's "antlers" were part of an aborted Mini-Con grabber gimmick. The gimmick didn't make it, but the antlers remained. Despite lacking the accompanying mechanism, they are still hinged and spring loaded.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=yes the horns had a pincher feature that would extend and grab and retract into the tank. but that was a early model and due to safety concerns around pinch points the feature wasn't taken very far. look at the control art on my feed of megatron i think you can see this feature hinted at.|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvOFW7gnlC/c/18007778707220811/r/18045021148131009/|name=Aaron Archer|site=Instagram|year=2019|month=06|day=15}}</ref>
* Also according to Archer, the chin on ''Armada'' Megatron is supposed to look like a pair of fangs to play up the character's evil nature. How well this was actually pulled off in the final sculpt is debatable.
* ''Armada'' Megatron's signature horns, as well as his clawed feet, are a call-back by Aaron Archer to ''[[Beast Wars]]'' [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s [[Transmetal 2]] dragon toy. Which was the first Transformers toy Archer helped design. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK5c8GorTY4]</ref>
[[File:Armada megatron toy.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Mmm... Slanty posing.]]
* The original Hasbro stock photography featured a mis-assembled Megatron toy (seen on the right), with Megatron's feet being flipped with the "grates" from the tops of the feet facing forward.
* ''Armada'' Galvatron's deco is inspired by [[Galvatron (BW)|"Beast Wars" Galvatron]]. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5C9CsSApHA]</ref>
* ''Cybertron'' Megatron has a {{w|Batmobile}}-inspired vehicle mode because the then-upcoming [[2005]] release of {{w|Batman Begins}} meant that [[Batman]] was very much in the zeitgeist, and the designers at Hasbro wanted to capitalise on that. [[Sideways (Armada)#Cybertron|''Cybertron'' Sideways]]'s bat-like jet mode was another example of this.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=The closest we got [to a Batman/Transformers crossover] was more tactical—so like, "oh there's a Batman movie coming out," so the ''Cybertron'' Sideways is very bat-inspired. I think there was another car that we went that way... Megatron obviously Batmobile-inspired. I don't know how direct-tactical that is but if bats are in the zeitgeist, if there's advertisement around bats and stuff, well let's... bat-inspired something. More like that is what we ended up with, but no we never went for a direct crossover.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW7bBZgluQQ&t=2169s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday night LIVE: ARMADA STARSCREAM|year=2023|month=06|day=02}}</ref>
* ''Cybertron'' Galvatron's tech spec ratings for strength, endurance, and firepower are "unknown." His Cyber Key Code content states he reduced an entire Gigantion city to crystalline dust.
* Additionally, ''Cybertron'' Galvatron's package motto is "I will crush you with my bare hands!", a line used by both the original Megatron and Galvatron in [[The Transformers: The Movie|the 1986 animated film.]]
*An unused concept for a potential [[Botcon]] 2017 figure would've seen a new Megatron based on his ''Energon'' design from ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' [[Black Shadow (G1)#Titans Return|Black Shadow]] with an [[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] [[Titan Master]] partner redecoed from [[Ominus]]. He would've also included a green version of the sword from [[Megatron (G1)/toys#Construct-Bots|''Construct-Bots'' Megatron]].<ref>[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-images-of-concepts-and-customized-figures-from-fun-pub-at-petes-robot-convention-2017/39073/]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Armada combiners]]
[[Category:Armada Decepticons]]
[[Category:Attacktix]]
[[Category:Built to Rule!]]
[[Category:Combiner Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Cybertron combiners]]
[[Category:Cybertron Decepticons]]
[[Category:E-HOBBY exclusives]]
[[Category:Energon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legacy Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Toys"R"Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Toys"R"Us Japan exclusives]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]

Union

2023-08-25T01:40:14Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|series=Armada
|ep=50
|prev=Alliance
|next=Origin
|title="Union"
|furigana=そうりょくせん
|japanese=連合
|romaji=Sōryokusen
|translation=Union: All-Out War
|image=Unionunicronheart.jpg
|caption=
|production code=TF: A-50
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Shōji Tonoike]]
|englishadaptation=[[Ward Perry]]
|director=[[Ken'ichi Ishikura]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.]]
|airdate=[[October 1]], [[2003]] (English, United Kingdom) [[December 10]], [[2003]] (English, United States) [[December 12]], [[2003]] (Japanese)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''As Unicron stands ready to attack Cybertron, the Autobots and Decepticons fight back. Galvatron takes extra time to deal with the issue of Thrust's betrayal of the rest of his species.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Union-ThrustSidewaysinUnicron.jpg|left|155px|thumb|"Hey, patsy, er, uh, Thrust. Scram!"]]
[[Unicron]] stands, his body surrounded by energy, destroying any ships that come close to him. While [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] orders his forces to retreat to a safe distance, [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] sits on Unicron's shoulder, laughing at the feeble efforts to defeat his new god. However, he's still steaming about how [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] had told him to get lost after the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] had been placed inside Unicron. He plans his first action as Unicron's right-hand bot to get rid of Sideways.

The [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s try to determine how their armies could possibly defeat Unicron. Unicron suddenly takes action and prepares to attack the abandoned planetside. [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] lead some fighter planes, hoping to interrupt Unicron. While the fighters can't harm Unicron, they focus on Thrust.

[[File:Unionthrust.JPG|155px|thumb]]
The Cybertronian army's scanners finally detect a weak point on Unicron's neck. A plan is formed, giving Galvatron the opportunity to personally confront Thrust. Thrust stands on Unicron's shoulder, and notices that Unicron is making no responses to any advisement—he questions that perhaps the web of lies he had constructed might have been a mistake, he assures himself that Unicron is the right way. At this point, his sanity is clearly in question.

[[File:Unionunicroncannon.JPG|left|155px|thumb|Don't tell Unicron, but the cannon is actually voice activated.]]
[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Galvatron realize that the key to defeating Unicron lies within the [[Mini-Con]]s inside of Unicron, since the Mini-Cons themselves desire nothing but to free themselves from Unicron's grasp. At the same time, the kids come to a similar conclusion. Seeing that it might work, Galvatron declares that they finally work as a real team. Before the plans are put into action, Unicron fires his massive energy cannon, blasting a very, very large portion out of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s landscape. Before Unicron fires again, Optimus and Galvatron commence their own attack, leaving both Autobot and Decepticon armies under the command of [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]]. The final war on Unicron begins, the ''[[Hydra Cannon]]'' positioned to use its force field to block the blast that could tear another chunk out of Cybertron.

[[File:Unionthrustdeath.jpg|155px|thumb|TETSUOOOO]]
While Optimus aims above the plasma chest to allow himself and Galvatron to go inside Unicron, Galvatron confronts Thrust of his treachery against the [[Transformer]]s, swearing that he will pay for it. Unmoved, Thrust gloats, proclaiming the destruction of Cybertron is inevitable. But seconds after professing his desire to see Galvatron destroyed, Thrust bounces into a quickly closing crack in Unicron's armor. Squeezed, he begs for help, only to find out that his cries for help elicit no response from either the Chaos Bringer or his former leader. Galvatron then turns his back away from this, warning Thrust that this is the fate of those daring to dream for power and treason, and Thrust is inevitably popped like a pathetic zit to his death.

The ''Hydra Cannon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s shields give up, letting Unicron's powerful blast head towards Cybertron, but before it makes contact, the glowing green [[Mini-Con]]s rush to block the shot. Before Unicron closes the panels that cover his cannon, Optimus and Galvatron sneak inside.

The [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] announce they plan on going inside of Unicron too. The kids and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] decide they're going along to help. The Mini-Cons outside combine into a [[Unicron of Light|massive green mirror of Unicron]], who protects the kids long enough to sneak through the underground warp gate, but while the kids sneak through the gate in time, Red Alert is left buried in rubble.

With Optimus and Galvatron at Unicron's core, the kids and the Street Action Team are elsewhere in Unicron. Unicron battles the Mini-Con mirror of himself, while a combined army of Autobots and Decepticons engage in one final assault.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (6)
*[[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (15)
*[[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] (16)
*[[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (17)
*[[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] (18)
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] (19)
*[[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]] (23)
*[[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] (24)
*Generic Autobots
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (2)
*[[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] (20)
*[[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (21)
*[[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (22)
*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (25)
*generic Decepticons

|c3=
*[[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] (7)
*[[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (8)
*[[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (9)
*[[Rad White|Rad]] (10)
*[[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (11)

|h4=[[Mini-Con]]s|c4=
*[[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (12)
*[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (13)
*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (14)
*Many unidentified Mini-Cons
*[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] (26) (Powerlinxed with Galvatron)
*[[Unicron of Light]] (27)
*[[Dead End Drone]]s (28)

|h5=Other|c5=
*[[Unicron]] (1)
*[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] (3)
*[[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Optimus Prime:''' "Once we get inside Unicron, we're going to rescue ''all'' the Mini-Cons." 
'''Fred:''' "Ahh, you're the greatest!" 
'''Galvatron:''' "...what?" 
'''Fred:''' "Uhh..and...you're really the greatest too, Galvatron." 
'''Galvatron:''' "HA HA HA! Now that's what I like to hear!"
:—The best way to coexist with Decepticons is to flatter them, or else they'll flatten you.

"Did I make a terrible mistake by betraying the Decepticons? Oh... What if he's nothing more than a huge Transformer like the rest of us?! Oh no! Did Sideways trick me into doing all of this?!"
:—'''Thrust''' starts to wonder if he screwed up.

"I have to go meet Optimus Prime. We're going inside Unicron. I'll give you two choices: Either I shoot you here and now..." 
''(Thrust shakes his head, whimpering in fear)'' 
"...or you free yourself and get out on your own. And if you do, there will be ''nowhere'' to hide.
:—'''Galvatron''', to put it lightly, is extremely pissed off.

"Thrust, if you dare to have dreams of power...you will be consumed by them."
:—'''Galvatron'''

"Unicron is going to blast us! I don't want to get blasted on an empty stomach!"
:—'''Fred'''

"Let's get it on!" 
"This is one crazy team."
:—'''Tidal Wave''' and '''Blurr'''
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Legends of the Microns''===
*When Thrust commands Unicron to destroy the Transformers, the animation of him twirling is at a slow pace and seemingly stops at a random point. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him go faster and has the finished animation where where he swings his arm by the end of the shot.
*In ''Legends of the Microns'', while Thrust lusts for the destruction of all other [[Transformer]]s, he becomes utterly terrified and confused when Unicron attacks Cybertron. In the dub, Thrust is the one insisting that Unicron should destroy the planet, and laughs maniacally all the way trough.
*When Optimus and Galvatron Powerlinx with Jetfire and Tidal Wave respectively in ''Armada'', an insert of the Transformers theme plays and ends when Galvatron lands close to Thrust. Meanwhile in ''Legend of the Microns'', the track "[[The Transformers Legends of the Microns: Sound of Evolution Vol. 2|The Ultimate Soldier Returns]]" plays, and ends with the upward pan of Unicron.
*Galvatron and Thrust's last moment together is slightly different between dubs, mostly how Thrust sounds more confident in the English dub whereas he's more unhinged in the Japanese:
**''Armada'' has Galvatron tell Thrust he'll pay for his betrayal, to which Thrust replies he isn’t afraid of him anymore and at least he chooses his allies wisely. Thrust then calls Galvatron a bad joke and asks what he was thinking joining forces with the Autobots, and then says he has no need for him since all they did was fight one meaningless battle after another. He proceeds to mock him for not managing to control his own soldiers and praises Unicron for his enormous size and bets on a successful partnership, which makes Galvatron passively calls him out on liking his own voice. Thrust proceeds to tell Galvatron he can't wait until Unicron blasts him into pieces, and when he gets caught in one of Unicron's moving parts acted like all of what he just said was a joke and he didn't mean any of it. Galvatron tells Thrust he can either shoot him now or come out on his own, and threatens him that there will be no where to hide before leaving, with the latter's last words consist of begging Galvatron not just leaving him to his death. Galvatron tells Thrust that having large amounts of power will eventually consume you, and Thrust is somehow able to let out a final death scream.
** Galvatron mentions Starscream when he threatens Thrust in ''Legends of the Microns'', to which the latter says that isn't like him to say something like that. Thrust proceeds to say that even with a union, they'll never stand up against Unicron and it doesn't matter if he gots shot or not, and then calls Galvatron a fool for caring about overpowering all Transformers and conquering the universe when all he did was fight an endless war, and says he got tired of it all. Thrust then puts Unicron on a high pedestal, mentioning his enormous power and calling him the God of Destruction, and with him now being his servant, he has become the chosen one and will soon be able to realize his own dream. Galvatron asks Thrust if that's all he has to say, to which the latter says he will never achieve his dream and is destined to become space dust before getting stuck. Thrust then begs Galvatron for help, but the latter makes his leave and tells the former he can either save himself, or escape on his own and chase after the union. Thrust proceeds to whimper about being in pain, and Galvatron says that his dreams have now been shattered before he explodes. Thrust doesn't scream when blowing up, but sounds of crushing metal can be heard more clearly. Additionally, the animation when Thrust is getting crushed is faster and more timed in ''Legends of the Microns'' compared to ''Armada'', and his final scream has an echo effect.
*The final shot of Unicron's heart is silent in the Japanese dub.

===Animation and technical errors===
*For the whole episode, Demolishor talks using Hoist's voice, and is referred to as Hoist the only time he is named. Hoist also has one line in his own voice.
**The Finnish and Swedish dub also used Hoist's voice actor for dubbing Demolishor's lines this episode, presumably because Demolishor was referred to as Hoist in the original version and thus in the dub scripts.
*In one shot during the initial attack on Unicron, Wheeljack's scar is missing.
*In the Hungarian dub, Blurr says his last line, bizarrely, in Unicron's voice.
*When Jet Optimus combines with Overload, he yells out "Ultra Magnus," which is the translation of Overload's Japanese name.

===Continuity notes===
*Overload is briefly visible in robot mode.
*Thrust is the only named ''Armada'' character to die and not be resurrected at a later point in the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
**However, in the Japanese continuity, Thrust is resurrected as Unicron's servant in the ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' comics.
*Sureshock speaks in English for the first time, and uses a male voice. ''Legends of the Microns'' uses a female voice instead to be consistent with Sureshock's gender.
*Thrust's death is a little physically wrong. Considering that Unicron's folding plate started closing around his midsection, he should have been bifurcated (crushed in half) but the animation in his death scene makes it look like he exploded. Then again getting crushed in two by a pair of folding plates is a little graphic for a kid's show (even one about robots) so we can be a little lenient....
*The [[Dead End Drone]]s that attack Optimus and Galvatron inside Unicron are referred to by Galvatron as "Laser Pods".
*Gadgets and powers:
**Unicron uses some kind of lightning forcefield to shield his body from oncoming attacks.
**Unicron's scream can unleash shockwaves.
**While not shown on-screen, [[Rollout (Armada)|Rollout]] is [[Powerlinx]]ed with Overload.
**Unicron's chest cannon fires plasma bursts.
**Unicron fires spherical bombs from the planet-kibble pieces on his legs. While the show depicts them as spheres, these are actually missiles on the toy, with the spherical parts only being the tips.
**The gravitational field of Unicron's forearm running just ever so slightly past Cybertron's surface, is enough to tear apart cities.

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus Prime at one point refers to Demolishor as "Hoist".
*During one flashback, Sideways is seen telling Thrust that Unicron has immense power that will be there for Thrust if he revives Unicron and severs his allegiance with Galvatron. Presuming that this is when Thrust first teams up with Sideways, there's the slight problem of Sideways saying 'Galvatron' instead of 'Megatron'.
*Billy refers to the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]] as the "Auto Blaster", which could be a dubbing error or an error on part of the character.
*When combining, Prime calls Overload "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]", which is Overload's Japanese name.
*High Wire refers to the Mini-Cons within Unicron as Perceptor, but Perceptor is the combined form of the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]].

===Real-world references===
*In one scene of the episode before Thrust's death, Galvatron sounds like he is using Bruce Banner's line before he would turn into Hulk.

===Trivia===
*The English version of "Union" first aired in the United Kingdom. It aired in the United States on [[December 10]], 2003.
*''Legends of the Microns''' [[commercial bumper]] of Unicron appearing over Cybertron debuts in this episode.
*Isn't it irregular that the commercial break is opened with a shot of the Autobot logo appearing on [[Earth]], when the story hasn't had any non-flashback scenes on Earth for nine episodes now?
*Thrust raises the nosecone part of his head when he's shocked, similarly to how a human raises their eyebrows.
*Rad's gloves are excessively cool.
*This episode marks the last time, an autobot or decepticon powerlinxes with one another and a mini-con partner in the series.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''In letzter Sekunde'''" ("Last Second")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 14|14 January]] [[2004]]

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Közös erővel'''" ("With Joint Forces")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''União'''" ("Union")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Legends of the Microns'' — Volume 13 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2006 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two ([[Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Collector's Edition ([[Universal]]) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

[[Category:Armada episodes]]

Union

2023-08-25T01:37:55Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Trivia */

{{episode|
|series=Armada
|ep=50
|prev=Alliance
|next=Origin
|title="Union"
|furigana=そうりょくせん
|japanese=連合
|romaji=Sōryokusen
|translation=Union: All-Out War
|image=Unionunicronheart.jpg
|caption=
|production code=TF: A-50
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Shōji Tonoike]]
|englishadaptation=[[Ward Perry]]
|director=[[Ken'ichi Ishikura]]
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.]]
|airdate=[[October 1]], [[2003]] (English, United Kingdom) [[December 10]], [[2003]] (English, United States) [[December 12]], [[2003]] (Japanese)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy]]
}}

'''As Unicron stands ready to attack Cybertron, the Autobots and Decepticons fight back. Galvatron takes extra time to deal with the issue of Thrust's betrayal of the rest of his species.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Union-ThrustSidewaysinUnicron.jpg|left|155px|thumb|"Hey, patsy, er, uh, Thrust. Scram!"]]
[[Unicron]] stands, his body surrounded by energy, destroying any ships that come close to him. While [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] orders his forces to retreat to a safe distance, [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] sits on Unicron's shoulder, laughing at the feeble efforts to defeat his new god. However, he's still steaming about how [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] had told him to get lost after the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] had been placed inside Unicron. He plans his first action as Unicron's right-hand bot to get rid of Sideways.

The [[Autobot]]s and [[Decepticon]]s try to determine how their armies could possibly defeat Unicron. Unicron suddenly takes action and prepares to attack the abandoned planetside. [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] lead some fighter planes, hoping to interrupt Unicron. While the fighters can't harm Unicron, they focus on Thrust.

[[File:Unionthrust.JPG|155px|thumb]]
The Cybertronian army's scanners finally detect a weak point on Unicron's neck. A plan is formed, giving Galvatron the opportunity to personally confront Thrust. Thrust stands on Unicron's shoulder, and notices that Unicron is making no responses to any advisement—he questions that perhaps the web of lies he had constructed might have been a mistake, he assures himself that Unicron is the right way. At this point, his sanity is clearly in question.

[[File:Unionunicroncannon.JPG|left|155px|thumb|Don't tell Unicron, but the cannon is actually voice activated.]]
[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Galvatron realize that the key to defeating Unicron lies within the [[Mini-Con]]s inside of Unicron, since the Mini-Cons themselves desire nothing but to free themselves from Unicron's grasp. At the same time, the kids come to a similar conclusion. Seeing that it might work, Galvatron declares that they finally work as a real team. Before the plans are put into action, Unicron fires his massive energy cannon, blasting a very, very large portion out of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]'s landscape. Before Unicron fires again, Optimus and Galvatron commence their own attack, leaving both Autobot and Decepticon armies under the command of [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]]. The final war on Unicron begins, the ''[[Hydra Cannon]]'' positioned to use its force field to block the blast that could tear another chunk out of Cybertron.

[[File:Unionthrustdeath.jpg|155px|thumb|TETSUOOOO]]
While Optimus aims above the plasma chest to allow himself and Galvatron to go inside Unicron, Galvatron confronts Thrust of his treachery against the [[Transformer]]s, swearing that he will pay for it. Unmoved, Thrust gloats, proclaiming the destruction of Cybertron is inevitable. But seconds after professing his desire to see Galvatron destroyed, Thrust bounces into a quickly closing crack in Unicron's armor. Squeezed, he begs for help, only to find out that his cries for help elicit no response from either the Chaos Bringer or his former leader. Galvatron then turns his back away from this, warning Thrust that this is the fate of those daring to dream for power and treason, and Thrust is inevitably popped like a pathetic zit to his death.

The ''Hydra Cannon''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s shields give up, letting Unicron's powerful blast head towards Cybertron, but before it makes contact, the glowing green [[Mini-Con]]s rush to block the shot. Before Unicron closes the panels that cover his cannon, Optimus and Galvatron sneak inside.

The [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] announce they plan on going inside of Unicron too. The kids and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] decide they're going along to help. The Mini-Cons outside combine into a [[Unicron of Light|massive green mirror of Unicron]], who protects the kids long enough to sneak through the underground warp gate, but while the kids sneak through the gate in time, Red Alert is left buried in rubble.

With Optimus and Galvatron at Unicron's core, the kids and the Street Action Team are elsewhere in Unicron. Unicron battles the Mini-Con mirror of himself, while a combined army of Autobots and Decepticons engage in one final assault.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (5)
*[[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (6)
*[[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (15)
*[[Overload (Armada)|Overload]] (16)
*[[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (17)
*[[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] (18)
*[[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] (19)
*[[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]] (23)
*[[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] (24)
*Generic Autobots
|c2=
*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (2)
*[[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] (20)
*[[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (21)
*[[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (22)
*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (25)
*generic Decepticons

|c3=
*[[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] (7)
*[[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (8)
*[[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (9)
*[[Rad White|Rad]] (10)
*[[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (11)

|h4=[[Mini-Con]]s|c4=
*[[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (12)
*[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (13)
*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (14)
*Many unidentified Mini-Cons
*[[Leader-1 (Armada)|Leader-1]] (26) (Powerlinxed with Galvatron)
*[[Unicron of Light]] (27)
*[[Dead End Drone]]s (28)

|h5=Other|c5=
*[[Unicron]] (1)
*[[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] (3)
*[[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] (4)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Optimus Prime:''' "Once we get inside Unicron, we're going to rescue ''all'' the Mini-Cons." 
'''Fred:''' "Ahh, you're the greatest!" 
'''Galvatron:''' "...what?" 
'''Fred:''' "Uhh..and...you're really the greatest too, Galvatron." 
'''Galvatron:''' "HA HA HA! Now that's what I like to hear!"
:—The best way to coexist with Decepticons is to flatter them, or else they'll flatten you.

"Did I make a terrible mistake by betraying the Decepticons? Oh... What if he's nothing more than a huge Transformer like the rest of us?! Oh no! Did Sideways trick me into doing all of this?!"
:—'''Thrust''' starts to wonder if he screwed up.

"I have to go meet Optimus Prime. We're going inside Unicron. I'll give you two choices: Either I shoot you here and now..." 
''(Thrust shakes his head, whimpering in fear)'' 
"...or you free yourself and get out on your own. And if you do, there will be ''nowhere'' to hide.
:—'''Galvatron''', to put it lightly, is extremely pissed off.

"Thrust, if you dare to have dreams of power...you will be consumed by them."
:—'''Galvatron'''

"Unicron is going to blast us! I don't want to get blasted on an empty stomach!"
:—'''Fred'''

"Let's get it on!" 
"This is one crazy team."
:—'''Tidal Wave''' and '''Blurr'''
{{--}}

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Legends of the Microns''===
*When Thrust commands Unicron to destroy the Transformers, the animation of him twirling is at a slow pace and seemingly stops at a random point. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him go faster and has the finished animation where where he swings his arm by the end of the shot.
*In ''Legends of the Microns'', while Thrust lusts for the destruction of all other [[Transformer]]s, he becomes utterly terrified and confused when Unicron attacks Cybertron. In the dub, Thrust is the one insisting that Unicron should destroy the planet, and laughs maniacally all the way trough.
*When Optimus and Galvatron Powerlinx with Jetfire and Tidal Wave respectively in ''Armada'', an insert of the Transformers theme plays and ends when Galvatron lands close to Thrust. Meanwhile in ''Legend of the Microns'', the track "[[The Transformers Legends of the Microns: Sound of Evolution Vol. 2|The Ultimate Soldier Returns]]" plays, and ends with the upward pan of Unicron.
*Galvatron and Thrust's last moment together is slightly different between dubs, mostly how Thrust sounds more confident in the English dub whereas he's more unhinged in the Japanese:
**''Armada'' has Galvatron tell Thrust he'll pay for his betrayal, to which Thrust replies he isn’t afraid of him anymore and at least he chooses his allies wisely. Thrust then calls Galvatron a bad joke and asks what he was thinking joining forces with the Autobots, and then says he has no need for him since all they did was fight one meaningless battle after another. He proceeds to mock him for not managing to control his own soldiers and praises Unicron for his enormous size and bets on a successful partnership, which makes Galvatron passively calls him out on liking his own voice. Thrust proceeds to tell Galvatron he can't wait until Unicron blasts him into pieces, and when he gets caught in one of Unicron's moving parts acted like all of what he just said was a joke and he didn't mean any of it. Galvatron tells Thrust he can either shoot him now or come out on his own, and threatens him that there will be no where to hide before leaving, with the latter's last words consist of begging Galvatron not just leaving him to his death. Galvatron tells Thrust that having large amounts of power will eventually consume you, and Thrust is somehow able to let out a final death scream.
** Galvatron mentions Starscream when he threatens Thrust in ''Legends of the Microns'', to which the latter says that isn't like him to say something like that. Thrust proceeds to say that even with a union, they'll never stand up against Unicron and it doesn't matter if he gots shot or not, and then calls Galvatron a fool for caring about overpowering all Transformers and conquering the universe when all he did was fight an endless war, and says he got tired of it all. Thrust then puts Unicron on a high pedestal, mentioning his enormous power and calling him the God of Destruction, and with him now being his servant, he has become the chosen one and will soon be able to realize his own dream. Galvatron asks Thrust if that's all he has to say, to which the latter says he will never achieve his dream and is destined to become space dust before getting stuck. Thrust then begs Galvatron for help, but the latter makes his leave and tells the former he can either save himself, or escape on his own and chase after the union. Thrust proceeds to whimper about being in pain, and Galvatron says that his dreams have now been shattered before he explodes. Thrust doesn't scream when blowing up, but sounds of crushing metal can be heard more clearly. Additionally, the animation when Thrust is getting crushed is faster and more timed in ''Legends of the Microns'' compared to ''Armada'', and his final scream has an echo effect.
*The final shot of Unicron's heart is silent in the Japanese dub.

===Animation and technical errors===
*For the whole episode, Demolishor talks using Hoist's voice, and is referred to as Hoist the only time he is named. Hoist also has one line in his own voice.
**The Finnish and Swedish dub also used Hoist's voice actor for dubbing Demolishor's lines this episode, presumably because Demolishor was referred to as Hoist in the original version and thus in the dub scripts.
*In one shot during the initial attack on Unicron, Wheeljack's scar is missing.
*In the Hungarian dub, Blurr says his last line, bizarrely, in Unicron's voice.
*When Jet Optimus combines with Overload, he yells out "Ultra Magnus," which is the translation of Overload's Japanese name.

===Continuity notes===
*Overload is briefly visible in robot mode.
*Thrust is the only named ''Armada'' character to die and not be resurrected at a later point in the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
**However, in the Japanese continuity, Thrust is resurrected as Unicron's servant in the ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors|Unite Warriors]]'' comics.
*Sureshock speaks in English for the first time, and uses a male voice. ''Legends of the Microns'' uses a female voice instead to be consistent with Sureshock's gender.
*Thrust's death is a little physically wrong. Considering that Unicron's folding plate started closing around his midsection, he should have been bifurcated (crushed in half) but the animation in his death scene makes it look like he exploded. Then again getting crushed in two by a pair of folding plates is a little graphic for a kid's show (even one about robots) so we can be a little lenient....
*The [[Dead End Drone]]s that attack Optimus and Galvatron inside Unicron are referred to by Galvatron as "Laser Pods".
*Gadgets and powers:
**Unicron uses some kind of lightning forcefield to shield his body from oncoming attacks.
**Unicron's scream can unleash shockwaves.
**While not shown on-screen, [[Rollout (Armada)|Rollout]] is [[Powerlinx]]ed with Overload.
**Unicron's chest cannon fires plasma bursts.
**Unicron fires spherical bombs from the planet-kibble pieces on his legs. While the show depicts them as spheres, these are actually missiles on the toy, with the spherical parts only being the tips.
**The gravitational field of Unicron's forearm running just ever so slightly past Cybertron's surface, is enough to tear apart cities.

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus Prime at one point refers to Demolishor as "Hoist".
*During one flashback, Sideways is seen telling Thrust that Unicron has immense power that will be there for Thrust if he revives Unicron and severs his allegiance with Galvatron. Presuming that this is when Thrust first teams up with Sideways, there's the slight problem of Sideways saying 'Galvatron' instead of 'Megatron'.
*Billy refers to the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]] as the "Auto Blaster", which could be a dubbing error or an error on part of the character.
*When combining, Prime calls Overload "[[Ultra Magnus (disambiguation)|Ultra Magnus]]", which is Overload's Japanese name.
*High Wire refers to the Mini-Cons within Unicron as Perceptor, but Perceptor is the combined form of the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]].

===Real-world references===
*In one scene of the episode before Thrust's death, Galvatron sounds like he is using Bruce Banner's line before he would turn into Hulk.

===Trivia===
*The English version of "Union" first aired in the United Kingdom. It aired in the United States on [[December 10]], 2003.
*''Legends of the Microns''' [[commercial bumper]] of Unicron appearing over Cybertron debuts in this episode.
*Isn't it irregular that the commercial break is opened with a shot of the Autobot logo appearing on [[Earth]], when the story hasn't had any non-flashback scenes on Earth for nine episodes now?
*Thrust raises the nosecone part of his head when he's shocked, similarly to how a human raises their eyebrows.
*Rad's gloves are excessively cool.
*This episode marks the last time, an autobot or decepticon powerlinxes with one another and a mini-con partner.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''In letzter Sekunde'''" ("Last Second")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[January 14|14 January]] [[2004]]

'''Hungarian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Közös erővel'''" ("With Joint Forces")

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''União'''" ("Union")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Legends of the Microns'' — Volume 13 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2006 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two ([[Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Collector's Edition ([[Universal]]) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Factory]])

[[Category:Armada episodes]]

Mortal Combat

2023-08-25T01:27:32Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Synopsis */

{{episode|
|series=Armada
|ep=52
|prev=Origin
|next=Cybertron City (episode)
|title="Mortal Combat"
|japanese=死闘
|romaji=Shitō
|translation=Death Match
|image=Armada 52 - Prime hangon to Galvatron.jpg
|caption=Fatality!
|production code=TF: A-52
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]]
|writer=[[Ryō Motohira]]
|englishadaptation=[[Terry Klassen]]
|director=[[Hidehito Ueda]], [[Mitsuru Kawasaki]] (asst. dir.), [[Munetaka Abe]] (animation dir.)
|animation studio=[[Actas Inc.]]
|airdate=[[October 3]], [[2003]] (English, United Kingdom) [[December 12]], [[2003]] (English, United States) [[December 26]], [[2003]] (Japanese)
|continuity=[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]
}}
'''Optimus and Galvatron wage their final brutal battle, while the rest of the Transformers deal with Unicron.'''

==Synopsis==
[[Unicron]] is no longer functional, his body lying dormant in space. [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] lets the assembled armies return to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to begin the rebuilding.

[[File:MortalCombat galvatron sacrifice.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left]]
Inside of Unicron, [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] holds onto the idea that he can still become the sole ruler of the universe. Now that Unicron is gone, it's left to [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] and Galvatron to finish the war. Optimus and the kids try to argue that now that the two armies are now united, there's no need to continue the fight. Still, Galvatron reminds his foe that the hatred left over from an unfinished war would repower Unicron.

On Cybertron, [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] alerts the other that Unicron is in motion again. Hot Shot decides to go to Unicron to retrieve Optimus Prime, but [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] takes Hot Shot's place. [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] follows Jetfire.

Optimus says goodbye to the children; they don't want to go, but Prime convinces them that he and Galvatron must have their final battle. After throwing away the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]]—since this isn't a battle between Autobots and Decepticons, but Optimus' vision for peace against Galvatron's lust for conflict— Prime starts the fight with some gunfire and a knee to Galvatron's face. When Galvatron gets up, he and Prime blast their firepower at each other.

Jetfire and Cyclonus pick up the kids outside Unicron and bring them back to Cybertron. The kids report what the two leaders are doing, and it seems Unicron isn't dead either. Under heavy pressure, Hot Shot orders the attack against Unicron to be resumed, with special care taken not to harm the leaders.

Inside, Optimus Prime and Galvatron continue to rumble. Prime throws one of his wheels directly into Galvatron's primary cannon. The resulting explosion blasts Galvatron through a wall, but the ferocity of the combat only amuses the Decepticon. Unicron's words echo in Prime's mind. Galvatron uses his extending antlers to toss Prime around. Prime breaks off the blades and uses them against his rival, but Galvatron scores a critical hit through Optimus with his hidden wrist blade.

[[File:Mortal Combat Hot Shot Jetfire.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|When we come back, we'll be terrible cel-shaded CGI!]]
The [[Transformer]]s buzz around Unicron, blasting him through his trenches. [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] notices that a large, growing black hole has appeared on Unicron's surface during the combat.

Optimus Prime stands up, refusing to give up the fight. Decompression sends the warriors outside of Unicron onto his external surface. The Autobot and Decepticon forces notice this, but Optimus instructs Hot Shot to lead the others into continuing the assault on Unicron while he and Galvatron continue to duel. Galvatron acquires a nearby pipe to use as a battle staff, but Optimus displays amazing agility and stands on the staff, prancing along it to kick Galvatron in the face. While Galvatron is still stunned, Optimus hefts his foe and cramps Galvatron's midsection, but the metal pipe gets shoved down Prime's back in the process.

[[File:Unicron-behind-a-planet-Armada.jpg|thumb|left|''You know who I am....you don't know where I am... and you'll never see me coming....'']]
The two warriors break for a moment, and Galvatron admits that he enjoyed the thrill of the battle despite losing it. The moment of peace between the two is disturbed by Unicron transforming into his planet mode. Prime is stuck holding onto Galvatron as the two get sucked toward Unicron's maw. Determined to see only one winner of the war (even if it isn't him), Galvatron instructs Prime to let him fall. Prime refuses, so Galvatron cuts himself loose and free-falls into oblivion. As soon as Galvatron is absorbed, Unicron vanishes. Left floating in space, Optimus decides he's unworthy of the Matrix.

Sometime later, Hot Shot and Jetfire return the kids to Earth. They agree that they've learned much from each other since their first encounter. [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]], [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]], and [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] start to cry. Alexis gazes down at her pendant that contains the [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] stone that [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] gave her, sadly smiling as if remembering him. Rad asks what happened to Optimus, but Hot Shot assures him that Optimus will be all right, wherever he is. After the Autobots and Mini-Cons leave to rebuild Cybertron, Optimus Prime narrates the closing moments. With the war over, and the former hatred between the Autobot and Decepticon factions no more, a new era can begin for the Transformers. But, hidden behind a distant planet, Unicron endures.

[['Til all are one|'Til all are]] [[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|undone.]]
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] (2)
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] (3)
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] (4)
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (6)
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] (13)
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] (14)
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] (15)
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]] (16)
* [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]] (24)

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (5)
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (17)
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] (18)
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] (19)
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (23)

|c3=
* [[Rad White|Rad]] (7)
* [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] (8)
* [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] (9)
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (10)
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (11)

|h4=[[Mini-Con]]s|c4=
*[[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] (12)
*[[Race Mini-Con Team]] (20)
*[[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]] (21)
*[[Space Mini-Con Team]] (22)

|h5=Other|c5=
* [[Unicron]] (1)
}}

==Quotes==
"This probably isn't the time to ask, but when are we gonna eat, you guys?" 
"Zip it, Fred, or I'll give you my fist to chew on!" 
:—'''Fred''' and '''Billy'''

"Your mindless ambitions are fueled only by your greed. You'll stop at nothing to get what you want. I should have let Unicron destroy you!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' to Galvatron

"Why can't we all just get along?!"
:—'''Fred'''

"Children, the future is yours!" 
"Good riddance, humans!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' and '''Galvatron''' bid farewell to the kids in their unique ways.

"Don't act surprised. This is exactly what you wanted. And I fight you not as the leader of the Autobots, but as the leader of ''all'' Transformers!"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' tosses aside his Matrix of Leadership before attacking Galvatron.

"Farewell, Optimus Prime. Victory is all yours. Now go look after your men, they need you!"
:—'''Galvatron's''' last words until ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''

"The war between the Autobots and the Decepticons has come to an end, and without the hatred between the two sides, there was no evil to feed Unicron, and he became powerless. Both Unicron and Megatron scattered into the far reaches of the universe. As for me, my purpose has been served. Cybertron is safe and Transformers live in peace with the Mini-Cons. So the next time you look out into space and see a peaceful star far, far away, it just might be Cybertron. TRANSFORM!"
:—'''Optimus Prime's''' last words until ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]''

{{--}}

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Legends of the Microns''===
* The opening is silent in ''Legends of the Microns'' until Hot Shot speaks. Meanwhile, ''Armada'' has [[Jim Conrad]] narrate the opening, recapping the last episode's events of how the union managed to neutralize Unicron, but an old battle is about to begin.
* Hot Shot hopes that Optimus and Galvatron will get out of Unicron safely in ''Armada'', and Scavenger suggests they shouldn't worry too much since they can handle themselves. In ''Legends of the Microns'', Hot Shots asks if they escaped Unicron. Scavenger imagines those two can handle themselves but is unsure what to do now. Hot Shot then says that if taking down Unicron happened earlier, they would retrieve them, but figured they need a break in ''Legends of the Microns'', but Armada only has him say they'll meet them back on Cybertron.
* Optimus and Galvatron's conversation before they clash is ''essentially'' the same in both dubs, but the points made are almost entirely different. ''Armada'' noticeably throws in being the ruler of the universe, whereas ''Legends of the Microns'' is about trying to embrace your nature.
** ''Legends of the Microns'' has Galvatron ask Optimus what their long struggle's purpose was and whether it was to only awaken Unicron before claiming they fought each other to preserve their true sense of selves and not to be Unicron's puppets. The kids—particularly Fred—are confused about this talk about maintaining a true sense of self. Galvatron reminds them he only joined forces with Optimus to take down Unicron, and now that he is defeated, there is no reason to continue the alliance. Alexis then asks why Starscream sacrificed himself, to which Galvatron also asks why, and Alexis replies with how it was to unite all Transformers. Galvatron continues that even if the Decepticons and Autobots join hands, he can never reconcile the differences between him and Optimus, causing the latter to ask if the battle with Unicron was pointless. Galvatron then says the battle itself wasn't pointless, but it can only have meaning if the party with justice must gain victory. Optimus replies with his own, saying that Unicron will only grow stronger as long as evil resides in the Transformers' hearts, and that's what the battle has wrought. The kids agree with Optimus, to which Galvatron asks if that's what he truly believes and mentions that he couldn't answer Sideways' question before asking again if Optimus' hatred of him was a motivator to fight all this time. When Optimus asks who is, Galvatron replies with "That again" before saying he wants to seek Optimus' true feelings as a Transformer.
** ''Armada'' makes Galvatron say that if they don't continue their battle, all their fighting has been pointless before making a very unwanted claim of how the universe can have only one ruler. The kids respond with annoyance except for Fred and Billy, with the former asking when they're gonna eat and the latter saying that he would give him his fist to chew on. Galvatron says it's now time to deal with the other obstacle before Alexis jumps in, reminding him of why Starscream sacrificed himself, to which Galvatron answers that Starscream was a fool before Alexis says that he wanted everyone to leave in peace. Galvatron tells the kids to understand the simple concept of only one person ruling the universe before claiming that it's going to be him, then Optimus asks if battling Unicron was just a means to an end. Galvatron confirms this and says he used him to further his ambitions, asking if it's wrong to think highly of yourself, to which Optimus says yes and continues that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Then, in a bit of an out-of-character moment, he claims that he should've let Unicron destroy Galvatron. Galvatron says that this conversation is interesting, but Optimus fails to comprehend his own argument before reminding him of what Unicron said about their dilemma and asks if Optimus is either oppressing his hatred of him or actually likes him. Once Optimus reintroduces himself, Galvatron replies that he never changes and says Prime can deny his hatred all he wants, but he knows the real truth in his heart.
* When Unicron starts to move, Hot Shot suggests it's maybe better if they wait until Optimus gets back to figure out what to do, then later says no to Red Alert's suggestion that this is the best opportunity to retrieve him and the kids and that everyone should stay here and be on the lookout in ''Armada''. ''Legends of the Microns'' is mostly the same, but Hot Shot asks if Optimus, Galvatron, and the kids are still inside Unicron, then when responding to Red Alert's suggestion, mentions that the fleet's on standby. He then asks what the chances of Unicron attacking are, and if anything does happen, he can always count on Jetfire to take charge.
* Jetfire speaks in a lot more of a commanding tone when suggesting that he goes and retrieves everyone on Unicron in ''Armada'' compared to ''Legends of the Microns''. When Jetfire leaves, and Cyclonus catches up with him, ''Armada'' plays the [[Theme song|theme song]] whereas no music is present in ''Legends of the Microns''.
[[File:Mortal Combat animation changes.jpg|thumb|340px|Animation changes between ''Armada'' (left) and ''Legends of the Microns'' screencaps (right).]]
* The kids' departure from Optimus and Galvatron brings in more differences, yet still being ''somewhat'' the same thing in between dubs:
** Before pointing out the differences between the dialogue, there are some surprising animation shot changes between versions.
*** When Optimus says the children's names before his speech, ''Armada'' has an exclusive pan of the kids. ''Legends of the Microns'' instead uses a later shot of Optimus looking down on the kids during this sequence (see right).
*** After Optimus tells the Mini-Cons to look after the kids, High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock's shot are drawn differently in each version, with the Japanese dub swapping places between High Wire and Grindor to provide more consistency on who is where (see right).
** ''Armada'' has Galvatron ask the kids to step aside since he and Optimus have "business" to take care of, then Carlos says they aren't going anywhere, and Billy confidently says Optimus isn't going to fight. Galvatron mockingly replies that Optimus will let himself get obliterated before the latter thanks the kids for helping the Autobots save the Mini-Cons. Optimus then assures Galvatron is right about ending hate in the universe and that he must now finish what he started. Sureshock asks Optimus why he should fight after he entrusts them with the children, with the latter then saying it's the only way to achieve peace. Rad tells him he shouldn't let Galvatron suck him into this but later realizes Optimus isn't going to change. He then asks if they'll see each other again soon, and Optimus assures him that they will, and he'll always remember him. Optimus and Galvatron then bid the kids farewell, as quoted above.
** In ''Legends of the Microns'', Galvatron asks the kids to leave Unicron since this is his and Optimus' fight, with Carlos asking why he still can't understand what they are saying and Billy reaffirming that there's no need to fight. Galvatron says it doesn't look like Optimus believes that before the latter says to the kids that they would've never been able to defeat Unicron without their help, but apologizes for going to fight with Galvatron and that he's still a regular Transformer when one removes the "Supreme Commander" title from him. Optimus trusts the Mini-Cons to take care of the children and assures them that they all must rely on their strength to carry on, which makes Rad ask if he is going to fight. Rad thanks Optimus for everything that has happened, and the latter assures vice versa and that he wouldn't be standing here today without Rad. High Wire says all of the kids' names whenever his eyes glow, and Optimus tells them farewell and to head toward the future. Galvatron is silent here.
* Galvatron talks about being only with Optimus in ''Armada'', to which Optimus says that the time of speeches is over and it's time to end their quarrel, then later says Galvatron shouldn't be surprised and that this is what he wants before throwing the Matrix out. ''Legends of the Microns'' has Galvatron asking Optimus what's wrong, with Prime replying that he was right, which is why they'll fight as Transformers from this point onward.
* After tossing the Matrix before his final battle against Galvatron, Optimus says that he's fighting him not as a Commander "but as a Transformer called Optimus Prime!"
* After Optimus shoots at Galvatron, he comments on how he was the first one to attack in ''Legends of the Microns'', whereas ''Armada'' has him say that Optimus is not superior to him.
* When Cyclonus stops shooting at Unicron, he says he just got carried away in ''Armada'' whereas ''Legends of the Microns'' has him say, "I guess so..." Jetfire's reaction is also changed from him telling Cyclonus to knock it off in the English dub, but immediately remarks of Optimus and the others being inside Unicron in Japanese.
* When Jetfire notices the kids coming out of Unicron, ''Armada'' has Rad sounding shocked about the teleportation he just witnessed, but ''Legends of the Microns'' has him silent and instead has Jetfire point out the kids.
* The union's discussion back at the [[Axalon (Armada)|Axalon]] is subtly different between versions:
** ''Legends of the Microns'' has Hoist ask how they are supposed to protect space with Unicron floating around, which Scavenger then asks what they are going to do since he's just there defenseless. Wheeljack asks Hot Shot what's the purpose of uniting the Transformers race before encouraging him to think, and then Demolishor reminds everyone that Galvatron is still inside Unicron. Side Swipe reminds everyone that Optimus is there too, to which Blurr responds that the two leaders are focusing intently on their duel, but he can't say why. Hot Shot then concludes that this might be their only chance to destroy Unicron, and even if Optimus is still inside, they must carry out the attack.
** ''Armada'' has Hoist suggest that they should wait for Jetfire and the kids to return before they do anything, with Scavenger agreeing. Wheeljack suggests to Hot Shot they should commence an assault now before Demolishor and Sideswipe remind him that the two leaders are still inside Unicron and they might get hit. Blurr says that it might be best for Optimus to return first, and he doesn't think they have a choice, and then Hot Shot evaluates that Unicron can't be fully recovered, nor Optimus and Galvatron should get hurt before he announces the assault.
* ''Legends of the Microns'' has Hot Shot's announcement longer than ''Armada'', which also focuses more on Optimus and Galvatron being inside than the actual attack.
* After Galvatron gets thrown off course due to his blaster getting clogged, ''Armada'' has Galvatron saying he didn't expect Optimus to defend himself, but he's glad that he is his old self again, and all of this reminds him of the good old days. His laugh during this also has an echo effect. Meanwhile, in ''Legends of the Microns'', Galvatron says this is what he expects from a top-class Transformer who fights and then remarks on how fun this is.
* Unicron's words hovering over Optimus gives the same intent in both dubs, but like with "[[Origin]]," there's no mention of Optimus being like Galvatron if he doesn't have the Matrix in ''Armada'' and instead, Unicron talks about he loves the smell of battle.
[[File:Mortal Combat ML Exclusive Shot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|An exclusive ''Legends of the Microns'' shot—too disturbing for the kids?]]
* When the scene cuts back to their duel, ''Legends of the Microns'' adds a short clip where Galvatron rips out his destroyed cannon to throw it at Optimus before striking him with his horns (see right). ''Armada'' only shows Optimus blocking a seemingly random object thrown at him.
* Where High Wire says that Sideways was eliminated and Unicron is only in a dormant state in ''Armada'', ''Legends of the Microns'' has him say that defeating Sideways didn't kill off Unicron. In the same shot, Carlos asks what High Wire means in ''Legends of the Microns'', but says, "Mind saying that in English?" in Armada.
* Alexis in ''Armada'' makes it so that the hole in Unicron's armor seemingly opens itself, making Billy's response awkward. Rad also wonders if it's a telltale sign that Optimus is okay. ''Legends of the Microns'' has Alexis say the union managed to punch a hole in Unicron's armor, so Billy getting excited is more appropriate here, and Rad asks if Optimus is alright with no relation to the hole.
* Wheeljack says they are about to launch the second wave in ''Armada'', but tells the ''attack'' wave company to follow him ''Legends of the Microns''.
* Galvatron tells Optimus that he demands satisfaction since it can't end anti-climatically in ''Armada'', while ''Legends of the Microns'' has him ask if that's all he got and if this is how their grudge is going to end after thousands of years. Optimus says, "End?" before chuckling in ''Legends of the Microns'', whereas ''Armada'' has him say that he wishes he could accommodate Galvatron. Galvatron then tells Optimus to get up so he can destroy him, with the latter replying to not count on it''Armada''. ''Legends of the Microns'' simply has Galvatron telling Optimus to get up, and the latter says this isn't over yet.
* Galvatron says, "That's the enemy I've come to know!" after Optimus gets up in ''Legends of the Microns'', whereas ''Armada'' has him say, "That's more like it, Prime!"
* Galvatron replies to his men about beating Unicron to forget about him and that his power will be his, then reminds Optimus about their battle in ''Armada''. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him say that Unicron is nothing but scrap metal now, and his excitement has only just begun. Additionally, Optimus says to Hot Shot he'll take care of Galvatron and tells him and everyone to attack Unicron with everything they got in the English dub. In contrast, he tells Hot Shot to leave him and Galvatron alone in the Japanese dub, and from this point onward, Hot Shot is in command.
* Hot Shot says Optimus' name in ''Legends of the Microns'' but says "No problem," in ''Armada'' in a tired tone.
* ''Armada'' uses the theme song's insert trance version for the remainder of Optimus and Galvatron's fight and plays right when Hot Shot commands everyone to attack. ''Legends of the Microns'' instead uses "[[The Transformers Legends of the Microns: Sound of Evolution Vol. 2|Theme of Megatron - Attack by Villains]]" and plays it when Unicron is transforming.
* When the kids notice the Matrix floating in space, Jetfire asks what Rad just said in ''Legends of the Microns'', but doesn't say anything in ''Armada''. Additionally ''Armada'' has Alexis asking why he would take it off, with Carlos saying that's too freaky, followed by Billy saying there has to be a reason. Then Fred suggests that maybe there's something Optimus is not telling them. ''Legends of the Microns'' moves Alexis' line of why Optimus would take the Matrix off to Carlos; Billy says he has no idea, and Fred responds in fear, asking if this means Optimus is not the commander anymore.
* The shot of Optimus panting was redrawn in ''Legends of the Microns'' to have more accurate shading and proportions (see above).
* Once again, Optimus and Galvatron's conversation after they fought is a lot different between dubs, especially with Optimus:
** In ''Legends of the Microns'', Galvatron tells Optimus that he is incredibly strong and that while he can't go on due to him falling apart, the battle was fun. Optimus then agrees despite him hating to admit it, followed by Galvatron saying as long as he knows how to fight, they are both the same, and Transformers love to fight overall. Optimus agrees with this, too, and says we're forged with a warrior's instincts, but he seeks the light beyond the combat and says that justice is indeed obtained by winning in the end, which he tried to deny before the fight. Galvatron responds in delight to what Optimus just said but tells him never to forget that justice can only be obtained through the hardships of battle.
** ''Armada'' has Galvatron say that this is the old Optimus he used to know, and follows that he has nothing left to offer and Optimus won fair and square, but the latter thinks they should call it a draw. Galvatron remarks how they went at it after all these years of being evenly matched and admits he enjoyed every nanosecond of it. Optimus apologizes that he can never admit to a joined battle, but it was necessary to remain at peace even if he might never see that day and hopes whoever survives this will remove evil from the universe. Galvatron then laughs and says that Optimus is right about never surviving beyond today, which means that he would now be the supreme commander.
* Near the end, where Optimus refuses to let go of Galvatron from being sucked into Unicron, Galvatron practically yells at Optimus to let go so Unicron will die from the lack of evil and to watch over the others after slicing his tread in ''Armada''. ''Legends of the Microns'' goes philosophical as Galvatron observes that both might've been looking for the same thing despite their differences, and Optimus is the light while he represents the dark. On slicing his tread, Galvatron adds that even in the next generation/world, Prime is destined to be his rival, darkness will exist as long as there's light, and not forget that evil is eternal. Optimus yells his rival's name after Galvatron disappears into Unicron in ''Armada'', but whispers "Megatron" in ''Legends of the Microns''.
* Optimus not wanting the Matrix is the same in both versions, but ''Legends of the Microns'' also has him say that even now, he's still not worthy of carrying it, which better concludes his arc of being worthy of the Matrix, starting with "[[Crisis (Armada)|Crisis]]."
* The final moments with the Transformers and children is subtly different in the dubs, but nothing too major, unlike the past examples:
* ''Legends of the Microns'' has Hot Shot say that he now believes they'll always be comrades no matter what happens, with Carlos agreeing and saying it doesn't matter if they're on Earth or Cybertron, and Jetfire agrees with that. He then says that they learned lessons from the kids, with Alexis saying the kids themselves learned a lot from them too. Fred asks if everyone is going to rebuild Cybertron, and Hot Shot says yes, and it doesn't matter if it's the Autobots, Decepticons, or Mini-Cons, since they all want to build a new Transformer world. Billy responds that they'll also try making Earth the most peaceful planet in the universe, and After disjointing from Perceptor, High Wire says goodbye and thank you. Alexis tells Sureshock that she is truly grateful, and Carlos then says he's not going to cry about the departure along with Fred, with Billy telling them to knock it off since they already are and Fred snapping back that he's not. Rad then asks about Optimus, with Hot Shot stating not to worry and that even without the Matrix, he'll always be their commander, with Jetfire in agreement. Rad then gives his final monologue, saying their real adventure has just begun.
* In ''Armada'', Hot Shot says they will never forget the kids, and Carlos replies with vice versa. Jetfire then thanks the kids for all they taught them, with Alexis saying they learned a lot from them. Fred asks Hot Shot and Jetfire to stop by Earth if they are ever in the Solar System, which the former promises but says it might be a long time to come since Cybertron is being rebuilt and with the war being over, with Billy happily stating that the Autobots and Decepticons are finally getting along. High Wire tells the kids that they'll always be in the Mini-Cons' memory, with Rad saying vice versa and Alexis saying they'll never forget them. When Carlos is holding back from crying, he says this is harder than he thought, and when Billy points out that they are balling like babies, Fred points out that he's crying too. When Rad asks about Optimus, Hot Shot says he's not sure where Prime is but is sure he's out there somewhere, with Jetfire then stating he's right here in all of their hearts. Rad agrees and gives his final monologue of Optimus always being a part of them no matter where they are or go.
** When the kids get dropped off by Hot Shot and Jetfire, and they thank them for it, the shot of them talking is redrawn in ''Legends of the Microns'' to have more posing than ''Armada''.
* Optimus's ending narration in ''Armada'' is the aftermath of Unicron's defeat, saying that Unicron has become powerless with the war over, and he and Galvatron have scattered across the universe. Optimus states that he's served his purpose now that Cybertron is safe and the Transformers live in peace with the Mini-Cons and mentions that if you see a peaceful star far away, it might be Cybertron. ''Legends of the Microns'' gives Optimus a more sincere narration that flows more with Unicron feeding off of hatred, with him talking about how even a battle fought for justice will always produce a degree of hate. However, to prevent Unicron's revival, you must have faith and a heart that ever seeks justice, and as long as you believe in that, anyone can become your comrade.

===Animation and technical errors===
[[File:ArmadaRhinoxTV.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|"We never had any evil gods on prehistoric Earth."]]
* Optimus's busted truck wheel shrinks down considerably to fit inside Galvatron's cannon to jam it.
* There's an awkward silence when High Wire's eyes start glowing up, and he's supposed to talk when that happens. ''Legends of the Microns'' has High Wire say each kid's name when his eyes glow, so this error gets fixed.
* When Tidal Wave and his fleet show up to attack Unicron, he looks off-model and lacks detail(Notice the missing canons). ''Legends of the Microns'' entirely redraws him with a more accurate model and makes his animation less jagged (see above).
* When Hot Shot yells "Attack!" as Unicron transforms back into planet mode, the animation shows the Transformer fleet ''escaping'' (which would make sense), suggesting Hot Shot's line was a scripting error. ''Legends of the Microns'' has him say Optimus' name.
* Rhinox is colored like his original [[Rhinox (BW)/toys#TM1|Transmetal toy]] instead of his ''Armada'' toy.

===Continuity notes===
[[File:Armada 52 - Prime and no Matrix.jpg|thumb|How many Autobot [[insignia]]s does he have...?]]
* Does it seem like Alexis's hair grows slightly longer during the Unicron Battles?
* According to the ''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'', Optimus and Galvatron's final battle is settling their differences and answering the questions Sideways asked in the previous episode.
* Rhinox makes his only physical debut in the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]. [[Ask Vector Prime]] revealed in [[2015]] that Rhinox perished during the battle; Vector Prime also revealed that poor [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]'s upgrades were left incomplete due to Rhinox's death.
* This episode is the first time in the series that characters bleed upon receiving damage. As Optimus and Galvatron duel, parts of Unicron's insides take damage, with slightly yellowish-white liquid pouring out. Later, as the Decepticon leader rips a pipe from Unicron's armor to use as a weapon, bright red liquid pours out from where the pipe used to be. Additionally, when Galvatron slices Prime's chest with his wrist blade, his wound is briefly highlighted with bright red.
* That was a strangely heroic sacrifice from Galvatron—''who knew he could be a good guy sometimes?'' More true to his character, his self-sacrifice isn't heroic in the Japanese dub.
* In the second-to-last shot, Prime returns to his original colors but hasn't reclaimed the Matrix, as his Matrix compartment is visibly empty during his transformation.
* This episode marks the last time [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Hoist]], [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]], [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]]—if you don't think [[Blurr (Cybertron)|Blurr]] from ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' is the same one—[[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]], and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] appear in the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]].
** This also marks the last time Billy and Fred appear in the Unicron Trilogy, as they don't return in ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' nor ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''{{'}}s final episode. The reason is most likely because, according to the ''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'', the team never planned on making them staple cast members, and they only lasted this long since the team never got around to writing them out.
* Even with Galvatron sacrificing himself to remove evil from the universe, Unicron survived, marking the gateway to ''Energon''.
* Gadgets and powers:
** Since being deactivated, Unicron automatically reverts to planet mode as a defense mechanism.
** Grindor can fly in skateboard mode; "[[Base]]" and "[[Comrade]]" previously alluded to this ability.
** The Mini-Con super weapons seem able to fly, which seems to be a common feature among Mini-Con super weapons/Powerlinxed forms, as seen with the [[Magnawing]] in ''[[Linkage (comic)|Linkage]]'', the [[Energon Saber]] in ''Energon'', and the [[Umbral Blaster]] in the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron: Balancing Act|Cybertron]]'' comic.
** The Mini-Cons tap into the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage dimension]] to phase them and the kids through Unicron's armor.
** Galvatron hasn't used his antlers to attack anyone since he went by the name "Megatron" in "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]." They seem to shock opponents too.
** Galvatron uses his wrist blade for the first and last time in this episode, using it twice.
** Optimus has ninja-like reflexes and can tip-toe on thin pipes—''what a badass.''
** Unicron can warp.

===Continuity errors===
* What's with Galvatron saying there can only be one universe ruler throughout the episode? It's like that's the best reason he can come up with for wanting to fight Optimus—granted, he is known to play tricks, but still. ''Legends of the Microns'' doesn't mention the supreme commander stuff, so it's a non-issue.
* After tossing out the Matrix before his final battle to the death against Galvatron, Optimus says that he's fighting him as the leader of ''all Transformers''; since when did Optimus Prime have such an uncharacteristic ego? ''Legends of the Microns'' fixes this glaring error by having Optimus say, "I am not fighting you as a Commander but as a Transformer called Convoy!" In other words, Prime fights Galvatron, not as the Autobot supreme commander, but as himself.
* Why would Hot Shot announce that it's now time to shift into stealth mode when they are doing the exact opposite the whole battle? Great hypocritically there. ''Legends of the Microns'' changes Hot Shot's line to him ordering everyone to attack Unicron's moving parts, so this is a non-issue.
* Wheeljack tells Hot Shot that Unicron is headed towards Cybertron again, even though the next scene has him transforming into his planet mode. ''Legends of the Microns'' correctly has Wheeljack say that Unicron is changing to his planet mode.
* During the end of their duel, Galvatron strikes a metal pipe in Optimus's back, who tries to pull it out unsuccessfully in a later shot, after which the pipe completely disappears.

===Transformers references===
* [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]] is visible in the hangar during the raid against Unicron. Because of the unanticipated success of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', he and the other ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' remolds were released, but they were unable to receive larger roles in [[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|the show]].

===Real-world references===
* The Autobot/Decepticon fighters flying and firing down Unicron's trenches are an obvious nod to ''{{w|Star Wars (film)|Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope}}'s'' [[Death Star]] trench run.

===Trivia===
[[File:Tf ml 01 52 comparison title card.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|Time for kanji quiz, kids!]]
* The English dub of "Mortal Combat" first aired in the United Kingdom. It aired in the United States on [[December 12]], 2003.
* Unlike the previous 51 episodes, the title card in this episode's Japanese airing didn't have the usual alternate-reading {{w|furigana}} over the {{w|kanji}} title as seen on the right.
* This episode has some of the biggest differences in characterization and dialogue between the English and Japanese versions, particularly with Optimus and Galvatron, where the reason they are fighting is practically warped in the former version. Thus, many of their actions can appear unnatural and random compared to the Japanese dub, see above. Whether it's the case of the English dub's rushed schedule or wanting to simplify the themes for English viewers—like in "[[Trust (Armada)|Trust]]"—is still unknown.
* According to the ''Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003'':
** When the team finished making this episode, they all felt a sense of completion, like when Optimus sacrificed himself in "Crisis," and felt this series expanded the Transformers brand into a new direction, with it being slightly different from past iterations. The team also hopes that viewers can think about what they made.
** Optimus and Galvatron's final battle is perhaps the show's crowning achievement, nothing short of spectacular. ''And how!''
*** The fact that Optimus fights Galvatron with his fists and ingenuity, while Galvatron uses all the weapons at his disposal and his trump card knife proves Prime is the superior fighter.
** [[Munetaka Abe]]'s primary concern when animating was how to convey emotion with Optimus before the fight since he only has eyes, unlike Galvatron. Abe was also surprised when he heard about Optimus throwing the Matrix away in this episode.
** [[Hidehito Ueda]] thinks "trust" is the keyword of this series, so he wanted Optimus's last message in the episode to convey that and use it as a settlement for not only what Optimus endured throughout the show but what the team experienced while making it.

===Foreign localization===
'''German'''
:* ''Title:'' "'''Unicrons Ende'''" ("Unicron's End")
:* ''Original airdate:'' [[January 16|16 January]] [[2004]]

'''Hungarian'''
:* ''Title:'' "'''A végső csata'''" ("The Final Battle")

'''Portuguese'''
:* ''Title:'' "'''Combate Mortal'''" ("Mortal Combat")
{{--}}

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Legends of the Microns'' — Volume 13 ([[Columbia Music Entertainment]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2006 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two ([[Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Collector's Edition ([[Universal]]) 
[[File:Flag of Germany.png|20px|Germany]] 2009 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two ([[New KSM]]) — English and German audio. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers: Armada'' — The Complete Series ([[Shout! Studios]])

[[Category:Armada episodes]]

The Burden Hardest to Bear

2023-08-25T01:16:29Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=93
|series2=2010
|ep2=28
|prev2=The Face of the Nijika
|next2=Daniel's Adventure
|image=Matrix burden 2.jpg
|caption=You found me beautiful, once.
|title="The Burden Hardest to Bear"
|season=3
|season ep=28
|production code=700-114
|airdate=[[November 19]], 1986
|written by=[[Michael Charles Hill]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]], [[Trans Arts Co.]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3QiWn-MOM
|videosite=YouTube
}}

'''Overwhelmed by the burdens of leadership, Rodimus Prime doesn't care too much when the Decepticons steal the Matrix of Leadership away from him.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:BurdenHardest Defensor Bruticus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|So, uh... If what looks like is about to happen happens... does it count as an orgy?]]

At dawn, the people of [[Japan]] are awakening to do their daily tasks: fishing, going to shrines, and sword practice. Then, the [[Decepticon]]s show up to cause random trouble.

[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] begin harassing a few fishermen, but are chased off by [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] tries to ram a train head on (real smart) only to have the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] drive him away. [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] fight it out, when [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] arrive, but are driven off by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. However, instead of thanking the [[Autobot]]s for saving many lives, the government of Japan is very upset, saying that the Autobots frightened people and ruined business (thankless bipeds). When [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and brings more problems to Rodimus, the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] loses patience, [[Transformation|transforms]], and drives off. Marissa is perplexed, and Kup says that Rodimus is struggling with his ''giri'', a Japanese word he translates as "the burden hardest to bear". He says that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] went through the same process after he first received the [[Matrix of Leadership]], eventually learning to live with and respect his ''giri''. Marissa decides to follow Rodimus, to let him have someone to talk to.

[[File:Matrix burden 1.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Galvatron takes the brown acid.]]

Meeting up on the highway, however, the two are attacked by [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], who knock Marissa's [[spinner]] into a lake and force Rodimus off a cliff. When they inspect Rodimus, they find the Matrix. Realizing that [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] will be ''really'' happy, they steal it and return to [[Chaar]]. In his throne room, Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon, but instead of making it even more powerful like he had hoped, visions of the [[Ancient Autobots]] (including Optimus Prime himself) seep out of the barrel and demand that Galvatron return the Matrix. Galvatron orders [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] to destroy the Matrix, believing it better to be destroyed if the Decepticons can't have it. But instead, Scourge inserts the Matrix into himself, gaining immense power even as he mutates grotesquely.

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod recover.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Augh... can't get the mental image of Bruticus/Defensor out!]]

Meanwhile, the Autobot leader wakes up, to learn that he's reverted to Hot Rod. [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] argue that they should go after the Decepticons, but Hot Rod feels that the Matrix isn't worth it, and jets off. Real smart idea, Roddy. On Chaar, Scourge challenges Galvatron, defeating him and Cyclonus easily, before leading the Decepticons off to Earth. Galvatron and Cyclonus still function, and set off in pursuit in the ''[[Revenge (G1)|Revenge]]''.

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod retrieves matrix.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Yoink!]]

On Earth, Hot Rod, while watching a martial arts class, gets some perspective and some wisdom from the kendo instructor, and realizes that he needs to get the Matrix back. Meanwhile, Scourge arrives in Japan with his forces, tossing around the Autobots. Broadside tosses him to the ground and he frightens an elderly woman. Ozu, one of the kendo students, comes to her aid, attacking Scourge with a sword and he begins to chase the pair. He corners them in a blind alley, only for Hot Rod to arrive. Shocked at the changes the Matrix has wrought in Scourge, Hot Rod defeats the Decepticon and reclaims the Matrix, becoming Rodimus Prime once more. Galvatron and Cyclonus find a less powerful, and very frightened, Scourge. And they are none too happy with him...

As the Decepticons retreat, Rodimus realizes that he must deal with his missing part, as have those who came before him. Kup reminds him that no matter who carries the Matrix, he will retain that part forever.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (1)
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (8)
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (9)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (10)
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] (11)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (12)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (13)
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (14)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (21)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod]] (22)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (23)
*[[Ancient Autobots]] (35)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (36)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (37)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (38)

|c2=
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (2)
*[[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (3)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (4)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (5)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (6)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (7)
*[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] (15)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] (18)
*[[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (19)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (20)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (24)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (25)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (26)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (27)
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (28)
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] (31)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (32)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (33)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (34)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (39)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (40)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (41)
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] (42)
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (43)

|c3=
*[[Ozu's sensei]] (16)
*[[Ozu (G1)|Ozu]] (17)
*Disgruntled businessmen (29)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (30)
*[[Old Japanese lady]] (44)
}}

==Quotes==
"Eh, you've had worse times." 
"Yeah, when do they get better? That's what ''I'' wanna know."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Rodimus'''

"{{w|Second City Television|He done blowed up real good}}."
:—'''Wildrider''', master of grammar

"You dropped it, didn't you? You broke the Matrix, didn't you?!"
:—'''Galvatron'''

"Return the Matrix! Return the Matrix!"

:—'''Ancient Autobots'''

"Scourge, take this and destroy it!" 
"But mighty Galvatron, you agreed to return it." 
"I lied! If we can't have it, then no one shall!"
:—'''Galvatron''' ordering '''Scourge''' to destroy the Matrix.

"Aren't you getting a little carried away here? I'm still me, you're still you: Matrix, schmatrix."
:—'''Hot Rod''' is flippant after losing a hand-me-down.

"I...still....function...."

:—'''Cyclonus''' referencing a [[The Transformers: The Movie|callback]].

"We're too late, Galvatron! Scourge has already launched his assault!" 
"He doesn't know the meaning of the word assault, but he's going to learn!"
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Galvatron'''

"Oh no, we're trapped! We'll be killed!" 
"Remarkable. The woman is clairvoyant!" 
:—'''Scourge''' mocks [[Old Japanese lady|his intended victim]].

"The Matrix did this to you? Then I have to take it back. I see now it is my obligation. I belong to it... as much as it belongs to me!"
:—'''Hot Rod'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s realization at last.

"Well, son of a gun. Found that missing part, huh?" 
"Not just the Matrix, Kup, a missing part of... myself."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Rodimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Burdenhardest marissa finds rodimus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Spend $14.99 to get the same guy, just minus two lines on his face.]]
*Broadside appears in his more toy-based model, with a faceplate, smaller head and large separated optics. He's also shown to be ''huge'', in keeping with his aircraft carrier mode, something which other episodes often failed to convey.
*This episode is one of a handful that finds excuses to turn Rodimus back into Hot Rod, presumably since that toy needed to be plugged as well.
*The Matrix's adverse effects on Scourge could be explained as a result of him having been created by [[Unicron]].
*Gadgets and powers:
**Bruticus can somehow tilt his back cannons forward and fire them over his shoulders, something his ''Generations'' toys can do.
**It seems that ''someone'' remembered the Stunticons' "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|automatic forcefields]]", as Wildrider survives a head-on collision with Rodimus without a scratch, while Rodimus goes down in flames.
*When Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon, he says "Now, [['Til all are one|all shall become one]], under Galvatron's rule!"
*After he rams Scourge, Hot Rod transforms in a manner similar to one of his transformations from the movie.
*This episode marks the last appearance of Springer, Broadside, Astrotrain, Devastator and Marissa Faireborn in US continuity.
*Astrotrain actually travels on the railroad his locomotive mode was designed for in this episode.
*The Ancient Autobot "ghosts" emerging from the Matrix include:
**A [[generic]] character design that was previously seen in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]" and "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]". His colors have changed, though, and he dropped the antennas on the sides of his head he sported in "The Key to Vector Sigma".
**Optimus Prime (he'll be back next episode)
**A variety of other designs appear alongside him, none of which match either the leaders we saw back in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4|Five Faces of Darkness]]" or will see in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]". At least one is based on [[Internuncio|these guys]].
***The yellow, the red and the orange-and-blue Matrix ghosts' character models were reused in the Japanese [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'' cartoon]] as various generic Autobots.
*While the episode order can vary, it's a little funny that the episode about Rodimus finally getting used to being leader of the Autobots was followed by the episode in which Optimus returns to replace him.

===Real-world references===
[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear MountFuji.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
[[File:BurdenHardestBear Sensei.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
[[File:BurdenHardestToBear Japanese PM.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|[[Netflix]] lied to us! This is nothing like ''Aggretsuko'' at all!]]
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-imperial-palace.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Set in Japan (see also: "[[Kremzeek!]]"), the episode is replete with references to Japanese culture. We see a fishing boat (all wood, with hand-cast nets), a high speed bullet train passing by Mt. Fuji, a kendo dojo, a woman about to offer prayer at a Shinto shrine garden, and a surprisingly accurate rendition of the {{w|Tokyo Imperial Palace}} and its Seimon Ishibashi bridge, where Rodimus meets with the [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]]. We also see Rodimus get chewed out by government guys who are stereotypically worked up about robot battles being "very bad for business." And of course there's that metaphorical rising sun in the opening shot.
*''{{w|Giri (Japanese)|Giri}}'' (義理) is a real Japanese word and concept with long roots, but the specific translation of "the burden hardest to bear" comes from ''{{w|The Yakuza}}'', an American crime film from the 1970s.<ref>[https://www.moviequotedb.com/movies/yakuza-the.html Quote from ''The Yakuza''] whence comes "the burden hardest to bear"</ref> Defining it this way is questionable, as ''giri'' more accurately refers to one's social responsibilities and duties, regardless of their difficulty. But in broad strokes, Rodimus's arc does echo the tension between ''giri'' and ''{{w|ninjō}}'' (or "human feeling") that has historically driven much of Japanese drama.
**In addition to ''{{w|The Yakuza}}'', Hill took inspiration from ''{{w|Hagakure}}'', an 18th century book on bushidō written by the samurai {{w|Yamamoto Tsunetomo}}.
*The train driver calls in the incident with Astrotrain to "JNR Central", referring to {{w|Japanese National Railways}} (which in the real world would be broken up and privatized only a year after this episode aired.) The specific line is called out as the {{w|Yamanote Line}}, which... is an urban transit line entirely within Tokyo, and certainly doesn't pass by Mt. Fuji, but hey, points for trying! The train itself appears to be very loosely based on the {{w|0 Series Shinkansen}} trainsets.
*The voice acting for several Japanese characters in this episode employs a very stereotypical Western view of Asian people and their pronunciation of English words.
*The naming of Marissa's vehicle as a "spinner" presumably comes from the hovercar vehicles of the same name in ''Blade Runner''.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**Scourge launches for Earth with the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst noise.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Coloring errors:
**Devastator is colored olive green rather than light green in the opening battle.
**Behind him, Predaking is colored entirely orange.
**The first time we see Cyclonus, his nose cone is purple. In the next shot, part of it is grey.
**Onslaught - visible for only a split second as Bruticus separates - remains in the light gray color of Bruticus's torso, even though he should be dark blue. Swindle's weapons are also colored the same yellow as Swindle himself, instead of dark gray.
**Rodimus' spoiler should be orange in the middle, but many shots have it colored completely in yellow.
**Magnus's missiles are white instead of red as he turns to receive Kup's report on the missing Hot Rod. In the same shot, Springer's cheekguards are abnormally huge.
**In one shot of Optimus Prime's "ghost", he is colored completely blue.
**The orange shapes on Cyclonus' chest are colored red in several shots.
**In the pan across the fallen Cyclonus, Hook (standing between Predaking and Drag Strip) is colored like Dead End.
*Devastator splits apart into the Constructicons off-screen, with no transformation sound and no indication of ''why'' he separated.
[[File:BurdenHardestBear Constructicons water.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Hook has two optics instead of a visor as the Constructicons retreat.
*A shot of Astrotrain from the human train's perspective shows no tracks on the ground.
[[File:BurdenHardest superion in flight.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Superion's mouthplate doesn't move as he speaks; his voice continues giving the command to separate after his components have separated.
*The Aerialbots' lasers simply come from unmarked points on their wingtips.
*Rodimus' crest is missing the horizontal line during most shots in this episode.
*When Rodimus is called to the palace, he's missing his Autobot logo.
*As he says, "When do they get better, that's what I want to know," Rodimus' face becomes all glitched up, with a partially miscolored helmet and a huge shadow line where his eyes should be.
*For some reason, the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] [[insignia|logo]] on Marissa Faireborne's shoulder has been replaced with "AOC".
*When Rodimus drives away from Marissa, his smoke trail appears behind Kup instead of in front of him and his vehicle form is about half of Marissa's height. Also, Sky Lynx is missing in the shot.
*Improbable viewpoints:
**Rodimus' display shows a rear angle shot of Dead End and Wildrider, but he's in'' front'' of them.
[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear Stunticons Matrix.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Wildrider holds the matrix, it looks like a big yellow blob. The next shot shows it in the usual colors and configuration.
*After Wildrider and Dead End drive off with the Matrix, Rodimus reverts to robot mode; the animation of him settling into place is played twice.
*While Rodimus is reverted to Hot Rod, he's still occasionally drawn using Rodimus Prime's [[character model]].
[[File:BurdenHardest Chaar and moons.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"...A burnt-out hulk of a planet called Chaar, a world of... ash... and ruin? What?"]]
*Chaar is portrayed using Cybertron's post-Movie model, with two similarly designed moons.
*Attending Galvatron's throne room are several Decepticons of made-up design, colored as Constructicons (in the same olive-yellow seen previously.)
*Galvatron's throne changes color and design multiple times throughout one scene.
*The ghost image of Optimus has two fog lights instead of four.
*As Galvatron tosses the Matrix to Scourge:
**[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] have replaced the generic non-Constructicons that were there previously; they are also drawn as normal-scaled Decepticons.
**The Matrix is missing its handles.
*When Rodimus wakes and touches his forehead in the next scene, his face is partly purple.
*A few shots later (during the "Matrix, schmatrix..." lines), the depressions in Rodimus' shoulders are blue instead of white.
*Galvatron is missing the red squares on the tops of his shoulders in most shots.
*Wrong lasers:
**Cyclonus' gun fires a yellow laser. That's the Autobot color (it should be purple). It also uses a non-standard sound effect.
**Hot Rod carries a gray laser gun rather than the usual red rifle. It has a non-standard sound effect instead of Prime's rifle sound effect.
**In the battle scenes just before the Decepticons retreat, ''nobody'' has the standard Autobot or Decepticon laser sound effects.
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-scourge-morphs.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.2|It's an evolution revolution! or I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by!]]
*After he dispatches Galvatron and Cyclonus, Scourge transforms with one of the most cheatsy sequences in the whole series - he simply melts or morphs into his vehicle form.
*When Cyclonus helps Galvatron up from the cliffside, he speaks in mutated Scourge's voice.
*The sensei continues making aggressive fighting noises long after his student opponent has lost his weapon and retreated.
*Galvatron's ship is gray instead of purple.
*The first shot of Galvatron aboard his ship has the whole bottom half of his face in dark gray instead of just his chin
*Two of the hovercraft-mode Sweeps accompanying Scourge are drawn with the heads-sticking-up model.
*Confusing animation and editing makes it very unclear what's happening at the start of Scourge's assault. We're supposed to see a large outdoor video screen showing a character firing a laser gun; then a transport passing by on the street gets blown up by Scourge, making it seem like the movie character blew up the transport - but it all happens so fast there's no time to figure it out.
*Scourge's energy blasts are very poorly animated, often lacking their glow effect and sometimes failing to connect with their targets at all.
*Kup's cry of pain comes ''before'' Scourge actually blasts him.
*When Galvatron opens the airlock door, one shot has "AIR LO'''O'''K" written on it. Also, it's not actually an {{w|airlock}} - it's just a door directly into space, with no airlock chamber and no apparent mechanism to adjust either pressure or air.
*The Matrix is in Scourge's chest, but later Hot Rod pulls it out of his stomach.
*When Hot Rod fires his first shots at Scourge, the background behind him has turned from a dark, grubby alleyway brick wall into a lit-up building - the same building he pulls up in front of as Rodimus Prime once the Decepticons pull out.
*As Hot Rod holds the Matrix, one shot has his arm pipes clipping through it.
*Hot Rod sticks the Matrix into his chest without opening a compartment for it.
*As Galvatron and Cyclonus fly Scourge away from the city, Galvatron is mouthing something, but there's no dialogue.
*In the last shot of the episode, Ultra Magnus is missing his shoulder missiles and Kup is missing the white part of his chest.
*The version of this episode on the [[Shout! Factory]] DVDs features a glitch with an unstable horizontal line appearing at the top of the picture throughout the episode. The error appears to be on the episode's master copy, as the version included on the [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVDs has the picture slightly zoomed in order to avoid showing the offending line.

===Continuity errors===
*It's not clear what caused the Constructicons to separate and retreat; they seemed to be handling Broadside with ease up to that point.
*The humans who call out "Mayday! Mayday!" don't appear to have a radio on their ship.
*The wanton assault of the Aerialbots seems more likely to blow up the railroad tracks than actually blast Astrotrain off of them.
*Wildrider now has a very bad Southern accent, perhaps in response to his "dun blowed up real good" line.
*Galvatron says the Matrix eluded the Decepticons for year'''s''', but he had it for a while during the movie (which happened less than one year ago in the timeline).
*It's not really clear why Galvatron puts the Matrix in his cannon rather than his chest.
*Why didn't the ancient Autobots pop up when Galvatron had the Matrix during the movie? (one possible explanation: he never placed the Matrix inside himself in the movie, instead only wearing it on a chain.)
*Likewise, why does Scourge get all mutated when Galvatron didn't?
*We don't hear Optimus' voice during the "return the Matrix" chant.
*Galvatron comes to the rather odd conclusion that Dead End and Wildrider "dropped" and "broke" the galactically powerful, ancient-beyond-all-history, mystical Matrix, despite learning first-hand during the movie that he cannot use it, "not by a Decepticon." Of course, Galvatron isn't exactly renowned for his logical reasoning skills . . .
*After Galvatron tells Scourge to get rid of the Matrix, the [[scene transition]] has two Decepticon logos, but the next scene is of the Autobots.
*Just before he quits the Autobots, Hot Rod states that "this war has been going on now for a few dozen millennia". Back in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]", we learned that the Third Cybertronian War started nine million years ago, which is about ''750'' dozen millennia... assuming, of course, that we want to take Hot Rod's pointedly off-handed remark as being based on historical accuracy, which is kind of a stretch for a guy who's at the end of his rope and sarcastically railing about "the known universe and its outlying suburbs".
*The Decepticon army is inexplicably small in the second half of the episode, consisting of just Predaking, a couple of Sweeps, and some Constructicons who come and go.
*Ozu injures Scourge (a giant metal robot, juiced up on Matrix steroids) with his sword.
*Scourge is portrayed as ultra-powerful early on, but is defeated by a ramming and three shots from Hot Rod's gun at the episode's end. This downfall comes on the heels of him abandoning his "destroy everything!" mission in order to fixate on chasing an old lady around, making it a somewhat fitting defeat.

===Trivia===
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-galvatron-cannon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|" 'Front Toward Enemy'? What does that mean?! ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!"]]
*This is one of the most well-illustrated episodes of season 3, with lots of deep, detailed shading and well-proportioned characters. That said, there ''are'' some instances where the animation gets overly sketchy to the point of being indecipherable during Scourge's attack of Japan. And the general aesthetic looks a lot like the yet-to-be-released ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' series.
*The Japanese train drivers appear to be wearing... spacesuits?
*When Scourge starts mutating, at one point it looks like he's... [[Humanization|crying]]?
*Isn't it convenient that Scourge launches his attack on Earth in Japan, where the Autobots happen to be located?
*When Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon and it fails to fire, he briefly looks directly ''into the barrel of his cannon'' before berating [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]].

*Those government spokesmen who complained about the fighting in the beginning must be ''pissed'' after all the destruction we see at the end!

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title (European French broadcast):'' ?
:*''Title (Canadian French broadcast and European French DVD release):'' "'''Le fardeau d'être chef'''" ("The Burden of being a Leader")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die Last der Verantwortung'''" ("The Burden of Responsibility")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Il fardello del comando'''" (First dub, "The Burden of Command"), "'''Il peso più difficile da portare'''" (Second dub, "The Hardest Weight to Carry On")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Omo Sugi ta Shimei'''" (重すぎた使命, "The Mission Too Heavy")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 11]], [[1987]]
:*When they recover the Matrix of Leadership, [[Issei Masamune|the Narrator]] misidentifies [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] as [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]. Which is very strange because the [[Battlecharger]]s weren't sold at Japanese retail, but the Stunticons were.
:*A "[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]" segment unique to Japan was attached to this episode. It focuses on the many battles between [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. It replaces the original "Secret Files" segment which focused on the Decepticons.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jiān Fù Zhòngrèn'''" (肩负重任, "The Heavy Responsibility to shoulder")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Samaya tyajkaya nosha'''" (''Самая тяжкая ноша'', "The Heaviest Burden")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 11: The Decepticon Possession ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 5: Series 3.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of France.png|20px|France]] 2005 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 22 ([[Déclic Images]]) — Canadian French audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=13b6eCCSpSPkAYm5DeADnJIsoGE72PrZ9 Episode dialogue script]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burden Hardest to Bear}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]

The Burden Hardest to Bear

2023-08-25T01:01:52Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{episode
|series=G1toon
|ep=93
|series2=2010
|ep2=28
|prev2=The Face of the Nijika
|next2=Daniel's Adventure
|image=Matrix burden 2.jpg
|caption=You found me beautiful, once.
|title="The Burden Hardest to Bear"
|season=3
|season ep=28
|production code=700-114
|airdate=[[November 19]], 1986
|written by=[[Michael Charles Hill]]
|production company=[[Sunbow Productions]]
|animation studio=[[Toei Animation|Toei]], [[Trans Arts Co.]]
|continuity=[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3QiWn-MOM
|videosite=YouTube
}}

'''Overwhelmed by the burdens of leadership, Rodimus Prime doesn't care too much when the Decepticons steal the Matrix of Leadership away from him.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:BurdenHardest Defensor Bruticus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|So, uh... If what looks like is about to happen happens... does it count as an orgy?]]

At dawn, the people of [[Japan]] are awakening to do their daily tasks: fishing, going to shrines, and sword practice. Then, the [[Decepticon]]s show up to cause random trouble.

[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] and [[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] begin harassing a few fishermen, but are chased off by [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]]. [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] tries to ram a train head on (real smart) only to have the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] drive him away. [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] fight it out, when [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] and the [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] arrive, but are driven off by [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus]], [[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]], and [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. However, instead of thanking the [[Autobot]]s for saving many lives, the government of Japan is very upset, saying that the Autobots frightened people and ruined business (thankless bipeds). When [[Marissa Faireborn]] arrives and brings more problems to Rodimus, the [[Prime (rank)|Autobot leader]] loses patience, [[Transformation|transforms]], and drives off. Marissa is perplexed, and Kup says that Rodimus is struggling with his ''giri'', a Japanese word he translates as "the burden hardest to bear". He says that [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] went through the same process after he first received the [[Matrix of Leadership]], eventually learning to live with and respect his ''giri''. Marissa decides to follow Rodimus, to let him have someone to talk to.

[[File:Matrix burden 1.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Galvatron takes the brown acid.]]

Meeting up on the highway, however, the two are attacked by [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]], who knock Marissa's [[spinner]] into a lake and force Rodimus off a cliff. When they inspect Rodimus, they find the Matrix. Realizing that [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] will be ''really'' happy, they steal it and return to [[Chaar]]. In his throne room, Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon, but instead of making it even more powerful like he had hoped, visions of the [[Ancient Autobots]] (including Optimus Prime himself) seep out of the barrel and demand that Galvatron return the Matrix. Galvatron orders [[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] to destroy the Matrix, believing it better to be destroyed if the Decepticons can't have it. But instead, Scourge inserts the Matrix into himself, gaining immense power even as he mutates grotesquely.

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod recover.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Augh... can't get the mental image of Bruticus/Defensor out!]]

Meanwhile, the Autobot leader wakes up, to learn that he's reverted to Hot Rod. [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] argue that they should go after the Decepticons, but Hot Rod feels that the Matrix isn't worth it, and jets off. Real smart idea, Roddy. On Chaar, Scourge challenges Galvatron, defeating him and Cyclonus easily, before leading the Decepticons off to Earth. Galvatron and Cyclonus still function, and set off in pursuit in the ''[[Revenge (G1)|Revenge]]''.

[[File:BurdenHardest Hot Rod retrieves matrix.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Yoink!]]

On Earth, Hot Rod, while watching a martial arts class, gets some perspective and some wisdom from the kendo instructor, and realizes that he needs to get the Matrix back. Meanwhile, Scourge arrives in Japan with his forces, tossing around the Autobots. Broadside tosses him to the ground and he frightens an elderly woman. Ozu, one of the kendo students, comes to her aid, attacking Scourge with a sword and he begins to chase the pair. He corners them in a blind alley, only for Hot Rod to arrive. Shocked at the changes the Matrix has wrought in Scourge, Hot Rod defeats the Decepticon and reclaims the Matrix, becoming Rodimus Prime once more. Galvatron and Cyclonus find a less powerful, and very frightened, Scourge. And they are none too happy with him...

As the Decepticons retreat, Rodimus realizes that he must deal with his missing part, as have those who came before him. Kup reminds him that no matter who carries the Matrix, he will retain that part forever.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{Featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] (1)
*[[Superion (G1)|Superion]] (8)
*[[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] (9)
*[[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]] (10)
*[[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] (11)
*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)|Skydive]] (12)
*[[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]] (13)
*[[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] (14)
*[[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] (21)
*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime/Hot Rod]] (22)
*[[Kup (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kup]] (23)
*[[Ancient Autobots]] (35)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (36)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (37)
*[[Springer (G1)|Springer]] (38)

|c2=
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (2)
*[[Predaking (G1)|Predaking]] (3)
*[[Mixmaster (G1)|Mixmaster]] (4)
*[[Hook (G1)|Hook]] (5)
*[[Long Haul (G1)|Long Haul]] (6)
*[[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]] (7)
*[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] (15)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] (18)
*[[Scourge (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (19)
*[[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]] (20)
*[[Blast Off (G1)|Blast Off]] (24)
*[[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]] (25)
*[[Vortex (G1)|Vortex]] (26)
*[[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] (27)
*[[Brawl (G1)|Brawl]] (28)
*[[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] (31)
*[[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] (32)
*[[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] (33)
*[[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] (34)
*[[Scrapper (G1)|Scrapper]] (39)
*[[Scavenger (G1)|Scavenger]] (40)
*[[Bonecrusher (G1)|Bonecrusher]] (41)
*[[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]] (42)
*[[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]] (43)

|c3=
*[[Ozu's sensei]] (16)
*[[Ozu (G1)|Ozu]] (17)
*Disgruntled businessmen (29)
*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (30)
*[[Old Japanese lady]] (44)
}}

==Quotes==
"Eh, you've had worse times." 
"Yeah, when do they get better? That's what ''I'' wanna know."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Rodimus'''

"{{w|Second City Television|He done blowed up real good}}."
:—'''Wildrider''', master of grammar

"You dropped it, didn't you? You broke the Matrix, didn't you?!"
:—'''Galvatron'''

"Return the Matrix! Return the Matrix!"

"What are they? What are they?!"
:—'''Ancient Autobots''' and '''Cyclonus'''

"Scourge, take this and destroy it!"

"But mighty Galvatron, you agreed to return it."

"I lied! If we can't have it, then no one shall!"
:—'''Galvatron''' ordering '''Scourge''' to destroy the Matrix.

"Aren't you getting a little carried away here? I'm still me, you're still you: Matrix, schmatrix."
:—'''Hot Rod''' is flippant after losing a hand-me-down.

"We're too late, Galvatron! Scourge has already launched his assault!" 
"He doesn't know the meaning of the word assault, but he's going to learn!"
:—'''Cyclonus''' and '''Galvatron'''

"Oh no, we're trapped! We'll be killed!" 
"Remarkable. The woman is clairvoyant!" 
:—'''Scourge''' mocks [[Old Japanese lady|his intended victim]].

"The Matrix did this to you? Then I have to take it back. I see now it is my obligation. I belong to it... as much as it belongs to me!"
:—'''Hot Rod'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s realization at last.

"Well, son of a gun. Found that missing part, huh?" 
"Not just the Matrix, Kup, a missing part of... myself."
:—'''Kup''' and '''Rodimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
[[File:Burdenhardest marissa finds rodimus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Spend $14.99 to get the same guy, just minus two lines on his face.]]
*Broadside appears in his more toy-based model, with a faceplate, smaller head and large separated optics. He's also shown to be ''huge'', in keeping with his aircraft carrier mode, something which other episodes often failed to convey.
*This episode is one of a handful that finds excuses to turn Rodimus back into Hot Rod, presumably since that toy needed to be plugged as well.
*The Matrix's adverse effects on Scourge could be explained as a result of him having been created by [[Unicron]].
*Gadgets and powers:
**Bruticus can somehow tilt his back cannons forward and fire them over his shoulders, something his ''Generations'' toys can do.
**It seems that ''someone'' remembered the Stunticons' "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1|automatic forcefields]]", as Wildrider survives a head-on collision with Rodimus without a scratch, while Rodimus goes down in flames.
*When Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon, he says "Now, [['Til all are one|all shall become one]], under Galvatron's rule!"
*After he rams Scourge, Hot Rod transforms in a manner similar to one of his transformations from the movie.
*This episode marks the last appearance of Springer, Broadside, Astrotrain, Devastator and Marissa Faireborn in US continuity.
*Astrotrain actually travels on the railroad his locomotive mode was designed for in this episode.
*The Ancient Autobot "ghosts" emerging from the Matrix include:
**A [[generic]] character design that was previously seen in "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]" and "[[The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1]]". His colors have changed, though, and he dropped the antennas on the sides of his head he sported in "The Key to Vector Sigma".
**Optimus Prime (he'll be back next episode)
**A variety of other designs appear alongside him, none of which match either the leaders we saw back in "[[Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4|Five Faces of Darkness]]" or will see in "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2]]". At least one is based on [[Internuncio|these guys]].
***The yellow, the red and the orange-and-blue Matrix ghosts' character models were reused in the Japanese [[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|''The Headmasters'' cartoon]] as various generic Autobots.
*While the episode order can vary, it's a little funny that the episode about Rodimus finally getting used to being leader of the Autobots was followed by the episode in which Optimus returns to replace him.

===Real-world references===
[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear MountFuji.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
[[File:BurdenHardestBear Sensei.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
[[File:BurdenHardestToBear Japanese PM.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|[[Netflix]] lied to us! This is nothing like ''Aggretsuko'' at all!]]
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-imperial-palace.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Set in Japan (see also: "[[Kremzeek!]]"), the episode is replete with references to Japanese culture. We see a fishing boat (all wood, with hand-cast nets), a high speed bullet train passing by Mt. Fuji, a kendo dojo, a woman about to offer prayer at a Shinto shrine garden, and a surprisingly accurate rendition of the {{w|Tokyo Imperial Palace}} and its Seimon Ishibashi bridge, where Rodimus meets with the [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]]. We also see Rodimus get chewed out by government guys who are stereotypically worked up about robot battles being "very bad for business." And of course there's that metaphorical rising sun in the opening shot.
*''{{w|Giri (Japanese)|Giri}}'' (義理) is a real Japanese word and concept with long roots, but the specific translation of "the burden hardest to bear" comes from ''{{w|The Yakuza}}'', an American crime film from the 1970s.<ref>[https://www.moviequotedb.com/movies/yakuza-the.html Quote from ''The Yakuza''] whence comes "the burden hardest to bear"</ref> Defining it this way is questionable, as ''giri'' more accurately refers to one's social responsibilities and duties, regardless of their difficulty. But in broad strokes, Rodimus's arc does echo the tension between ''giri'' and ''{{w|ninjō}}'' (or "human feeling") that has historically driven much of Japanese drama.
**In addition to ''{{w|The Yakuza}}'', Hill took inspiration from ''{{w|Hagakure}}'', an 18th century book on bushidō written by the samurai {{w|Yamamoto Tsunetomo}}.
*The train driver calls in the incident with Astrotrain to "JNR Central", referring to {{w|Japanese National Railways}} (which in the real world would be broken up and privatized only a year after this episode aired.) The specific line is called out as the {{w|Yamanote Line}}, which... is an urban transit line entirely within Tokyo, and certainly doesn't pass by Mt. Fuji, but hey, points for trying! The train itself appears to be very loosely based on the {{w|0 Series Shinkansen}} trainsets.
*The voice acting for several Japanese characters in this episode employs a very stereotypical Western view of Asian people and their pronunciation of English words.
*The naming of Marissa's vehicle as a "spinner" presumably comes from the hovercar vehicles of the same name in ''Blade Runner''.
*''[[Star Wars (franchise)|Star Wars]]'' sound effects:
**Scourge launches for Earth with the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' engine burst noise.

===Animation and technical errors===
*Coloring errors:
**Devastator is colored olive green rather than light green in the opening battle.
**Behind him, Predaking is colored entirely orange.
**The first time we see Cyclonus, his nose cone is purple. In the next shot, part of it is grey.
**Onslaught - visible for only a split second as Bruticus separates - remains in the light gray color of Bruticus's torso, even though he should be dark blue. Swindle's weapons are also colored the same yellow as Swindle himself, instead of dark gray.
**Rodimus' spoiler should be orange in the middle, but many shots have it colored completely in yellow.
**Magnus's missiles are white instead of red as he turns to receive Kup's report on the missing Hot Rod. In the same shot, Springer's cheekguards are abnormally huge.
**In one shot of Optimus Prime's "ghost", he is colored completely blue.
**The orange shapes on Cyclonus' chest are colored red in several shots.
**In the pan across the fallen Cyclonus, Hook (standing between Predaking and Drag Strip) is colored like Dead End.
*Devastator splits apart into the Constructicons off-screen, with no transformation sound and no indication of ''why'' he separated.
[[File:BurdenHardestBear Constructicons water.JPG|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Hook has two optics instead of a visor as the Constructicons retreat.
*A shot of Astrotrain from the human train's perspective shows no tracks on the ground.
[[File:BurdenHardest superion in flight.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*Superion's mouthplate doesn't move as he speaks; his voice continues giving the command to separate after his components have separated.
*The Aerialbots' lasers simply come from unmarked points on their wingtips.
*Rodimus' crest is missing the horizontal line during most shots in this episode.
*When Rodimus is called to the palace, he's missing his Autobot logo.
*As he says, "When do they get better, that's what I want to know," Rodimus' face becomes all glitched up, with a partially miscolored helmet and a huge shadow line where his eyes should be.
*For some reason, the [[Earth Defense Command|EDC]] [[insignia|logo]] on Marissa Faireborne's shoulder has been replaced with "AOC".
*When Rodimus drives away from Marissa, his smoke trail appears behind Kup instead of in front of him and his vehicle form is about half of Marissa's height. Also, Sky Lynx is missing in the shot.
*Improbable viewpoints:
**Rodimus' display shows a rear angle shot of Dead End and Wildrider, but he's in'' front'' of them.
[[File:BurdenHardesttoBear Stunticons Matrix.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
*When Wildrider holds the matrix, it looks like a big yellow blob. The next shot shows it in the usual colors and configuration.
*After Wildrider and Dead End drive off with the Matrix, Rodimus reverts to robot mode; the animation of him settling into place is played twice.
*While Rodimus is reverted to Hot Rod, he's still occasionally drawn using Rodimus Prime's [[character model]].
[[File:BurdenHardest Chaar and moons.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"...A burnt-out hulk of a planet called Chaar, a world of... ash... and ruin? What?"]]
*Chaar is portrayed using Cybertron's post-Movie model, with two similarly designed moons.
*Attending Galvatron's throne room are several Decepticons of made-up design, colored as Constructicons (in the same olive-yellow seen previously.)
*Galvatron's throne changes color and design multiple times throughout one scene.
*The ghost image of Optimus has two fog lights instead of four.
*As Galvatron tosses the Matrix to Scourge:
**[[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] have replaced the generic non-Constructicons that were there previously; they are also drawn as normal-scaled Decepticons.
**The Matrix is missing its handles.
*When Rodimus wakes and touches his forehead in the next scene, his face is partly purple.
*A few shots later (during the "Matrix, schmatrix..." lines), the depressions in Rodimus' shoulders are blue instead of white.
*Galvatron is missing the red squares on the tops of his shoulders in most shots.
*Wrong lasers:
**Cyclonus' gun fires a yellow laser. That's the Autobot color (it should be purple). It also uses a non-standard sound effect.
**Hot Rod carries a gray laser gun rather than the usual red rifle. It has a non-standard sound effect instead of Prime's rifle sound effect.
**In the battle scenes just before the Decepticons retreat, ''nobody'' has the standard Autobot or Decepticon laser sound effects.
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-scourge-morphs.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.2|It's an evolution revolution! or I'm your ice cream man, stop me when I'm passin' by!]]
*After he dispatches Galvatron and Cyclonus, Scourge transforms with one of the most cheatsy sequences in the whole series - he simply melts or morphs into his vehicle form.
*When Cyclonus helps Galvatron up from the cliffside, he speaks in mutated Scourge's voice.
*The sensei continues making aggressive fighting noises long after his student opponent has lost his weapon and retreated.
*Galvatron's ship is gray instead of purple.
*The first shot of Galvatron aboard his ship has the whole bottom half of his face in dark gray instead of just his chin
*Two of the hovercraft-mode Sweeps accompanying Scourge are drawn with the heads-sticking-up model.
*Confusing animation and editing makes it very unclear what's happening at the start of Scourge's assault. We're supposed to see a large outdoor video screen showing a character firing a laser gun; then a transport passing by on the street gets blown up by Scourge, making it seem like the movie character blew up the transport - but it all happens so fast there's no time to figure it out.
*Scourge's energy blasts are very poorly animated, often lacking their glow effect and sometimes failing to connect with their targets at all.
*Kup's cry of pain comes ''before'' Scourge actually blasts him.
*When Galvatron opens the airlock door, one shot has "AIR LO'''O'''K" written on it. Also, it's not actually an {{w|airlock}} - it's just a door directly into space, with no airlock chamber and no apparent mechanism to adjust either pressure or air.
*The Matrix is in Scourge's chest, but later Hot Rod pulls it out of his stomach.
*When Hot Rod fires his first shots at Scourge, the background behind him has turned from a dark, grubby alleyway brick wall into a lit-up building - the same building he pulls up in front of as Rodimus Prime once the Decepticons pull out.
*As Hot Rod holds the Matrix, one shot has his arm pipes clipping through it.
*Hot Rod sticks the Matrix into his chest without opening a compartment for it.
*As Galvatron and Cyclonus fly Scourge away from the city, Galvatron is mouthing something, but there's no dialogue.
*In the last shot of the episode, Ultra Magnus is missing his shoulder missiles and Kup is missing the white part of his chest.
*The version of this episode on the [[Shout! Factory]] DVDs features a glitch with an unstable horizontal line appearing at the top of the picture throughout the episode. The error appears to be on the episode's master copy, as the version included on the [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]] DVDs has the picture slightly zoomed in order to avoid showing the offending line.

===Continuity errors===
*It's not clear what caused the Constructicons to separate and retreat; they seemed to be handling Broadside with ease up to that point.
*The humans who call out "Mayday! Mayday!" don't appear to have a radio on their ship.
*The wanton assault of the Aerialbots seems more likely to blow up the railroad tracks than actually blast Astrotrain off of them.
*Wildrider now has a very bad Southern accent, perhaps in response to his "dun blowed up real good" line.
*Galvatron says the Matrix eluded the Decepticons for year'''s''', but he had it for a while during the movie (which happened less than one year ago in the timeline).
*It's not really clear why Galvatron puts the Matrix in his cannon rather than his chest.
*Why didn't the ancient Autobots pop up when Galvatron had the Matrix during the movie? (one possible explanation: he never placed the Matrix inside himself in the movie, instead only wearing it on a chain.)
*Likewise, why does Scourge get all mutated when Galvatron didn't?
*We don't hear Optimus' voice during the "return the Matrix" chant.
*Galvatron comes to the rather odd conclusion that Dead End and Wildrider "dropped" and "broke" the galactically powerful, ancient-beyond-all-history, mystical Matrix, despite learning first-hand during the movie that he cannot use it, "not by a Decepticon." Of course, Galvatron isn't exactly renowned for his logical reasoning skills . . .
*After Galvatron tells Scourge to get rid of the Matrix, the [[scene transition]] has two Decepticon logos, but the next scene is of the Autobots.
*Just before he quits the Autobots, Hot Rod states that "this war has been going on now for a few dozen millennia". Back in "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]", we learned that the Third Cybertronian War started nine million years ago, which is about ''750'' dozen millennia... assuming, of course, that we want to take Hot Rod's pointedly off-handed remark as being based on historical accuracy, which is kind of a stretch for a guy who's at the end of his rope and sarcastically railing about "the known universe and its outlying suburbs".
*The Decepticon army is inexplicably small in the second half of the episode, consisting of just Predaking, a couple of Sweeps, and some Constructicons who come and go.
*Ozu injures Scourge (a giant metal robot, juiced up on Matrix steroids) with his sword.
*Scourge is portrayed as ultra-powerful early on, but is defeated by a ramming and three shots from Hot Rod's gun at the episode's end. This downfall comes on the heels of him abandoning his "destroy everything!" mission in order to fixate on chasing an old lady around, making it a somewhat fitting defeat.

===Trivia===
[[File:Burden-hardest-to-bear-galvatron-cannon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|" 'Front Toward Enemy'? What does that mean?! ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!"]]
*This is one of the most well-illustrated episodes of season 3, with lots of deep, detailed shading and well-proportioned characters. That said, there ''are'' some instances where the animation gets overly sketchy to the point of being indecipherable during Scourge's attack of Japan. And the general aesthetic looks a lot like the yet-to-be-released ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters]]'' series.
*The Japanese train drivers appear to be wearing... spacesuits?
*When Scourge starts mutating, at one point it looks like he's... [[Humanization|crying]]?
*Isn't it convenient that Scourge launches his attack on Earth in Japan, where the Autobots happen to be located?
*When Galvatron inserts the Matrix into his cannon and it fails to fire, he briefly looks directly ''into the barrel of his cannon'' before berating [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] and [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]].

*Those government spokesmen who complained about the fighting in the beginning must be ''pissed'' after all the destruction we see at the end!

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title (European French broadcast):'' ?
:*''Title (Canadian French broadcast and European French DVD release):'' "'''Le fardeau d'être chef'''" ("The Burden of being a Leader")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''German'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Die Last der Verantwortung'''" ("The Burden of Responsibility")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Il fardello del comando'''" (First dub, "The Burden of Command"), "'''Il peso più difficile da portare'''" (Second dub, "The Hardest Weight to Carry On")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Omo Sugi ta Shimei'''" (重すぎた使命, "The Mission Too Heavy")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[June 11]], [[1987]]
:*When they recover the Matrix of Leadership, [[Issei Masamune|the Narrator]] misidentifies [[Wildrider (G1)|Wildrider]] and [[Dead End (G1)|Dead End]] as [[Runabout (G1)|Runabout]] and [[Runamuck (G1)|Runamuck]]. Which is very strange because the [[Battlecharger]]s weren't sold at Japanese retail, but the Stunticons were.
:*A "[[Secret Files of Teletraan II]]" segment unique to Japan was attached to this episode. It focuses on the many battles between [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] and [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. It replaces the original "Secret Files" segment which focused on the Decepticons.

'''Mandarin'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Jiān Fù Zhòngrèn'''" (肩负重任, "The Heavy Responsibility to shoulder")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

'''Russian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Samaya tyajkaya nosha'''" (''Самая тяжкая ноша'', "The Heaviest Burden")
:*''Original airdate:'' ?

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;VHS
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2000 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Volume 11: The Decepticon Possession ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]])
;{{w|LaserDisc}}
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 1999 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' ([[Geneon Universal Entertainment|Pioneer LDC]]) — Japanese audio only.
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2001 — ''The Transformers: 2010'' — DVD Box (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2004 — ''The Original Transformers'' — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 ([[The Original Transformers|Rhino Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Season 3 and Season 4 ([[Metrodome]]) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2004 — ''Transformers'' — Collection 5: Series 3.2 ([[Madman Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of France.png|20px|France]] 2005 — ''Transformers'' — Volume 22 ([[Déclic Images]]) — Canadian French audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2006 — ''Transformers'' — The Complete Generation One Collection (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2007 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2009 — ''Transformers'' — Season's Three & Four {{sic}} (Metrodome) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — Complete Collection: Decepticon Edition (Madman Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2009 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Series: 25th Anniversary "Matrix of Leadership" Collection ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2010 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 25th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2011 — ''The Transformers'' — The Complete Original Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''The Transformers'' — Seasons Three & Four: 30th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2014 — ''Transformers'' — The Classic Animated Series (Metrodome)

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[https://drive.google.com/open?id=13b6eCCSpSPkAYm5DeADnJIsoGE72PrZ9 Episode dialogue script]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burden Hardest to Bear}}
[[Category:The Transformers episodes]]

Maximum Dinobots issue 5

2023-08-04T15:50:24Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Continuity notes */

{{Comicstory
|series=maxdinos|issueno=5
|prev=Maximum Dinobots issue 4
|next=All Hail Megatron issue 1
|image=MaximumDinobots 5b.jpg
|caption=Old [[Klingon]] proverb: Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.
|publisher=IDW Publishing
|date=[[April 15]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=April 2009
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]] and [[James Raiz]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]] and [[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]
}}
'''Is this the Dynobots' last stand?'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] stares down at [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s dead body, brooding about how it's his fault Sludge is dead... while there's still a battle raging on around him, as [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] points out while tackling Grimlock out of the way of a stray blast. The battle in question is between [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], unable to agree on who has the greater claim to killing [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s. The mechs being fought over, meanwhile, are watching the spectacle with bemusement. Eventually Snarl, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] decide to get to the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s' ship while the getting's good, but both Grimlock and Hot Rod choose to stay in the fight for their own personal reasons.

Elsewhere, [[Joshua Red|Agent Red]] gets word from one of his field units that they have reacquired [[Laserbeak (G1)|Seekers One]] and [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Two]] from the coordinates Shockwave provided them with. He also learns that Shockwave is currently battling an "unidentified mecha" in another location, and one of the techs asks if she should transmit the disarm code for the bomb in Shockwave's head. Red tells her to hold off as long as possible, as he wants all of their stray robots recovered first. If Shockwave recovers them all before the time is up, she should let the bomb detonate instead.

Back in Dallas, Grimlock tries infusing some of his [[spark]] energy into Sludge to revive him, but it seems to have no effect. Meanwhile, Shockwave notes that, while the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]] has increased Scorponok's abilities greatly, the fear from his [[Abraham Dante|organic component]] has decreased his overall functioning just enough for Shockwave to get the upper hand. He pins Scorponok down and further notes that, though he could kill Scorponok easily, he has no real reason to do so, and is willing to let Scorponok escape. Scorponok takes him up on the offer, and uses his "exit strategy" as soon as Shockwave lets him up. Grimlock turns from Sludge's body and tries to attack Scorponok in vengeance, but he's too late to stop Scorponok's escape. As he yells in frustration, Shockwave tells Grimlock how many years he's cost him. That goads Grimlock into attacking Shockwave, as the timer on the bomb in Shockwave's head counts down to being 12 minutes from going off.

''Shockwave and [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] strike a deal—Soundwave will clone the [[Skywatch]] disarm code, if Shockwave will tell him how to break the [[alternate mode]] lock he's been placed under.''

Somewhere east of the battle, Slag, Snarl, and Swoop have all arrived at the Monsterbots' ship. [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] notices that there's only three of them but doesn't seem to care, telling them to hurry up and board the ship. He says they should just accept the fact that they and the Monsterbots are the same type of mech—rebels who only care about themselves. The Dynobots don't seem at all happy at this revelation.

While all this was going on, Hot Rod had struck out on his own to re-enter [[Machination]] central, and he finally locates Scorponok's original head. [[Hunter O'Nion]] arrives soon after and explains that the head is what's keeping Scorponok alive, and how Hot Rod can disconnect him for good. Before Hot Rod can do so, however, he gets yanked into the air by the rest of Scorponok.

Grimlock and Shockwave are too busy fighting to notice the return of Slag, Snarl, and Swoop, who reasoned that, while helping Grimlock might not be much of a cause, it still beats being no better than the Monsterbots. They ''are'' noticed by Sludge, however, who seems to have recovered due to Grimlock's treatment after all. The four of them dive into the fray proper, but Grimlock orders them to go after Scorponok instead, then tackles Shockwave through the wall of a nearby building.

Agent Red boards a helicopter, wanting to see the battle first-hand, and tells the tech she can transmit the disarm code. As she does so, Soundwave intercepts the code and clones it for Shockwave, who in turn tells Soundwave how to free himself. As Soundwave does, he wakes up Ravage and Laserbeak, who easily escape their own re-confinement. Shockwave then tells Grimlock that their battle this day has all been a charade, and that he never cared one bit about vengeance. He tries walking away with a statement that he's willing to forget the matter entirely as long as Grimlock doesn't interfere with him further. Grimlock will have none of that, and activates a grenade that blows the building they're in sky-high, the blast narrowly missing Agent Red's helicopter.

Underneath, in the middle of Machination central, Hot Rod is about to get squished by Scorponok, until the remaining Dynobots show up in just the nick of time. At Hot Rod's urgings, Swoop severs the connections keeping Scorponok's head conscious. But before they can kill the rest of Scorponok, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] shows up (having been sent a message earlier by Hot Rod) and tells them that Scorponok will be revived and made to answer to a tribunal instead. He then says they should purge the entire Machination facility, gather up all related Machination technology, and get as far away from [[Earth]] as possible as soon as possible—a plan that the Dynobots, Hot Rod, and Hunter are all perfectly okay with.

[[File:Maximum Dinos cast.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|Most of the cast of ''Maximum Dinobots'', pictured here trying to follow [[Michael Bay]]'s camerawork.]]
Three days later, on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', Hunter is told by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] that [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] will need time in the [[CR chamber]], but should recover, as his spark kept him going after Hunter disconnected him. Furthermore, Ratchet was able to make so that Hunter will no longer be able to hear Sunstreaker's thoughts, though he doesn't know how to remove Hunter's implants completely. Hunter then receives a happy surprise in the form of an apparently perfectly healthy [[Jimmy Pink]] and [[Verity Carlo]], who run over to give him greetings and hugs.

Ultra Magnus tells [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] that, while he purged as much of the Machination as he could, Skywatch still knows all about them. Optimus says it can't be helped and that he hopes Skywatch believes everything Cybertronian was destroyed, as an unhappy looking Agent Red walks away from the debris left behind by the day's carnage.

Down in the brig, Ultra Magnus tells Grimlock that having Scorponok and Shockwave in custody should help offset Grimlock's own sentence. Grimlock says he doesn't care, so long as it's clear that it was his decision alone to go after Shockwave. Ultra Magnus assures him that the other Dynobots' warrants have been canceled, and Grimlock is content with that and the fact that Sludge is alive again thanks to him. The Dynobots meanwhile happily repair the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]''.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (1)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (2)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (3)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] (6)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (7)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (8)
* [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (13)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (15)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (16)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (17)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (18)
* [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (19)
}}
|c2=
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (4)
* [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (5)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (10)
* [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (12)
|c3=
* [[Joshua Red]] (9)
* [[Hunter O'Nion]] (14)
* [[Jimmy Pink]] (20)
* [[Verity Carlo]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Dead.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''
"See, generally it's easier keepin' tags on who we ''haven't'' ticked off."
:—'''Slag''' on the Dynobots' popularity

"Sludge got his circuits crispy fried, sure, but that goes with the territory. We don't ''do'' recriminations and we never, ever get all 'band of brothers.'" 
"I know, Snarl, I know. More's the pity. Because if we did, this might actually ''mean'' something. Instead it's just another meaningless statistic in a miserable excuse for a life."
:—'''Snarl''' and '''Grimlock'''

"At this distance, a focused ion blast will penetrate even your armour plating. The [[Abraham Dante|creature]] at the heart of you will perish. As I have no overriding imperative to truncate your existence it would be logical to stand down your weapons systems ''immediately''."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"The humans have a saying, payback's a '''bitch'''!"
:—'''Grimlock''' picks up the local lingo.

"I care nothing for this inconsequential duel, Grimlock. Here, today, it served a purpose. But now I say... let it ''end''. If you follow me, or persist in harassing me, I will kill you."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"Strange... it's like half of me is missing... I'm not sure who I am anymore. 
"You're our friend." 
"Welcome back Hunter." 
:—'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''' and '''Verity''' are finally reunited.

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Alive.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* At the end of the story, Hot Rod reformats to his original Generation 1 form, thus <s>excusing</s> explaining (almost) his appearance in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' in that state.
* Likewise, in the CR Chamber, Sunstreaker is in a kind of transition from his IDW body to his ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' body. The transition looks almost complete—the only bit left from the IDW body is his head.
* Verity's hair has grown somewhat—her hair now spills out onto her shoulders, instead of just touching her neck.
*Speaking of Verity, both she and Jimmy were last seen being taken care of by Ratchet in [[Devastation issue 5|Devastation]] and were supposedly on the ark [[Devastation issue 6|when the Autobots left earth]].
* The Dinobots, sans Grimlock, would next be seen years later in [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|''Robots in Disguise'' #8]]. Meanwhile, Grimlock would reappear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #7]].

===Errors===
* Sludge is ''still'' drawn continuously with two different [[robot mode]] heads.
* Even though he carries Sludge's discarded [[energo weapon|energo-sword]] when he re-enters Machination HQ, Hot Rod apparently trades it for a dinky little metal pipe by the time he reaches the chamber that houses Scorponok's real head.
* In one panel, Shockwave's gun arm has a normal hand instead of the gun.
* There are some text balloon mix ups in a few areas. These are corrected in the trade.
* The "Before" box describing Shockwave's conversation with Soundwave is a panel too soon.
* Grimlock's ''T. rex'' mode is considerably less accurate in this issue, with the hands, head and posture all portrayed in a more "generic killer dinosaur" fashion, than the more realistic versions seen in earlier issues.

===Trivia===
* Snarl can use his ''Stegosaurus'' mode's dorsal plates as daggers.
* This issue was released on the same day as [[All Hail Megatron issue 10|''All Hail Megatron'' #10]]. Coincidentally, both issues feature someone (Ultra Magnus here) arriving after having received a distress call sent by Hot Rod in a [[Maximum Dinobots issue 4|previous]] [[All Hail Megatron issue 4|issue]].
* [[Hasbro]] wouldn't let [[All Hail Megatron issue 1|''All Hail Megatron'' #1]] show a bit of blood on a shoe.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080924195510/http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45 Responses by Shane McCarthy at the IDW forums.</ref> They don't seem as bothered with ''sprays'' of the stuff being caused by Ravage and Laserbeak murdering people here.

===Covers (2)===
* '''Cover A:''' Scorponok, the Dynobots, Grimlock in dinosaur mode, and Hot Rod all look on over Sunstreaker driving away from an explosion: art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Priscilla Tramontano]].
* '''Cover B:''' Grimlock battles Shockwave as the Dynobots look on, with art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and colors by Priscilla Tramontano.

<gallery>
File:MaximumDinobots_5a.jpg|'''Cover A''' - Thank you, Simon!
File:MaximumDinobots_5b.jpg|'''Cover B''' - Gimme that gun, you one-eyed freak!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen]]''
* ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' Volume 1 TPB
* ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival]]'' TPB
* {{i|G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' comics}}
* ''G.I. Joe: The Best of Larry Hama''
* ''The Complete Dick Tracy''
* ''[[Star Trek]]: Countdown''
* ''Classic [[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' Volume 1
* CGC Mint
* ''IDW: The First Decade''
* ''Terminator Salvation'' movie adaptation
* ''Star Trek: Countdown'' TPB (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2023-08-01T20:58:50Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Building an army */

{{factions|{{factions/icons
|custom=PotP-Megatronus.png
|cSize=40x40px
|cLink=The Fallen
|cPretty=Megatronus
}}|decepticon}}
{{suite}}

[[File:Devastation6 CoverB Galvatron.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Many wars and feuds did he fight. Honor and fear were heaped upon his name and, in time, he became a king by his own hand... And this story shall also be told.]]
Never [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], not a servant of [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]], but rather a timelost warrior from an earlier, more brutal era, '''Galvatron''' will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He's convinced he has a higher calling to the point of recklessness, leading to unwitting servitude to the monstrous [[D-Void]], which suppressed his less-civilized nature...for a time.

As [[Decepticon leader]], his barbaric side returned in full force and with it an abiding disgust for what he sees as the weaknesses and compromises of the modern age. Galvatron has little patience or regard for those he considers inferiors, but respect for those few [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|warriors who can give him a good fight]].

{{first|''[[Spotlight: Nightbeat]]''}}

{{quote|All is '''fair''' in '''hate''' and '''conquest.'''|Galvatron's one and only rule|"[[All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Savage beginnings===
[[File:OriginMyths-ArceeAndGalvatron.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]

In the barbaric age that predated the rise of the [[Thirteen]], some twelve million years ago, '''Galvatron of [[Protihex|Protohex]]''' and his twin sibling [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] were slaves of [[Septimus Prime]] and his [[Supplicants of Arrius]], forced to fight as [[Gladiatorial combat|gladiator]]s in the arenas of Protohex. As the city's [[energon]] dwindled, however, Septimus told the twins to battle each other. Before their duel could have a fatal outcome, the city was invaded by [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] of the [[Darklands]], who overthrew Septimus and let the twins kill their former master. The two gladiators joined his army of Darklanders as they marched on the [[Crystal City]] and battled [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Onyx Prime]]'s legion of [[beast mode]] warriors.

Ultimately, the various [[Prime (rank)|Primes]] were able to make peace, and with Megatronus and his tribe joining the coalition they laid the foundation for the reign of the [[Thirteen]]. Galvatron enjoyed the special treatment he received as a warrior in the service of Megatronus, prompting Arcee to reflect that, in spite of once being a slave, he had nothing against hierarchies... as long as ''he'' was on top. {{storylink|Origin Myths}} During this time, he would come to be known as '''Galvatron of the Darklands'''. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Alongside his brother, he served as a vanguard for his master when Cybertron made contact with the planet [[Antilla]]. Upon landing, the Cybertronians were met with resistance from the [[Antillan]]s, resulting in a conflict that ended in their extinction, with the rest of the galaxy learning to fear Cybertron as a result. {{storylink|The Falling, Interlude: The First Who Was Named|The First Who Was Named}} {{storylink|Our Finest}}

[[File:TheCrucible IBelieveInNoPrime.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|We don't even have a snarky caption for this, it's just badass.]]
After two million years of peace, the [[First Cybertronian Civil War]] swept Cybertron, pitting the various Primes and their [[Thirteen Tribes|tribes]] against one another. Championing the ideal that vehicular "standard-formers" were the only "true" expression of the Cybertronian race, Galvatron declared that he served no Prime, deserting his post in Megatronus' army {{storylink|The Crucible}} and spearheading a one-man campaign against the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] of [[Nexus Prime|Nexus]] and Onyx Prime: [[combiner]] fusions of humanoids and beasts, and an upgrade that Galvatron viewed as an affront to the "purity" of the Cybertronian species. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Galvatron's crusade led him to Nexus Prime's castle, where he kept the [[Enigma of Combination]] responsible for creating the Headmasters. Disgusted by the Prime's arrogance, Galvatron unloaded his [[Particle cannon|cannon]] directly into the Prime's spark, instantly killing him. {{storylink|The Crucible}} Galvatron thus became the first ordinary Transformer to kill a Prime, and this news caused most of the remaining Primes to flee Cybertron entirely. {{storylink|The Crucible}} {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Unable to destroy the Enigma, Galvatron hid the artifact so that no further combiners could be created. {{storylink|The Crucible}}

[[File:TheMindBomb-whoareyou.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|There are some who call me... Tim?]]
After his victory in the [[Battle of Aegiax]], he was approached by Alpha Trion, who offered to give him everything he ever wanted. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} Alpha Trion revealed to Galvatron that he was a member of the Thirteen and requested Galvatron's help in ending the war and reuniting Cybertron. At Trion's urging, Galvatron traveled to [[Prima]]'s [[Citadel of Light]] only to find it beset by the bestial forces of Onyx Prime. Joining forces with [[Nova Prime|Nova Major]], the two beat back the entire army, forging a friendship and inspiring a legend. After learning that Onyx had also left Cybertron, Alpha, Nova, and Galvatron began Cybertronian civilization anew. Nova Major became [[Nova Prime]] and began working on discovering the secrets of the Thirteen, such as the Enigma of Combination. Galvatron was opposed to this and nearly revealed that the Enigma was a physical object. Fearful of Trion's suspicions, he launched it off world. {{storylink|The Crucible}} For his part in the war, Galvatron was publicly immortalized as a war hero. {{storylink|Shockpoint}}

Galvatron was among those present when Nova Prime rediscovered [[Crystal City]], along with [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Primus: All Good Things|All Good Things}} Later, Galvatron joined Nova's crew on the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', {{storylink|Shockwaves}} intending to help fulfill Nova's dream of expanding Cybertronian domination throughout the cosmos. Their voyage brought them to the [[Benzuli Expanse]], where they discovered a mysterious anomaly leading to another universe: on Nova's orders, Galvatron had the ship enter the portal, sending them into the [[Dead Universe]]. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

===The Expansion===
[[File:SpotlightGalvatron Galvytransforms.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|My cannon knows where to go because IT FEARS ME!!!]]
The transition killed the crew and revived them as undead beings who could not survive for long in the "living" universe, a consequence Galvatron blamed himself for. Within the Dead Universe, he became a herald for Nova, who was now calling himself "Nemesis Prime" and making plans to merge the two universes.

Millions of years later, Galvatron was sent on two missions in the living Universe: to destroy an alien starship conducting research on the anomaly in the Expanse, and to return to Cybertron to secure the inactive [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]]. After killing [[Leadfoot (G2)|Leadfoot]] by touch alone, Galvatron shrugged off attacks by the [[Autobot]] squad under [[Hound (G1)|Hound]]'s command and then shocked them when he got up after having half of his head blown off by [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]]. In a small act of defiance to his master, he merely incapacitated the Autobots and returned with Thunderwing's body to [[Gorlam Prime]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Galvatron}}

[[File:Devastation6 GalvatronDeathbringer.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
After [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]'s deployment to [[Earth]], Nemesis Prime sent Galvatron there as well to make sure nothing would forestall their second coming. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} From a hidden vantage point, Galvatron observed the [[Decepticon]]s' desperate fight against the powerful alien army known as the [[Reaper]]s. As Nemesis Prime's plans required Earth to survive, at least for a while, Galvatron took steps to prevent the Reapers from taking over and laying waste to the planet. Galvatron approached the Reapers' leader, the [[Deathbringer (IDW)|Deathbringer]], and unleashed the power of death that was his to command, turning the Reaper into living decay who spread death and disintegration to his fellow Reapers on contact, casually blasting a bird-like Reaper who saw this happen when it attacked. This turned the tide of battle rapidly, and the Decepticons won the day. Galvatron then returned to the Dead Universe to await new orders. However, Nemesis Prime remarked to [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] that he suspected that Galvatron had his own plans... {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

[[File:PrimekillsGalvatron.jpg|left|upright=1.0|thumb|No arguments! It is time for your bath, old man!]] After [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] secured the [[Nega-Core]] and activated its guardian, Galvatron initiated the [[Expansion]] with Nemesis Prime and the rest of the [[Dead Universe]] crew. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}} Galvatron was paired with Cyclonus to patrol the Benzuli Expanse, charged with destroying anything that might interrupt the Expansion. He let his partner have dibs on destroying [[Cloudburst]] and his crew on the ''[[Mirror-Manifold]]''. {{storylink| Spotlight: Doubledealer}}
Heading to [[Garrus-9]], Galvatron watched the battle of the Primes, waiting for Nemesis to become completely focused on [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]], before taking his chance and shooting the corrupt [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] in the back. When Nemesis fell, the [[Darkness (G1)|Darkness]] jumped to Optimus. As the Autobot leader tried to resist, Galvatron gave him a choice: kill himself in the nearby [[solar pool]] or allow the Darkness to pass on to its ''rightful'' owner. Prime reached out for Galvatron, but as the Darkness crossed between them, Optimus grabbed Galvatron's hand, and hurled him into the solar pool, destroying both the Darkness and its would-be host.
{{-}}
===Building an army===
[[File:HoD1 GalavtronReborn.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right]]
Or not. Some time later, as the Autobots were recuperating from a series of upheavals, Galvatron's hand burst from the solar pool. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}} The Darkness had consumed him whole! However, both it and he were changed, and with it redubbed the "Heart of Darkness", Galvatron decided that all that exploration had taught him that change was the one constant in the universe... and now, he and his men were going to ''force'' change!

He arrived on [[Gorlam Prime]], where Cyclonus and [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] were the last surviving members of the Dead Universe crew, and began babbling his intentions at them while throwing Scourge into a smelting pool... causing it to resurrect him, and create [[Sweep (G1)|a clone army]]! He then used the Darkness to bring Cyclonus back to life, telling him his spirit had always refused to die anyway, and led his army off to fulfil his mission! (The army thinks he might be a bit loopy.) {{storylink|Rebirth}}

[[File:HoD2 Galvatron TellMeTellMe.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Whoah, bad trip BAD TRIP '''BAD TRIP''']]
On Gorlam Prime, they discovered that the entire population of the planet had vanished and set out to solve this mystery. Returning to the site of the portal to the Dead Universe, they found numerous dead "[[Micromaster]]s", presumably the ones killed by [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]]. The whole time Galvatron displayed mood swings, sudden irrational anger, and incredible strength, all of which disturbed Cyclonus, who worried what would happen if Galvatron turned against them. Discovering the ruined body of Jhiaxus, Galvatron restored him to his old self using the power of the Heart of Darkness, and the group discovered a clear silver sphere that acted as a portal into the Dead Universe. As Galvatron was about to use the portal to enter the Dead Universe, however, they were suddenly ambushed by Arcee and [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]]. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 1|Heart of Darkness #1}}

Damaged beyond his ability to quickly self-repair by their attack, Galvatron was forced to watch as his "Seekers" were overwhelmed by the hostile pair of 'Bots, until he managed to drag himself to the portal. Reaching into it, he felt the power of the Dead Universe recharge and repair him, upon which he easily dispatched Hardhead and forced Arcee to flee, coldly noting that he was the only future that mattered.

[[File:HoD3 GalvatronSpeech.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Stand up...and be drawn weirdly!]]
While Cyclonus and Scourge were sent to capture or kill the fleeing Arcee, Jhiaxus prepared to torture Hardhead for information, but Galvatron stopped him, demonstrating how he could simply reach into the Autobot's mind and display his memories for his underling to see. Once he had learned how the entire population of Gorlam Prime had marched, seemingly hypnotized, into the Dead Universe, he used the Darkness to brainwash Hardhead into serving him, seeing him as a useful servant, before deciding to journey into the Dead Universe himself. Once there, he was confronted by a monstrous being called the [[D-Void]] who fed on the life-[[spark]] of robotic life. Narrowly escaping and returning to Gorlam Prime, he informed the others that they would need to gather an army to fight what was coming. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 2|Heart of Darkness #2}}

Ignoring Cyclonus's misgivings about the D-Void's existence, Galvatron traveled widely from his base on Gorlam Prime using the [[space bridge|spacebridge]] network Jhiaxus reconstructed, resurrecting numerous fallen Autobots and Decepticons through the power of the Heart of Darkness and recruiting other robotic life forms who would be susceptible to attack from the D-Void. When his army was a million strong, he sensed an incursion by the D-Void and journeyed to the remote planet [[Dykayra‎]]. There they found numerous dead Autobots and Decepticons that Galvatron claimed he could not resurrect, something Cyclonus was sceptical of. They also discovered evidence that an ancient race that had once occupied Gorlam Prime had also occupied Dykayra‎, and Galvatron speculated that somehow they were connected to the D-Void and perhaps manipulating events unnoticed. Discovering a second portal into the Dead Universe, Galvatron was shocked as the ruined body of Nemesis Prime stepped from it, returned to life by the D-Void and anxious for revenge on Galvatron. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 3|Heart of Darkness #3}}

[[File:HoD4 NemesisPrimeVsGalvatron.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|I don't want to be in this comic anymore.]]
Initially, Galvatron had the upper hand as the two old allies battled. However, the D-Void appeared to take control of Nemesis Prime, nearly killing Galvatron before Galvatron's army launched a full attack. forcing the D-Void back into the sphere and seemingly killing him. Declaring that the threat was not over, Galvatron decided that to be ready for the D-Void, they would need to conquer Cybertron. {{storylink|Heart of Darkness issue 4|Heart of Darkness #4}}

[[File:TFInfestation2 GalvatronWasRight.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|]]
Galvatron and crew discovered a frozen mass of organic and metal in space and brought the strange blob aboard their ship to investigate. The blob thawed, revealing a swarm of [[zombie]]s and robots from another universe. The zombie leader, [[Britt]], used the power of suggestion to make the crew think she was actually one of their own named Bayonet, while she sabotaged the engines to bring the ship crashing to [[Earth]]. {{Storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}} There, Galvatron tried to enlist the help of Optimus Prime and his Autobots, but they rebuffed him until he was subdued by [[Skywatch]] devices. Galvatron finally convinced Prime they should be fighting this menace on the same side, while [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] broke Britt's cover. {{Storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 1|The Transformers: Infestation #1}} Kup was compromised though, and to stop Britt and the zombie horde from ravaging Cybertron of the past, Galvatron gave the coordinates to Prowl, who used Kup, to send the whole shebang to the very beginning of the Dead Universe. The Earth and Cybertron saved for now, Galvatron again offered his leadership to the Autobots, who of course refused, and Galvatron and crew swore they would be enemies when they next met. {{Storylink|The Transformers: Infestation issue 2|The Transformers: Infestation #2}}

When [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], believing Cybertron to still be, well, ''habitable'', brought [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and their new alien friend [[Garnak]] to Cybertron, they discovered not only [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]], [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]], and their new pet [[Insecticon swarm|Insecticon]] [[Bob (IDW)|Bob]], but also Galvatron and an army of Sweeps, who had conquered the entire planet. Fleeing back to Earth, the group warned Optimus Prime of what had happened, fearing that Galvatron was a threat to them all. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}
{{-}}

===Confronting the D-Void===
[[File:Lamentations GalvatronAndSweeps.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|Swinter is coming.]]
This proved to be true as, shortly after conquering Cybertron he sent Cyclonus to attack the [[Kimia Facility]] with a group of Sweeps. Though the Autobots there tried to fight back, Cyclonus and the Sweeps slaughtered them all. Informing Galvatron that the weapons facility was now theirs, Galvatron congratulated Cyclonus on his good work and commanded him to return to Cybertron with it, where he was waiting along with his army of Sweeps.

When Optimus and his fellow Autobots arrived on Cybertron, Galvatron had his entire army fire into the air to send a message in binary telling the Autobots to meet with him; this doubled as a display of power, showing the sheer size of his army. Optimus took Ironhide, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], Sunstreaker, Bob, and Rodimus to the surface to meet with Galvatron. There, the ancient Cybertronian gave them a simple ultimatum: the Autobots could either join his forces or be destroyed. Optimus, not impressed by Galvatron's threats or his refusal to reveal his long-term plans for Cybertron, said that the Autobots would not be his slaves, but if his intentions were peaceful they wouldn't harm him. Galvatron replied by trying to kill them all, claiming that anyone who wasn't with him was against him and that if the Autobots wouldn't serve him they would die. They managed to fight back against his army of Sweeps, but Cyclonus arrived to pull Galvatron away from the fight.

Cyclonus then revealed to Galvatron that Kimia was now above Cybertron and Galvatron. Galvatron, pleased, ordered Scourge and his sweeps to begin its [[transformation]]. It turned out that Kimia was not just a weapons facility but could ''transform into'' a [[weapon]]. Galvatron ordered Scourge to fire the giant [[particle cannon]] at Cybertron. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}}

[[File:Kings GalvatronDarknessDrift.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right|Run drifthack.exe]]
However, his target was not the Autobots, but Cybertron itself, and he gave the order for Kimia to focus its beam on the planet, doing horrific damage that threatened to destroy it. As a Sweep reported to Galvatron of an attack on Kimia conducted by flight-capable Autobots, they were interrupted when Wheelie shot the Sweep in the head with his sniper rifle. Enraged, Galvatron ordered his Sweeps to kill the Autobots. After the two surviving [[Technobot (G1)|Technobots]] managed to destroy Kimia from within, Galvatron was even more furious, grabbing Jhiaxus and commanding him to follow to the spot which the beam had struck, hoping that the damage it had already done was enough. He was unaware that Optimus and Ironhide had spotted him leaving and followed him, Optimus sensing something within Galvatron that he believed the Matrix would be needed to stop. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}}

[[File:ChaosGalvatronVectorSigma.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0|"Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my masterstroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago."]]
Both Galvatron and Jhiaxus were chased by Optimus, Ironhide, Rodimus, and Drift deeper down into the interior of Cybertron through an opening blasted into the surface of the planet. Optimus Prime commanded Galvatron to stop, but then a mad force coming from Galvatron suddenly halted all of the Decepticons on Cybertron. The Decepticons then clustered together as one to form [[Deceptigod|a towering avatar for the D-Void]]. The rampaging abomination lashed out at the Autobots on the surface, while Drift was unnaturally compelled to attack his comrades below, allowing Galvatron to flee with Jhiaxus again. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}}

Optimus Prime and Rodimus went after Galvatron, attempting to prevent him from unleashing the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]] and releasing the D-Void. However, Galvatron believed the opposite, that the power from the Heart of Darkness would save the universe from the D-Void. [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]], who had been holding off the D-Void's giant puppet, eventually blasted the creation into pieces. Galvatron, deep under the surface of the planet, felt pain from this without knowing why. However, it was too late by the time Optimus Prime and Rodimus caught up with Galvatron—he had already unleashed the Heart of Darkness into [[Vector Sigma]].

Galvatron declared his supposed victory as Cybertron began to crumble apart and the D-Void itself began entering into the universe, but was smashed by Arcee and Hardhead's landing craft. Galvatron recovered, beat down Arcee and Hardhead, and shot Optimus Prime in the back while Optimus deliberated with Rodimus over how to use the Matrix in order to save the universe. Galvatron declared himself the savior of all Cybertronians, but was then assaulted by Cyclonus, furious that he was forced to harm Cybertron. Galvatron knocked Cyclonus aside, but then realized how wrong he had been as his own body began to crumble to pieces. Optimus Prime used the Matrix to purify Vector Sigma, denying the D-Void its dead world for a portal and so saving the universe from destruction. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}
{{-}}
===The return===
Galvatron was believed dead by the Autobots following his apparent disintegration, {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} when in fact he had merely returned to the Dead Universe and reunited with Nemesis Prime, now freed from the D-Void's influence and calling himself Nova Prime again. Being long-time comrades, the two had no problem putting aside their little conflicts while under the spell of Heart of Darkness, and rejoined forces to focus on leaving the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}}

[[File:RID24 i remember you.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4]]
Their way back was to be provided by [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], Jhiaxus's understudy, {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} but his Titan's [[space bridge]] was lost, causing Nova Prime to lash out at Galvatron in rage. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shockwave was soon able to provide a backup bridge in the form of Megatron, whom Galvatron and Nova Prime used a portal to journey back to the living universe. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} The Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron joined forces to put a stop to Shockwave's plan, beating Nova Prime back through the portal, but Galvatron was able to emerge and rip Megatron in half at the waist. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} He advocated pursuing the escaping Autobots and Decepticons only for Shockwave to overrule him. The Autobot Bumblebee came to him later to rescue the bisected Megatron. Galvatron easily bested the smaller Autobot, while mocking him that his short four million year war had made him soft. As he gloated about his longer war and superior skills, Megatron shot him unconscious. When he stirred, the two were gone. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}}

When Optimus Prime killed Nova Prime, Galvatron felt his death through his own link to the Dead Universe, which Shockwave took great interest in. When the [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]] fell, Galvatron sulked that Cybertron would not get its new golden age. Shockwave then revealed that the master plan was never about Primes or Golden Ages, but to fuel Cybertron forever and that Galvatron himself would serve as conduit to absorb the energies of the Dead Universe. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}} Galvatron was restrained by Monstructor while Jhiaxus used Galvatron's link to the Dead Universe in concert with the Time Drive to remove all its energy from the moment of its birth (causing it to always have been ''dead''). Galvatron demanded to know what Shockwave was planning and the scientist revealed that he was using the Ores from his Regenesis program to fulfill the Dark Cybertron prophecy and Galvatron was the link making it possible. When the Ores fused into Shockwave, he revealed to Galvatron he was creating an ultimate singularity that would bend all the resources of time and space to feed Cybertron for eternity. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}}

[[File:FullFathomFive-brightspark.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Galvatron barely managed to limp away from Shockwave, only to meet Bumblebee and a repaired Megatron. Knowing he had made Shockwave's plan possible, he submitted himself to the Decepticon leader's wrath and was only spared when Bumblebee convinced Megatron he was better than Galvatron. When Shockwave killed Bumblebee, Galvatron made his escape. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]] later rescued Galvatron and Dreadwing from [[Crystal City]] as it collapsed into a singularity. When the Decepticons expressed shock that Megatron had changed sides, Galvatron agreed with them and suggested a new approach. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}} This new approach was making Galvatron the new Decepticon leader.

Watching [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] transform to city mode, as shelter for the Autobots and civilian Cybertronians, Galvatron asked [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] where the Decepticons came from. Soundwave replied that they were a movement of working class Cybertronians that had risen up against their oppressors. Reminded of his talk with Alpha Trion from the first war and seeking a new purpose in life, Galvatron suggested the Decepticons form their own community and he offered to aid them. Soundwave suggested abandoning Cybertron for Earth. Galvatron assumed this meant he wanted to conquer the planet, but Soundwave clarified that they would be following the true Decepticon path: Peace. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}
{{-}}

===Command of the Decepticons===
[[File:DetonationBoulevard-galvatronandedc.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|Surprised they're not [[Carnage in C-Minor|holding hands]].]]
Reformatted into a mobile battle cannon, Galvatron led his new troops to [[Earth]], where they met up with [[Sparkplug Witwicky|General Witwicky]] and [[Marissa Faireborn|Director Faireborn]] and established an alliance with the [[Earth Defense Command]] through the information that Megatron had joined the Autobots and the help of [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} Galvatron did not enjoy the alliance, but relented to Soundwave's reasoning, as he did not live through the eras of [[Nominus Prime|Nominus]] and [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel]]. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}} In exchange for aid against the Autobots, the humans agreed to build the Decepticons [[Sanctuary Station|a massive satellite]] orbiting [[Jupiter]] where they could reside. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}}

When the Autobots eventually showed up, Galvatron led his troops to ambush Optimus Prime at Thundercracker's home before the EDC showed up and placed the Autobots under arrest. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World| Hello Cruel World}} The battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons ended up in the town of [[Poverty Flat]], where Galvatron refused to disguise himself from the populace. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}} Into the battle, a "[[Mindbomb|Mind Bomb]]" knocked out all the Decepticons, who were summarily beamed up to their ship. Galvatron's fury at this turn of events was abated when Soundwave informed him that through [[Scavenger (G1)|their spy]], they had found the location of Alpha Trion. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 3: The Mind Bomb|The Mind Bomb}}

[[File:IDreamOfWires GalvatronKillsGeneralWitwicky.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2]]
Tracing the Mind Bomb to an EDC facility, Galvatron and Soundwave beamed down to the building, confronting General Witwicky and [[Sanjay Bharwaney]]. After making a threat to kill the entire populations of [[New Mexico]] and [[Mexico|Old Mexico]] if the Mind Bomb were used on him again, Galvatron watched as the Autobots began their rescue attempt for Alpha Trion. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 4: Full Fathom Five|Full Fathom Five}} Galvatron was given a demonstration on how the Mind Bomb could be used to fight off Cybertronian intruders as the weapon was used on Prowl. The weapon turned out to be a double-edged sword, however, as Prowl was able to use it to hack into the EDC's systems and fire the same missiles that had been previously used to attack the ''[[Ark-7]]'' on the Decepticon ship above the EDC base. In the aftermath of this attack, Galvatron confronted General Witwicky alone and admitted that, while he was impressed with the Mind Bomb, he could not forgive its use on himself and killed the general. Seizing the opportunity to slander the Autobots, Soundwave claimed to Faireborn that Prowl had killed Witwicky. {{Storylink|Earthfall Part 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}

[[File:VS-spikewitwickyipresume.jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right]]
While Soundwave busied himself with the construction of their Jupiter commune, Galvatron took advantage of his absence and rallied the Decepticons hunt for [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]]. Galvatron suspected Spike, as former head of [[Skywatch]] and current fugitive, may have had information about the [[Enigma of Combination]] and could be seen as suitably disposable to their human allies. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part One: Signals, Calls, and Marches|Signals, Calls, and Marches}} In [[Tokyo]], Galvatron's Decepticons interfered with Prowl and the Constructicons' attempt to capture Spike for themselves. Arcee was also on-scene to corral Prowl, leading Prowl to orchestrate a stand-off with the Decepticons on one side, the Constructicons on the other, and Arcee caught in the middle as he absconded with Spike. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Two: Vs.|Vs.}}

[[File:OFFonOFF-GalvatronArcee.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.8|"Mike broke the Hubble! Mike broke the Hubble!"]]
Galvatron and Arcee had a brief orbital battle that brought them crashing down to [[Australia]]. Galvatron commented on how delightful Arcee was as a warrior, and retroactively commended Jhiaxus for his work. Typically a poor decision in Arcee's presence, but Galvatron won her over by voicing his "concern" over Prowl's mental state, his alleged killing of General Witwicky, and tying it all back to the influence of Combination. He convinced Arcee that destroying the Enigma, especially before Prowl could get it, was more important than their current fight. {{storylink|Onyx Interface Part Three: ONoffON|ONoffON}} At [[G.B. Blackrock|G.B. Blackrock's]] Wanmu facility, Galvatron, Arcee, and the Decepticons ostensibly arrived to "protect" their human allies from the attack of Devastator. During the fight, however, one of [[Scoop (G1)|Starscream's acolytes]] managed to make off with the Engima, leaving Galvatron's forces empty-handed. {{storylink|The Onyx Interface Conclusion: The Obliterati|The Obliterati}}

Galvatron and Arcee continued to have private meetings on Earth, although both were upfront about the total lack of trust between them, despite occasionally mutual goals. He put his plan into action by giving her an Onyx tablet and 'encouraged' her to look at it on the ''Ark-7''. {{storylink|Now and On Earth}}

When the Autobots entered the atmosphere to track the Onyx code to its source, Galvatron decided against moving against them as he knew the humans had something planned. When the ''[[Ark-7]]'' was crippled, Galvatron refuted any part in the act but decided to move to take the [[Space bridge|Space Bridge]] aboard the craft. {{storylink|The Nothing Man}}

[[File:Aphelion-wearedecepticons.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|"I'll build a wall, and [[Jungle Planet (colony)|Eukaris]] will pay for it."]]
Before departing he made a broadcast to Cybertron, inviting all remaining Decepticons to join him in taking the galaxy. When analyzing the inverted deflector shield that the ''Ark-7'' was trapped in, Galvatron compared it to a "black egg" he had seen in his youth (shocking Astrotrain that Galvatron had once been young). {{storylink|Conquerors Part 1: Aphelion|Aphelion}} He then contacted Soundwave on the Jupiter commune to make ready to seize the ''Ark-7''.{{storylink|Conquerors Part 2: Lagrange|Lagrange}} With Skywarp, he teleported into the [[Earth Defense Command|Earth Defense Command's]] base to seize G.B. Blackrock, whom Galvatron had long since deduced was a sleeper agent of Onyx Prime. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 3: Helden|Helden}}

With all the pieces in place, Galvatron made ready for his conquest of Earth, only for Soundwave to demand an explanation for why the Decepticons on ''Ark-7'' were aiming to conquer the planet. Galvatron explained it was always his intent before Skywarp teleported the two to [[Shanghai]], where the ''Ark-7'' crashed. Before Galvatron could do anything however, Optimus Prime arrived via Space Bridge, claiming Earth as his own and under his protection. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} Galvatron responded [[Fusion cannon|as expected]]. When the Mind Bomb was to be detonated, Galvatron forced Blackrock to give [[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] the Mind Bomb's code to shield the Decepticons. Mindwipe only managed to shield a handful of Decepticons as opposed to Wheeljack shielding all the Autobots. Galvatron opted for a retreat, having Skywarp teleport the operational Decepticons away. He was pleased when Optimus began acting like a true Prime by conquering Earth. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

[[File:ItsBeginningToAndBackAgain-uncombination.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left]]
Using the Onyx code, Galvatron was able to spy on everything occurring on Earth and watched as the [[President of the United States]] removed Marissa Faireborn in favour of Spike Witwicky. He found it amusing that humanity thought itself capable of defending itself against Cybertronians. {{storylink|New Worlds Order}} Meeting up with Arcee at the Copahue volcano, he put forth the notion that Optimus' new attitude had come from being part of [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]] with Prowl, influencing the Prime to take more drastic actions. He and Arcee both agreed that one of them would one day kill the other. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 3: The Medium and the Message|The Medium and the Message}}

Using the Onyx code to spy on Optimus and Soundwave, Galvatron tipped off the E.D.C. to their location. When the ''Nemesis'' came under attack, Galvatron unleashed the [[Seeker clone|Seeker clone combiners]]. When Superion and Victorion entered the fray, Galvatron revealed that Blackrock had unintentionally turned the Earth itself into a giant Enigma. He used it to disassemble Victorion and create [[Sky Reign]] and [[Galvatronus (CW)|Galvatronus]]. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 4: It's Beginning To And Back Again|It's Beginning To And Back Again}} Before he could destroy Superion, the Aerialbot combiner managed to shatter the Earth Enigma, at the cost of him never being able to combine again, destroying the ''Nemesis'' in the process. With his warship now truly worthless, Galvatron saw fit to retreat aboard Astrotrain. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 5: As Above...So Below|As Above...So Below}}

[[File:NoFairFights-galvatrondies.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|SYNERGY! <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/comics/comments/540ch7/we_are_john_barber_cullen_bunn_fico_ossio_chris/ John Barber Reddit AMA, 22 September 2016</ref>]]

He set sail towards the Sanctuary Station to seize control of it. When they reached Jupiter, the two Decepticons were attacked by [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] and Arcee. Galvatron used his cannon to disable the former before he managed to strike Astrotrain's engines, causing him to fall into Jupiter's gravity well. Badly damaged, Astrotrain requested Galvatron take him the rest of the way to Sanctuary Station for medical treatment. Galvatron instead used Astrotrain's body as a battering ram before Arcee sliced the latter in half, killing him. Galvatron quickly engaged her in battle before Optimus and Soundwave arrived to back her up. The ancient warrior engaged them all, while discussing philosophies, holding his own until Soundwave shot him in the back. Arcee used this distraction to destroy his fusion cannon, the resulting explosion destroying most of his right side. Defeated, Galvatron mocked the Decepticon ideals, before warning that far worse things in the galaxy existed and that Onyx Prime was coming to Earth. For that reason, Galvatron agreed to ally with them. Optimus however, was not interested in alliances, and told Galvatron what he honestly thought of him. Terrified, Galvatron surrendered, only for Optimus to blast him point blank, killing him. While Galvatron's body fell into Jupiter, the Prime removed the Decepticon's head and presented it to the [[President of the United States|President]] as proof that the threat had passed. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 6: No Fair Fights|No Fair Fights}}
{{-}}

===Legacy===
[[File:NoFairFights GalvatronHeadPeace.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|He's gonna come back as a [[Titan Master]] anytime now.{{-}} Anytime now.{{-}}
''Aaaaa-nnnnny''-time now...]]
Galvatron's alliance with, and subsequent betrayal of, the EDC were remembered by [[Scarlett]] and [[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]] as they discussed the threat the Cybertronians posed to the planet Earth. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}} His predictions regarding the Primes came true when [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] showed up, turned Blackrock into [[Sovereign]] and revealed that both of them were [[Titan Master]]s in the service of Onyx Prime. Both Optimus and Soundwave paused to remember Galvatron's words and wondered if they'd been wrong to kill him. When Sentinel expressed a low opinion of Galvatron due to his killing of [[Nexus Prime]], Optimus sardonically noted that Sentinel was someone Galvatron would have loved to kill. {{storylink|White Heat}}

A few months after Sentinel Prime, [[Pyra Magna]] brought up Galvatron's execution to highlight her growing displeasure at Optimus' decisive and unilateral actions. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}} After [[Oiler]] perished, and the Autobots had an advantage over the [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]], [[Slide]] told the colonist soldiers to end [[Rum-Maj]] like Optimus had Galvatron. [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]] asked Rumble and Frenzy who Galvatron was and what Optimus did to him, being informed that Galvatron had been shot through the Spark and had his head ripped off. Nothing serious for a Junkion. {{storylink|New Cybertron End: Feel Safe Without Regrets|Feel Safe Without Regrets}} Despite everything they'd been through, Arcee still considered Galvatron her brother and when inside a simulation meant to humanely end Sideswipe's life, she mournfully confessed to having stood by as Optimus and Soundwave killed him, she though tactfully left out any names. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}} When [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] recounted the origins of [[Thirteen]], he revealed that Arcee and Galvatron were twins. Starscream had a hard time believing this. {{storylink|Origin Myths}}

At Sideswipe's funeral, Arcee revealed her relationship to Galvatron to Optimus, much to the Prime's shock. {{storylink|The Dead Come Home, Part 1 (of 2)|The Dead Come Home, Part 1}} When Onyx Prime indeed made a grand return to Cybertron, Optimus remembered Galvatron's warning but, in an attempt to keep the peace, noted Galvatron was the worst of the worst so perhaps his words should not have been taken at face value. This attitude proved the final straw for [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]], who barged in with his Decepticons and declared their refusal to stand by and let the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]] return to power. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 2: Another Mine|Another Mine}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:RID Galvatron Earth Mode Concept.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb]]
*[[Simon Furman]] was very clear from the start that IDW Galvatron was not Megatron in any way, shape or form, time-traveller or otherwise.<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/06/27/futures-past/ FUTURE’S PAST | simon furman]: Originally, Galvatron (as all fans of the original animated movie know) was the future version of Megatron, recreated by Unicron from the shattered remains of the former Decepticon leader. However, this Galvatron is NOT IDW Megatron in a new body. In fact, he pre-dates IDW Megatron... by some way.</ref> He did, however, spend some time teasing an Ultra Magnus/Galvatron fight in homage to the [[Marvel Comics|Marvel UK]] [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|''Transformers'' comic]], but had abandoned it by the time he wrote ''Revelation''.<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/its-qa-time-again/ IT’S Q&A TIME AGAIN! | simon furman] ''
''20. You previously mentioned that we’d see Ultra Magnus vs Galvatron. Is this still going to happen?
SF) This was where my plans for Revelation/Expansion really did change, and not just because of the shift in format. Originally, I really wanted to have an Ultra Magnus/Galvatron smackdown in the tradition of the one from Target: 2006, but once I’d arranged all the players in Revelation I realised it just wasn’t going to work.</ref>
*Galvatron's tank-based alternate mode depicted in ''Heart of Darkness'' conflicts with his depiction in his previous cannon-based alt-mode in the concurrently-set ''Infestation''.
*On assuming leadership of the Decepticons, Galvatron was redesigned (at right) and given a mobile battle-tank alt-mode, first seen in [[Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|''Robots in Disguise'' #28]].<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Some love it. Some hate it. Here's Galvatron's redesign for #RID he now transforms into a mobile battle cannon. http://t.co/mYkn6PTGgt|link=https://twitter.com/glovestudios/status/466294118331990017|name=Andrew Griffith|site=Twitter|year=2014|month=05|day=13|(defunct=)}}</ref> Artist [[Andrew Griffith]] would later clarify his intention that Galvatron scanned the {{w|XM1203 Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon}} alt-mode from a canceled U.S. military project that had been revived by the EDC.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Ever wonder what Galvatron's earth mode was based on in the IDW RID story? An XM1203 Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon that got cancelled. My thought was that after AHM a lot of scrapped military projects were brought back into production for use by the EDC. https://t.co/TjRjbCPEwX https://t.co/o0M9dePDne|link=https://twitter.com/glovestudios/status/1284964681048903688|name=Andrew Griffith|site=Twitter|year=2020|month=07|day=19|(defunct=)}}</ref>
*It was a coincidence that Galvatron died with a head left over just before the release of the [[Galvatron (G1)/toys#Titans Return|''Titans Return'' toy]]. [[John Barber]] clarified in a Reddit Q&A that he only saw the toy in-hand soon after sending "All Hail Optimus" finale off to the printers.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/comics/comments/540ch7/we_are_john_barber_cullen_bunn_fico_ossio_chris/ Reddit Q&A, 22 September 2016 "Was it hard to say good-bye to Galvatron after more than two years of writing him, and had you pretty much always had that death in mind for him? Also, any comments on the theory about his head getting ripped off meaning he'll back as a Titan Master?" "Galvatron: Yeah, it was hard to say goodbye. We'll see him in flashbacks going forward—the threat he talks about before he dies is very real, and we'll see a little of that. But I liked writing the miserable jerk...

Re: Titan Master—all the cards on the table on this one, I had no idea he was a Titan Master until literally the day after we sent the issue to press and my friends at Hasbro sent me the new toy. I mean, they probably (surely) told me it was happening but I forgot. I ran over to Carlos Guzman (our editor) and was sort of horrified, especially since the next issue was Titans Return. I would've picked a different death scene if I'd known, because I didn't want to create that connotation."</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dead Universe]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]

Meg

2023-08-01T16:02:51Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* 2005 IDW continuity */

:''Meg is a [[human]] from the [[2005 IDW continuity|2005 IDW portion]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:AHM Meg.jpg|thumb|200px|You know what? No. That "shut up, Meg" joke has never been funny. It's just mean.]]
'''Meg''' is [[DJ (G1)|DJ]]'s girlfriend.

==Fiction==
===2005 IDW continuity===
DJ carried around a photograph of Meg while piloting a F-22 against the [[Decepticon]]s in [[New York City]]. When his death was imminent, DJ kissed the photograph. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} DJ's friend, [[Andy Reid]], sought out Meg in the ravaged New York City. However, he was soon killed by [[Astrotrain (G1)|Astrotrain]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}}

Meg's fate or if she was found after the end of the decepticon invasion remains unknown.
[[Category:Comic-only humans]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) humans]]

Barricade (Movie)

2023-07-28T22:18:58Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|decepticonfilm|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Barricade}}{{suite}}
:''Barricade is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''
[[File:MovieBarricadeHeatScrambleCard60.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|"I'm always the Bad Cop. And don't bother asking for the Good Cop. I killed him."]]

'''Barricade''' (aka '''N.B.E. 04'''{{fact}}) is apparently a complicated robot. He's considered "fractious" even by Decepticon standards, yet is willing to give [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] the benefit of the doubt and follow where he leads, at least for the time being. Though not totally dedicated to the service of the Decepticons' current leader, he is much more cautious and reserved about expressing mutinous dissent than say ''[[Blackout (Movie)|most]]''.

Barricade believes that Starscream is vital in their search for [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the [[AllSpark]], making him Starscream's closest ally in the naturally combative Decepticon ranks. Then again, it's been said that he likes to trick people into trusting him, just so he can see their reactions when they find out just how much of a bad idea it was. As such, he has disguised himself as an [[Earth]] police car in an attempt to fool the humans around him.

If his attitude toward his fellow Decepticons is inconsistent, his attitude toward the [[Autobot]]s is not: kill them all. Barricade might not be as large as most of his peers, but he is every bit as deadly. He thoroughly relishes every chance in fighting the Autobots. He's smart enough to let one live, if he thinks he or the Decepticons can use it to their advantage. But most of the time, they're dead before someone's even thought of a plan.

The most frustrating part about Barricade is that he always manages to come back no matter how many times he has been brought down. Barricade also tends to often have a rivalry with the Autobot scout, [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]].

{{quote|Autobots, foul Autobots, here we come. Let our long war resume—and let it end here.|Barricade|''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The six movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}

====''Transformers'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Zhang Wei]] (Chinese), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Júlio César]] (Brazil), [[Salvador Reyes]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Jordi Varela]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Achille D'Aniello]] (Italian), [[Pascal Massix]] (European French)}}
[[File:BarricadeVsSam.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|Barricade negotiates an alternative to PayPal.]]
After being active on [[Earth]] for some time, Barricade arrived to pick up [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] after the smaller Decepticon's attempt to hack into and sabotage the United States military network on [[Air Force One]]. From data Frenzy had acquired, the two learned of [[Sector Seven]], "Project Iceman", and the "[[Archibald Witwicky|Witwicky man]]", the discoverer of the entombed [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. Using the internet, the duo learned that Megatron had accidentally marked Witwicky's [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|glasses]] with the location of the long-lost [[AllSpark]]—glasses which were now being auctioned on [[eBay]] by his descendant, [[Sam Witwicky|ladiesman217]].

[[File:Movie Barricade defeat.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|He got better.]]

Tracking the human to the town of [[Tranquility]], Barricade appeared in the path of ladiesman217 as he was attempting to flee [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], whom he mistakenly believed was out to harm him. Believing Barricade to be a legitimate police vehicle, ladiesman217 requested the "officer's" help, only for Barricade to transform right in front of him. As ladiesman217 fled, Barricade knocked him onto the hood of an abandoned car, then violently demanded information on "eBay item 21153". Ladiesman217 and his [[Mikaela Banes|female friend]], who had been drawn into the encounter, managed to escape him when Bumblebee convinced the boy to trust him, and Barricade pursued both the Autobot and two humans to a junkyard. After temporarily losing and then regaining their position, he charged into battle, activating his mace/rotating blade, and dispatched Frenzy to chase down the humans. The battle started off pretty well and worked in Barricade's favor until Bumblebee slammed him into an office. Barricade then rolled over and took back control by bashing his fists against Bumblebee's head. However, their battle ended with Barricade heavily damaged.

[[File:TF2007 barricade vehiclemode.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|I'm going to need a dozen robots disguised as cookies.]]

Barricade had repaired himself by the time Frenzy (who infiltrated Sector Seven) transmitted both Megatron and the AllSpark's location to his fellow Decepticons. Knowing that the Decepticons were coming, the humans and Autobots tried to transport the AllSpark to [[Mission City]] for extraction, but Barricade and [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] caught up to them on the highway into the city. Barricade attempted to clear a path through the traffic by activating his sirens; Bonecrusher simply rammed everything in his way. Ladiesman217—riding inside Bumblebee—recognized Barricade, and in response to his call for action, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] realigned to block the Decepticon from getting to the human and the AllSpark. Barricade was last seen as Bonecrusher pulled ahead to attack Optimus; he was absent from the subsequent battle in Mission City for unknown reasons. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Barricade's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels ''[[Transformers (novel)|Transformers]],'' ''[[Transformers: The Junior Novel]]'' and "[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]"; the ''[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation]]'' and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; the activity book "[[Look and Find Transformers]]"; and the storybooks "[[Bumblebee Rumble]]", "[[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron]]", "[[Sam's New Car]]", "[[Transformers (interactive Play-a-Sound Storybook)|Transformers Play-a-Sound]]", "[[Meet the Autobots]]", "[[Meet the Decepticons]]", "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]" and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]". Many of these adaptations were based on earlier drafts of the movie's script; in several, most prominently the novelization and comic adaptations, Barricade engages Optimus Prime on the highway after he takes out Bonecrusher and is destroyed as a result, explaining his disappearance from the film's final act.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English, see [[#Notes|notes]])|[[Bernard Métraux]] (European French), [[Luiz Carlos Persy]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Leonardo García]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}
[[File:DOTM-Barricadecaptures.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|It's so obvious that we're going to win.]]
Barricade was one of the Decepticons present in [[Chicago]] when [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] unleashed their plan to use a [[space bridge]] to bring [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to Earth, and assisted in the takeover of the city. Under the command of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], he aided in rounding up several Autobots that had infiltrated the city, including his old foe Bumblebee, to whom he delivered a hard kick to the back for fun. At the behest of the human traitor [[Dylan Gould]], Soundwave ordered Barricade to execute the Autobot prisoners, starting with [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]; Barricade laughed as he slew the Autobot with a shot in the back. Fortunately, [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] intervened to prevent any further executions, causing a distraction that allowed the other Autobots to escape.

[[File:DOTM-Barricadesnipershot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Better hope one shot is enough to disable both his left optics at once, eh?]]
Following the Autobots' getaway, Barricade joined up with [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], and was in the process of chewing out the Decepticon ground troops when he suddenly found himself blinded by sniper shots to his eyes courtesy of the Autobots' [[NEST]] allies. As he stumbled around in pain, the humans got in close and jammed a bomb into his leg, which brought him tumbling to the ground when it went off. He was last seen trying to crawl to safety as the human troops fired on him. {{Storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

{{note|Barricade's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''.}}
{{--}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
Footage of Barricade at the Battle of Chicago was shown by [[Harold Attinger]] to demonstrate how Transformers were dangerous.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
{{Voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Zhang Yaohan]] (Chinese), [[Mauro Horta]] (Portuguese), [[Salvador Reyes]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Achille D'Aniello]] (Italian), [[Berk Avcı]] (Turkish dub)}}
[[File:TF-TLK-Barricade-first-appearance.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|He's decided to show up every other film from now on.]]
Having survived the injuries he sustained in the Chicago war and avoided being hunted down by the humans in the years since, Barricade had been rebuilt into a sleeker new form. In the seven years since the Chicago conflict, he had acted as Megatron's spy and scout in his search for the [[Guardian Knight]]s' [[Talisman (TLK)|talisman]]. Perhaps unknown to Barricade, he had long been under surveillance by the U.S. government. In the ruins of Chicago, he witnessed the talisman being bestowed to [[Cade Yeager]] by [[Talisman Knight|one of the Knights]]. He was however unable to claim it due to arrival of the heavily armed [[Transformers Reaction Force|TRF]], and he watched from a distance as they entered a stand off with Yeager and the Autobots.

[[File:TLK-BarricadeReportsToMegatron.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Okay people, move along, nothing to see here.]]
Barricade reported back to Megatron, accidentally angering his leader by flashing his light in his face. He reported the events of his mission, and Megatron was further angered by his failure to retrieve the Talisman, which was needed to find the [[Staff of Merlin|Staff]] they required. Barricade managed to salvage the situation, indicating he knew who could lead them to the Staff: the TRF themselves. Unknown to either Decepticon, their conversation was being monitored by [[William Lennox]] and [[Morshower|General Morshower]]. Based on Barricade's plan, Megatron used human hostages as leverage to broker a deal with TRF and secured the release of fellow Decepticons [[Mohawk]], [[Dreadbot]], [[Nitro Zeus]], and [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]].

Barricade later joined his leader and cohorts in their hunt for Yeager. They arrived at Yeager's [[Junkyard (TLK)|scrap yard]] but Yeager had already fled to a nearby town and they followed. They were met with some not-quite-unexpected resistance in the form of the Autobots Bumblebee, [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]], and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] and blasted by a trap set by Yeager. Barricade took point in pursuing Yeager through the town. Barricade ordered Yeager and [[Izabella]] to freeze, but was surprised and swiped through a wall by the newly arrived [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]]'s tail. Luckily for Barricade, Grimlock was then focused on attacking Megatron and crunching on Dreadbot. After Dreadbot and Onslaught perished in battle, Barricade fled when Megatron gave the order to retreat.

[[File:TLKMegsAndBarricade.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb|Hey Barricade, ready for a [[Frank Welker|flashback]] to ''Dark of the Moon''?]]
He and his comrades then followed Yeager to England, knowing he was the key to finding the Staff. In [[London]], he chased down the fleeing Bumblebee, who had Yeager and [[Viviane Wembly]] with him. He attempted to ram them but was blasted away by his Autobot nemesis. He transformed to catch himself but fell into oncoming traffic and was rammed by a large truck. Commenting on how much it hurt, he had been hit hard enough that he was too weak to continue the pursuit.

He later rendezvoused with Megatron and Nitro at [[Stonehenge]], the site which would drain [[Unicron]], who lay deep within the Earth, of his energy and revive the recently arrived Cybertron. He happily gloated that he had lived to kill a planet and commented on the ease with which they could kill Unicron. They soon came under attack from the [[British Armed Forces]] and Barricade returned fire. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===Novels===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
Barricade acted as pilot and chief science officer for the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' during the quest to find the [[AllSpark]]. When they encountered an [[Ghost 1|alien ship]], he analysed it and discovered that it seemed to be of Cybertronian design, leading to a disagreement between himself and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] regarding whether to study it or destroy it. He claimed to have chafed under Starscream's leadership, but was willing to tolerate him for the moment.

During Starscream's later absence, Barricade was against [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]'s plan to attack the Autobots, and remained on the ''Nemesis'' while the others got their tailpipes kicked. Following the defeat, he contacted Starscream to warn their leader that Optimus Prime was on his way to the planet below where Starscream had been misleading the occupants of the alien ship. Starscream ordered an attack on the Autobots while their numbers were diminished, so Barricade placed [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] in charge of the assault, while he himself elected to stay on the ship and use it as a distraction. And sang. He supplied support fire as the others fought the Autobots. On Starscream's return, the Decepticons leader was challenged by Blackout, and Barricade decided they should see things resolved once and for all. After Blackout's defeat, Barricade asserted that he'd known what the outcome would be even before the fight began.

When Optimus and Bumblebee entered the fray, Starscream ordered Barricade to leave the ''Nemesis'' to reinforce their numbers. He proved most effective in battle against Bumblebee and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]. The fight ended when Starscream was badly damaged by the alien ship and, to Barricade's disbelief, called a retreat. The Decepticons returned to their ship and departed. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

====''The Veiled Threat''====
After the traitorous businessman [[Bruno Carrera]] and Starscream had trapped Optimus Prime in the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]], [[Italy]], Starscream turned the situation over to Barricade, who was more than delighted to see his old enemy in such a prone state. However, before he could strike the final blow, a bunch of [[human]]s began attacking, which wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't equipped with the scientific genius of [[Kaminari Ishihara]] and [[Petr Andronov]], in addition to [[William Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps]] firing sabot rounds into him. He was about to stomp on the insects when Prime broke free of the trap and engaged him. Once the humans were clear, Optimus pulled a surprise move by jumping out of the pit and dumping rock on top of him.

Once he was buried, Optimus melted the top layer of rock, trapping Barricade long enough for the NEST team to defeat Starscream and take him in. Unfortunately, Barricade was nowhere to be found; Instead, a passing crew working on the subway found a strange new tunnel, leading from the Colosseum to the center of a park. Whatever had dug the new passage overnight was nowhere to be seen. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

===IDW movie comics===
[[File:Foundation2 cybertronian barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Any special message for all the kids reading this wiki out home? "Stay out of trouble. Because this trouble will find you."]]
Many years in the past, when [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] had just come under the rule of the [[Defense Force]] and the [[Science Division]], Barricade was a member of the Defense Force under the command of High Protector [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. He participated in missions to rid the planet of "malcontents" who protested against the new order, and like many of his peers, he did so ruthlessly. {{Storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

When [[Ejoornian|unknown alien hostiles]] attacked Cybertron after the discovery of a [[The Fallen|mysterious relic]], Barricade and Scorponok were sent to perform recon. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} Following battle with the aliens Megatron changed significantly, altering the military's mission from one of protection to making war upon the hostile aliens and anybody who would stand in their way. As Megatron's ambition grew, he determined to eliminate Science Division leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]], sending Barricade and a team of other Decepticons to slay Optimus's allies and bring him in. [[File:Defiance3 BrawlCrankcaseBarricade.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.75|Are you trying to out-complain the complainer?]] Barricade and [[Crankcase (Movie)|Crankcase]] stood by as [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] nailed the "traitors" with an explosive round; Barricade was eager to get into the fight, but was ordered back by the glory-hound [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] so his aerial forces could swoop in to finish the job. This turned out to be lucky for Barricade, as Optimus managed to bury Starscream's team under a mountain of rubble. Though defeated, they all soon returned to [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]], where Megatron rechristened them and the rest of his Defense Force the "Decepticons." {{Storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}

During the subsequent civil war between the Decepticons and Optimus's Autobots, Barricade was one of the Decepticons under the command of Starscream who took part in a battle outside of [[Tyger Pax]]. As they were mopping up the last remnants of Autobot resistance, Barricade amused himself by playing with the decapitated head of a fallen Autobot, but mood turned somber when he saw the AllSpark jettisoned into space. Barricade realized that Cybertron would soon die without the AllSpark, but Bonecrusher had little time for his remarks, suggesting he should die along with the planet. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}} Megatron immediately took off to pursue the AllSpark, leaving Starscream with orders to eliminate the Autobots in advance of his return. When the Autobots departed the planet to hunt down the AllSpark themselves, Barricade was part of the crew of the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' assembled by Starscream to give chase. Confident in Megatron's abilities to deal with any pursuing Autobots, Barricade questioned both the need to hurry, and Starscream's motives for doing so, but was quickly reprimanded by Starscream for speaking out of turn. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

[[File:Planetfall barricade and wreckage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Waste your out-of-character sympathy for people who will actually be IN the movie.]]

After thousands of years of searching, the ''Nemesis'' crew tracked the AllSpark's energy to [[Earth]]'s [[Star system|solar system]]. After setting their ship down on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 3|Movie Prequel #3}} {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}} Barricade, Starscream, Blackout, Brawl, Bonecrusher and [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] continued on to Earth itself, where they touched down in [[Afghanistan]] in 2003. They immediately attacked a nearby [[United States military]] installation, where Barricade used a facade of friendliness to trick nearby human soldiers into lowering their guard, whereupon he slaughtered them at point-blank range. As the fight continued, he was almost hit by a localized EMP weapon from a human, but it instead hit his comrade [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]]. Barricade objected to leaving Wreckage behind when Starscream ordered them to pull out, but was forced to abandon him. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}} The Decepticons subsequently scattered across the planet to search for Megatron and the AllSpark; Barricade scanned a Saleen S281 police car, then destroyed the original human vehicle to cover his tracks. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}}

{{note|"Planetfall" and ''Movie Prequel'' #4 offer contradictory accounts of Barricade and the Decepticons' arrival on Earth, with the former showing them arriving in Afghanisation shortly before the events of the film, and the latter placing them in North America in 2003. The ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|Reign of Starscream]]'' movie sequel comic would corroborate the "Planetfall" account, but the timing involved means it must take place in 2003 as in ''Prequel'' #4.}}

[[File:Interlude barricade vs bee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|Prime directives: 1. Serve the public. 2. Protect the innocent. 3. Obey the law. 4. Do the exact opposite of 1–3.]]

Learning that the Autobot Bumblebee was also on Earth, Barricade tracked him to just outside of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], arriving just as the Autobot was eluding [[Sector Seven]] while working on a new lead on the [[Witwicky (surname)|Witwicky]]s. {{storylink|Interlude}} Bumblebee managed to escape, but Barricade pursued him to [[New Mexico]], where he had a new idea: ''allow'' the Autobot to get away, so that they could track him from afar to see what leads and information he had already turned up in his search. Starscream agreed to the plan, but ordered Barricade to superficially rough the little Autobot up a bit before letting him go, just to make it look convincing. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}} Bumblebee subsequently found his way to [[Tranquility]] and [[Sam Witwicky]], and the battle over the glasses to learn the location of the AllSpark ensued. {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Adaptation}} During the subsequent highway chase to Mission City, Barricade attempted to close in on Bumblebee to "settle the score" with him, but found his way obstructed by Ironhide, causing him to crash into a pillar. Knocked offline by the crash, he missed out on the Mission City battle; he was conscious again by the time the battle's sole survivor, Starscream, came looking for him. Informed that Sam had destroyed the AllSpark and Megatron, Barricade suggested recovering the lost Frenzy so they could access his data files on the boy. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

While Starscream returned to Cybertron to enact a plan of his own, Barricade remained on Earth, watching over a Sector Seven research base. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 3|The Reign of Starscream #3}} He spied upon the Autobots as they made plans with [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] to dispose of the Decepticons' bodies, then broadcast the information he had learned into space on a Decepticon frequency, hoping someone would hear and take interest. As it turned out, Starscream, having returned from Cybertron to Mars, was ready and willing to answer. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} Soon after Starscream made it back to Earth, however, Decepticons under the command of the long-absent [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] also began arriving, and Barricade provided them with intelligence on which Autobots they were facing. He continued to plague the Autobots and the new [[NEST]] team, escaping each time. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}} Soundwave sought the final remaining shard of the AllSpark in order to revive Megatron, so Barricade was sent to Tranquility to capture Sam and force its location from him—or failing that, ransom him for it. [[File:TotF1 barricade and sam.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2|"Dead or alive, you're coming with me. Only you won't be alive."]] Barricade took the boy to a junkyard to interrogate him, but Bumblebee soon arrived to rescue him. A protracted battled followed, concluding when 'Bee knocked Barricade into a pool of gasoline and ignited it, setting off a massive explosion. Barricade survived the blast, though, and drove off in car mode after Bumblebee and Sam had left. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 1|Tales of the Fallen #1}}

Following the resurrection of Megatron and [[The Fallen]]'s failed plan for revenge, Barricade was among the Decepticon troops that [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] sent to attack Sam's college in order to recapture a rogue Decepticon brain unit [[Brains]]. Barricade initiated the assault, smashing his way into Sam's dorm and renewing his rivalry with Bumblebee, who stood ready to protect his human friend. {{Storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} The pair grappled and traded blows for the duration of the attack {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}} until Bumblebee ended the battle by slamming Barricade to the ground with a sickening crunch. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
{{voiceactor|? (English)}}
[[File:Movie Barricade IDWprequel nowitnesses.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|Christine... is that you?]]
The Decepticon infiltration unit under the command of Starscream arrived on Earth in the year 2003. Barricade scanned a Saleen S281 police car, then destroyed the original human vehicle to cover his tracks, as did his fellow Decepticons when choosing their new forms. His proceeded to tail Bumblebee while the Autobot was on his way to [[New Mexico]], but unfortunately, Bumblebee identified him before Barricade could eliminate him. Barricade was inspired to come up with a new plan: ''allow'' the Autobot to get away, so that they could track him from afar to see what leads and information he had already turned up in his search. Starscream agreed to the plan, but ordered Barricade to superficially rough the little Autobot up a bit before letting him go, just to make it look convincing. {{storylink|Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)|Transformers: Beginnings}}

{{note|"Transformers: Beginnings" is a condensed, Flash-animated retelling of the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]] that is detailed above this section.}}

====''Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers''====
Barricade was among the Decepticons who attacked Doctor [[Hiroshi Benson]]'s laboratory. Holding his own for much of the battle, he was later incapacitated when [[Hydrobot (TLK)|Hydrobot]] and Bumblebee unleashed a powerful shock attack with the latter's stinger, forcing them into a retreat. {{storylink|A New Friend|A New Friend}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:StarscreamMilitia zombie barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Guess Barricade's a ''Trigun'' fan.]]
Barricade was killed in the <s>[[Mission City]]</s> [[Los Angeles]] battle. Immediately after the battle's conclusion, Starscream resurrected him, Blackout, and Devastator using AllSpark energy plucked from the [[AllSpark Mutation|mutations]] created during the chaos, turning all three into mindless, relentless zombies. Holding his own decapitated head in his hand, the zombie Barricade took on Optimus Prime; his noggin chewed on the Autobot leader's arm while the rest of his body kept him busy. The battle lasted only mere minutes, as Ratchet soon realized what was animating the Decepticons' bodies and instructed his fellow Autobots to target the AllSpark energy signatures, putting Barricade and his fellow zombies down permanently. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

{{note|"Starscream's Milita" was written using IDW's comic book adaptation of the movie as a springboard, and so incorporated Barricade's death as seen in it. Just as IDW themselves would ignore the scene in their future comics thanks to its deletion from the film, all subsequent Titan stories ignored Barricade's death and presented him as being alive.}}

Several years later, Barricade joined Starscream in a hit and run on the [[Tech Museum of Innovation]] in [[San Jose]] during an anti-[[Transformer]] rally. Barricade's contribution mainly consisted of being beaten up by Ironhide. Even grabbing Ironhide from behind didn't work, as Ironhide's weapons worked as rocket boosters to throw the pair backwards, and Barricade was body-slammed into a nearby building. Things were looking up after Ironhide was caught in an explosion, but the two Decepticons were mobbed by humans and when Optimus Prime turned up as well, the pair fled. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.4|Automatic for the People}}
{{-}}

====Alternate timeline====
[[File:Barricadeblackoutandfriends-DarkSpark.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
In an alternate timeline in which Megatron triumphed in the battle of Mission City and the victorious Decepticons set about conquering North America, Barricade was part of two punitive Decepticon attacks: a raid on a supply convoy at Shreveport, [[Louisiana]] {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}} and after aiding Starscream taking over the Decepticon headquarters {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}}, a solo strike on Cincinnati, [[Ohio]] as part of a "Stop supporting Autobots OR ELSE!" campaign. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution Part 1}}

When Starscream started open warfare, he made Barricade one of his generals. However, Barricade soon found himself bogged down in fighting [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade's]] "New Decepticons". {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Revolution Part 2}}

====Letters page====
[[File:Lawanddisorder barricade.jpg|right|upright=2|thumb|One: I am the prettiest unicorn! Two: my mane is lustrous and fragrant, and it catches the wind perfectly! Dismissed!]]

Starscream considered Barricade a good candidate for second-in-command once he vacated the position to take over the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|#16's Star Screams}} As irony would have it, Barricade ''did'' soon take over Starscream's job when the air commander had a nervous breakdown... his job as respondent for the comic's [[letters page]]! Unwilling to let the Decepticons turn the page into a propaganda machine, the Autobots dispatched [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to co-run it with him, much to Barricade's irritation. He shared Starscream's contempt for ''[[you]]'', the reader (#1), and continued the tradition of threatening violence against ''anyone'' who cosplays as an Autobot (#7). This, however, didn't stop him bragging to Ironhide when letters would be pro-Decepticon, and at one point he held a popularity contest to see who the kiddies wanted to be "subjugated by this issue!" (#6).

By the time of Barricade's stewardship of the letters, relations had broken down between the Decepticons and [[DreamWorks]], and they had returned to targeting Michael Bay and company for the pro-Autobot bent of their films. Though Barricade personally enjoyed the scene in the first film when [[Mojo|a dog]] peed on Ironhide, (#1) he refused to appear in the second, and would not even allow his likeness to be used in the video games. (#4) (He claimed he never wanted to be in ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' but his tears disproved that (#12)) He later decided fame was more important than principles though, submitting a script and auditioning for a part in the third film by threatening the director with death (#8). He was absolutely ''disgusted'' by [[fandom|our]] enjoyment of the films: he lost ''friends'' during filming, man. (#10)

In the early days, he appeared to be separated from the rest of the Decepticons, as his knowledge on their current status was spotty; while he knew [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] had turned traitor, he seemed unaware that [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] had been terminated. (#4) He later re-established contact, being aware of [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor's]] status and [[The Fallen]]. (#7) He also had a ''shockingly'' bad knowledge of Transformers [[units of time]]. (#8)

Barricade stated how he doesn't think much of Starscream's intelligence or ability to lead (a bit of a pisser when Starscream considered ''him'' to be 2IC material!), but ''much'' prefers him over Megatron. (#1) He once explained some of Megatron's flaws, only to get scared and state how he totally respects him ''really''. (#3) He also dislikes [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], claiming the guy ''never'' pulls his weight and is just Megatron's fave. (#7) On top of that, while he followed the party line and claimed the Decepticons have "policies" (#7), he began showning signs of discontent with being a Decepticon—the long hours, the lousy food, the admin work (#5)—leading Ironhide to start offering him the chance to defect to the Autobots. Barricade outright rejected this offer the first time, saying he couldn't bear the thought of listening to Optimus moralise (#9); the second time, however, he merely stated the horrific penalties for defecting Decepticons (#10) and the third, he desperately said he just ''couldn't'' do it, even if it would be nice to hang with other cars for once... BUT HE CAN'T! Ironhide's friendliness began starting to disturb him. (#11) He did, however, become fed up of Ironhide bringing up how Bumblebee kicked his arse, and became determined to get revenge on "that little yellow cretin"...

Barricade would reveal other assorted factoids about his history and personal tastes during his time as host. Like Starscream, he was active on Earth during the 1980s, at which time he was a [[Barricade (G1)|Micromaster]]. (#12) He watched the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''Transformers'' cartoon]] broadcast at the time (#3) and approved of humanity's fascination with giant robots. In contrast, he is ''completely'' bewildered by pop music. (#7) He's terrified of [[Unicron]]. (#6) He's apparently got an optic for [[Female Transformer|the ladies]], or at least the heavily armed ones, making sure to flirt right back when a neutral femme wrote into the letter's column looking to play "bad cop/bad cop pretending to be good cop" with him. (#5)

===Toy bios===
As a born liar, the greatest thrill in Barricade's life is knowing people trust him because of the decorations on his police car mode's panels. The look of betrayal they get when they realize what they are ''really'' dealing with is as sweet as candy. However, he likes chasing down Autobots and breaking them into pieces with his bare hands even better. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys|''Transformers'' Deluxe Barricade}}

Barricade would serve as a spy for Megatron, sneaking in among enemies and learning as much as he can before destroying every trace he was ever there with his powerful lasers. His whirling Blade Shield could carve through even the toughest materials, making it the perfect tool for breaking into secure buildings or carving through armored data cases. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers|Blade Shield Barricade}}

Being physically equal or better to [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]], Barricade became extremely annoyed that he could not match the Autobot's skill in insults. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Allspark2pack|Cliffjumper Vs Recon Barricade}}

Once the AllSpark was located and Megatron was freed, the Decepticons infiltrated the Hover Dam with Barricade leading the charge. Disguised as local security, he gazed hungrily at the dam's fragile structure and the destructive power of the millions of gallons of water trapped behind it. To him, one missile could unleash a storm of destruction he has never seen before. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#DeluxeRecon|Recon Barricade (Deluxe)}}

Supercharged by the AllSpark, Barricade gained the ability to disguise himself, becoming almost impossible to detect among similar human law enforcement vehicles. This superpower gave him opportunities to cause havoc among the Autobots' human allies. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#AllsparkEnhanced|Allspark-Enhanced Barricade}}

Recovering from the damages he sustained during the battle of Mission City, Barricade was at a loss from there. With Megatron destroyed and his other teammates missing, it became more and more difficult to catch an Autobot alone. Tormenting humans also became less enjoyable than he thought it would be. Fading into the background, he decided to keep his armor polished and his vehicle mode looking sharp in the hope that Megatron will one day return and lead the Decepticons to glory. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Premium|Premium Series Barricade}}

Electing to remain on Earth while Starscream returned to Cybertron, Barricade devoted his time on Earth to gathering intelligence for the inevitable rise of the Decepticons. He would stalk and capture important humans to scan and interrogate before disposing of his captives using the highly sensitive probes built into his vehicle mode. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 2|Interrogator Barricade}}

Barricade has worked together with Frenzy for centuries, their perfect partnership designed for one purpose: to hunt down and destroy whatever target Megatron assigns to them. Frenzy would use his hyperactive hunger for information to guide the relentless pursuit at which Barricade specializes. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Human Alliance|Human Alliance Barricade with Frenzy}}

Barricade and [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] had been stalking each other for a long time, each of them determined to catch the other by surprise. After a days-long game of cat-and-mouse, they came together in inevitable combat where only the most skillful warrior would walk away. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 3|Hunters Rumble}}

Though he has been deactivated more times than he can count, Barricade's "deaths" have all been in service to Megatron. All he would ask for is the opportunity to hunt, which his master is generous to provide. As long as he is given this privilege, Barricade will gladly suffer a ''thousand'' deactivations. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Cyberverse|Cyberverse Barricade}}

Barricade prefers to find potential victims over making friends. Due to his reputation of tricking people into trusting him using his vehicle mode, he can stalk and eliminate nearly any Autobot he wishes. They and their human allies alike should take cover when they notice police sirens in the distance because it could otherwise be the last thing they ever hear. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 4|''Dark of the Moon'' Deluxe Barricade}}

===Transformers Mix & Match books===
{{Note|Due to the malleable storytelling format of the Mix & Match books, listed here is Barricade's story role if all the segments visually featuring him are lined-up. For all the possible iterations of his role in the story, see the [[Transformers Mix & Match]] page.}}
Barricade hung out with [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and spied on [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match}}

===Cyber Missions===
{{voiceactor|[[Bronco D. Jackson]] (English)|[[Óscar Flores]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Duda Espinoza]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:Cyber Missions Barricade.JPG‎|thumb|upright=1.5|You must agree that his head is somewhat deformed.]]
After a high speed pursuit through [[Scramble City (city)|Scramble City]], Barricade managed to ditch [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] and used
his [[Moustache Man|holo avatar]] to break into a secure facility. Standing guard while [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] raided the computers, he somehow failed to hear Sideswipe bushwhack his partner and was only alerted when Frenzy's crumpled-up form rolled into his foot. After throwing Frenzy at Sideswipe, Barricade engaged the Autobot in combat, managing to defeat him by freezing him to a wall. He then made off with Frenzy and the [[NEST]] access codes. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 6}}

Later, Barricade and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] confronted [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Looking to steal one of Ironhide's weapons, Lockdown took a missile instead, which blew up in his face. While Lockdown was dazed, Ironhide punched Barricade out and dumped a truckload of rocks on top of him. Barricade pleaded with Lockdown for help, but the explosion damaged Lockdown's optics, and he fled. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 11}}

Later, Barricade was among the Decepticons Megatron led on a mission to free the captured Soundwave. He arrived after Megatron derailed the train Soundwave was believed to be on, but true to his history, disappeared from sight soon after. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Annual 2011===
Barricade and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] were sent to [[Tokyo]] to cause a diversion. The Autobots soon turned up, and Barricade clashed briefly with Sideswipe before being hoisted into the air by Optimus. A short time later, Grindor crashed on top of him. Defeated, Barricade was picked up by Grindor and they departed, but not before letting Optimus know he'd been had. {{storylink|Sam in Danger}}

===''BeCool'' shorts===
[[File:BeCool patrolcar and americanpatrolcar.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|"Kaon cops are on the take! But what do you expect, for the money we make?"]]
'''American Patrol Car''' (アメリカンパトカー ''Amerikan Patokā'') spoke English, but was still capable of communication with his Japanese-speaking fellow BeCool Transformers, albeit with a heavy English-speaking accent. He was part of the audience of ''Quiz! BeCool'' {{storylink|The Story of Quiz! BeCool}} and later joined his police force partner [[Prowl (G1)|Patrol Car]] to welcome audiences to [[Surprise World|the world in which the BeCool robots lived]]. The pair failed to notice when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Garbage Truck]] accidentally dropped a [[banana]] peel in the course of his job, so when [[Bumblebee (G1)|Yellow Sports Car]] hit the peel and went spinning through the city streets, they thought he was just driving recklessly and sped after him. Unfortunately, they failed to stop him before he crashed into a bunch of other 'bots, necessitating the medical aid of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ambulance]], who American Patrol Car explained to the audience was the town doctor. {{storylink|The Story of Protecting the Signal!}}
{{--}}

===''Mission to Cybertron'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Mission to Cybertron}}
{{-}}

==Games==
==="Flight of the Bumblebee" online game===
[[File:FlightoftheBumblebee bee vs barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Whether you're a truck, or you're a Porsche, we don't mind using excessive force! Bad cops, bad cops!!"]]
Barricade was one of a group of Decepticons who trapped Bumblebee in a canyon. He stood around on a rocky butte, walking back and forth and waiting for Bumblebee to drive up to him. When the Autobot dropped in, Barricade immediately opened fire, blasting Bumblebee continuously. Unfortunately, Bumblebee had the idea to shoot back, blasting him right out of the picture with just one shot. {{storylink|Flight of the Bumblebee}}
{{-}}

===Transformers The Game (console)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]] (English)|[[Frédéric Norbert]] (French), [[David García Vázquez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian)}}
====Autobot campaign====
[[File:TFtheGame barricade vs bee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Out of the shadows... the spies announce themselves now?"]]
Barricade was sent to Tranquility to hunt down Sam Witwicky and the glasses that held the location of the AllSpark. He attempted to capture Sam and Mikaela outside their high school, but Bumblebee stepped in. The humans fled for the nearby baseball field with Barricade in pursuit, but Bumblebee beat him to them, protecting them while they ran away again. He followed them to the power plant, but was once again foiled by Bumblebee and sent packing.

Later, in [[Mission City]], Barricade made one last grab for the AllSpark after [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] had each fallen to the Autobots. However, he was once again intercepted by Bumblebee, and finally defeated for good. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

====Decepticon campaign====
[[File:TFtheGame barricade threatens sam.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Were it so easy..."]]
Upon reaching Tranquility and choosing his [[alternate mode]], Barricade attempted some recon, but encountered a squad of Autobot drones, a battle which spilled out to the local baseball field. Shortly afterwards, he was informed by Starscream that [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] had information they needed, but the diminutive Decepticon had been captured by [[Sector Seven]] agents. Barricade tracked them to the power plant, then hounded the agents across town in their highly resistant van, wrecking every building in his path until Frenzy was recovered.

Finally on the trail of Sam, he was stopped cold by Sam's protector Bumblebee. Barricade got the upper hand, but the Autobot led him on a chase that ended in [[Bay Demolition|Bay's Demolition]] lot, and an ambush courtesy of a lot of Autobot drones. Barricade overcame the odds and hunted down Bumblebee once more, finally besting the Autobot and taking the glasses from Sam. Decoding Megatron and the AllSpark's location from them, Barricade relayed his findings to Starscream, who, together with Blackout, soon struck [[Hoover Dam]] and liberated their leader.

When the Decepticons converged on Mission City, Barricade was tasked with taking out the Autobot [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]]. He later stood in Megatron's presence after the AllSpark had been recovered and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ordered the Earth to be destroyed before they left it on their way to conquering all of known space. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

===''Transformers: The Game'' (PSP)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]]}}
[[File:TFtheGamePSP barricade hooverdam.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"Even on my knees I do not belong in his presence."]]
Barricade and a platoon of Decepticon drones pursued Sam Witwicky in an attempt to obtain his grandfather's glasses, but were defeated in a battle at a steel processing plant by the human's protector, Bumblebee. A short time later, learning from Frenzy that Megatron's frozen body was being held at Hoover Dam by Sector Seven, Barricade and Starscream attacked the facility. Barricade penetrated the dam and located Megatron's body, deactivating the machines that were keeping him frozen. When Megatron did not immediately reactivate, Barricade assumed his leader was dead after all, but Megatron soon shook off the deep freeze treatment to prove his subordinate wrong. Megatron jetted off to acquire some fresh energy for himself, while Barricade reported on Megatron's awakening to Starscream, who was not best pleased with the news. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (PSP)}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Autobots/Decepticons'' (Nintendo DS)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]] (English)}}
====''Transformers: Autobots''====
[[File:TFtheGameDS Barricade and friend vs Optimus.jpg|thumb|left|'''Optimus''': Gasp! Is that Shockwa- '''Barricade''': No, no, no, he's off doing stuff on Cybertron or something or other and-look, can we just fight?]]
When Bumblebee went to investigate the source of an image found on the internet, he found Barricade waiting for him. Barricade blew up a nearby car and took off, sending out messages on the police radio that Bumblebee was responsible. After failing to lose Bumblebee in spite of all of [[Tranquility]]'s police force being after him, he engaged him in combat. Unable to defeat Bumblebee, he hastily retreated. Later on, he encountered Bumblebee and Optimus Prime as the two were leaving [[Hoover Dam]]. With a large helicopter Decepticon at his side, he tried to persuade Optimus to let him have the Allspark. After Prime predictably refused, Barricade started to demand the AllSpark from Prime, not even caring about the consequences. He was killed, but revealed to Prime he was merely a distraction while other Decepticons freed Megatron from his icy prison. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Autobots}}

====''Transformers: Decepticons''====
{{quote|"Weakness breeds fear, and fear makes every ally an enemy, that's why we Decepticons don't tolerate weakness!"
|Barricade's lesson to the player}}
[[File:TFtheGameDS barricade dies.jpg|thumb||''Guess I got what I deserved... Kept you waiting there too long, my love...'' |upright=1.2]]

When the [[Create-A-Bot (Decepticon)|Decepticon Create-A-Bot]] arrived on Earth, his mentor, Starscream, directed him to rendezvous with Barricade, already active on the planet and commanding some of the Decepticon forces there. Barricade was not enamored with the idea of a partner, feeling that the Create-A-Bot would only slow him down, but after putting the rookie through his paces, he permitted him to join him on his mission in the town of [[Tranquility]]. Barricade revealed to the Create-A-Bot what Starscream had not—that the signal which had brought the Decepticons to Earth had come from Megatron himself. The rookie dismissed Megatron as a relic, and was struck by Barricade for the insult. With some help from the rookie, Barricade discovered that the Autobot Bumblebee was already on Megatron's trail; Barricade pursued Bumblebee, defeated him in battle on the outskirts of Tranquility, and acquired the data he had gathered.

Now aware that the human military organization [[Sector Seven]] was holding Megatron, Barricade arranged for [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] to transport the Create-A-Bot to a [[Qatar]] military base, where they and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] hacked Sector Seven's databanks. The file they obtained was brought back to Barricade in Tranquility for deciphering, and revealed that Megatron was being held by Sector Seven in the [[Hoover Dam]]. The Create-A-Bot suggesting relaying this to Starscream, but Barricade loudly refuted the idea, happy that the impending resurrection of Megatron would mean that he would no longer have to serve under a cowardly, back-stabbing bureaucrat like Starscream. Swayed by Barricade's words, the rookie revealed a fact that Starscream had told only him—that the AllSpark was also present on Earth. Shocked by the revelation, Barricade realized that Starscream had been scheming to acquire the AllSpark for himself, to ensure that not even Megatron could remove him from power. With the rookie now turned from Starscream and on his side, Barricade was able to liberate Megatron from Sector Seven, and the Decepticons pursued the Autobots, now in possession of the AllSpark, back to Tranquility.

During the ensuing battle, Starscream finally claimed the AllSpark from Bumblebee, and Barricade stood against him, intent on bringing him in for treason. Alas, the AllSpark-powered Starscream destroyed Barricade, but in death, Barricade proved to the Create-A-Bot what it truly meant to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Decepticons}}
{{-}}

===Allspark Highway===
Barricade and the Decepticons tried to keep the Autobots from delivering the Allspark to safety. There were lots of him. {{storylink|Allspark Highway}}

===''Transformers Video Mash-Up''===
{{note|Various short clips featuring Barricade were available for users to custom-create their own short film about the Transformers.}} {{storylink|Transformers Video Mash-Up}}

===''Second Life''===
[[File:2007movie Barricade SLavatar.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2]|Barricade cosplay (Frenzy not included)]]
{{note|In the virtual world simulator/online game ''Second Life'', there was a full replica of the Sector Seven base which contained a giant discussion room where Michael Bay held a question board. This room contained a giant frozen Megatron replica and offered free avatars of both Bumblebee and Barricade. Both freebies were non-transforming.}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons'' (Nintendo DS)===
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticons}}
{{stub}}

===''MechTech Weapons Challenge''===
Bumblebee could use Barricade's robot wrecking claw to aid him in his missions to retrieve MechTech weapons technology stolen by the Decepticons. {{storylink|MechTech Weapons Challenge}}

===''Cyberverse Battle Builder''===
Barricade joined the rest of the Decepticons in combating the Autobots on battlefields on Earth, the Earth's Moon and on Cybertron. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Cyberverse Battle Builder}}

===''Bot Shots Battle Game!''===
[[File:Bsbg-barricade.jpg|thumb|left|What's the matter, don't you trust cops?]]
Barricade participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! {{storylink|Bot Shots Battle Game!}}
{{-}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{main|Moustache Pig#As Barricade}}
Barricade appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. He is portrayed by Moustache Pig. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}}}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Barricade-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Oh, you want to use a special attack? Good luck with that."]]
Barricade was one of the Decepticons pulled from [[Live-action film series|his universe]] by the [[Quintesson]]s and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

[[Optimus Prime (G1)#Transformers: Forged to Fight|Optimus Prime]] encountered Barricade on one of their missions, and Barricade demanded to know if he was [[Sam Witwicky|Ladiesmans217]]. [[Prowl (G1)#Transformers: Forged to Fight|Prowl]] got a read-out on the Decepticon, and they eventually had a Good Cop vs. Bad Cop showdown. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight#Chapter 1:Realities Collide|Good Cop Bad Cop}}2nd Encounter
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight#|It's in our DNA}}
{{chargamestub}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Barricade (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{Main|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
*In an early version of the movie's script, Barricade and Frenzy's roles were shared by a single character named "[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]". He would have infiltrated the CIA headquarters (rather than Air Force One) in the form of a "portable stereo" and then transformed (and size-shifted) into a Humvee for his escape.<ref name="early">Details from an early script draft [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2213120&postcount=297 summed up here], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2214148&postcount=303 confirmed as authentic by Roberto Orci here].</ref>
[[File:EarlyMovieBarricadeHead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|150px|Different name, different head, same guy. As far as we know, anyway!]]
*[[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]] was originally part of the Autobot line up for the movie, but was removed, as the writers loved the perverse idea of making the police car a Decepticon.
*An early working name for Barricade was '''Brawl''',<ref name="barribrawl">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-images/events/Botcon-2007/Hasbro-Tour/PICT5108.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Early design for Barricade with working name "Brawl" shown during the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour]</ref> which was later given to [[Brawl (Movie)|another movie character]]. Early concept art the character created when he was going by this name<ref name="barribrawl"/> (pictured at right) suggests that he was originally going to transform into a white and black Crown Victoria (somewhat akin to Prowl's original G1 color scheme). The head design from this early concept artwork managed to show up on a few pieces of merchandise for the first film (such as a set of temporary tattoos), was used as inspiration for Barricade's Cybertronian-mode head in IDW's "[[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]," and would later inexplicably show up as a profile link for Barricade's [[Bio#Online bios|Battle Bio]] on Hasbro's website.
*In the first movie, Barricade sports the [[license plate]] "1-4027E", registered in Oklahoma. It can be briefly glimpsed when he slows down after having seemingly cornered Bumblebee, but is more clearly seen in set photos. Oddly enough, that plate ''also'' shows up on ''[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz's]]'' [[robot mode]] chest in the same movie. The Deluxe Class Recon Barricade [[redeco]] toy, meanwhile, sports the plate "SAGE2764", a reference pertaining to deco designer [[Joe Kyde]], the [[Premium Series]] redeco of the Deluxe toy sports the plate "DCPTCN" for "Decepticon", and the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Human Alliance]] toy sports the plate "2PN-SLV", referring to Barricade's infamous "To punish and enslave..." markings.
*The [http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/27/ebay-find-of-the-day-saleen-barricade-replica/ promotional Saleen S281E cars] that appeared at events and premieres featured the slogan "Power in the hands of a few" rather than the "To punish and enslave" motto, as well as Saleen decals rather than the Decepticon decals seen in the movie.
*By placing Barricade's arrival on Earth in 2003, [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]'' seems to contradict the very existence of his [[alternate mode]], since it is a 2006 model car. Not so— the Mustang design that would eventually be the 2006 model debuted sometime in 2003, with police car modifications showing up in car shows not long after. It could very well be that, similar to when/how Jazz scanned a Solstice in a dealership late at night, Barricade scanned a Police Mustang in one such car show display after-hours, explaining why there were "no witnesses" after he assumed this form ''and'' why his police deco has no state or city markings/I.D.
[[File:Movie2007 Barricade carweapon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|150px|This looks familiar!]]
*In a deleted scene set during Barricade's pursuit of Bumblebee, the Decepticon was to deploy serrated drill-like missiles from his hood and fire them at the fleeing Autobot. The scene was filmed, as evidenced by artist [[Sean Haworth]]'s photograph of the constructed and fitted weapon prop (right), and its removal at least partially helps to explain the abrupt shift from day to night that occurs during the chase. The scene remains in IDW's comic book adaptation of the film, and the weapons are optional extras for RadioShack's ''XMODS® Evolution'' Barricade model kit.
*If one were to only accept the film itself as [[canon]], there is no real evidence of his supposed "rivalry" with Bumblebee which Hasbro and IDW kept pushing as a defining trait of his character since 2007. He just happens to be the Decepticon to first make contact with Sam Witwicky, Bumblebee intervenes and then fights and defeats Barricade. There is nothing in the film itself that would suggest that the two have a history, or even actually ''know'' each other personally beforehand. However, Hasbro gave the pairing of the two as enemies a lot of prominence in their toyline that accompanied the film, and IDW's prequel and sequel comics established previous and subsequent encounters of the two on Earth. Barricade's two subsequent film appearances eventually ''do'' establish a recurring history/rivalry with Bumblebee of sorts, though: In ''Dark of the Moon'', he delivers a captured Bumblebee a kick to the back, and the two briefly face off again during ''The Last Knight''.

===Other films===
*When asked about Barricade's disappearance from the first film, writer [[Roberto Orci]] stated in a message board Q&A session that it was a "thread for Movie 2".<ref>[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=384946&postcount=33 Roberto Orci on Barricade's fate in the movie, at the official movie boards]</ref> As it happened, Barricade didn't turn up in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''; two years later, Orci stated that he honestly couldn't remember why.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-283.html#post3785383 Orci's Q&A at TFW2005]</ref>
*A common misconception among fans is that Barricade's Saleen Mustang alternate mode was spotted on the set of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. This is not true. In fact, a truck transporting three "Barricade" prop vehicles was spotted in Culver City, California, in March 2008, more than two months before principal shooting for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' started.<ref name="vehspotted">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/transformersnews.php?id=6980 Superhero Hype reporting on the spotting of Barricade vehicles in March 2008]</ref>
*An early idea writer [[Chris Mowry]] had for the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic book prequel ''[[Transformers: Alliance]]'' was to depict Barricade's transformation into new movie character [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], but Hasbro rejected the idea.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/mowry-73165-page2.html#vmessage170099]</ref> Another of Mowry's ideas for ''Alliance'' involved having Barricade reformat into a police boat to retrieve Megatron's at-sea remains. Mowry notes he would have been confronted by [[Storm Surge (Movie)|Storm Surge]]; whether this means Storm Surge was an Autobot at this point in development, or if there was dissension in the Decepticon ranks, is unclear.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/mowry-73165.html#vmessage281346]</ref>
*Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in ''Dark of the Moon'', but an editing gaffe as he kicks Que around before executing him sees Soundwave's voice (provided by [[Frank Welker]]) coming out of his mouth for the scene.
**A similar issue is present during the ''The Last Knight''. A voice reminiscent of Welker's Soundwave voice is present during the [[Stonehenge]] sequence near the end of the film. As Welker's voice had been used for Barricade in the past, it's rather tempting to write this off as him talking, despite Harnell providing most of the dialogue in the film.
*Despite all the marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of ''The Last Knight'' portraying him with a mask/helmet, he never uses it in the film itself and has a fully exposed face all throughout. One piece of concept art even depicts him with police shades. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/22580549_156168284980549_4064834079172853760_n-jpg.27831803/ Seriously.]
*Barricade's vehicle mode color in ''The Last Knight'' varies from scene to scene: He possesses a glossy midnight blue color on his vehicle prop shells. During his transformation sequence, his midnight blue is painted in a brighter metallic shade.
*Barricade's appearance in ''The Last Knight'' serves as the basis for the [[Evergreen]] design used to create the ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]'' [[Barricade (IDW)|version of the character]].

===Disappearances and reappearances===
[[File:Barricade-comicsadaptation-death.jpg|upright=1.25|thumb|right|F*** tha poh-leece!]]
*Barricade abruptly disappears from the first live-action film during the highway battle, last appearing as Bonecrusher moves forward to engage Optimus Prime. As evidenced by scenes in the novelization and comic book adaptations of the film (right), he was supposed to join Bonecrusher in attacking the Autobot leader, and would have been destroyed by Optimus after Bonecrusher.
*Alternatively, the children's chapter book adaptation of the film, ''[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]'', describes Barricade as being destroyed by the US military.
*At the time, Barricade's fate caused a great deal of speculation, and [[IDW Publishing]] capitalized on the character's ambiguous fate to "overwrite" his death from their comic adaptation, revealing instead in ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' that he had been forced off the road by Ironhide and drove into a roadway bridge pillar, knocking himself out.
*Barricade subsequently reappeared in several further IDW comics before returning to the screen in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', where he lost his eyes and leg by NEST soldiers before disappearing, presumably killed by NEST or the Autobots.
*However, Barricade appears alive and well in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'', [[retcon]]ning his potential death in ''Dark of the Moon''. Oddly enough, it is mentioned in that film that he has been under government surveillance. Last seen coming under attack by the British military, Barricade apparently continuing his tradition of having an ambiguous fate near the end of every odd-numbered film.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Barricade''' (バリケード ''Barikēdo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Pàn Gūan''' (Taiwan, 叛官, "Treacherous Official"), '''Lùzhàng''' (China, 路障, "Barricade")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Barycada''' (Барикада, "Barricade")

==See also==
{{OtherVersions
|charname=Barricade
|disambig=Barricade (disambiguation)
|body=
*[[Barricade (Animated)|Barricade]], the [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's]] menu headshot from ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]].''
*[[Barricade (WFC)|Barricade]], the [[Decepticon]] dirty cop from the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*[[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]], the Decepticon dirty cop from the [[2005 IDW continuity]].}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.instagram.com/p/BXWEuoJhy0L/], [https://www.instagram.com/p/BaZbUBgjWCk/], [https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba0R7EODw-k/] ''The Last Knight'' Barricade concept art by Josh Nizzi on Instagram

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Interrogators]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Movie Decepticons]]
[[Category:Pilots]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Decepticons]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons]]
[[Category:Zombies]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]

Barricade (Movie)

2023-07-28T22:16:27Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|decepticonfilm|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Barricade}}{{suite}}
:''Barricade is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''
[[File:MovieBarricadeHeatScrambleCard60.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|"I'm always the Bad Cop. And don't bother asking for the Good Cop. I killed him."]]

'''Barricade''' (aka '''N.B.E. 04'''{{fact}}) is apparently a complicated robot. He's considered "fractious" even by Decepticon standards, yet is willing to give [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] the benefit of the doubt and follow where he leads, at least for the time being. Though not totally dedicated to the service of the Decepticons' current leader, he is much more cautious and reserved about expressing mutinous dissent than say ''[[Blackout (Movie)|most]]''.

Barricade believes that Starscream is vital in their search for [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the [[AllSpark]], making him Starscream's closest ally in the naturally combative Decepticon ranks. Then again, it's been said that he likes to trick people into trusting him, just so he can see their reactions when they find out just how much of a bad idea it was. As such, he has disguised himself as an [[Earth]] police car in an attempt to fool the humans around him.

If his attitude toward his fellow Decepticons is inconsistent, his attitude toward the [[Autobot]]s is not: kill them all. Barricade might not be as large as most of his peers, but he is every bit as deadly. He thoroughly relishes every chance in fighting the Autobots. He's smart enough to let one live, if he thinks he or the Decepticons can use it to their advantage. But most of the time, they're dead before someone's even thought of a plan.

The most frustrating part about Barricade is that he always manages to come back no matter how many times he has been brought down. Barricade also tends to often have a rivalry with the Autobot scout, [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]

{{quote|Autobots, foul Autobots, here we come. Let our long war resume—and let it end here.|Barricade|''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The six movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}

====''Transformers'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Zhang Wei]] (Chinese), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Júlio César]] (Brazil), [[Salvador Reyes]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Jordi Varela]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Achille D'Aniello]] (Italian), [[Pascal Massix]] (European French)}}
[[File:BarricadeVsSam.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|Barricade negotiates an alternative to PayPal.]]
After being active on [[Earth]] for some time, Barricade arrived to pick up [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] after the smaller Decepticon's attempt to hack into and sabotage the United States military network on [[Air Force One]]. From data Frenzy had acquired, the two learned of [[Sector Seven]], "Project Iceman", and the "[[Archibald Witwicky|Witwicky man]]", the discoverer of the entombed [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. Using the internet, the duo learned that Megatron had accidentally marked Witwicky's [[Archibald Witwicky's glasses|glasses]] with the location of the long-lost [[AllSpark]]—glasses which were now being auctioned on [[eBay]] by his descendant, [[Sam Witwicky|ladiesman217]].

[[File:Movie Barricade defeat.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|He got better.]]

Tracking the human to the town of [[Tranquility]], Barricade appeared in the path of ladiesman217 as he was attempting to flee [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], whom he mistakenly believed was out to harm him. Believing Barricade to be a legitimate police vehicle, ladiesman217 requested the "officer's" help, only for Barricade to transform right in front of him. As ladiesman217 fled, Barricade knocked him onto the hood of an abandoned car, then violently demanded information on "eBay item 21153". Ladiesman217 and his [[Mikaela Banes|female friend]], who had been drawn into the encounter, managed to escape him when Bumblebee convinced the boy to trust him, and Barricade pursued both the Autobot and two humans to a junkyard. After temporarily losing and then regaining their position, he charged into battle, activating his mace/rotating blade, and dispatched Frenzy to chase down the humans. The battle started off pretty well and worked in Barricade's favor until Bumblebee slammed him into an office. Barricade then rolled over and took back control by bashing his fists against Bumblebee's head. However, their battle ended with Barricade heavily damaged.

[[File:TF2007 barricade vehiclemode.jpg|upright=1.8|thumb|I'm going to need a dozen robots disguised as cookies.]]

Barricade had repaired himself by the time Frenzy (who infiltrated Sector Seven) transmitted both Megatron and the AllSpark's location to his fellow Decepticons. Knowing that the Decepticons were coming, the humans and Autobots tried to transport the AllSpark to [[Mission City]] for extraction, but Barricade and [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] caught up to them on the highway into the city. Barricade attempted to clear a path through the traffic by activating his sirens; Bonecrusher simply rammed everything in his way. Ladiesman217—riding inside Bumblebee—recognized Barricade, and in response to his call for action, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] realigned to block the Decepticon from getting to the human and the AllSpark. Barricade was last seen as Bonecrusher pulled ahead to attack Optimus; he was absent from the subsequent battle in Mission City for unknown reasons. {{storylink|Transformers (film)|Transformers}}

{{note|Barricade's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novels ''[[Transformers (novel)|Transformers]],'' ''[[Transformers: The Junior Novel]]'' and "[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]"; the ''[[Transformers: Movie Adaptation]]'' and "[[Movie Trilogy]]" comics; the activity book "[[Look and Find Transformers]]"; and the storybooks "[[Bumblebee Rumble]]", "[[Optimus Prime Versus Megatron]]", "[[Sam's New Car]]", "[[Transformers (interactive Play-a-Sound Storybook)|Transformers Play-a-Sound]]", "[[Meet the Autobots]]", "[[Meet the Decepticons]]", "[[Transformers Mix & Match]]" and "[[Transformers: The Movie Storybook]]". Many of these adaptations were based on earlier drafts of the movie's script; in several, most prominently the novelization and comic adaptations, Barricade engages Optimus Prime on the highway after he takes out Bonecrusher and is destroyed as a result, explaining his disappearance from the film's final act.}}

====''Dark of the Moon'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Frank Welker]] (English, see [[#Notes|notes]])|[[Bernard Métraux]] (European French), [[Luiz Carlos Persy]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Leonardo García]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}
[[File:DOTM-Barricadecaptures.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.8|It's so obvious that we're going to win.]]
Barricade was one of the Decepticons present in [[Chicago]] when [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]] unleashed their plan to use a [[space bridge]] to bring [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] to Earth, and assisted in the takeover of the city. Under the command of [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], he aided in rounding up several Autobots that had infiltrated the city, including his old foe Bumblebee, to whom he delivered a hard kick to the back for fun. At the behest of the human traitor [[Dylan Gould]], Soundwave ordered Barricade to execute the Autobot prisoners, starting with [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Que]]; Barricade laughed as he slew the Autobot with a shot in the back. Fortunately, [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] and [[Brains]] intervened to prevent any further executions, causing a distraction that allowed the other Autobots to escape.

[[File:DOTM-Barricadesnipershot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.8|Better hope one shot is enough to disable both his left optics at once, eh?]]
Following the Autobots' getaway, Barricade joined up with [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], and was in the process of chewing out the Decepticon ground troops when he suddenly found himself blinded by sniper shots to his eyes courtesy of the Autobots' [[NEST]] allies. As he stumbled around in pain, the humans got in close and jammed a bomb into his leg, which brought him tumbling to the ground when it went off. He was last seen trying to crawl to safety as the human troops fired on him. {{Storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}

{{note|Barricade's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon Movie Adaptation]]''.}}
{{--}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
Footage of Barricade at the Battle of Chicago was shown by [[Harold Attinger]] to demonstrate how Transformers were dangerous.
{{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
{{Voiceactor|[[Jess Harnell]] (English), [[Katsuhiro Kitagawa]] (Japanese)|[[Zhang Yaohan]] (Chinese), [[Mauro Horta]] (Portuguese), [[Salvador Reyes]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Oliver Siebeck]] (German), [[Achille D'Aniello]] (Italian), [[Berk Avcı]] (Turkish dub)}}
[[File:TF-TLK-Barricade-first-appearance.jpg|upright=1.6|thumb|He's decided to show up every other film from now on.]]
Having survived the injuries he sustained in the Chicago war and avoided being hunted down by the humans in the years since, Barricade had been rebuilt into a sleeker new form. In the seven years since the Chicago conflict, he had acted as Megatron's spy and scout in his search for the [[Guardian Knight]]s' [[Talisman (TLK)|talisman]]. Perhaps unknown to Barricade, he had long been under surveillance by the U.S. government. In the ruins of Chicago, he witnessed the talisman being bestowed to [[Cade Yeager]] by [[Talisman Knight|one of the Knights]]. He was however unable to claim it due to arrival of the heavily armed [[Transformers Reaction Force|TRF]], and he watched from a distance as they entered a stand off with Yeager and the Autobots.

[[File:TLK-BarricadeReportsToMegatron.jpg|left|upright=1.6|thumb|Okay people, move along, nothing to see here.]]
Barricade reported back to Megatron, accidentally angering his leader by flashing his light in his face. He reported the events of his mission, and Megatron was further angered by his failure to retrieve the Talisman, which was needed to find the [[Staff of Merlin|Staff]] they required. Barricade managed to salvage the situation, indicating he knew who could lead them to the Staff: the TRF themselves. Unknown to either Decepticon, their conversation was being monitored by [[William Lennox]] and [[Morshower|General Morshower]]. Based on Barricade's plan, Megatron used human hostages as leverage to broker a deal with TRF and secured the release of fellow Decepticons [[Mohawk]], [[Dreadbot]], [[Nitro Zeus]], and [[Onslaught (ROTF)|Onslaught]].

Barricade later joined his leader and cohorts in their hunt for Yeager. They arrived at Yeager's [[Junkyard (TLK)|scrap yard]] but Yeager had already fled to a nearby town and they followed. They were met with some not-quite-unexpected resistance in the form of the Autobots Bumblebee, [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]], and [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] and blasted by a trap set by Yeager. Barricade took point in pursuing Yeager through the town. Barricade ordered Yeager and [[Izabella]] to freeze, but was surprised and swiped through a wall by the newly arrived [[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]]'s tail. Luckily for Barricade, Grimlock was then focused on attacking Megatron and crunching on Dreadbot. After Dreadbot and Onslaught perished in battle, Barricade fled when Megatron gave the order to retreat.

[[File:TLKMegsAndBarricade.jpg|right|upright=1.6|thumb|Hey Barricade, ready for a [[Frank Welker|flashback]] to ''Dark of the Moon''?]]
He and his comrades then followed Yeager to England, knowing he was the key to finding the Staff. In [[London]], he chased down the fleeing Bumblebee, who had Yeager and [[Viviane Wembly]] with him. He attempted to ram them but was blasted away by his Autobot nemesis. He transformed to catch himself but fell into oncoming traffic and was rammed by a large truck. Commenting on how much it hurt, he had been hit hard enough that he was too weak to continue the pursuit.

He later rendezvoused with Megatron and Nitro at [[Stonehenge]], the site which would drain [[Unicron]], who lay deep within the Earth, of his energy and revive the recently arrived Cybertron. He happily gloated that he had lived to kill a planet and commented on the ease with which they could kill Unicron. They soon came under attack from the [[British Armed Forces]] and Barricade returned fire. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===Novels===
====''Ghosts of Yesterday''====
Barricade acted as pilot and chief science officer for the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' during the quest to find the [[AllSpark]]. When they encountered an [[Ghost 1|alien ship]], he analysed it and discovered that it seemed to be of Cybertronian design, leading to a disagreement between himself and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] regarding whether to study it or destroy it. He claimed to have chafed under Starscream's leadership, but was willing to tolerate him for the moment.

During Starscream's later absence, Barricade was against [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]]'s plan to attack the Autobots, and remained on the ''Nemesis'' while the others got their tailpipes kicked. Following the defeat, he contacted Starscream to warn their leader that Optimus Prime was on his way to the planet below where Starscream had been misleading the occupants of the alien ship. Starscream ordered an attack on the Autobots while their numbers were diminished, so Barricade placed [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] in charge of the assault, while he himself elected to stay on the ship and use it as a distraction. And sang. He supplied support fire as the others fought the Autobots. On Starscream's return, the Decepticons leader was challenged by Blackout, and Barricade decided they should see things resolved once and for all. After Blackout's defeat, Barricade asserted that he'd known what the outcome would be even before the fight began.

When Optimus and Bumblebee entered the fray, Starscream ordered Barricade to leave the ''Nemesis'' to reinforce their numbers. He proved most effective in battle against Bumblebee and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]. The fight ended when Starscream was badly damaged by the alien ship and, to Barricade's disbelief, called a retreat. The Decepticons returned to their ship and departed. {{storylink|Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday|Ghosts of Yesterday}}

====''The Veiled Threat''====
After the traitorous businessman [[Bruno Carrera]] and Starscream had trapped Optimus Prime in the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]], [[Italy]], Starscream turned the situation over to Barricade, who was more than delighted to see his old enemy in such a prone state. However, before he could strike the final blow, a bunch of [[human]]s began attacking, which wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't equipped with the scientific genius of [[Kaminari Ishihara]] and [[Petr Andronov]], in addition to [[William Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps]] firing sabot rounds into him. He was about to stomp on the insects when Prime broke free of the trap and engaged him. Once the humans were clear, Optimus pulled a surprise move by jumping out of the pit and dumping rock on top of him.

Once he was buried, Optimus melted the top layer of rock, trapping Barricade long enough for the NEST team to defeat Starscream and take him in. Unfortunately, Barricade was nowhere to be found; Instead, a passing crew working on the subway found a strange new tunnel, leading from the Colosseum to the center of a park. Whatever had dug the new passage overnight was nowhere to be seen. {{storylink|Transformers: The Veiled Threat|The Veiled Threat}}

===IDW movie comics===
[[File:Foundation2 cybertronian barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Any special message for all the kids reading this wiki out home? "Stay out of trouble. Because this trouble will find you."]]
Many years in the past, when [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] had just come under the rule of the [[Defense Force]] and the [[Science Division]], Barricade was a member of the Defense Force under the command of High Protector [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]. He participated in missions to rid the planet of "malcontents" who protested against the new order, and like many of his peers, he did so ruthlessly. {{Storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

When [[Ejoornian|unknown alien hostiles]] attacked Cybertron after the discovery of a [[The Fallen|mysterious relic]], Barricade and Scorponok were sent to perform recon. {{Storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}} Following battle with the aliens Megatron changed significantly, altering the military's mission from one of protection to making war upon the hostile aliens and anybody who would stand in their way. As Megatron's ambition grew, he determined to eliminate Science Division leader [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]], sending Barricade and a team of other Decepticons to slay Optimus's allies and bring him in. [[File:Defiance3 BrawlCrankcaseBarricade.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.75|Are you trying to out-complain the complainer?]] Barricade and [[Crankcase (Movie)|Crankcase]] stood by as [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] nailed the "traitors" with an explosive round; Barricade was eager to get into the fight, but was ordered back by the glory-hound [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] so his aerial forces could swoop in to finish the job. This turned out to be lucky for Barricade, as Optimus managed to bury Starscream's team under a mountain of rubble. Though defeated, they all soon returned to [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]], where Megatron rechristened them and the rest of his Defense Force the "Decepticons." {{Storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}

During the subsequent civil war between the Decepticons and Optimus's Autobots, Barricade was one of the Decepticons under the command of Starscream who took part in a battle outside of [[Tyger Pax]]. As they were mopping up the last remnants of Autobot resistance, Barricade amused himself by playing with the decapitated head of a fallen Autobot, but mood turned somber when he saw the AllSpark jettisoned into space. Barricade realized that Cybertron would soon die without the AllSpark, but Bonecrusher had little time for his remarks, suggesting he should die along with the planet. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}} Megatron immediately took off to pursue the AllSpark, leaving Starscream with orders to eliminate the Autobots in advance of his return. When the Autobots departed the planet to hunt down the AllSpark themselves, Barricade was part of the crew of the ''[[Nemesis (Movie)|Nemesis]]'' assembled by Starscream to give chase. Confident in Megatron's abilities to deal with any pursuing Autobots, Barricade questioned both the need to hurry, and Starscream's motives for doing so, but was quickly reprimanded by Starscream for speaking out of turn. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

[[File:Planetfall barricade and wreckage.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Waste your out-of-character sympathy for people who will actually be IN the movie.]]

After thousands of years of searching, the ''Nemesis'' crew tracked the AllSpark's energy to [[Earth]]'s [[Star system|solar system]]. After setting their ship down on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]], {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 3|Movie Prequel #3}} {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}} Barricade, Starscream, Blackout, Brawl, Bonecrusher and [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]] continued on to Earth itself, where they touched down in [[Afghanistan]] in 2003. They immediately attacked a nearby [[United States military]] installation, where Barricade used a facade of friendliness to trick nearby human soldiers into lowering their guard, whereupon he slaughtered them at point-blank range. As the fight continued, he was almost hit by a localized EMP weapon from a human, but it instead hit his comrade [[Wreckage (Movie)|Wreckage]]. Barricade objected to leaving Wreckage behind when Starscream ordered them to pull out, but was forced to abandon him. {{storylink|Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall}} The Decepticons subsequently scattered across the planet to search for Megatron and the AllSpark; Barricade scanned a Saleen S281 police car, then destroyed the original human vehicle to cover his tracks. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}}

{{note|"Planetfall" and ''Movie Prequel'' #4 offer contradictory accounts of Barricade and the Decepticons' arrival on Earth, with the former showing them arriving in Afghanisation shortly before the events of the film, and the latter placing them in North America in 2003. The ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|Reign of Starscream]]'' movie sequel comic would corroborate the "Planetfall" account, but the timing involved means it must take place in 2003 as in ''Prequel'' #4.}}

[[File:Interlude barricade vs bee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|Prime directives: 1. Serve the public. 2. Protect the innocent. 3. Obey the law. 4. Do the exact opposite of 1–3.]]

Learning that the Autobot Bumblebee was also on Earth, Barricade tracked him to just outside of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], arriving just as the Autobot was eluding [[Sector Seven]] while working on a new lead on the [[Witwicky (surname)|Witwicky]]s. {{storylink|Interlude}} Bumblebee managed to escape, but Barricade pursued him to [[New Mexico]], where he had a new idea: ''allow'' the Autobot to get away, so that they could track him from afar to see what leads and information he had already turned up in his search. Starscream agreed to the plan, but ordered Barricade to superficially rough the little Autobot up a bit before letting him go, just to make it look convincing. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 4|Movie Prequel #4}} Bumblebee subsequently found his way to [[Tranquility]] and [[Sam Witwicky]], and the battle over the glasses to learn the location of the AllSpark ensued. {{storylink|Transformers: Movie Adaptation}} During the subsequent highway chase to Mission City, Barricade attempted to close in on Bumblebee to "settle the score" with him, but found his way obstructed by Ironhide, causing him to crash into a pillar. Knocked offline by the crash, he missed out on the Mission City battle; he was conscious again by the time the battle's sole survivor, Starscream, came looking for him. Informed that Sam had destroyed the AllSpark and Megatron, Barricade suggested recovering the lost Frenzy so they could access his data files on the boy. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 1|The Reign of Starscream #1}}

While Starscream returned to Cybertron to enact a plan of his own, Barricade remained on Earth, watching over a Sector Seven research base. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 3|The Reign of Starscream #3}} He spied upon the Autobots as they made plans with [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] and [[Robert Epps|Sergeant Epps]] to dispose of the Decepticons' bodies, then broadcast the information he had learned into space on a Decepticon frequency, hoping someone would hear and take interest. As it turned out, Starscream, having returned from Cybertron to Mars, was ready and willing to answer. {{storylink|Alliance issue 1|Alliance #1}} Soon after Starscream made it back to Earth, however, Decepticons under the command of the long-absent [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] also began arriving, and Barricade provided them with intelligence on which Autobots they were facing. He continued to plague the Autobots and the new [[NEST]] team, escaping each time. {{storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}} Soundwave sought the final remaining shard of the AllSpark in order to revive Megatron, so Barricade was sent to Tranquility to capture Sam and force its location from him—or failing that, ransom him for it. [[File:TotF1 barricade and sam.jpg|right|thumb|upright=2|"Dead or alive, you're coming with me. Only you won't be alive."]] Barricade took the boy to a junkyard to interrogate him, but Bumblebee soon arrived to rescue him. A protracted battled followed, concluding when 'Bee knocked Barricade into a pool of gasoline and ignited it, setting off a massive explosion. Barricade survived the blast, though, and drove off in car mode after Bumblebee and Sam had left. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 1|Tales of the Fallen #1}}

Following the resurrection of Megatron and [[The Fallen]]'s failed plan for revenge, Barricade was among the Decepticon troops that [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] sent to attack Sam's college in order to recapture a rogue Decepticon brain unit [[Brains]]. Barricade initiated the assault, smashing his way into Sam's dorm and renewing his rivalry with Bumblebee, who stood ready to protect his human friend. {{Storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}} The pair grappled and traded blows for the duration of the attack {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}} until Bumblebee ended the battle by slamming Barricade to the ground with a sickening crunch. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}
{{-}}

====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
{{voiceactor|? (English)}}
[[File:Movie Barricade IDWprequel nowitnesses.jpg|left|upright=1.8|thumb|Christine... is that you?]]
The Decepticon infiltration unit under the command of Starscream arrived on Earth in the year 2003. Barricade scanned a Saleen S281 police car, then destroyed the original human vehicle to cover his tracks, as did his fellow Decepticons when choosing their new forms. His proceeded to tail Bumblebee while the Autobot was on his way to [[New Mexico]], but unfortunately, Bumblebee identified him before Barricade could eliminate him. Barricade was inspired to come up with a new plan: ''allow'' the Autobot to get away, so that they could track him from afar to see what leads and information he had already turned up in his search. Starscream agreed to the plan, but ordered Barricade to superficially rough the little Autobot up a bit before letting him go, just to make it look convincing. {{storylink|Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)|Transformers: Beginnings}}

{{note|"Transformers: Beginnings" is a condensed, Flash-animated retelling of the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]] that is detailed above this section.}}

====''Schick Hydrobot and the Transformers''====
Barricade was among the Decepticons who attacked Doctor [[Hiroshi Benson]]'s laboratory. Holding his own for much of the battle, he was later incapacitated when [[Hydrobot (TLK)|Hydrobot]] and Bumblebee unleashed a powerful shock attack with the latter's stinger, forcing them into a retreat. {{storylink|A New Friend|A New Friend}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:StarscreamMilitia zombie barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Guess Barricade's a ''Trigun'' fan.]]
Barricade was killed in the <s>[[Mission City]]</s> [[Los Angeles]] battle. Immediately after the battle's conclusion, Starscream resurrected him, Blackout, and Devastator using AllSpark energy plucked from the [[AllSpark Mutation|mutations]] created during the chaos, turning all three into mindless, relentless zombies. Holding his own decapitated head in his hand, the zombie Barricade took on Optimus Prime; his noggin chewed on the Autobot leader's arm while the rest of his body kept him busy. The battle lasted only mere minutes, as Ratchet soon realized what was animating the Decepticons' bodies and instructed his fellow Autobots to target the AllSpark energy signatures, putting Barricade and his fellow zombies down permanently. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 7|Starscream's Militia}}

{{note|"Starscream's Milita" was written using IDW's comic book adaptation of the movie as a springboard, and so incorporated Barricade's death as seen in it. Just as IDW themselves would ignore the scene in their future comics thanks to its deletion from the film, all subsequent Titan stories ignored Barricade's death and presented him as being alive.}}

Several years later, Barricade joined Starscream in a hit and run on the [[Tech Museum of Innovation]] in [[San Jose]] during an anti-[[Transformer]] rally. Barricade's contribution mainly consisted of being beaten up by Ironhide. Even grabbing Ironhide from behind didn't work, as Ironhide's weapons worked as rocket boosters to throw the pair backwards, and Barricade was body-slammed into a nearby building. Things were looking up after Ironhide was caught in an explosion, but the two Decepticons were mobbed by humans and when Optimus Prime turned up as well, the pair fled. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 3.4|Automatic for the People}}
{{-}}

====Alternate timeline====
[[File:Barricadeblackoutandfriends-DarkSpark.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5]]
In an alternate timeline in which Megatron triumphed in the battle of Mission City and the victorious Decepticons set about conquering North America, Barricade was part of two punitive Decepticon attacks: a raid on a supply convoy at Shreveport, [[Louisiana]] {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}} and after aiding Starscream taking over the Decepticon headquarters {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}}, a solo strike on Cincinnati, [[Ohio]] as part of a "Stop supporting Autobots OR ELSE!" campaign. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 23|Revolution Part 1}}

When Starscream started open warfare, he made Barricade one of his generals. However, Barricade soon found himself bogged down in fighting [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade's]] "New Decepticons". {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 24|Revolution Part 2}}

====Letters page====
[[File:Lawanddisorder barricade.jpg|right|upright=2|thumb|One: I am the prettiest unicorn! Two: my mane is lustrous and fragrant, and it catches the wind perfectly! Dismissed!]]

Starscream considered Barricade a good candidate for second-in-command once he vacated the position to take over the Decepticons. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|#16's Star Screams}} As irony would have it, Barricade ''did'' soon take over Starscream's job when the air commander had a nervous breakdown... his job as respondent for the comic's [[letters page]]! Unwilling to let the Decepticons turn the page into a propaganda machine, the Autobots dispatched [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to co-run it with him, much to Barricade's irritation. He shared Starscream's contempt for ''[[you]]'', the reader (#1), and continued the tradition of threatening violence against ''anyone'' who cosplays as an Autobot (#7). This, however, didn't stop him bragging to Ironhide when letters would be pro-Decepticon, and at one point he held a popularity contest to see who the kiddies wanted to be "subjugated by this issue!" (#6).

By the time of Barricade's stewardship of the letters, relations had broken down between the Decepticons and [[DreamWorks]], and they had returned to targeting Michael Bay and company for the pro-Autobot bent of their films. Though Barricade personally enjoyed the scene in the first film when [[Mojo|a dog]] peed on Ironhide, (#1) he refused to appear in the second, and would not even allow his likeness to be used in the video games. (#4) (He claimed he never wanted to be in ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' but his tears disproved that (#12)) He later decided fame was more important than principles though, submitting a script and auditioning for a part in the third film by threatening the director with death (#8). He was absolutely ''disgusted'' by [[fandom|our]] enjoyment of the films: he lost ''friends'' during filming, man. (#10)

In the early days, he appeared to be separated from the rest of the Decepticons, as his knowledge on their current status was spotty; while he knew [[Wheelie (ROTF)|Wheelie]] had turned traitor, he seemed unaware that [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] had been terminated. (#4) He later re-established contact, being aware of [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor's]] status and [[The Fallen]]. (#7) He also had a ''shockingly'' bad knowledge of Transformers [[units of time]]. (#8)

Barricade stated how he doesn't think much of Starscream's intelligence or ability to lead (a bit of a pisser when Starscream considered ''him'' to be 2IC material!), but ''much'' prefers him over Megatron. (#1) He once explained some of Megatron's flaws, only to get scared and state how he totally respects him ''really''. (#3) He also dislikes [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], claiming the guy ''never'' pulls his weight and is just Megatron's fave. (#7) On top of that, while he followed the party line and claimed the Decepticons have "policies" (#7), he began showning signs of discontent with being a Decepticon—the long hours, the lousy food, the admin work (#5)—leading Ironhide to start offering him the chance to defect to the Autobots. Barricade outright rejected this offer the first time, saying he couldn't bear the thought of listening to Optimus moralise (#9); the second time, however, he merely stated the horrific penalties for defecting Decepticons (#10) and the third, he desperately said he just ''couldn't'' do it, even if it would be nice to hang with other cars for once... BUT HE CAN'T! Ironhide's friendliness began starting to disturb him. (#11) He did, however, become fed up of Ironhide bringing up how Bumblebee kicked his arse, and became determined to get revenge on "that little yellow cretin"...

Barricade would reveal other assorted factoids about his history and personal tastes during his time as host. Like Starscream, he was active on Earth during the 1980s, at which time he was a [[Barricade (G1)|Micromaster]]. (#12) He watched the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''Transformers'' cartoon]] broadcast at the time (#3) and approved of humanity's fascination with giant robots. In contrast, he is ''completely'' bewildered by pop music. (#7) He's terrified of [[Unicron]]. (#6) He's apparently got an optic for [[Female Transformer|the ladies]], or at least the heavily armed ones, making sure to flirt right back when a neutral femme wrote into the letter's column looking to play "bad cop/bad cop pretending to be good cop" with him. (#5)

===Toy bios===
As a born liar, the greatest thrill in Barricade's life is knowing people trust him because of the decorations on his police car mode's panels. The look of betrayal they get when they realize what they are ''really'' dealing with is as sweet as candy. However, he likes chasing down Autobots and breaking them into pieces with his bare hands even better. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys|''Transformers'' Deluxe Barricade}}

Barricade would serve as a spy for Megatron, sneaking in among enemies and learning as much as he can before destroying every trace he was ever there with his powerful lasers. His whirling Blade Shield could carve through even the toughest materials, making it the perfect tool for breaking into secure buildings or carving through armored data cases. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Fast Action Battlers|Blade Shield Barricade}}

Being physically equal or better to [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]], Barricade became extremely annoyed that he could not match the Autobot's skill in insults. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Allspark2pack|Cliffjumper Vs Recon Barricade}}

Once the AllSpark was located and Megatron was freed, the Decepticons infiltrated the Hover Dam with Barricade leading the charge. Disguised as local security, he gazed hungrily at the dam's fragile structure and the destructive power of the millions of gallons of water trapped behind it. To him, one missile could unleash a storm of destruction he has never seen before. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#DeluxeRecon|Recon Barricade (Deluxe)}}

Supercharged by the AllSpark, Barricade gained the ability to disguise himself, becoming almost impossible to detect among similar human law enforcement vehicles. This superpower gave him opportunities to cause havoc among the Autobots' human allies. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#AllsparkEnhanced|Allspark-Enhanced Barricade}}

Recovering from the damages he sustained during the battle of Mission City, Barricade was at a loss from there. With Megatron destroyed and his other teammates missing, it became more and more difficult to catch an Autobot alone. Tormenting humans also became less enjoyable than he thought it would be. Fading into the background, he decided to keep his armor polished and his vehicle mode looking sharp in the hope that Megatron will one day return and lead the Decepticons to glory. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Premium|Premium Series Barricade}}

Electing to remain on Earth while Starscream returned to Cybertron, Barricade devoted his time on Earth to gathering intelligence for the inevitable rise of the Decepticons. He would stalk and capture important humans to scan and interrogate before disposing of his captives using the highly sensitive probes built into his vehicle mode. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 2|Interrogator Barricade}}

Barricade has worked together with Frenzy for centuries, their perfect partnership designed for one purpose: to hunt down and destroy whatever target Megatron assigns to them. Frenzy would use his hyperactive hunger for information to guide the relentless pursuit at which Barricade specializes. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Human Alliance|Human Alliance Barricade with Frenzy}}

Barricade and [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] had been stalking each other for a long time, each of them determined to catch the other by surprise. After a days-long game of cat-and-mouse, they came together in inevitable combat where only the most skillful warrior would walk away. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 3|Hunters Rumble}}

Though he has been deactivated more times than he can count, Barricade's "deaths" have all been in service to Megatron. All he would ask for is the opportunity to hunt, which his master is generous to provide. As long as he is given this privilege, Barricade will gladly suffer a ''thousand'' deactivations. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Cyberverse|Cyberverse Barricade}}

Barricade prefers to find potential victims over making friends. Due to his reputation of tricking people into trusting him using his vehicle mode, he can stalk and eliminate nearly any Autobot he wishes. They and their human allies alike should take cover when they notice police sirens in the distance because it could otherwise be the last thing they ever hear. {{storylink|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Deluxe Class toys 4|''Dark of the Moon'' Deluxe Barricade}}

===Transformers Mix & Match books===
{{Note|Due to the malleable storytelling format of the Mix & Match books, listed here is Barricade's story role if all the segments visually featuring him are lined-up. For all the possible iterations of his role in the story, see the [[Transformers Mix & Match]] page.}}
Barricade hung out with [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] and spied on [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Mix & Match}}

===Cyber Missions===
{{voiceactor|[[Bronco D. Jackson]] (English)|[[Óscar Flores]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Duda Espinoza]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}
[[File:Cyber Missions Barricade.JPG‎|thumb|upright=1.5|You must agree that his head is somewhat deformed.]]
After a high speed pursuit through [[Scramble City (city)|Scramble City]], Barricade managed to ditch [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] and used
his [[Moustache Man|holo avatar]] to break into a secure facility. Standing guard while [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] raided the computers, he somehow failed to hear Sideswipe bushwhack his partner and was only alerted when Frenzy's crumpled-up form rolled into his foot. After throwing Frenzy at Sideswipe, Barricade engaged the Autobot in combat, managing to defeat him by freezing him to a wall. He then made off with Frenzy and the [[NEST]] access codes. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 6}}

Later, Barricade and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] confronted [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. Looking to steal one of Ironhide's weapons, Lockdown took a missile instead, which blew up in his face. While Lockdown was dazed, Ironhide punched Barricade out and dumped a truckload of rocks on top of him. Barricade pleaded with Lockdown for help, but the explosion damaged Lockdown's optics, and he fled. {{storylink|Cyber Missions 11}}

Later, Barricade was among the Decepticons Megatron led on a mission to free the captured Soundwave. He arrived after Megatron derailed the train Soundwave was believed to be on, but true to his history, disappeared from sight soon after. {{storylink|Decepticons Attack}}
{{-}}

===Transformers Annual 2011===
Barricade and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] were sent to [[Tokyo]] to cause a diversion. The Autobots soon turned up, and Barricade clashed briefly with Sideswipe before being hoisted into the air by Optimus. A short time later, Grindor crashed on top of him. Defeated, Barricade was picked up by Grindor and they departed, but not before letting Optimus know he'd been had. {{storylink|Sam in Danger}}

===''BeCool'' shorts===
[[File:BeCool patrolcar and americanpatrolcar.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.75|"Kaon cops are on the take! But what do you expect, for the money we make?"]]
'''American Patrol Car''' (アメリカンパトカー ''Amerikan Patokā'') spoke English, but was still capable of communication with his Japanese-speaking fellow BeCool Transformers, albeit with a heavy English-speaking accent. He was part of the audience of ''Quiz! BeCool'' {{storylink|The Story of Quiz! BeCool}} and later joined his police force partner [[Prowl (G1)|Patrol Car]] to welcome audiences to [[Surprise World|the world in which the BeCool robots lived]]. The pair failed to notice when [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Garbage Truck]] accidentally dropped a [[banana]] peel in the course of his job, so when [[Bumblebee (G1)|Yellow Sports Car]] hit the peel and went spinning through the city streets, they thought he was just driving recklessly and sped after him. Unfortunately, they failed to stop him before he crashed into a bunch of other 'bots, necessitating the medical aid of [[Ratchet (G1)|Ambulance]], who American Patrol Car explained to the audience was the town doctor. {{storylink|The Story of Protecting the Signal!}}
{{--}}

===''Mission to Cybertron'' comic===
{{charstubfiction}}
{{storylink|Mission to Cybertron}}
{{-}}

==Games==
==="Flight of the Bumblebee" online game===
[[File:FlightoftheBumblebee bee vs barricade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Whether you're a truck, or you're a Porsche, we don't mind using excessive force! Bad cops, bad cops!!"]]
Barricade was one of a group of Decepticons who trapped Bumblebee in a canyon. He stood around on a rocky butte, walking back and forth and waiting for Bumblebee to drive up to him. When the Autobot dropped in, Barricade immediately opened fire, blasting Bumblebee continuously. Unfortunately, Bumblebee had the idea to shoot back, blasting him right out of the picture with just one shot. {{storylink|Flight of the Bumblebee}}
{{-}}

===Transformers The Game (console)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]] (English)|[[Frédéric Norbert]] (French), [[David García Vázquez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian)}}
====Autobot campaign====
[[File:TFtheGame barricade vs bee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Out of the shadows... the spies announce themselves now?"]]
Barricade was sent to Tranquility to hunt down Sam Witwicky and the glasses that held the location of the AllSpark. He attempted to capture Sam and Mikaela outside their high school, but Bumblebee stepped in. The humans fled for the nearby baseball field with Barricade in pursuit, but Bumblebee beat him to them, protecting them while they ran away again. He followed them to the power plant, but was once again foiled by Bumblebee and sent packing.

Later, in [[Mission City]], Barricade made one last grab for the AllSpark after [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] had each fallen to the Autobots. However, he was once again intercepted by Bumblebee, and finally defeated for good. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

====Decepticon campaign====
[[File:TFtheGame barricade threatens sam.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|"Were it so easy..."]]
Upon reaching Tranquility and choosing his [[alternate mode]], Barricade attempted some recon, but encountered a squad of Autobot drones, a battle which spilled out to the local baseball field. Shortly afterwards, he was informed by Starscream that [[Frenzy (Movie)|Frenzy]] had information they needed, but the diminutive Decepticon had been captured by [[Sector Seven]] agents. Barricade tracked them to the power plant, then hounded the agents across town in their highly resistant van, wrecking every building in his path until Frenzy was recovered.

Finally on the trail of Sam, he was stopped cold by Sam's protector Bumblebee. Barricade got the upper hand, but the Autobot led him on a chase that ended in [[Bay Demolition|Bay's Demolition]] lot, and an ambush courtesy of a lot of Autobot drones. Barricade overcame the odds and hunted down Bumblebee once more, finally besting the Autobot and taking the glasses from Sam. Decoding Megatron and the AllSpark's location from them, Barricade relayed his findings to Starscream, who, together with Blackout, soon struck [[Hoover Dam]] and liberated their leader.

When the Decepticons converged on Mission City, Barricade was tasked with taking out the Autobot [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]]. He later stood in Megatron's presence after the AllSpark had been recovered and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] ordered the Earth to be destroyed before they left it on their way to conquering all of known space. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

===''Transformers: The Game'' (PSP)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]]}}
[[File:TFtheGamePSP barricade hooverdam.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"Even on my knees I do not belong in his presence."]]
Barricade and a platoon of Decepticon drones pursued Sam Witwicky in an attempt to obtain his grandfather's glasses, but were defeated in a battle at a steel processing plant by the human's protector, Bumblebee. A short time later, learning from Frenzy that Megatron's frozen body was being held at Hoover Dam by Sector Seven, Barricade and Starscream attacked the facility. Barricade penetrated the dam and located Megatron's body, deactivating the machines that were keeping him frozen. When Megatron did not immediately reactivate, Barricade assumed his leader was dead after all, but Megatron soon shook off the deep freeze treatment to prove his subordinate wrong. Megatron jetted off to acquire some fresh energy for himself, while Barricade reported on Megatron's awakening to Starscream, who was not best pleased with the news. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (PSP)}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers Autobots/Decepticons'' (Nintendo DS)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith David]] (English)}}
====''Transformers: Autobots''====
[[File:TFtheGameDS Barricade and friend vs Optimus.jpg|thumb|left|'''Optimus''': Gasp! Is that Shockwa- '''Barricade''': No, no, no, he's off doing stuff on Cybertron or something or other and-look, can we just fight?]]
When Bumblebee went to investigate the source of an image found on the internet, he found Barricade waiting for him. Barricade blew up a nearby car and took off, sending out messages on the police radio that Bumblebee was responsible. After failing to lose Bumblebee in spite of all of [[Tranquility]]'s police force being after him, he engaged him in combat. Unable to defeat Bumblebee, he hastily retreated. Later on, he encountered Bumblebee and Optimus Prime as the two were leaving [[Hoover Dam]]. With a large helicopter Decepticon at his side, he tried to persuade Optimus to let him have the Allspark. After Prime predictably refused, Barricade started to demand the AllSpark from Prime, not even caring about the consequences. He was killed, but revealed to Prime he was merely a distraction while other Decepticons freed Megatron from his icy prison. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Autobots}}

====''Transformers: Decepticons''====
{{quote|"Weakness breeds fear, and fear makes every ally an enemy, that's why we Decepticons don't tolerate weakness!"
|Barricade's lesson to the player}}
[[File:TFtheGameDS barricade dies.jpg|thumb||''Guess I got what I deserved... Kept you waiting there too long, my love...'' |upright=1.2]]

When the [[Create-A-Bot (Decepticon)|Decepticon Create-A-Bot]] arrived on Earth, his mentor, Starscream, directed him to rendezvous with Barricade, already active on the planet and commanding some of the Decepticon forces there. Barricade was not enamored with the idea of a partner, feeling that the Create-A-Bot would only slow him down, but after putting the rookie through his paces, he permitted him to join him on his mission in the town of [[Tranquility]]. Barricade revealed to the Create-A-Bot what Starscream had not—that the signal which had brought the Decepticons to Earth had come from Megatron himself. The rookie dismissed Megatron as a relic, and was struck by Barricade for the insult. With some help from the rookie, Barricade discovered that the Autobot Bumblebee was already on Megatron's trail; Barricade pursued Bumblebee, defeated him in battle on the outskirts of Tranquility, and acquired the data he had gathered.

Now aware that the human military organization [[Sector Seven]] was holding Megatron, Barricade arranged for [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] to transport the Create-A-Bot to a [[Qatar]] military base, where they and [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] hacked Sector Seven's databanks. The file they obtained was brought back to Barricade in Tranquility for deciphering, and revealed that Megatron was being held by Sector Seven in the [[Hoover Dam]]. The Create-A-Bot suggesting relaying this to Starscream, but Barricade loudly refuted the idea, happy that the impending resurrection of Megatron would mean that he would no longer have to serve under a cowardly, back-stabbing bureaucrat like Starscream. Swayed by Barricade's words, the rookie revealed a fact that Starscream had told only him—that the AllSpark was also present on Earth. Shocked by the revelation, Barricade realized that Starscream had been scheming to acquire the AllSpark for himself, to ensure that not even Megatron could remove him from power. With the rookie now turned from Starscream and on his side, Barricade was able to liberate Megatron from Sector Seven, and the Decepticons pursued the Autobots, now in possession of the AllSpark, back to Tranquility.

During the ensuing battle, Starscream finally claimed the AllSpark from Bumblebee, and Barricade stood against him, intent on bringing him in for treason. Alas, the AllSpark-powered Starscream destroyed Barricade, but in death, Barricade proved to the Create-A-Bot what it truly meant to be a Decepticon. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Decepticons}}
{{-}}

===Allspark Highway===
Barricade and the Decepticons tried to keep the Autobots from delivering the Allspark to safety. There were lots of him. {{storylink|Allspark Highway}}

===''Transformers Video Mash-Up''===
{{note|Various short clips featuring Barricade were available for users to custom-create their own short film about the Transformers.}} {{storylink|Transformers Video Mash-Up}}

===''Second Life''===
[[File:2007movie Barricade SLavatar.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2]|Barricade cosplay (Frenzy not included)]]
{{note|In the virtual world simulator/online game ''Second Life'', there was a full replica of the Sector Seven base which contained a giant discussion room where Michael Bay held a question board. This room contained a giant frozen Megatron replica and offered free avatars of both Bumblebee and Barricade. Both freebies were non-transforming.}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons'' (Nintendo DS)===
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticons}}
{{stub}}

===''MechTech Weapons Challenge''===
Bumblebee could use Barricade's robot wrecking claw to aid him in his missions to retrieve MechTech weapons technology stolen by the Decepticons. {{storylink|MechTech Weapons Challenge}}

===''Cyberverse Battle Builder''===
Barricade joined the rest of the Decepticons in combating the Autobots on battlefields on Earth, the Earth's Moon and on Cybertron. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Cyberverse Battle Builder}}

===''Bot Shots Battle Game!''===
[[File:Bsbg-barricade.jpg|thumb|left|What's the matter, don't you trust cops?]]
Barricade participated in numerous one-on-one matches against other Autobots and Decepticons, using his fists, his sword, or his gun to defeat his opponents. Sometimes, he even faced off against himself! {{storylink|Bot Shots Battle Game!}}
{{-}}

===''Angry Birds Transformers''===
{{main|Moustache Pig#As Barricade}}
Barricade appears as a character unlockable in Challenge Events. He is portrayed by Moustache Pig. {{storylink|Angry Birds Transformers (mobile game)|Angry Birds Transformers}}

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}}}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
[[File:Barricade-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Oh, you want to use a special attack? Good luck with that."]]
Barricade was one of the Decepticons pulled from [[Live-action film series|his universe]] by the [[Quintesson]]s and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

[[Optimus Prime (G1)#Transformers: Forged to Fight|Optimus Prime]] encountered Barricade on one of their missions, and Barricade demanded to know if he was [[Sam Witwicky|Ladiesmans217]]. [[Prowl (G1)#Transformers: Forged to Fight|Prowl]] got a read-out on the Decepticon, and they eventually had a Good Cop vs. Bad Cop showdown. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight#Chapter 1:Realities Collide|Good Cop Bad Cop}}2nd Encounter
{{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight#|It's in our DNA}}
{{chargamestub}}

==Toys==
{{Main|Barricade (Movie)/toys}}

==Merchandise==
{{Main|Barricade (Movie)/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
*In an early version of the movie's script, Barricade and Frenzy's roles were shared by a single character named "[[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]]". He would have infiltrated the CIA headquarters (rather than Air Force One) in the form of a "portable stereo" and then transformed (and size-shifted) into a Humvee for his escape.<ref name="early">Details from an early script draft [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2213120&postcount=297 summed up here], [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php?p=2214148&postcount=303 confirmed as authentic by Roberto Orci here].</ref>
[[File:EarlyMovieBarricadeHead.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|150px|Different name, different head, same guy. As far as we know, anyway!]]
*[[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]] was originally part of the Autobot line up for the movie, but was removed, as the writers loved the perverse idea of making the police car a Decepticon.
*An early working name for Barricade was '''Brawl''',<ref name="barribrawl">[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-images/events/Botcon-2007/Hasbro-Tour/PICT5108.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 Early design for Barricade with working name "Brawl" shown during the BotCon 2007 Hasbro Tour]</ref> which was later given to [[Brawl (Movie)|another movie character]]. Early concept art the character created when he was going by this name<ref name="barribrawl"/> (pictured at right) suggests that he was originally going to transform into a white and black Crown Victoria (somewhat akin to Prowl's original G1 color scheme). The head design from this early concept artwork managed to show up on a few pieces of merchandise for the first film (such as a set of temporary tattoos), was used as inspiration for Barricade's Cybertronian-mode head in IDW's "[[Planetfall (Movie)|Planetfall]]," and would later inexplicably show up as a profile link for Barricade's [[Bio#Online bios|Battle Bio]] on Hasbro's website.
*In the first movie, Barricade sports the [[license plate]] "1-4027E", registered in Oklahoma. It can be briefly glimpsed when he slows down after having seemingly cornered Bumblebee, but is more clearly seen in set photos. Oddly enough, that plate ''also'' shows up on ''[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz's]]'' [[robot mode]] chest in the same movie. The Deluxe Class Recon Barricade [[redeco]] toy, meanwhile, sports the plate "SAGE2764", a reference pertaining to deco designer [[Joe Kyde]], the [[Premium Series]] redeco of the Deluxe toy sports the plate "DCPTCN" for "Decepticon", and the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' [[Human Alliance]] toy sports the plate "2PN-SLV", referring to Barricade's infamous "To punish and enslave..." markings.
*The [http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/27/ebay-find-of-the-day-saleen-barricade-replica/ promotional Saleen S281E cars] that appeared at events and premieres featured the slogan "Power in the hands of a few" rather than the "To punish and enslave" motto, as well as Saleen decals rather than the Decepticon decals seen in the movie.
*By placing Barricade's arrival on Earth in 2003, [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]'s ''[[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]]'' seems to contradict the very existence of his [[alternate mode]], since it is a 2006 model car. Not so— the Mustang design that would eventually be the 2006 model debuted sometime in 2003, with police car modifications showing up in car shows not long after. It could very well be that, similar to when/how Jazz scanned a Solstice in a dealership late at night, Barricade scanned a Police Mustang in one such car show display after-hours, explaining why there were "no witnesses" after he assumed this form ''and'' why his police deco has no state or city markings/I.D.
[[File:Movie2007 Barricade carweapon.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|150px|This looks familiar!]]
*In a deleted scene set during Barricade's pursuit of Bumblebee, the Decepticon was to deploy serrated drill-like missiles from his hood and fire them at the fleeing Autobot. The scene was filmed, as evidenced by artist [[Sean Haworth]]'s photograph of the constructed and fitted weapon prop (right), and its removal at least partially helps to explain the abrupt shift from day to night that occurs during the chase. The scene remains in IDW's comic book adaptation of the film, and the weapons are optional extras for RadioShack's ''XMODS® Evolution'' Barricade model kit.
*If one were to only accept the film itself as [[canon]], there is no real evidence of his supposed "rivalry" with Bumblebee which Hasbro and IDW kept pushing as a defining trait of his character since 2007. He just happens to be the Decepticon to first make contact with Sam Witwicky, Bumblebee intervenes and then fights and defeats Barricade. There is nothing in the film itself that would suggest that the two have a history, or even actually ''know'' each other personally beforehand. However, Hasbro gave the pairing of the two as enemies a lot of prominence in their toyline that accompanied the film, and IDW's prequel and sequel comics established previous and subsequent encounters of the two on Earth. Barricade's two subsequent film appearances eventually ''do'' establish a recurring history/rivalry with Bumblebee of sorts, though: In ''Dark of the Moon'', he delivers a captured Bumblebee a kick to the back, and the two briefly face off again during ''The Last Knight''.

===Other films===
*When asked about Barricade's disappearance from the first film, writer [[Roberto Orci]] stated in a message board Q&A session that it was a "thread for Movie 2".<ref>[http://boards.transformersmovie.com/showpost.php?p=384946&postcount=33 Roberto Orci on Barricade's fate in the movie, at the official movie boards]</ref> As it happened, Barricade didn't turn up in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''; two years later, Orci stated that he honestly couldn't remember why.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/180451-welcome-mr-roberto-orci-you-may-ask-him-questions-283.html#post3785383 Orci's Q&A at TFW2005]</ref>
*A common misconception among fans is that Barricade's Saleen Mustang alternate mode was spotted on the set of ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''. This is not true. In fact, a truck transporting three "Barricade" prop vehicles was spotted in Culver City, California, in March 2008, more than two months before principal shooting for ''Revenge of the Fallen'' started.<ref name="vehspotted">[http://www.superherohype.com/news/transformersnews.php?id=6980 Superhero Hype reporting on the spotting of Barricade vehicles in March 2008]</ref>
*An early idea writer [[Chris Mowry]] had for the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' comic book prequel ''[[Transformers: Alliance]]'' was to depict Barricade's transformation into new movie character [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], but Hasbro rejected the idea.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/mowry-73165-page2.html#vmessage170099]</ref> Another of Mowry's ideas for ''Alliance'' involved having Barricade reformat into a police boat to retrieve Megatron's at-sea remains. Mowry notes he would have been confronted by [[Storm Surge (Movie)|Storm Surge]]; whether this means Storm Surge was an Autobot at this point in development, or if there was dissension in the Decepticon ranks, is unclear.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/members/mowry-73165.html#vmessage281346]</ref>
*Barricade doesn't ''technically'' speak in ''Dark of the Moon'', but an editing gaffe as he kicks Que around before executing him sees Soundwave's voice (provided by [[Frank Welker]]) coming out of his mouth for the scene.
**A similar issue is present during the ''The Last Knight''. A voice reminiscent of Welker's Soundwave voice is present during the [[Stonehenge]] sequence near the end of the film. As Welker's voice had been used for Barricade in the past, it's rather tempting to write this off as him talking, despite Harnell providing most of the dialogue in the film.
*Despite all the marketing and promotional material leading up to the release of ''The Last Knight'' portraying him with a mask/helmet, he never uses it in the film itself and has a fully exposed face all throughout. One piece of concept art even depicts him with police shades. [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/22580549_156168284980549_4064834079172853760_n-jpg.27831803/ Seriously.]
*Barricade's vehicle mode color in ''The Last Knight'' varies from scene to scene: He possesses a glossy midnight blue color on his vehicle prop shells. During his transformation sequence, his midnight blue is painted in a brighter metallic shade.
*Barricade's appearance in ''The Last Knight'' serves as the basis for the [[Evergreen]] design used to create the ''[[Transformers: Earth Wars]]'' [[Barricade (IDW)|version of the character]].

===Disappearances and reappearances===
[[File:Barricade-comicsadaptation-death.jpg|upright=1.25|thumb|right|F*** tha poh-leece!]]
*Barricade abruptly disappears from the first live-action film during the highway battle, last appearing as Bonecrusher moves forward to engage Optimus Prime. As evidenced by scenes in the novelization and comic book adaptations of the film (right), he was supposed to join Bonecrusher in attacking the Autobot leader, and would have been destroyed by Optimus after Bonecrusher.
*Alternatively, the children's chapter book adaptation of the film, ''[[The Quest for the AllSpark]]'', describes Barricade as being destroyed by the US military.
*At the time, Barricade's fate caused a great deal of speculation, and [[IDW Publishing]] capitalized on the character's ambiguous fate to "overwrite" his death from their comic adaptation, revealing instead in ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' that he had been forced off the road by Ironhide and drove into a roadway bridge pillar, knocking himself out.
*Barricade subsequently reappeared in several further IDW comics before returning to the screen in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', where he lost his eyes and leg by NEST soldiers before disappearing, presumably killed by NEST or the Autobots.
*However, Barricade appears alive and well in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]'', [[retcon]]ning his potential death in ''Dark of the Moon''. Oddly enough, it is mentioned in that film that he has been under government surveillance. Last seen coming under attack by the British military, Barricade apparently continuing his tradition of having an ambiguous fate near the end of every odd-numbered film.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Barricade''' (バリケード ''Barikēdo'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Pàn Gūan''' (Taiwan, 叛官, "Treacherous Official"), '''Lùzhàng''' (China, 路障, "Barricade")
*''Ukrainian:'' '''Barycada''' (Барикада, "Barricade")

==See also==
{{OtherVersions
|charname=Barricade
|disambig=Barricade (disambiguation)
|body=
*[[Barricade (Animated)|Barricade]], the [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's]] menu headshot from ''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Transformers Animated]].''
*[[Barricade (WFC)|Barricade]], the [[Decepticon]] dirty cop from the [[Aligned continuity family]].
*[[Barricade (IDW)|Barricade]], the Decepticon dirty cop from the [[2005 IDW continuity]].}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.instagram.com/p/BXWEuoJhy0L/], [https://www.instagram.com/p/BaZbUBgjWCk/], [https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba0R7EODw-k/] ''The Last Knight'' Barricade concept art by Josh Nizzi on Instagram

[[Category:3D Battle-Cards]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction Decepticons]]
[[Category:Cyber Missions characters]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Interrogators]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Movie Decepticons]]
[[Category:Pilots]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Decepticons]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Decepticons]]
[[Category:Zombies]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]

Nefarious issue 3

2023-07-12T05:20:47Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Nefarious]]'' #3
|prev=Nefarious issue 2
|next=Nefarious issue 4
|image=Nefarious3 CoverB.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[May 5]], 2010
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Carlos Magno]]
|colors by=[[Kris Carter]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|assistant editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[Movie continuity]]
}}

'''The Decepticons stage a jailbreak, while the Initiative's plans kick into high gear.'''
==Synopsis==
In [[Utah]], Bumblebee is reflecting on the type of soldier he is; he doesn't waiver, doesn't compromise and NEVER disobeys an order from Optimus Prime. Bee considers that the same applies to his trio of cadets: Jolt, Knock Out and Dune Runner. However, that kind of uncompromising, unquestioning attitude is precisely what got [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]] killed.

The yellow Autobot's reverie is broken by a communique from Optimus Prime. Prime informs Bumblebee that the Autobots are ready and that 'Bee should bring Soundwave in at Bumblebee's discretion. Bumblebee acknowledges the order, but it's apparent, at least to Jolt, that the yellow Autobot thinks that Prime is underestimating the danger posed by Soundwave, even in his current, imprisoned and restrained, predicament.

[[Image:Nefarious 3 Buzzsaw plane.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Hidden in plane sight.]]As he is being transported in a [[NEST]] cargo plane, Soundwave smugly intones that the Autobot patrol have a mere twenty-two minutes left to live. Knock Out dismisses it as head games, but Jolt and Dune Runner are less sure, a view reinforced by Buzzsaw tailing the plane.

In a disused nuclear shelter in [[Odessa]], [[Texas]], Optimus Prime is asking Ironhide for confirmation that they'll be ready for Soundwave's impending arrival. Ironhide assures the Autobot commander that things will be ready "if and when" Soundwave makes it to them. Optimus questions Ironhide's use of "if," but Ironhide sticks to his guns. Further, Ironhide tells his senior officer that he should be there overseeing the transfer, as Soundwave is tricky to contain. Prime agrees but he claims to need Ironhide's expertise at their base more so than in the field. Ironhide pointedly asks Optimus why he's at the base instead of trying to patch things up with NEST. Prime confesses that he's not in the mood to deal with Lennox right now.

Back on Soundwave's prisoner transfer flight, the Autobot field team is in trouble. Buzzsaw destroys both of the cargo plane's starboard engines, leading to the inevitable fiery crash.

Over at [[Nellis Air Force Base]], [[Nevada]], Theodore Galloway boards a helicopter and tells its crew to disregard any order they might have received barring them from conducting any reconnaissance over [[Sector Seven]]'s old stomping grounds. The flight personnel acquiesce to Director Galloway and two helicopters are soon en route to the [[Hoover Dam]].

Inside the Dam, some [[Initiative]] personnel are beginning a drilling operation that will lead them to reach an unspecified payload within thirty-six minutes.

Somewhere in the region of [[Inyokern]], [[California]], Initiative-1 AKA [[Carter Newell]], is bemoaning the amount of time it's taking to drill through the reinforced concrete, while talking to another of the Initiative's 'cardinals,' Mr. Kirkpatrick. Mr. Newell assures Kirkpatrick that he will deal with Galloway. Newell immediately contacts Woolf in the "Deep-Freeze". Carter asks Woolf for a fast thaw, specifying that it must be an airborne unit.

[[Image:Nefarious 3 Bumblebee Rumble.jpg|thumb|right|150px|To be the 'bot, you gotta beat the 'bot]]

At the NEST plane's crash site in [[New Mexico]], the joint human/Autobot unit are checking their wounds. Bumblebee is a little unsteady after using his body to shield much of the human crew, as well as their 'cargo' from the worst of the impact. The Autobots are unable to send out a request for medical aid as Soundwave has comprehensively taken over the regional airwaves. Bumblebee realizes that leaves them as sitting ducks, so Bumblebee and his patrol race away, dragging the still-restrained Soundwave along for the ride. Bumblebee is seriously questioning the wisdom of transporting Soundwave to Odessa Base at all costs — something that becomes even trickier when Buzzsaw, Beastbox, Rumble, Dirt Boss, Ratbat and Ravage show up to make their acquaintance.

At Odessa Base, Prime is dealing with Lennox, and agrees that they are unilaterally out on a limb. The operation is a risk and a subterfuge that will be entirely meaningless if Soundwave is lost.

Back in New Mexico, Bumblebee and his patrol are trying to deal with Soundwave's militia so that they can bring Soundwave to Odessa. Things start off well with Bumblebee taking on Rumble directly. Unfortunately, the Autobots are unable to deal with the Decepticon air support. Realizing that they can't win the combat, Bumblebee decides he has to take decisive action.

[[Image:Nefarious 3 Ingrid.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Bad girl. Badder kitty.]]

During the melee, Soundwave orders Ravage to free him from his restraints. Ravage goes to obey, but before he can do so, he is once more under the control of the Initiative. Soundwave expresses his disgust at this development. Meanwhile, Bumblebee decides that this team isn't fighting to the death — not his own, nor that of his cadets. Surmising it's Soundwave's freedom or more Autobot casualties, Bumblebee blasts the Decepticon prisoner's restraining sled and abandons him to the desert. Knowing that he'll face consequences for his decision, but also knowing that such a decision meant life for himself, Knock Out, Dune Runner and Jolt, Bumblebee gets his cadets together.

[[Image:Nefarious 3 Ransack Galloway.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Plane old fear.]]

In the airspace above the Hoover Dam, the other helicopter radios Captain Cox that there's an unknown aircraft on an intercept course, right before the other 'copter explodes. Cox's helicopter takes evasive actions but is still hit by the unknown assailant. Soon Galloway makes visual contact with the attacker - a WWI-era biplane with clearly hostile intent...{{--}}

==Featured Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=* [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knock Out]] (1)
* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] (3)
* [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]] (4)
* [[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]] (5)
* [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (7)
* [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (8)
* [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] (9)

|c2=* [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] (2)
* [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] (6)
* [[Beastbox (ROTF)|Beastbox]] (17)
* [[Rumble (ROTF)|Rumble]] (18)
* [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] (19)
* [[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] (20)
* [[Ravage (ROTF)|Ravage]] (21)
* [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] (24)

|c3=* [[William Lennox]] (10)
* [[Theodore Galloway]] (11)
* [[Cox]] (12)
* [[Frank Pelletier]] (13)
* [[Carter Newell]] (14)
* [[Hank Kirkpatrick]] (15)
* [[Woolf]] (16)
* [[Ingrid]] (22)
}}

==Quotes==
"Eh, relax, Jolt! He's just playing head games with you. I mean, what's he going to do? Overwhelm us with his smoldering reticence?"
:—'''Knock Out''' on Soundwave.

"Yes, But I find that right now, I'd rather face a dozen [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]s than one Major William Lennox"
:—'''Optimus Prime''' is lubricating himself at the thought of talking to a mere human.

==Notes==
*The Hoover Dam was previously seen in the [[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|Reign of Starscream]], nearly spilling out water during Starscream's [[The Reign of Starscream issue 2|second visit]], but now its fixed, hooray.
===Transformers references===
*Even imprisoned Soundwave still operates his own agenda. [[Megatron (BW)|That sounds like a certain someone, yessss]]

===Errors===
*Optimus calls Lennox "Captain" on page 14. Maybe he just forgot about Lennox's promotion?
*[[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]] is still drawn as the [[Landmine (Movie)|Landmine]] / [[Armorhide (Movie)|Armorhide]] design. But at least in this issue someone uses his name, so we know it ''is'' him!

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Renders of Bumblebee, Lennox, two soldiers and Ravage by [[Brian Rood]]
*'''Cover B:''' Bumblebee under attack from Soundwave's minions, art by [[Carlos Magno]] and colors by [[Kris Carter]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Text-free version of Cover A
<gallery>
Image:Nefarious3 CoverA.jpg|
Image:Nefarious3 CoverB.jpg|
Image:Nefarious3 CoverRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
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* ''Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy''
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* ''Sherlock Holmes'', Vol. 2

[[Category:IDW Revenge of the Fallen issues]]

Nefarious issue 4

2023-07-12T05:20:33Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Nefarious]]'' #4
|prev=Nefarious issue 3
|next=Nefarious issue 5
|image=Nefarious4 CoverB.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 16]], 2010
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Carlos Magno]]
|colors by=[[Andrew Dalhouse]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|assistant editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[Movie continuity]]
}}
'''While Galloway fights for his life against Ransack, Soundwave confronts the Initiative head-on!'''

==Synopsis==
Just outside of [[Boulder City]], [[Nevada]], Director Galloway and his accompanying helicopter crew are under a vicious attack from an [[Initiative]]-controlled Ransack, whilst over in [[Inyokern]], [[California]], Carter Newell and Ingrid are remotely observing the carnage. Ingrid asks Carter why has such hatred for the Cybertronians, a hatred that goes so far as not even considering the possibility of them having names. After that, Ingrid presses further, demanding to know what's in [[Initiative base|Isolation-1]], an Initiative subdivision that Carter, and ''only'' Carter, has access to. Newell cuts Ingrid off, stating that despite their familial connection, she asks too many questions.

[[Image:RansackROTFNefarious.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Over in Nevada, things go from bad to worse for Galloway's group, with Frank having his stomach impaled by a piece of debris thrown up in the chaos. Galloway searches the body of their helicopter pilot and finds a radio. At the same time, Carter & Ingrid are updated on the progress of their operation at the [[Hoover Dam]]. It's tight which worries [[Hank Kirkpatrick|Kirkpatrick]] as it may mean Armageddon, something that Ingrid proclaims to be "Cool". Someone who is finding things far less cool is Galloway, who is radioing an urgent help request to the [[NEST]] Tactical Base as Ransack looms ever closer...

Five minutes earlier at that very same base, Optimus Prime and Major Lennox are discussing how Soundwave's escape has left the trail that they were following completely cold, which, combined with how far off-book they went to achieve Soundwave's capture in the first place, means that Galloway could effectively shut NEST down completely. As this grim possibility is being pondered, the base receives Galloway's emergency radio call. Optimus dispatches the only Autobots in the area, Skids and Mudflap, to come to Galloway's aid. Ironhide isn't entirely sure Galloway deserves to be helped, but Prime's order is relayed.

In Eastern California, Soundwave and his minions, accompanied by Dirt Boss are investigating an [[Initiative base|operational base]] located within restricted airspace. Soundwave surmises that the humans were smart to minimize aerial surveillance in this way. Dirt Boss thinks that if these humans were that smart, they'd realize that Ravage's new handlers would be traced. Soundwave thinks they may have done, and that it could be a trap. Dirt Boss pooh poohs this and charges forwards, exposing a gap in the humans' outer perimeter by the simple means of getting blown the hell up. Buzzsaw and Ratbat penetrate the gap opened by Dirt Boss, but are forced back and conquered by automated aerial defenses. Soundwave orders Beastbox and Rumble to face the oncoming military vehicles, but they, too, are quickly subdued and destroyed by the human forces.

[[Image:Nefarious4 Soundwave falls.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Forced to go in by himself, Soundwave claims to have taken the measure of the foe. He is quickly proven wrong as the military vehicles raise up and disgorge two more Initiative-controlled Transformers, who fire at Soundwave, rendering him unable to continue the attack.

In Nevada, Ransack is closing in on the dying Frank, until Galloway breaks cover and draws the Decepticon's attention away. As Ransack chases and fires at the NEST director, Skids and Mudflap finally arrive and start blasting at Ransack whilst mocking the Decepticon's retro styling. Outgunned, Ransack transforms back to his bi-plane mode and flies off, raking the Autobot twins with gunfire as he flies off. Unfortunately for the Seeker, his escape is cut short by a squadron of NEST gunship helicopters who promptly blast Ransack out of the sky, effectively neutralizing the threat.

As Galloway's helicopter crew is extracted and a medic tends to Frank, Galloway reports to Lennox that someone tried to kill them all because they had gotten too close to something at the Hoover Dam. This prompts the group to head over to the Dam, where they note signs of forced entry. The Twins surmise that whoever forced the entry were going after the [[AllSpark]].

Back at the [[Odessa]] base, an enemy contact is detected and closing in fast. Prime sends out Ironhide and a squad of humans to investigate the new arrival. It turns out to be Soundwave, who tells the welcoming committee to lower their weapons, as he is there to propose an alliance.

Over at the Initiative, Carter appears to be in Isolation-1, and is musing on Ingrid's words, talking to a sinister-looking Transformer head about how he hates the robots as they took everything that he cared about. As he says this, a wrecked vintage car is clear behind him. Apparently he's dedicated his life to humbling all robots, and soon all robot-kind will know his revenge.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=* [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (12)
* [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (19)
* [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (20)

|c2=* [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] (1)
* [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] (13)
* [[Beastbox (ROTF)|Beastbox]] (14)
* [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] (15)
* [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] (16)
* [[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] (17)
* [[Rumble (ROTF)|Rumble]] (18)
* [[Fortress (ROTF)|Fortress]] (21)

|c3=* [[Cox]] (2)
* [[Theodore Galloway]] (3)
* [[Frank Pelletier]] (4)
* [[Carter Newell]] (5)
* [[Ingrid]] (6)
* [[Hank Kirkpatrick]] (7)
* [[William Lennox]] (9)
* [[T. Johnson]] (10)
* [[Robert Epps]] (11)

}}

==Quotes==
"Galloway! '''Bah!''' That man's been a king-sized pain in the aft since day one!"
:—'''Ironhide''' tells it like it is.

==Notes==
===Errors===
*Frank Pelletier's white shirt appears to have turned blue in the crash. Also the uniforms of Captain Cox and his men have gone from green to grey.
*Following Prime's gaffe last issue, a soldier addresses Lennox as "Captain Lennox".

===Other trivia===
*As with a number of other characters, Carlos Magno has redesigned Ransack to be more movie-esque and as a consequence, he looks nothing like his toy.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Renders of Optimus Prime, Galloway, a Sector Seven soldier and Ironhide with Soundwave's face looming in the background by [[Brian Rood]]
*'''Cover B:''' Skids and Mudflap fight Ransack, art by [[Carlos Magno]] and colors by [[Andrew Dalhouse]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Text-free version of Cover A
<gallery>
Image:Nefarious4 CoverA.jpg|
Image:Nefarious4 CoverB.jpg|
Image:Nefarious4 CoverRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*TBA

[[Category:IDW Revenge of the Fallen issues]]

Nefarious issue 4

2023-07-12T05:18:59Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{Comicstory|
|seriesissue=''[[Transformers: Nefarious]]'' #4
|prev=Nefarious issue 3
|next=Nefarious issue 5
|image=Nefarious4 CoverB.jpg
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[June 16]], 2010
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Carlos Magno]]
|colors by=[[Andrew Dalhouse]]
|letters by=[[Chris Mowry]]
|assistant editor=[[Carlos Guzman]]
|editor=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[Movie continuity]]
}}
'''While Galloway fights for his life against Ransack, Soundwave confronts the Initiative head-on!'''

==Synopsis==
Just outside of [[Boulder City]], [[Nevada]], Director Galloway and his accompanying helicopter crew are under a vicious attack from an [[Initiative]]-controlled Ransack, whilst over in [[Inyokern]], [[California]], Carter Newell and Ingrid are remotely observing the carnage. Ingrid asks Carter why has such hatred for the Cybertronians, a hatred that goes so far as not even considering the possibility of them having names. After that, Ingrid presses further, demanding to know what's in [[Initiative base|Isolation-1]], an Initiative subdivision that Carter, and ''only'' Carter, has access to. Newell cuts Ingrid off, stating that despite their familial connection, she asks too many questions.

[[Image:RansackROTFNefarious.jpg|thumb|left|250px]]
Over in Nevada, things go from bad to worse for Galloway's group, with Frank having his stomach impaled by a piece of debris thrown up in the chaos. Galloway searches the body of their helicopter pilot and finds a radio. At the same time, Carter & Ingrid are updated on the progress of their operation at the [[Hoover Dam]]. It's tight which worries [[Hank Kirkpatrick|Kirkpatrick]] as it may mean Armageddon, something that Ingrid proclaims to be "Cool". Someone who is finding things far less cool is Galloway, who is radioing an urgent help request to the [[NEST]] Tactical Base as Ransack looms ever closer...

Five minutes earlier at that very same base, Optimus Prime and Major Lennox are discussing how Soundwave's escape has left the trail that they were following completely cold, which, combined with how far off-book they went to achieve Soundwave's capture in the first place, means that Galloway could effectively shut NEST down completely. As this grim possibility is being pondered, the base receives Galloway's emergency radio call. Optimus dispatches the only Autobots in the area, Skids and Mudflap, to come to Galloway's aid. Ironhide isn't entirely sure Galloway deserves to be helped, but Prime's order is relayed.

In Eastern California, Soundwave and his minions, accompanied by Dirt Boss are investigating an [[Initiative base|operational base]] located within restricted airspace. Soundwave surmises that the humans were smart to minimize aerial surveillance in this way. Dirt Boss thinks that if these humans were that smart, they'd realize that Ravage's new handlers would be traced. Soundwave thinks they may have done, and that it could be a trap. Dirt Boss pooh poohs this and charges forwards, exposing a gap in the humans' outer perimeter by the simple means of getting blown the hell up. Buzzsaw and Ratbat penetrate the gap opened by Dirt Boss, but are forced back and conquered by automated aerial defenses. Soundwave orders Beastbox and Rumble to face the oncoming military vehicles, but they, too, are quickly subdued and destroyed by the human forces.

[[Image:Nefarious4 Soundwave falls.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
Forced to go in by himself, Soundwave claims to have taken the measure of the foe. He is quickly proven wrong as the military vehicles raise up and disgorge two more Initiative-controlled Transformers, who fire at Soundwave, rendering him unable to continue the attack.

In Nevada, Ransack is closing in on the dying Frank, until Galloway breaks cover and draws the Decepticon's attention away. As Ransack chases and fires at the NEST director, Skids and Mudflap finally arrive and start blasting at Ransack whilst mocking the Decepticon's retro styling. Outgunned, Ransack transforms back to his bi-plane mode and flies off, raking the Autobot twins with gunfire as he flies off. Unfortunately for the Seeker, his escape is cut short by a squadron of NEST gunship helicopters who promptly blast Ransack out of the sky, effectively neutralizing the threat.

As Galloway's helicopter crew is extracted and a medic tends to Frank, Galloway reports to Lennox that someone tried to kill them all because they had gotten too close to something at the Hoover Dam. This prompts the group to head over to the Dam, where they note signs of forced entry. The Twins surmise that whoever forced the entry were going after the [[AllSpark]].

Back at the [[Odessa]] base, an enemy contact is detected and closing in fast. Prime sends out Ironhide and a squad of humans to investigate the new arrival. It turns out to be Soundwave, who tells the welcoming committee to lower their weapons, as he is there to propose an alliance.

Over at the Initiative, Carter appears to be in Isolation-1, and is musing on Ingrid's words, talking to a sinister-looking Transformer head about how he hates the robots as they took everything that he cared about. As he says this, a wrecked vintage car is clear behind him. Apparently he's dedicated his life to humbling all robots, and soon all robot-kind will know his revenge.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=* [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] (8)
* [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (12)
* [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] (19)
* [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] (20)

|c2=* [[Ransack (ROTF)|Ransack]] (1)
* [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] (13)
* [[Beastbox (ROTF)|Beastbox]] (14)
* [[Ratbat (ROTF)|Ratbat]] (15)
* [[Buzzsaw (ROTF)|Buzzsaw]] (16)
* [[Dirt Boss (ROTF)|Dirt Boss]] (17)
* [[Rumble (ROTF)|Rumble]] (18)
* [[Fortress (ROTF)|Fortress]] (21)

|c3=* [[Cox]] (2)
* [[Theodore Galloway]] (3)
* [[Frank Pelletier]] (4)
* [[Carter Newell]] (5)
* [[Ingrid]] (6)
* [[Hank Kirkpatrick]] (7)
* [[William Lennox]] (9)
* [[T. Johnson]] (10)
* [[Robert Epps]] (11)

}}

==Quotes==
"Galloway! '''Bah!''' That man's been a king-sized pain in the aft since day one!"
:—'''Ironhide''' tells it like it is.

==Notes==
*The Hoover Dam was previously seen in the [[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|Reign of Starscream]], nearly spilling out water during Starscream's [[The Reign of Starscream issue 2|second visit]], but now its fixed, hooray.
===Errors===
*Frank Pelletier's white shirt appears to have turned blue in the crash. Also the uniforms of Captain Cox and his men have gone from green to grey.
*Following Prime's gaffe last issue, a soldier addresses Lennox as "Captain Lennox".

===Other trivia===
*As with a number of other characters, Carlos Magno has redesigned Ransack to be more movie-esque and as a consequence, he looks nothing like his toy.

===Covers (3)===
*'''Cover A:''' Renders of Optimus Prime, Galloway, a Sector Seven soldier and Ironhide with Soundwave's face looming in the background by [[Brian Rood]]
*'''Cover B:''' Skids and Mudflap fight Ransack, art by [[Carlos Magno]] and colors by [[Andrew Dalhouse]]
*'''Cover RI:''' Text-free version of Cover A
<gallery>
Image:Nefarious4 CoverA.jpg|
Image:Nefarious4 CoverB.jpg|
Image:Nefarious4 CoverRI.jpg|
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
*TBA

[[Category:IDW Revenge of the Fallen issues]]

Ironhide (WFC)

2023-07-12T04:59:48Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{faction|autobot|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Ironhide}}
:''Ironhide is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Aligned continuity family]].''

[[File:IronhideWFCArt.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"And that's the bottom line, 'cause Ironhide said so."]]

'''Ironhide''' is a battle-hardened veteran, one of the toughest amongst the Autobots. As one of [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus']] oldest and closest friends, Ironhide saw the great potential within Optimus to be more than what he allowed himself to be.
{{quote|Got one talent.....BUSTING UP DECEPTICONS!!|Ironhide|''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)|War for Cybertron]]''}}

==Fiction==
===''The Covenant of Primus''===
Ironhide emerged from the [[Well of All Sparks]] sometime during or before the [[Golden Age]]. He was present during the torch lighting which signified the kindling of a new Well on the first colony of [[Archon]]. Ironhide became bridgemaster for the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] Port [[space bridge]] connecting to other colony worlds established throughout the galaxy. When the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|Rust Plague]] struck the colonies, Ironhide was ordered to destroy the space bridge in order to prevent the infection from spreading back to the homeworld. Still, he gently gave [[Prowl (WFC)|Prowl]] time to say goodbye to his friend [[Bluestreak (Prime)|Bluestreak]], who was quarantined on Archon, and refused to break quarantine and risk infecting Cybertron. Ironhide pressed Prowl when it was time, and they destroyed the space bridge, cutting off their cousins on other worlds for all time.

As war broke out between Autobots and Decepticons, Ironhide joined the Autobots under the command of Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|Covenant of Primus}}

===Aligned novels===
Ironhide first met Optimus Prime during the prolonged stalemate at [[Praxus]]. Furious at the loss of his home, Ironhide joined the Autobots despite his cynicism regarding Optimus's leadership. It was at Praxus that Optimus was first showed a preference to stand and fight rather than make strategic withdrawals, and Ironhide slowly but surely began to trust in Optimus. [[Alpha Trion (WFC)|Alpha Trion]] commented that Ironhide's "pitiless edge" gave the Autobots a necessary advantage in defeating [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]].

When Megatron invaded [[Teletraan-1 (WFC)|Teletraan-1]] to steal the [[Plasma energy|Plasma Energy Chamber]], Ironhide made an uncharacteristically emotional display of anguish when [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]]'s Seekers shot down [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme]], who attempted to ferry the Chamber to safety. As [[Decepticon]]s attempted to claim the Chamber, Ironhide fought one but fell into the crater caused by Omega's impact. He defeated two more who jumped after him, and Optimus lifted him out of the pit, but he fell in again when another Decepticon struck him in the face with a hooked chain. Megatron blasted Optimus, causing him to fall on top of Ironhide, but he ordered his commander to ignore him and stop Megatron.

After the battle, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] welded Ironhide's face back together. When Optimus proposed leaving Cybertron on the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', Ironhide boarded the ''[[Eight Track (WFC)|Eight Track]]'' with him to distract the Decepticons. Realizing Megatron had a beam aboard [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon Station]], Ironhide and the Autobots boarded the ship and blew up its [[Dark Energon]] Facility, causing it to crash. He then boarded the completed ''Ark'' and escaped Cybertron through the last [[space bridge]] to the [[Milky Way]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Exodus|Exodus}}

After passing through the unstable space bridge, Ironhide and the Autobots aboard the ''Ark'' found themselves in the vicinity of a Cybertronian colony world called [[Velocitron]]. Ironhide was assigned to Hound's second response team, as Optimus Prime made planetfall with his initial team. It was a time of great stress between Velocitron's rulers, and the Autobots' arrival from mythical Cybertron only exacerbated the situation. Although the Autobots secured an ally in one of the planet's rulers, [[Override (Prime)|Override]], they left Velocitron on the brink of civil war during their departure.

The next leg of their journey through the Space Bridge brought the Autobots to fabled [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], a world composed entirely of space junk. This time, Ironhide joined Optimus, [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] and [[Makeshift (Prime)|Hound]] as they touched down on the planet's heterogeneous surface. The Autobot envoys were attacked shortly after landing, as the local Junkions decided they looked like spare parts in the making. With Optimus Prime's blessing, Ironhide unleashed a volley of plasma rockets to help convince the Junkions that these parts weren't for sale just yet.

During the Autobots' stay on Junkion, Ironhide assisted [[Prowl (WFC)|Prowl]] with his investigations, and later interrogation, of the shifty Decepticon-turned-Junkion named [[Axer (Prime)|Axer]]. He defended the ''Ark'' from attack when the ''Nemesis'' finally caught up with them, and remained with the crew when they finally left Junkion on a new heading towards the [[AllSpark]] itself. {{storylink|Transformers: Exiles|Exiles}}

When the Matrix led the Autobots to the planet [[Aquatron]], Ironhide performed pre-flight checks on Prowl's dropship before the scouting team left to survey the planet. Once it was secured, Ironhide joined Optimus and many of the other Autobots as they flew down to make contact with the [[Inquirata (Prime)|Curator]], Aquatron's regional governor. Optimus ordered Ironhide to remain with the ships in case of trouble.

After Optimus experience an inexplicable seizure during the tour, however, many of the Autobots became suspicious of their hosts. [[Rodimus (WFC)|Rodimus]] and Bumblebee wanted to take the dropship to explore the reportedly underwater cities of the Aquatronians. Ironhide was suspicious as well, but he didn't want to buck the chain of command by sending them off without Prowl or Jazz's approval while Optimus was receiving treatment. Once his fellow old-timer [[Kup (WFC)|Kup]] spoke up in favor of the recon, though, Ironhide let himself be convinced.

This seemed to be a mistake when Kup, Rodimus, and Bumblebee broke contact during their deep-sea exploration, and couldn't be located. Ironhide was forced to report his men and dropship were missing to Prime, and took responsibility when confronted by Jazz and Prowl. The recon trio seemingly resurfaced without a scratch, but soon after the Aquatronians revealed their true nature as agents of the Quintessons when the Decepticons arrived. The Aquatronians disabled the Ark and the Nemesis in orbit before politely insisting that the Autobots and Decepticons engage in peace talks, with the Curator as moderator. Optimus skeptically agreed.

Indeed, the "peace talks" were a sham from the beginning, orchestrated by the Curator to fail and bring the Cybertronians before a kangaroo court of trumped up charges before executing them to harvest their energon for an invasion of Cybertron itself. Ironhide also learned during the proceedings that Kup, Rodimus and Bumblebee ''had'' been captured during their exploration, only to be brainwashed to provide false testimony against Optimus during the trial. When Optimus and Megatron were separated from the others during a single combat exercise, Ironhide ripped open the Autobots' cells to strike back against the Quintessons' Sharkticon guards. Alongside the Decepticons, they fought a holding action at [[Hydratron]] while Optimus and Megatron dealt with their true foes. Afterwards, the Autobots and Decepticons coordinated a joint effort to locate their missing leaders among the wreckage, and found Optimus Prime and Megatron side-by-side atop a friendly [[Leviacon]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Retribution|Retribution}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Uniend 610.23 Zeta]], {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime}} Ironhide had been very skeptical towards Optimus's capabilities as a leader early in the war. This changed as their battles against the Decepticons raged on.

Ironhide attended a meeting of Optimus's most trusted lieutenants, where the Autobot leader announced his plan to keep the AllSpark out of Megatron's reach by launching it into space. Bumblebee protested the idea, but Ironhide told him to trust in their leader.

When the Autobots neared the Well of AllSparks, they learned from Jetfire that the Decepticons were already on their way, much sooner than anyone had expected. Ironhide warned Optimus that if Megatron got into the Well, he'd be sure to destroy the mechanism necessary for launching the AllSpark. Optimus posted him as a lookout within the Well while he and Arcee focused on launching the artifact. Ironhide left his post to assist the Wreckers battling the Decepticons on the Well's rim. During the battle, he saw Megatron unleashing his fusion cannon on Bumblebee, and feared the worst. After the AllSpark had been successfully launched, Ironhide tried to establish contact with Bumblebee while the Decepticons retreated. Though Bumblebee was alive, he could not reply to Ironhide's calls after having gotten his vocoder crushed by Megatron. {{storylink|Bumblebee at Tyger Pax}}

===''Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe''===
Ironhide is one of the oldest Autobots still functioning. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe|The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe}}

===2015 ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon===
[[File:RID Ironhide Blacklisted.JPG|thumb|upper_left|150px]]
Following the restoration of Cybertron from the [[Great War (Prime)|Great War]], Ironhide was one of the many Autobots blacklisted by the new [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] for being a supporter of [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]]. {{Storylink|Enemy of My Enemy (RID)|Enemy of My Enemy}}
{{-}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith Szarabajka]] (English)| [[Alexandr Novikov]] (Russian), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian), [[Pascal Casanova]] (French), [[Ángel Amorós]] (Spain-Spanish), [[Jan Kulczycki]] (Polish)}}

[[File:WFC-Ironhidepromo.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|You sissified maggot scum have just signed your death warrants!]]

Ironhide led a squad of Autobots to defend the [[Decagon]] during the [[Decepticon]] invasion of [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. With the loss of [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]], Ironhide's old friend Optimus was forced to take command of the Autobots, an act that the old soldier approved, as he was glad that Optimus was finally stepping up to take his rightful place in the Autobot hierarchy. After helping Optimus and his team by clearing a path for them to the Decagon (and taking down two [[Brute (WFC)|Brute]]s, tearing one in half), he continued to lead the others to (successfully) push the Decepticons into retreat.

After Optimus became Optimus [[Prime (rank)|Prime]], Ironhide and [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] joined him on the mission to clear the core of Cybertron that was infected with [[Dark Energon]]. Ironhide constantly rebuked the young, aggressive Warpath's shoot-first attitude. Heading to the [[Omega Gate]], the three Autobots found [[Omega Supreme (WFC)|Omega Supreme]] being tortured with Dark Energon. Freeing the massive Autobot, Ironhide joined Optimus and Warpath in protecting [[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]] long enough to repair Omega to the open the Gate. Heading underground, the three Autobots found [[space slug]]s working to clear the Dark Energon crystals. When they were sealed off in a cavern, another slug came in and killed an attacking Decepticon, to which the old, knowledgeable Ironhide offered the [[universal greeting]], but the slug simply ignored them and moved on with its task. The three Autobots then found a trio of slugs with [[Ion Displacer]] turrets on their backs, and provided cover fire for the slugs as they made their way through Cybertron. Unfortunately, a corrupted space slug attacked the trio, knocking them underground and killing the slugs. Regrouping at the core, they were attacked by the corrupted slug, and managed to defeat it. Unfortunately, the Dark Energon corrupted the [[Primus|Core]], which could only purge the corruption by shutting down all systems, leaving Cybertron uninhabitable and forcing the Transformers to leave Cybertron. Before departing, Ironhide and Warpath witnessed Optimus receive a part of the Core's essence, the [[Matrix of Leadership]].

[[File:WFC-Ironhidevehicle.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|That was an amazing killing spree...BY THE OTHER TEAM!!]]

As the evacuation went underway, Megatron used his orbital station to attacking fleeing transports. A group of [[Aerialbot (WFC)|Aerialbots]] under [[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]] managed to shut down the station's cannon, only to learn that the station itself was a Cybertronian named [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]. Ironhide joined Optimus and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]] in finishing off the monster. Though many Autobots managed to escape, a number of them, Ironhide included, stayed behind to fight against Megatron's schemes. Optimus commissioned the building of a new starship, the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'', to take the Autobots from Cybertron, [[Earth|wherever they may go]]. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|Transformers: War for Cybertron}}
{{-}}

===''Transformers: War for Cybertron'' (DS)===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith Szarabajka]] (English)}}
[[File:WFCDS Ironhide.jpg|thumb|120px|You are a spineless worm! You are a mistake of nature! You are walking vomit!]]
When the Decepticons started sniffing around an Autobot base, Ironhide sent an [[Autobot rookie]] to find out what they were looking for. Unfortunately, the rookie was killed by Megatron while letting Ironhide know he'd gotten the data links back up and running. Ironhide was captured by the Decepticons at some point and used in Kaon prison to fight Dark Energon-enhanced Decepticons, but presumably later escaped.

Sometime later, Ironhide was contacted by Zeta Prime, who was trying to get hold of Optimus. With the loss of the communications system, Ironhide sent Bumblebee to find Optimus, and a rookie to help Ratchet and [[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]. Once the rookie had gotten the communication system up and running, Ironhide let him know that he was being reassigned to [[Kup (WFC)|Kup]]'s care. Ironhide then directed Optimus around the base, guiding him to areas the Decepticons had taken over.

Optimus announced they needed to retake Iacon, and Ironhide eagerly told him to lead the way, to which Optimus replied that he was no leader. Despite that, the Autobots retook the Decagon, and Ironhide reported that the defenses were back online. When Ironhide rebuked Bumblebee's suggestion that Zeta Prime's transmissions were leading them into a trap, Bumblebee exploded at him that they'd already lost the war. Optimus's team infiltrated Kaon, where Ironhide was more keen to bash Decepticons than rescue Zeta Prime, until Optimus reminded him of their mission. They found Zeta Prime, but their leader died, and Optimus was subsequently appointed Autobot leader. Optimus sought the services of [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]], whose slow processor and reluctance to help irritated Ironhide, almost leading to a fight between the two of them and forcing Optimus to tell him to stand down. The Autobots rescued [[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]], which helped sway Grimlock in favor of their cause, though Ironhide still wasn't sure it was a good idea. He took part in a mission to the core, to free it from the Dark Energon harvesters that were irradiating it.

With Cybertron no longer capable of supporting life, the Autobots began to evacuate the planet in Arks, but were attacked by Trypticon Station. Optimus intended to take a strike team up the space bridge to directly assault it, which Ironhide regarded as a suicide mission. Still, he joined the mission, and the station was brought down, but as Bumblebee celebrated their escape, Ironhide pointed out the station was transforming. Trypticon's size gave even Ironhide pause, but he still joined the team that headed for the crash site to take the giant on. At one point, he was pinned down by enemy fire, which the other Autobots helped suppress so he could reach a security access panel. He joined them in defeating Trypticon, and later left Cybertron along with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: War for Cybertron (DS)|War for Cybertron - Autobots/Decepticons}}

===''Transformers: Cybertron Adventures''===
Ironhide and Bumblebee were tasked with retrieving information from a Decepticon datacore about the "Trypticon" weapon. They nearly managed to make a successful getaway from Kaon before Megatron and Soundwave arrived, dropping the Autobots in the streets. Ironhide was shackled and imprisoned, whie Bumblebee was scheduled for interrogation under the neural scanner. A lucky power outage during an Autobot raid freed Ironhide from his bonds, and he raced through the detention facility to rescue Bumblebee before the scanner forced him to reveal military secrets. He found the kid, but not before some data was lost to the scanner. On the way out of the prison, the duo were radioed by Air Raid, who offered to provide air support during their escape. Thanks to his creative use of firepower, they were able to escape down a road that had previously been a dead end.

Later, Ironhide returned the favour by providing comm support to Air Raid, who was using the data recovered on Trypticon to block the power supply running between Trypticon and the Geosynchronous Energy Bridge. He plotted Air Raid's course through the Decepticon controlled tunnels near the Bridge.

After Trypticon Station fell to Cybertron's surface and revealed itself as a gi-normous transforming creature, Ironhide joined Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in racing to the crash site to finish him off. They were separated during the journey, and had to fight through multiple Decepticon vanguards before even reaching Trypticon. Eventually, it was the combined firepower and teamwork of the Autobot forces that brought down the dangerous dinosaur. Ironhide was ready to kick back with some lubricant, but Optimus reminded him that the war was far from over. {{storylink|Transformers: Cybertron Adventures}}

===''Transformers: Fall of Cybertron'' (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)===
{{voiceactor| [[Keith Szarabajka]] (English)}}
Ironhide is one of the many Autobots involved in the construction of the Ark. During the invasion of Iacon he led a squad of soldiers to defend the Ark's fuelling station which was being attacked by tanks. The battle was not in his favour until Optimus took control of a Neutron Gun turret and later activated Metroplex, destroying the tanks. After Metroplex defeated Megatron, Ironhide was dismayed to learn the Energon saved for the Ark was gone. Later, Jazz reported that he, Cliffjumper and Sideswipe had found an entire reservoir of pure energon that was sufficient to power the Ark. Ratchet then inquired as to how to transport it. After Optimus denied having Metroplex carry it back Ironhide suggested using an old refinery transport. Perceptor argued that the transport guzzled too much energon and Ironhide rebutted that it had the firepower they would need and thus his plan was approved. When the Decepticons attacked the Ark on its way to the portal opened by [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]]'s [[Space bridge|Spacebridge]], Ironhide took part in the battle. At one point he called for air support, saying that one of the blasts fired from the Decepticons had, "Taken a toll on Optimus". {{storylink|Transformers: Fall of Cybertron}}

===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''===
{{voiceactor|[[Keith Szarabajka]] (English)}}
Ironhide was assigned, alongside Sideswipe, to retrieve the Dark Spark before the Decepticons could. Once they retrieved the Dark Spark, Ironhide and Sideswipe raced through the underground subways of Cybertron, battling off Insecticons all the way, until they reached the rendezvous point where Optimus and Bumblebee were waiting for them. Ironhide helped Optimus and Bumblebee fend off the Insecticons as Sideswipe called a train to evacuate them. When the train arrived, Bumblebee was the first on board, but the train was in a timer, and left before Ironhide, Prime, and Sideswipe could board. They were forced to wait for the next train, fighting off swarming Insecticons while doing so. When the next train arrived all of the Autobots managed to successfully board, but we're not able to escape, as the Decepticons blew up the train as it was departing. Optimus assigned the Dark Spark to Ironhide to protect, while he stayed behind to draw the Decepticons' fire. This plan proved futile as the Decepticon [[Sharpshot]] saw Ironhide take the Dark Spark, and, together with [[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]], beat down Ironhide and took the Dark Spark from him. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark (console)}}

===''Transformers Universe''===
[[File:Ironhide TFU.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5]]
{{voiceactor|[[Allan Corduner]]}}
Ironhide updated Autobots with new missions around their base whenever there was something he didn't like the look of. {{storylink|Transformers Universe (Jagex)|Transformers Universe}}
{{-}}

===''Robots in Disguise'' mobile game===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Robots in Disguise (mobile game)|Robots in Disguise}}}}

==Commercial appearances==
[[File:FOC trailer Ironhide punches Starscream.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*On a large battlefield, Ironhide and Jazz protected Optimus, who was carrying an injured Bumblebee, from any Decepticon attackers. As Starscream descended in to attack, Ironhide intercepted and punched him, breaking the Seeker's face. He, along with Optimus and Jazz, looked on from the edge of a peak towards the battle below as Megatron ordered the Decepticons to advance towards them. {{storylink|Commercial#Fall of Cybertron|''Fall of Cybertron'' VGA Cinematic Trailer}}
*Ironhide shot a downed Decepticon near what appeared to be an Autobot ship from close range.
{{storylink|Commercial#Fall of Cybertron|''Fall of Cybertron'' E3 Trailer}}
{{Note|The story of the FOC E3 Trailer seemingly follows on from the FOC VGA Cinematic Trailer.}}
{{-}}

==Toys==
===''Prime''===
{{anchor|Cyberverse}}
[[File:Prime-toy IronhideCyberverse.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|Water bottle delivery truck.]]
*'''Ironhide''' (Cyberverse Commander, 2012)
**''Series / Number'': '''02 / 006'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[May 26]], 2012
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''EZ-11'''
**''Accessories:'' Left & right cannons
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (Hasbro)}}

: Part of the second wave of ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|Prime]]'' [[Cyberverse (toyline)#Series 2|Series 2 ''Cyberverse'']] Commander Class toys, Ironhide transforms into a 4x4 pickup truck. He features translucent blue plastic on his windshield-chest so that he can be illuminated by the lights from the larger play-sets. He comes with two [[Ironhide (Movie)|Movie-style]] translucent blue cannons which each feature three [[C joint|3mm post]]s and two peg-holes, allowing them to combine with each other to form a longer weapon, peg in into his hands, forearms/doors, and truck bed, as well as be pegged and stored on his robot back. The Hasbro release comes with a pack-in file card.

: This mold was [[redeco]]ed and [[retool]]ed to make ''Prime: [[Beast Hunters (toyline)|Beast Hunters]]'' [[Cyberverse (toyline)#Series 3|Series 3 ''Cyberverse'']] [[Trailbreaker (Prime)|Trailcutter]] and [[Huffer (Prime)|Huffer]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Autobot/CommIronhide/ironhide.htm More information on Cyberverse Ironhide at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Deluxe}}
[[File:Primetoy-IronhideArmsMicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|''NEW!'' "Orange [[Blastification]]" flavor! Available in extra-large.]]
*'''Ironhide''' (Deluxe, 2012)
**''Release date'': [[September 29]], 2012
**''ID number'': '''AM-20'''
**''Accessories'': Arms Micron "Iro"

: Part of the seventh wave of [[TakaraTomy]] ''Prime'' toys, and [[exclusive]] to said toyline, Ironhide is a... well, he's ''kind-of'' a redeco of [[Hasbro]]'s ''[[Transformers: Prime (toyline)#Robots in Disguise (2012)|Prime: Robots in Disguise]]'' [[Kup (WFC)|Sergeant Kup]], whose mold was originally designed to be Ironhide, and was originally solicited as such in the Hasbro line. ''Yeah.'' He transforms into a modified Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, and much of his color detail is provided by customer-applied [[sticker]]s rather than [[paint operation]]s. He features peg-holes for [[5 mm post]]s on his forearms/doors, hands, and truck bed. Instead of the combining cannons he was originally designed with, he comes with the [[Arms Micron]], [[Iro#Prime|Iro]], who transforms into one of the cannons. Just one. Sorry. (He is, of course, completely compatible with Kup's cannons, if you want to complete his look that way.)

: He also has a "dramatic head reveal," wherein his head rises up from within his torso when his abdomen panel is [[Slide joint|slid]] up. He also features a [[Kibble#"Faux-parts"|fake kibble]] windshield on his chest, with the real front windshield ending up on his back.

: His [[stock photography]] incorrectly depicts him in a magenta-ish shade of red.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2012/Autobot/AMIronhide/ironhide.htm More information on Arms Micron Ironhide at TFU.info]''
::* ''[http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/blog-entry-1680.html Ironhide and Iro at Alfes's toy blog]''

===''Kre-O''===
[[Image:Kre-O Autobot Assault Devastator set.jpg|right|thumb|300px]]
*'''Autobot Assault Devastator''' (2012)
**''Set number'': '''36914'''
**''Pieces'': '''781'''
**''Kreons'': Devastator, Ironhide, Gunner, Foreman, three Construction Workers
**''Accessories'': Small pistol

: A [[Toys"R"Us]] [[exclusive]] version of the [[Devastator (G1)/toys#Kre-O|Devastator]] set comes with both a Kreon Ironhide and a full-build brick Ironhide, which can be rebuilt from an armored pickup truck (calling back to the ''Prime'' incarnation of the character, itself modeled after the [[Ironhide (Movie)|live-action film version]]) into a robot. The robot/truck build also features twin pressure-launch missile launchers, and a bonus human [[Gunner]] Kreon.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*He greeted the [[space slug]] with the [[universal greeting]]. [[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]] had no idea what it was.
*Ironhide was intended to be part of the initial line-up in ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'', but he was replaced by [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] after the writers deemed their characterization closer to him. Later, on a featurette on the ''Transformers: Prime Season 1'' Blu-ray, [[Rik Alvarez]] admitted that because of the death of Ironhide in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]'', they didn't want to confuse kids with a living Ironhide.<ref>[http://tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/transformers-prime-season-1-blu-ray-review-174448/ Transformers Prime Season One Blu-Ray review at TFW2005]</ref> It's likely that the former story was a cover for the latter, for spoiler reasons. Later, [[Jeff Kline]] said that despite having a toy, there were no plans to feature Ironhide in the show... yet.<ref>[http://tformers.com/transformers-botcon-2011-transformers-prime-interview-with-executive-producer-jeff-kline/15863/news.html TFormers BotCon 2011 interview with Kline]</ref> It was even later said at [[BotCon 2012]] that Ironhide would not appear in the show, but that he might show up in other places.<ref>[http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/template=/altcast_code=5a0a882ed2/ipod=y]</ref>
*Ironhide's ''Prime'' design was based on concept art submitted by [[Ken Christiansen]] to Hasbro Studios early in the show's development.<ref>[http://badflipblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/transformers-prime-ironhidetoy.html The Bad Flip Blog] and [https://www.facebook.com/214146041944051/photos/a.2350847944940506/2952531634772131/ Ken Christiansen's artwork on Facebook]</ref>
*A proposed [[Fun Publications]] [[BotCon]] [[exclusive]] was a redeco of [[#Deluxe|''Prime'' Ironhide]] into the Generation 1 [[Turbomaster]] [[Scorch (G1)|Scorch]].<ref>[http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14br.html BotCon 2014 attendee report]</ref>

===Arms Up Modes===
*'''Protector Mode''' (プロテクターモード ''Purotekutā Mōdo'')
**''Arms Microns'': Iro, O.P., R.A.
: Seen on his box-back photo, this mode is simply Ironhide holding the [[Burst Cannon]] Combo Weapon, continuing the trend of barely trying with the Arms Up Modes.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Ironhide''' (アイアンハイド ''Aianhaido'')
*''Russian:'' '''Bronevik''' (Броневик, "Armored Car")
*''Mandarin:'' '''Tiěpí''' (铁皮, China, "Iron Hide")

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Cyberverse]]
[[Category:Fall of Cybertron Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Prime Autobots]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2015) Autobots]]
[[Category:Transformers Universe game Autobots]]
[[Category:War for Cybertron Autobots]]

Unicron

2023-07-12T04:39:27Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Rise of the Beasts film */

{{factions|unicron|decepticon|cybearth|deceptihog}}
{{disambig3|Unicron}}
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[[File:Unicron-UltimateGuide.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|He's been ignoring Galactus's C&D letters.]]

'''Unicron''' is the eternal arch-enemy of his twin brother [[Primus]]. Also known as the [[Lord of Chaos]], the Chaos Bringer, and the Planet Eater, he is dedicated to consuming the [[multiverse]]. His massive form is powered by the consumption of planets, moons, stars, and even the very fabric of existence. Unicron will not be sated until his ultimate goal is attained: to bring an end to the annoying creation boasting independence around him, and find peace by becoming the living center of a [[Void|swirling, infinite torrent of nothingness]] at the end of all things.

To undertake this seemingly overwhelming task, Unicron is able to travel across realities at will, a meandering plague upon existence itself.<ref>Titanium Series 3" Unicron profile</ref><ref>Universe Armada Series Unicron bio</ref> Integrated into his systems are incomprehensible quantum computers which calculate probabilities forward and backwards in time, in perpetuity, giving his processors an ever changing, evolving map of the multiverse.<ref>Profile, [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 10|''Hasbro Transformers Collector's Club'' #10]]</ref> With these abilities at his disposal, Unicron has thus far devoured approximately 22.56% of known universes. Seen at a detached distance from the multiverse, this collective "'''Unicron Phenomenon'''" acts with the characteristics of a virus or plague seeping through reality, succeeding where it can, retreating when it cannot.<ref>According to the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s' records in "[[Withered Hope]]."</ref> Various permutations of Unicron can spawn into existence outside the trappings of the larger entity, hailing from a more mundane origin but possessing the same consumptive traits.<ref>Decoded [[Ask Vector Prime]] text within "[[Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac]]".</ref> For much of multiversal history, the [[Multiversal singularity|singularity]] Unicron threatened all of existence, but now, [[Shroud|that is no longer the case]], and versions of Unicron are now restricted to their own dimensions.

The only thing that he fears is Primus's essence, contained inside the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. To a being of chaos and uncreation, this font of life is a poison.

Frequently, Unicron will make deals with [[Herald of Unicron|lesser]] [[Minion of Unicron (Universe)|beings]], promising them vast new powers in exchange for their servitude. These minions are [[Thunderwing (G1)|sometimes]] stripped entirely of free will, but [[Sideways (Armada)|others]] follow willingly. Service to Unicron, however, is a double-edged sword, for it causes insanity and loss of self. And in the end, Unicron's plans ultimately call for their consumption as well.

{{bigquote|A vile god so large, so powerful, that it consumes entire planets as fuel. Few believed such a thing could be true, until the day we saw Unicron with our own eyes…|[[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]]|''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]''}}

==In the beginning==
[[File:UK150Unicron.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Saay, that shield looks [[Decepticon|familiar]].]]
Before the dawn of time, Order and Chaos existed within an extra-dimensional entity known as [[The One]]. To explore the fledgling universe, he created the astral being known as Unicron, and then subdivided him, creating his twin, Primus. Both brothers were [[Multiversal singularity|multiversal singularities]], unique in all realities, but whereas Unicron could only exist in one universe at a time, moving between them at will, Primus existed simultaneously in all realities at once. It is suggested, in fact, that the two brothers embody the basic concepts of reality—good and evil, order and chaos—and that their continued existence is necessary for the stability of the multiverse.

[[File:Primusoriginal.jpg|thumb|"No, [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] is ''[[FIRRIB|red]]!''"]]
As Unicron and Primus went about their appointed task, venturing through the cosmos, it became apparent to Primus that Unicron was a corrupt being, and he took it upon himself to stop the threat posed to all of existence by his sibling. In combat, Primus was no match for Unicron. In cunning, however, he proved himself to be his brother's superior when he shifted their battle to the astral plane, and then back to the physical world once more, only to have both their essences manifest within metallic planetoids, leaving them both trapped. It was with this act of sacrifice that Primus hoped to contain Unicron's evil forever. Unfortunately for him, over time, Unicron learned to psionically shape his prison into a giant metallic planet, and Primus followed suit, becoming the mechanical world of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. When Unicron then learned to transform his planetary form even further, into a gigantic robot form, Primus adapted the idea to suit his own ends, creating a group of [[Thirteen|thirteen robots]] that possessed the ability to change shape, like Unicron.

The war between Unicron and Primus came to its seeming end during a climactic battle in which one of the Thirteen, who would forever afterwards be known as [[The Fallen]], betrayed Primus and became an acolyte of Unicron. The battle ended when the Fallen and Unicron were sucked into a black hole and disappeared from reality. With Unicron gone for now, Primus entered an eons-long slumber, his self-imposed sleep preventing Unicron from detecting him through the mental link the brothers shared.

===Evolution of the Primus/Unicron myth===
The Primus/Unicron backstory has evolved and been rewritten a good number of times since it first originated in the [[Marvel Comics]] series. The version recounted above is the current iteration, which has slowly solidified across a wide swath of media (beginning around the time of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''). Before the Primus/Unicron mythos reached its present form it went through several distinct versions in the Marvel Generation 1 comics and elsewhere.

====Unicron's story====
The first time the Primus/Unicron backstory appeared was in the UK comic continuity, from Unicron himself, in the story "[[The Legacy of Unicron!]]", when he recounted it to [[Death's Head (G1)|Death's Head]]. Per Unicron's telling of events, he was a primal force of evil at the dawn of the universe, who led a legion of [[Dark God]]s against his mortal foe, Primus, Lord of the [[Light God]]s. Events proceeded to play out basically as described above, though the role of the Light and Dark Gods would diminish with each subsequent retelling of the story, until the current version, in which Primus and Unicron are alone, and have a unique origin.

====The Keeper's story====
The second time the story was told was in the United States book by the [[Keeper (Transformer)|Keeper]], an ancient mechanoid who guarded Primus's head at the center of Cybertron. This telling is effectively the same as the previous UK story, but mentions that their battle was towards the end of the era of gods, that Primus and Unicron were the last of their respective pantheons, and Primus had to defeat Unicron before he could take his place with the other gods in the "[[Omniversal Matrix]]".

====Primus's story====
The third time the story was told was also in the United States Marvel series, this time by Primus, when he gathered all his children together to prepare for Unicron's coming. It was with this telling that we learned that Unicron predated the [[universe (universe)|current universe]], and had destroyed the [[old realms|previous universe]] which existed before the current one. He had slept peacefully, alone in the [[void]] of un-creation that remained, until fragments of the old universe that he had overlooked reacted, causing the Big Bang and birthing the current universe. The "sentient core" of this new universe recognized the threat that Unicron posed, and so created Primus to counter his evil and be guardian of the new creation.

====Fleer and DK====
The first modern retelling of the origins of Primus and Unicron did not come from Generation 1-oriented media, but from a set of ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' trading cards released by Fleer. It was the backstory printed on Unicron's card which introduced the concept of the two being brothers created to explore the new universe by an extra-dimensional entity, here named the "[[Transformer afterlife|Allspark]]".''

This was subsequently expanded on and combined with aspects of the various Marvel Comics stories in ''[[Transformers: The Ultimate Guide]]'', published by Dorling Kindersley and written by [[Simon Furman]], who had written all three prior tellings in the first place. Here, the entity Fleer had called the "Allspark" was redubbed "[[The One]]", and the modern iteration of the myth detailed above was firmly established, and went on to form the backbone of subsequent fiction such as ''[[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' and [[Fun Publications]]' ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' comics.

==Fun Publications==
Since time immemorial, the [[Thirteen]], children of [[Primus]], fought Unicron. [[Prima]], leader of the Thirteen, wielded the mighty [[Star Saber (Prima)|Star Saber]] in the Thirteen's conflicts with Unicron. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 18, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 18/05/2015}} [[Solus Prime]] forged the [[Terminus Blade]] for herself and her brethren to cross dimensions in their campaign against the primordial entity. {{storylink|Out of the One, Many}}

As guardian of time and space, [[Vector Prime]]'s most frequent opponent was Unicron, though the Chaos-Bringer often seemed barely aware of Vector's existence. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 31, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 31/05/2015}} For various periods of time, Vector would follow Unicron and attempt to repair the damage to spacetime which Unicron's presence wrought. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

==Generation 1 continuity family==
[[File:OnTheEdgeOfExtinction-Unicrondoublespread.jpg|left|thumb|350px|Unicron goes to town on Cybertron like Eleanor Shellstrop on some shrimp.]]

{{main|Unicron/Generation 1}}

In the [[Primax]] universal cluster, Unicron had many incarnations, all often attacking [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] at some point and being destroyed by the [[Transformer]]s that lived there. He also would repeatedly serve as a Faustian devil; making deals with lesser lifeforms in return for servitude. Among his most famous of those was [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], who would often be reformatted into the powerful [[Decepticon]] known as [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]].

{{--}}

==2001 ''Robots in Disguise'' continuity family==
The [[Viron]] universal cluster was not particularly notable for instantiations of Unicron.

===Ask Vector Prime===
The Unicron of [[Viron 704.08 Gamma]] began life as a tyrant and a conqueror on [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]]. Originally possessing a destroyer tank configuration, Unicron united his planet, and eventually he utilized a mystical [[Cyber Key]] to merge his consciousness with it. Unicron proceeded to begin to consume this reality before [[Omega Prime]] and [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Fortress Maximus]] stopped him.

Dimensional observer [[Vector Prime]] wasn't sure if it was merely [[trans-dimensional harmonic resonance]] which had caused Unicron's actions or if something greater was behind it all. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#July 28, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 28/07/2015}}

==Unicron Trilogy continuity family==
In the [[Aurex]] universal cluster, Unicron often played a notable role in Cybertronian history. Often, his incarnations would attack Cybertron during the conflict for the [[Mini-Con]]s, be the subject of a revival campaign involving energon and the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]], and then be trapped in the [[Unicron Singularity]].

===Toy pack-in comics===
[[File:Armadaminicomic4-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Check out my tiny buildings!]]
The Transformers were unaware of Unicron's gradual approach during the climax of their civil war. [[Megatron (Armada)|Galvatron]] was defeated and imprisoned, and just when he had escaped, the Planet-Eater suddenly appeared over their planet. Only time would tell if the Transformers could possibly defeat him! {{storylink|Armada Volume 4}}

Apparently, they could, and years later Galvatron was reborn as Megatron deep inside the [[Unicron's core|core]] of the defeated Unicron. {{storylink|Energon Volume 1}} The threat of Unicron still loomed over the [[Transformer]]s as they battled over Earth's Energon reserves. {{Storylink|Energon Volume 2}} {{Storylink|Energon Volume 4}}
{{-}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====Dreamwave ''Armada'' comic====
[[File:TheEnd-Unicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|The southern hemisphere is known as the "footsmell" region.]]

The nearly-dead body of [[Primax 703.09 Gamma|a ravaged universe]]'s [[Optimus Prime (G1)#Dreamwave Armada comic|Optimus Prime]] was sent ahead by Unicron to his [[Aurex 402.24 Gamma|next target universe]], as a "calling card". Additionally, Unicron sent a group of heralds—incarnations of [[Bludgeon (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Bludgeon]], [[Dirge (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Dirge]], [[Galvatron (G1)#Dreamwave Armada contoinuity|Galvatron]], [[Scourge (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Scourge]], and [[Thunderwing (G1)#Dreamwave Armada continuity|Thunderwing]]—to this second universe to find the [[Mini-Con Matrix]] and kill that universe's Optimus Prime and Megatron. The heralds did not realize that their target Optimus Prime had been accidentally transported to the initial, dying Cybertron. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 1 of 4}}

Optimus Prime found one lone survivor, [[Spinister (G1)#Dreamwave Armada comic|Spinister]], and begged him to tell him what was going on. Spinister told him that the "heart of darkness, the root of all evil" had ravaged their world. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 2 of 4}} {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 3 of 4}} When Unicron loomed over them, Spinister surrendered himself to his fate. Spinister soon returned as an avatar for Unicron, who found this Optimus Prime's presence to be an "anomaly". Soon [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] managed to trace Optimus Prime to this dying universe and travel there to rescue him. Using the power of the Mini-Con Matrix, Prime and Jetfire were able to combine into Jet Optimus and fire a powerful shot into the heart of Unicron. Though they were too late to save this Cybertron, they could return home and prepare for Unicron's coming there. {{storylink|Worlds Collide, Part 4 of 4}}

Optimus Prime called for an alliance with the Decepticons and the Mini-Cons, hoping to unite their forces against the coming Dark god. After warping to Cybertron's surface, Unicron himself arrived, and announced that they would all soon be consumed. During the following battle, Unicron was curious about the Transformers [[Airazor (Armada)|Airazor]], [[Cheetor (Armada)|Cheetor]], [[Rhinox (Armada)|Rhinox]], and [[Terrorsaur (Armada)|Terrorsaur]], and abducted them for future purposes. Unicron was ultimately defeated by the Mini-Con Matrix, boosted from the additional power of two universes' Mini-Cons. This universe's [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]], having made a bid for Unicron's power, was standing on the surface of the planet-eater when he was destroyed, and his body was also lost, his spark trapped within Unicron's remains. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}}

====''Energon'' comic====
[[File:ThisEvilReborn-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|You never see him transform to robot mode.]]

Ten years later, his broken body was still left floating in space after his defeat. Despite his damaged form, his [[Unicron's core|core]] presented huge potentials for power, and so [[Alpha Quintesson]] gathered together a group of Decepticon dissidents under the leadership of [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]] and transformed them into "[[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]]". He promised these Terrorcons this power in exchange for their services. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}} Meanwhile, Megatron's consciousness was trapped within this core, and over time was able to use Unicron's systems to create for himself a new body, though he was unable to transfer his spark into it. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}}

Alpha Quintesson was secretly working for Unicron himself, and he sent the corrupted forms of Airazor, Cheetor, Rhinox, and Terrorsaur, his "[[Unicron's Four Horsemen|Four Horsemen]]", to Cybertron to distract the Autobots from Unicron's revival. {{storylink|This Evil Reborn}}

Optimus Prime, who received a telepathic message from the disembodied Megatron, turned to the [[Autobot High Council]] for permission to dedicate an army towards Unicron's return and his intent to consume alleged huge amounts of [[energon]] on Earth, but the Council dismissed these concerns as paranoia. While they did not grant Prime his army, they did permit him to travel to Earth alone. Before Prime could get out of the building, Unicron's Horsemen struck. Prime and the Council realized this was an act of war perpetrated by Unicron, and so Prime's original pleas were finally heard. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}}

[[File:WhatLiesBeneath3-Unicroninterior.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Unicron has a big [[negative universe]] [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] collection.]]

After they were defeated by Optimus Prime on Earth, Scorponok and his Terrorcons were forcibly brought back to Unicron for disciplinary action by Alpha Quintesson. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}} Afterwards, Optimus Prime stepped through a portal back to Cybertron to assemble a team of reinforcements... but instead found himself brought to within Unicron, summoned by Megatron's consciousness. {{storylink|Omni-Potent}} Optimus Prime argued with Megatron, denying that he would ever help his thought-dead foe inhabit his new body. Megatron countered with images of a massive-scale Terrorcon attack on Earth. Alpha Quintesson had used Unicron's power to reconfigure [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] into Mirage, and [[Moscow]], [[Toronto]], and [[Los Angeles]] were under heavy siege from his Terrorcon army. Still, Optimus Prime resisted helping Megatron, even with the promise of teaming up to destroy the remnants of Unicron, as he feared releasing Megatron in his new body would be unleashing an equal evil. {{storylink|Multiplicity}}

Finally, after images of carnage on Earth overwhelmed him, Optimus Prime caved to Megatron's demands, and Prime began traveling through Unicron under Megatron's direction. After falling in some goo, Prime located the sensor array that was keeping Megatron's consciousness from entering his new body. It worked, and Megatron was freed... though Optimus Prime was subsequently located by Unicron's internal defenses. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 2}} But through sheer force of will, Optimus broke through Unicron's immune system, and managed to allow Megatron access to his new body. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 3}} Optimus was last seen having defeated the remnants of Unicron's antibodies, with a bandolier and his hand-held cannon. He boasted to Unicron that he was coming for him. {{storylink|No Exit}}

{{Unreleased energon comic}}
Previously, Unicron had destroyed [[Quintessa (planet)|Quintessa]], and [[Alpha Quintesson]] was the sole survivor. With the [[Initiator]], Alpha attempted to escape Unicron, only for his ship to be pulled to the planet eater. {{storylink|Doomsday Redux!}} The energon used for Unicron's reactivation came not from Earth, but from [[Nervissa]], a fact Optimus Prime discovered after connecting to Unicron's consciousness. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 1}} Alpha Quintesson sought to destroy Unicron and had a [[seismic-shock warhead]] teleported to Unicron. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} Within Unicron, Optimus gambled that he would need to make contact with Cybertron if he had any chance of escaping the malevolent planet. He ascended to Unicron's surface, only to come upon the warhead, right after it had been teleported in. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} In the later chaos of an alternate-universe [[Quintesson]] invasion of Cybertron, Unicron awoke and began to strike out against the Transformers. HIs first target was Megatron, who had teleported back to within his body to confront Alpha Trion. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 4}} Realizing that their planet was open to Unicron's attack, the Quintessons attacked Unicron, to no avail. The Quintessons were destroyed, and the Transformers managed to delay Unicron enough for the warhead to explode, destroying the planet. The shockwaves from Unicron's destruction created a [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] from the portal to the alternate-universe Quintessa. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}

===Cartoon continuity===
Unicron was evidently very active in this universe at various points in time, although the precise chronological order of his activities is unclear.

At some undetermined point in the past of this universe, Unicron was approached by the survivors of [[Planet X (Cybertron)|Planet X]], a world that had been destroyed in a war with the inhabitants of the Giant Planet, [[Gigantion]]. In return for the chance to gain revenge on Gigantion, the survivors swore loyalty to Unicron, and "Planet X" became something of a code-phrase that identified those in the service of the planet-eater.

{{note|Liner notes included with the DVD release of ''Galaxy Force'' in [[Japan]] claim that Planet X is actually the body of Unicron from a parallel universe. This would not appear to be compatible with the Western storyline, nor, indeed, with the date later given to the planet's destruction on the [[TakaraTomy]] "[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/bible/index.html World of the Transformers]" website.}}

Cybertronian legend referred to an attack by Unicron on the planet that was ultimately thwarted by the mighty Autobot warrior, [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}}

====''Armada'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Mark Acheson]] (English), [[Katsumi Chō]] (Japanese)|[[Jhonny Torres]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Raine Heiskanen]] (Finnish), [[Ekkehardt Belle]] (German), [[Fredrik Beckmann]] (Swedish)}}
{{quote|As long as hatred exists, I shall remain impervious to attack.|Unicron|[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Origin]]}}

[[File:Alliance-Unicronmoon.jpg|thumb|That's no moon!]]
Unicron's first attack on Cybertron was over a million years in the making, begun when he opted to disguise his dormant body as Cybertron's moon. From this secret vantage point, he implanted his own cells within the planet, where they germinated and grew into the small race of robots known as the [[Mini-Con]]s. Unicron hoped to use the Mini-Cons to increase the ferocity of the Autobot/Decepticon war, and feed off of the energies released in the conflict. The Cybertronians would then be subjugated through the Mini-Cons' influence. Though his plan succeeded in one timeline, the interference of three time-displaced children changed this. [[Rad White]], [[Carlos Lopez]], and [[Alexis Thi Dang]] planted the seed of sentience and free will within the Mini-Cons, who ultimately rebelled against their creator and fled Cybertron, crash-landing on the planet Earth. This forestalled Unicron's emergence by eons. {{storylink|Origin}} {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}}

[[File:Union-Unicron.jpg|left|thumb|Don't mind me, just chillin'.]]

When the Mini-Cons were reawakened a million years later in 2010, they were detected by the Autobots and Decepticons, who followed their signal to Earth. {{storylink|First Encounter}} Unicron also picked up the signal, and dispatched his minion [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] to carry on his work. {{storylink|Gale}} Rad, Alexis, and Carlos encountered a digital manifestation of Unicron when Sideways transported them to a digital world, in a bid to steal the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]] from them. Unicron's avatar gave chase to the children as they fled back into the physical realm, but was unable to catch them in time. {{storylink|Chase (episode)|Chase}} Sideways then continued to escalate the conflict by manipulating control of the three Mini-Con weapons, the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom]] shield and the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]], but eventually arranged for all three to be returned to Cybertron, where he stole them and used them to reawaken Unicron. {{storylink|Portent}} While still awakening, Unicron sent an energy bolt down at Starscream, who had fired a powerful blast at the Dark God to convince Galvatron of his threat. Starscream was disintegrated before his shot could even reach Unicron. {{storylink|Cramp}}

[[File:ArmadaUnicron02.jpg|thumb|The Power Cosmic gives you wrinkles.]]
Shedding his moon disguise and transforming to robot mode, Unicron turned on Cybertron, only to be met with resistance in the form of the united armada of Autobots and Decepticons {{storylink|Alliance}}, and his own Mini-Cons, who had linked together and formed a [[Unicron of Light|giant duplicate]] of his body. {{storylink|Union}} Now at full power, however, it was child's play for Unicron to exert control over his creations, and bring the Mini-Cons under his thumb once more. Again, it was thanks to the Autobots' human allies—the same children who had been sent back in time and given the Mini-Cons free will in the first place—that the Mini-Cons struggled free of Unicron's control, including the three Mini-Con weapons, who broke free and left Unicron's body deactivated. {{storylink|Origin}} Believing the threat over, [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Galvatron]] then challenged Optimus Prime to their final battle, only for the hatred and ferocity of their fight to awaken Unicron once more. To end the circle of hate that gave Unicron life, Galvatron allowed himself to be consumed by the monster, and in a brilliant flash of light, Unicron apparently ceased to exist. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}
{{--}}

====''Linkage''====
[[File:Arm-art Linkage13-Title.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Everything they've built will fall! And from the ashes of their world, we'll build a better one!]]

While traversing the [[Linkage (dimension)|Linkage]] dimension, [[Redline]] noticed an ominous presence watching him. {{storylink|Linkage Part 7}} Redline recognized it as "The Terrible One" and relayed that info to [[Servo (Armada)|Servo]], who then relayed it to [[Rollbar (Armada)|Rollbar]]. Having also seen The Terrible One while in the Linkage, [[Falcia]] chose to stay with Redline and work with him on the [[Master Key]]. Meanwhile, [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]], a minion of Unicron, gave the [[Speed Chaser Team]], also minions of Unicron, the [[Doomstone]], an artifact intended to permanently enslave the Mini-Cons to Unicron's will. {{storylink|Linkage Part 8}}

The Doomstone was then installed in [[Ravenus]], who used its evil energies to destroy the souls of the Mini-Cons and revert them into mindless death-machines. {{storylink|Linkage Part 10}} Ravenus and the Doomstone intended to destroy the Earth. {{storylink|Linkage Part 11}} Redline and [[Kingbolt (Armada)|Kingbolt]] were able to contain Ravenus and extract the Doomstone. Redline then sealed it away in his extra-dimensional storage space for safekeeping. {{storylink|Linkage Part 12}}

While all this was going on, Unicron was busy assaulting Cybertron. Ravenus, now freed from Unicron's control via the Doomstone, fought alongside the other Mini-Cons against the god. The combined forces of the Autobots, Decepticons and Mini-Cons then joined for a final battle against Unicron. {{storylink|Linkage Part 13}}
{{-}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[David Kaye]] (English), [[Mark Acheson]] (English), [[Nobutoshi Canna]] (Japanese)|[[Fredrik Beckmann]] (Swedish), [[Juha Paananen]] (Finnish), [[José Carabias]] (Castilian Spanish)}}

[[File:MegatronRaid Unicronhead.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|If I need to steal [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s eyes again, I quit.]]

In truth, however, Unicron had survived, and for the next ten years, continued to consume planets in other regions of space. One such planet was the world known as [[Planet Q]], whose inhabitants fought back by detonating the planet's core in Unicron's face. Badly damaged by the explosion, Unicron fell into a state of dormancy, but the life essence of the planet's ruler—the being who would come to be known as [[Alpha Quintesson|Alpha Q]]—continued to exist within him, and began a not-entirely-sane plan to use Unicron's powers to recreate everything the Chaos-Bringer had ever destroyed. {{storylink|Alpha Q: Identity}} Recreating the armies of Planet Q as "Terrorcons", Alpha Q had them attack Autobot facilities on Earth and throughout the [[Solar System]] to gather the [[energon]] that would be necessary for his plan to work. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}}

[[File:Energon Unicron.jpg|thumb|Unicron sported [[Neon|awesome]] [[Black repaint|colors]] during ''Energon''.]]

Unbeknownst to Alpha Q, Megatron's corpse and spark remained within Unicron, and he slowly siphoned off some of the gathered Energon, allowing him to be reborn in his own new body. To escape Megatron's fury, Alpha Q jettisoned Unicron's head and escaped in it, {{storylink|Megatron Resurrected}} while Megatron took over Unicron's body, and continued to gather Energon in order to rebuild Unicron to use as his ultimate weapon. {{storylink|Megatron Raid}} Both parts of Unicron's inert form were used by Megatron and Alpha Q as their bases from then on. Though Unicron briefly lashed out towards those housed within him when he became starved with energon, he otherwise remained incapable of attacking them. {{storylink|Survival Instincts}}

As the climax of Megatron's plans neared, a joint attack by Alpha Q, the Autobots and their human allies saw all of Earth's Energon channeled into Unicron's head, which Alpha Q then rammed into Unicron's body. {{storylink|Unicron Unleashed}} The positively-charged Energon of Earth reacted with the negatively-charged Energon running through Unicron, tearing open a fissure in reality leading to a new area of space where planets Unicron consumed were recreated, and sustained through the Energon radiated from Unicron's head, which had now become a glowing red sun. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} {{storylink|Ripped Up Space}} {{storylink|Farewell Inferno}}

[[File:Unicron eats blizzard.jpg|left|thumb|Unicron should stop eating so many Blizzards.]]
Unicron's body, damaged once more, lay in the dark reaches near the fissure, and the Decepticons began to raid Alpha Q's new planets for the Energon necessary to revive Unicron again. This time, they succeeded, {{storylink|Omega Supreme (episode)|Omega Supreme}} and Megatron directed Unicron's body to retrieve his head, extinguishing the Energon Sun and killing Alpha Q in the process. {{storylink|A Heroic Battle}} But the power of Unicron proved too much for Megatron to control, as Unicron began to take over Megatron's body. {{storylink|The Power of Unicron}} The Autobots made a valiant but futile attempt to stop him, and Unicron swatted them like gnats. Just as things seemed hopeless, a surge of power from Primus allowed Optimus Supreme to grow to Unicron's size and powered up the other Autobots. {{storylink|Optimus Supreme}} After a long and hard battle, Optimus destroyed Unicron's body. {{storylink|Unicron Perishes}}

[[File:Energon-Unicrons-Arms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|"Geodude geeeeoooo geodude."]]

None of the Transformers were aware, however, that Unicron lived on in two forms: his miniscule Spark, floating in space, and his consciousness, which lay buried in Megatron's mind. With quiet, subconscious nudging, Unicron led Megatron to a massive reservoir of "[[Super Energon]]" beneath Cybertron's surface, {{storylink|Ambition}} which transformed him into Galvatron upon his first exposure. {{storylink|Wishes}} Galvatron used his newfound power to take command of Cybertron, exiling the Autobots off-world by unleashing a toxic energon gas into the atmosphere. Unicron next pushed Galvatron to use the planet's systems to propel Cybertron towards Alpha Q's planets. {{storylink|Galvatron!}} {{storylink|The Omega Train}}

At some point in time, a virtual copy of Unicron appeared in an Autobot "virtual training program" as a special opponent for Hot Shot and Rodimus to battle after defeating all other contenders. Despite this copy being scaled-down to be about the same size as his opponents, he proved to be a formidable foe. The Autobots nonetheless defeated him, winning the <s>video game</s> training exercise. {{storylink|Distribution}}

Optimus beheld a vision of Unicron as looked upon an energon gas-envelopped Cybertron, clueing him in on the fact that Unicron's evil still persisted in some form. {{storylink|Formidable}}

After a series of failed battles, Galvatron proceeded to expose himself to the Super Energon once again, and this time grew to a gigantic height. {{storylink|Galvatron Terror}} Unicron seized control of his body again for a new vessel and set out to rejoin with his Spark, {{storylink|Destructive Power}} but a Primus-empowered Optimus Supreme engaged him in battle once more, and drew all of Unicron's consciousness out of Galvatron and sealed it within his own Spark. {{storylink|Spark (episode)|Spark}}

[[File:EnergonUnicronOrbTheSun.jpg|left|thumb|"How could this puny thing be Unicron?" 
—[[Kicker Jones]]]]
Enraged, Galvatron prepared to destroy Unicron's Spark, but it merged with him, enlarging him again, leading to another battle with Optimus Supreme, this time bolstered by the combined energy of all his troops' Sparks. Meanwhile, Primus merged with the Super Energon, creating a foundling sun which arrived at the site of the battle. Taking control of his body for a brief moment, Galvatron made the decision to plunge himself into the infant sun to rid himself of Unicron's possession. The super energon mass, having now received Unicron's spark, ignited into a powerful red sun which gave new life to Alpha Q's worlds. {{storylink|The Sun}}
{{-}}

====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
[[File:Cyb ep20 unicron chunks.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Ssssh, don't tell ''Galaxy Force'' that I'm here!]]

The bitter [[Overhaul (Cybertron)|Overhaul]] was a loner, but his attitude changed when, in deep space, he was trapped underneath some debris near the remains of Unicron and saved by [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]]. {{storylink|Honor}}

[[File:Unicronsingularity.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|The cause of—and solution to—all of our continuity problems.]]

Primus's plan to trap Unicron in the heart of a new sun failed when the star collapsed into a massive [[Unicron Singularity|black hole]] (sometimes known as the "Unicron Singularity") that threatened the entire multiverse. The collapse of the sun also allowed [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to escape, [[Armor of Unicron|but not before integrating what remained of Unicron's body into himself]], increasing his power to nightmarish new heights. {{storylink|Fallen (episode)|Fallen}}

In addition to strengthening the Decepticon leader, the Armor of Unicron apparently gave Megatron access to a few of the Chaos Bringer's reality-warping powers, including the ability to unleash a devastating Energon aura, {{storylink|Starscream (episode)|Starscream}} {{storylink|Showdown (Cybertron)|Showdown}} create new Transformer bodies, upgrade and repair fallen Transformers {{storylink|Darkness (episode)|Darkness}}, and tap into the power of the [[Cyber Planet Key]]s. {{storylink|Revelation (episode)|Revelation}} {{storylink|Fury (Cybertron)|Fury}} The Decepticon leader's newest plan also held hints of the dark god's old agenda, as he intended to use the Keys to accelerate the black hole's growth and destroy the entire universe (albeit with the intent to remake it in his image afterwards).

Unfortunately for Unicron and Megatron (who again upgraded into Galvatron), the black hole would be sealed away by Primus himself after the Autobots restored his full power. {{storylink|End}} The Armor of Unicron would be overwhelmed and destroyed along with its wearer in a final battle with Optimus Prime, wiping away the last traces of Unicron from the universe. {{storylink|Unfinished}}

{{-}}
====''Cybertron'' comic====
From interdimensional space, [[Vector Prime]] observed the Autobots and Decepticons attacking and defeating Unicron. When Unicron collapsed into the [[Unicron Singularity]], [[Vector Sigma]] alerted Vector Prime to the spatiotemporal crisis threatening Cybertron. Vector Prime thus returned to normal space for the first time in millions of years to aid his homeworld. {{storylink|Vector Prime: In the Beginning}}

During the crisis, Unicron's heralds [[Ramjet (Universe)|Ramjet]] and Nemesis Prime arrived on [[Aurex 405.0 Epsilon|that universe]]'s nearly deserted Cybertron. They were intent on unleashing the [[Dead Matrix]] upon Primus's vulnerable essence—as the Matrix was the antithesis of Unicron, so too would the Dead Matrix ensure the destruction of Primus, thereby totally destabilizing the multiverse and reducing it to a sea of entropic chaos. For the first time, it would be possible for Unicron to strike at Primus in all realities simultaneously, ending their cosmic feud once and for all. {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}}

[[File:Unicroncybertron.jpg|upright=0.85|left|thumb|The Planet-Eater's back, and you're gonna be in trouble.]]
Ramjet and Nemesis Prime were ultimately stopped by Vector Prime and allies [[Sentinel Maximus]] and [[Omega Prime]], plucked from the midst of the [[Universe War]] by the multiverse-warping energies of the black hole. {{storylink|Revelations Part 1}} The Dead Matrix, however, was taken by Unicron's servant [[Soundwave (Cybertron)|Soundwave]] and cast into the heart of the black hole, freeing Unicron's spark, which entered the planet [[Yst]] and immediately began to sow chaos and disorder. Re-energized by the hatred and violence than ran rampant on Yst, Unicron formed a new, diminutive body for himself, born into the universe when Yst exploded. {{storylink|Revelations Part 3}}

[[File:Sentinelmaximusunicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Sorry, did that previous image indicate that Unicron was still huge?]]
During the time that followed, from behind the scenes Unicron orchestrated a civil war between the Mini-Cons stationed on Cybertron's moons. {{storylink|Revelations Part 4}} When Sentinel Maximus led a team of Autobots to stamp out the escalating conflict, Unicron's involvement was revealed, and he joined the battle himself alongside Soundwave. With no further use for the Mini-Cons, he murdered several of them and tried to capture [[Skyfall (Cybertron)|Skyfall]] and [[Landquake (Timelines)|Landquake]], whom he had plans for; {{storylink|Revelations Part 5}} {{storylink|The Coming Storm: Part 1}} by eliminating the [[Thirteen]], Unicron knew he could put Primus in a vulnerable position and thus best him. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 10|Unicron's profile in Club magazine #10}} However, before Unicron could achieve victory, Primus was reawakened, and the dark god fled as Cybertron transformed into its robot mode. {{storylink|Revelations Part 6}}
{{-}}

===MegaWing Galvatron continuity===
In [[Aurex 304.0 Epsilon|an alternate universe]], after being left for dead by the Decepticon warlord [[Megazarak (Universe)|Megazarak]], [[Optimus Prime (Balancing Act)|Optimus Prime]]'s corpse was cloned by Unicron to create [[Nemesis Prime (Universe)|Nemesis Prime]]. Nemesis Prime spent his entire early existence being tortured by Unicron so that he could be molded into the perfectly loyal herald. Through the tortured clone, Unicron was able to create the [[Dead Matrix]], a weapon capable of slaying his hated opposite, Primus. {{storylink|Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club issue 6|Nemesis Prime's profile}} {{storylink|Balancing Act, Part 2}}

===2003 ''Universe'' toy bios===
Unicron granted [[Treadshot (Universe 2003)|Treadshot]] new power, which Treadshot planned to use to kill [[Ultra Magnus (Energon)|Ultra Magnus]] and [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]] once and for all. {{storylink|Treadshot (Universe 2003)#Toys|Ultra Magnus vs. Treadshot toy bio}}

===Spacewarp's Log===
In [[Spacewarp]]'s [[Aurex 006.0 Kappa|home reality]], [[Starscream (Armada)|Ulchtar]] sacrificed himself against Unicron. {{storylink|Source:Transformers: Spacewarp's Log#November 28, 2015|Spacewarp's Log (2), 2015/11/28/11/2015}}

At some point, Spacewarp sneaked in and out of Unicron's docking bay, a feat she considered miraculous to have pulled off. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Guest column#October 27, 2015|Spacewarp's Log (1), 27/10/2015}}

Unicron was later pulled into the Unicron Singularity. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#September 17, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 17/09/2015}}

==''Q-Robo Transformer''==
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|Q-Robo Transformer}}}}
{{-}}

==''TransTech''==
At some point, the [[Transcendent Technomorph]]s of [[Nexus 208.0 Epsilon]] confronted and succeeded in defeating the Unicron Phenomenon for the time being. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

When [[G1 GoBots|a team of traveling cyborgs]] appeared before the [[High Senate]], TransTech Minister of Higher Dimensional Sciences [[Rhinox (TransTech)|Rhinox]] was asked to provide background to the [[Cataclysm (GoBots)|Cataclysm]]. Rhinox explained within the [[Primax 984.0 Gamma]] universal stream, the appearance and subsequent destruction of Unicron and the destruction of Primus's [[Xaaron|avatar]], {{Storylink|On the Edge of Extinction!}} as well as the tainting of the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] caused by [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]], created a great many [[splinter timeline]]s. These events, as well as an earlier, undefined event related to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], resulted in the creation of yet another splinter timeline, [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]]. This universe overwrote [[Gargent 984.08 Alpha|the universe]] home to said dimensional travelers. {{storylink|Withered Hope}}

==Live-action film series==
===''The Last Knight'' film===
{{quote|Earth...Unicron, Cybertron's ancient enemy!|Optimus Prime|[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]}}

[[File:Transformers_5_Unicron.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The Transformer with the least amount of screen time.]]

In the distant past, the planet [[Earth]] formed around the inert body of Unicron. On [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Unicron was known as the planet's ancient enemy. A [[Book of Cyber-Kells|book]] that would eventually come to be held in the Trinity Library spoke of Unicron being [[Earth's core|the core of Earth]].

Somehow the Cybertronian sorceress [[Quintessa (TLK)|Quintessa]] had discovered Unicron's resting point and hit on a plan to restore Cybertron by draining the life from Unicron to revive the planet, sending both [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and a brainwashed [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] to Earth to reclaim [[Staff of Merlin|the device]] she needed to complete her plan.
[[File:TheLastKnight - Trinity Library Book shows Unicron.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKJwvQfraY8 ''I see a bad moon rising'' ''I see trouble on the way'']]]
In preparation, Quintessa moved Cybertron into Earth's solar system, its presence causing Unicron's six horns to sprout on the Earth as he reacted to the presence of his old enemy. Growing at a rate of three meters a day, the horns were a sign of a great scientific curiosity and mass panic across the globe. [[Edmund Burton|Sir Edmund Burton]] and [[Cogman]] recognized the horns for what they were and took them as a sign of the apocalypse.

At Stonehenge, Quintessa and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] began the ritual and sent Unicron's life force to Cybertron before the Autobots and the TRF halted their efforts. Enough of Unicron's life force had been sent to Cybertron however that it had healed most of its damage to the point that the Autobots felt they were able to return to their homeworld.

In the aftermath, several human scientists were examining one of Unicron's horns only to be approached by Quintessa in a human guise. She warned them against touching the horn, lest they incur Unicron's wrath, but offered them a way to kill the Chaos Bringer. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}
{{-}}

===''Rise of the Beasts'' film===
[[File:ROTBcap-Unicronringedplanet.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Unicron might as well eat this planet -- it's so close to its sun it's gotta be uninhabitable!]]
{{voiceactor|[[Colman Domingo]] (English)|[[Frédéric Souterelle]] (European French), [[Roberto Fidecaro]] (Italian), [[Torsten Michaelis]] (German), [[Guilherme Lopes]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Dafnis Fernández]] (Latin American Spanish)}}

{{quote|Rise... My hunger is killing me... What have [[Scourge (ROTB)|you]] found?|Unicron|[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]}}

[[File:ROTB-ScourgeCommunicatesUnicron.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66| This is your final warning: break the treaty again and you will be destroyed.]]
Legends that predated Cybertronian civilization described Unicron as a dark god who consumed planets, but few knew of the legends, and fewer still believed them. The [[Maximal|Maximals]] learned that Unicron was real only when the Chaos Bringer arrived on their doorstep to consume their planet. Unicron deployed his Terrorcon and Predacon forces led by his chief [[Herald of Unicron|Herald]] [[Scourge (ROTB)|Scourge]], who he had long ago enslaved. Unicron tasked them with finding the transwarp key, a Maximal device that would enable him to continue his rampage across time and space at will, before he consumed the Maximal planet. Unicron was livid with Scourge for losing the key as the Maximals led by [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]] fled, and commanded Scourge to find the key. Though Unicron was still able to feast on the Maximal planet, he was left in the current galaxy, forced to rely on his own power to move about space, but this soon left him starving and desperate to find another planet to feast on.

Scourge later found half of the transwarp key on Earth in 1994, but when he presented his prize to his master, Unicron scolded and tortured his minion as it was only half of the key. Scourge eventually retrieved the other half in Peru and began opening a portal in time and space for Unicron to come through. Unicron relished his apparent victory and made ready to devour Earth, but Primal and [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime's]] Autobots defeated Scourge and his other forces. When Prime made to destroy the portal, Unicron hastily offered Prime whatever he wanted in exchange for not proceeding, but the Autobot leader had none of it and destroyed the portal. Though Unicron had been stranded once again in his current location and time, the Autobots and Maximals acknowledged he had likely survived the collapse of the portal, but stood resolute that they would defeat him should he ever return to Earth.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}

===Titan movie comics===
{{quote|I'm certain I can speak for all those pledged to the Decepticon cause when I say Unicron spells one thing, and that's trouble with a capital 'running and screaming'.|Barricade|[[Transformers Comic issue 2.6|#6 (Vol.2)]]}}

[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] encountered Unicron {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|#12's Star Screams}} in an event where Unicron attempted to devour Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|#19's Star Screams}} It left him terrified. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|#17's Star Screams}}

Both [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] were also aware of Unicron's existence. His sheer might scared them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.6|#6's Law and Disorder}} They knew that [[fandom|you]] wanted to see Unicron in the third film and it sickened them. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.13|#13's Law and Disorder}}

[[File:Unicron Titan19.JPG|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"The psoriasis is barely slowing him down!"]]
In an alternate timeline where Megatron won the battle of Mission City, [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]] and his Decepticon chums attempted to rebirth Cybertron by sending out a summons that would attract any entity related to the lost [[AllSpark]], and then drawing that entity into Cybertron once it arrived.

As that entity announced itself to be '''"Unicron the Anti-Life!"''', they felt like a right bunch of plonkers. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}}

Unicron moved swiftly, transforming Cybertron into a scarier looking physical form and causing the planet's surface to becoming hostile to the Transformers on it. Stockade's attempts at communication were met with contempt and a strange attack. The new Unicron then warped into the Sol system, shot down an Autobot shuttle, and went "OM NOM NOM" at the sight of Earth. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}}

The downed Autobots regrouped with Stockade's Decepticons and worked to take away the [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] that was powering Unicron's physical form. They succeeded in this by causing it to blow up and catch fire, which caused Unicron to draw on more Nucleon to recover, which fueled the fire and so on until the source ran out. Unicron disappeared, though whether he was dead or just gone is ambiguous. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

Either way, the changes Unicron had made to Cybertron remained. The teleportation equipment he'd created was used by the Autobots to finally end the war. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part Three}}

==''Animated'' continuity family==
[[Multiversal singularity|Multiversal singularities]] did not exist in the [[Malgus|Malgus Cluster]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/05/2015}} [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]] had one such non-singular Unicron, built by [[Primacron]] in his laboratory on [[Protos]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 10, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 10/06/2015}}

==Aligned continuity family==
[[File:Transformers_Covenant_of_Primus_Unicron.jpg|right|thumb]]
{{main|Unicron/Aligned}}

In the [[Uniend]] Cluster, Unicron was the ultimate enemy of [[Primus]], until his defeat at the hands of the [[Thirteen]]. Floating in the cosmos, structure began to form around Unicron, until he evolved into the planet [[Earth]].

==''Knights of Unicron''==
Legendary super rockers the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] named themselves in honor of this demonic entity. The Sinister Tympanic Membrane (the left eardrum), located on "Planet Unicron", was also the eleventh venue for the band on their 2014 "Till All Are One" tour. {{storylink|Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
Vector Prime considered it distasteful that the [[Knights of Unicron (band)|Knights of Unicron]] would name themselves after something that was very much not a joking matter. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 13, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 13/05/2015}}

==''Shattered Glass''==
{{main|Unicron/Shattered Glass}}

This is the '''''good''''' Unicron. Hard to believe, right?

==Ask Vector Prime==
[[Vector Prime]] noted that the non-Singularity Unicron of [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]] or [[Viron 704.08 Gamma]] would not be able to defeat [[Darth Vader]]'s [[Death Star]] mech of [[Lukas 577.25 Beta]] in battle. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime#Transformers Animated: The Complete AllSpark Almanac|Ask Vector Prime, The Complete AllSpark Almanac}}

In many universal streams, the local iteration of [[Primacron]] built his universe's version of Unicron, one that was typically not part of the singularity. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 22, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 22/05/2015}} Two such instances included [[Primax 984.17 Alpha]] and [[Malgus 1207.26 Alpha]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 10, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 10/06/2015}}

Vector Prime was unsure if the number of universes destroyed by Unicron was a quantifiable number as once Unicron consumed a universe, little remained to prove that it ever existed. However, some destroyed universes, such as [[Primax 703.09 Gamma]], lived on the memory of interdimensional travelers who had visited the universe prior to its destruction. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 26, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 26/06/2015}}
{{-}}

==''GoBots''==
While on an inter-dimensional mission to [[Primax 207.0 Epsilon]]'s Earth in [[Primax -408.24 Epsilon]], the [[GoBot]] [[Small Foot]] had a vision in which Unicron devoured her allies, plunging them into an eternal abyss. {{storylink|High Noon (SG)|High Noon}}

==Games==
{{Note|See also: [[Unicron/Generation 1#Games]] and [[Unicron/Aligned#Games]]}}

===''Transformers'' (PS2)===
{{voiceactor|[[Matthew Yang King]] (English)|[[Arturo López]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Pietro Ubaldi]] (Italian)}}
[[File:Armadavideogame-Unicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Unicron takes a shot in the mouth.]]

After the Autobots defeated the Decepticons on [[Earth]] and had secured the majority of the Mini-Cons there, Unicron made his appearance above Cybertron, intent on destroying the planet. Optimus Prime's team of Autobots and the Mini-Cons returned home via a warp gate to see the Chaos Bringer unleash a wave of destruction upon the great cities of their planet. The Mini-Cons joined to form the [[Matrix Cannon]], the [[Vanguard Booster]] and the [[Nemesis Shield]] for the Autobots to use against Unicron. The Autobots flew into Unicron's maw and blasted their way into his energy core, damaging it enough to send Unicron spiralling out of control and destroying him. {{storylink|Transformers (PS2)|Transformers}}

===''Transformers Energon: Battle for Megatron''===
In his attempts to stop Scorponok and the other Terrorcons from retrieving Megatron, held deep within Unicron himself, the Chaos Bringer dispatched many units acting as his automated defenses. Among these were Pods, weak individually but strong in numbers; Tentacle Pods, more advanced versions of the previous units possessing ranged attacks; slow moving but strong Tendril units; heavily armored Spiderbot units; and immobile but powerful Shocktowers. A final unit, The Cortex, held Megatron captive. Once The Cortex was destroyed, Megatron was released and Unicron was defeated. {{storylink|Transformers Energon: Battle for Megatron}}

===''Transformers: Forged to Fight''===
One of Unicron's horns was visible sticking out of the ground within one of Earth's cities. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}

==Toys==
{{main|Unicron/toys}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
Vector Prime noted that most [[Quadwal]] universes were not in danger of being consumed by Unicron as most [[Unicron/toys|Quadwal Unicrons]] were small and made of [[plastic]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 21, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 21/06/2015}}

==Merchandise==
{{main|Unicron/toys#Merchandise}}

==Notes==
*The [[Unicron Trilogy]], the series of ''Transformers'' franchises that includes ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'', ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'', was so named by Hasbro designer [[Aaron Archer]] because of Unicron's importance in each story.
*[[Roberto Orci]] was interested in having Unicron in an early version of ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/ask-roberto-orci-roundup-january-14---mythology-money-shots-jolt-military-and-bringing-chaos-166603/ Ask Roberto Orci Roundup January 14 - Mythology, Money Shots, Jolt, Military, and Bringing Chaos]</ref> Thought he was absent in the finished film, Unicron would eventually make his "movie series" debut in ''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight]]''. It wasn't until a mere six years after ''The Last Knight'' that Unicron would finally physically make his debut proper in ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]''.
*Unicron has the ability to create [[tainted world]]s, but none have yet been discovered.
*Unicron developed something of a taste for [[Transformers: BotBots (franchise)|BotBots]] during the development of his [[Unicron/toys#HasLab|HasLab toy]].<ref>[https://hasbropulse.com/blogs/unboxed/haslab-war-for-cybertron-unicron-production-update-3 HasLab War for Cybertron Unicron: Production Update #3] at the [[Hasbro Pulse]] blog.</ref>

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Unicron''' (ユニクロン ''Yunikuron''), '''Gaia Unicron''' (''Prime'', ガイアユニクロン ''Gaia Yunikuron'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Unikron''' (Hungarian pronunciation, ''Marvel Comics'', ''Energon'', ''The Last Knight'', ''The Movie 1st dub''), '''Unicron''' (English pronunciation, ''Prime''), '''Unikornisz''' (mispronounced "Unicorn", ''The Movie 2nd dub'')
*''Korean:'' '''Unicron''' (유니크론 ''Yunikeuron'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Unicron''' (Taiwan, 尤尼克隆 ''Yóuníkèlóng''), '''Yǔzhòu Dàdì''' (China, 宇宙大帝, "Emperor of the Universe")
*''Polish:'' '''Unikorn''', '''Unicron''', '''Rogacz''' ("The Horned One"), '''Jednorożec''' ("Unicorn")

==References and footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Armada characters]]
[[Category:Cybertron characters]]
[[Category:Cybertron Decepticons]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Energon characters]]
[[Category:Energon planets]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 gods]]
[[Category:Generation 1 planets]]
[[Category:Gods]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]
[[Category:Kre-O characters]]
[[Category:Legends]]
[[Category:Legends characters]]
[[Category:Letters page answerers]]
[[Category:Moons]]
[[Category:Movie Transformers]]
[[Category:Planet X]]
[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Transformers]]
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) characters]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Transformers]]
[[Category:Unicron| ]]

Maximum Dinobots issue 5

2023-07-10T18:32:32Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory
|series=maxdinos|issueno=5
|prev=Maximum Dinobots issue 4
|next=All Hail Megatron issue 1
|image=MaximumDinobots 5b.jpg
|caption=Old [[Klingon]] proverb: Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.
|publisher=IDW Publishing
|date=[[April 15]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=April 2009
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]] and [[James Raiz]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]] and [[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]
}}
'''Is this the Dynobots' last stand?'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] stares down at [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s dead body, brooding about how it's his fault Sludge is dead... while there's still a battle raging on around him, as [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] points out while tackling Grimlock out of the way of a stray blast. The battle in question is between [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], unable to agree on who has the greater claim to killing [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s. The mechs being fought over, meanwhile, are watching the spectacle with bemusement. Eventually Snarl, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] decide to get to the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s' ship while the getting's good, but both Grimlock and Hot Rod choose to stay in the fight for their own personal reasons.

Elsewhere, [[Joshua Red|Agent Red]] gets word from one of his field units that they have reacquired [[Laserbeak (G1)|Seekers One]] and [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Two]] from the coordinates Shockwave provided them with. He also learns that Shockwave is currently battling an "unidentified mecha" in another location, and one of the techs asks if she should transmit the disarm code for the bomb in Shockwave's head. Red tells her to hold off as long as possible, as he wants all of their stray robots recovered first. If Shockwave recovers them all before the time is up, she should let the bomb detonate instead.

Back in Dallas, Grimlock tries infusing some of his [[spark]] energy into Sludge to revive him, but it seems to have no effect. Meanwhile, Shockwave notes that, while the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]] has increased Scorponok's abilities greatly, the fear from his [[Abraham Dante|organic component]] has decreased his overall functioning just enough for Shockwave to get the upper hand. He pins Scorponok down and further notes that, though he could kill Scorponok easily, he has no real reason to do so, and is willing to let Scorponok escape. Scorponok takes him up on the offer, and uses his "exit strategy" as soon as Shockwave lets him up. Grimlock turns from Sludge's body and tries to attack Scorponok in vengeance, but he's too late to stop Scorponok's escape. As he yells in frustration, Shockwave tells Grimlock how many years he's cost him. That goads Grimlock into attacking Shockwave, as the timer on the bomb in Shockwave's head counts down to being 12 minutes from going off.

''Shockwave and [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] strike a deal—Soundwave will clone the [[Skywatch]] disarm code, if Shockwave will tell him how to break the [[alternate mode]] lock he's been placed under.''

Somewhere east of the battle, Slag, Snarl, and Swoop have all arrived at the Monsterbots' ship. [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] notices that there's only three of them but doesn't seem to care, telling them to hurry up and board the ship. He says they should just accept the fact that they and the Monsterbots are the same type of mech—rebels who only care about themselves. The Dynobots don't seem at all happy at this revelation.

While all this was going on, Hot Rod had struck out on his own to re-enter [[Machination]] central, and he finally locates Scorponok's original head. [[Hunter O'Nion]] arrives soon after and explains that the head is what's keeping Scorponok alive, and how Hot Rod can disconnect him for good. Before Hot Rod can do so, however, he gets yanked into the air by the rest of Scorponok.

Grimlock and Shockwave are too busy fighting to notice the return of Slag, Snarl, and Swoop, who reasoned that, while helping Grimlock might not be much of a cause, it still beats being no better than the Monsterbots. They ''are'' noticed by Sludge, however, who seems to have recovered due to Grimlock's treatment after all. The four of them dive into the fray proper, but Grimlock orders them to go after Scorponok instead, then tackles Shockwave through the wall of a nearby building.

Agent Red boards a helicopter, wanting to see the battle first-hand, and tells the tech she can transmit the disarm code. As she does so, Soundwave intercepts the code and clones it for Shockwave, who in turn tells Soundwave how to free himself. As Soundwave does, he wakes up Ravage and Laserbeak, who easily escape their own re-confinement. Shockwave then tells Grimlock that their battle this day has all been a charade, and that he never cared one bit about vengeance. He tries walking away with a statement that he's willing to forget the matter entirely as long as Grimlock doesn't interfere with him further. Grimlock will have none of that, and activates a grenade that blows the building they're in sky-high, the blast narrowly missing Agent Red's helicopter.

Underneath, in the middle of Machination central, Hot Rod is about to get squished by Scorponok, until the remaining Dynobots show up in just the nick of time. At Hot Rod's urgings, Swoop severs the connections keeping Scorponok's head conscious. But before they can kill the rest of Scorponok, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] shows up (having been sent a message earlier by Hot Rod) and tells them that Scorponok will be revived and made to answer to a tribunal instead. He then says they should purge the entire Machination facility, gather up all related Machination technology, and get as far away from [[Earth]] as possible as soon as possible—a plan that the Dynobots, Hot Rod, and Hunter are all perfectly okay with.

[[File:Maximum Dinos cast.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|Most of the cast of ''Maximum Dinobots'', pictured here trying to follow [[Michael Bay]]'s camerawork.]]
Three days later, on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', Hunter is told by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] that [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] will need time in the [[CR chamber]], but should recover, as his spark kept him going after Hunter disconnected him. Furthermore, Ratchet was able to make so that Hunter will no longer be able to hear Sunstreaker's thoughts, though he doesn't know how to remove Hunter's implants completely. Hunter then receives a happy surprise in the form of an apparently perfectly healthy [[Jimmy Pink]] and [[Verity Carlo]], who run over to give him greetings and hugs.

Ultra Magnus tells [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] that, while he purged as much of the Machination as he could, Skywatch still knows all about them. Optimus says it can't be helped and that he hopes Skywatch believes everything Cybertronian was destroyed, as an unhappy looking Agent Red walks away from the debris left behind by the day's carnage.

Down in the brig, Ultra Magnus tells Grimlock that having Scorponok and Shockwave in custody should help offset Grimlock's own sentence. Grimlock says he doesn't care, so long as it's clear that it was his decision alone to go after Shockwave. Ultra Magnus assures him that the other Dynobots' warrants have been canceled, and Grimlock is content with that and the fact that Sludge is alive again thanks to him. The Dynobots meanwhile happily repair the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]''.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (1)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (2)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (3)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] (6)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (7)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (8)
* [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (13)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (15)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (16)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (17)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (18)
* [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (19)
}}
|c2=
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (4)
* [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (5)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (10)
* [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (12)
|c3=
* [[Joshua Red]] (9)
* [[Hunter O'Nion]] (14)
* [[Jimmy Pink]] (20)
* [[Verity Carlo]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Dead.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''
"See, generally it's easier keepin' tags on who we ''haven't'' ticked off."
:—'''Slag''' on the Dynobots' popularity

"Sludge got his circuits crispy fried, sure, but that goes with the territory. We don't ''do'' recriminations and we never, ever get all 'band of brothers.'" 
"I know, Snarl, I know. More's the pity. Because if we did, this might actually ''mean'' something. Instead it's just another meaningless statistic in a miserable excuse for a life."
:—'''Snarl''' and '''Grimlock'''

"At this distance, a focused ion blast will penetrate even your armour plating. The [[Abraham Dante|creature]] at the heart of you will perish. As I have no overriding imperative to truncate your existence it would be logical to stand down your weapons systems ''immediately''."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"The humans have a saying, payback's a '''bitch'''!"
:—'''Grimlock''' picks up the local lingo.

"I care nothing for this inconsequential duel, Grimlock. Here, today, it served a purpose. But now I say... let it ''end''. If you follow me, or persist in harassing me, I will kill you."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"Strange... it's like half of me is missing... I'm not sure who I am anymore. 
"You're our friend." 
"Welcome back Hunter." 
:—'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''' and '''Verity''' are finally reunited.

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Alive.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* At the end of the story, Hot Rod reformats to his original Generation 1 form, thus <s>excusing</s> explaining (almost) his appearance in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' in that state.
* Likewise, in the CR Chamber, Sunstreaker is in a kind of transition from his IDW body to his ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' body. The transition looks almost complete—the only bit left from the IDW body is his head.
* Verity's hair has grown somewhat—her hair now spills out onto her shoulders, instead of just touching her neck.
* The Dinobots, sans Grimlock, would next be seen years later in [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|''Robots in Disguise'' #8]]. Meanwhile, Grimlock would reappear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #7]].

===Errors===
* Sludge is ''still'' drawn continuously with two different [[robot mode]] heads.
* Even though he carries Sludge's discarded [[energo weapon|energo-sword]] when he re-enters Machination HQ, Hot Rod apparently trades it for a dinky little metal pipe by the time he reaches the chamber that houses Scorponok's real head.
* In one panel, Shockwave's gun arm has a normal hand instead of the gun.
* There are some text balloon mix ups in a few areas. These are corrected in the trade.
* The "Before" box describing Shockwave's conversation with Soundwave is a panel too soon.
* Grimlock's ''T. rex'' mode is considerably less accurate in this issue, with the hands, head and posture all portrayed in a more "generic killer dinosaur" fashion, than the more realistic versions seen in earlier issues.

===Trivia===
* Snarl can use his ''Stegosaurus'' mode's dorsal plates as daggers.
* This issue was released on the same day as [[All Hail Megatron issue 10|''All Hail Megatron'' #10]]. Coincidentally, both issues feature someone (Ultra Magnus here) arriving after having received a distress call sent by Hot Rod in a [[Maximum Dinobots issue 4|previous]] [[All Hail Megatron issue 4|issue]].
* [[Hasbro]] wouldn't let [[All Hail Megatron issue 1|''All Hail Megatron'' #1]] show a bit of blood on a shoe.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080924195510/http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45 Responses by Shane McCarthy at the IDW forums.</ref> They don't seem as bothered with ''sprays'' of the stuff being caused by Ravage and Laserbeak murdering people here.

===Covers (2)===
* '''Cover A:''' Scorponok, the Dynobots, Grimlock in dinosaur mode, and Hot Rod all look on over Sunstreaker driving away from an explosion: art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Priscilla Tramontano]].
* '''Cover B:''' Grimlock battles Shockwave as the Dynobots look on, with art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and colors by Priscilla Tramontano.

<gallery>
File:MaximumDinobots_5a.jpg|'''Cover A''' - Thank you, Simon!
File:MaximumDinobots_5b.jpg|'''Cover B''' - Gimme that gun, you one-eyed freak!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen]]''
* ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' Volume 1 TPB
* ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival]]'' TPB
* {{i|G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' comics}}
* ''G.I. Joe: The Best of Larry Hama''
* ''The Complete Dick Tracy''
* ''[[Star Trek]]: Countdown''
* ''Classic [[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' Volume 1
* CGC Mint
* ''IDW: The First Decade''
* ''Terminator Salvation'' movie adaptation
* ''Star Trek: Countdown'' TPB (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

Maximum Dinobots issue 5

2023-07-10T18:30:25Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Quotes */

{{Comicstory
|series=maxdinos|issueno=5
|prev=Maximum Dinobots issue 4
|next=All Hail Megatron issue 1
|image=MaximumDinobots 5b.jpg
|caption=Old [[Klingon]] proverb: Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.
|publisher=IDW Publishing
|date=[[April 15]], [[2009]]
|coverdate=April 2009
|written by=[[Simon Furman]]
|art by=[[Nick Roche]] and [[James Raiz]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Neil Uyetake]]
|edits by=[[Denton J. Tipton]] and [[Andy Schmidt]]
|continuity=[[2005 IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[2005 IDW timeline#Maximum Dinobots|Maximum Dinobots]]
}}
'''Is this the Dynobots' last stand?'''

==Synopsis==
In [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] stares down at [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]]'s dead body, brooding about how it's his fault Sludge is dead... while there's still a battle raging on around him, as [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] points out while tackling Grimlock out of the way of a stray blast. The battle in question is between [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] and [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]], unable to agree on who has the greater claim to killing [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] and the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dynobot]]s. The mechs being fought over, meanwhile, are watching the spectacle with bemusement. Eventually Snarl, [[Slag (G1)|Slag]], and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] decide to get to the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s' ship while the getting's good, but both Grimlock and Hot Rod choose to stay in the fight for their own personal reasons.

Elsewhere, [[Joshua Red|Agent Red]] gets word from one of his field units that they have reacquired [[Laserbeak (G1)|Seekers One]] and [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Two]] from the coordinates Shockwave provided them with. He also learns that Shockwave is currently battling an "unidentified mecha" in another location, and one of the techs asks if she should transmit the disarm code for the bomb in Shockwave's head. Red tells her to hold off as long as possible, as he wants all of their stray robots recovered first. If Shockwave recovers them all before the time is up, she should let the bomb detonate instead.

Back in Dallas, Grimlock tries infusing some of his [[spark]] energy into Sludge to revive him, but it seems to have no effect. Meanwhile, Shockwave notes that, while the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster process]] has increased Scorponok's abilities greatly, the fear from his [[Abraham Dante|organic component]] has decreased his overall functioning just enough for Shockwave to get the upper hand. He pins Scorponok down and further notes that, though he could kill Scorponok easily, he has no real reason to do so, and is willing to let Scorponok escape. Scorponok takes him up on the offer, and uses his "exit strategy" as soon as Shockwave lets him up. Grimlock turns from Sludge's body and tries to attack Scorponok in vengeance, but he's too late to stop Scorponok's escape. As he yells in frustration, Shockwave tells Grimlock how many years he's cost him. That goads Grimlock into attacking Shockwave, as the timer on the bomb in Shockwave's head counts down to being 12 minutes from going off.

''Shockwave and [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] strike a deal—Soundwave will clone the [[Skywatch]] disarm code, if Shockwave will tell him how to break the [[alternate mode]] lock he's been placed under.''

Somewhere east of the battle, Slag, Snarl, and Swoop have all arrived at the Monsterbots' ship. [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] notices that there's only three of them but doesn't seem to care, telling them to hurry up and board the ship. He says they should just accept the fact that they and the Monsterbots are the same type of mech—rebels who only care about themselves. The Dynobots don't seem at all happy at this revelation.

While all this was going on, Hot Rod had struck out on his own to re-enter [[Machination]] central, and he finally locates Scorponok's original head. [[Hunter O'Nion]] arrives soon after and explains that the head is what's keeping Scorponok alive, and how Hot Rod can disconnect him for good. Before Hot Rod can do so, however, he gets yanked into the air by the rest of Scorponok.

Grimlock and Shockwave are too busy fighting to notice the return of Slag, Snarl, and Swoop, who reasoned that, while helping Grimlock might not be much of a cause, it still beats being no better than the Monsterbots. They ''are'' noticed by Sludge, however, who seems to have recovered due to Grimlock's treatment after all. The four of them dive into the fray proper, but Grimlock orders them to go after Scorponok instead, then tackles Shockwave through the wall of a nearby building.

Agent Red boards a helicopter, wanting to see the battle first-hand, and tells the tech she can transmit the disarm code. As she does so, Soundwave intercepts the code and clones it for Shockwave, who in turn tells Soundwave how to free himself. As Soundwave does, he wakes up Ravage and Laserbeak, who easily escape their own re-confinement. Shockwave then tells Grimlock that their battle this day has all been a charade, and that he never cared one bit about vengeance. He tries walking away with a statement that he's willing to forget the matter entirely as long as Grimlock doesn't interfere with him further. Grimlock will have none of that, and activates a grenade that blows the building they're in sky-high, the blast narrowly missing Agent Red's helicopter.

Underneath, in the middle of Machination central, Hot Rod is about to get squished by Scorponok, until the remaining Dynobots show up in just the nick of time. At Hot Rod's urgings, Swoop severs the connections keeping Scorponok's head conscious. But before they can kill the rest of Scorponok, [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] shows up (having been sent a message earlier by Hot Rod) and tells them that Scorponok will be revived and made to answer to a tribunal instead. He then says they should purge the entire Machination facility, gather up all related Machination technology, and get as far away from [[Earth]] as possible as soon as possible—a plan that the Dynobots, Hot Rod, and Hunter are all perfectly okay with.

[[File:Maximum Dinos cast.jpg|left|upright=1.67|thumb|Most of the cast of ''Maximum Dinobots'', pictured here trying to follow [[Michael Bay]]'s camerawork.]]
Three days later, on the ''[[Ark-32]]'', Hunter is told by [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] that [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] will need time in the [[CR chamber]], but should recover, as his spark kept him going after Hunter disconnected him. Furthermore, Ratchet was able to make so that Hunter will no longer be able to hear Sunstreaker's thoughts, though he doesn't know how to remove Hunter's implants completely. Hunter then receives a happy surprise in the form of an apparently perfectly healthy [[Jimmy Pink]] and [[Verity Carlo]], who run over to give him greetings and hugs.

Ultra Magnus tells [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] that, while he purged as much of the Machination as he could, Skywatch still knows all about them. Optimus says it can't be helped and that he hopes Skywatch believes everything Cybertronian was destroyed, as an unhappy looking Agent Red walks away from the debris left behind by the day's carnage.

Down in the brig, Ultra Magnus tells Grimlock that having Scorponok and Shockwave in custody should help offset Grimlock's own sentence. Grimlock says he doesn't care, so long as it's clear that it was his decision alone to go after Shockwave. Ultra Magnus assures him that the other Dynobots' warrants have been canceled, and Grimlock is content with that and the fact that Sludge is alive again thanks to him. The Dynobots meanwhile happily repair the ''[[Skyfire (ship)|Skyfire]]''.
{{--}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{collist|2|
* [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] (1)
* [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]] (2)
* [[Snarl (G1)|Snarl]] (3)
* [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]] (6)
* [[Slag (G1)|Slag]] (7)
* [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] (8)
* [[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (13)
* [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (15)
* [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] (16)
* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] (17)
* [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] (18)
* [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] (19)
}}
|c2=
* [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] (4)
* [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]] (5)
* [[Laserbeak (G1)|Laserbeak]] (10)
* [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] (11)
* [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] (12)
|c3=
* [[Joshua Red]] (9)
* [[Hunter O'Nion]] (14)
* [[Jimmy Pink]] (20)
* [[Verity Carlo]] (21)
}}

==Quotes==

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Dead.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''
"See, generally it's easier keepin' tags on who we ''haven't'' ticked off."
:—'''Slag''' on the Dynobots' popularity

"Sludge got his circuits crispy fried, sure, but that goes with the territory. We don't ''do'' recriminations and we never, ever get all 'band of brothers.'" 
"I know, Snarl, I know. More's the pity. Because if we did, this might actually ''mean'' something. Instead it's just another meaningless statistic in a miserable excuse for a life."
:—'''Snarl''' and '''Grimlock'''

"At this distance, a focused ion blast will penetrate even your armour plating. The [[Abraham Dante|creature]] at the heart of you will perish. As I have no overriding imperative to truncate your existence it would be logical to stand down your weapons systems ''immediately''."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"The humans have a saying, payback's a '''bitch'''!"
:—'''Grimlock''' picks up the local lingo.

"I care nothing for this inconsequential duel, Grimlock. Here, today, it served a purpose. But now I say... let it ''end''. If you follow me, or persist in harassing me, I will kill you."
:—'''Shockwave'''

"Strange... it's like half of me is missing... I'm not sure who I am anymore. 
"You're our friend." 
"Welcome back Hunter." 
:-'''Hunter''', '''Jimmy''' and '''Verity''' are finally reunited.

"Sludge. Loyal. Resolute. Dependable. ''Alive.'' Because of me."
:—'''Grimlock'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
* At the end of the story, Hot Rod reformats to his original Generation 1 form, thus <s>excusing</s> explaining (almost) his appearance in ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' in that state.
* Likewise, in the CR Chamber, Sunstreaker is in a kind of transition from his IDW body to his ''[[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|Universe]]'' body. The transition looks almost complete—the only bit left from the IDW body is his head.
* Verity's hair has grown somewhat—her hair now spills out onto her shoulders, instead of just touching her neck.
* The Dinobots, sans Grimlock, would next be seen years later in [[Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|''Robots in Disguise'' #8]]. Meanwhile, Grimlock would reappear in [[Rules of Disengagement (issue)|''More than Meets the Eye'' #7]].

===Errors===
* Sludge is ''still'' drawn continuously with two different [[robot mode]] heads.
* Even though he carries Sludge's discarded [[energo weapon|energo-sword]] when he re-enters Machination HQ, Hot Rod apparently trades it for a dinky little metal pipe by the time he reaches the chamber that houses Scorponok's real head.
* In one panel, Shockwave's gun arm has a normal hand instead of the gun.
* There are some text balloon mix ups in a few areas. These are corrected in the trade.
* The "Before" box describing Shockwave's conversation with Soundwave is a panel too soon.
* Grimlock's ''T. rex'' mode is considerably less accurate in this issue, with the hands, head and posture all portrayed in a more "generic killer dinosaur" fashion, than the more realistic versions seen in earlier issues.

===Trivia===
* Snarl can use his ''Stegosaurus'' mode's dorsal plates as daggers.
* This issue was released on the same day as [[All Hail Megatron issue 10|''All Hail Megatron'' #10]]. Coincidentally, both issues feature someone (Ultra Magnus here) arriving after having received a distress call sent by Hot Rod in a [[Maximum Dinobots issue 4|previous]] [[All Hail Megatron issue 4|issue]].
* [[Hasbro]] wouldn't let [[All Hail Megatron issue 1|''All Hail Megatron'' #1]] show a bit of blood on a shoe.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080924195510/http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45 Responses by Shane McCarthy at the IDW forums.</ref> They don't seem as bothered with ''sprays'' of the stuff being caused by Ravage and Laserbeak murdering people here.

===Covers (2)===
* '''Cover A:''' Scorponok, the Dynobots, Grimlock in dinosaur mode, and Hot Rod all look on over Sunstreaker driving away from an explosion: art by [[Nick Roche]] and colors by [[Priscilla Tramontano]].
* '''Cover B:''' Grimlock battles Shockwave as the Dynobots look on, with art by [[Marcelo Matere]] and colors by Priscilla Tramontano.

<gallery>
File:MaximumDinobots_5a.jpg|'''Cover A''' - Thank you, Simon!
File:MaximumDinobots_5b.jpg|'''Cover B''' - Gimme that gun, you one-eyed freak!
</gallery>

===Advertisements===
* ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation|Revenge of the Fallen]]''
* ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]'' Volume 1 TPB
* ''[[Transformers Animated: The Arrival]]'' TPB
* {{i|G.I. Joe (comic)|''G.I. Joe'' comics}}
* ''G.I. Joe: The Best of Larry Hama''
* ''The Complete Dick Tracy''
* ''[[Star Trek]]: Countdown''
* ''Classic [[G.I. Joe (comic)|G.I. Joe]]'' Volume 1
* CGC Mint
* ''IDW: The First Decade''
* ''Terminator Salvation'' movie adaptation
* ''Star Trek: Countdown'' TPB (back cover)

===Reprints===
Other than [[The Transformers: Maximum Dinobots#Collections|collections of the full series]].
* N/A

==References==
{{reflist}}

Scourge (ROTB)

2023-07-06T04:33:14Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Rise of the Beasts film */

{{disambig3|Scourge}}
{{factions|terrorcon}}
:''Scourge is a [[Terrorcon (ROTB)|Terrorcon]] from the [[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]] portion of the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:Scourge Render.jpg|Right|thumb|250px|I'm here to see MF DOOM.]]

'''Scourge''' is the most fearsome hunter in the universe and the ruthless leader of the Terrorcons. Scourge commands his Terrorcons to pillage and leave chaos in their wake, to continue their mission to conquer thousands of worlds under [[Unicron]]'s command. He is a ferocious but patient killer who makes sure that all who oppose him or his master will die, and his body is covered with insignias claimed as grisly trophies of his many kills. However, make no mistake, Scourge is Unicron's servant, and any failure on his part is immediately punished with extreme pain. It is a testament to Scourge's skill that he rarely fails.

As part of his servitude to the dark god, Scourge has been imbued with a dark energy that gives him power beyond the measure of most ordinary Transformers, making him all but invulnerable. In the event any would-be victim attempts to escape his grasp, he is capable of infecting them, slowly and painfully corrupting them into a puppet for his will. On occasions when he is unable or unwilling to reach his targets, he is able to deploy a pair of fearsome [[Freezer]]s from within his body to sniff out his prey for him.

{{bigquote|I enjoy that look of confusion when [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|an inferior being]] meets a higher power.|Scourge|''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]''}}

==Fiction==
===''Rise of the Beasts'' film===
{{Spoiler|Rise of the Beasts|July 9}}

{{voiceactor|[[Peter Dinklage]] (English), [[Nobuo Tobita]] (Japanese)|[[Idzi Dutkiewicz Sánchez]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Jérémie Covillault]] (European French), [[Thiéry Dubé]] (Canadian French), [[Gianluca Iacono]] (Italian), [[Wellington Lima]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Claus-Peter Damitz]] (German)}}

[[File:ROTB-ScourgeBumblebee.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|When this ends, I’ll have a cheetah skin hanging on my wall. I don’t care ''whose.'']]

Scourge hailed from a [[Cybertronian colonies|world]] that was destroyed by [[Unicron]], perhaps in a time beyond the modern era, leaving him as the only survivor. He sold his [[spark|soul]] to the monster planet and became his most terrifying hunter, becoming known throughout the universe. Throughout his time under the sway of the chaos bringer, he'd often travel to various other regions in space and fought countless transformers of different factions, taking their [[insignia|insiginas]] as trophies and placing them all over his body.

As Unicron approached the homeworld of the [[Maximal]]s, Scourge, accompanied by several [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Scorponok (ROTB)|Scorponoks]], was sent ahead to retrieve their [[Transwarp Key]], so his master might feed on planets across space and time. He confronted the Maximal leader [[Apelinq (ROTB)|Apelinq]], taunting that their planet would make a savory meal for Unicron, yet the dark god would spare their home if they surrendered the Key. When the noble Maximal refused, Scourge welcomed the fight, easily besting him and tearing away his insignia to add to his collection. But Apelinq's sacrifice had bought enough time for the other Maximals to escape with the key, foiling Scourge's mission. He was then ordered by his master to scour the universe until the Key was found.

[[File:ROTB-ScourgeCommunicatesUnicron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I've come to enlighten you to the Great Darkness!]]
In the year [[1994]], Scourge was drawn to [[Earth]] by the recently activated Transwarp Key, landing in the Hudson River in [[New York City]] with his loyal [[Terrorcon (ROTB)|Terrorcon]] accomplices [[Battletrap (ROTB)|Battletrap]] and [[Nightbird (ROTB)|Nightbird]]. As they emerged from the water, he promptly ordered Nightbird to search the island, confirming the Transwarp Key's signature emanated from a museum on Ellis Island. After instructing his drone-like [[Freezer]] drones to sniff out [[Elena Wallace|two]] [[Noah Diaz|humans]] who were in possession of the Key, Scourge would engage with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobot forces alongside Battletrap and Nightbird. Despite the Autobots' valiant efforts, Scourge managed to outperform Optimus in combat. Scourge killed [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] when he tried to intervene in the battle, but before he could finish Prime, the Maximal Airazor arrived and the Terrorcons departed, having got what they came for.

Scourge reported back to Unicron with the retrieved key, only to discover that the Terrorcons only had half of the actual key; split by the Maximals as a last resort against Unicron's servants. Unicron mentally tortured the Terrorcon leader as punishment, demanding that his followers return with the completed key.

Eventually, the Terrorcons arrived in [[Peru]] to track down the Autobots and their human allies, with Scourge deploying two Freezers to capture the humans. The Terrorcons chased the Autobots on the Peruvian highway, culminating in Scourge tackling Prime down the mountain. Before the Autobots escaped Scourge's advances, he infected Airazor with Unicron's foul energy, which eventually corrupted and brainwashed her into Scourge's minion. Following Noah's reluctant attempt to destroy the other half of the Transwarp Key, Scourge stole it and ordered Airazor to kill her former comrades, forcing her leader, [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], to kill her. Relocating with his minions to a nearby volcano, he used the complete key's power to create the Transwarp tower capable of allowing Unicron to access Earth.

The Autobots and Maximals soon staged an assault and he ordered his cohorts to defend the tower. After summoning a giant army of Freezer troops, Scourge stood his guard at the tower's control panel. He was attacked by [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] alone to keep his attention away from Noah and Elena's efforts to deactivate the beam, but despite his mask being kicked from his face, he was able to defeat the two, near-killing Mirage and leaving Noah for dead under his comatose body. He then dispatched a Freezer to eliminate Elena and inadvertently contributed to Nightbird's death in his attempts to fire on the revived Bumblebee. Noah restarted the fight minutes later, now wearing an [[Exosuit|exo-suit]] courtesy of Mirage, and was joined by Optimus Prime. Scourge fought on fiercely but would eventually be overpowered by the combined forces of Noah and Prime after suffering a stab to the back of the leg from the human. Beginning to lose the fight, he begged Unicron for reinforcements before spitefully destroying the control panel to ensure his master's victory. A furious Prime then forced him into an open lava flow, cleaved off both his arms and finally decapitated him.

As his body sunk into the lava, Prime forcefully removed Bumblebee's stolen Autobot insignia from his frame. Scourge's efforts failed as the key and tower were destroyed, with his remains pulled into the collapsing portal.{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}
{{note|Scourge's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the books "[[Mission at the Museum]]" and "[[The Search Is On]]".}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Studio Series''===
[[File:StudioSeriestoy-ScourgeLeader.jpg|thumb|300px|Never skip neck day. Well, skip it a little.]]
*'''Scourge''' (Leader Class, [[2023]])
**''Movie'': '''''Rise of the Beasts'''''
**''Hasbro ID number'': '''101'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SS-109'''
**''Accessories'': Cannon, left arm
{{toydesigner|[[Sam Smith]] and [[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Takashi Kunihiro]] (TakaraTomy)}}<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/CoFmIPhOUO2/ Design notes on ''Studio Series'' Scourge] from Hasbro designer [[Sam Smith]] on Instagram</ref>

:Released as part of the eleventh wave of ''[[Studio Series]]'' Leader Class figures, Scourge transforms into a frightening truck in 31 steps. Scourge is compatible with the [[Freezer|Core Class Freezer]] figure as a blaster for his hand and in his truck bed. His left arm can detach at the elbow so it can be replaced by his gun attachment.

:Like the majority of ''Studio Series'' figures from ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]'', Scourge is based on early concept art, evident by his neck, shoulders, mouth, and the inaccurate chest section/truck grill.

:The hexagonal hinges required for transformation, added with the fact that Scourge's truck cab is entirely clear plastic, can cause the plastic to crack. As there are no known fixes at this time (if any even exist), exercise caution when transforming the figure.

:Hasbro revealed the figure on [[January 30]], 2023.
::*''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CoFmIPhOUO2/ Designer commentary on Scourge from Sam Smith on Instagram]''

===''Buzzworthy Bumblebee''===
[[File:TF-ROTB-Smash-Changers-Scourge.jpg|thumb|300px|Fan theory fuel.]]
*'''Scourge''' (Smash Changers, 2023)
**''TakaraTomy name'': '''Papapatto Change Scourge '''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''BPC-EX'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': April 15, 2023

:''[[Buzzworthy Bumblebee]]'' Smash Changers Scourge is a retool of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#SmashChangers|Smash Changers Optimus Prime]], changing from a cab-over Mad Max-esque truck to robot in three kinetic auto-transforming steps. Manually converting the toy back into truck mode takes eleven steps. He features limited articulation on the elbows.

:In Japan, this toy was released as a Toys"R"Us Japan Exclusive.
{{--}}

===''Rise of the Beasts''===
[[File:TF-ROTB-Beast-Alliance-Scourge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Green is the new black.]]
*'''Scourge''' (Battle Changers, 2023)
{{toydesigner|[[Koki Yamada]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:Released as part of the "Beast Alliance" subline for ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (toyline)|Rise of the Beasts]]'', Battle Changers Scourge is a simplified 5 inch toy that converts from robot to truck in 7 steps.
{{comingsoontoy}}

{{-}}{{anchor|BeastCombiner}}
[[File:TF-ROTB-Beast-Combiner-Scourge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|]]
*'''Scourge & Predacon Scorponok''' (Beast Combiners, 2023)
**''TakaraTomy name'': '''Kakusei Change Armor Set Scourge & Scorponok'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''BCAS-04'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': July 15, 2023
{{toydesigner|[[Koki Yamada]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Released in the second wave of "Beast Combiners", Scourge converts from robot to post-apocalyptic truck mode in 7 steps, and is packaged with [[Scorponok (ROTB)#Beast Alliance|Scorponok]], who combines with Scourge to form his armor in 6 steps. Scorponok's tail section detaches to form a weapon for Scourge to wield. Scourge is also compatible with any other Beast Combiners beast-partner.

{{-}}{{anchor|TitanChanger}}
[[File:TF-ROTB-Titan-Changer-Scourge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|More fuel for the fire.]]
*'''Scourge''' (Titan Changer, 2022)

: ''Titan Changer'' Scourge is an extensive retool of ''The Last Knight'' Titan Changer [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Titan Changers|Optimus Prime]], turning from a robot to a truck in 4 steps.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Figural Bag Clip===
*'''Scourge (Exclusive A)''' (2023)
:Released by Monogram, this 2.5" 3D foam bag clip takes the form of a chibi ''Rise of the Beasts'' Scourge.

:It was available only as part of a [[Blindpacking|mystery blind bag]] collection as one of two chase items.
{{-}}

===''Pop!''===
*'''Scourge''' (2023)
**''ID number:'' '''1377'''

:Released as part of a ''Rise of the Beasts''-themed batch of the ''Pop! Movies'' segment, [[Funko Pop!|Funko]]'s ''Pop!'' Scourge is a super deformed vinyl figure molded in an "intimidating" pose.
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Stevencaplejr terrorcon cast.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Wednesday Addams called dibs when she’s ready for her first car.]]
*Scourge's alt-mode was first revealed via [[Steven Caple Jr.]]'s Instagram account on [[October 6|6 October]] [[2021]], along with the other two senior Terrorcons, [[Battletrap (ROTB)|Battletrap]] and [[Nightbird (ROTB)|Nightbird]].
*Scourge's design as a large evil semi-truck evokes the [[Scourge (RID)|''Robots in Disguise'' holder of the name]]. It's also worth noting that [[Megatron (Movie)|this series's Megatron]] also adopted a similarly ''Mad Max''-esque truck form during the events of ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon]]''.
*Scourge's grill is decorated with insignia "trophies" taken from his slain enemies, which transform into his arms and shoulders in robot mode. Looking closely, one can identify [[Autobot]], [[Decepticon]], [[Maximal]], [[Mercenary]], [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]], [[Terrorcon (ROTB)|Terrorcon]], and [[Wreckers|Wrecker]] (specifically the two-hammer symbol used in the [[:File:Wreckeridw.png|''2019 IDW'' design]]) insignias. This may be a reference to the 1971 film ''Duel'' (directed by [[Steven Spielberg]]), which featured a [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/mediaviewer/rm1887906560?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_18 similar evil truck with "trophies" along the grill] in the form of license plates (and ''Duel'' has been [[Nemesis Prime (episode)|referenced in Transformers before]]).

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Scourge''' (スカージ ''Sukāji'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Terrorcons]]
[[Category:Studio Series Terrorcons]]

Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2023-07-05T21:19:17Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* All Hail Megatron */

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=Megatron Origin Symbol.png|cSize=35x35px|cLink=Gladiatorial combat}}|decepticon|autobot}}
{{featured}}
{{suite}}
[[File:IDWMegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Megatron A, Megatron B, Megatron Retailer's Incentive, Megatron Dynamic Forces Exclusive variant, and Megatron (Second Printing).]]
'''Megatron''' waged a battle to destroy the evil forces of the [[Senate]]! Then he ''continued'' to wage a war against the not-so-evil forces of freedom, organic life, and the very idea of an Autobot living. After [[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|some life-changing events]], he waged a war against the evil forces of his own past [[Decepticon Justice Division|legacy]]. Currently, however, Megatron's revolution has come full circle, waging a war against the evil forces of the [[Functionist Council]]!

Megatron is a master planner, constantly a step ahead of any opponent and even ahead of what he wants ''now'', preparing for anything he may want in the future. He has the physical might to overpower most foes but it's his mind that has one-upped three Primes and rival Decepticons. But his cold clinical nature is a front he has to struggle to keep up, as he's quick to anger and quicker to use excessive violence as his answer to any problem. Megatron's trying to change but he's spent such a long time revelling in violence, it may have been a lost cause from the start.

:*''First Appearance:'' [[Infiltration issue 4|''Transformers: Infiltration'' #4]]

{{quote|So long as you stand in my way—so long as '''anyone''' stands in my way, I will respond by killing. Murder on an '''industrial''' scale. Because in the final analysis, I would happily wade across a river of corpses, chest-deep in rust and grease and engine oil, just to crush the spark of the last Autobot standing. And I would not do so simply as a means to an end. No. I'd do it, Prime, because it would give me '''pleasure'''.|Megatron to Optimus Prime|"[[Chaos Theory Part 1]]"}}

{{quote|I once told Optimus that I kill for the sake of killing. I wanted to make him hurt me, you see, because when he hurts others, he hurts himself. And the thing is, when those words were in my head I didn't think I meant them; but when they left my mouth, I realized that I '''did'''. If the world thinks you're a monster, what does it matter? The world is '''wrong'''. But when you start to think of '''yourself''' as a monster...|Megatron on the previous quote|"[[slaughterhouse]]"}}

__TOC__
==Fiction==
===Birth of a tyrant===
[[File:Mtmte17-point one percenter spark.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|Not so tough without a body, are ya?]]
'''Megatron of [[Tarn (polity)|Tarn]]''' was the first "hybrid" Transformer, a powerful forged superspark in a constructed cold body. His [[spark]] came to life in the middle of a field full of newborn sparks, a so-called "[[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]", on [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]], the "Seething Moon". The hot spot remained dormant for ages until it was finally fertilized when [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rodimus]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] set foot on the ground in the year [[2013]]. Within an instant, the entire moon lit up, as a billion sparks suddenly flared to life all over its surface. [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] was the first to point out that one of the sparks was glowing green, which [[Brainstorm (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Brainstorm]] recognized as a "superspark"—a vanishingly rare, insanely powerful [[Point One Percenter]]. Despite [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor's]] horrified protestations, Brainstorm immediately began to excavate and harvest the spark, {{storylink|Remain in Light 1 of 5: The Fecund Moon|The Fecund Moon}} taking it with him for future use. {{storylink|Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|This Calamitous Life}}

[[File:MTMTE37 megatron under construction.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.0|Megatron (Work in progress)]]
Megatron's original body, on the other hand, was one of many [[reproduction|constructed cold]] during the [[Silver Harvest]], specifically built in the 1st Cycle 012, during the era of [[functionism]], in [[Con Facility 113]]. The spark originally intended for this body was one generated from the [[Matrix of Leadership]] by [[Solomus|Tyrest]], but this spark was destroyed by [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], who had travelled back in time alongside several other [[Autobot]]s, originally to ''prevent'' a time-travelling Brainstorm from killing Megatron and thereby unwittingly creating a [[Functionist Universe|dystopian alternate timeline]] in which the [[Functionist Council]] would rule [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. In the process, Brainstorm had also begun to erase data about Megatron, including his batch code. After Rewind had "killed" Megatron in order to prevent the destruction he knew the latter would come to wreak upon the universe, fellow time-travelling Autobot [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], who loathed the Functionists, took it upon himself to fix the timeline, taking advantage of a temporary distraction by nabbing the harvested Point One Percenter spark Brainstorm had taken back in time with him and placing it inside Megatron's now sparkless body—and thus Megatron was ''truly'' born. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

Megatron desired to be a medic, {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} but the doctrine of functionism was such that one's [[alternate mode]] denoted one's role in society, and one's role determined one's rights. With the true nature of his exceptionally rare spark evidently unknown, Megatron was assigned the task for which his body had been built: that of [[energon]] miner, a member of the lower class, toiling in a mine under [[Nova Point]]. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 megatron symbol creation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|... And thus the "Silica Fracturism" art movement was born.]]
An idealist, intellectual, and poet, Megatron was sickened by the caste-ridden social apartheid of [[Nominus Prime]]'s Cybertron, and so he wrote [[After the Ark: Nominus Prime and the Illusion of Progress|a treatise]] on how pacifist dissent and the exchange of ideas could change things. It was while he was sharing this work with his miner friend [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] over a drink in [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam's New Oil House]] that the event occurred which would change the course of his life, as Impactor wound up being drawn into a bar brawl with some of the city's upper classes (inadvertently caused by a time-travelling Rung and a [[curly straw]]), and Megatron, who himself had actually ''not'' been involved in the brawl, instead cowering underneath a table, was among those arrested after the fracas. Megatron's writings had been growing in popularity and inspiring some dissent against the current regime, so in order to silence him, the [[Senate]] arranged for a police officer on their payroll, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]], to kill him. Before Whirl could finish the job, however, police captain [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]], having discovered Megatron's innocence thanks to the bartender's testimony, arranged for his release. Despite Pax expressing support for the message of his writings, Megatron now found himself filled with rage and hate, disillusioned with his former ideology and realizing the power of applied violence. Angrily hurling the datapad on which he had written his treatise through a public info-screen, Megatron observed the jagged shape of the shattered glass, and later turned it into a [[insignia|symbol]] for his cause. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}}

[[File:MTMTE34 what you might call a thinker.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.3|When considering the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy, one question remains unanswered. Why am I always pictured with phallic-shaped items in awkward positions?]]
Megatron's samizdat writings began to circulate in Cybertron's underground, spawning the "[[Decepticon]]" movement, its name derived from its own slogan, "You are being deceived", warning the common 'bot of the Senate's true nature. Knowing that, at this stage, assassinating Megatron would merely make him a martyr, the Senate instead elected to relocate him off-planet, reassigning him to a mining facility on the world of [[Messatine]] while they tried their own schemes to defuse the growing Decepticon movement. {{storylink|Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|Post Hoc}} It was there that Megatron met [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]], an elderly fellow miner who encouraged him to keep writing, and who, in addition to proofreading his works for him, smuggled each new tract back to Cybertron, helping to continue the spread of the Decepticon movement. When Terminus was maimed in a mining accident and had his fuel rations cut off, Megatron kept him alive by sharing his own [[energon]] with the old 'bot. Eventually, Senate agents [[Froid]] and [[Trepan]] were dispatched to Messatine to perform mind-altering [[Shadowplay]] upon Megatron, in order to cut his writings off at the source. Tased into submission and strapped to Trepan's operating table, Megatron was helpless to stop the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] from beginning his vile work. Though the arrival of Froid's rival psychopathologist [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] fortunately forced Trepan to stop before Megatron's personality was altered, the experience left the miner with a lifelong fear of mnemosurgery. Subsequently, a mysterious surge of energy deep within the mine (inadvertently caused by a time-travelling Brainstorm) forced an evacuation of the facility; Megatron raced back to his quarters to carry Terminus to safety, but found his friend was not there. With time running out and no sign of Terminus anywhere, Megatron instead chose to save the stack of datapads containing his unpublished works—a decision that would haunt him. {{storylink|Births, Deaths, and Interventions}}

[[File:MegatronOrigin1 first kill.jpg|thumb|upright=1.38|"You know, sometimes I think I was born with a leak, and any goodness I started with just slowly spilled out of me and now its all gone. And I'll never get it back in me. It's too late."]]
Megatron was relocated to [[Mining Outpost C-12]], and continued to seethe with hate and frustration in his new workplace. His discontent reached a peak when, some time later, [[Decimus|Senator Decimus]] arrived to announce that the mine was being automated and the workers would be relocated. When one of the Senator's guards killed a worker for insubordination and claims of Senate corruption, Megatron's fury boiled over and he hurled his pickaxe at Decimus. In turn, he was attacked by the Senator's guard, whom he killed by smashing his head to fragments—the first time he had ever taken a life. A riot erupted around him, but Megatron himself could only sit amongst the chaos, staring at his fuel-stained hands in abject horror, which allowed him to be easily pacified and rounded up with the other miners as the mayhem was quickly suppressed. En route to [[Penal Facility H-3|imprisonment]] back on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], however, [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] broke free and started a riot aboard [[Longshot (G1)|their ship]]. Megatron joined in their effort, and together, they overpowered their guards, took control of the ship, and disappeared into the [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]] underground. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 1|Megatron Origin #1}}

[[File:MegsOrigin2 Cykill.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Battle of the Awesome Voices!]]
After evading law enforcement, Megatron joined a team of underworld gladiators under the tutelage of [[Clench (G1)|Clench]]. Initially repulsed by killing his opponents, the games eventually turned him more brutal and excessive, and he took control of the entire operation from Clench. The opportunistic Senator [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]], after seeing how much money there was in the underworld matches, covertly sent his agent [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] to offer Megatron weaponry and technology to upgrade himself and his comrades. Their meeting was spied upon by [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]], agents from the Senate's forces, who Megatron slew. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 2|Megatron Origin #2}} Subsequently, impressed by how he treated his animal-form [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|cassette partners]] as equals (in contradiction to the teachings of his Senate masters), Megatron invited Soundwave back to the gladiator pits and gave him permission to use his mind-reading abilities on him. Within Megatron's mind, Soundwave saw his honest desire for all Cybertronians to be true equals, and was so moved by it that he joined Megatron's cause. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}}

Gradually, Megatron used the gladiatorial games to drum up an army of violent malcontents, sending Soundwave to recruit more and more warriors to his cause. Such recruits included [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]], who he was presented with while having an arm he lost in a brawl replaced with a new limb that incorporated an [[energon mace]], {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} and the disenfranchised warrior [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], who was personally asked by Megatron to fight at his side when he attended a Decepticon rally, and whom Megatron rechristened "Deadlock", {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} and transformed into a capable Decepticon warrior. {{Storylink|Drift issue 3|Drift #3}} A wave of terrorism and sabotage spread across Cybertron at his command: bombings, wrecking factories and fuel plants, shutting down transport links, a mass poisoning to tank a corporation, and a very public kidnapping of Senator Decimus. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}}

Seeking to enhance his army even further, Megatron reached out to [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Senator Shockwave]], offering to supply him the resources he required to carry out his own mysterious experiments in exchange for his using the teachings of his lost mentor [[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] to create a [[combiner]] that would serve the Decepticons. Shockwave cautioned that it could take some time, but Megatron was content to wait. {{storylink|Shockwaves}}

[[File:Apexthrone.JPG|upright=1.4|thumb|You should have gone to IKEA.]]
Despite all his efforts, Megatron believed that the Senate was still not taking the Decepticons seriously, so Soundwave formulated a plan for a declaration of intent that could be not denied: lure the Senate to Kaon and murder them. {{storylink|Soundwaves (issue)|Soundwaves}} In preparation for this scheme, Megatron offered to restore Shockwave's lost hands—a victim of [[empurata]]—believing that doing so might speed his work. {{storylink|Shockwaves}} The following day, in accordance with Soundwave's plan, Megatron and the Decepticons allowed themselves to be arrested by Sentinel Prime's men, after which Soundwave was freed on Ratbat's orders, while Starscream would ensure his own release by pretending to defect. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Together, Soundwave and Starscream exterminated the entire Senate, then liberated Megatron and the rest of their comrades, in the process granting their leader the gift of a [[fusion cannon]] liberated from the Senate forces' armory. Megatron led his army against Sentinel Prime's men, killed Sentinel himself, and took control of Kaon, now ready to turn his insurgency into a full-blown war. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

After Sentinel Prime's body was laid to rest, his head inexplicably went missing. With the people of Cybertron unaware that Sentinel was a [[Titan Master]] who had disconnected from his [[Transtector]], the Decepticons were blamed for mutilating the corpse, allegations that Megatron denied. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

===Early days of war===
Megatron formally declared war on "[[Declaration Day]]" when he delivered a stirring speech from [[Nova Point|Nova Peak]]. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The self-described "second order" he ever gave was that under no circumstances was any Decepticon to kill Whirl—Megatron wanted his old tormentor for himself. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} The growing Decepticon forces swiftly spread across six [[Polities of Cybertron|Torus-States]], {{storylink|Parasites}} and to combat them, Cybertron's new leader [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] assembled a new military force, the "[[Autobot]]s", led by Megatron's old acquaintance [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]]. Researching his new opposite number, Megatron was intrigued to discover that his now-abandoned treatise had been a source of inspiration for Pax, who had even quoted from it when he confronted the Senate and openly accused them of corruption. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}} Early into the war, [[Bludgeon (G1)|Bludgeon]] would admit to Pax that Megatron talked about him sometimes, when he was tired. When Pax asked what was said, Bludgeon told him that it would make "both of us feel ''uncomfortable''". {{storylink|Omega's Conundrum}}

[[File:Autocracy4 backroom meeting.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Megatron Delightful Destruction Exclusive Variant]]
When Orion Pax came close to Kaon during a mission, Megatron saw it as a chance to speak to him and had his Decepticons bring him in. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Megatron attempted to convince him that Zeta Prime was even worse than he appeared—that he had planned to let Orion die in [[Nyon]] so that he could use his death as pretext to invade the rebel-infested city and drain the citizens of their energon—and proposed they work together against him, but Orion refused to hear him and then escaped. Knowing the doubts he'd placed in his head would only serve to damage the Autobot cause, Megatron let him go. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

[[File:Autocracy8 megs and pax together.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"Megatron, let's roll." "What you thinking?" "...Pub?"]]
Megatron continued to keep an eye on Orion Pax's activities, spying on his encounter with the Nyon insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]]. {{storylink|Ruins}} When Zeta Prime's [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructor]]s suddenly attacked Nyon, Megatron was surprised by how zealously the new Prime fought against the city's rebels, but his real interest still lay on how Orion would handle the crisis. {{storylink|Purge}} Orion turned on Zeta, who in turn attempted to kill him, prompting Megatron to intervene and force the Prime to retreat. Taking Orion back to Kaon, he again offered that they work together against Zeta's corruption, and this time the Autobot officer accepted. {{storylink|Choices}} As their combined forces invaded the [[Citadel]] in Iacon, Megatron and Orion Pax made their way inside and fought Zeta Prime in person. The battle ended with Megatron killing the Prime with a head shot, and with his objective complete, he then betrayed the injured Orion by shooting him in the back. {{storylink|Overthrown}} This moment lived in infamy as the point at which Megatron revealed his true colors, no longer couched in ideology; {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} though curiously, an alternate report incorrectly implied he had assassinated Zeta from afar, sniping him with the rifle alternate mode of [[Vos (G1)|Vos]]. {{storylink|Bullets}} {{storylink|Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|The Chaos of Warm Things}}

[[File:Autocracy12 no you dont megatron.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|I can't be the only one with déjà vu here.]]
With Zeta dead, Megatron conquered Iacon and declared himself ruler of Cybertron. His soldiers patrolled the planet's streets to "keep the peace", mostly by hunting down and capturing any remaining Autobots who opposed him. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} During his rule, Megatron attempted to sway the neutral Hot Rod into joining the Decepticons, but he decided otherwise upon witnessing Megatron ordering the execution of several Autobot prisoners. {{storylink|Rise}} Megatron was shocked to learn that Orion Pax had survived the betrayal and was organizing a rebellion against him under the name "Optimus Prime", and even more shocked that people actually had the courage to listen to him. He wasted no time in striking back against the rebels approaching the Citadel with the full force of his army. {{storylink|Broadcast}} During the battle, Megatron unleashed Zeta Prime's energy-draining [[vamparc ribbon|vamparc annihilator]], but when the gigantic [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] took out the cannon, Megatron fell to the streets and was confronted by Optimus Prime himself. He lost the ensuing [[The Transformers: The Movie|familiar-looking duel]] and was badly wounded after a failed attempt to defeat Prime by holding Hot Rod hostage, forcing him to escape aboard Astrotrain. As he fled, he warned Optimus that he hadn't won, he had only started a war unlike any Cybertron had ever seen. {{storylink|Endgame}}

[[File:Monstrosity3 Megatron and Pentius.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Megatron insists on wearing his Darksiders cosplay when he's walking his pet Quintesson.]]
Before Megatron could recover from his injuries, he was betrayed by [[Scorponok (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Scorponok]], who was gunning for the position of Decepticon leader (with aid from Starscream). As punishment for his failure to hold Iacon, Scorponok banished the wounded Megatron to the hell-world of [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]]. {{storylink|Derelicts}} Further injured in battle with some [[Junkion (species)|cannibalistic natives]], he stubbornly refused to give up and used the trash littering the world to patch himself up, leaving him with a mismatched, monstrous appearance. {{storylink|Wreckage (issue)|Wreckage}} While searching for a way off Junkion, Megatron entered the wreckage of a starship and found a trapped [[Quintesson]] named [[Pentius]], who had mapped the planet and knew of an area known as the [[Pillar of Rust]] where starships may land and take off. Megatron freed the alien to guide him there, while also putting him in chains to serve as his slave. {{storylink|Faces of Darkness}}

[[File:Monstrosity7 megatron takes pentius spark.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"Thanks for turning me into the psychopath I've been the whole time!"]]
While crossing the [[Acid Sea]] on the way to the Pillar, Megatron was attacked by [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticons]] who pulled him into the depths. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} For reasons unknown he was then released, the creatures having allowed him to live. As he emerged, Pentius was waiting with a history lesson, telling him that Junkion was once a prosperous world until its inhabitants drained it of resources, leaving it the broken husk it is today: a fate that may also await Cybertron. Megatron rejected this possibility, declaring that under his rule, Cybertron—and his legacy—would last forever. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} On arrival at the Pillar of Rust, Megatron was met by the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcons]], who had come to Junkion to finish what Scorponok had started by killing him. He was able to fight off several of his attackers, but [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Gar]] was too much for him to handle in his injured state. Egged on and taunted by Pentius, Megatron realized he had one last resource left to use: the Quintesson himself. Telling Pentius that his legacy would live on within him, he tore out the alien's [[spark]] and used it to fuel himself, granting him enough power to defeat Hun-Gar. He spared the Terrorcons in exchange for their loyalty, then returned to Cybertron on their ship to take revenge on Scorponok and take back control of the Decepticons. {{storylink|Prey (issue)|Prey}}

[[File:Monstrosity12 strange turns.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Well, well, well... how the [[Microbots|tables turn]]...]]
Megatron returned to a Cybertron in chaos, as the ancient reptilian [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] had been unleashed by Scorponok and was in the midst of razing Iacon. After reasserting his leadership of the Decepticons by beating Scorponok nearly to death, he had Shockwave restore his body to its original shape and condition, {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} and set out to investigate the Trypticon situation alone, unwilling to risk his soldiers in the face of the beast's uncontrolled fury. Finding an injured Optimus Prime on the battlefield, Megatron lectured him, but opted to leave him alive so that he could watch as the Decepticon leader defeated the enemy that Prime could not. Megatron was attacked by [[Grimlock (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Grimlock]], but as they grappled, they were swallowed by Trypticon. {{storylink|Annihilation}} Within the giant, the pair set their differences aside to fend off the [[cyber-morphic predator]]s that populated his interior, and together, they destroyed Trypticon's internal power cell, taking him offline. A tense standoff between the Autobots and Decepticons followed as the two warriors emerged from within Trypticon, but both sides agreed to go their separate ways for the time being. Not long after the battle, however, Megatron removed Pentius's spark from within himself and installed it within Trypticon. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

[[File:Primacy4 megatron imprisoned.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"I just need a feather from Laserbeak and I'll be out of here in no time..."]]
After being fully repaired following his ordeals, Megatron roused Trypticon by exploiting the connection they now shared thanks to both having borne Pentius's spark. Discovering that Trypticon now possessed the consciousness of Pentius, Megatron was immediately suspicious of the Quintesson's potential treachery and was staggered by the visions of undiluted evil he saw in the aliens' past via their spark-link, but Trypticon assured him that he was dedicated to their shared goal of breaking a world. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} Using Trypticon's city-ship alternate mode, Megatron took to the stars, rounding up the scattered Decepticon army and even recruiting Junkions and Sharkticons. {{storylink|Primacy issue 2|Primacy #2}} Returning to Cybertron in force, Megatron was content to wait and watch from the sidelines while his troops viciously tore into Iacon. Trypticon was defeated in battle by Metroplex, at which point Megatron's folly was revealed: through their link, Pentius mockingly revealed his intention to use Trypticon consume Cybertron once the Autobots and Decepticons had weakened each other. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} Leaving his men with orders to burn Iacon to the ground if he failed in order to spare it such a fate, Megatron set off for Trypticon's fallen body in hopes that he would be able to remove Pentius's spark before the giant revived. Confronted atop Trypticon by Optimus Prime, Megatron tried to goad the Autobot leader into destroying him, believing that Pentius would be destroyed with him thanks to their link. Refusing to accept death as the answer, Optimus instead used the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to purify Megatron, burning Pentius's spark away; Megatron, however, vowed that he would never stop hating Optimus in spite of what he had done for him. Sadly resigned to the fact that the once-noble revolutionary he had admired was now lost, Optimus knocked out the weakened Megatron and took him into custody. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}
{{-}}

===The spreading conflict===
[[File:MTMTE14 megatron vs overlord.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|"For you, the day Megatron graced your Pit was the most important Day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday."]]
Megatron's forces were quick to come to his rescue however, breaking him out under cover of the night. {{storylink|Post}} Early in the continuing conflict, Megatron authored ''[[Towards Peace]]'', a new treatise to replace ''After the Ark'', in which he described continuing to fight the war until the very notion of conflict was literally inconceivable. Then and only then would he finally give up his fusion cannon. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} The earliest edition of the work featured a dedication to Terminus, which Megatron would later remove to reflect the lesson his friendship with Terminus had taught him: not to get attached. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Friendships were a weakness, and Megatron exploited this in the cruelest way possible: by corrupting Optimus Prime's old friend [[Tarn (G1)|Damus]], turning him into one of the most vicious, dedicated Decepticons of all, a devoted worshiper at the altar of Megatron, purely to hurt Prime. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

Megatron oversaw the creation of a class of super-warriors known as the [[Warriors Elite]], selecting only his most powerful troops to undergo the torturous upgrade, including [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]], a brilliant sadist and frequent opponent of his from his pit-fighting days who had developed an obsession with Megatron after the Decepticon leader dealt him his first ever defeat. {{storylink|Remembrance Day}} At some point, he also created the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] to deal with traitors, and appointed Damus—now code-named "Tarn"—as its leader, {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} though he elected not to send them after Deadlock when he defected, valuing the warrior enough to instead dispatch [[Lockdown (G1)|Lockdown]] to bring him in. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}} He would reportedly spend "half the war" searching for a way to remotely access a [[black hole]], in order to use [[antimatter]] for power, but never succeeded. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:ChaosTheory prime vs megatron montage.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Good times, bad times.]]
Megatron would personally clash with Optimus Prime many times; Optimus grew to respect and fear Megatron as a calm, calculating and measured opponent, while Megatron himself respected Prime's sheer power and his skill as a tactician and as a leader. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} Megatron would later incorrectly recall their battle on [[Sherma Bridge]] during the [[Rorsha Campaign]] as the first time they met. Said battle was certainly momentous—every Autobot and Decepticon stopped fighting to witness their duel, during which Megatron's cannon arm was sliced off by Prime's [[energon-axe]], and he claimed revenge by throwing the Autobot leader off the bridge. As the war spread to other planets, they would meet again and again: during the [[Siege of Massunstrad]], Megatron sealed Prime in an anti-matter chamber; on [[Rada Mor]], Prime reduced Megatron to ashes with sentient explosives; and in the midst of the [[Vorsk Offensive]], Megatron was nearly sliced in half by Prime. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Though he resisted [[Solomus|Tyrest]]'s attempts to find a "Two City-State Solution" to the war, he did agree to abide by the [[Tyrest Accord]]. {{storylink|Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|House of Ambus}}

Megatron took on a new pistol alternate mode for the [[Battle for Hell's Point]], during which he was used by [[Heretech]] to blast [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]. {{storylink|The Gloaming}} During the same skirmish, Megatron took off half of Prime's face with his energon mace, but had a city block dropped on him by Prime in retribution, which shattered his [[transformation cog]] and trapped him in gun mode for two years. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Prime was not the only old face that Megatron would see again during the war: during a battle on an aerial drilling platform over the [[Manganese Mountains]], Megatron came face-to-face with his old friend Impactor, and stood poised to execute him until Impactor gave him a moment's pause by recalling his old fondness for poetry. In this moment, Megatron was knocked from the platform by [[Springer (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Springer]] and sent plummeting to the mountains below. {{storylink|Zero Point}}

[[File:LastStandoftheWreckers2-teleconference.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|"We attack the Rice Krispies guys at dawn! Assuming Judd Hirsch delivers the goods."]]
At the war's zenith, Megatron sealed himself in an [[Omniglobe]] to absorb the relentless flood of data coming in from countless fronts. {{storylink|Rules of Disengagement (issue)|Rules of Disengagement}} With total war going nowhere, he would go on to develop a six-stage [[infiltration protocol]] to be used for conquering targeted planets. The sixth phase called for outright planetary razing, and Megatron selected three of his Warriors Elite for this task: [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]], {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} Overlord, and [[Black Shadow (G1)|Black Shadow]]. He informed this trio of his decision via teleconference, but Overlord, tired of being used as someone else's weapon, refused. Megatron threatened to hunt Overlord down for his disobedience, {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 2|Last Stand of the Wreckers #2}} but while the powerful warrior spent the rest of his life preparing for this conflict, Megatron never followed up and left him to stew in his own obsession. {{storylink|Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 5|Last Stand of the Wreckers #5}}

[[File:Stormbringer1 get up and fight.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|You don't gotta go home Prime but you can't stay here.]]
Deducing that the Autobot/Decepticon war would culminate in an energy crisis that would threatened the stability of Cybertron itself, Shockwave left Cybertron to secretly pursue alternate energy sources. Around 10,000 years ago, when Shockwave did not return, Megatron ordered Bludgeon to investigate his files, {{storylink|Spotlight: Shockwave}} secretly assigning Soundwave to investigate Bludgeon {{storylink|Spotlight: Soundwave}} and probe deeper into whatever it was Shockwave had created. {{storylink|Shockpoint}}

Shockwave's prediction soon proved accurate, and Cybertron found itself in the throes of an energy shortage. Decepticon scientist [[Thunderwing (G1)|Thunderwing]] came to Megatron with a revolutionary, controversial plan to stave off this energy death by [[Pretender|polydermal grafting]], a process where they encased themselves in "symbiotic carapaces", or shells created from living tissue. When Megatron dismissed him angrily and cut him down, Thunderwing did not abandon his research; instead, he experimented on himself. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 4|Stormbringer #4}} The process gave him immense power, but drove him insane. He became so dangerous that Megatron had to join forces with Optimus Prime to stop him. This battle at [[Thunderhead Pass]] accelerated the apocalypse destined to befall Cybertron, leaving it an uninhabitable, radioactive husk and forcing both armies to continue their war on other worlds. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #1}} Megatron advocated that they simply destroy Cybertron to ensure that Thunderwing was destroyed, but Prime refused, and threatened to stop Megatron if he tried. Megatron agreed not to destroy the planet, but warned Prime that whatever happened was on his head. Shortly after the last big push by the Decepticons, Cybertron was abandoned by both factions. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 1|Stormbringer #2}}

In the mid-19th century, Starscream reported to Megatron regarding a failed alliance with the [[Dire Wraith]]s and their unfeasibility as allies. Megatron congratulated Starscream... for finding yet another way to disappoint him. {{storylink|Shining Armor issue 5|Shining Armor #5}}

===Breaking protocol===
[[File:Infiltration4 enter megatron.jpg|upright=1.3|left|thumb|Megatron (Second Printing Preview)]]
In the early 21st century, when word reached Megatron that the infiltration unit led by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]], stationed on the planet [[Earth]], had broken protocol, he headed for the planet to investigate. Examining the unit's abandoned bunker in [[Nebraska]] for information, he discovered that Starscream had stumbled across [[Ore-13]]—an incredible energy source that (unbeknownst to Megatron) was the result of Shockwave's experiments—and was planning to use it to usurp Megatron's command. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} While studying the bunker's files, he was contacted by [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]] with some distressing news: Bludgeon's investigations of Shockwave's files had led him to revive Thunderwing. Megatron ordered the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] to Cybertron, authorizing them to do whatever was necessary to destroy Thunderwing, including the destruction of their homeworld itself. {{storylink|Stormbringer issue 3|Stormbringer #3}} Just as he was handing down this order, Megatron was happened upon by [[Verity Carlo]], a human ally of the Autobot unit active on the planet, {{storylink|Infiltration issue 4|Infiltration #4}} but he utterly ignored her. The bunker was then leveled by an airstrike courtesy of [[Blitzwing (G1)|Blitzwing]] and [[Skywarp (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Skywarp]], who were merely covering their unit's tracks and unaware of Megatron's presence; when their leader furiously emerged from the wreckage, Skywarp attempted to explain their ignorance, but Megatron simply responded by blasting him out of the sky. Blitzwing favored opening fire rather than attempting explanations, so Megatron beat the stuffing out of him too, then set off for Starscream's new bunker in [[Oregon]]. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}}

[[File:Infiltration6 takeyourpunishment.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Those librarians are getting really strict on late returns.]]

{{quote|You will stand down. If you fight, you ''die''. There is no room anymore for mercy. In the end, you are ''all'' expendable. Choose.|Megatron's ultimatum to Starscream's renegade troops|[[Infiltration issue 6|''Infiltration'' #6]]}}

[[Orbital jump]]ing to Oregon, Megatron called Starscream out and ordered the team to stand down, disgusted to see such power games being played amongst his troops. His brief, chilling speech was enough to take the fight out of all but Starscream, who, powered-up on Ore-13, took Megatron on himself. Though the new power source made Starscream a formidable adversary, Megatron was still more deadly than he, and Starscream was taken out by a point-blank fusion cannon blast through his torso. Megatron ordered the Decepticons to ensure that Starscream survived, and then, observing the Autobots who had been watching the battle, announced that it was time to begin phase two. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

In light of the discovery of Ore-13, Megatron took stock of Starscream's progress on Earth and elected to get the infiltration protocol back on track himself, calling a meeting of Starscream's former troops and making them aware, in no uncertain terms, that any further insurrections would be met with deadly force. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} He continued to order his troops on Earth directly, {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} and was even able to revisit his past gun alternate mode, once again able to achieve the [[size changing|mass displacement]] the mode required thanks to the extra energy Ore-13 provided. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}}

[[File:Megsandspidy.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron/Spider-Man #1 Retailer's Incentive]]
With his forces joined by [[Ramjet (G1)|Ramjet]], a new arrival who Megatron suspected of having ulterior motives, {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} the Decepticon leader initiated phase two of infiltration protocol by destabilizing relations between the European nations of [[Latveria]] and [[Symkaria]] through use of an aggression-inducing [[Psycho-Prism]], stolen from Latverian dictator [[Doctor Doom]]. When the superhero team known as the [[Avengers]] investigated the array the Decepticons' were using to broadcast the prism's signal, Megatron abducted the arachnid-powered [[Spider-Man]] to use as a subject for their [[mirror response mode]], {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part One}} draining the hero's powers and infusing himself and the other Decepticons with them. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Two}} He proceeded to forge a brief alliance with Doctor Doom, who helped him defeat and capture the allied Autobot/Avenger team who snuck inside the Decepticons' array, but when Doom's suggestion to threaten the captives in order to force the other heroes to lay down their arms failed, Megatron violently dissolved the partnership. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Three}} Emerging from the confines of the array to take on the Autobots and Avengers himself, Megatron refrained from engaging Prime, foreseeing a more intimate confrontation between the two of them in the near future, and instead turned his attention to destroying [[Iron Man]]'s Transformer-sized armor. The tables soon turned, however, when Doctor Doom freed the captive Autobots and used the Decepticon's mirror response technology to empower them. Defeated by these enhanced Autobots and with the Psycho-Prism destroyed by [[Wolverine (Marvel)|Wolverine]], Megatron used the last of his extra power to teleport the Decepticons out with an [[emergency warp-out]]. He refrained from departing alongside his warriors, intending to slaughter the Avengers for their interference, but when he was immobilized by Spider-Man's webbing, knocked to the ground by [[Luke Cage]], and rattled by a hail of Autobot fire, he finally warped-out with a final taunt to Optimus Prime of the battle yet to come between them. {{storylink|Man and Machine, Part Four}}
[[File:Escalation3-Massdisplacement.jpg|upright=2.2|thumb|Shock and Awe]]
With phase two of [[infiltration protocol]] properly underway, Megatron recognized that he ''should'' rightly withdraw and install a new unit commander on Earth, but could not resist the chance to try out his new Ore-13 empowered body, selecting the nation of [[Brasnya]], where Decepticon subterfuge was already underway, as his testing ground. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}} Allowing the Decepticon's [[facsimile construct]] [[Georgi Koska]] to wield him in pistol mode, Megatron had Koska use him to first sever a [[Russia]]n oil pipeline, and then to fire upon the soldiers who came to investigate, furthering the political and military tensions already brewing in the region. When word came through from Blitzwing that Optimus Prime and the Autobots had arrived, {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} Megatron at last engaged Optimus directly, {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} and although Prime was able to destroy his fusion cannon, the extra strength afforded Megatron by Ore-13 allowed him to physically beat Prime into submission, punching directly into his chest and crushing his [[spark]]. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Optimus Prime}} [[File:Escalation5 prime vs megs.jpg|upright=1.4|left|thumb|''I got me a shovel I'm digging a ditch...'']] The horrified Autobots moved into a full but ineffective counterattack, their only edge being that Megatron had no long-range guns left. It turned out that Prime's apparent death was a desperate ruse when the Autobot leader countered with a surprise attack on Megatron, able to exploit Ore-13's weakness—the more it's used, the faster it burns itself out. Megatron almost collapsed from power loss and was forced to have Skywarp take him to safety before the Autobots could kill him. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

Furious over the embarrassing defeat, Megatron threw protocol out the window and ordered that Sixshot be summoned to the planet. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}} He took out some of his anger on Ramjet, who he discovered had been busy cooking up a plot to overthrow him; without saying a word, he beat the attempted traitor to death before tearing him apart and keeping his head as a trophy. {{storylink|Spotlight: Ramjet}}
[[File:Devastation5 decepticons attack.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|''And I'm gonna fight for this four square feet of land Like a mean old son of a bitch'']]
Upon Sixshot's arrival, Megatron ordered him to utterly destroy the Autobots, and although the [[Phase Sixer]] questioned his early deployment, he was happy to go along with the abandonment of the phase structure. The other Decepticons, on the other hand, were worried that Megatron was losing his grip—and since they were too scared to tell him that, they decided to revive Starscream to do it for them. {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 1|Maximum Dinobots #1}} Megatron monitored Sixshot's attack on the Autobots' [[Ark-19]], ordering him to pursue the escape pod that broke away from the crashing craft, {{storylink|Devastation issue 2|Devastation #2}} but before he could obliterate the Autobots, Megatron was forced to recall him to deal with a new threat assaulting the Decepticon base—the alien [[Reaper]]s. {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} Unfortunately, the Reapers convinced Sixshot to side with them, and when an Ore-13 powered Starscream entered the fray to take Sixshot down, Megatron realized his troops had been conspiring against him. He decided not to punish them '''yet''', due to greater threat posed by the Reapers, {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} and entered battle alongside them all, even allowing Starscream to wield him in pistol mode against the aliens. After the invaders were dead, however, he turned on his men, starting with Blitzwing—but was forced to realize that they needed to remain united when it became apparent that their battle with the Reapers had made humanity inescapably aware of their existence {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Grimlock}}
{{-}}

===All Hail Megatron===
[[File:AHM7 megs rips out matrix.jpg|upright=1.1|left|thumb|[[The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|"I don't think I'd have made a good medic. No patience."]]]]

While the Decepticons were occupied fighting the Reapers, the Autobots had left Earth to deal with the greater threat of an incursion by the [[Dead Universe]]. Exploiting their enemies' absence, Megatron and his men went to ground; when Autobots returned, they could find no trace of the Decepticons, who kept one step ahead of them for months. Secretly abducting [[Hunter O'Nion]], former [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] partner to the Autobot [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]], Megatron and his men returned to Cybertron, where Megatron had [[Deluge (G2)|Deluge]] conduct experiments that bred a [[Insecticon swarm|swarm]] of monstrous [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]]. The experiments culminated in the creation of [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]], who Megatron employed in a series of key tasks in his plan: the Insecticon obtained from Hunter's mind various Autobot secrets and codes, completed Shockwave's long-gestating combiner process, granting the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]] the ability to combine into [[Devastator (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Devastator]], and created a working [[space bridge]] {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} based on designs sold to them by Sixshot in exchange for his freedom. {{storylink|Spotlight: Metroplex}}

Returning to Earth, the Decepticons staged a phony schism within their ranks, allowing the Autobots to believe that they had "disappeared" as a result of a power struggle that had split their ranks into two camps, one led by Megatron and one by Starscream. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Starscream then approached Sunstreaker, whose experience as a Headmaster had left him bitter and jaded, with the proposition that the Autobots join with his forces against Megatron, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} but when the Autobots arrived at the designated time and place, they were instead confronted by the united Decepticon army and quickly defeated by Devastator. After personally tearing the [[Matrix of Leadership]] from Optimus Prime's chest, Megatron marched the captive Autobots through the space bridge back to Cybertron, where the Insecticon swarm waited for them. Prime, however, was able to damage the bridge, causing it to deposit the Autobots a safe distance from the swarm, but in the process, fried his own circuits and left himself comatose. Though the Autobots had escaped the fate he had intended for them, Megatron had successfully exiled his enemies to their dead homeworld; moreover, using information and codes gained from Sunstreaker and Hunter, he concurrently orchestrated the event that would later be known as [[Surge (event)|The Surge]], as Decepticons stormed Autobot installations all across the galaxy, achieving total victory. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}}

[[File:AHM1 decepticons attack.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron's urban renewal program was off to a flying start.]]
With galaxy-wide domination accomplished, one year after the Decepticons' battle with the Reapers, Megatron chose Earth to become the new Decepticon homeworld. Together with his men, Megatron stormed [[New York City]], humiliating Starscream with a display of his greater capacity for destruction. When the US Air Force retaliated, Megatron shrugged off their fire and ordered the other Decepticons to engage them; when one damaged jet threw itself toward him in a suicide run, Megatron, outraged at the [[DJ (G1)|pilot]]'s temerity, destroyed it and its occupant with a furious swipe of his hand. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}} When US Army forces arrived, Megatron ordered [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] dispatched to deal with them, then sent Devastator to destroy the subway tunnels leading out of the city. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 2|All Hail Megatron #2}} With New York secured, Megatron directed the Constructicons to begin building a new space bridge in the city's heart, and had a candid talk with Starscream, revealing his belief that the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seeker]]'s attitude and actions marked him as the embodiment of the Decepticon cause, even if he was blind to seeing it himself. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 3|All Hail Megatron #3}} After a series of further attacks on major American cities saw the country firmly crushed under the Decepticons' collective heel, Megatron made a propaganda speech to his men in the ruins of New York. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} As night fell upon the city, Megatron withdrew to privately gloat over the Matrix. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

{{quote|You are gods, the mightiest of our race. I cast my eyes upon you... And I am proud. Across the galaxy, our brothers share in your success. [[Surge (event)|The last of the outposts have fallen.]] Nothing has been left standing. My Decepticon brothers....the Autobot resistance is no more.|Megatron praising his decepticon warriors|[[All Hail Megatron issue 4|''All Hail Megatron'' #4]]}}

[[File:AHM6MegatronVsIsrael.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|Starscream just told Megatron that ''All Hail Megatron'' is going to go on for another six issues. He's taking it pretty well, all things considered.]]
As the Decepticons began attacking other countries around the globe, Megatron was questioned by Starscream on what the next step in his plan was. A recalcitrant Megatron merely informed him that it was merely time to savor their victory, but Starscream accused him of not ''having'' any plans post-victory, and was merely allowing his men to run wild to distract them from any notion of taking power for themselves. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} What Starscream did not realize was that Megatron did indeed have a plan: to defeat the Autobots, he had created an army of killers and monsters, but in order to create his perfect rule, that army would have to be destroyed, the dissenting, distasteful elements obliterated before Megatron's peace could dawn. Megatron was not distracting his warriors... he was ''waiting'' to see which of them would question and turn on him. Silently sorrowful to already know that such dissent would begin with Starscream, an otherwise-model Decepticon, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} Megatron withdrew to [[Israel]] for some silent reflection amid wholesale devastation. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}}

[[File:AHM10 megs vs devastator.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Megatron's negotiations regarding the Constructicons' Work Union going unusually SMOOTHLY this time around.]]
Some time later, Megatron surveyed the space bridge Bombshell and the Constructicons had built in New York. He congratulated Bombshell on his work, but revealed that he had always foreseen Bombshell's intellect as a danger—had always known he and his fellow Insecticons would side with Starscream when the time came. His gambit exposed, Starscream made his move and attacked, but the Insecticons proved no match for Megatron's might. The Decepticon leader had failed to anticipate one thing, however: he did not foresee the Constructicons siding with Starscream, and found himself having to fight the mighty Devastator. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}} The in-fighting was halted by a last-ditch attack by the mustered might of what remained of the human resistance, forcing Megatron and Starscream to put their differences aside momentarily and organize a defense. This attack came as no surprise to Megatron, but the same could not be said for the next entrants onto the battlefield: the Autobots had returned.

After assuring Starscream that he would be leader in the future, when his time was done, Megatron confronted Optimus Prime, surprised not so much that his old foe had survived, but that he had bothered to return to Earth. Both leaders had always maintained a policy of acceptable losses through their millennia-long war, so Megatron assumed Prime had come back for selfish reasons, to reclaim the Matrix, but Prime insisted that he had changed, and would no longer allow their cold war to endanger innocent lives on this scale. [[File:AHM12 prime vs megs.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Like Homer Simpson putting on his pants, the struggle between Optimus Prime and Megatron remains eternal. [[...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|Almost.]]]] Megatron scoffed at the notion, reavling that Prime's supposedly "innocent" humans were planning to [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]] New York, killing millions of their own just to get rid of the Decepticons, {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} but Prime retorted that it wasn't ''just'' about the humans, but also about the difference between Autobots and Decepticons. The two came to blows, but Megatron triumphed in short order and commanded the Decepticons to depart, leaving the Autobots to be killed by the humans' nuke... but just before they withdrew, he was shot in the face by human soldier [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike Witwicky]], wielding a powerful weapon reverse-engineered from Cybertronian technology. Injured and disoriented by the blast, Megatron was finished off when Prime smashed his face in with his own fusion cannon. As he wanted to ''take'' leadership rather than just have it fall in his hands, Starscream picked up his damaged leader and ordered the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}}

[[File:AllHisEngines-Megatron.jpg|thumb|Pretty sure when you float in a bacta tank you're supposed to be wearing a diaper.]]
The Decepticons departed Earth aboard Astrotrain, where the gravely wounded Megatron was put on life support and tended to by Soundwave and his cassettes. With Megatron's life signs only at ten percent capacity, Starscream attempted to appeal to Soundwave's sense of logic and have him shut down so that leadership could be his, but Soundwave refused. Starscream was soon able to take command, however, when he recovered the Matrix of Leadership and professed to have been chosen by it. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 13|Uneasy Lies the Head}}

===New body, new powers===
The Decepticons eventually settled on a desolate asteroid, where Megatron was installed in a [[CR chamber|CR tank]]. Retaining some level of awareness of the events occurring around him during his convalescence, he was forced to watch as his army languished in inactivity, their energy slowly ebbing away until they were reduced to cannibalism. {{storylink|All His Engines}} After a year of trying to free his leader from this living death, Soundwave was finally forced to conclude that Megatron's body was beyond repair, and recruited the recently returned Shockwave, whom Starscream had provided with the majority of the Decepticons' resources to create a space bridge, to help build a new body for Megatron's consciousness to inhabit. The operation succeeded and Megatron was reborn in a deadly new body, powered by Ore-13, armed with a devastatingly powerful rail gun, and even equipped with space bridge nodes stolen from Metroplex, which gave him the ability to open space bridge portals on his own. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:IDWongoing15 megatrons new body.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"Uh, it's like...did anyone ever see the movie ''Tron''?"]]
Back in action, Megatron devised a plan to destabilize the relationship between the humans and Autobots on Earth. Together with Soundwave and Shockwave, he chopped up his old body and used it to create human-scaled replicas of his former gun mode, containing small pieces of his own consciousness. When Starscream caught them in the act, Megatron elected to table his plan for the moment, as he considered it folly to go against Starscream's wishes for the moment since the Seeker was still in possession of the Matrix of Leadership. Megatron had never truly understood what the talisman ''did'', but it served as a threat merely by being an unknown variable. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} Fortunately, for Megatron this variable was soon removed from the equation when Hot Rod, estranged from the Earthbound Autobots, infiltrated the Decepticons' asteroid base and recovered the Matrix from Starscream. Megatron seized his chance, intercepting the Autobot and blasting him and the Matrix out into the void of space. {{storylink|Heart Like a Wheel}}

[[File:SLMegatron stealth bomber mode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Behold... the ''Bomberang!'']]
With Starscream's trump card now gone, Megatron had the Decepticons gathered so he could address them. Distrustful of Shockwave's motives for preparing his new body, wary of Soundwave's constant surveillance, and repulsed by the state of his once fearsome Decepticon war machine, Megatron decided that he needed to unequivocally reestablish dominance over the now Matrix-less Starscream. He intended to beat Starscream near to death as a means of letting them both work out their frustrations with Starscream's inability to lead effectively during Megatron's absence, but Starscream did not want to fight—spiritually broken by his failures, he simply wanted Megatron to kill him. Rather than accept this, Megatron instead goaded Starscream into opening fire upon him. This began a running battle between the two, with Megatron pursuing the fleeing Seeker in his new stealth bomber alternate mode, continuing to bait Starscream every time he appeared willing to give up the fight. Incensed by Starscream's accusation that he did not know what it felt like to see everything he had worked for fall apart, when that was exactly what Starscream's pitiful leadership had done to the empire he had created, Megatron pummeled him to within an inch of his life, then paused to explain why he kept a schemer like Starscream around: as a constant reminder to watch his back. The brutal display galvanized the languid Decepticons, and Megatron was ready to begin his scheme. {{storylink|Spotlight: Megatron}}

[[File:IDWongoing14 megatron guns.jpg|upright=1.66|left|thumb|Megatron doesn't support the NRA. He IS the NRA.]]
Roughly two years after the Decepticons' defeat on Earth, Megatron used his space bridge powers to dispatch a container full of the guns made from his old body to Earth, where they were found by South American gun-runners and illegally disseminated amongst an increasingly paranoid public seeking ways to protect themselves against Transformers. This allowed Megatron's consciousness to spread across North America, until it was focused enough to contact one particular owner of a Megatron gun: [[Joe Gladki]]. He deceived and manipulated the paranoid human, and eventually convinced him to perform an assassination attempt on [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]], the new Autobot leader. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 2: Altered Carbon|Altered Carbon}} In their ignorance, the Autobots then mistook Gladki's gun for Megatron himself and held it captive. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 1: The Demolished Man|The Demolished Man}}

[[File:IDWongoing16 megatron vs autobots.jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Not the [[Realignments|first time]] he's traded his [[fusion cannon]] for a [[rail gun]].]]
With the Autobots in chaos, Megatron started the next phase of his plan and returned to Earth personally, where he used his new stealth bomber mode to shoot down a plane carrying Optimus Prime and several other Autobots. He then hunted down the remaining Autobots, effortlessly defeating them and their new temporary leader Ultra Magnus with his powerful new body, and killing some of their [[Skywatch]] allies. Magnus tried to draw Megatron's attention from the humans, claiming the Autobots were the ones he really wanted, but Megatron assured him that humanity was his real target. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 3: Woken Furies|Woken Furies}} Taking the defeated Autobots captive, Megatron dumped them in a city and directed three of his mind-controlled human puppets to kill them. Contacting Prime directly, Megatron summoned him to the city's outskirts and revealed his plan: crush Prime's spirit and destroy the Autobots' alliance with humanity by forcing them to choose between fighting the humans or allowing them to kill them. Prime found the hole in Megatron's plan, however, when he realized that Soundwave was maintaining the connection between Megatron and his guns, and shot him in the head. His connection to his pawns severed, Megatron scooped up Soundwave and withdrew. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 4: Burning Chrome|Burning Chrome}} Thanks to a tracker Ultra Magnus had slipped on Soundwave, though, Prime was able to follow the Decepticons to their bolthole and called Megatron out for a full and proper confrontation. In actuality, Prime had lured Megatron outside so Skywatch could drop a [[kinetic harpoon]] on him, but even a weapon dropped from orbit barely proved able to put a scratch in Megatron's mighty new exostructure. Megatron proceeded to beat Prime senseless, but then returned him to the Autobots, and to their great shock, surrendered to their custody. After recovering, Optimus demanded to know why he had surrendered, but Megatron merely taunted him by revealing that Spike Witwicky had murdered a Decepticon in cold blood. {{storylink|Revenge of the Decepticons Part 5: Enemy Mine|Enemy Mine}} Prime immediately had Prowl begin investigating Spike and Skywatch, and Prowl interrogated the Decepticon leader for information, which he provided after a little verbal sparring. {{storylink|Police Action: Prologue}}

[[File:ChaosTheory1 megatron imprisoned.jpg|upright=1.5|left|thumb|Megatron and Optimus Prime can't agree on a safe word.]]
When Rodimus returned to Earth and warned the Autobots that [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]] had taken control of Cybertron, Optimus decided to lead the Autobots in reclaiming their homeworld. In the name of Earth's safety, he elected to bring Megatron and the confiscated guns made from his old body with them. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} On the way to Cybertron aboard [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Prime again attempted to discern why Megatron had surrendered, even releasing his old foe from his bonds and having a civil conversation with him about their past together and their dueling ideologies. Optimus tried to reach out to Megatron, offering him the chance to end the war once and for all with a handshake; Megatron appeared to consider it for a moment but ultimately remained silent. With Megatron returned to the confines of the [[variable voltage harness]], the other Autobots pressured Optimus for a decision on his fate: execution or imprisonment. Trying to come to a conclusion, Prime asked Megatron if he regretted any of his actions, but the Decepticon leader remarked that he only regretted not killing ''more'' Autobots. He taunted Prime with the notion that even he was thankful for the war, as it had raised him from a nobody to the greatest Autobot in history, and a furious Prime activated the harness, electrocuting Megatron. The jolt would have killed Megatron if Omega Supreme had not cut the power in time and Megatron, struggling to stay conscious, offered Prime his thanks for saving his life all those years ago in Rodion. Shocked by his actions, Prime realized that Megatron wanted to die and wanted Prime to be the one to kill him. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1|Chaos Theory #1}} Eventually, Prime decided to let Megatron choose his own fate, and Megatron calmly replied that he chose death. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 2|Chaos Theory #2}}

[[File:Chaos2 armored megatron.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|...Again...?]]
As Omega drew close to Cybertron, Megatron demanded to know who or what was threatening their homeworld, but Optimus Prime refused to provide him with any information. {{storylink| Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} The Autobots subsequently engaged Galvatron's forces in battle, and while they were occupied, Megatron put into motion the ace he had up his sleeve: taking remote control of the numerous "Megatron guns" aboard Omega, Megatron summoned them to him and combined with them into a new armored mode. Breaking free from his restraints, he headed out to confront Galvatron, intent that nobody would take his world from him. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} As he tore through the Sweeps, Megatron also revealed the reason for his surrender: now that he was back on Cybertron, he could open a space bridge that would allow the massed forces of the Decepticons on Earth to return to their home planet as well. Unfortunately, not long after the Decepticons arrived on the battlefield, Galvatron's secret puppet master, the Dead Universe entity known as the [[D-Void]], seized control of their minds and those of the Sweeps, merging them into a gigantic, monstrous avatar. With Prime occupied pursuing Galvatron into Cybertron's depths, Megatron was left to face this "[[Deceptigod]]" alone. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} Fighting against the D-Void's attempts to ensnare his own mind and make him part of the collective, Megatron was gravely wounded and even lost an arm to the beast, but succeeded into destroying it, blasting it apart with one massive beam from his weapons. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===The long game===
Even as the Deceptigod disintegrated back into its component Decepticons, Megatron could see the potential the creature embodied—the D-Void had, in essence, created the perfect combiner by means of utterly obliterating free will. With Cybertron reverting into a primordial wasteland around him—a result of Optimus Prime purifying [[Vector Sigma]] with the Matrix to stop Galvatron and the D-Void—Megatron chose to withdraw to experiment with the possibilities this presented. He informed Shockwave, the sole Decepticon who had not been made part of the Deceptigod, of his plans, and Shockwave in turn revealed them to Soundwave and Bombshell. {{storylink|Shockpoint}} While Megatron hid in the wilderness, his Decepticons were left to live as second-class citizens in the new [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] that the Autobots built; Optimus Prime left Cybertron two weeks after the D-Void's defeat to calm tensions with "NAILs"—other unaffiliated Cybertronians—who had returned to their homeworld, but even as he did so, he mused that Megatron must still be out there somewhere. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}}

[[File:RID11 megatron in wilderness.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2|Megatron can't find anyone who wants to join his nudist colony to save his skin.]]
In the months of study and experimentation that followed, Megatron discerned that the combination of Ore-13 and space bridge technology in his body somehow gave him the ability to manipulate the natural energy of Cybertron that the D-Void had used to merge the Decepticons into the Deceptigod. After experiments on [[turbofox]]es created larger, more ferocious beasts, Megatron stepped up trials when the [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] seceded from the shaky government Bumblebee, [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] and Starscream were building in Iacon and ventured into the wilderness. The signal Megatron had created from the combination energy first drove the Aerialbots mad, before uniting them in body and mind, spontaneously merging them into the gestalt [[Superion (G1)|Superion]], but this newborn Autobot combiner was considered hopelessly insane by Megatron and left to die in the wilderness. The madness aspect of the signal afforded him the chance to revive some of the principles of the infiltration protocol, however, as he blanketed the wastelands in it, forcing the Autobots, Decepticons and NAILs to stay in Iacon, causing natural conflict among them to snowball, providing a useful cover for his actions. To gain a pawn within Autobot high command, Megatron even provided Bombshell with the energy to use in conjunction with his own mind-controlling [[cerebro-shell]]s, ensnaring the mind of Prowl. With the resources and cover control of Prowl provided, Shockwave, Soundwave and Bombshell were able to use Megatron's findings to perfect the combination process, rebuilding the Constructicons with new modular designs that would allow them to merge into a perfect Devastator. The endgame was for Megatron himself to form the head of the combiner, but before risking his own mind and body, Megatron decided that Prowl would be used first as a test subject. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}}

[[File:RID12 kill him.jpg|upright=1.95|thumb|"Your armor. Give it to me now."]]
The appearance of [[Metrotitan (G1)|Metrotitan]] on Cybertron who declared that Starscream was the "Chosen One" threatened Megatron's ability to easily re-take leadership of his Decepticons, forcing him to step up his schedule. Through Prowl, he had his inner circle gathered together in the secret "[[Black Room]]", then boldly strode into Iacon for all to see. {{storylink|The End of the Beginning of the World}} His body shattered and skeletal, he professed to come in peace, but Bumblebee did not accept his surrender and ordered his Autobots to kill him. Indeed, Megatron could possibly have died there and then had Iacon's Decepticons not stepped in, insisting that Megatron's defense of Cybertron during the D-Void's attack marked him a hero and that he be taken into custody instead. {{storylink|City on Fire}} After [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] got through examining him to prove his body concealed no weapons, Starscream approached the imprisoned Megatron and attempted to explain that he was not far away from taking complete power in the government, ensuring a Decepticon victory of a different kind. Megatron merely smiled silently at the notion, terrifying his ex-lieutenant with his grin. Presently, the Decepticons rose up in an angry mob and marched on Autobot high command to insist on Megatron's release; the situation quickly devolved into a riot, during which a squad led by [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] stormed the prison and freed Megatron. {{storylink|The Verge}}

[[File:RID14 new body redux.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.55|New body or not, Megatron may want to think twice about standing [[:File:Devastator-ROTFenemyscrotum.jpg|underneath Devastator's legs.]]]]
Megatron brought Starscream and the captured Bumblebee and Metalhawk to the Black Room, where he explained his plans and had himself transferred into a pre-prepared new body that could combine with the Constructicons' new forms. At his command, the Constructicons and Prowl combined into the new Devastator, who immediately set about razing Iacon. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} Even the return of Superion seemed unable to stop the powerful new combiner, until help came from an unexpected quarter—Prowl's secret assassin [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] killed Bombshell, taking out Prowl's controller and causing Devastator to shut down. This was no real impediment to Megatron, however, as the successful function of the new combiner process had been proven, and he set out to take ''his'' place as Devastator's head. Before Megatron could reach the fallen gestalt, though, Devastator awoke, possessed of his own unique, united consciousness for the first time, and resumed tearing into Iacon. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}}

[[File:RID20 megatron in forcefield.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|You know you can't catch a break when you find yourself trapped inside a novelty plasma lamp from Spencer's.]]
Still Megatron remained unfazed, calmly fending off Autobot attacks and waiting for the inevitable moment when the heroes would take Devastator down. When [[Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ironhide]] succeeded in doing so by managing to reach Prowl, Devastator separated, and Megatron immediately stepped in, re-initiating the combination with himself in control. Seconds before uniting with the Constructicons, though, his plan was foiled by Bumblebee, Ironhide and Prowl's activation of a secret failsafe: Wheeljack had integrated a forcefield generator into Megatron's spark casing during his examination of him, and when it was triggered, he was completely paralyzed in mid-transformation. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

In the fallout of the battle, Starscream killed Metalhawk, took control of Iacon and banished the Autobots and Decepticons from the city. He took custody of the immobilized Megatron, and silently gloated over the victory he had accomplished by using guile and politics, rather than Megatron's ways of brute force and firepower. {{storylink|Three Monologues}}

===A new approach===
Megatron would not remain incapacitated for long. That night, as the result of millennia-long secret machinations by Shockwave, an [[Quintessa (IDW)|undead Metrotitan]] appeared on Cybertron and opened a portal to the Dead Universe in the planet's skies. Through the portal, Shockwave made contact with Galvatron and his master, the exiled Cybertron despot [[Nova Prime]], but was unable to bring them through to Cybertron thanks to the unexpected disappearance of the Titan's space bridge system. Intending to use the space bridge within Megatron as a replacement, {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} Shockwave reanimated the deceased Metalhawk with a wave of necrotic energy from the Titan and had him liberate Megatron and bring him to his secret lab in [[Crystal City]]. {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}}

[[File:RID24 i remember you.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Somewhere in the multiverse, [[Override (G1)|Override]] and [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] are smiling.]]
Shockwave hoped that Megatron would comply with his plans willingly, but the Decepticon leader refused and Shockwave forcibly activated the space bridge technology in Megatron's body. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}} The opening of the bridge in his chest caused Megatron agony, but his screams were heard by Soundwave, who led the united forces of the exiled Autobots and Decepticons to Shockwave's lab to free his leader. Nova Prime and Galvatron attempted to squeeze their way through the space bridge despite this interference, but Ironhide was able to punch Nova back through into the Dead Universe. Just then, Shockwave's "Necrotitan" came crashing into the subterranean city, and in the chaos, Megatron was freed from the restraints holding him. No sooner had Megatron carried Ironhide to the safe hands of the other Autobots, however, than he was ripped in half from behind by Galvatron, who had successfully emerged through the portal {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}}—a briefer battle, no doubt, than the one Shockwave had foreseen between the pair in a vision at the outset of his scheme. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}}

[[File:MTMTE26 megs and bee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|I smell a sitcom!]]
After the battle was over, Galvatron and [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] lugged Megatron's bisected remains back into Crystal City, only to find their way barred by the unlikely form of Bumblebee, who demanded they hand Megatron over. Galvatron attacked the Autobot, at which point Megatron revealed that he was fine, as he took down Waspinator and knocked Galvatron out with a barrage of fusion cannon fire. {{storylink|The Dead Are Not Enough: Dark Cybertron Chapter 7|The Dead Are Not Enough}} Bumblebee lugged Megatron back to Iacon, currently being razed by the Necrotitan, where the Decepticon leader announced to the assembled Autobots, Decepticons and NAILs his plan to withdraw to [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]], summon the Decepticon Justice Division and other scattered troops, and strike back. Bumblebee rejected Megatron's notion of retreating, and struck a nerve within him by questioning his entire philosophy: Megatron had ''long'' ago abandoned any notion of fighting for freedom and equality, Bumblebee attested, and merely used the claim to ideology as an excuse for his actions. {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} Fortunately, fighting back suddenly got a lot easier when Metroplex and the ''[[Lost Light]]'' space-bridged to Cybertron. During the battle between the Titans, Megatron observed Metroplex reaching for the ''Lost Light''; when the ship's crew explained that they had Metroplex's severed thumb aboard, Megatron had Bumblebee carry him to it, whereupon he realized that the thumb contained one of Shockwave's [[Regenesis]] ores. Megatron used his internal space bridge to teleport the thumb back to Metroplex, and the ore provided the giant with the power boost to defeat the Necrotitan. {{storylink|Finis Temporis: Dark Cybertron Chapter 9|Finis Temporis}}

[[File:DCFinale megatron the autobot.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95|ಠ_ಠ]]
At Bumblebee's order and under protest, [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] repaired Megatron's injuries and reattached his legs, reminding Megatron of his desire in youth to be a medic. His recent string of failures, the success of ''Starscream'', of all 'bots, and Bumblebee's stinging words had turned the Decepticon leader introspective, and he realized he had forgotten something very important that had driven his writings in his early years: winning meant turning people to your way of thinking, not dominating them. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Subsequently, when Shockwave initiated his millennia-long plan to collapse all reality into a universal black hole, Megatron placed himself and the Decepticons under Bumblebee's command to co-ordinate a counter-strike, and journeyed with his uneasy new "friend" into Shockwave's [[Crystal City]] base to confront their shared enemy. There, they found the weakened Galvatron, who Megatron prepared to destroy for past indignities, until Bumblebee talked him down, convincing him that blood did not have to be repaid with blood. At that moment, Shockwave struck, slaying Bumblebee with a blast, and driving Megatron into a rage. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Empowered by his various ores and the energy of the Dead Universe, Shockwave was a formidable opponent and it was all Megatron could do to hold his own against him until Optimus Prime arrived to join the fight. Prime attempted to reason with Shockwave and remind him of the kindly senator he had once been, but his words had little effect, so Megatron opted for a more object lesson: removing the fallen Bumblebee's insignia, he placed it upon his chest and declared himself an Autobot. The stunned Shockwave lost control of the time machine powering his plot, causing his old pre-[[Shadowplay]] memories to emerge. Horrified at what he had become, he allowed Megatron and Prime to kill him, which caused the time machine to collapse into a singularity. Megatron and Prime made what seemed to be a futile dash for freedom, but were saved from the singularity's pull at the last moment by the timely arrival of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

===Crimes against the Species===
{{quote|I don't want to be acquitted. I want to '''make amends'''|Megatron on his new goal in life|"[[World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide]]"}}
[[File:DCFinale this is not a trick.jpg|thumb|upright=1.95|Optimus apparently decided a sincere Megatron was a cue for mood lighting.]]
In a private meeting between Optimus Prime and Megatron a short time after Shockwave's defeat, Megatron affirmed that his change of heart was genuine, and Optimus assured him that he could see past his wartime deeds and remember the well-intentioned 'bot he had started out as. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}} The rest of Cybertron, however, demanded a trial; Autobot High Command agreed, realizing that the Decepticon leader's fate had to be decided in public. Before the trial, Megatron was approached by Optimus, [[Chromedome (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Chromedome]] and Rodimus in an attempt to extract some of the Decepticon's memories as evidence in hopes of expediting the proceedings, but a horrified Megatron refused, considering the sanctity of his mind all he had left. After Optimus departed, Rodimus remained to taunt Megatron with the certainty of his execution; in return, the impassive Decepticon simply asked Rodimus to deliver a [[communicube]] to Optimus, {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} containing a request to have the trial moved to the [[Raskol Arena]] on Luna 2, in order, he alleged, to accommodate the huge number of spectators that would inevitably attend. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}
[[File:MTMTE28 megatron pleads guilty.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.95|I agreed to this trial on the condition of meeting Matlock.]]
Megatron's trial lasted five months. At the outset of the proceedings, Megatron pled guilty to "Crimes against the Species", {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} but things changed when Starscream took the stand and gave a testimony that presented Megatron as an incapable leader who was unable to control the Decepticon forces under his command, a powerful brute lacking in the qualities of true leadership who led his followers down an ultimately self-destructive path. His treacherous lieutenant's words struck home, and Megatron stunned the assembled crowd by changing his plea to "not guilty". {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} Just as his defender, Ultra Magnus, was reading a statement declaring this, the trial was dramatically interrupted by a small army of Decepticons led by [[Snaptrap (G1)|Snap Trap]] and [[Hun-Gurrr (G1)|Hun-Grr]], who had escaped from the brig on the ''Lost Light''. The invading force attempted to teleport Megatron away to safety, but he refused to escape and the uprising was quickly quelled. During the recess that followed, Optimus confronted Megatron over his true motives: he had requested that the trial be held on Luna 2 in order to exploit the moon's different legal system in the event that he felt the trial was unjust. Caused by Starscream's speech to realize that, were he to submit to execution now, his legacy would be one only of pain and death, Megatron invoked one of the moon's forgotten laws: an individual who had committed sufficiently heinous crimes could request he be judged by the long-lost [[Knights of Cybertron]]. Megatron requested that he be allowed to join the ''Lost Light'' in their search for the Knights and their homeworld of [[Cyberutopia]], thus ensuring that ''that'' would be his legacy, after which he would submit to whatever punishment was deemed necessary. Optimus agreed on the condition that Megatron read a prepared speech denouncing the Decepticon cause and asking all active Decepticons to stand down. Megatron did so, at great personal pain. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Hurt and angry over this perceived abandonment, Soundwave used Megatron's change of faction as evidence to forge a new allegiance of his own, decamping to Earth and working with the [[Earth Defense Command]] to create a new home for Decepticons there. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 2: Detonation Boulevard|Detonation Boulevard}}
[[File:MTMTE30 cocaptains.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|O captain, my co-captain.]]
Megatron was assigned co-captaincy of the ''Lost Light'' alongside Rodimus, who immediately hated the idea and everything about it, leading to a particularly antagonistic relationship between the two. Megatron was permitted only to fuel himself with "[[Fool's Energon]]", which left him substantially weakened. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} Shockwave's machinations had left his internal organs a tortured Gordian knot of space bridge wormholes from which it was impossible to extract his spark; his outward appearance changed between the end of his trial and his co-captaincy, suggesting that his armor was rebuilt around him, or his entire internal structure was transplanted into a new body. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Megatron would later lament that his body did not graft to his spark like past chassis, which he considered a sign of his waning age. {{storylink|slaughterhouse}} Optimus would see Megatron off on his voyage before he himself headed off to Earth, a meeting Prowl found deeply disturbing. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}

===Towards Peace===
[[File:MTMTE28 megatron head examined.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|"So Megatron, tell me about your mother". "She was hot".]]
The ''Lost Light'' warped back out to the Galactic Rim and set off on the trail of [[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]], who they considered their best lead on the location of the Knights. A month into the journey, Megatron agreed to a therapy session with ship's psychoanalyst Rung, during which he espoused his current thinking on personal history, and one's ability to selectively edit or abandon entirely previously held truths. Following the session, Megatron discovered that the door to his quarters had been graffitied, and was almost immediately attacked by the culprit, Whirl. During the fight—which Whirl deemed "inevitable"—the ex-Wrecker punched Megatron in the stomach, only to find his hand teleported away by the space bridge tangle inside his body. This took the fight out of Whirl, and Megatron offered to forget the incident if the graffiti was removed from his wall. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} Through his internal space bridge, Megatron could sense that Whirl's arm had been teleported into the vicinity of a black hole, and—ever the forward planner, preparing even for the unlikely eventuality that he might change his mind about what he wanted—Megatron was inspired to revive his wartime plan to remotely channel antimatter.{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

Megatron subsequently oversaw the bringing onboard of a mysterious coffin the ''Lost Light'' found floating in space. A short time later, a drunken dare gone awry resulted in [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] accidentally cracking the coffin open with his forcefield. Megatron reprimanded him by permanently engaging his fuel intake moderation chip, and assigned him the role of Security Director in order to focus his mind. The pair then turned their attention to the opened coffin, which was revealed to contain the body of another Rodimus! {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 2: Words Hang in the Air|Words Hang in the Air}} A brief analysis suggested that the body was of Rodimus from the future, but before the matter could be settled, the crew of the ''Lost Light'' were forced to abandon the ship as it suddenly began disappearing around them. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE32 i came to hate the person id become.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Lolcat is watching you deprecate.]]

Megatron found himself on the [[Rodpod]] with a score of other 'bots, but when ''they'' then began to vanish too, [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] accused Megatron of being responsible. A tense standoff ensued, which was brought to a surprising end when [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] was discovered to have been hiding on the pod, having secreted himself on the ''Lost Light'' in order to spy on Megatron for Soundwave. {{storylink|Twenty Plus One}} The weirdness continued as the remaining crew of the Rodpod—Megatron, Ravage, Nightbeat, [[Skids (G1)|Skids]], [[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]], [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]], and [[Getaway]]—discovered the wreckage of a second ''Lost Light'', point of origin for the mystery second Rodimus, orbiting the planet [[Ofsted XVII]]. Still believing that the duplicate ship hailed from the future, Skids accused Megatron of being responsible for the devastation, and, realizing that the recent huge changes he had made in his life left him devoid of any surety in his future actions, Megatron allowed himself and Ravage to be imprisoned until the truth could be determined. Locked in a supply closet with Ravage, Megatron had a heart-to-heart with his angry ex-subordinate, justifying his decisions and unable to offer Ravage any consolation. When power returned to the ship, the pair discovered the dead bodies of Ratchet, [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] and [[Hound (G1)|Hound]] in the closet with them, sporting injuries that allowed Megatron realize the Decepticon Justice Division were responsible for the slaughter. The team prepared to immediately withdraw until an even stranger discovery was made: Autobot archivist [[Rewind (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Rewind]], who had died months beforehand... still alive, the only survivor of the D.J.D.'s attack! {{storylink|slaughterhouse}}

[[File:MTMTE33 megatron skids right there.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"...But you're not the [[Skyfall (G1)|worst]] [[Zeta Prime (G1)|guy]] [[Star Saber (G1)#2005 IDW continuity|to]] [[Getaway|wear]] the badge. So keep trying."]]
Nautica and Nightbeat were able to deduce that the duplicate ''Lost Light'' and its crew, including the second Rodimus, were actually quantum duplicates created in the explosion of the [[quantum generator|quantum engines]] during the ship's original launch two years prior. To make matters worse, the [[quantum foam]] leaking from the engines was threatening to destroy Ofsted XVII, but Megatron had no compunctions about getting to safety and leaving the planet to its fate until Skids called him out, forcing him to face up to the fact that choosing to be an Autobot meant reflecting it in one's actions. Megatron used his old mass-displacement ability to shrink his robot form down, enabling him to safely make it through the foam and deactivate the engines, saving Ofsted XVII, "cancelling out" the duplicate ''Lost Light'', and reinstating their own. As they made their way back to the returned ''Lost Light'', Megatron invited Ravage to remain at his side. {{storylink|slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken|The Road Not Taken}}

[[File:MTMTE38 send me back.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|"AND I WANT YOUR LUNCH MONEY TOO NERD!"]]
Back aboard "their" ''Lost Light'', Megatron discovered the DJD had killed Trailcutter. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Though depressed by his death, Megatron was not above removing Trailcutter's forcefield generators from his body in another instance of forward planning. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Subsequently, the realization that Brainstorm had used his mysterious [[Time case|briefcase]] to travel back in time caused Megatron to have a mini-breakdown over how ''ridiculous'' the whole situation was, but he soon got ahold of himself, and theorized that Brainstorm was attempting to change history by killing Orion Pax. {{storylink|The Custom-Made Now - An Elegant Chaos Prologue|The Custom-Made Now}} Rodimus led a squad back in time in pursuit, which led to Megatron having a cross-time conversation with the young Orion Pax via Rodimus's "[[time phone]]" communicator. Pretending to be his own younger self during the call, Megatron found the young 'bot's optimism for the future a mixed source of both affirmation and tragic amusement. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 1: All Our Parlous Yesterdays|All Our Parlous Yesterdays}} After Rodimus's team made several further jumps, Megatron deduced that the dates they were travelling to were not important moments in Pax's life, but Megatron's own. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 2: Stet|Stet}} Realizing that Brainstorm intended to kill ''him'' at the moment of his creation, he flew into a panicked rage, attacking [[Perceptor (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Perceptor]] and demanding the scientist send him back in time to save himself, until Ultra Magnus restrained him and the pair talked him down. As events in the past played out, Megatron was visibly shaken to hear that Rewind had been the one to pull the trigger that destroyed the original spark in his body, and that the universe would truly be a better place had he never existed. Although Whirl subsequently set the timeline to rights, Megatron did not join in the celebrations when everyone returned from the past, retiring to his quarters. {{storylink|Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|Predestination: An Expert's Guide}}

[[File:MTMTE43 the old man.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"Oh my Primus! WHAT IS THAT?! SOME ONE GET RATC-?!?! ... Oh, wait. Nevermind. False alarm. It's my hand. Almost had me there guys." *tries to look relaxed, and nails it*]]

In silent isolation, Megatron reached out with his mind, trying to make contact with Whirl's arm through his space bridge. If he could teleport the arm ''back'', it would mean he would finally having a working two-way connection to a black hole. After days of trying, however, he still failed to succeed, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} and established another contingency plan by having Ravage recover one of Brainstorm's time-machine briefcases for him before they were all destroyed, thinking he might use it to escape his fate by traveling back in time. Megatron also dedicated some of his spare time to writing poetry, but his works remained largely unappreciated- a single poetry reading at [[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]]'s bar, [["Visages"]], was enough to empty the bar of its patrons. {{storylink|Our Steps Will Always Rhyme}} He, Rodimus, and Magnus answered a call from Optimus Prime inviting the ''Lost Light'' back to Cybertron for first contact with the colony world of [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]], but they declined. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}}

While the rest of the crew attended a party aboard the ''[[Vis Vitalis]]'', Rodimus and Megatron refrained from going. {{storylink|The Sensuous Frame}} The pair soon received an S.O.S. alerting them to an infestation of emotion-eating [[personality tick]]s on the ship; they headed over to help, and their combined charisma proved strong enough to "overdose" and kill the ticks as soon as they stepped into the room. {{storylink|The Frail Gaze}} Soon after, when [[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]]'s dying mind created a holomatter duplicate of Earth, Megatron took part in the voyage to the artificial planet to help save the metallurgist. The journey required him to project a holomatter avatar for the first time, which led him to note the fragility—but not weakness—of humans when his avatar was cut by broken glass. {{storylink|The One Where They Go to Earth}}

[[File:MTMTE44-MegatronLookAtTheFlowers.jpg|upright=2|right|thumb|"I see a great hand reaching out of the stars. The hand is your hand. And I hear sound; the sound of billions of people calling your name." 
"My followers?" 
"Your victims."]]

When it was discovered that Swerve's life-threatening injuries had been caused by a bullet lodged in his body by the Autobot deep-cover spy [[Dominus Ambus|Agent 113]], Megatron and Magnus studied the bullet together, and discovered that it contained a map to [[Necroworld]], base of operations of the supposedly-mythical [[Mortilus|Necrobot]]. Rodimus proceeded to barge into the room to announce that he had unconsciously drawn a complete map to Cyberuptopia on his desk, and Megatron, unsettled to realize that this meant his day of judgement was now actually on the horizon, announced that, before following said map, they would first detour to investigate Necroworld. Megatron privately confided in Ravage that he wished to stave off his day of reckoning as long as possible... but found that such thoughts rudely pushed from his mind when he bore witness to the massive field of [[Cybertronian remembrance flower|flowers]] the Necrobot had planted in his honor, representing the countless lives he had taken. {{storylink|The Not Knowing}} With the weight of his history laid out before him so beautifully and terribly, Megatron realized that the future could not be avoided, and that any attempt to hide in the past was pointless. He buried the time-case Ravage had stolen for him amid the flowers. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

[[File:SpeakMemory2 MegatronRenouncesViolence.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|I have no enemies.]]
Megatron's fear of mnemosurgery would once again plague him when he awoke to find little Tailgate trying to perform mnemosurgery on him—part of a plot from [[Getaway]] to provoke Megatron into killing the little guy, in order to have Megatron either executed or imprisoned. The panicked Megatron almost fulfilled Getaway's plan for him, until [[Cyclonus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Cyclonus]] interceded by running Megatron through with his [[Great Sword]]. {{storylink|The Lopsided Triangle}} Once Getaway's plot had been foiled, Megatron was patched up and made amends with Cyclonus. {{storylink|Speak, Memory: Part 1}} The whole experience proved to be the last straw; determined to break from his old ways, Megatron renounced all violence and became a pacifist. He chose a poor time to do it, unfortunately, as the halls of the ''Lost Light'' were soon stalked by the serial killer [[Sunder (G1)|Sunder]]. Megatron's attempts to talk the murderer into surrendering met with failure, and he had to be saved by Tailgate, whose recent traumatic experiences had induced a mutation in his spark that gave him super strength. {{storylink|Speak, Memory! (Part 2)}} Intrigued, Megatron wondered if ''pain'' was the factor that would give his spark the power to complete his black hole quest. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

When the ''Lost Light'' was preparing to sneak through Mauler-inhabited space, Megatron and Ultra Magnus set about preparing the ship and the crew for the crossing. When a [[Scraplet]]-controlled [[Magnus Armor]] came shambling towards him, Megatron panicked, believing Magnus had come for a hug, before Swerve, Nautica and Whirl arrived to save him. {{storylink|Silent Light}} Not long after, Megatron joined the crew in a brief excursion into the past via "time windows" left over from Brainstorm's time-trip, which they used to honor the fallen crew members of the ''Lost Light''. {{storylink|No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases}} In the days that followed, unable to think of a reason ''not'' to go, Megatron reluctantly accepted Whirl's invitation to "movie night", which turned out to be a screening of a documentary about his defeat of Sentinel Prime. Megatron disliked the whole production, especially the allegation that he had desecrated Sentinel's remains by ordering the theft of his head. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}}

===Do Not Go Gentle===
[[File:MTMTE50 megatron class dismissed.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5|This is why we don't let you stay up all night listening to "''Instruments of Destruction''", Megs.]]
Megatron oversaw the ''Lost Light''{{'}}s campaign to liberate [[Miliarium]] from [[Rust Giant]]s, though he refrained from setting foot on the planet itself in order to maintain his vow of non-violence. He was irked to learn that the crew had withheld the information the inhabitants of the planet were organic, but he softened when he was given the chance to finally use the "[[roll out]]" command. Subsequently, during one of a series of classes Megatron had begun holding on the subject of the Knights of Cybertron, the ''Lost Light'' was attacked by a kind of "psychic weapon" that made multiple crew members experience terrible visions. Megatron heard the sound of every organic he had ever killed screaming, and momentarily driven mad, he lashed out at Minimus Ambus, who had come to his aid, and was horrified a moment later when he realized he'd reflexively forgotten his pacifism. Megatron and Rodimus led a team aboard the Rodpod to track the signal back to its source; it turned out to have actually been bait in a trap luring them back to Necroworld, where they were attacked by the Decepticon Justice Division, out to claim revenge on Megatron for renouncing Decepticonism. The Autobots took refuge in the Necrobot's fortress and re-established contact with the ''Lost Light'', only to learn that Getaway had staged a mutiny and taken control of the ship in their absence, and had alerted the [[Galactic Council]] to their location. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds|How Bright Their Frail Deeds}}

[[File:TheSunInFlight MegatronTarn.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.4|"Look how old you've become." "Something far worse has happened to you."]]
Searching for weapons to fight the D.J.D., the Autobots found a teleport chamber and a room full of helpless organics in stasis pods. Brainstorm advocated using the chamber to escape, but Megatron—now truly realizing how alike organic and mechanical life was thanks to the trauma of the psychic attack—delivered a stirring speech that convinced everyone to stay to defend the pods. At Ravage's suggestion, Megatron went out to meet with Tarn one-on-one, and offered to surrender on the condition none of the others would be harmed. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 2: The Sun in Flight|The Sun in Flight}} As the two talked, Megatron expressed regret for "corrupting" who Tarn had been, and even for the fact Brainstorm's attempt to kill him hadn't succeeded. Disgusted to see his hero having "fallen" thus, Tarn began viciously beating Megatron, but Megatron refused to fight back; he even laughed at the irony of how Fool's Energon might have been changing his nature, and he didn't even care. Before Tarn could finish Megatron off, however, Overlord arrived, allied with the Galactic Council in pursuit of his own chance to kill Megatron. Tarn and Overlord fought, giving Megatron a chance to escape. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 3: Your Fierce Tears|Your Fierce Tears}}

[[File:RageRage-Megatronappears.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67|You can practically hear "Instruments of Destruction" playing.]]

Though patched up, Megatron still refused to take part in the Autobots' battle with the D.J.D, rejecting the gift of a new fusion cannon Brainstorm had built from the teleport chapter for him, and urging the group to cherish what time they had left rather than waste it in battle. Megatron declared himself too weak and afraid to fight, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 4: At Close of Day|At Close of Day}} fearful that if he gave into violence, he would lose control and be unable to stop himself from once again becoming the monster he had been in the past. As the others went out to fight, Ratchet attempted to allay Megatron's fears by disclosing that Fool's Energon was only ever a placebo—Megatron had, in fact, been in control of himself all along. This revelation, coupled with the sight of Ravage being torn in half by Tarn out on the battlefield, spurred Megatron to action. Pain was, indeed, the trigger he had sought; in that moment, he successfully managed to draw Whirl's arm back through his space bridge, forging a functioning link with the black hole. Donning his new fusion cannon, he stormed out onto the battlefield and took on the D.J.D. single-handed while the other Autobots took Ravage back to the safety of the fortress. The fire in Megatron's belly seemed short lived, however, when a well-placed shot from Tarn destroyed his cannon, and he dropped to his knees in the middle of the battlefield, {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 5: Rage, Rage|Rage, Rage}} but this quickly proved to be nothing more than a feint to draw the D.J.D. in, to trap them within a forcefield created by the generators Megatron had taken from Trailbreaker's body. [[File:mtmte 55 antimatter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|left|"I'll light our [[Darkest hour]] the only way I know how! With more darkness!"]] Dropping his charade, Megatron unleashed the full power of the black hole's antimatter on the D.J.D., slaughtering each and every one of them. Before ending Tarn, he snatched his Decepticon-insignia facemask and slapped it onto his own chest; he would allow the antimatter to destroy him, and he would die as a Decepticon. Fate had a different path planned for Megatron, however; using the time-case Megatron had buried on the planet, which had been recovered by the Necrobot, Rodimus teleported into the forcefield and whisked Megatron away to safety before the antimatter detonated.

Reappearing in the fortress, Megatron was able to be by Ravage's bedside as he died from his injuries, with a final entreaty to Megatron that he "not change back". Megatron flew into a rage and almost turned his cannon on the Autobots before regaining control of himself. Realizing what he had done, Megatron tried to leave, only for [[Terminus (G1)|Terminus]] to suddenly appear to bar his way—one of the occupants of the pods, who were ''not'' organics, but causalities of conflict rescued from throughout time by the Necrobot using the case. Pulled back from the brink at the last moment, Megatron dropped his cannon and embraced his old friend. {{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}}

When [[Scarlett]] and [[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|Joe Colton]] discussed the Cybertronian influence on [[Earth]], Megatron's infiltration unit as well as his devastating invasion of Earth were key points. In light of Optimus Prime's recent actions, Colton seemed to have his doubts on whether or not Megatron had truly been the 'evil' one. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}
{{-}}

===A New World===
[[File:SomeOtherCybertron MegatronTerminus.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.6]]
Terminus' reappearance was down to the Necrobot time-travelling to rescue 'missing in action' robots, and the "organics" in the basement had in fact been those robots in disguise.{{storylink|The Dying of the Light Part 6: Do Not Go Gentle|Do Not Go Gentle}} Megatron tried to fill in his old friend about the war, much as he doubted his objectivity. This was a disrupted by a minor quake which shook the whole planet. Deciding to finish his story later, Megatron paid his last respects to Ravage before [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] and [[Rung (G1)|Rung]] burst free from the ground. The two explained the quake as a [[geobomb]] sent by the [[Galactic Council]] but had seemingly burnt itself out. Megatron joined the group to return to Cybertron and collect a new ship, mainly to see Starscream's face when he revealed he was still alive. When Terminus said that Iacon was beautiful, Megatron began to correct him before he saw a bustling metropolis. Before the crew could process what happened, [[Twelve-of-Twelve]] showed up to arrest them. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron|Some Other Cybertron}}

[[File:anomie jabbing megs.jpeg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Hey. Put it away before I take it away.]]

Rewind quickly managed to deduce that the crew had been sent into [[Functionist Universe|another universe]], one where Megatron had never come online and the Functionists still ruled. After trading wits with the councillor, Megatron ordered the crew to surrender in the hope of reasoning with the Council. As the crew was marched through Iacon, the rebel [[Anti-Vocationist League]] tried to save them and got their arses kicked by [[Functionary|Functionaries]] in short order. Rodimus talked Megatron into action who, with a weary sigh, casually broke out of his stasis cuffs and directed the battle without even lifting a finger, much to Terminus' pride and amazement. The moment was ruined when [[Six-of-Twelve]] appeared on every TV on Cybertron, telling everyone they would see what the "Useless One", Rung, was actually ''for''. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 2: Anomie|Anomie}} The crew was brought to [[Kalis|Adaptica]] where [[Clicker]] explained why the Council had to grant the refugees safe haven before they were greeted by the sympathetic [[Nine-of-Twelve]]. Megatron abstained from the following meeting to meet with those who had removed their optics in protest of the Council using them as spies. Megatron approved. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|A World Misplaced}}

[[File:BadMoonRising MegatronTirade.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.6]]
Even when [[Moonbase Two|Luna 2]] suddenly returned, Megatron continued to watch Six-of-Twelve's broadcast and began fearing for the future when it was announced the Council was going to try and get to [[Vector Sigma]]. Megatron went to collect everyone so as to rescue both Rung and Vector Sigma. Before that discussion could continue, Luna 2 grew new craters and began sucking up people with its [[tractor beam]]s. Megatron quickly demanded details from Nine-of-Twelve (lest they decide he was complicit in this) who quickly offered them. Rodimus however was more interested in the moon's teleporter which Megatron called him out on for being more interested in chasing down the ''[[Lost Light]]'' than saving people. Rodimus in turn accused Megatron of wanting to stay in the Functionist timeline so as to not be judged by the [[Knights of Cybertron]] and laughing that Megatron wanted to do good after killing so many. Minimus Ambus halted their argument and Rodimus agreed to Megatron's plan to rescue Rung but on the condition that they would leave once they'd saved the day. Megatron told Nine-of-Twelve to rally the troops only for the councillor to inform him they had no troops. When he asked about offensive capabilities, Megatron learnt that most of the more powerful weapons hadn't been invented in the current timeline. He made due with putting what few weapons he had in the best positions before ordering Nine-of-Twelve to lead the evacuations. Megatron managed a small smile when he learnt that Ambus didn't share Rodimus' belief that Megatron was running from his trial. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 4: Bad Moon Rising|Bad Moon Rising}}

[[File:ModesOfProduction MegsConscience.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.2]]
With Megatron's tactics, the beleaguered defenders were able to distract Luna 2 long enough for the refugees to escape. As Megatron and [[Roller (IDW)|Roller]] discussed the conspicuous absence of the native Orion Pax, the tractor beams increased in intensity prompting Terminus to call the two to evacuate. After Roller made his way out, Terminus attempted to convince Megatron to stay in the Functionist Universe, an idea Megatron admitted to entertaining, but ultimately refused to do, citing his need to make amends back home and that his friends aboard the ''Lost Light'' were the conscience he had to answer to. At the point, the statue they were in was sucked up by the tractor beams. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 5: Modes of Production|Modes of Production}}

[[File:LostLight6MegatronEnding.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|A brand new autobiography. Same title. Different words.]]
Though the beams began ripping Megatron apart, Terminus managed to free himself and saved his protege by firing at the tractor beam emitters, though accidentally shooting down the commandeered [[Cog (facility)|Cog]] in the process. As the native Rung super-sized himself to attack the moon, Megatron assured [[Clicker]] that Rung's own choices were open defiances of Functionism. At that moment, Rodimus came with the news that they could head home and save this Cybertron. Terminus revealed his intent to stay behind with Megatron requesting a moment to say goodbye to his mentor, his serious demeanour convincing Rodimus to grant it. As Megatron and Terminus said their final words, Terminus got a call and quickly ushered Megatron to a [[matter transporter]] only to find it abandoned. As Megatron ran back out to tell Terminus, Luna 2 teleported away to Megatron's shock and horror. Deciding to make the most of his new situation, he went on a "speaking tour", visiting the [[Anti-Vocationist League]]'s scattered cells, all over the planet, uniting them via his rhetoric and his new slogan of "Peace Through Empathy". After speaking at his old stomping ground of [[Nova Point]], Megatron went outside to contemplate the night sky before being interrupted by the chime of his communicator... having been contacted by the native Orion Pax. {{storylink|Dissolution Part 6: This Machine Kills Fascists|This Machine Kills Fascists}}

===Legacy===
Among [[Agonizer]]'s rare knick-knacks was an unfinished poem by Megatron. {{storylink|An Axe to Break the Ice}} When questioned by Bumblebee on why he insisted on remaining alone in the world, Starscream brought up the many beatings he'd received at Megatron's hand as a life lesson to remain alone and constantly on guard. {{storylink|The Price of You}} Such was Starscream's fear of his former leader that the Seeker seized up with fear when [[Vigilem]] assumed Megatron's form as he was when leading the Decepticons. Using the image of Megatron, Vigilem came within a hair's breath of destroying Starscream's mind, all the while the Seeker being too terrified to fight back. {{storylink|Your First Mistake}} Despite Megatron's defection, [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] still considered him a wise man and quoted his writings to incite a [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]] rebellion. {{storylink|New Cybertron Part 5: Future Glories Lost|Future Glories Lost}}

When [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] was interviewed by the human news, he remembered Megatron's invasion of Earth. {{storylink|What It's Really Like}} [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] also remembered Megatron making a deal with Sunstreaker that preceded the invasion. {{storylink|The Life of Sideswipe}}

When Earth was properly inducted into the [[Council of Worlds]], [[Scarlett]] remembered the devastation Megatron had brought to Earth and wondered whether or not Earth was out of its weight class against Cybertronians as well as if Earth was truly ready to join the Council. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} While in jail on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Scarlett confessed to Optimus Prime that she had primarily come to Cybertron to save [[Joe Colton]] from himself, something which Optimus sympathized with, having gone through similar experiences with Megatron. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} When justifying his genocidal campaign to Scarlett, Joe Colton claimed Earth was "one more Megatron" away from complete extinction. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

In [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]]'s [[Starscream: The Movie (film)|biopic]] of Starscream, Megatron was portrayed by [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]]. Thundercracker admitted he'd taken some creative liberties with Megatron's bodily appearance but felt those changes would help an unfamiliar audience more readily recognize the characters. {{storylink|Starscream: The Movie (comic)|Starscream: The Movie}}

After receiving a life sentence, Starscream defended his reign to Bumblebee by stating that, unlike Megatron, he hadn't plunged Cybertron into four million years of war. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 1: Surfeit of Primes|Surfeit of Primes}}

After seemingly dying and being sent to the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]] had sent Rodimus into a mild depression, [[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] rhetorically asked "What Would Megatron Do?", threatening Rodimus's fragile ego enough to rally him into action. {{storylink|The Everlasting Voices (1): Metastasis|Metastasis}}

===The Great Return===
[[File:LL21 Megatron Returns.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"Did'ja miss me?"]]
Megatron subsequently became leader of the AVL, drawing both Orion and [[Impactor (G1)|Impactor]] into the fold, while also taking time to fulfill his original ambition of becoming a medic. Megatron also found the discarded ''Unitrex-1'' and claimed it as the flagship of the AVL, dubbing it the ''[[Last Light (ship)|Last Light]]''. When the Functionist Council built a set of [[planetary engine]]s onto Cybertron to compensate for Luna 2's loss, the AVL followed them through the [[Warren]], warning many alien populations of the Functionists' genocidal intentions and allowing them to evacuate in time. The Functionists responded to this by engineering Cybertron with a robot mode cast in the likeness of [[Primus]]. Megatron's heroism eventually drew the attention of the Functionists who took great pride in killing his closest allies before eventually believing to have slain the ex-tyrant at [[Perseppalae]]. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

[[File:ReturnOfTheKing MegatronTreatsDrift.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.0|''Instruments of re-construct-iooooon, tools of first aiiiiid!'']]
In truth, both Megatron and the ''Last Light'' had survived and continued to follow the Functionist recon ships. When the [[Adaptus|Grand Architect]]'s [[God Gun]] opened a portal back into Megatron's native universe, the ''Last Light'' was caught up in the rush, emerging ahead of the enemy fleet. Detecting his friends' spark signatures, Megatron immediately called Rodimus. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 3): Farsickness|Farsickness}} Though the Autobot initially believed that Megatron was the one staging the invasion, Megatron was quick to correct him, drawing their attention to the planet-sized Primus effigy, before requesting their coordinates for rescue. Once the ''Last Light'' shook off the recon ships, Megatron ordered his friends freed, recovering most of them from the Architect's clutches ([[Scavenger (group)|and a few Decepticons too]]) before he caught them all up on what had transpired since they'd parted ways. He also demonstrated his new skills as a medic by treating the wounded Drift for a [[zero point]] affliction. When the [[Epistemus|Magnificence]] proposed blowing up "Primus", Megatron immediately shot down the idea, noting the billions of innocent Cybertronians still trapped on their homeworld. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King|The Return of the King}}

After Rodimus had freed himself and reclaimed his ship, the two ships set down to compare notes with everyone transferring over to the ''Lost Light''. Despite the Magnificence's boasts of intelligence, Megatron still refused to blow up "Primus". His devotion to saving the citizenry proved the catalyst for a group brainstorm to come up with a plan to simultaneously open ''twelve'' [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrices of Leadership]], one on each of the planet's [[hot spot (phenomenon)|hot spot]]s, to overload Vector Sigma and kill the Functionists merged with the computer. At this, the Magnificence spoke in the unholy voice of the [[Omega Guardian]]s, revealed to have been manipulating events and needing "Primus" to explode, who swore to return and "eat everything". Megatron made an impassioned speech to the aliens, swearing to stop them, and distracting them long enough for [[Nickel]] to simply crush the Magnificence. The distraction however meant that the ''Last Light'' was left unattended when the Functionists finally turned their attention to the last Cybertron, violently dying with the planet. When the ''Lost Light'' took off, Megatron ordered the ship turned around so they could save the universe. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 5): The Unremembering|The Unremebering}}

[[File:LL24 Megatron GNNN!.jpg|thumb|upright=2.2|left|Megatron is forced to admit that he'll never truly have [[The Touch]].]]
After [[Fortress Maximus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Fortress Maximus]] showed up and slammed [[Moonbase One|Luna 1]] into the gargantuan robot's [[neural cluster]] to convert it back into planet mode, Megatron coordinated with [[Flame (Marvel)|Flame]] to properly ally with the Grand Architect's remaining troops. With Rodimus, Megatron made his way to the [[Nova Point]] hot spot where they were beset upon by legions of [[Functionary|Functionaries]]. To complicate matters, the Matrices refused to open, prompting Megatron to rally Rodimus into giving a final speech to the crew and reaffirm their morality. Though the speech had the desired effect, it left Rodimus open to having his left arm blown off before he could open his own Matrix. Megatron took over and tried to open the talisman himself, but his lingering doubts and guilt meant it refused to open for him. The weakened Rodimus then requested the artifact, managing to open it by substituting his missing limb with his teeth, the energies of all twelve destroying the Functionists and reigniting Luna 1's dormant hot spot. {{storylink|Crucible (Part 6): A Spark Among Embers|A Spark Among Embers}}

[[File:MegatronGoodbye.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|"One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."]]
As the crew took stock, [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] arrived to inspect "New Cybertron" before declaring that, since the [[Knights of Cybertron]] didn't exist, Megatron would once again have to stand trial, this time with the [[Galactic Council]] presiding. Over Rodimus's protests, Megatron agreed to go quietly but was nonetheless allowed to join the ''Lost Light'' for one last "victory lap" cruise. As the crew prepared to quantum jump home, the science team proposed the risky gamble of recreating the malfunctioning launch, thereby quantum duplicating themselves before then shunting the duplicates into a parallel universe to ensure that the ''Lost Light''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s adventures would never truly end. When the time to jump came, the crew simply wound up back on Cybertron.

As they all settled into ''Swerve's'' for a last drink, Magnus recited his favorite poem, which Megatron revealed had had written under a pseudonym. Adding that it was Impactor's favorite too, Megatron lamented that he'd wasted his life. Not wanting to leave it at that, Magnus gave a toast to all the friendships and bonds they'd forged... before construction cranes killed the moment and began disassembling the ship.

With Ultra Magnus once again acting as his defense orator, Megatron stood trial, Rodimus even falsely testifying that Megatron had been the one to open the duplicate Matrix. As the jury debated between infinite imprisonment and outright execution, Rodimus and Megatron had one last discussion, with Megatron revealing he'd always held onto his [[Rodimus Star]], before Magnus led him away. On their way to the sentencing chamber, Magnus revealed he was going to follow Megatron's advice and destroy the [[Magnus Armor]].

Years later, when Ratchet had passed, Rodimus placed Megatron's withered Rodimus Star on his tomb.

And far away, in some distant corner of the multiverse, the duplicate ''Lost Light'' materialized, ready to set sail for an infinity of new adventures. {{storylink|How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2}}

===Pax Cybertronia===
In a vision of the future seen by Ironhide and Alpha Trion during the reformatting of Cybertron, fifteen million years hence, Ironhide still believed Megatron to be alive and promised a young Autobot they would defeat him again if he ever returned. {{storylink|Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia}} {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}
{{-}}

==''Spotlight: Mirage''==
[[File:SLMirage all in good time.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
Somewhere, in an unknown time or place, the self-serving mercenary Mirage dreamed of Megatron and his Decepticons launching a massive attack on the Autobots. But Mirage knew that to only be a dream; in reality, the Autobots were almost eradicated, and Megatron had hired him to hunt down the last of their number. Megatron was outraged by the mercenary's demand for a majority share in all energon mining operations as payment, but it proved to be fuel well spent, as he soon succeeded in locating Optimus Prime and forcing him to surrender. Megatron demanded the prisoners be executed despite Mirage's promise to spare Autobot lives. Seeing Mirage's hesitation, Megatron appealed to his greed. {{storylink|Spotlight: Mirage}}
{{--}}

==Ask Vector Prime==
[[File:AHM 1cvrEXCL.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|I think this is a killing joke!]]
In [[Primax 708.10-R Lambda]], Megatron cracked the codes to an Autobot forward listening outpost. He walked in, shot [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]], and then laughed and took a photo of what he had done. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/06}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[File:MegatronOrigin2 Megs hair.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55]]
*In [[Megatron Origin issue 2|''Megatron Origin'' #2]], we see that Megatron's helmet is, in fact, a helmet and not part of his head (at least in his original body). Upon removing his helmet, Megatron then briefly unfurls a crest. The significance of this moment is not explained, but it is briefly revisited in [[Remembrance Day|''More than Meets the Eye'' #14]] when a helmetless Megatron spars with [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]].
[[File:MTMTE Megatron Alt.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
*Apparently, the stealth bomber Megatron design used in IDW for a while was created by artist [[Don Figueroa]]. However, he created the design as part of a story pitch to editor [[Andy Schmidt]]; a pitch the editor rejected. Schmidt proceeded to use the design for this comic, but without compensation or credit to Figueroa; something the artist was highly displeased about.<ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/don-figueroa-designed-idw-s-stealth-bomber-megatron-but-wasn-t-compensated--t96022s0.php archive of Figueroa's post on the subject at Seibertron forum]</ref>
*Megatron's post-"[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]" body was never seen transformed into its alt mode, although [[Alex Milne]] tweeted concept art during the run of ''Lost Light'' that showed Megatron transformed into a heavy tank.<ref>[https://twitter.com/markerguru/status/951902998141087744 Alex Milne (@markerguru) on Twitter, 12 January 2018]</ref> As this tank design would have required Megatron's signature Fusion Cannon, which had been discarded prior, it would have been left largely unhelpful anyway. By contrast, [[Nelson Dániel]]'s [[:File:LL3 cvrRI.jpg|retailer incentive cover]] for [[Dissolution Part 3: A World Misplaced|''Lost Light'' #3]] showcases a different tank design using a different cannon.
*[[James Roberts]] clarified on Twitter that any members of the [[Functionist Council]] who survived into the Great War era were assassinated by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]] at Megatron's command.<ref>[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1055107548318220288 Twitter conversation with James Roberts (@jroberts332), 24 October 2018]</ref>
*In [[How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2|''Lost Light'' #25]], it is revealed that Megatron (under a pseudonym) wrote Ultra Magnus's, and Impactor's, favorite poem, "[[Afterlight]]". ''"You flare, you flicker, you fade. And in the end, all your tomorrows become yesterdays."''
*Megatron's serial number, "071-980", is an apparent reference to July 1980, the month in which [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]'s ''{{w|Shogun Warriors (toys)|Shogun Warriors}}'' #18 was published, in which the name "Megatron" was first used by the company.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-Vocationist League]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Gladiators]]
[[Category:Lost Light crew]]
[[Category:Point One Percenters]]
[[Category:Rulers of Cybertron]]
[[Category:Turncoats]]

Laserbeak (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity

2023-07-05T21:03:46Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|decepticon}}
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'''Laserbeak'''. The annoying evil bird spy from your favorite 1980s cartoon.

==''The Transformers'' cartoon==
{{voiceactor|[[Chris Latta]] (English)|[[Roberto Alexander]] (Latin American, "Divide and Conquer")}}

[[File:Cybertronlaserbeak.jpg|thumb|Lasers? Check. Beak? Check.]]
Laserbeak was the first of the cassette Transformers. {{storylink|Secret Files of Teletraan II}} Prior to his arrival on Earth, Laserbeak had less of an avian shape, resembling instead a stylized jet with an ovoid silhouette and a hooked nosecone. He still transformed into a cassette, which is kind of strange when you consider his "carrier" transformed into a "sensor lamp" and not necessarily any device that played cassettes. But anyway, this Laserbeak often carried out spy missions, able to sneak into places the larger [[Soundwave (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Soundwave]] could not manage, including [[Great Dome|Iacon]], the Autobots' headquarters. There, Laserbeak learned of the Autobot mission to seek out new sources of energy away from Cybertron, which prompted a Decepticon interception mission in turn. This led to the whole lot of these spacefaring Transformers crashlanding on Earth and taking a four million-year dirtnap in the heart of a volcano.

[[File:MTMTE1 laserbeak ejects.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Please flip the bird...er, tape to Side B."]]
In the year 1984, the Transformers were awakened by volcanic activity, and Laserbeak was reformatted with terrestrial aesthetics in both robot and altmode. His altmode was an audiocassette, while his [[robot mode]] was that of a vulture. His missions, though, were largely unchanged, and he continued to serve as a spy.

Laserbeak was the first Decepticon to tangle with Autobots on Earth when he was dispatched by Soundwave and [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] to chase down two snooping Autobot spies, [[Hound (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hound]] and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]]. The Autobots tried to scurry away, splitting up so that Laserbeak couldn't follow both of them. He had the last laugh (or squawk) on them, as he launched one of his laser cannons to follow Cliffjumper remotely while he continued to hound Hound, at least until Cliffjumper gas-bombed the drone. Laserbeak fared better than his cannon, and managed to blast the Autobot snoop off the road. Continuing with his scouting missions, Laserbeak uncovered the oil refinery which served as the Decepticons' first major strike against Earth, and their first battle with the Autobots on our planet.

[[File:MTMTE1 laserbeak vs prime.jpg|thumb]]
Floating above the main battle, Laserbeak saw a safe chance to be useful, and flew between Megatron and [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prime]], pecking at Optimus's face long enough for Laserbeak's glorious leader to take to the skies. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 1}} When the Autobots attacked the [[Victory (G1)|Decepticons' new space cruiser]] before it could depart, Laserbeak was ejected for warfare (for a change) along with his fellow Cassettes. Being the coward that he is, though, Laserbeak managed to be conspicuously absent throughout the battle, besides a single strafing run from the safety of the air. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye, Part 3}}

[[File:Megslaserbeak.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|Laserbeak, symbol of Decepticon leadership.]]
Once the Decepticons dug their space cruiser out of the briny deep, they resumed their attacks on a nearby solar power station. While the others engaged the larger Autobots, Laserbeak kept to squawking around [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]'s head. Later, Laserbeak spied on the Autobots to ensure they took the bait for a trap Megatron had set for them. He tried to help in the cave trap later on, but [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] trapped him instead inside a tiny net. {{storylink|Transport to Oblivion (episode)|Transport to Oblivion}} After Megatron was accidentally sent to Cybertron following an early [[space bridge]] test, Laserbeak and [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] were present to greet Megatron on his return. Laserbeak perched on Megatron's arm, signifying Megatron's resumption of command of the Earthbound Decepticons. Once the Decepticons set their sights on the [[antimatter]] formula, Laserbeak attempted to steal it from [[Chip Chase]] and Bumblebee, but to no avail. {{storylink|Roll for It}}

[[File:DivideandConquer LaserbeakonBrawns shoulder.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|All Brawn and no brains.]]
After [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]]'s strike team blasted Optimus Prime something fierce, Megatron assigned Laserbeak to infiltrate the Ark and ascertain the Autobot leader's true condition. For once, Laserbeak demonstrated his cowardice in Megatron's presence, but reluctantly went forth on his mission. Perhaps looking to prove himself after showing his yellow streak, Laserbeak took some extreme risks. First, he transformed into cassette mode and landed right on the powerhouse [[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]]'s shoulder to enter the Autobot base. Then, at Megatron's prodding, he flew down in full sight of the entire Autobot team and fired laser beams straight into Prime's exposed chest cavity. This exacerbated the damage and made the Autobot mission to find a replacement [[cosmitron]] for Prime of great priority. {{storylink|Divide and Conquer}}

On another scouting mission in the [[Arctic]] Circle, Laserbeak alerted Megatron to Starscream's bumbling execution of some Autobot prisoners using a weird Morse Code signal. {{storylink|Fire in the Sky}} Later, he joined Soundwave and [[Reflector (G1)|Reflector]] in gathering information on the [[Great Falls]]. {{storylink|S.O.S. Dinobots}}

[[File:FOTM laserbeak fires.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The original Angry Bird Transformer.]]
When the Decepticons were on a mission in [[South America]], they were temporarily interrupted by an attack from Brawn and [[Windcharger (G1)|Windcharger]]. Windcharger soon realized the duo were outclassed fighting so many Decepticons at once, and directed Brawn to pull back. Well, bless his cowardly tin-plated heart, Laserbeak waited until after Windcharger sounded the retreat to get involved, showing great "courage" as he shot the Autobots in the back as they were driving away. Still, never let it be said that Laserbeak doesn't have his uses. When Brawn later returned and stole Megatron's [[fusion cannon]], blasting the Decepticon leader with his own weapon, it was Laserbeak who flew in to retrieve the cannon for his master. Of course, he naturally flew in from ''behind'' Brawn for maximum safety, but really, who could blame him? {{storylink|Fire on the Mountain (episode)|Fire on the Mountain}}

[[File:TUD1 laserbeak captures sparkplug.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
One afternoon, while the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] engaged in yet another grab for energy, Soundwave and the Cassettes carried out Operation: Guinea Pig at the Ark. As his partners Rumble and Ravage created a distraction for the present Autobots, Laserbeak swooped in and carried off one of their human comrades, [[Sparkplug Witwicky]]. Laserbeak delivered the human to Megatron and [[Doctor Arkeville]] for testing of their new [[hypno-chip]]. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 1}} After a successful test, Laserbeak flew out to collect more potential slaves for the Decepticons. He also took advantage of a well-placed earthquake to kidnap [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] as well, while Bumblebee was dangling over a crevace. Unfortunately for the beryllium buzzard, [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] was on the scene. His sharpshooting ability blasted Spike right out of Laserbeak's clutches, and drove off the Decepticon spy. {{storylink|The Ultimate Doom, Part 2}} After the plot to change Cybertron's orbit failed, Laserbeak reported to Megatron about the treachery of Starscream and Doctor Arkeville. Seeking out the traitors, Megatron and the Decepticons ran afoul of the Autobots along the way. To deter pursuit, Megatron led the Autobot cars into a valley of quicksand, hoping they would sink out of his way forever. He left Laserbeak behind to monitor their demise. When [[Ironhide (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ironhide]] started to get his hand free, Laserbeak tried to divebomb the Autobot, only to be blasted by [[Mirage (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Mirage]]'s rocket launcher. Stunned, the Decepticon reverted to his cassette mode, and was captured by Jazz. Once the Autobots got free, Jazz used his own audio system to replay Laserbeak's findings, alerting the Autobots to the Decepticons' destination at Arkeville's secret lab. {{storylink|Countdown to Extinction (episode)|Countdown to Extinction}}

On a routine scouting mission, Laserbeak uncovered information about [[Insecticon (G1)|giant robotic insects]] in Bali, and relayed the info to Megatron. {{storylink|A Plague of Insecticons}} When Megatron arranged a bout of single combat between himself and Optimus Prime, Soundwave ejected Laserbeak to watch the festivities along with the rest of the two armies. {{storylink|Heavy Metal War}}

[[File:ChangingGears laserbeak miner.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Proving once again that he spends more time at the Ark than with the Decepticons, Laserbeak happened to be on the scene to learn Spike Witwicky was mentally unstable and possessing the powerful "spare" Autobot called [[Autobot X (G1)|Autobot X]]. {{storylink|Autobot Spike}} On his next mission, Laserbeak attacked a group of innocent gold prospectors. After he had his fun, though, Soundwave put him back in his cage for a while. He popped out again later on to take potshots at his favorite weak target, Bumblebee. {{storylink|Changing Gears}} When the Decepticons moved their operations to New York City, Laserbeak was put on Autobot patrol, and alerted Megatron to their enemies' rendez-vous in [[Central Park]]. He was also joined by his flying buddy, [[Buzzsaw (G1)|Buzzsaw]], for the first time in this battle. {{storylink|City of Steel (episode)|City of Steel}} In an attack on the Ark, Laserbeak and the Decepticons were charged with distracting the Autobots while Megatron and Starscream snuck inside to sabotage the Autobots' equipment. Laserbeak bit off more than he could handle with [[Prowl (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Prowl]], though, and ended up being lassoed to the Autobot's rifle. It was a stand-off as Laserbeak fired at Prowl from the air while Prowl tried to drag him to the ground, until Megatron sounded the retreat. Laserbeak cut the wire with his blasts and took off as fast as his little wings could carry him. {{storylink|Attack of the Autobots (episode)|Attack of the Autobots}}

[[File:Immobilizer laserbeak carly.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Laserbeak's next patrol duty was around the desert laboratory where Megatron was testing his stolen [[electro-cell]]s. He alerted Soundwave the moment he sighted Autobot intruders, then hid inside his cozy chest cavity. {{storylink|Traitor (episode)|Traitor}} When the human girl named [[Carly]] attempted to raid Decepticon headquarters on her own, Soundwave sent Laserbeak up to the surface to capture her. He succeeded, proving once again that he is occasionally strong enough to defeat a single human. He did, however, fail to recapture the [[Wheeljack Instant Immobilizer|Immobilizer]] for the Decepticons soon thereafter. {{storylink|The Immobilizer}} Returning to his spying duties, Laserbeak learned of Spike and Chip's plan for an Autobot road rally for charity. {{storylink|The Autobot Run}}

[[File:ETN laserbeak vs ironhide.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Laserbeak and Buzzsaw discovered the city of [[Sub-Atlantica]] on the bottom of the ocean floor, which led to an uneasy alliance between the Sub-Atlanticans and the Decepticons, and the subsequent attack of both parties on [[Washington, D.C.]] In D.C., Laserbeak popped out of Soundwave and was almost immediately shot down by Hound. By the time he was back in the air, the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobot]]s had broken through the Decepticon defenses and [[Swoop (G1)|Swoop]] took out Laserbeak and Buzzsaw with missiles moments after arriving at the battle. Some days it just doesn't pay to come out of the tapedeck. {{storylink|Atlantis, Arise!}}

[[File:PrimeProblem laserbeak scan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]
In order to gain control over the super-computer [[TORQ III]], Laserbeak was joined by Megatron and Soundwave in his infiltration of the defense compound where the computer was housed. Laser blasting their way to the core, Megatron was able to reprogram the computer to serve only him. Using TORQ to guide them, Megatron arranged for countless oil tankers to converge on Decepticon headquarters. An Autobot scouting party attempting to thwart his plans at the site, but Laserbeak swiped Spike Witwicky in the middle of battle and forced the Autobots to lay down their arms. Luckily, another contingent of Autobots confronted TORQ directly, deactivating the computer, and made their way to Megatron's refinery, freeing their friends. {{storylink|Day of the Machines}} At the unveiling of [[Doctor Fujiyama the Famous Scientist|Doctor Fujiyama]]'s robot ninja, [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]], Laserbeak stormed the ceremony with Rumble and Frenzy, causing considerable chaos. {{storylink|Enter the Nightbird}}

Despite his well-documented cowardice, Laserbeak is sometimes surprisingly effective in combat. Immediately after Optimus Prime single-handedly disarmed Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp at once in battle, Laserbeak swooped out of the sky and managed to incapacitate Prime just as easily with a hail of laser beams. At Megatron's direction, however, he did not finish the job. Instead, Laserbeak used his recording equipment to create a fully-body holographic scan of the Autobot leader, allowing Megatron to manufacture a [[Optimus Prime clone|perfect duplicate]] of Optimus Prime for his plans. Later on, he also easily overpowered Starscream and unceremoniously dragged him back to Megatron in his talons. Clearly, Laserbeak had been eating some top notch birdfeed that week. {{storylink|A Prime Problem}}

[[File:TIS laserbeak and buzzsaw.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
Laserbeak observed the Autobots observing the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicon]]s deep core drilling project. He alerted Megatron to the spies, and the Decepticons rose to the surface to drive off the snoops. {{storylink|The Core}} When the Decepticons assaulted the [[Nova Power Plant]], Soundwave released Laserbeak and Buzzsaw to torment the Autobots. Instead, [[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] and Jazz were overjoyed at being part of an "overgrown turkey shoot", and they blasted Laserbeak out of the sky. Laserbeak was also briefly taken over by [[Bombshell (G1)|Bombshell]]'s [[cerebro-shell]]s when the Insecticons were at odds with Megatron, but soon recovered. {{storylink|The Insecticon Syndrome}}

[[File:MMP1 berger and laserbeak.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|"Jerry, you are my favourite."]]
Stationed outside the Autobot base, Soundwave learned of the prehistoric [[Dinobot Island (G1)|Dinobot Island]] and its potential for rich sources of energy. At Megatron's behest, he dispatched Laserbeak to follow [[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] and the Dinobots to the island and observe. {{storylink|Dinobot Island, Part 1}} One time, he got "over-energized" and crashed beak-first into a sand dune. Did a nice loop-the-loop, though. {{storylink|Microbots}}

[[File:MMP2 laserbeak wanna cracker.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|"I can't take it anymore! If I gotta choke down on one more of those moldy, disgusting crackers. Bam! Whack!"]]
Megatron's next plan involved some masterful manipulation of the power-hungry human named [[Shawn Berger]]. Laserbeak snuck himself into Burger's office in cassette mode, then retrieved the human for a friendly chat with Megatron on a nearby hillside. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1}} When the Decepticons' plan to turn the people of Earth against the Autobots succeeded, they briefly acted as "friends of the Earth" for Megatron's amusement. Laserbeak and the cassettes went to a local teen dance with Soundwave to mingle with the fleshlings. One of the kids asked if "Laserbeak wanna cracker". Never has a giant, speechless robot bird conveyed so much raw hatred with a single look. {{storylink|Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2}}

When the Decepticons got involved in a massive scheme with the Insecticons, the Autobots attempted to acquire some [[robotic insecticide]] to use against the enemy. Laserbeak reported their search back to Megatron, who became interested in acquiring the insecticide himself, in case the Insecticons ever proved troublesome. {{storylink|Quest for Survival}} After receiving a distress signal from [[Deceptitran]], the Decepticons arrived to help stop the revolt of the [[Tlalakan (species)|Tlalakans]]. Laserbeak performed some reconnaissance, and uncovered the Autobot allies of the Tlalakans. He also located the secret city of the Tlalakans after a raiding party hit Deceptitran's temple. {{storylink|Sea Change}}

[[File:StarscreamsBrigade laserbeak carries screamer.jpg|thumb|It's not a question a where he grips it! It's a question of weight ratios!]]
Laserbeak's keen observational skills failed him when the Autobots disguised themselves as Stunticons in order to get close to Megatron and his latest scheme. His sensors were unable to penetrate the [[camouflage paint]] they used to hide their true identities. {{storylink|Masquerade}} After Megatron infected the Autobots with the [[Cosmic Rust (disease)|cosmic rust]] virus, Laserbeak infiltrated the Ark to bring back visuals of their enemies' suffering. {{storylink|Cosmic Rust (episode)|Cosmic Rust}} When Starscream finally mouthed off one time too many, Megatron finally kicked him out of the house. Soundwave sent Laserbeak to unceremoniously drop Starscream on an island near Guadalcanal. {{storylink|Starscream's Brigade}}

{{quote|Unlike [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|some]] of my other warriors you never fail [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|me]].|Megatron|''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]''}}

[[File:TFTM laserbeaks findings.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Maybe if Autobot Command didn't have so many open windows...]]
One of Laserbeak's greatest claims to fame was that he was partly responsible for the [[Battle of Autobot City]] in [[2005]]. By that point, the Decepticons had succeeded in conquering Cybertron, but the Autobots retained two of its moons and a large force on [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]. Laserbeak was dispatched to spy on [[Moonbase One]], where he overheard Optimus Prime order a supply ship to acquire [[energon]] for an upcoming assault. Laserbeak took the information back to Megatron, who hijacked the shuttle and used it to attack Autobot City. The battle ultimately resulted in the fatal wounding of Megatron, who was cast adrift in space on the Decepticons' return trip to Cybertron; when the Decepticons began arguing among themselves over who should become the next leader, Soundwave ejected Laserbeak and his other cassettes to fight for his honor. {{storylink|The Transformers: The Movie}}
{{note|Laserbeak’s involvement in these events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the comic mini-series "[[Transformers: The Animated Movie]]" and the storybook "[[Transformers the Movie (Ladybird adaptation)|Transformers the Movie]]."}}

Later in 2005, during the Decepticons' attempt to prevent a replacement [[transformation cog|transforming cog]] to the Autobot city of [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], Laserbeak was deployed alongside [[Thrust (G1)|Thrust]] from within the Decepticons' own city-bot, [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], to investigate the crash site of the cog's courier, [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]]. They discovered that Sky Lynx and his passengers had survived, and Laserbeak swooped in to take out the cog's carrier [[Blurr (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blurr]], only to be foiled by a bit of lateral passing. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

In [[2006]], when [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] and [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] threatened to mutiny over the continued insane leadership of [[Galvatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Galvatron]], Laserbeak sided with the would-be rebels. Forced into action by their threats, [[Cyclonus (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cyclonus]] sought psychiatric aid for Galvatron on [[Torkulon]]. The therapy did nothing to improve Galvatron's demeanour, but nevertheless, the mutiny never happened. {{storylink|Webworld}}

==Japanese cartoon continuity==
{{note|The events of American cartoon continuity, as detailed above, occur in the Japanese timeline, except the events of 2006 are pushed back to [[2010]]. The Japanese continuity proceeds to insert many new storylines and events in, around, before and after the events of the Generation 1 cartoon, as covered below.}}

===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' story pages===
Laserbeak was one of the Decepticons who attacked New York City early in their conflict with the Autobots on Earth. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 1|Broadcasting on TV! Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers}}

Later, Laserbeak accompanied Soundwave when he spied on the Autobots, and discovered they were having a race across a rocky canyon. Laserbeak helped Soundwave ambush the Autobots, but was taken out by Jazz for his trouble. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (story page)#Part 2|Anime Theater: Sic 'em, Hound!}}

===Scramble City===
When the Decepticons detected unusual energy readings, Megatron had Soundwave dispatch his Cassettes to report on the situation. Ravage, Laserbeak, and [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] found the Autobots' [[Metroplex (G1)|Scramble City]] construction project, but were spotted by [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]. Ravage and Laserbeak distracted [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]] and [[Ramhorn (G1)|Ramhorn]] while Ratbat infiltrated further into the Autobot base. {{storylink|Scramble City: Mobilization}}

===Full Throttle Scramble Power!===
[[File:Fullthrottlescramblepower decepticon raids.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4]]

When the Decepticons wreaked havoc across the Earth with their new [[Omega Wave Cannon]] , Laserbeak was among the Decepticons out and about gathering up energy the devastation had created.{{storylink|Full Throttle Scramble Power!}}

{{-}}

===''The Battle of the Star Gate''===
Laserbeak transmitted to Soundwave footage of Optimus Prime testing out the human/Autobot newest joint invention, the [[C-X]]. {{storylink|Divided Views}}

===Controverse===
At the trial of [[Primacron]], Laserbeak and the Decepticons crashed the proceedings after the verdict was rendered. Unfortunately, Primacron broke free and used a whistle to take control of all the Primitives in range, including Laserbeak, Ravage, the Autobot [[Stripes]], and the [[Sharkticon (species)|Sharkticon]]s. {{storylink|Controverse}}

===''The Headmasters'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Ken Yamaguchi]] (Japanese)|[[Roberto Alexander]] (Latin American)}}

[[File:MysteryPlanetMaster LaserbeakHead.JPG|left|upright=1.4|thumb|Such devotion.]]
In the year 2011, when [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hot Rod]] was searching the Earth for the missing [[Matrix of Leadership]], Soundwave ambushed him at the North Pole and deployed Laserbeak and Buzzsaw to draw his fire while he attempted to shoot the Autobot in the back. Blaster and his cassettes intervened, and in the ensuing battle, Soundwave and Blaster destroyed each other. Laserbeak swooped in to recover Soundwave's head, while the other airborne cassettes recovered as many of his pieces as they could, taking them back to Chaar. {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}}

The Decepticon [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] leader [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] used the technology of planet [[Master (planet)|Master]] to restore Soundwave to life as Soundblaster; Laserbeak and all the other cassettes watched over the reconstruction process, and cheered at their master's revival. Soundblaster was immediately put to work remote-controlling the magnetic [[Madmachine]], and when Blaster—now rebuilt as Twincast—arrived to try and stop him, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ratbat attempted to fend him off. Twincast sent out his own [[Autobot Mini-Cassette|cassettes]] to keep them busy as he successfully saw his mission through. {{storylink|The Great Cassette Operation}}

[[File:HMep12 laserbeak audble gleam.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|A bird's-eye view.]]
Laserbeak later spied on the Autobot base on [[Athenia]], observing as the Autobots [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] headed off to Earth to deal with an erupting volcano. He and Soundblaster presented this information to Scorponok, who considered it all part of his plan. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} Soundblaster's standing in the intelligence game proceeded to slip a bit, however, as the new recruit [[Punch (G1)|Counterpunch]] suddenly started providing enemy intel that neither Laserbeak nor any of Soundblaster's cassettes could dig up a trace of. Suitably miffed at the whole affair, Laserbeak and Ravage spied on a meeting between Scorponok and Counterpunch, and went to kick up a fuss with Soundblaster about the matter. Laserbeak advocated getting straight to work trying to put the newbie in his place by upstaging him, and the team all headed to Earth to try to dig up some new info. {{storylink|Return of the Immortal Emperor}}

Laserbeak and the other cassettes later patrolled the area around the Decepticon base on [[Master (planet)|Master]], alongside a few Decepticon [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]] partners. {{storylink|Operation: Destroy the Decepticons}}

===''Legends'' comic===
In 2021, Laserbeak came with Soundblaster when the Decepticons traveled to the [[Legends World]] and allied with [[Tera-Kura Co.]] in order to get new bodies. Acquiring a new smart device body, he was deployed to spy on the Autobots and [[Axalon Trading Company]] as they worked on their own [[transtector]] project, then brought the data back to Tera-Kura where [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] used it to build a body for [[Skullcruncher (G1)|Skullcruncher]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 22|Bonus Edition Vol. 22}} He also a discovered a secret entrance that allowed [[Weirdwolf (G1)|Weirdwolf]] to infiltrate the [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Battleship Maximus]]. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 31|Bonus Edition Vol. 31}} Laserbeak was deployed by Soundwave during a battle with [[Devil Z]] and helped [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] distract the entity while Ravage freed Megatron from his control. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 36|Bonus Edition Vol. 36}}

When Soundwave left the Decepticons to pursue his own goals, Laserbeak secretly remained at Tera-Kura to loyally watch over Megatron, intervening when [[Apeface]] attempted to overthrow him. Laserbeak used his new tank mode to whisk Megatron away to the city, where he helped defeat Apeface by ensnaring him with his headphone cables, connecting him to the Galvatron [[transtector]] and short-circuiting it with an energy blast. He then remained with Megatron to keep an eye on Apeface. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 38|Bonus Edition Vol. 38}} Laserbeak later spied on the Scorponok loyalists secretly reconstructing [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and delivered his footage to Megatron. {{storylink|LG43 Trypticon Mobilization Chapter: Decepticon Civil War|Decepticon Civil War}} Laserbeak remained with Megatron after he became the city's mayor, being by his side during an invasion of [[Kickback (G1)|Kickback]] clones. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 47|Bonus Edition Vol. 47}} When the [[Concurrence]] took over Tera-Kura Co., Laserbeak spied on them and reported their method of brainwashing [[Megatron (BW)|Beast Megatron]] back to Soundwave. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 63|Bonus Edition Vol. 63}} He was also present during the battle with [[Majin Zarak]]. {{storylink|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One|Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part One}}

===''Generations Selects Special Comic''===
In [[2050]], the Decepticons supported the rebellion of the [[Selector]]s against their human masters. The Dinobots supported the humans, and Laserbeak was damaged fighting against [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]]. {{storylink|Volcanicus comic 2}}

==''TV Magazine'' comic continuity==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' comic===
In Japan, Soundwave and his Cassettes made an attack on the lone Autobot scout, [[Bumblebee (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Bumblebee]]. Bumblebee dodged their first attack, and so Laserbeak and his partners went chasing after him. Bumblebee circled back, however, damaging Soundwave's chest compartment so the Cassettes couldn't hide. Laserbeak got caught trying to re-enter his boss, and [[Cliffjumper (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Cliffjumper]] ripped out his magnetic tape instead. Harsh. {{storylink|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 2|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #2}}

===''The Headmasters'' comic===
After Soundblaster crash-landed following his encounter with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]'s "Master Chrome Hurricane-Throw to the End of Hell" attack, Laserbeak and the other animal cassettes (minus [[Slugfest (G1)|Slugfest]] and [[Overkill (G1)|Overkill]]) stood stoicly over his groggy form while [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] and [[Frenzy (G1)|Frenzy]] panicked at the approach of [[Sixshot (G1)|Sixshot]]. {{storylink|The Headmasters issue 8|The Headmasters #8}}

==''Transformers Legends'' anthology==
Laserbeak and Ravage spied on Starscream after the Seeker's latest falling out with Megatron, and watched Starscream fall off a mountain. After reporting back to Soundwave, they spied some more and got footage of Starscream acting chummy with the Autobots. It was only after he spotted Laserbeak, that the amnesiac Starscream finally regained his memory. {{storylink|Redemption Center}}

==''Wings Universe''==
{{wingsnote}}
Laserbeak was the first [[Decepticon Mini-Cassette|Recordicon]] and was altered from a normal [[Cryo-Condor]] to a full [[Transformer]] capable of changing into a standard [[Datatrax wafer]]. {{storylink|The Transformers Menagerie issue 1|Menagerie #1}}

==Ask Vector Prime==
In the year 2005, Laserbeak was spying on the Autobots on Moonbase One. Abruptly, the universe blipped, thanks to a pair of [[Gong (GoBots)|mischief]]-[[Sideways (RID)|makers]], and Laserbeak's role in the war was overwritten by [[Snoop (GoBots)|Snoop]]. {{storylink|Echoes and Fragments}}

==''Deviations''==
In a universe where Optimus Prime killed Megatron during the Battle of Autobot City, Laserbeak retreated alongside Soundwave back to the safety of Astrotrain. {{storylink|Transformers: Deviations|Deviations}}

[[Category:Generation 1 cartoon Decepticons]]
[[Category:Generations Selects Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legends Decepticons]]
[[Category:Mini-Cassettes]]
[[Category:Second Cybertron Alliance]]
[[Category:The Headmasters Decepticons]]

Safeguard (Animated)

2023-07-05T20:57:20Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|autobot|eliteguard}}
{{disambig3|Safeguard}}
:''Safeguard is an [[Autobot]] [[combiner]] from the [[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Safeguardanimatedboxart.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Tide Pod power!]]

When flight schematics downloaded from [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] were infused into [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]] and [[Jetstorm (Animated)|Jetstorm]], '''Safeguard''', their "[[combiner|gestalt]] [[powerlinx|powerlink]]" form, was an unexpected result!

Though Safeguard combines the twins' bodies to further enhance their already-impressive combat capabilities, it does not appear to be a melding of their minds. Instead, both twins work in complete synchronization in this form. Unfortunately, both twins are cocky, brash showoffs who are only partially in control over their own powers... which makes Safeguard a potentially very dangerous robot to everyone around him.

Safeguard has both a robot mode and a super jet mode.
{{quote|Its time to..
DOUBLE UP!|Jetfire and Jetstorm about to turn the [[combiner|tides]]|"[[Where Is Thy Sting]]"}}
{{TOCclear}}
==Fiction==
===''Animated'' cartoon===
{{Idw-tfa}}
[[Image:Safeguardriseofsafeguard.jpg|left|300px|thumb|He also leaps to the right.]]
{{voiceactor|[[Tom Kenny]] and [[Phil LaMarr]] (English), [[Wataru Takagi]] and [[Kappei Yamaguchi]] (Japanese)|[[Frédéric Popovic]] and [[Vincent Violette]] (French)}}

''While fighting Starscream during a simulated mission, an angered Jetstorm and Jetfire suddenly combined into the mighty Safeguard! After dodging a blast from Starscream by dividing in two, he (they?) joined into a combined jet mode and melted the simulated Starscream into nothing. Impressed by their skills, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] instructed them to accompany [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] and [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] in pursuing the escaped Autobot fugitive [[Wasp]] to [[Earth]]. {{storylink|First (and Second) in Flight}}''

[[Image:WhereIsThySting-obligatorymisunderstanding.jpg|right|thumb|Your Autobot symbols are in FULL VIEW! Come ''ON!'']]

Upon arrival on Earth, Jetstorm and Jetfire were sent on an aerial search of [[Detroit]], but things went bad when their power of flight caused [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] to mistake the twins for Decepticons. A fight broke out between them, during which Jetfire and Jetstorm merged into Safeguard and floored Ratchet with a flying kick. Just as Optimus Prime tackled the combined twins, Sentinel Prime and Jazz arrived to interrupt the fight and explain that Prime's opponents were actually Autobots. {{storylink|Where Is Thy Sting?}}

When Sentinel Prime was captured by [[Ramjet (Animated)|one of Starscream's clones]], the twins merged into Safeguard to save their commander. Unfortunately, the clone just used Sentinel as a shield to block their attacks, and Safeguard wound up nailing Sentinel right in the gearbox. {{storylink|Five Servos of Doom}}

[[Image:SafeguardJetMode PredaconsRising.jpg|left|240px|thumb|The toy doesn't look ''half'' this good.]]
In order to follow [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]] and [[Wasp]] to [[Dinobot Island (Animated)|Dinobot Island]], the twins combined into Safeguard's jet form and lowered a magnetic grappler with which to carry Sentinel Prime. Unfortunately for Sentinel, they kind of forgot he was there when they reached the island, and ended up dragging him through the water for a few yards. {{storylink|Predacons Rising (Animated)|Predacons Rising}} The twins would later form the combined jet mode once again to create a whirlwind in a brief fight with Decepticons in space.{{storylink|Decepticon Air}}
{{-}}

===''The Cool'' comic===
[[Image:SafeguardTheCool.jpg|thumb|right|200px| Symmetrical Docking!]]
After pursuing [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] all the way to [[Earth]], Jetfire and Jetstorm finally forced him into ground-level combat in the city of [[Detroit]]. Though their small stature proved effective against the massive brute, they decided to combine into Safeguard, the Elite Guard Super Speed Warrior, anyway. Safeguard proceeded to go toe-to-toe with Blackout, creating a battleground too hazardous for the other Decepticons to remain, forcing them into retreat. {{storylink|The Cool Episode 4}}
{{-}}
===''Legends'' comic===
Together with Jazz, Safeguard attempted to apprehend [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]], only to be blasted apart into Jetfire and Jetstorm by the fleeing Decepticon. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 16|Bonus Edition Vol. 16}}

==Toys==
===''Animated''===
[[Image:Safeguardanimatedtoy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|[[Rack'n'Ruin (G1)|Rack'n'Ruin]], eat your hearts out.]]
*'''Jetfire and Jetstorm''' (Entertainment Pack, 2008)

:''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Animated]]'' Safeguard is a symmetrical-style [[combiner]], one of the first instances of such in the ''Transformers'' brand (though [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] had already used the concept extensively in ''King of [[Brave (franchise)|Braves]] GaoGaiGar''). Jetfire forms his right half, while Jetstorm forms his left half.

:Safeguard is one of the few combiners who also has a separate vehicle mode from the combined parts. Unfortunately, it's just Jetstorm's and Jetfire's alt modes combined at the bottom to form a "super jet".

:He has a rather frustrating problem in that his crotch won't stay assembled in gestalt form.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Safeguard/safeguard.htm More information on Safeguard at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
[[File:TFA-JP-Jetfire-Jetstorm-Safeguard-packaging-arts.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''Switch on! One! Two! Three!'']]
*'''Jetfire''' (Deluxe Class, 2010)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''TA-21'''
*'''Jetstorm''' (Deluxe Class, 2010)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''TA-22'''
*'''Elite Guard Supersonic Warrior Safeguard''' (2-pack, 2010)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''G'''

:TakaraTomy's release of Safeguard can be obtained through purchasing both Jetfire and Jetstorm, available either as individually-packed deluxes or as a 2-pack like the Hasbro release, though the 2-pack retailed for ''slightly'' less than buying the two individual deluxes.
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:TFA Jetfire Jetstorm concept.jpg|right|200px|thumb|CHEEKS!]]
*Safeguard is the only combiner to appear in ''Animated''.
* Jetfire and Jetstorm's fire/wind theme has its roots in some of the earliest concepts of ''Animated''. [[Sean Galloway]], who had been commissioned to do early concept work for the series, revealed several pieces of this concept art long before the "final" [[Derrick J. Wyatt|Derrick Wyatt]]-designed characters were shown. Among these images were a pair of "fire and wind" robots who have a few features that made it into the jet-twins' final designs.
* In addition to the fire/wind theme, the twins' method of combination is seemingly an intentional homage to Hyōryū and Enryū/Chōryūjin from the final installment of Takara's ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave]] Series'', ''King of Braves GaoGaiGar''. The split two-color gridlines in the background of their combination are also evocative of the Raker brothers' combination sequence from ''Brave Exkaiser''.
* In the early stages of the toy's development, the end of the twins' combined vehicle mode was supposed to split apart and wings were supposed to slide out of the shins, so that the combined mode resembled an [[Luke Skywalker|X-wing fighter]]. However, this did not appear in the released instructions because the toy can't take the form without disconnecting the legs of Jetfire and Jetstorm.
{{-}}

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Safeguard''' (セーフガード ''Sēfugādo'')

[[Category:Animated Autobots]]
[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Elite Guard]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]

Alexis Thi Dang

2023-07-05T15:27:12Z

Yourstocksystem2004: I added the character's other interests and traits.

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=E27 earthfederationlogo.png|cSize=35x35px|cLink=Earth Federation}}}}
:''Alexis is a [[human]] from the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family]].''

[[File:Armada Alexis character model.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And once I'm elected, I'll legalize everything! Bar anything illegal.]]
'''Alexis Thi Dang''' wants to be [[President of the United States|President]] when she grows up. Why does she think she's qualified? Running the free world has got to be less troublesome than keeping her friends [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] and [[Rad White|Rad]] from killing themselves every day. Despite her egotistical attitude towards others, she has also been known to even trust and care for the [[Decepticon|Decepticon]] warrior, [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], and mini-con friend [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]]. Alexis also carries around a [[Good Luck Necklace|necklace]] made of rocks from [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] or [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. Regardless of the origin, she thinks of it as a good luck charm.

{{bigquote|"Once I become President, I'll change all that, you'll see! I'll put an end to the misuse of public property, and then I'll work on saving the environment, and I'll end world hunger!"|Alexis's grand future plan "[[Underground]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Armada'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Tabitha St. Germain]] (English), [[Akira Tomisaka]] (Japanese)|[[Anke Kortemeier]] (German), [[Mia Kihl]] (Swedish), [[Elodie Ben]] (French), [[Rebeca Aponte]] (Spanish - Latin America), [[Belén Rodríguez]] (Spanish - Spain), [[Domitilla D'Amico]] (Italian), [[Jenni Laakso]] (Finnish), [[Ana Paula Martins]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:ArmadaAlexis.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Get used to this, girlfriend.]]
One day, [[Rad White|Rad]] and [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] invited Alexis to go exploring the caverns deep beneath [[Cosmoscope Research Center]] with them. Alexis turned them down, saying she needed to study for a math test. In her absence, Rad and Carlos found the remains of a wrecked spaceship as well as a [[Mini-Con storage panel]]. By activating it, they caused the entire structure to shake.

Alexis felt the tremors at home and used her computer to pinpoint the apparent earthquake's epicenter as the mountain caverns that Rad and Carlos were exploring. Similarly, the scientists and researchers at the observatory were baffled by the sudden movement of the Earth. As Rad and Carlos made their escape with the artifact, a bright light engulfed the chamber they were in, simultaneously shutting down all electronic equipment in Lincoln, including Alexis's computer, as well as emitting three distinctly colored distress signals beams into the sky.

One beam, green, reached an [[Exodus (Armada)|ancient starship wreck]] on the dark side of the moon, causing it to fire hundreds of smaller beams of green light at the [[Earth]]. The two remaining signal beams, colored red and purple, continued deep into space until it reached [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

Alexis elected to go out and check up on the two boys and came upon them just in time to see a huge glowing purple sphere of pulsating energy solidify into a huge robot. This being was [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], supreme leader of the evil [[Decepticon]]s. As he tried to take the object that Rad found, which had now revealed itself to be [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], a sought-after [[Mini-Con]], suddenly another massive robot ordered Megatron to stand down. He was [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], leader of the heroic [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

The kids attempted to flee on High Wire but were stopped by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]]'s arrival. Demolishor tried to grab the kids, but [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]'s arrival saved them. Rad fled back into the cave, calling Carlos and Alexis after him. Rad was sure they'd be safe there, but Alexis was concerned that the bigger robots might still follow them. High Wire led the three into a smaller room, to Alexis' further distress; Rad and Carlos, however, assured her that they'd be safer there. He accessed the ship's computer, and the kids learned about the Transformer conflict.

At this point, High Wire activated a hidden storage panel, revealing [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] and [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]], who bonded to Carlos and Alexis. They took their new friends out to play in the woods but ran into Megatron. The timely arrival of Optimus Prime initially seemed to Rad and Carlos to make things worse, but when Alexis declared she trusted the giant Autobot, the boys acknowledged they did so as well.

Optimus Prime took them into his cab and sped off to a distant location, where he set them down. Unfortunately, Megatron had followed close behind, and so Optimus had to combine with his [[trailer]] to fight him off. {{storylink|Metamorphosis (Armada)|Metamorphosis}} The commanders' battle caused a landslide to fall on the kids, but Hot Shot shielded them. They then dug up some more Mini-Cons, though Cyclonus stole two of those. The Decepticons retreated, and so the kids and robots made proper introductions.

The next day at school, [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] grilled the trio over recent earthquakes; Rad and Carlos played dumb, while Alexis pointed out that if there were an earthquake, the news would have mentioned it. When Billy asked where Rad got his new bike, Rad claimed it was a birthday present from his grandmother. He and Carlos headed on up to the mountain; on the way, Alexis chewed them out for almost blowing their cover.

At the Autobots' base, Optimus Prime presented them with [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] to aid them with their reconnaissance work; right then, another Mini-Con was detected {{storylink|Base}} in the [[Grand Canyon|Big Canyon]]. The kids ran out with the Autobots and got spiffy new adventure suits on the way.

When they got to the canyon, Alexis and Hot Shot sped off, forgetting Rad behind. They came back, though, Alexis explaining she had gotten lost in a moment of exhilaration. Hot Shot then sped off as fast as he could over the rough terrain, severely shaking up the two humans. Rad sent Laserbeak off to find the Mini-Con and was himself chided by Alexis for being a coward.

[[File:Comrade Autobotuniforms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|My suit guaranteed wedgie-free]]
When the Mini-Con was finally found, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream simultaneously tried to claim it. Thankfully, High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock combined into [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]], and managed to hold off both Megatron and Starscream. Optimus Prime claimed the Mini-Con—who turned out to be his old partner, [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]—and the kids helped dig up Hot Shot from where he'd gotten himself buried. {{storylink|Comrade}}

Later, they played tag with Hot Shot, which got him in trouble with Optimus Prime as he was supposed to be helping Red Alert install some equipment. The kids then went to find a new Mini-Con in [[Antarctica]], where Rad and Alexis rode in Red Alert while Carlos went with Hot Shot. Red Alert ended up having to save all three kids after Carlos nearly fell into a crevice. {{storylink|Soldier (episode)|Soldier}}

Rad later came up with the sensible notion of bringing some camping supplies to the Autobot base if they ever had to stay the night. Though Alexis and Carlos taunted him over how many rations he elected to bring, they helped him set up nonetheless. Then, another Mini-Con was detected, and so the good guys all warped over to a forest. There, Alexis helped Rad educate the Autobots on the importance of keeping the environment as-is.

During this mission, the Decepticons started a forest fire. Alexis helped herd the forest animals to a safer area and afterward aided in dousing the inferno. Unfortunately, with their forces divided to both fight the Decepticons and the forest fire, the Autobots failed to stop their enemies from making off with [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]]. Optimus Prime assured the children they had been right about prioritizing the forest, though. {{storylink|Jungle}}

Back at the base, the kids tried to wake up the dormant Mini-Con they'd found in Antarctica, but to no avail. The boys then snuck off to a carnival with the Mini-Cons. After a while, the boys tried to take the robots home, but it turned out that Billy and Fred were also at the carnival, and got suspicious. They tried to capture one of the Mini-Con, causing the entire situation to descend into a slapstick farce.

[[File:Palace-Security Eyes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Oh, god, it's the fanbase!]]
They were saved by the timely arrival of Hot Shot, Sureshock, and Alexis, who managed to get things under control, swore Billy and Fred to secrecy, and gave the lads a good scolding. As punishment, Alexis had Rad and Carlos clean up their quarters back at the base. {{storylink|Carnival}} The kids later accompanied the Autobots to the [[Sahara|Sahara Desert]] and fell into a sandpit after an altercation with Demolishor. They found themselves in an ancient temple, where ancient guardian robots attacked them, but fortunately, Demolishor was there to blow them up. Further into the temple, they found a Mini-Con storage panel; but fell into a trap trying to get to it. Perceptor was able to rescue them, and Hot Shot brought the whole group back to the surface. Unfortunately, as this was happening, Demolishor got the Mini-Con. {{storylink|Palace}}

The next day, back in America, Billy and Fred pursued the other three kids to the Autobot base. Rad, Carlos, and Alexis all tried to outrun them but soon had to split up when Cyclonus attempted to capture them. Cyclonus didn't get any of the Autobots' allies, so he captured Billy and Fred instead, intending to hold them for ransom. They tracked Laserbeak to a ghost town, where the kids tried to rescue the bullies, but all ended up being captured by Megatron, who demanded Optimus Prime hand over all the Autobots' Mini-Cons in exchange for the children's lives. Optimus Prime went through with it, but Megatron naturally reneged on the deal. However, Rad was able to use Laserbeak to free all the other humans, and Hot Shot was able to rescue Rad with Fred's surprising help. {{storylink|Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation}}

Alexis, Rad, and Carlos watched Red Alert and Hot Shot fixing up some computer systems when another Mini-Con was detected. The signal pointed the Autobots to a disused subway system, and Alexis helped search the tunnels in areas the larger Autobots couldn't reach. During the search, Alexis became frustrated over the condition of the tunnels they were in and went on a rant on how she would stop the misappropriations of public funds once she became president. She swore to save the environment and end world hunger too! For the moment, though, she had to settle with helping rescue the Mini-Con. Once the children had gotten ahold of the panel, [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] crossed their path, and they mistook him for a Decepticon. Trying to escape him, they encountered the real Decepticon. Smokescreen revealed his true colors just in time to rescue Alexis and the others from being crushed under a pile of rubble. {{storylink|Underground (episode)|Underground}}

After that, the Autobots received a transmission from [[Atlantis]], and the team searched for yet another Mini-Con. At the bottom of the ocean, they once more came under attack from the Decepticons. Alexis, Carlos, and Rad explored the ruins while the Transformers fought outside. All the while, Alexis was also astounded by the boys' obsession with a [[Amphitrite|holographic girl]]. 'Amphitrite' gave them a canned history of Atlantis, focusing on how its inhabitants used the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] to dominate the world, and were eventually defeated by another civilization who wielded the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]. Leader-1 managed to grab hold of it, though removing the panel caused the city to begin collapsing. The kids were forced to flee with the Autobots to escape drowning on the ocean bottom. {{storylink|Ruin}} Afterwards, Alexis noted that Rad was feeling troubled. When she pressed him, Rad admitted to Optimus that he had begun to feel ill-at-ease with the Mini-Cons being used by the Autobots in their war. The Autobot team was then called away to fight for another Mini-Con panel on a volcanic island. While the robots were fighting, Alexis was gung-ho to search for the panel, but Rad suggested using Laserbeak instead. After the kids barely avoided being cooked by a volcanic eruption, the Autobots managed to acquire the island's Mini-Con panel. {{storylink|Prehistory}}

After that adventure, the trio decided to give Billy and Fred a tour of the Autobot base, but they were separated when the Decepticons attacked. Since the bullies were in danger of the automatic defenses, said defenses were shut off, allowing the Decepticons to penetrate deeper into the base that anyone would have liked. To make matters worse, Alexis and the other kids were nearly taken by Cyclonus. However, after a battle, the Star Saber was reassembled and in the hands of Hot Shot, so the day ultimately turned out all right. {{storylink|Swoop (episode)|Swoop}}

The next day, Alexis and Sureshock went out shopping for groceries. Both Red Alert and Rad chided Alexis for bringing her Mini-Con out in public, but Alexis had taken care to disguise her in some winter clothes. She dismissed their concerns and instead turned the conversation to Carlos's habit of raiding their fridge at night. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

When Alexis tracked down the next Mini-Con, the trio, plus Billy and Fred, rushed off with the Autobots to cheer them on; Alexis rode in Red Alert. She was left behind alongside Grindor, Sureshock, and High Wire when things started to get heated. Alexis joined up with the other kids as [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] joined the fray, claiming to be an Autobot drifter. Thanks to his help, the Autobots acquired [[Spiral]]. Nonetheless, Alexis had misgivings about the new arrival. Back at the base, she and Rad discussed their suspicions but decided not to raise their misgivings with Optimus just in case their first impressions were false. {{storylink|Gale}}

When Hot Shot and Sideways were warped to the Decepticons' base, Alexis worried whether they would return safely. Some of the other kids were certain that while the Star Saber was in his possession, Hot Shot could handle anything the evil robots could throw at him. This turned out to be false; Alexis witnessed Hot Shot return to Autobot headquarters barely alive, minus his sword and partner; Sideways had betrayed the Autobots! {{storylink|Credulous}}

[[File:Conspiracy-Welcome back.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
With Hot Shot feeling naturally depressed about this disaster, all five kids tried to cheer him up by making silly faces. They also helped the Autobots on their search for the next Mini-Con, and managed to find it at the same time as [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]], and after a scuffle, it was taken by Scavenger for the Decepticons. However, soon after, Scavenger came over to the Autobots and revealed he had been a double agent all along. {{storylink|Conspiracy}}

In the aftermath of Sideways's betrayal, the trio wasn't exactly eager to trust Scavenger. He seemed to be more interested in sleeping than mentoring Hot Shot, but when the kids tried to raise this with Optimus Prime, his explanation was cut short by still detecting another Mini-Con. The Autobots warped off somewhere with a lot of snow while the kids observed from back at base. Scavenger heroically saved Optimus Prime's life, very nearly plunging to his own [[death]], so the kids (and Smokescreen) apologized to him for their earlier suspicions when he got back, Scavenger accepted with characteristic stoicism. {{storylink|Trust (Armada)|Trust}}

When the boys decided to go on a camping trip with the Autobots, they forgot to tell Alexis. Hurt over being left out, Alexis furiously declared that she never wanted to go anyway. When Red Alert and Carlos were caught in a mudslide, Sureshock and Alexis coordinated Autobot activities from the base, desperately standing by for any good news. Although she was frantic with worry while they were in danger, Alexis didn't forget she was angry at the boys when they got back to base. {{storylink|Vacation}}

All five kids observed the battle in which [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] made his first appearance. They tried to make friends with the new arrival, but he turned out to belong to the monosyllabic loner school of heroism. Nonetheless, Alexis proclaimed that she was "a fan of his attitude." When his and Hot Shot's attitudes led to the Decepticons getting their servos on [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]], Alexis and Rad gave Hot Shot a talking down for letting his competitiveness get the better of him. The loss did also cause Blurr to mellow out, however, and the kids were glad to see that Hot Shot and Blurr formed a friendship later that evening. {{storylink|Reinforcement}}

The next day, Blurr and Hot Shot trained together while the kids watched. They also congratulated Smokescreen for succeeding in a test where Hot Shot failed, even though Hot Shot only failed because he competed with Blurr while trying to dodge the obstacles.

This session was interrupted when Megatron challenged all the Autobots to a final, decisive battle. Due to the danger, the kids were left at the base to watch the proceedings from afar. Megatron would have won if Optimus Prime hadn't managed to get his hands on the Skyboom Shield, and when the Star Saber was used against the shield, a mighty light was released, which Rad and Alexis recognized as the same one that they had seen when Rad awoke High Wire. This light streaked off into space to awaken [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

Despite this victory, Optimus Prime decided the situation was too dangerous for the kids and barred them from the base. Frustrated, they wandered off but were soon joined by the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], who had received a transmission from the Decepticon-allied Mini-Cons on the Moon. While Rad and Fred went to tell Optimus Prime, the rest of the kids and the Mini-Cons headed to the location where the Decepticon-allied Mini-Cons were supposed to warp in. However, the transmission turned out to be a trap orchestrated by Megatron, seeking to divide and conquer. Rad, Fred, and four of the Autobots were teleported to various locations worldwide, leaving Alexis, Carlos, and Billy behind. Finding herself unable to contact Laserbeak, Alexis hurried back to the base to tell Red Alert and Scavenger about the situation. She then tried to re-establish contact with Laserbeak, which she did, just as Optimus Prime was persuading Megatron's Mini-Cons to convert to the Autobots' side. She was able to get all the rest of the Autobots to Prime's location, where they successfully drove off Megatron. {{storylink|Vow}}

After that adventure, the kids were allowed back into the base, though no longer on missions. Alexis got stroppy when Carlos complained about boredom, while Rad tried to keep the two from murdering each other. Despite not being at the front of the action, the war would still impinge on their lives when Sideways hacked the Autobots' computer system. Despite Rad and Alexis' best efforts, Sideways's virus quickly took control of the base and projected himself into it. The trio, faced with no other options, resorted to physically smashing the terminals, which granted them a brief reprieve.

However, this relief proved to be short-lived when Sideways sucked the kids' minds and their partner Mini-Cons into a cyberspace landscape of his devising. Rad and Carlos enjoyed the lack of gravity in this new realm for a while before Sideways's digital avatar appeared to them and tried to claim their Mini-Cons.

Back at the base, Billy and Fred tried to wake the trio up. Meanwhile, in cyberspace, the kids and Mini-Cons fled Sideways and discovered that all they saw was just an elaborate illusion. Sideways managed to capture Sureshock, but then Alexis realized that since he had gone to so much effort, he wasn't in control of this illusion - and also that he couldn't harm them.

[[File:Screenshot-arm-24-1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|Ever had one of those days were you felt so...negative?]]
At this, Sideways panicked and made a desperate bid to take the Mini-Cons, but the kids' lack of belief in the world they saw put paid to that plan. At that point, a massive force of evil manifested in cyberspace - Unicron, the one entity Sideways feared! The kids fled back to the meatspace through a portal opened by Red Alert, leaving Sideways to his master's mercies. {{storylink|Chase (episode)|Chase}}

When Fred tried to tell the others about strange lights seen recently in space, Alexis was the only one who seemed concerned. All the kids expressed relief when Sideways appeared on the battlefield during the next Mini-Con related skirmish, which meant he couldn't hack their system again. The Autobots won this battle, bringing [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] into the fold, and the kids were all there to welcome him when they took him back to base. {{storylink|Tactician}}

In a subsequent battle, Optimus Prime was seriously injured, forcing Jetfire to take command. None of the kids were impressed by the new guy's constant boasting. They also got a brief history lesson on battles the Autobots had lost due to Thrust's tactical genius; while Carlos was confident that Jetfire could easily counter Thrust, the others weren't so sure.

As it turned out, the kids were right about Jetfire, as his overconfidence nearly led to the Autobots being wiped out after he got himself caught in another of Thrust's ambushes. To his credit, Jetfire was contrite, saying he had learned his lesson and would be more cautious in the future. {{storylink|Linkup}}

The next day, the kids watched Jetfire and Smokescreen arm-wrestling, and Alexis confused Carlos by cheering for both. They also filled in Jetfire on who Sideways was and what he had previously done. Jetfire then displayed his cunning side by showing the kids a still of Sideways shooting down Cyclonus after Sideways had defected, which cast doubt on the turncoat's allegiance to the Decepticons. The kids tried to figure out what Sideways's deal was while the Autobots went to obtain yet another Mini-Con. {{storylink|Detection}}

While the Autobots were dealing with [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], two Mini-Cons were detected in addition to the one the Transformers were at the time explicitly fighting over. Alexis was confused by the location data, but after some analysis, she discovered that it was pointing at the Moon. At that point, Sideways mockingly congratulated her on her ingenuity and explained that these three Mini-Cons would unite to form the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]].

Meanwhile, the boys found the other Mini-Con, [[Sky Blast (Armada)|Sky Blast]], in the caves around the base. {{storylink|Awakening (Armada)|Awakening}} Alexis continued to coordinate the Autobots from the base. At the same time, Red Alert took Sky Blast, Carlos, and Rad to the battlefield in a bid to complete the Requiem Blaster. Their gamble eventually paid off: Sky Blast awoke both [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]] on the beach and [[Astroscope]] on the moon and the three Mini-Cons combined. Optimus Prime obtained the Requiem Blaster and used it to force the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Desperate}}

In light of this, the kids became concerned about the Mini-Cons' rights and took the [[Space Mini-Con Team]] out to a remote farmhouse where they could be safe. Thrust tracked them down, but he got caught in a set of traps the kids had rigged up, which stalled the Decepticon long enough for Optimus to come and save the day. After a passionate discussion of why the Mini-Cons should not be viewed as mere weapons, the kids and Mini-Cons both returned to base. {{storylink|Runaway}}

All the kids were present when [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] came to Earth and rather enthusiastically begged to fight alongside Blurr. The kids weren't impressed, so Billy and Fred went off to play a video game. Alexis berated them for wasting time and resources, and, ''purely'' in the interest of demonstrating how silly their game was, decided to play against them. {{storylink|Past}} Naturally enough, she turned out to be the best of the lot. {{storylink|Past II}}

Later, the kids stayed at the base with Red Alert when the Autobots went out to counter a Decepticon attack. However, this attack proved to be nothing more than a distraction posed by Starscream, while the rest of the 'Cons attacked the Autobot base in search of the Requiem Blaster. The kids ran for hiding before the Autobots warped back, and bore witness to Megatron obtaining the Blaster and using it on Smokescreen, apparently killing him. {{storylink|Sacrifice}} Smokescreen clung to life, if only barely, and Red Alert went to task fixing him. As they watched, the children were given a brief lesson in Cybertronian anatomy, specifically on what a [[Spark]] was. Afterward, Starscream joined the ranks of the Autobots. Though most of the kids were initially suspicious, Alexis was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. All the kids eventually welcomed him when they saw his attendant Mini-Cons genuinely looked up to him. {{storylink|Regeneration (Armada)|Regeneration}} Alexis took a particular shine to him, but Starscream dismissed her and the other human children, as he was only concerned with defeating [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The kids' favorable opinion of Starscream was further cemented when they watched him aid the Autobots to rescue the Decepticon-held Mini-Cons from the enemy's moonbase. {{storylink|Rescue}} Later, the kids asked Starscream to bring them back a souvenir when he and Jetfire traveled to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] in search of a Mini-Con panel. Despite his rude, lone-wolf demeanor, Starscream brought back a mysterious green rock for the kids, thus earning him a place in their hearts, in particular Alexis. {{storylink|Mars (episode)|Mars}} Alexis fashioned a pendant from this, which had a mysterious connection to Starscream's [[spark]].

[[File:Chamois WHY.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|How dare you? Do you have any idea how much of my sweat and blood went into that thing?]]
In return for his kindness, the kids threw Starscream a surprise party, sewing a large [[Chamois of Friendship]] out of several smaller rags. This gesture touched Starscream, but he unfortunately still had trouble adjusting to life with the Autobots. Rad, Alexis, and Carlos later took the [[Race Mini-Con Team]] out for a walk, inadvertently leading to Starscream being accused of stealing the Skyboom Shield for the Decepticons. Though the kids explained themselves to Hot Shot, the damage had been done, and Starscream abandoned both his gift and the Autobots when [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] duped him into returning to the Decepticons, ostensibly to destroy Megatron. {{storylink|Crack (episode)|Crack}} In the aftermath, Alexis and Rad tried to calm the more visibly enraged Billy and Carlos, and then they all went to their respective homes, where Alexis clutched her pendant and thought about Starscream.

The next day, all the kids returned to the base to discover the Autobots and their allied Mini-Cons working quickly to complete the ''[[Axalon (Armada)|Axalon]]'' to retrieve the Decepticons' Mini-Cons. The kids discussed Starscream a bit and decided never to speak of him again; Alexis was visibly upset but tried to hide it. At Fred's suggestion, they all went to see a comet to take their minds off things. Alexis, still upset over Starscream, told Rad she was going home as the others watched the skies. Walking alongside her, Rad tried to convince Alexis to stay with her friends. Then, the comet was destroyed by the Decepticons' newly completed [[Hydra Cannon]]. {{storylink|Threaten}} Rad and Alexis raced back to their friends, and all the kids just kind of stood around wondering what to do. {{storylink|Crisis (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Crisis kids standing around.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Hey, it's a Christian Rock album]]
As it turned out, the [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime's noble sacrifice]] thwarted the Decepticons. The kids all suffered heartfelt grief.

Over the next week, the Autobots busied themselves with completing the ''Axalon'', but Hot Shot and Scavenger soon came to blows. The kids were confused by this and watched from afar as the two fought on an abandoned highway. When the rest of the Autobots joined in abusing Hot Shot, the kids tried to persuade them that bullying their youngest member wouldn't help anything but were overruled by Red Alert, who insisted that they had to get this out of their system. It turned out Scavenger was trying to snap Hot Shot out of his depression. In due course, Hot Shot did come to terms with Optimus Prime's death, and everybody's morale was reinvigorated; it was raised so much so that Hot Shot was chosen as the Autobots' new commander. {{storylink|Remorse}}

Under Hot Shot's understandably unsteady command, the ''Axalon'' was soon completed and preparations made to depart for Cybertron. The kids were looking forward to seeing another planet and so were naturally miffed when Hot Shot told them that he was leaving them on Earth where it was safe. All the kids glumly returned home, but ever hopeful, Alexis packed her bags anyway and, along with Rad and Carlos, headed for the Autobot base the next morning.

When they arrived, Hot Shot once again insisted that it was too dangerous for them to come along. Upon hearing this, the Mini-Cons collectively rebelled and blocked all the ship's systems, refusing to budge until the kids were allowed on. Hot Shot relented, and the kids and Autobots blasted off into space. Alexis saw fit to only inform her parents about her departure via e-mail at the last possible moment. {{storylink|Depart}}

During the journey, the kids witnessed the arrival of thousands of new Mini-Cons and Optimus's rebirth, {{storylink|Miracle}} the conflict with [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], and the Mini-Con powered [[spontaneous recoloration|recoloration]] of several Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Puppet}}

Following a confrontation with the Decepticons, the Autobots arrived on Cybertron, only to find Galvatron had already conquered it. The Street Action Mini-Cons jumped out of their airlock to form a glowing green shield, which Alexis realized was to protect against Unicron. The Mini-Cons did return but soon tried to sneak down to Cybertron's surface. Though Carlos feared for their safety, Alexis and Rad favored letting them go down to the surface, as the little ones had a right to walk around on their home planet. {{storylink|Uprising (Armada)|Uprising}} With the Mini-Cons gone, the kids were left with nothing much to do but watch the lights of battle on the surface. They did try to stop Hot Shot from making a one-robot mission to the heart of the Decepticon stronghold to warn Galvatron about the impending threat of Unicron. Still, then Rad persuaded everyone to let him go ahead with it. {{storylink|Dash (episode)|Dash}}

[[File:Iceberg-anime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
They later received a message that Thrust had stolen the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster and was at that moment speeding towards the center of Cybertron, being pursued by Starscream, Hot Shot, and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]]. The trio teamed up with their partner Mini-Cons and joined in the chase, catching up to Starscream just as he confronted Thrust. Alexis called out Starscream's name, so Thrust decided to distract Starscream by shooting the humans with the Blaster. Starscream, remembering the kindness they had shown him when he defected, bravely leaped into the path of the Blaster, dying to save the kids.

Time got warped at that point, and the kids found themselves millions of years in the past, in an [[Splinter timeline|alternate timeline]]. They encountered Hot Shot, being trapped by semi-organic growth; Hot Shot revealed that Unicron had created the Mini-Cons, and the Transformers' use of them had led to the downfall of the entire race.

With that happy thought, the kids were sent back even further in time, where they witnessed the first Mini-Cons being spawned. Among these were High Wire, Sureshock, and Grindor. The kids' encounter with the Mini-Cons granted them with a burgeoning free will.

Finally, the kids were warped back to a few seconds before Thrust killed Starscream, allowing the Mini-Cons to combine into Perceptor and knock Thrust's aim off. Thrust's blast was redirected, saving Starscream. The ceiling then collapsed, but Starscream used his own body to shield the kids while Thrust flew off. At that point, Hot Shot and Wheeljack arrived. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}} The kids explained the situation and the fact that Starscream had saved them. Hot Shot ordered them to return to the ''Axalon'', but the kids managed to persuade him to let them tag along. The kids and bots sped along behind Starscream, following him through a portal to an organic-looking area where Thrust and Sideways were waiting; Alexis put on her necklace at this point. While the Transformers dealt with Unicron's minions and the various parasites and tentacles, the kids tried to rouse the Mini-Cons that made up the weapons in Thrust's possession from their dormant state. They were unsuccessful. The team was forced to flee, and the various organic... things soon separated Alexis and Starscream from the rest of the group. Starscream flew Alexis to safety, but she dropped her necklace en route. Rather than leave it to escape, she jumped from Starscream's shoulder to retrieve it. Starscream had to turn around and transform to save her.

[[File:Portent Alexis charm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Alexis's Good Luck Necklace doesn't contain enough luck to match her outfit.]]
They made it back to the surface, after which they realized the portal they had gone through had taken them to the interior of Cybertron's moon. Then, the ground began to crumble, revealing that the moon was concealing Unicron's body! Jetfire arrived and took the kids to safety back on Cybertron. As Autobots and Decepticons went their separate ways, Alexis begged Starscream to stay. Though he considered it, Starscream realized he'd just end up betraying her again and left. {{storylink|Portent}}

Starscream later interrupted a rather aggressive negotiation between Optimus Prime and Megatron, battling his old commander to prove that Unicron's threat was genuine. During the battle, Starscream decided to de-energize his sword and let Galvatron run him through. When Starscream died, [[Good Luck Necklace|Alexis's pendant]] cracked; instinctively, Alexis knew this indicated that something had just gone horribly wrong. Her intuition was proved correct when Optimus informed the kids of Starscream's demise; Alexis was overcome with grief and consoled by Rad. {{storylink|Cramp}} Still, she was able to attend the meeting at which the Autobots and Decepticons agreed to suspend hostilities until the defeat of Unicron. Though sad that Starscream wasn't there, she was glad he had achieved his goal of temporarily uniting the factions. {{storylink|Alliance}}

[[File:Cramp-AlexismournsStarscream.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|"They told me mullets were making a comeback. They lied!"]]
When Optimus Prime and Galvatron managed to sneak inside Unicron, the Street Action Mini-Cons decided to infiltrate the titan's body as well. The children and Red Alert tagged along, barely avoiding getting crushed and getting through the warp gate that led to Unicron's interiors. {{storylink|Union}} Red Alert was left behind, but the rest of the group soldiered forth. They found the two leaders restrained by Unicron's tentacles, with Unicron trying to break Optimus Prime through Sideways's vocal synthesizer verbally. Unicron destroyed the Mini-Cons' human-derived personalities, restoring them to blank drones, and then dragged the kids into a bizarre mindscape. However, the kids' mental fortitude was strong enough to not only break Unicron's thrall over the Mini-Cons but also to restore their personalities. The kids and Mini-Cons then managed to release the weapons, allowing Optimus Prime to blow up Sideways with the Requiem Blaster.

However, Galvatron challenged Optimus Prime to a final battle on the way out, {{storylink|Origin}} because as long as both of them still existed, the hatred and enmity would last forever. Thus Unicron would never be permanently defeated. The kids fled and were picked up by Jetfire and Cyclonus on Unicron's surface. Optimus Prime won the battle, and Unicron and Galvatron were both (apparently) destroyed.

Hot Shot and Jetfire returned the kids to Earth, where they said tearful (but temporary) goodbyes. Alexis pondered her pendant, wistfully remembering Starscream. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
Alexis and Rad stared up in horror as the Decepticons unleashed the might of the Hydra Cannon towards the Earth. Though there was little they could do to stop the incoming desolation, Optimus thankfully sacrificed himself to prevent Earth's destruction. {{storylink|Prime Spark (story)|Prime Spark}}

====''Legends'' comic====
While at the beach with her friends, {{storylink|LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue}} a young Alexis was transported into the [[Legends World]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who knew of her connection with Starscream and hoped she could stop the resurrected Decepticon from causing tragedy by sacrificing himself again. As her appearance reawakened Starscream's lost memories, Alexis gently told him he'd "gotten lost" in this other universe and brought him home to their dimension. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}} With Starscream seemingly returned to death, Alexis reminisced about him on the beach. {{Storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epiloge}}

An older Alexis, from her diplomat days, was one of the many women brought to the Legends World by [[Tigatron]] using the [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]] in an attempt to get women who liked him better than [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. It didn't work out, as all of the women brought over eventually swooned over Springer. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Tabitha St. Germain]] (English), [[Akira Tomisaka]] (Japanese)|[[Mia Kihl]] (Swedish), [[Victoire Theismann]] (French), [[Rebeca Aponte]] (Spanish - Latin America), [[Carmen Podio]] (Spanish - Spain), [[Domitilla D'Amico]] (Italian), [[Izabella Bukowska]] (Polish), [[Karolina Blom]] (Finnish)}}

[[File:EnergonTVAlexis.jpg|left|thumb|Saturn Queen.]]
Soon after Unicron's defeat and the reunification of the Cybertronians under the Autobot flag, Dr. [[Brian Jones]] traveled to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with his son, [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]]. He also brought along Rad, Alexis, and Carlos to the alien planet. {{storylink|Team Optimus Prime}} Years afterward, Alexis traveled to Cybertron as part of the human delegation. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}}

Ten years later, she worked as a diplomat on behalf of the [[Earth Federation]], usually as a liaison between Earth's nations and the Cybertronian Autobot-Decepticon alliance. Alexis traveled to [[Ocean City]] to tell the human crew and their Cybertronian allies about the Federation's decision to declare a neutral position in the latest Transformers conflict. While Alexis now represented the interests of Earth, she still had faith in Optimus Prime. She trusted his decisions in the Energon war, just as she trusted him during the [[Unicron Battles]]. {{storylink|Energon Stars}}

After the Battle of the Asteroid Belt, Alexis traveled to [[Ocean City]] to discuss the creation of a global [[energon grid]] to protect Earth from Alpha Q-related attacks. She was on hand to greet Dr. Jones, who responded in his usual jovial manner, which involved pushing her space boundaries. {{storylink|Battle of the Asteroid Belt}} When construction got underway, she offered to requisition more supplies and human resources, but Dr. Jones reassured her they had quite enough resources to hand. {{storylink|Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower}}

Shortly after that, she accompanied the Autobots and Earth Federation personnel to [[Jungle City]], where Kicker had received a vision of impending disaster. She and [[Sally Jones|Sally]] were removed from the scene before the fighting began.

As Kicker had predicted, the Decepticons arrived to raid the city. Things went badly for the Autobots, and they were forced to blow it up. Alexis reluctantly supported this move, reasoning that humans had survived the fall of civilizations before, and they would survive this. {{storylink|Crisis in Jungle City}}

Later, with Cybertron in danger, Dr. Jones sent all of Earth's energon to Cybertron. Alexis objected to this because it would leave Earth vulnerable but eventually gave in. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} She then arranged for Jungle City to be rebuilt on top of a newly discovered energon deposit on Earth. {{storylink|Team Optimus Prime}}

====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
[[File:Alexis cybertron.jpg|left|thumb|Psst... pssst... over here!]]
[[File:CybertronArmadaKids.jpg|thumb|The seeds of the future lie buried in the past. Or something.]]
Alexis continued in her governmental job. She was the only other person present onstage when the President appointed [[Mike Franklin|Colonel Franklin]] Earth's ambassador to Cybertron. Subsequently, she, Rad, and Carlos were among the humans who bid farewell to the Autobots as they departed Earth to begin a new [[space bridge]] construction program. {{storylink|Beginning}}

{{note|The images of Alexis, Rad, Carlos, and Kicker with spectral characters from prior series didn't appear in the ''Galaxy Force'' version of the show; at the time [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] had taken the position of the show being a [[continuity|continuity reboot]]... a position they later [[retcon]]ned, placing it as the direct sequel to ''Super Link'' as was originally planned. Confused yet? Interestingly, the shot of Alexis onstage '''was''' in the original...}}

=====Ask Vector Prime=====
By [[2030]], she served as the [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] under [[Gabriella Constanza (Cybertron)|President Constanza]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/03}}

====''The AllSpark Almanac''====
[[File:AAII-Alexis-Thi-Dang.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5]]
The [[multiverse|multiversal]] news source ''[[ALTernity Today]]'' reported that Alexis Thi Dang of [[universal stream]] [[Aurex 802.23 Alpha]] won the [[Whig]] Party primary for [[President of the United States]]. She ran on a platform for a stronger alliance between Earth and Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====''Armada''====
[[File:Armada3-Alexis.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Alexis rocks the muttonchops.]]
Alexis helped Rad and Carlos with [[Project Supernova]], although she was rather cynical about it achieving flight. While she ran into some problems on launch day, including homework and Rad's insistence on playing secret agent (she was Agent Bubblegum), Alexis helped throw the Project Supernova off a cliff. Her cynicism was turned around when the craft managed to stay airborne, but it soon crashed due to [[Sid (Armada)|outside]] [[Seth|interference]]. Alexis was pissed and about having to go home when Rad fell into a cave and accidentally awakened [[Sparkplug (Armada)|four]] [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|alien robots]], whom he promptly hid in his garage. This didn't serve to improve Alexis's mood any, as she felt the robots could be dangerous and that they should tell people about them. Rad and Carlos eventually calmed her down, which was good as the robots turned out to be nice guys who built them a new Project Supernova. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}} However, while the kids and bots were flying around on their vehicle, they were attacked by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] and fled back to the garage, where an angry Alexis demanded an explanation. The robots told the kids that they were [[Mini-Con]]s from the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and that Megatron was a [[Decepticon]] out to capture them. Mad that she and her friends had been pulled into another race's war, Alexis began to argue with Rad, but Carlos made them both realize that they had to lure Megatron away from their neighborhood. The kids and Mini-Cons fled to a nearby canyon, where they found [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 4|Armada #4}}

While Alexis and the others were almost captured and killed by [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], the Autobots and Mini-Cons soon drove the Decepticons away. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}} Unfortunately, as the kids were playing around in a forest some time later, Optimus Prime visited them, explaining that he couldn't let them get involved with the Transformers' war any longer. Alexis and her friends were subsequently forbidden from hanging out with the Street Action Team. Sparkplug, who was against this, broke order and took the kids with him to rescue some Mini-Cons from the Decepticon base. Their mission was to [[Mini-Con panic-pager|call for help]] if Sparkplug's infiltration team wasn't back within 30 minutes. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 6|Armada #6}} When the team failed to return, Alexis and the others called for help and ended up summoning the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]]. However, it took some convincing to get them to help Sparkplug. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7|Armada #7}}

[[File:Armada8-gradesslipping.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Some time between issue 3 and now, she hit puberty.]]
After a day at school, Alexis and her friends were riding around on the Street Action Team and eating burgers when the Mini-Cons suddenly stopped responding to them and sped away for an unknown destination. The kids were unable to get off until they came to a halt, which they did next to a [[Mini-Con Ark|mysterious monolith]] in [[Kansas]]. When the Mini-Cons entered the structure, Rad followed them, and Alexis could only watch as the monolith launched into space with her friend on board. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 8|Armada #8}} Optimus Prime explained that Rad had been taken to the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], and Alexis and Carlos couldn't do much other than urge the Autobots to save him. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}} While Optimus managed to retrieve a starship to travel to the Moon, he refused to endanger the humans by letting them come as well. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 10|Armada #10}} Fortunately, [[simulcrum]] technology allowed them to be on the ship "in spirit," and Alexis was eventually reunited with Rad. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 11|Armada #11}}

After staying out of the Transformer conflict for a bit, Alexis, Rad, and Carlos learned the Mini-Cons were all returning to Cybertron to fight [[Unicron]]. They said their goodbyes to the Street Action Team, then watched as the Transformers entered a [[space bridge]] and left Earth. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}} Some time after the conflict on Earth had ended, Alexis began to compile a comprehensive database of information on several Transformers. She was unaware that this information (which, in several cases, contradicted actual events) was planted into her mind by [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More Than Meets The Eye}}

====''Energon''====
[[File:What Lies Beneath dusty protest.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|The first protest she ever participated in was against having to wear the same color every day.]]
In the ten years that followed the Transformers' departure from Earth, Alexis became an activist, traveling worldwide with other like-minded individuals to (violently) protest the misuse of Earth's natural resources.

One such trip found her in [[Australia]], protesting [[Alterenergy]]'s [[Energon|01 Source]] research. Her group's protest was interrupted when the Transformers returned to Earth in the form of the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] and attacked the Alterenergy excavation site. Alexis was horrified that they were getting dragged into the Transformer war again but ended up rushing straight into it to save a young teenager named [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] from [[Battle Ravage]] by shooting the beast in the face with a flare gun. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}} The two tried to escape on a motorcycle but ended up crashing it and getting captured by Battle Ravage, who brought them to [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Two}} The Terrorcon leader used Alexis as a hostage, threatening to kill her if Kicker wouldn't help him find 01 Source. Fortunately, Rad, who now worked for Alterenergy, came to her aid... or at least it would've been her aid if Battle Ravage hadn't been guarding her. They escaped thanks to Carlos, who aided them from space by remotely detonating the collected 01 Source, knocking the Terrorcon out. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}} After Rad explained to Alexis that 01 Source was Energon—Transformer fuel—and that Kicker could sense it, the two were suddenly reunited with Optimus Prime, who had arrived to fight the Terrorcons. The Autobots subsequently drove the Terrorcons away and rescued Kicker, who was surprised that Rad and Alexis knew each other. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}}

As the Autobots officially revealed themselves to the human population, many began to fear an invasion and protested against them. Alexis was in [[Los Angeles]] at the time and reflected alongside Rad on how she would probably be opposing as well if she didn't know any better. Rad wasn't happy to hear this, nor was he happy about her way of life, as her frequent trips around the globe meant she never stuck around. Alexis explained that she had merely grown up and didn't see things in black and white anymore, but the disgruntled Rad just said his goodbyes and left. However, he came back and apologized as Alexis prepared to go in a taxi, which made her feel better. Then Terrorcon [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticons]] attacked Los Angeles and blew up the cab. {{storylink|Multiplicity}} Fortunately, she had gotten out in time and was safe and sound and returned to Rad. As he thought Alexis had died in the explosion, Rad had realized how much she truly meant to him and embraced her and told her never to leave him again. They were both reasonably embarrassed afterward. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 2}} Using Rad's truck, they raced away from the Insecticons and to Alterenergy's west coast headquarters. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 3}} Upon arrival, Alexis spent some time with Carlos, who explained how Rad planned to use the [[Energon Volant Accumulator]] to aid the Autobots in the fight against the Terrorcons. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

{{Unreleased energon comic}}
As the AlterEnergy collaboration grew between Cybertron and Earth, Alexis became involved with the [[United Nations]] in connection with the project. She helped orchestrate a task force to look for Kicker after he went missing. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} Her information helped Rad and his people locate where [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] had taken the boy. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} After being rescued, Kicker said goodbye to Alexis, Rad, and Carlos before joining the fight against Unicron. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
When Rad and Carlos went spelunking, Alexis followed them to ensure they didn't get themselves killed. She was shocked to see them emerge from the cave with the alien robot [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], but didn't have much time come to terms with the situation before [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] attacked them and tried to capture the smaller robot. High Wire transformed into a bike and took Alexis and the others to safety, where they met several other robots. [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] explained that they were [[Mini-Con]]s who had ended up on Earth after fleeing from the eternal war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|First Encounter!}} When the Mini-Cons refused to save [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], who was getting his aft handed to him by Megatron, Rad decided to do it himself. Alexis protested, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. In the end, Rad taking action caused Megatron to flee and the humans to befriend the Autobots, but Alexis still told him not to let it go to his head. {{storylink|Friends and Foes!}}

After playing with their new friends on the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], Alexis, Rad, and Carlos were tasked with finding the [[locator log]] on board the crashed Mini-Con ship. When they were attacked by [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], Alexis again took on the role of warning Rad against taking stupid risks, only for his crazy ideas to still work. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 3|Deep Trouble!}} Going back to her daily life, Alexis later visited the [[Cosmoscope Research Center|local observatory]] but was followed by Sureshock. After Sureshock's attempts to "help" the observatory crashed their mainframe, Alexis made a run for it and told the story to her friends. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 3|Just a Memory!}} When the Autobots decided to send the Mini-Cons back to Cybertron, she figured they had no other choice and told Rad not to get all emotional about it. In the end, the plans fell through, and the Mini-Cons remained on Earth. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|No Way Back!}}

Alexis and her friends were racing with the Street Action Team again when they were suddenly attacked by [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], out to steal their Mini-Con friends. While the Street Action Team held the Decepticon back in the form of [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]], Alexis and the others fetched Optimus Prime to help them. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|The Two-Edged Blade}} Shortly afterward, they met [[Amos Hume]] and helped him save the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]] from the [[Extra-Terrestrial Response Division]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|Sale of the Century!}}

===Reader's Digest ''Armada'' novels===
11-years old Alexis was one of the many self-titled "Cosmo Kids" that lived in the community around the [[Cosmoscope Research Center|Cosmo Scope Research Center and Interstellar Observatory]]. She possessed a "powerful handheld computer," which she affectionately nicknamed "Rover," and had a fondness for imitating a TV announcer voice and narrating her friends' adventures as they happened. During an early autumn afternoon, Alexis and her friends Rad and Carlos headed out into the nearby mountains for some trail exploring. Alexis rode her scooter on the trip, which eventually led to a trail none of them had ever seen before. Carlos and Alexis were hesitant to continue down the trail when they spotted some signs indicating it was dangerous, but Rad goaded them on into pushing forward. The path eventually led to a cave, which the kids decided to explore. When the trio found cave paintings within, Alexis initially believed them to be graffiti done by other school kids and was insulted that anyone from the local community would do such a childish thing. The kids soon realized that it wasn't graffiti at all, but ancient cave paintings depicting robots fighting. All of them depicted violence save one, which pictured three robots that Alexis found cute, prompting groans from her male companions. As if prompted by an unknown instinct, Alexis reached out to touch one of the three robots. This action triggered a hidden mechanism within the cave, which revealed real-life versions of the three robots the children had touched in the drawing after some rumbling. Alexis met Sureshock, a Mini-Con who could only be understood by Alexis herself. The children learned about Cybertron and its civil war from their new robot friends. The moment was cut short when Autobots and Decepticons were teleported on-site by a mechanism within the Mini-Cons' ship. Finding themselves in the middle of a vicious battle between mechanical titans, Alexis and her friends thankfully escaped from harm thanks to the Mini-Cons' efforts and the newcomer, Optimus Prime. Learning that Optimus had the best of intentions for both Earth and the Mini-Cons, Alexis promised to keep the Transformers' existence a secret and rode back to town on Sureshock, now reformatted into a high-tech scooter. Meeting with Carlos and Rad the next day at school, the trio dismissed Billy and Fred's insinuations that anything exciting had happened to them the previous day before heading off to class. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: The Battle Begins|The Battle Begins}}

To explain to their parents how they had gotten totally sweet new extreme sports vehicles, Carlos and Alexis agreed to go along with a story that Rad had made up; the three of them had won their new gear in an extreme riding competition. Alexis's parents bought the story, and she took to riding Sureshock to school. The next afternoon, she, Carlos, and Rad readied themselves to visit the Autobots when they encountered Billy and Fred. Their schoolmates were curious about where they had gotten the new vehicles, and the trio knew they wouldn't be fooled by the story they had told their parents. Rad claimed that his dad had bought them the vehicles through some "connections," and they were the next year's model. Carlos and Alexis were quick to affirm his story. Narrowly avoiding exposure, the trio then took off for the Autobots' base. Strangely, they found the cave leading to the headquarters now sealed by a stone door. The Mini-Cons maintained a wireless connection to their vessel, however, and were able to grant themselves access to the base. But once inside, the group found it deserted. They eventually found Optimus and his fellow Autobots, Hot Shot and Red Alert, at a nearby highway, adopting new alternate modes. After brief introductions were made, explosions were heard off in the distance. The Decepticons were attacking the Autobots' base! Alexis, Carlos, and Rad raced ahead of the Autobots on their Mini-Cons, coming face to face with Megatron. The Decepticon leader halted his assault to demand the children surrender their companions. The Autobots arrived on the scene before Megatron was able to act on his threat, and Alexis and the others hid in some nearby brush to watch the battle unfold.

During the battle, a stray shot from Megatron caused a rockslide to tumble towards the kids and their Mini-Cons. Hot Shot zipped in and rescued them, though the ride within the two-seat sports car was a cramped one for all three kids. As they drove back to Optimus, Alexis noticed four Mini-Con panels sticking out of the rubble. Carlos and Rad helped her dig them out. Two of the panels activated in the Autobots' presence, one of them becoming Red Alert's partner, "Longarm" and the other Hot Shot's partner "Jolt." Red Alert instructed the children to keep the remaining two panels safe, and they hid themselves once more. The Decepticons were soon forced to retreat, but one of them, Cyclonus, lingered long enough to snatch the panels from Alexis and Rad before warping away. The children were torn up about allowing the Mini-Cons to fall into enemy hands, but Optimus assured them they had done everything they could. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: Race for the Mini-Con Robots|Race for the Mini-Con Robots}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
One [[Halloween]] night, Alexis went Trick-or-Treating with Carlos, Rad, and their three [[Mini-Con]]s. Because she was the mature one, she collected donations for [[UNICEF]] instead of candy, though she did dress as a princess. {{storylink|Something Robotic This Way Comes}}

After Alexis talked Doctor [[Jessica Theist]] into letting her niece [[Kelly (Armada)|Kelly]] come along an archeological dig, she also lent Kelly a computer. And Laserbeak. And [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]] and [[Dune Runner (Armada)|Dune Runner]]. It pays to be connected. {{storylink|Fire in the Dark}}

===Bendon ''Armada'' books===
[[File:RTD-Alexis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
Rad, Carlos, and Alexis talked Optimus Prime into letting them explore some nearby caves in the hopes of finding other Mini-Cons, claiming that he and Carlos had already explored a few of them in the past. The trio succeeded in finding a crystal but had to be saved by Hot Shot after a surprise Decepticon attack caused a landslide. {{storylink|Cave Catastrophe}}

In another adventure, Carlos talked Rad into joining him for a Mini-Con race, to which Alexis invited herself. They foolishly left themselves out in the open, allowing Megatron to attack. Fortunately for them (your mileage may vary), Optimus and Hot Shot were there to save them yet again. {{storylink|Race to Disaster}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:KreO_Alexis.jpg|thumb|left|50px|More [[Mini-Con]]s. Yawn.]]
While [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] was out shopping for [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]], he passed by Alexis, who could only stare in awe. {{Storylink|Bumblebee! The Gentle-Hearted Autobot Warrior}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
{{Twoimages|File:Alexis midriff.jpg|w1=50|File:Alexis-swimsuit.jpg|w1=50|caption=Alexis's original animation character model and unused swimsuit model.|float=right}}
[[File:AlexisIPVersion.jpg|100px|thumb|Ridin' nerdy.]]
*According to the now-defunct TV Tokyo ''Legends of the Microns'' website, Alexis is 11 years old at the start of ''Armada''. The page also stated she is Asian. As per the liner notes of the second series soundtrack, ''[[The Transformers Legends of the Microns: Sound of Evolution Vol. 2]]'', there were difficulties in coming up with the kids' character designs, as the producers were given three mandated ethnicities: White, Hispanic, and Asian. The notes go on to further confirm Alexis as being Asian ([[Vietnam]]ese American), specifying that she is the daughter of {{w|Vietnamese boat people}}. Her ethnicity is more pronounced on the 2001 Armada IP creative bible's cover. Compared to the relatively unchanged Carlos and Rad, she was heavily redesigned, and why remains unknown.
*''[[Transformers: Armada Official Guidebook]]'' backs up that Alexis is 11 years old when ''Armada'' begins. It also specified that she always got excellent grades and was a computer whiz. (To be in the same 8th-grade class as Rad and Carlos at her age, Alexis must have been smart enough to skip 7th grade.)
*According to [[Aaron Archer]], Alexis is named after the daughter of [[Steve Drucker]].
*Alexis didn't have a surname until the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]'' dubbed her "Alexis Thi Dang".
*''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'' reveals that Alexis has an unused swimsuit model.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Alexandra "Alexa"''' (アレクサンドラ ''Arekusandora'', アレクサ ''Arekusa'')
*''Korean:'' '''Jenna Alexandra''' (제나 알렉산드라 ''Jenna Alleksandeura'')

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dang, Alexis Thi}}
[[Category:Armada humans]]
[[Category:Cybertron humans]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Energon humans]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Kre-O humans]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends humans]]
[[Category:Politicians]]

Alexis Thi Dang

2023-07-05T15:11:53Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|{{factions/icons|custom=E27 earthfederationlogo.png|cSize=35x35px|cLink=Earth Federation}}}}
:''Alexis is a [[human]] from the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family]].''

[[File:Armada Alexis character model.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|And once I'm elected, I'll legalize everything! Bar anything illegal.]]
'''Alexis Thi Dang''' wants to be [[President of the United States|President]] when she grows up. Why does she think she's qualified? Running the free world has got to be less troublesome than keeping her friends [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] and [[Rad White|Rad]] from killing themselves every day.

{{bigquote|"Once I become President, I'll change all that, you'll see! I'll put an end to the misuse of public property, and THEN I'll work on saving the environment, and I'll end world hunger."|Alexis's grand future plan "[[Underground]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Armada'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Tabitha St. Germain]] (English), [[Akira Tomisaka]] (Japanese)|[[Anke Kortemeier]] (German), [[Mia Kihl]] (Swedish), [[Elodie Ben]] (French), [[Rebeca Aponte]] (Spanish - Latin America), [[Belén Rodríguez]] (Spanish - Spain), [[Domitilla D'Amico]] (Italian), [[Jenni Laakso]] (Finnish), [[Ana Paula Martins]] (Brazilian Portuguese)}}

[[File:ArmadaAlexis.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Get used to this, girlfriend.]]
One day, [[Rad White|Rad]] and [[Carlos Lopez|Carlos]] invited Alexis to go exploring the caverns deep beneath [[Cosmoscope Research Center]] with them. Alexis turned them down, saying she needed to study for a math test. In her absence, Rad and Carlos found the remains of a wrecked spaceship as well as a [[Mini-Con storage panel]]. By activating it, they caused the entire structure to shake.

Alexis felt the tremors at home and used her computer to pinpoint the apparent earthquake's epicenter as the mountain caverns that Rad and Carlos were exploring. Similarly, the scientists and researchers at the observatory were baffled by the sudden movement of the Earth. As Rad and Carlos made their escape with the artifact, a bright light engulfed the chamber they were in, simultaneously shutting down all electronic equipment in Lincoln, including Alexis's computer, as well as emitting three distinctly colored distress signals beams into the sky.

One beam, green, reached an [[Exodus (Armada)|ancient starship wreck]] on the dark side of the moon, causing it to fire hundreds of smaller beams of green light at the [[Earth]]. The two remaining signal beams, colored red and purple, continued deep into space until it reached [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].

Alexis elected to go out and check up on the two boys and came upon them just in time to see a huge glowing purple sphere of pulsating energy solidify into a huge robot. This being was [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]], supreme leader of the evil [[Decepticon]]s. As he tried to take the object that Rad found, which had now revealed itself to be [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], a sought-after [[Mini-Con]], suddenly another massive robot ordered Megatron to stand down. He was [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]], leader of the heroic [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|First Encounter}}

The kids attempted to flee on High Wire but were stopped by [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] and [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]]'s arrival. Demolishor tried to grab the kids, but [[Hot Shot (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Hot Shot]] and [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]]'s arrival saved them. Rad fled back into the cave, calling Carlos and Alexis after him. Rad was sure they'd be safe there, but Alexis was concerned that the bigger robots might still follow them. High Wire led the three into a smaller room, to Alexis' further distress; Rad and Carlos, however, assured her that they'd be safer there. He accessed the ship's computer, and the kids learned about the Transformer conflict.

At this point, High Wire activated a hidden storage panel, revealing [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] and [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]], who bonded to Carlos and Alexis. They took their new friends out to play in the woods but ran into Megatron. The timely arrival of Optimus Prime initially seemed to Rad and Carlos to make things worse, but when Alexis declared she trusted the giant Autobot, the boys acknowledged they did so as well.

Optimus Prime took them into his cab and sped off to a distant location, where he set them down. Unfortunately, Megatron had followed close behind, and so Optimus had to combine with his [[trailer]] to fight him off. {{storylink|Metamorphosis (Armada)|Metamorphosis}} The commanders' battle caused a landslide to fall on the kids, but Hot Shot shielded them. They then dug up some more Mini-Cons, though Cyclonus stole two of those. The Decepticons retreated, and so the kids and robots made proper introductions.

The next day at school, [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] grilled the trio over recent earthquakes; Rad and Carlos played dumb, while Alexis pointed out that if there were an earthquake, the news would have mentioned it. When Billy asked where Rad got his new bike, Rad claimed it was a birthday present from his grandmother. He and Carlos headed on up to the mountain; on the way, Alexis chewed them out for almost blowing their cover.

At the Autobots' base, Optimus Prime presented them with [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] to aid them with their reconnaissance work; right then, another Mini-Con was detected {{storylink|Base}} in the [[Grand Canyon|Big Canyon]]. The kids ran out with the Autobots and got spiffy new adventure suits on the way.

When they got to the canyon, Alexis and Hot Shot sped off, forgetting Rad behind. They came back, though, Alexis explaining she had gotten lost in a moment of exhilaration. Hot Shot then sped off as fast as he could over the rough terrain, severely shaking up the two humans. Rad sent Laserbeak off to find the Mini-Con and was himself chided by Alexis for being a coward.

[[File:Comrade Autobotuniforms.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|My suit guaranteed wedgie-free]]
When the Mini-Con was finally found, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Starscream simultaneously tried to claim it. Thankfully, High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock combined into [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]], and managed to hold off both Megatron and Starscream. Optimus Prime claimed the Mini-Con—who turned out to be his old partner, [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]—and the kids helped dig up Hot Shot from where he'd gotten himself buried. {{storylink|Comrade}}

Later, they played tag with Hot Shot, which got him in trouble with Optimus Prime as he was supposed to be helping Red Alert install some equipment. The kids then went to find a new Mini-Con in [[Antarctica]], where Rad and Alexis rode in Red Alert while Carlos went with Hot Shot. Red Alert ended up having to save all three kids after Carlos nearly fell into a crevice. {{storylink|Soldier (episode)|Soldier}}

Rad later came up with the sensible notion of bringing some camping supplies to the Autobot base if they ever had to stay the night. Though Alexis and Carlos taunted him over how many rations he elected to bring, they helped him set up nonetheless. Then, another Mini-Con was detected, and so the good guys all warped over to a forest. There, Alexis helped Rad educate the Autobots on the importance of keeping the environment as-is.

During this mission, the Decepticons started a forest fire. Alexis helped herd the forest animals to a safer area and afterward aided in dousing the inferno. Unfortunately, with their forces divided to both fight the Decepticons and the forest fire, the Autobots failed to stop their enemies from making off with [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]]. Optimus Prime assured the children they had been right about prioritizing the forest, though. {{storylink|Jungle}}

Back at the base, the kids tried to wake up the dormant Mini-Con they'd found in Antarctica, but to no avail. The boys then snuck off to a carnival with the Mini-Cons. After a while, the boys tried to take the robots home, but it turned out that Billy and Fred were also at the carnival, and got suspicious. They tried to capture one of the Mini-Con, causing the entire situation to descend into a slapstick farce.

[[File:Palace-Security Eyes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Oh, god, it's the fanbase!]]
They were saved by the timely arrival of Hot Shot, Sureshock, and Alexis, who managed to get things under control, swore Billy and Fred to secrecy, and gave the lads a good scolding. As punishment, Alexis had Rad and Carlos clean up their quarters back at the base. {{storylink|Carnival}} The kids later accompanied the Autobots to the [[Sahara|Sahara Desert]] and fell into a sandpit after an altercation with Demolishor. They found themselves in an ancient temple, where ancient guardian robots attacked them, but fortunately, Demolishor was there to blow them up. Further into the temple, they found a Mini-Con storage panel; but fell into a trap trying to get to it. Perceptor was able to rescue them, and Hot Shot brought the whole group back to the surface. Unfortunately, as this was happening, Demolishor got the Mini-Con. {{storylink|Palace}}

The next day, back in America, Billy and Fred pursued the other three kids to the Autobot base. Rad, Carlos, and Alexis all tried to outrun them but soon had to split up when Cyclonus attempted to capture them. Cyclonus didn't get any of the Autobots' allies, so he captured Billy and Fred instead, intending to hold them for ransom. They tracked Laserbeak to a ghost town, where the kids tried to rescue the bullies, but all ended up being captured by Megatron, who demanded Optimus Prime hand over all the Autobots' Mini-Cons in exchange for the children's lives. Optimus Prime went through with it, but Megatron naturally reneged on the deal. However, Rad was able to use Laserbeak to free all the other humans, and Hot Shot was able to rescue Rad with Fred's surprising help. {{storylink|Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation}}

Alexis, Rad, and Carlos watched Red Alert and Hot Shot fixing up some computer systems when another Mini-Con was detected. The signal pointed the Autobots to a disused subway system, and Alexis helped search the tunnels in areas the larger Autobots couldn't reach. During the search, Alexis became frustrated over the condition of the tunnels they were in and went on a rant on how she would stop the misappropriations of public funds once she became president. She swore to save the environment and end world hunger too! For the moment, though, she had to settle with helping rescue the Mini-Con. Once the children had gotten ahold of the panel, [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen]] crossed their path, and they mistook him for a Decepticon. Trying to escape him, they encountered the real Decepticon. Smokescreen revealed his true colors just in time to rescue Alexis and the others from being crushed under a pile of rubble. {{storylink|Underground (episode)|Underground}}

After that, the Autobots received a transmission from [[Atlantis]], and the team searched for yet another Mini-Con. At the bottom of the ocean, they once more came under attack from the Decepticons. Alexis, Carlos, and Rad explored the ruins while the Transformers fought outside. All the while, Alexis was also astounded by the boys' obsession with a [[Amphitrite|holographic girl]]. 'Amphitrite' gave them a canned history of Atlantis, focusing on how its inhabitants used the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] to dominate the world, and were eventually defeated by another civilization who wielded the [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]. Leader-1 managed to grab hold of it, though removing the panel caused the city to begin collapsing. The kids were forced to flee with the Autobots to escape drowning on the ocean bottom. {{storylink|Ruin}} Afterwards, Alexis noted that Rad was feeling troubled. When she pressed him, Rad admitted to Optimus that he had begun to feel ill-at-ease with the Mini-Cons being used by the Autobots in their war. The Autobot team was then called away to fight for another Mini-Con panel on a volcanic island. While the robots were fighting, Alexis was gung-ho to search for the panel, but Rad suggested using Laserbeak instead. After the kids barely avoided being cooked by a volcanic eruption, the Autobots managed to acquire the island's Mini-Con panel. {{storylink|Prehistory}}

After that adventure, the trio decided to give Billy and Fred a tour of the Autobot base, but they were separated when the Decepticons attacked. Since the bullies were in danger of the automatic defenses, said defenses were shut off, allowing the Decepticons to penetrate deeper into the base that anyone would have liked. To make matters worse, Alexis and the other kids were nearly taken by Cyclonus. However, after a battle, the Star Saber was reassembled and in the hands of Hot Shot, so the day ultimately turned out all right. {{storylink|Swoop (episode)|Swoop}}

The next day, Alexis and Sureshock went out shopping for groceries. Both Red Alert and Rad chided Alexis for bringing her Mini-Con out in public, but Alexis had taken care to disguise her in some winter clothes. She dismissed their concerns and instead turned the conversation to Carlos's habit of raiding their fridge at night. {{storylink|Overmatch}}

When Alexis tracked down the next Mini-Con, the trio, plus Billy and Fred, rushed off with the Autobots to cheer them on; Alexis rode in Red Alert. She was left behind alongside Grindor, Sureshock, and High Wire when things started to get heated. Alexis joined up with the other kids as [[Sideways (Armada)|Sideways]] joined the fray, claiming to be an Autobot drifter. Thanks to his help, the Autobots acquired [[Spiral]]. Nonetheless, Alexis had misgivings about the new arrival. Back at the base, she and Rad discussed their suspicions but decided not to raise their misgivings with Optimus just in case their first impressions were false. {{storylink|Gale}}

When Hot Shot and Sideways were warped to the Decepticons' base, Alexis worried whether they would return safely. Some of the other kids were certain that while the Star Saber was in his possession, Hot Shot could handle anything the evil robots could throw at him. This turned out to be false; Alexis witnessed Hot Shot return to Autobot headquarters barely alive, minus his sword and partner; Sideways had betrayed the Autobots! {{storylink|Credulous}}

[[File:Conspiracy-Welcome back.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
With Hot Shot feeling naturally depressed about this disaster, all five kids tried to cheer him up by making silly faces. They also helped the Autobots on their search for the next Mini-Con, and managed to find it at the same time as [[Blackout (Armada)|Blackout]], and after a scuffle, it was taken by Scavenger for the Decepticons. However, soon after, Scavenger came over to the Autobots and revealed he had been a double agent all along. {{storylink|Conspiracy}}

In the aftermath of Sideways's betrayal, the trio wasn't exactly eager to trust Scavenger. He seemed to be more interested in sleeping than mentoring Hot Shot, but when the kids tried to raise this with Optimus Prime, his explanation was cut short by still detecting another Mini-Con. The Autobots warped off somewhere with a lot of snow while the kids observed from back at base. Scavenger heroically saved Optimus Prime's life, very nearly plunging to his own [[death]], so the kids (and Smokescreen) apologized to him for their earlier suspicions when he got back, Scavenger accepted with characteristic stoicism. {{storylink|Trust (Armada)|Trust}}

When the boys decided to go on a camping trip with the Autobots, they forgot to tell Alexis. Hurt over being left out, Alexis furiously declared that she never wanted to go anyway. When Red Alert and Carlos were caught in a mudslide, Sureshock and Alexis coordinated Autobot activities from the base, desperately standing by for any good news. Although she was frantic with worry while they were in danger, Alexis didn't forget she was angry at the boys when they got back to base. {{storylink|Vacation}}

All five kids observed the battle in which [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] made his first appearance. They tried to make friends with the new arrival, but he turned out to belong to the monosyllabic loner school of heroism. Nonetheless, Alexis proclaimed that she was "a fan of his attitude." When his and Hot Shot's attitudes led to the Decepticons getting their servos on [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]], Alexis and Rad gave Hot Shot a talking down for letting his competitiveness get the better of him. The loss did also cause Blurr to mellow out, however, and the kids were glad to see that Hot Shot and Blurr formed a friendship later that evening. {{storylink|Reinforcement}}

The next day, Blurr and Hot Shot trained together while the kids watched. They also congratulated Smokescreen for succeeding in a test where Hot Shot failed, even though Hot Shot only failed because he competed with Blurr while trying to dodge the obstacles.

This session was interrupted when Megatron challenged all the Autobots to a final, decisive battle. Due to the danger, the kids were left at the base to watch the proceedings from afar. Megatron would have won if Optimus Prime hadn't managed to get his hands on the Skyboom Shield, and when the Star Saber was used against the shield, a mighty light was released, which Rad and Alexis recognized as the same one that they had seen when Rad awoke High Wire. This light streaked off into space to awaken [[Unicron]]. {{storylink|Decisive Battle}}

Despite this victory, Optimus Prime decided the situation was too dangerous for the kids and barred them from the base. Frustrated, they wandered off but were soon joined by the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], who had received a transmission from the Decepticon-allied Mini-Cons on the Moon. While Rad and Fred went to tell Optimus Prime, the rest of the kids and the Mini-Cons headed to the location where the Decepticon-allied Mini-Cons were supposed to warp in. However, the transmission turned out to be a trap orchestrated by Megatron, seeking to divide and conquer. Rad, Fred, and four of the Autobots were teleported to various locations worldwide, leaving Alexis, Carlos, and Billy behind. Finding herself unable to contact Laserbeak, Alexis hurried back to the base to tell Red Alert and Scavenger about the situation. She then tried to re-establish contact with Laserbeak, which she did, just as Optimus Prime was persuading Megatron's Mini-Cons to convert to the Autobots' side. She was able to get all the rest of the Autobots to Prime's location, where they successfully drove off Megatron. {{storylink|Vow}}

After that adventure, the kids were allowed back into the base, though no longer on missions. Alexis got stroppy when Carlos complained about boredom, while Rad tried to keep the two from murdering each other. Despite not being at the front of the action, the war would still impinge on their lives when Sideways hacked the Autobots' computer system. Despite Rad and Alexis' best efforts, Sideways's virus quickly took control of the base and projected himself into it. The trio, faced with no other options, resorted to physically smashing the terminals, which granted them a brief reprieve.

However, this relief proved to be short-lived when Sideways sucked the kids' minds and their partner Mini-Cons into a cyberspace landscape of his devising. Rad and Carlos enjoyed the lack of gravity in this new realm for a while before Sideways's digital avatar appeared to them and tried to claim their Mini-Cons.

Back at the base, Billy and Fred tried to wake the trio up. Meanwhile, in cyberspace, the kids and Mini-Cons fled Sideways and discovered that all they saw was just an elaborate illusion. Sideways managed to capture Sureshock, but then Alexis realized that since he had gone to so much effort, he wasn't in control of this illusion - and also that he couldn't harm them.

[[File:Screenshot-arm-24-1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|Ever had one of those days were you felt so...negative?]]
At this, Sideways panicked and made a desperate bid to take the Mini-Cons, but the kids' lack of belief in the world they saw put paid to that plan. At that point, a massive force of evil manifested in cyberspace - Unicron, the one entity Sideways feared! The kids fled back to the meatspace through a portal opened by Red Alert, leaving Sideways to his master's mercies. {{storylink|Chase (episode)|Chase}}

When Fred tried to tell the others about strange lights seen recently in space, Alexis was the only one who seemed concerned. All the kids expressed relief when Sideways appeared on the battlefield during the next Mini-Con related skirmish, which meant he couldn't hack their system again. The Autobots won this battle, bringing [[Prowl (Armada)|Prowl]] into the fold, and the kids were all there to welcome him when they took him back to base. {{storylink|Tactician}}

In a subsequent battle, Optimus Prime was seriously injured, forcing Jetfire to take command. None of the kids were impressed by the new guy's constant boasting. They also got a brief history lesson on battles the Autobots had lost due to Thrust's tactical genius; while Carlos was confident that Jetfire could easily counter Thrust, the others weren't so sure.

As it turned out, the kids were right about Jetfire, as his overconfidence nearly led to the Autobots being wiped out after he got himself caught in another of Thrust's ambushes. To his credit, Jetfire was contrite, saying he had learned his lesson and would be more cautious in the future. {{storylink|Linkup}}

The next day, the kids watched Jetfire and Smokescreen arm-wrestling, and Alexis confused Carlos by cheering for both. They also filled in Jetfire on who Sideways was and what he had previously done. Jetfire then displayed his cunning side by showing the kids a still of Sideways shooting down Cyclonus after Sideways had defected, which cast doubt on the turncoat's allegiance to the Decepticons. The kids tried to figure out what Sideways's deal was while the Autobots went to obtain yet another Mini-Con. {{storylink|Detection}}

While the Autobots were dealing with [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], two Mini-Cons were detected in addition to the one the Transformers were at the time explicitly fighting over. Alexis was confused by the location data, but after some analysis, she discovered that it was pointing at the Moon. At that point, Sideways mockingly congratulated her on her ingenuity and explained that these three Mini-Cons would unite to form the [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]].

Meanwhile, the boys found the other Mini-Con, [[Sky Blast (Armada)|Sky Blast]], in the caves around the base. {{storylink|Awakening (Armada)|Awakening}} Alexis continued to coordinate the Autobots from the base. At the same time, Red Alert took Sky Blast, Carlos, and Rad to the battlefield in a bid to complete the Requiem Blaster. Their gamble eventually paid off: Sky Blast awoke both [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]] on the beach and [[Astroscope]] on the moon and the three Mini-Cons combined. Optimus Prime obtained the Requiem Blaster and used it to force the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|Desperate}}

In light of this, the kids became concerned about the Mini-Cons' rights and took the [[Space Mini-Con Team]] out to a remote farmhouse where they could be safe. Thrust tracked them down, but he got caught in a set of traps the kids had rigged up, which stalled the Decepticon long enough for Optimus to come and save the day. After a passionate discussion of why the Mini-Cons should not be viewed as mere weapons, the kids and Mini-Cons both returned to base. {{storylink|Runaway}}

All the kids were present when [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] came to Earth and rather enthusiastically begged to fight alongside Blurr. The kids weren't impressed, so Billy and Fred went off to play a video game. Alexis berated them for wasting time and resources, and, ''purely'' in the interest of demonstrating how silly their game was, decided to play against them. {{storylink|Past}} Naturally enough, she turned out to be the best of the lot. {{storylink|Past II}}

Later, the kids stayed at the base with Red Alert when the Autobots went out to counter a Decepticon attack. However, this attack proved to be nothing more than a distraction posed by Starscream, while the rest of the 'Cons attacked the Autobot base in search of the Requiem Blaster. The kids ran for hiding before the Autobots warped back, and bore witness to Megatron obtaining the Blaster and using it on Smokescreen, apparently killing him. {{storylink|Sacrifice}} Smokescreen clung to life, if only barely, and Red Alert went to task fixing him. As they watched, the children were given a brief lesson in Cybertronian anatomy, specifically on what a [[Spark]] was. Afterward, Starscream joined the ranks of the Autobots. Though most of the kids were initially suspicious, Alexis was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. All the kids eventually welcomed him when they saw his attendant Mini-Cons genuinely looked up to him. {{storylink|Regeneration (Armada)|Regeneration}} Alexis took a particular shine to him, but Starscream dismissed her and the other human children, as he was only concerned with defeating [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Megatron]]. The kids' favorable opinion of Starscream was further cemented when they watched him aid the Autobots to rescue the Decepticon-held Mini-Cons from the enemy's moonbase. {{storylink|Rescue}} Later, the kids asked Starscream to bring them back a souvenir when he and Jetfire traveled to [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] in search of a Mini-Con panel. Despite his rude, lone-wolf demeanor, Starscream brought back a mysterious green rock for the kids, thus earning him a place in their hearts, in particular Alexis. {{storylink|Mars (episode)|Mars}} Alexis fashioned a pendant from this, which had a mysterious connection to Starscream's [[spark]].

[[File:Chamois WHY.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb|How dare you? Do you have any idea how much of my sweat and blood went into that thing?]]
In return for his kindness, the kids threw Starscream a surprise party, sewing a large [[Chamois of Friendship]] out of several smaller rags. This gesture touched Starscream, but he unfortunately still had trouble adjusting to life with the Autobots. Rad, Alexis, and Carlos later took the [[Race Mini-Con Team]] out for a walk, inadvertently leading to Starscream being accused of stealing the Skyboom Shield for the Decepticons. Though the kids explained themselves to Hot Shot, the damage had been done, and Starscream abandoned both his gift and the Autobots when [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] duped him into returning to the Decepticons, ostensibly to destroy Megatron. {{storylink|Crack (episode)|Crack}} In the aftermath, Alexis and Rad tried to calm the more visibly enraged Billy and Carlos, and then they all went to their respective homes, where Alexis clutched her pendant and thought about Starscream.

The next day, all the kids returned to the base to discover the Autobots and their allied Mini-Cons working quickly to complete the ''[[Axalon (Armada)|Axalon]]'' to retrieve the Decepticons' Mini-Cons. The kids discussed Starscream a bit and decided never to speak of him again; Alexis was visibly upset but tried to hide it. At Fred's suggestion, they all went to see a comet to take their minds off things. Alexis, still upset over Starscream, told Rad she was going home as the others watched the skies. Walking alongside her, Rad tried to convince Alexis to stay with her friends. Then, the comet was destroyed by the Decepticons' newly completed [[Hydra Cannon]]. {{storylink|Threaten}} Rad and Alexis raced back to their friends, and all the kids just kind of stood around wondering what to do. {{storylink|Crisis (Armada)|Crisis}}

[[File:Crisis kids standing around.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Hey, it's a Christian Rock album]]
As it turned out, the [[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|Optimus Prime's noble sacrifice]] thwarted the Decepticons. The kids all suffered heartfelt grief.

Over the next week, the Autobots busied themselves with completing the ''Axalon'', but Hot Shot and Scavenger soon came to blows. The kids were confused by this and watched from afar as the two fought on an abandoned highway. When the rest of the Autobots joined in abusing Hot Shot, the kids tried to persuade them that bullying their youngest member wouldn't help anything but were overruled by Red Alert, who insisted that they had to get this out of their system. It turned out Scavenger was trying to snap Hot Shot out of his depression. In due course, Hot Shot did come to terms with Optimus Prime's death, and everybody's morale was reinvigorated; it was raised so much so that Hot Shot was chosen as the Autobots' new commander. {{storylink|Remorse}}

Under Hot Shot's understandably unsteady command, the ''Axalon'' was soon completed and preparations made to depart for Cybertron. The kids were looking forward to seeing another planet and so were naturally miffed when Hot Shot told them that he was leaving them on Earth where it was safe. All the kids glumly returned home, but ever hopeful, Alexis packed her bags anyway and, along with Rad and Carlos, headed for the Autobot base the next morning.

When they arrived, Hot Shot once again insisted that it was too dangerous for them to come along. Upon hearing this, the Mini-Cons collectively rebelled and blocked all the ship's systems, refusing to budge until the kids were allowed on. Hot Shot relented, and the kids and Autobots blasted off into space. Alexis saw fit to only inform her parents about her departure via e-mail at the last possible moment. {{storylink|Depart}}

During the journey, the kids witnessed the arrival of thousands of new Mini-Cons and Optimus's rebirth, {{storylink|Miracle}} the conflict with [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]], and the Mini-Con powered [[spontaneous recoloration|recoloration]] of several Autobots and Decepticons. {{storylink|Puppet}}

Following a confrontation with the Decepticons, the Autobots arrived on Cybertron, only to find Galvatron had already conquered it. The Street Action Mini-Cons jumped out of their airlock to form a glowing green shield, which Alexis realized was to protect against Unicron. The Mini-Cons did return but soon tried to sneak down to Cybertron's surface. Though Carlos feared for their safety, Alexis and Rad favored letting them go down to the surface, as the little ones had a right to walk around on their home planet. {{storylink|Uprising (Armada)|Uprising}} With the Mini-Cons gone, the kids were left with nothing much to do but watch the lights of battle on the surface. They did try to stop Hot Shot from making a one-robot mission to the heart of the Decepticon stronghold to warn Galvatron about the impending threat of Unicron. Still, then Rad persuaded everyone to let him go ahead with it. {{storylink|Dash (episode)|Dash}}

[[File:Iceberg-anime.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
They later received a message that Thrust had stolen the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster and was at that moment speeding towards the center of Cybertron, being pursued by Starscream, Hot Shot, and [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]]. The trio teamed up with their partner Mini-Cons and joined in the chase, catching up to Starscream just as he confronted Thrust. Alexis called out Starscream's name, so Thrust decided to distract Starscream by shooting the humans with the Blaster. Starscream, remembering the kindness they had shown him when he defected, bravely leaped into the path of the Blaster, dying to save the kids.

Time got warped at that point, and the kids found themselves millions of years in the past, in an [[Splinter timeline|alternate timeline]]. They encountered Hot Shot, being trapped by semi-organic growth; Hot Shot revealed that Unicron had created the Mini-Cons, and the Transformers' use of them had led to the downfall of the entire race.

With that happy thought, the kids were sent back even further in time, where they witnessed the first Mini-Cons being spawned. Among these were High Wire, Sureshock, and Grindor. The kids' encounter with the Mini-Cons granted them with a burgeoning free will.

Finally, the kids were warped back to a few seconds before Thrust killed Starscream, allowing the Mini-Cons to combine into Perceptor and knock Thrust's aim off. Thrust's blast was redirected, saving Starscream. The ceiling then collapsed, but Starscream used his own body to shield the kids while Thrust flew off. At that point, Hot Shot and Wheeljack arrived. {{storylink|Drift (episode)|Drift}} The kids explained the situation and the fact that Starscream had saved them. Hot Shot ordered them to return to the ''Axalon'', but the kids managed to persuade him to let them tag along. The kids and bots sped along behind Starscream, following him through a portal to an organic-looking area where Thrust and Sideways were waiting; Alexis put on her necklace at this point. While the Transformers dealt with Unicron's minions and the various parasites and tentacles, the kids tried to rouse the Mini-Cons that made up the weapons in Thrust's possession from their dormant state. They were unsuccessful. The team was forced to flee, and the various organic... things soon separated Alexis and Starscream from the rest of the group. Starscream flew Alexis to safety, but she dropped her necklace en route. Rather than leave it to escape, she jumped from Starscream's shoulder to retrieve it. Starscream had to turn around and transform to save her.

[[File:Portent Alexis charm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Alexis's Good Luck Necklace doesn't contain enough luck to match her outfit.]]
They made it back to the surface, after which they realized the portal they had gone through had taken them to the interior of Cybertron's moon. Then, the ground began to crumble, revealing that the moon was concealing Unicron's body! Jetfire arrived and took the kids to safety back on Cybertron. As Autobots and Decepticons went their separate ways, Alexis begged Starscream to stay. Though he considered it, Starscream realized he'd just end up betraying her again and left. {{storylink|Portent}}

Starscream later interrupted a rather aggressive negotiation between Optimus Prime and Megatron, battling his old commander to prove that Unicron's threat was genuine. During the battle, Starscream decided to de-energize his sword and let Galvatron run him through. When Starscream died, [[Good Luck Necklace|Alexis's pendant]] cracked; instinctively, Alexis knew this indicated that something had just gone horribly wrong. Her intuition was proved correct when Optimus informed the kids of Starscream's demise; Alexis was overcome with grief and consoled by Rad. {{storylink|Cramp}} Still, she was able to attend the meeting at which the Autobots and Decepticons agreed to suspend hostilities until the defeat of Unicron. Though sad that Starscream wasn't there, she was glad he had achieved his goal of temporarily uniting the factions. {{storylink|Alliance}}

[[File:Cramp-AlexismournsStarscream.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|"They told me mullets were making a comeback. They lied!"]]
When Optimus Prime and Galvatron managed to sneak inside Unicron, the Street Action Mini-Cons decided to infiltrate the titan's body as well. The children and Red Alert tagged along, barely avoiding getting crushed and getting through the warp gate that led to Unicron's interiors. {{storylink|Union}} Red Alert was left behind, but the rest of the group soldiered forth. They found the two leaders restrained by Unicron's tentacles, with Unicron trying to break Optimus Prime through Sideways's vocal synthesizer verbally. Unicron destroyed the Mini-Cons' human-derived personalities, restoring them to blank drones, and then dragged the kids into a bizarre mindscape. However, the kids' mental fortitude was strong enough to not only break Unicron's thrall over the Mini-Cons but also to restore their personalities. The kids and Mini-Cons then managed to release the weapons, allowing Optimus Prime to blow up Sideways with the Requiem Blaster.

However, Galvatron challenged Optimus Prime to a final battle on the way out, {{storylink|Origin}} because as long as both of them still existed, the hatred and enmity would last forever. Thus Unicron would never be permanently defeated. The kids fled and were picked up by Jetfire and Cyclonus on Unicron's surface. Optimus Prime won the battle, and Unicron and Galvatron were both (apparently) destroyed.

Hot Shot and Jetfire returned the kids to Earth, where they said tearful (but temporary) goodbyes. Alexis pondered her pendant, wistfully remembering Starscream. {{storylink|Mortal Combat}}

====''Transformers Legends'' anthology====
Alexis and Rad stared up in horror as the Decepticons unleashed the might of the Hydra Cannon towards the Earth. Though there was little they could do to stop the incoming desolation, Optimus thankfully sacrificed himself to prevent Earth's destruction. {{storylink|Prime Spark (story)|Prime Spark}}

====''Legends'' comic====
While at the beach with her friends, {{storylink|LG-18 Armada Starscream Super Mode Prologue}} a young Alexis was transported into the [[Legends World]] by [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]], who knew of her connection with Starscream and hoped she could stop the resurrected Decepticon from causing tragedy by sacrificing himself again. As her appearance reawakened Starscream's lost memories, Alexis gently told him he'd "gotten lost" in this other universe and brought him home to their dimension. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 18|Bonus Edition Vol. 18}} With Starscream seemingly returned to death, Alexis reminisced about him on the beach. {{Storylink|Transformers Legends Final Chapter "Epiloge"|Epiloge}}

An older Alexis, from her diplomat days, was one of the many women brought to the Legends World by [[Tigatron]] using the [[10.2 ultra-drill|ultra-drill]] in an attempt to get women who liked him better than [[Springer (G1)|Springer]]. It didn't work out, as all of the women brought over eventually swooned over Springer. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 19|Bonus Edition Vol. 19}}

====''Energon'' cartoon====
{{voiceactor|[[Tabitha St. Germain]] (English), [[Akira Tomisaka]] (Japanese)|[[Mia Kihl]] (Swedish), [[Victoire Theismann]] (French), [[Rebeca Aponte]] (Spanish - Latin America), [[Carmen Podio]] (Spanish - Spain), [[Domitilla D'Amico]] (Italian), [[Izabella Bukowska]] (Polish), [[Karolina Blom]] (Finnish)}}

[[File:EnergonTVAlexis.jpg|left|thumb|Saturn Queen.]]
Soon after Unicron's defeat and the reunification of the Cybertronians under the Autobot flag, Dr. [[Brian Jones]] traveled to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] with his son, [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]]. He also brought along Rad, Alexis, and Carlos to the alien planet. {{storylink|Team Optimus Prime}} Years afterward, Alexis traveled to Cybertron as part of the human delegation. {{storylink|Cybertron City (episode)|Cybertron City}}

Ten years later, she worked as a diplomat on behalf of the [[Earth Federation]], usually as a liaison between Earth's nations and the Cybertronian Autobot-Decepticon alliance. Alexis traveled to [[Ocean City]] to tell the human crew and their Cybertronian allies about the Federation's decision to declare a neutral position in the latest Transformers conflict. While Alexis now represented the interests of Earth, she still had faith in Optimus Prime. She trusted his decisions in the Energon war, just as she trusted him during the [[Unicron Battles]]. {{storylink|Energon Stars}}

After the Battle of the Asteroid Belt, Alexis traveled to [[Ocean City]] to discuss the creation of a global [[energon grid]] to protect Earth from Alpha Q-related attacks. She was on hand to greet Dr. Jones, who responded in his usual jovial manner, which involved pushing her space boundaries. {{storylink|Battle of the Asteroid Belt}} When construction got underway, she offered to requisition more supplies and human resources, but Dr. Jones reassured her they had quite enough resources to hand. {{storylink|Energon Tower (episode)|Energon Tower}}

Shortly after that, she accompanied the Autobots and Earth Federation personnel to [[Jungle City]], where Kicker had received a vision of impending disaster. She and [[Sally Jones|Sally]] were removed from the scene before the fighting began.

As Kicker had predicted, the Decepticons arrived to raid the city. Things went badly for the Autobots, and they were forced to blow it up. Alexis reluctantly supported this move, reasoning that humans had survived the fall of civilizations before, and they would survive this. {{storylink|Crisis in Jungle City}}

Later, with Cybertron in danger, Dr. Jones sent all of Earth's energon to Cybertron. Alexis objected to this because it would leave Earth vulnerable but eventually gave in. {{storylink|Open Fire!}} She then arranged for Jungle City to be rebuilt on top of a newly discovered energon deposit on Earth. {{storylink|Team Optimus Prime}}

====''Cybertron'' cartoon====
[[File:Alexis cybertron.jpg|left|thumb|Psst... pssst... over here!]]
[[File:CybertronArmadaKids.jpg|thumb|The seeds of the future lie buried in the past. Or something.]]
Alexis continued in her governmental job. She was the only other person present onstage when the President appointed [[Mike Franklin|Colonel Franklin]] Earth's ambassador to Cybertron. Subsequently, she, Rad, and Carlos were among the humans who bid farewell to the Autobots as they departed Earth to begin a new [[space bridge]] construction program. {{storylink|Beginning}}

{{note|The images of Alexis, Rad, Carlos, and Kicker with spectral characters from prior series didn't appear in the ''Galaxy Force'' version of the show; at the time [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] had taken the position of the show being a [[continuity|continuity reboot]]... a position they later [[retcon]]ned, placing it as the direct sequel to ''Super Link'' as was originally planned. Confused yet? Interestingly, the shot of Alexis onstage '''was''' in the original...}}

=====Ask Vector Prime=====
By [[2030]], she served as the [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] under [[Gabriella Constanza (Cybertron)|President Constanza]]. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/03}}

====''The AllSpark Almanac''====
[[File:AAII-Alexis-Thi-Dang.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5]]
The [[multiverse|multiversal]] news source ''[[ALTernity Today]]'' reported that Alexis Thi Dang of [[universal stream]] [[Aurex 802.23 Alpha]] won the [[Whig]] Party primary for [[President of the United States]]. She ran on a platform for a stronger alliance between Earth and Cybertron. {{storylink|Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II}}

===Dreamwave ''Armada'' continuity===
====''Armada''====
[[File:Armada3-Alexis.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Alexis rocks the muttonchops.]]
Alexis helped Rad and Carlos with [[Project Supernova]], although she was rather cynical about it achieving flight. While she ran into some problems on launch day, including homework and Rad's insistence on playing secret agent (she was Agent Bubblegum), Alexis helped throw the Project Supernova off a cliff. Her cynicism was turned around when the craft managed to stay airborne, but it soon crashed due to [[Sid (Armada)|outside]] [[Seth|interference]]. Alexis was pissed and about having to go home when Rad fell into a cave and accidentally awakened [[Sparkplug (Armada)|four]] [[Street Action Mini-Con Team|alien robots]], whom he promptly hid in his garage. This didn't serve to improve Alexis's mood any, as she felt the robots could be dangerous and that they should tell people about them. Rad and Carlos eventually calmed her down, which was good as the robots turned out to be nice guys who built them a new Project Supernova. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 3|Armada #3}} However, while the kids and bots were flying around on their vehicle, they were attacked by [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] and fled back to the garage, where an angry Alexis demanded an explanation. The robots told the kids that they were [[Mini-Con]]s from the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], and that Megatron was a [[Decepticon]] out to capture them. Mad that she and her friends had been pulled into another race's war, Alexis began to argue with Rad, but Carlos made them both realize that they had to lure Megatron away from their neighborhood. The kids and Mini-Cons fled to a nearby canyon, where they found [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] and his [[Autobot]]s. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 4|Armada #4}}

While Alexis and the others were almost captured and killed by [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], the Autobots and Mini-Cons soon drove the Decepticons away. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 5|Armada #5}} Unfortunately, as the kids were playing around in a forest some time later, Optimus Prime visited them, explaining that he couldn't let them get involved with the Transformers' war any longer. Alexis and her friends were subsequently forbidden from hanging out with the Street Action Team. Sparkplug, who was against this, broke order and took the kids with him to rescue some Mini-Cons from the Decepticon base. Their mission was to [[Mini-Con panic-pager|call for help]] if Sparkplug's infiltration team wasn't back within 30 minutes. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 6|Armada #6}} When the team failed to return, Alexis and the others called for help and ended up summoning the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]]. However, it took some convincing to get them to help Sparkplug. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 7|Armada #7}}

[[File:Armada8-gradesslipping.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Some time between issue 3 and now, she hit puberty.]]
After a day at school, Alexis and her friends were riding around on the Street Action Team and eating burgers when the Mini-Cons suddenly stopped responding to them and sped away for an unknown destination. The kids were unable to get off until they came to a halt, which they did next to a [[Mini-Con Ark|mysterious monolith]] in [[Kansas]]. When the Mini-Cons entered the structure, Rad followed them, and Alexis could only watch as the monolith launched into space with her friend on board. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 8|Armada #8}} Optimus Prime explained that Rad had been taken to the [[Moon (moon)|Moon]], and Alexis and Carlos couldn't do much other than urge the Autobots to save him. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 9|Armada #9}} While Optimus managed to retrieve a starship to travel to the Moon, he refused to endanger the humans by letting them come as well. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 10|Armada #10}} Fortunately, [[simulcrum]] technology allowed them to be on the ship "in spirit," and Alexis was eventually reunited with Rad. {{storylink|Dreamwave Armada issue 11|Armada #11}}

After staying out of the Transformer conflict for a bit, Alexis, Rad, and Carlos learned the Mini-Cons were all returning to Cybertron to fight [[Unicron]]. They said their goodbyes to the Street Action Team, then watched as the Transformers entered a [[space bridge]] and left Earth. {{storylink|The End (Armada)|The End}} Some time after the conflict on Earth had ended, Alexis began to compile a comprehensive database of information on several Transformers. She was unaware that this information (which, in several cases, contradicted actual events) was planted into her mind by [[Over-Run (Armada)|Over-Run]]. {{storylink|More than Meets the Eye: Transformers: Armada|More Than Meets The Eye}}

====''Energon''====
[[File:What Lies Beneath dusty protest.jpg|left|upright=1.66|thumb|The first protest she ever participated in was against having to wear the same color every day.]]
In the ten years that followed the Transformers' departure from Earth, Alexis became an activist, traveling worldwide with other like-minded individuals to (violently) protest the misuse of Earth's natural resources.

One such trip found her in [[Australia]], protesting [[Alterenergy]]'s [[Energon|01 Source]] research. Her group's protest was interrupted when the Transformers returned to Earth in the form of the [[Terrorcon (Energon)|Terrorcons]] and attacked the Alterenergy excavation site. Alexis was horrified that they were getting dragged into the Transformer war again but ended up rushing straight into it to save a young teenager named [[Kicker Jones|Kicker]] from [[Battle Ravage]] by shooting the beast in the face with a flare gun. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath}} The two tried to escape on a motorcycle but ended up crashing it and getting captured by Battle Ravage, who brought them to [[Scorponok (Energon)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Two}} The Terrorcon leader used Alexis as a hostage, threatening to kill her if Kicker wouldn't help him find 01 Source. Fortunately, Rad, who now worked for Alterenergy, came to her aid... or at least it would've been her aid if Battle Ravage hadn't been guarding her. They escaped thanks to Carlos, who aided them from space by remotely detonating the collected 01 Source, knocking the Terrorcon out. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Three}} After Rad explained to Alexis that 01 Source was Energon—Transformer fuel—and that Kicker could sense it, the two were suddenly reunited with Optimus Prime, who had arrived to fight the Terrorcons. The Autobots subsequently drove the Terrorcons away and rescued Kicker, who was surprised that Rad and Alexis knew each other. {{storylink|What Lies Beneath, Part Four}}

As the Autobots officially revealed themselves to the human population, many began to fear an invasion and protested against them. Alexis was in [[Los Angeles]] at the time and reflected alongside Rad on how she would probably be opposing as well if she didn't know any better. Rad wasn't happy to hear this, nor was he happy about her way of life, as her frequent trips around the globe meant she never stuck around. Alexis explained that she had merely grown up and didn't see things in black and white anymore, but the disgruntled Rad just said his goodbyes and left. However, he came back and apologized as Alexis prepared to go in a taxi, which made her feel better. Then Terrorcon [[Insecticon (Energon)|Insecticons]] attacked Los Angeles and blew up the cab. {{storylink|Multiplicity}} Fortunately, she had gotten out in time and was safe and sound and returned to Rad. As he thought Alexis had died in the explosion, Rad had realized how much she truly meant to him and embraced her and told her never to leave him again. They were both reasonably embarrassed afterward. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 2}} Using Rad's truck, they raced away from the Insecticons and to Alterenergy's west coast headquarters. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 3}} Upon arrival, Alexis spent some time with Carlos, who explained how Rad planned to use the [[Energon Volant Accumulator]] to aid the Autobots in the fight against the Terrorcons. {{storylink|Multiplicity, Pt. 4}}

{{Unreleased energon comic}}
As the AlterEnergy collaboration grew between Cybertron and Earth, Alexis became involved with the [[United Nations]] in connection with the project. She helped orchestrate a task force to look for Kicker after he went missing. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 2}} Her information helped Rad and his people locate where [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] had taken the boy. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 3}} After being rescued, Kicker said goodbye to Alexis, Rad, and Carlos before joining the fight against Unicron. {{storylink|Armageddon Part 5}}

===Panini ''Armada'' comic===
When Rad and Carlos went spelunking, Alexis followed them to ensure they didn't get themselves killed. She was shocked to see them emerge from the cave with the alien robot [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]], but didn't have much time come to terms with the situation before [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] attacked them and tried to capture the smaller robot. High Wire transformed into a bike and took Alexis and the others to safety, where they met several other robots. [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] explained that they were [[Mini-Con]]s who had ended up on Earth after fleeing from the eternal war on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|First Encounter!}} When the Mini-Cons refused to save [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], who was getting his aft handed to him by Megatron, Rad decided to do it himself. Alexis protested, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. In the end, Rad taking action caused Megatron to flee and the humans to befriend the Autobots, but Alexis still told him not to let it go to his head. {{storylink|Friends and Foes!}}

After playing with their new friends on the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], Alexis, Rad, and Carlos were tasked with finding the [[locator log]] on board the crashed Mini-Con ship. When they were attacked by [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]], Alexis again took on the role of warning Rad against taking stupid risks, only for his crazy ideas to still work. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 3|Deep Trouble!}} Going back to her daily life, Alexis later visited the [[Cosmoscope Research Center|local observatory]] but was followed by Sureshock. After Sureshock's attempts to "help" the observatory crashed their mainframe, Alexis made a run for it and told the story to her friends. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 3|Just a Memory!}} When the Autobots decided to send the Mini-Cons back to Cybertron, she figured they had no other choice and told Rad not to get all emotional about it. In the end, the plans fell through, and the Mini-Cons remained on Earth. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 4|No Way Back!}}

Alexis and her friends were racing with the Street Action Team again when they were suddenly attacked by [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]], out to steal their Mini-Con friends. While the Street Action Team held the Decepticon back in the form of [[Perceptor (Armada)|Perceptor]], Alexis and the others fetched Optimus Prime to help them. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|The Two-Edged Blade}} Shortly afterward, they met [[Amos Hume]] and helped him save the [[Land Military Mini-Con Team]] from the [[Extra-Terrestrial Response Division]]. {{storylink|Panini Armada issue 7|Sale of the Century!}}

===Reader's Digest ''Armada'' novels===
11-years old Alexis was one of the many self-titled "Cosmo Kids" that lived in the community around the [[Cosmoscope Research Center|Cosmo Scope Research Center and Interstellar Observatory]]. She possessed a "powerful handheld computer," which she affectionately nicknamed "Rover," and had a fondness for imitating a TV announcer voice and narrating her friends' adventures as they happened. During an early autumn afternoon, Alexis and her friends Rad and Carlos headed out into the nearby mountains for some trail exploring. Alexis rode her scooter on the trip, which eventually led to a trail none of them had ever seen before. Carlos and Alexis were hesitant to continue down the trail when they spotted some signs indicating it was dangerous, but Rad goaded them on into pushing forward. The path eventually led to a cave, which the kids decided to explore. When the trio found cave paintings within, Alexis initially believed them to be graffiti done by other school kids and was insulted that anyone from the local community would do such a childish thing. The kids soon realized that it wasn't graffiti at all, but ancient cave paintings depicting robots fighting. All of them depicted violence save one, which pictured three robots that Alexis found cute, prompting groans from her male companions. As if prompted by an unknown instinct, Alexis reached out to touch one of the three robots. This action triggered a hidden mechanism within the cave, which revealed real-life versions of the three robots the children had touched in the drawing after some rumbling. Alexis met Sureshock, a Mini-Con who could only be understood by Alexis herself. The children learned about Cybertron and its civil war from their new robot friends. The moment was cut short when Autobots and Decepticons were teleported on-site by a mechanism within the Mini-Cons' ship. Finding themselves in the middle of a vicious battle between mechanical titans, Alexis and her friends thankfully escaped from harm thanks to the Mini-Cons' efforts and the newcomer, Optimus Prime. Learning that Optimus had the best of intentions for both Earth and the Mini-Cons, Alexis promised to keep the Transformers' existence a secret and rode back to town on Sureshock, now reformatted into a high-tech scooter. Meeting with Carlos and Rad the next day at school, the trio dismissed Billy and Fred's insinuations that anything exciting had happened to them the previous day before heading off to class. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: The Battle Begins|The Battle Begins}}

To explain to their parents how they had gotten totally sweet new extreme sports vehicles, Carlos and Alexis agreed to go along with a story that Rad had made up; the three of them had won their new gear in an extreme riding competition. Alexis's parents bought the story, and she took to riding Sureshock to school. The next afternoon, she, Carlos, and Rad readied themselves to visit the Autobots when they encountered Billy and Fred. Their schoolmates were curious about where they had gotten the new vehicles, and the trio knew they wouldn't be fooled by the story they had told their parents. Rad claimed that his dad had bought them the vehicles through some "connections," and they were the next year's model. Carlos and Alexis were quick to affirm his story. Narrowly avoiding exposure, the trio then took off for the Autobots' base. Strangely, they found the cave leading to the headquarters now sealed by a stone door. The Mini-Cons maintained a wireless connection to their vessel, however, and were able to grant themselves access to the base. But once inside, the group found it deserted. They eventually found Optimus and his fellow Autobots, Hot Shot and Red Alert, at a nearby highway, adopting new alternate modes. After brief introductions were made, explosions were heard off in the distance. The Decepticons were attacking the Autobots' base! Alexis, Carlos, and Rad raced ahead of the Autobots on their Mini-Cons, coming face to face with Megatron. The Decepticon leader halted his assault to demand the children surrender their companions. The Autobots arrived on the scene before Megatron was able to act on his threat, and Alexis and the others hid in some nearby brush to watch the battle unfold.

During the battle, a stray shot from Megatron caused a rockslide to tumble towards the kids and their Mini-Cons. Hot Shot zipped in and rescued them, though the ride within the two-seat sports car was a cramped one for all three kids. As they drove back to Optimus, Alexis noticed four Mini-Con panels sticking out of the rubble. Carlos and Rad helped her dig them out. Two of the panels activated in the Autobots' presence, one of them becoming Red Alert's partner, "Longarm" and the other Hot Shot's partner "Jolt." Red Alert instructed the children to keep the remaining two panels safe, and they hid themselves once more. The Decepticons were soon forced to retreat, but one of them, Cyclonus, lingered long enough to snatch the panels from Alexis and Rad before warping away. The children were torn up about allowing the Mini-Cons to fall into enemy hands, but Optimus assured them they had done everything they could. {{storylink|Transformers Armada: Race for the Mini-Con Robots|Race for the Mini-Con Robots}}

===''Transformers Legends'' anthology===
One [[Halloween]] night, Alexis went Trick-or-Treating with Carlos, Rad, and their three [[Mini-Con]]s. Because she was the mature one, she collected donations for [[UNICEF]] instead of candy, though she did dress as a princess. {{storylink|Something Robotic This Way Comes}}

After Alexis talked Doctor [[Jessica Theist]] into letting her niece [[Kelly (Armada)|Kelly]] come along an archeological dig, she also lent Kelly a computer. And Laserbeak. And [[Ransack (Armada)|Ransack]] and [[Dune Runner (Armada)|Dune Runner]]. It pays to be connected. {{storylink|Fire in the Dark}}

===Bendon ''Armada'' books===
[[File:RTD-Alexis.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
Rad, Carlos, and Alexis talked Optimus Prime into letting them explore some nearby caves in the hopes of finding other Mini-Cons, claiming that he and Carlos had already explored a few of them in the past. The trio succeeded in finding a crystal but had to be saved by Hot Shot after a surprise Decepticon attack caused a landslide. {{storylink|Cave Catastrophe}}

In another adventure, Carlos talked Rad into joining him for a Mini-Con race, to which Alexis invited herself. They foolishly left themselves out in the open, allowing Megatron to attack. Fortunately for them (your mileage may vary), Optimus and Hot Shot were there to save them yet again. {{storylink|Race to Disaster}}

===''Kre-O'' comic===
[[File:KreO_Alexis.jpg|thumb|left|50px|More [[Mini-Con]]s. Yawn.]]
While [[Bumblebee (Kre-O)|Bumblebee]] was out shopping for [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)|Optimus Prime]], he passed by Alexis, who could only stare in awe. {{Storylink|Bumblebee! The Gentle-Hearted Autobot Warrior}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
{{Twoimages|File:Alexis midriff.jpg|w1=50|File:Alexis-swimsuit.jpg|w1=50|caption=Alexis's original animation character model and unused swimsuit model.|float=right}}
[[File:AlexisIPVersion.jpg|100px|thumb|Ridin' nerdy.]]
*According to the now-defunct TV Tokyo ''Legends of the Microns'' website, Alexis is 11 years old at the start of ''Armada''. The page also stated she is Asian. As per the liner notes of the second series soundtrack, ''[[The Transformers Legends of the Microns: Sound of Evolution Vol. 2]]'', there were difficulties in coming up with the kids' character designs, as the producers were given three mandated ethnicities: White, Hispanic, and Asian. The notes go on to further confirm Alexis as being Asian ([[Vietnam]]ese American), specifying that she is the daughter of {{w|Vietnamese boat people}}. Her ethnicity is more pronounced on the 2001 Armada IP creative bible's cover. Compared to the relatively unchanged Carlos and Rad, she was heavily redesigned, and why remains unknown.
*''[[Transformers: Armada Official Guidebook]]'' backs up that Alexis is 11 years old when ''Armada'' begins. It also specified that she always got excellent grades and was a computer whiz. (To be in the same 8th-grade class as Rad and Carlos at her age, Alexis must have been smart enough to skip 7th grade.)
*According to [[Aaron Archer]], Alexis is named after the daughter of [[Steve Drucker]].
*Alexis didn't have a surname until the ''[[Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II|AllSpark Almanac II]]'' dubbed her "Alexis Thi Dang".
*''[[Legends of the Microns Year Book 2003]]'' reveals that Alexis has an unused swimsuit model.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Alexandra "Alexa"''' (アレクサンドラ ''Arekusandora'', アレクサ ''Arekusa'')
*''Korean:'' '''Jenna Alexandra''' (제나 알렉산드라 ''Jenna Alleksandeura'')

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dang, Alexis Thi}}
[[Category:Armada humans]]
[[Category:Cybertron humans]]
[[Category:Dimension hoppers]]
[[Category:Energon humans]]
[[Category:Fiction-only characters]]
[[Category:Kre-O humans]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:Legends humans]]
[[Category:Politicians]]

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)

2023-07-03T18:34:59Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Continuity notes */

{{Nav-aoe}}
{{Disambig2|the home console/PC version|the Nintendo 3DS version|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)}}
{{videogame
|title=''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''
|prev=Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)
|next=Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
|title2=
|prev2=
|next2=
|image=Rise Of The Dark Spark Cover.jpg
|caption=USA cover
|publisher=[[Activision]]
|developer=[[Edge of Reality]]
|writer=[[Andy Schmidt]]
|platforms=[[PlayStation|PlayStation 3 & 4]] [[Xbox 360]] & [[Xbox One|One]] [[Wii U]] [[PC]]
|date=
|continuity=[[Aligned continuity family]] [[Movie continuity]]
|chronology=Between ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (360/PS3/PC)|War for Cybertron]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' Alternate version of ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]''
|price=
|rating=ESRB: T PEGI: 12
|music=
}}

'''''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''''' is a video game jointly-created by both [[Hasbro]] and [[Activision]], released on June 24, [[2014]] in Europe and North America, and June 25 in Australia.<ref>https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/05/transformers-rise-of-the-dark-spark-release-date-revealed</ref> Developed by [[Edge of Reality]] for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, and PC,<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/article/transformers-rise-of-the-dark-spark-announced-3ds-version-to-be-strategy-rpg "Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark" announced; 3DS version to be Strategy RPG]</ref> it incorporates elements of both the ''Transformers'' [[Live-action film series|film franchise]] and the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (games)|War for Cybertron]]'' / ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' games. The story takes place before the ''Ark'' is launched in the Aligned continuity, and it also deals with a storyline revolving around one of [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]'s schemes in the ''Age of Extinction'' portion. It features over forty playable characters, slightly fewer than [[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|the Nintendo 3DS version]].<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/video-games-17/new-rise-of-the-dark-spark-preview-from-game-informer-179722/</ref>

On [[December 21]], [[2017]], ''Rise of the Dark Spark'' and its downloadable content were delisted from multiple digital storefronts due to the expiration of [[Activision]]'s licensing deal with [[Hasbro]].<ref>https://www.polygon.com/2017/12/22/16810202/platinum-games-transformers-devastation-legend-of-korra-steam-xbox-live-playstation-store</ref> In [[2020]], Activision discontinued support for the title and disabled its online functionality,<ref>https://support.activision.com/articles/legacy-activision-games</ref> namely the cooperative Escalation multiplayer mode. However, DLC for the Xbox One version of ''Rise of the Dark Spark'', including content only usable in Escalation, remains available for purchase on the Microsoft Store. This version of the game is playable on the Xbox Series S and X via backwards compatibility.

==Synopsis==
===Chapter I: The Dark Spark===
:'' Character: [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] ''
[[File:ROTDS1.jpg|thumb|right|Are you an Angel?]]
Above [[Earth]], a strange object flies through space, destroying a satellite in orbit. The mysterious item flies past a ship, piloted by none other than the legendary mercenary [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]. One of [[Shadow Raider|his henchmen]] arrives in the cockpit and asks Lockdown what it was. He replies that it is "the past come calling." [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]], the Decepticon-turned-Autobot, arrives in a burning city to investigate. He notices that something crash-landed nearby. He contacts [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], leader of the Autobots, and tells him about the strange object.
Prime instructs Drift to investigate the crash site, but while Drift is en route, Lockdown's goons attack the city. Recognizing that they are not [[Decepticon]]s, Drift reports to Optimus, who correctly guesses that they are mercenaries (much to Drift's disdain). Drift takes out all three mercenaries and, at Optimus's instruction, equips himself with blasters to better fight with, he continues to the site of the crash, taking out mercenaries as he goes. Drift meets up with Optimus and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], and the three arrive at the crash site. The Autobots discover an object that Drift does not recognize, but its appearance horrifies Optimus. To make things worse, Lockdown's henchman have arrived first. After another fight, the Autobots walk to the edge of the crater, and Optimus reveals to Drift that it is the Dark Spark. Before it can be retrieved, Lockdown arrives and steals the artifact for himself. The Dark Spark's power prevents him from intervening, and all he can do is furiously watch as Lockdown departs in his ship for parts unknown.

===Chapter II: The Lost Vault===
:'' Characters: [[Soundwave (WFC)]]/ [[Shockwave (WFC)]]''
As Shockwave and [[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] fly through an ancient, abandoned Cybertronian city, Starscream complains of Megatron sending him on a fool's errand to find a mystical relic that may or may not exist. As this sparks a discussion between Shockwave and Starscream, Soundwave chimes in over the com link, demanding "less talk". As the three 'cons make their way through the city and into an ancient vault, they are met with heavy resistance from feral cybernetic life forms Shockwave has dubbed "[[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]]".
Upon destroying the Insecticons attacking them, Shockwave splits off from the group, hoping to find out more about the vault they are in and what is hidden in it. He never gets the chance, however, as he is attacked by, to his surprise, [[Sharpshot|three]] [[Kickback (FOC)|sentient]] [[Hardshell|insecticons]]. Inadvertently insulting them, (kind of) and incurring their wrath they all attack him, and are all soundly defeated.
As Soundwave and Starscream come upon more Insecticons, they go about opening up the vault further so that they can keep moving. Upon defeating the attacking Insecticons, Starscream is alarmed at the appearance of Hardshell, and begins shooting at him, only to be stopped by Shockwave, who reveals Hardshell, along with Kickback and Sharpshot, to be "new recruits" to the Decepticon cause. Sharpshot points the Decepticons in the direction of the Dark Spark before departing with the other Insecticons.
The Decepticons continue their trek further into the vault, they are met with resistance in the form of auto turrets and [[Crystal Guardian]]s as they deactivate the chamber to the Dark Spark. While doing so, Soundwave begins to notice Autobot energy signatures on his scanners, but Shockwave passes them off as glitches. Soon, the Decepticons arrive, triumphant, at the entrance to the chamber holding the Dark Spark.

===Chapter III: Getaway===
:'' Character: [[Sideswipe (WFC)]]''
Sideswipe and [[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] have been tailing the aforementioned Decepticon trio through their whole trip to find the Dark Spark, and have arrived at the Dark Spark before the Decepticons. Ironhide, wishing to be long gone before they are found, takes the Dark Spark. As the Autobots are leaving, marveling at their luck, the Decepticons enter the chamber, and, enraged that the Autobots beat them to the Dark Spark, open fire. Ironhide and Sideswipe barely escape from the chamber as security measures cause it to close itself up, trapping the Decepticons inside. Starscream is enraged, but Shockwave bids him to calm down, as Soundwave had released [[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]] before they entered the chamber, and the small bird-bot would ensure they are not trapped for long.
Meanwhile, Sideswipe and Ironhide are running into resistance from the Insecticons, and Sideswipe must juggle keeping the Insecticons away from Ironhide and the Dark Spark, along with using his grappling hook to ''pull Ironhide'' up through the tunnel to the exit. As Sideswipe and Ironhide keep moving, they get separated when Sideswipe accidentally closes a blast door between himself and Ironhide. As Sideswipe fights off swarming Insecticons, Ironhide opens up another path for him to travel through, allowing them to meet up again.
As they reach the scheduled rendezvous point (some abandoned subway tunnels), Ironhide reports to [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Prime]] that they have the Dark Spark. They are greeted at the rendezvous point by Optimus himself and [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]. As Optimus and the others fight off the swarming Insecticons, Sideswipe is ordered to get to the control panel for the subway and call a train. Sideswipe is successful, but the train, being revealed to be on a timer, leaves as quickly as it came, with only Bumblebee on board. Optimus declares that they will have to hold the line against the Insecticons until the next train arrives.
As the Autobots fend off the Decepticons, Starscream, having been freed by Laserbeak, arrives, triumphantly demanding that the Autobots surrender or face his wrath. The Insecticons proceed to swarm him. As Starscream is distracted by the Insecticons, the next train arrives, and the Autobots board, departing for Iacon. As the train leaves, Shockwave and Soundwave arrive, just in time for Starscream to finish off the Insecticons and berate them for not coming sooner and letting the Autobots get away. Shockwave simply looks at Starscream, then presses a switch on his arm, causing the train, which had been wired, to explode.

===Chapter IV: Possession===
:'' Character: [[Sharpshot]]''
Shockwave, believing Optimus Prime has the Dark Spark, hides in the rubble of the smoldering train. Sharpshot appears and informs Shockwave of the Dark Spark's real location, with Ironhide, and the two set off to get it. After a short firefight, Shockwave seizes the Dark Spark from a heavily damaged Ironhide and begins to head for [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. The bridge is destroyed while he is on it, but he manages to escape before he falls. Sharpshot transforms into insect mode and covers him as he advances along the walkway, eventually barred by an energy barrier. Sharpshot destroys the energy barrier, allowing Shockwave to progress, only to be met by another one. After destroying the second barrier, Shockwave is met by a duo of [[Titan (FOC)|Titans]], which cause him to jump off the walkway. He lands in an ancient research laboratory, and, after inserting some [[moleculon fuse]]s, some history of the Dark Spark is revealed. When Sharpshot journeys down into the catacombs to activate the final switch, he is attacked by Crystal Guardians. Sharpshot returns to Shockwave, and the two exit the facility. Outside, they are found by [[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]], who alerts the other [[Combaticon (WFC)|Combaticons]]. [[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] and [[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] arrive soon after. Onslaught orders a reluctant Swindle to escort Shockwave and Sharpshot to Kaon.

===Chapter V: Hustle===
:'' Character: [[Swindle (FOC)]]''
While making their way towards Kaon, Swindle, Shockwave, and Sharpshot find themselves in a spacecraft boneyard. As Swindle activates some beacons in order to find a way through, the Decepticons are ambushed by a fleet of Autobot Flyers. Swindle manages to open up a hallway while an Autobot [[Dropship (WFC)|Dropship]] sends in reinforcements. The Decepticons destroy the Dropship in order to make some makeshift stairs and enter the hallway. While making their way through, Sharpshot senses something and abandons the group (much to Swindle's relief). Shortly afterwards, Swindle & Shockwave are ambushed by a squadron of Autobots led by [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]]. After defeating Cliffjumper and his forces, Swindle & Shockwave surround the Autobot before he activates his invisibility cloak and escapes. Swindle alerts Shockwave that they are nearly at the gates of Kaon and that the other Combaticons should meet up with them at the rendezvous point. Meanwhile, Cliffjumper reports to Optimus that he failed to stop the Decepticons, but Optimus reassures him that he bought them enough time to set their plan into motion.

===Chapter VI: Gates of Kaon===
:'' Characters: [[Swindle (FOC)]]/ [[Bruticus (WFC)]]''
As the Combaticons meet up at the gates of Kaon, they find themselves under attack by the Autobots. [[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] offers to deliver the Dark Spark via air, but Shockwave warns that should the Dark Spark fall from a great height, it would cause massive damage to the city. Onslaught orders Shockwave to stay behind while the Combaticons take care of the Autobots. Swindle is tasked with taking down the Enforcers so Blast Off can provide air support. After the Enforcers are destroyed, Shockwave requests some back-up from Swindle. After arguing with Swindle, Blast Off finally provides some air support after Shockwave angrily orders him to. Swindle & Shockwave soon find themselves blocked off by a barrier, and Swindle is forced to protect Shockwave while he hacks the force-field. Swindle meets up with Onslaught and helps him take down a Titan. Soon the rest of the Combaticons arrive and they combine into [[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]]. Bruticus begins defeating wave after wave of Autobot soldiers. While Bruticus has his back turned, Cliffjumper tries to plant a bomb on his back. However, Bruticus finds out and smashes Cliffjumper against a wall. Holding Cliffjumper hostage, Shockwave orders the Autobots to ceasefire. [[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] and his troops comply, but the Decepticons take Cliffjumper with them into Kaon anyway. Jazz alerts Optimus to their situation, with Optimus assuring that they'll rescue Cliffjumper and secure the Dark Spark.

===Chapter VII: Infiltration===
:'' Character: [[Optimus Prime (WFC)]]''
Optimus & Jazz begin their rescue mission by driving down a road towards [[Kolkular]], Megatron's fortress. Jazz asks Prime why they just can't leave the Dark Spark with Megatron, considering the Autobots are leaving Cybertron anyway. Optimus is worried however that Megatron may use the Dark Spark's power to destroy the [[Ark (WFC)|Ark]], which is still under construction. Optimus and Jazz manage to make their way into Kolkular by blowing out the vents. Jazz heads off to find a way through, leaving Optimus to fight off some Decepticon soldiers. Jazz finds himself trapped by some turrets, which Optimus manages to shut off. The two Autobots meet up and continue to fight their way through the Recycling Pits. After making their way through some defense grids, Jazz hacks into a terminal and finds out where Shockwave is keeping Cliffjumper. Jazz notices how easy their journey has been, and both he and Optimus agree that they're walking into a trap. On cue, Megatron treats the two with a warm Decepticon welcome, which naturally includes gunfire. Optimus and Jazz fight off Megatron's troops and find the prison cell that Cliffjumper is being held captive. Optimus provides cover for Jazz using a turret while he breaks Cliffjumper out. As Optimus and Jazz check up on Cliffjumper, walls begin to surround the cell, trapping all three Autobots. Optimus contacts [[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] and orders him to commence Operation Longshot.

===Chapter VIII: A Desperate Plan===
:'' Character: [[Jetfire (WFC)]]''
Perceptor relays the details of Operation Longshot to Jetfire, namely how Jetfire's mission is to infiltrate the smoldering remains of [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]]. Perceptor has reprogrammed a Decepticon maintenance probe to map out Trypticon's interior, which would have changed since Jetfire's last visit. Once inside, Jetfire finds that some of Trypticon's systems are still online, but these are automatic functions and not a sign of Trypticon's consciousness. However, Jetfire notices some new gear inside Trypticon and he is attacked by some Decepticon soldiers. Jetfire discovers that Starscream is salvaging some Energon from Trypticon without Megatron's permission. Jetfire continues on his way towards the cargo bay, but he catches the attention of some turrets, alerting Starscream to his presence. Jetfire soon arrives at the weapon chamber, and he is tasked with reactivating Trypticon's weapon system. Perceptor activates Trypticon's orbital strike, giving Jetfire barely enough time to escape. Starscream is enraged that all his Energon has gone to waste and vows revenge against Jetfire. The energy beam fired from Trypticon soon reaches its target: Kolkular. Things go according to plan, as Optimus, Jazz, and Cliffjumper are freed due to the damage to the fortress and the three begin their escape.

===Chapter IX: Ascension===
:'' Character: [[Optimus Prime (WFC)]]''
During the Autobot's prison break, Cliffjumper recalls Shockwave bringing up his experiments with the Dark Spark and how Cliffjumper "wouldn't have to be an Autobot much longer". Optimus orders Jazz to get Cliffjumper to safety, while he'll go after Megatron and the Dark Spark alone. Jazz & Cliffjumper are reluctant, but comply. Optimus is soon suppressed by turret fire, but he manages to destroy the turrets power source. Optimus accesses a computer terminal to discover where Megatron's location is, and also locks the doors behind him to prevent any counter-strike against him. After fighting through more Decepticon troops, Optimus enters a room that contains some fallen Autobot soldiers. Megatron and Shockwave observe from a distance and decide to use Optimus for an experiment. Using [[Dark Energon]], Shockwave [[Terrorcon (Prime)|resurrects]] the Autobots, now pledging their allegiance to Megatron. Megatron, now using the Dark Spark to increase his power, joins his new troops in their fight against Optimus. Whenever Megatron begins to recharge the Dark Spark, Optimus starts destroying the charging towers. In a last ditch effort, Optimus and Megatron begin to unleash the power of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] and the Dark Spark, respectively. Eventually, the power of the Matrix overpowers the Dark Spark, causing it to eject itself out of Megatron and launch itself into space. Shockwave begins to drag Megatron away, having sustained serious injuries. Jazz contacts Optimus to ask him about his condition. Optimus informs him that the Dark Spark has been neutralized and the Autobots should now focus their attention on finishing the Ark. Optimus does express his concerns however, that the Dark Spark may eventually cause havoc [[Live-action film series|elsewhere]]...

===Chapter X: Hunted ===
:'' Character: [[Bumblebee (Movie)]] ''
Across time and space, Lockdown is contemplating how fortunate it was for him to find the Dark Spark. Bumblebee and Drift have been busy tracking [[Knight Ship|Lockdown's ship]] and report to Optimus that he may be heading towards an abandoned military base. Bumblebee asks (well, more like beeps) Optimus if their back-up is ready, but Optimus tells him to be patient. After ending their transmission, the two Autobots are attacked by snipers. The duo manage to flank the snipers, and Bumblebee provides cover for Drift as he makes his way down the cliffs. The two eventually make it to base, which is swarming with mercenaries. Drift attempts a stealth attack against Lockdown, but he is quickly spotted and taken down. Lockdown then orders his men to find Bumblebee, knowing that Autobots rarely travel alone.

===Chapter XI: Investigation ===
:'' Characters: [[Bumblebee (Movie)]]/ [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] ''
Bumblebee continues to fight his way through Lockdown's men while looking for Drift. The mercenaries have jammed the Autobot's radio signals, leaving them unable to communicate with Optimus. Bumblebee eventually finds Drift being interrogated by Lockdown. Lockdown mocks Drift for his shift in allegiance and leaves him to get roughed up by the mercenaries. Bumblebee takes this opportunity to snipe one of the henchmen, allowing Drift to escape. While fighting wave after wave of Lockdown's henchmen, Drift overhears Lockdown assuring he'll keep the Autobots distracted. Lockdown unveils [[Combaticon Warrior|his new Titan mercenary]], which is impervious to the Autobot's weapons. This forces Drift and Bumblebee to flee.

===Chapter XII: Ambushed===
:''Characters: [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]]/ [[Grimlock (AOE)]]''
Drift and Bumblebee make their way outside while more mercenaries try to take them out. Just when it seems like there's no hope left for the two, Grimlock, one of the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]], comes to their rescue. After Grimlock easily dispatches the mercenaries, the Titan mercenary finally arrives. Grimlock smacktalks the Titan before rendering it "extinct". Lockdown takes this opportunity to escape, much to Grimlock's anger.

===Chapter XIII: Extinction===
:'' Character: [[Grimlock (AOE)]]''
Lockdown and his men enter their base located in the middle of a city. Upon hearing that the Autobots have entered the city, Lockdown orders the mercenaries to keep them occupied. Grimlock and Optimus make their way through a blockade on a bridge. Afterwards, Optimus heads off to meet up with Drift and Bumblebee, and Grimlock has to continue alone. As Grimlock rampages his way through, Optimus detects Energon surges coming from within the city. The Autobots reach the entrance to Lockdown's hide out and Grimlock is tasked with destroying the transmitters that allow Lockdown to communicate with his troops. Grimlock then meets up with the rest of the Autobots and provides cover for Optimus as he tries to get the entrance to open. Optimus succeeds, and he and Bumblebee enter Lockdown's lair.

===Chapter XIII: Locked Down===
:'' Character: [[Optimus Prime (Movie)]]''
Optimus and Bumblebee make their way underground, while Drift and Grimlock guard the entrance. Optimus and Bumblebee fight Lockdown's mercenaries as they make their way through the base. Drift meets up with the two and assures them that Grimlock has everything under control. The three Autobots soon confront Lockdown and discover that he has built himself a time bridge. Since the Autobots failed to prevent him from recovering an amplifier that was located in the jungle, Lockdown is free to go back in time and save the Decepticons that were in the [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Battle for Chicago]]. After destroying the energy stabilizers for the time bridge, Lockdown begins to monologue about how well-paid he was during the war and that after [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron's]] death, things haven't been the same. Lockdown intends to bring the Decepticons into the present and continue the war anew. Lockdown intends his first job to deliver Optimus to Megatron. Optimus is disgusted by Lockdown's plan and tries to fight the bounty hunter. Lockdown is impervious to Optimus' weapons thanks to the Dark Spark and Optimus has to resort to melee attacks in order to damage him. Eventually, the two begin to grapple with each other and Optimus tosses Lockdown towards Drift, who cuts the Dark Spark out of Lockdown's chest. Optimus then uses the Matrix to toss the Dark Spark into the time bridge. The time bridge becomes too unstable, and the Autobots make their escape. His plans ruined, Lockdown flees from the Autobots in his ship.

Meanwhile, the Dark Spark finally lands in the middle of a desert. Watching over this, [[Optimus Prime (G1)|a familiar face]] expresses horror that the day has finally come...

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|h1=Movie Autobots
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Peter Cullen]])
*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] ([[Chris Jai Alex]])
*[[Grimlock (AOE)|Grimlock]] ([[Gregg Berger]])

|h2=Mercenaries
|c2=
*[[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] (Gregg Berger)
*[[Stinger (AOE)|Stinger]] (via [[Walmart]] pre-order/DLC)

|h3=Aligned Autobots
|c3=
*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]] (Peter Cullen)
*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee]]
*[[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]]
*[[Jazz (WFC)|Jazz]] ([[Troy Baker]])
*[[Jetfire (WFC)|Jetfire]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Sideswipe (WFC)|Sideswipe]] ([[Travis Willingham]])
*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] ([[Nolan North]])
*[[Ironhide (WFC)|Ironhide]] ([[Keith Szarabajka]])
*[[Hound (Prime)|Hound]]
*[[Ratchet (WFC)|Ratchet]]
*[[Air Raid (WFC)|Air Raid]]
*[[Silverbolt (WFC)|Silverbolt]]
*[[Scattershot (WFC)|Scattershot]]
*[[Snarl (FOC)|Snarl]]
*[[Perceptor (Prime)|Perceptor]] ([[Jim Ward]])
*[[Warpath (WFC)|Warpath]]
*[[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]]
*[[Slug (FOC)|Slug]]
*[[Swoop (WFC)|Swoop]]
*[[Ultra Magnus (WFC)|Ultra Magnus]]
|h4=Decepticons
|c4=
*[[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] ([[Fred Tatasciore]])
*[[Starscream (WFC)|Starscream]] ([[Sam Riegel]])
*[[Shockwave (WFC)|Shockwave]] ([[Steve Blum]])
*[[Soundwave (WFC)|Soundwave]] ([[Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.]])
*[[Swindle (FOC)|Swindle]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Brawl (WFC)|Brawl]]
*[[Onslaught (WFC)|Onslaught]] (Travis Willingham)
*[[Blast Off (FOC)|Blast Off]] ([[Keith Silverstein]])
*[[Vortex (FOC)|Vortex]] ([[Dave Boat]])
*[[Bruticus (WFC)|Bruticus]] (Nolan North)
*[[Kickback (FOC)|Kickback]] (Troy Baker)
*[[Sharpshot]] (Steve Blum)
*[[Hardshell]] ([[Scott Whyte]])
*[[Quake (FOC)|Quake]]
*[[Breakdown (WFC)|Breakdown]]
*[[Dead End (WFC)|Dead End]]
*[[Dragstrip (WFC)|Dragstrip]]
*[[Demolishor (WFC)|Demolishor]]
*[[Thundercracker (WFC)|Thundercracker]] (via Gamestop pre-order/DLC)
*[[Skywarp (WFC)|Skywarp]] (via Gamestop pre-order/DLC)
|h5=Other
|c5=
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Generation 1 Optimus Prime]] (Peter Cullen)
'''Non-Player'''
'''Mercenaries'''
*[[Shadow Raider|Mercenaries]]
*[[Combaticon Warrior|Behemoth]]
'''Autobots'''
*[[Heavy Soldier]]
'''Decepticons'''
*[[Rumble (WFC)|Rumble]]
*[[Laserbeak (WFC)|Laserbeak]]
*[[Leaper]]
*Insecticon Swarmers
*Insecticon Bruisers
*Insecticon Spitters
'''Other'''
*Soldiers
*Rocket Soldiers
*Shotgunners
*Flyers
*Sharpshooters
*[[Marauder (FOC)|Marauder]]
*[[Wall Crawler]]
*[[Titan (FOC)|Titan]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Quotes==
'''Starscream:''' "Soundwave, did Shockwave make a ''joke'' back there? 
'''Soundwave:''' "AFFIRMATIVE." 
'''Starscream:''' "Was it intentional? 
'''Soundwave:''' "AFFIRMATIVE." 
'''Starscream:''' "You know, Soundwave, you've become quite the conversationalist." 
'''Soundwave:''' "AFFIRMATIVE."
:-'''Starscream''' and '''Soundwave''' discuss Shockwave's brief moment of humor.

'''Starscream:''' "A pity, then, that ''we'' are only ''three''." 
'''Soundwave:''' "LASERBEAK: EJECT." 
'''Starscream:''' "My mistake. ''Three and a half''."
:-'''Starscream''' does not think much of '''Soundwave's''' minions.

''[A failed headshot prompts the [[Combaticon Warrior|Mercenary Titan]] to turn towards Bee and Drift]'' 
'''Bumblebee:''' ''[Surprised beeps]'' 
'''Drift''': Bee, I have formed a plan: '''Run!'''
:-'''Drift''', coming up with brilliant impromptu plans.

'''Swindle:''' "No sign of the bug ''[Sharpshot]''. Oh well, can't say I'm sad to see him go." 
'''Shockwave:''' "Are you implying that you two were not forming a ''long and lasting bond of friendship''?" 
''' Swindle:''' "You can't be serious?"
:-'''Shockwave''' discusses with Swindle about his <s> slash fic </s> observations of the two.

''' Jetfire:''' "I used to be ''stationed'' on [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]], remember? I can find my way." 
''' Perceptor:''' "Your knowledge is based on the ''erroneous'' notion that Trypticon's layout was not altered during his conversion from space station to ''smoldering wreck''." 
'''Jetfire:''' "Point taken... Well, lead the way, little buddy."
:-'''Jetfire''' and '''Perceptor'''

"The only future to master is one's own. The [[fandom|humans]] understand this. Yet they also understand that [[The Transformers (franchise)|the past]] is the genesis of all things, and must be [[GEEWUN|afforded proper deference]]."
:-'''Movie Optimus Prime''' is willing to segue into a Generation One epilogue...but he's going to be meta about it.

==Trophy/Achievement list==
When completing various goals and tasks during the game, the player will be rewarded as part of their console of choice's meta-goal system. Players can earn up to 51 Trophies on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and 50 Achievements on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The PlayStation versions' trophies come in four types: Bronze, which represent easier tasks and are worth the least experience; Silver, which are awarded for challenges of mid-level difficulty; Gold, which are given for harder tasks and worth more experience; and Platinum, the highest-level trophy unlocked only after earning all of a game's other trophies. On the Xbox versions, each achievement has a Gamerscore value that adds to the player's total Gamerscore across all games played; up to 1000 Gamerscore can be earned in ''Rise of the Dark Spark''. These achievements can also be earned in the PC version as part of the Steam interface, but lack the individual values and weights from the console versions.

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5
! Achievement/Trophy name
! Achievement/Trophy description
! Gamerscore
! PS Trophy
|-
| Til All Are One!
| Earned All Trophies.
|
| {{PS Platinum}}
|-
| Aligned
| Chose your allegiance.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| Peace through tyranny
| Defeated 250 Autobots.
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
| It Was An Honor
| Defeated 250 Decepticons and mercenaries.
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Short Circuit
|Reached Level 5.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Perfect
|Reached Level 10.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|You Got The Touch
|Reached Level 25.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Covenant of Primus
|Activated Prime Mode.
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|It’s The Thought That Counts
|Opened 3 Gear Boxes.
| 5 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Tough
|Made it through Wave 5 in Escalation.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Double Tough
|Made it through Wave 10 in Escalation.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Double Tough Hard
|Made it through Wave 15 in Escalation.
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|Hmm, Upgrades
|Upgraded an installation to max level in Escalation.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|You Get Nothing, Good Day Sir
|Slowed down the reverse engineering project.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Make Peace, Not War
|Destroyed Lockdown's Weapon Caches.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Somebody's Watching Me
|Found all the Stalker's Observations.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|Make It Rain
|Discovered the fate of the Entrepreneur.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|Spoils of War
|Listened to all the Veteran's laments.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|Snitches Get Stitches
|As Drift, destroyed all the Anti-Alien Propaganda Billboards.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|My Blade Has Tasted Better
|As Drift, defeated 25 enemies with the Blade Dash ability.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Spectacularly Amazing!
|As Sideswipe, got through the whole chasm using less than 6 grapples.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Softly Softly Catchee Monkey
|As Swindle, defeated Cliffjumper without causing any collateral damage.
| 20 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|No One Gets Outta Here Alive!
|Destroyed everything outside the Gates of Kaon.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|What Could Go Wrong?
|As Optimus, completed the rescue of Cliffjumper without using the turret.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|I'd Like To Leave Here Please
|As Jetfire, escaped the ruins of Trypticon without taking any damage from the laser gates.
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Sting like a . . .
|As Bumblebee, defeated a sniper with a melee attack.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Tread Lightly
|As Grimlock, prevented Optimus from falling below 50% health while defending him.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Give Me The News Doc
|Healed 50000 health points amongst you and your allies.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Need ... Oil ... Can
|Defeated 75 enemies that are slowed.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Bleeding Edge
|Completed the game with a HACK active.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Of Merit and Distinction
|Earned 250 Combat Distinctions.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Challenge Accepted
|Completed 50 Challenges.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|Blasters! Blasters! Blasters!
|Unlocked every weapon.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|This Weapon of Iron & Wood
|Fully upgraded a primary weapon.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|VROOM-pire!
|Defeated 50 enemies by siphoning their health away with the Energon Harvester.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Y U Heff 2 B Mad?
|Used the V32.Cybr Corrupt@r on a Power Foe and have them defeat an enemy.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Silver}}
|-
|Shadow Company
|Defeated 25 enemies after using the Cloak ability.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Thumbs Up Soldier!
|Defeated 35 enemies using throwback damage from the Kinetic Capacitor Shield ability.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Marked For Destruction
|Defeated 50 enemies marked with E.D.U.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Turret Buddy
|Defeated 25 enemies with your Battle Sentry.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|healing.exe
|Repaired 5000 points of damage with your Repair Sentry.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Quartermaster
|Resupplied 250 times with the Ammo Supply Core.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Totally OP
|Defeated 100 enemies with the Riot Cannon.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|I Hope You Have Insurance
|Healed 15000 health points with your Heal Beam.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Scrapped
|Used Explosive Path to defeat 35 enemies.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Tormenta
|Used Thunder Blast to earn 35 multi kills.
| 25 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Loadsa Money
|Earned 25000 Energon Shards.
| 20 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|What Does This Do?
|Used 50 T.E.C.H.
| 15 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|It's Not A Sprint
|Drove or Flew 26 miles (42km) in vehicle mode.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Full Metal Jacket
|Reloaded 1000 times.
| 10 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Bronze}}
|-
|Welcome to Earth!
|Defeated Lockdown.
| 50 {{gamerscore}}
| {{PS Gold}}
|-
|}

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The Cybertron portion of the game occurs between ''War for Cybertron'' and ''Fall of Cybertron'' – the ''[[Ark (WFC)|Ark]]'' is under construction, [[Trypticon (WFC)|Trypticon]] still lies where he crashed, and we see Shockwave discover the [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]] for the first time. However, there are two notable inconsistencies – see 'Errors' below.
*The ''Age of Extinction'' story, meanwhile, is utterly irreconcilable with the events of the film – the Autobots have an existing alliance with the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobots]], and Optimus Prime and Bumblebee sport the new bodies they acquire during the film, yet Lockdown is perfectly alive and Prime is active on Earth. Stinger's brief cameo as a mercenary is similarly impossible to reconcile (although KSI could have plagiarized Stinger's model.)
*[[Source:Rise of the Dark Spark audio logs|Audio logs]] speak of the [[Patterner]]s and [[Galvatron (COP)|Galvatron]] indicating that studies of the [[Dark Spark]] took place during the Age of Origins in ''[[Transformers: The Covenant of Primus|The Covenant of Primus]]''.
*Starscream sarcastically makes note of how Soundwave is becoming a "conversationalist", likely alluding to the vow of silence he takes and employs during the [[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|''Prime'']] cartoon.
*Like his [[Drift (G1)|namesake]], [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] was once a Decepticon before switching allegiance to join the Autobots, as noted by [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] when the former was held captive. Whether this background also applies to the film is unknown, given the above differences in the continuity.
*In chapter one, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] refers to a line: "The humans never asked for our war", which was previously heard in the previous game, [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|Transformers: Dark of the Moon]], during an attack on [[Detroit|Detroit]].

===Transformers references===
*In the first level of the game, there's a billboard that reads "Vote Berger for Mayor", an obvious reference to the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] character [[Shawn Berger]], who expressed such mayoral desires in the two-part episode "[[Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1|Megatron's Master Plan]]".
*Shockwave quotes his motto from his toy's [[bio]], "Clarity of thought before rashness of action".
*Ironhide and Sideswipe both paraphrase Ironhide's motto from his original bio, "High-tech circuitry is no replacement for guts".
*Blast Off quotes his motto from his original bio, "I destroy Autobots by choice, not command".
*Swindle mentions Starscream freeing the Combaticons from the Decepticon brig, a reference to the origin of the Combaticons in the G1 cartoon episode "[[Starscream's Brigade]]".

===Errors===
*Despite the game's script clearly positioning it before the events of ''Fall of Cybertron'', and the main menu background depicting him in his ''War for Cybertron'' body, Megatron is depicted in the new body he acquired only part-way through that game.
*Ironhide and Sideswipe encounter an Insecticon Bruiser, despite ''Fall of Cybertron'' having established them as a creation of Shockwave.
*The live-action film universe Matrix of Leadership uses the model from the Aligned games, rather than the very different Matrix design first seen in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''.
*Lockdown's model has a Decepticon insignia and is undersized.
*During the fourth chapter, Shockwave plummets off a ledge and crashes through a ceiling while carrying the Dark Spark, to no ill effect. Two chapters later, Shockwave conversely claims that that Dark Spark falling from height could cause ''citywide'' damage.
*If the player hits an allied character, they react physically, but the accompanying sound effects present in previous games in the series are missing.
*As Stinger & Bumblebee are both redecoes of each others, while bumblebee's head uses the unmasked head, Stinger on the other hand uses the masked & unmasked head at the same time, if you zoom closely you'll notice it & by clipping in game, you'll see Bumblebee's unmasked head (with purples eyes).
*The entirety of Chapter 8 contradicts a '''LOT''' of things.
**The remains of Trypticon are apparently in Decepticon hands, unlike in ''Fall of Cybertron'', where his remains are in Autobot hands.
**Trypticon looks really different than from his ''War for Cybertron'' appearance. His head looks more dinosaur-like and his color scheme is completely different.
**Apparently, Jetfire and Perceptor take ALL of the Energon remaining in Trypticon, along with the other amount Starscream needed for something, despite the '''BIG''' fact that the AUTOBOTS were USING Trypticon for the ARK, which would get them OFF of Cybertron in ''Fall of Cybertron.'' Does that make Jetfire AND Perceptor war criminals? <s> This game is a poorly written and buggy mess. </s>

===Trivia===
*''Rise of the Dark Spark'' marks a [[PlayStation]] 4 milestone by being the first game to support the PlayStation Store pre-loading feature introduced in the console's 1.70 update.<ref>[http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/06/18/pre-order-pre-load-upcoming-ps4-games/ PlayStation Blog: Pre-Order, Pre-Load Upcoming PS4 Games]</ref>
*The game reuses a large portion of existing game assets from ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]'', such as character models, environmental textures, animation cycles, control sequences and weapons. In contrast, the majority of assets freshly created to represent the AOE scenarios do not match the quality of the re-used assets, and even go as far as to reskin a number of them.
**The Crystal Guardians the Decepticons face in chapter 2 are all [[generic]]s with the [[body-type]] of [[Sentinel Zeta Prime|Zeta Prime]].
**Grimlock's AOE iteration in the game is a complete reskin of his depiction from ''Fall of Cybertron'', meaning he retains all his animations and attacks from that game, despite using a mace rather than a sword. This does not stop him from somehow stabbing enemies with the aforementioned mace, and also results in an unusual transformation, with Grimlock's parts flipping around randomly before suddenly swapping models from T-Rex to Robot mode. Because of him reusing animations, his body parts clip in his body when they move.
*Just to give you a quick rundown on ''how'' much this game does and doesn't reuse from the last 3 games:
**All of the audio of this game is reused from other games, save for the dialogue and some voice clips. The main menu music is new, but it [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOfOLp5NpcI doesn't even come from the actual game!]
**The Mercenaries you fight in the Earth levels consist of [[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)| Dark of the Moon game]] and [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)| Revenge of the Fallen game]] character models. The Mercenary Solders reuse Autobot solder models from the DotM game, the Rocket-troopers, Shotgunners and Titans reuse the Combaticon Scout, Seeker Sniper and Combaticon Warriors models from RotF respectively, Leapers are tweaked Combaticons Warriors too with Mirage's blades and at last but not least, the Wall Crawlers are reskins with added bits of their Decepticons counterparts from ''Fall of Cybertron''.
**The level models for Campaign and the Earth levels for Escalation are all new, though some designs are reused from ''War for Cybertron'' and ''Fall of Cybertron''. The returning ''War for Cybertron'' Escalation maps have been completely remade, almost looking better than their original counterparts. The ''Fall of Cybertron'' Escalation maps are completely reused.
**Earth Bumblebee uses his DotM vehicle mode, retextured to look like the 2014 Camaro vehicle he scans in ''Age of Extinction''. Stinger's vehicle mode uses [[Dino|Mirage's]] vehicle mode from the ''Dark of the Moon'' game, once again, retextured to look like his vehicle mode in ''Age of Extinction''.
[[File:RiseOfTheDarkSpark Barricade render.jpg|thumb|Guess who's still not back?]]
*During Escalation, Earth characters are noticeably bigger than Cybertron characters with Earth Optimus hilariously towering over Warpath.
*This game marks the first time Shockwave and Sharpshot are playable in a Story mode, as well as the first instance of Hardshell speaking.
*The relationship between Bumblebee and Drift is much more friendly than in the movie. Lockdown also is very different. In the game, greed and personal power seems to be his primary motivation, while in the movie Lockdown simply wanted fair payment for his services as he talks about how inferior humans are and how he thinks extremely highly of his creators.
*[[Steve Blum]] really gets his work cut out for him, since he gets more than an entire level dedicated to his three characters, Swindle, Sharpshot, and Shockwave. [[Scott McNeil]] would be proud!
*In the game's files, there are unused models, textures, and a character portrait of Barricade, possibly meaning that he was at one point going to be in the game, but scrapped <s> again </s> for whatever reason. You can mod the game to play as him, but modding this game is stupid difficult.

===Foreign names===
*''Europe:'' '''''Transformers: The Dark Spark'''''
*''Russia:'' '''Трансформеры: Битва за Тёмную Искру''' (''Transformers: Battle for the Dark Spark'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{gamestub}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj-lD5gthQ8 Announcement trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfLEbUqGyQ G1 Optimus Prime trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0azQrLC07OI Bumblebee trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKT6KeuEGi0 Gameplay trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bae87EGy-1E Bruticus trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMZn4uBsOAY Grimlock trailer]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=288YItFXPfI Gampelay trailer - Escalation]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rise of the Dark Spark (console)}}
[[Category:Age of Extinction video games]]
[[Category:Aligned video games]]

Ironhide (G1)/2005 IDW continuity

2023-07-03T17:10:57Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* On the brink */

{{factions|autobot|csficon}}
{{suite}}
[[File:RID5 cvrBclean.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Punch everybody, die and come back, have an existential crisis. Lather, rinse, repeat.]]
Experienced, dependable, and self-sacrificing, '''Ironhide''' is someone any good leader would want at their side. He'll provide unwavering support to up-and-comers he's decided have "the right stuff", although Ironhide may take his time in arriving at that determination. Even [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Optimus Prime]] himself had to earn Ironhide's respect, but once he obtained it, there was nothing Ironhide wouldn't do for him. Loyalty is something Ironhide takes very seriously and he holds others to his own high standard.

Whether leading the fight against rampaging [[combiner]]s or exterminating a whole city's worth of [[Insecticon swarm|insectoid abominations]] on his own, Ironhide's earned his rep as one of the bravest and toughest Autobots ever many times over. Under his weathered, battle-hardened exterior, Ironhide cares deeply about others and would rather safeguard life than take it. His preternatural faith in a better future for all Cybertronians has both sustained and tested him at times. He's been pushed into many difficult positions to maintain peace, but if an open hand fails...Ironhide's always more than willing to use his trusty fists.

{{first|[[Infiltration issue 2|''Infiltration'' #2]]}}

{{bigquote|A big, red, ''ornery'' miracle.|''Bumblebee in description of Ironhide''|"[[Heavy Is the Head]]"}}

==Fiction==
===In Principio===
[[File:IronhideInTheBlood ironhide collars outback.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5|If you're going to punch [[Outback (G1)|him]], better do it now. You're [[Spotlight: Kup|not going to get another chance.]]]]
Back before the war, Ironhide was part of the [[Cybertronian Civil Militia]]. {{storylink|Old Ways}} He performed both public and private security work, keeping the streets safe while also overseeing specific businesses and events. Ironhide was working the crowds at the Cybertronian raceway when [[Outback (G1)|a small 'bot]] burst through the line and attempted to shoot [[Drag Strip (G1)|Drag Strip]], one of the star racers. Ironhide stopped the shooting and turned the little guy over to the authorities, paying little heed to his warnings about [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]] and the growing Decepticon movement. {{storylink|Iron in the Blood}} As civil unrest grew, Ironhide eventually joined the [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]] police force and found himself working alongside Outback. He was partnered with the rookie [[Optimus Prime (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Orion Pax]] and the two patrolled the streets together, once coming upon Outback savagely beating [[Ravage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ravage]] for spraying some pro-Decepticon graffiti on a wall. {{storylink|Post}}

After [[Sentinel Prime (G1)|Sentinel Prime]] came to power, Ironhide served under him in the Security Services operating out of [[Kaon (polity)|Kaon]]. When Megatron murdered [[Bumper (G1)|Bumper]] and [[Fastback (G1)|Fastback]], Ironhide attended their funeral, where Sentinel Prime rallied them to begin fighting back against the Decepticons. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 3|Megatron Origin #3}} Ironhide was on the streets with Sentinel Prime and [[Prowl (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Prowl]] during the Battle of Kaon, when the security forces tried to halt the rebel Decepticons, dishing out justice with his fists. Unfortunately, Sentinel was slain by Megatron during the fight, and his body dumped in front of Ironhide and the other officers, at which point Prowl ordered a retreat. {{storylink|Megatron Origin issue 4|Megatron Origin #4}}

[[File:AHM13 let him speak.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5]]
When [[Zeta Prime (G1)|Zeta Prime]] rose to succeed Sentinel, he reorganized the security forces into an army to combat the Decepticon insurgency. Ironhide was selected by [[Kup (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Kup]] to be a member of these so-called "[[Autobot]]s", and was placed under the command of his old partner Orion Pax. Skeptical of the former police officer's ability to fight a war, Ironhide was not shy about telling the young 'bot so in the gruffest way possible, but Orion proved willing to take advice from the more experienced soldier. {{storylink|Old Ways}} During a mission to prevent an assassination attempt on Zeta Prime, Ironhide was part of an Autobot unit that saved the confused racer [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] from wandering right into their crossfire. {{storylink|Spotlight: Blurr}} Ironhide was present when he and his fellow officers busted [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]] for peddling [[simultronic]]s. {{storylink|Post}} He was there when they busted Swindle AGAIN for a gun-running operation. {{storylink|The Falling, Chapter 5: Endless Forever|Endless Forever}}

Ironhide was later part of a unit that broke up yet ANOTHER arms deal between Swindle and a group of insurgents in [[Nyon]]. {{storylink|Law and Disorder}} Returning to base, Ironhide and [[Bumblebee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Bumblebee]] busied themselves with a little target practice, until Orion Pax arrived and instructed them to get ready for action, as a big operation from Zeta Prime was on the horizon. {{storylink|Parasites}} Minutes later, the team were sent to hunt down the Decepticon spy [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]], but Ironhide and Prowl's attempt to arrest him only resulted in [[Rumble (G1)|Rumble]] dropping a [[Neurospan Bridge|bridge]] on them. {{storylink|The Hunt for Soundwave}} Megatron extended an offer for Orion Pax's team to meet with him and talk, which Ironhide was against doing. {{storylink|Post}} Bumblebee was taken hostage to force Orion to attend the meeting with Megatron, but Ironhide and the rest of the team busted into the [[Jump Joint|meeting place]] and bailed them out. {{storylink|Cause and Effect}}

[[File:Autocracy7 ironhide vs thundercracker.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6]]
Zeta Prime's next mission for Orion Pax's team was to capture the insurgent [[Hot Rod (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Hot Rod]], whom they tracked to the [[Acropolex]] in Nyon. Ironhide didn't at all care for the spiritual theme of the building, doubting inscriptions claiming that [['Til all are one|all would be one]] and calling the [[Matrix of Leadership]] "superstitious mumbo-jumbo" and propaganda to make the [[Prime (rank)|Primes]] look big. In the end, the Autobots found that Hot Rod only wanted to enlighten them to Zeta Prime's horrible treatment of civilians. {{storylink|Ruins}} With this revelation, they turned on the Prime and tried to protect Nyon from his [[Guardian robot|Omega Destructors]], but even Ironhide's [[Cyclone Launcher]] failed to scratch the giants. Orion's team was soon defeated by Zeta himself and his [[vamparc ribbon]]. {{storylink|Purge}} Surprisingly, the Autobots were saved from certain death by Megatron, who wanted them to join forces with him against Zeta Prime's tyranny. Ironhide didn't get along with [[Thundercracker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Thundercracker]]. {{storylink|Choices}}

While Orion and Megatron confronted Zeta himself, Ironhide led the attack on his [[Citadel]] and joined up with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ultra Magnus]]'s unit when they also turned on the Prime. {{storylink|Overthrown}} As soon as Zeta Prime was dead, however, Megatron betrayed the Autobots and Ironhide was forced to go into hiding in [[Ultrix]] with Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus. He wanted to get out there and fight back against Megatron's rule, but before they could do much the Decepticons found the Autobots' safe-house and captured them. {{storylink|Transformation (issue)|Transformation}} They were taken to the Citadel and prepared for execution, but fortunately Hot Rod decided to become an Autobot around that time and bailed them out of prison. Ironhide and the others then followed Orion's ID signal to Nyon, where they learned of his transformation into Optimus Prime and the awakening of the city robot [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] who had been the Acropolex the entire time. {{storylink|Rise}} Led by the new Prime, the Autobots marched on Megatron's Citadel where they would fight for control of Cybertron. {{storylink|Broadcast}} Though they won, driving the Decepticons out of Iacon, Ironhide knew they'd be back soon enough. {{storylink|Endgame}}

[[File:Primacy1 optimus and ironhide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75]]
During the early days of Optimus's leadership, Ironhide aided him in the defense of the [[Toraxxis mega-refinery]]. {{storylink|Rage (IDW)|Rage}} After the battle ended with the destruction of the refinery, he attended a memorial service dedicated to the lost lives. {{storylink|Fallout (issue)|Fallout}} During the battle with [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]], he led a heavy weapons unit charged with distracting the monster with a [[fusion-borer]] assault. {{storylink|The Illusion of Control}} However, once he moved in to confirm that their target was down, Ironhide was attacked by Trypticon's dragon-like minions and trapped beneath rubble. {{storylink|Annihilation}} When the beast was finally brought down, Ironhide was not happy that the Autobots had to leave it in the hands of Megatron, but they had little choice and returned home to repair an injured Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Belly of the Beast (issue)|Belly of the Beast}}

Ironhide accompanied Optimus Prime on his sabbatical journey to the [[Grav-Haraan glacier]], where they encountered the long lost [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]] and brought him back to civilization. {{storylink|Primacy issue 1|Primacy #1}} After then bearing witness to the battle between Metroplex and a returned Trypticon, he stood in defense of Iacon against a massive Decepticon attack. {{storylink|Primacy issue 3|Primacy #3}} The Autobots came out victorious, and Ironhide watched as Prime held a speech asking the Decepticons to stand down and look at the chaos they'd wrought. {{storylink|Primacy issue 4|Primacy #4}}

Though the Decepticons had been bested that day, they were not stopped. The war would only continue, and Ironhide participated in the bloodiest battle of them all, on [[Varas Centralus]], where he began a rivalry with [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]]. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}} At another point he led a rescue team to extract [[Jazz (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Jazz]] and [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]], whom Jazz was originally assigned to evacuate. They arrived just in the nick of time to ward off the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]] and save their comrades. On the trip back to Iacon, Jazz told Ironhide what had happened and what to tell the blinded Tracks. After Jazz had left, Tracks asked Ironhide who had saved him. Ironhide said simply that he was just an Autobot like Tracks was, and that he should never forget what that meant. {{storylink|Spotlight: Jazz}} [[File:TheIronAge ironhide take shot for prime.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.5]] In yet another of the war's countless battles, Ironhide fought the [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]] and [[Motormaster (G1)|Motormaster]] alongside Bumblebee and [[Hot Shot (Henkei!)|another yellow Autobot]], who didn't make it. {{storylink|Drift issue 2|Drift #2}}

Over the course of the war, the student-and-teacher relationship between Optimus Prime and Ironhide evolved. Prime grew willing to go against Ironhide's counsel, once doing so to save the Autobots from Trypticon waiting in ambush, while also learning the benefit of sticking to your guns like the stubborn old soldier did, once insisting on saving Ironhide's life after a booby-trap left them badly damaging and hanging over a cliff-edge. {{storylink|Old Ways}} Four million years ago, Ironhide and Prime were defending a city from the Decepticon advance. They broke off from the other Autobots to intercept a Decepticon fuel convoy headed for Megatron's troops. Through grit and determination, the duo managed to capture the entire convoy without firing a single shot. The Autobots won the day and were eager to celebrate their victory that night by over-energizing a tad. Ironhide remained resolute, however, constantly scanning the crowd for trouble even amidst the festivities. Lucky that he did, because a Decepticon assassin named [[Axer (G1)|Axer]] had infiltrated the party, and pulled a concealed blaster to execute Optimus Prime from behind. True to his duty, Ironhide flung himself into the path of Axer's shot, taking the full blast for his friend and commander. Although he eventually recovered from his injuries, this incident would have long term consequences for Ironhide. {{storylink|The Iron Age}}

500,000 years ago Ironhide helped defend Metroplex during the city-bot's last stand, a battle that ended with Metroplex leaving Cybertron. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}} {{storylink|Earthfall Part 5: I Dream of Wires|I Dream of Wires}}
{{--}}

===Et In Terra===
[[File:Escalation1 ironhide altmode.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75]]
In the modern era, Ironhide was second-in-command (under Prowl) of a detachment of Autobots that had operated covertly on [[Earth]] for at least four years, attempting to foil a [[Infiltration protocol|Decepticon infiltration unit]] led by [[Starscream (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Starscream]]. When [[Ratchet (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Ratchet]] went against orders and rescued a trio of humans who had become Decepticon targets, Ironhide joined Prowl and [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]] in tracking him down, dispatching his Decepticon pursuer, then apprehending him and the humans. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 2|Infiltration #2}} Ratchet's "arrest" was brief, as he had learned that the Decepticons were stepping up their protocol and entering "Siege Mode"; Prowl intended his team to deal with it personally, but Ironhide went behind his back and secretly sent a summons to Optimus Prime. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 3|Infiltration #3}} A subsequent investigation by Ratchet, Bumblebee and the humans determined that the Decepticons had gone off-mission in order to acquire Earth's [[Ore-13|powerful Energon variant]], and that Megatron had arrived on the planet—arrived, Ironhide realized, to put his house in order. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 5|Infiltration #5}} Ironhide and the rest of the team observed as Megatron put down Starscream's rebellion, and, realizing there was nothing they could do with their current level of manpower, returned to base to find that in their absence, Optimus Prime had arrived in response to Ironhide's message. {{storylink|Infiltration issue 6|Infiltration #6}}

[[File:Escalation2 Ironhide ANGRY.jpg|upright=1.75|left|thumb|Ironhide's holomatter avatar is a pissed-off old man. Fitting.]]
As plans for escalated battle tactics were formulated, Ironhide and Sunstreaker were assigned the task of escorting Ratchet's human friends back to their homes and out of danger, with Ironhide transporting [[Verity Carlo]] and [[Jimmy Pink]], and Sunstreaker carrying [[Hunter O'Nion]]. En route, stuck in traffic, they were ambushed by agents of the [[Machination]], and Ironhide had to crash and bash his way through the gridlocked vehicles to get to Sunstreaker... only to find that he had apparently been destroyed by the humans. {{storylink|Escalation issue 1|Escalation #1}} When police arrived to remove Sunstreaker's remains, Ironhide followed them to a storage compound; mistakenly believing the whole thing was the work of the Decepticons using human [[facsimile construct]]s, he angrily advocated taking the fight to their enemies' door, but Optimus Prime refused and ordered him back to base. A unit led by Prime subsequently recovered Sunstreaker's remains, but an examination by Ratchet revealed that it was ''not'' Sunstreaker, and Ironhide realized the attack had been a feint. {{storylink|Escalation issue 2|Escalation #2}}

[[File:Escalation3-IronhidevsPrimeandProwl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.75|Well, I guess they don't see eye to eye.]]
Believing he owed it to Sunstreaker to find him, Ironhide side-stepped the chain of command and petitioned Optimus directly to be allowed to join the search mission. Prime denied him, and an infuriated Prowl chewed him out and assigned him base duty while the other Autobots left for [[Brasnya]] to confront the Decepticons. Ironhide was having none of it, however; as soon as the others were gone, he joined up with Ratchet and the humans' on their mission to locate Sunstreaker and Hunter. {{storylink|Escalation issue 3|Escalation #3}} Their search led them to a Machination safehouse disguised as an auto-shop, which Verity and Jimmy snuck into while Ratchet and Ironhide waited outside. {{storylink|Escalation issue 4|Escalation #4}} When the humans failed to report back after the pre-arranged ten-minute interval, Ironhide just ram-raided the building, and discovered they had been hit with knock-out gas, and that a self-destruct sequence was counting down. {{storylink|Escalation issue 5|Escalation #5}} He and Ratchet used their [[holomatter]] avatars to lift the humans to safety, but Ironhide failed to get out of the building in time and was caught in the explosion. {{storylink|Escalation issue 6|Escalation #6}}

[[File:Devastation3 ironhide crushhour.jpg|left|thumb|"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqT2uOa1-d0 Once in an Indian Nation, I took the kids on the skids where the Hopi was happy 'til I heard 'em say...'You're worthless.']]]
Ironhide's shattered chassis was taken to a scrap yard by the local authorities, and it took the Autobots three weeks to track him down, finally locating him less than three hours before he was due to be crushed by a pneumatic press. Hot Rod and [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]] were sent to recover him, {{storylink|Devastation issue 1|Devastation #1}} but were delayed when they ran into more Machination agents on the way: [[Sunstreaker clone|clones]] of the captive Sunstreaker, controlled by human [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]] pilots. {{storylink|Devastation issue 3|Devastation #3}} They prevailed, and made it to the scrap yard to start searching for Ironhide with less than ten minutes to spare, {{storylink|Devastation issue 4|Devastation #4}} but the Machination's Headmasters soon caught up to them. {{storylink|Devastation issue 5|Devastation #5}} The villains were dispatched for good with the aid of [[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]], who had been sent to retrieve Hot Rod and the others by Optimus Prime; a more dangerous situation was brewing on [[Garrus-9]], requiring the Autobots leave Earth to deal with it. Hot Rod refused to go though, wanting to see the Headmaster mystery to the end; Hardhead reluctantly let him go and took Wheeljack and Ironhide back to the ''[[Ark-32]]'' with him. {{storylink|Devastation issue 6|Devastation #6}}

A little later, Ironhide had been repaired and restored, and watched as Jimmy and Verity were reunited with Hunter, who Hot Rod had rescued from the Machination along with Sunstreaker. {{storylink|Maximum Dinobots issue 5|Maximum Dinobots #5}}
{{--}}

===On the brink===
[[File:Ironhidepuncheseveryone.jpg|upright=1.75|thumb|Ironhide.]]
When the Autobots returned to Earth to pick up where they had left off, they discovered that the Decepticon had disappeared. They spent a year searching for leads, but could find no intel; {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Prowl advised taking no action, but Ironhide, able to speak more to the warrior inside of Optimus, advised proactive steps. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 15|Everything in its Right Place|}} A chance soon fell into their laps: [[Mirage (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Mirage]] discovered that the Decepticons had supposedly suffered a schism, and were now split into two factions led by Megatron and Starscream. Seeing an opening, the Autobots staged an attack on what was ''supposed'' to be the weakened Starscream's faction, but upon striking, they discovered they had been lured into a trap: the schism had been faked, and the unified forces of the Decepticons overpowered the Autobots. Ironhide and his comrades were all exiled to the dead Cybertron through a [[space bridge]], and Optimus Prime was taken offline by a failed attempt to prevent their fate. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 1|All Hail Megatron #1}}

[[File:Ironhide punches Hot Rod.jpg|upright=1.75|thumb|left|Punches.]]
Frustrations ran high in the Autobot camp. Tracks attempted to lift their spirits by telling the story of the time he was saved by a mysterious Autobot. Though Ironhide knew it was Jazz who had saved Tracks that day, the old story gave them hope, and he thanked him for it. {{storylink|Spotlight: Jazz}} This did little to assuage Ironhide's simmering anger, however; already harboring guilt over Optimus's situation, he suspected that Mirage had sold the Autobots to the Decepticons, deliberately feeding them the intel about the supposed schism, but found himself being shut out by Prowl and Jazz, resulting a feeling of helplessness that only worsened his temperament. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}} When Prowl refused to entertain the notion of Mirage's betrayal without proof, implying that ''any'' Autobot, even Ironhide himself, could have been responsible, Ironhide finally lost it and slugged him. Jazz interceded before the situation could escalate and took the old 'bot aside to talk out his grievances, but couldn't give Ironhide all the answers he wanted. Eager for something to punch, Ironhide accepted [[Cliffjumper (G1)|Cliffjumper]]'s invitation to investigate an emergency message from Wheeljack and Bumblebee, who were out on a scouting patrol. After instructing Sunstreaker to keep a close eye on Mirage in his absence, he and Cliffjumper headed out, and ran across Hot Rod—or rather, in the darkness, Ironhide mistakenly ran his fist across Hot Rod's face. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 4|All Hail Megatron #4}} They took Hot Rod back to their camp, and listened has he explained how he and the rest of his unit, led by Kup, had made their way back to Cybertron. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 5|All Hail Megatron #5}}

[[File:AHM7 Ironhide assaults Mirage.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|EVERYONE!]]
Soon after the rest of Kup's unit arrived to join up with Prime's battered team, Ironhide tried to tell [[Roadbuster (G1)|Roadbuster]] his suspicions about Mirage, but was cut off mid-sentence by a brief attack by of one of the [[Insecticon swarm]]. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 6|All Hail Megatron #6}} The Autobots proceeded to recover energon supplies from Kup's ship the ''[[Trion]]'', but while taking a rest stop on the way back to camp, Ironhide observed the irate Sunstreaker storming out of a building and tried to calm him down. Sunstreaker angrily explained that his brother [[Sideswipe (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sideswipe]] had just lectured him about his and Ironhide's hostile attitude towards Mirage, and how it was only making things worse among the Autobots—and that was the last straw for Ironhide. Cornering Mirage, Ironhide proceeded to beat him near to death. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 7|All Hail Megatron #7}} Kup chewed him out for his actions, and for always seeing the worst in other 'bots, but before their conversation could reach resolution, the Swarm caught up to them. The Autobots poured on the speed, intending to blow up the bridge leading back to their camp after they had crossed it to prevent the Swarm from following, but as they were arguing amongst themselves who would risk their lives detonating the explosives, Ironhide noticed Sunstreaker had already stepped out onto the bridge. Following the younger 'bot, Ironhide demanded to know what he was doing... at which point, a guilt-wracked Sunstreaker revealed that ''he'', not Mirage, was the real traitor, having made a made a deal with Starscream that would supposedly have resulted in Megatron's demise. Before more could be said, both were assaulted by the Swarm; [[Drift (G1)|Drift]] got Ironhide to safety, but Sunstreaker remained to blow up the bridge, killing himself and taking a large portion of the Swarm with him. The tormented Ironhide went to rest and recover, and was soon approached by Drift, who told him that Sunstreaker had not been ''solely'' responsible for their plight. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 8|All Hail Megatron #8}}

[[File:All Hail Megatron 10 Optimus and Ironhide.jpg|upright=1.6|left|thumb|Seen shortly before being reminded of how he [[Old Ways|used]] to hate Op's guts.]]
Rightly feeling like a complete prat, Ironhide attempted to apologize to Mirage, but was angrily rebuffed. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 9|All Hail Megatron #9}} Soon after, Optimus Prime was back on his feet, and Ironhide learned what Jazz and Prowl had been hiding from him: Megatron had stolen the [[Matrix of Leadership]] right out of Optimus's chest. Optimus requested that Ironhide not hold it against the pair, and Ironhide agreed, calling him the "greatest bot I've ever known"—something Prime found amusing, considering how they clashed when they first met. The Autobots then had to contend with the Swarm laying siege to their camp; Ironhide found himself side by side with Mirage at the front line defenses, and refused to let the comrade he had so badly mistreated sacrifice himself, even when Mirage tried to encourage him to get to safety. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 10|All Hail Megatron #10}}

Saved by the timely arrival of [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]], Ironhide and the Autobots were then taken to Earth by their giant ally, where they engaged the Decepticons in battle. Ironhide was concerned about the threat posed by [[Devastator (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Devastator]], but fortunately, his worry was unfounded, as Omega stepped in and slagged Devastator. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 11|All Hail Megatron #11}} The battle reached its end when human soldier [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Spike]] sniped Megatron; Ironhide called Starscream a coward when he ordered the Decepticons to retreat. {{storylink|All Hail Megatron issue 12|All Hail Megatron #12}} In the aftermath, Ironhide admitted to Optimus Prime that he was tired of the neverending war and was considering retiring from the Autobot army. He changed his mind following some reminiscing over the many bonds he and Prime had forged over the years. {{storylink|Old Ways}} Soon after, when Bumblebee went missing in one of the human disaster areas in a ruined New York, Ironhide was part of an Autobot squad who managed to retrieve him. {{storylink|Hidden (G1)|Hidden}}

[[File:Ongoing Issue 1-Ironhide Bites The Dust.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Either Hot Rod's jinxed or he secretly wants the entire 1984 cast dead.]]
The Autobots remained on Earth for two years, Optimus Prime's guilt over the devastation their war brought to the world preventing them from leaving the humans behind. Unfortunately, the humans weren't at all interested in Prime's guilt, but were actively hunting Autobot and Decepticon alike. Ironhide thought Hot Rod was out of line criticizing Prime for his choices, but Prime actually agreed with Hot Rod and sanctioned the rescue of several captured Autobots from the clutches of [[Skywatch]]. Ironhide supported the decision, and agreed to Prime's request for him to be part of Hot Rod's team, promising that nothing would happen to the young 'bot, When the rescue attempt deteriorated into a firefight and the humans began responding with lethal force, Ironhide threw himself into the path of a particle cannon turret aimed Hot Rod and Prowl, taking a fatal shot through the chest to protect his field leader and keep his promise to Prime. Prowl brought Ironhide's body back to the Autobots' hidden base after the battle, and Optimus blamed himself for his old friend's demise, which served as a catalyst for his resignation from the Autobots. {{storylink|...For All Mankind}} Ironhide's body lay in state in the Autobots' med-bay, where it was later examined by Ultra Magnus. {{storylink|Things Fall Apart, Part 2: "A Rude Awakening"|A Rude Awakening}}

===Reborn against the Swarm===
Ironhide's death was.... short-lived. Seeking to return Cybertron to a habitable state, the ancient Autobot sage [[Alpha Trion (G1)|Alpha Trion]] required a powerful warrior to obliterate what remained of the Insecticon swarm that still infested the planet, and chose Ironhide for the task. That he was dead was immaterial: Trion built a brand new body for Ironhide on Cybertron and restored his [[spark]] from the "[[Transformer afterlife|core]]". However, it transpired that the wound Ironhide had suffered saving Optimus Prime from Axer's assassination attempt four million years prior had disrupted his spark's connection the core, and that all of Ironhide's memories from after that point had not been recorded. {{storylink|Ironing Out the Details}} Thus, when the restored Ironhide awoke in a deserted lab, he had no recollection of anything from after Axer's attack, and was horrified at the ruined state of his homeworld. {{storylink|The Iron Age}} Wandering through the husk of Iacon in a daze, he found himself set upon by the swarm, and while he initially enjoyed the chance to vent his frustrations against them, the adrenaline soon wore off and panic set in. Driving wildly through the streets, fearing that the insectoid monsters were all that was left of his people, Ironhide crashed and knocked himself out, then experienced an unsettling dream of his own funeral. He was awoken by a [[Scamper|small drone]], which asked him to simply "Follow", and with nothing better to do, Ironhide accompanied the little robot to a brightly lit and functioning complex. {{storylink|Iron in the Blood}}

[[File:IroningOutTheDetails ironhide armed.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|I only drink the blood of my enemies. And occasionally a strawberry yoo-hoo.]]
Inside, Ironhide was greeted by Alpha Trion, whom he had never heard of before, and whose self-important attitude got on his nerves. Filled in on the history of Cybertron's ruination by Trion, Ironhide was incredulous, but soon turned his attention towards a nearby screen, which was detecting a life signal on the planet. Ironhide ignored Alpha Trion's warnings and headed out to save the 'bot, who he discovered was a heavily damaged but still-functional Sunstreaker. Having no memory of his betrayal, Ironhide couldn't understand what he kept apologizing about, and fought his way through even more Insecticons to bring him back to Alpha Trion. Upon arriving, Ironhide demanded to know what Sunstreaker just was talking about, and Trion explained the story behind Ironhide's death and amnesiac resurrection. {{storylink|Ironing Out the Details}}

[[File:AnyOldIron IronhidePunchesTrion.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.7|Ironhide misinterprets Trion's request to "punch up" his speeches.]]
Accepting the Insecticon-exermination duty Trion had chosen him for, Ironhide outfitted himself with as many weapons as he could carry and went head-to-head with hundreds of the creatures. He stumbled upon the wreckage of the ''Trion'' and managed to use its guns to destroy a portion of the swarm, though he was forced to self-destruct it when the monsters got too close for comfort. In the end, he was fighting an estimated 200 of the creatures with his bare hands, and was forced to call Alpha Trion for help. His call was heeded, and Trion revealed that his base of operations was actually the gigantic Autobot Metroplex, who smashed the remaining members of the swarm with one hand. This got Ironhide rather angry, as Metroplex could've done the work instead of him, and it didn't help that Alpha Trion just dismissed his worries and prepared to leave him on the planet to exterminate the last few swarm monsters. He finally snapped and socked the old guy in the face. Though surprised, Alpha Trion shrugged off his act of assault and explained that he was only a small piece in a large game, and he didn't need to know everything. Before Trion left for space, Ironhide asked him with one last question: given that Trion had claimed to have started reconstructing Ironhide's body and memories ''before'' he had actually been killed, how had Trion known that he was going to die? The answer gave him something to think about: Trion believed he was always going to end up getting himself killed sooner or later, thanks to his self-sacrificing nature. Soon, Ironhide and Sunstreaker were left as the only Autobots on Cybertron, with a lot of stuff to catch up on and a lot of things to think about... {{storylink|Any Old Iron}}

[[File:SpaceOpera where are we headed.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left]]
As time passed, Ironhide and Sunstreaker exterminated what was left of the swarm, even managing to [[Bob (IDW)|domesticate one]], only for another threat to reach Cybertron: an army led by [[Galvatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Galvatron]]. After a first wave of attacks, a ship landed nearby, and Ironhide smashed his way into it, assuming it to be a Decepticon vessel he could use. As a pleasant surprise, he instead found it crewed by Hot Rod (now going by "Rodimus") and [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] (plus [[Garnak]], an alien friend of theirs who mistakenly attacked him). After some catching-up, they were attacked by [[Sweep (G1)|Sweeps]], but managed to escape on Rodimus's ship and head to Earth for reinforcements. {{storylink|Space Opera Act 2: Out of the Silent Planet|Out of the Silent Planet}}

Upon arriving on Earth for the "first time", Ironhide commented that it smelled bad. Needless to say, the Autobots there were confused to see him alive, but their new leader, Bumblebee, had them refrain from asking him questions. Ironhide himself was mostly confused as to how ''Bumblebee'' managed to become leader and why they had stayed on Earth for so long, but Bumblebee couldn't respond to that very well. Led by Optimus Prime, Ironhide and most of the other Autobots boarded Omega Supreme and left for Cybertron the next day, taking with them the captive Megatron, who had surrendered to Autobot custody shortly before Ironhide's arrival. {{storylink|Space Opera—Final Tableaux: Orphans of the Helix|Orphans of the Helix}} During the journey, Ironhide talked to Prime about Megatron's boggling decision, and suggested he sit down and talk to the captured Decepticon leader. {{storylink|Chaos Theory Part 1}}

[[File:Lamentations ironhide vs galvatron.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.3|"I'll beat a motherfragger with ''another'' motherfragger!"]]
After several interrogations of Megatron failed to shed any light on his actions, Ironhide warned Optimus Prime against letting it get to him. Appreciating the sentiment, Prime told him it was nice to see him so young again, but Ironhide only responded that he didn't ''feel'' young. Ironhide then told some of his fellow Autobots of his time with Alpha Trion when Omega Supreme arrived at Cybertron, at which point he and several other Autobots went down to the planet and met with Galvatron. When they refused to join his army, Galvatron decided to destroy them, but Ironhide stopped him from shooting Optimus Prime, then proceeded to wail on him with the corpse of one of his own soldiers until he retreated. {{storylink|Chaos Part One: Lamentations|Lamentations}} Alongside the rest of the Autobots, he then fought in a huge battle with Galvatron's army of Sweeps. {{storylink|Chaos Part Two: Numbers|Numbers}} Optimus Prime took Ironhide, Rodimus and Drift and broke away from battle to chase Galvatron himself as he moved towards the core of Cybertron, but halted when Drift stabbed himself in order to not be brainwashed by the [[Darkness (G1)|Heart of Darkness]]. {{storylink|Chaos Part Three: Kings|Kings}} When ordered to bring the injured Autobot to safety, Ironhide protested that Optimus needed him as a bodyguard, but relented when Rodimus asked him to save one more life. {{storylink|Chaos Part Four: Genesis|Genesis}}

===The new Cybertron===
[[File:PaxCybertronian old ironhide.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left|"Tell us about the time you punched Prowl!" "Which time? Can you narrow it down?"]]
Optimus Prime defeated Galvatron and stopped his plans by purifying [[Vector Sigma]] with the Matrix of Leadership. Cybertron was reborn in a flash of white light, and in that flash, Ironhide had a vision of the distant future in which he was an ageing veteran, the last of those who had fought in the Great War, living on a prosperous and peaceful [[Gorlam Prime]]. As the last remnant of a bygone era, he was revered by the young Transformers, but he struggled with finding his place in the new civilization. He was accompanied by Alpha Trion, who would comfort his friend with his importance to the history of the race. {{Storylink|Pax Cybertronia (issue)|Pax Cybertronia}} {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

[[File:ABetterTomorrow cybertronian ironhide.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|So many new and interesting faces to punch!]]
After Ironhide awoke from his vision, Megatron's Decepticons were captured, and [[NAIL|neutral Cybertronians]] who had fled the war long ago began returning home, called back to Cybertron by Vector Sigma. Unfortunately they didn't like having the Autobots in charge and started a riot which Ironhide had to help beat down. {{storylink|Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime|The Death of Optimus Prime}} The mysterious rebirth of Cybertron had also made the planet's terrain alive and very hostile, so Ironhide—now fitted out with a new Cybertronian-mode body—spent his time testing how far from civilization he could get before being forced to turn back. {{storylink|The Autonomy Lesson (issue)|The Autonomy Lesson}} He was present during the memorial service for the crew of the ''[[Lost Light]]'', a ship captained by Rodimus which seemingly exploded on launch. {{storylink|The World & Everything in It}}

When mysterious explosions began occurring around the city, caused by stray energy waves from Vector Sigma, Ironhide and Wheeljack constructed and launched a rocket that gave the energy something to latch onto, allowing it to detonate harmlessly off-planet. {{storylink|Stick Together}} Neutrals continued to arrive regularly, and one turned out to be Ironhide's old rival Sky-Byte, whom he took on a tour of the city and filled in on recent events Sky-Byte was left suspicious of the Autobots' motives, so Ironhide suggested he go see if the Decepticons were any better, but when that resulted in Sky-Byte being captured with [[Needlenose (G1)|Needlenose]] and in danger of being lynched by an angry mob, Ironhide calmed the crowd by telling them they needed to pursue a peaceful future of equality. The next day, Prowl, angry that Ironhide's actions had led to Bumblebee's deactivation of the [[Inhibitor/deterrence chip|I/D chip]]s being used to keep the Decepticons in check, asked the old 'bot how he could be so sure things would work out. And Ironhide told him: it was because of his vision of the future, when grudges were no more because all the Autobots and Decepticons were dead. {{storylink|A Better Tomorrow}}

[[File:NightandtheCity ironhide vs dinobots.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|left]]
Realizing that everyone thought his circuits were a bit sizzled from that vision story, Ironhide decided he needed to get out of Iacon for a while and accepted a mission to search for the missing [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]]. Together with the [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], he traveled into the Cybertronian wilderness, where they discovered signs of battle and a strange signal that was messing with their minds, causing them to suspect Megatron was out there. He also told the Dinobots of his vision, which to his surprise they believed in, but expressed worry that the "[[Pax Cybertronia]]" he had witnessed was still made up of a universe conquered by the Cybertronians just like Megatron or [[Nova Prime]] had wanted. After they set up camp for the night, the Dinobots were driven crazy by the signal and turned on each other, with Ironhide caught in the middle. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (IDW)|Dinobot Hunt}} While escaping, he discovered a recorded message left by [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], who revealed that the same thing had happened to the Aerialbots and warned that Ironhide's comrades would soon team up against him. Ironhide tracked down the source of the transmission, all the while fending off the combined attacks of the Dinobots, but what he found at the end wasn't the Aerialbots, but a combination of them calling itself [[Superion (G1)|Superion]]. {{storylink|Night and the City}}

[[File:HeavyistheHead ironhide punches devastator.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.5|Six people punched for the price of one!]]
With Ironhide, Superion and the Dinobots all in the same place, the mind-bending signal was spread too thin and soon ceased to affect them, allowing the Dinobots to calm down. {{storylink|Second Exodus}} As they made their way back to Iacon, Ironhide caught a news transmission in which [[Metalhawk (G1)|Metalhawk]] tried to suppress the Decepticon riots breaking out in the city. {{storylink|The Verge}} They arrived just in time to witness Megatron gather his army and unleash Devastator in an attempt to conquer the planet once more. {{storylink|Before the Dawn}} While Superion challenged Devastator, Ironhide and the Dinobots took to the streets to lead their fellow Autobots in the battle with the Decepticon forces. {{storylink|Plan for Everything}} After Superion failed, Ironhide took it upon himself to take down Devastator, whose head was now made up of a brainwashed Prowl. He belted the giant straight in the face and told him that his time in the wilderness had made him realize the future wasn't as set as his vision had made it seem—they could change themselves and change the future, and so could Prowl. His words reached his fellow Autobot, enabling him to remove himself from Devastator. The Autobots were able to defeat Megatron once again, but the NAILs had had enough of their war and, under Starscream's leadership, banished both factions from the city. {{storylink|Heavy Is the Head}}

Knowing the dangers of the wilderness, Ironhide questioned Starscream's decision, but like most Autobots, he relented on the basis that staying would only cause more conflicts. Soon after the Autobots had set up camp outside the city, Ironhide had to break up a fight between [[Arcee (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Arcee]] and their surprising new allies, the [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]]. Worried that the signal that drove the Dinobots into their frenzy and created Superion might still be active and able to affect lone Transformers during the night, he then tried talk Arcee into being more of a team player. {{storylink|Second Exodus}} As a light lit up on the horizon, the Autobots went to investigate and got front row seats to witness the arrival of [[Shockwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Shockwave]]'s [[Quintessa (IDW)|Necrotitan]]. {{storylink|Dark Dawn: Dark Cybertron Chapter 1|Dark Dawn}} Confused, Ironhide and the others could do little but point their guns at the giant at the mysterious, immobile giant and wait for something to happen. {{storylink|Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|Black Metal}} The standoff was interrupted by the arrival of Decepticons, but the ensuing battle was short as the Necrotitan unleashed a deadly energy wave, {{storylink|Winners & Losers: Dark Cybertron Chapter 3|Winners & Losers}} causing damage on both sides but leaving a fortunate Ironhide unscathed. {{storylink|Into the Abyss: Dark Cybertron Chapter 4|Into the Abyss}}

[[File:FinestHour I got worse.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left|Now you're just making it TOO easy for Ironhide to punch you, Nova.]]
Putting their differences aside, the Autobots and Decepticons joined forces to stop Shockwave's plan to summon Nova Prime and Galvatron from the [[Dead Universe]]. Ironhide was charged with preventing the ancient Transformers' transition through a portal in Megatron's chest, and was able to beat Nova back into the Dead Universe before Shockwave brought the Necrotitan crashing into his base. Injured in the attack, he was carried to safety by Megatron before the Decepticon leader got ambushed by Galvatron. {{storylink|Finest Hour: Dark Cybertron Chapter 5|Finest Hour}} Soundwave and Frenzy bore him the rest of the way as they all escape the collapse of Shockwave's base, {{storylink|No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6|No Exit}} after which the Autobots returned to Iacon to defend the city from the advancing Necrotitan. Their efforts had no effect and Ironhide and Arcee ended up caught in an explosion, {{storylink|Burning Bright: Dark Cybertron Chapter 8|Burning Bright}} but they were unharmed and met up with the rest of the Cybertronians, including the returning crew of the ''Lost Light'', to celebrate the Necrotitan's defeat at the hands of Metroplex. {{storylink|The Becoming: Dark Cybertron Chapter 10|The Becoming}} Their troubles didn't end there though, as Shockwave summoned an army of [[Ammonite]]s to keep Autobots and Decepticons from interfering with his master plan, forcing Ironhide and his comrades back into battle. {{storylink|Black Planet: Dark Cybertron Chapter 11|Black Planet}} Once Shockwave was finally defeated, Ironhide witnessed the emergence of Megatron as an Autobot. {{storylink|...And the Damage Done: Dark Cybertron Finale|...And the Damage Done}}

Ironhide attended the trial for the surrendered Megatron at [[Raskol Arena]], {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 1: Towards Peace|Towards Peace}} where he witnessed a group of Decepticons unsuccessfully attempt to free their leader. {{storylink|World, Shut Your Mouth Part 3: Predestination: A Beginner's Guide|Predestination: A Beginner's Guide}} After the trial was over, Ironhide remained on Cybertron to keep an eye on Starscream and aid [[Cityspeaker]] [[Windblade (G1)|Windblade]] in taking care of Metroplex. {{storylink|Earthfall Part 1: Hello Cruel World|Hello Cruel World}}
{{--}}

===Forging a new future===
[[File:Windblade2 windblade ironhide chromia.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.75]]
As it turned out, Shockwave's machinations had led to the destruction of Gorlam Prime, contradicting Ironhide's vision of the future and shaking the conviction he had in it. He spent the next six months wandering the insides of the ancient Metroplex in hopes of finding answers to what it all meant. This gave him a fairly intimate knowledge of the city-bot's layout, which led Windblade to go to him for help when she was searching for the location of junction T134, to which power was being mysteriously diverted. While she was alone with the old soldier, Windblade—a newcomer to Cybertron and unsure who to trust—asked him for his opinion of Starscream, but Ironhide declined to answer, advising instead that she ask some of Starscream's fellow Decepticons to get a more accurate answer. {{storylink|A 'Bot and Her City}} Windblade's continued investigation into the power diversion resulted in an attempt on her life; she believed Starscream was responsible, and while Ironhide wasn't as convinced, he helped her and [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]] dig up some more leads to solve the case. {{storylink|A Long Way Down}}

When Wheeljack recovered from injuries sustained during the battle of Iacon, Ironhide was present for his emergence from the stasis tube that healed him, but quickly slipped away. Wheeljack followed him out to the remains of Shockwave's [[Crystal City]] base, where Ironhide confided that he now felt lost and uncertain about everything ever since his vision had been proven untrue. Wheeljack tried to cheer him up by telling him ''no one'' knows what the future holds: that sense of uncertainty is just called "being alive". Soon after, Wheeljack set to work repairing Superion at Starscream's request, but he had Ironhide and Windblade watching his back. {{storylink|The World of Tomorrow}}

Soon after, Optimus Prime returned to Cybertron to commemorate the anniversary of his receiving the Matrix, and Ironhide and Chromia had to step in to break up a street-fight when a gang of Decepticons attacked Prime and Windblade. The quartet then met with Wheeljack in Metroplex's space bridge chamber, where it was revealed that Starscream stood poised to use the Titan's now-active space bridge to make contact with the thirteen lost colony worlds, starting with Windblade and Chromia's homeworld, [[Caminus (planet)|Caminus]]. {{storylink|First Contact (IDW)|First Contact}} Starscream initiated contact with a scheme to place the Camiens in his debt; he secretly had [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] attack the planet so that he could send the Superion—restored by the [[Enigma of Combination]]—to save it. Suspecting Starscream's involvement, Ironhide and Chromia nonetheless pitched in to save Caminus, battling the [[Stunticon (G1)|Stunticon]] combiner. {{storylink|The Sum and Its Parts}}

[[File:CombinerWars2 ironhide and mirage vision.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|left]]
After the threat had been put down, a slumbering Ironhide saw what appeared to be another vision of the future: of Cybertron, Caminus, and Earth all burning, with himself and Mirage in the middle of it all. Willing to discount it as a bad dream, Ironhide attended the ceremonies that formally established contact between Cybertron and Caminus, and led the first team the colony world to help in the relief effort. {{storylink|The Possible Light}} Though initially skeptical of the Decepticons who volunteered to join the effort, Ironhide was pleasantly surprised to see them legitimately helping out. Chromia had harsher words, which prompted Ironhide to reveal that he knew that ''she'' had been the one responsible for the supposed attempt on Windblade's life—actually a scare tactic to try and convince her to leave Cybertron. Ironhide did not judge her for her actions, however; all 'bots make mistakes, he said, and he could see she looked up to Windblade the way he did Optimus. Their bonding moment was soon interrupted by the sudden appearance of Devastator—Prowl had gone rogue, and, still able to combine with the Constructicons, was determined to keep Cybertron and the colony worlds separate for fear that Starscream would use them to build an empire. Ironhide and the others all took on the giant, and their fight spilled back through the space bride to Cybertron, where Superion and Starscream's newest combiner [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]] defeated Devastator. {{storylink|Mistakes and Mayhem}}

[[File:CombinerWars5 see our mind.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.75|And taste the rainbow, while you're at it!]]
Ironhide retired to [[Maccadam's Old Oil House|Maccadam]]'s for a drink with Mirage and Sunstreaker, where all three buried the hatchet over their old animosities. Mirage, it transpired, had returned from ''Lost Light'' because he too had had a vision identical to Ironhide's, and Sunstreaker proposed that perhaps it ''not'' a vision, but a case of them somehow sharing "mindspace" with someone else, and seeing what this other party had planned for the future. The trio took their concerns to Prime, who was visiting the incarcerated Prowl, but arrived just as Prowl's contingency plan went into action: his agent, [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]], stole the Engima of Combination, and used it to merge Optimus, Prowl, Sunstreaker, Ironhide, and Mirage into a new combiner. {{storylink|You, Me, and the Universe}} Within the mind of his new gestalt, Ironhide, Optimus, Mirage, and Sunstreaker united their way of thinking—their belief in the strength of individuals, and their refusal to accept Prowl's numbers-and-statistics view of the world—to shut out Prowl's control of their merged form. Declaring themselves [[Optimus Maximus (G1)|Optimus Maximus]], the combined Autobots subdued the renewed threat of Devastator—rebuilt by Starscream but now out of control—then separated so that Prowl could be arrested for his crimes. {{storylink|All That Remains}}

When contact with the second colony, [[Velocitron]], was established, Windblade recruited Ironhide for a mission to the planet. They materialized right in the path of one of Velocitron's huge moving cities, with the searing heat of the planet's sun burning up the landscape behind it. {{storylink|Windblade vol. 2 issue 4|Windblade vol. 2 #4}} After making their way aboard the moving city, Ironhide and the others infiltrated the races and arranged for Blurr to make a spectacle before the audience, winning the race and drawing favor for an alliance with Cybertron. {{storylink|Race Against the Light}}

On [[Chosen One Day]], Ironhide, Wheeljack and their buddies thanked Starscream for the holiday by giving him their friendship "if only for one night!" {{storylink|Choose Me}}

When the Decepticons stormed the spacebridge chamber, Ironhide joined Chromia and Windblade in trying to retake control of the bridge. After Optimus Prime and the combiners joined suit, Ironhide bore witness to Prime traveling to Earth, annexing it into the Council of Worlds in order to ensure peace. {{storylink|Conquerors Part 4: Perihelion|Perihelion}} He joined Prime's forces in [[Shanghai]], where they battled Galvatron's Decepticons who were attempting to conquer the planet again. {{storylink|All Hail Optimus Part 1: Once Upon a Time on Earth|Once Upon a Time on Earth}}

[[Joe Colton (Dire Wraith)|"Joe Colton"]] recalled Ironhide's early presence on Earth while discussing the Transformers' history on the planet. {{storylink|Secret Raiders: A Revolution Prelude|Secret Raiders}}

===Head of Planetary Security===
[[File:ThingsWeSaidWedNeverDo IronhideAndRecruits.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.7|"I'm here to teach you how to abruptly enter a room and deliver punch. You may have come to me as Kool-Aid boys, but you will leave as Kool-Aid MEN."]]
After returning to Cybertron, Ironhide established his own private security firm, [[I.H. Cybertronian Securities]]. When the Council began suspecting corruption among Starscream's [[Badgeless]] police, he was summoned to a Council session by [[Obsidian (BM)|Obsidian]] who suggested appointing him as a special prosecutor to investigate. He then headed off to Blurr's to deal with [[Drunkatron|an intoxicated Decepticon]], only for two Badgeless to take the drunk off his hands when he mentioned Swindle and gun him down him in an alley. {{storylink|07:00:00}} This led to widespread protests and calls for justice, and while Starscream wanted to meet the rioters with force, Ironhide shot down his idea and proposed his own: putting Ironhide himself in charge of the [[Cybertronian Security Force]] and allowing him to recruit ordinary citizens as a show of trust and openness. The Council agreed, and while Ironhide was initially met with anger when he appeared before the protesters and was even attacked by [[Onslaught (G1)|Onslaught]], a number of them did take him up on his offer. {{storylink|Applicable Skills}} He trained the new recruits personally and was able to report to the Council that they were coming along nicely. {{storylink|Things We Said We'd Never Do}}

[[File:TheLineBetweenUs-ChromiaGoesToJail.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1]]
When a new combiner, [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]], appeared and started tearing apart everything around him, Ironhide led his new forces against him. He was asked by Chromia to cripple Bruticus, but was forced to blow the combiner's head off when he threatened to kill Chromia. Chromia then confessed to having killed three Transformers after arriving on Cybertron and asked Ironhide to arrest her, which he reluctantly did. {{storylink|The Line Between Us}} Some time later, Sentinel Prime turned up alive and well and began shooting up the Decepticon ghetto, denouncing Ironhide as an Autobot traitor when he and his security forces met him in battle. They had little success fighting off the Prime and failed to stop him from entering Metroplex's space bridge. {{storylink|The Last Autobot}} Ironhide then assisted with relief efforts in the ghetto. {{storylink|White Heat}}

Ironhide was talking to Starscream about letting him safekeep the Enigma of Combination when the Council learned of the culmination of Sentinel Prime's plan—an army of undead Titans was approaching Cybertron. He ordered his forces to evacuate the civilian population before the Titans arrived, then took to the battlefield. {{storylink|Ping}} The battle went poorly, and he soon returned to organizing evacuation efforts, during which he encountered Chromia. She pleaded with him to get to Windblade and make sure she didn't do anything stupid, but he could not abandon his duties. {{storylink|Desperate Times}} From his post he witnessed Carcer transform into its robot mode, the Titan [[Vigilem]]. {{storylink|Rubicon}} After Cybertron was saved and things got back to normal, Ironhide was informed by Starscream that while the Combaticons were recovering, medical examinations suggested they could not be held responsible for their actions as Bruticus. {{storylink|The Price of You}}

[[File:FirstStrike2 IronhideRedShadows.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.6|TRUCK PUNCH!]]
When the time came for Earth to properly join the [[Council of Worlds]], the CSF coordinated security with [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]]. Once the [[Iron Ring]] struck, Ironhide authorized his troops to utilize lethal force against the [[Red Shadows]]. Contacting Starscream, he claimed the need to contain the situation prompting the Seeker to shut down the Space Bridge entirely. {{storylink|First Strike issue 1|First Strike #1}} After conferring with Optimus and Windblade, Ironhide rammed some Red Shadows to death while rescuing [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]'s squadron. {{storylink|First Strike issue 2|First Strike #2}} With [[Sunstreaker (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Sunstreaker]], Ironhide broke up a fight between [[Soundwave (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Soundwave]] and [[Strika (BM)|Strika]] and brought them all to the Council to sort things out. {{storylink|First Strike issue 3|First Strike #3}}

On Starscream's order, Ironhide then threw both G.I. Joe and [[M.A.S.K.]] in jail before he led a squad underground to kill Colton's squad. Before departing however, he chided Windblade for the dismissive attitude she had begun taking towards Optimus. After [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] had located Colton, Ironhide's team deployed only to trigger several turrets. {{storylink|First Strike issue 4|First Strike #4}} Managing to destroy the turrets, Ironhide was then called back to the Council chambers by Starscream after Optimus had gone rogue and broken the humans out of jail. Backed up by Council members, Ironhide led a squad down to the deepest parts of Cybertron so as to put a stop to everything. {{storylink|First Strike issue 5|First Strike #5}} Their arrival only caused more chaos in the battle between Optimus and Colton's teams. The fighting ended when "Garrison Kreiger" revealed himself to be an alien known as [[Merklynn]] who activated the alien [[Talisman (G1)|Talisman]] and used it, in concert with Cybertron's own [[energon]] supply, to create the city of [[New Prysmos]] before teleporting all combatants back to [[Iacon (polity)|Iacon]]. With Elita, Ironhide escorted the Iron Ring to their prison cells before he led a squad down to New Prysmos to try and penetrate it to no success. {{storylink|First Strike issue 6|First Strike #6}}

After free elections had been called and Windblade threw in her metaphorical hat, Ironhide sat next to her in [[Maccadam's Old Oil House]] to ensure she remained sober by the night's end. Near dawn, the two went their separate ways. After Starscream confessed to a laundry list of crimes at the electoral debates, Ironhide oversaw his arrest and those of his associates before bringing Windblade the paperwork necessary to finalize their incarceration (though he personally would have preferred the death sentence). At Windblade's insistence, he then set up a meeting between her and Starscream. {{storylink|The Chosen One}}

[[File:CybertronNoMore IronhideLeoricTeamUp.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.35|Giving the finger instead of the fist.]]
Once New Prysmos had begun to fill up with [[Prysmosian]]s, Windblade sent Ironhide, as chief of Cybertron's security, to negotiate with the aliens, alongside the notably more optimistic Kup. Ironhide personally felt the situation was ridiculous, noting that the Cybertronians were barely holding onto Cybertron without having to deal with organic refugees. As the two walked through the city, they debated how to proceed before Kup embarrassed them both with the [[universal greeting]]. Ironhide them read the terms under which the Council would be open to negotiating with the Prysmosians before [[Virulina]] declared them unreasonable only for Ironhide to bluntly say she had two choices: Her people could agree to their terms or stay behind the quarantine shield forever noting they should be grateful they were being offered ''anything'' after launching a failed invasion. At [[Wheeljack (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Wheeljack]]'s mobile lab, the scientist showed the effects that [[magic]] had had on [[Breakdown (IDW)|Breakdown]]. Learning that the Talisman was tunnelling its way down to [[Vector Sigma]] was the last straw for Ironhide who dragged Kup back to New Prysmos where Virulina impishly revealed she knew about the Talisman's progress. When Ironhide moved to kill her, the [[Darkling Lord]] unleashed her magic only for Kup to take the bullet, killing him on the spot. {{storylink| Schismatic}}

Ironhide immediately evacuated the city and back to Wheeljack's lab where he adamantly proposed wiping New Prysmos off the surface of Cybertron. Wheeljack and Breakdown glumly explained that their analysis of the Talisman's energy had revealed it to be fatal to Cybertronians and that they simply lacked sufficient time to neutralize the alien device. At the moment, [[Leoric]] and the [[Spectral Knight]]s arrived proposing an alliance. With the Talisman less than two days from Vector Sigma, Ironhide reluctantly agreed. {{storylink|Cybertron No More}} After the group had been approached by [[Mortdred]], who brought intelligence regarding the situation in New Prysmos, Ironhide and Leoric planned to send a strike team back into the city to assassinate Virulina. {{storylink|Desperate Measures (Transformers vs. Visionaries)|Desperate Measures}} Once Wheeljack had constructed an anti-Talisman bomb and installed it within [[Quickswitch]], Ironhide joined the drill team. Quickswitch was soon confronted by the Talisman's energies however and expired shortly afterwards. Climbing out of his corpse, Ironhide noted they'd made it to "The Antechamber of Hell" which was a good place to set up the bomb. As the explosive was being primed, the defected [[Arzon]] arrived and sliced the explosive in two. {{storylink|Good Men}}

[[File:Ironhide dies.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|He's finally punched out.]]
Fortunately, he had only damaged the casing, meaning the bomb was still functional but needed to be moved closer to the Talisman. Ironhide got the bomb as close as he could before the magic radiation of the Talisman began disintegrating his body. Galadria cast a healing spell to preserve his spark just as the bomb went off. New Prysmos was brought to the surface of Cybertron, a new and stable patch of land for the Visionaries to populate without threat to the Cybertronians. Ironhide chose to take a page from Kup's book and not antagonize the Prysmosians any further, allowing them to live in peace so long as they afforded the Cybertronian the same respect. In honor of Kup, he cheerfully extended the universal greeting to [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]]. {{storylink|The Curtain}}

When [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]] attacked Cybertron, Ironhide accompanied Windblade back to New Prysmos to ask the Visionaries for aid. Leoric ventured that the Talisman could magically transport Cybertron's populace off the planet before Unicron destroyed it. The attempt was made and Ironhide and Windblade suddenly found themselves on Earth, fearing that they were the only ones who made it. Fortunately, the other survivors of Unicron's attack soon appeared and Ironhide and the others prepared to make a last stand. {{storylink|Road's End}} Ironhide was among those who were present at a strategy meeting within Trypticon and then part of the attack force that opposed Unicron's [[Maximal]] army in Earth's orbit. {{storylink|Assembly (Unicron)|Assembly}} Leading Jazz, Bumblebee, and [[Aileron]] closer to Unicron's surface, Ironhide was taken by surprise and torn in half by [[Icebird]]. Mortally wounded and cradled by Jazz, he told his grieving comrade that he finally understood what the visions he had of the future meant and passed away. Later, as Soundwave sacrificed his own life to help defeat Unicron, he saw a vision of the many deceased- Ironhide included, welcoming him into the [[Transformer afterlife|Afterspark]]. {{storylink|Ceremony}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:NickRocheIronhideRevelation.jpg|thumb|]]
*The fact that the recovery of Ironhide was not actually shown in ''Devastation'' #6 was a bone of contention at the time, with some readers being confused as to whether they successfully managed it, although [[Simon Furman]] attributed not showing it to a simple lack of page space.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/all-this-and-devastation-6/#comment-3246|name=Simon Furman|site=Simon Furman: The Blog|quote=I realize stuff like getting Ironhide back got resolved off-panel, but it was an issue already bursting at the seams. Should have squeezed in a panel but it would have looked that way, ‘squeezed in’. It just didn’t seem to fit the outro to the issue, the way it panned out. Soon as I can, I’ll give you all a full update on Ironhide’s status/condition.|year=2008|month=03|day=05}}</ref> As a result, [[Nick Roche]] drew the sketch to the right as an "insert" for ''[[Spotlight: Cyclonus]]'' to "fix" it.<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825225435/http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4140|archived=yes|name=Nick Roche|site=IDW Publishing Forums|quote=Here it is, 100% official and Ryall/Hasbro/SimFur approved. Maybe. Print out and insert into an appropriate point in Spotlight: Cyclonus.|year=2008|month=06|day=19}}</ref> [[Guido Guidi]] would later cite the sketch as an "unintentional" influence for the way he drew Ironhide on [[:File:AHM 4cvrA.jpg|Cover A of ''All Hail Megatron'' #4]].<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/190938-all-hail-megatron-4-guidi-cover-post2386826.html|quote=It was unintentional, but I think I was somewhat influenced by this Nick Roche's Ironhide|name=Guido Guidi|site=TFW2005|year=2008|month=09|day=25}}</ref>
*Ironhide was actually [[Mike Costa]]'s ''second'' choice to kill off in "[[...For All Mankind]]". His original intention had been to kill ''Bumblebee'', believing it was the most shocking death he could do. [[Hasbro]] said "NO".<ref>{{citesocial|link=http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/webpage/the-underbase-reviews-ongoing-31|site=Moonbase 2|name=Mike Costa|year=2011|month=12|day=07}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Generation 1 combiners]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Autobots]]

Arcee (Movie)

2023-07-03T16:42:41Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{disambig3|Arcee}}
{{factions|autobotfilm|NEST|hofsilver}}

:''Arcee is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:Arceemovie.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|She's got legs, she knows how to use them. Temporarily, anyway.]]
Originally a member of the Autobots' science team, '''Arcee''' never stood out as being the "soldier" type until the war broke out. Though small compared to many of her peers and adversaries, she compensates with speed and aggressive maneuvers. Quickly developing hunter skills to be reckoned with, Arcee became one of the most dangerous Autobots around.<ref>''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'' trade paperback bonus material</ref> She is a crack shot with her crossbow weapon, and [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] has trained her to use her speed to her advantage in battle, striking suddenly and swiftly and then vanishing away again as fast as she appeared.

The events at [[Tyger Pax]] created a nagging doubt in Arcee about her abilities. She carries some guilt about [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]'s injuries, and part of what drives her is the desire to prove herself, not only in the optics of her friends, comrades, and even her sisters [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]] and [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]], but most importantly in her own.

For a time, Arcee used experimental technology that allowed her mind to control ''three'' bodies at once! When two of these bodies were destroyed, she stayed out of sight to adjust to the return to single-body status.<ref>Hasbro's [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/cybertronian-database.cfm#/characters/arcee Vector Sigma: Arcee profile]</ref>
{{bigquote|Did someone call for backup?!|Arcee|''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The six movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}
====''Revenge of the Fallen'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Grey Griffin]] (English), [[Masako Katsuki]] (Japanese)|[[Chen Qian]] (Chinese), [[Martina Treger]] (German), [[Chiara Colizzi]] (Italian), [[Gabriela Bicalho]] (Brazil), [[Erica Edwards]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Gemma Ibáñez]] (Spanish-Spain), [[Özlem Abacı]] (Turkish)}}
:''Holographic rider:'' [[Erin Naas]]

[[File:Arcee-ROTFshoot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Why couldn't she be the other kind of motormaid, with the motorcycle part on top and the lady part on the bottom?"]]

{{note|The film goes into no detail on whether or not Arcee is one entity, or three separate beings. See [[#Notes|Notes]] at the bottom of this article for a thorough dissection; for the purposes of this section, all three bike-bots are collectively referred to as "Arcee".}}

Arcee was held in reserve as NEST entered Shanghai to deal with Demolishor, only being called into action when the presence of a second Decepticon, [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], was detected. Together with the twins, Arcee pursued the sneaky speedster through the streets of Shanghai, smashing through buildings and everything else in her way, but ultimately, none of her three components were able to do much damage, so Sideswipe was brought up to bat, and he quickly put the Decepticon down.

[[File:Arcee-ROTFthreebikes.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|The [[Chromia (ROTF)|blue one]] likes to sit next to [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] for [[transformer romance|some reason]].]]

While not on missions, Arcee was parked with the other Autobots in their hangar at [[Diego Garcia]]. It was here that the Autobots received word from the [[President of the United States]], via [[Theodore Galloway|Director Galloway]], that the White House was concerned that the Autobots' living on Earth was the reason for the Decepticon activity, and that if need be, they would ask the Autobots to leave. Later, after Optimus Prime died in battle and [[The Fallen]] issued an ultimatum to Earth, the US government decided that the Autobots would be shipped back to Diego Garcia.
[[File:ROTF Arcee shot.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Michael Bay displays his usual attitude towards women.]]
NEST had a different idea, and instead shipped Arcee and the other Autobots to [[Egypt]] on the advice of [[Sam Witwicky]], who had the means to resurrect Optimus Prime. During the climactic battle between NEST and The Fallen's Decepticons, Sam and Mikaela attempted to make their way through the bombed-out Egyptian town that had become the battlefield. Arcee arrived with [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to escort them through the warzone, but unfortunately, two of her bodies were shot down by enemy forces, with only the blue component remaining operational when last seen. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen}}

{{note|Arcee's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the novel ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (novel)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''; the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Official Movie Adaptation]]'' and ''[[Movie Trilogy]]'' comics; and the storybook "[[The Last Prime]]".}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
Five years after the Battle of Chicago, Arcee was listed as deceased by the CIA task force, [[Cemetery Wind]]. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

====''Bumblebee'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Grey Griffin]] (English)|[[Danann Huicochea]] (Latin-American Spanish)}}
[[File:BumblebeeMovieArcee.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|You think you're impressed now? Just wait until she turns into a motormaid.]]
{{note|''Bumblebee'' takes place before the other films (supposedly), but was released later. As such, it is placed here after ''Age of Extinction''.}}
Arcee was among the Autobots fending off a wave of Decepticon forces led by [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]] and [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]], where Arcee tried to contact the capital of the last remaining Autobot city for reinforcements only to fail in establishing a connection. She was eventually ordered to retreat by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]]. Tasked with finding other Autobots scattered throughout the galaxy and rendezvous on [[Earth]], they left Cybertron in various escape pods. {{storylink|Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee}}

====''Rise of the Beasts'' film====
{{voiceactor|[[Liza Koshy]] (English), [[Fairouz Ai]] (Japanese)|[[Michelle Rodríguez]] (Latin-American Spanish), [[Sophia Flörsch]] (German), [[Fernanda Paes Leme]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Ophélie Kleerekoper]] (European French), [[Martina Felli]] (Italian)}}
{{Spoiler|Rise of the Beasts|July 9}}

Arcee was among the crew of Autobots that had become stranded on Earth after arriving in 1987. Seven years later in 1994, she and the others were in [[New York City]] when Optimus witnessed the activation of the transwarp key. The Autobots regrouped in a warehouse to find [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] had taken in a stowaway, [[Noah Diaz]], who Arcee researched and discovered his past as a soldier. Arcee confirmed the existence of the transwarp key in the museum on Ellis Island, and the group realized they could use it to return to Cybertron. Arcee pointed out they couldn't take the key themselves without evading detection, but Mirage convinced Noah to steal the key for them, despite the group's misgivings. Arcee helped stakeout the museum during Noah's infiltration, only for the Terrorcons to arrive in force. Arcee was knocked out of the fight by the burly [[Battletrap (ROTB)|Battletrap]], and the group lost Bumblebee to [[Scourge (ROTB)|Scourge's]] blade. The group was saved by the timely arrival of Airazor, who explained Scourge had only taken half of the key, and Arcee convinced [[Elena Wallace]] to help lead them to the remaining half in Peru after encouraging her with the knowledge she'd be saving two worlds in the process.

On the flight to Peru aboard [[Stratosphere]], Arcee wondered if the slain Bumblebee could be revived with an Energon treatment, but Optimus lamented that they likely couldn't without returning to Cybertron. The group linked up with Wheeljack and Arcee rode inside his vehicle mode as they took positions keeping watch while Noah and Elena hunted for the key. The Terrorcons arrived and engaged the Autobots in battle. While Wheeljack drove, Arcee provided some firepower in her robot mode, but once again Battletrap took her and Wheeljack out of the fight by making them tumble down a mountainside in the ensuing car chase. Arcee regrouped with the others when they confronted the Maximals, aiming at [[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]] until Airazor defused the stand-off. When Scourge obtained the complete key and began to bring [[Unicron]] to Earth, Arcee took part in the battle against the Terrorcons and their Predacon reinforcements. Though Arcee's speed and blasters served her well, things looked grim when Unicron appeared in the sky and the Autobot-Maximal alliance began to be submerged by the sheer numbers of their enemy. Arcee was aghast when Optimus declared his intention to sacrifice himself to destroy the portal bringing forth Unicron, but luckily, Noah and [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]] saved Optimus and the day from the Chaos Bringer.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}
{{note|Arcee's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the books "[[Mission at the Museum]]" and "[[The Search Is On]]".}}
{{-}}

===IDW movie comics===
[[File:Foudnation2 ArceeChromiaElita.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
Thousands of years ago on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], Arcee lived in [[Metrotitan (ROTF)|Metrotitan]] with her sister Chromia, while their eldest sibling, Elita-One, became a follower of [[Sentinel Prime (ROTF)|Sentinel Prime]]. {{storylink|Foundation issue 1|Foundation #1}} Following Sentinel's successful unification of the warring tribes of Cybertron, Arcee and Chromia came to [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]] to hear his speech for the future. It was announced that the planet would be governed by a [[Science Division]] headed by [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]], and a [[Defense Force]] led by [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]]; while Chromia elected to join the latter, Arcee, intrigued at the prospect of investigating the legacy of the [[Dynasty of Primes]], signed up with Optimus's team. The Science Division began an archaeological excavation of the area around [[Simfur]], uncovering a strange object that they believed to be connected to the Dynasty. {{storylink|Foundation issue 2|Foundation #2}}

[[File:Defiance1 Arcee vehicle.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|"I transform into a vacuum cleaner!"]]

Some time later, while Optimus was showing Megatron around their work, Arcee's team discovered a mysterious relic with a [[Decepticon|strange symbol]] etched into it. She led her superiors to the ancient relic and watched as Megatron and Optimus began to argue when the former demanded the relic be relocated to his private quarters, with Optimus relenting due to a sudden alien attack. Arcee assisted with its evacuation from the dig site. {{storylink|Defiance issue 1|Defiance #1}}

After the attack, Arcee tried to save the life of one of the aliens, but was unsuccessful. She and [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]] moved the bodies to [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]'s lab, where they discovered that the beings were similar in structure to the Cybertronians, only lacking the ability to [[transformation|transform]]. Before they could speculate further about the common ancestry of the two races, [[Signal Flare (Movie)|Signal Flare]] arrived with orders from Optimus to assemble at the Simfur excavation site for a meeting. There, Arcee and the other scientists learned of Protector Megatron's demand for war and Optimus's thoughts on the issue. After most of the scientists agreed to follow Optimus, they travelled to [[Trypticon (Movie)|Trypticon]] to watch Megatron deliver his saber-rattling war rally. {{storylink|Defiance issue 2|Defiance #2}}

[[File:Foundation4Arceechromiaknockeoutbymegatron.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|That's not how you treat 2 ladies, Megatron.]]

Ratchet, Arcee and Elita-One returned to the lab to analyze the other relic fragments recovered from the Simfur excavation, while Optimus, [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] and [[Prowl (Movie)|Prowl]] broke into Megatron's quarters to examine the intact relic. Before Optimus could explain to Ratchet the strange condition of the artifact, Arcee reported finding a symbol that appeared in the same place on all the different fragments: the same symbol that was on Optimus's head. Ratchet theorised that the legend of the [[Dynasty of Primes]] was true, and that Optimus was somehow connected to all of this. Later, at the dig site near [[Burthov]], Arcee, Ratchet and Optimus were arrested by Prowl's security forces on orders from Megatron for treason. What they didn't know was they were all being led into a trap, and the assassins Megatron sent would only take Optimus alive. After [[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]]'s initial attack, Optimus ordered the group to escape to Burthov while he took care of [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and his soldiers. {{storylink|Defiance issue 3|Defiance #3}}{{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}}

Arcee was part of the team who captured the disenchanted soldier [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] and brought him before Optimus Prime. Ironhide pledged allegiance to Prime and brought news of the ''[[Nemesis (ROTF)|Nemesis]]'', a massive starship that Megatron was building. While observing its construction and taking images of the ship, Arcee remarked that she had never seen its like before. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} From [[Tyger Pax]], she witnessed the departure of the ''Nemesis'' with the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Foundation issue 3|Foundation #3}}

[[File:MoviePrequel1 Arcee Bumblebee.jpg|left|upright=1.4|thumb|"Can I say something?" "Whatever it is, now is not the right time!"]]

During the subsequent civil war, Arcee defended civilians who were being targeted by Megatron's Decepticons for refusing to join in the war against Optimus Prime's Autobots. {{storylink|Defiance issue 4|Defiance #4}} As the war raged on, Sentinel invented a "[[pillar|torch]]" that he promised would end the war, which required the [[AllSpark]] to be activated. Arcee and Chromia flanked Ironhide at the lead of the assault on Simfur Temple. As the battle raged, Arcee and Chromia were swatted aside by Megatron, but Optimus attacked, allowing Elita to activate the torch and deliver it to Sentinel. Sentinel arrived in the [[Ark (DOTM)|Ark]], but Starscream blew up the ship. Ironhide picked up Arcee and Chromia as the Autobots retreated. However, the assault had weakened Decepticon morale and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]] commanded another [[Ark (Movie)|Ark]] for Arcee and Chromia to steal the AllSpark itself! {{storylink|Foundation issue 4|Foundation #4}}

Later, Arcee fought the Decepticons during an attempt to reclaim the Cube at Tyger Pax. However, Arcee and the rest of those under Bumblebee's command didn't know the true purpose of their battle: they were a diversion to keep Megatron busy while other Autobots readied the AllSpark for launch from Cybertron. She was captured and interrogated by the Decepticons but survived the ordeal. She recounted to their Autobot rescuers Bumblebee's heroics in delaying Megatron, which prevented the Decepticon from intercepting the wormhole-bound AllSpark. {{storylink|Movie Prequel issue 1|Movie Prequel #1}}

[[File:ReignofStarscream4 Arcee.jpg|upright=0.85|thumb]]

Following the Autobots' victory in Mission City, which culminated in the death of [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] and the destruction of the AllSpark on [[Earth]], Arcee was in command of an Autobot assault team on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] and led [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]] and others in an attack on [[Nemesis (Movie)|Starscream's ship]]. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 2|The Reign of Starscream #2}} While her team made short work of the [[Swindle (Movie)|Swindle]], [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]], and [[Payload (Movie)|Payload]] drones the Decepticons sent against them, Arcee killed the Decepticon sniper [[Hardtop (Movie)|Hardtop]] before he could take out [[Smokescreen (Movie)|Smokescreen]]. Her teammates were unprepared for the arrival of [[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]], however, and he quickly slew [[Camshaft (Movie)|Camshaft]] and wounded [[Cliffjumper (Movie)|Cliffjumper]]. Remembering her failure at Tyger Pax, Arcee leapt into action, and soon she and Cliffjumper had Thundercracker at their mercy. The arrival of Starscream changed that, as he killed Smokescreen and Air Raid and badly damaged Cliffjumper. As she attempted to pull the last surviving member of her team to safety, Arcee was kicked aside by Starscream. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 3|The Reign of Starscream #3}}

However, Arcee recovered an instant later. The Decepticon starship was already taking off, but she jumped and grabbed onto a piece of landing gear, holding on tight... through the [[space bridge]]. Wow. Later, she made her way back to an Autobot facility, where she unexpectedly met Clocker and [[Crosshairs (Movie)|Crosshairs]]. Along with a large force of Autobots, the three moved in on the Simfur temple, where Starscream was using captured Autobots for a strange project of his. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 4|The Reign of Starscream #4}}

She split her troops into two forces: One would attack the city of Trypticon as a diversion, while the other moved in on Simfur. Arcee and her team could only watch helplessly as Starscream drained the life out of the Autobot prisoners strapped onto the [[replica AllSpark]], despite her sister Elita-One's pleas for mercy. An opportunity to cause havoc presented itself when [[Dreadwing (Movie)|Dreadwing]]'s forces attempted a coup. Arcee lined up her sights on the generator holding the life energy of the deceased prisoners, dedicated the shot to Elita, and destroyed it, annihilating the Cube and sending the Decepticons into disarray. Arcee's team fought their way through the disorganised Decepticons, linked up with [[Wingblade]]'s team, and rolled out just as the crippled starship came crashing down on the city. With the destruction of the capitol and the defeat of a significant portion of the Decepticon drone army, Arcee considered this to be the turning point of the war, but as long as Starscream was alive, he was a threat that she had to track down. {{storylink|The Reign of Starscream issue 5|The Reign of Starscream #5}}

[[File:TalesoftheFallen6-Arceeprotoforms.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4|The best part of waking up is ... still being in your own body.]]

Some time later, a ship carrying Arcee and her crew was shot down over an unidentified planet, and when Arcee managed to escape the wreckage, she saw that the culprit was her old nemesis, Thundercracker. She blacked out, and an indeterminate amount of time later, she awoke on an operating table—or rather, next to her old body on an operating table. Her [[spark]] had been transplanted into a new body by the Decepticon mad scientist [[Flatline (ROTF)|Flatline]], as part of a twisted plan to create a new breed of tripartate soldier by using her spark to reignite those of her deceased sisters, Elita-One and Chromia. Flatline had not considered Arcee's strong will, however, and her original programming persisted. She broke free and escaped with two of Flatline's other experiment victims, the twins [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], but was surprised to learn that Flatline's experiment had worked: her sisters lived again in two bodies similar to her own new form, but now, they were connected at the spark, sharing the thoughts, feelings and memories of one another, thinking with one mind yet still retaining a degree of autonomy and recollection of their previous selves. [[File:TalesoftheFallen6-whereishe.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|WASSSS A MAAANNN (now three man)]] The united sisters defeated Flatline, and with the Twins, headed for the exit, but Thundercracker and some Decepticon drones blocked them. Thundercracker laughed, since Arcee hadn't fared too well the last time they tangled, but... that was then. Thundercracker was easily bested by the new and improved Arcee, and escaped while Flatline's headquarters detonated by remote. Arcee wondered whether her weird new existence was a mistake, or if she was merely destined for greater things. Regardless, she refused to become bent on revenge against Thundercracker for the deaths of her crew, so she and the Twins made plans to join the rest of the Autobots. {{storylink|Tales of the Fallen issue 6|Tales of the Fallen #6}} {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}}

A short time later, Arcee and her sisters, along with [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]], [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]], [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]], [[Topspin (DOTM)|Topspin]], [[Leadfoot (DOTM)|Leadfoot]] and [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]] arrived on Earth on the [[Wreckers]] ship [[Xantium (DOTM)|Xantium]]. (While the ship and the Wreckers stayed behind in [[NASA]]) {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of the Moon}}{{storylink|Dark of the Moon issue 3}} in response to a summons beamed into space by Optimus Prime Joining the allied Autobot-human strikeforce [[NEST]], the new recruits received some training, and were soon called upon to put it into use: the Decepticon [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] had been sighted in [[Shanghai]], [[China]]. {{Storylink|Alliance issue 4|Alliance #4}}

[[File:ArceeROTFIDWCombo.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.85|Remember what [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] did with [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] and the [[Duocon]]s?]]
Arcee participated in the [[Shanghai]] battle. When [[Twins (ROTF)|the Twins]] botched their chase of [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], the Arcee motorcycles gave chase before [[Sideswipe (Movie)|Sideswipe]] finished the job. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 1|Revenge of the Fallen #1}} When the Autobots were on the move to the US East Coast investigating on multiple detected Decepticon contacts, at least one of the Arcee bikes was seen alongside [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]]. Later, while Optimus was fighting [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] and [[Grindor (ROTF)|Grindor]] in the forest, at least two Arcee bikes were approaching the battle site alongside [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]], [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]]. An Arcee robot was also seen with [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] and Ironhide when the latter was firing at Starscream and Megatron who were fleeing from the site. The Arcee robot was the first one to notice Optimus Prime's severe damage before Ratchet pronounced him "nearly gone". {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 2|Revenge of the Fallen #2}} All three Arcee robots were with the other Autobots when they were facing the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicons]] in the desert of Egypt. {{storylink|Revenge of the Fallen issue 3|Revenge of the Fallen #3}}

[[File:TFSpaceCase-SpaceCasehitsArcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|right]]
Sometime later after [[Operation: Firestorm]], Arcee joined Bumblebee and Sam for a picnic, which was cut short when they went to investigate an energy signal that had appeared after an earthquake. The trio proceeded deep underground and, just as Arcee was admonishing Sam to be careful, Space Case ambushed them. Despite their numeric superiority, the Autobots had trouble with their enemy because they were afraid firing weapons might cause their unstable surroundings to collapse. Space Case, angry at what he perceived as persecution from the Autobots, activated his plasma afterburners and rocketed out of the cave, triggering the feared cave-in and burying Sam and the Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Space Case}} Arcee managed to send out a distress signal, to which Ratchet responded. The medic fended off Space Case and managed to free Arcee from a pile of rubble, allowing her to go after Space Case a fleeing Space Case. {{storylink|Transformers: Ratchet}} The chase took them towards a densely populated city. Despite Space Case's engine damage, he still had a significant speed advantage over Arcee. As she paused to consider her options, she received a holographic communication from Ratchet. The Autobot medic reported that Sam Witwicky and Bumblebee had survived their encounter with Space Case with no serious injuries, and suggested that Arcee meet back up with them. Arcee cut him off abruptly, inwardly observing that while Ratchet thought she continued to chase Space Case out of a misplaced sense of pride, that's not really what she was doing at all. Arcee then caught up with Space Case. Panicking, Space Case threw Arcee through a storefront and took to the air in another attempt to escape. Arcee, determined not to let anything keep her down, sped after Space Case, used a building to ramp up to his altitude, and destroyed his other engine. Space Case went plummeting into the distance, headed for the waterfront. As he vanished from sight, he promised to be back. Arcee knew she'd be ready for his eventual return. {{storylink|Transformers: Arcee}}

[[File:RisingStorm1 ArceeInjured.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1]]
When NEST discovered that Starscream was selling Transformer weaponry to humans, a sting operation was staged in which [[Theodore Galloway]] would pose as a buyer to lure the Decepticons in. When [[Skystalker (ROTF)|Skystalker]], [[Divebomb (Movie)|Divebomb]] and [[Fearswoop (ROTF)|Fearswoop]] took the bait, Arcee and her sisters joined the twins and the human forces of NEST in tackling them. The sisters did not take kindly to Skystalker's incredulity about the Autobots "sending their women" to do their fighting for them, and killed him with practised ease. The battle aggravated the wounds Arcee had taken in Egypt the previous year, however, and she was brought back to Diego Garcia for medical attention courtesy of Ratchet. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 1|Rising Storm #1}}

After Sam Witwicky contacted Optimus Prime as Philadelphia was being attacked by Decepticons, Optimus decided that the sisters should be left out of the fight due to Arcee's wounds. Arcee wanted to go despite Chromia's attempt to let her stay behind while her two sisters went. In the end, Optimus decided to allow her to go with Chromia and Elita-1. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 2|Rising Storm #2}}

[[File:RisingStorm 3 Arcee, Ravage and Ratbat.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Ravage and Ratbat teach you how to get dates]]

She and her sisters went to New York thinking they would get information on Starscream selling his weapons to humans, but instead they found Astrotrain and a monster. And they also found out that Shockwave was on earth, so they tried to inform Optimus, but [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] jammed their communication and sent his minions after the girls. Arcee and Chromia told Elita-1 to find Optimus. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 3|Rising Storm #3}}

As Ravage was attacking her. Arcee began to feel the pain of her wounds (and Chromia began to feel them too), later Elita-1 died and Arcee and Chromia felt her death. Despite Arcee's attempts to stop her, Chromia activated some bombs they brought with them (which possibly killed Soundwave's minions). Arcee and Chromia survived the explosion. {{storylink|Rising Storm issue 4|Rising Storm #4}}

====''Transformers: Beginnings''====
{{note|Transformers: Beginnings is a condensed, flash-animated retelling of the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] [[Transformers: Movie Prequel|Movie Prequel]] that is detailed above this section.}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Beginnings (Movie)|Transformers: Beginnings}}
{{--}}

===Titan movie comics===
Originally, Arcee didn't serve either faction, working alone to solve injustices in her own way. [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] personally decided to make an example of her, and only an Autobot extraction team led by [[Kup (Movie)|Kup]] saved her life. This debt saw her join the Autobots. She's chimerical in nature and is constantly changing her [[Alternate mode|altmode]] in an effort to go as fast as possible (maybe that's why her [[robot mode]] always looks different!). She [[Arcee (G1)|previously had a hover-car form]], but on Earth takes a modified bike mode. Once you earn her trust, she's [[Rick Astley|never going to let you down]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 21|Arcee bio}}

During the AllSpark launch, she led the six-bot team that drew Megatron's attention to Tyger Pax. And Optimus only told ''Bumblebee'' that's what their mission was! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2|#2's reprint of Movie Prelude}}

[[File:Titan5 Sidewayssideswipes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|I'm such good friends that I all dress alike!]]

Arcee had been on Earth for some time before [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] arrived. When using all three of her bodies, she refers to her collective self as "we". Back then, she was keeping her pink paint job!

She went on to assist Optimus Prime in a [[NEST]] mission in [[Australia]], and so was in a perfect position to capture the Decepticon [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]]. Pursuing him in bike(s) mode, she found it near impossible to blow out his tyres and kept getting sideswiped by him during the pursuit. When a stunned Optimus ordered her to stay on the Decepticon's tail, she responded that the Decepticon's alt mode was far better suited for the terrain... inspiring Optimus to ''blow up'' that terrain.
[[File:Titan2-8 dronesurrender.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.66|Geez, this just getting ''confusing''.]]
With Sideways stunned and taking robot form, Arcee sent one bike in to take him down but almost got hit before human military helicopters arrived to back her up. The mission over, she and Optimus took their prisoner back to [[Diego Garcia]], with Arcee escorting him to a cell. But surprise, [[Scorponok (Movie)|Scorponok]] was waiting to free him! She was quickly stunned and unable to stop the Decepticons escaping. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.5|Reversal of Fortune}}

She later decided it'd be fun to switch back to her older, single-form body! Her old body got a good workout when she was part of the strike team on the Decepticon's [[Mars (planet)|Phobos]] base. After a brief but violent battle, the [[Purple generic drone|drone hordes]] surrendered to her and [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.8|Back-to-Back}}

====Alternate timeline====
[[File:Titan13 Arcee.jpg|thumb|"I don't ''want'' to look retro!!"]]
In an [[Tyran 208.28 Gamma|alternate timeline]] where the Decepticons won the battle of [[Mission City]], Arcee was a member of a small group of reinforcements summoned to Earth by the remaining Autobots on the planet. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 9|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 1}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 10|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 2}} Touching down on Earth's [[Moon (moon)|moon]] to await contact from Earth, they were attacked by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], but the quick-thinking Arcee took command and rallied the troops. When this still failed to work, she ordered them to Earth (following [[Strongarm (Movie)|Strongarm]]'s initiative) and their prearranged targets. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 11|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 3}} Joining up with the Earth-bound Autobots, Arcee refused to accept defeat, and helped [[Armorhide (Movie)|Armorhide]] defend [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] while he destroyed the AllSpark, foiling the Decepticons' plan to cyberform Earth using its power. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 12|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 4}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 13|Twilight's Last Gleaming, Part: 5}}

Arcee was left bewildered by the idea that Humanity would not trust and love the Autobots, and Optimus explained to her that, from a human point of view, all the Transformers are alien horrors fighting on their planet. Following this, she guarded the [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]] shelter and was caught in an ambush staged by [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 14|Aftermath Part 1}} {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 15|Aftermath Part 2}}

[[File:Titan22 Arcee.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|"''That's'' better!"]]

Later, after serving with Bumblebee in protecting an Alaskan pipeline, among other engagements to protect the American infrastructure, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 16|Dark Spark}} Arcee was part of Ironhide's team in retrieving [[Nucleon (substance)|Nucleon]] from Cybertron, which ran afoul of [[Stockade (Movie)|Stockade]]. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 17|Return to Cybertron: Part 1}} She acted as Bumblebee's distraction, drawing [[Storm Surge (Movie)|Storm Surge]] and [[Fracture (Movie)|Fracture]] away, {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 18|Return to Cybertron: Part 2}} and doubled back to regroup with Ironhide (and pull him out of rubble) when [[Unicron]] arrived. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 19|Return to Cybertron: Part 3}} Later, she got Optimus Prime up to speed on the situation. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 20|Return to Cybertron: Part 4}}

Following the Decepticon re-conquest of Savannah, Arcee was part of the raid to rescue [[Mikaela Banes]]. She got off one bit of bravado about how hitting things was her kind of shindig before [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] hit ''her''. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 22|The Decepticon Who Haunted Himself}}

When the Autobots launched their final strike, Arcee was part of the spearhead team hitting the [[Decepticon Heartland]]. She started off the 'tagging' of Decepticons to teleport them away from Earth, getting [[Incinerator (Movie)|Incinerator]] in the back and looking very happy about it. {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 25|Revolution Part Three}}
{{--}}

===Toy bios===
Arcee was well trained by Ironhide, making her one of the most dangerous Autobots. She believes without question that the Decepticons must be stopped at all costs. {{storylink|#Scout Class toys|Arcee (Scout)}}

Arcee honed her speed by hunting [[turbofox]]es with other speedsters, challenging herself to get as close as possible before tagging them with her bow. Arriving on [[Earth]] at some point in the early 21st Century, she would spend her days stalking unsuspecting Decepticons until she drew them close enough to strike. {{storylink|#2007dlx|Arcee (Movie Deluxe)}} However, when the situation on Earth began to ramp up into out-and-out combat, Arcee was reassigned to the [[Charii system]]. It was there where her stealth skills would be of more use, fighting against a Decepticon splinter cell working on a star-breaking weapon. {{storylink|Robo-Vision|Arcee (Robo-Vision)}}

Nevertheless, Arcee jumped at the chance to get back on Earth and was soon handed control of her own strike team, made up of robots similar to her in attitude and design. She stalked Decepticons and killed them on the quiet. {{storylink|#Deluxe Class toys 2|Arcee (ROTF Deluxe)}} She also started following the tradition of inscribing Cybertronian words on your chassis: while she wasn't superstitious, the ''Decepticons'' sure were! It also gave her a nice confidence boost. {{storylink|#Deluxe Class toys 4|Arcee (DOTM Deluxe)}}

Whenever Arcee partook in a fight, she was fighting to win. She always made sure her weapons were fully charged and her engine was tuned to perfection. By the time Decepticons saw Arcee in their rearview mirrors, there was no escape for them. {{storylink|#Fast Action Battlers|Cyber Pursuit Arcee}}

While fighting the dread [[Tailwhip]], Arcee was trapped in his vortex and her only chance was to shoot out the blades of the evil robot above her. {{storylink|#Deluxe Class toys 3|Rotorwash Rumble}} Her closest comrade was Ratchet, as they both carried a standing feud with [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] for [[The Thrill of the Hunt|unknown reasons]].<ref name="battlebio">[http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/en_US/discover/Battle-Bios.cfm Hasbro Arcee Battle Bio]</ref>

Arcee and her sisters have hunted [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] in the past, but he always got away. After begging [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], the three of them got another shot at bringing him down. {{storylink|#SidewaysSneakAttack|Sideways Sneak Attack}}

===''Legends'' comic===
Arcee was among the heroic female Transformers who appeared in one of [[Tigatron]]'s dreams to protect him from the evil female Transformers. {{storylink|Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 11|Bonus Edition Vol. 11}}

==Toys==
===''Transformers'' (2007)===
====Scout Class toys====
[[File:Movie-toy Arcee-TargetScout.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Not Chrom- Well, maybe I am!]]
*'''Arcee''' (Target exclusive Scout Class, [[2007]])
**''Accessories'': Launcher, missile, scope, 2 tailpipes, "Energon" star

: Arcee is a [[redeco]] of ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|Energon]]'' [[Arcee (Energon)|Arcee]], replacing her pinks and most of her whites and blacks with blue, and her translucent red with smoky brown plastic. She transforms into a "superbike"-type racing motorcycle. Unusually for a Transformer, she does not hold her weapon in her hands as most figures do. Instead, her Energon Bow mounts on a peg on either arm, with her hands being positioned to give the appearance of her using the bow. The bow itself is spring-loaded, firing a grey "arrow" missile.

:Arcee (and the rest of the Scout wave) were [[exclusive]] to [[Target]] stores, where they were all part of a [[Robo-Vision]] promotion. Arcee came with a Robo-Vision Decoder which allows you to see the Robo-Vision Code ("BULLSEYE") printed on her cardback. Starting [[June 2]], 2007, Target's website allowed users to input those codes to access exclusive content, a concept similar to the online [[Cyber Planet Key]] info from the [[Transformers: Cybertron (toyline)|''Cybertron'' toyline]].

:This toy was also sold as a Farmers exclusive in [[New Zealand]], and was [[repurposing|repurposed]] as [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]]'s Cybertronian form in the [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] movie comics.

:This mold was also used to make ''Superlink'' Ariel Paradron Type, as well as the [[BotCon 2005]] "[[Descent into Evil]]" set's [[Chromia (G1)|Chromia]], [[Flamewar (G1)|Flamewar]], [[Flareup (G1)|Flareup]], and the fellow Target-exclusive [[Transformers (2007 toyline)|movieverse]] [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-One]], which was [[Repurposing|repurposed]] as ''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]'' [[Arcee (SG)|Arcee]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/TargetArcee/arcee.htm More information on Scout Arcee at TFU.info]''
{{EnergonArceeMold}}
{{--}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
{{anchor|2007dlx}}
[[File:Movie Deluxe Arcee toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Pretty in...purple?]]
*'''Arcee''' (Deluxe Class, [[2007]])
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''MA-11'''
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, missile
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro), [[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Deluxe Arcee transforms into a purple 2006 Buell Firebolt XB12R motorcycle, genericised to get around licensing issues. Arcee has references [[tampograph]]ed on her [[alternate mode|vehicle mode]], such as her motorcycle's fictional model name, "RC 1100" (Get it? "RC" as in "Arcee"), and her [[Massachusetts]] [[license plate]] marked TF7407, the original release date of the movie.

: Arcee's [[Automorph Technology|Automorphing]] feature is located in her crossbow weapon (formed out of the seat/storage area of the bike), activated when the projectile (the bike's tailpipe) is inserted, which pushes out the recurved lath parts on the sides of the weapon. The rectangular peg which is supposed to be used to attach her weapon to her forearm in [[robot mode]] is sometimes a poor fit, and the weapon may pop off. As an alternative, the round peg by which the weapon is attached in ''vehicle'' mode can also be used in robot mode, with a little rearranging of parts.

: Undocumented in the instructions, the two shoulder-mounted half-wheels contain a small niche on the edge of the tires. By folding the wheels down with the hubcaps pointing towards the chest and turning the tires towards the shoulders, one can feel the wheels gently click into place via the tire niches and hidden tabs in the shoulders, allowing the wheels to remain in place and more closely resemble the figure as pictured on its packaging. Probably coincidentally, Arcee is almost perfectly scaled to 3.75 inch figures like Hasbro's own ''G.I. Joe'', though this would put her vehicle mode more in line with the size of the larger Kawasaki Ninja than the Firebolt.

: As with most larger Transformers toys that become motorcycles, Arcee has a kickstand on the left side of the bike; unfortunately, it's mounted so low that she will fall in the opposite direction if it is fully extended.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2007/Autobot/Arcee/arcee.htm More information on Deluxe Arcee at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Battle3pack}}
[[File:Movietoy-Arceebattledamaged.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|She's a dirty girl.]]
*'''Arcee, Starscream & Optimus Prime''' (Sam's Club exclusive three-pack, 2007)
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, missile

: A three-pack, [[exclusive]] to Sam's Club stores, consisting of redecos of Voyager Class [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys|Optimus Prime]] and Deluxe Class Arcee, both with battle damage deco, and an unchanged Voyager Class [[Starscream (Movie)/toys|Starscream]].

{{anchor|Battlesingle}}
*'''Arcee''' (Deluxe Class, 2007)

: A single release of the battle damaged redeco of Deluxe Class Arcee from the Sam's Club exclusive three-pack, sold in the same packaging as the non-redecoed original release. This version was officially available in Hasbro's Southeast Asian markets, but sightings hailing from a US [[Walmart]] store and retail in Belgium (!) suggest it might have been available there in small quantities as well... however, whereas the Asian release sports an additional sticker on the packaging highlighting the "Exclusive! Battle-damage!", the version found at US retail lacks the sticker, yet has a different UPC bar code than the original version, suggesting an isolated flub rather than an official release.<ref name="arceewm">[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/168922-battle-damaged-deluxe-arcee-found-california-walmart.html "Battle-damaged Deluxe Arcee found at California Walmart"] at TFW2005.</ref>

{{-}}{{anchor|BlackArcee}}
[[File:Movie Arcee Black toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|I shall go back...]]
*'''Black Arcee''' (Deluxe, [[2008]])
**''ID number:'' '''MA-20'''
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, missile, AllSpark cube

: This Japan-only [[redeco]] of Deluxe Class Arcee is cast in black in an attempt to match the look of the motorcycle [[William Lennox|Captain Lennox]] rides near the end of the film. Surprisingly, it is not [[Black repaint|evil]].

: Like all Japanese "[[AllSpark Power]]" toys, Black Arcee comes with a small AllSpark cube accessory.

{{-}}{{anchor|PinkArcee}}
[[File:Movie Arcee Wonder Festival G1 redeco.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|...all the way to 1986...!]]
*'''Arcee G1 Color Edition''' (Deluxe-sized toy, 2008)
**''Accessories:'' Launcher, missile

:Arcee G1 Color Edition (アーシーG1カラーエディション) is decoed in pink and white, in homage to Generation 1 [[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]], and debuted at [[Wonder Festival]] 2008 Winter in Tokyo, Japan.
{{--}}

===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
====Legends Class toys====
{{anchor|Legends}}
[[File:ROTFtoy-ArceeLegends.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|If you wanted Legends Class figures of the other two, you'd have needed to buy Arcee again. And Sideways. Geez, thanks!]]
*'''Arcee''' (Legends, 2010)
{{toydesigner|[[Joe Kyde]] (Hasbro)}}

:Legends Arcee is a pink and black motorcycle that transforms into a pink and black robot. Black chunks are strategically placed on her two wheels so she can stand up in robot mode. There's an odd jointed piece above her rear wheel that has a [[Powerlinx]]-like [[5 mm post|hardpoint]] and a peg hole on the other side; since the entire piece serves no function, it may have been designed with a combined form similar to the Deluxes in mind.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/LegArcee/arcee.htm More information on Legends Arcee at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

====Deluxe Class toys====
{{anchor|RA11}}
[[File:ROTF Deluxe Chromia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Hey, I'm Arcee too, sometimes! Well, actually most times.]]
*'''Chromia''' (2009)
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''RA-11'''
**''Accessories:'' Missile, figure stand/cycle cannons

:[[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]] converts from an unlicensed approximation of a {{w|Suzuki B-King}} to a robot with a unicycle for legs. Her vehicle mode weapon can attach as a display stand for either mode, ironically making a unicycle-bot one of the more stable robot-modes. In robot mode, there is a spring-loaded missile between the tailpipes on Chromia's left hand in addition to the aforementioned non-firing blaster-stand. There is also a piece on the bottom of the vehicle mode (or back of the robot mode) that folds out, but there is no indication in the instructions as to what this piece is for. However, the piece can slide into a similar piece in the later Arcee toy, starting the supposed combined mode.

:While the instructions depict the motorcycle seat remaining flat so that it ends up covering the bottom wheel, the robot mode more closely resembles the movie design if the seat is folded in and locked into a slot on the motorcycle's bottom, as shown on the back of the packaging. The packaging photo also shows Chromia's front wheel resting behind the robot's shoulders, while the instructions leave it above her head. Furthermore, while it is not mentioned either in the instructions or shown on the box, the stand can be attached backwards and rotated with the guns facing up so that it acts as a prop for the toy, allowing the wheel to actually touch the ground, and letting the toy look from the front like it is unsupported. In addition, the stand can also be attached to right arm as an inordinately large handgun by sliding the two pegs inside the gun into two slots on the inside of the arm.

:The stand has sculpted tank treads on the bottom, most likely to make it look that she's still mobile while using it.

:Though the instructions do not explain it, the back of the blister card mentions she has a [[Mech Alive]] gimmick in her left arm. While it isn't quite the "spinning gears" the card refers to, swinging her left forearm towards and away from her body makes a blue piston slide back and forth inside the large gun.

{{-}}{{anchor|RA23}}
[[File:ROTF Deluxe Arcee toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Help! I have scoliosis, and I can't stand on my own.]]
*'''Arcee''' (2009)
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''RA-23'''
**''Accessories:'' Sidecar/blaster/figure stand
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}

:Deluxe class ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' Arcee converts from an unlicensed {{w|Ducati 848}} to a robot mode that can look quite awkward if not properly aligned. The figure has a sidecar which can become a Dual Sniper Pistol<ref name="battlebio"/> or a display stand. In robot mode, she is equipped with a small cannon on her right wrist that can deploy a spring-loaded energy blade. Small [[Cyberglyphics]] inscriptions are molded onto the surface of the blade.

:Her [[Mech Alive]] feature is located not in her elbow, as the packaging would suggest, but instead in her chest; tilting her neck up and down causes a pair of exposed gears to turn.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Arcee/arcee.htm More information on Deluxe Arcee at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

====''Fast Action Battlers''====
{{anchor|FAB}}
[[File:ROTF-toy FAB CyberPursuitArcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Cyber Pursuit Arcee''' (Fast Action Battler, 2010)
**''Accessories:'' Exhaust pipes/missile

:A simplified version of her ''Revenge of the Fallen'' toy, [[Fast Action Battlers]] Arcee is targeted at the age 5 and under demographic, being a simplified version of her Deluxe-Class toy and having more limited articulation (that's better than most Fast Action Battlers toys). This version does away with the sidecar/stand in favor of a built-in, fully retractable stand, as well as featuring a kickstand and free spinning wheels. Her main gimmick is the ability to fire her dual exhaust pipes as a single missile in both robot and vehicle mode. She features fully working suspension, but due to the transformation locking both wheels in place, it is not available in vehicle mode.

:Despite being intended for a sub-line that focuses on fast and fairly easy transformations, the design of the shoulder joints and the nature of the transformation can make transforming from robot to vehicle mode frustrating. Ironic.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/FABArcee/arcee.htm More information on Cyber Pursuit Arcee at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

====''Human Alliance''====
{{anchor|HAArcee}}
[[File:ROTFtoy-ArceeHumanAlliance.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|I'm the red bike, but I transform into the blue bike's robot, but with the red bike's colors - look, women are complicated, okay?]]
*'''Autobot Skids / Arcee / Mikaela Banes''' (Human Alliance, 2009)
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''RA-25'''
{{toydesigner|[[Hisashi Yuki]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Coming with [[Skids (ROTF)|Skids]] and [[Mikaela Banes]], ''[[Human Alliance]]'' Arcee is a robot that transforms into a motorcycle. As with the other Human Alliance vehicles, Mikaela can ride her in her vehicle mode.

: This figure, which is somewhere in between [[Legends Class (2005)|Legends]] and [[size class|Scout Class]] size, has a motorcycle mode that is slightly similar to Arcee's Ducati 848, with some elements resembling the Aprilia RS125 Mikaela is riding at one point in the [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|movie]], and some elements entirely made up. The robot mode, meanwhile, is clearly that of the blue motorcycle, [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]]. Hasbro explained in their monthly Q&A that it ''is'' meant to resemble Mikaela's bike, and they called it "Arcee" so kids wouldn't be confused by two separate red/pink bikes.<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=65426 Hasbro December 09 Q&A, AllSpark]</ref> Also, the face, which is mostly unpainted save for a few small details, doesn't resemble ROTF Arcee's movie design at all. In fact, the head design bears some resemblance to [[Nightbird (G1)|Nightbird]].

: Despite being larger than a Legends Class figure, Arcee features less [[articulation]] than most of them. While her right elbow features a swivel joint, the left arm is sculpted in one piece, and the elbow fixed in a permanent position.

: This mold was later redecoed into ''Dark of the Moon'' Human Alliance [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-1]].

{{-}}{{anchor|HAChromia}}
[[File:Humanalliancechromiatoy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.55|Red repaint in 3... 2... 1...]]
*'''Mudflap / Chromia / Seymour Simmons''' (Human Alliance, 2010)
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''RA-31'''

: Coming with [[Mudflap (ROTF)|Mudflap]] and [[Seymour Simmons]], Human Alliance Chromia is, you guessed it, a robot that transforms into a motorcycle. Simmons can ride her in her vehicle mode as well.

: Aside from the colour scheme, this "Chromia" is clearly meant to be Arcee as it has the main component's robot mode, and its vehicle mode is closer to Arcee's than either the motorcycle included with Human Alliance Skids or the Deluxe Chromia. Its higher level of movie-accuracy includes a much more accurate head sculpt, and although its left arm is also cast in one piece, the extra articulation in the shoulders, waist and hips makes the figure more posable than the other HA motorcycle.

: The transformation is surprisingly complex and fiddly for a figure this size, which is basically a non-autotransforming version of the larger FAB. In robot mode the figure has a piece than the wheels can stand on to support them, or be rotated behind to prop the figure up with some care. The kickstand is too short to hold the bike upright in vehicle mode, although this is easily fixed by gluing a small piece of black plastic to its base to lengthen it. She suffers from balance issues in robot mode as well, since her robot-mode stand ends up placed more towards her left side instead of at the center, meaning she tends to fall to her right side often.

: She also comes packaged incompletely transformed, with her (difficult to open) right hand left untransformed as the motorbike's seat. Good luck getting ''that'' out.
{{--}}

===''Transformers'' (2010)===
{{anchor|TF2010Elita}}
[[File:Hunt for the Decepticons Deluxe Elita-1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|(''Hasbro version pictured'')]]
[[File:TakaraTomyAutobotAllianceElita.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.66|(''TakaraTomy version pictured'')]]
*'''Elita-1''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''TakaraTomy ID number:'' '''AA-08'''
**''Accessories:'' Missile, figure stand/cannons

:Elita-1 is a black, white and metallic pink [[redeco]] of Chromia, transforming from a unicycle-robot into a {{w|Suzuki B-King}} motorcycle. Her vehicle mode weapon can attach as a display stand for either mode, ironically making a unicyclebot one of the most stable robot-modes. In robot mode, there is a spring-loaded missile between the tailpipes on Chromia's left hand in addition to the aforementioned non-firing blaster-stand. She is slightly retooled from the original Chromia figure, sporting an extra tab that allows her chest to lock together more securely. She was released as part of the [[Hunt for the Decepticons]] promotion.

:Elita-1 features a small [[Mech Alive]] gimmick: swinging her left forearm towards and away from her body makes a blue piston slide back and forth inside the large gun. Her stand has sculpted tank threads on the bottom, most likely to make it look that she's still mobile while using it. Her license plate has ''3L 174'' written on it as an stylish way of spelling her own name. [[Headmaster (Animated)|A certain fellow]] would approve of that.

:[[TakaraTomy]] initially mistakenly solicited their release of Elita-1 using the purple Arcee redeco from the "Rotorwash Rumble" pack. The actual released toy uses the Chromia mold just like Hasbro, with a more [[show-accuracy|screen accurate]] deco that uses more purple paint.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/Elita-1/elita-1.htm More information on Elita-1 at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|RotorwashRumble}}
[[File:HFTD rotorwash arcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Rotorwash Rumble''' ([[Target]] exclusive multi-pack, 2010)
**''Accessories:'' Sidecar/cannons/figure stand

:A pink redeco of the ''ROTF'' Arcee mold. She is packaged with the Decepticon [[Blazemaster]]-redeco [[Tailwhip]]. Her packaging successfully identifies her Mech Alive gimmick as being in her chest, rather than her left elbow.

:As noted above, TakaraTomy mistakenly used this figure in solicitation images of their Elita-1.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2010/Autobot/TargetArcee/arcee.htm More information on Rotorwash Rumble Arcee at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SidewaysSneakAttack}}
[[File:TF2010toy sideways sneak attack.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Sideways Sneak Attack''' (Multi-pack)
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}

:This [[Target]] exclusive multi-pack was to contain redecos of the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Legends class Arcee mold as Chromia and Elita-1, plus an Arcee possibly lacking the black [[paint operation]]s on the handles from the single ''ROTF'' release ([[prototype|samples]] on display at [[BotCon 2010]] came in both flavors) plus ''possibly'' a different paint mask for the face. The set furthermore includes a redeco of Deluxe class [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]], whose painted battle damage evokes the scene in the film where he's been cut in half. Ouchies.
{{canceledtoy}}
{{--}}

===''Animated''===
*'''Arcee''' (EZ Collection, 2010)
**''Release date'': [[April 24]] 2010
**''ID number'': '''EZ-24'''

: Yes, you read that correctly. The Legends-class Arcee was released under the ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Transformers Animated]]'' brand in Japan, as part of the first assortment of [[blindpacking|blind-packed]] "[[EZ Collection]]" toys, which was half-''Animated'', half-movie. This version of Arcee appears to be identical to the [[#Legends Class toys|original Hasbro release]].
{{--}}

===''Dark of the Moon''===
{{anchor|DA11}}
[[File:DOTM MechTech Deluxe Arcee.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Arcee''' (MechTech Deluxe, [[May 14|5-14]]-[[2011]])
**''ID number:'' '''DA11'''
**''Accessories:'' Missile, figure stand/cannons, MechTech Blaster/Sonic Blade

:Originating from [[TakaraTomy]], this ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (toyline)|Dark of the Moon]]'' Deluxe class Arcee is a redeco and minor retool of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Chromia, adding two [[5 mm post]] hole MechTech ports on her sculpted engine, which end up on her arms in robot mode. She comes with a retool of [[Roadbuster (DOTM)|Roadbuster]]'s [[MechTech]] weapon, replacing the chainsaw with a new Sonic Blade sword.

:Unlike the official image(left),the figure uses white plastic on more pieces, specially in the arms, noticeable in both modes, as well as clear orange instead of blue of the same official image.

:Arcee comes packed with a character card and an accompanying transparent plastic card of her MechTech weapon for the MechTech Wars online game.

{{-}}{{anchor|Cyberglyph}}
[[File:Arcee DOTM Deluxe Target.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Arcee''' (Deluxe, 2011)
**''Accessories:'' Sidecar/blaster/figure stand
{{toydesigner|[[Andrew Scribner]] (deco artist)}}

:A redeco of the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Arcee figure, this version is mostly cast in smoky clear pink plastic, with her sidecar being white this time. Liberally scattered across her body are opaque pink [[Cyberglyphics]]. The packaging callouts return to falsely indicating that her left elbow contains moving gears.

:As with the other [[Target]] [[exclusive]] "Cyberglyph" redecos ([[Space Case (DOTM)#Dark of the Moon|Space Case]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)/toys#Cyberglyph|Bumblebee]] and [[Jazz (Movie)#Dark of the Moon|Autobot Jazz]]), she comes with a comic book by [[IDW Publishing]], ''[[Transformers: Arcee]]''.

: She was also made available in Canada as a Zellers exclusive, in New Zealand as a Farmers exclusive (both in English-only US-style packaging minus the "only at Target" sticker), in the United Kingdom as a Tesco exclusive, and in Germany as a Müller exclusive (both in typical [[multilingual packaging|multilingual European packaging]] including a multilingual comic).

:At both [[BotCon 2011]] and [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2011, the Hasbro slide presentation referred to this figure as Elita-1. Alrighty then.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/TargetArcee/arcee.htm Dark of the Moon Arcee at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|HAElita}}
[[File:Humanallianceelitaone.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Ugh! Wrong body again, Hasbro!]]
*'''Autobot Skids / Elita-1 / Sergeant Epps''' (Human Alliance, 2011)

: A purple redeco of ''Human Alliance'' Arcee, ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (toyline)|Dark of the Moon]]'' Elita-1 comes with a redeco of ''Human Alliance'' [[Skids (ROTF)#Human Alliance|Skids]] and [[Robert Epps#Dark of the Moon|Sergeant Epps]]. Epps can ride her in vehicle mode.

:This mold Elita-1 is redecoed from actually uses Chromia's robot design (similarly to Elita-1's Deluxe-class toy) despite originally being named and colored like Arcee, meaning that the purple bike is a recolor of the red bike who somehow had the blue bike's body. Confused yet?

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2011/Autobot/HAElita-1/elita-1.htm Human Alliance Elita-1 at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Movie Edition''===
*'''Arcee''' (Tiny Turbo Changer, [[2019]])
**''Series:'' '''5'''
**''Bag Code:'' '''D'''

:Released in series 5 of [[Tiny Turbo Changers]], Arcee is a new mold based off of her appearance in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', turning into a pink motorcycle. For reasons unknown, some Arcee figures came without instructions, though that may be a small sample size because...

:...Series 5 of ''Movie Edition'' Tiny Turbo Changers only barely made it to retail. Very few retailers and virtually no online outlets offered this Series, and the few places they could be found, like [[Target]], apparently got very very few of them.
{{--}}

===''Studio Series''===
[[File:Studio_Series_52_Arcee_toy.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Wait, why do I get second billing?!]]
*'''Chromia / Arcee / Elita-1''' (Deluxe Class, [[2019]])
**''Movie'': '''''Revenge of the Fallen'''''
**''Hasbro ID number'': '''52'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SS-41'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[January 25]], [[2020]]
**''Accessories'': 3 wheel stands, cannon, sword, shoulderpad, "[[Shanghai]] Pursuit" backdrop

[[File:Studio_Series_52_Arcee_combiner.JPG|upright=0.9|thumb|left|Team carry!]]
:''[[Studio Series]]'' Arcee is a Legion Class-sized mold accurate to her appearance in ''Revenge of the Fallen'', transforming into a pink approximation of a Ducati 848 sportbike unlike her previous toys, which were generally colored bright red. She comes packaged with [[Chromia (ROTF)#Studio Series|Chromia]] and [[Elita-One (Movie)#Studio Series|Elita-1]] in a three-pack priced at the standard Deluxe Class price value, making the trio the smallest transforming figures in the ''Studio Series'' line to date. The set includes three unique stands for each sister's bottom wheels, helping them stay upright, and a cardboard backdrop display of their pursuit of [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] through Shanghai's streets.

:Though not included in the toys' instructions, the three sisters can combine into a kind of motorcycle-centaur form, as originally proposed for (but cut from) the movie (see "[[#Notes|Notes]]," below). The combined form is assembled using special tabs on Elita-1 and Chromia's stands to link the figures together, and its appearance is completed with three accessories: a pink cannon, a blue sword, and a blue shoulder pad, which all attach to Arcee. Arcee can also wear the parts while in her individual robot mode (as can Chromia), but neither they nor the sisters' stands store anywhere in vehicle mode.

:Like the rest of the figures in the same wave, Arcee first saw release in some Toys"R"Us shops in Malaysia and independent stores in Hong Kong.

{{-}}{{anchor|SS85}}
[[File:Studio-Series-BB-Arcee.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Sideswipe (Movie)|A look so good]], even the girls want it.]]
*'''Arcee''' (Deluxe Class, [[2022]])
**''Movie'': '''''Bumblebee'''''
**''Hasbro ID number'': '''85'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SS-86'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[August 27]], [[2022]]
**''Accessories'': 2 pistols, "Cybertron Falls" backdrop (2nd version)
{{toydesigner|[[Sam Smith]] (Hasbro), [[Shuhei Umezu]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Emiliano Santalucia]] (concept art)}}<ref>Sam Smith's [https://www.instagram.com/p/CbV7vwqrnjK/ Instagram post] about ''Studio Series Bumblebee'' Arcee</ref>

:Part of the 16th wave of ''[[Studio Series]]'' Deluxe Class toys, Arcee is an extremely accurate depiction of her appearance in ''[[Bumblebee (film)|Bumblebee]]'' and transforms into a Cybertronian vehicle that incorporates significant visual cues from [[Arcee (G1)|G1 Arcee]]'s Cybertronian convertible mode. Like most of ''Bumblebee'''s Cybertronian characters in the toyline, her alternate mode was created by Hasbro and TakaraTomy for the toy as the film model was not designed to transform.<ref>"SS BB intro figures all have altmodes designed post-film by Hasbro/TT for this line" — [[Chris Ho|Vangelus]] on [https://twitter.com/Vangelus/status/1466819619063308289 Twitter], from the December 3, 2021 ''Transformers'' team roundtable</ref>

:She comes with two pistols based on her weapon in the film, itself a shrunken down version of the larger blaster the other Autobots used. Since she only used one in the film, the other can be given to ''Studio Series'' [[Cliffjumper (Movie)#Studio Series|Cliffjumper]], who did not include the smaller blaster he had in the movie. The blasters can store on tabs molded onto her thrusters/backpack in robot mode. In vehicle mode, they are meant to be held in her hands at the rear of the vehicle. The tabs on her thrusters can also be used, but doing so will leave her hands ''very'' exposed. The heels can fold down to become wheels for Arcee to skate on in robot mode. There are molded gaps in the front wheels that are meant to line up with other parts of her feet; forgetting about them means the feet will not collapse all the way.

:Oddly, Arcee has no blue paint for her optics, giving her a very dead-eyed look. On some copies, it can be difficult to keep her neck tabbed into the front of her torso.

:Like all other ''Studio Series'' toys, the interior of the package forms a display backdrop. As with most ''Bumblebee'' ''Studio Series'' figures, this backdrop depicts a war-torn Cybertron as it appears in the beginning of the film.

:Arcee was officially revealed during the [[December 3]], [[2021]], ''Transformers'' team roundtable with fans.

::''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CbV7vwqrnjK/ Design notes on ''Bumblebee'' Arcee from Hasbro designer Sam Smith]''

{{-}}{{anchor|SSCore}}
[[File:TF-Studio-Series-SS-Core-ROTB-Arcee.jpg|thumb|300px|She's lost some weight and gone down a size since the 80's thanks to all her core training.]]
*'''Arcee''' (Core Class, [[2023]])
**''Movie'': '''''Rise of the Beasts'''''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SS-106'''
**''Accessories'': Blaster, front wheel
{{toydesigner|[[Sam Smith]] (Hasbro), [[Koki Yamada]] (TakaraTomy)}}

:Part of the fifth wave of ''[[Studio Series]]'' Core Class figures, Arcee is based on her appearance in ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]'' and transforms into an unlicensed approximation of her {{w|Ducati 916}} motorcycle in 11 steps. Her small size is to scale with other characters from the movie. She comes with her blaster, which stores underneath the motorcycle to form a kickstand. Like her ''Bumblebee'' toy above, the wheels on her legs can be flipped down as roller skates.

:Her front wheel is on detachable 3mm peg, and comes as such in the box. It can be removed and wielded in her hands or just to clean up her back. The rest of her back kibble can also be removed if so desired, due to it using a friction hinge.

:The stock photo of her motorcycle mode is badly mistransformed, neglecting to transform the rear entirely. According to Sam Smith, this Arcee's face is pink and her wheels are on her legs based on an earlier version of the movie design.

:Notably, Arcee is packaged with her waist swiveled so that her legs are facing to her left, due to the size of the wheels on the back of her legs.

:Arcee and her wavemate [[Freezer]] were first revealed via [[Amazon.com|Amazon Australia]] listings, days before their official reveal by Hasbro on [[January 10]], 2023.

::''[https://www.instagram.com/p/CnRya1UOE2j/ Design notes on ''Rise of the Beasts'' Arcee from Hasbro designer Sam Smith]''
{{--}}

===''Rise of the Beasts''===
[[File:TF-ROTB-Beast-Combiners-Arcee-and-Silverfang.jpg||thumb|300px]]
*'''Arcee & Silverfang''' (Beast Combiners, 2023)
**''TakaraTomy name'': '''Kakusei Change Armor Set Arcee & Silverfang'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''BCAS-02'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': April 15, 2023
{{toydesigner|[[Koki Yamada]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: Part of the "Beast Alliance" subline for ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (toyline)|Rise of the Beasts]]'', Beast Combiners Arcee is a simplified figure that transforms into a motorcycle in 13 steps. She comes with [[Silverfang#toys|Silverfang]], who transforms into her armor mode in 8 steps.

:She is compatible with other armor mode partners in the Beast Combiner assortment.

{{-}}{{anchor|BeastWeaponizer}}
[[File:TF-ROTB-Weaponizer-Arcee.jpg||thumb|300px|Hi, I look better than the Studio Series version!]]
*'''Arcee & Cheetor''' (Beast Weaponizers, 2023)
{{toydesigner|[[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: The "Beast Weaponizer" Arcee toy converts from 5-inch robot to a motorcycle in 9 steps. She comes packaged with the previously released [[Cheetor (ROTB)#Beast Alliance|Cheetor]] Battlemaster. There appears to be no deco differences between this version and the single pack release.

: This figure was first found listed on Canadian store kidtoy.ca's website, prior to any announcement by Hasbro, as well as seen in Midwest Walmart stores.
{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===''Robot Heroes''===
[[File:Chromia and megs robot heroes.jpg‎|thumb|upright=1.66|And now she's using Elita-1's robot mode. WTF?]]
*'''Chromia & Megatron''' (Two-pack, 2009)

:Part of the third wave of ''Robot Heroes'' two-packs for ''Revenge of the Fallen'', [[Chromia (ROTF)#Robot Heroes|Chromia]] comes packaged versus [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#RHChromia|Megatron]]. Her robot mode design is actually [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-1]]'s, since Hasbro can't tell their bike chicks apart.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/RHChromia/chromia.htm More information on ''Robot Heroes'' Chromia at TFU.info]''

{{-}}
===Burger King===
*'''Launchin' Arcee''' free [[Burger King]] toy (2009)

:Part of [[Burger King]]'s 2009 promotion of ''Revenge Of The Fallen'', Arcee is a non-transformable motorcycle that launches out of a purple base when a button in the shape of the Autobot symbol is pushed on the top. When she whooshes out of the front, which has her face on it, it only goes a few feet until it stops.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/BKArcee/arcee.htm More information on Launchin' Arcee at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Trumpeter===
*'''Arcee''' (Smart Kit, 202?)
**''Accessories'': TBA

:Released by [[Trumpeter]], Arcee is a pre-painted model kit based on her Cybertronian body from the ''Bumblebee'' movie. She comes with a pistol and a base.
{{uncertaintoy}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:Movie scale chart.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|In the time before time...]]
===Single Arcee===
*Arcee was originally going to be a member of the live-action movie's Autobot cast, but was later replaced by [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]. According to screenwriter [[Roberto Orci]], they would have needed to explain the point behind female robots, which there wasn't any time for in the movie.<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/07/02/exclusive-interview-robert-orci?page=3 Roberto Orci explaining the reasons for Arcee's removal from the script in an interview with IGN.]</ref> Oddly enough, there was no attempt to do so in ROTF.
*In another interview, Alex Kurtzman cited "scale issues" as an additional reason for dropping Arcee; allegedly, Michael Bay simply considered her too small as compared to the rest of the Autobots.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070714214451/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/movies/transformersmovie/005082421.cfm?page=1 Wizard interview with Kurtzman and Orci]</ref>
*As part of [[BotCon 2007]]'s Hasbro tour, fans viewed "Robot Scale Chart v03", dated 11.22.05, which showed Arcee's height as 9' (2.7m). However, all of the designs on this chart were very early and later heavily revised (though [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] was revised far less than the others).
*It's commonly assumed that Arcee's big part in the movie would have been the scene in which [[William Lennox]] starts his solo assault on [[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] using an abandoned motorcycle. However, the screenwriters rejected that notion, stating that this scene wasn't written until ''after'' Arcee had already been dropped from the script—but if she ''had'' remained in the movie, that scene ''would'' have probably featured her as the motorcycle.<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/2288318-post539.html Orci once again clearing up the story between Arcee and the motorcycle Lennox uses during the final battle]</ref>
*Arcee came close to being killed off in ''[[Transformers: The Reign of Starscream|The Reign of Starscream]]'', as the trade states that two revisions of the plot had her dying.
*Arcee was the host of a "Lonely Hearts" letter column in the Titan comic's [[letters page]].
[[File:BB-Arcee-model.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Ok, her legs were too skinny before, but now we're exaggerating..]]
*Arcee's Cybertronian design in ''Bumblebee'' is heavily inspired by her Generation 1 [[Arcee (G1)|namesake]].

===Arcee triplets===
[[File:ROTFConceptArceeCombinerDVD.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|So apparently Chromia and Elita-1 were green and silver at some point? Okay.]]
*It's not especially clear whether ''Revenge of the Fallen'' Arcee is one consciousness controlling three bodies, or three separate individuals. Writer [[Roberto Orci]] explained that she was written as a singular entity, but that [[Michael Bay]] "kept them as individuals".<ref>[http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2009/07/ask-orci-final-edition.html Roberto Orci answers questions on the Transformers Live blogspot, July 13, 2009.]</ref> If this was Bay's intention, it does not particularly come across in the movie (as the trio doesn't really ''do'' anything), beyond perhaps Arcee referring to her components in the plural form in one instance. The novelization of the film adheres to the script's intent, describing Arcee as a "[[Multi-component Transformer|Tripartite Cybertronian]]", while the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' toyline chose instead to identify Arcee as only ''one'' of the bikes (the pink/red one), and characterize the other two as the separate characters [[Chromia (ROTF)|Chromia]] and [[Elita-One (Movie)|Elita-1]], who were characterised as Arcee's sisters.
**IDW Publishing's ''[[Transformers: Tales of the Fallen|Tales of the Fallen]]'' mini-series, complimented a few years later by ''[[Transformers: Rising Storm|Rising Storm]]'', goes to some lengths to marry the two concepts, depicting Arcee, Elita-1 and Chromia as a trio of robots animated by one spark, sharing thoughts and feelings but still possessing some degree of autonomy from one another.
**[[Titan Books|Titan]]'s comics, on the other hand, depict Arcee as having three bodies in their comic strips (sometimes even forgetting about ''that'' and drawing her in her original first movie toyline body), only to have their letters pages make the contradictory claims that a) they ''were'' separate robots who aren't related and Arcee's just the only one namechecked, and b) that ''nobody knows'' and that it depends "on who you ask".
**Hasbro ''Dark of the Moon'' website adheres to the original idea for Arcee, identifying her as a "a single mind that operates three bodies". Further, it follows through on the events of ''Revenge of the Fallen'' by stating that two of her components were destroyed during the battle at Giza. That, of course, is in fairly complete contradiction to previous Hasbro bios that have Elita-One still operating in the post-movie [[Hunt for the Decepticons]] setting.
[[File:ROTFAnimaticBikerGroups.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|SIX! SIX BIKE GIRLS! ah ha ha ha *sob*]]
*It was originally intended that the three individual "Arcees" would combine into a singular, larger robot in the film, but Michael Bay chose to drop the idea for fear of the confusion it would cause given how much else was already going on in the film.<ref>[http://www.siggraph.org/s2009/computer_animation_festival/sessions/details/?id=131 Q&A session with ILM effects supervisor Scott Farrar at Siggraph 2009]</ref> The idea evidently remained until comparatively late in production; both an unknown designer (see right) and [[Steve Jung]] [http://web.archive.org/web/20160323144936/http://stevejung.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=0 created a model] for the combined robot, and it appears in both the film's novelization and in the animatic for the Shanghai battle scene included on the ''Revenge of the Fallen'' DVD. A vestigial reference to the combination even exists in the finished Arcee, Chromia and Elita-1 toys in the form of a fold-out tab on each that allows them to link up back-to-back. Despite claims made by Hasbro that instructions for the trio's combined form would be made available online, the eventual relegation of Elita to a simple redeco of Chromia neutralized any real chance of the figures attaining any true combination capability, though this was returned to in ''Studio Series''.
**The combined form of the ''Studio Series'' toy appears to be based on [[:File:Rotf-scale-autobots2-1-.jpg|concept art used in the Autobot scale chart]] that appeared on the film's second DVD, rather than any of the other concepts that can be found online.
*The toy [[bio]] for ''Revenge of the Fallen''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s other motorbike Autobot [[Knock Out (ROTF)|Knock Out]] seems to refer to Arcee's change in form between the first and second movie toylines, claiming that he wants to undergo the new "combiner retrofit" he's been hearing about, strongly implying that Arcee underwent the same process. The absence of Arcee's combined mode from the film and IDW's own later explanation for her change in form never matched this implication, though.
*The animatics of the Shanghai battle scene included on the ROTF DVD serve to '''make Arcee more confusing'''. The "Lamborghini Jump" animatic depicts a trio of three female motorcycle Transformers (two red, one either silver or black) chasing Sideways, similar to the scene with Arcee and her compatriots as it appears in the final film. However, as the animatic continues, at least two of the bike-girls jump on Sideways in mid-pursuit, who he manages to throw off and into a building by swerving. Sideways is then confronted by ''another'' trio of bikes (pink, yellow and blue), who merge into a single robot and flip towards him, only to inexplicably disappear immediately afterwards. What the ''hell?''
*At some point between the film and the concept art stages of ''Revenge of the Fallen'', Arcee's body was flipped horizontally; this resulted in all of her toys (at the time) being based on the concept art, making them inaccurate to her appearance in the film. Many years later, the ''Studio Series'' toy would correct this to be more in line with her CGI model used in the film.
*While ''Revenge of the Fallen'' is wholly apathetic on whether or not the shots that take down Arcee are fatal, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman would later claim that all three Arcee components were killed<ref>[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/274058-dvd-blu-ray-commentary-4.html#post4226117 DVD/Blu-Ray Commentary - Page 4 - TFW2005 - The 2005 Boards]</ref> at the behest of director Michael Bay.<ref>[https://www.mtv.com/news/1608508/michael-bay-reveals-transformers-revenge-of-the-fallen-death/ Michael Bay Reveals 'Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen' Death]</ref> IDW's comics ignored this and continued to feature the three sisters in ''Rising Storm''.
**[[Harold Attinger|Attinger]]'s playing card of Arcee lists her as "deceased", indicating that Orci and Kurtzman's claim has been supported. Of course, said card uses an image of Elita-1.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Arcee''' (アーシー ''Āshī'')
*''Mandarin:'' '''Arcee''' (China, 阿尔茜 ''Āěrxī'')
{{--}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Autobots]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Female Transformers]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Human Alliance]]
[[Category:Legends Autobots]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:Multi-component Transformers]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Autobots]]
[[Category:Sam's Club exclusives]]
[[Category:Spies]]
[[Category:Studio Series Autobots]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:Transformers (2010) Autobots]]

Stratosphere

2023-07-03T16:33:35Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Notes */

{{factions|autobotfilm|NEST}}
:''Stratosphere is an [[Autobot]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''
[[File:Stratosphere Render.jpg|right|350px|thumb|I'm a pilot.]]
When a unit of Autobots needs to get somewhere fast, they turn to '''Stratosphere'''. His cargo plane mode can transport an entire team half way around the [[Earth|globe]] and then supply high-altitude covering fire when they get there. In the air, he is virtually unbeatable, and he knows it; Stratosphere thinks he can take on just about any challenge all on his lonesome, and this becomes a distinct problem when the threat is on the ground, where his combat abilities are no great shakes. As a consequence, he doesn't like to spend a lot of time on terra firma, preferring to reign supreme in the sky for as long as possible.

{{quote|''(laughs)'' My lads! I am Stratosphere, lord of the skies!|Stratosphere,''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]''}}

==Fiction==
===''Rise of the Beasts'' film===
{{Voiceactor|[[John DiMaggio]] (English)|[[Frank Matano]] (Italian), [[Carlos Campanile]] (Brazilian Portuguese), [[Jesús Cortés]] (Latin American-Spanish), [[Mathieu Buscatto]] (European French)}}
{{Spoiler|Rise of the Beasts|July 9}}
Stratosphere was among the Autobots stranded on Earth, functioning as their primary mode of transport whenever they needed to jump between the continents. When the Autobots needed to travel to Peru to hunt for the Transwarp Key, Stratosphere met them for pick-up outside [[New York City]]. [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] was less than pleased to have the old-timer as their ferry, especially when he suffered from some congestion issues, and [[Elena Wallace]] was similarly distressed from the bumpy plane ride (as well as general anxiety over leaving home for the first time). Stratosphere made an acceptable landing in Peru and held onto the late [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee's]] deactivated body while the crew disembarked for their quest. He later brought Bumblebee's body to the human village allied with the [[Maximal|Maximals]], and continued to watch over the scout while the others went off to battle the Terrorcons. The coming of [[Unicron]] and the battle resulted in a wave of energy lighting up the valley's natural Energon deposits, and Stratosphere witnessed with delight as the wave brought Bumblebee back to life. He then flew Bumblebee into the battle to deactivate the transwarp gate, the smaller Autobot jumping out mid-flight amidst a hailstorm of Unicronian reinforcements from above. After the Autobots and Maximals emerged victorious over the Terrorcons, Stratosphere flew the main Autobot crew back to the United States.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts}}
{{note|Stratosphere's involvement in the preceding events, or events mostly similar, were also chronicled in the book "[[The Search Is On]]".}}

===Titan movie comics===
[[File:Rotf stratosphere titan.jpg|right|thumb|upright=.8|Have you seen Jackie?]]
During a routine sweep of [[British Columbia]], Stratosphere lost contact with [[NEST]] headquarters when he flew through an unanticipated bank of heavy cloud over a mountain range. The cloud bank proved artificial, created by the Decepticons in order to hide their operation to reconstruct [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]], a truth Stratosphere discovered when the partially-functional behemoth swatted him out the sky. His wings damaged by the blow and his communications nullified by a Decepticon jamming field, Stratosphere hoofed it to the Decepticons' construction site, and single-handedly took out the work-bots in a frenzied frontal assault. Construction supervisor [[Skywarp (Movie)|Skywarp]] proved tougher to handle, and Stratosphere was floored by a single kick from the Decepticon, but luckily, before a killing shot could be delivered, Stratosphere exploited his unusual body shape by spinning over on the ground and smacking Skywarp with his wing. Realizing that he couldn't face this threat down alone, he destroyed the jamming array and radioed in his position to NEST with a request to [[bring the rain]]. Undeterred, Skywarp transformed to jet mode and came streaking towards him, but Stratosphere quipped that being brought down to earth had given him a new perspective, and he tilted the device generating the cloud bank upwards, blinding Skywarp with it. Skywarp crashed, and Stratosphere made himself scarce, meeting up with [[Jolt (ROTF)|Jolt]], [[Rollbar (ROTF)|Rollbar]] and [[Dune Runner (ROTF)|Dune Runner]] just as the air-strike arrived. Watching the massive blast from afar, Jolt wondered if Devastator could have survived, and Stratosphere advocated not waiting around to find out. After all... any landing he could walk away from was a good one! {{storylink|Transformers Comic issue 2.14|Head in the Clouds}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The Game''===
[[File:DOTMgame-StratosphereStealthMode.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Stealth Force]], bitches!]]

{{voiceactor|[[Travis Willingham]] (English)|[[Bernard Bollet]] (French), [[Héctor Garay]] (Castilian Spanish)}}

====Xbox 360/PS3====
Stratosphere gave [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] a ride to the Soviet relay facility in Russia.

Stratosphere was stationed in a base located in an icy ravine in Nepal, where he would receive the MechTech technology that was going to be sent to Optimus Prime. [[Air Raid (Movie)|Air Raid]] gave the alert of [[Starscream (Movie)|a Decepticon]] approaching. Several jets deployed to take care of Starscream so Stratosphere could escape, although the Decepticon was fast enough to catch up with him again after dispatching his attackers. Stratosphere attempted to shoot him down with a large anti-aircraft battery, but was powerless against the more maneuverable Starscream. After suffering damage to his fuel lines and one of his engine cowlings, he deployed the [[Aerialbot (ROTF)|Aerialbots]] to fend Starscream off, but the Decepticon ace shot all of them down and pressed the attack. Stratosphere was furious and engaged his [[Stealth Force]] mode to finish off Starscream for good. Starscream merely sneered, launching guided missiles to destroy Stratosphere's engines and cripple the craft. Stratosphere desperately informed Optimus that his engines were aflame and he was going down, only for the Autobot leader to grimly remind him that Starscream could not be allowed to take the MechTech weaponry. Nevertheless, Starscream managed to blast his way into Stratosphere's cargo hold. After finishing off what few Autobots remained, he captured some MechTech guns and detonated the remaining ones to destroy Stratosphere from the inside. As Starscream flew off and declared his victory, a flaming, exploding Stratosphere disappeared into the clouds below. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)|Dark of the Moon}}
{{--}}

==Toys==
===''Revenge of the Fallen''===
[[File:Stratosphere ROTF Voyager toy.jpg|thumb|350px|*Looking at Stratosphere's feet* "Hey! My eyes are up here, pal!"]]
*'''Stratosphere''' (Voyager, 2009)
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''RA-17'''
**''Accessories'': [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Mini-figure|Optimus Prime]] mini-figure.
{{toydesigner|[[Eric Siebenaler]] (Hasbro)}}

:Stratosphere transforms into a military transport plane which is an amalgamation of the body of a {{w|Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules}}, the wings of a [[United States Air Force#C-17 Globemaster III|C-17 Globemaster III]], the cockpit of a {{w|C-5 Galaxy}} and the tail of an {{w|Antonov An-225}}. The little (transforming) [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Mini-figure|Optimus Prime mini-figure]] fits into the cargo hold in the aft section of the plane, and can deploy from the ramp by rotating his tail fins.

:Sadly, Optimus cannot fit in the cargo hold while Stratosphere is in robot mode, but molding on Prime's upper legs allows him to be grasped by Stratosphere's poseable hands.

:The packaging indicates that his moving internal gears ([[Mech Alive]]) feature is located at his chest, but it is in fact located in his arms.

:Stratosphere seems prone to breaking over time: the toy has [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|crumbly gold plastic]] in his thighs and shoulders, with other commonly-reported breakages being his lower knees and the hinges connecting his wings to his shoulders (neither of those areas being constructed of gold plastic).

[[File:ROTF_Stratosphere_missilelauncher.jpg|thumb|left|Oh, if only....]]
:Stratosphere was originally going to come with a [[Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes#Space Shuttle Orbiter|Space Shuttle]] accessory that would have plugged into the hole between his plane-mode wings that would serve as his robot-mode weapon. Despite making it all the way to the [[Prototype|test shot phase]], this was ultimately removed from the final production piece, which still retains the 5mm hole on top that was intended to mount the weapon.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2009/Autobot/Stratosphere/stratosphere.htm More information on Stratosphere at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

==Notes==
*Stratosphere is based upon the same plane that dropped Optimus Prime to attack [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'', but with liberties taken to differentiate it from the real thing to avoid the need to license the design.
*A NEST plane in the ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Unite for the Universe|Unite for the Universe]]'' story "[[The Strongest Weapon]]" is drawn to look like Stratosphere (rather than the C-17 plane NEST usually uses in most fiction), but lacks Stratosphere's distinct colors and is never identified as being the Autobot.
*Also, he's the lord of the skies.
*Stratosphere is one of the few Autobots that does not appear or is heard of in the DS variation of Dark of the Moon.

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Stratosphere''' (ストラトスフィア ''Sutoratosufia'')

[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:NEST]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Rise of the Beasts Autobots]]

Optimus Prime (Movie)/games

2023-07-02T01:19:17Z

Yourstocksystem2004: /* Decepticon campaign */

{{factions|autobotfilm|{{factions/icons|custom=Cyberglyphics Prime Symbol.png|cLink=Dynasty of Primes|cPretty=Prime}}|NEST}}
{{suite}}
[[File:TransformersGame DS Autobotbox.jpg|thumb|350px]]
Lots of games involve Movie Optimus Prime!

==Transformers: Rise of the Chevy Autobots==

Using the callsign 10-22, Optimus Prime stepped up to replace the missing Bumblebee as field director for the [[Chevy Autobot]]s in their struggles against [[Mainframe (Movie)|Mainframe]]. Under 10-22's leadership, the Chevy Autobots learned that Bumblebee and their other comrades survived inside their foe. Mainframe was capable of devouring the sparks of his opponents to increase his power, but the new sparks remained distinct within him for a time. Locating Mainframe in the Arctic, 10-22 dispatched the entire crew of Chevy Autobots to confront the Decepticon villain, and soon joined them himself. They fought their way through Mainframe and [[Maelstrom]], defeated their foes, saved their friends, and made the universe safe for femmebots and protoforms everywhere. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Chevy Autobots}}

==''Transformers'' (Glu)==

Upon his arrival on Earth, Optimus Prime was damaged and trapped inside Hoover Dam. [[You]] assisted him by monitoring his progress and directing his efforts with your cell phone. Well done, flesh creature. {{storylink|Transformers (Glu)}}

==''Transformers'' - The Game==
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)|[[Patrick Borg]] (French), [[Alfredo Martínez]] (Castilian Spanish)}}

===Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC/Wii/PS2===
===Autobot campaign===
Optimus Prime provided intelligence and missions to Bumblebee in his search for the AllSpark. Eventually, the clues led the Autobot to Sam Witwicky. After saving Sam from Barricade, Bumblebee finally completed preparations for the Autobots to arrive on Earth. Once on Earth and disguised as a truck, and having informed the two teenagers of their mission, Prime and the Autobots were discovered by Sector Seven. Optimus sent Jazz on a high-speed <s>destruction</s> distraction mission, then sent Ironhide to rescue Jazz from a double-threat posed by the government agents and various Decepticon scouts. When Bumblebee was captured, Optimus Prime chased the helicopter which from which the small Autobot was dangling. After a lengthy pursuit, Optimus managed to catch the net, only to be thrown off by another Cybertronian [[transition form|meteor]] passing nearby. As Bumblebee was carried away, Optimus promised he would not fail him again. Jazz informed him that the meteor was not an Autobot and Optimus confronted the new threat, who turned out to be the Decepticon triplechanger [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]. The two battled it out across [[Tranquility]] before Optimus finally destroyed him, and in doing so, overheard [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]]'s transmission revealing the location of the AllSpark.

Optimus then returned to an intel role as he guided Bumblebee in his mission to retrieve the AllSpark from Hoover Dam. Unfortunately, the Decepticons managed to free Megatron, leading to the final battle in Mission City. As the Autobots engaged in an all-out urban war with the Decepticons to protect Sam and the AllSpark, things seemed to take a turn for the worse as Megatron finally arrived. But before the Decepticon leader could claim the Cube, Optimus Prime attacked. The two leaders duked it out until Megatron was finally on the ground, seemingly devoid of life. Optimus knelt to take the AllSpark as Sam handed it to him, but Megatron suddenly awoke, leaping at the Autobot with his chain-flail out, and making one last attempt at defeating his adversary. Optimus grabbed the chain, pulling Megatron in closer, and with the AllSpark clutched in his fist, delivered a punch through Megatron's spark. As Megatron died Optimus reflected on the losses and rewards of this battle, as the Autobots have a new home. Optimus planned to guard the humans in secret, "For freedom is the right of all sentient beings." {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

===Decepticon campaign===
After Bumblebee, Jazz and Ironhide were all killed in Mission City, Sam and Mikaela informed their deaths to Optimus. Optimus noted their sacrifice and decided to defeat Megatron, he transformed and took them both to a safer location. In the final battle, Optimus Prime had summoned all of his autobot forces to stop Megatron, but was confronted by Megatron himself at the top of a building, he fought back against Megatron and had a banter before they fought again, all the while protecting Sam. Prime faced the decepticon tyrant and his underlings with great might. Eventually Prime was beaten to the ground, and as he desperately crawled for the AllSpark, Megatron smashed his head with his flail, Sam came to his aid too late, as Megatron used the Cube to destroy humanity. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (console)|Transformers The Game}}

===''Transformers: Autobots''===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)}}

Optimus helped to advise his warriors in some of their mission to try locate the Allspark. Arriving on Earth, Optimus met up with the other Autobots to give further commands to his troops. [[Create-A-Bot (Autobot)|Create-A-Bot]], the new rookie, was eager to help in the cause, but Optimus tells him to sit back while the grown-ups take care of business. After Jazz learned that Sector 7 possessed both Megatron and the Allspark, Optimus solemnly decided to kill his brother, a notion Jazz questioned. Optimus deemed it a necessary killing, and ordered Bumblebee to create a diversion so that they could get out of the city, but Create-A-Bot, fed up with the bureaucracy defied Optimus's orders and interfered in Bumblebee's mission, resulting in the scout's capture. Optimus decided not to rescue Bumblebee, deeming their mission for the AllSpark more important. Ironhide was enraged by this, voicing his opinion that Optimus cared for none of his troops, only for besting his brother. Optimus voiced no argument against this attack, and restated their mission to retrieve the AllSpark. With that, the Autobots began making their way to the Hoover Dam.

Jazz was able to locate Bumblebee in the dam, and Ironhide apologized for his outburst, though Optimus said no apology was needed between the two old friends. Optimus took pity on Create-A-Bot and allowed him the chance to redeem himself by freeing Bumblebee. After guiding Bumblebee to his weapon chip and the Allspark, Optimus and Bumblebee made their way down the highway when they were confronted by Barricade and a drone, and after defeating them Optimus realised they were a diversion so that they could unfreeze Megatron. Searching for his nemesis, he instead encountered Brawl, who he eventually killed before returning to the city, where he rendezvoused with Create-A-Bot and Bumblebee with the Allspark, Megatron arrived and grabbed the Allspark from him. To stop Megatron Optimus followed him, ordering Create-A-Bot to stay behind with Bumblebee. During the confrontation Megatron set Allspark drones on Prime, but Create-A-Bot, who tailed Prime to the fight sacrificed himself to weaken Megatron. Galvanized by the rokkie's sacrifice, Optimus fought Megatron in a final duel. After besting Megatron, Optimus decided the Allspark was worth sacrificing to stop Megatron. Megatron defeated, Optimus commended the dying young Autobot and swore he would always be remembered as a war hero, and sent out an interstellar message to any Autobots living among the stars to join them. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Autobots}}

===''Transformers: Decepticons''===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)}}

Landing on Earth, Optimus Prime quickly joined the other Autobots to attempt to stop the Decepticons. Optimus didn't appear on the battlefield until Megatron himself was released and Starscream escaped with the AllSpark. He stepped in to thwart the maniacal leader of the Decepticons, but alas, was struck down, left in the streets while Megatron gave chase to his traitorous second-in-command. {{storylink|Transformers Autobots/Decepticons|Transformers: Decepticons}}

===''Transformers: The Game'' (PSP)===
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)}}
After the AllSpark had been lost and Megatron followed it, the Autobots tracked both down to Earth, Optimus sending Bumblebee to scout the planet. After confirming the Decepticon presence, Bumblebee summoned the rest of the Autobots. Upon being informed that Megatron had not been seen, Optimus sent [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] and [[Trailbreaker (Movie)|Trailbreaker]] to investigate what had become of him following the humans finding the Decepticon while Optimus led the rest to search for the AllSpark. After Bumblebee had been abducted by [[Sector Seven]] and brought to the Hoover Dam, where the AllSpark was, he broadcast another signal. As Optimus led the Autobots to the signal, he was forced to leave Ratchet and Ironhide behind to hold off the increasing amount of Decepticon [[drone]]s. When the two learnt of the origin of the drones from [[Thundercracker (Movie)|Thundercracker]], Optimus sent Hound and Trailbreaker to deactivate them. Though successful, the mission cost Hound's life.

After freeing Bumblebee, Optimus served as his bodyguard against the remaining Decepticon army, briefly abandoning his charge to defeat [[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]]. As Optimus caught up to Bumblebee, so did Megatron, landing atop and killing the scout while absorbing the AllSpark into himself. With the cube's power still not fully integrated into his archenemy, Optimus managed to separate it from the warlord, whereupon Sam Witwicky inserted it directly into Megatron's spark chamber, killing the Decepticon leader. In the aftermath, Optimus sent out a beacon to any other Autobots in the galaxy to meet with him on Earth, though he was convinced that the Decepticons would one day return. {{storylink|Transformers The Game (PSP)}}

==Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Autobots/Decepticons==
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Autobots/Decepticons}}

==Datafile Decoder==
[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] contacted the Lunchables Brigade and asked them to bypass Decepticon jamming and download essential datafiles for him via [[Cybertron Galactic Systems]]. {{storylink|Datafile Decoder|Datafile Decoder}}

==AllSpark Wars==
After the first battle with the Decepticons on Earth, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots went into stasis lock, held in storage around the world. He was revived in America during the course of the AllSpark Wars, which eventually led to the Decepticons' defeat, who were forced to flee soon thereafter. {{storylink|AllSpark Wars}}

==Allspark Highway==
The Autobots obtained the AllSpark, and needed to bring it to a secure location. Relaying it to one another, Optimus being the last link in the chain, the Autobots kept the AllSpark out of Decepticon hands until the evil robots simply gave up the chase. {{storylink|Allspark Highway}}
==''Transformers Video Mash-Up''==
{{note|Various short clips featuring Optimus Prime were available for users to custom-create their own short film about the Transformers.}} {{storylink|Transformers Video Mash-Up}}

==Autobot Stronghold==
The Decepticons were invading an Autobot stronghold in the city, and Optimus Prime and the Autobots placed themselves at key positions to defend it from attack. {{storylink|Autobot Stronghold}}

==Transformers: Battle for the Matrix==
[[File:BattlefortheMatrix Optimus on Sun Harvester.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1]]
{{Note|Battle for the Matrix is a simplified retelling of the events of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]. It can be played from the perspective of either Bumblebee or Optimus Prime.}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Battle for the Matrix}}
{{-}}

==''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The Game''==
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)|[[Dariusz Odija]] (Polish), [[Patrick Borg]] (French), [[Alfredo Martínez]] (Castilian Spanish)}}
===Xbox 360/Sony PS3/PC===
====Autobot campaign====
[[File:ROTF game Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|300px|One shall stand, one sha— oh, you know the drill.]]
Optimus Prime served as the Autobots all around fighter. Weapons wise, he possessed dual laser rifles and dual shell cannons. In melee combat, he possessed [[Dual Energon Swords|Dual Energy Swords]] in each hand. Finally, with his valiant leader ability, he could generate a shield around himself which would prevent his energy from dropping past 1%.

After overseeing Ironhide's defeat of [[Sideways (ROTF)|Sideways]] and Ratchet's rescue of Ironhide, Optimus Prime took to the field when a previously unknown Decepticon named [[Demolishor (ROTF)|Demolishor]] began attacking the [[Shanghai]] waterfront. Optimus was finally able to defeat him, but Demolishor gave a single warning before he was killed: "The Fallen shall rise again". Optimus and the Autobots were at a loss as to what he meant. Back in the United States, Sam Witwicky gave Mikaela Banes a fragment of the AllSpark that he had discovered, which the Decepticons soon sought. Prime dispatched Bumblebee to rescue her. Following this, the Decepticons launched a raid on the city's oil refinery, where Ratchet rescued several engineers. Finally, Ironhide escorted a NEST team to safety in the city's canals. Their victories were short lived. The Decepticons soon learned about the AllSpark shard on Diego Garcia, stealing it to revive Megatron. Although [[Breakaway (ROTF)|Breakaway]] managed to save the fleet, Megatron was reborn. He soon made an attack on Sam, trying to access information in his mind downloaded from the AllSpark. Bumblebee managed to rescue him. In light of these attacks, Optimus decided to give NEST the [[Axiom Gun]] to better defend themselves against the Decepticons. The escort came under Decepticon assault, but Prime was able to beat back the attackers and deliver the Axiom Gun to NEST. Soon afterwards, Bumblebee escorted Sam to meet with [[Seymour Simmons]], who told him of Jetfire, who then took the boy to Egypt.

While there, Jetfire explained what was going on: Eons ago, Optimus's ancestors, the [[Thirteen|13 founders]] of the [[Dynasty of Primes]], built a star harvester to convert the energy of the sun into [[Energon]]. When they discovered the humans, they upheld their rule of the sanctity of life, but one of the Primes defied the rule and murdered his twelve brothers. This Prime was known as The Fallen, but the star harvester was hidden from him. While Sam made inquires to the [[Tomb of the Primes|Tomb of the Twelve]], Megatron and Starscream arrived in an attempt to learn the harvester's location and kill Sam. Optimus Prime was able to defeat both Decepticons with Jetfire's help, but Jetfire was stabbed in the back by Megatron. Dying, Jetfire offered his parts to Optimus, as only a Prime could defeat The Fallen. Finding the harvester at the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], Optimus challenged The Fallen. Despite The Fallen's powerful command of telekinesis and pyrokinesis, Optimus Prime was able to get past his defenses and kill The Fallen by stabbing him through the face. On the return trip home, Sam expressed gratitude at seeing the sunrise, and told Optimus he would have to trust him on it. Optimus Prime replied that he had always trusted Sam, and always would. {{Storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)|Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}

====Decepticon campaign====
[[File:ROTF game Prime dying.JPG‎|thumb|300px|Aw, shucks.....[[The many deaths of Optimus Prime|not again]]!]]
When the revenant Megatron and the Decepticons rampaged across the United States of America, Optimus Prime faced him in a major city on the East Coast. The two leaders engaged in a titanic struggle that shook the city, but despite being aided by many Autobot drone units, Optimus was seemingly destroyed. However, much later, Optimus Prime reappeared when Megatron's master, The Fallen, activated the Star Harvester to drain Earth's Sun. The Autobot leader revealed that The Fallen's promise to make Megatron a Prime was a lie, as Primes were born, not made. When Megatron demanded his reward, The Fallen reneged on his promise. As the master and disciple of evil began to fight, Optimus left to find a way to disable the Harvester. {{Storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Xbox 360/PS3/PC)}}
{{-}}
===Wii/PS2===
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Wii/PS2)}}
{{-}}

===PSP===
{{charstubgame}}
{{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PSP)}}
{{-}}

==Transformers Battle Universe==
At the edge of time, when the [[Matrix of Leadership|Matrix]] needed a new host, Optimus Prime was among several warriors (and [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Prime]]s) summoned from the multiverse to battle for control of the prize. {{storylink|Transformers Battle Universe}}

==Starscream Showdown==
After [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] faced off against the bulk of [[NEST]]'s forces, Optimus Prime intervened and attempted to destroy the rampaging Decepticon. If Starscream managed to defeat Optimus, the Decepticon successfully completed his mission. {{storylink|Starscream Showdown}}

==Transformers RPMs: Devastator's Demise==
[[File:Devastatorsdemise optimus.jpg|left|thumb|200px]]
Optimus Prime was both fast and sturdy. His firepower blew obstacles to smithereens.

In order to defeat [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]], Bumblebee, Optimus and Ironhide drove through Cairo and avoided obstacles. {{storylink|Transformers RPMs: Devastator's Demise}}
{{-}}

==Hunt for the Decepticons==
Optimus coordinated the Autobots' efforts to hunt down the Decepticons still active around the globe. He assigned Bumblebee to take care of [[Axor]] in Shanghai before allowing you in the field alone to tackled the Decepticon threat. Once you proved your mettle against [[Terradive (TF 2010)|Terradive]] and [[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]], Optimus granted you access to the Autobots' secret training facility, so that you could ready yourself against the greatest opponent of them all: Megatron. When Optimus was satisfied that your speed, firepower, strength and skill were up to the task, he sent you out to tackled the Decepticon leader. If you were victorious in stopping Megatron from destroying New York City, Optimus would congratulate you, and give his sincere thanks on behalf of the Autobots for your contribution to their cause. {{storylink|Hunt for the Decepticons}}
{{-}}

==''Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' mobile game==
[[File:ROTFMobile Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|60px]]
After [[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]]'s destruction, Optimus hoped that they'd seen the last of the Decepticons and the Autobots began working with [[NEST]]. A signal in [[Shanghai]] led Optimus to discover a Decepticon invasion force there. He fought the foe solo, and followed an [[AllSpark]] signal to [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]]. Starscream managed to escape, and NEST reported that HQ was under attack. As he had to hang around to help clean up the mess in Shanghai, Optimus sent [[Bumblebee (Movie)/games|Bumblebee]] and [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to help. Bumblebee was defeated by Starscream, but told Optimus that Starscream had said something about the [[Matrix of Leadership]]. Believing he knew where the Decepticons were headed, Optimus went to find an old friend, [[Jetfire (Movie)|Jetfire]].

In Egypt, Optimus lost contact with NEST while investigating an area. He told Bumblebee to rendezvous with Jetfire at the [[Great Pyramid of Giza|Great Pyramid]], warning Bumblebee that he believed an energy signature he was detecting was [[The Fallen]]. Bumblebee later reported that [[Devastator (ROTF)|Devastator]] had defeated Jetfire and taken the Matrix. By the time Optimus reached the site, [[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]] had taken Bumblebee hostage and had possession of the Matrix. Optimus combined Jetfire's parts with his own, gaining enough strength to defeat Megatron. Exhausted by the fight, Prime was then confronted by The Fallen, but used the power of the Matrix to defeat the ancient Decepticon. {{storylink|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Glu)|Revenge of the Fallen (Glu)}}

{{--}}
==Victory Is Sweet==
When [[Bumblebee (Movie)/games|Bumblebee]] was in the process of stopping [[Starscream (Movie)/games|Starscream]]'s plan to destroy a city, Optimus turned up at the last moment to defeat the Decepticon and hog the glory. {{storylink|Victory Is Sweet}}

==''Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The Game''==
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)|[[Alfredo Martínez]] (Castilian Spanish), [[Patrice Melennec]] (French)}}

===(Xbox 360/PS3)===
Three years after the defeat of the Fallen, Optimus attempted to hack into Decepticon transmissions in order to turn the tide in the war. He ordered Bumblebee to implant a virus into the transmissions. Just when Bumblebee was on his way out, a few Decepticons discovered him and decided to report back to Megatron. Optimus ordered Bumblebee to destroy their communications and after Bumblebee accomplished that task, he and Sideswipe saved him from a Decepticon ambush. However, the information in the transmissions allowed Optimus to get Ironhide and Ratchet to take care of an attack in [[Detroit]]. Later, Megatron learned of the virus and got Soundwave to remove all of the Decepticon information, getting rid of the Autobot's advantage. Starscream did, however, take a [[MechTech]] weapon with a tracking device on it. This allowed the Autobots to find the Decepticon hideout and attack it. Optimus got inside and fought Megatron. However, Megatron defeated Optimus and sent him down to a cryo chamber. Optimus would later discover that the chamber contained Shockwave and his pet Driller, who had been frozen by the Soviets and that Megatron's plan was to free them out of captivity. After a brief battle, Optimus had failed to prevent Shockwave from emerging out of his frozen state and was about to kill him when the Driller arrived and escaped with Shockwave. Optimus then vowed to not rest until every Decepticon was found and brought to justice. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360/PS3)| Dark of the Moon}}

===Autobots/Decepticons===
[[File:DotM Autobots DS Optimus Prime.png|thumb|left|200px]]
Concerned that the Decepticons were behind recent attacks downtown, Optimus sent [[Bumblebee (Movie)/games|Bumblebee]] to investigate and, it turned out, he was right. With more information, Optimus contacted [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] to alert him that the Decepticons were up to something involving the possible resurrection of the [[Constructicon (ROTF)|Constructicon]]s. He encountered [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] in the field, and took over Ratchet's mission as the medic was more valuable at base. During the course of the mission, Optimus encountered [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] and chased him to a stadium where the Autobot leader was triumphant. Sometime later, the Decepticons attacked the Autobots' Pacific island base, and Ratchet and [[Wheeljack (Movie)|Wheeljack]] warned Optimus that [[Crowbar]] was around somewhere. Optimus bashed many Decepticons but didn't find Crowbar. When the Decepticons invaded a NEST base, Optimus was surprisingly keen for the Autobots to let [[Soundwave (ROTF)|Soundwave]] get away. They eventually tracked the Decepticons to a base in [[Siberia]], and Optimus insisted on going in alone, only to be overcome by [[Megatron (Movie)/games|Megatron]] and [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]], who got away despite the best efforts of the other Autobots. {{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons|Dark of the Moon: Autobots/Decepticons}}
{{--}}

==''Transformers: Dark of the Moon'' mobile game==
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers: Dark of the Moon (mobile game)|Dark of the Moon}}}}
{{-}}

==''Cyberverse Battle Builder''==
Optimus Prime joined his Autobot troops in combating the Decepticons on battlefields on Earth, the Earth's Moon and on Cybertron. Sometimes he was armed with the [[Armored Weapons Platform]]. Sometimes there were many of him! {{storylink|Cyberverse Battle Builder}}
{{-}}

==''Transformers: The Ride – 3D''==
[[File:OptimusRide.JPG|thumb|300px|"Great job doing nothing, recruits"]]

Detecting the distress signal of [[Evac (Ride)|Evac]], who had just arrived on Earth, Optimus welcomed the newcomer to the Autobot ranks. When Evac explained that he was the last of the [[Knights of Cybertron]], Optimus showed him the last remaining shard of the [[AllSpark]], the energy of which unexpectedly reconfigured Evac with a super-speedy new alternate mode. Optimus appointed him "Guardian of the AllSpark", assigning him to use his new form to transport the shard and [[you|NEST personnel]] from base to base. Prime instructed Evac to keep his origins secret to everyone, so that the Decepticons wouldn't find him. {{storylink|Prepare for Battle (website)|Prepare for Battle}}

It was while Evac was carrying out his duties that the Decepticons struck. Optimus attempted to guide Evac to safety, but wound up embroiled in battle with Megatron, trying to restrain the Decepticon leader as he pursued Evac and the AllSpark fragment. The pair's battle took them to the top of a building, where Evac, fed up with doing nothing but running, decided to fight back. He charged into the middle of Optimus and Megatron's fight, and while Optimus held the Decepticon in place, Evac thrust the AllSpark shard into Megatron's chest, overcharging him and killing him. In the aftermath, Optimus congratulated Evac and the NEST recruits on their bravery. {{storylink|Transformers: The Ride – 3D}}

==''MechTech Weapons Challenge''==
[[File:Mechtech Weapons Challenge Optimus Prime.jpg|thumb|100px|left]]
After the Decepticons stole MechTech weapons technology from the Autobots, Optimus Prime sent Bumblebee out on missions on Cybertron, Earth and the Earth's Moon to retrieve it. {{storylink|MechTech Weapons Challenge}}
{{-}}

==''Web Wars''==
[[File:Optimus Web Wars.jpg|thumb|100px]]
Optimus battled the Decepticons across the digital frontier, defending numerous websites across the internet from their encroachment! {{storylink|Web Wars}}
{{-}}
==''The Fabulous Ponymaker''==
[[File:PonyMakerOptimus01.jpg|right|upright=1.4|thumb]]

Available as an online game on Hub Network's website beginning in summer of 2012, ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20140911135853/http://www.hubnetwork.com/shows/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic/games/the-fabulous-ponymaker-trick-or-treat The Fabulous Ponymaker]'' invited players to "build your own custom pony" based on the series ''[[My Little Pony|My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]''. One of the options allowed the creation of an Optimus Prime pony using parts like a film styled helmet, chestplate and boots. (Despite the presence of {{w|The Aquabats}}' logo among the cutie marks, there is no [[Autobot]] symbol. Sad.)

{{--}}

==''Transformers: Human Alliance''==
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Human Alliance}}}}

==''Transformers: Age of Extinction'' mobile game==
Optimus Prime was one of the Autobots, who helped destroy the Decepticons on streets of Texas, Detroit and Chicago. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (mobile game)|Age of Extinction}}
<center><gallery>
File:Transformers-AOE-Mobage-Optimus-Prime-V1.jpg|
File:Transformers-AOE-Mobage-Optimus-Prime-V2.jpg|
File:Transformers-AOE-Mobage-Silver-Knight-Optimus-Prime.jpg|
</gallery></center>

==''Dinobot Hunt'' online game==
Optimus Prime teamed up with Grimlock to destroy some Decepticon encampments, and collect some Energon along the way. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (online game)|Dinobot Hunt}}

==''Bumblebee Blast'' online game==
Optimus Prime sent Bumblebee to the Autobot training simulator so that the young Autobot could hone his marksmanship skills, in anticipation to future Decepticon attacks. {{storylink|Bumblebee Blast (online game)|Bumblebee Blast}}

==''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''==
{{voiceactor|[[Peter Cullen]] (English)}}
===Console===
{{charstubgames|{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark}}}}

===3DS===
{{charstubgames|{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}}}

==''Transformers Ultimate Allstars''==
{{charstubgames|{{storylink|Transformers Ultimate Allstars|Ultimate Allstars}}}}

==''Transformers (Hasbro Arcade)''==
[[File:HasbroArcade Transformers.jpg|thumb|right|100px]]
Optimus Prime chased a Decepticon ship while trying to avoid getting hit by obstacles.
{{storylink|Transformers (Hasbro Arcade)}}
{{-}}

==''Transformers: Battle Masters''==
[[File:Battle Masters game Silver Knight Optimus.jpg|thumb|150px|left]]
Silver Knight Optimus Prime was a participant of the Battle Masters contest, trying to become a champion and win the [[Earth Belt]], the [[Cybertron Belt]], the [[Galactic Belt]], the [[Unicron Belt]] and the [[Primus Belt]]. The winner of each championship is [[You|player]] dependant. {{Storylink|Transformers: Battle Masters (mobile game)|Battle Masters}}
{{Note|See [[Optimus Prime (Battle Masters)#Transformers: Battle Masters|here]] for Optimus Prime's other depictions in the game.}}
{{-}}

==''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)==
[[File:Optimus-Prime TFO.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
[[File:Nemesis-Prime TFO.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
{{bigquote|If it is not your sacrifice, then it is mine.}}

At the Battle of Chicago, the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, repelled the Decepticons. However, planet Earth lost faith in the Transformers, which led to mankind establishing the "[[Cemetery Wind]]" task force to hunt them down. From the wreckage of Chicago, a mad scientist unearthed the secret of Cybertronian transformations, ultimately resulting in the creation of Galvatron from Megatron's remains. With Earth in danger once more, Optimus left hibernation to rise up and fight once more for the planet!

In battle, Optimus Prime wielded the "[[Sword of Judgment]]" and the rapid-firing "[[Cosmic Crazy Shark]]". His active skill was the "Verdict of Justice":
*'''Verdict of Justice''' — For 7 seconds, Optimus is suspended in midair with his shield raised against enemy attacks. Holding down the left mouse button will initiate a 360-degree onslaught to any surrounding enemies. {{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}} <ref>[http://tfol.qq.com/act/a20160726data/hero1.shtml Optimus Prime (Age of Extinction) profile on the ''Transformers Online'' website]</ref>
{{-}}

==''Transformers: Forged to Fight''==
[[File:Optimus-Prime-MV1-Forged-to-Fight.jpg|thumb|300px|All Warrior bots shall heed to me, and GIVE ME THEIR FACES.]]
Optimus was one of the Autobots pulled from [[Tyran|his universe]] by the [[Quintessons]] and forced to fight. He eventually joins the [[You|Commander]]. There are at least a few of him running around! He was one of the bots subjected to delusion and the effects of Dark Energon.

As a Brawler, He has strong Armor and Melee buffs, when Bleeding his Willpower lets his attacks recover some health and Power, and Bleeds enemies with his blades. At low health, He'll Take Them All On with a burst of damage and armor buffs. {{storylink|Transformers: Forged to Fight}}
{{chargamestub}}

==''Transformers: Shadows Rising''==
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Shadows Rising}}}}

==''Adventures of Bumblebee''==
[[File:Adventures of Bumblebee game Optimus.jpeg|thumb|100px]]
After Bumblebee collected some Energon and successfully evaded Sector 7, [[Shatter]] and [[Dropkick (Movie)|Dropkick]], Optimus Prime congratulated him through a hologram and told him to fight on. {{storylink|Adventures of Bumblebee}}
{{-}}

==''Fortnite''==
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Fortnite}}}}

==Notes==
*Optimus Prime's ''Rise of the Chevy Autobots'' codename, "10-22", is [http://www.truckercountry.com/cb-terminology.html#10c CB radio slang] for "report in person to." As in "Bumblebee, 10-22 to 10-22." Cute, huh?

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Autobot leaders]]
[[Category:Dark of the Moon Autobots]]
[[Category:Human Alliance Autobots]]
[[Category:Matrix bearers]]
[[Category:Movie Autobots]]
[[Category:Primes]]
[[Category:Revenge of the Fallen Autobots]]
[[Category:Battle Masters Autobots]]

Grimlock (AOE)

2023-07-02T00:58:26Z

Yourstocksystem2004:

{{factions|autobotfilm|hofsilver}}
{{disambig3|Grimlock}}
:''Grimlock is an [[Autobot]] [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]] from the [[Movie continuity family]].''

[[File:AOE Grimlock concept.jpg|thumb|right|400px|When me Grimlock go clubbin', me make sure to pack extra mace just in case.]]
As king of the [[Dinobot (AOE)|Dinobot]]s, '''Grimlock''' believes that the best approach to a problem is to smash it first, worry about the specifics later. One of the most powerful warriors in the universe, he likes nothing more than showing off his strength, leaving his enemies stomped, chomped, or turned to ash by a blast of his fire breath. This rather rough n' tough attitude extends to his [[Autobot]] [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|companions]], who are expected to meet Grimlock's standard of strength. That said, the Autobots have a lot less to fear from this behemoth than the [[Decepticon]]s.<ref>''Age of Extinction: Generations'' Voyager Class Grimlock packaging bio</ref>

{{bigquote|Not a samurai's precision, but you get the job done.|[[Drift (AOE)|Drift]]|''[[Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark]]''}}

==Fiction==
===Movies===
{{note|The five movies are the primary component of the live-action movie continuity family. Their events should be taken as canon for all other pieces of fiction listed below, unless otherwise specified.}}

====''Age of Extinction'' film====
[[File:Age-of-extinction-grimlock-hanged.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[John DiMaggio|King Shark]] knows how you feel after being in Arkham Asylum.]]

Grimlock was a prisoner aboard [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]]'s [[Knight Ship|ship]] until the Autobots detached that section and flew it to [[China]], though Optimus did not inform his troops of their presence. When [[Megatron (Movie)|Galvatron]]'s [[KSI Sentry|new Decepticons]] shot down their ship, Optimus went to recruit the Dinobots for their aid. Optimus was nevertheless amazed that the "legend" existed, and freed Grimlock and his men. Optimus explained to Grimlock that the [[Creator]]s intended to wipe them all out, and urged them to stand with him, or refuse and die. Grimlock immediately challenged Optimus, but despite his immense size and strength, was bested in combat. Grimlock submitted to Optimus's lead, and allowed the Autobot leader to mount him. Grimlock and Optimus led the Dinobot-Autobot charge into [[Hong Kong]], where Grimlock killed many Decepticons with ease.

[[File:AOEOptimusRidingGrimlock.jpg|thumb|right|300px| Me Grimlock no Yoshi! Me Grimlock KING!]]
Grimlock later helped escort the [[Seed]] to a safe location, but Lockdown arrived and turned his tractor beam on them. Grimlock and the Dinobots would have been captured once again had Optimus not destroyed the tractor projector with a well-placed shot. Optimus ordered Grimlock and the others to flee while he fought Lockdown. The group subsequently held the line on a nearby bridge until Optimus, [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], and their human allies triumphed and killed Lockdown. Optimus granted Grimlock and the Dinobots their freedom, and Grimlock happily departed with his team for parts unknown. {{storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction}}

{{-}}

====''The Last Knight'' film====
[[File:TLK Grimlock eats cruiser.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Grimlock's story.]]
In the years following the battle in China, Grimlock joined the Autobots in hiding at [[Cade Yeager]]'s [[Junkyard (TLK)|scrapyard]]. Unfortunately, he developed a habit of stealing the [[Sherman|local sheriff]]'s cruiser and using it as a chew toy. On the day Cade encountered [[Talisman Knight|a dying Cybertronian knight]], he returned to find an angry sheriff demanding the return of his vehicle. Grimlock tried to hide the cruiser by eating it but was eventually berated into vomiting it back up. Cade then turned on his assistant [[Jimmy (TLK)|Jimmy]] for not keeping Grimlock under control, who pointed out that without Cade the Autobots were uncontrollable and Grimlock had tried to eat him at least once. Grimlock later relaxed in the scrapyard while Cade called his daughter [[Tessa Yeager|Tessa]].

The next day, their refuge was discovered by the Decepticons and the [[Transformers Reaction Force|T.R.F.]] forces. As their enemies prepared to invade, Cade and the Autobots escaped to a nearby town to carry out their emergency plan. Grimlock joined [[Slug (AOE)|Slug]] in laying a trap for the pursuing TRF forces, bursting from beneath the road leading to the town and destroying the convoy. Grimlock then made his way to the town in time to save Cade and Izzy from [[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]], swatting the Decepticon with his tail, before slamming [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] himself into the ground. As [[Dreadbot]] ran in to assist, Grimlock snapped him up and killed the Decepticon bank robber. He then turned his attention back to Megatron and [[Nitro Zeus]], who quickly fled once Grimlock unleashed his considerable might upon the Decepticons. Grimlock remained in America after Cade was taken to [[United Kingdom|England]] by [[Cogman]] and did not participate in the final battle on [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]. {{storylink|Transformers: The Last Knight (film)|The Last Knight}}

===''How to Ride your Dinobot'' cartoon===
Grimlock found himself being the guinea pig for [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]]'s Dinobot-riding lessons. To his irritation, Optimus rudely beckoned him to move forward, and was thus thrown into a barn. Optimus's mood did not improve much, but Grimlock's did, as it was now time for him to ride Optimus. The Autobot leader proved a much more compliant steed, to Grimlock's joy. {{storylink|How to Ride Your Dinobot Chapter 2: How to Ride|How to Ride}}

===''How to Ride a Dinobot!'' comic===
Grimlock was minding his own business in a Chinese forest, when suddenly Optimus Prime and his Autobots arrived, intent on learning how to ride the mighty Dinobots into battle. Unfortunately for them, the Dinobots proved uncooperative steeds, with [[Slash (AOE)|Slash]] tossing [[Hound (Movie)|Hound]] through the air, Bumblebee nearly getting mauled when attempting to feed them and [[Scorn]] and [[Slug (AOE)|Slug]] smashing [[Crosshairs (AOE)|Crosshairs]] and [[Drift (AOE)|Drift]] together. When the Autobots queried Prime on why he wasn't doing the activities, he claimed he had mastered it already...only to be dragged along when Grimlock caught the scent of Decepticons! {{Storylink|How to Ride a Dinobot!}}

===''Kre-O'' cartoon===
Grimlock participated in an enormous battle against the Decepticons... until Optimus Prime began talking about the plot of the [[live-action film series]] to the audience. He quickly grew bored during his leader's monologue and attempted to order a pizza over the phone. The beeping caused by Grimlock dialing up the pizza place kept on interrupting Optimus when he tried to spoil the plot of the [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|fourth film]]. Optimus settled with introducing Grimlock and the rest of the Dinobots. Then Grimlock's pizza arrived, and the fighting started up once again. {{storylink|Take Us to the Movies}} {{Storylink|Take Us Through the Movies}}

Grimlock served as Optimus's mount as the two of them burst in on a bunch of Vehicons building the Galvatron Factory Battle set. Announcing that it was "Dinner Time!", Grimlock used a sort of tractor beam to draw his victims into his maw. He also got to stomp down on [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]], and kicked his head away. {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Dino Force|Kre-O Dino Force commercial}}

===''Legends'' comic===
As a lover of beast Transformers, [[Rattrap (BW)|Rattrap]] purchased [[#Voyager Class toys|a Grimlock toy]] at [[Transformers Celebration 2014]]. [[Silverbolt (Fuzor)|Silverbolt]] used it as a mount for [[Rhinox (BW)|Rhinox]]'s [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#EvasionMode|Evasion Mode Optimus Prime]], greatly upsetting Rhinox. {{storylink|TF4 Toy Party#Part 2|TF4 Toy Party Part 2}} While discussing how neat the toy was, the three found its weapon reminiscent of stereotypical cartoon meat and imagined that Grimlock wanted to eat it. {{storylink|TF4 Toy Party#Part 3|TF4 Toy Party Part 3}} They went on to compare [[Slug (AOE)|Slug]]'s battle mode to a spit roast, joking that when he was done, Slug would become Grimlock's "meat". {{storylink|TF4 Toy Party#Part 4|TF4 Toy Party Part 4}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark''===
[[File:ROTDS Grimlock.jpg|right|thumb|280px]]
====Console====
{{voiceactor|[[Gregg Berger]] (English)}}

When Bumblebee and Drift were ambushed by Lockdown and his troops, Grimlock came to help the Autobots. The Dinobot forced the enemy to retreat and cleared passage to Lockdown's base. With Drift distracted by Lockdown's troops, Optimus and Bumblebee made their way to Lockdown. With their mutual enemies near defeat, Grimlock ran off to hunt some of the fleeing mercenaries. {{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (console)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

====3DS====
Grimlock joined the Autobots during an attack on Lockdown's hideaway. He destroyed a series of barriers the autobots couldn't defeat on their own. His attacks were a large stomp, a chomp to use on barricades, and a flamethrower to attack the enemies on his sides.
{{storylink|Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)|Rise of the Dark Spark}}

===''Age of Extinction'' mobile game===
Grimlock was one of the Autobots, who helped destroy the Decepticons on streets of Texas, Detroit, and Chicago. {{Storylink|Transformers: Age of Extinction (mobile game)|Age of Extinction}}

===''Dinobot Hunt'' online game===
Grimlock teamed up with Optimus Prime to destroy some Decepticon encampments, and collect some Energon along the way. {{storylink|Dinobot Hunt (online game)|Dinobot Hunt}}

===''Feed Grimlock'' online ''Kre-O'' game===
Optimus Prime fed the hungry Grimlock. His lunch was [[Vehicon (Kre-O)|Vehicons]], his favourite! No matter how much Grimlock ate, he always had room for more. {{storylink|Feed Grimlock}}

{{-}}

===''Transformers: Battle Masters''===
Grimlock was a participant of the Battle Masters contest, trying to become a champion and win the [[Earth Belt]], the [[Cybertron Belt]], the [[Galactic Belt]], the [[Unicron Belt]] and the [[Primus Belt]]. The winner of each championship is [[You|player]] dependant.

He had an arena named after him called [[Grimlock's Lair]]. It most likely belonged to him. {{Storylink|Transformers: Battle Masters (mobile game)|Battle Masters}}
<center><gallery>
File:Battle Masters game Grimlock1.jpg
File:Battle Masters game Grimlock.jpg
</gallery></center>
{{-}}

===''Transformers Online'' (2017 video game)===
{{charstubgame|{{storylink|Transformers Online (2017 video game)|Transformers Online}}}}

===''Transformers: Shadows Rising''===
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Shadows Rising}}}}

==Commercial appearances==
Grimlock had somehow wound up buried on Earth, where some kids started excavating him. He had been partially unearthed when he awakened and roared in the face of a little boy. Optimus Prime then hopped on his back and told his mount to "Roll Out!" {{storylink|Commercial/Age of Extinction#Flip and Change|1-Step Optimus Prime & Flip and Change Grimlock toy commercial}}

==Toys==
===''Age of Extinction''===
====''Robots in Disguise''====
{{anchor|Flip&Change}}
[[Image:AoE flip and change Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Optimus Prime's gonna have a hard time trying to mount on Grimlock.''(Hasbro Version Pictured)'']]
[[Image:Takara-lost-age-series-big-grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|White chocolate Grimlock.''(TakaraTomy Version Pictured)'']]
*'''Grimlock''' (Flip & Change, 2014)
**''Japanese Name'': '''Big Grimlock'''
**''Japanese Release Date'': [[2014]]-[[July 19|07-19]]
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LA02'''
{{toydesigner|[[Aaron Archer]] (toy concept)}}<ref>{{citesocial|quote=Aaron Archer is no longer an acting employee of Hasbro, but still does freelance toy design for the company. The latest one he said he worked on was flip and change grimlock, not even the design but just the concept of what he wanted the toy to do (I want it to go like this, then that, then zoop.) someone else designed the toy|link=http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-toy-discussion/997302-aaron-archers-statements-toy-design-tfcon-2014-a.html|name=griffn29|site=TFW2005|title=Aaron Archers statements on toy design at Tfcon 2014|year=2014|month=08|day=03}}</ref><ref name=Flip&Change>{{citesocial|quote=This is a weird thing to claim but the... I came in and challenged the team to take Grimlock from the movie, I go, "I want a Grimlock that you just... you grab, and you flip, and you BANG [onto the table] and he's done." And they made that toy, so that's kind of the last item that I ever... kind of put to the team to figure out.|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PZCff7N2Wg&t=3645s|name=Aaron Archer|site=''The Toy Armada''|title=Toy Armada Friday night LIVE: Vector Prime is Back|year=2023|month=06|day=09}}</ref>

:Part of the first wave of Flip & Change toys, Grimlock transforms into a robotic horned ''Tyrannosaurus'' by way of an [[autotransformation]] gimmick, triggered by holding his tail parts and flipping him over and over himself (or spin his tail while he was standing on a flat ground). Grimlock features very limited articulation on the arms, and features 5mm-compatible hands. The toy was inadvertently sold by some [[Walmart]]s before the official May 17th street date for ''Age of Extinction'' merchandise.

:The Japanese release of Grimlock, called "Big Grimlock" to separate it from the One Step Changer, has a primarily silver deco, especially on the dinosaur parts. It also has some other changes like golden teeth and red dino eyes. The Flip and Change construction gimmick is also ''removed'' from the release, requiring the toy to be transformed by hand.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/FCGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Flip & Change Grimlock at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|PowerBattler}}
[[Image:AoE Power Battler Grimlock.jpg|right|upright=1.67|thumb|Me got spirit, yes me do. Me got spirit, how about you?]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Power Battlers, 2014)
**''Japanese Name'': '''Battle Attack Grimlock'''
**''Japanese Release Date'': [[2014]]-[[October 18|10-18]]
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LA15'''

:Power Battlers Grimlock is a simplified version of Grimlock with a more basic transformation and a gimmick featuring his spinning mace.

:He was also released in Japan without any changes with the exception of the packaging.

{{-}}{{anchor|OneStepChanger}}
[[Image:AoE 1-step Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|''(Hasbro Version pictured)'']]
[[Image:Takara-lost-age-series-grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Me Grimlock eat my wheaties.''(TakaraTomy Version pictured)'']]
*'''Grimlock''' (One Step Changers, 2014)
**''Japanese Release Date'': [[2014]]-[[July 19|07-19]]
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''LA04'''
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:One-Step Changer Grimlock features a one-step autotransformation in both directions from robot to dinosaur, triggered by folding his robot shoulders/dinosaur thighs. His only articulation is the arms, which can move up and down. Grimlock also features a magnet on his right leg, which can accommodate the ''Stomp & Chomp'' figure (see below). Also, due to the knee spikes on the legs somewhat getting in the way while transforming back to ''T. rex'' form, it must be adjusted by hand when converting in mid-transformation.

:Like the Flip & Change version, the Japanese release of this toy features more silver than orange.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/OSCGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on One-Step Changer Grimlock at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|OneStepCollection}}
[[File:AOE-One-Step-Collection.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Transformers: Age of Extinction'' Collection''' (One-Step Changer six-pack, 2014)

:The "Transformers: Age of Extinction Collection" set includes an unchanged One-Step Changer Grimlock, packed with an equally unchanged Drift, Lockdown, Bumblebee, Slug & the included One-Step Silver Knight Optimus Prime toy.

{{-}}{{anchor|Stomp&Chomp}}
[[Image:AoE stomp and chomp Grimlock.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Me Grimlock take your all your precious money, no matter how silly me look.]]
*'''Electronic Stomp & Chomp Grimlock''' (One Step Changers, 2014)
**''Accessories'': Sword, Optimus Prime mini-figure
:Stomp & Chomp Grimlock is a 22" tall figure designed as a centerpiece for the One-Step Changer line, featuring light and sound effects and a one-step autotransformation performed by squeezing and pulling the handle. A One-Step Changer, Power Battler, or the included non-transforming Optimus Prime figure can ride him in dinosaur mode, and the toy is able to detect if said rider is Autobot or Decepticon and change its electronics effects accordingly. His electronics don't turn themselves off, meaning that if you forget, he may start yelling '''"DESTROY!"''' at you ''on his own''. Which is very unnerving.

:Note that the arms need to be in a straight position before returning to ''T. rex'' mode. His left leg is detached to fit in the package.

:The toy was redecoed into [[Grimlock (RID 2015)#Stomp .26 Chomp|another Grimlock]].

{{-}}{{anchor|Dino Sparkers}}
[[Image:AoE dino sparker Optimus and Grimlock.jpg|thumb|right|The unexpected return of the [[Beast Rider]]s!|300px]]
*'''Optimus Prime & Grimlock''' (Dino Sparkers, 2014)
{{toydesigner|[[Emiliano Santalucia]] (concept artist)}}

: Dino Sparkers Grimlock is a friction-motor dinosaur cast in semi-translucent plastic. When rolled along, [[sparking gimmick|"cold" sparks]] flash inside the dino's back end. Mounted to Grimlock's back is a simplified figure of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Dino Sparkers|Optimus Prime]] wielding one hella-long sword.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/DSGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Dino Sparker Grimlock at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

====''Generations''====
=====Legion Class toys=====
{{anchor|LegionClass}}
[[File:AoE Wal-Mart legion Grimlock.jpg|thumb|300px|Not even the kids will think that's a ''T. rex''.]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Legion, 2014)
:Grimlock is a redeco of [[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|''Prime'']] ''[[Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Rippersnapper (Prime)|Rippersnapper]], transforming into a bipedal lizard creature. He can also transform into a leg for the ''Prime'' [[Hun-Gurrr (Prime)#Cyberverse|Hun-Gurrr]] mold to use in its [[combiner]] mode, though this is not advertised anywhere for obvious reasons.

:This figure was available exclusively at [[Walmart]] stores in the United States, at Asda stores in the United Kingdom and at Müller drug stores in Germany.

:The stock photo to the left is mistransformed: his torso was supposed to be pushed to the front while in beast mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/WMLegGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Legion Grimlock at TFU.info]''
{{PrimeRippersnapperMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|WalmartENmold}}
[[File:AoE Wal-Mart 2-pack scout Grimlock.jpg|thumb|300px|Me Grimlock disapprove of meek scientists who mutate worms.]]
*'''Optimus Prime & Grimlock''' (Legion two-pack, 2014)
**''Accessories'': Sword, pistol

:This time, Grimlock is a redeco of [[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|''Energon'']] [[Cruellock#Energon|Cruellock]] (10 years after its release) packaged with a redeco of [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (toyline)|''Revenge of the Fallen'']] Optimus Prime. He transforms into a dinosaur-monster somewhat reminiscent of the 1998 American movie version of [[Godzilla]] and comes with a handgun and a large sword, both of which store in his tail in dino mode. These pieces can combine into a larger weapon that can be used by other Transformers toys. He also comes with an opaque gray [[Energon star|Energon chip]] which could be attached to most ''Energon''-line toys, but unlike every other release of an Energon toy the chip is glued to his body, concealing that the spark crystal is missing from the construction of this toy.

:This two-pack was available exclusively at Walmart stores in the United States and at Asda stores in the United Kingdom.

:This mold was also used to make [[Doom-Lock (Energon)#Energon|Doom-Lock]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/WMGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Walmart two-pack Grimlock at TFU.info]''

{{-}}

=====Voyager Class toys=====
{{anchor|Voyager}}
[[File:AOEVoyagerGrimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|So Me Grimlock pick [[Grimlock (WFC)#Generations|skinny legs]]... you wanna question that decision in front of me Grimlock's face? Thought so. ''(Hasbro version pictured)'']]
[[File:Lost Age AD-03 Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|right|thumb|Me Grimlock traded me silver face paint for these leg tattoos. ''(TakaraTomy version pictured)'']]
*'''Grimlock''' (Voyager, 2014)
**''Series / Number:'' '''M4 / #002'''
**''Japanese ID number'': '''AD03'''
**''Japanese release date:'' '''2014-[[May 17|05-17]]'''
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul
{{toydesigner|[[Hironori Kobayashi]] (deco, TakaraTomy)}}

:Part of the first wave of ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (toyline)|Age of Extinction:]] [[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Generations]]'' Voyager Class toys, Grimlock transforms into a silver and bronze ''Tyrannosaurus'' with [[Articulation|articulated]] horns, and a button-activated, spring-loaded chomping jaw. He comes with a spiked maul that he can ''sorta'' wield via the smaller [[5 mm post|5mm handle]] at the top of its haft. The maul's head and handle are two separate pieces, and the weapon can slide onto to his tail to store in dino mode... as a ''really'' long tail extension. Yeah...

:There is a bronze paint color variation on the Hasbro release of this figure. The bronze paint can either be colored to match the bronze plastic -or- it can be colored very intensely, appearing oversaturated as more of an "orangey-bronze" color as seen on the Evolution 2-Pack and the Legion two-pack figure. This paint variation can be easily spotted when comparing Grimlock's robot mode hip pieces to each other, seeing the painted sides versus the plastic center and plastic dinosaur arms. Having both the bronze paint and the oversaturated "orangey-bronze" paint versions side-by-side makes the latter one much more noticeable in person.

:The TakaraTomy version, part of the first wave of the ''[[Movie Advanced Series]]'', lacks the silver paint on his dinosaur head, features additional paint on his robot face and legs, and has red dinosaur eyes.

:This toy was later redecoed into [[Nemesis Grimlock]] and [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Transformers .282014.29|''Transformers'' (2014) Dinobots Generation One 4-pack Grimlock]], and retooled into [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Platinum Edition|Platinum Edition Dinobots set Grimlock]].

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/Grimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Voyager Grimlock at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|TRUEvolution}}
[[File:AoE now & then Grimlock 2014.jpg|thumb|300px|ORANGE-a glad to see me again? Huh? Huh?? Nothing? Ah, ok.]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Evolution 2-Pack, 2014)
**'''24 OF 30'''
**''Japanese Release Date'': '''[[2014]]-[[August 3|08-03]]'''
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul

:As a Toys"R"Us exclusive, this pack includes a redecoed ''Age of Extinction'' Voyager Class Grimlock and a redeco of [[Transformers: Energon (toyline)|''Energon'']] [[Grimlock (Energon)|Grimlock]] representing the [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Age of Extinction|Generation 1 character]].

: The two-pack was one of the three Evolution 2-packs available as a Toys"R"Us exclusive in Japan, with no changes on the figures with an exception of the packaging, which the front box features Japanese translated versions of the English text, shrunken character renders for both Grimlocks, and a sticker on the back confirming that this was a Japanese release. The sword is also packaged on the center of the bubble, instead of hiding underneath it.

{{-}}{{anchor|PEWithOptimus}}
[[File:TF-Platinum-Edition-Voyager-2-pack-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66]]
*'''Optimus Prime & Grimlock''' (Platinum Edition Voyager 2-pack, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul

:''[[Transformers: Platinum Edition|Platinum Edition]]'' Grimlock is a redeco of the Voyager Class figure above, with chromed ''T. rex'' head, but does not include chroming his teeth. While most of the paint operations is identical to the original figure, the extra paint apps & color changes includes the flap that covers the robot head & the extra paint detail on (one side) of the legs/lower robot arms used for the Takara release.

{{-}}{{anchor|Target2Pack}}
[[File:AoE Target 2-pack voyager Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|One of me Grimlocks are not like the other...]]
*'''Silver Knight Optimus Prime & Grimlock''' (two-pack, 2014)
**'''29 OF 30'''
**''Accessories:'' Sword, shield

:A Generation-1-inspired redeco of ''[[Transformers: Generations (toyline)|Transformers: Generations]]'' ''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]'' Voyager Class [[Grimlock (WFC)#Generations|Grimlock]] that was only available in a two-pack with a Deluxe Class [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#SKDeluxe|Silver Knight Optimus Prime]] figure. His sword & shield is cast in reddish pink transparent plastic, with the sword's details painted like the Japanese release & the ''Platinum Edition'' figure, while his shield is completely unpainted. Grimlock also features an Autobot insignia on his chest rather than the Lightning Strike Coalition insignia.

:The two-pack was exclusively available at Target stores in the United States, Canada, and Australia, at Tesco stores in the United Kingdom and Hungary and at Galeria Kaufhof department stores in Germany, it was also available in Russian toy stores. In Asia, most of the remaining stock are available in some hobby shops and some video stores like Speedy Video.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/2014/Autobot/TargetGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Target 2-pack Grimlock at TFU.info]''
{{GenerationsFOCGrimlockMold}}

{{-}}{{anchor|Platinum5Pack}}
[[File:AOEtoy-DinobotsUnleashedGrimlock.jpg|thumb|300px]]
*'''Dinobots Unleashed 5-Pack''' (Platinum Edition, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul
:Redecoed from the ''Age of Extinction'' Voyager Class figure, Grimlock sports a ''vaguely'' [[show-accuracy|screen-accurate]] gray color scheme, with heavy use of chrome and transparent plastic. He comes packaged with similarly-themed redecoes of [[Scorn#Platinum5Pack|Scorn]], [[Slug (AOE)#Platinum5Pack|Slug]], [[Strafe (AOE)#Platinum5Pack|Strafe]] and [[Slog (AOE)#Platinum5Pack|Slog]]

{{-}}{{anchor|G1ColorVer}}
[[File:MovieAdvancedtoy-GrimlockG1ColorVer.jpg|thumb|300px|No G1 nostalgia for you America!]]
*'''Grimlock G1 Color Ver.''' (Voyager, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul
:Another redeco of the ''Age of Extinction'' Voyager, Grimlock G1 Color Ver. features a [[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]-inspired deco, and was available to order only when purchasing advance tickets for ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' at [[Lawson]] convenience stores in Japan.
{{-}}

=====Leader Class toys=====
[[File:AOEtoy-GrimlockLeader.jpg|thumb|upright=2.33|Me Grimlock tear mace out of [[Windrazor (Prime)#Beast Hunters|(now-dead) dragon]]'s hands. ''(Hasbro version pictured)'']]
[[File:Lost Age AD-20 Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=2.33|"...Me Grimlock had worse." ''(TakaraTomy version pictured)'']]
*'''Grimlock''' (Leader, 2014)
**''Series / Number:'' '''M4 / #002'''
**''TakaraTomy name'': '''Black Knight Grimlock'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''AD20'''
**''TakaraTomy release date:'' [[July 19]] 2014
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace", shield
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)|[[Hironori Kobayashi]] (deco, TakaraTomy)}}

:Part of the first wave of ''Age of Extinction: Generations'' Leader Class toys, this version of Grimlock transforms into an oddly-elongated, [[Vacuum metallizing|chromed out]], black-and-bronze ''Tyrannosaurus'' with an articulated jaw, and ''tiny'' vestigial arms. A large section of his dino mode rear detaches and splits into two accessories: a spiked mace-like weapon formed out of his rather short, pointy tail, which he can wield ''normally'' via 5mm post, as well as a spiky, sawbladed shield formed from the dino mode's hip armor, which can slot onto the dino feet on his forearms.

:He features chrome on several pegs, tabs, slots, and holes, all of which have a nasty tendency to flake.

:All releases of ''Age of Extinction'' Leader-Class Grimlock have very similar looking left & right robot mode feet and thus, are notorious for being incorrectly added to the figure during factory assembly, resulting in a left foot on a right leg, a right foot on a left leg, two left feet, or two right feet. Not having the right foot on the right leg and left foot on the left leg causes him to not stand properly because each foot is designed on the bottom to sit at a specific slanted angle. Both feet look very similar to one another, however they can be identified by finding the corresponding "L" and "R" on each one. If placed on a flat surface to be viewed, one will notice that both feet have subtle slants to their stance. Unfortunately, Leader Grimlock's feet cannot be swapped to correct this issue unless one manages to heat up the rivets holding them in with the tip of a soldering iron and carefully remove them.
:This figure was only made available as a store [[exclusive]] in parts of Europe, at least in the United Kingdom (at Argos) and Germany (at Rossmann drug stores).

:His [[stock photography]] features a [[:File:AOE-Leader-Class-Grimlock.jpg|''completely'' different deco]] compared to the final product.

:The TakaraTomy version is dubbed '''Black Knight Grimlock''', and features a more [[Show-accuracy|screen-accurate]] deco... meaning he's almost entirely silver and grey, but with a bit of bronze. As with the Hasbro release, this Grimlock can also suffer from the incorrectly-assembled feet problem that the original Leader Class figure could have.

: In Japan, buying this toy at [[AEON]] stores got the customer a [[campaign item|free]] [[Paulie|Dinobot Micron Paulie]].

{{-}}{{anchor|PlatinumLeaderClass}}
[[File:AOEtoy-PELeaderClassGrimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=2.33|We were expecting a giant car.]]
*'''Leader Class Grimlock & Leader Class Optimus Prime''' (Platinum Edition, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace", shield

:This ''[[Transformers: Platinum Edition|Platinum Edition]]'' two-pack includes a redeco of Leader Class Grimlock. The toy lacks chrome, and instead sports extensive metallic blue and green paint applications, seemingly to evoke the {{w|patina}} seen on the character on-screen.

{{-}}{{anchor|LuckyDraw}}
[[File:TF-AOE-Leader-Class-Lucky-Draw-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"If [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|puny Autobot]] is Silver Knight, then Me Grimlock is Gold Knight!"]]
*'''Gold Plated Grimlock''' (Leader, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace", shield

:Available only in the Philippines, this gold vacuum metallized version of Leader Class Grimlock is a given away as a raffle prize for Toys"R"Us Philippines' (in partnership with Cybertron Philippines) ''Age of Extinction'' campaign, held from June 17 to 22. To qualify for winning this toy, one must be the biggest spender (about 10,000.00 Philipine Pesos) of the day during the launch of the event.

{{-}}

===''Kre-O''===
[[image:KreO-Toy AoE Dinobot Grimlock.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Me no have robot mode, so me have all these guns to compensate!"]]
*'''Grimlock Street Attack''' (2014)
**''Set number'': '''A6955'''
**''Pieces'': '''196'''
**''Kreons'': [[Optimus Prime (Kre-O)#Gold Knight|Gold Knight Optimus Prime]], [[Vehicon (Kre-O)|Vehicon]] x2.

:The ''[[Kre-O]]'' "[[Grimlock Street Attack]]" set includes a buildable Dinobot beast Grimlock in his beast mode with two pairs of non-firing cannons. The included [[Optimus Prime (Movie)#GoldKnight|Gold Knight Optimus Prime]] [[Kreon]] (or any other Kreon) can ride on him. Grimlock also features two gimmicks: a grabbing claw on his tail, and a "Dinoforce Power" gimmick, which consists of a magnet in his mouth, which he can use to chomp down (if by chomp down, it mean magnetically grabs them with his mouth) the included Vehicon Kreons thanks to their ferrous-metal backpacks. The set also comes with a ''paifang'' Chinese gateway base with a swivel joint to smash through with.

::*''[http://tfu.info/2014/Autobot/Kre-OGSAGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Grimlock Street Attack Grimlock at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|DinobotRide}}
[[File:KRE-O-Dinobot-Ride-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|"I have a big head and tiny arms!"]]
*'''Dinobot Ride''' (2014)
**''Pieces'': '''46'''
**''Kreons'': Optimus Prime

: This mini-build of dino-mode Grimlock comes with a micro-Kreon version of Optimus Prime as part of a small bagged kit. Grimlock only features swivel articulation, with no ball joints to speak of.

: This set was only available on [[June 28]] as part of a special promotion at [[Toys"R"Us]], given away free from noon to 2pm (roughly) as part of an in-store building event that coincided with the opening weekend of ''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|Age of Extinction]]'' and the final day of a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale on all ''Transformers'' product.

: The building set also comes with a poster with a preview of all Kre-O Transformers products released in 2014.

{{-}}{{anchor|CustomAOE}}
[[File:Custom Kreon Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|"Me Grimlock do the opera".]]
* '''Grimlock''' (Custom Kreon, 2014)
**''Set number'': '''A9374/A6948'''
**''Pieces'': '''30'''
**''Accessories'': Weapons rack, blade-weapon, buildable axe, sword, claw weapon, extra body parts

:Part of the third wave of the Custom Kreon ''Age of Extinction'' Collection, Grimlock makes heavy use of the new parts created for ''Kre-O Dungeons & Dragons'', what with the "knight" theme. He features a "bat'leth" blade-weapon from the ''Kre-O [[Star Trek]]'' line, a large chromed axe, a claw weapon, and a red sword. He also come with extra-clear body parts. Unlike most toys of the ''Kre-O Age of Extinction'' Dinobots, Grimlock is colored in [[Show-accuracy|screen-accurate]] silver.

:Like the rest of his wave-mates, he saw very limited release, mostly in Hasbro Asia regions; it did however make it to market in the US in very limited quantities through discount stores such as Amazing Savings.

{{-}}

===''Construct-Bots''===
[[File:Construct-bots-AOE-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Me Grimlock look like Bionicle.]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Dinobot, 2014)
**''Accessories'': Tail/Sword
:''[[Construct-Bots]]'' Grimlock is just the right size to be ridden by the smaller Dinobot Riders assortment, most notably Optimus Prime.

:Like all Dinobot ''Construct-Bots'', Grimlock features a gear driven gimmick. In his case, spinning the gear on his back causes his jaws to chomp.

{{-}}
[[File:Construct-bots-Dinofire-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Now with extra angus beef!]]
*'''Dinofire Grimlock''' (Dinobot, 2014)
**''Accessories'': Tail/Sword, 6 Missiles
:The sole larger class ''Construct-Bots'' toy, Dinofire Grimlock is an enormous Leader-sized figure. The tops of his thighs/robot shoulders feature large rocket launchers each capable of firing 3 missiles at the turn of a knob. Like all ''Construct-Bot''s Dinobots, Grimlock has a gear-driven gimmick wherein his dinosaur mouth also conceals a third launcher which also fires 3 missiles as well as lighting up when the gear on his back is rotated. He is additionally armed with a ''huge'' sword in robot mode.

:Due to his construction, all of his ball joints are double-headed however they can become dislodged while handling the figure due to its impressive heft.

:He comes included with a slight recolor of Dinobot Riders Optimus Prime.

{{-}}
[[File:ConstructBots Grimlock 2pack.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|>_<]]
*'''Grimlock with Silver Knight Optimus Prime''' (multi-pack, 2014)
**''Accessories'': Tail/Sword

:This Target-exclusive two-pack includes a yellow, blue, and black redeco of the smaller ''Construct-Bots'' Grimlock toy and a [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Construct-Bots|Silver Knight Optimus Prime]] Dinobot Rider figure.

{{-}}

===''Movie The Best''===
[[File:TF-Movie-MB-09-Dino-Ride-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Me Grimlock had screen-accurate colors!]]
*'''Dino Ride Grimlock & Optimus Prime''' (2017-[[March 25|03-25]])
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''MB-09'''
**''Accessories'': Mace, Optimus Prime figure, Optimus Prime's Vector Shield, Optimus Prime's Sword

:''[[Transformers Movie The Best|Movie The Best]]'' Grimlock is a screen-accurate redeco/slight retool of the first ''Generations'' Voyager Class figure, with some metallic green to evoke his patina in the movie. He also featured retooled pegs for the included poseable-but-non-transformable Optimus Prime mini figure to let him ride on.

{{-}}

===''The Last Knight''===

====1-Step Turbo Changer====
[[File:TF-TLK-Turbo-Changer-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Turbo Changer, 2017)
**''Japanese Release Date'': 2017-[[July 15|07-15]]
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''TLK-17'''
:''Turbo Changer'' Grimlock is a redeco of the first ''Age of Extinction'' One Step Changer figure, featuring a dull but more screen-accurate colors.

:Like most redecoed 1-Step Turbo Changer figures, Grimlock doesn't have the pin on his ''T. rex'' forehead/robot right leg, which is used to accommodate with Stomp & Chomp Grimlock. Grimlock features a UV-reactive flame deco on his right robot mode shoulder/''T. rex'' leg.
{{-}}
{{anchor|BigWTurboChanger6Pack}}
[[File:TF-TLK-RtS-Turbo-Changer-6-pack-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''1-Step Turbo Changer 6 Pack''' (2017)
**''Accessories'': Axe, Club, 2 spear-like weapons, Scimitar, Shield

:This Grimlock is a redeco of the figure above, featuring a gunmetal paint to increase screen-accuracy. He features various Tech Spec-sque patterns on his ''T. rex'' horns & robot shoulder which can be decoded with their transparent red weapons, which is molded in a sprue similar to the ones used for the Arms Microns kits & ''Robots in Disguise (2015)'' Mini-Con figures. It should be noted that this release of One-Step/Turbo Changer Grimlock features 5mm compatible hands which is not featured in the previous release. He can also use any weapons included in this set, although his primary weapon is a pair of spear-like weapons.
{{-}}

====''Tiny Turbo Changers''====
[[File:TLK-toy TTC-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|right]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Tiny Turbo Changers, 2017)
**''Series'': '''1'''
**''Bag Code'': '''A'''

:Released as part of the first wave of the blind-packed [[Tiny Turbo Changers]] line, Grimlock is a small, super-deformed toy that transforms from a cute robot into a cute mechanical ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' in just a few steps! He features a pseudo-Automorph gimmick consists of the ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' body being simultaneously "split" into an X-formation while converting into robot mode. Due to his simplified transformation scheme, his helmet horn ends up as his ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' tail, and his robot mode feet ends up becoming his ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' "[[chin]]".

:Unlike most of the Tiny Turbo Changers, Grimlock is packaged in robot mode.

{{-}}{{anchor|TinyTurboShadow}}
[[File:TLK-toy TTC-GrimlockSA.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|right]]
*'''Shadow Armor Grimlock''' (Tiny Turbo Changers, 2017)
**''Series'': '''1'''
**''Bag Code'': '''B'''

:This Grimlock is a black and purple redeco of the Tiny Turbo Changers figure above, featuring a similar deco to, but ''not the same'' as [[Nemesis Grimlock]]'s colors.
{{-}}

====Legion Class toys====
[[File:TF-TLK-Legion-Class-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Legion Class, 2017)

:This Legion Class Grimlock is ''once again'', a redeco of [[Transformers: Prime (toyline)|''Prime'']] ''[[Cyberverse (toyline)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Rippersnapper (Prime)|Rippersnapper]]. As a redeco of the said Legion Class figure, he can also transform into a leg for the ''Prime'' [[Hun-Gurrr (Prime)#Cyberverse|Hun-Gurrr]] mold to use in its [[combiner]] mode, though this is not advertised anywhere for obvious reasons.

:We can assume that this toy still suffers from mold deterioration after ''seven'' uses. The stock photo to the left is mistransformed: his robot mode head isn't folded away, and his torso was supposed to be pushed to the front while in beast mode.

:In 29th August to 29th September, the entire 1st wave of ''The Last Knight'' Legion Class figures that almost ''massively'' shelfwarmed in Malaysia's Toys"R"Us stores was sold as a giveaway item for the customers who purchased ''The Last Knight'' toys in a price of RM200 (approx $46) in a single receipt. Grimlock is one of the four.
{{PrimeRippersnapperMold}}

{{-}}
{{anchor|MtCTRU2pack}}
[[File:TF-TLK-Mission-to-Cybertron-TRU-2-pack-Grimlock.jpg|upright=2|thumb]]
*'''Optimus Prime and Grimlock''' (Toys"R"Us 2-pack, 2017)

:Available with Optimus Prime, this Grimlock is a redeco of the figure above, now featuring Copper paint applications and some plastic color changes. As usual, he still can combine with ''Prime'' Hun-Gurrr. The 2-pack also comes with a card, which the glyphs being decoded as "DINOBOTS". Optimus Prime and Grimlock also saw release as a Toys"R"Us Japan exclusive, making this "Grimlock" redeco to be first sold at Japanese markets.

:We are totally sure that this toy will finally suffer mold deterioration for real after ''eight'' uses.
{{PrimeRippersnapperMold}}
{{-}}

====Knight Armor Turbo Changer====
[[File:TF-TLK-Knight-Armor-Turbo-Changer-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|His crown is actually a prize from the ''Cruiser Eating Contest''. ''(Hasbro version pictured)'']]
[[File:TF-TLK-TC-04-Big-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|And that's the Platinum Trophy. ''(TakaraTomy version pictured)'']]
*'''Grimlock''' (Knight Armor Turbo Changer, 2017–2018)
**''Japanese Name'': '''Big Grimlock'''
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''TC-04'''
**''Japanese release date'': '''2018-[[February 3|02-03]]'''

:This Grimlock is a Voyager-sized Turbo Changer, sharing a similar transformation to his Flip & Change counterpart. Like the rest of the larger Turbo Changers, Grimlock features a "Knight Armor" gimmick. In his case, a spiked crown formed from his robot spine/''T. rex'' tail. However, unlike several Knight Armor Turbo Changers, his gimmick must be manually deployed by hand rather than being spring-loaded.

:The TakaraTomy release of the figure features extensive paint applications to resembles his on-screen appearances, and his pop-out mask is now vacuum metallized with some metallic red details.

{{-}}
{{anchor|PremierVoyager}}

====Voyager Class toys====
{{anchor|TLK-Voyager}}
[[File:TF-TLK-Voyager-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.99|thumb|No, me Grimlock had ''better'' colors!]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Premier Edition Voyager, 2017)
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''TLK-05'''
**''Japnaese release date'': '''2017-[[April 29|04-29]]'''
**''Accessories:'' Two-piece spiked maul
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:''Premier Edition'' Grimlock is once again, a redeco of the original [[#Voyager Class toys|Voyager Class figure]] without the retooled pegs previously included in the ''Movie The Best'' release, and he sports an even more screen/concept art-accurate silver and gunmetal paint scheme (with his robot eyes being painted blue and his ''T. rex''{{'}}s eyes are painted red). The mold degradation from the [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#Platinum Edition|''Platinum Edition'' Dinobots 5-pack release]] is still present in this mold.

:In Asia's Toys"R"Us shops, Grimlock is a [[shelfwarmer]], with many/several units unsold. TakaraTomy's stock photo of the robot mode figure was later used as a cutout "battle figure" included with Telebi Magazine's [[Megatron (Movie)/toys#TVMagazineEZ|Burning Megatron]].
{{-}}

====Turbo Change Series====
*'''Grimlock''' ([[April 21]], 2018)
**''Japanese ID Number'': '''TC-08'''

:''Turbo Change Series'' Grimlock is essentially a re-release of the Turbo Changer figure with new packaging. Like most of the wave's Turbo Changers, Grimlock's pin on the leg is most likely to be restored for activating the second Battle Command Optimus Prime toy's gimmicks.

:In 2019, the toy was given away free for the school kids who attended the [https://art.parco.jp/parcomuseum/detail/?id=168 ”The World Of Transformers” Exhibition] held at the Parco Museum in Ikebukuro from March 15th to Monday, April 1st, 2019.
{{-}}

===''Studio Series''===
[[File:StudioSeries-07-MV4-Leader-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|upright=2|No, Me Grimlock bigger and better!]]
* '''Grimlock''' (Leader Class, [[2018]])
**''Movie'': '''''Age of Extinction'''''
**''Hasbro ID number:'' '''07'''
**''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''SS-07'''
**''TakaraTomy release date'': [[April 28]], 2018
**''Accessories'': "Hong Kong Pursuit" backdrop
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

:''[[Studio Series]]'' Grimlock is a Leader-sized mold that transforms from robot into a dinosaur based on ''T. rex''. Due to a rough robot mode scale being a design intent of the line, Grimlock is the largest stand-alone figure in the line—his legs are bent awkwardly in package to allow him to fit and fellow Leader class toy [[Blackout (Movie)#Studio Series|Blackout]] only comes up to his shoulder. He features patina dry-brushing all over the figure to boost movie-accuracy. His coattails and teeth (on both heads) are made of soft rubber and may be slightly warped in-package. The spike on the front of his helmet and his dinosaur horns are also rubbery, but do not seem to have the same problem of coming out bent. His left hand has a 5mm peg hole but has trouble holding his Voyager version's mace due to differences in the size of the hands between the two. He also comes with a cardboard backdrop display depicting the Hong Kong battle in ''Age of Extinction''.

:His size relative to other toys in ''Studio Series'' is much smaller than what is depicted in the film.
{{--}}

===''Movie Edition''===
[[File:Movie-Edition-Tiny-Turbo-Changers-Series-4-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|300px]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Tiny Turbo Changer, 2018)
**''Series:'' '''4'''
**''Bag Code'': '''B'''

:Released in Series 4 of [[Tiny Turbo Changers]], Grimlock is a redeco of the Series 1 figure in yellow and green.
{{--}}

===''Buzzworthy Bumblebee''===
[[File:TF-SS-BB-Grimlock.jpg|thumb|250px|]]
* '''Grimlock''' (Leader Class, [[2023]])
**''Movie'': '''''Age of Extinction'''''
**''ID number:'' '''07BB'''
**''Accessories'': "Hong Kong Pursuit" backdrop
{{toydesigner|[[John Warden]] (Hasbro)}}

: Released as part of the [[Buzzworthy Bumblebee]] line, Grimlock is a reissue and slight redeco of the above ''Studio Series'' figure, in the same vein as the previously released [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#BW44|DOTM Optimus Prime]] reissue.

: Like the rest of the Buzzworthy Bumblebee subline, Grimlock is exclusive to [[Target]] in the United States.

{{--}}

==Merchandise==
===Titan Heroes/Guardians===
{{anchor|TitanGuardian}}
[[File:AOEtoy-TitanGuardianGrimlock.jpg|thumb|200px]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Titan Guardians, 2014)
:Titan Guardian Grimlock is a 16" tall non-transforming action figure with five points of articulation. In [[Australia]], he is exclusive to [[Kmart]] stores.
{{-}}

{{anchor|TitanHeroWeapon}}
[[File:AOEtoy-TitanHeroWeaponGrimlock.jpg|thumb|250px|Do you recall the name Zordon of Eltar?]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Titan Hero with weapon, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace"
:Grimlock is a 12" tall non-transforming action figure with five points of articulation, and a mace accessory. His assortment has thus far only been sighted as a [[Big W]] exclusive in Australia.
{{-}}

{{anchor|TitanHeroElectronic}}
*'''Grimlock''' (Electronic Titan Hero, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace"
:Grimlock is a 12" tall non-transforming action figure with five points of articulation, a mace accessory, and eight voice clips (provided by [[Gregg Berger]], no less!) activated by pressing his Autobot badge. Other than the sound functionality, he is near-identical to the non-electronic Titan Hero Grimlock. Grimlock is a Kmart exclusive in the US and Australia.
{{-}}

===Amazon Exclusive Age of Extinction Blu-Ray DVD Statue===
[[File:AOE-transformers4dvdbl.jpg|thumb|right|250px]]
*''' Grimlock and Optimus Collectible Statue''' (Amazon Exclusive Blu-Ray, 2014)
**''Accessories:'' "Dragontooth Mace"
:An [[Amazon]]-exclusive 7¼ inch statue of Optimus Prime riding Grimlock and waving his sword.
{{-}}

===3D Light FX===
[[File:3DLightFX Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
* '''Grimlock''' (3D Deco Light, 2015)
: A three-dimensional wall light fixture from [[3D Light FX]] in the form of Grimlock's head. It uses a white LED light for the eye, with a red light coming out of the mouth to emulate a fire breath, and is battery powered. It comes with a sticker in the form of a wall crack, which is meant to look as though Grimlock's head is breaking through the wall.
{{-}}

===HTI Toys===
[[File:TF-AOE-HTI-Toys-Grimlock-Track-Set.jpg|upright=1.77|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock Track Set''' (2014)
**''Accessories'': Straight tracks, Loop tracks, track stands, Grimlock ramp

:Manufactured by HTI toys, Grimlock Track Set is inspired by various Mattel's ''Hot Wheels'' sets. Grimlock serves as the tail-end ramp for the Bumblebee car (or Lockdown's).

{{-}}

===''Battle Masters''===
[[File:BattleMasters Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (2014)

:''[[Battle Masters]]'' Grimlock, titled "The Prehistoric Powerhouse", is a non-transforming "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots"-like toy with arms that punch through the use of levers in his legs. He can also be placed on a controller handle, allowing the punches to be activated with a pair of triggers, but as part of the "Rivals" assortment did not come with one.

{{-}}{{anchor|2pack}}
[[File:BattleMasters OptimusPrime Grimlock 2pack.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Optimus Prime / Grimlock''' (2015)
:A Target-exclusive golden redeco of Grimlock, sold in a two-pack with [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/toys#Battle Masters|Silver Knight Optimus Prime]]. Both toys come with controller handles.

::*''[https://tfu.info/2014/Autobot/BMTargetGrimlock/grimlock.htm More information on Battle Masters Grimlock (Target) at TFU.info]''
{{-}}

===Mecha Nations===
[[File:Mn11-aoegrimlock.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock (Age of Extinction)''' (2015)
**''ID Number:'' '''MN11'''
**''Accessories:'' Optimus Prime, display stand.
:Created by [[Kids Logic]], this super deformed ''Age of Extinction'' Grimlock stands approximately 10" tall, is approximately 19" long and is highly articulated, even down to his claws and tail. He includes a miniature ''Age of Extinction'' Optimus Prime who is also well articulated, and can wield miniature versions of the [[Sword of Judgment]] and [[Sentinel Shield]], and can be placed on Grimlock's back to recreate the scene from [[Transformers: Age of Extinction (film)|the film]]. Grimlock includes LED effects in his eyes and mouth.
{{-}}

===McDonald's===
[[File:2018-McD-Authentics-Bumblebee-Grimlock.jpg|upright=1.22|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (Happy Meal Toy, 2018)
:Released as part of the [[McDonald's]] June 2018 Happy Meal Toys along with [[My Little Pony]], this Grimlock is a rerelease of the [[Grimlock (G1)/toys#McDonald's|''Authentics'' figure]], but under ''Bumblebee'' branding.

: He is a stubby, [[super deformed]] little dino with fire coming out of his mouth. He has a light-up [[gimmick]] where pressing the [[Autobot]] [[insignia]] on his back lights up his eyes and the fire effect.
{{-}}

===Prime 1 Studio===
[[File:Prime 1 Studio Museum Masterline Grimlock MMTFM-05.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (2015)
**''Movie:'' '''''Age of Extinction'''''
**''ID number:'' '''MMTFM-05''' / '''05OP''' (exclusive)
**''Accessories'': Base, Autobot logo plate, Optimus Prime (exclusive)

:[[Prime 1 Studio]] ''Museum Masterline'' Grimlock is a massive non-transforming sculpture based on his ''Age of Extinction'' appearance. The statue is made of polystone along with other materials and features LED lights on his eyes, mouth and base.

:He comes with a decorative Autobot symbol with its own LED light. The exclusive version also comes with an [[Optimus Prime (Movie)/merchandise#P1SGrimlock|Optimus Prime]] mini-statue and many accessories for him, allowing him to ride on Grimlock's back or stand on his own.

:The standard version was limited to 500 pieces while the exclusive version was limited to 1750 pieces.

{{-}}{{anchor|P1SMMTFM-32}}
[[File:Prime 1 Studio Museum Masterline Grimlock MMTFM-32.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb]]
*'''Grimlock''' (2022)
**''Movie:'' '''''Age of Extinction'''''
**''ID number:'' '''MMTFM-32'''
**''Accessories'': Base

:This version of ''Museum Masterline'' Grimlock is a little smaller than the previous one and is posed differently. He also features lights on his eyes and mouth.

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{--}}

==Notes==
[[File:RiseOfTheDarkSpark Grimlock front.jpg|thumb|[[Cyber-Ninja Corps|Ninja]] Grimlock!]]
*[[Transformers Comic issue 5.1|Titan's bio for Grimlock]] says he was given his dino mode "during [[Shockwave (Movie)|Shockwave]]'s experiments... which left him low on intellect". Different [[Grimlock (WFC)|Grimlock]] there!
*At approximately 42 meters (140 feet) in length in alternate mode, Grimlock is more than three times as large as a real ''{{w|Tyrannosaurus}}''.
*In the film synopsis in [[Transformers Annual 2015]], Grimlock is called "Warpath" for some reason.
*The majority of Grimlock's ''Age of Extinction'' toys and merchandise are based on a preliminary robot mode design not used in the final film. This includes his appearance in ''Rise of the Dark Spark'' and his ''The Last Knight'' Tiny Turbo Changers and Voyager Class toys. Grimlock's final design sees him redesigned to be more monstrous from the waist up, with some of the knightly aesthetic toned down.
*One of the last toys longtime Hasbro designer [[Aaron Archer]] had any input on was the Flip & Change Grimlock toy, as he challenged the team to develop a toy of the character which could transform using that specific motion.<ref name=Flip&Change />

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''Grimlock''' (グリムロック ''Gurimurokku'')
*''Hungarian:'' '''Mogorva'''
*''Mandarin:'' '''Gāngsuǒ''' (钢锁, "Steel Lock")

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Age of Extinction Autobots]]
[[Category:Age of Extinction Dinobots]]
[[Category:Battle Masters Autobots]]
[[Category:Bumblebee Autobots]]
[[Category:Construct-Bots Autobots]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame characters]]
[[Category:Human Alliance Autobots]]
[[Category:Knights]]
[[Category:Kre-O Autobots]]
[[Category:Kreons]]
[[Category:McDonald's exclusives]]
[[Category:Platinum Edition]]
[[Category:Studio Series Autobots]]
[[Category:Target exclusives]]
[[Category:The Last Knight Autobots]]
[[Category:Toys"R"Us exclusives]]
[[Category:Toys"R"Us Japan exclusives]]